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LA Angels Open MLB Odds Series At Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels both have their sights set on reaching the playoffs as they prepare for a second meeting time this season starting Thursday. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled at 10:05 a.m. (PT) at Comerica Park.

Los Angeles will be concluding a 10-game road trip in the Motor City and trails the Texas Rangers in the American League West race. The Angels have tallied an AL-best 25-12 record since June 13, but were unable to pick up ground due to the Rangers' 12-game winning streak earlier this month.

The Halos took two of three from the Tigers just before the all-star break in Anaheim and are 53-29 overall in the series dating back to 2002. That includes a 31-15 mark in the Motor City.

Joel Pineiro (5-5, 4.61 ERA) gets the opening assignment and will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak. He has allowed 11 runs (10 earned) and 15 hits over 5 2/3 innings in that span. The right-hander has tallied a losing 2-3 record and 4.95 ERA in eight road outings, issuing 15 walks and registering just 16 punch outs in 43 2/3 frames. Opponents are hitting .304 against him away from Angel Stadium.

Pineiro enters with a solid 8-3 record and 3.16 ERA in 14 appearances (12 starts) versus the Tigers, including a 3-1 mark and 4.91 ERA in four outings (three starts) at today’s venue. Despite his success at Comerica Park, bettors will find that the Angels are 3-7 in his last 10 road outings, while the ‘over’ is 5-2 in that particular situation.

Detroit will come into this important weekend series as a division leader and will look to even up its 12-13 record versus AL West foes. Starting pitching has been a strength for the club all season, but the bullpen ranks 29th in the majors with a 4.69 ERA.

The Tigers have been relying heavily on the offensive exploits of shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who is hitting .400 since the All-Star Game with two home runs and 11 RBIs. Due to having a potent lineup and a shaky bullpen, the ‘over’ is 54-41 in Detroit’s games this season.

Brad Penny (7-7, 4.51 ERA) has won two of his last three outings and will aim to improve his even 3-3 mark and 5.50 ERA in nine starts versus the Angels. He walked away with a 5-4 road victory over Los Angeles on July 6, giving up four runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings.

The right-hander has been much better in front of the home fans this year than on the road, posting a 4-2 record and 3.15 ERA in 11 home starts compared to a 3-5 mark and 6.36 ERA in nine road outings. He will need to pitch carefully to Angels designated hitter Bobby Abreu, who comes in with a .340 average and two home runs in 53 career at-bats against him.

Weather forecasts are calling for game-time highs in the mid-to-upper-80s with a 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms. The wind will be blowing in a southwesterly direction at 10-15 mph (right to left). The ‘over’ is 3-1 at Comerica Park in those conditions.
 

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Boston Red Sox Host Kansas City Royals

The Boston Red Sox will try to win for the eighth time in nine starts for ace Josh Beckett when they host the Kansas City Royals in the finale of a four-game series on Thursday. The Royals will also be going for their sixth straight win with Luke Hochevar on the mound before heading to Cleveland this weekend to close out a seven-game road trip.

Game time for the getaway game at Fenway Park in Boston is 10:35 a.m. (PT).

The ‘under’ is also 5-1 in Beckett’s last six starts and 14-4-1 overall when he has pitched this season. The big righty’s only loss in his past seven outings came against Cliff Lee and the Philadelphia Phillies one month ago.

Beckett (9-3, 2.07 ERA) has been brilliant outside of that loss, which is the lone time he has given up more than three runs in his last 14 starts. He is 6-0 lifetime vs. Kansas City with a 2.26 ERA in eight starts and 4-0 at Fenway Park this year with a 1.61 ERA.

Unlike Beckett, Hochevar (6-8, 5.29) has not pitched particularly well in the five straight games the Royals have won with him starting. Hochevar has gone 2-0 during that stretch, surrendering four runs or more three times but seeing his team score at least 10 runs in each of those games.

The top overall pick in the 2006 amateur draft has yet to live up to his billing compared to Beckett, who was selected No. 2 overall by the Florida Marlins in 1999 and won a World Series with them in 2003 before leading Boston to the 2007 championship as ALCS MVP.

Hochevar has struggled against the Red Sox during his career with a 1-3 mark and 7.94 ERA in four starts. He has also pitched poorly on the road this season, going 1-4 with a 5.44 ERA. The ‘over’ is 3-1 in his last four outings, and just two of the five consecutive wins with him for KC came as an underdog.

The teams split the first two games of the series and combined for 56 hits heading into Wednesday with much different results. The Royals earned a 3-1 victory in 14 innings on Monday before the Sox came alive offensively in winning a 13-9 slugfest on Tuesday.

Gary Cederstrom will be behind home plate for the 24th time this season. Home teams have a slight 12-11 edge with Cederstrom as the umpire – but 4-0 as favorites with a higher price than 160 – while the ‘under’ is 12-9-2 in his games.

The weather is expected to be a bit cooler in Boston on Thursday with a high temperature projected at 82 degrees under partly cloudy skies.
 

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Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs MLB Betting Preview

Two National League Central rivals will complete a three-game series on Thursday when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 11:10 a.m. (PT) from Miller Park.

Each club comes into this series in vastly different positions. As of Wednesday, the Cubbies are 13 games back of the St. Louis Cardinals and fifth in the division standings while the Brew Crew is second by only half a game.

Milwaukee took the first game of this series, 3-2. Ryan Braun went 3-for-4 at the plate, but ultimately the go-ahead score came from Casey McGehee’s triple which drove in two runs. This was a game that appeared to be headed to go ‘over’ the total, but that final score also happened to be the score at the conclusion of the first inning.

Most teams in any sport like to play at home, but for the Brewers it seems to be the only way for them to win. They are 20 games above .500 at Miller Park and just 21-35 on the road.

During their last road stretch, Milwaukee went 5-6 and that is actually a positive compared to some of their other efforts. If they can find a way to play merely satisfactory baseball away from home, this division could be theirs.

The good news for the Brewers is that they have three series in a row at home against division opponents, including this one.

Shaun Marcum (9-3, 3.35 ERA) gets the nod for the Brewers and knowing all the info on the team’s record home and away, there are some odd numbers that stick out. The club actually has a losing record in his starts at home (4-6) and a winning record on the road (6-5).

Marcum also has a lower ERA and WHIP on the road. To his credit, the right-hander is held accountable for only one of those six home losses to sport a personal 4-1 record.

As for the Cubs, good news is few and far between. To focus on the bright side, Thursday’s starter Randy Wells (2-3, 6.17 ERA) is actually coming off a win which he had not experienced since his first start back in April.

That may be where the bright side ends, as Wells’ ERA on the road is 8.50.

Marcum has been an ‘under’ pitcher with low totals going 13-8 in his starts. The Chicago Cubs have also gone ‘under’ in six out of their last seven games overall.

Miller Park's roof may be closed with the weather forecast calling for a 30 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms at game time with a temperature expected around 82 degrees.
 

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Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever WNBA Betting Preview

It's a battle for the lead in the WNBA's Eastern Conference standings Thursday night when the Connecticut Sun host the Indiana Fever. Tip-off from the Mohegan Sun Arena is 4:30 p.m. (PT).

Opening WNBA betting lines listed the Sun as 5½-point favorites for the tilt, up a half-point from the last time the two teams met on this floor. Tuesday's total on the Don Best odds screen is 150.

Indiana was a 5-point underdog in a July 17 visit to this arena, a spread that 'pushed' when the Sun posted a 76-71 win behind Danielle McCray's career-best 22 points. That was the third meeting between the squads this season and Connecticut's first win over the Fever who took the first two meetings on their home court, covering as 3½- and 5½-point favorites in those contests.

The Fever last took the court six days ago at home vs. Chicago and snapped a 3-game losing streak with a 77-63 win. Indiana, favored by six points, built a 14-point halftime lead behind 6-foot-5 Jessica Davenport who came off the bench to lead the Fever boxscore with 20 points.

Connecticut moved into first in the East by percentage points over Indiana with Tuesday's upset road victory at Chicago. A 4-point underdog against the Sky, the Sun fought back from an early deficit to grab a 77-66 win behind Asjha Jones' 22 points and Tina Charles' double-double (21 points, 15 rebounds).

The double-double was the ninth of the season for Charles who is fourth in the league in scoring (18.5) and tied with Minnesota's Rebekkah Brunson for the top spot in rebounding (10.5). Three of those double-doubles have come against the Fever with Charles averaging 15.0 points and 12.0 boards per contest.

Tuesday's triumph was just the third road win for Connecticut against five losses away from home. The Sun are a perfect 7-0 on their own floor while Indiana comes in with a 3-4 road record.

Connecticut has split against the spread so far this season going 7-7 with the one 'push' against Indiana recently. The Sun are 4-2-1 when favored and 3-0-1 ATS during their current 4-game win streak.

Indiana is 10-6-1 ATS overall, 2-2-1 when listed as the underdog.

There's no rest for the Fever who will travel overnight to meet the Washington Mystic on Friday. Connecticut gets two days off before hosting the Atlanta Dream on Sunday.
 

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Around the Horn - Thursday

July 27, 2011

NATIONAL LEAGUE


N.Y. Mets at Cincinnati - 12:35 PM EST (Game 4/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Capuano (8-10, 4.26 ERA) 4-2 L6 OVER 8-2 L10 away during day
Bailey (5-4, 3.67 ERA) 2-4 L6 OVER 7-2 home vs LHP

Mets beat Reds, 4-2 on Monday
Mets beat Reds, 8-6 on Tuesday
Mets beat Reds, 8-2 on Wednesday

Florida at Washington - 12:35 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Hand (1-3, 2.77 ERA) 4-6 L10 3-5 L8 away during day
Lannan (7-6, 3.51 ERA) 1-5 L6 5-2 L7 home during day

Marlins beat Nationals, 11-2 on Tuesday
Marlins beat Nationals, 7-5 on Wednesday

Chicago at Milwaukee - 2:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Wells (2-3, 6.17 ERA) 2-6 L8 6-1 L7 on Thursdays
Marcum (9-3, 3.35 ERA) 5-5 L10 3-8 on Thursdays

Brewers beat Cubs, 3-2 on Tuesday
Brewers beat Cubs, 2-0 on Wednesday

Arizona at San Diego - 3:35 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Hudson (10-6, 3.72 ERA) 3-6 L9 4-0 L4 away on Thursdays
Latos (5-10, 4.05 ERA) 3-5 L8 OVER 8-4 home during day

Diamondbacks beat Padres, 6-1 on Tuesday

San Francisco at Philadelphia - 7:05 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Vogelsong (8-1, 2.10 ERA) 4-6 L10 2-10 away Game 3's
Kendrick (5-4, 3.45 ERA) 8-3 L11 12-4 home Game 3's

Phillies beat Giants, 7-2 on Tuesday
Giants beat Phillies, 2-1 on Wednesday

Pittsburgh at Atlanta - 7:10 PM EST (Game 4/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Correia (11-8, 4.38 ERA) 6-4 L10 OVER 10-3 away Game 3's
Lowe (6-8, 4.49 ERA) 5-5 L10 4-1 home on Thursdays

Pirates beat Braves, 3-1 on Monday
Braves beat Pirates, 4-3 on Tuesday
Braves beat Pirates, 2-1 on Wednesday

Houston at St. Louis - 8:15 PM EST (Game 4/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Rodriguez (6-7, 3.60 ERA) 2-5 L7 OVER 5-0 Game 4's
Garcia (10-4, 3.01 ERA) 5-5 L10 3-5 L8 home vs LHP

Cardinals beat Astros, 10-5 on Monday
Cardinals beat Astros, 3-1 on Tuesday

AMERICAN LEAGUE


Los Angeles at Detroit - 1:05 PM EST (Game 1/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Pineiro (5-5, 4.61 ERA) 4-2 L6 13-5 L18 away during day
Penny (7-7, 4.51 ERA) 3-6 L9 6-2 L8 home during day

Angels beat Indians, 3-1 on Wednesday
Tigers lost to White Sox, 2-1 on Wednesday

Kansas City at Boston - 1:35 PM EST (Game 4/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Hochevar (6-8, 5.29 ERA) 5-2 L7 1-5 L6 on Thursdays
Beckett (9-3, 2.07 ERA) 8-2 L10 8-1 L9 on Thursdays

Royals beat Red Sox, 3-1 on Monday
Red Sox beat Royals, 13-9 on Tuesday
Red Sox beat Royals, 12-5 on Wednesday

Tampa Bay at Oakland - 3:35 PM EST (Game 4/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Davis (7-7, 4.46 ERA) 3-7 L10 6-3 L9 away during day
Harden (2-1, 4.63 ERA) 5-5 L10 3-8 on Thursdays

Athletics beat Rays, 7-5 on Monday
Athletics beat Rays, 6-1 on Tuesday

Baltimore at Toronto - 7:05 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Bergesen (2-6, 5.54 ERA) 4-6 L10 OVER 5-1 L6 on Thursdays
Villanueva (5-2, 3.40 ERA) 7-3 L10 3-10 home Game 3's

Orioles beat Blue Jays, 12-4 on Monday
Blue Jays beat Orioles, 3-0 on Tuesday

Minnesota at Texas - 8:05 PM EST (Game 4/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Baker (8-5, 2.88 ERA) 3-6 L9 UNDER 5-1 away on Thursdays
Harrison (8-7, 3.05 ERA) 15-3 L18 8-1 L9 home vs RHP

Rangers beat Twins, 20-6 on Monday
Twins beat Rangers, 9-8 on Tuesday
Twins beat Rangers, 7-2 on Wednesday
 

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Thursday, July 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Mets - 12:35 PM ET Cincinnati -132 500
Cincinnati - Over 9 500

LA Angels - 1:05 PM ET LA Angels +123 500
Detroit - Over 9 500

Kansas City - 1:35 PM ET Kansas City +259 500
Boston - Under 9 500

Chi. Cubs - 2:10 PM ET Milwaukee -183 500
Milwaukee - Under 8.5 500

Tampa Bay - 3:35 PM ET Oakland -123 500
Oakland - Over 7.5 500

Arizona - 3:35 PM ET San Diego -103 500
San Diego - Over 6.5 500
 

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12:30 PM ETPhoenix at San Antonio

Teams ROT Record Consensus Odds

PHO 651 10-6 (5-3 V) - 181.5 ( Over )

SA 652 10-5 (4-3 H) - -2 ( San Antonio - 2 )

Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves My Scores
Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts
 

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Thursday, July 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

BC Lions - 8:00 PM ET Winnipeg -3 500

Winnipeg - Under 52 500
 

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Canadian bacon: CFL Week 5 betting preview and picks

B.C. Lions at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-3, 52)

The situation is getting desperate for the Lions, who are the only winless team in the CFL. And it won’t be an easy task to pick up their first win in Winnipeg this Thursday after a short week of preparation.

The departure of WR Manny Arceneaux (NFL) was costlier than anticipated. The vertical attack of the Lions doesn’t scare anyone in the league. And defensively, veteran Davis Sanchez, at 36, has lost a step and was moved from cornerback to safety after a terrible start. The knee injury that ended the season of defensive back Stanley Franks only made the secondary more fragile. It remains unknown whether the addition of rookie Travis Williams as a wide-side cornerback will make it better or worse.

You can bet that Bombers QB Buck Pierce will try to exploit the lack of CFL experience on the Lions stop unit. Bettors should also consider that the Winnipeg defense has been solid so far.

CFL bettors will watch the Bombers declaw the Lions and keep B.C. winless.

Pick: Winnipeg
 

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Lady luck: Thursday's best WNBA bets

Phoenix Mercury at San Antonio Silver Stars (-2, 182)

If there’s one thing that should get the Phoenix Mercury back in the groove, it’s a date with the San Antonio Silver Stars.

Phoenix has covered the spread in six of its last seven meetings with San Antonio and dropped the Silver Stars 105-98 as a 3.5-point road underdog near the end of June.

However, the Mercury are sputtering. They dropped consecutive games at home against Minnesota and Seattle before packing their bags for a three-game road trip.

And after their last performance, you’d better believe they’ll want to get off on the right foot Thursday.

"We didn't come to play,'' Mercury coach Corey Gaines told reporters after the club’s loss to Seattle. “I talked to the team, they listened. We just didn't come to play. Just didn't play well.''

Diana Taurasi was the lone exception as she downed 26 points, but the team needs more from players like Penny Taylor, who was held to seven points.

We think the Mercury step up in a big way.

Pick: Mercury

Washington Mystics at New York Liberty (-11, 149)

The Liberty have dropped two of their last three games, including a 85-79 loss in Connecticut as a 5-point underdog. Coach Whisenant has a pretty good idea what went wrong in that one.

"When we are consistently shooting 10 less free throws then our opponent, that's a sign that we aren't aggressive going to the basket," Whisenant told the Liberty's official website. "That's a sign that we're shooting too many jump shots. We need to go to the basket."

So it’s not exactly rocket science. Still, this line isn’t nearly as easy to figure out. New York shouldn’t have a problem winning this one at home, but we’re looking at a lot of points here.

These teams meet four times between now and the middle of August. We’re thinking the Liberty make a statement here.

Pick: Liberty
 

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Hot lines: Thursday's best MLB bets

Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays (-150, 9.5)

The Blue Jays made a major splash in the trade department Wednesday by pulling off a pair of deals that put the likes of Colby Rasmus, Mark Teahen, Brian Tallet, Trever Miller, and P.J. Walters in Jays jerseys.

The big fish here is Rasmus, who has a lot of upside but butted heads with St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa before the deal.

"No, he doesn't listen to the Cardinal coaches much now, and that's why he gets in these funks, in my opinion," La Russa told KDSK TV-5 earlier this week. "If he would just stay with (basically) what they teach, he would have ... but I actually feel concern for him, because he hears it from so many places, he's got to be confused."

It was obviously time to move on for the 24-year-old and he could develop into a solid everyday player for Toronto. The new faces in the clubhouse should be a boost for the club.

Pick: Blue Jays

Los Angeles Angels at Detroit Tigers (-120, 9)

A day after Ervin Santana fired the first no-hitter of his career and the Angels’ first no-no in almost three decades, the club’s supporters may be in for an entirely different type of performance on the hill.

Thursday’s starter, Joel Pineiro, has allowed 25 hits over his last 12 2/3 innings.

Meanwhile, the Tigers are coming off a 5-3 road trip after dropping a 2-1 decision to the White Sox on Wednesday. The big problem in that loss was that Detroit had just one hit in nine chances with runners in scoring position.

“The thing that frustrates you a little bit is when you have opportunity after opportunity,” Tigers manger Jim Leyland told reporters. “If you just take one or two hits in that game, you might have three or four runs."

We think that a matchup against Pineiro should fix those issues.

Pick: Tigers
 

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Thursday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Streaking

Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox (9-3, 2.07 ERA)

Even a hyperextended knee couldn’t slow down Boston’s ace. Beckett has allowed just one run over two starts since suffering the injury and now sits second in the bigs with his 2.07 ERA.

A solo homer was the only blemish on his resume in his last start against Seattle. He went seven innings while striking out seven and walking one.

Scott Baker, Minnesota Twins (8-5, 2.88 ERA)

The Twins were holding their breath when Baker made his first start off the DL against the Tigers, but he made it through five innings all right in a 4-1 victory.

Baker, who has battled an oblique problem and elbow soreness, didn’t allow a run over those five frames and had to throw just 82 pitches. He could be working with a pitch count Thursday and don’t expect the Twins to push him for a while.

Slumping

Chris Capuano, New York Mets (8-10, 4.26 ERA)

Things looked pretty good for Capuano through four innings of his last start against Florida. Then the fifth inning came along.

Capuano headed into the fifth with a two-run lead but then gave up a couple of jacks and four runs before getting the hook.

“It all comes down to execution,” Capuano told reporters after dropping his third straight start. “It’s just a couple of pitches that I didn’t quite get where I wanted to.”

Joel Pineiro, Los Angeles Angels (5-5, 4.61 ERA)

Pineiro gave up only three runs over 5 1/3 innings in his last start after allowing seven earned runs in only 1/3 of an inning, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods just yet.

Pineiro also yielded 11 hits in the 3-2 loss to Baltimore and his skipper was far from impressed.

“J.P. really struggled to be honest with you,” manager Mike Scioscia told reporters. “The ball was up, he was behind a lot of counts, he really had trouble repeating pitches to put hitters away. It just didn’t seem like he was able to take control of the game.”
 

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Ground and pound: Betting the best groundball pitchers in baseball

General managers who rely upon sabermetrics as part of their decision-making process love pitchers with high ground ball percentages.

The feeling is that pitchers who make hitters pound the ball into the ground have a better chance of limiting big innings. That's because, at least in theory, the ground ballers should allow fewer home runs and induce more double plays.

Here is a look at the top seven pitchers this season in terms of ground ball-fly ball ratio: The number of ground balls generated by opposing hitters diving by the number of fly balls:

Charlie Morton, Pittsburgh Pirates (1.99 units)

GB/FB: 3.44

Morton overhauled his throwing motion in spring training with the help of Pirates pitching coaches Ray Searage and Jim Benedict to the point where he greatly resembles the Phillies' Roy Halladay. The changes have turned Morton into a groundball machine now known as "Ground Chuck".

Ground balls have helped Morton turn his career around, going 8-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 18 starts after going 2-12 with a 7.57 ERA last season. The Pirates have split his 18 starts this year with an over/under count of 8-10.

Derek Lowe, Atlanta Braves (1.61 units)

GB/FB: 2.81

Lowe has long been one of the game's top groundball pitchers because of his sinker. However, too many of those grounders have found holes this season as Lowe is 6-8 with a 4.49 ERA in 22 starts. The fact that Lowe has had an ERA of 4.00 or more in all three seasons since signing a four-year, $60 million contract with the Braves is a sign that the sinker isn't what it used to be.

Games have gone over in 13 of Lowe's 22 starts while the under has been the winning side eight times with one push. The Braves are 12-10 in those games.

Jake Westbrook, St. Louis Cardinals (3.98 units)

GB/FB: 2.67

Westbrook is another sinkerball pitcher who has had trouble getting those ground balls to find gloves, going 9-4 in 21 starts but boasting a 4.86 ERA. The Cardinals re-signed Westbrook to a three-year, $30 million contract in the offseason after he was 4-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 12 starts following his acquisition from the Cleveland Indians at the trade deadline in 2010. The Cardinals have gone 12-9 in Westbrook's starts with an over/under mark of 12-8-1.

Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves (-4.06 units)

GB/FB: 2.30

Hudson is one of the few pitchers with a six-pitch mix and he gets many of his ground balls off his sinker and splitter. That has helped the 36 year old have another successful season a little less than three years removed from Tommy John surgery. Hudson is 9-7 with a 3.42 ERA in 21 starts. The Braves have gone 10-11 in Hudson's starts and the over/under is 12-9.

Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics (-7.13 units)

GB/FB: 2.22

Cahill hasn't been quite as dominant this year as he was during his breakout season in 2010, going 8-9 with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in 22 starts for an offensively-challenge club. He has pitched well enough to believe that he can have more seasons like last year when he went 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. The Athletics are just 8-14 this season when Cahill has toed the slab with an over/under record of 9-11-2.

Jason Marquis, Washington Nationals (9.47 units)

GB/FB: 2.14

A year after a disastrous 2-9 season that was interrupted by arthroscopic elbow surgery, Marquis has been the fourth-most profitable pitcher in the major leagues this season behind Halladay (10.88 units), the Braves' Jair Jurrjens (9.78) and the San Diego Padres' Aaron Harang (9.77). Keeping the ball down has played a big part in Marquis' success, going 8-5 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Marquis' starts have resulted in the Nationals going 13-7 while the over/under is also 13-7.

Tim Stauffer, San Diego Padres (3.33 units)

GB/FB: 2.14

Stauffer has suffered because he pitches for the lowest-scoring team in the National League. He has a 6-7 record despite a 3.05 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. His ERA is good for 11th in the NL.

Stauffer has turned in quality starts in 14 of his 21 outings but the Padres haven't been able to take full advantage , posting an 11-10 mark in his outings while the over/under is 9-11-1.

--

Note: Betting the top seven groundball pitchers has proven profitable as they have combined for 9.19 units. Though it seems counterintuitive, betting the over has been the way to go with those arms, with a combined 77-63 over/under record for 7.70 units heading into Wednesday’s action.
 

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Hope you had the Angels and Royals this morning Varkey Boy.....along with the WNBA........
 

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Earlier Morning Game went 2 - 0......the rest to this evenings schedule:

7:00 PM ETWashington at New York

Teams ROT Record Consensus Odds

WAS 655 3-12 (2-6 V) - 149.5 (UNDER )

NY 656 9-7 (5-3 H) - -8.5 ( Washington + 8.5 )

Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves My Scores
Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts



7:00 PM ETLos Angeles at Atlanta

Teams ROT Record Consensus Odds

LA 653 6-9 (2-7 V) - 162.5 ( OVER )

ATL 654 7-9 (4-5 H) - -5 ( Atlanta - 5 )

Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves My Scores
Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts



7:30 PM ETIndiana at Connecticut

Teams ROT Record Consensus Odds

IND 657 11-6 (3-4 V) - 151 ( UNDER )

CONN 658 10-5 (7-0 H) - -5 ( UCONN - 5 )

Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves My Scores
Opinion: Consensus | Team Experts



8:00 PM ETChicago at Tulsa

Teams ROT Record Consensus Odds

CHI 659 8-10 (1-7 V) - 146.5 ( OVER )

TUL 660 1-15 (1-7 H) + 7.5 ( CHICAGO - 7.5 )

Stats: Matchup | Preview | Trends | Line Moves My Scores
 

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Morning Results with two games pending:

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

07/28/11 7-_1-_0 87.50% +_3750 Detail



San Francisco - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia +107 500
Philadelphia - Over 7.5 500

Baltimore - 7:07 PM ET Baltimore +153 500
Toronto - Over 9 500

Pittsburgh - 7:10 PM ET Pittsburgh +150 500
Atlanta - Over 7.5 500

Minnesota - 8:05 PM ET Texas -149 500
Texas - Over 9.5 500

Houston - 8:15 PM ET Houston +178 500
St. Louis - Over 7.5 500
 

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Thursday’s betting tips: Tribe battles historic trend

Who’s hot

MLB: Atlanta is 13-3 in its last 16 home games.

MLB: The over is 8-2 in Florida’s last 10 road games.

CFL: Winnipeg is 9-1-1 against the spread in its last 11 games.

WNBA: Even though Tulsa is 1-15 straight up this season, the Shock are 7-3-1 against the spread in their last 11 home games.

Who’s not

MLB: The Chicago Cubs are 7-20 in their last 27 road games.

MLB: Kansas City has won just nine of its last 32 games in Boston.

CFL: The over is 2-9 in the last 11 meetings between Winnipeg and B.C.

WNBA: Los Angeles is 2-8 against the spread in its last 10 road games.

Key stat

265.8 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lead the CFL in total defense by a small landslide, allowing just 265.8 yards per game. Toronto owns the next best defense in the league giving up 318.8 yards per contest. Winnipeg is set as a 3-point favorite Thursday against the B.C. Lions.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Erika de Souza, Atlanta Dream – The Dream’s starting center is reportedly dealing with a concussion and is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks. The 6-foot-5 force in the middle played just 11 minutes in the club’s last contest but is averaging 11.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Game of the day

Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves (-155, 7.5)

Notable quotable

"When you have [Lindsay] Whalen coming down on the break and you have Maya [Moore] and Augustus on the sides, that's like having Kobe and Dwyane Wade coming on the wing. Who do you guard? Who do you check? They are talented, they are athletic, they are fast. [Rebekkah] Brunson is a beast. Taj [McWilliams-Franklin] is experienced. In my mind, they should be the [WNBA] favorite with the skill set they have." – Los Angeles Sparks coach Joe “Jellybean” Bryant on the Minnesota Lynx. Minnesota dropped L.A. 85-72 earlier this week to move into first place in the Western Conference standings. Minnesota is currently listed at +450 to win the WNBA Championship, behind the Seattle Storm (+300)

Notes and tips

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are trying to cope with the death of Richard Harris, their assistant head coach and defensive line coach, ahead of Thursday’s game with the B.C. Lions. Harris, 63, reportedly collapsed in his office at Canad Inns Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. The Blue Bombers are set as 3.5-point home favorites.

If history holds true, Thursday could be another bad day for the Cleveland Indians, who were no-hit by Ervine Santana of the Angels. Since 2000, the team gets no-hit is 6-16 in its next game, while the under is 17-5, cashing in on 13 of the last 15.

The North Carolina Tar Heels fired head coach Butch Davis just nine days before the start of preseason. His dismissal was based on the NCAA investigation about improper benefits and academic misconduct that continues to plague the program.
 

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Thursday's six-pack

-- Ervin Santana was 0-6, 4.98 in ten career starts against the Indians before Wednesday, so of course, he threw a no-hitter against them.

-- Last pitcher to throw a no-hitter and give up a run? Darryl Kile did that for Houston against the Mets back in 1993.

-- Imagine getting +$140 with Felix Hernandez against Phil Hughes? Well, you had to back a team that had lost 17 games in a row to take those odds, but if you did, you had a winner with Seattle Wednesday.

-- Carlos Beltran got traded to the Giants for a 21-year old pitcher who is 7-5 in the Class A California League. Not so good for the Mets.

-- North Carolina fired football coach Butch Davis as it looks to clean up its mess of a football program. Probation looms; wonder who they'll try and get to coach their team through the probation.

-- AL West since the All-Star break:
A's 8-4, Texas 8-5, Angels 7-6, Seattle 1-11.


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


Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud......

13) The $180 I shell out for Extra Innings package on cable is well worth it, but a game like Tuesday, when Braves beat Pittsburgh in 19 innings, makes it an even better value. Weird games like that are what set baseball apart from the other sports; every position player on both sides played, starting pitchers were about to go down to each bullpen to start warming up. Truly a bizarre night that ended on an unfortunately terrible call.

12) Had Julio Lugo been called out on what was the game’s final play, then Martin Prado was going to come to the plate with a chance to be the hero, in a game where, up to that point, he was 0-9. Not often anyone goes 0-9 in a game, and still gets a chance to be the hero. .

11) Tennessee Titans did a wise thing and signed Matt Hasselbeck as QB; he’ll play for a couple years and give rookie Jake Locker a chance to get his feet wet in the NFL.

10) If you’re a Seahawk or Viking fan, are you happy with Tarvaris Jackson/Donovan McNabb as your new QB? I’m just asking. I’m curious to see Jackson play- think he got a raw deal in Minnesota. Not crazy about McNabb at this late stage of his career.

All of which sets up Kevin Kolb to Arizona; Cards/Eagles seem to be quibbling over whether Philly gets a 1st or 2nd round pick, but it looks like its going to happen eventually.

9) College rivalries are fierce: Texas A&M wouldn’t let football coach Mike Sherman do an interview on the new Longhorn Network, the new mouthpiece of Texas sports. Interesting to see how that all plays out.

8) Guy named Kenneth Starr is an accountant who bilked celebrities out of $33M in a Ponzi scheme; he’s serving 7.5 years in prison. In a not surprising twist, his stripper wife is divorcing him because all the money they had is drying up. Funny how that works.

By the way, this Kenneth Starr is not the Kenneth Starr who is president of Baylor University and was an independent counsel in the Clinton/ Whitewater hearings. Same name, very different guys.

7) OK, say an NBA star goes overseas to play during the lockout, and he gets hurt. Does the injury void his contract after the lockout is over? I’m just asking, don’t know the answer.

6) New Mexico-UTEP have played 141 basketball games over the last 82 years, but might not be playing again for a while, because of a dispute between the two coaching staffs. Happened at their NIT game last March. Its too bad because the schools aren’t that far apart and it saved money to play every year, but for now, the series is on hold.

5) Tampa Bay has a relief pitcher in AA named Marquis Fleming who was 87 strikeouts in 57.1 IP; that’s an awful lot of strikeouts.

4) Home team is 10-1 in Juan Nicasio’s starts; Rockies are 6-0 in his starts at Coors Field, 1-4 in his road outings.

3) Vance Worley beat the Giants with a complete game 3-hitter Tuesday, but of the 114 pitches he threw, not one of them was swung on and missed. Very, very unusual; Giants swung at 45 pitches, hit 20 foul balls and got their three hits on the other 25 swings.

2) I’m guessing when Indians got no-hit by Ervin Santana Wednesday, they might’ve been the first team in baseball history to score one run on no hits in a game where they made five errors. Odd combination.

1) I’ve said this before, but I’m predicted that in 3-5 years, baseball will have an NFL-like challenge system for instant replay. Too many blown calls to justify not having one.
 

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CFL
Dunkel


Week 5


BC at Winnipeg
The Bluebombers look to take advantage of a Lions team that is 3-12-1 ATS in its last 16 July games. Winnipeg is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Bluebombers favored by 8. Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (-3). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 28

Game 491-492: BC at Winnipeg (7:00 p.m. EST)

Dunkel Ratings: BC 108.461; Winnipeg 116.650
Dunkel Line: Winnipeg by 8; 50
Vegas Line: Winnipeg by 3; 52 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (-3); Under
 

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