Cnotes Thursday's Early MLB Games/ Evening Games !

Thursday's MLB Early Games:

Thursday, July 1Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto - 12:05 PM ET Cleveland +133 500 *****
Cleveland - Under 8.5 500

Seattle - 1:05 PM ET Seattle +300 500 *****
NY Yankees - Under 9 500

Cincinnati - 2:20 PM ET Chi. Cubs -138 500
Chi. Cubs -

July’s Good and Bad Baseball Pitchers

Firecrackers and the MLB All-Star game signal the month of July. It also signifies the start of the 2nd half of the MLB campaign. The key to each and every team’s fortune lies on the pitching staff. Can they sustain or will they fold like a deck of cards? Stay tuned. What we do know is certain pitchers love hurling this time of the season while others tend to get lit up like a roman candle.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of July. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in July team starts, winning 33% percent or less of their efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each July over the last three years. I’ll be back next month with August’s Good Month Pitchers. Until then, enjoy…

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Burnett, A.J. [9-2]
If there is one pitcher in baseball glad to see the calendar change it is Burnett (6-7, 5.25 ERA). For the month of June he was 0-5, with gargantuan 11.34 ERA. If you caught any of his pitched games, this is a hurler really struggling mentally. Of the 35 hits he allowed last month, 11 of them went over the wall. Burnett and the Yankees hope he turns around this month around quickly.

Cook, Aaron [12-6]
The Colorado pitcher is finding his groove after a rocky start (intentional play on words), lowering his ERA to 4.69. Cook (2-5) pitches to contact and his fastball has had more sink in the last several starts and if the Rockies are going to make run at NL West crown, they will need Aaron to be cookin’.

De La Rosa, Jorge [11-5]
De La Rosa has been out since April 25 with torn tendon band in the middle finger of his throwing hand. He’s at Triple-A Colorado Springs working to get to big club.

Hamels, Cole [12-4]
He’s still only 26-years old, but the lefthander just hasn’t risen to the same level of excellence he achieved during the 2008 postseason. His 54-40 career record shows too many cement-mixer curve balls and change-ups left up in the zone. The Phillies bats have been quieter this season and Hamels (4.08) has to be better than 6-6 this season.

Haren, Dan [12-4]
Throwing for Arizona is not a comfortable position for starting pitcher. As a starter you fill like you have to throw a complete game since they have combustible bullpen. This has caused Haren (7-6, 4.56) to attempt to be too fine and he touched for 19 home runs and .282 batting average compared to career number of .253. Interesting to follow if he can retain July’s previous good fortune.

Johnson, Josh [8-2]
Johnson (8-3, 1.83) hasn’t given up three earned runs in a game since May 8, which covers nine starts. At 6’7, 250-pounds, he’s imposing figure and his mid-to-high 90’s heat jumps late, causing bad swings and misses. With the way the Marlins ace is throwing, he could be in for special month.

Lackey, John [14-3]
Lackey is a Texas native and heats up like the weather when it comes to wins and losses. He’s no longer the hard thrower that can go thru a line-up more than twice without making adjustments on the run. His 9-3 record is mixed with good fortune as his 4.46 ERA is run of the mill. In Lackey’s last seven starts, Boston has averaged 8.1 runs per game.

Lester, Jon [10-1]
The left-hander continues to quietly keep rising in the elite ranks of pitchers in baseball. His 51-19 career mark is among the best since 2006 and this season he been even more impressive with 9-3 record and 2.86 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting a mere .205 against him.

Lowe, Derek [10-5]
At 37, Lowe (9-6. 4.53) is no longer the pitcher worms used to fear, with opponents incessantly beating the ball into the ground for outs. The vast majority of outs Lowe still induces are still ground balls, but his command has been a little iffier in 2010, presently heading towards a career high in free passes. If he finds the groove, he and Atlanta should have another strong month.

Oswalt, Roy [10-2]
Oswalt (3.55) is heading towards his first losing season with 5-10 record playing for an inferior Houston club. Trade rumors abound for the 32-year pitcher, who would appreciate a change of scenery to recharge the competitive juices. If a team is interested in Oswalt, it should make a move now based on July figures.

Saunders, Joe [9-3]
Manager Mike Scioscia is known for his great patience in understanding the season is 162 games long and players are going to have ups and downs. Joe Saunders (6-8, 4.88) has been testing Scioscia’s resolve with a rollercoaster campaign. Saunders has been far more effective on the road (3.35 ERA vs. 6.18 at the Big A) and if he straightens out that part of game and pitches inside to RH hitters, he should have typical July.

Vazquez, Javier [10-5]
After a VERY choppy beginning, Vazquez (6-6, 5.16) is becoming the type of hurler GM Brian Cashman was hoping for. Vazquez has 3.78 ERA in last 10 starts and has better than 2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Duke, Zach [2-9]
It’s becoming more a mystery why Duke (3-8, 5.49) stays in the Pittsburgh rotation. Yes, the Pirates are brutal, but do you really need a starter that opposing batters are slugging .322 against? This Duke is a dog. (As in “Here Duke”)

Greinke, Zach [2-8]
Last year’s Cy Young winner has had a rough go of it this season, with a combination of Kansas City bullpen failings and Greinke (3-8, 3.72) trying to do too much. He’s been sharper of late and might improve on this month’s historical record with a little support.

Harden, Rich [4-9]
On the DL with gluteal strain and is scheduled for a few bullpen sessions to start the month.

Parra, Manny [3-7]
Strictly a back of the rotation guy, Parra (2-5, 4.12) was returned to the Milwaukee rotation after they had nowhere else to turn to. His 3.98 ERA as starter isn’t all that bad, however this southpaw is being crushed by lefty hitters, conceding .380 BA.

Wellemeyer, Todd [4-8]
The Giants fifth starter has been on the DL since June 11 and according to team reports is expected to return to club in mid-July.
__________________

Thursday Daytime Tips

The calendar has officially turned over to July and that means we’re inching closer to the All-Star Break. Before we get to those festivities in Anaheim, we have some baseball to discuss. Thursday has three games on the afternoon docket with one of those teams sitting pretty in terms of making the playoffs.

Blue Jays (40-38, +552) at Indians (27-47, -888) – 12:05 p.m. EDT

If the Blue Jays were in almost any other division, they’d have a realistic shot at first place. Unfortunately for them, they’re sitting eight games back of the Yankees in the American League East. And Toronto is falling behind further as they’re mired in a three-game slide. A big reason for that slump is an offense that is averaging just over two runs per game at the present.

Toronto will look for a strong pitching performance out of Shawn Marcum (7-3, 3.14) to offset its cold bats. Marcum has the goods to turn things around as he’s won two of his last three starts. But he’s also posted a strong 3-1 mark in his seven starts, while the Jays are 5-2 in those outings. Marcum has a 4.12 earned run average, which is well above the 2.41 he has at Rogers Centre. The result of that higher ERA is seeing the ‘over’ go 4-2-1 in those road spots.

The Indians will send Justin Masterson (2-7, 5.21) out to close out this series. Masterson looked like he might be turning the corner by posting back-to-back wins over the White Sox and Red Sox in the middle of June. In his last three starts, he’s gone 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA.

Cleveland might not be a great wager in this spot as they’re 4-5 in nine home day games against right-handed pitching. The Blue Jays, on the other hand, can boast a 7-2 mark when on the road for afternoon showdowns this season. It also doesn’t hurt that Toronto is 6-3 this year when playing AL Central foes away from home.

Mariners (32-44, -1,319) at Yankees (47-29, +55) – 1:05 p.m. EDT

Seattle looked like it might be ready to fall back down with a two-game slid after a six-game win streak. But the M’s might have a little bit of solid footing at the moment after winning two of their last three contests.

The Mariners will try to leave the Big Apple on a high note with Ryan Rowland-Smith (1-7, 6.18) on the mound. It hasn’t been a great year for the Australian hurler. And it really has stunk for Rowland-Smith when pitching away from Safeco Field, evidenced by an 0-5 mark with a 8.10 ERA.

New York will give the starting nod to C.C. Sabathia (9-3, 3.49) on Thursday afternoon. All Sabathia has done is peel off five consecutive victories that he’s lasted at least seven innings in for the Bronx Bombers. And the former Indian is a pleasant 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA in seven starts at Yankee Stadium in 2010.

The Yanks have had good success against lefties in home day matches this year by going 4-2 in the six opportunities. New York has also gone 5-2 against AL West clubs as a home “chalk” this year, covering the run line in each of those contests.

Reds (43-35, +565) at Cubs (34-43, -1,731) – 2:20 p.m. EDT

Cincinnati is finally living up to the hype that experts have doled out upon them over the past few years. Only thing that the Reds are really doing now is running neck and neck with St. Louis for the top spot in this NL Central. Cincy is currently just a ½-game out of first place, but that can change at the drop of a hat.

The Reds are looking for a big boost out of Travis Wood on Thursday, who is making his first start of the season. He was in the running for the fifth starting role in the rotation, but was kept in the minors due to control issues. There is no certainty that his command has improved at Triple-A Louisville, where Wood was 5-6 with a 3.12 ERA in 15 starts. The young lefty also had allowed 23 walks to 97 strikeouts in 98 innings of work.

The Cubbies are content in sending Carlos Silva (8-2, 3.01) out to the mound to open this series. Silva has lost his last three starts for Chicago, but he pitched well enough to win all three of those spots. He gave up no more than three earned runs in any of those games and lasted at least six innings. What killed Silva in those starts was either his batting order not backing him up or the bullpen failing him. He has done well enough at the friendly confines in 2010, evidenced by a 4-2 record and an ERA of 2.98.

The Reds are a solid team to fade when on the road for day games this season. Cincy has gone 3-7 in 10 afternoon fixtures away from Great American Ballpark. Chicago, however, has won all three of its matches during the day at Wrigley Field versus left-handed pitching.

MLB


Thursday, July 1

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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New York Mets at Washington Nationals (115, 8)

Whether the best offense is a good defense or vice versa, the Nationals haven't had either working for them lately.

Despite getting solid pitching, the Nats have dropped 13 of their last 17, including a series sweep by the lowly Orioles in which defensive errors saw the Nats blow leads in all three games.

"The way we are playing in general - defensively - it isn't good enough," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. "It's an issue for them. They see the number of errors. They see the games get away from us because we are not making plays. We have to find a way to change that."

The Nats aren't likely to overcome the defensive miscues with their bats. They have batted just .203 against lefties in their last 10 meetings against southpaws.

They face a motivated lefty in Johan Santana, who has lost back-to-back starts in duels against CC Sabathia and Carl Pavano.

Pick: Mets


Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs (-140, Off)

Reds fans are wondering why the team didn't call up veteran Edinson Volquez to take the mound for the first time this season.

After all, the righty threw his fourth successful rehab start at Triple-A Louisville and the Reds are likely to call him up to the majors before the All-Star break.

Instead, the Reds called up unknown Travis Wood to make his big-league debut. The 23-year-old lefty is 5-6 with a 3.12 ERA this season at Louisville.

"He deserves an oportunity and we need him," Reds manager Dusty Baker said of Wood, who will stand in for demoted starter Sam LeCure.

That's good news for the Cubs, have been been batting a respectable .263 against lefties in their last 10 games and need some wins in the aftermath of Hurricane Z's erutpion last week.

Pick: Cubs


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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees (9-3, 3.49 ERA)

Sabathia has been scary good in his last five trips to the mound. He’s gone 5-0 with an ERA of 2.19 during this stretch. In his last outing, the hefty lefty went eight innings, allowing one run on four hits while whiffing seven batters. Sabathia has 35 strikeouts over those five wins.

Carl Pavano, Minnesota Twins (9-6, 3.33 ERA)

After a snag in May, the veteran right hander has been on a tear in his recent starts. Pavano has won four straight outings, giving up just six runs over 33 innings of work. The mustachioed hurler has gone the distance in his last two appearances, most recently putting together a complete-game shutout for a 6-0 win against the New York Mets.

Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics (7-2, 2.88 ERA)

The A’s second-year arm hasn’t tasted defeat since May 16, posting a 6-0 record over his last eight starts. Cahill boasts a diminutive 2.24 ERA during this span and is coming off 7 2-3 innings of work in which he allowed only two hits and struck out 10 for a 5-0 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates last weekend.


Slumping

Johan Santana, New York Mets (5-5, 3.55 ERA)

Age and rumors are starting to catch up with the Mets’ ace. Santana looked to be rounding into form last month, but has fought through a tough June which also featured a sexual assault charge stemming from alleged incident in Florida last fall. Santana has lost his velocity and his once-infamous changeup isn’t getting the job done. He allowed five runs in six innings in his last start, marking the first time in his career he has allowed four or more runs in four straight starts.

Carlos Silva, Chicago Cubs (8-3, 3.01)

After starting the season a perfect 8-0, Silva has fallen on hard times in his past three starts, going 0-2 during that stretch. Silva allowed only two earned runs in his last outing against the White Sox to settle for a no-decision on the day after teammate Carlos Zambrano went bonkers in the dugout, putting extra pressure on Silva to produce.

Jeff Niemann (6-2, 2.72) Tampa Bay Rays

It's hard to call Niemann a slumper since he was the victim of Edwin Jackson's no-hitter in his last outing. After all, he allowed only one run and six hits in 7 1/3 innings. But after a 6-0 start to the season, Niemann is 0-2 in his last three starts with an ERA a full point higher than his season number. He has allowed five homers over that stretch, more than he gave up than in his previous eight starts.


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This Day in Baseball
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On July 1 in Baseball History...

1910 - White Sox Park opens with a 2-0 loss to the Browns. The stadium, which becomes known as Comiskey Park, cost $750,000 to build. The stadium will be the oldest in baseball when it is closed in 1990 and replaced by a new structure called Comiskey Park.

1916 - At age 42 years and four months, Honus Wagner is the oldest player to hit an inside-the-park home run. He connects for the Pirates in the fourth inning at Cincinnati.

1920 - Walter Johnson pitches his first no-hitter. An error by Bucky Harris costs him a perfect game, but Harris' hit drives in Washington's only run against the Red Sox at Fenway. The next day Johnson comes up with the first sore arm of his life and is useless for the rest of the year, finishing 8-10.

1945 - The first of the superstars returns from the war. Hank Greenberg, gone for four years, homers in his first game following his release from the Army. Charlie Gassaway of the Athletics gives up the blow before 47,700 in a 9-5 win at Briggs Stadium.

1948 - Brooklyn's Roy Campanella makes his debut, catching Ralph Branca. Campy doubles in his first at-bat and adds two singles, but the Giants win 6-4.

1951 - Bob Feller pitches the third no-hitter of his career, tying the record of Cy Young and Larry Corcoran, as he beats Detroit's Bob Cain 2-1.

1954 - Joe Cunningham of the Cards hits two home runs in a game against Milwaukee, giving him a record three roundtrippers in his first two days in the major leagues. In his first seven at-bats, he has nine RBI.

1968 - A first-inning wild pitch allows a run to break Bob Gibson's streak of 47 2/3 innings of scoreless pitching, but the Cards beat the Dodgers 8-1. Gibson will pitch 23 innings before giving up another run.

1983 - Arbitrator Raymond Goetz rules that the 43 players who were on the Disabled List during the 1981 players' strike are not entitled to their salaries for that period. The decision saves the club owners about $2.5 million.

1984 - Royals pitcher Paul Splittorff, whose 166 victories in 13 seasons are the most in club history, retires.

Evening MLB Games:

Thursday, July 1Game Score Status Pick Amount

Oakland - 7:05 PM ET Oakland -137 500
Baltimore - Over 8.5 500 *****

NY Mets - 7:05 PM ET Washington +122 500 *****
Washington - Over 8 500 *****

Philadelphia - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia -191 500
Pittsburgh - Under 9 500 *****

Tampa Bay - 8:10 PM ET Tampa Bay +108 500
Minnesota - Over 8.5 500 *****

Milwaukee - 8:15 PM ET St. Louis -125 500
St. Louis - Under 9.5 500

San Francisco - 8:40 PM ET San Francisco +131 500 *****
Colorado - Under 9.5 500 *****

Texas - 10:05 PM ET LA Angels -121 500
LA Angels - Under 8 500

Houston - 10:05 PM ET San Diego -235 500 *****
San Diego - Under 7.5 500 *****

Thursday's Early Game Results:


Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
07/01/10 3-2-0 60.00% +475 Detail
Totals 3-2-0 60.00% +475



Good Luck This Evening !

MLB
Write-Up


Thursday, July 1

Hot pitchers
-- Silva has 2.18 RA in his last five starts, but Cubs lost his last three, scoring a total of nine runs.
-- LHernandez is 1-0, 1.35 in two starts against the Mets this season.
-- Garland is 4-1, 2.47 in his last seven Petco starts.

-- Marcum is 2-0, 3.00 in his last three starts.
-- Sabathia is 5-0, 2.19 in his last five starts.
-- Cahill is 6-0, 2.26 in his last eight starts.
-- Pavano is 4-0, 1.64 in his last four starts. Niemann has a 2.54 RA in his last four starts.
-- Weaver is 2-0, 2.25 in his last three starts. Rangers won Wilson's last five starts, scoring 36 runs.

Cold pitchers
-- Hamels is 1-4, 4.91 in his last six starts. McCutchen is 0-3, 11.65 in four starts this season.
-- JSantana is 1-3, 5.96 in his last four starts.
-- Wolf is 1-3, 6.23 in his last five starts. Hawksworth is 1-1, 8.00 in two starts this season.
-- Colorado lost Cook's last five starts (0-2, 4.45). Bumgarner lost his first MLB start, allowing four runs in seven IP.
-- Moehler is 1-3, 6.67 in six starts this season.

-- Masterson is 0-2, 7.50 in his last three starts.
-- Rowland-Smith is 1-7, 8.25 in his last eight starts.
-- Arrieta has a 7.08 RA in four starts this season.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in Phillies' last eight games.
-- Seven of Mets' last ten games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-4-1 in last fourteen Cardinal games.
-- Four of Giants' last five games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last eleven games at Petco Park went over the total.

-- Five of last seven Cleveland home games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Bronx home games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last nine Oriole home games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Angel games went over the total.

Hot Teams
-- Reds won seven of their last nine games.
-- Cardinals are 11-5 in their last sixteen home games.
-- Rockies are 9-3 in their last twelve home games.
-- Padres won seven of their last ten games.

-- Indians won last four games, allowing total of nine runs.
-- Mariners won three of their last four games.
-- Orioles won five of their last six games. A's won four of last five.
-- Rangers won 17 of last 20 games, nine of last ten on road. Angels won six of their last nine home games.

Cold Teams
-- Cubs are 10-18 in their last 28 games.
-- Phillies lost 12 of their last 18 road games. Pirates lost six of their last eight home games.
-- Nationals lost six of their last seven games. Mets lost four of their last five road games.
-- Astros lost 12 of their last 18 games.
-- Giants lost last five games, scoring total of eight runs.

-- Bronx Bombers lost three of their last four games.
-- Rays lost nine of their last thirteen games. Minnesota lost six of its last nine games.
-- Blue Jays are 4-13 in last 17 games away from Toronto.

MLB


Thursday, July 1

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Trend Report
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12:05 PM
TORONTO vs. CLEVELAND
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Cleveland is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
Cleveland is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Toronto

1:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. NY YANKEES
Seattle is 8-15 SU in their last 23 games when playing NY Yankees
Seattle is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Seattle
NY Yankees are 15-8 SU in their last 23 games when playing Seattle

2:20 PM
CINCINNATI vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 6 games on the road
Cincinnati is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chi Cubs's last 12 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. WASHINGTON
NY Mets are 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Washington's last 24 games when playing NY Mets
Washington is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against NY Mets

7:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. BALTIMORE
Oakland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Oakland is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Baltimore is 4-16 SU in its last 20 games when playing Oakland
Baltimore is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Oakland

7:05 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 12 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Pittsburgh is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Philadelphia

8:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. MINNESOTA
Tampa Bay is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 7 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
Minnesota is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

8:15 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. ST. LOUIS
Milwaukee is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games on the road
St. Louis is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home
St. Louis is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

8:40 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. COLORADO
San Francisco is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
San Francisco is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing San Francisco
Colorado is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing San Francisco

10:05 PM
HOUSTON vs. SAN DIEGO
Houston is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games
Houston is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games on the road
San Diego is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of San Diego's last 14 games when playing at home against Houston

10:05 PM
TEXAS vs. LA ANGELS
Texas is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Texas is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games
LA Angels are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Texas
LA Angels are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Texas

MLB
Dunkel


San Francisco at Colorado
The Giants look to take advantage of a Colorado team that is 0-5 in Aaron Cook's last 5 starts during Game 1 of a series. San Francisco is the pick (+125) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+125). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 1

Game 951-952: Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Wood) 15.286; Cubs (Silva) 14.353
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-140); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+120); N/A

Game 953-954: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Hamels) 15.118; Pittsburgh (McCutchen) 14.137
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-200); Over

Game 955-956: NY Mets at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Santana) 14.280; Washington (Hernandez) 14.808
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+115); Under

Game 957-958: Milwaukee at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Wolf) 15.536; St. Louis (Hawksworth) 14.567
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-135); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+115); Under

Game 959-960: San Francisco at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 15.150; Colorado (Cook) 15.029
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-145); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+125); Under

Game 961-962: Houston at San Diego (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Moehler) 15.451; San Diego (Garland) 16.039
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: San Diego (-240); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-240); Under

Game 963-964: Toronto at Cleveland (12:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Marcum) 15.035; Cleveland (Masterson) 14.468
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Toronto (-150); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-150); Under

Game 965-966: Seattle at NY Yankees (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Rowland-Smith) 15.452; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 15.669
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-320); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-320); Over

Game 967-968: Oakland at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Cahill) 14.403; Baltimore (Arrieta) 15.490
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Oakland (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+125); Under

Game 969-970: Tampa Bay at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Niemann) 15.311; Minnesota (Pavano) 16.058
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-120); Under

Game 971-972: Texas at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Wilson) 16.887; LA Angels (Weaver) 16.261
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-125); 8
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+105); Over

MLB


Thursday, July 1

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Tips and Trends
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Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins [8:10 PM ET]

Rays: Tampa Bay is happy to see the month of June left behind. The Rays struggled in June, notably their offense. Tampa Bay was recently no-hit yet again, an amazing occurrence that has happened far too frequently to such a talented offense. Tampa is 45-32 SU this season, 2 games behind the Yankees in the American League East division. The Rays are -3.54 and -8.87 units both SU and on the RL this year. Ace P Jeff Niemann will look to get his team back on track tonight. Niemann is 6-2 overall this season, with an ERA of 2.72 and a WHIP of 1.07. The Rays are 13-5 in their last 18 games against a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15. The Rays are 1-6 in their last 7 games against a right-handed starter. Tampa is 7-0 in Niemann's last 7 road starts. The Rays are 4-0 in Niemann's last 4 starts against a team with a winning record. Tampa is 9-3 in Niemann's last 12 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance. The Rays are 5-2 in Niemann's last 7 starts with 5 days of rest.

Rays are 1-5 in their last 6 games against a team with a winning record.
Over is 8-3 last 11 games as a road underdog.

Key Injuries - None.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3

Twins (-120, O/U 8.5): Minnesota has won back to back games, pushing their lead in the American League Central to 1.5 games. Minnesota is 43-35 SU this season, including 25-14 SU at home. The Twins have been winning of late thanks to an explosive offense. The Twins are +1.34 and -7.01 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. P Carl Pavano will look to keep up his solid season so far with a strong performance tonight. Pavano is 9-6 with an ERA of 3.33 and a WHIP of 1.03 this year. The Twins are 4-1 in their last 5 games against a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15. The Twins are 2-5 in their last 7 games against a right-handed starter. Minnesota is 4-0 in Pavano's last 4 starts against a team with a winning record. Minnesota is 4-1 in Pavano's last 5 starts as a home favorite. The Twins are 5-2 in Pavano's last 7 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150.

Twins are 4-0 last 4 home games against a team with a road winning percentage greater than .600%.
Under is 5-2 last 7 against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - SS J.J. Hardy (wrist) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)



Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals [8:15 PM ET]

Brewers: Milwaukee is playing some of their best baseball of the season right now, as they've won 7 of their last 10 games overall. The Brewers are 35-43 SU this season, including a respectable road record of 18-21 SU. Milwaukee trails the Reds by 8 games in the National League Central standings. Milwaukee is -9.47 and -6.86 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. Veteran Randy Wolf will pitch tonight for the Brewers, as he's 5-7 with an ERA of 4.92 and a WHIP of 1.57 this year. The Brewers are 4-10 in their last 14 road games against a right-handed starter. Milwaukee is 4-1 in Wolf's last 5 road starts with the total set between 9 and 10.5 runs. The Brewers are 1-4 in Wolf's last 5 starts against the National League Central. Milwaukee is 1-6 in Wolf's last 7 starts with 4 days of rest this season.

Brewers are 5-2 last 7 games as an underdog of +110 to +150.
Under is 4-0 last 4 road games with the total set between 9 and 10.5 runs.

Key Injuries - C Gregg Zaun (shoulder) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5

Cardinals (-130, O/U 9.5): St. Louis has been merely average of late, going 5-5 SU in their past 10 games. St. Louis hasn't lost any ground in the National League Central, as they only trail the Reds by 0.5 games. The Cardinals are 43-35 SU this season, including 25-13 SU at home. St. Louis is -6.08 and -13.44 units both SU and on the RL overall this season. P Blake Hawksworth will make the home start tonight, as he's 2-4 with an ERA of 5.11 and a WHIP of 1.70 this season. The Cardinals are 39-19 in their last 58 home games against a team with a losing road record. St. Louis is 7-2 in their last 9 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Cardinals are 5-2 in their last 7 games against a left-handed starter.

Cardinals are 41-13 last 54 during game 1 of a series.
Under is 7-2 last 9 games as a favorite.

Key Injuries - RF Ryan Ludwick (leg) is questionable.

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

MLB
Long Sheet


Thursday, July 1

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CINCINNATI (44 - 35) at CHICAGO CUBS (34 - 44) - 2:20 PM
TRAVIS WOOD (L) vs. CARLOS SILVA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 13-6 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season.
CINCINNATI is 27-15 (+9.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CINCINNATI is 44-35 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 55-59 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 22-14 (+7.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CINCINNATI is 44-35 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 89-83 (+15.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 34-44 (-20.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 578-524 (-127.4 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 14-22 (-17.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 594-588 (-111.2 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 34-44 (-20.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 4-2 (+1.9 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

TRAVIS WOOD vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

CARLOS SILVA vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
SILVA is 1-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.09 and a WHIP of 1.273.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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PHILADELPHIA (41 - 35) at PITTSBURGH (27 - 51) - 7:05 PM
COLE HAMELS (L) vs. DANIEL MCCUTCHEN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HAMELS is 26-25 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 10-16 (-14.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PITTSBURGH is 391-374 (+42.4 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 73-56 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 89-65 (+20.7 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 7-26 (-14.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PITTSBURGH is 89-150 (-32.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 88-148 (-32.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 1-1 (+1.6 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.1 Units)

COLE HAMELS vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
HAMELS is 1-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.79 and a WHIP of 1.263.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

DANIEL MCCUTCHEN vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
No recent starts.

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NY METS (44 - 34) at WASHINGTON (34 - 45) - 7:05 PM
JOHAN SANTANA (L) vs. LIVAN HERNANDEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HERNANDEZ is 23-15 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
HERNANDEZ is 11-5 (+9.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 44-34 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY METS are 32-23 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
NY METS are 31-25 (+5.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NY METS are 25-19 (+6.2 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
NY METS are 44-34 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY METS are 76-59 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Thursday since 1997.
SANTANA is 90-37 (+36.4 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
SANTANA is 82-28 (+33.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 152-250 (-52.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 15-37 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 58-104 (-28.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 53-93 (-27.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 34-79 (-26.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-3 (+4.4 Units) against NY METS this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.4 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

JOHAN SANTANA vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
SANTANA is 6-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.170.
His team's record is 6-2 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.3 units)

LIVAN HERNANDEZ vs. NY METS since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 13-13 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 4.28 and a WHIP of 1.465.
His team's record is 20-15 (+8.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 16-18. (-3.8 units)

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MILWAUKEE (35 - 43) at ST LOUIS (43 - 35) - 8:15 PM
RANDY WOLF (L) vs. BLAKE HAWKSWORTH (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 13-22 (-11.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
MILWAUKEE is 9-17 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
WOLF is 71-57 (+23.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 4-2 (+1.1 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.9 Units)

RANDY WOLF vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
WOLF is 3-6 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.87 and a WHIP of 1.291.
His team's record is 6-7 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-6. (-0.6 units)

BLAKE HAWKSWORTH vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
No recent starts.

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SAN FRANCISCO (40 - 37) at COLORADO (41 - 37) - 8:40 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. AARON COOK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 8-17 (-13.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 127-109 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 741-627 (+85.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 96-78 (+13.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 79-95 (-27.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 3-3 (+0.6 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
6 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+6.0 Units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

AARON COOK vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
COOK is 7-10 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 5.20 and a WHIP of 1.639.
His team's record is 7-14 (-9.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 12-8. (+3.0 units)

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HOUSTON (31 - 48) at SAN DIEGO (46 - 32) - 10:05 PM
BRIAN MOEHLER (R) vs. JON GARLAND (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 46-32 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 44-31 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN DIEGO is 31-21 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 29-23 (+8.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN DIEGO is 61-58 (+15.0 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 98-92 (+18.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
MOEHLER is 33-28 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MOEHLER is 32-28 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MOEHLER is 19-11 (+11.7 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MOEHLER is 64-65 (+21.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
GARLAND is 42-48 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

BRIAN MOEHLER vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
MOEHLER is 2-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.16 and a WHIP of 1.372.
His team's record is 4-1 (+3.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+0.7 units)

JON GARLAND vs. HOUSTON since 1997
GARLAND is 3-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 2.93 and a WHIP of 1.261.
His team's record is 5-2 (+3.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-4. (-1.4 units)

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TORONTO (40 - 39) at CLEVELAND (30 - 47) - 12:05 PM
SHAUN MARCUM (R) vs. JUSTIN MASTERSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 21-41 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 58-70 (-37.1 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
TORONTO is 33-26 (+10.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MARCUM is 13-5 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 95-144 (-40.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 50-66 (-19.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 78-99 (-36.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997.
CLEVELAND is 53-83 (-28.8 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 88-131 (-36.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 67-107 (-37.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 48-87 (-30.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MASTERSON is 8-23 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MASTERSON is 8-21 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 3-3 (+0.2 Units) against TORONTO this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.7 Units)

SHAUN MARCUM vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
MARCUM is 0-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.37 and a WHIP of 1.236.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.1 units)

JUSTIN MASTERSON vs. TORONTO since 1997
No recent starts.

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SEATTLE (33 - 44) at NY YANKEES (47 - 30) - 1:05 PM
RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH (L) vs. C.C. SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 33-44 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 20-50 (-25.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 8-18 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
SEATTLE is 32-42 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY YANKEES are 86-41 (+25.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 74-27 (+27.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 61-24 (+23.8 Units) against the money line after getting shut out since 1997.
SABATHIA is 9-18 (-19.0 Units) against the money line in home games in July games since 1997. (Team's Record)
SABATHIA is 14-22 (-16.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-0 (+3.0 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
ROWLAND-SMITH is 0-0 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

C.C. SABATHIA vs. SEATTLE since 1997
SABATHIA is 7-4 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of 1.280.
His team's record is 9-6 (+1.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-7. (+0.2 units)

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OAKLAND (38 - 41) at BALTIMORE (24 - 53) - 7:05 PM
TREVOR CAHILL (R) vs. JAKE ARRIETA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 20-31 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CAHILL is 9-3 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
CAHILL is 16-3 (+14.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAHILL is 9-2 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
CAHILL is 20-11 (+10.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 24-53 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 4-20 (-15.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
BALTIMORE is 521-576 (-121.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 69-104 (-44.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 23-48 (-18.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 16-38 (-17.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 6-3 (+2.0 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.7 Units)

TREVOR CAHILL vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
CAHILL is 2-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 2.84 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.3 units)

JAKE ARRIETA vs. OAKLAND since 1997
No recent starts.

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TAMPA BAY (45 - 32) at MINNESOTA (43 - 35) - 8:10 PM
JEFF NIEMANN (R) vs. CARL PAVANO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 129-110 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 50-61 (-22.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 127-76 (+25.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 89-67 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 60-32 (+22.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PAVANO is 126-100 (+27.8 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
PAVANO is 24-15 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PAVANO is 14-7 (+11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 25-13 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 23-12 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TAMPA BAY is 16-6 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season.
NIEMANN is 17-8 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NIEMANN is 27-11 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 9-19 (-15.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.

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

JEFF NIEMANN vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
NIEMANN is 1-0 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 1.59 and a WHIP of 1.235.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

CARL PAVANO vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
PAVANO is 5-3 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.73 and a WHIP of 1.229.
His team's record is 7-3 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-6. (-2.8 units)

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TEXAS (47 - 30) at LA ANGELS (44 - 36) - 10:05 PM
C.J. WILSON (L) vs. JERED WEAVER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 1-10 (-9.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA ANGELS are 101-66 (+29.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 121-93 (+24.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 44-36 (+6.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 20-8 (+13.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 38-13 (+23.5 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 136-97 (+26.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 52-33 (+13.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 47-30 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 17-8 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 47-27 (+15.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 35-17 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 91-67 (+22.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 3-1 (+2.1 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

C.J. WILSON vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
WILSON is 0-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 12.00 and a WHIP of 2.000.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

JERED WEAVER vs. TEXAS since 1997
WEAVER is 4-3 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 3.88 and a WHIP of 1.242.
His team's record is 7-8 (-3.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-5. (+3.0 units)

MLB
Short Sheet


Thursday, 7/1/2010

CINCINNATI at CHICAGO CUBS, 2:20 PM ET
WOOD: CINCINNATI 23-14 after 1 or more consecutive unders
SILVA: CHICAGO CUBS 3-10 after 2 straight games where the bullpen gave up no runs

PHILADELPHIA at PITTSBURGH, 7:05 PM ET
HAMELS: 10-16 TSR after a loss
MCCUTCHEN: PITTSBURGH 12-4 after 2 straight games where they committed no errors

NY METS at WASHINGTON, 7:05 PM ET
SANTANA: NY METS 5-19 in road games with a hot bullpen whose ERA is under 3.00 the last 15 games
HERNANDEZ: 11-5 TSR against division opponents

MILWAUKEE at ST LOUIS, 8:15 PM ET
WOLF: 11-3 OVER in all games this season
HAWKSWORTH: ST LOUIS 53-33 OVER after 2 straight games where they stranded 10 or more runners on base

SAN FRANCISCO at COLORADO, 8:40 PM ET
BUMGARNER: SAN FRANCISCO 8-17 against division opponents
COOK: COLORADO 17-5 with a struggling bullpen whose ERA is over 8.00 the last 5 games

HOUSTON at SAN DIEGO, 10:05 PM ET
MOEHLER: 5-1 TSR as a road underdog of +175 to +250
GARLAND: 5-13 TSR in home games after giving up <=2 earned runs in his last 2 outings

TORONTO at CLEVELAND, 12:05 PM ET
MARCUM: 10-2 TSR on the road when the total is 8.5 to 10
MASTERSON: 4-16 TSR as an underdog of +100 to +150

SEATTLE at NY YANKEES, 1:05 PM ET
ROWLAND-SMITH: SEATTLE 9-23 after 2 or more consecutive road games
SABATHIA: NY YANKEES 24-5 in home games after 3 straight games without a stolen base

OAKLAND at BALTIMORE, 7:05 PM ET
CAHILL: 16-3 TSR when the total is 8 to 8.5
ARRIETA: BALTIMORE 4-20 when the total is 8 to 8.5

TAMPA BAY at MINNESOTA, 8:10 PM ET
NIEMANN: TAMPA BAY 10-3 in road games after a win by 4 runs or more
PAVANO: MINNESOTA 7-13 after allowing 2 runs or less

TEXAS at LA ANGELS, 10:05 PM ET
WILSON: TEXAS 10-21 after having won 18 or more of their last 25 games
WEAVER: 12-2 TSR at home when the money line is +125 to -125

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Daily Sports Roundup: July 1

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Yankees look for a victory over the Mariners, Tiger Woods takes to the course at Aronimink, and the new CFL season gets started.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The American League schedule for Thursday has Toronto at Cleveland, Oakland at Baltimore, Tampa Bay at Minnesota, Texas at the Angels, and Seattle at the Yankees. Ryan Rowland-Smith (1-7, 6.18 ERA) will take the hill for the Mariners on Thursday against New York's CC Sabathia (9-3, 3.49 ERA). Lefthander Rowland-Smith was knocked around by the Brewers last time out, surrendering five earned runs over his 5 1-3 innings of work. Lefthander Sabathia has won five straight starts, beating the Dodgers in his last outing by allowing just one earned run over eight innings pitched.

Over in the National League on Thursday it'll be Cincinnati at the Cubs, Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, Milwaukee at St. Louis, San Francisco at Colorado, Houston at San Diego, and the Mets at Washington. Johan Santana (5-5, 3.55 ERA) will try to go over the .500 mark for New York in that last matchup, while Livan Hernandez (6-4, 3.10 ERA) is slated to get the ball for the Nationals. Lefthander Santana is coming off back-to-back losses to the Twins and Yankees, giving up nine earned runs over his last 12 innings of work. Righthander Hernandez took a no-decision against the Orioles in his last trip to the mound, giving up five earned runs on 11 hits over his six innings pitched.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Tiger Woods hits the links on Thursday as the PGA Tour begins the AT&T National at Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, Pennsylvania. Vegas has Woods listed as the 5/2 favorite for this week's tournament, with Jim Furyk next on that odds list at 10/1. Dustin Johnson (15/1) and Robert Allenby (18/1) sit just behind those top two contenders, with each of Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler getting 20/1 odds for the week.

The Canadian Football League season gets underway on Thursday, with Montreal at Saskatchewan and Toronto at Calgary. The Alouettes and Roughriders met in last year's Grey Cup game, with Montreal rallying for a 28-27 victory in that contest. Oddsmakers have the Als set as 3-point road favorites for Thursday night, with the total for the game at 53.3. The Stampeders are then set as the big 13.5-point home favorites in their opener against Toronto, with that matchup's total pegged at 48 points.

Finally, there are four games on tap around the WNBA on Thursday, with Connecticut at Chicago, Washington at Phoenix, San Antonio at Los Angeles, and Minnesota at Atlanta. The Lynx (5-10 SU, 7-8 ATS) fell 80-66 to San Antonio last time out despite Seimone Augustus' 14-point effort. The Dream (12-4 SU, 9-6-1 ATS) are coming off a 94-88 win over Phoenix, with Penny Taylor scoring 31 points for Phoenix on the night.

Thursday's six-pack

-- First-place Reds have now won 14 games in their final at-bat after they rallied to beat Roy Halladay and the Phillies 4-3 Wednesday.

-- Marlins scored five runs despite having eight guys with 2+ hits; last time that happened was 1934.

-- Pirates are 9-3 against the Cubs, 18-48 against everyone else.

-- Arizona pitcher Dan Haren is hitting .435 this year; he walked in the 5th inning as a pinch-hitter Wednesday and has a 7-game hitting streak.

-- Jason Barltett's 3-run dinger Wednesday snapped a stretch where the Rays' last 21 home runs had come with the bases empty.

-- Happy Canada Day to our friends north of the border.......


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Thursday's List of 13: What I'm looking for in July.........

July's going to be a busy month; here is some stuff I'm looking for......

13) Sometimes it seems like the NBA's offseason is more interesting than the regular season-- this offseason it definitely feels that way. What free agents will go where? Will the new owner of the Nets make a big splash? Will the Knicks finally improve?

12) The biggest unanswered question of course, is where will Lebron be playing next winter? Cleveland? Chicago? New York? Newark? Miami?

11) If the Heat re-sign Dwyane Wade, then somehow sign both James and either Bosh/Stoudemire, does that mean Pat Riley will suddenly feel like coaching again? Frank from Sacramento thinks thats going to happen.

10) Then there's the baseball trading deadline, which is July 31; Cliff Lee is the X-factor there. Where he winds up could determine who makes the playoffs. Seattle could keep Lee and pocket two draft picks next winter, after he bolts as a free agent, but chances are someone will cough up one or two decent prospects for a chance at a championship.

9) Baseball's regular season has almost become two seasons; the first half we find out who the contenders are, then we divide up into the sellers and buyers at the trade deadline. The White Sox' recent hot streak keeps them in the contender column. Oakland's June swoon could make them sellers.

8) When Carlos Beltran comes back from his knee injury, what will the Mets do with their four outfielders? Its a nice problem to have, for a club that looks more like a contender every day. If Omar Minaya can pull the trigger on a good deadline deal, it could put the Mets over the top.

7) Will the Angels add a first baseman? Will Texas add a catcher? Will the disappointing Cubs dump salary? Do the Pirates even have someone the contenders would want? Will the A's sell of Ben Sheets? Stay tuned.......
Rangers traded for Benjie Molina late Wednesday night.

6) Eldrick Woods is a 7-2 favorite to win British Open at St Andrews; its going to be fun to watch in the middle of the night from Las Vegas, where I think the telecasts will start at 4am Vegas time. What will the British press be like? If Eldrick doesn't win in July, when will he win again?

5) Speaking of Mr Woods, rumor has him paying $750 million as part of his divorce settlement. Two words: Hush money. Dude had a pre-nup and is still paying through the nose, all to keep the former nanny from heaping more public humiliation on Eldrick by writing a book/doing talk shows.

4) Sometime in July, the NCAA will announce how the extra games in the Field of 68 will be handled. Am thinking it'll involve the four lowest-rated teams playing each other, and the last four at-large teams playing a couple games too, leading into the best weekend of the sports year.

3) I'm going to be at Rio for last five days of World Series of Poker, and I'll be taking in the NBA Summer League at UNLV. Good stuff. I'm told it gets a little warm in the desert in July. Excellent. Actually, August 1, 1986 was first time I was ever in Vegas. Was 112 when I pulled into town, but it was a dry 112. Won't be much walking around outside on this trip.

For $25, you can go to UNLV and watch four summer league games in one with some of the best younger players in the league. Am looking forward to seeing Blake Griffin play, after missing last year with a bum knee.

2) Hope to catch up with some old friends and make some new ones when the horse racing season starts in Saratoga. For six weeks, our area becomes bigtime fun, the summer place to be, as the commercials used to say. You want a fun summer day? Go to the races on a Friday, then go out at night in Saratoga; in upstate New York, it doesn't get much better.

1) Once I get back from the desert, it'll be time to dive head-first into the football season. Training camps will be started and college ball will only be five weeks away. July has a lot of stuff in it; NBA, baseball and then the start of football. It'll be a lot of activity stuffed into 31 days.

Bettors' best friend: Thursday's wagering tips

Lines off the board

Reds at Cubs: Total is off pending wind direction and speed.

Lines to keep an eye on

Suns at Sky (WNBA): Sky opened as a 2-point favorite but that line has been cut in half. The total has jumped from 154 to 155.

Silver Stars at Sparks (WNBA): Sparks opened as a 3-point favorite but that number has slipped to 2.5. The total has fallen from 155.5 to 154.

Mystics at Mercury (WNBA): Mercury opened as a 4-point favorite but have been bet down to 3.5. The total has climbed from 177.5 to 179.

Lynx at Dream (WNBA): Dream opened as an 8.5-point pick but that number is up to 9. The total has slipped from 175 to 173.

Who's hot

Rangers have won 16 of their last 19.

Angels have won eight of their last 11.

Brewers have won seven of their last nine.

Athletics have won four in a row.

Who's not

Rays have lost nine of their last 12.

Pirates have lost seven of their last eight.

Blue Jays have lost seven of their last nine

Giants have lost six of their last seven.

Key stat

105 - Points margin Sprint Cup leader Kevin Harvick holds over four-time defending series champion and current runner-up Jimmie Johnson midway through the season despite the fact that Harvick has only one victory and Johnson has five.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

Mets shortstop Jose Reyes was scratched from the lineup for Wednesday's game against Florida after injuring his lower back during batting practice. Reyes will be evaluated Thursday after what had to be an uncomfortable flight from Puerto Rico to Washington to face the Nationals. The Mets will likely lose Reyes for at least the first game of the four-game series. He is batting .277 with six homers and 32 RBIs this season.

Game of the day

Rangers at Angels (-125, 8)

Notable quotable

"I don't think (the Big 12) conference will last long because there is too much disparity between all the teams. In the SEC, for instance, Vanderbilt makes as much money in the television contract as Florida. ... That doesn't happen here in the Big 12. We have some teams that get a little bit more money and have a little bit more stroke than some of the other teams. And when that happens, you're gonna have teams looking for better avenues to leave."

First-year Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville in reference to the deal the Big 12 cut with Texas and other members to give them a larger share of TV revenues than other schools to keep them from leaving to the Big Ten and Pac-10.

Tips and notes

The White Sox were on a roll before closer Bobby Jenks was placed on the family medical emergency list Sunday and was expected to miss three to seven days. The Chi-Sox lost a couple of close ones without their regular closer, but he will be back for the weekend series against the Rangers. In 31 appearances this season, Jenks is 1-1 with a 4.03 ERA and 17 saves.

Brazil will be without Elano for its World Cup showdown against the Netherlands on Friday. Elano scored in Brazil's first two matches but suffered a bone bruise in his right ankle in the second match against Ivory Coast. He has missed matches against Portugal and Chile and cut short a practice session Tuesday, making him unlikely to return against the Dutch.

Many NASCAR fans are conspiracy theorists, and for good reason. Heart-warming stories always seem to happen whenever TV ratings start to fall, so watch out for Friday night's Nationwide race when Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets behind the wheel of his famous father's No. 3 as a tribute to the Intimidator. Remember when he won at Daytona shortly after his dad's tragic accident at the track? Junior has been struggling and a win would be just what he (and NASCAR) needs to get back on track.