CNOTES Monday's MLB Best Bets !

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
08/08/10 11-14-2 44.00% -1720 Detail
08/07/10 19-8-1 70.37% +6000 Detail
08/06/10 14-13-1 51.85% +425 Detail
08/05/10 7-12-1 36.84% -3050 Detail
08/04/10 13-16-0 44.83% -1395 Detail
08/03/10 16-14-0 53.33% +1195 Detail
08/02/10 10-10-0 50.00% -250 Detail
08/01/10 8-21-1 27.59% -7790 Detail
Totals 98-108-6 47.57% -6585

Monday, August 9Game Score Status Pick Amount

Boston 2 Bot 9 NY Yankees +106 500
NY Yankees 1

Chi. White Sox - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore +119 500
Baltimore - Under 9 500

Tampa Bay - 7:05 PM ET Detroit +147 500 *****
Detroit - Over 8.5 500

St. Louis - 7:10 PM ET Cincinnati +127 500 *****
Cincinnati - Over 7.5 500 *****

Atlanta - 8:05 PM ET Houston +120 500
Houston - Under 8.5 500 *****

Arizona - 8:10 PM ET Milwaukee -138 500
Milwaukee - Under 9 500

Kansas City - 10:05 PM ET Kansas City +196 500 *****
LA Angels - Over 8.5 500

Oakland - 10:10 PM ET Oakland +102 500 *****
Seattle - Under 7 500 *****

Chi. Cubs - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco -160 500
San Francisco - Under 7.5 500 *****


Good Luck !

MLB
Write-Up


Monday, August 9

Hot pitchers
-- Cardinals won last five Carpenter starts (3-0, 1.62).
-- Norris is 3-0, 4.50 in his last three starts.

-- Hughes is 2-1, 3.78 in his last three starts.
-- Price is 2-0, 2.66 in his last three starts.
-- Mazzaro is 4-1, 3.27 in his last seven starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Leake is 0-3, 9.92 in his last three starts.
-- Lefty Minor makes big league debut here; he was 4-1, 1.89 in his six starts at AAA level.
-- Narveson is 0-2, 11.30 in his last three home starts. Kennedy is 1-2, 7.02 in his last three starts.
-- Zambrano makes first start since June 25; he was 2-3, 6.17 in his last five starts. Bumgarner is 1-2, 4.76 in his last three starts.

-- Lester is 0-4, 6.07 in his last four starts.
-- Galarraga is 0-3, 5.06 in his last six starts.
-- EJackson is 1-4, 6.44 in his last five starts. Matusz is 1-2, 9.00 in his last five starts.
-- Former Angel O'Sullivan is 0-2, 6.61 in three starts for the Royals. ESantana has a 14.90 RA in his last two starts.
-- Fister is 0-7, 6.22 in his last eleven starts.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Carpenter road starts stayed under total.
-- Six of last eight Atlanta games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Narveson starts went over the total.
-- Four of last five Cub games stayed under the total.

-- Over is 9-3-2 in last fourteen games in the Bronx. Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Boston road games.
-- Over is 13-6 in Tampa Bay's last 19 road games.
-- Seven of last nine White Sox road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Kansas City road games.
-- Four of last five Mazzaro starts went over the total.

Hot Teams
-- Cincinnati won nine of its last eleven games.
-- Braves won four of their last five games.
-- Brewers are 10-2 in last dozen games at Miller Park. Arizona won three of its last four games.

-- Bronx won three of its last four games.
-- White Sox won 10 of their last 14 games. Orioles won five of their last six contests.
-- A's are 10-6 in their last sixteen road games.

Cold Teams
-- Cubs lost ten of their last eleven games.
-- Astros lost their last three games, allowing 30 runs.
-- St Louis is 6-12 in its last 18 road games.
-- Giants lost four of their last five games.

-- Red Sox ae 9-10 in their last 18 road games.
-- Tampa Bay lost its last five games, allowing 30 runs. Tigers lost 13 of their last 16 games.
-- Royals lost 10 of their last 13 road games. Angels lost five of their last seven home games.
-- Mariners lost 10 of their last 13 games.

MLB


Monday, August 9

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Trend Report
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2:05 PM
BOSTON vs. NY YANKEES
Boston is 2-10 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
Boston is 5-16 SU in their last 21 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 16-5 SU in their last 21 games when playing Boston
NY Yankees are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games when playing at home against Boston

7:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay

7:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. BALTIMORE
Chi White Sox are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Baltimore's last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baltimore's last 6 games at home

7:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone OVER in 11 of St. Louis's last 16 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
St. Louis is 5-10-1 SU in its last 16 games ,on the road
Cincinnati is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Cincinnati's last 16 games when playing at home against St. Louis

8:05 PM
ATLANTA vs. HOUSTON
Atlanta is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 9 games when playing at home against Atlanta

8:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. MILWAUKEE
Arizona is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Arizona's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing at home against Arizona
Milwaukee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

10:05 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Kansas City's last 8 games
Kansas City is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games
LA Angels are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Kansas City
LA Angels are 13-4 SU in their last 17 games when playing Kansas City

10:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Oakland is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Seattle's last 8 games
Seattle is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Oakland

10:15 PM
CHI CUBS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 1-10 SU in their last 11 games
San Francisco is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Francisco's last 7 games when playing Chi Cubs

MLB


Monday, August 9

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

David Price (14-5, 2.82 ERA), Tampa Bay Rays

David Price is really good. No big surprise there but it seems like the long lefty is making adjustments with almost every start. While he still is a little too dependent on his fastball, he is working on his control.

His 55 walks rank among the top 10 for American League starting pitchers but Price has walked just four batters in his last two starts and he’s had two or less in five of his last eight appearances. The under is also 5-2-1 in his last eight trips to the bump.


Slumping

Ervin Santana (10-8, 4.11 ERA), Los Angeles Angels

Things aren’t going so well these days for the Angels and Santana is one of many players on the club underachieving at the moment. The Halos are 2-4 in his last six starts and the 27-year-old right owns a 12.11 ERA and a 2.69 WHIP (walks + hits per inning) over his last two outings.

"When you don't have a first-pitch strike, you have big troubles," Santana told the Los Angeles Times after the Orioles knocked him around for nine runs in his last start. "I'm just going to leave this in this ballpark and get to the next outing."


Returning

Carlos Zambrano (3-6, 5.61 ERA), Chicago Cubs

What a long strange trip it’s been for Big Z this season. Once considered the Cubs unquestioned staff ace, Zambrano is now thought of as one of the most overpaid and underachieving players in the big leagues.

He’s made three relief appearances since returning from a team suspension following his dugout blowup, but this will be his first start since that forgettable day in July when Zambrano and team captain Derrek Lee almost came started throwing hay-makers at each other.

Zambrano has issued four walks in 3 2/3 innings of work since rejoining the Cubs but manager Lou Piniella seemed encouraged by his big righty’s added zip on his fastball.

Reports suggest that the Cubs will not let Zambrano pitch more than 75 or 80 pitches in his Monday start.


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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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Atlanta Braves at Houston Astros (100, 8.5)

There's no place like dome for the Astros, who return home having won five in a row at Minute Maid Park by a combined score of 30-4.

Of course, those lopsided wins came against struggling teams like the Cubs and Brewers, but the Braves may qualify as a lesser team in the series opener.

That's because they have called up 22-year-old lefthander Mike Minor to make his major-league debut in place of injured starter Kris Medlen.

Minor, who is 6-7 with a 3.44 ERA in Double-A and Triple-A this season, was the last to know about his last-minute promotion Saturday night.

"I was thinking they were going to go with a veteran guy, an experienced guy," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "My dad was saying that it was all over the internet, they are going to call you up. I still didn’t believe it until they told me."

Minor may be in for an even bigger surprise against the hard-hitting Astros, who are batting .316 against lefties in their last 10 games.

The Braves, who are batting just .242 against righties during that same span, face Bud Norris, who has won his last two starts and struck out a combined 13.

Welcome to the majors, Minor.

Pick: Astros


Chicago Cubs at San Francisco Giants (-160, 8)

The Cubs, frequent victims of the June swoon, have instead waited for the July slide and the August bust before falling to pieces this season.

The Loveable Losers have dropped 10 of their last 11 and scored three or fewer runs in seven of those defeats. The Cubs are next-to-last in hitting with runners in scoring position.

"I don't even want to talk about it anymore, truthfully," soon-to-be former Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of the lack of clutch hitting. "No sense re-hashing, what could have been, whatever. It's hard. It's frustrating is what it is."

The Cubs are feeling the same frustration and will likely start playing out the string. They will do so without their skipper, who is leaving the team to tend to his ailing mother.

They do get a shot of fire from Carlos Zambrano, who returns to the mound after his tirade last month, but even if he is effective he is on a 75-80 pitch count.

Put a disgruntled team on a plane without their manager for a West Coast road swing that starts in San Francisco, where the Giants are 9-3 since the All-Star break, and you get predictable results.

Pick: Giants

MLB


Monday, August 9

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Tips and Trends
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St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds [ESPN | 7:10 PM ET]

Cardinals (-140, O/U 7.5): St. Louis is looking up at Cincinnati in the National League Central division. The Cardinals are 61-49 SU this season, 2 games behind the Reds. St. Louis is -5.52 and -7.92 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. St. Louis has been playing quite well offensively of late, something they will need to keep up as they face their nemesis on the road this series. The Cardinals are 8-3 in their last 11 games against a team with a winning record. St. Louis is 46-18 in their last 64 games during game 1 of a series. The Cardinals are 5-2 in their last 7 games against the National League Central. St. Louis is 8-20 in their last 28 road games against a right-handed starter.

Cardinals are 16-5 last 21 Monday games overall.
Over is 5-0 last 5 games against the National League Central.

Key Injuries - CF Colby Rasmus (rest) is probable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)

Reds: Cincinnati is playing like playoff veterans, as they try to reach the postseason for the first time in quite a while. The Reds have won 4 straight and 8 of their past 10 games overall. Cincinnati is 64-48 SU this year, including 33-23 SU at home. The Reds are +14.34 and +16.09 units both SU and on the RL this season. Pitcher Mike Leake will make the home start tonight, as he is 7-3 with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.40 this season. The Reds are 4-0 in their last 4 games overall. Cincinnati is 5-1 in their last 6 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days. The Reds are 5-1 in their last 6 Monday games. The Reds are 5-1 in Leake's last 6 starts with 5 days of rest. Cincinnati is 1-4 in Leake's last 5 starts against the National League Central.

Reds are 10-3 last 13 games during game 1 of a series.
Under is 9-3 last 12 games against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - 2B Brandon Phillips (foot) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 2



Chicago White Sox at Baltimore Orioles [7:05 PM ET]

White Sox (-150, O/U 9): Chicago is 63-38 SU this season, the best record in the American League Central division this year. Chicago has been one of the most consistent teams in baseball this season, thanks to an impressive pitching staff. The White Sox are +13.09 and +7.88 units both SU and on the RL respectively this year. Pitcher Edwin Jackson will make the road start for his new team today, as he is 1-0 with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 1.43 with the White Sox this year. The White Sox are 8-1 in their last 9 Monday games. Chicago is 22-5 in their last 27 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The White Sox are 4-1 in their last 5 games against a left-handed starter. Chicago is 4-1 in their last 5 games during game 4 of a series. The White Sox are 5-11 in their last 16 games against the American League East.

White Sox are 11-3 last 14 games against a team with a winning percentage below .400%.
Under is 6-0 last 6 road games against a team with a losing home record.

Key Injuries - 2B Gordon Beckham (groin) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4 (UNDER - Total of the Day)

Orioles: Baltimore is playing their best baseball of the season, which just happens to coincide with their new manager. The Orioles have won 5 of their last 6 games, and appear to be relishing the role of spoiler down the stretch of the season. Baltimore is 37-74 SU this season, including 23-34 SU at home. The Orioles are -20.27 and -20.58 units both SU and on the RL this year. Pitcher Brian Matusz will take the mound tonight, as he is 4-11 with an ERA of 5.26 and a WHIP of 1.50 this season. The Orioles are 4-9 in their last 13 home games against a right-handed starter. Baltimore is 20-47 in their last 67 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Orioles are 5-12 in their last 17 games during game 4 of a series. Baltimore is 5-13 in their last 18 games against the American League Central. The Orioles are 4-1 in Matusz's last 5 starts with 4 days of rest. Baltimore is 3-7 in Matusz's last 10 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance. The Orioles are 3-9 in Matusz's last 12 starts against a team with a winning record.

Orioles are 5-1 last 6 home games.
Under is 4-0 last 4 home games against a team with a winning road record.

Key Injuries - C Matt Wieters (rest) is probable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3


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This Day in Baseball
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On August 9 in Baseball History...

1916 - The Philadelphia A's ended their 20-game losing streak as Joe Bush beat the Detroit Tigers 7-1.

1918 - Reds manager Christy Mathewson suspects Hal Chase of taking bribes to fix games, and suspends him for indifferent play. Chase will be reinstated and play for the Giants in 1919.

1939 - Red Rolfe of the New York Yankees started a streak of 18 consecutive games in which he scored at least one run. During those games, he scored a total of 30 runs.

1946 - All Major League baseball games (four in the American League and four in the National League) are played at night for the first time in Major League history.

1960 - Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox hit home run No. 511 to tie Mel Ott for fourth place on the all-time list.

1963 - Roger Craig's National League record-tying 18-game losing streak ends thanks to Jim Hickman's ninth-inning grand slam off Lindy McDaniel. New York beats the Cubs, 7-3.

1975 - Davey Lopes of the Los Angeles Dodgers stole his 32nd consecutive base without being caught in a 2-0 victory over the New York Mets, breaking Max Carey's 1922 record. Lopes tacked on six more steals before being caught on Aug. 24.

1976 - John Candelaria became the first Pirate pitcher in 69 years to throw a no-hitter in Pittsburgh by blanking the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0. Nick Maddox pitched the first Pirate no-hitter at Pittsburgh in 1907. Candelaria's no-hitter came at Three Rivers Stadium. No Pirate ever threw a no-hitter at Forbes Field.

1979 - Longtime Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley dies at age 75.

1981 - Baseball returned following the strike with the All-Star game in Cleveland before a crowd of 72,086. Gary Carter of the Montreal Expos hit two home runs to give the National League a 5-4 triumph over the American League. Vida Blue became the first pitcher to win an All-Star game in both leagues. His American League victory came in 1971 at Detroit.

1988 - The Chicago Cubs won the first official night game at Wrigley Field by beating the New York Mets 6-4.

1997 - Twins pitcher Brad Radke's winning streak ends at 12 consecutive starts when Luis Sojo doubles home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to send the Yankees to a 4-1 win before a crowd of 42,151, the second-largest gathering of the season at the Metrodome. Radke (16-6) remains tied with Scott Erickson (1991) for most consecutive wins by a Twin.

1998 - Dennis Martinez of the Braves records his 244th career victory, surpassing Juan Marichal as the winningest Latin American pitcher. Ironically, Martinez's 7-5 win comes against the Giants, Marichal's former team. Martinez had retired in 1997 two wins shy of Marichal's mark, but he returned in 1998 as a spot starter and occasional stopper in the Atlanta bullpen.

MLB
Dunkel


St. Louis at Cincinnati
The Reds look to take advantage of a St. Louis team that is 1-4 in Chris Carpenter's last 5 road starts against a team with a winning record. Cincinnati is the pick (+120) according to Dunkel, which has the Reds favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+120). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, AUGUST 9

Game 951-952: St. Louis at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Carpenter) 15.516; Cincinnati (Leake) 15.975
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-140); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+120); Under

Game 953-954: Atlanta at Houston (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Minor) 14.760; Houston (Norrris) 15.484
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+105); Over

Game 955-956: Arizona at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Kennedy) 14.928; Milwaukee (Narveson) 15.253
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-135); Over

Game 957-958: Chicago Cubs at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Zambrano) 13.306; San Francisco (Bumgarner) 14.637
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-160); 8
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-160); Under

Game 959-960: Boston at NY Yankees (2:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 14.857; NY Yankees (Hughes) 16.202
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Boston (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (+105); Under

Game 961-962: Tampa Bay at Detroit (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Price) 15.083; Detroit (Galarraga) 15.441
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-160); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+140); Under

Game 963-964: Chicago White Sox at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Jackson) 15.644; Baltimore (Matusz) 14.866
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-145); 9
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-145); Under

Game 965-966: Kansas City at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (O'Sullivan) 13.834; LA Angels (Santana) 14.220
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-210); 9
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-210); Under

Game 967-968: Oakland at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Mazzaro) 15.583; Seattle (Fister) 13.954
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Seattle (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-105); Over

MLB
Long Sheet


Monday, August 9

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ST LOUIS (61 - 49) at CINCINNATI (64 - 48) - 7:10 PM
CHRIS CARPENTER (R) vs. MIKE LEAKE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 23-31 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
ST LOUIS is 58-48 (-7.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 14-21 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
ST LOUIS is 8-18 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 60-49 (-7.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 12-18 (-12.1 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 64-48 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 34-18 (+16.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CINCINNATI is 64-48 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 42-30 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CINCINNATI is 45-32 (+12.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CARPENTER is 135-77 (+40.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
CARPENTER is 55-32 (+22.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 248-286 (-73.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 7-5 (+0.2 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.5 Units)

CHRIS CARPENTER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
CARPENTER is 10-3 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 1.96 and a WHIP of 0.811.
His team's record is 12-4 (+5.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-11. (-6.9 units)

MIKE LEAKE vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
LEAKE is 1-0 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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ATLANTA (64 - 47) at HOUSTON (47 - 63) - 8:05 PM
MIKE MINOR (L) vs. BUD NORRIS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 75-71 (-18.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 37-51 (-20.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 40-26 (+18.5 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 36-29 (+16.2 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 44-44 (+16.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 65-47 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 65-47 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 46-29 (+11.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

MIKE MINOR vs. HOUSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

BUD NORRIS vs. ATLANTA since 1997
NORRIS is 0-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 13.49 and a WHIP of 2.570.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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ARIZONA (43 - 69) at MILWAUKEE (53 - 59) - 8:10 PM
IAN KENNEDY (R) vs. CHRIS NARVESON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 43-70 (-24.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 44-71 (-30.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 15-37 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
ARIZONA is 41-69 (-27.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 86-112 (-24.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 28-48 (-22.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 10-25 (-16.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 52-60 (-9.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 22-30 (-10.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
MILWAUKEE is 67-69 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 52-60 (-9.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 47-50 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 63-69 (-17.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 3-0 (+3.3 Units) against ARIZONA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

IAN KENNEDY vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
KENNEDY is 0-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

CHRIS NARVESON vs. ARIZONA since 1997
NARVESON is 1-0 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 3.11 and a WHIP of 1.269.
His team's record is 2-0 (+3.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (47 - 64) at SAN FRANCISCO (63 - 49) - 10:15 PM
CARLOS ZAMBRANO (R) vs. MADISON BUMGARNER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 48-61 (-14.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 48-64 (-28.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 20-32 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 13-23 (-16.2 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 48-64 (-28.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 22-32 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 63-50 (+7.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 37-16 (+15.5 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 85-49 (+24.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 142-87 (+55.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 62-48 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 43-29 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 112-90 (+18.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 71-52 (+17.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 71-45 (+18.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 10-2 (+7.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
ZAMBRANO is 75-51 (+22.6 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 75-49 (+24.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 35-21 (+19.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 9-0 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

CARLOS ZAMBRANO vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
ZAMBRANO is 5-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.86 and a WHIP of 1.271.
His team's record is 7-1 (+6.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.9 units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

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BOSTON (63 - 49) at NY YANKEES (69 - 41) - 2:05 PM
JON LESTER (L) vs. PHIL HUGHES (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 32-41 (-15.6 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 11-17 (-10.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
BOSTON is 7-22 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LESTER is 9-11 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 148-79 (+36.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 7-4 (+2.2 Units) against BOSTON this season
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+5.1 Units)

JON LESTER vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
LESTER is 4-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.01 and a WHIP of 1.335.
His team's record is 5-5 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+1.0 units)

PHIL HUGHES vs. BOSTON since 1997
HUGHES is 1-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 8.00 and a WHIP of 1.944.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.1 units)

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TAMPA BAY (67 - 44) at DETROIT (54 - 57) - 7:05 PM
DAVID PRICE (L) vs. ARMANDO GALARRAGA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 88-53 (+20.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 88-53 (+20.7 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 31-12 (+17.0 Units) against the money line in home games against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 31-17 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TAMPA BAY is 21-7 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DETROIT is 54-58 (-7.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
DETROIT is 29-37 (-19.5 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 17-28 (-16.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 131-142 (-28.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against DETROIT this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

DAVID PRICE vs. DETROIT since 1997
PRICE is 2-0 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 1.98 and a WHIP of 1.098.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.3 units)

ARMANDO GALARRAGA vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
GALARRAGA is 1-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 6.35 and a WHIP of 1.118.
His team's record is 2-1 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.0 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (63 - 48) at BALTIMORE (37 - 74) - 7:05 PM
EDWIN JACKSON (R) vs. BRIAN MATUSZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 63-48 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 59-44 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 28-17 (+12.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
BALTIMORE is 38-74 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 529-586 (-120.1 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 87-102 (-34.2 Units) against the money line in home games in August games since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 5-22 (-17.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 529-586 (-120.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 19-51 (-19.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BALTIMORE is 19-41 (-19.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 2-1 (+1.7 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

EDWIN JACKSON vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
JACKSON is 4-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 5.16 and a WHIP of 1.315.
His team's record is 4-1 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+0.8 units)

BRIAN MATUSZ vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
No recent starts.

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KANSAS CITY (47 - 64) at LA ANGELS (56 - 57) - 10:05 PM
SEAN O'SULLIVAN (R) vs. ERVIN SANTANA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 112-161 (-28.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 103-144 (-26.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 110-79 (+23.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 72-45 (+15.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 158-127 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 148-119 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
O'SULLIVAN is 9-3 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 21-28 (-12.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
SANTANA is 9-15 (-12.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 4-3 (-0.3 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.7 Units)

SEAN O'SULLIVAN vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.

ERVIN SANTANA vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
SANTANA is 4-4 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.47 and a WHIP of 1.423.
His team's record is 4-5 (-4.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-3. (+2.5 units)

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OAKLAND (56 - 54) at SEATTLE (42 - 70) - 10:10 PM
VIN MAZZARO (R) vs. DOUG FISTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 10-22 (-14.0 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 29-43 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 55-37 (+15.5 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 56-54 (+2.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 225-152 (+68.1 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
OAKLAND is 55-49 (+6.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 98-94 (+16.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 57-40 (+18.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 9-26 (-18.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SEATTLE is 41-67 (-27.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 30-48 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 42-69 (-27.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 6-3 (+2.8 Units) against SEATTLE this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)

VIN MAZZARO vs. SEATTLE since 1997
MAZZARO is 0-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.800.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

DOUG FISTER vs. OAKLAND since 1997
FISTER is 2-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.083.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.2 units)

MLB
Short Sheet


Monday, 8/9/2010

ST LOUIS at CINCINNATI, 7:10 PM ET
CARPENTER: STL 8-15 after 3+ consecutive overs
LEAKE: CIN 24-11 after allowing 4 runs or less 3 straight games

ATLANTA at HOUSTON, 8:05 PM ET
MINOR: ATL 46-29 against right-handed starters
NORRIS: HOU 9-1 UNDER revenging 2 straight losses where team scored 2 or less runs

ARIZONA at MILWAUKEE, 8:10 PM ET
KENNEDY: ARI 13-1 OVER after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6
NARVESON: MIL 4-13 after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7

CHICAGO CUBS at SAN FRANCISCO, 10:15 PM ET
ZAMBRANO: CHC 4-16 on the road when the total is 7 to 7.5
BUMGARNER: SF 19-7 against NL Central

BOSTON at NY YANKEES, 2:05 PM ET
LESTER: BOS 11-17 in day games
HUGHES: NYY 33-7 at home after 2+ consecutive unders

TAMPA BAY at DETROIT, 7:05 PM ET
PRICE: TB 22-10 Away after allowing 2 runs or less
GALARRAGA: DET 9-16 after 2+ consecutive overs

CHI WHITE SOX at BALTIMORE, 7:05 PM ET
JACKSON: CHW 9-0 after allowing 4 runs or less 5 straight games
MATUSZ: BAL 5-22 when playing on Monday

KANSAS CITY at LA ANGELS, 10:05 PM ET
O'SULLIVAN: 9-3 TSR games played on a grass field
SANTANA: 13-18 TSR as a favorite

OAKLAND at SEATTLE, 10:10 PM ET
MAZZARO: OAK 22-8 after 4+ consecutive home games
FISTER: SEA 9-26 against division opponents

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Daily Sports Roundup: August 9

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Cubs head to San Francisco for a series against the Giants, and the Rays continue their road swing in Detroit against the Tigers.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The American League schedule for Monday offers up Boston at the Yankees, the White Sox at Baltimore, Kansas City at the Angels, Oakland at Seattle, and Tampa Bay at Detroit. The Rays are expected to send David Price (14-5, 2.82 ERA) to the mound in that last contest, while the Tigers counter with Armando Galarraga (3-4, 4.32 ERA). Lefthander Price had to settle for a no-decision against the Twins in his last trip to the mound (one run over seven innings), but he beat Detroit on July 29 (two runs over 6 1-3 innings). Righthander Galarraga is coming off a loss to the White Sox in which he gave up four runs on eight hits over his 7 2-3 innings of work, walking five hitters in the game.

Over in the National League on Monday it's then St. Louis at Cincinnati, Atlanta at Houston, Arizona at Milwaukee, and the Cubs at San Francisco. Carlos Zambrano (3-6, 5.61 ERA) is slated to return to the rotation for Chicago in that last contest against the Giants' Madison Bumgarner (4-4, 3.20 ERA). Righthander Zambrano last started back on June 25 against the White Sox, giving up four runs on four hits in just one inning of work in that defeat before going on the restricted list. Lefthander Bumgarner will be looking to bounce back from a loss to the Rockies in his most recent trip to the mound; Bumgarner gave up four runs on nine hits over four innings while fanning three that day.

Bettors' best friend: Monday's wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

Rays at Tigers: Rays opened at +130 but have climbed to as high as +138 at some books.

Braves at Astros: Braves opened at +100 but are now listed as high as +110 at some books.

Cubs at Giants: Giants opened at -165 but now can be found as low as -155 at some books.

Weather to watch

Rays at Tigers: 40 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Who's hot

Brewers are 9-2 in their last 11 at home.

Reds are 7-1 in their last eight.

Orioles are 5-1 in their last six.

Who's not

Cubs are 1-10 in their last 11.

Mariners are 4-10 in their last 14.

Rays have lost five in a row.

Key stat

31-10: Under's record in the last 41 meetings between the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels. We'd love to chalk this lopsided stat up to great pitching but that's not the case. Tonight's total is 7.5 despite featuring starting pitchers with combined ERAs of 13.70 in their last three outings.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski left Saturday night's game against the Baltimore Orioles with an ankle injury and did not play Sunday. Pierzynski hit a double but twisted his ankle on the way to third base and was replaced by Ramon Castro on Saturday and Sunday. Pierzynski, who is batting .231 with six home runs and 32 RBIs this season, could be an even tougher loss because of his close relationship with the White Sox's starting rotation.

Game of the day

Red Sox at Yankees (105, 9)

Notable quotable

"Not playing like this, definitely not, not playing like this. I mean, I wouldn't help the team if I'm playing like this. No one would help the team if they're shooting 18-over par.''

Tiger Woods said Sunday when asked if he hopes to play for the U.S. Ryder Cup team following his career-worst showing at the Bridgestone Invitational.

Tips and notes

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon set a goal before the season - a total of 1,000 innings from his starting rotation. It may be catching up with the Rays. Righthanders Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis left the team Sunday to return to Tampa and have their sore shoulders examined by doctors. Niemann was scratched from Sunday's scheduled start against the Blue Jays and was replaced by Andy Sonnanstine. Davis has Jeremy Hellickson waiting to spell him if needed. The Rays used only five starting pitchers for their first 104 games but Sonnanstine was the seventh in their last seven games. Watch for signs of the Rays' rotation wearing down in the stretch run.

True to their nickname, the Brew Crew is going with a bullpen by committee, with Trevor Hoffman and John Axford sharing the closing duties, according to Milwaukee Brewers manager Ken Macha. The rookie Axford has a 3.00 ERA, converting 16 of 17 save opportunities. The veteran Hoffman has a 6.25 ERA after struggling early but is down to 1.42 ERA in his last 19 appearances, including nine straight scoreless outings. The move may be viewed as political since Hoffman is closing in on 600 career saves. Saturday's conversion brought his total to 597.

Gabe Ruediger was named as the replacement fighter against Joe Lauzon at UFC 118. Terry Etim was originally scheduled to be Lauzon's opponent for the Aug. 28 lightweight bout, but Etim reportedly broke his ribs during training. Both Ruediger and Lauzon appeared on "The Ultimate Fighter 5" in 2007, when Lauzon advanced in the 155-pound class while Ruediger was famously kicked out of the event for failing to make his weight. Ruediger (17-5) is 7-2 since that fight while Lauzon (18-5) is coming off a tough loss in his first fight back from knee surgery.

Monday's six-pack

-- Eldrick Woods finished +18 this weekend, 30 shots behind winner, at a tournament he's won seven times. 30 shots behind the winner!!!!!

-- Not the best of weeks for Torii Hunter, either; lost his CF job, then flipped out at an umpire and got suspended for four games.

-- Trevor Cahill is now 12-4, 2.56, one of the best pitchers in the AL.

-- Orioles are 5-1 under Buck Showalter, an excellent start.

-- Phillies are 18-11 in one-run games, Mets are 14-22. In their other games, Phillies are 44-38, Metropolitans are 41-34.

-- I don't think any owner in any sport should be a Hall of Famer, and that goes double if the owner in question is a convicted felon.


************************************************** *******


Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend........

13) Tampa Bay Rays swing at 72 of Brandon Morrow's pitches Sunday: they fouled off 41 of them, missed 20 of them and got one lone hit on the 11 pitches they put in play-- an infield hit. Quite a performance.

12) Morrow is now 3-0, 1.71 in his last three starts; this is same guy that walked six of 14 Boston batters he faced in a dismal May 10 start, and gave up 15 runs in 16 IP in three starts from June 29-July 10.. With some guys, it just takes some time for the light bulb to go on over their head.

11) Now was it wise for Cito Gaston to leave him in to throw a ball 137 times? Edwin Jackson threw 149 pitches in his no-hitter, but within one month, the manager had been fired and Jackson traded to the White Sox. Morrow threw 69 innings LY, has 127 this year; he's obviously a talent, maybe in the Blue Jays' long term interest, leaving him in wasn't wise, as he's already shouldered a much bigger load than he's used to this summer.

10) Mets lost two of three to a Philly team with Howard-Utley-Victorino on the DL; I'd be curious to know salaries of Met GM Minaya and Phils' GM Amaro, because one does his job a hell of a lot better than the other.

9) Football is an emotional, often vicious game played by powerful men who crash into each other at high rates of speed; they risk their long-term health on every play, and thats no exaggeration. All of which makes the speeches at the Pro Football Hall of Fame superior entertainment, since this enshrinement is the pinnacle of a great career. They get emotional as they stand at the podium to accept the game's greatest honor. Its cool.

8) Emmitt Smith was gracious in thanking a ton of people at his speech in Canton Saturday night, a much better speaker than he showed during his horrendous stint as an ESPN analyst. Good for him; too bad nobody told Michael Jordan before his speech at the Basketball Hall of Fame that this is the way a enshrinee is supposed to act. The contrast was striking.

7) 15 of last 18 US Presidents played golf, with average handicap of 22.

6) Orioles did cool thing this weekend, having the White Sox broadcaster Steve Stone throw out the first ball Saturday; Stone was 25-7 for the '80 Orioles, 82-86 the other ten years of his career. In fact Stone's career was over after the '81 season, at age 33. Anyway, it was a nice gesture.

5) New Mexico State's turnover ratios the last five years:
-23.......-10.........-15..........-6.........-10.........
If they could just even out the turnover ratio, they could add 3-4 wins to their record. Easier said than done, but its a window for improvement.

4) If I'm a baseball contender looking for a bat off the bench, I'm looking at the Mets' Jesus Feliciano, who hit .292 in 65 AB for the Mets this year, his first in the big leagues. These are Feliciano's minor league averages the last four seasons, all in AAA........
-- 2007: .315......2008: .308........2009: .311.........2010: .346.

3) Josh Beckett against Bronx this year: 19.1 IP, 24 runs allowed.

2) I guess its amusing that major league managers need a bench coach who does the adminstrative things managers used to do, like mark subs on the lineup card. What else does a manager have to do during the game? Bench coaches started out as managers' drinking buddies; now its a real job.

1) Tough TV night Sunday; Bengals-Dallas on NBC, with Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson dominating airwaves, with decent amount of Brett Favre talk thrown in.......on ESPN, the insufferable Bronx-Boston rivalry which ESPN seems to think counts extra in the standings. At least its fun to look forward to the inevitable implosion of the Bengals.