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royals "cherish" advancing to improbable wild card spot

Kansas City Royals ‘cherish’ advancing from 106 defeats to improbable Wild Card spot

September 28, 2024 No Comments

The Kansas City Royals do not like talking about last year. This whole season, they decided not to think about 2023. All that matters, according to manager Matt Quatraro, is today. On the night the Royals won their first postseason place since 2015 with the Minnesota Twins losing to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, the 2023 season was mentioned many times. And how far the team has come from it. “This is the moment to take it in,” Vinnie Pasquantino said. “We were really bad last year. This year, we’re really good. And you get kind of emotional thinking about it. I’m super excited to be in this locker room right now. We’re happy to be here. And we’re not satisfied.” Nine years after the Royals won it all and brought Kansas City its second World Series title in franchise history, they are back in the postseason. They’ll compete in the Wild Card Series next week in Baltimore or Houston, with seeding to be determined over the final two days of the regular season. In 2024, the Royals became the third team since the expansion era began (‘61) to advance to the postseason after losing up to 100 matches the previous year. They join the 2017 Twins and 2020 Miami Marlins, but are first to lose 106+ and make it. “To get to where we were from where we are, there’s so many people involved,” general manager J.J. Picollo, the architect of the turnaround, said. “So many people played a part in this. To see it all happen is kind of surreal. We felt like it was going to happen. But until it did, you just didn’t know.” They finally got their moment on Friday, despite waiting for the Twins to lose to the Baltimore Orioles after they dropped their series opener to the Braves at Truist Park. But that didn’t matter to Royals when champagne was spraying and beers were flowing. Bobby Witt Jr. had two empty beer cans strapped to his head with a cigar hanging out of his mouth with a goofy smile only a baseball-loving superstar would wear. “This is what I dreamed of as a kid,” Witt said. “I saw the pictures. I bought the shirts. Now I’m in the pictures. And I have the shirt. “It’s amazing what the front office and coaching staff did. And this team. I’m forever thankful. I’m glad to be here.”

NBA 2024 Season Preview And Betting Previews

September 28, 2024 No Comments

The 2024-25 NBA season will be the 79th season of the National Basketball Association. It is scheduled to begin on October 22nd, 2024 and end on April 13th, 2025. To help you wager successfully on the new campaign, MatchPlug has created this article on NBA 2024 season preview and betting previews. The Boston Celtics won their 18th NBA championship title last season, after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five matches in the 2023 NBA finals. As Jayson Tatum and the rest of the Celtics squad gear up for the new season, recreating this feat will not be easy, especially with a number of other teams playing to get a slice of victory. This 2024-25 NBA season promises to be an exciting one filled with twists, turns, and teams tightening up their squads with new and extended signings. To stay up to date with it all, you can visit MatchPlug weekly to get previews, odds and NBA expert picks to help you with your predictions. PS: If you love American Football, then you can read our article on NFL league 2024 preview and betting previews. Table of content: NBA 2024 Finals Prediction Which team will win the finals this year? According to reports on the current futures market, defending champions, Boston Celtics have an implied 24.4% chance of winning the 2024-25 NBA championship. After them is the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 12.9% chance that makes them the second-most likely team to win the title. Next is the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks with a 10% chance. NBA 2024 Title Odds Below is a list of the odds for the NBA 2024 title: NBA Team Odds Boston Celtics +300 Oklahoma City Thunder +700 Philadelphia 76ers +900 New York Knicks +900 Denver Nuggets +1100 Minnesota Timberwolves +1100 Dallas Mavericks +1100 Milwaukee Bucks +1200 Phoenix Suns +1600 Cleveland Cavaliers +4000 Odds as seen on Fox Sports. Five Rookies To Watch For NBA 2024 There wasn’t much buzz surrounding the NBA 2024 draft, due to sports analysts perceiving the whole event as weak. However, there are still some rookies that are watch watching for the new season, and we have listed them out below: 1. Reed Sheppard Reed Sheppard has had a complex evolution, ever since he was in high school. Last year at Kentucky, he had remarkable shooting numbers, complemented by defensive metrics that excite. Supplement all of that with some impressive on-ball reps in the summer league, and this No.3 overall pick could be the best player in the NBA 2024 draft. Team: Houston Rockets. 2. Zach Edey Zach Edey was the No.9 overall pick in the draft and its most polarizing prospect. He was superior in college basketball for the last two season at Purdue, but was always consider a wrong fit for the NBA. The Memphis Grizzlies taking him in top 10 was a shocking moment in the draft night, even if it was only after many teams rebuffed them for wanting to trade up for Donovan Clingan. Team: Memphis Grizzlies. 3. Zaccharie Risacher Zaccahrie Risacher is not a typical first overall pick. He is more of a 3-and-D style role player than the type of creator or high upside prospect that usually goes number one. Additionally, he had some substantial ups and downs last campaign in France. The truth is he would not have gone number one if Alex Sarr had not forced the Hawks’ hands. Team: Atlanta Hawks. 4. Alexandre Sarr Alexandre Sarr was the player most people expected to be the first pick in the draft when the lottery order was determined. When the Hawks got the number one pick, Sarr and his representatives basically decided that he would go to the Washington Wizards. This was a clear enough rationale. The Wizards are not looking to win as they are still rebuilding. As such, they should have more opportunities for Sarr to play next season. Team: Washington Wizards. 5. Stephon Castle Stephon gets the last spot on this list, because opportunity is the biggest requirement for early success of NBA rookies. The San Antonio Spurs already have Victor Wembanyama as a generational talent to build around, and while Wembanyama was as good as he was marketed to be last season, the rest of the Spurs roster was not ready to compete in the playoffs. Team: San Antonio Spurs. NBA 2024 Season Previews Here, we give you a snippet of some NBA 2024 season previews for 10 teams in the NBA, ahead of the new campaign. If you’d like to see more previews, you can visit the NBA Predictions page on our site. 1. Atlanta Hawks NBA 2024 Season Preview Dejounte Murray is out and No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher joins the Atlanta Hawks. With three-straight trips to compete in the tournament, the Hawks have a mission to avoid that scenario completely. With Murray out of the picture, are Risacher and the new signings from New Orleans playing alongside Trae Young enough to make that dream a reality? 2. Boston Celtics NBA 2024 Season Preview The new NBA champions are the betting favorites to win the title again next season, but since no team has won the Larry O’Brien trophy twice in a row since 2019, betting on the Boston Celtics to secure a 19th title in franchise history is an investment to be carefully considered. 3. Brooklyn Nets NBA 2024 Season Preview The Brooklyn Nets sent a message to the other teams by trading Mikal Bridges, stating that they are ready to shake things up at the 2025 draft. Nicolas Claxton, Cam Johnson, and Cam Thomas are key players, but according to oddsmakers, this upcoming campaign will be a total wash. 4. Charlotte Hornets NBA 2024 Season Preview LaMelo Ball suffering an injury derailed what would have been another year of not making the playoffs for the Charlotte Hornets. But oddsmakers believe a healthy season should lift the Hornets to some progress in the win-loss column. Will their success be tied to that or

Davies assures Bayern Munich amid Real Madrid rumours

September 28, 2024 1 Comment

Bayern Munich wing-back Alphonso Davies says the German side has his full attention. Off contract in June, Davies is expected to receive a pre-contract offer by Real Madrid in January with the intention of signing him next summer in a Bosman transfer. But Davies told BILD: “My full focus is on this team. I’m playing for Bayern Munich now, and that’s what I’m concentrating on. I want to win every game. That’s why I’m not thinking about it right now. “Whether I stay or leave the club, I will always carry this club in my heart, he says. “You have to talk to my agent about it. My focus right now is on winning every game. I’m not thinking about the other subject at the moment.”

Former Chelsea boss Potter says some Chelsea players “sat on the floor” due to lack of seats

September 27, 2024 No Comments

Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter revealed that during his tenure, some Chelsea players did not have seats. Those players resorted to sitting on the floor during club gatherings in 2022. Taking charge at Stamford Bridge after Thomas Tuchel left, Potter received eight new signings that winter. Speaking to The Telegraph this week, Potter said: “We tried to support it as best we could, but it left us with a challenge of a lot of players after January and then they can’t go anywhere.” He added: “A few of them just had to sit on the floor. “It’s not ideal, of course. Everybody recognised it was a really difficult situation because you can only pick 11 players and if you’ve got 20 players not playing, it doesn’t matter where you are. If you can find a coach out there who says, ‘yeah, that’s the best condition for me,’ I’d be very surprised.”

Taylor Twellman: MLS, League of the No. 10

September 27, 2024 1 Comment

The newest episode of Offside with Taylor Twellman discusses how the importance of the No. 10 position has shifted on the global stage, and how that created the way for MLS to become a league where classic No. 10s survive and thrive. The reason for this discussion, according to Twellman, was a statement Apple TV analyst Sacha Klejstan made. “Listen, if you’re starting No. 10, whether you’re paying him $8 million or $800,000, and he’s getting you five goals and five assists, that’s not good enough in MLS,” said Kljestan. “This is the league of the number 10.” Twellman spoke to other bests at the position: Nashville SC’ Hany Mukhtar, Colorado Rapids’ Djordje Mihailovic and Portland Timbers’ Evander. According to Mukhtar, MLS’ increased focus on the position is one of the reasons he went stateside. “I think like two, three years into my career, being a professional soccer player, a lot of teams started to not play with the No. 10,” Mukhtar told Twellman. “… That was also a big reason why I ended up here in MLS, because to this day you still have a lot of No. 10s.” Will the trend continue? Or will MLS ultimately follow the footsteps of leagues around the world that have avoided building around classic 10s in favor of a different tactical set-up? Twellman asks that question to Kljestan, Jeff Rueter of The Athletic and MLS legend Marco Etcheverry, leading to differing perspectives on the matter. “We should always have the star No. 10s. These are the guys that should fill seats in the stadium,” Kljestan said. “They should be the guys that you tune in to watch every week. And then these should be the guys that are leading the All-Star game, leading the MVP race every season. It’s the most important position. Of course, putting the ball in the back of the net gets all the glory, but the game runs through the No. 10 and I love it.”

Tai Baribo is good for Philadelphia Union

September 27, 2024 No Comments

When Julián Carranza was sent to Eredivisie side Feyenoord earlier this summer, people asked questions about who would be the next consistent goal scorer for the Philadelphia Union. Tai Baribo became the answer to that question. Baribo, leads the Leagues Cup Golden Boot race with five goals and 11 goals in his last 11 games across all competitions. The Israeli citizen was always on the sidelines looking in for the Union. Now, he is debatably the most in-form attack in the league. Baribo and Philadelphia will get back to action on Saturday night when welcoming LIGA MX side Feyenoord in the League Cup quarter finals (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Toronto Blue Jays VS Miami Marlins betting Predictions

September 27, 2024 No Comments

The Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays meet Friday in MLB game 1 action at Rogers Centre. Here’s a Toronto Blue Jays vs Miami Marlins prediction for you. Find the MLB best bets today, predictions, picks, and odds for Toronto Blue Jays vs Miami Marlins on MatchPlug. We are a Sure Prediction Site to get accurate previews on MLB matches. Predictions And Betting Preview For Toronto Blue Jays VS Miami Marlins Odds by 1XBet. Betting On The Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are 74-85 on the year after playing the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. The Blue Jays have scored 12 runs in their last 3 matches and 4 or more runs in 6 of their last 12 matches. Toronto have won 5 of their last 7 matches when scoring 4 or more runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads the Blue Jays with 197 hits and 102 RBI, while George Springer and Ernie Clement combine for 230 hits and 106 RBI. Betting On The Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are 59-100 on the year after playing the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins. The Marlins scored 15 runs in their last 3 matches and 4 or more runs in 7 of their last 9 matches. Miami have won 4 of their last 7 matches when scoring 4 or more runs. Jake Burger leads the Marlins with 127 hits and 72 RB, while Jesus Sanchez and Otto Lopez combine for 220 hits and 110 RBI. MatchPlug Prediction For Toronto Blue Jays VS Miami Marlins Although both the Blue Jays and the Marlins have nothing to play for, Toronto was on a break yesterday while Miami played 13 innings. Adam Oller hasn’t given much in limited frames and suffered a hard hit on the road. Jose Berrios has been excellent in his few starts, which includes permitting 3 runs in his last 19 innings. Experts back the Blue Jays at home and with an All-Star material arm on the hill. Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays -1.5.

MLB EXPERT PICKS: New York Yankees VS Pittsburgh Pirates betting Predictions

September 27, 2024 No Comments

The New York Yankees will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 1 of their season-ending three-game Yankees VS Pirates series tonight at Yankee Stadium. MatchPlug has the MLB Expert Picks, predictions, and odds for Yankees VS Pirates. We are a Hot Prediction Site that offers accurate MLB previews and match analysis. Predictions And Betting Preview For New York Yankees VS Pittsburgh Pirates Odds as seen on 1XBet. Betting On The New York Yankees The New York Yankees rebounded on a powerful offensive day with the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday after dropping the first two. They will face the Pirates in the last three matches, which is the first time both teams are meeting in 2024. New York winning in the series opener means they’ll stay in the sole spot of the best record in the American League. They are presently 1.0 game ahead of the Guardians. Their series loss against the Os broke a series of five straight series victories for the Yankees. Betting On The Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates will end their disappointing campaign on a high. They have only 3 victories in their last 10 matches and are 2 points behind the Reds in NL Central standings in fifth. Jared Jones will start for the Pirates after what was an appalling start against the Cincinnati Reds. In his last start versus Cincinnati, Jones had 5.0 innings, 6 hits, 6 earned runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. MatchPlug Prediction For New York Yankees VS Pittsburgh Pirates The Yankees will believe in Rodon to fix his 3rd best Win-Loss record in the league. They’ll focus on Aaron Judge, as the captain is expected to be hot at the plate after getting back to shape. The Pirates lineup’s .224 batting average in the last ten contrasts the New York’s 2.57 ERA from their pitching. Final Prediction: New York Yankees Moneyline.

Darvich restless at Barcelona

September 27, 2024 No Comments

Noah Darvich is restless at Barcelona. The rookie forward is presently with Barca Atletic, but Jijantes reports that he is uncertain about his long-term prospects with the Blaugrana. In four matches this term, Darvich has played for 130 minutes. Several opponents from across Europe are monitoring the German youth national’s situation. Darvich was an excellent player as he helped Germany win the U17 World Cup last year.

Zamalek chief reaffirms plans for Real Madrid star Ramos

September 27, 2024 1 Comment

Zamalek directors have reaffirmed their interest in Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos. The ex Real and Spain captain is still a free agent after leaving Sevilla last summer. He was linked with Zamalek earlier this week and now the Egyptian team’s director Ali Hisham Nasr said: “Zamalek is a great club and deserves players like that. “We see the agreement with Ramos not only as something good in sporting terms, but also for marketing. The player is free and it would be a great advantage to hire him. Any club in the world wants Ramos.” According to AS, Sergio is listening to Zamalek, although Saudi Arabia club Al Orobah is also interested in him.

Kansas City Royals ‘cherish’ advancing from 106 defeats to improbable Wild Card spot

NBA 2024 Season Preview And Betting Previews

Davies assures Bayern Munich amid Real Madrid rumours

Former Chelsea boss Potter says some Chelsea players “sat on the floor” due to lack of seats

Taylor Twellman: MLS, League of the No. 10

Tai Baribo is good for Philadelphia Union

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Toronto Blue Jays VS Miami Marlins betting Predictions

MLB EXPERT PICKS: New York Yankees VS Pittsburgh Pirates betting Predictions

Darvich restless at Barcelona

Zamalek chief reaffirms plans for Real Madrid star Ramos

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