It’s not Opening Day without Mike Francesa’s annual over/under picks.
The big guy offered his selections on his latest BetRivers podcast. He’s staying away from the locals — he did not make a pick for the Mets or Yankees — but rather focusing his energies elsewhere.
Francesa had five picks:
Orioles under 62.5 wins. “The Orioles are going to play 19 times against the Red Sox, the Rays, the Blue Jays and the Yankees,” Francesa said. “That is impossible for a team with no pitching.”
Athletics under 70.5 wins. “They have decided this season is a wash. It’s over. They’re going to keep trading people.”
White Sox over 91.5 wins. “They’re going to come close to winning 100.”
Dodgers over 97.5 wins. “I think the Dodgers will win 102, 103, maybe 104. I think they’re the only team I can guarantee will win 100 this year.
Brewers over 89.5 wins. “[They’re] in a division where no one threatens them.”
Francesa indicated he was considering a Mets pick, but backed off due to Jacob deGrom’s injury. And it’s no surprise he would be wary of a Yankees wager.
“I am so tired of hearing the Yankees moan and groan,” Francesa said earlier this week in a rant about the recent relitigation of the 2017 ALCS loss to the Astros and how Houston cheated its way to a championship.
“How about getting back to being the Yankees on the field, off the field, and getting back to that? And maybe they’ll find the recipe they used to have. Which is where they acted like champions and played like champions, instead of whining and whining and making alibis and excuses. It’s sickening. Enough already. … The Yankees can’t find the World Series with a map.”
Francesa added: “It has been a long, long time for the Yankees. When you think about it, how long it has been, and just think about how different careers would have been if they hadn’t won that championship against the Phillies in 2009. How many guys would have had different careers, including Cashman. He would never have been here now if he didn’t have that World Series.
“As this year starts, how about a new leaf? Forget about what happened, how lousy they’ve been in the postseason in the last 19 years. Just start a new era and get back to how the Yankees used to be.”
