Last week’s column focused on the pairings for the Class 1A/2A boys basketball postseason, which begins this Monday. This week I’ll provide a quick rundown on the Class 3A/4A matchups that were released by the IHSA on Friday afternoon.
In the Class 4A Pekin Sectional, Ottawa is the No. 8 seed in the Rock Island Regional and opens the second season against No. 9-seeded United Township. The Pirates upset the then top-seeded Panthers in last year’s regional to advance to the championship game. An Ottawa win would advance it to play No. 2 Normal Community West in the semifinals.
In Class 3A, Streator is part of the Herscher Regional (Pontiac Sectional) and received a No. 3 seed. The Bulldogs will take on the winner of (5) Pontiac and (11) Prairie Central, while the other side of the bracket features No. 2 Herscher playing the winner of (7) Coal City and (9) Kankakee Bishop McNamara. If Streator and Herscher can avoid upsets, the two meet again this season after the Tigers won 49-42 in overtime on Jan 12 in their Interstate Eight Conference tilt.
In the Morris Regional, Sandwich is the No. 8 seed and plays No. 10 Morris in its postseason opener. Morris defeated the Indians 51-35 this season at the Plano Christmas Classic and the winner gets top-seeded Kankakee.
MLB prop bets
Before the Super Bowl, our outstanding (and very handsome) sports editor J.T. Pedelty wrote of his yearly prop bets for the big game and I followed up a few days later in my weekly column of helpful hints to win those bets. My advice was hit and miss at best, but hey, it was a great game nonetheless wouldn’t you say?
Following in those lines as far as prop bets go, I found a few that look interesting for the upcoming MLB season.
Here they are and here are my thoughts on each.
How many (single pitchers only) no-hitters (over/under at 1.5) will be recorded during MLB regular season? I’ll take the over on this one. Even with the decline in managers letting their starters go deep into games, there are too many good starters across the leagues to think there won’t be more than two no-nos throughout the year.
Will any (single pitchers only) pitcher record a perfect game during MLB regular season?
I’ll say yes to this one, too. Odds say perfect games are few and far between, but I think we might see more than one this year.
Will any player record 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases during MLB regular season?
The lines are in favor of those who say no, and I can’t say I disagree. I see many guys hitting 30 bombs, but not many also swiping 30 bases.
Will any player win the Triple Crown during MLB regular season?
Good money could be made on this one if you bet yes; however history says no and so do I. The last two players to pull the trick were Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (.330, 44 HR, 139 RBI), and before that, the Red Sox’s Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 (.326, 44 HR, 121 RBI). While there are many qualified players out there to do it, I just don’t see it happening.
Fastest pitch (over/under 105.0) recorded (via MLB Statcast) during MLB regular season?
New York Yankess’ Aroldis Chapman had the 23 fastest pitches, according to Statscast last year, topping out at 103.8. He isn’t getting any younger and I don’t see anyone else in his class, so I’d say no to this one.
Longest home run (502.5 feet) recorded (via MLB Statcast) during MLB regular season?
The Yankees’ Aaron Judge’s 495-foot smash was tops, according Statcast last season, while the Cubs Willson Contreras’ 491-foot blast off the Dodgers Alex Wood in last year’s NLCS was the longest home run recorded in the postseason. Players are getting stronger, and by the looks of it, the ball is getting wound tighter. I’m taking the over, but maybe it’s just my love for epic blasts (and this coming from a former pitcher, no less).
Blackhawks … season can’t end soon enough
The Blackhawks, after Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Anaheim, are 24-26-8 and in the midst of their longest losing streak since the 2011-2012 season. Losing Corey Crawford, arguably one of the top goaltenders in the league who has been on injured reserve since Dec. 27, hasn’t helped, but the team has more problems than that. Star players are not producing and star players are getting older and slower. I will always root and back the Hawks, but as of right now they are hard to watch and in fact have better odds of getting next year’s top pick in the draft over making the playoffs. To take an old line from Cubs fans: Maybe next year.
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