CNOTES Friday's MLB Best Bets !

Record with a few games left thursday night:

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
08/19/10 10-7-0 58.82% +1420 Detail
08/18/10 17-12-0 58.62% +2835 Detail
08/17/10 12-18-0 40.00% -2950 Detail
08/16/10 5-10-1 33.33% -3305 Detail
08/15/10 12-18-0 40.00% -3405 Detail
08/14/10 12-18-0 40.00% -4650 Detail
08/13/10 17-11-2 60.71% +2940 Detail
08/12/10 10-10-0 50.00% -215 Detail
08/11/10 14-15-1 48.28% -575 Detail
08/10/10 16-13-1 55.17% +1530 Detail
08/09/10 9-8-0 52.94% +405 Detail
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 232-248-11 48.33% -12555

Friday, August 20Game Score Status Pick Amount

Atlanta - 2:20 PM ET Atlanta -131 500
Chi. Cubs -

Texas - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore +162 500 *****
Baltimore - Over 9 500

Cleveland - 7:05 PM ET Cleveland +130 500
Detroit - Over 9 500 *****

Seattle - 7:05 PM ET NY Yankees -139 500
NY Yankees - Over 8 500

NY Mets - 7:05 PM ET Pittsburgh +113 500
Pittsburgh - Over 8 500 *****

Washington - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia -360 500
Philadelphia - Over 8 500 *****

Toronto - 7:10 PM ET Toronto +164 500 *****
Boston - Over 8 500

Houston - 7:10 PM ET Florida -147 500
Florida - Under 8 500 *****

Chi. White Sox - 8:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox -140 500
Kansas City - Under 9 500

LA Angels - 8:10 PM ET LA Angels +130 500 *****
Minnesota - Under 8 500

San Diego - 8:10 PM ET Milwaukee -136 500
Milwaukee - Over 8 500

San Francisco - 8:15 PM ET San Francisco +132 500 *****
St. Louis - Over 8 500 *****

Colorado - 9:40 PM ET Arizona -123 500
Arizona - Over 9.5 500 *****

Tampa Bay - 10:05 PM ET Oakland +125 500
Oakland - Under 7.5 500 *****

Cincinnati - 10:10 PM ET Cincinnati +122 500 *****
LA Dodgers -

MLB


Friday, August 20

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs (115, 9)

Derrek Lee has had an interesting travel week. He was traded from the Cubs to the Braves on Wednesday and joined his new team in time for a road trip to Chicago.

Of course, Lee's seven years at Wrigley have been an odd detour too. His gameplan to take the Cubs to the World Series was a losing cause but he has a much better chance with the Braves, beginning against his barely former teammates.

"I'll probably have to stop myself from running to this dugout," Lee told the Chicago Tribune. "It'll be different but it'll be exciting. Sometimes it's even more fun to compete against your friends because you can talk a little trash afterward."

Maybe Lee can offer some advice about how to hit Ryan Dempster, who is 3-0 in his last three starts with a 1.40 ERA. But fellow righthander Jair Jurrjens has been similarly hot for the Braves, going 4-0 in his last six outings.

If pitching and defense are equal, the Braves bring a big edge in hitting into Wrigley Field. They have been batting at a .308 clip against righties in their last 10 games to a modest .251 for the Cubs.

The Cubs had lost three straight entering Thursday's game, scoring a total of six runs. The Braves had won four in a row, tallying a total of 30 runs. You do the math.

Pick: Braves


Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins (-145, 8)

It's easy to say that Joe Mauer has put the Twins on his back during this playoff race and is carrying them to the AL Central title and perhaps beyond.

After all, he's hitting .442 with 15 doubles, four homers and 30 RBIs in the 28 games he's suited up for since the All-Star break. The Twins are 21-7 in those games.

But the truth is that all the position players have picked up the pace in the absence of Justin Morneau. Orlando Hudson, Jim Thome, Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young are all contributing to the Twins' sudden surge.

"It's a different guy pretty much every night," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of his offense. "You like for it to be moving around a little bit. Guys have been putting some pretty good swings out there."

The Twinkies have been hammering righties to the tune of .319 during their current 9-1 hot streak - bad news for Angels starter Dan Haren. The Halos are hitting lefties at a .250 rate this season and face surging southpaw Brian Duensing.

Pick: Twins


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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Jair Jurrjens (5-4, 3.92 ERA), Atlanta Braves

Jurrjens is part of a highly-effective, five-pitcher rotation for the Braves. The young righthander is proving that his wildly successful 2009 campaign was no fluke. He’s shown poise and command despite battling injuries at the start of season.

The Braves are 3-0 in his last three starts and the under is 5-2 in his last seven appearances.

Edwin Jackson (7-10, 4.67 ERA) Chicago White Sox

Most pitchers prefer playing in the National League but that hasn’t been the case for this flamethrower. Jackson underperformed for years coming up with the Dodgers before finally putting together back-to-back quality years with the Rays and Tigers.

And sure, he pitched a no-hitting with the Diamondbacks earlier in the year, but Jackson’s form has been much sharper since he rejoined the junior circuit.

The White Sox have wasted two of his three masterful starts since coming over from Arizona, but the under is still 3-0 in those games. Jackson owes a 1.35 ERA with 24 strikeouts compared to just five walks in his three appearances with Chicago.


Slumping

Armando Galarraga (3-5, 4.53 ERA) Detroit Tigers

You’ve got to wonder if Galarraga’s season would have played out differently had umpire Jim Joyce made the right call on the night of the near perfect game. Since that start, Galarraga has been floated around, unable to find the form he displayed that evening.

He’s walked four or more batters in two of his last three outings and has just one quality start in 10 trips to the hill. The slumping Tigers are just 2-5 in the big righty’s last seven appearances.


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This Day in Baseball
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On August 20 in Baseball History...

1910 - Washington's Carl Cashion pitched a six-inning no-hitter to give the Senators a 2-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the second game of a doubleheader.

1915 - The White Sox obtain Joe Jackson from Cleveland in exchange for outfielder Braggo Roth, outfielder Larry Chappell, pitcher Ed Klepfer, and $31,500.

1919 - Wichita outfielder Joe Wilhoit (Western League) fails to get a hit, ending a 69-game streak in which he collected 155 hits in 299 at bats for a .505 batting average. The previous record was 49 by Oakland's Jack Ness (Pacific Coast League) in 1915.

1938 - Lou Gehrig hits his last grand slam, the 23rd of his career, and still the record. It comes off Buck Ross in an 11-3 victory over the A's.

1945 - At the age of 17, shortstop Tommy Brown of the Brooklyn Dodgers is the youngest player to hit a major league home run. Brown homers off Pirates southpaw Preacher Roe at Ebbets Field. Seven Dodger errors make it easy for Pittsburgh to win, 11-1.

1947 - The Boston Braves hit a million attendance for the first time.

1948 - The Indians draw 78,382 at Municipal Stadium as Satchel Paige blanks the White Sox for the fourth consecutive shutout by Cleveland hurlers. Besides Paige, Gene Bearden, Sam Zoldak, and Bob Lemon had shutouts.

1958 - Out of catchers, the Cubs put left-handed first baseman Dale Long behind the plate in the opener against the Pirates. He is the first lefty backstop since 1906. The Cubs lose 4-2, then win the nightcap 5-1 with Long back at first base.

1961 - The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Braves 7-4 in the second game of a doubleheader to snap a 23-game losing streak, a modern record.

1964 - On the New York team bus following a 5-0 White Sox win, Phil Linz begins to play Mary Had a Little Lamb on his harmonica. Manager Yogi Berra orders Linz to stop, then slaps the instrument out of his hands when he continues playing. The incident is reported as indicating dissension on the club and Berra's lack of control, as well as the level of Linz's humor.

1965 - Eddie Mathews hits his 28th home run as the Braves win 4-3 at Pittsburgh. The duo of Mathews and Hank Aaron, 1954-1965, becomes the top home run tandem in major league history, passing the Babe Ruth-Lou Gehrig total of 772 home runs while playing together.

1974 - Nolan Ryan of the California Angels struck out 19 in a 1-0, 11-inning loss to the Detroit Tigers, marking the third time during the season Ryan struck out 19 in a game.

1980 - Pittsburgh's Omar Moreno steals his 70th base of the season, becoming the first player this century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons. The fleet outfielder swiped 71 in 1978, 77 in 1979, and will finish 1980 with a career-high 96.

1985 - Dwight Gooden fans 16 batters on the way to his 13th consecutive victory, 5-0 over the Giants, raising his season strikeout total to 208. Gooden (19-3) and Herb Score are the only pitchers this century to strike out 200 batters in each of their first two seasons.

1989 - Howard Johnson hits his 30th home run of the season in the Mets' 5-4 loss to the Dodgers. Ho Jo joins Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays as the only players to achieve 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in two different seasons.

1995 - Jose Mesa of the Cleveland Indians picked up his 37th save in 37 opportunities, setting a major league record as the Indians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5.

1998 - Mark McGwire becomes the first player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in three consecutive years. His home run off Willie Blair helps the Cardinals to a 2-0 win over the Mets. He adds No. 51 in the second game of the doubleheader at Shea Stadium, but the Mets prevail 5-4.

Friday Tips

As August winds down, and preseason football is coming to the forefront of gamblers, the pennant races in each league continue to heat up around baseball. Three teams are separated by 2 ½ games in the NL Wild Card race, with the two teams trailing hooking up in St. Louis. Elsewhere, the Twins look to stay hot against the ice-cold Angels at Target Field. We'll start in Boston with two AL East teams that will likely miss the postseason, but have been viable clubs all season.

Blue Jays at Red Sox - 7:10 PM EST

Toronto travels back east after dropping two of three at Oakland, including a 5-4 setback in the rubber game on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Boston continues to grab victories, but it's tough to pick up ground when Tampa Bay and New York keep winning atop the division. The Sox send out their ace in the series opener, while trying to avenge a meltdown in Toronto one week ago.

Boston was looking for a sweep at Rogers Center as the Sox built a 5-2 advantage on August 12, but Jonathan Papelbon squandered the lead and the Jays rallied for a 6-5 triumph. Jon Lester (13-7, 2.80 ERA) take the hill for the Sox, going for his third straight win. Following four consecutive losses after the All-Star Break, Lester picked up a pair of victories at New York and Texas in scoreless efforts. The southpaw has burned backers in his last three home starts, losing as favorites of $2.45, $2.50, and $1.55.

Brett Cecil (9-6, 3.96 ERA) is coming off his worst outing of the season, allowing seven earned runs and 10 hits in 5.2 innings of a 7-2 defeat at Los Angeles. The seven runs given up by the Jays' lefty equaled the amount of runs Cecil allowed in his previous four starts combined. Toronto owns a 6-3 record in Cecil's nine outings as a road underdog, including three wins at Tampa Bay and New York. Cecil was outdueled by Lester at Rogers Center on April 28, as the Sox shut out the Jays, 2-0.

The Sox have owned this series, going 9-2 this season, including a 2-1 mark at Fenway. Each of the last three meetings finished 'over' the total, while two of the three matchups in Boston cashed the 'under'.

Giants at Cardinals - 8:10 PM EST

Two teams knocking on the playoff door in the National League are playing their worst baseball at the worst possible time, as they meet at Busch Stadium. St. Louis looks to snap a four-game skid, losing each contest at home to Chicago and Milwaukee. San Francisco hasn't performed well on the East Coast recently, losing six of its last seven at Atlanta and Philadelphia.

The Cards try to get over the hump with recently acquired Jake Westbrook (1-0, 3.32 ERA) taking the mound. Despite one win in three starts since getting traded from Cleveland at the deadline, Westbrook has delivered quality outings in each appearance. The groundball pitcher has won only three decisions since mid-June, with all three victories coming at home, including last Friday's 6-3 triumph over the Cubs.

Rookie Madison Bumgarner (4-4, 3.27 ERA) goes for the Giants, trying to pick up his fifth road win in seven tries. The San Francisco southpaw was taken off the hook in his last outing against San Diego as the Giants rallied for a 3-2 win in extra-innings. Bumgarner scattered eight hits and two earned runs in seven innings, only his third quality start in his previous six outings. The Giants have cashed the 'under' in seven of Bumgarner's last nine starts, and eight of his 10 outings overall.

All three meetings at AT&T Park in April finished 'under' the total, as the Giants grabbed two of three games. San Francisco is 4-3 the last seven matchups at Busch Stadium, while the two teams split a four-game set in St. Louis in 2009.

Angels at Twins - 8:10 PM EST

A pair of playoff squads from a season ago is headed in different directions as Minnesota and Los Angeles meet up for the first time since the opening series of the season. The Twins are starting to open things up in the AL Central following another series win over the White Sox, owning a five-game advantage heading into Thursday's action.

The Halos went from the ALCS to possibly third place in their own division in less than 12 months, as Dan Haren (1-3, 3.44 ERA) makes his sixth start in an Angels' uniform. The former Diamondbacks' ace has received little run support in Los Angeles, as the Halos have averaged 2.4 in his first five outings. Haren has not been listed as an underdog with the Angels, but Arizona was 0-7 in his seven starts at plus-money.

Brian Duensing (6-1, 2.00 ERA) is fresh off a complete-game shutout over the A's, scattering three hits in a 2-0 victory. Duensing has faced four teams sitting below .500, with the Rays being the only substantial club that the lefty has started against. In Duensing's last three home starts dating back to last September, the Minnesota southpaw hasn't allowed a run in 22.1 innings of work.

The Twins won three of four meetings in Anaheim to begin the season, as the Angels make their first appearance at Target Field. The two teams split six games at the Metrodome last season, as both squads pulled off three-game sweeps.

GL as always!!

Updated Record:

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
08/19/10 14-10-1 58.33% +1820 Detail
08/18/10 17-12-0 58.62% +2835 Detail
08/17/10 12-18-0 40.00% -2950 Detail
08/16/10 5-10-1 33.33% -3305 Detail
08/15/10 12-18-0 40.00% -3405 Detail
08/14/10 12-18-0 40.00% -4650 Detail
08/13/10 17-11-2 60.71% +2940 Detail
08/12/10 10-10-0 50.00% -215 Detail
08/11/10 14-15-1 48.28% -575 Detail
08/10/10 16-13-1 55.17% +1530 Detail
08/09/10 9-8-0 52.94% +405 Detail
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 236-251-12 48.46% -12155

MLB
Write-Up


Friday, August 20

Hot pitchers
-- Jurrjens is 2-0, 2.21 in his last three starts. Cubs won Dempster's last three starts (3-0, 4.19) scoring 32 runs.
-- Halladay is 5-0, 1.62 in his last five starts.
-- LeBlanc is 2-0, 2.13 in his last couple starts.
-- Westbrook is 1-0, 3.32 in three starts for St Louis.
-- ASanchez has 2.77 RA in his last four starts. Happ is 1-0, 2.19 in his last couple starts.
-- Bailey is 2-0, 1.85 in his last four starts.

-- Rangers won last six Wilson starts (4-0, 2.73).
-- Lester is 2-0, 0.00 in his last two starts (14.1 IP). Cecil is 2-1, 3.20 in his last seven starts.
-- Duensing is 3-0, 2.70 in five starts for the Twins.
-- EJackson is 1-0, 1.80 in his three starts for the White Sox.
-- Hellickson is 3-0, 1.35 in three starts for the Rays.

Cold pitchers
-- Pelfrey is 0-3, 8.74 in his last five road starts. Karstens is 0-7, 5.05 in his last ten starts.
-- Marquis is 0-5, 16.53 in five starts this season.
-- Gallardo has a 6.23 RA in his last four starts.
-- Bumgarner is 0-2, 4.76 in his last four starts.
-- Rogers is 1-1, 7.97 in four starts this year. Kennedy is 2-3, 6.07 in his last five home starts.
-- Padilla is 1-1, 11.57 in his last two starts.

-- FHernandez is 1-4, 4.08 in his last five starts. Bronx is 1-5 at home with Burnett when it scores less than 7 runs.
-- Arrieta is 1-2, 6.48 in his last six starts.
-- Galarraga is 0-4, 5.51 in his last eight starts. Masterson is 1-3, 6.43 in his last five starts.
-- Haren is 1-3, 3.44 in five starts for the Angels.
-- O'Sullivan is 0-4, 7.07 in five starts for the Royals.
-- Mazzaro is 0-3, 5.18 in his last four starts.

Totals
-- Under is 5-2 in last seven Jurrjens starts. Over is 9-1 in Dempster's last ten outings.
-- Three of last four Pelfrey road starts went over the total.
-- Under is 7-2-2 in last eleven Halladay starts.
-- Over is 5-2 in last seven ASanchez starts.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in Gallardo's last four starts.
-- Seven of last eight Bumgarner starts stayed under total.
-- Nine of last twelve Arizona games went over the total.
-- Under is 12-5-1 in last eighteen Dodger home games.

-- Over is 12-3-3 in last eighteen Bronx home games.
-- Under is 10-3 in last thirteen Baltimore games.
-- Over is 7-3 in last ten Galarraga starts.
-- Six of last nine Boston games went over the total.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four Haren starts.
-- Six of last nine Kansas City home games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-2-2 in last nine Oakland home games.

Hot Teams
-- Phillies are 12-3 in their last fifteen home games.
-- Marlins won their last three games, allowing four runs. Astros are 5-2 in their last seven games.
-- Braves won seven of their last nine games.
-- Brewers won three of their last four games. Padres won ten of their last eleven games.
-- Reds won nine of their last ten road games.

-- Bronx won its last three games, scoring 26 runs. Mariners won seven of their last ten games.
-- Red Sox won six of their last nine home games.
-- Twins won nine of their last ten home games.
-- Royals won seven of their last ten home games.
-- Rays won five of their last six games. Oakland is 11-4 in its last 15 home games.

Cold Teams
-- Pirates lost ten of their last eleven games. Mets are 9-21 in their last 30 road games.
-- Giants lost six of their last eight road games. Cardinals lost last four games by a total of five runs.
-- Nationals lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Cubs lost 18 of their last 22 games.
-- Arizona is 4-10 in its last fourteen home games. Colorado lost 12 of its last 16 road games, getting shut out in four of last six.
-- Dodgers lost six of their last nine games.

-- Tigers are 5-11 in their last sixteen games.
-- Angels are 4-10 in their last 14 road games.
-- Rangers are 4-10 in their last fourteen road games. Orioles lost four of their last six games.
-- Toronto is 4-5 in its last nine games.
-- White Sox lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Indians lost nine of their last eleven games.

MLB


Friday, August 20

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Trend Report
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2:20 PM
ATLANTA vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 4-18 SU in their last 22 games
Chi Cubs are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games at home

7:05 PM
CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT
Cleveland is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 8 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home
Detroit is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing Cleveland

7:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Seattle's last 10 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Seattle
NY Yankees are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games at home

7:05 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Washington is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
Philadelphia is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Washington

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. PITTSBURGH
NY Mets are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
NY Mets are 6-15 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:05 PM
TEXAS vs. BALTIMORE
Texas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Texas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Baltimore
Baltimore is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Texas
Baltimore is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home

7:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. FLORIDA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games on the road
Houston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 6 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Florida's last 12 games when playing Houston

7:10 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. MINNESOTA
LA Angels are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Minnesota's last 11 games when playing LA Angels

8:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. KANSAS CITY
Chi White Sox are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
Kansas City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

8:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. MILWAUKEE
San Diego is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego's last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing San Diego
Milwaukee is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing San Diego

8:15 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. ST. LOUIS
San Francisco is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing St. Louis
San Francisco is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of St. Louis's last 15 games

9:40 PM
COLORADO vs. ARIZONA
Colorado is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Colorado is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Arizona is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing Colorado
Arizona is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games

10:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. OAKLAND
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Oakland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Oakland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

10:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. LA DODGERS
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Cincinnati is 4-14 SU in their last 18 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 8 of LA Dodgers's last 12 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

MLB
Dunkel


San Francisco at St. Louis
The Cardinals look to build on their 8-3 record in their last 11 games following an off day. St. Louis is the pick (-145) according to Dunkel, which has the Cardinals favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-145) Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20

Game 901-902: Atlanta at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Jurrjens) 15.127; Cubs (Dempster) 14.590
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-135); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-135); N/A

Game 903-904: NY Mets at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Pelfrey) 14.724; Pittsburgh (Karstens) 13.139
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (-135); Under

Game 905-906: Washington at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Marquis) 15.533; Philadelphia 14.534
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-360); 8
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+270); Over

Game 907-908: Houston at Florida (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Happ) 15.834; Florida (Sanchez) 14.767
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+130); Over

Game 909-910: San Diego at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (LeBlanc) 16.743; Milwaukee (Gallardo) 15.270
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-140); 8
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+120); Over

Game 911-912: San Francisco at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 14.481; St. Louis (Westbrook) 15.051
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-145); 8
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-145); Over

Game 913-914: Colorado at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Rogers) 14.482; Arizona (Kennedy) 13.759
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Arizona (-125); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+105); Under

Game 915-916: Cincinnati at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Bailey) 15.364; LA Dodgers (Monasterios) 16.196
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 917-918: Seattle at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Hernandez) 16.459; NY Yankees (Burnett) 15.314
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+130); Over

Game 919-920: Texas at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Wilson) 14.639; Baltimore (Arrieta) 15.284
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+170); Under

Game 921-922: Cleveland at Detroit (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Masterson) 14.798; Detroit (Galarraga) 14.270
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-140); 9
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+120); Under

Game 923-924: Toronto at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Cecil) 15.239; Boston (Lester) 16.232
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Boston (-180); 8
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-180); Under

Game 925-926: LA Angels at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Haren) 16.133; Minnesota (Duensing) 15.131
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+130); Under

Game 927-928: Chicago White Sox at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Jackson) 14.596; Kansas City (O'Sullivan) 14.757
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-150); 9
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+130); Under

Game 929-930: Tampa Bay at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Hellickson) 16.520; Oakland (Mazzaro) 16.185
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-140); 7
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-140); Under

Daily Sports Roundup: August 20

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Rays continue their road series in Oakland, the Phillies try to fend off the Nationals, and the Eagles and Bengals battle on the gridiron.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

There's just one NFL game on the schedule for Friday, with Cincinnati playing host to Philadelphia at Paul Brown Stadium. The Eagles won their first exhibition game last week, slipping past Jacksonville 28-27 at home. The Bengals opened their preseason schedule with a 16-7 loss to Dallas in the Hall of Fame Game, but then bounced back with a 33-24 home win over Denver last week. The oddsmakers like Terrell Owens' new team over his old team in Friday's game, listing the Bengals as a 3-point home favorite.

The Canadian Football League plays its second of just two Week 8 contests on Friday night, with Hamilton at Toronto. The Tiger-Cats (3-4 SU, 3-4 ATS) have won two games in a row, but they've only managed to beat last-place Winnipeg so far this season. The Argonauts (5-2 SU, 5-2 ATS) have also won two games in a row, and they beat Montreal 37-22 last week. Toronto is pegged as the 2.5-point home favorite for Friday.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The American League schedule for Friday offers up Texas at Baltimore, Seattle at the Yankees, Cleveland at Detroit, Toronto at Boston, the Angels at Minnesota, the White Sox at Kansas City, and Tampa Bay at Oakland. The Rays are expected to send Jeremy Hellickson (3-0, 1.35 ERA) to the mound in that last contest, while the Athletics counter with Vin Mazzaro (6-5, 3.71 ERA). Righthander Hellickson kept his perfect record intact last time out, holding the Orioles to one run on three hits over six innings in a victory. Hellickson has allowed just three runs over his 20 innings of work this season. Righthander Mazzaro is coming off a hard-luck loss to the Twins in which he surrendered just two runs (one earned) on seven hits over six innings, and fanned three.

Meanwhile, the National League on Friday offers up Atlanta at the Cubs, the Mets at Pittsburgh, Houston at Florida, San Diego at Milwaukee, San Francisco at St. Louis, Colorado at Arizona, Cincinnati at the Dodgers, and Washington at Philadelphia. Jason Marquis (0-5, 14.33 ERA) is slated to get the ball for the Nationals on Friday, and he'll have to contend with Phillies ace Roy Halladay (15-8, 2.24 ERA). Righthander Marquis picked up his fifth straight loss last time out, giving up five runs on seven hits over four innings of work against the Diamondbacks. Righthander Halladay had no trouble with the Mets in his last trip to the hill, holding them scoreless on four hits over eight innings.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Finally, there are five games on the WNBA's schedule for Friday, with New York at Washington, Indiana at San Antonio, Connecticut at Chicago, Minnesota at Los Angeles, and Seattle and Phoenix. The Storm (26-6 SU, 17-13-2 ATS) have locked down top spot in the Western Conference standings, and they're coming off a 68-64 win over Minnesota. The Mercury (15-17 SU, 15-17 ATS), sitting in second place in the Western Conference, picked up a 90-84 win in Los Angeles in their most recent contest.

Friday's six-pack

-- White Sox got 21 hits in 11-0 win at Minnesota; they had 15 hits on 28 balls in play against Carl Pavano, now trail Twins by four games.

-- Mark Buehrle now has 25 wins against Minnesota since 2000, most by any pitcher against any one team in this decade.

-- Padres won 10th game in last 11 tries; Mat Latos is 12-2, 1.67 since May 7th.

-- Angels' win in Boston was their first in ten games against Red Sox.

-- Rockies have been blanked in four of their last six road games.

-- Rays lead Boston by 5.5 games in AL Wild Card race; Phillies lead the Giants by a single game in the NL Wild Card chase.


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


Friday's List of 13: Our summer look at AFC trends........

Baltimore-- Ranked 6th or higher in total defense in each of the last seven years; are 41-18-2 as home favorite the last decade, but 2-10 as a favorite on road since '05. Lost last three visits to Pittsburgh, but play Steelers in Week 4 this year, before Roethlisberger comes back.

Buffalo-- Ranked 25th or worse (out of 32 teams) in each of last seven years, but are 10-5 vs spread last 15 times they were favored by three or less points. Have new coach, new GM, but not lot of optimism in '10.

Cincinnati-- 11-24-2 as home favorite since '01, 1-7 as road favorite since '07, but 10-2-1 as underdog of 3 or less points since '05. Why did they go out and get Owens? Last two years, they ranked 32/24 in total yardage.

Cleveland-- Rank in total yardage last four years: 31-8-31-32. Are 16-6 vs spread as favorite in non-divisional games since '03. Lost last five season openers by an average score of 28-13. Delhomme is new QB; with Seneca Wallace the new backup. Guess Holmgren didn't like Anderson/Quinn.

Denver-- Just 4-19-1 as home favorite since '06, 1-8-1 in divisional games. Since 2003, are 15-25-3 vs spread in game following a loss. Improved in turnover margin LY from -17 to +7 but somehow had same record, with rank in total offense dropping from 2nd to 15th with Cutler in Chicago.

Houston-- Minus in turnovers last five years (-35 total) but went 9-7 LY as TO margin improved to just minus-1; a positive TO ratio gets them to playoffs. Are 7-3 as underdog of 3 or less points since '06, 1-4 vs spread when favored on road in their franchise history.

Indianapolis-- Colts are 4-8-1 as divisional home favorite since '05. Since 2000, they're 24-10-2 when spread is 3 or less points, 8-1-1 if dog, 16-9-1 if favored. Are 17-7-1 as non-divisional road favorite since 2001.

Jacksonville-- Are 0-10 vs spread as home favorite last two years, in part due to average home attendance of 49,651 LY (31st out of 32 teams); are 2-7 vs spread last nine times they were favored by 3 or less points. Are also 2-7 vs spread in last nine games where spread was double digits.

Kansas City-- Just 4-20 SU at home last three years, 6-17-1 against the spread, 0-6-1 as home favorite. 6-12 vs spread in last 18 games as a home dog vs non-divisional foe. Total yardage rank last three years: 31-24-25.

Miami-- Since 2003, are 5-24 vs spread as home favorite, an amazingly bad figure. Are 2-9-1 vs spread against NFC teams the last three years. Underdog is 6-0 vs spread in Henne's road starts.

New England-- Since 2006, Patriots are 19-11-1 as single digit fave, but in divisional home games the last five years, are just 5-10 against the spread. Very surprised they haven't paid Brady for all he's done for franchise.

NJ Jets-- Road team is 18-5-1 vs spread in their divisional games last four years; Jets are 9-3 vs spread in divisional road games, 2-9-1 at home, but now they have new home, which isn't going to be sold out. Made it to the playoffs LY because Colts tanked a Week 16 game.

Oakland-- In Weeks 3-8 LY, were outscored by combined score of 167-45 and they won one of the games; since 2003, are 0-4 as a davisional fave. Surprised to note that since '06, Raiders are 10-2 as a divisional road dog. Average home crowd of 44,284 LY was worst in the league.

Pittsburgh-- No Big Ben for at least first four games; Steelers are 27-13-1 vs spread as underdog since '00, 4-1 at home, 23-12-1 on road. Are 6-11-1 vs spread as road favorite under Tomlin. Since 2002, are feeble 5-19-1 if favored by three or less points.

San Diego-- Last five years, started season 2-3/2-3/4-1/2-3/2-3; need fast start to earn home field in January. Bolts are 18-5-2 as underdog since '04, but 3-8 last 11 times they were double digit favorite. Are 11-4-3 on road in division last six years, +49 in turnover margin the last four years.

Tennessee-- Jeff Fisher played for run-loving John Robinson in college at USC; last four years, his Titans ranked 5-5-7-2 in rushing yardage. 10-5 vs spread in last 15 games that had a double digit spread (6-2 as favorite, 4-3 as underdog). Are 19-9-1 vs spread as underdog since 2006.

Bettors' best friend: Friday's wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

Bengals at Eagles: Total opened at 35 but has shot up to 37.

White Sox at Royals: Total opened at 9.5 but has slipped to 9.

Storm at Shock (AFL): Shock opened at -4 but this one is now a pick-em at some books. Total opened at 114 but has jumped to 115.

Fever at Silver Stars (WNBA): Indiana opened as -2.5 favorite but is now -4. Total opened at 149.5 but is up to as high as 151.5 at some books.

Storm at Mercury (WNBA): Mercury opened as -2 favorites but are now -4. Total opened at 180.5 but has fallen as low as 179.

Lynx at Sparks (WNBA): Sparks opened as -2.5 favorites but are now at -4. Total opened at 154 but has slipped to 153.

Weather to watch

White Sox at Royals: 40 percent chance of thunderstorms. Winds blowing out to left/center field at 14 mph.

Astros at Marlins: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Who's hot

Padres are 10-1 in their last 11.

Twins are 9-1 in their last 10.

Braves are 7-2 in their last nine.

Phillies are 6-1 in their last seven.

Rays have won five in a row.

Reds have won five in a row.

Who's not

Indians are 2-8 in their last 10.

White Sox are 2-8 in their last 10.

Pirates are 1-9 in their last 10.

Astros are 1-8 in their last nine vs. Marlins.

Cardinals have lost four in a row.

Key stat

.042 - Percentage points Twins catcher Joe Mauer has raised his season batting average since the All-Star break - from .293 to .335. His 4-for-5 outing on Wednesday raised his average to .442 over his last 28 games.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler will undergo a second MRI on his strained left groin on Monday. Kinsler has been on the disabled list since the end of July with the injury. The All-Star has been plagued by injuries this season as he missed the first 22 games of the season with a high ankle sprain. His return and move to the leadoff position sparked the Rangers to their rise atop the AL West standings. Kinsler is batting .298 with six home runs and 38 RBIs.

Game of the day

Giants at Cardinals (-145, 8)

Notable quotable

"I wanted him to know how I felt. We talked man-to-man. He told me his position, and I definitely told him my position. It was good."

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan about his meeting with former coach turned TV analyst Tony Dungy, who called out Ryan for his use of profanity on the HBO show "Hard Knocks".

Tips and notes

The banged-up Boston Red Sox's road to recovery may not be so smooth after all. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia was scratched from the lineup Thursday with a sore foot, confirming fears that he was rushing back from the DL too soon to try to help his team get back in the AL East and wild-card race. Pedroia had just returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing 44 games with a fractured bone in his right foot. He said the pain started Wednesday night and worsened when he attempted to run Thursday. Jed Lowrie will replace Pedroia until he's ready to return - hopefully for good next time.

New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte will not return to the club until around mid-September after another setback in his rehab from a groin strain. Pettitte felt pain during a bullpen session on Tuesday and is being shut down for a week after an MRI Tuesday night revealed that his injury still has not fully healed. Following his week of rest Pettitte will begin the rehab process again, with the ultimate goal of being healthy and available to pitch in the postseason. The 38-year-old lefty was having one of his best seasons, posting an 11-2 record with a 2.88 ERA. He has been on the disabled list since July 20.

So much for the overtrained athletes syndrome defense. Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing will miss the first four games of the NFL season as the league announced Thursday that Cushing's suspension will remain. The reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year tested positive for HCG last year. Texans owner Bob McNair met personally with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss reducing the suspension, but in the end the league found a four-game ban sufficient. Cushing was Houston's first-round pick last season and the backbone of its defense. He had 134 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions.

Pro Baseball Trend Report
ATLANTA (71 - 50) at CHICAGO CUBS (50 - 72) - 2:20 PM
JAIR JURRJENS (R) vs. RYAN DEMPSTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 39-52 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
DEMPSTER is 75-47 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 75-47 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 73-60 (+17.7 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 35-21 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 72-51 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 72-51 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 50-30 (+14.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 51-72 (-31.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 28-36 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 16-31 (-18.9 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 30-39 (-18.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 28-35 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 51-72 (-31.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 32-48 (-20.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 71-76 (-14.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 51-69 (-17.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 20-28 (-15.8 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.
DEMPSTER is 10-17 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)


Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 2-1 (+0.3 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)



JAIR JURRJENS vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
JURRJENS is 0-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.27 and a WHIP of 1.364.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)



RYAN DEMPSTER vs. ATLANTA since 1997
DEMPSTER is 2-9 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.83 and a WHIP of 1.480.
His team's record is 6-10 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-10. (-5.7 units)




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NY METS (60 - 61) at PITTSBURGH (40 - 81) - 7:05 PM
MIKE PELFREY (R) vs. JEFF KARSTENS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 52-91 (-28.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 53-92 (-28.4 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 32-71 (-36.7 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 22-17 (+11.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
PITTSBURGH is 400-384 (+43.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
NY METS are 33-26 (+7.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
PELFREY is 9-2 (+8.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season. (Team's Record)
PITTSBURGH is 40-80 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 13-33 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 3-16 (-12.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
PITTSBURGH is 40-80 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 23-61 (-28.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PITTSBURGH is 23-57 (-23.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
PITTSBURGH is 11-30 (-14.9 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
PITTSBURGH is 48-89 (-31.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 17-41 (-24.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.


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



MIKE PELFREY vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
PELFREY is 1-1 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 1.874.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)



JEFF KARSTENS vs. NY METS since 1997
KARSTENS is 0-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.417.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)




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WASHINGTON (52 - 69) at PHILADELPHIA (68 - 52) - 7:05 PM
JASON MARQUIS (R) vs. ROY HALLADAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 73-153 (-37.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 73-122 (-29.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 48-112 (-33.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 16-36 (-15.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
WASHINGTON is 71-146 (-44.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MARQUIS is 18-28 (-20.7 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MARQUIS is 59-79 (-42.4 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 30-11 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
WASHINGTON is 22-19 (+10.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-5 (+1.4 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
9 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+9.1 Units)



JASON MARQUIS vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
MARQUIS is 5-5 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 5.33 and a WHIP of 1.789.
His team's record is 6-8 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-9. (-4.7 units)



ROY HALLADAY vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HALLADAY is 6-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.40 and a WHIP of 0.974.
His team's record is 8-1 (+6.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-3. (+1.8 units)




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HOUSTON (53 - 67) at FLORIDA (60 - 60) - 7:10 PM
J.A. HAPP (L) vs. ANIBAL SANCHEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 231-214 (+26.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 225-208 (+23.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 23-12 (+11.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 213-230 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 42-33 (+18.7 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 26-26 (+9.6 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
FLORIDA is 6-16 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 18-28 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 2-1 (+1.4 Units) against FLORIDA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)



J.A. HAPP vs. FLORIDA since 1997
HAPP is 1-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 2.00 and a WHIP of 1.222.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)



ANIBAL SANCHEZ vs. HOUSTON since 1997
SANCHEZ is 2-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 0.96 and a WHIP of 1.178.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.1 units)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SAN DIEGO (73 - 47) at MILWAUKEE (57 - 64) - 8:10 PM
WADE LEBLANC (L) vs. YOVANI GALLARDO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 73-48 (+29.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 17-7 (+11.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SAN DIEGO is 37-26 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 14-7 (+8.7 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SAN DIEGO is 28-20 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 71-47 (+27.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN DIEGO is 47-35 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 50-36 (+16.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN DIEGO is 41-30 (+12.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SAN DIEGO is 35-16 (+17.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SAN DIEGO is 16-4 (+11.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 57-65 (-7.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 28-31 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 57-65 (-7.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 8-21 (-15.1 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 2 seasons.
GALLARDO is 1-8 (-8.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)


Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 3-1 (+2.0 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)



WADE LEBLANC vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
LEBLANC is 1-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.264.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)



YOVANI GALLARDO vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
GALLARDO is 1-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)




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SAN FRANCISCO (68 - 54) at ST LOUIS (65 - 53) - 8:15 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. JAKE WESTBROOK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 156-129 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 67-53 (+7.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 46-33 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 115-93 (+17.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 64-53 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 62-52 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-1 (+1.5 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)



MADISON BUMGARNER vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
No recent starts.



JAKE WESTBROOK vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
No recent starts.




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COLORADO (62 - 58) at ARIZONA (47 - 75) - 9:40 PM
ESMIL ROGERS (R) vs. IAN KENNEDY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 63-59 (-7.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 5-16 (-10.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
COLORADO is 24-38 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
COLORADO is 87-100 (-26.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 63-59 (-7.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 38-42 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
COLORADO is 13-25 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 25-27 (-12.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
ARIZONA is 47-76 (-26.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 48-76 (-31.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 28-36 (-10.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ARIZONA is 30-46 (-23.4 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 12-30 (-17.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
ARIZONA is 45-75 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 90-116 (-24.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 34-55 (-18.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ARIZONA is 8-22 (-13.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
ARIZONA is 58-92 (-25.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 22-45 (-18.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 5-4 (+0.3 Units) against ARIZONA this season
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.6 Units)



ESMIL ROGERS vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.



IAN KENNEDY vs. COLORADO since 1997
KENNEDY is 0-1 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.455.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


CINCINNATI (70 - 51) at LA DODGERS (62 - 60) - 10:10 PM
HOMER BAILEY (R) vs. CARLOS MONASTERIOS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 34-14 (+14.8 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 29-13 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
CINCINNATI is 71-51 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 10-3 (+8.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
CINCINNATI is 34-25 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
CINCINNATI is 13-4 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
CINCINNATI is 92-86 (+28.9 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 71-51 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 48-32 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CINCINNATI is 49-34 (+14.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CINCINNATI is 42-28 (+11.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
LA DODGERS are 64-60 (-7.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 64-60 (-7.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 3-3 (+0.4 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)



HOMER BAILEY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
BAILEY is 1-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 6.19 and a WHIP of 1.813.
His team's record is 2-1 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)



CARLOS MONASTERIOS vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
No recent starts.




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SEATTLE (48 - 73) at NY YANKEES (75 - 46) - 7:05 PM
FELIX HERNANDEZ (R) vs. A.J. BURNETT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 49-72 (-23.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 20-41 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
SEATTLE is 48-70 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 13-38 (-20.9 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.
SEATTLE is 95-92 (+7.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HERNANDEZ is 22-10 (+11.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BURNETT is 2-7 (-9.9 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BURNETT is 22-30 (-14.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997. (Team's Record)


Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 4-3 (-0.3 Units) against SEATTLE this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.8 Units)



FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 4-3 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 3.16 and a WHIP of 1.383.
His team's record is 4-3 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-6. (-5.3 units)



A.J. BURNETT vs. SEATTLE since 1997
BURNETT is 2-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.212.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.5 units)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TEXAS (67 - 53) at BALTIMORE (43 - 79) - 7:05 PM
C.J. WILSON (L) vs. JAKE ARRIETA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 20-24 (-17.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 12-7 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
TEXAS is 151-116 (+18.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 177-149 (+20.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 105-82 (+13.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 41-20 (+10.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
WILSON is 18-6 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
WILSON is 18-6 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
WILSON is 12-2 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 108-177 (-39.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 532-588 (-119.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 532-588 (-119.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 274-384 (-112.2 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 22-53 (-17.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BALTIMORE is 128-201 (-61.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 5-2 (+8.8 Units) against TEXAS this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)



C.J. WILSON vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
WILSON is 0-2 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 13.49 and a WHIP of 2.589.
His team's record is 0-2 (-3.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)



JAKE ARRIETA vs. TEXAS since 1997
ARRIETA is 1-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 1.42 and a WHIP of 1.264.
His team's record is 1-0 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


CLEVELAND (50 - 71) at DETROIT (58 - 63) - 7:05 PM
JUSTIN MASTERSON (R) vs. ARMANDO GALARRAGA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 116-169 (-34.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 106-152 (-31.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 82-124 (-35.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MASTERSON is 2-14 (-13.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 89-55 (+19.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 89-55 (+19.7 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 24-13 (+19.9 Units) against the money line in road games in August games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 219-229 (-39.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 85-121 (-51.1 Units) against the money line in home games in August games since 1997.
DETROIT is 20-26 (-10.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
DETROIT is 134-147 (-28.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 41-48 (-9.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
DETROIT is 66-65 (-15.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 48-50 (-20.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 6-6 (+1.8 Units) against DETROIT this season
7 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.3 Units)



JUSTIN MASTERSON vs. DETROIT since 1997
MASTERSON is 0-1 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 8.10 and a WHIP of 1.800.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.5 units)



ARMANDO GALARRAGA vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
GALARRAGA is 4-3 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.65 and a WHIP of 1.120.
His team's record is 4-5 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+0.7 units)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TORONTO (63 - 57) at BOSTON (69 - 53) - 7:10 PM
BRETT CECIL (L) vs. JON LESTER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 57-35 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 63-58 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 13-5 (+10.7 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
TORONTO is 26-20 (+10.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
TORONTO is 33-29 (+8.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CECIL is 5-0 (+7.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season. (Team's Record)


Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 9-3 (+6.1 Units) against TORONTO this season
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)



BRETT CECIL vs. BOSTON since 1997
CECIL is 0-3 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 7.80 and a WHIP of 1.867.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.3 units)



JON LESTER vs. TORONTO since 1997
LESTER is 6-3 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 2.74 and a WHIP of 1.078.
His team's record is 7-4 (+2.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-6. (-1.3 units)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


LA ANGELS (61 - 61) at MINNESOTA (70 - 51) - 8:10 PM
DAN HAREN (R) vs. BRIAN DUENSING (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 58-62 (-9.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HAREN is 9-17 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
HAREN is 9-17 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 70-51 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 20-3 (+16.0 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 this season.
MINNESOTA is 140-83 (+28.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 30-15 (+13.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 66-46 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 106-80 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 104-78 (+13.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 163-131 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 27-13 (+15.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 77-71 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 27-13 (+17.4 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 209-154 (+45.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 29-19 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 49-37 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 559-550 (+46.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-1 (+2.6 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)



DAN HAREN vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
HAREN is 3-2 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.63 and a WHIP of 1.083.
His team's record is 4-3 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.4 units)



BRIAN DUENSING vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


CHI WHITE SOX (66 - 55) at KANSAS CITY (51 - 70) - 8:10 PM
EDWIN JACKSON (R) vs. SEAN O'SULLIVAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
JACKSON is 9-18 (-11.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JACKSON is 8-17 (-9.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
JACKSON is 0-8 (-9.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 66-56 (+6.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 222-181 (+23.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 50-41 (+6.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
KANSAS CITY is 116-167 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 60-80 (-20.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 206-312 (-93.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
KANSAS CITY is 107-150 (-26.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 65-89 (-26.6 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 32-50 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 7-5 (+0.7 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.2 Units)



EDWIN JACKSON vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
JACKSON is 3-3 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 5.08 and a WHIP of 1.337.
His team's record is 3-3 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+2.0 units)



SEAN O'SULLIVAN vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
O'SULLIVAN is 0-1 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 7.20 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TAMPA BAY (74 - 47) at OAKLAND (60 - 60) - 10:05 PM
JEREMY HELLICKSON (R) vs. VIN MAZZARO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 3-15 (-22.7 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
OAKLAND is 229-158 (+65.8 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
OAKLAND is 59-55 (+4.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 30-17 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
OAKLAND is 128-62 (+46.2 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.
TAMPA BAY is 33-19 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 31-48 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 3-3 (+0.9 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)



JEREMY HELLICKSON vs. OAKLAND since 1997
No recent starts.



VIN MAZZARO vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
MAZZARO is 0-1 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.60 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)

MLB Betting: Padres travel to meet Milwaukee

The San Diego Padres reached a milestone on Wednesday when they beat the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The win was the Friars' 72nd of the season, making them the first team in the major leagues to top the oddsmaker’s predictions.

The preseason 'over/under/' line for Padres wins this season was 71 ½.

Bettors smart enough to figure out that San Diego would be the surprise team in the National League will have to wait until the season ends to bank their winnings. The beat goes on for the Padres on Friday when they make their first and only trip to Miller Park to begin a three-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Padres have been dominant against the National League Central so far, posting a 21-5 record versus the division heading into their finale at Chicago on Thursday.

However, they will be facing a Brew crew that returns home fresh off a two-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals and looking for revenge after losing three of four at Petco Park from April 29-May 2.

Milwaukee ace Yovani Gallardo came away with the only win in that series, limiting the Padres to one run and six hits over seven innings and whiffing 11. The Brewers were shut out in the other three games in San Diego.

Gallardo is 3-1 with a 4.55 ERA in five starts since returning from an oblique strain that put him on the disabled list.

Milwaukee is 5-2 in Gallardo’s last seven starts at Miller Park, but just 2-6 in his last eight outings against NL-West tenants.

Wade LeBlanc makes his first career start at Miller Park. The Padres southpaw pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Brewers on April 29, scattering eight hits and striking out six.

San Diego is 5-0 in LeBlanc’s last five starts versus losing teams and 6-1 in his last seven appearances against NL-Central foes.

The Padres have thrived against teams on the minus side of the ledger, winning 51 of 76 and they have cashed in eight of their last 11 against Milwaukee.

The Brewers have won five of six at home versus a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30, but they have lost 11 of their past 16 against left-handers.

The MLB odds ‘over’ has cashed in five of the last seven series encounters, including the last four in Milwaukee.

San Diego has dipped ‘under’ in seven of its last nine series opener. The Brewers have topped the ‘total’ at a 5-0-1 clip recently against southpaws.

MLB Odds: Red Sox look to beat up Blue Jays

The Boston Red Sox look to continue their dominance over the Toronto Blue Jays as they begin a weekend series Friday night at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox are 9-3 against Toronto this year (2-1 at home). The Blue Jays are the only AL East opponent they’re over .500 against. The Rays (4-8), Yankees (5-7) and lowly Orioles (6-6) are the other division teams.

Boston (69-52) took two of three against Toronto north of the border last week. A sweep was blown on Thursday after the Blue Jays rallied for four runs in the ninth inning for a 6-5 win. Closer Jonathan Papelbon allowed three of the runs for his sixth blown save.

The Red Sox opened their nine-game homestand by going 2-0 against the Los Angeles Angels. The Thursday night result is still pending. They’re a remarkable 9-0 against the Angels this season. Boston is 5 ½-games back in both the AL East and wild-card race.

The Blue Jays (63-57) are in the midst of a grueling nine-game road trip. They had to fly all the way to the West Coast to play the Angels and A’s (going 3-3). They now have to travel 3000 miles back across the country.

Toronto at least had Thursday off and is 4-1 in its last five games following an off day. The team’s playoff hopes are pretty much shot, but it’s still fighting hard at 19-12 in the second half.

Brett Cecil will be the Toronto starter. He’s 9-6 with a 3.96 ERA after starting the season in Triple-A. He got hammered in his last start at the Angels, three homers and seven earned runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Cecil’s velocity was down against L.A., which was at least partially due to a knee injury. The 24-year-old lefty had six straight quality starts before that (2.05 ERA). Toronto is 5-0 in his last five starts against the AL East. The MLB odds ‘under’ is 6-0 in his last six division starts.

This is Cecil’s second start against the Red Sox this year. He allowed one earned run in six innings at home on April 28. He got crushed in his only career start at Fenway last May as a rookie (eight earned over 4 2/3 innings).

Jon Lester (13-7, 2.80 ERA) gets the call for Boston. He’s been keeping the team afloat along with Clay Buchholz (14-5, 2.36 ERA). The problem is high-priced starters Josh Beckett, John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka are terribly inconsistent.

The 26-year-old Lester has been masterful in his last two starts at the Yankees and Rangers. He allowed no earned runs over 14 1/3 innings and stopped a two-game losing streak each time.

Lester is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA against the Blue Jays this year. He’s 6-3 with a 2.47 ERA lifetime against them. The Red Sox are 5-1 in his last six starts against Toronto.

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia (foot) returned a couple of games ago and is 1-of-7 from the plate. Boston is still playing shorthanded with Kevin Youkilis (thumb) and Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) both likely out for the season. Toronto doesn’t have any significant injuries.

First pitch on Friday is 4:10 p.m. (PT). Weather should be clear and in the upper 70s.

MLB Odds: Hot Twins host sinking Angels

Los Angeles and Minnesota begin a three-game series with Friday’s contest at Target Field. The Angels continue to play around .500 ball 120 games into the season, and they will have to make a serious push to catch Texas in the American League West standings. Coach Mike Scioscia’s team trails the Rangers by eight games, but has almost no shot of overtaking one of the AL East teams for a wild-card slot.

Minnesota has opened up a five-game advantage over Chicago in the AL Central standings. The Twins have gone a robust 21-5 their last 26 games overall, while the White Sox have stumbled to a 2-8 ledger their past 10 outings.

Los Angeles pitcher Dan Haren (8-11, 4.37 ERA) heads to the hill for the first time since Sunday’s setback to Toronto as a 140 home MLB odds favorite, 4-1. The Pepperdine product went seven innings, allowing four runs on nine hits (one home run) with a walk and five strikeouts on 105 pitches.

The combined five runs failed to eclipse the 7 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 3-0-1 his previous four starts. The 29-year-old has just a 1-3 ledger since being acquired from Arizona, but he would have a better record with more run support.

Haren has not faced Minnesota since the 2007 season when he was with Oakland. The right-hander got a no-decision in that matchup, tossing six innings while surrendering two runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. The Athletics dropped that contest as a 107 road selection, 4-3, while the combined seven runs went ‘under’ the eight-run closing total.

Los Angeles, 27-34 away from home, concludes a six-game road trip with this series before returning home for six games against AL East squads Tampa Bay and Baltimore. The Angels have struggled to a dismal 5-17 road record the past 22 games.

Minnesota southpaw Brian Duensing (6-1, 2.00 ERA) recorded his first career complete game with Saturday’s victory over Oakland as a 128 home ‘chalk,’ 2-0. The second-year player was reached for just three hits with two walks and four strikeouts on 104 pitches. All three hits came in the first three innings of the game.

The two runs never seriously threatened the eight-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash his second straight start. The 27-year-old had started seven straight road games before upending the Athletics.

Duensing has never started against Los Angeles in his brief major league career.

Minnesota, 38-20 at Target Field, wraps up a nine-game homestand with this series before traveling to AL West teams Texas and Seattle. The Twins have opened up some space between them and Chicago after going 9-1 its past 10 games. The ‘under’ has gone 7-2-1 their last 10 home games.

Friday’s forecast for Minneapolis calls for scattered thunderstorms and a 60 percent chance of rain, with a high of 86 degrees and a low of 68