Elvis Presley died 44 years ago today. So do you remember where you were when you found out?

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There are fewer and fewer people old enough to remember anything about that.

No one currently in the major leagues is old enough to have even been alive when that happened. But the pitcher who comes closest – Rich Hill of the New York Mets – is part of one of our winning MLB player props today.

MLB Player Props Predictions (August 16)

Mets vs. Giants Picks

BUSTER POSEY (San Francisco Giants) OVER 0.5 SINGLES (-130)

Opponent: NEW YORK METS (starter – Rich Hill)

Time: 9:45 PM ET

Buster Posey, the former National League MVP, has had tremendous success against Hill through the years (and Hill has been active for 17 in all – longer than Buster, of course). He’s been to the plate 21 times, and undoubtedly prefers to swing away, as he’s walked only once. As for the other 20 times, he’s got ten hits to show for it.

But Posey hasn’t exactly been a big slugger against him. He’s got one homer and a double, and the rest are singles.

In his last 15 games, Posey is hitting .353, but only two extra base hits in his last seven contests.

MLB ML Odds

Astros vs. Royals Picks

WHIT MERRIFIELD (Kansas City Royals) OVER 1.5 HITS (+155)

Opponent: HOUSTON ASTROS (starter – Jake Odorizzi)

Time: 8:10 PM ET

We congratulate Jake Odorizzi on throwing five scoreless innings at Colorado six days ago.But since making the American League All-Star team two years ago as a member of the Minnesota Twins, he has allowed almost two homers and three walks per nine innings.

I don’t think there is any doubt that the person he would like to see the least in Kaufmann Stadium is Whit Merrifield, the Royals’ All-Star second baseman.

Merrifield recently set a Royals franchise record for most consecutive games played and is the finest base stealer in the land, but that’s not what our prop is about.

What we like about Whit is that he gets a lot of hits, and that he kind of owns Odorizzi. Lifetime, Merrifield is 9-for-21 against him with three homers.

So yes, we could go with the home run prop, which affords Merrifield a price of +650. But we’re just fine grabbing a price for a pair of base hits with the gentleman who has led the American League in that category in each of the last two full seasons baseball has been played.

Athletics vs. White Sox Picks

MATT CHAPMAN (Oakland Athletics) OVER 0.5 HITS (-165)

Opponent: CHICAGO WHITE SOX (starter – Dallas Keuchel)

Time: 8:10 PM ET

Matt Chapman is about as good with the glove as any third baseman the American League has seen in a while. But he’s also been known to hit the ball with some power (36 homers in 2019, for example).

Chapman is only a .248 career hitter, but he does quite a bit better than that in the head-to-head against former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel, against whom he is 6-for-15 (.400 average) with two homers.

MLB ML Picks

Cubs vs. Reds Picks

IAN HAPP (Chicago Cubs) UNDER 0.5 HITS (+125)

Opponent: CINCINNATI REDS (starter – Wade Miley)

Time: 7:10 PM ET

We know it’s just six career at bats, but Ian Happ has been hap-less against Wade Miley, going without a base hit and striking out twice. And you know, Happ’s been doing a lot of this kind of thing this season, as he’s hitting a not-so-robust .176 with a strikeout rate over 31%.

And in his last eight games he is just 4-for-29. So there is nothing there that will make Cubs fans happ-y. Miley had a rough outing last time out vs. Atlanta (five runs in five innings), but that was coming off an outstanding stretch for him. And he keeps the ball in the park (just ten HR’s in 126 innings). A guy like that doesn’t leave Happ with a lot of options.

As such, I’m rather pleasantly surprised with this price.

Angels vs. Yankees Picks

DAVID FLETCHER (Los Angeles Angels) UNDER 0.5 HITS (+180)

Opponent: NEW YORK YANKEES (starter – Gerrit Cole)

Time: 7:05 PM ET

Gerrit Cole is just coming off the COVID-19 list for this makeup game against the Angels, with the Yankees facing a series against Boston on the horizon.

David Fletcher has been a .300 hitter this year, but definitely not against Cole. The Yankee ace has held him to one hit in 13 at bats and struck him out four times. We admit this one is tricky, because we’re not sure what kind of “zip” Cole is going to have, but the past history does not work in favor of the Angels’ infielder.