Many game shows have aired on the Twin Cities network affiliates for years but there have been cases where some shows do not air in the market because the local affiliate decided to show local or syndicated programming in order to bring in advertising revenue. Here are ten examples of game shows that Twin Cities TV viewers never saw.
1. Three on a Match. Since NBC lost Let's Make a Deal to ABC in December, 1968, the loss turned out to be a godsend for ABC's floundering daytime lineup and a giant lead in to The Newlywed Game. However it was a different story at NBC where they lost millions of dollars in advertising revenue with five shows that were creamed in the ratings, including the game shows You're Putting Me On, words and Music and Joe Garagiola's Memory Game. In August, 1971, NBC debuted a new Bob Stewart game Three on a Match with Bill Cullen as host. It would go on to have a three year run. But local viewers didn't see the show because KSTP, the NBC affiliate aired news and a local talk show titled "Dial 5." The station also did not carry Jeopardy! when it replaced Three on a Match in 1974. The show would eventually air on WTCN-TV, then an independent station until it was cancelled in January, 1975.
2. The Diamond Head Game. In January, 1975, game show history was made when The Diamond Head Game debuted as the first game show to be produced in Hawaii. The show was hosted by Bob Eubanks and was best known for its bonus round where contestants went into a Money Volcano and had 15 seconds to grab bills and slips of paper that were blown around by a wind machine. None of the Twin Cities stations picked up the show which ended after 26 weeks.
3. Press Your Luck. One of several game shows blacked out by WCCO-TV due to their commitment to airing the talk shows Hour Magazine and Sally Jessy Raphael. Over the show's three year run, the station denied viewers and opportunity to see the show of Big Bucks! and No Whammies! The station also never aired the episodes where Michael Larson won over $100,000 which led to an investigation of cheating by CBS and a reprogramming of the game board. Those episodes would aired recently on the digital subchannel BUZZR.
4. Card Sharks (Both the Jim Perry and Bob Eubanks versions) When Card Sharks made its debut on April, 1978, KSTP did not air the show because it carried the local show Twin Cities Today. But when WTCN became an NBC affiliate in March 1979, they did carry Card Sharks until it was moved to 11 AM in June 1980 and then it stopped airing because the station carried reruns of The Bob Newhart Show. In 1986, when Card Sharks was revived on CBS, WCCO did not carry the show which also turned out to be a hit.
5. The $25,000 Pyramid. In 1982, Bob Stewart brought back the Pyramid as The $25,000 Pyramid that was picked up by its original network, CBS. It was another show WCCO deprived viewers of seeing which was the first incarnation of the hit word game to be produced in Hollywood. It had a long and successful run like its predecessor and even when it returned to replace the failed game show Blackout, the show was also blacked out.
6. Celebrity Charades. In January, 1979, the show which had its roots in Pantomime Quiz and Stump the Stars returned in syndication. But what station did it air on in the Twin Cities? None. It didn't matter. The show would end its run that September.
7. Tic Tac Dough (The CBS revival) Following the success of the syndicated Joker's Wild, Jack Barry and Dan Enright brought back Tic Tac Dough as a CBS daytime entry in July 1978. But WCCO did not carry the short-lived revival because it was airing another Barry-Enright game Hollywood Connection that was playing out its run. The syndicated version would become a big hit, paired with The Joker's Wild in many markets and become the big hit for host Wink Martindale.
8. Break the Bank (Jack Barry version). In april, 1976, ABC debuted the first game show from Barry and Enright since they revived their partnership after the quiz show scandals Break the Bank. The nine celebrity game, hosted by Tom Kennedy turned out to be a hit and would have had a longer run if the network didn't cancel the show to expand their hit soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital. In September, a nighttime syndicated version debuted but it was never seen in the Twin Cities possibly due to few open prime time access slots open. Local viewers never got to see Barry wearing dark glasses due to the bright studio lights.
9. Chain Reaction (Original version). The original version of Chain Reaction debuted in January 1980 but like several game shows that aired at 11 AM in the Twin Cities on WTCN-TV, it was not aired due to Bob Newhart Show reruns. The station denied viewers a chance to see a game that home viewers could play along with as well as an outstanding host in Bill Cullen (though Geoff Edwards filled in while Cullen subbed for Allen Ludden on Password Plus).
10. Super Password. Another show blacked out on Channel 11 (now KARE) since the station aired syndicated game shows such as The All-New Let's Make a Deal and The $1,000, 000 Chance of a Lifetime as well as other syndicated fare. Game show fans didn't get to see the fourth and last daytime incarnation of the classic word game that was hosted by Bert Convy.
Monday, August 8, 2016
Sunday, August 7, 2016
USA Women's Basketball team a smashing success against Senegal
Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles, Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi scored 15 points apiece to lead the USA Women's Basketball team to a 121-56 rout of Senegal in the opening round of Olympic basketball at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
It was all USA from the get go as the led at the end of the first quarter 35-9 and further distanced themselves from the African nation's national team by taking a 64-21 halftime lead.
Other USA players in double figure were Brittney Griner with 14 points and seven rebounds, Angel McCoughtry and Elena Della Donne contributed 11 points and Tina Charles added 10. Fatou Dieng led Senegal with nine points.
USA is now 1-0 in pool play and Senegal is 0-1. Both teams return to action on Monday, August 8. USA will face Spain at 10 AM and Senegal squares off with China at 5:45 PM.
It was all USA from the get go as the led at the end of the first quarter 35-9 and further distanced themselves from the African nation's national team by taking a 64-21 halftime lead.
Other USA players in double figure were Brittney Griner with 14 points and seven rebounds, Angel McCoughtry and Elena Della Donne contributed 11 points and Tina Charles added 10. Fatou Dieng led Senegal with nine points.
USA is now 1-0 in pool play and Senegal is 0-1. Both teams return to action on Monday, August 8. USA will face Spain at 10 AM and Senegal squares off with China at 5:45 PM.
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Let the 2016 Summer Olympics Begin
It was a "Festival of Nations" on a larger scale as 205 countries and 5,000 performers took part in the opening ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympics at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The 2016 Summer Olympics are the first to be held in South America since the first summer games were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece.
Watching some of the ceremony on a laptop, it was definitely a spectacle worth watching. A lot of color, pageantry as well as native music punctuated the start of 16 days of athletic competition as well as developing stories. There were a lot of blue and green laser lights as well as fireworks.
Give credit to the many people behind the scenes at NBC for outstanding overhead shots of Maracana Stadium and a spectacular view of the numerous venues being used for the 2016 Olympics.
But the best part before all the formalities taking place was the Parade of Nations. Going alphabetically, it was great to see the numerous countries in their native attire as they carried their country's flag. That's also another part of the opening ceremonies that great to watch, seeing many of the world's flags. Could that be part of another "Fun With Flags" segment on "The Big Bang Theory?"
The formal part of the ceremonies came with speeches from Brazilian and Olympic officials. There was also the entry of the Olympic flag and torch that would be used to light the cauldron signifying the start of the Rio Olympics.
Let the games begin.
The 2016 Summer Olympics are the first to be held in South America since the first summer games were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece.
Watching some of the ceremony on a laptop, it was definitely a spectacle worth watching. A lot of color, pageantry as well as native music punctuated the start of 16 days of athletic competition as well as developing stories. There were a lot of blue and green laser lights as well as fireworks.
Give credit to the many people behind the scenes at NBC for outstanding overhead shots of Maracana Stadium and a spectacular view of the numerous venues being used for the 2016 Olympics.
But the best part before all the formalities taking place was the Parade of Nations. Going alphabetically, it was great to see the numerous countries in their native attire as they carried their country's flag. That's also another part of the opening ceremonies that great to watch, seeing many of the world's flags. Could that be part of another "Fun With Flags" segment on "The Big Bang Theory?"
The formal part of the ceremonies came with speeches from Brazilian and Olympic officials. There was also the entry of the Olympic flag and torch that would be used to light the cauldron signifying the start of the Rio Olympics.
Let the games begin.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
A Grand Opening for US Bank Stadium
When US Bank Stadium held their open house July 23-24, thousands of purple clad Vikings fans came to the former Metrodome site to preview the team's new home after playing outside for two seasons at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus.
Fast forward to August 3, as the stadium held it's first event, an exhibition soccer match between AC Milan and Chelsea. The event was a huge success as 64,101 fans populated the new stadium. For soccer fans who couldn't get into the game, they could head up to the National Sports Center in Blaine to see Minnesota United FC battle Puerto Rico FC. The evening's attendance was 6,101, bringing the total attendance for the two soccer matches to 70,202, a state record that has not been broken since 46,370 fans saw the Minnesota Kicks take on the New York Cosmos at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington in 1978.
To quote the past tense of a Steve Allen song title, it was "The Start of Something Big" for the newest Twin Cities sports venue. Two concerts will take place later this month. Luke Bryan will perform on August 19 and Mettalica on August 20.
As for US Bank Stadium's main tenant, the Vikings, their first exhibition game takes place August 28 and the regular season home opener is September 18 against the Green Bay Packers. Please note that the game will be on NBC's Sunday Night Football. So if you don't have a ticket, it will be on TV.
On the high school level, the state boys and girls soccer semifinals and championship games will be held October 31, November 1 & 3. The Prep Bowl returns inside after being outside November 25 & 26. HSGN looks forward to covering the championship games from the new stadium's press box.
Baseball will also be held at US Bank Stadium as the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers revive the Dairy Queen Classic in early March. High school teams will also use the stadium, including the St. Louis Park Orioles. Mark April 18, 2017 on your calendar. The Orioles will take on the Richfield Spartans at 6:45 PM.
Also coming up at US Bank Stadium is the 2018 Super Bowl and the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four. If you can't get a Vikings ticket, there are plenty of opportunities coming up to see the new US Bank Stadium.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
ABC in Winner's Circle with Sunday Game Show Lineup
"Give me high ratings! Give me a hit!" Celebrity Family Feud host Steve Harvey would exclaim after it was revealed that the prime time celebrity version of the hit syndicated game show Family Feud was the highest rated of ABC's Sunday night game show lineup, finishing fourth in the recent Nielsen ratings.for the week ending August 1.
Celebrity Family Feud's high ratings also carried over to the following show, The $100,000 Pyramid. The latest incarnation of the classic word game finished seventh for the week. Wrapping up the evening was the revival of the hit 70s game show Match Game. The show ranked 14th that week.
In all the years of following game shows (by the way, this is the first entry on the subject), it's the first time a major broadcast network has aired an all game show lineup, though Celebrity Family Feud was preceded by America's Funniest Videos.
Now, an in depth look at a ratings success for ABC.
Now in it's second season, Celebrity Family Feud has been a summertime hit, especially against rerun competition. Harvey who took over hosting the syndicated version from John O'Hurley in 2010, parlayed the ratings resurgence in syndication into a prime time success. In a previous article written for examiner.com, it was mentioned that like other stand up comedians who have hosted game shows, Harvey doe not upstage the contestants, he does was successful hosts such as Bill Cullen and Bob Barker have done well and that is listen and react. The results have been extremely funny and that has been the key to saving the syndicated version from cancellation as well as generating high ratings. It's still one of the best game show formats ever invented, a very simple game that the home audience can play along. You turn on the show, you hear Harvey read the question, and you play along.
As for the $100,000 Pyramid, it's the first time since the original $10,000 Pyramid debuted in 1973 that the durable word game has aired in prime time. Michael Strahan, who recently left Live With Kelly and Michael presides over the festivities. The show has gone back to the original front game format, where two teams attempt to identify seven words in 30 seconds instead of six in 20 seconds in the Donny Osmond version. A carryover from the $25,000 Pyramid that aired on CBS is the "Mystery 7", where a contestant can win a trip if they guess all seven words in 30 seconds. Now comes what makes any version of Pyramid a classic, the Winner's Circle. Contestants can win $50,000 in the first game and if they win the second game, a possible $100,000 if they can identify six subjects in 60 seconds. It is still to this day, the best bonus round of any TV game show ever invented because it has the most important elements needed for a successful game show, drama, tension and suspense. Strahan, like his predecessor Dick Clark, also gives clues if a contestant comes up short in the Winner's Circle. If Bob Stewart, who originally created this classic was still alive, he would be very impressed at what he saw.
And that brings us to the final prime time game show entry, the revival of the hit 70s comedy game show Match Game. When it was mentioned that Alec Baldwin would be stepping into the host's role that the late Gene Rayburn made famous, there was skepticism that it was a bad move since he never hosted a game show. But it turned out to be a good move as Baldwin, who uses Rayburn's telescopic microphone has proven himself to be a capable hosted, interacting very well with the contestants and the celebrity panel that has included Jack McBrayer, Niecy Nash and Cheryl Hines.
It's the fourth revival of Match Game after three unsuccessful attempts and this time FremantleMedia has got it right, going back to the hit 70s format. The contestants still play two rounds and the questions still yield double entendre responses that sometimes get censored. One staple character from the Rayburn version that was mentioned in an episode was Dumb Dora and the audience responded "How dumb is she?" It still a very funny game show. The only thing wrong with this incarnation is the money amounts are rather cheap. If a contestant wins the Audience Match or comes up short, instead of playing for ten times their winnings in the Head to Head match, they play for five times the amount. The best way would have been to keep the ten times payoff and use the Star Wheel for a possible $50,000 if it lands on a star.
So there you have it. A prime time success that has viewers gathered around the TV on Sunday nights, playing along with three highly rated game shows.
Celebrity Family Feud's high ratings also carried over to the following show, The $100,000 Pyramid. The latest incarnation of the classic word game finished seventh for the week. Wrapping up the evening was the revival of the hit 70s game show Match Game. The show ranked 14th that week.
In all the years of following game shows (by the way, this is the first entry on the subject), it's the first time a major broadcast network has aired an all game show lineup, though Celebrity Family Feud was preceded by America's Funniest Videos.
Now, an in depth look at a ratings success for ABC.
Now in it's second season, Celebrity Family Feud has been a summertime hit, especially against rerun competition. Harvey who took over hosting the syndicated version from John O'Hurley in 2010, parlayed the ratings resurgence in syndication into a prime time success. In a previous article written for examiner.com, it was mentioned that like other stand up comedians who have hosted game shows, Harvey doe not upstage the contestants, he does was successful hosts such as Bill Cullen and Bob Barker have done well and that is listen and react. The results have been extremely funny and that has been the key to saving the syndicated version from cancellation as well as generating high ratings. It's still one of the best game show formats ever invented, a very simple game that the home audience can play along. You turn on the show, you hear Harvey read the question, and you play along.
As for the $100,000 Pyramid, it's the first time since the original $10,000 Pyramid debuted in 1973 that the durable word game has aired in prime time. Michael Strahan, who recently left Live With Kelly and Michael presides over the festivities. The show has gone back to the original front game format, where two teams attempt to identify seven words in 30 seconds instead of six in 20 seconds in the Donny Osmond version. A carryover from the $25,000 Pyramid that aired on CBS is the "Mystery 7", where a contestant can win a trip if they guess all seven words in 30 seconds. Now comes what makes any version of Pyramid a classic, the Winner's Circle. Contestants can win $50,000 in the first game and if they win the second game, a possible $100,000 if they can identify six subjects in 60 seconds. It is still to this day, the best bonus round of any TV game show ever invented because it has the most important elements needed for a successful game show, drama, tension and suspense. Strahan, like his predecessor Dick Clark, also gives clues if a contestant comes up short in the Winner's Circle. If Bob Stewart, who originally created this classic was still alive, he would be very impressed at what he saw.
And that brings us to the final prime time game show entry, the revival of the hit 70s comedy game show Match Game. When it was mentioned that Alec Baldwin would be stepping into the host's role that the late Gene Rayburn made famous, there was skepticism that it was a bad move since he never hosted a game show. But it turned out to be a good move as Baldwin, who uses Rayburn's telescopic microphone has proven himself to be a capable hosted, interacting very well with the contestants and the celebrity panel that has included Jack McBrayer, Niecy Nash and Cheryl Hines.
It's the fourth revival of Match Game after three unsuccessful attempts and this time FremantleMedia has got it right, going back to the hit 70s format. The contestants still play two rounds and the questions still yield double entendre responses that sometimes get censored. One staple character from the Rayburn version that was mentioned in an episode was Dumb Dora and the audience responded "How dumb is she?" It still a very funny game show. The only thing wrong with this incarnation is the money amounts are rather cheap. If a contestant wins the Audience Match or comes up short, instead of playing for ten times their winnings in the Head to Head match, they play for five times the amount. The best way would have been to keep the ten times payoff and use the Star Wheel for a possible $50,000 if it lands on a star.
So there you have it. A prime time success that has viewers gathered around the TV on Sunday nights, playing along with three highly rated game shows.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Strong Lynx Connection part of USA Women's Olympic Basketball Team
Minnesota Lynx fans will have plenty to cheer for when the USA Women's Basketball Team competes in the 2016 Summer Olympics August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Four members of the defending WNBA champion Lynx are part of the 12 player roster for the USA team. They are Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Hutchinson, MN native Lindsey Whalen. In addition, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve is an assistant to head coach Geno Auriemma of UConn. Also assisting Auriemma is Doug Bruno of DePaul and Dawn Staley of South Carolina.
Now a look at the rest of the USA team. There are also four players that Auriemma coached for UConn. In addition to Moore, Sue Bird, who will be playing for her fourth consecutive gold medal; Tina Charles, who played on the 2012 Olympic team and was the first pick in the 2010 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun; Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury also joins Bird in going for her fourth straight gold medal and Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm, the first pick in the 2016 WNBA draft.
But there's more to the USA team than Lynx and UConn players. Elena Della Donne of the Chicago Sky and the first basketball player from the University of Delaware to play in the Olympics; Taurasi's Mercury teammate Brittney Griner adds height and defense to the team; Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever, who is also going for her fourth straight gold medal and Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream, the first pick in the 2009 WNBA draft.
When you look at the roster of and see these 12 talented female athletes, you'll probably think that the USA team will be the odds on favorite to win their seventh straight gold medal. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. There could be bumps in the road along the way, especially if they advance to the medal round. This is a team that can generate a lot of offense and tremendous inside play and the key will also be defense and depth. The big question is how will Auriemma handle playing time? An easy answer would be to clear the bench if the margin becomes wide late in the game. After winning by four points in their first exhibition game, they have cruised through the next three games like a car heading down Highway 100, as their average win margin was 25.4 points per game.
Here's the USA Women's Basketball Team's schedule:
August 7: USA vs. Senegal 10 AM
August 8; Spain vs. USA 10 AM
August 10: USA vs. Serbia 1:30 PM
August 12: USA vs. Canada 1:30 PM
August 14: USA vs. China 10:15 AM
August 16: Quarterfinals TBD
August 18: Semifinals TBD
Bronze and gold medal games will take place on August 20 with the Bronze Medal game at 9:30 AM and the Gold Medal Game is at 1:30 PM.
Can Cheryl Reeve and the quartet of Lynx players help USA win the gold medal? Check your local listings for what channel these games will be on.
Four members of the defending WNBA champion Lynx are part of the 12 player roster for the USA team. They are Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Hutchinson, MN native Lindsey Whalen. In addition, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve is an assistant to head coach Geno Auriemma of UConn. Also assisting Auriemma is Doug Bruno of DePaul and Dawn Staley of South Carolina.
Now a look at the rest of the USA team. There are also four players that Auriemma coached for UConn. In addition to Moore, Sue Bird, who will be playing for her fourth consecutive gold medal; Tina Charles, who played on the 2012 Olympic team and was the first pick in the 2010 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun; Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury also joins Bird in going for her fourth straight gold medal and Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm, the first pick in the 2016 WNBA draft.
But there's more to the USA team than Lynx and UConn players. Elena Della Donne of the Chicago Sky and the first basketball player from the University of Delaware to play in the Olympics; Taurasi's Mercury teammate Brittney Griner adds height and defense to the team; Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever, who is also going for her fourth straight gold medal and Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream, the first pick in the 2009 WNBA draft.
When you look at the roster of and see these 12 talented female athletes, you'll probably think that the USA team will be the odds on favorite to win their seventh straight gold medal. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. There could be bumps in the road along the way, especially if they advance to the medal round. This is a team that can generate a lot of offense and tremendous inside play and the key will also be defense and depth. The big question is how will Auriemma handle playing time? An easy answer would be to clear the bench if the margin becomes wide late in the game. After winning by four points in their first exhibition game, they have cruised through the next three games like a car heading down Highway 100, as their average win margin was 25.4 points per game.
Here's the USA Women's Basketball Team's schedule:
August 7: USA vs. Senegal 10 AM
August 8; Spain vs. USA 10 AM
August 10: USA vs. Serbia 1:30 PM
August 12: USA vs. Canada 1:30 PM
August 14: USA vs. China 10:15 AM
August 16: Quarterfinals TBD
August 18: Semifinals TBD
Bronze and gold medal games will take place on August 20 with the Bronze Medal game at 9:30 AM and the Gold Medal Game is at 1:30 PM.
Can Cheryl Reeve and the quartet of Lynx players help USA win the gold medal? Check your local listings for what channel these games will be on.
Monday, August 1, 2016
The Great AL East Race of 2016
In 1965, there was a movie titled The Great Race that starred Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Natalie Wood. Forty one years later, there's another Great Race going on and it's not from New York to Paris, it's the American League Eastern Division race between three teams. They are the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Going into Monday's games, the Orioles have a half game lead over the Blue Jays and the Red Sox trail by one and a half games. The Orioles had the night off while the Blue Jays battle the Astros and the Red Sox headed west to Seattle to take on the Mariners. Just in, the Astros beat the Blue Jays 2-1 in 14 innings on a walkoff double by Carlos Correa that scored the AL's leading batter Jose Altuve.
Here's a look at where the three teams stand in the race. The Orioles upgraded their pitching by acquiring Wade Miley from the Mariners and welcomed back Steve Pearce, who they got in a deal with the Rays. The Orioles now have a top starting staff with the addition of Miley and their ace Chris Tillman. Tillman, who has a record of 14-3, is two wins shy of his career win total of 16 in 2013. They also have a solid bullpen anchored by a couple of Bs, Brad Brach and Zach Britton. Britton has 32 saves this season, his third consecutive season with more than 30 saves. The Orioles will also need production from Adam Jones, Chris Davis and Manny Machado to clinch the AL East.
As for the Red Sox, the best description of their lineup came from Fox Sports play-by-play man Joe Buck during the All-Star Game. "That lineup is young, deep and good." Plus, they have a veteran who is playing his final season at age 40 and he has hist 25 home runs, former Twin David Ortiz. They also have their version of the Three Bs. Mookie Betts, Xander Boegaerts and Jackie Bradley, Jr. All three were All-Star Game starters. Mix in first baseman Hanley Ramirez and second baseman Dustin Pedroia, add a third baseman in Travis Shaw and a left fielder in Brock Holt and they have a very solid lineup that could be headed for post season play in October.
But let's not overlook the Red Sox pitching. They have a strong starting five in Steven Wright (not the comedian), David Price, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez and a key addition via trade with the padres Drew Pomeranz. Red Sox general manager David Dombrowski made a great move in obtaining Pomeranz as well picking up just before the trade deadline Fernando Abad from the Twins. Abad will be the closer due to the absence of Craig Kimbrel, who is on the disabled list. Keep an eye on the Red Sox. They can go pretty far in the post season and even advance to the World Series.
And the last team in the race is the Blue jays. Though they have a solid lineup anchored by Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Saunders, they bolstered their pitching staff by acquiring former Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano from the Pirates and Scott Feldman from the Astros. The defending AL East champions are also in the hunt but can they get quality starts from their starters such as Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ?
Who will come out on top? This is a race that could go down to the final day of the season.
Going into Monday's games, the Orioles have a half game lead over the Blue Jays and the Red Sox trail by one and a half games. The Orioles had the night off while the Blue Jays battle the Astros and the Red Sox headed west to Seattle to take on the Mariners. Just in, the Astros beat the Blue Jays 2-1 in 14 innings on a walkoff double by Carlos Correa that scored the AL's leading batter Jose Altuve.
Here's a look at where the three teams stand in the race. The Orioles upgraded their pitching by acquiring Wade Miley from the Mariners and welcomed back Steve Pearce, who they got in a deal with the Rays. The Orioles now have a top starting staff with the addition of Miley and their ace Chris Tillman. Tillman, who has a record of 14-3, is two wins shy of his career win total of 16 in 2013. They also have a solid bullpen anchored by a couple of Bs, Brad Brach and Zach Britton. Britton has 32 saves this season, his third consecutive season with more than 30 saves. The Orioles will also need production from Adam Jones, Chris Davis and Manny Machado to clinch the AL East.
As for the Red Sox, the best description of their lineup came from Fox Sports play-by-play man Joe Buck during the All-Star Game. "That lineup is young, deep and good." Plus, they have a veteran who is playing his final season at age 40 and he has hist 25 home runs, former Twin David Ortiz. They also have their version of the Three Bs. Mookie Betts, Xander Boegaerts and Jackie Bradley, Jr. All three were All-Star Game starters. Mix in first baseman Hanley Ramirez and second baseman Dustin Pedroia, add a third baseman in Travis Shaw and a left fielder in Brock Holt and they have a very solid lineup that could be headed for post season play in October.
But let's not overlook the Red Sox pitching. They have a strong starting five in Steven Wright (not the comedian), David Price, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez and a key addition via trade with the padres Drew Pomeranz. Red Sox general manager David Dombrowski made a great move in obtaining Pomeranz as well picking up just before the trade deadline Fernando Abad from the Twins. Abad will be the closer due to the absence of Craig Kimbrel, who is on the disabled list. Keep an eye on the Red Sox. They can go pretty far in the post season and even advance to the World Series.
And the last team in the race is the Blue jays. Though they have a solid lineup anchored by Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Saunders, they bolstered their pitching staff by acquiring former Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano from the Pirates and Scott Feldman from the Astros. The defending AL East champions are also in the hunt but can they get quality starts from their starters such as Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ?
Who will come out on top? This is a race that could go down to the final day of the season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)