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    The Sports Bros.

    Get your Over/Unders on: The best & worst bets in baseball, from Red Sox powerto diminished Rangers

    Barry Stagg
    David Stagg
    Mar 29, 2011 | 11:41 am
    • Roy Halladay of the Phillies
    • Texas' Josh Hamilton won’t have nearly the same MVP numbers.
      Photo by Keith Allison
    • The Oakland As' Trevor Cahill could be one of the more underrated pitchers inthe league.
      Photo by Kevin David Wyrsch
    • Josh Johnson of Florida is going to be great.
    • Cliff Lee of the Phillies

    As fans of both baseball and gambling, the Sports Bros. have a difficult time during the 162-game grind that is baseball. There are simply too many games and too much unpredictability to bet on much of anything (read: any one game) throughout the season. Each individual game is a crap shoot.

    The solution to this simple problem is easy, so take advantage of it: Season win totals. Every team has a win total set by Vegas and, we the gambler, bet they will win more or less than that number. Truly simple.

    Here, each of us offer up our five favorite bets (plus some bonuses).

     Barry's Picks:

       
    1.  Texas Rangers: Under 87.5
      The Rangers had quite the season last year, and I think the number is a bit inflated due to that World Series run. Josh Hamilton won’t have nearly the same MVP numbers and there’s dissension with Michael Young switching over to DH. The real question mark is the pitching staff. C.J, Wilson, Colby Lewis, Brandon Webb, Derek Holland, Scott Feldman and Tommy Hunter? Some good young arms, but it’ll be feast or famine with most of these guys. Too inconsistent.
    2.  
    3.  Tampa Bay Rays: Over 83.5
      This has a lot to do with their pitching staff, but also a lot to do with the Yankees being a touch overrated. I absolutely love Tampa’s pitching staff. Anchored by David Price, it still includes great arms like James Shields, Jeff Niemann, Jeremy Hellickson and Wade Davis? Yes please! They also added Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon in the offseason. Despite their age, they both can still hit. There is concern at the closer spot, but Jake McGee is a fabulous young left-handed flamethrower.
    4.  
    5.  Philadelphia Phillies: Under 95.5
      Once Cliff Lee resigned with the Phillies every one decided to just hand them the championship. Yes, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are probably the best one-two punch in the league, but the offense is suspect, especially with the injury to Chase Utley. There just simply isn’t a lot of pop outside of Ryan Howard. Jimmy Rollins is an ex-MVP who hasn't been playing at near the same level. You can’t expect Raul Ibanez, Placido Polanco and Ben Francisco to take up the slack. Pitch around Howard and you can avoid a good portion of the lineup. Plus, as someone who has seen Roy Oswalt pitch for a very long time, he can be dominating, but can also be inconsistent. He throws a lot of strike and can get hit around.
    6.  
    7.  Arizona Diamondbacks: Under 72.5
      I happen to think that Arizona will have the worst record in baseball. Most bad teams have made strides to improve or at least have some exciting young players. Arizona? Not so much. If Joe Saunders is your ace, JJ Putz your closer and you’re fielding a lineup that has position battles involving Geoff Blum and Melvin Mora look for a long season filled with many losses. Also to note, the Giants, Rockies and Padres all have very good if not great teams.
    8.  
    9.  Houston Astros: Over 71.5
      Listen. Houston won 76 games last season, playing half that year with Kaz Matsui. I don’t think the Astros will be great by any means, but I think they have a good set of veterans and a strong group of young players like Brett Wallace, Chris Johnson and Bud Norris who should thrive in their cemented starting roles. The rotation doesn’t wow anybody, but it has five competitive arms throwing pitches. I also look for Jordan Lyles to get a major league call up sometime this year and he’ll bring a lot of talent with him. The key to the Astros going over is the health of the starters and the bat of Johnson. It was his offensive flurry last season that made the Astros competitive, and I look for that continue.

     Other totals I like: Cincinnati Over 86.5, St. Louis Under 83.5, Washington Over 72.5, New York Mets Under 76.5, Boston Red Sox over 94.5

     David's Picks:

       
    1.  Houston Astros: Over 71.5
      I can't start with anything other than the home team, and I think the 'Stros getting a lot of undeserved crap. We've written about this before, and it's hard to believe the Astros will somehow lose five more games than they did last year (a team that had abysmal stats like a -118 run differential). Yes, we do have to expect Brett Myers to have a year something close to like he had last year, and yes, position players like Brett Wallace have to come into their own — but there's no way the Astros don't hit 72 wins.
    2.  
    3.  Boston Red Sox: Over 94.5
      If you're predicting a Philles-Red Sox World Series, you're right. And there's a reason both are sitting at roughly 95 win totals. After adding superstars Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, the Red Sox are THE force to be reckoned with. While the Phillies are running through some injury issues (closer Brad Lidge starts the season on the disabled list), I think the Red Sox not only get to 95 wins, but could possibly hit 100 (and may finish as the best team in baseball).
    4.  
    5.  Florida Marlins: Under 82.5
      The Marlins have the pitching. That's never been the problem. It's the fact that they can't get the runs in to cover for the stellar work on the mound. Young pitcher Josh Johnson is going to be great (finished second in the league in ERA in 2010 and could win the Cy Young in 2011) and fellow hurler Ricky Nolasco is a true budding star even if his ERA doesn't show it (his three-year extension show the Marlins believe in him). But generating enough hitting from a lineup where Gaby Sanchez and Hanley Ramirez are your go-to guys and you kind of hope the others fill in isn't going to cut it.
    6.  
    7.  San Francisco Giants: Over 88
      Pitching wins in The Show. We learned that explicitly last year as 2010 The Year of the Pitcher yielded an un-fashionable champion, but a champion with a rotation like none other. Fast forward to 2011 where ace Tim Lincecum is followed up by Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner. The Giants will hit 88 and win their division. Expect them to give the Phillies a run for the pennant.
    8.  
    9.  Oakland As: Over 84.5
      I wanted to put the A's on here because I think for once they have a rotation that can give the Rangers a run for their money in the AL West. Trevor Cahill could be one of the more underrated pitchers in the league, and we all saw Dallas Braden deal punches last year. The wild cards are if newbies Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui can get the As' run support over the hump and get them ahead of the Rangers. I don't know if Oakland will win the West, but I do think it will get to 85 wins.

     Other totals I like: Detroit Over 84.5, Los Angeles Dodgers Under 83.5, New York Mets Under 76.5, Seattle Mariners Under 70, Kansas City Royals Over 68.5

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    in this corner

    Premier Japanese women's wrestling league performs in Houston this weekend

    Jef Rouner
    Jul 9, 2025 | 12:30 pm
    Two Japanese women wrestlers compete in a ring. One is stomping in the other with both feet.
    Photo courtesy of Tokyo Joshi
    Hard-hitting women's wrestling for two nights in Houston

    For the first time ever, one of Japan's premier women's wrestling promotions, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, will be touring Texas, with a two-night stay in Houston this week.

    "Bringing TJPW to Texas reflects Tokyo Story’s broader strategy," a Tokyo Story representative writes in an email. "As a Japan-inspired toy and event company, we see major Southwest cities — especially in Texas — as prime for the growth of Asian pop culture. Houston, Dallas, and others are becoming more diverse, culturally curious, and open to new entertainment formats. This isn’t a one-off stop — it’s part of a long-term push to bring Japan’s creativity to cities with eager audiences. And we are making TJPW Live an annual event!"

    The events happen on Thursday, July 10 and Friday, July 11 at POST Houston (401 Franklin). Tickets are available at TokyoStoryUSA.com.

    TJPW split off from DDT Wrestling in 2012 as a sister promotion (or "league") that ran alongside its male counterpart before becoming its own entity in 2015. In that time, they've launched the career of international superstars like Yuka Sakazaki and Mina Shirakawa (both currently signed to All Elite Wrestling in America), as well as hosting non-Japanese guest grapplers like Thunder Rosa.

    The fighting is excellent and often brutal, but TJPW is also known for its playfulness. Matches embrace anime-like absurdity, such as having a wrestler work in a giant panda mascot costume. The promoters are hoping to one day partner with Texas truck stop icon Buc-ee's for a more mascot shenanigans. Many of the women also perform in J-pop girl groups on of their wrestling duties.

    On Night 1, strike specialist Miyu Yamashita will take on Maki Itoh, known for her flamboyant style and high risk maneuvers. Night 2 will feature much of the local guest talent, such as Houston's own Kaylia Capri (Reality of Wrestling) vs Yuki Arai in a singles bout, and Austin's Vert Vixen teaming with reigning TJPW tag champ Hyper Misao. Other Texans slated to appear ar Maya World, Alejandra Quintanilla, and Billie Starkz.

    The last decade has seen a marked rise in the quality and prestige of women's wrestling in America, with WWE hosting all-women Royal Rumbles and stars like Rhea Ripley and "Timeless" Toni Storm becoming household names. Most major promotions now feature robust line-ups of Japanese women wrestlers, with some like Asuka and Iyo Sky becoming world champions.

    For Japan, women's wrestling has a more consistent history of legitimacy going back decades, and the talent pool there is vast. TJPW branching out into Texas tours gives them a chance to showcase their wrestlers in the land that spawned legends like The Undertaker, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and the Von Erich Family.

    "The response has been overwhelmingly positive," said the TJPW spokesperson. "Many who had never experienced joshi (women’s) wrestling before are discovering how entertaining, emotional, and uniquely captivating it is. Since announcing the Texas shows, we’ve received a flood of enthusiastic messages — not just from wrestling fans, but from people drawn to the theatricality, comedy, and creativity of TJPW. We've also heard from fans in other states asking us to bring the tour to their cities."

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