The tradition of the $1 bet in the Salmon League began many moons ago between Mike and Graves as a spin-off of their NFBC $1 bets. Over the years, more and more teams have gotten in on the tradition. It has grown in prominence to the point that a portion of the draft weekend agenda is denoted for the “paying of the bets and public shaming.”
Here are the results of the 2020 bets. Be sure to bring plenty of $1 bills to pay your debts (and/or prepare to Venmo those who won’t be in attendance).
Standard Bets
Bet #1 – Double or Nothing from 2019
John will make the playoffs in 2020
Jay = Yes | John = No
Bet: $1 ($2 to John w/ a win or $0 to Jay w/ a win)
Result: John did NOT make the playoffs
Winner: John
Bet #2
Graves will win the SLB Championship in 2020
Graves = Yes | John = No
Bet: $1
Result: Graves won the 2020 SLB Championship
Winner: Graves
Bet #3
Better end of the season ranking: Chris Paddack vs Mike Soroka
Justin = Paddack| Levi= Soroka
Bet: $1
Result: Paddack = 648 | Soroka = 602
Winner: Levi
Bet #4
Better average end of the season ranking: Kershaw/Greinke/Bieber vs Scherzer/Nola/Paddack
Morgan = K/G/B| Justin = S/N/P
Bet: $1
Result: Kershaw/Greinke/Bieber = 118 | Scherzer/Nola/Paddack = 357
Winner: Morgan
Bet #5
Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxton will combine for 140.5 games played
Collin = Over | Travis = Under
Bet: $1
Result: CANCELLED DUE TO SHORTENED SEASON
Winner: NO ONE
Bet #6
Adalberto Mondesi will post an on-base percentage over .300
Adam = Under| Mike = Over
Bet: $1
*Injury Exemption: Void if Mondesi doesn’t get 400 at-bats
Result: VOID DUE TO EXEMPTION
Winner: NO ONE
Bet #7
Better end of the season standings (playoffs/consolation round included)
Craig = Craig | G-Doggy = G-Doggy
Bet: $1
Result: G-Doggy finished 3rd and Craiggers finished 5th in the consolation bracket
Winner: G-Doggy
Bet #8
Better end of the regular season finish: Justin vs Steven
Justin = Justin | Steven = Steven
Bet: $2
Result: Justin by .5 a game over Steven
Winner: Justin
Bet #9
Better end of the regular season finish: Travis vs Grant
Travis = Travis | Grant = Grant
Bet: $2
Result: Travis by 6.5 games over Grant
Winner: Travis
Bet #10
G-Doggy will *NOT* finish last and repeat as the Horse’s Ass (aka: Rob Manfred)
G-Doggy = Hell to the No | Graves = *extreme “Stone Cold” voice* “oh hell yeah”
Bet: $1
Result: G-Doggy finished in last again, but w/ rule changes made during the postseason, the 2020 Horse’s Ass went to the loser of the consolation bracket and will go to the loser of the 3 week playoff between the 13/14 seeds going forward
Winner: NO ONE
Bet #11
Better finish in the NL East: Braves vs Phillies
John = Phillies | Levi = Braves
Bet: $1
Result: Braves finished in 1st and the Phillies finished in 3rd place
Winner: Levi
Bet #12
Better regular season record: Twins vs Braves
Adam = Twins | Levi = Braves
Bet: Bag of Gardetto’s
Result: Twins 36-24 | Braves 35-25
Winner: Adam
Bet #13
Better finish in the NL Central: Reds vs Cardinals
Justin = Reds | John = Cardinals
Bet: $1
Result: They tied with matching winning percentages for second place
Winner: NO ONE
Bet #14
Better ranking in Cy Young voting: Jack Flaherty vs Jacob deGrom
John = Flaherty | Adam = deGrom
Bet: $1
Result: Flaherty = No Votes | deGrom = 3rd place
Winner: Adam
Bet #15
Better end of the season ranking: Mike Trout vs Bryce Harper
Travis = Trout | Steven = Harper
Bet: $5
Result: Trout = 14 | Harper = 9
Winner: Steven
Bet #16a
Better end of the season raking: Lance McCullers vs Andrew Benintendi
Justin = McCullers | Steven = Benintendi
Bet: $1
Result: Benintendi = 1130 | McCullers = 340
Winner: Justin
Bet #16b
Better end of the season raking: Lance McCullers vs Andrew Benintendi
Justin = McCullers | Jay = Benintendi
Bet: $1
Result: Benintendi = 1130 | McCullers = 340
Winner: Justin
Bet #17
Levi will win the pennant in 2020
Levi = Yes | Travis = No
Bet: $1
Result: Morgan won the pennant in 2020
Winner: Travis
Bet #18
Steven misses the 2020 playoffs
Levi = Yes | Steven = No
Bet: $1
Result: Steven was the #3 seed and lost in the championship (again)
Winner: Steven
Bet #19
Most team home runs in 2020
Mike = Mike | Justin = Justin
Bet: $1
Result: Mike = 90 | Justin = 98
Winner: Justin
Bet #20a
G-Doggy will finish 10th or higher in the regular season
G-Doggy = Yes | Graves = No
Bet: $1
Result: G-Doggy finished in 14th place
Winner: Graves
Bet #20b
G-Doggy will finish 10th or higher in the regular season
G-Doggy = Yes | Craiggers = No
Bet: $1
Result: G-Doggy finished in 14th place
Winner: Craiggers
Bet #20c
G-Doggy will finish 10th or higher in the regular season
G-Doggy = Yes | Travis = No
Bet: $1
Result: G-Doggy finished in 14th place
Winner: Travis
Bet #20d
G-Doggy will finish 10th or higher in the regular season
G-Doggy = Yes | Justin = No
Bet: $1
Result: G-Doggy finished in 14th place
Winner: Justin
Bet #20e
G-Doggy will finish 10th or higher in the regular season
G-Doggy = Yes | Grant = No
Bet: $1
Result: G-Doggy finished in 14th place
Winner: Grant
Bet #21
Twins will win 103.5 games
Adam = Over | Travis = Under
Bet: $1
Result: CANCELLED DUE TO SHORTENED SEASON
Winner: NO ONE
Bet #22a
Ronald Acuna goes 35/35
Jay = Yes | Travis = No
Bet: $1
Result: CANCELLED DUE TO SHORTENED SEASON
Winner: NO ONE
Bet #22b
Ronald Acuna goes 35/35
Levi = Yes | Travis = No
Bet: $1
Result: CANCELLED DUE TO SHORTENED SEASON
Winner: NO ONE
Future Bets
Beginning in 2017 and continuing until 2021, every year that Travis’ official keepers are his “big three for the future” (aka: Giancarlo Stanton, Bryce Harper, and Jose Fernandez)…Jeremiah will pay Travis $1 on draft day. Every year that those three are NOT his keepers, Travis will pay Jeremiah $1 on draft day.
*No injury exemption
Bet: $1 each year
Result: None of these people are on his team, one of them is dead, this was the worst bet that a trade obsessed dude could have ever made…but at least this is the final year he’s got to pay out.
Winner: Graves
Undetermined Long-Term Bets
Who will win the SLB Championship first?
Jay = Jay | Steven = Steven
Bet: $5
Who will win the SLB Championship first?
G-Doggy = G-Doggy | John = John
Bet: $1
Who will win the SLB Championship first?
Craiggers = Craiggers| John = John
Bet: $1
G-Doggy will get $275,000 when he sells his house in Primghar, Iowa.
G-Doggy = Yes | Graves = HAHAHAHA no way…it’s f’n Primghar, Iowa!
Bet: $1