Yankees And White Sox Set For Field Of Dreams Game



FairwayJay chips-in coverage of MLB's Field of Dreams Game between the Yankees and White Sox on Thursday, Aug. 12.

Build it and they will come. 

More than 30 years after the heartwarming drama film Field of Dreams became a hit on the big screen, Major League Baseball is set for the "Field of Dreams Game" between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox.

The game is being played on a new 8,000 capacity baseball field constructed in Dyersville, Iowa near the movie set and field of the iconic 1989 film starring Kevin Costner. A pathway through the cornfield connects the two ballparks.

The Field of Dreams Game game will be televised on FOX with first pitch at 7:15 p.m. ET, and FS1 carrying pre-game coverage starting at 6:00 p.m. ET.

The starting pitchers for the game have been announced, and leading online sportsbooks have postde odds and lines with the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox as underdogs to the red-hot Yankees (-140). 

Yankees - Andrew Heaney (LHP, 7-8, 5.45 ERA)

White Sox - Carlos Rodon (LHP, 9-5, 2.38 ERA)

Chicago is 66-46 to start the week and the White Sox have a 10.5 game division lead - biggest in baseball.

New York is 61-50 and trail AL East-leading Tampa Bay by 6.5 games. The Yankees are also battling the Red Sox (65-49), A's (64-48) and Blue Jays (60-50) for one of the two wild card playoff spots. 

The White Sox are currently +350 to win the AL Pennant and +700 to win the World Series. The Yankees are +750 and +1600. 

How popular is the Field of Dreams Game? Ticket prices to attend the game in person are through the roof, averaging more than $1,400 each. 

Chicago White Sox field of dreams gameThe game is part of a 3-game series starting Thursday with the White Sox hosting the Yankees on Saturday and Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field on the South Side of Chicago. 

The Yankees swept the White Sox back in May with all three games staying under the total. The Yankees won the opener 2-1 and Carlos Rodon of the White Sox was not involved in the decision after throwing 6.0 shutout innings. He struck out 13 Yankees batters and allowed just 2 hits without issuing a walk.   

Carlos Rodon is currently in a 3-man race for the AL Cy Young. MLB futures at BetOnline currently has Rodon (+370) to win the American League Cy Young just behind Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (+300) and new Cy Young favorite, White Sox veteran Lance Lynn (-175). Lynn is scheduled to pitch Wednesday at Minnesota against the Twins the day before the Field of Dreams Game, and not pitch in the series against the Yankees.

Field of Dreams Revisited 

The Yankees and White Sox will wear uniforms inspired by those worn by the Clubs in the early twentieth century. 

The Field of Dreams movie was based on the 1982 novel 'Shoeless Joe', by Canadian author WP Kinsella. It's a true story about Chicago White Sox outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, who was banned from Major League Baseball in 1920 after getting caught up in the Black Sox game fixing scandal that involved White Sox players conspiring with professional gamblers to rig the outcome of the 1919 World Series.

In the movie staring Kevin Costner as Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella and Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson, Kinsella plows under his corn to build a baseball field for Joe Jackson and other members of the 1919 White Sox team who were banished for gambling on baseball. Soon, ghosts of baseball legends materialize from out of the corn.

Did you know? Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were both in the movie when they were teenagers. They appeared as extras in the Fenway Park scene. 

The Picks

Enjoy the setting, sites and sounds of the Field of Dreams Game. Should you wager on the game, know the ballpark in Iowa appears favorable for hitters with modest dimensions similar to the White Sox home ballpark. Still, I'm considering a first 5 inning bet 'under' the total, but let's see where the numbers come out. The Yankees bullpen is stronger and top notch, and we'll see who is used on Tuesday and Wednesday with some thoughts on the Yankees game Wednesday below.

Yankees Field of Dreams betting tipsIn advance of the Field of Dreams Game, here's another chip-in to consider on Wednesday. It appears the Yankees are calling up Deivi Garcia from the minors to pitch Wednesday's game at Kansas City against the Royals. He was a top prospect who got a taste of the Big Leagues with the Yankees last year and two appearances earlier this season. But the 22-year-old is a mess now. Screwed up mechanics and delivery. Hit hard at Triple-A and a high home run rate. A staggering walk rate as he's allowed 43 free passes 59 innings at Triple-A. 

Looks like a good situational spot to bet the Royals as home underdog against struggling Garcia, and probably even better to bet the over and/or first 5 innings over. Kansas City pitcher and former first round pick Brady Singer is set to make his return as the Royals move to a six-man rotation. Singer has been on the DL since July 20 with shoulder fatigue, which was likely the cause of his poor performance on July 17. His five prior starts were pretty good allowing 2 runs or less in all five short starts, and he's not likely to pitch past 5 innings. The Yankees have a big edge in the bullpen, making the Royals and/or Over in the first 5 innings of interest.

FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper and is recognized as one of the sports industry's most insightful analysts. He chips in additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Read more great insights from FairwayJay and follow him on Twitter: @FairwayJay   


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