Phil Mickelson allegedly has nearly $3 million connected to a money-laundering case involving illegal gambling, although the golfer hasn't been charged and is not the subject of a federal investigation.
After retrieving court documents and confirmation from two anonymous sources, Mike Fish and David Purdum of ESPN's Outside The Lines allege that Mickelson transferred money to an outside party who had a hand in placing illegal bets on live sporting events.
Gregory Silveira, a 56-year-old sports gambling handicapper, was part of a high-rolling illegal sports betting ring and pleaded guilty last week to laundering $2.75 million, which the two anonymous sources later identified as the golfer's money.
From Fish and Purdum:
Gregory Silveira of La Quinta reached an agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering of funds from an unnamed "gambling client" of his between February 2010 and February 2013. Sources familiar with the case said Mickelson, who was not named in court documents, is the unnamed "gambling client." Silveira is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 5 before U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips and faces up to 60 years in prison, though the sentence will likely be far shorter.
Neither Mickelson nor his lawyer, Glenn Cohen, commented.
Federal investigators primarily target the leaders of illegal gambling organizations rather than customers. It's not believed that the five-time major champion will face prosecution, according to ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson.
Sign up to get the latest trending sports news, in your inbox.
Sending...
Daily Newsletter
sign up to get the latest trending sports news in your inbox.
Sending...
Monday, June 29, 2015
MLB Power Numbers..
Posted by Danny B
Jeff Curry / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters
1. St. Louis Cardinals
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
51-24
50-25
1 (-)
On Saturday, the Cardinals became the first team in a decade to reach 50 wins in its first 74 games. The following evening, the reigning National League Central champions secured a 4-1 victory over the Cubs, the 44th time this season the Cardinals have held their opponent to two runs or fewer. No other NL club has done that more than 34 times.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
42-33
43-32
2 (-)
What do Mark Melancon, Antonio Bastardo, Tony Watson, and Jared Hughes have in common? None of them have allowed an earned run in the last two weeks, affording the Pirates' bullpen an absurd 1.39 ERA (and a 5.57 strikeout-to-walk ratio) over that span.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
43-34
46-31
3 (-)
Justin Turner continues to vindicate general manager Andrew Friedman's decision to ship clubhouse favorite Juan Uribe to Atlanta last month. Since the beginning of June, Turner boasts a ridiculous .342/.395/.658 line with six home runs and five doubles, batting third in eight of his team's last nine games.
4. Kansas City Royals
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
44-28
43-29
5 (+1)
In the midst of their fifth winning streak this season of at least four games, the Royals have allowed two runs or fewer in seven of their last 12 contests. They're doing a pretty fine job of putting runs on the board, too, as they also lead the majors with a .308 batting average over the last two weeks.
5. Houston Astros
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
44-34
44-34
4 (-1)
Carlos Correa, the 20-year-old shortstop with a .930 OPS and seven multi-hit games since joining the Astros on June 8, has already accrued more wins above replacement (1.4) than Jose Reyes, Troy Tulowitzki, and Elvis Andrus. It's salient to note, at this point, that Correa, a 20-year-old, is 20 years old.
6. Washington Nationals
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
42-34
41-35
8 (+2)
Just as he was starting to heat up at the plate, Anthony Rendon landed back on the disabled list with a quadriceps strain Friday following a 13-game stretch wherein he hit .340 with a .433 on-base percentage. If only the Nationals had an elite pitching staff and/or a prolific offense to rely on in Rendon's absence ...
7. San Francisco Giants
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
42-35
41-36
11 (+4)
Considering their rotation is far more inclined to induce ground balls than strike batters out, it's a good thing the Giants boast the second-best defensive efficiency rating (.712) in the NL this season. It also helps that Buster Posey has retired an astonishing 45.5 percent of potential base-stealers, trailing only James McCann for the MLB lead.
8. Toronto Blue Jays
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
41-36
47-30
10 (+2)
A precocious 20-year-old has helped bring some stability to the Blue Jays' disheveledbullpen, as rookie Roberto Osuna notched his first career save Monday - a two-inning performance - and has struck out seven of the 13 batters he's faced in three appearances since (unofficially) taking over as closer last week.
9. Baltimore Orioles
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
41-34
43-32
13 (+4)
Winners in eight of their last 11, the surging Orioles have secured five of those victories by a margin of two runs or fewer. Their bullpen deserves much of the credit for their recent success, as the club's relief corps leads the American League in ERA (1.88), HR/9 (0.42), and left-on-base rate (87.1 percent) over the last two weeks.
10. Tampa Bay Rays
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
42-35
41-36
6 (-4)
Even when Chris Archer is bad, he's still pretty good. On Sunday, the 26-year-old became just the fourth AL pitcher this season to surrender five or more runs in a start while also notching at least 10 strikeouts. Before Sunday's outing against the Red Sox, Archer hadn't lost a game since May 7.
11. New York Yankees
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
41-35
40-36
9 (-2)
Perhaps the return of Ivan Nova can help galvanize the rest of New York's rotation, which owns a horrifying 5.61 ERA over the last two weeks while surrendering, on average, 1.37 home runs per nine innings. Nova, though, tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday in his first start for the Yankees since undergoing Tommy John surgery last April.
12. Chicago Cubs
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
39-35
38-36
7 (-5)
Where's Kyle Schwarber when you need him? None of Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Starlin Castro, or Miguel Montero own an OPS above .655 over the last two weeks, a drought that's led the Cubs to their longest losing streak (five) of the season.
13. Detroit Tigers
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
39-36
37-38
15 (+2)
Victor Martinez looks like his old self after taking a month off to rest his surgically repaired knee, hitting .324/.359/.486 in nine games since returning from the disabled list. Over the last seven days, meanwhile, the Tigers rank second in the AL with an .842 OPS. That ain't no coincidence.
14. Minnesota Twins
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
40-35
38-37
14 (-)
In the midst of a 10-15 stretch, the Twins received another kick in the pants Friday when top prospect Byron Buxton landed on the disabled list with a thumb sprain. If nothing else, his absence will give Danny Santana - who was demoted to Triple-A after posting a .514 OPS through 51 games - another chance to prove his 2014 performance wasn't a complete fluke.
15. Los Angeles Angels
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
39-37
38-38
17 (+2)
Though their bullpen doesn't get a ton of attention, the Angels rank fourth in the AL with 23 shutdowns over the last month, and their relief corps melted down just four times while authoring a 2.74 ERA (75 ERA-) over that span.
16. New York Mets
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
40-37
37-40
16 (-)
The Mets, as it turns out, aren't opposed to a six-man rotation. They're just opposed to a six-man rotation that includes Dillon Gee. Steven Matz, on the other hand, should work out nicely. The 24-year-old left-hander hurled 7 2/3 solid innings while notching four RBIs in his MLB debut Sunday.
17. Texas Rangers
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
38-38
38-38
12 (-5)
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said Josh Hamilton could return from the disabled list as soon as Monday, a huge relief for a club that's received a 66 wRC+ and -0.1 wins above replacement from its outfielders over the last month.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
36-39
36-39
19 (+1)
With three multi-hit games in his last five contests, rookie third baseman Jake Lamb appears to be rediscovering his stroke following a lengthy stay on the disabled list. The Diamondbacks could certainly use some offense from the 24-year-old, as the club's .364 slugging percentage this month ranks second last in the NL.
19. Atlanta Braves
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
36-40
35-41
18 (-1)
No team is hitting for less power than the Braves, who have recorded multiple homers in a game just nine times while managing a league-worst .108 ISO. In other words, the Braves are collectively averaging fewer extra bases per at-bat than Madison Bumgarner - by a considerable margin.
20. San Diego Padres
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
37-41
36-42
20 (-)
Of the five teams receiving quality starts more than 60 percent of the time this season, the Padres are the only club with a sub-.500 record. The "quality start" is an unsophisticated metric, of course, but the Padres' inability to convert decent outings into wins helps shed some light on their anemic offense.
21. Cincinnati Reds
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
34-40
35-39
21 (-)
The Reds are the only team in the NL - and one of just two teams in baseball - featuring four players with at least 12 home runs, and yet the club still produces fewer runs per game (3.99) than league average (4.03). Not to name names, but Billy Hamilton and Kristopher Negron are largely responsible.
22. Cleveland Indians
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
33-41
33-41
22 (-)
After being shut out in both ends of Sunday's doubleheader against the Orioles, Brandon Moss conceded that "if you were on the outside looking in, it would look like we have no heart." Really, though, the Indians just don't have any offense of late, managing a brutal 80 wRC+ with a league-worst .099 isolated power over the last two weeks.
23. Colorado Rockies
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
33-42
34-41
24 (+1)
With eight home runs in his last seven games, Nolan Arenado has officially supplanted Troy Tulowitzki as the best player on the left side of Colorado's infield. The 24-year-old ranks sixth in the NL with 3.4 wins above replacement, playing his usual elite defense at third base while, perhaps most encouragingly, posting a ridiculous 1.028 OPS away from Coors Field.
24. Seattle Mariners
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
34-42
32-44
23 (-1)
Hopefully, the errant warmup toss that left Robinson Cano with a massive welt on his forehead won't snap the veteran's budding hot streak at the plate. Despite a measly .629 OPS (81 OPS+) this season, Cano compiled a .303/.314/.576 line in the nine games preceding Saturday's accident.
25. Boston Red Sox
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
34-43
34-43
25 (-)
Though Dustin Pedroia landed on the disabled list last week (where he'll likely be joined shortly by Hanley Ramirez), the Red Sox have actually started to show some life at the plate. Over the last two weeks, the club boasts a robust .295/.341/.486 line (126 wRC+) amid sustained hot streaks from Mookie Betts, Alejando De Aza, Brock Holt, and Pablo Sandoval.
26. Oakland Athletics
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
34-44
43-35
26 (-)
Defense continues to be an Achilles' heel in Oakland, where the Athletics seemed to be gaining momentum before some shoddy fieldwork negated much of their progress this weekend. Sunday, Max Muncy's errant throw fueled a 5-3 loss to Kansas City wherein the Athletics recorded their 75th error of the season, easily the most in the majors.
27. Chicago White Sox
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
32-42
28-46
27 (-)
Growing pains were expected from rookie left-hander Carlos Rodon, who will have his next start skipped after stumbling to a 7.98 ERA over his last three outings. Not many people, however, anticipated growing pains from the likes of 33-year-old Alexei Ramirez (-1.4 WAR, 38 wRC+) or 30-year-old Melky Cabrera (-1.0 WAR, 67 wRC+).
28. Miami Marlins
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
31-46
34-43
28 (-)
Giancarlo Stanton's quest to become the first player since 2001 to crush 60 homers in a season was interrupted Friday after the 25-year-old broke the hamate bone in his left hand. The baseball community in south Florida, meanwhile, intends to weather his four-to-six week absence with nightly support groups led by Miami's incumbent No. 3 hitter: Adeiny Hechavarria.
29. Milwaukee Brewers
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
29-48
30-47
29 (-)
Their .462 winning percentage in June far exceeds what they did in the previous two months, but the Brewers still haven't cobbled together a three-game winning streak since May 9-12. Not surprisingly, they've been limited to two runs or fewer a whopping 36 times this season - four times more than the next-most pathetic offensive club.
30. Philadelphia Phillies
RECORD
PYTHAG RECORD
PREVIOUS RANK (CHANGE)
27-50
25-52
30 (-)
Ryne Sandberg pre-emptively acquitted himself of leading the Phillies through their ongoing, largely unpleasant rebuilding phase when he tendered his resignation Friday following a 26-48 start to the season. More changes are coming, as multiple reports suggest GM Ruben Amaro Jr. will be fired should the club hire Andy MacPhail as president.
