Category Uncategorized

A rare opportunity to win in India may have been squandered for want of a plan against spin

George Dobell24-Feb-2021England sent Zak Crawley to fulfil their media duties after the first day’s play in Ahmedabad.Crawley, to be fair, had batted very nicely earlier. He times the ball as very few can and clearly has the potential to be a significant player.But he made 53. And it is not innings of 53 that define Tests. Certainly not in the first innings. Even in conditions like this, where scores may be somewhat lower than average. So to focus on Crawley’s attributes on a day as grim as this would be like attempting to mitigate the loss of Titanic by pointing out the vol-au-vents served on-board earlier in the day had been terrific.For the truth is, short of the team bus crashing on the way to the ground, this is a day that could hardly have gone worse for England. If you go into a Test having chosen to play the extra seamer, you don’t want to have lost nine wickets to spin within the first 50 overs of the match. You win very few games in which you lose 8 for 38. Or where the second highest score in the first innings is 17. It was the lowest first-innings total England have ever made in India. Really, it would have been more appropriate to send an undertaker to fulfil England’s press conferences.England’s selection will, no doubt, be the focus of much criticism. And that’s fair enough: even if we accept they required four seamers – and that’s quite a stretch – the choice of Stuart Broad ahead of Dom Bess or Chris Woakes left them with an unwieldly tail. Although he was clearly sent out to dead-bat media questions – he’s 23 and making his way in the game, for goodness’ sake, he’s hardly going to lampoon those who select him – Crawley couldn’t stop his self-deprecating response to a query about the ease with which he batted compared to his colleagues from showing up the fault in the selection.”It was easier to bat against the seamers,” he said before, perhaps, realising the implications of his words. It was true, though. Crawley faced 35 balls from India’s two seamers and took them for 33 runs; the other 10 members of Crawley’s side faced 31 balls in total from seam bowlers.But the selection of the bowling attack really wasn’t England’s primary problem. No, the issue is that England’s batsmen had no answer to the turning ball. Or, to be more specific, a ball that sometimes turned and sometimes skidded straight on.To be fair to them, it was tough. This is an excellent spin attack and, with natural variation appearing to account for the unpredictable behaviour of the ball, there were no obvious clues as to which ones would spin and which ones would skid. Many sides would have struggled. Whether they would have struggled much, however, is debatable.For England have now succumbed to scores of 112, 164, 134 and 178 in their four most recent innings on this tour. And while it’s true they have faced some challenging conditions and fine bowlers during that sequence, eventually, if something keeps happening, you have to accept it’s not the pitches or the umpires or the presence of Jupiter in the House of Taurus that’s the problem. It’s that you, as a team, have serious issues against spin bowling.’Wait there,’ you may be crying. ‘England made 578 only five innings ago; this is just a blip’. And it’s true they did. It helped them complete a run of six successive Test victories in Asia. That’s an impressive achievement whatever the result of this series.India belt out an appeal on a track that offered turn from day one•BCCIBut that innings was made when the Chennai surface was unusually flat. And it was disproportionately reliant upon Joe Root’s contribution. Only two other men reached 35. Indeed, nobody else, across five-and-a-half Tests on this tour, has registered a century. Only three England players (Root, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow) average as much as 30. Only one more (Ben Foakes) averages as much as 25.None of this should come as a surprise. Anyone with even a passing interest in English cricket knows the domestic schedule has been altered to ensure the prime months of (what the English laughingly call) summer, are dominated by white-ball cricket. This, it is argued, is popular with players, who can specialise on specific white-ball skills during this period, and broadcasters, who can build narratives and hope it will ensure the presence of more exciting overseas players.All of which sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?But there is a downside. And that is, England’s domestic first-class competition is played in conditions in which spin bowling is barely relevant. This year, eight of the 14 rounds of County Championship cricket are scheduled to take place before the end of May (four take place before the end of April) with four more rounds (and the Bob Willis Trophy final) taking place in autumnal September. That leaves just two rounds – eight days of cricket, in other words – scheduled to take place in July or August when surfaces might be expected to provide most assistance to spin bowlers.Combined with the usage of a Dukes ball, it means most counties are able to rely almost completely upon their seamers. Really, if you’re a young spinner with aspirations of playing first-class cricket, you may as well give it up and become a wheelwright or court jester; those, by comparison, are trades with a future. When an experienced spinner does appear in the county game – the likes of Jeetan Patel or Simon Harmer – they clean up against batsmen with little of the technique or temperament required to resist them.All this means young batsmen in England do not face enough quality spin bowling to develop an effective game against them. And on the rare occasion a county might provide surfaces which replicate those found in recent days in India, the ECB punish them for it. Related

• Why are England batsmen taught to sweep instead of using their feet against spinners?

• Joe Root: 'A week like this doesn't define us as a team'

• Pink-ball beauty is in the eye of the beholder as India seize control of third Test

• England's collapse after winning the toss, and spinners dominating a day-night Test

• The secret to Axar Patel's success: go straight and undercut

This issue was probably relevant to England’s selection, too. While the team management would be reluctant to confirm it, it would appear their decision to pick the extra seamer was based at least as much on on a lack of belief in their second spin option as it was in any belief in how the pink ball would behave. Put simply, it seems they felt the extra seamer would provide them more control than a spinner who had difficulty with his length in his most recent appearance. Again and again, England’s problems in developing spin bowling in the county game are coming back to hurt them.But you know this already. Everybody, including the ECB, knows this already. It was obvious on the last tour of India in 2016. And if Test cricket really was their priority, they would act – as they did after the humiliation of the 2015 World Cup – to change things.But they don’t. Because white-ball cricket – and the money it brings in – is their No. 1 priority. Look at the full-strength squad they have named for the T20I section of this tour; look at their decision to allow players to miss Tests against New Zealand to play in the IPL; look at the white-ball window that dominates the prime weeks of summer in the domestic schedule. Whatever they say, there is little evidence that Test cricket is their priority.And while that is the case, England will continue to struggle in these conditions.This match – this series, even – can still be won by England. But they will have to bat far better against the turning ball in their final three innings of the campaign. At this stage, that runs of low scores is looking more like the norm than the exception.

ATLANTA — Sometime around the late innings Tuesday night, the home bullpen door at Truist Field will swing open and out will come running a baseball fairy tale waiting to be told. You will know it is Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers by his Ichabod Crane figure, his aw-shucks, Missouri-bred Tom Sawyer smile and his holy spit fastball. Midsummer evening in Georgia suddenly will feel hotter, batters will shake their heads in wonder and jaws will drop.

Misiorowski is that special. He is 23 years old and looks even younger. He is as thin as a paper clip and aglow with so much joy and so wide a grin he can’t stop using the word “cool.”

Just five starts under the belt around his slim waist, he also is at the center of the biggest and most wrong-headed controversy at this All-Star Game. The gripe, largely fostered by the Philadelphia Phillies and assorted media, was that Misiorowski did not “deserve” his selection. Never mind that pitchers left and right couldn’t be bothered to pitch in the All-Star Game and that the honor meant so much to Misiorowski that he cried when he was told of his selection.

And then there is this: Misiorowski throws the meanest fastball in baseball, a 99.3 mph rocket with an absurd, gravity-defying 2,599 rpm spin, a wickedly low release point and so much extension he lets go of the ball a foot closer to home plate than the average pitcher. And he’s been historically great in his brief but captivating time on the MLB stage.

Misiorowski is exactly what the All-Star Game is: a showcase of the best talent in baseball, not a WAR calculating exercise. He is a sensation (without the mound-scaping and talking-to-the-ball soliloquies) in the manner of Mark “The Bird” Fidrych, who the All-Star Game with just 11 starts. With the way the world moves, five starts in 2025 is darn close to the exposure of 11 starts in 1976.

If you don’t want Misiorowski, you don’t want entertainment. And you don’t want baseball fairy tales.

Just two years ago on this date Misiorowski was pitching in front of 4,175 people in Peoria for the Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Five years ago, after COVID wiped out his senior season at Grain Valley High and no team drafted the skinny righthander, he decided he’d rather pitch for the Crowder College Roughriders, a community college in Missouri with an enrollment of 3,800, than accept an offer from Oklahoma State.

“Well, I just think that’s what I needed,” he explains. “I think I needed a small town to just get my feet wet and get acclimated to collegiate ball.”

I asked him to give me the scouting report on his 18-year-old self. “I was really, really skinny. Really lanky.”

What does that mean, weight-wise? “Like 170, 165.”

Same height? Six-feet-seven? “Yeah. Pretty close.”

He continues with the scouting report: “He’s going to throw a lot of fastballs. He doesn’t always know where it’s going to go. He knows, be ready to get hit. So, it’s, yeah, I think that’s the biggest threat: it’s just, ‘Don't get hit.’”

He made 15 starts for Crowder in 2022, then decided to transfer to LSU, where he would have joined Paul Skenes. But the Brewers drafted him in the second round—after 62 players were picked—and gave him $2.3 million, mid-first round money, to sign. Misiorowski needed to gain weight (he has put on about 25 to 30 pounds) and iron out his mechanics. He was a strikeout machine in the minors (12.3 strikeouts per nine) but lacked command (5.4 walks per nine). But counterintuitively, he commands the baseball much better in the big leagues with four pitches than he did in the minors. He has an old school explanation for that.

“Adrenaline,” he says. “I think that's the biggest thing. You know, I think it was just one of those things that happens when you settle down, like you learn to be where your feet are and have fun.”

This start to 2025 is not what Boston Red Sox fans had in mind.

Two months into the season, the Red Sox are a highly mediocre 29-32; general manager Craig Breslow said Saturday via Chris Cotillo of MassLive that Boston's performance is "not good enough and "not the performance we expected in the offseason."

With that in mind, other teams appear to be circling the Red Sox roster. That seems to include the San Diego Padres—who Dennis Lin of indicated Monday "are again showing interest in Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran."

"An underwhelming Red Sox team might consider Duran expendable," Lin wrote. "Outfielder Roman Anthony remains tantalizingly close to Boston, and a restless fan base has been clamoring for the arrival of the sport’s consensus No. 1 prospect."

Duran, 28, broke out in 2024 with an MVP-caliber season—slashing .285/.342/.492 with MLB-high marks in doubles (48) and triples (14). This year, he's slashing .264/.312/.406 with an MLB-high six triples.

The Red Sox—currently 3.5 games back of the Minnesota Twins for the American League's final postseason spot—nominally have Duran under contract through the 2028 season (he's arbitration-eligible in 2027 and '28 with a club option in 2026). The Padres currently hold the National League's second wild-card spot.

He also gave a shout out to the bowlers who set up the 3-0 series sweep

Mohammad Isam31-Oct-2025

West Indies stand-in captain Roston Chase was left impressed by Ackeem Auguste’s maiden T20I fifty against Bangladesh in Chattogram. The visitors completed the 3-0 whitewash in a comprehensive five-wicket win, with more than three overs to spare. Auguste was one of three changes in the West Indies side, after they rested regular captain Shai Hope, and the out-of-form Sherane Rutherford for the dead rubber.Auguste treated the packed crowd in Chattogram with some impressive hitting particularly on the leg-side. He struck Rishad Hossain for three sixes in the 13th over, and having been dropped in between the sixes, it shifted the match’s momentum in favour of West Indies completely. Auguste and Chase added 91 runs for the fourth wicket, after Amir Jangoo, who warmed the West Indies’ bench for most of this Bangladesh tour, struck a few blows in his 23-ball 34.Chase, who also made a half-century, said that Auguste is an improved cricketer than what he had seen couple of years ago.Related

'The players need rest' – Litton points to crowded calendar for T20I series defeat

Shepherd hat-trick, twin fifties complete WI's 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh

“I thought he had a great innings,” Chase said. “I have played with him in St. Lucia in the last couple of years. He has improved steadily. The Ackeem I used to know, would play some exciting shots and then get out for 20 or 30. I find out that he is maturing very much. He is understanding how to build the innings now. The sky is the limit for him. I think he has a very rare ability to strike the ball. He has a clean swing. He has to continue doing hard work and keep believing.”Chase said that the difference between the two sides’ in the third T20I was the partnerships. Bangladesh had a 63-run stand between Tanzid Hasan and Saif Hassan, but Tanzid did most of the scoring in the home side’s innings.”I think Bangladesh never really had a big partnership, or one partnership where two batters stood up. It was only the left-hander, while all the guys were getting out around him,” Chase said. “The plan was to bat normally, get six to seven runs per over till the 15th over. But as me and Ackeem got in on the wicket, it became easier to play our strokes. The ball was coming on to the bat. I think it was the best wicket of the three games. We capitalized on the balls in our area.He also gave a shout out to the West Indies bowlers who performed strongly in the T20I series, in particular Romario Shepherd who finished with seven wickets in the three matches, including a hat-trick in the third game. Moving forward, though, he wanted the fielding to be better.”Actually I was so focused on the game that I didn’t realise he had taken the hat-trick,” Chase said. “I didn’t remember that he had taken a wicket in his previous over. I am happy for him. I think he executed well in all three games.”We dropped too many catches. The bowlers were spot-on with their plans. I want to congratulate them on their performance.”

Sri Lanka have promised to field a “full-strength side”, and that might mean Maheesh Theekshana getting in keeping in mind the conditions in Dubai

Madushka Balasuriya14-Sep-20258:05

Should SL play Wellalage or Theekshana?

Big picture – Can Sri Lanka continue to play like ‘defending champions’?Prior to Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against Bangladesh at the Asia Cup, Charith Asalanka had reminded people that his team was, indeed, the defending T20 Asia Cup champions. A fact not strictly inaccurate but one that might have raised a few eyebrows when put in context: Sri Lanka’s form in major tournaments in the three years since that momentous victory has been less than stellar.But for Asalanka, the psychological boost that it had provided was something he was sure would spur his side on. And so it proved to be against Bangladesh on Saturday, when whatever confidence or motivation was being derived was on total display – they dominated a contest that was expected to be much more closely fought, and quite frankly looked every bit the champions.Related

No mystery spinner, no problem for Sri Lanka

How Martin Coetzee fell in love with Hong Kong cricket

Consistency, however, has been Sri Lanka’s Achilles’ heel, and against Hong Kong on Monday, they have a chance to build up a head of steam ahead of their final group game against Afghanistan.As for Hong Kong, two defeats already means they are out of the qualification reckoning, but they will no doubt want to bow out on a high note. And who better against the “defending champions”?While this Sri Lankan side seems to be ironing out weaknesses, their middle order is still on the soft side. Kamil Mishara has added some much-needed aggression, but in general there is still a heavy reliance on the opening pair of Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka. Get them early and who knows what’s possible.Against both Afghanistan and Bangladesh, seamers Ayush Shukla and Ateeq Iqbal showed they can pick up wickets in the powerplay. Where the Hong Kong bowling struggled was in limiting scoring through the middle overs – a period Sri Lanka’s batters have been known to struggle. That heavy collapse against Zimbabwe just three games ago has also served to highlight this Sri Lanka batting line-up’s propensity to unravel, and with the pitch expected to be on the slower side, the stage is as set as can be for a low-scoring contest.But to be clear, Sri Lanka are overwhelming favourites and, considering their clinical performance against Bangladesh, are also right on top of their game. It’s an uphill task for Hong Kong whichever way you slice it, though not impossible.Ayush Shukla has shown he can pick up wickets early on•Getty Images

Form guideSri Lanka WWLWL
Hong Kong LLLWWIn the spotlight: Ehsan Khan and Wanindu HasarangaIf Hong Kong are to pull off an upset, their best path will be to limit Sri Lanka’s batting. While there are plenty of dangerous batters in the Sri Lanka line-up, their sometimes brittle middle order has no less than four left-hand batters – Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis. With offspinner Ehsan Khan being Hong Kong’s most prolific wicket-taker – 128 wickets in 94 innings at an economy rate of 6.29 – the match-ups are tailor-made.Wanindu Hasaranga didn’t look like he had missed a step on his return to the side against Bangladesh. His googly caused chaos as he ended with figures of 2 for 25, and it might have been more had heavy bails not been used with Jaker Ali surviving one that grazed his off stump. On a surface where spin has been at the forefront, it would take a special effort from Hong Kong to keep Hasaranga from adding to his 133 T20I wickets.Does Maheesh Theekshana fit into Sri Lanka’s “full-strength” side?•Getty Images

Team news: Will Maheesh Theekshana return?Hong Kong are likely to be unchanged, but with this being their final match of the tournament, it would be unsurprising to see some bench players get a game.Hong Kong (probable): 1 Zeeshan Ali (wk), 2 Anshuman Rath, 3 Babar Hayat, 4 Nizakat Khan, 5 Kalhan Challu, 6 Kinchit Shah, 7 Yasim Murtaza (capt), 8 Aizaz Khan, 9 Ayush Shukla, 10 Ateeq Iqbal, 11 Ehsan KhanSri Lanka have stated that they will go with a full-strength side, which means there are unlikely to be any changes in the batting unit. On the bowling front, there could be a return for Maheesh Theekshana as the pitch is likely to aid spin.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan ThusharaPitch and conditions: Spin, what else?The pitch in Dubai hasn’t necessarily proved conducive to high scores over the past year, with spinners generally finding conditions to their liking. For example, of the 17 wickets to fall in the Oman vs Pakistan game, nine fell to spin, while pace-off deliveries were regularly employed by the seamers.Stats and trivia This will be the first match between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong in any format in international cricket. The side batting first has won seven of the last ten T20Is played in Dubai. Sri Lanka last played in Dubai in 2022, in the final of the Asia Cup that they won. Nissanka’s 902 runs are the most by a player from a Full-Member nation in T20Is since the start of 2024.Quotes”We don’t want to take any chances. In this format, everybody is tough to beat. We will go with our full-strength side.”

لا يزال داني ميرفي نجم ليفربول السابق، يفضل المصري محمد صلاح على الدولي الإنجليزي بوكايو ساكا، نجم آرسنال، على الرغم من تراجع مستوى جناح الريدز هذا الموسم.

وكان صلاح من أفضل وأكثر لاعبي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ثباتاً في أدائه خلال المواسم القليلة الماضية، وساهم في فوز ليفربول باللقب الموسم الماضي.

ومع ذلك يعاني فريق آرني سلوت خلال موسم 2025-2026 ويحتل ليفربول المركز الثامن في جدول الترتيب، وسجل صلاح هدفين فقط آخر سبع مباريات له.

اقرأ أيضاً.. شبكة إنجليزية عن خسارة مصر ضد أوزبكستان: محمد صلاح كان متواضعًا أمام المصنف 55

وقال ميرفي في تصريحات لشبكة “TALKSPORT”: “على الأرجح سأستمر في تفضيل صلاح، هو قادر على تسجيل الأهداف من أي مكان، لديه هذه الموهبة التي تمكنه من تسجيل أهداف مذهلة بانتظام أكبر”.

جدير بالذكر أن النجم المصري الدولي محمد صلاح قد أحرز 250 هدف وصنع 116 تمريرة حاسمة خلال 417 مباراة مع ليفربول حتى الآن.

There was a ruthless streak about Manchester United during Sunday’s statement win over Liverpool, with Ruben Amorim’s expensively assembled forward line finally beginning to fire in 2025/26.

Turning back the clock to January this year, the Red Devils played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield, with one notable moment in that stalemate seeing Rasmus Hojlund surge in behind the home defence, only to be denied by the imposing figure of Alisson from the angle.

The influential Brazilian also denied the Dane in similar fashion back in December 2023, with the game having been level at the time.

Alisson wasn’t involved this time around due to injury, nor was Hojlund, with new Bryan Mbeumo instead converting from a similarly acute angle inside just 63 seconds.

While Hojlund hardly inspired any confidence that he would make the most of such a chance, it was no surprise when last season’s 20-goal Brentford star dispatched his own attempt, having hit the ground running with three goals from his first nine games in a United shirt.

With £74m signing Benjamin Sesko chipping in with two himself this term, while Matheus Cunha’s ‘maverick’ talents have also earned rave reviews, there is a frontline to be feared once again at Old Trafford.

The days of Marcus Rashford and co now appear a distant memory…

Why Amorim was right to move on Marcus Rashford

Like it or not, Rashford is making the most of his dream move to Barcelona, having already registered 11 goals and assists in just his first 12 games for the LaLiga outfit, as per Transfermarkt.

On Tuesday night, Camp Nou’s new loan hero dispatched two efforts in exquisite fashion, rifling home at the near post to help steer Hansi Flick’s youthful side to a thumping 6-1 win over ten-man Olympiakos.

The 27-year-old is back smiling again, having kicked on from his brief renaissance at Aston Villa last term, with the January loan swoop to the Midlands yielding four goals and six assists in 17 games, including a statement showing against Paris Saint-Germain.

That wasn’t enough to coax Villa into paying a reported £40m buy clause, although Flick and co could strike a bargain next summer, with Rashford said to be available for as little as £26m.

Such a lowly price tag may reflect poorly on those back at United, although it’s hard to argue with Amorim’s decision to part ways, with the high-profile forward not seen since trudging off against Viktoria Plzen in December, prior to his absence from the Manchester derby.

A reported night out prior to the 4-0 win over Everton appeared to be the final straw for the new United boss, with Rashford previously punished for a trip to Belfast the season prior under Erik ten Hag.

One misdemeanour too many came amid a continued period of inconsistency, with the Englishman’s 30-goal heroics of 2022/23 standing out as a real anomaly in the post-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era.

2024/25*

24

7 (3)

2023/24

43

8 (6)

2022/23

56

30 (11)

2021/22

32

5 (2)

2020/21

57

21 (18)

On a reported £300k-per-week at Old Trafford, Rashford simply wasn’t proving value for money, with Amorim right to have sent a message by ousting Rashford from his first-team ranks.

That message was also passed on to another member of the infamous ‘bomb squad’, with so much potential arguably wasted.

The Man Utd star who was destined for the No.7

It shows how much can change in such a short space of time in the footballing world that when deciding on the next number seven at Manchester United in the summer of 2023, there was a genuine clamour for Alejandro Garnacho to receive that honour.

The Spain-born Argentina international was fresh off the back of a breakthrough first season under Ten Hag, having chipped in with 10 goals and assists in all competitions, after previously scoring twice in the club’s FA Youth Cup final win the campaign prior.

That 2022/23 season saw the teenage winger produce notable moments of magic away at the likes of Real Sociedad, Fulham and Leeds United, having also produced a lively cameo off the bench in the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

As noted by Samuel Luckhurst at the time, Garnacho was “under consideration” to succeed his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, as the club’s new number seven, albeit with new man Mason Mount surprisingly offered that status instead.

In hindsight, that move has perhaps backfired, with Mount scoring just five goals over the last two-and-a-bit years, enduring a frustrating, injury-hit spell that has only recently begun to spring into life.

Young, electric and looking like a “young Cristiano” – in the words of Paul Scholes at the time – a teenage Garnacho, meanwhile, looked every bit a United number seven, emerging as one of few fearless, dynamic forwards in Ten Hag’s ranks.

There has been a sense of revision since, but it’s difficult to forget just how exciting that version of the ex-Atletico Madrid starlet was. As noted by Statman Dave, he looked “generational”.

Repeatedly looked to as the man to impact proceedings from the bench, Garnacho relished his role as the game-changer, while also reaching the high point of his time in the senior set-up by scoring the opener in the victorious 2024 Wembley showpiece.

Even last term, for all the speculation surrounding his place under Amorim – having joined Rashford in being omitted from the December derby – the now 21-year-old still finished joint-second behind only Bruno Fernandes for both goals and assists at the club.

That being said, the cracks began to show, with the youngster notably failing to celebrate following his stunner against Leicester City, amid perceived abuse from supporters.

There was also the Europa League debacle, where Garnacho publicly voiced his frustrations at having started the Bilbao defeat on the bench.

Ill-advised and ill-disciplined, the fleet-footed winger had left Amorim – and the club – with little choice but to send him on his way, with United taking such a stance that it perhaps even diminished their initial £70m asking price down to just £40m this summer.

With a sense that Garnacho had got ahead of his station, he had to go, having since endured a turbulent start to life at new club Chelsea, with the weekend win over Nottingham Forest seeing him hooked at the break.

A player that seemingly needed to be loved and idolised, perhaps the polarising wideman would have benefitted from taking on the number seven two years ago, with there no doubt having been a groundswell of support behind him at the time.

Again, however, hindsight might suggest that United were wise not to enhance his ego so swiftly, with such an honour needing to be earned rather than dished out so readily.

Either way, Garnacho – unfortunately – is someone else’s problem now.

Forget Bruno: Amorim has the next Pogba in "maverick" Man Utd talent

Manchester United may have another Paul Pogba brewing under Ruben Amorim…

ByRobbie Walls Oct 21, 2025

Strap in, baseball fans. We have a whopping 17 games to watch and bet on today with two double-headers set to take place.

The Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals will face-off in an interleague double-header and the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox will also play against each other twice in an AL Central double-header.

That means we have a lot of games to get through in today's edition of Rounding the Bases. Let's dive into it.

Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals Game 1 Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Cardinals -130

We've seen some significant regression from the Royals offense, ranking 29th in OPS over the past 30 days. Now is the time to sell some stock in Kansas City. The Cardinals have a slight pitching advantage with Andre Pallante (4.00 ERA) on the mound against Alec Marsh (4.57 ERA).

Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals Game 2 Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Cardinals -156

You can go ahead and take what I wrote above and apply it to the second game of the double-header. This time, the Cardinals will be rolling with Sonny Gray, who has been fantastic this season with a 3.30 ERA.

Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox Game 1 Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Twins -162

The Twins offense is on fire. They lead the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days at .906. The next best team is the Mets who sit at .814 over that time frame. Now is the time to bet on Minnesota and they should be in a great spot in their first game with Bailey Ober (4.12 ERA) on the mound.

Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox Game 2 Prediction and Pick

• Pick: White Sox +152

Despite what I wrote about Game 1 above, I'm going to back the White Sox in Game 2. The Twins are even bigger favorites in the second game, but I like their chances a lot more in the first game. Therefore, there's some value on the White Sox. Pablo Lopez gets the start in the second game for the Twins and he's struggled at times this season with an 8-7 record and a 5.18 ERA. Chicago could be an interesting underdog pick in this game.

Chicago Cubs vs. Baltimore Orioles Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Orioles -174

Shota Imanaga has all of a sudden found himself in a slump, allowing at least three earned runs in three straight games. Things won't get easier for him tonight when he takes on the best offense in baseball, the Orioles, who lead all 30 teams in OPS. When Baltimore has Corbin Burnes (2.32 ERA) on the mound, the O's are an intimidating foe.

Cleveland Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Tigers +122

I'm going to take a shot on the Tigers as home underdogs tonight. Reese Olson is on the mound, who has played much better than his 3-8 record indicates. With an ERA of 3.22, he gives the Tigers a solid chance to pull off the upset against their divisional rival tonight.

Seattle Mariners vs. San Diego Padres Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Padres -134

I'm stubborn in my ways, but I refuse to believe the Mariners will continue to play at this level while batting just .209 over the last 30 days. That level of offense isn't going to be effective against Michael King (3.51 ERA) of the Padres.

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Rays -120

Is now the time to buy low on the Rays? After a rough first half of the season, their offense may finally be waking up. They're now 11th in OPS in the Majors over the past 30 days while the Yankees continue to spiral, ranking 20th in that stat over that span. Give me the Rays as slight home favorites tonight.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Dodgers +110

I think this game is a true coin flip, so I'm going to back the Dodgers as +110 underdogs in Philadelphia. Gavin Stone (3.03 ERA) and Cristopher Sanchez (2.96 ERA) will make an intriguing pitching matchup. The two offenses are also sixth and seventh in OPS over the last month. All this makes for a must-watch showdown.

Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Athletics +158

I'll put some faith in the A's as big time underdogs in this one with JP Sears (4.74 ERA) on the mound. Their offense has been better than you may have assumed over the past 30 days, ranking 14th in OPS over that time frame. I don't they deserve to be this big of underdogs tonight.

Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Mets -198

The Mets have the second best offense in the Majors over the last 30 days, ranking second in OPS over that time frame at .814. Now they get to face one of the worst starters in the Majors, Patrick Corbin, who continues to keep his spot in the rotation despite rocking a 1-8 record and a 5.49 ERA. Mets should run away with this one.

Colorado Rockies vs. Cincinnati Reds Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Reds -178

It's tough to justify a bet on the Rockies with Kyle Freeland (6.62 ERA) on the mound. I'm not high on the Reds, but they're the bet to place in this National League showdown.

Miami Marlins vs. Houston Astros Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Astros -230

This pick is as straightforward as a pick can be. The Marlins have an OPS of .617 over the last month, the worst mark in Major League Baseball. I have no interest in betting on them against anyone right now, let alone the Astros.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Pirates +132

The Brewers offense has been slumping, ranking 18th in OPS over the last 30 days. The Pirates are right behind them in that time frame at 21st. Should the Brewers be favored? Yes. Should they be -156 favorites? I don't think so. I'll back the Pirates as road underdogs.

Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Rangers -126

Michael Lorenzen has had an underrated season for the Rangers, rocking a 3.21 ERA. Meanwhile, you can't say the same thing for the Angels starter, Griffin Canning, who has a 3-9 record and a 4.87 ERA. The Rangers have both the pitching and offensive advantage in this one so they're the bet to place.

Atlanta Braves vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Braves -134

Slade Cecconi gets the start for the Diamondbacks tonight and he has a 2-6 record with a 6.10 ERA. The Braves should be able to rack up the runs and get the win tonight.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. San Francisco Giants Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Giants -156

I've lost all faith in the Blue Jays after another blown lead last night. Now, the Giants get to start Logan Webb with his 3.09 ERA. They're in a great spot to take down the Jays once again.