Armadillo Sports
Monday’s 6-pack:
Six NL outfielders that MLB players voted for as All-Stars:
636— Pete Crow-Armstrong
471— Kyle Tucker
451— James Wood
418— Corbin Carroll
404— Ronald Acuna
311— Fernando Tatis
Quote of the Day
“You never take for granted getting to go to an All-Star Game, regardless of the circumstances. Obviously, I don’t deserve to get to go this season. I haven’t pitched very much. I didn’t really actually know that (the legend pick) was a thing. At the end of the day, it’s weird, but it’s cool, so I’m just going to enjoy it.”
Clayton Kershaw, named to the All-Star Game as a legend
Tuesday’s quiz
In the history of the Atlanta Falcons, which QB has thrown for the most yards?
Monday’s quiz
In the history of Ole Miss football, Giants’ rookie Jaxson Dart has thrown for the most yards.
Sunday’s quiz
Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in both 1992/1993; Cito Gaston was their manager.
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Tuesday’s Den: Nobody asked me, but……..
— Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019, but since then, 71-91 is the best season they’ve had. Sunday, the Nationals fired GM Mike Rizzo, manager Dave Martinez.
Franchise got hosed financially when the pandemic happened the year after they won the World Series; defending champs often get a big jump in attendance the year after they win a title, but fans didn’t go to games in 2020.
Maybe the Nationals’ owners should take a look in the mirror; they traded Juan Soto to San Diego during the 2022 season; they let Bryce Harper walk as a free agent after 2018. Hard to fire the general manager when you won’t pay the team’s stars.
Timing of all this is odd; the amateur draft is this Sunday, and Washington has the first pick. If they hire a new GM from outside the organization, you’d think that person would like to make this selection, but that’s not going to happen.
— Cubs’ OF Seiya Suzuki leads MLB in RBI, with 77, but as of right now, he isn’t an All-Star.
Only once has the RBI leader missed the All-Star Game; way back in 1935, Hank Greenberg idid not make the All-Star team— he had 103 RBI at the break, and his own manager passed him by.
90 freakin’ years; I’m thinking Suzuki deserves to be an All-Star.
— Players voted for their All-Stars; neither Suzuki or Juan Soto was in their top six outfielders.
Go figure.
— I talk about this every year; the NBA Summer League starts Thursday in Las Vegas; if you like the NBA, this is a great event to go to. It is affordable, it is air conditioned, most of the league is there, they have good concessions and when the day is done, you’re in Las Vegas.
Excellent way to spend a week of your summer.
People I’ve spoken to at the Summer League:
Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke (he owns the Rams, too)
NBA great Walt Frazier (very nice man)
Tim Grgurich (one of Jerry Tarkanian’s assistants in UNLV’s glory days)
— Win total for the Utah Jazz this coming season is 19.5, their lowest total since at least 1993
Orlando’s win total is 51.5, their highest since 2011.
— Do people really bet on hot dog eating contests?
Monday in Brooklyn, Joey Chestnut ate 70 weiners (and rolls) in 10 minutes to win the title, but his over/under was 70.5 hot dogs, so the under bettors cashed in.
It is gross to watch people eat so fast; I like hot dogs as much as anyone, but good grief, stuffing food down your throat like that makes me queasy.
— Trends for the Carolina Panthers:
Last three years, they’re 14-37 SU
This year, Carolina is #6 in NFL in $$$ spent on offense, #1 on offensive line
This year, Carolina is #16 in NFL in $$$ spent on defense, #4 on DL
Last year, Panthers were minus-5 in turnovers (17-22)
Last year, Panthers were 5-12, 4-3 in games decided by 8 or fewer points.
Carolina was 1-9 in games decided by more than 8 points.
Panthers are 0-5 ATS in last five games as a favorite.
Panthers are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 road games.
— Famous birthdays, July 8th:
Anjelica Huston, 74
Alan Ashby, 74
Jack Lambert, 73
Terry Puhl, 69
Kevin Bacon, 67
Michael Weatherly, 57
Sebastian Maniscalco, 52
Hakim Warrick, 43
Josh Harrison, 38
Reid Detmers, 26
— Guardians 7, Astros 5
Cleveland snaps its 10-game losing skid.
Jose Ramirez homered, knocked in three runs.
— Brewers 9, Dodgers 1
Milwaukee scored five runs in the first off of Yamamoto.
Freddy Peralta threw six shutout innings.
Andrew Vaughn homered in his first game for the Brewers.
— Marlins 5, Reds 1
Janson Junk allowed one hit in six IP.
Marlins are 11-3 in their last fourteen games.
— Royals 9, Pirates 3
Rookie Noah Cameron allowed three hits in 7 IP.
Pirates lost their last four games, outscored by total of 17-3.
— Angels 6, Rangers 5
Nolan Schanuel drew a bases-loaded walk to end the game.
First time in 15 starts that Jacob deGrom allowed more than 2 runs.
— Diamondbacks 6, Padres 3
Manny Machado homered, also got his 2,000th career hit.
Zac Gallen allowed an unearned run in his six IP.
Josh Naylor homered, scored twice for Arizona.
— Giants 3, Phillies 1
Giants scored twice in 8th inning to win this pitchers’ duel.
Cristopher Sanchez allowed one run in 7 IP (how is he not an All-Star??)
Teams were a combined 0-15 with runners in scoring position.
If the baseball playoffs started today (they do not):
AL: Blue Jays, Tigers, Astros. Wild Cards: New York, Rays, Mariners
NL: Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers. Wild Cards: Mets, Brewers, Giants