Canes commit

Local DE becomes first Canes commit for 2022

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One night after all the craziness following Canes commit James Williams’ joining to Manny Diaz and the Canes started to die down, coaches got a head start on the 2022 recruiting cycle from yet another local standout.

Jaamal Johnson announced his commitment to Miami on Thursday night. A three-star defensive end and the 26th-ranked strongside defensive end in his class, he becomes Miami’s first 2022 commit. 

He continues the Chaminade-Madonna to Coral Gables pipeline, as Miami added two Lions in the 2019 recruiting cycle (striker Keontra Smith and CB Te’Cory Couch) and they currently have two (DT Allan Haye and RB Thaddeus Franklin) committed in the current 2021 class. 

Johnson was last measured at 6’2”, 240 pounds. Although currently listed as a strongside defensive end, he could end up moving to the inside when it’s all said and done. 

Alongside Allan Haye, he was part of an outstanding defensive line that helped lead Chaminade to a 3A state title and he finished the season with 48 tackles and 8 sacks as a sophomore. 

Stay tuned to 5 Reasons Sports for all of your Canes commit coverage on and off the field.

 

Marlins breakout candidates

5 Marlins Breakout Candidates for 2020

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For the Miami Marlins, the 2020 season arrives with new faces and renewed hope. While not the normal spring beginning by any means, this optimism feels real and is largely tied to a number of potential Marlins breakout candidates.

The 2020 MLB season arrived last night in rainy Washington, D.C. For the Marlins, they’re a few hours north in Philadelphia awaiting their first tilt of the truncated season. The landscape of MLB transformed this year thanks to COVID-19, new rules and an eleventh-hour agreement to expand the playoffs. Everyone has a chance, and for Miami, their opportunity to break a 17-year postseason drought could be decided by a handful of players.

So here’s a look at five Marlins breakout candidates for the 2020 season.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Sandy Alcantara

Miami’s Opening Day starter is 24-year-old Sandy Alcantara. A first-time all-star in 2019, Alcantara finished 6-14 with a 3.88 ERA, 151 strikeouts, 81 walks and two complete-game shutouts. His best work came over an 11-game stretch to end the season. Over his final 74.1 innings, Alcantara posted a 2.74 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 62 strikeouts. He hit seven innings in seven of his last 11 starts.

“I think that’s the biggest thing in my life, being the Opening Day starter. I feel great about that,” Alcantara said. “I’m ready to go.”

In 2019, Alcantara went 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA versus Philadelphia. He sports a five-pitch arsenal which includes a solid fastball-sinker-slider combo. His changeup and curve are weapons versus lefties.

“His stuff is as good as anyone,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said recently. “I don’t care who you want to put out there. His stuff is as good as anyone’s.”

For the Marlins, if Alcantara can ascend to top-line starter level, the 2020 season will be a success.

“I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” Alcantara said. “They want me to be a leader. That’s what I’m trying to do. Keep preparing myself. Keep getting better. Become an ace.”

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Pablo Lopez

If the Marlins are going to contend for a playoff spot, they’ll need Pablo Lopez to make a leap. In 2019, Lopez sported a 4.23 ERA through mid-June, allowing four earned-runs or less in 13 of his 14 starts. But after he went down with strained right shoulder, he wasn’t the same pitcher.

Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. has been impressed by Lopez throughout the spring and summer, particularly considering the tragic passing of Lopez’s father recently. He said Lopez is the pitcher he’s “most excited about.” And Lopez has worked tirelessly to develop his game, adding a cutter to his arsenal, which already includes a top-level changeup.

Following an impressive performance during a simulated game last Thursday, Mattingly noted that it was “the best I’ve ever seen Pablo look as far as being that aggressive guy.”

Lopez also looked good against the Braves. He dispatched Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman on six pitches in the first inning of that game. Lopez will start the home opener versus the Baltimore Orioles next week.

Starting him in Marlins Park is a nod to Lopez’s struggles on the road in 2019, where he went 2-5 with a 7.36 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. At home, Lopez was much better, going 3-3 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Isan Díaz

The hype surrounding Isan Díaz seemed well worth it when he took Jacob DeGrom deep in his MLB debut. That memorable moment, though, was followed by uncharacteristic struggles at the plate for the 24-year-old. Díaz finished his first year in the Majors with a .173 batting average, five home runs and 23 RBI.

“There were a lot of things going on mentally,” Díaz said of the struggles. “I wasn’t allowing my ability to evolve in the game. Those are things that happen.

“I had a great group of guys here who told me to take it as a learning curve and come back ready for next year,” he said. “Here we are for this 2020 season and already there’s a big difference with how I’m mentally feeling and how I’m going at this. I think that last year’s failure actually is going to help me for this year.”

Mattingly sees Díaz as the team’s second baseman now and of the future. He said Díaz’s “track record show that he’s gonna hit.”

Díaz should find the addition of new bench coach/offensive coordinator James Rowson hugely beneficial. Díaz has raw power but was too patient as a rookie, falling behind often. He’s already demonstrated strides at the plate in the exhibitions versus Atlanta. Although he only had one hit and one walk, there were productive at-bats.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Jorge Alfaro

The player who could enjoy the most gains from the addition of Rowson is Jorge Alfaro. The 27-year-old catcher flashed his potential with the bat in 2019, connecting on 18 home runs, 14 doubles and 57 RBI. What hurt Alfaro was a 38.4-percent swing-and-miss rate, a 48-percent chase rate and a 33.1-percent strikeout rate.

Rowson says he wants Marlins hitters to take “swings to do damage,” and Alfaro can certainly do that. He sported a 44.8 percent hard-hit rate (a ball with an exit velocity of at least 95 mph) last season.

Alfaro demonstrated the new aggressive approach on Tuesday when he punched the first pitch he saw over the leftfield fence at Truist Park. In the two games, Alfaro went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI.

He’ll also need to improve defensively. Alfaro posted the fourth-most errors by a catcher (11) and the third-most passed balls (11). He’ll be mentored this year by Francisco Cervelli, who’s well known for his defensive acumen.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Brian Anderson

Although the Marlins added higher profile names to their lineup (Jesus Aguilar, Corey Dickersonand Jonathan Villar), Brian Anderson remains a key component to this offense. Anderson’s second year ended in August after a hit-by-pitch fractured his left hand. He slashed .261/.341/.468 with 20 home runs, 33 doubles and 66 RBI.

“I think he’s been getting better and better,” Mattingly said. “I think he’s got all the attributes. I’ve talked about him a lot from the standpoint of he sees the ball good and controls the strike zone. He’s got a good swing. He uses the whole field. Everything’s there in place.”

Anderson does have the tendency to get frustrated at the plate, evidenced by his 0-for-4 performance in the first exhibition versus the Braves. But Anderson bounced back with a solid 2-for-3 outing, including a double and run scored.

Adding Villar, Dickerson and Aguilar around Anderson should also provide the 27-year-old third baseman with lineup protection he’s never received in Miami.

“Those types of guys are definitely gonna make our lineup just more well-rounded and just tougher to pitch to,” Anderson said. “For me, I’m hoping that means I get more pitches to hit. It’s my job to make sure that I get those good pitches and I hit them.”

Recent reports indicate that Miami and Anderson have discussed a long-term contract extension.

“They’ve obviously given me an incredible opportunity here so I would love to stay here,” said Anderson, who the Marlins drafted in 2014 (third round).

“I love the direction that we’re going. I love getting to hear Derek talk about expecting to win,” he said. “That’s something that can grow and build and we can start making something special here.”

How to Watch, Bet the 60-Game Baseball Season

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Since its inception in 1903, the Major League Baseball is the home to some of the best baseball players in the world. The last few seasons have been extremely interesting and the new season has some changes which are worth looking at since they might be confusing to some fans.

We are going to discuss this topic into detail and give you an insight into the shortened 60-game season, the biggest favorites, and share some interesting intel on betting. As you may know, many baseball fans are more than happy to place a bet or two and we are going to provide you with the best platform for betting. After all, sports and betting are separate industries that always went side by side.

Betting With Online Bookies

There are plenty of baseball betting lines that you should check out. The odds are great and you might end up with a nice prize. Even though some people prefer to place their bets in land-based bookies, a new and revolutionizing way has become popular in the last few years.

Online bookies are favored by millions of people around the world. The reason for that is that they have numerous advantages over the land-based bookies. They are available at any time and place, offer better odds and rewards, and most importantly – they are far more efficient.

We all know that in sports, placing bets fast, especially with live betting, is important. And since baseball is one of the sports where each second matters, placing bets at online bookies is a far greater option than walking to a land-based sportsbook. But, there are some rules that you need to know about sports betting, so make sure you check them out.

Now, let’s see what the shortened MLB season has to offer us.

When Does it Start and How Will it Work?

The MLB season starts on July 23 with a split Opening Day. The Yankees will face the Nationals, while the Dodgers will face the Dodgers. The rest of the schedule is still unknown, but there are some games scheduled on July 24.

Each team will play 60 games – 40 of them will be against their division rivals and 20 interleague games. The 2020 MLB All-Star Game is sadly cancelled, but the next game will take place at Truist Park in Atlanta (2021). 

Rosters will be different and some rule changes will be implemented. The new rule which allows position players to pitch in certain situations is abandoned. Games that are stopped due to rain before the fifth inning will be considered as suspended. The National League will have a designated hitter and extra innings will begin with a runner on the second base to reduce the chances of long games.

Even though the whole situation is new and it looks challenging, some quirks will come out. Teams won’t have to travel as much as before, the season ends with seven Interleague series, and some of the monotony will be lifted. Some of the games that were standard for over a century in the League will not take place. 

Many teams will have some benefits with the way this season is scheduled, which is why we are excited to see what the outcome will be.

 

The Biggest Favorites

Minnesota Twins are the biggest favorites to win the American League Central. The Yankees are the number 1 team in the American League East, while Houston Astros are considered as favorites in the American League West. 

As far as the World Series, The New York Yankees top the list of biggest favorites to win it. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros are ranked second and third. Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins conclude the top 5 list. But, there are some teams that are worth watching. One of those are the Miami Marlins.

Why Did The Deal Came So Late?

The reason why the solution for a shortened season came so late is that the MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association were unable to make an agreement in May and July. The MLB owners drafted the first plan in mid-May and it featured a schedule of 82 games with no fans in the attendance.

MLBPA countered with another proposal, which was unacceptable for the MLB and the negotiations went on and on. During the end of June, the 60-game plan was finally voted unanimously and players reported to training camps on July 1. The plan was released on July 6 and slight changes were implemented in order to cut costs on the teams.

All in all, we are in for a treat. Although the start of the season might be a bit slow and teams will need a bit time to adjust to the changes in the rules, we do not doubt that the level of excitement will be no less than the previous seasons. 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s First Scrimmage Game

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The Miami Heat got the win against the Sacrament Kings in their first scrimmage game in the bubble, 104-98. There were a lot of positives from this team throughout the game, especially the amount of talented depth on the roster. Here’s five takeaways on the Heat from this scrimmage game, heading into the regular season and playoffs.

#1: Duncan Robinson hasn’t skipped a beat.

Duncan Robinson apparently wasn’t fazed by a four month layoff with no basketball. He started the first quarter with four threes. This is something that is expected from Duncan, but not many expected it to happen this fast. Especially since Duncan didn’t have his running mate, Bam Adebayo, who usually sets him up for his three point attempts. This shooting display eventually impacted the rest of the team, which usually happens once Duncan gets going. It opens up the floor for the rest of the team. If he’s doing this after not picking up a basketball for 1/3 of a year, it’s a scary sight on what he will be doing in the next few weeks.

#2: Andre Iguodala is positioning himself for major playoff minutes.

If there was one guy that was a surprise in this game, it was Andre Iguodala. He seemed to be comfortable running the point throughout the game, and definitely slows the game down. He has a natural feel for the game, most likely due to the fact that he’s had plenty of playoff experience. He seems to have a pretty good on court connection with Heat rookie Tyler Herro. This seems to be a connection on and off the court, since Andre spoke about this relationship with media on Friday. Andre seems to fit right in with every lineup, which subsequently means he will be one of the first guys looked to off the bench when Spo is in a tough spot.

#3: Jimmy Butler forces a smooth running offense.

The Jimmy Butler narrative has seemed to be the same all season. Shooting struggles, but major play-making improvements. This was shown in the first quarter of the scrimmage when Jimmy couldn’t get in a rhythm shooting the basketball. But, once he went to the bench, the team looked kind of lost. He has such control of the offense with passing, leadership, and spacing off of the ball. Which when Jimmy checked back in the game in the second, the team looked much more under control. This isn’t too much of a shock since it’s always tough to get in a groove with your leader off the floor, but will need to be fixed in order to beat teams like Milwaukee or Boston.

#4: Miami’s defensive lineup looked effective.

One of the most intriguing lineups on this heat team is the defensive lineup of Jimmy-Crowder-Iguodala-DJJ-Bam. We got a slight glimpse at this lineup in the scrimmage, of couse excluding Bam, and it seemed pretty productive. The defensive veratilities of this lineup gave the Kings major trouble. One of the biggest questions with this lineup was the offense. And there seemed to be no problem there since Jae Crowder, Andre Iguodala, and Derrick Jones Jr looked pretty offensively sound. Now, adding Bam Adebayo to this lineup only makes it scarier, which means there’s a big possibility we will see Coach Spo pull this card in the postseason.

#5: Tyler Herro dusting off the rust.

Tyler Herro had to get through some rough patches in the first game back after a couple of months. Though he ended the game with 15 points, he had some trouble shooting the ball, going 0/7 from three. One of the only positives of his struggles, is that it’s a learning curve. Coach Spo left Tyler in the game throughout his difficult stretches, which seemed like Spo wanted him to figure it out. This is the only way for a young guy to get better of course. He continued to fight through his shooting problems, which caused him to attack the basket and play make. He began to draw fouls and get in a bit of a rhythm. These struggles in games like this, will only make Tyler more comfortable in a playoff setting.

Marlins split

Marlins Split Exhibition Series, Beat Braves 6-2

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The Miami Marlins bounced back after a disappointing loss on Tuesday night with a 6-2 win on Wednesday afternoon. The Marlins split the two-game exhibition series and, other than one bad inning, looked pretty good doing it.

The task for the team now is to trim the 41-players who traveled to Atlanta down to 30. Miami has until Thursday afternoon to pare down the roster ahead of Friday’s Opening Day tilt in Philadelphia.

What stands out the most from these two games is the improvement at the plate. In 2019, the Marlins were last in home runs and second-to-last in runs scored. Versus the Braves, Miami registered 15 runs and pounded out five homers in two games.

“We have a group that is talented,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said on a Zoom conference call Wednesday morning prior to the game.

“We’ve added some guys that are professional hitters,” Jeter said. “They add a little depth to our lineup. It’s no secret and it goes without saying that we struggled to score runs last year. You hope that these guys are going to help us score a little more.”

On Tuesday, those additions provided a huge lift. Jonathan Villar went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a home run, an RBI and a stolen base. Jesus Aguilar chipped in with a pair of hits and an RBI and Corey Dickerson plated two on a single.

On Wednesday, Dickerson continued to impress. He reached base on all three plate appearances, including drawing a walk on an 11 pitch at-bat where he started down 0-2. He scored twice in the game.

The real star on Wednesday, though, was Harold Ramirez. The 25-year-old right fielder demonstrated the changes he made in the batter’s box by going 2-for-3 with a home run and a double and three RBI. His adjustments at the plate and his improved conditioning and defense have earned him a regular spot in the lineup.

Pablo Lopez started the game for the Marlins and impressed. Lopez pitched three innings and struck out three, only allowing one hit (a home run to Austin Riley). This performance lines up Lopez to make the start for the Marlins in their home opener versus the Baltimore Orioles next week.

Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyer Jr. has been impressed by Lopez throughout the spring and summer, particularly considering the passing of Lopez’s father recently. His solid outing versus the Braves followed an impressive performance during a simulated game last Thursday.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly noted after that performance that it was “the best I’ve ever seen Pablo look as far as being that aggressive guy.”

After Lopez, Elieser Hernandez entered and had a similarly solid stretch. The presumptive fifth starter tossed three innings, walking one and giving up one earned run (another Riley homer).

Prospects followed Hernandez after that. Jordan Holloway pitched the seventh and gave up two hits but induced an inning-ending double-play. Stephen Tarpley and Sterling Sharp combined to pitch an uneventful eighth (other than a Garrett Cooper error). Ryne Stanek impressed with a pair of strikeouts in the ninth.

Despite the offensive outbursts, the Marlins split the exhibition series. In this one, Monte Harrison responded after a bad strikeout to double in the top of the ninth. Cooper drove him home with a single. Utilityman Eddy Alvarez padded Miami’s run total with an RBI single of his own later in the ninth.

Harrison will start the season in Jupiter but he could be with the Marlins before long.

The Marlins will need to pare down the roster to 30 men as they prepare to leave for Philadelphia. Miami opens the 2020 season versus the Phillies on Friday, when Sandy Alcantara faces off against Aaron Nola.

Marlins exhibition

5 Takeaways from Marlins Exhibition Disaster

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The first Miami Marlins exhibition game sported mostly excitement and positivity but ended in disappointment. As Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after the game, “Disaster, right?”

The lede for this one should’ve been the offensive explosion. However, a bullpen meltdown cost Miami the game, a chorus all too familiar to Marlins fans. Here are five takeaways from the Marlins exhibition disaster.

Walks Plagued the Bullpen During Marlins Exhibition

In 2019, the Marlins featured one of the worst bullpens in MLB. Miami relievers posted the fifth-worst ERA (4.97), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.11) and save percentage (55.1). Their WHIP (1.45) was seventh worst. Relievers blew 22 save opportunities and surrendered a .235 batting-average-against and .343 on-base percentage.

On Tuesday night, the bullpen issued five free passes to Braves batters. All five of those walks came around to score. Jeff Brigham, working his way back from a biceps injury this spring, walked Freddie Freeman then surrendered a run-scoring double to former Marlin Marcell Ozuna in the sixth inning.

In the eighth, the combination of Robert Dugger and Adam Conley melted down completely. The two combined to allow eight earned runs, five hits and four walks. All four free passes found the plate for Atlanta.

“Obviously, that’s something that has plagued us last year, the walks,” Mattingly said. “It’s something that we addressed all spring and we’ll continue to address. That’s not something we’ll put up with this year, not throwing strikes and giving free bases in those situations.”

Adam Conley’s on Thin Ice

In one-third inning of work, Conley jeopardized his spot in the Marlins bullpen. He walked Matt Adams, threw a wild pitch which allowed Freeman to score, walked Yonder Alonso, then gave up four runs on back-to-back doubles. He struck out William Contreras before surrendering the lead on Adam Duvall‘s single.

Once a promising young starter, Conley settled into a relief role in 2018. He performed well that season, holding opponents to a .207 batting average and inducing ground balls on 50 percent of the balls put in play. But in 2019, Conley regressed. He posted a career-worst 6.53 ERA and opponents hit .308 against him.

For 2020, the Marlins have other options. Conley’s on a one-year, $1.5-million contract. The team brought a pair of young lefties with them to Atlanta in Alex Vesia and Stephen Tarpley. Vesia profiles as a late-inning, high-leverage reliever. New closer Brandon Kintzler’s slider is also an effective weapon versus left-handed hitters.

Other Bullpen Arms Looked Good During the Marlins Exhibition

While it always hurts to cough up a seven-run lead, Marlins fans can take solace in the fact it was an exhibition game. Yimi Garcia and Kintzler, the presumptive late inning pitchers for Miami, had already thrown once the eighth rolled around. The two combined for one hit and three strikeouts over two innings.

All told, the Marlins bullpen registered eight strikeouts over 5.2 IP. Remove the eighth and they surrendered two earned runs.

Nick Neidert showed his stuff in an inning of work. The 23-year-old righty flashed his potential as piggyback option for the back of the rotation by surrendering just one hit and striking out Charlie Culberson. Neidert fell behind Culberson 2-0, then responded with a two-seam fastball, breaking ball, fastball progression to register the swinging strikeout.

Fellow rookie prospect Alex Vesia entered in the ninth and quickly posted a pair of strikeouts. Six of Vesia’s first eight pitches went for strikes. He did, however, surrender the walk-off home run to Matt Adams on a four-seamer left up in the zone.

Brad Boxberger cleaned up Conley’s mess in the eighth by striking out the only batter he faced.

Upgraded Offense

The Marlins sought to improve on its league-worst home run total in 2019 this offseason with the acquisitions of Jonathan Villar, Corey Dickerson and Jesus Aguilar. The Marlins were 29th in runs scored as well.

On Tuesday night, the new additions to the lineup proved valuable. Villar, Dickerson and Aguilar combined to go 6-for-12 with four RBI, two runs scored, a homer and a stolen base.

Dickerson’s two-run RBI single in the fifth was particularly impressive. The lefty took a 1-2 offering from Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz and drove it into center, plating Miguel Rojas and Villar. Dickerson choked up and got his front foot down quickly to punch the pitch to center.

Villar’s 3-for-4 night demonstrated his value at the top of the order and Aguilar helped produce in the middle of the lineup.

New Offensive Philosophy On Display

Although he’ll never step into the batter’s box, the addition of new bench coach/offensive coordinator James Rowson payed dividends early in this one.

In 2019, Rowson helped guide Minnesota’s high-powered to a record 307 home runs. Minnesota also scored the second-most runs in baseball (939) and sported the fourth-lowest strikeout rate in the league (21 percent). His work, along with new hitting coach Eric Duncan, demonstrates a seed-change for the franchise.

In Spring Training, Rowson said: “We’re going out there with intent to do damage on every pitch.”

At no point was that more obvious than in the third inning. Three Marlins hitters, Jorge Alfaro, Rojas and Villar, hit three consecutive home runs on four total pitches seen.

“The back-to-back-to-backs get us rolling,” Mattingly said. “But then I thought we did a nice job of stringing some hits together, adding on and continuing to play.”

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Miami has achieved this feat once in a regular season game. On August 26, 1998 in St. Louis, Derek Lee, Cliff Floyd and Kevin Orie hit back-to-back-to-back home runs.

What’s more, in the second inning, Marlins batters fouled off seven two-strike pitches. Only one batter reached base that inning, but Foltynewicz ultimately threw 23 pitches in the frame. Making him work the inning prior helped prime the Marlins three-homer binge to start the third.

The Marlins registered 14 hits on Tuesday night, including four home runs. Outfield prospect Jesus Sanchez tied the game in the top of the ninth with his 416-foot blast to right. In the hands of Rowson and Duncan, Miami’s offense looks like it’s on the right track.

5 Ways to Win in the Preakness Stakes

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The 145th renewal of the Preakness Stakes will settle on October 3, 2020, at Pimlico Park, Maryland. The Stronach Group had found this final date after it faced a setback last May. Usually, the Preakness Stakes is the second part of the U.S. Triple Crown Series but will serve as the concluding event this year after the show’s schedule was rearranged. 

 

Last month, the first part of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, was over. After that, the Kentucky Derby will follow in September. Although schedule changes are happening in the Triple Crown show this year, surely it will return to its original placements next season when the COVID-19 pandemic is successfully contained. 

 

While the Preakness Stakes takes the last Triple Crown leg, it will not stop the horses from saddling up. Apart from that, it will feature a deserving Triple Crown winner if a racehorse is accomplished both in Derby and Belmont. As the Preakness Stakes settles in three months, here are five ways to bet and earn big in this horse racing tournament. 

Bet For Derby Winners

When you bet the Preakness Stakes online, consider the horses who handled the Derby well. The Run For The Roses precedes the Preakness Stakes, which has a longer racecourse. Do know that the Preakness Stakes has the shortest running-distance in all Triple Crown races, and Derby huge accomplishers may win without a hitch?

 

Today, the Derby is featuring twenty horses in the field led by Tiz The Law, the recently concluded Belmont Stakes winner. This colt has dominated significant stakes races before joining the Triple Crown race. If this horse continues to rule the Derby, he is the most deserving bet to win the Preakness Stakes and possibly the next Triple Crown titleholder. 

Don’t Forget Bob Baffert

Uncle Chuck, Cezanne, and Authentic are Bob Baffert’s entries to the Triple Crown this season. Earlier this year, he pulled-out Nadal as this racehorse had to face an early retirement due to a bone injury. Although Baffert is a bit disappointed because of Nadal’s exit, he aims for another Derby and Preakness titles from one of his entrants this year. 

 

Thus, when you wager for the upcoming Preakness Stakes, don’t hesitate to choose Baffert’s entry. Baffert is one of the most in-demand racehorse trainers who have won many significant Triple Crown races.  His recent Triple Crown achievement was through Justify in 2015. In 2019, he ranked in 9th place for the highest-earning horse racing trainers worldwide. 

Take A Risk On Exotic Bets 

While Straight Bets (Win, Place, Show) are the most popular betting categories you can wager in the Preakness Stakes, the Exotic bets can give you big payouts when you risk for this group. Remember that Exotic bets are harder to achieve and win because you have to guess the winners in the right order. You must scrutinize the racehorses based on their performance to pick the deserving Preakness Stakes winner. 

 

There is a bigger chance to win big when gambling for Exotic bets since the Preakness Stakes has the shortest racecourse. The horses who shine best during the Belmont Stakes and the Derby have higher chances of winning to predict right finish line positions for them. 

Shop For Excellent Odds 

Most of the betting games for the U.S. Triple Crown, including the Preakness Stakes, are done online. Since the Preakness Stakes this year is attended by well-accomplished racehorses, the fans can expect impressive odds value. It is why most trusted bookies are creating betting lines where you can gain huge payouts.

 

When betting for the Preakness Stakes, make sure to shop for many bookmakers. Remember that their odds differ, and you have to gamble for the best one.  Lastly, take advantage of their bonuses to increase your chances of earning more. 

Gamble On All Possible Chances

There is no harm when you wager within your comfort zone, but it’s good to resist all the betting games you’d like to play. It not only gets you tied with one category but will also help you maximize your chances of winning. 

 

By doing this, you can gamble one or two categories in the Straight and Exotic bets. There are also less popular betting options that might happen in the Preakness Stakes, and if you find this profitable, you might also consider wagering for these categories. 

 

Takeaway

With the Preakness Stakes culminating the Triple Crown show this season, the tournament will surely come more thrilling. The fans can see how the Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Derby hopefuls will end their Triple Crown journey this year. 

 

Besides, these horses were accomplishers in many stakes races, which they can undeniably ace the game anytime. Thus, if you plan to wager in the Preakness Stakes, the tips shown above can secure a profitable bankroll. 

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes steal safety away from Georgia Bulldogs

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The Miami Hurricanes stole a recruit from the Georgia Bulldogs on Tuesday night. 2021 five-star safety James Williams committed to the program.

He was predicted by nine experts in the 247Sports Crystal Ball to go to Georgia.

Williams was a highly sought-after recruit. In addition to Miami, he also had offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, and Tennessee.

Williams was recruited by Ephraim Banda and Manny Diaz.

Williams should be playmaker for Miami Hurricanes

Taking a look at his high school highlights, he was a man among boys. He has excellent vision as soon as the ball is thrown. He is able to follow the quarterback’s eyes and make a play. In addition, his athleticism is particularly noticeable. At the safety position, he will give Miami a player that quarterbacks want to avoid on the field.

Williams becomes the top player in a 2021 Miami Hurricanes class that has a ton of talent. The class is currently ranked 11th overall and third in the ACC per the 247Sports Team Rankings. There is a nice base of players here for Miami.  In addition to Williams, they also have Kamren Kinchens coming in. In this class alone, they have two safeties that will be able to make an impact.

It’s great to see Diaz continuing to aim high for the 2021 class. The fact that he was a recruiter  for Williams shows how badly the Miami Hurricanes wanted him.

The program has done a nice job of adding impact playmakers to the class.  In what has been a complete program overhaul, Miami has aimed high and succeeded. They have swung for the proverbial fences, and landed big names. It will be interesting to see how Miami finishes this class as they continue building a solid blueprint for the future.

Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn Back with Heat in Orlando

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Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn have officially arrived in the Orlando bubble to join the Miami Heat.

Both Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn were delayed to the fact that both tested positive for Covid-19. Now that they’ve arrived, they will need to quarantine for at least 36 hours and receive two negative tests.

Bam and Nunn will also not be playing in Wednesday’s scrimmage game against the Sacramento Kings. But if their quarantining goes according to plan, they should be ready to go by the second scrimmage on Saturday.

This news was reported by the 5 reasons sports network over the weekend….

What this means for the team?

Bam Adebayo is currently the Heat’s most irreplaceable piece on the team, which is why his return is so important. Bam’s defensive duties for this team goes without saying, but his presence is what is key. He’s an eye sore for other teams on both sides of the ball. And of course, his positive personality will light up the Heat’s practice room whenever.

Kendrick Nunn on the other hand is one of Miami’s talented go to scorers. He has been an important piece to this team all season since there’s been some rough patches with the point guard position. Though his jumper has been streaky at times, his ability to attack the rim and keep his confidence from midrange was revelatory for a rookie, as he broke through the rookie wall just before the Covid-19 break.

It goes without saying that it’s a big deal when two of your starters go out in any circumstance. But the most important thing with their arrival for this team is their locker room presence. This gives the team confidence that it has enough to compete with anyone. No wonder Erik Spoelstra’s been smiling.

Post-Practice Comments

5 Post-Practice Comments from Spoelstra, Haslem, DJJ Zoom calls

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The Miami Heat had an evening practice on Tuesday afternoon, preparing for Wednesday’s first scrimmage game. Udonis Haslem and Derrick Jones Jr spoke to the media on Zoom afterwards about the team’s current status and the preparation before tomorrow. Here’s five main Post-Practice Comments from Sports, UD and DJJ.

Post-Practice Comments #1:

There has been a lot of excitement from the players this week after practice as they get closer to the return of play. Spoelstra touched on this saying that’s all they’ve been talking about, especially for the game tomorrow. He also mentioned that every player in the bubble right now will get minutes tomorrow, which might mean no minutes upon the return of Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn. This then gives these guys the time they need to get back to 100%, and gives some of the bench guys an opportunity to earn a spot in the rotation.

Post-Practice Comments #2:

Udonis Haslem got asked about what he likes about this type of environment, he replied, “Ain’t nobody complaining. We got a no complain rule.” This is indeed true with this team, especially under their leader UD. Haslem has talked about this bubble in the past and always talks about one thing, focus. He wants their guys to be with their guys and essentially stay locked in. He also said “We got a short amount of time to get a whole lot of work done,” when referring to the return of play. Although we don’t know the minutes UD will get over the next few weeks, we do know he’s been putting in more work than most team’s starting lineups.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Derrick Jones Jr begins the discussion with the joy of getting back to doing what he loves. He said, “This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for.”

All of the guys feel the same way, but it’s a bit different for Derrick. He’s had a bit of a rocky road throughout this hiatus after testing positive for Covid-19. At the end of the day, he just wants to get back to basketball. Derrick will look to play some major minutes off of the bench for the Heat. He may be asked to jump into the starting lineup some nights for match-up reasons.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Andre Iguodala is one of the Heat’s most intriguing players entering the playoffs. His experience–His defense–His leadership. Which is why it was great to hear Erik talk so highly of him today after practice. He said: “He’s gotten better each day.” Spoelstra also says that this has been great for him since he didn’t have a training camp before the season. He also ends the discussion saying that he’s seen the different ways that he can impact a game to help the team win. Spoelstra will definitely look to Iguodala in tough spots since he’s a guy he can trust in a playoff game.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Spoelstra starts saying that at some point you can’t look at this situation from a basketball perspective. He says they are so grateful to partake in this since there are so many people around the world right now out of work. He says he’s talked to the team about this recently and thinks it’s important. Erik Spoelstra and the Heat have been using these zoom calls with media to touch on all of the important things going on in our world. They’ve discussed the pandemic, social injustice, and much more over the course of the last two weeks in hopes of getting their point across. They clearly have a bigger goal in mind beyond basketball.