The WNBA is a unique market, right? It moves a little bit different. You take a bet, a limit play. Even if the limit is two times on a side, you don't go from 11.5 to 12. You know what I mean? You gotta go. Gotta go. Because if they bet you the second number, then you go, oh boy, now we have a decision that we really didn't think we got a big decision. Books, love decisions, game time decisions only on sports grid. Watch out for USA and Canada in four years. Like an like cricket's going to be a sport that's growing. I made my first cricket bet last week or over the weekend. I was getting a team that was leading like 150 to 5 plus odds. I'm like, I'm up 150 points and I'm getting plus odds. Where do I sign? I love this cricket stuff. What, are you kidding me? In game live prime time only on sports Grid. DeMar DeRozan now joins that team in Sacramento with the King here in Fox to Monte Sabonis Devin Carter who they drafted early Keegan Murray as well a Kings team. Doctors that has been a playoff contender is it going to equate to a championship. Probably not. That's not the goal. Make your team better. Every off season. The Kings definitely got better with that move here Ben. The early line only on sports grid. Hello. And welcome to a Thursday Live right here on the Early Line on Sports Grid and all across the Sports Grid network. That includes sports Grid. Com slash watch where you can find your favorite destination to consume everything. All across the grid. He is Donny. Right side. I am Ben Stevens. We are here together for the next three hours. Up until 11 a.m. eastern time. The second and final full day off during the Major League Baseball all star break games resume with a full Friday slate tomorrow. So one last chance to reset where we are at the All Star break before the home stretch of this long 162, known as a major league Baseball regular season, we're at the all star and Olympic break in the WNBA. A doubleheader of action yesterday that featured more history and a historic record from Caitlin Clark. We'll break down what we saw in those two games. And round number one of the fourth and final major championship this year in men's golf, the 152nd Open Championship now underway across the pond in Scotland at Royal Troon. We'll recap everything that we have seen so far and give you those live betting angles throughout these three hours. It's the open live right here on the early line. It's good to see too. So we'll do a check in. Nobody shooting seven, eight, 9 or 10 under in roud number one. Looks like we are getting some of that action from Mother Nature. A little bit of wet wetness out there, a little bit of wind blowing here. And some of those players are certainly going to be challenged. Tiger woods also teeing off in just a little bit. So a lot going on in the sports world technically. But our job over the next three hours is to keep you entertained. And I guarantee Ben we're going to do that. Yeah about an hour and a half until Edrick Aldrick begins his walk around the Open Championship at Royal Troon. The 15 time major champion, the three time champion golfer of the year, raising that Claret Jug at the Open right now, Justin Thomas, Tiger's good friend, three under par in front of everybody else at The Open Championship now fourth best number for JT. Those live updated odds to win the open outright at 14 to 1. There is a large group of players at two under not far behind Justin Thomas. Scottie Scheffler remains the favorite at this moment at 4 to 1. Rory McIlroy entered with the second best price to win the open Championship this year because of a rough start to begin at Royal Troon. He has moved back to a 25 to 1 number. Yeah, where is he at? But because I'm trying I just brought up the leaderboard at this point. Do we know his exact score. Like what does he what is he right now. Let me find him for you? Let me do this for you. Because apparently you don't know control F. He's three over par through ten holes DRS. Yeah he's done. Yeah. Go home Rory. I mean go home. There's no use playing the rest of these three and a half rounds at this point right now, unless you want to dive into the FanDuel sports book and get a better price on what we had for Roy yesterday, there could be some value here, but if weather is going to be an indicator, I love this true test of golf. Bring in those elements from Mother Nature. Absolutely. So that's what we do on the aisles out there in Scotland. Link style golf. Our guide, Charlie Hulme, who is breaking things down pre-tournament, will join us throughout these three hours to break things down as the tournament and round number one is underway again. Tiger woods tees off a little bit after 9:30 a.m. eastern time here stateside. Scottie Scheffler, the pre-tournament and current favorite to win The Open Championship in just his fourth appearance at the open, tees off at 10:10 a.m. Eastern time. Wake up, grab your cup of coffee, watch us on the early line and turn on the Open Championship as well. Exhibition match number three of five for team USA as they get ready for the Paris Olympics. Yesterday in Abu Dhabi, and an impressive performance against Nikola Jokic and the Serbians. 105 79 team USA, a perfect three and zero throh these exhibition matches yesterday, covering as a 14.5 point favorite. A total of one 78.5 does go over last two games for team USA have gone over. They are two and one against the spread booked as a double digit favorite in all three exhibition matches. All right Commissioner, right side, now is your time. How was it finding the box score and those score updates yesterday? Yeah, let's let's lay down the law here. Your boy doctors told you to take 15 plus points yesterday for Anthony Edwards. He got 16. But the fun of finding how many points he had was like a treasure chest where you had to get out an old map, e you were watching Goonies the movie and had to go all over the place just to find it. I don't know why technology got so bad. And also, you can't blame this guy. Well, Donnie, what did you want? The NFL is playing, college football is playing. The NBA is playing. You know, college baseball is playing. And also there's exhibition international friendlies for the Olympics to get ready for it. I would understand at that point. But the fact of the matter that I'm going to legitimate sites, I'm going to ESPN, I'm going to team USA basketball. And by the way, team USA basketball's website here, Ben, get this, you wouldn't even have known there was a game playing at this point. Because what was more important, the under 17 team USA women's that played yesterday was more important than what was going on yesterday. So ridiculous stuff across the board. Good Team USA won good. I won my bet. But my goodness, the top ten superstars in the NBA are playing yesterday basically. And I can't find a box score. What gives Anthony Edwards 16 points. So at -113 to score 15 plus cashes that number. Stephon Curry the leading scorer 24 points, six of nine from three, came out as a sniper from deep and Bam Adebayo 17 points and eight rebounds. Nikola Jokic had a double double 16 points and 11 boards for the Serbians, albeit in that losing effort. History yesterday in the WNBA. It seems that's the case every time a prolific rookie steps on the floor and as of late for Caitlin Clark, 24 points, 19 assists, a new single game record all time in the history of the WNBA. Moving past Courtney Vandersloot, who set the record a few seasons ago against Indiana when she was playing in Chicago. She had 18. Caitlin Clark surpasses her 19 dimes yesterday, albeit in a loss to the Dallas Wings. Unbelievable stuff. I mean, you're just watching somebody who we were told that, hey, watch out. There's a learning curve. The physicality of the game. She's been absolutely fantastic. And talk about living up to expectations Ben how about exceeding expectations already something nobody is supposed to do. Like when LeBron James came into the NBA. Oh how's it going to live up to Michael Jordan? He did pretty well at that. Caitlin Clark going in right away and being a dominant force here. It's impressive to watch 19 assists yesterday. It's so much difference because we knew the assists were there Ben in college right. But you get to the WNBA it's like well is she just going to shoot and alienate her teammates. You got to love playing with somebody like this who wants to get you the passes and also get you the passes in the right spot to convert easy buckets. It must be a dream to play with her, but a disappointing result for the game overall will have plenty more around the W. The Dallas Wings win by eight outright as a four point home underdog on the final day of action before the WNBA all star break this weekend in Phoenix. And of course, that long Olympic break, the first game of two yesterday in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Lynx bounced back from a loss to Indiana on Sunday with an 8679 victory over the dream. They were an eight point favorite, so Atlanta does cover the dream. Have now, though, dropped eight straight games. Shout out to the people yesterday. Go to break is coming up. Just take the points and pray. A two and zero day out there for the people in the streets beat us. Absolutely. So the underdogs. But Kayla McBride a big performance for Minnesota leading all scorers with 30. NBA News Now Khris Middleton undergoing offseason surgery on both of his ankles. Now I need to know who he was working out with who snapped both of his ankles to get them. Absolutely. You know into surgery at this point. That's the guy I want to sign here as a free agent. Somebody let it be known who snapped both of his ankles working out. That's pretty impressive. First SEC media days for the Texas Longhorns yesterday. And Steve Sarkisian was asked about his quarterback room. Quinn Ewers, one of the Heisman frontrunners entering this year. But Archie Manning waiting in the wings. Sarkisian saying we're going to need both of those guys at some point throughout this season. Does that mean because we're going to be blowing teams out 48 to nothing, and then we're going to need somebody to mp up, like with Archie Manning, the most overhyped college football player in the history of the sport. Let's see him get on the field. Come on now. Yeah, maybe. So again, I have said if Archie Manning plays in legitimate time this year, that's a bad sign for Texas because Quinn Ewers has one of the three best prices to win a Heisman Trophy history, and Donny's neck of the woods. Kevin Sullivan, a 14 year old, debuts for the Philadelphia Union, making history yesterday. United States soccer is back. Yeah, it's back. Just like Freddy you do. And also the union, who were a good team who were terrible. Now trying to play to the public and make a history here. They're making history with a horrific season. How about that good job union. The Open Championship underway in Scotland. The update the first round leaderboard nex. The WNBA is a unique market, right. It moves a little bit different. You take a bet a limit play. Even if the limit is two times on the side, you don't go from 11.5 to 12. You know what I mean? You got to go. Gotta go. Because if they bet you the second number, then you go, oh boy, now we have a decision that we really didn't think we got a big decision. Books, love decisions, game time decisions only on sports grid. Watch out for USA and Canada in four years. Like an like cricket's going to be a sport that's growing. I made my first cricket bet last week or over the weekend. I was getting a team that was leading like 150 to 5 plus odds. I'm like, I'm up 150 points and I'm getting plus odds. Where do I sign? I love this cricket stuff. What, are you kidding me? In game live prime time only on sports Grid. DeMar DeRozan now joined that team in Sacramento with the King here in Fox to Monte Sabonis Devin Carter who they drafted early Keegan Murray as well a Kings team. Doctors that has been a playoff contender. Is it going to equate to a championship. Probably not. That's not the goal. Make your team better every off season. The Kings definitely got better with that move here Ben. The early line only on sports grid. Round number one of the final major championship this year in men's golf. Now officially underway, it is the oldest, oldest major championship in all of the sport. The 152nd playing of The Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland early action already underway. And Justin Thomas stands atop the leaderboard, three under par in front of a group that is two under their six guys at two under at the moment. Let's take a look at the pre-tournament odds. Pre-tournament would have been about 1 a.m. eastern time with action starting here very early stateside of course, five hours ahead acs the pond in Scotland. Scottie Scheffler, unsurprisingly the pre-tournament favorite at plus $454 in front of Rory McIlroy, a plus 850 number before the open Championship got underway. The ten year long drought for Rory trying to get back in the winner's circle at a major Xander Schauffele, the champion of the PGA Championship. Bryson DeChambeau, 18 to 1. The champion at the United States Open and a couple of other guys there in the list that certainly can contend doctors. As we entered the Open Championship, what were your final thoughts before play got underway in round number one? Yeah, I was hoping to see like if the weather would impact. And also, most importantly, Ben, like setting the tone for an Open championship means like, what are those first round scores going to be and who's going to be able to compete? Now, as I say this Justin Thomas, like what year is this? He's actually leading the open right now at a minus three shot 68 today. You take a look at Justin Rose two under finishes with a 69 Adam Scott. We haven't seen him compete. It feels like for a long time in major championships he's one under and shot a 70 today. So immediately brings into my thoughts about the veteran players and how to navigate these types of golf courses. Because if you see guys unknown names right, Ben five under six under seven under, you say to yourself, well, maybe some of the old crafty guys probably can't compete because there's not many challenges, like when a younger player gets into championships and majors. Typically you're saying, okay, if it's great conditions, I can really get after it, but how are you going to play in conditions that you're not used to playing and haven't played this golf course? Many times? Which brings up the next thought with like Tiger Woods? I'm not saying Tiger Woods can compete in this golf tournament, but if we're looking at the leading score, a -368, which was shot by Justin Thomas, that should give Tiger a lot of bonus effort here before this round on you know what, I can manage this golf course. I've won in link style conditions. I've won in bad weather before. Maybe I can compete and at least make the cut and maybe make a challenge on Saturday or Sunday. That was my initial takeaway. I love to see the leaderboard, the way it stacks up, because we might get a crazy British Open right now it's well said. Doctors, when you're battling the elements, the goal is not to be 22 under par like some of the birdie fest that we have seen over these summer months. It is a different and difficult test than what these golfers, especially the Americans, are used to playing. Scottie Scheffler tees off at 10:10 a.m. Eastern time. The big cat Eldrick Tiger Woods starts to stalk the course at Royal Troon in just over an hour. 9:37 a.m. Eastern Wyndham Clark, who won the S open two years ago out there with Brooks Koepka, a five time major champion, and Phil Mickelson tees off in just about 45 minutes at Troon at 9:04 a.m. eastern time. Now, let's talk about some of the results we have seen. As Donny alluded to, par 71 at Troon. So Justin Thomas in front three under in opening round 68 plus 360 for JT to be the round one leader. That's the live and updated number on the FanDuel sports book. His pre-tournament price much longer than where he is at the moment. 14 to 1 fourth best. But the biggest story of the day, perhaps in two parts at this moment. Rory McIlroy. Second best price to win the Open Championship. Trying to snap that decade long streak without a major title, three over par through his first 11 holes. That plus 850 price no longer 25 to 1. Now updated on McIlroy. Yeah, and that's going to be interesting to watch. It's great. We have Charley coming on with us today because again so many golf tournaments it's like okay if you're playing in Augusta what is the temperatures. Well 82 degrees all four days. Sunny skies, maybe a little bit of rain on one day to slow the greens down. The thing that we talk about and again, handicapping, not just sitting back as a fan because you're going to enjoy it either way, but it's when these guys actually tee off. Could make that big difference. Did we have worse weather in the morning that we're going to get this afternoon? Is that going to be a bonus for Tiger Woods who goes, hey, you know what, these guys are going two and three under par. The weather might clear up just a bit. Rain stops, wind dies down a bit. Maybe somebody can go four and five under. So I want to see what the benefits are. And also keep in mind the benefits of how does this round turn into tomorrow morning's round. Which means are we expecting high winds tomorrow. Any rain in the forecast guys going out in the morning compared to the afternoon? There's a lot of things up in the air which always keeps you on toes, as opposed to just rooting for your favorite golfer. But again, looking at that leaderboard right now Thomas Noren, Hobart Rose, Henley McNealy, some of these guys you're not expecting to be there to play quality rounds and have already finished. Now that these guys are already on the leaderboard per se, let's just see if some of these later groups can go hunt some of those guys down. And you saw some of those names near the top of the leaderboard, for instance, Ludvig Oberg, who has been great at Major championships and was strong last week at the Scottish Open, now plus 125 for Oberg to finish top 20. He is three over like Rory McIlroy. I'm trying to find McIlroy's number to finish top 20 as well. It's plus two if they can surface down the final two. Control F is key. I used it there and found it very quickly. If you can find guys that can surface back to closer to 1 or 2 over, make a run in their final 4 or 5 holes of their opening round. They're not all that far off. Five shots separate Rory McIlroy from a two over par score from where JT is at the top of the leaderboard, still very much in contention to make the cut and make a move up the board Friday Saturday into Sunday. So you're getting some very good plus money prices on those guys. Viktor Hovland, One of the ten best prices to win the open before he's also three over plus 240 to finish top 20 in the last major championship that we saw the United States Open, Bryson DeChambeau victorious at Pinehurst Six over doctors through his first 12 holes here to start the open Championship. Completely different. Like when you're dealing with the elements, u can't just rear back and try to bomb it. You get caught in that fescue on the side or off. You're in some trouble. And also hitting the ball high in these conditions, which Bryson DeChambeau is like a rainmaker at this point. When you watch him on the PGA tour, you can't really have that game. And sometimes it just doesn't adapt and is it a surprise he's that high? Yes. I'm not going to say, well, I expected Bryson DeChambeau to not compete in the British Open, but it just gives other guys chances. If you're used to playing in those conditions, that's probably going to be a benefit as opposed to most of the PGA players used to playing under the PGA conditions. Absolutely. So we'll continue to update what we see in this opening round. Again, the story Justin Thomas atop the leaderboard three under par. But guys like Rory Ludvig Viktor Hovland three over early at the open. More to come on the early line next. The WNBA is a unique market, right? It moves a little bit different. You take a bet a limit play, even if the limit is two times on a side, you don't go from 11.5 to 12. You know what I mean? You gotta go. Gotta go. Because if they bet you the second number, then you go, oh boy, now we have a decision that we really didn't think we got a big decision. Books, love decisions, game time decisions only on sports grid. Watch out for USA and Canada in four years. Like an eight. Like cricket's going to be a sport that's growing. I made my first cricket bet last week or over the weekend. I was getting a team that was leading like 150 to 5 plus odds. I'm like, I'm up 150 points and I'm getting plus odds. Where do I sign? I love this cricket stuff. What are you kidding me? In game live Prime time only on sports Grid. DeMar DeRozan now joins that team in Sacramento with the King here in Fox to Monte Sabonis Devin Carter who they drafted early Keegan Murray as well a Kings team. Doctors that has been a playoff contender. Is it going to equate to a championship probably not. That's not the goal. Make your team better every off season. The Kings definitely got better with that move here Ben. The early line only on sports grid. If you follow Donny right side on Twitter and you were tracking his timeline yesterday in the afternoon hours as team USA was taking on Serbia in their third of five exhibition matches to get ready for the Paris Olympics. You saw one man that was incredibly frustrated just trying to figure out what the score was, what the updated numbers were, what was the box score looking like, who had scored what, because doctors had a bet on Anthony Edwards to score 15 plus points. It cash dollars and the Americans won big yesterday in Abu Dhabi. 105 79 over Serbia. Team USA covering as a 14.5 point favorite. A pre game number for an exhibition of one 78.5. Does go over remember used to and again this you probably remember this as well Ben. Let's go back like 1520 years. Like just take a website like ESPN. I love Mac football, right. You kind of bet Mac football. Those games aren't updated rather quickly back in the day on anybody's website. So the game could be late third quarter. They're giving you the halftime score. And I felt like that's what I was doing yesterday because when I was trying to just find simplicity, right, give me a box score. Just click on something. It has it right. ESPN had the box scores up yesterday. You click on it. They gave you the live feed. And the one I couldn't stop laughing was it was like 72 to 55 when the game was actually over. That was the live feed on ESPN. And then you go, so okay, let me just go directly to the Source Team USA. You click on it and it had the game where I know it was over 102 points scored by team USA. I got the update from TV and it basically said, well, team USA is 15 of like 27 from the floor today and nobody's played more than ten minutes in the game. I can't understand or figure this out. You figure they would have the bugs out of it. Now, granted, if you watch the game live, you on TV, you got the updates, you saw what was going on. Team USA was wonderful. I was just amazed to see how bad yesterday the technology was trying to find it, and it wasn't as if. Ben. It's one thing if I said okay, the Olympics, no professionals are allowed there. It's all amateurs under 18. Nobody's probably looking for that game or caring about it in the middle of the day, but the fact that it came on a day where there wasn't much going on and people would love to just get a simple update on how team USA is doing. And oh, by the way, it wasn't like they were playing a team you never heard of with any superstars you'd never heard of an NBA champion and MVP was on the opposite side, but the fact of the matter is just making it. And then I had to tweet, go to Twitter and go, did he score these points? And then find out he had 16 points? I was like the perfect snare because you know what was probably expecting back then? Oh, he scored 14. That's exactly what was supposed to happen on the day like that. But one for the good guys yesterday cashing in a ticket. But just the anger. Like I just wanted to get a simple update on the best players in the world and nobody could give me an update. It was crazy. The ant man scoring in double digits for team USA in all three exhibition matches so far, 16 points, 15 plus was a minus one 13 number. Steph Curry, the game's leading scorer, six of nine from deep, came out firing with 24 points. Bam Adebayo 17 points. Eight boards also making three triples. And there you saw Anthony Edwards 16 points and three steals. Five guys for team USA played 18 minutes or more yesterday Steph Curry, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James and Bam Adebay. 28 minutes Played by Nikola Jokic, 16 points, 11 boards only two dimes for the Serbians. Team USA so far has played Canada, Australia and Serbia. Canada and Serbia have two of the other four best prices to win a gold medal outside of the Americans, and Team USA has covered in both of those games, beating the Canadiany 14, covering as an 11.5 point favorite, beating the Serbians by 26. Easily covering as a 14.5 point favorite. There you saw the odds. Team USA remains a hefty favorite to win yet another gold medal at minus four 80. Group odds now out for the Americans to prevail out of Group C is a minus 1400 number. Who? And by the way, I don't have it in front of the group. See how many who's in Group C for us if I can find that o. But in the meantime, team USA at minus four, 84, 80 price right now does seem like a bargain. I get it, it's not best of three, best of five, best of seven to win the gold medal. There are knockout stages with one game here. But also understand this like team USA is just learning how to play together and also the goal right now isn't really to scout the other team, it's to make sure everybody's in their uniform. Everybody plays an equal amount of minutes, get that same run. I can't wait to see when the US hones in on that. Like top eight, top nine rotation and really gets after it. This team is impressive here. Not doing any damage because I actually want a team USA to lose one of these preliminary games just to try to offset that market. That's not going to happen. They're far and away the best team. They should easily win the gold. Serbia and Group C South Sudan in Group C Puerto Rico also in Group C a 65 to 1 price on the Puerto Ricans coached by Carlos Arroyo, with Jose Alvarado that pesky defender there as well. Of course, Carlos Arroyo was the guy that led Puerto Rico to a win over team USA back in 2004. That was during group play. More on the early line next. The WNBA is a unique market, right? It moves a little bit different. You take a bet, a limit play, even if the limit is two times on a side, you don't go from 11.5 to 12. You know what I mean? You gotta go. Gotta go. Because if they bet you the second number, then you go, oh boy, now we have a decision that we really didn't think we got a big decision. Books, love decisions, game time decisions only on sports grid. Watch out for USA and Canada in four years. Like an eight. Like cricket's going to be a sport that's growing. I made my first cricket bet last week or over the weekend. I was getting a team that was leading like 150 to 5 plus odds. I'm like, I'm up 150 points and I'm getting plus odds. Where do I sign? I love this cricket stuff. What are you kidding me? In game live Prime time only on sports Grid. DeMar DeRozan now joins that team in Sacramento with the King. Fox to Monte Sabonis Devin Carter who they drafted early Keegan Murray as well a Kings team. Doctors that has been a playoff contender. Is it going to equate to a championship. Probably not. That's not the goal. Make your team better. Every off season. The Kings definitely got better with that move here Ben. The early line only on sports grid. The final full day of two of the MLB. All Star break. Of course, we had the all star game on Tuesday, the Home Run Derby on Monday, four full days off from regular season action, but two days without any form of baseball. A full Friday slate resumes the season tomorrow. It's not exactly the second half, but we'll call it that. For all intents and purposes, every team around MLB has played at least 95 games of the 162. Here, we will update the playoff picture around the bigs and what you need to know. Current American League playoff picture in the extended and expanded postseason. Here is one through six. The Guardians the best record overall in the Al. They are of course atop the American League Central. They have a half game advantage over the O's, who have only a one game lead in the Al East. The Mariners holding on to a one game lead as well in the American League West, which means the three wild card teams the New York Yankees, the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox in what is expected to be a very competitive race for those three spots around the Al. Yes, it is. And also it should be not a surprise to many people, which might be when you start talking about the Orioles and the Yankees as the best two teams in the American League and then say, okay, well, wait a second. These standings saye Guardians have the best record overall in the American League. They played great baseball. But understand this from a competitive standpoint. Yes, they're a good team here, but similar to what we see. So many times, not necessarily in the NFL but more in the NBA. It's not about the regular season and sometimes it's a little bit unfair because it wasn't as if the Guardians have played nine games, okay, they're six and three. They're a good ball club. They played, as Ben said, over 90 games, and that's a key indicator. But also when you get to the playoffs, how do these rosters match up against each other? And the reason I brought up the NBA is just in the recent past. I remember when the nets were not even going to make the playoffs, but like still factored in as the best overall team odds wise or second overall team odds wise in the Eastern Conference. If they did make the playoffs, that's kind of wacky here, and that's sort of what we're looking at with the Guardians. A very good baseball team. But from my perspective, I don't know if they will be able to tangle with yet. The Orioles or the Yankees, depending on what changes are made to all three of those ball clubs before they actually hit the postseason. So when I look at those standings here, ths a lot of respect for the Guardians in the regular season and agreed, you are what your record says you are. I just don't know if that record, Ben is going to translate once we get into the playoffs. But kudos to them leading the pack here. Coming out of the all star break. Yeah, absolutely. So and those odds you see to your right the division prices the Yankees actually a better number to win the American League East than Baltimore who right now sits in first by a full game. It could have been a lot more than that. The O's struggling in their final week before the all star break swept at home by the Cubs, lost two of three in the weekend set against the New York Yankees. Unable to take advantage of some bad baseball out of the Bronx Bombers, who entered the series against the O's. Having lost 17 of their last 23 games, but did win two of those final three to cut it to just a one game lead in the American League East. Now let's go to the wild card. There are five teams now in the Wild Card chase, including the three that occupy those three. Al wild card spots that are at least four games above 500 or better. When we look at the National League in just a moment, you will see the difference there in what we expect to be a competitive wild card race in both leagues, the Yankees sit atop. They have a three game lead over Minnesota, who has a half game lead over the Red Sox. Boston two games in front of KC, three and a half games in front of the Astros, will make a point on Houston's playoff price and that postseason number in just a moment. But the three teams that if the season ended today at the all star break, of course it does not. That would be in the wild card. That would be the Yankees. The twins and the Red Sox. That's incredible. The Red Sox again, if the season ended today, would be in the playoffs. Something that would be unheard of, or at least untalked about, we should say, coming out of spring training. Not a lot of expectations for the Red. It's almost like a show me year for some of these young players. Then we might add on in the off season. And they're quite frankly, I believe they are going to make the playoffs when it's all said and done. But there are been some really talented teams that are not right now in the playoffs. You take a look at the Kansas City Royals, say, well, we didn't expect a ton from them coming into the season, though. They're pretty talented here. That pitching staff is very good. The bullpen is okay, and that one through nine got superstar players like Bobby Witt Jr and Salvador Perez. You know the past watches in there. There's a lot of fun players. We'll see how they can hold up their end of the bargain in the second half. But then you're getting into those teams that usually are perennial playoff teams, right? The Houston Astros, three and a half games back, the Tampa Bay rays five and a half games back. Now the Tigers, 47 and 50. I don't think we anticipated too much coming out of spring training, having a decent season, hovering around that 500 mark and trying to stay around getting into the wild card. But right behind them are those Texas Rangers 46 and 50. They have way more pedigree than a lot of teams that we just stated. They won the World Series last year and are now getting healthy. I think that's one of those teams we can watch and have fun with, but it's interesting to see if it ended today. Yankees twins, Red Sox. But a lot of talent just outside of those three wild card spots. We'll see how they play the rest of the way to try to play themselves into a playoff position. Boston is 53 and 4211 games above 500. It is the same exact record as the Atlanta Braves, and the Braves have a substantial lead for that top spot in the National League wild card race. So the team that is in the last wild card spot in the Al has the same exact record and is the same amount of games above 500 as the team in the top spot, comfortably in the National League. What does that mean? A lot of good quality ball clubs in the race for the postseason in the Al, because Donny, for a good majority of the first two and a half months or so of this major League Baseball campaign, what was one of the stories around the entirety of the league? Mediocre ball. A couple of teams above 500, 4 or 5 in each league. With those teams sitting atop the division doing really well, but not really getting pushed. It seems as though, as we have reached the All Star break, we are starting to find better baseball across the league. You'll see there, by the way, in the playoff prices for the wild card chase that we have showed you, the Yankees number is off the board, expected to be a playoff team and the divisional favorites to win the American League East. Despite trailing by a game the twins juiced at a -500 price. But then you'll see both the red Sox and the Astros also in minus money. The Astros have a better price to be an American League playoff team than even Boston, and Houston trails the Red Sox by three and a half games. Why is that? Because of the race in the American League West as well. The Astros, only a game behind the Seattle Mariners. The M's entered the all star break, losers of nine of their last 14. Houston has won 17 of its last 23 games to get back into playoff contention, and four games above 500, and enjoy that parity while you can. Right now, there's thre sections of the Major League Baseball season that I always like to break up. It's the opening which will be, let's just say, the month of April. Everybody thinks they can make the playoffs. Everybody thinks they can be a contender. You know, numbers don't really matter. The Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place. They're an amazing baseball team. We see this on a year to year basis with some teams we didn't expect to be there. Then you have the middle of the season where things start to settle in. Then there's Post-trade deadline, which we're coming up on in about two weeks at this point. And the reason I say parity is most teams are still trying to win baseball games. The minute you have the trade deadline and your team decides to go in for the playoffs or out for the playoffs, you also start to see those taxes where if a price point for an underdog was plus 150, they're now going to be plus 175 plus 185, because it's apparent their goal is to not win baseball games, it's to see where players fit in the future of their team for the next couple of years here. Get ready for that to happen. So when you take a look at the White Sox, the Athletics, the angels and also, quite frankly, the Toronto Blue Jays, we're just talking American League right now. If they decide to sell, that's going to be one to watch because you go from hey man, this team was competitive for a while. Why not anymore? You know the reason why? Because that front office told the manager and his general manager, you know what? This year is gone. We're trading players away. We're not really trying to win. Let's get to evaluation mode and you can take advantage of that on the opposite side with some of these favorites. Good time to stack up some wins. The Yankees still the favorites to win the American League pennant at plus 240 over half a dollar in front of the O's. Again, Baltimore has the better record and a lead in the division, but the Yankees the better odds outlook in every single category. Same story in the American League Central and the American League West. The twins have a better price to win the pennant, but trail the Guardians by four and a half games in the division. The Astros trail the Mariners by a game, but have a better price to win the American League pennant as well. Of course, the Astros have played in each of the last seven American League Championship Series. We'll talk about Houston's price a little bit later on in the Al West. But now to the National League. We go up next. To The WNBA is a unique market, right. It moves a little bit different. You take a bet a limit play. Even if the limit is two times on side, you don't go from 11.5 to 12. You know what I mean? You got to go. Gotta go. Because if they bet you the second number, then you go, oh boy. Now we have a decision that we really didn't think we got a big decision. Books, love decisions, game time decisions only on sports grid. Watch out for USA and Canada in four years. Like an like crickets. Going to be a sport that's growing. I made my first cricket bet last week or over the weekend. I was getting a team that was leading like 150 to 5 plus odds. I'm like, I'm up 150 points and I'm getting plus odds. Where do I sign? I love this cricket stuff. What are you kidding me? In game live Prime time only on sports Grid. DeMar DeRozan now joined that team in Sacramento with the King. Fox to Monte Sabonis Devin Carter who they drafted early Keegan Murray as well a Kings team that has been a playoff contender. Is it going to equate to a championship probably not. That's not the goal. Make your team better every off season. The Kings definitely got better with that move here Ben. The early line only on sports grid. First the American League postseason picture. Now the NL. The Phillies have the best record in all of MLB, 62 and 34 at the all star break. They sit in that top spot with a comfortable lead over the LA Dodgers. Of course, these two faced each other at this point. Last week in Philadelphia, and the Phils swept L.A, a six and a half game advantage for the Fightins atop everybody in the National League. The Brewers atop the National League Central third best mark 55 and 42, in front of the Braves, who had that top spot in the National League wild card race. The Cardinals there as well in the New York Mets turning things on since the month of June, when they were nine games below 500. Entering occupy. That third and final NL Wild card spot with a game lead over both the D-backs and the Padres DRS. What do you make of the national League playoff picture at the All Star break? I mean, we talk about parity. I don't really think there's all that much parity here in the National League, because when you take a look at legitimate teams to win the pennant, it probably starts and ends with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, granted, it's not a slight to say that Milwaukee is a solid team. They are, but they don't have a chance. The Atlanta Braves, 53 and 42. They are, but they really don't have a chance. Saint Louis Cardinals, Mets, Diamondbacks. Come on now. Those teams probably aren't going to challenge at the top. Now granted, you could have disaster scenarios on teams. The Dodgers can all get injured. The Phillies can all get injured. We understand where we're going with that. But also as we get to a little bit later in the pick six players to watch down the stretch, there's one that I'm not going to reveal. But he is on the Atlanta Braves. As somebody I need to see more of down the stretch to see if Atlanta can be a true competitor. But if we're just looking at the marketplace, it is quite shocking, though, to see the Philadelphia Phillies. You say, okay, eight and a half game lead in their own division. That probably means the Dodgers are only 2 to 3 games back. The Dodgers six and a half games back, which is a direct, you know, reflection of what the Phillies did to the Dodgersn that three game sweep. Really to buffer that. Now granted, the Phillies didn't have a great series against the Oakland Athletics and the run differential, which is a plus 110 took a 15 point shot there on that last day as they got crushed by 15 runs against, of all teams, the Athletics. But I do think the Phillies right now looking at their pitching staff, it's healthy. Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez got an extra break before the all star break. Now they'll be able to come back in full form. You take a look at J.T. Realmuto, one of the best catchers in Major League Baseball. He's set to come back within the week year. Bryce Harper is healthy. Schwarber is healthy. Injuries do happen during the season, quite frankly. They happened to the Philadelphia Phillies as well. Atlanta Braves. But just a synopsis. Overall, it looks for me right now. The Philadelphia Phillies right now are the best team in Major League Baseball, and they should be slotted in that position here as that number one seed. Injuries certainly plaguing the LA Dodgers as well. There is little doubt that top to bottom, when fully healthy, the Dodgers have the advantage. Roster wise. Starting staff rise around Major League Baseball just top to bottom, everything taken into account. But they are not healthy at the moment. Tyler Glass now we expect to come back pretty quickly after the All Star break, but on the I.L. Yoshinobu Yamamoto not exactly going to be a quick return from his injured list time. Same with Mookie Betts for the offensive lineup for LA. All of that said, you'd have to look at the Phillies and give them the edge at this moment. Now let's talk about the National League in those division standings and how it plays into the wild card race we shared in the American League, two of the three divisions separated by only a game Baltimore in front of New York in the Al East Seattle in front of Houston in the Al West, the largest divisional lead in the American League. It's in the central. The Guardians four and a half games in front of the twins, but Minnesota shortening that gap. The shortest gap between the top two teams in the National League is the NL central, where Milwaukee leads Saint Louis by four and a half games. The Dodgers up by seven games in front of both the D-backs and the Padres, and LA, has won the National League West ten of the last 11 years. Philadelphia, an eight and a half game advantage over the Atlanta Braves and the Braves have won the division each of the past six seasons. But Philly, well in front -600 to win the National League East minus 3000. Still for the Dodgers to win the NL West despite losing eight of their last 11 games entering the All Star break. So again, that leads us to where we are in the wild card watch the Braves comfortable with that top spot. They're more than three and a half games in front of the Saint Louis Cardinals who have the second position. Then things get interesting. The Mets in a wild card spot at this moment, a full game in front of the D-backs, the Padres, and then the Pirates surfacing back to an even 500. And Donnie we saw around the American League, really, where you look at things, six teams that have a minus money price to get into the postseason, the Yankees in the wild card spot off the board, the twins -500. Notice there is only one team in the wild card race at this moment, with a minus money price. And that's the Braves well in front for the top spot at -4000. The oddsmakers pretty much alluding to the idea. The race for the wild card spots in the National League uncertain up in the air, chaotic and something to monitor here after the all star break comes to a close. Absolutely. And so many times we equate these to other sports, Ben, particuly with college football, right. It's going to have a much of an impact, profound impact on the regular season, expanding the playoff. More teams, more schools are brought into the equation, which means a better regular season college football schedule than what we had in the past. We're doing the same thing now with Major League Baseball, the advent of that third wild card spot. Take a look at this now outside of the Marlins, Rockies and Nationals, which you could probably wipe off right now. The Cubs three and a half games back of that final spot. The Reds three, Giants three, Pirates one and a half, Padres and Diamondbacks one game back. The Mets in Cardinals and Braves. This is fantastic for baseball. It brings in organizations that might be ultimate sellers at the deadline, with maybe one wild card or just two now maybe we won't sell at the deadline. Maybe we'll give our fans something. Maybe we'll add a bat at this point. So when I take a look at the National League, I do think it's very top sided with the Dodgers and the Phillies. But that doesn't mean you can't have fun and also more meaningful baseball down the stretch as a handicapper. Ben, who likes to go in that final three weeks of the season going like, all right, this team's way out and this team's way out, nobody's going to play for anything. Go okay, let me bet the Pirates for the full game ago. Hey, by the way, just got word they're going to try a double A reliever as their closer of 3 to 2 just to see how he performs. You don't want to see that with money on the line. You want teams that are in it with a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. With a couple of weeks left to help your handicap, and you're getting that right here in the National League. I love what I see. Parity is fantastic in the National League to keep our interest late in the season. Ben, it's a great point. It changes the handicap, it changes the ideas and philosophies for front offices ahead of the trade deadline. But still, in terms of contenders, it does seem to be a two team race. The Dodgers and the Phillies LA still in front by $0.35 plus 175 in front of the Phils at plus 210. More on the playoff picture at the All Star break up next. The NBA's unique market, right. It moves a little bit different. You take a bet, a limit play, even if the limit is two times on the side, you don't go from 11.5 to 12. You know what I mean? You got to go. Gotta go. Because if they bet you the second number, then you go, oh boy, now we have a decision that we really didn't think we got a big decision. Books. Love decision. Game time decisions only on sports grid. Watch out for USA and Canada in four years. Like an eight. Like cricket's going to be a sport that's growing. I made my first cricket bet last week or over the weekend. I was getting a team that was leading like 150 to 5 plus odds. I'm like, I'm up 150 points and I'm getting plus odds. Where do I sign? I love this cricket stuff. What are you kidding me? In game live Prime time only on sports Grid. DeMar DeRozan now joined that team in Sacramento with the King. Fox to Monte Sabonis Devin Carter who they drafted early Keegan Murray as well a Kings team. Doctors that has been a playoff contender. Is it going to equate to a championship probably not. That's not the goal. Make your team better every off season. The Kings definitely got better with that move here Ben. The early line only on sports grid. Final day of the Major League Baseball all star break before the home stretch of this season kicks off tomorrow with a full slate on a Friday around MLB. Let's go. Big picture. Let's look at the league as a whole right now. The winning division of a World Series championship and how we might form a wager here. The two eastern divisions lead the way in the NL East. It's the Phillies, the Bravs and the Mets. It would be three teams out of that division right now into the NL playoff bracket if the season ended today. Same story in the American League East. The Orioles, as the division winner one game in front of the Yankees. But the Red Sox hold on to that third and final American League wild card spot as well. The National League West has the Dodgers, and that's why the price is plus 290. Before we get into a large drop off at 8 to 1, tL winner versus the American League winner juiced at -140. In favor of the National League because the two best prices to win a World Series crown, both hail from the NL. The Dodgers the favorites, the Phillies, the second best price. Yeah, if we're looking at some of those price points. Right. Because sometimes you do want to take a long shot with a legitimate chance to win. I honestly would say the only one I would not be, honestly, would be the NL central. And again, that's the Brewers. That's the Cardinals and the Pirates, because I want to give a little bit more of a, you know, a backing of the Al central because I do think there's better quality teams in there, meaning the Guardians and the twins, either one of those teams make the playoffs. I think there's a decent chance they can win at least one round. But again, we're getting back to who do we think are going to win? And it is so simple as to say like, well, hold on now, why would the Dodgers be priced as the number one overall team in the odds market at the FanDuel sports Book to win the World Series, but then their actual division isn't? It's simple. Mathematics has been explained. You get three cracks at it with the Phillies, Braves and the Mets. If the season ended today, now, do we think the Mets are going to do damage or the Atlanta Braves? For my money right now, I don't think they will. But then again, I think you're getting the best overall team with the Philadelphia Phillies there. Then you flip it over. If we had a better performance in the first half from the Giants end with the D-backs, then you would have the NL West leading the way as thet division here with the best odds to win the World Series. So I do agree with a lot of those, but if I'm just leaving out one, it's you say, well, Donnie, why wouldn't you leave out the Al West? I'm telling you right now, there's some funny business going on out there and has nothing to do with the Mariners chances, because I don't think they're going to withhold either the Astros or the Rangers in the second half of the season. If they do, congratulations to playing much better baseball. But there's just something about the Astros showing up in the playoffs, the Rangers showing up in the playoffs, lightning in a bottle. Which means they were terrible to start the season. But maybe one of the better teams in baseball over the second half of the season, because how else would they wind up in the playoffs? That's one to keep an eye on at this point. Is that division? Yeah, absolutely. So how could you not. It's been our bit for the first half. Where is the fork. Is it in the Houston Astros to say that they are done. Is it in the drawer. Is it even still in the house. Or is it at some dump because we threw it away a long time ago. I would lean with the latter. The Astros are back. Whether you like it or not, they are firmly in playoff contention at this moment, and if they get to the dance, if they have a seat at the table, it's hard to bet against them in whatever iteration Houston has been throughout the cheating scandal and knocking on trash cans, or what we have seen as of late. They have played in the last seven consecutive ALCS last year. If you bet the Al West to win the World Series, you were feeling good because the American League Championship Series was a divisional duel and an in-state showdown between the Rangers and the Astros. It is interesting, Donnie, when you look at the World Series odds overall, two top teams from the National League, then you go to the two top teams out of the Al in the Braves round out the top five. Those three or those five teams, rather 8 to 1 or shorter before you have over a $10 drop off to the Guardians and the twins at 18 to 1. But six of the nine best prices from the American League. So again, the National League, at least from the odds perspective, seemingly kind of more of a top heavy league where the Al has a bunch of quality teams at this moment that could make a run toward the pennant. Yes. And by the way, if we are looking at those odds on the FanDuel sports book, I'd only make one minor change. I would put the Phillies abe the Dodgers and then still have the Yankees orders and Braves in that exact order. I think that makes the most sense. So I think we're on it. But of course, we're not worried about the regular season. And we already brought up how the NBA typically views its regular season and the odds market at the FanDuel sports book, where it's like, not, what have you done for me lately? What do I expect out of you if you're healthy come playoff time? And that's the Dodgers. I'm telling you right now, like we talked at some of those free agent pitchers yesterday, they're going to be on the market. And it's like, oh, the Dodgers are stacked up here. Wait you say they just got skubal and now they're in the hunt for crochet as well. Like that's the type of organization the Dodgers are. That's why we're expecting big things a dominant bullpen a ridiculous one through nine. And if they improve on that injured pitching staff, which you expect some of those guys to come back with two more starters or so watch out for the Dodgers. That's why they're priced where they are in the NBA. The regular season just lacks the significance of the postseason. The last few years, with the expanded playoff in MLB, it's been pure chaos and looks very different because of how it is structured. Our two comes your way next.