Thursday's MLB Best Bets !

Thursday, April 15Game Score Status Pick Amount

Boston - 1:10 PM ET Boston +114 500 ( MLB DOG )
Minnesota - Over 9 500

Houston - 1:40 PM ET St. Louis -220 500
St. Louis - Under 9 500

Milwaukee - 2:20 PM ET Milwaukee +160 500 ( MLB DOG )
Chi. Cubs -

Washington - 3:05 PM ET Washington +216 500 ( DOG POD )
Philadelphia - Over 9.5 500

NY Mets - 3:10 PM ET Colorado -201 500
Colorado - Under 9 500

Atlanta - 6:35 PM ET Atlanta -124 500
San Diego - Over 7.5 500


Evening games posted later......Good Luck ! <!-- / message --><!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig --><!-- END TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig --><!-- sig -->

Thursday's Card

Thursday’s card features a six-pack of afternoon games before the main entrée under the lights. The Yankees and Angels are the highlight of the night-time action, so let’s look at that showdown and more.

**Angels at Yankees**

--As of Wednesday night, most books were listing New York (5-3, +154) as a minus-180 ‘chalk’ for the rubber game of this series. Bettors can take the Yankees on the run line (minus 1 ½ runs) for a plus-110 return, while the total is 10 ‘under’ (minus-120).

--Los Angeles (3-6, -390) captured its first road win of the season in the middle game of this series Wednesday, knocking off the Yankees 5-3 as a healthy plus-180 underdog (paid $180 on $100 wagers). Joel Pineiro worked seven strong innings, giving up just one earned run while striking out seven batters without issuing a walk. Kendry Morales and Bobby Abreu both had an RBI double off of Javier Vasquez, who is off to another shaky start in his second tour of duty in the Bronx.

--With the eight combined runs staying ‘under’ the 10-run total in Wednesday’s afternoon affair, the ‘over’ fell to 6-2 overall for the Yankees. Totals have now been a wash for the Halos, going 4-4-1.

--Joe Girardi will give the ball to Phil Hughes for his 2010 season debut. Hughes threw 84 pitches this past Saturday in an extended spring training intrasquad game, going six innings while giving up six hits and one earned run. The right-hander has compiled a 2-0 record and 5.23 ERA in 10 1/3 career innings against the Angels (in one start and multiple relief appearances).

--L.A. will give the starting nod to Scott Kazmir, who was bothered by shoulder and hamstring injuries during spring training. However, according to MLB.com, Kazmir ‘feels great’ after throwing a bullpen session Monday. The southpaw, who came to the Angels late last season after five-plus years with the Tampa Bay Rays, has plenty of experience throwing against the Bronx Bombers. Kazmir has a 6-5 record and 2.67 ERA in 14 career starts against the Yankees.

--Derek Jeter is an atrocious 4-for-36 against Kazmir for a .111 batting average. Jeter has a pair of singles, one double and one homer versus the lefty. Alex Rodriguez has endured similar struggles against Kazmir, going just 3-for-24 (.125) with zero extra-base hits. On the flip side, Jorge Posada has feasted on Kazmir, hitting .440 in 25 at-bats with three doubles and one dinger.

--The MLB Channel will have television coverage at 7:05 p.m. Eastern.

**Diamondbacks at Dodgers**

--Most betting shops had this side as a pick ‘em with a total of 7 ½ ‘under’ (minus-120), as of Wednesday night.

--Los Angeles (3-4, -188) won its home opener Tuesday for the third straight year, spanking the D-backs 9-5 behind four homers. Manny Ramirez went yard for the first time this season, while Matt Kemp, Casey Blake and Andre Ethier also went deep. Only Kemp had previously homered.

--Arizona (4-3, -81) won two of three at home against both San Diego and Pittsburgh before arriving at Chavez Ravine. The D-backs have received somewhat surprising production from Kelly Johnson, the former Atlanta Brave, who is batting .348 with three homers and five RBIs (going into Wednesday’s action).

--Arizona RHP Dan Haren (1-1, 3.95) will be making his third start of the season in this spot. The veteran righty, who has an 80-63 career record, is 4-4 with a 3.59 lifetime ERA against the Dodgers.

--Hiroki Kuroda (1-0, 0.00) completely stymied the Marlins in their home opener last Friday, throwing eight innings without giving up an earned run. The right-hander fanned seven batters in the 7-3 victory over the Marlins. Kuroda has compiled a 1-3 record and 3.90 ERA in six lifetime starts versus Arizona.

--The ‘over’ is cashing at a lucrative 6-1 clip for the Dodgers.

--The ‘over’ is 5-2 overall for the D-backs.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Boston will turn to veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on Thursday afternoon at Minnesota. Wakefield owns a 14-5 record and 4.16 lifetime ERA against the Twins.

--Philadelphia left-hander J.A. Happ has three of his 14 career wins against the Nationals. The southpaw is 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA versus Washington. Happ will try to stay perfect against the Nats when these teams meet Thursday at 3:05 p.m. Eastern. The Phillies are very expensive favorites in the minus-260 range.

--Florida ace RHP Josh Johnson will be in bounce-back mode when he takes the slab Thursday vs. Cincinnati. Johnson, who had a 22-6 record in 2008 and 2009, gave up three earned runs and eight hits in a loss to the Dodgers in his season debut. He’s 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in a pair of starts against the Reds.
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Evening Games:


LA Angels - 7:05 PM ET LA Angels +149 500 ( POD )
NY Yankees - Over 10 500

Chi. White Sox - 7:07 PM ET Chi. White Sox +111 500
Toronto - Over 9 500

Cincinnati - 7:10 PM ET Florida -142 500
Florida - Under 8 500

Baltimore - 10:05 PM ET Oakland -145 500 ( POD )
Oakland - Under 8.5 500 ( PODD TOTAL )

Arizona - 10:10 PM ET Arizona +119 500
LA Dodgers - Under 7.5 500
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MLB


Thursday, April 15

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins (-130, 9)

The Twins have exited the Metrodome and now play outdoors at MLB’s newest ballpark – Target Field.

A Yale physicist released a report that predicts runs will be tougher to come by for the Twins this season because of the switch from indoors to outdoors.

“Cold air is more dense and thus more resistant than hot air,” Robert Adair said. “The same fly ball travels about four feet less for every 10-degree drop in temperature.”

If Adair’s numbers are accurate, less distance on fly balls is going to result in fewer home runs, triples and doubles and ultimately lower game totals.

The theory has proved to be correct so far as the Red Sox and Twins played under the posted total of 9 in the ballpark opener and pushed in the second game of the series. The second game would have gone well under had the teams’ bullpens not surrendered four runs in the eighth.

There is a chance of rain in this game tomorrow and runs should be hard to come by.

Pick: Under


Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs (-165)

Carlos Zambrano is a pitcher that tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve.

In his opening start, Big Z gave up eight earned runs (six in the first inning) in only 1.1 innings on the mound and he may have been a little amped up.

"Basically, this was my first start,” Zambrano said after his second start where he gave up only three runs in a winning effort. “I was excited today. I was hungry to go out there. My first outing was not good. I was anxious to go out there and pitch my game, and I did it today."

Jeff Suppan will be making his first start of the season for the Brewers after coming off the 15-day disabled list. Zambrano is 4 for 9 with three RBIs lifetime against Suppan while Chicago first baseman Derrek Lee is a career .431 hitter against the righty.

Look for the Cubbies to pull out the brooms and complete the sweep of Milwaukee on Thursday.

Pick: Cubs

MLB


Thursday, April 15

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This Day in Baseball
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On April 15 in Baseball History...

1909 - Before an Opening Day crowd of 30,000 at New York, Red Ames pitches a no-hitter for nine innings against the Brooklyn Superbas, surrenders a hit with one out in the tenth, then loses the game 3-0 in the 13th. The Giants outfield has no putouts.

1918 - The A.L. season opens with Babe Ruth pitching a four-hit 7-1 victory over the A's. Red Sox manager Ed Barrow will start Ruth's conversion to slugger by working him into 72 games in the outfield and first base.

1947 - Jackie Robinson goes hitless in three trips in his debut but handles 11 chances at first base, a new position for him, in a 5-3 Brooklyn win over the Boston Braves. Coach Clyde Sukeforth, interim manager and the man credited with first scouting Robinson, guides the team to two wins before stepping down.

1954 - Clint Courtney of the Orioles hits the first major league home run in Memorial Stadium. The Birds draw an Opening Day record crowd of 46,354 in a 3-1 afternoon win against the White Sox.

1958 - The San Francisco Giants defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first major league game played at Seals Stadium, with Ruben Gomez pitching an 8-0 shutout. Giants shortstop Daryl Spencer hits the first home run. The Giants set an attendance record for Seals Stadium by drawing 23,192 fans.

1966 - Bob Gibson's 9-2 win at Forbes Field is the 18th straight for St. Louis in Pittsburgh. St. Louis ties the major league record (set by the Dodgers against the Phillies in 1945-46) for consecutive road wins against one club.

1968 - Three records are smashed when the Astros score an unearned run in the 24th inning to squeeze by the Mets 1-0 after six hours and six minutes. It sets the mark as the longest N.L. game played to completion, the longest major league night game, and the first 23 innings are the longest major league scoreless game. The game ties the A.L.'s longest complete game (A's 4, Red Sox 1 in 24 innings on September 1, 1906).

1972 - Reggie Jackson sports a mustache as the A's top the Twins 4-3 in 11 innings. Jackson is reported to be the first major league player with facial hair since Wally Schang in 1914.

1976 - Newly remodeled Yankee Stadium is jammed with 52,613 fans for Opening Day ceremonies. The 1923 Yankee team is honored, and Bob Shawkey, winner of the 1923 Stadium opener, throws out the first ball. The Yankees beat the Twins 11-4 on 14 hits, but the only home runs are two hit by Minnesota's Dan Ford.

1983 - Detroit pitcher Milt Wilcox is one out away from a perfect game when pinch hitter Jerry Hairston singles, and Wilcox settles for a 6-0 one-hitter over the White Sox. This is only the third time in major league history a perfect bid has been stopped with one out to go.

1987 - Juan Nieves throws the first no-hitter in Brewers history, winning 7-0 against Baltimore. Milwaukee runs its record to 9-0.

1993 - Andre Dawson became the 25th player to hit 400 home runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 4-3.

1993 - Sparky Anderson got his 2,000th victory as a manager in the Detroit Tigers' 3-2 win over the Oakland Athletics.

1997 - The 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier in baseball is celebrated before 54,047 at Shea Stadium during a game between the Mets and the Dodgers. President Bill Clinton and Jackie's widow, Rachel Robinson, both speak during the 35-minute presentation, but the surprise of the evening occurs when acting commissioner Bud Selig announces that the number 42 will be retired in perpetuity for every team. On the field, the Mets beat the Dodgers 5-0.

1998 - The first-ever American League-National League doubleheader ends up a good day for New York. The Yankees are forced to come to Shea Stadium after a beam falls into the stands at Yankee Stadium on April 13. The Yankees earn their first victory in Queens in 22 years as they defeat the Angels 6-3. Former Mets star Darryl Strawberry, the all-time home run leader at Shea, adds to his total with a shot into the left field bleachers. In the regularly-scheduled night game, the Mets beat the Cubs 2-1. The Yankees, who played at Shea in 1974-75 while Yankee Stadium was renovated, are the winner in the attendance department (40,743 to 16,012).

MLB
Dunkel


Arizona at LA Dodgers
The Diamondbacks look to build on their 5-1 record in Dan Haren's last 6 starts against teams with a losing record. Arizona is the pick (+100) according to Dunkel, which has the Diamondbacks favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+100). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 15

Game 901-902: Houston at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Norris) 13.936; St. Louis (Lohse) 14.744
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-230); 9
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-230); Over

Game 903-904: Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Suppan) 15.362; Cubs (Zambrano) 14.017
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-180); No Total
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+160); N/A

Game 905-906: Washington at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Olsen) 14.386; Philadelphia (Happ) 16.203
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 2; 11
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-240); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-240); Over

Game 907-908: NY Mets at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Pelfrey) 15.091; Colorado (De La Rosa) 14.745
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Colorado (-210); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+180); Under

Game 909-910: Atlanta at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hudson) 15.179; San Diego (Latos) 14.556
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-135); 7
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-135); Over

Game 911-912: Cincinnati at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Harang) 15.120; Florida (Johnson) 16.180
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Florida (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: Florida (-150); Over

Game 913-914: Arizona at LA Dodgers
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Haren) 16.358; LA Dodgers (Kuroda) 14.667
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+100); Under

Game 915-916: Texas at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Harrison) 14.901; Cleveland (Huff) 14.774
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 917-918: Boston at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Wakefield) 16.312; Minnesota (Liriano) 15.963
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+105); Over

Game 919-920: Chicago White Sox at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Garcia) 16.305; Toronto (Eveland) 15.197
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Toronto (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (+110); Under

Game 921-922: LA Angels at NY Yankees
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Kazmir) 15.450; NY Yankees (Hughes) 15.989
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-180); 10
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-180); Under

Game 923-924: Baltimore at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Hernandez) 13.659; Oakland (Sheets) 15.570
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 2; 8
Vegas Line: Oakland (-150); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-150); Under
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MLB
Short Sheet


Thursday, 4/15/2010

HOUSTON at ST LOUIS, 1:40 PM ET
NORRIS: 13-3 Under off BB road division losses
LOHSE: St. Louis 22-3 SU as a favorite of -175 to -250

MILWAUKEE at CHICAGO CUBS, 2:20 PM ET
SUPPAN: Milwaukee 17-6 SU away after losing 4 or 5 of their last 6 games
ZAMBRANO: Cubs 13-4 Over at home vs. Milwaukee

WASHINGTON at PHILADELPHIA, 3:05 PM ET MLBTV
OLSEN: Washington 19-53 SU after losing 2 of their last 3 games
HAPP: Philadelphia 43-22 SU after winning 5 or 6 of their last 7 games

NY METS at COLORADO, 3:10 PM ET
PELFREY: Mets 11-18 SU in April
DE LA ROSA: 13-0 TSR as a favorite of -150 or higher

ATLANTA at SAN DIEGO, 6:35 PM ET
HUDSON: 40-8 TSR after allowing 0 walks last start
LATOS: San Diego 1-5 SU vs. Hudson

CINCINNATI at FLORIDA, 7:10 PM ET
HARANG: Cincinnati 35-19 Under off 3+ road games
JOHNSON: 18-5 TSR pitching off a team win

ARIZONA at LA DODGERS, 10:10 PM ET
HAREN: Arizona 11-24 SU off BB Overs
KURODA: Dodgers 28-11 SU as a home favorite of -150 or less

TEXAS at CLEVELAND, 12:05 PM ET
HARRISON: Texas 9-2 SU at Cleveland
HUFF: Cleveland 10-22 SU off 4+ losses

BOSTON at MINNESOTA, 1:10 PM ET
WAKEFIELD: Boston 20-8 Under as a road underdog
LIRIANO: Minnesota 11-26 SU vs. AL East opponents

CHI WHITE SOX at TORONTO, 7:05 PM ET
GARCIA: White Sox 11-31 SU playing on artificial turf
EVELAND: Toronto 20-8 SU as a home favorite of -125 or less

LA ANGELS at NY YANKEES, 7:05 PM ET MLBTV
KAZMIR: 9-1 Over in the first half of the season
HUGHES: Yankees 38-11 SU at home off an Under

BALTIMORE at OAKLAND, 10:05 PM ET
HERNANDEZ: Baltimore 0-11 SU off BB home division losses
SHEETS: 26-11 Under at home pitching off BB team losses

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

MLB
Write-Up


Thursday, April 15

Hot pitchers
-- Norris is 3-1, 2.45 in his last five starts.
-- Happ is 3-0, 3.93 in his last four starts.
-- Rockies are 12-1 in last thirteen de la Rosa home starts.
-- Hudson is 1-0, 3.24 in his last four starts.
-- Kuroda is 3-1, 3.24 in his last four home starts.

-- Huff is 4-2, 2.77 in his last six starts.
-- Eveland is 3-0, 2.45 in his last four home starts.
-- Hughes is 2-0, 3.50 in his last three starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Cardinals lost six of last nine Lohse home starts.
-- Zambrano has a 5.77 RA in his last six starts. Suppan is 1-4, 6.89 in his last six starts.
-- Olsen is 1-2, 6.25 in his last six starts.
-- Harang is 0-1, 5.25 in two starts this season. JJohnson is 0-1, 6.30 in two starts this season.
-- Latos is 0-2, 9.49 in his last three starts.
-- Pelfrey has an 8.48 RA in his last five road starts.
-- Haren is 1-3, 5.88 in his last five starts.

-- Harrison is 0-3, 7.99 in his last five starts.
-- Wakefield is 0-2, 6.86 in his last four starts. Liriano is 1-5, 6.55 in his last eight starts.
-- Garcia is 1-3, 3.81 in his last four starts.
-- Kazmir is 1-2, 5.14 in his last four starts.
-- Orioles lost last nine DHernandez starts. Sheets is 0-0, 4.91 in two starts for A's, putting 21 men on base in 11 IP.

Totals
-- Five of last seven Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Six of eight Philly games went over the total.
-- Seven of nine Florida games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Houston games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 5-3 in Met games this season.
-- Four of five Atlanta road games went over the total.
-- Last six Dodger games all went over the total.

-- Six of eight Bronx games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Minnesota games.
-- Six of nine White Sox games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Cleveland games.
-- Four of last five Oakland games stayed under the total.

Hot teams
-- Cubs won three of their last four games.
-- Phillies won seven of their first eight games.
-- Reds won five of their last seven games. Marlins are 5-3 in last eight.
-- Cardinals won six of their first eight games.
-- Rockies won four of their last five games.
-- Braves lost four of their last six games.
-- Diamondbacks won four of last six games.

-- Bronx won five of its last seven games.
-- Twins won six of their last eight games. Red Sox won three of four.
-- Rangers won four of their last five games.
-- Blue Jays won six of their last eight games.

Cold teams
-- Brewers lost four of their last five games.
-- Washington is 1-4 against the Phillies, allowing 45 runs.
-- Astros are 0-8, only winless team in majors.
-- Mets lost six of their last seven games.
-- Padres lost four of their last six games.
-- Dodgers are 3-3 in last six games, despite scoring 44 runs.

-- Angels lost six of their last eight games.
-- Orioles lost eight of their first nine games. A's lost last two games, scoring two runs; their starting pitchers still haven't lost a game.
-- White Sox are 4-0 if they score 5+ runs, 0-5 if they score less.
-- Indians lost last five games, outscored 28-16.

MLB
Long Sheet


Thursday, April 15

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HOUSTON (0 - 8) at ST LOUIS (6 - 2) - 1:40 PM
BUD NORRIS (R) vs. KYLE LOHSE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 22-9 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

BUD NORRIS vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
NORRIS is 2-0 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.077.
His team's record is 2-0 (+3.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.3 units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. HOUSTON since 1997
LOHSE is 6-4 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 2.75 and a WHIP of 1.049.
His team's record is 6-5 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-6. (-3.5 units)

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MILWAUKEE (3 - 5) at CHICAGO CUBS (4 - 4) - 2:20 PM
JEFF SUPPAN (R) vs. CARLOS ZAMBRANO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 87-82 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 561-504 (-115.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 87-82 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 775-809 (-140.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 509-535 (-129.6 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 526-492 (-108.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
ZAMBRANO is 65-58 (-26.7 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 65-58 (-26.7 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

JEFF SUPPAN vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
SUPPAN is 6-9 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.63 and a WHIP of 1.450.
His team's record is 9-14 (-3.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 14-8. (+5.6 units)

CARLOS ZAMBRANO vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
ZAMBRANO is 10-8 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.78 and a WHIP of 1.258.
His team's record is 13-12 (-3.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 13-11. (+0.6 units)

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WASHINGTON (3 - 5) at PHILADELPHIA (7 - 1) - 3:05 PM
SCOTT OLSEN (L) vs. J.A. HAPP (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 33-74 (-33.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 27-65 (-23.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 121-210 (-51.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-1 (+2.5 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+5.1 Units)

SCOTT OLSEN vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
OLSEN is 5-6 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 5.29 and a WHIP of 1.685.
His team's record is 6-7 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-6. (+1.1 units)

J.A. HAPP vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HAPP is 1-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 5.07 and a WHIP of 1.126.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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NY METS (2 - 6) at COLORADO (5 - 3) - 3:10 PM
MIKE PELFREY (R) vs. JORGE DE LA ROSA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 61-82 (-32.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 11-18 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
PELFREY is 14-25 (-17.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
DE LA ROSA is 22-5 (+16.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against NY METS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. COLORADO since 1997
PELFREY is 3-2 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 4.00 and a WHIP of 1.630.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.1 units)

JORGE DE LA ROSA vs. NY METS since 1997
DE LA ROSA is 2-0 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.19 and a WHIP of 1.054.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.1 units)

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ATLANTA (4 - 4) at SAN DIEGO (3 - 5) - 6:35 PM
TIM HUDSON (R) vs. MAT LATOS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 162-170 (-35.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 161-168 (-34.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 37-35 (-14.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 1-1 (+0.2 Units) against ATLANTA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

TIM HUDSON vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
HUDSON is 3-0 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 4.41 and a WHIP of 1.615.
His team's record is 5-1 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-4. (-3.1 units)

MAT LATOS vs. ATLANTA since 1997
LATOS is 1-0 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.714.
His team's record is 2-0 (+3.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

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CINCINNATI (5 - 4) at FLORIDA (5 - 4) - 7:10 PM
AARON HARANG (R) vs. JOSH JOHNSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 176-156 (+29.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 414-379 (+47.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997.
FLORIDA is 172-151 (+28.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 68-54 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 47-41 (+15.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
JOHNSON is 34-15 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
JOHNSON is 33-14 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
JOHNSON is 18-5 (+12.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
JOHNSON is 20-8 (+13.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 489-567 (+51.4 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 428-512 (+37.2 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 325-368 (+39.3 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 360-416 (+40.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 2-1 (+1.3 Units) against FLORIDA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

AARON HARANG vs. FLORIDA since 1997
HARANG is 3-2 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 6.15 and a WHIP of 1.709.
His team's record is 5-4 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-5. (-2.0 units)

JOSH JOHNSON vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
JOHNSON is 0-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 2.46 and a WHIP of 1.091.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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ARIZONA (5 - 3) at LA DODGERS (3 - 5) - 10:10 PM
DAN HAREN (R) vs. HIROKI KURODA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 75-95 (-22.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 75-95 (-22.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 28-45 (-21.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 48-26 (+16.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 1-1 (+0.7 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

DAN HAREN vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
HAREN is 4-4 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.48 and a WHIP of 1.242.
His team's record is 5-5 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-4. (+0.4 units)

HIROKI KURODA vs. ARIZONA since 1997
KURODA is 1-3 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 3.90 and a WHIP of 1.267.
His team's record is 2-4 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-2. (+1.8 units)

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TEXAS (5 - 3) at CLEVELAND (2 - 6) - 12:05 PM
MATT HARRISON (L) vs. DAVID HUFF (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

MATT HARRISON vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
HARRISON is 0-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 12.26 and a WHIP of 2.452.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

DAVID HUFF vs. TEXAS since 1997
No recent starts.

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BOSTON (4 - 4) at MINNESOTA (6 - 3) - 1:10 PM
TIM WAKEFIELD (R) vs. FRANCISCO LIRIANO (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 321-292 (-52.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.
BOSTON is 32-52 (-21.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
WAKEFIELD is 34-50 (-20.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 103-63 (+22.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 1-1 (+0.2 Units) against BOSTON this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

TIM WAKEFIELD vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
WAKEFIELD is 11-4 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 4.38 and a WHIP of 1.302.
His team's record is 12-8 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-9. (+0.3 units)

FRANCISCO LIRIANO vs. BOSTON since 1997
LIRIANO is 0-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 13.50 and a WHIP of 2.375.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (4 - 5) at TORONTO (6 - 3) - 7:05 PM
FREDDY GARCIA (R) vs. DANA EVELAND (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 11-31 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 20-8 (+11.3 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 21-12 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
EVELAND is 13-3 (+11.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
GARCIA is 19-8 (+13.3 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997. (Team's Record)
GARCIA is 87-52 (+24.3 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GARCIA is 33-10 (+21.2 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
GARCIA is 47-23 (+26.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against TORONTO this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

FREDDY GARCIA vs. TORONTO since 1997
GARCIA is 6-4 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.50 and a WHIP of 1.629.
His team's record is 9-4 (+3.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-4. (+2.8 units)

DANA EVELAND vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
EVELAND is 0-1 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.78 and a WHIP of 1.713.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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LA ANGELS (3 - 6) at NY YANKEES (5 - 3) - 7:05 PM
SCOTT KAZMIR (L) vs. PHIL HUGHES (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 80-41 (+24.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 105-75 (+19.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 50-37 (+17.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 24-10 (+13.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 98-67 (+19.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 68-52 (+16.9 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 34-21 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 99-75 (+19.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
KAZMIR is 45-24 (+24.0 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
KAZMIR is 49-33 (+29.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 1-1 (+0.8 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

SCOTT KAZMIR vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
KAZMIR is 6-6 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 2.94 and a WHIP of 1.308.
His team's record is 7-8 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-7. (+0.4 units)

PHIL HUGHES vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
HUGHES is 0-0 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 7.11 and a WHIP of 1.422.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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BALTIMORE (1 - 8) at OAKLAND (6 - 4) - 10:05 PM
DAVID HERNANDEZ (R) vs. BEN SHEETS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 136-256 (-110.1 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
OAKLAND is 35-26 (+11.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

DAVID HERNANDEZ vs. OAKLAND since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 1-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 2.70 and a WHIP of 1.049.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

BEN SHEETS vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
SHEETS is 0-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 7.50 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MLB


Thursday, April 15

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Trend Report
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12:05 PM
TEXAS vs. CLEVELAND
Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Texas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas

1:10 PM
BOSTON vs. MINNESOTA
Boston is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Boston is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
Minnesota is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games when playing at home against Boston

1:40 PM
HOUSTON vs. ST. LOUIS
Houston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
St. Louis is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Houston

2:20 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CHI CUBS
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Milwaukee is 3-8 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
Chi Cubs are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

3:05 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Washington is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Philadelphia is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

3:10 PM
NY METS vs. COLORADO
NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado
NY Mets are 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Colorado is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing NY Mets
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

6:35 PM
ATLANTA vs. SAN DIEGO
Atlanta is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
San Diego is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Atlanta

7:05 PM
LA ANGELS vs. NY YANKEES
LA Angels are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing NY Yankees
LA Angels are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 14-3 SU in their last 17 games at home
NY Yankees are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Angels

7:07 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. TORONTO
Chi White Sox are 2-11 SU in their last 13 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Chi White Sox are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home
Toronto is 11-2 SU in their last 13 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox

7:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. FLORIDA
Cincinnati is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Cincinnati is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games when playing Florida
Florida is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
Florida is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games when playing Cincinnati

10:05 PM
BALTIMORE vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore's last 5 games on the road
Baltimore is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Oakland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Oakland is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games

10:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. LA DODGERS
Arizona is 8-17 SU in their last 25 games when playing LA Dodgers
Arizona is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
LA Dodgers are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games at home
LA Dodgers are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games

MLB


Thursday, April 15

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Tips and Trends
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Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins [1:10 PM ET]

Red Sox: Boston is back to .500 on the season, thanks to a 6-3 win over the Twins yesterday. The Red Sox are looking to get over .500 for the 1st time since Opening Day. With a win this afternoon, the Red Sox can have a winning 1st road trip. Boston will hand the ball to Tim Wakefield this afternoon, and he will look to pick up his 1st win of the season. Wakefield was solid against the Royals in his season debut, allowing 2 runs over 7 IP. The crafty veteran allowed 6 hits while striking out 6 batters with his patented knuckleball. The Red Sox are 9-22 in the last 31 games when Wakefield started as the listed road underdog. Boston has also lost their past 4 games when Wakefield started for them. Clearly the Red Sox need to help Wakefield with more offensive production. The Red Sox offense has scored at least 6 runs in 3 of their past 4 games, so it's likely Wakefield will get the support he's been lacking.

Red Sox are 2-9 last 11 games as a road underdog of +110 to +150.
Under is 22-5-1 last 28 games as a road underdog.

Key Injuries - CF Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) is out.
SS Jed Lowrie (illness) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5

Twins (-130, O/U 9): Minnesota lost their 1st game in their new stadium yesterday, so they will be anxious to get back on the field. The Twins lost to the Red Sox 3-6, tying the most runs they've allowed all season. The Twins stand at 6-3 this season with much to look forward to. Minnesota hosts the Royals and Indians at home in their next 2 seasons, so it appears the Twins are going to be a fixture at the top of the AL standings all year long. Rrancisco Liriano will take the mound for the 2nd time this season for the Twins. Liriano went 6 IP, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits with 5 walks against the White Sox. Liriano is expected to play a vital role on this pitching staff, yet he appears to still have control issues. The Twins are only 3-9 in Liriano's last 12 starts as the listed favorite. Despite all of their success, the Twins are only 3-7 in their last 10 meetings with the Red Sox.

Twins are 7-1 last 8 games as a favorite of -110 to -150.
Under is 20-5-2 last 27 vs. American League East.

Key Injuries - C Jose Morales (wrist) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (OVER - Total of the Day)



Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers [10:10 PM ET]

Diamondbacks (-105, O/U 7.5): Arizona was able to beat the Dodgers as a rather large underdog last night, to improve their season long record to 5-3. Arizona will be looking to win their 3rd straight series to start the season. Dan Haren will be making his 3rd start of the young season in front of friends and family. Haren couldn't have 2 different results for his 2 starts this season. Haren dominated the Padres in his season debut, only allowing 3 hits and 1 earned run in 7 innings of winning pitching. Haren followed that performance up with a weak showing against the Pirates. Haren again pitched into the 7th inning, but allowed 9 hits and 5 earned runs in defeat. Overall, the Diamondbacks have fared well with Haren on the mound, just not in the underdog role. Overall, the Diamondbacks are 23-9 in Harens last 32 starts against a team with a losing record. However, the Diamondbacks are 2-5 in Harens last 7 starts as the listed road underdog.

Diamondbacks are 3-9 last 12 games as a road underdog.
Under is 8-2 last 10 road games vs. a right-handed starter.

Key Injuries - C Miguel Montero (knee) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4 (Side of the Day)

Dodgers: Los Angeles lost their 1st home game of the season last night in extra innings. The Dodgers lost 7-9 to Arizona, losing not only the battle but also the war. The Dodgers used 7 relief pitchers in defeat, so much will be expected from Hiroki Kuroda tonight. The Dodgers can only hope Kuroda can be as productive tonight as he was in his season debut. Kuroda pitched 8 innings on the road against Florida and didn't allow an earned run. He only allowed 5 hits, while striking out 7. Kuroda is considered a sleeper candidate for the NL Cy Young award this season. Kuroda has struggled against the Diamondbacks in his career, as he is 1-3 over 6 starts against them. To no surprise, the Dodgers have fared well when Kuroda takes the mound. The Dodgers are 7-1 in Kurodas last 8 home starts against a team with a winning record. Overall, the Dodgers are 9-4 in Kurodas last 13 starts.

Dodgers are 5-0 last 5 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 16-5-1 last 22 vs. a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - C Brad Ausmus (back) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 2

Bet the Padres, really?

It’s the rubber game of the series near the waterfront in downtown San Diego, where the Padres host Atlanta. The Braves bounced back from 17-2 debacle in the first game and handcuffed San Diego 6-1 behind Tommy Hanson and three relievers yesterday.

Atlanta may be only 4-4, however offensively they have been quite patient at the plate, drawing over four walks a game, helping set up of batters to drive in runs. Bobby Cox team hasn’t capitalized as often as they should yet, batting .229 as a group.

The Braves are -124 money line favorites at Bookmaker.com with Tim Hudson back in the rotation. The 34-year right-hander had Tommy John surgery a season ago and made six appearances at the end of last year. In his first effort of the new campaign, Hudson gave two runs and three hits in seven innings against San Francisco last Friday, in which his team eventually lost 5-4 in extra innings.

Hudson will be challenged by Mat Latos of San Diego. Latos is considered the crown jewel of the new Padres organization at 22 and throws in the mid-90’s, along with having a good slider and big breaking curveball. Like many young pitchers, command is an issue and he conceded three home runs in six innings at Colorado, yet he limited the damage to just four runs by not walking any Rockies hitters and his team ended up winning 5-4.

San Diego is picked again to finish last in the NL West, having limited talent in the field except at first base with Adrian Gonzalez, nonetheless draws a favorable position as an underdog in today’s super situation.

Play Against road teams with a money line of -100 to -150, when their team's hitters draw four walks or more a game on the season, against opposing starting a pitcher who did not walk a hitter in his last outing.

The last three years this system has been spellbinding at 24-4, 85.7 percent.

Other factors to consider for the 6:35 Eastern matchup are Atlanta is 2-6 in Hudson’s most recent starts and the Bravos are 1-7 when the former Oakland hurler is a -140 or less favorite.

San Diego is a resilient bunch, 16-5 off a loss and 6-1 after a scoring two runs or less in previous contest.

With Latos sporting a 1.29 ERA in two appearances totaling 14 innings against Atlanta, he has the “stuff” to limit Braves hitters and who knows, the road club might be thinking ahead on getaway day looking forward to getting home with bigger series against Colorado and Philadelphia.
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Injury Update

ORIOLES - Baltimore's top offensive threat, Brian Roberts has been placed on the 15 day D.L. with a strained abdominal muscle. Roberts is the O's leadoff hitter and has stolen at least 30 bases in four straight seasons. He had a slow start to the 2010 season hitting just .143. However, his batting average over the last 5 years for the Orioles is .293.

RED SOX - Starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka has no time table set for his return to the Red Sox. He made only a few spring training appearances before he was put on the shelf with a neck strain. Matsuzaka made a rehab start for Triple A Pawtucket on Saturday and threw 73 pitches. His velocity was solid reaching 93 MPH. Boston would like to see him throw at least 95 pitches comfortably before they would consider calling him up. Also left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is day to day after a scary collision on Sunday with teammate Adrian Beltre. Ellsbury was feared to be seriously injured but now it looks like will most likely get back in the line up sometime this week.

DEVIL RAYS - Reliever J.P. Howell will be on the mend until approximately mid May. Howell is a key left handed reliever that sported ERA's of 2.22 and 2.84 the last two seasons for Tampa Bay. Howell noticed he has "lost some strength" in his shoulder this spring and is now rehabbing.

BLUE JAYS - All star second baseman Aaron Hill won't be back in the Jay line up until at least April 23. Hill was put on the D.L. with a strained hamstring. Toronto will definitely miss his bat as Hill hit .286 with 36 homers and 108 RBI in 2009.

INDIANS - Center fielder Grady Sizemore has been in and out of the Cleveland line up since the start of last season. He missed a full two months in 2009 and now his nagging injuries are affecting him in 2010. He was scratched from Sunday's game in Detroit and Monday's home opener vs. the Rangers with back tightness. He hopes to be back in the field on Wednesday. Sizemore struggled last season but hit 30 HR's and stole 30 bases in 2008.

ROYALS - Reliever Kyle Farnsworth (41 appearances last year) left last Friday's game against the Red Sox with tightness in his pitching shoulder. He threw in the bullpen on Sunday and the Royal brass determined he would not need to be placed on the D.L. They hope to have him available at some point during their current 9-game road trip.

RANGERS - Starting second baseman Ian Kinsler has been sidelined since March 12th, however he is making progress. Kinsler, who has a sprained ankle, was in spikes for the first time on Sunday and worked on turning double plays. Texas wants him to be able to run the bases full speed before getting him back in the line up. Speaking of running the bases, Kinsler has 80 stolen bases for the Rangers over the last three seasons.

BRAVES - Keep an eye on Chipper Jones. He has had some back issues and a strained oblique as of late. He was held out of the Braves weekend series vs. San Francisco. He was back in the line up Monday vs. San Diego going 0 for 3 (now hitting just .167 this year). With back and oblique problems, he may be in and out of the line up in the foreseeable future.

MARLINS - Relief pitcher Brian Sanches was big reason tat Florida's bullpen was ranked 12th in MLB last year with an ERA of 3.90. Sanches, however has been sidelined this year after straining his hamstring late in spring training. He is eligible to come off the D.L. on Saturday but that won't happen. At the earliest the Marlins are hoping he has a chance to come back to the bigs late next week. Sanches appeared in 47 games last season and had an ERA of just 2.56.

NATIONALS - The Nats #1 offensive weapon has been out since April 10th. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who hit .292 with 33 homers last year, came out of Washington's game vs. the NY Mets on Saturday with a tight hamstring. He missed Sunday's game vs. the Mets and Monday's game vs. the Phillies. Other than Adam Dunn, Zimmerman is only other power guy on that team. They need him on the field. He will be a day to day proposition this week.

ASTROS - Lance Berkman hopes to return to the field by the time the Astros return from their 6-game road trip on April 20th. Berkman has knee surgery back on March and has yet to play this season. However, first year manager Brad Mills said they will not bring Berkman back until he is 100% and ready to play everyday which could push his return date further into the future. As of this writing, Houston is 0-7 and hitting just .223. They could definitely use Berkman's offense soon.

PIRATES - Starter Ross Ohlendorf was scratched from Monday's start at San Francisco on Monday due to back spasms. The back problem surfaced last Friday and Ohlendorf was unable to throw at all on Monday. He is scheduled to start again on Saturday and the Pirates want him to be able to his "side session" on Wednesday, otherwise a Saturday start might be out of the question.

DIAMONDBACKS - Starting catcher Miguel Montero could be on the mend for awhile after injuring his knee in their game vs. Pittsburgh on Saturday. The DBacks are hoping it's "only" a torn meniscus and not something more serious. Results from an MRI are expected soon. Montero, who hit .294 last season, was put on the 15 day D.L. but it could be a season ender if something more serious shows up.

DODGERS - Key left handed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo had his best bullpen session yet on Sunday as he attempts to return from an elbow injury. Manager Joe Torre said that Kuo is close to starting his minor league rehab assignment. His absence has been a strain on an LA bullpen that is nearly devoid of left handers. George Sherrill is the only other lefty in the pen and he has been shelled with an ERA of 22.50 in three appearances. Kuo's ERA in 2009 was 3.00 in 35 appearances.

CUBS - Starter Ted Lilly (3.10 ERA in 2009) had shoulder surgery in the off-season however that hasn't been the problem. His back has been the biggest issue. He has yet to make a Major League start in 2010 and was scratched from last Friday's Triple A start in Iowa. He threw 25 pitches on Monday and will make a start for the Iowa on Wednesday. Also keep a close watch on first baseman Derek Lee who left Monday's game with the Brewers with a thumb injury.

PHILLIES - All Star second baseman Jimmy Rollins was scratched from Monday's game after straining his right calf in warm ups. Rollins has started the season on a tear hitting .385 with eight runs scored in the first six games. His status is day to day and definitely something to keep a close eye on.

PADRES - San Diego was hoping the oft injured starter Chris Young was back to his dominating days of a few years ago. It looked like that might be the case as Young completely baffled Arizona in his opening day start lasting 6 innings, allowing just one hit and no earned runs. Young was to start again on Monday in the team's home opener, however he was scratched and put on the D.L. with shoulder tightness. Young could be back by April 23.
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