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Phillies And Mets Continue MLB Betting Series

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets continue their three-game series Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. New York will send out left-handed starter Jon Niese (11-10, 4.05) to the hill to face the powerful Phillies lineup behind the young right-handed starter in Vance Worley (8-1, 2.76).

First pitch in Philadelphia is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. (PT).

Originally scheduled to pitch Monday's series opener, Niese was moved back a day for this battle. Philadelphia was heavy 235 chalk in Game 1 with a 7½-run total.

Niese has pitched well in his last two starts allowing only five earned runs in the 14 2/3 innings pitched. The issue has been picking up the victory, which Niese has not been able to acquire since August 6.

Worley has been absolutely unbelievable at times this season with an earned run average of 2.76. This will be his fourth start of the month after two abbreviated outings totaling seven innings in his last two. A rain delay took him out of his last assignment after just three innings and 30 pitches against Arizona. He should be well rested and out to shut down the Mets in the second game of this divisional series.

Despite sitting fourth in the National League East division, the Mets have been a solid road team with a 35-31 mark away from Citi Field entering play Monday. Recently, however, New York has dropped six of the last eight away contests.

The Phillies on the other hand are absolutely cruising past all the competition, going 24-10 since the all-star break and 13-5 in August. The Phillies are one of three teams currently in Major League Baseball with a winning percentage above .600, joining the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

The Mets go into this series 3-8 in their last 11 meetings versus the Phillies and face a big uphill battle in this set. They begin having to face Cliff Lee on Monday, Worley in Tuesday's matchup and Kyle Kendrick on Wednesday in a pivotal set for the Phillies to maintain their stranglehold on the National League.

Philadelphia has won 11 straight games (15-2 this season) in which Vance Worley has pitched, and I think the entire team gets a jolt when they see the type of talent this young pitcher has learned from the veterans on the team. Worley has only allowed a total of six home runs in 91 1/3 innings pitched.

The weather forecast looks perfect for this Tuesday night showdown with mostly clear skies and a temperature in the mid-70s for the start of the game.

Get those plays out EARLY! That's what i like to see....

Chicago White Sox Visit Los Angeles Angels

Time is running out for both the LA Angels and Chicago White Sox.
A couple of teams that are hoping to get back into the postseason picture in a hurry will square off Tuesday night at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. First pitch in the contest between the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox is slated for 7:05 p.m. (PT).

The Sox are currently sitting five games behind the Detroit Tigers for the top spot in the AL Central standings, while the Halos are four games in the rearview mirror of the Texas Rangers. Both teams know that there is no hope of running down the AL East runner-up for the AL Wild Card, so both will have to win their respective division if they hope to have a shot at the World Series this year.

A pair of solid arms will be on the bump Tuesday when Chicago lefty Mark Buehrle (10-6, 3.14 ERA) takes on the Angels Ervin Santana (9-9, 3.12 ERA).

Buehrle is going to have to shake a bad career against the Angels in order to pick up the 'W.'. He is just 2-7 with a 4.43 ERA in his 19 appearances against them. The southpaw also allowed four runs and 10 hits in seven frames at home against the Halos in a 4-2 loss on April 17.

Of late, Buehrle has been putting up consistent numbers. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a game on the road since April 22, a span of nine straight starts. Buehrle also hasn't conceded more than four earned runs in a game in that stretch, home or away.

Batters are hitting .268 against the lefty this year, which is why his WHIP is down 17 points from 2010 to 1.23.

The season really changed for Santana in the beginning of July when he was 3-8 with a 4.08 ERA. However, since that point, he is 6-1 and has dropped his ERA nearly a full run.

The one loss came in his most recent start against the Texas Rangers. One of the top offenses in baseball knocked Santana around for 10 hits and four runs in 7 2/3 innings. His four walks issued also marked the first time that he walked more than two batters in a game since June 15.

The good news though, is that Santana did notch his 1,000th strikeout of his career in that win, quite a feat for a man who is only making his 200th career appearance on Tuesday.

Santana had a streak of five straight starts with just one run allowed before the iffy start against Texas, something that he hopes to continue in this one.

Just like Buehrle against the Angels, Santana has had his share of issues against the White Sox. He is 4-4 with a 4.21 ERA in his career against Tuesday's foes, but he took the loss against them earlier this year when he allowed five runs in six innings of work.

These two teams have met six times this year coming into this series, with the Angels leading the series 4-2. Chicago won the final seven meetings of 2010.

Chicago is playing well outside of the Windy City, going 8-1 in its last nine road games, but manager Mike Scioscia and company are 21-8 in their last 29 home games.

Weather is expected to be to be beautiful, with game time temperatures in the low-70s and virtually no chance for rain.

Television coverage can be found on FOX Sports West and WGN.

Around the Horn - Tuesday

August 22, 2011

NATIONAL LEAGUE


Milwaukee at Pittsburgh - 7:05 PM EST (Game 3/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Estrada (3-8, 4.28 ERA) 9-2 L11 4-1 L5 away Game 3's
Ohlendorf (0-0, 7.27 ERA) 4-6 L10 2-7 L9 home Game 3's

Brewers beat Pirates, 8-1 on Monday (G1/DH)
Pirates beat Brewers, 9-2 on Monday (G2/DH)

Arizona at Washington - 7:05 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Kennedy (15-4, 3.22 ERA) 0-6 L6 OVER 7-0 L7 away Game 2's
Zimmermann (8-10, 3.11 ERA) 5-5 L10 7-3 L10 home vs RHP

Nationals beat Diamondbacks, 4-1 on Monday

N.Y. Mets at Philadelphia - 7:05 PM EST (Game 2/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Niese (11-10, 4.05 ERA) 2-9 L11 8-2 away on Tuesdays
Worley (8-1, 2.76 ERA) 8-3 L11 15-3 home vs LHP

Phillies beat Mets, 10-0 on Monday

Cincinnati at Florida - 7:10 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Cueto (9-5, 1.89 ERA) 6-4 L10 0-11 L11 away off win
Nolasco (9-9, 4.25 ERA) 1-8 L9 0-5 L5 home off away loss

Reds beat Pirates, 6-2 on Sunday
Marlins lost to Padres, 5-4 on Sunday

Atlanta at Chicago - 8:05 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Minor (3-2, 4.26 ERA) 7-1 L8 1-4 L5 away Game 2's
Coleman (2-5, 7.43 ERA) 7-5 L12 UNDER 8-1 L9 home Game 2's

Braves beat Cubs, 3-0 on Monday

Los Angeles at St. Louis - 8:15 PM EST (Game 2/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Kershaw (15-5, 2.60 ERA) 3-5 L8 2-7 L9 away Game 2's
Lohse (11-7, 3.33 ERA) 1-5 L6 UNDER 5-2 L7 home vs LHP

Dodgers beat Cardinals, 2-1 on Monday

Houston at Colorado - 8:40 PM EST (Game 2/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Norris (6-8, 3.61 ERA) 4-2 L6 1-5 L6 away on Tuesdays
White (1-0, 3.60 ERA) 4-6 L10 8-4 L12 home Game 2's

Rockies beat Astros, 9-5 on Monday

San Diego at San Francisco - 10:15 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Latos (6-12, 3.83 ERA) 5-1 L6 6-3 L9 away off win
Cain (10-9, 2.86 ERA) 2-5 L7 UNDER 8-3 L11 home off win

Padres beat Marlins, 4-3 on Sunday
Giants beat Astros, 6-4 on Sunday

AMERICAN LEAGUE


Seattle at Cleveland - 1:05 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Beavan (3-4, 4.10 ERA) 4-6 L10 1-6 L7 away during day
Masterson (10-7, 2.71 ERA) 6-4 L10 UNDER 7-0 L7 during day

Mariners beat Indians, 3-2 on Monday

Kansas City at Toronto - 7:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Chen (8-5, 4.17 ERA) 2-7 L9 0-7 L7 away Game 1's
Morrow (9-7, 4.41 ERA) 6-3 L9 14-6 home Game 1's

Royals lost to Red Sox, 6-1 on Sunday
Blue Jays beat Athletics, 1-0 on Sunday

Seattle at Cleveland - 7:05 PM EST (Game 3/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Vazquez (ML debut) 4-6 L10 2-5 L7 away Game 3's
McAllister (0-0, 4.50 ERA) 6-4 L10 UNDER 9-1 L10 home Game 3's

Mariners beat Indians, 3-2 on Monday

Oakland at N.Y. Yankees - 7:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
McCarthy (6-6, 3.74 ERA) 4-2 L6 5-10 L15 away off loss
Colon (8-7, 3.54 ERA) 6-2 L8 OVER 5-1 L6 home on Tuesdays

Athletics lost to Blue Jays, 1-0 on Sunday
Yankees beat Twins, 3-0 on Sunday

Detroit at Tampa Bay - 7:10 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Penny (8-9, 4.97 ERA) 8-3 L11 13-6 L19 away vs LHP
Price (11-10, 3.59 ERA) 9-3 L12 7-3 home on Tuesdays

Tigers beat Rays, 5-2 on Monday

Boston at Texas - 8:05 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Lackey (11-9, 6.02 ERA) 4-6 L10 3-7 away on Tuesdays
Lewis (11-8, 3.83 ERA) 8-3 L11 OVER 6-2 L8 home Game 2's

Rangers beat Red Sox, 4-0 on Monday

Baltimore at Minnesota - 8:05 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Simon (3-6, 4.68 ERA) 3-8 L11 0-14 L14 away Game 2's
Duensing (8-12, 4.75 ERA) 3-7 L10 1-5 L6 home Game 2's

Orioles beat Twins, 4-1 on Monday

Chicago at Los Angeles - 10:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Buehrle (10-6, 3.14 ERA) 5-3 L8 11-4 L15 away off win
Santana (9-9, 3.12 ERA) 4-0 L4 10-2 L12 home vs LHP

White Sox beat Rangers, 10-0 on Sunday
Angels beat Orioles, 7-1 on Sunday

MLB Betting Notes

August 22, 2011

The Brewers continued to roll last week winning six of seven games with five of the victories by two runs or more. Their last three wins came on the road, a place they were supposed to be suspect. However, Milwaukee has won eight of their last nine away from home and are very close to being .500 when traveling outside of Wisconsin.

Since leaving San Francisco on July 24, the Brewers have gone on an amazing 22-3 run to take a commanding six game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central. For the sports books, this streak has been their worst nightmare because the Brewers don’t just win, they win by two runs or more making them one of the most popular bets over the last month.

Some people think it’s the sharps that make or break the sports books, but for the most part, it’s the small player with their little parlays multiplying in at true odds with large payouts. To maximize their payouts, run-line bets are the choice of action and when they all click together, it really doesn’t matter how good or bad the sharps did, the books are going to lose.

In the case of the Brewers, 18 of their last 22 wins have been by two-runs or more giving bettors almost a Bonus Play on one leg of their parlay. To close out their wager, the average Joe has them linked to either the Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees or Rangers, teams that all win quite regularly. When four of those teams come in on one night, its lights out as two, three and four-team parlays come home clean.

These are the type of bettors that come to the window with no bet numbers written down and just call out team names and the ticket writer knows the team numbers by repetition because they’ve been punching out the same numbers on the same teams all day.

Last Friday was a rough day for the sports books as 13 of the 15 games were decided by two runs or more with the Brewers, Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers and Braves all covering the run-line. That’s a tough five-bagger to swallow and it overwhelmed any large bets that were taken on the day that the books may have won. It’s hard to say the books got lucky that day with all those teams winning, but they eliminated compounding risk thanks to Ryan Zimmerman and the Nationals scoring six runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Phillies 8-4.

Even though the Phillies went 3-3 last week and covered the run-line in each win, their losses helped the books avoid gigantic losses. For only the second time all season, the Phillies lost back to back starts by Roy Halladay. The Phillies are now 20-6 on the season when Halladay takes the hill.

As the cream has risen to the top in each division with the fan favorites winning more consistently, the sports books have been losing more often thanks to the parlay. This makes football season more anxiously anticipated than ever for the house to take some of the small money’s focus off of baseball.

On Deck

This week we have a couple of great matchups with the Red Sox visiting Texas for a four-game set in what could be a possible playoff preview. Tampa Bay has been making some noise lately with a surge of wins and will do their best to help Cleveland by slowing down the Tigers. Although not a great matchup like the other two, Milwaukee visiting Pittsburgh will have some intrigue just because of the amazing factor. The Brewers have swept the Pirates this season and have a 54-17 record against them since 2007.

Over the weekend, the Angels will get to take another run at the Rangers after failing to gain on them last week in Anaheim. The San Diego Padres will also have a great impact of how the West is eventually won as they’ll travel to Arizona after facing the Giants in San Francisco for three.

Football’s got our minds on information overload and is the leading topic among most casual sports conversations, but don’t forget about baseball. There’s still some pretty cool stuff going on.

Free Football Seminar

If you have the chance to get to Las Vegas this weekend (Aug. 27-28), be sure to do so and check out the 2011 Football Handicapping seminar held at the beautiful Red Rock resort. It’s a great way to learn new angles and trends from the nation’s top handicappers and bookmakers. The seminar is free, but you must register here on-line. Hope to see you out there and make some new friends. Sign up here!

Price looks to cool off red-hot Tigers

DETROIT TIGERS (69-58, +3.8 Units)

at TAMPA BAY RAYS (69-57, +4.8 Units)


First pitch: Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. EDT
Line: Tampa Bay -190, Detroit +180, Total: 8

The Detroit Tigers look for their fifth straight win Tuesday night when they face Tampa Bay with their ace on the mound. Tampa Bay was riding their own five-game win streak until Justin Verlander and the Tigers broke it with a 5-2 win Monday night.

Brad Penny (8-9, 4.97 ERA) and his hefty ERA will get the start on Tuesday night. Detroit has lost four out of Penny’s past five starts and Penny himself is 1-3 with a whopping 6.99 ERA over those five games. Pitching for the Rays will be a hot David Price (11-10, 3.59 ERA) who has beaten both the Yankees and Red Sox in his past two starts. He allowed only one run and nine hits in 16 innings against the AL East powers. The Rays may be a losing bet at home this year (-4.6 Units), but they have been incredible as a home favorite of -150 to -200, going 94-37 (+29.8 Units) under Joe Maddon. Although -190 is a very steep price, with the way Price is pitching compared to the struggles of Penny, TAMPA BAY is the pick here.

The FoxSheets provide another trend fading the Tigers.

Play Against - Any team (DETROIT) - hot hitting team - batting .315 or better over their last 10 games, with a hot bullpen whose ERA is under 3.00 the last 10 games. (72-46 over the last 5 seasons.) (61%, +34.9 units. Rating = 2*).

After winning four in a row and eight of 11, the Tigers have opened up a 5 ½-game lead in the AL Central. Penny has been shelled away from home this year, carrying a 6.40 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in 10 road starts. He’s also struggled against the Rays in the past, going 1-4 with a 6.14 ERA in his past five starts against Tampa, but hasn’t faced them since 2009. With Penny on the mound, the Tigers need their bullpen to keep up their dominance. Despite ranking 26th in the majors in bullpen ERA this year (4.26), Detroit relievers have a stellar 1.74 ERA over the past 17 games.

The Rays will play their eighth game of a 20-game-in-20-day span, so it helps when the starters eat up innings. Price has done just that, ranking ninth in the AL in innings pitched, and throwing at least six frames in 21 of 26 starts. Price is usually a great bet at home, going 21-11 with a 2.72 ERA in his career at Tropicana Field. He has also stymied Detroit in his young career, going 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA and 25 K in 21.1 IP spanning five appearances (three starts).

Slumping D-backs look to end 6-game skid

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (69-59, +12.9 Units)

at WASHINGTON NATIONALS (62-64, +7.4 Units)


First pitch: Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Washington -110, Arizona +100, Total: 7.5

The slumping Diamondbacks look to end their six-game losing streak when they visit Washington for the second of a four-game series Tuesday night. Arizona won seven straight from Aug. 9-16, averaging 6.1 runs per game. But since then, the Diamondbacks have a total of seven runs in the six straight defeats.

On the mound for Arizona is Ian Kennedy (15-4, 3.22 ERA), who is looking to become the first NL pitcher to 16 wins. Jordan Zimmermann (8-10, 3.11 ERA) will go for the Nationals, in what will most likely be his second-to-last start due to a 160-inning limit. Zimmermann has thrown 11.2 scoreless innings in his past two home starts. However, Arizona has been very good when Kennedy’s been on the mound with a money line of +125 to -125 over the past two seasons (21-12, +9.2 Units). The D-backs have also been a great bet versus right-handed starters (51-40, +14.4 Units) and at night (52-41, +12.8 Units). With its ace on the mound, expect ARIZONA to finally pull out a win and end the slide.

This three-star FoxSheets trends also sides with the Diamondbacks.

Play On - Road teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (ARIZONA) - cold hitting team - batting .200 or worse over their last 3 games against opponent starting a pitcher who gave up no earned runs last outing. (44-17 over the last 5 seasons.) (72.1%, +28.8 units. Rating = 3*).

Kennedy’s last outing was limited to only three innings due to a long rain delay, but he still was marked with a loss after allowing three runs and five hits in a 4-1 defeat in Philadelphia on Thursday. In his one start versus Washington this season (June 5), Kennedy held the Nats to one run in seven innings.

Zimmermann has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his past eight home starts, going 4-2 with a 2.94 ERA over this span. The righty pitched a gem in his only career start against Diamondbacks on June 2, in which he threw seven innings, allowing one run on six hits in a 6-1 victory. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (.311 BA, 9 HR, 34 RBI) has reached based safely in 28 straight games, batting .407 with 20 runs over that span. Zimmerman has hammered the D-backs recently, batting .436 with seven homers in 14 games against them since 2009.

Taurasi set to return vs. New York

NEW YORK LIBERTY (15-12)

at PHOENIX MERCURY (15-10)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Phoenix -6, Total: 175.5

The Mercury will likely get a boost from the return of superstar Diana Taurasi as they look for a fifth straight home win when they host New York Tuesday night.

Taurasi was a late scratch on Saturday because of back spasms, but Phoenix still notched their fourth straight home win, beating San Antonio 87-81. However, the Mercury have dropped three straight ATS, and the Liberty have stepped up their defense the past two games, containing Connecticut (35.4% FG) and Seattle (35.1% FG) in back-to-back ATS wins. The pick here is for NEW YORK to cover.

The FoxSheets have a three-star trend working against Phoenix as well:

PHOENIX is 3-14 ATS (17.6%, -12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PHOENIX 85.4, OPPONENT 92.7 - (Rating = 3*)

Penny Taylor carried the Mercury in Taurasi’s absence on Saturday. She scored 28, including 16 in the fourth quarter, in the win over San Antonio, and is averaging 23.0 PPG over her past four games. But Phoenix has won by more than six points just once in its past seven games, which included four SU victories.

New York is coming off a tough road loss in Seattle (the Storm’s first game since the return of reigning MVP Lauren Jackson), going scoreless during the final two minutes of a 63-62 loss. The Liberty have lost four in a row SU on the road, but two of those losses were by one point.

The Seattle loss was an off night for star point guard Cappie Pondexter, who scored just 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting from the field. Pondexter had been red-hot coming into that game though, averaging 27.7 PPG on 49.2% shooting over her previous three contests. She’s shot better on the road all season, averaging 16.9 PPG on 41% FG and 28% shooting from three at home, but 19.2 PPG on 45% FG and 43% from three away from New York.

Tuesday’s betting tips: Cain can’t solve Padres

Who’s hot

MLB: The over was 11-4 in Arizona’s last 15 road games heading into Monday’s action.

MLB: Cincinnati has won seven of its last nine as a favorite.

WNBA: The under is 11-2-1 in Tulsa’s last 14 games.

Who’s not

MLB: Seattle is 6-21 in its last 27 home games.

MLB: The New York Mets are 3-9 in their last 12 meetings with Philadelphia.

WNBA: Atlanta is 8-17-2 against the spread in its last 27 overall.

Key stat

18 – The Tulsa Shock have lost 18 straight games, which is a WNBA record. They have covered the spread in just six of those games and are set as a 12-point home underdog Tuesday against the Minnesota Lynx.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies – Rollins suffered a Grade 2 groin strain in Sunday’s game and has been placed on the 15-day DL. The shortstop is batting .268 with 14 homers, 58 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases.

Game of the day

Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers (-155, 10)

Notable quotable

"I thought today was our best practice. We were going on all cylinders. We were throwing the ball downfield and we were making some good catches. Hopefully, it'll come together. When Thursday comes around, we'll be able to display that in a lot of plays." – Carolina Panthers wideout Steve Smith on the progress the offense is making under rookie quarterback Cam Newton. Smith also says he will make his preseason debut Thursday after sitting out with a hand injury. The Panthers are set as 2.5-point underdogs at Cincinnati.

Notes and tips

San Francisco Giants starter Matt Cain has had a terrible time against the light-hitting San Diego Padres in his career. Heading into Tuesday’s matchup San Francisco is 5-15 in its last 20 games against San Diego with Cain on the hill and 2-8 in his last 10 home starts against the Padres. The good news for Giants bettors is that Cain was solid in a 4-3 win over San Diego last month, but didn’t factor in the decision. The Giants are set as a -155 favorite for Tuesday’s game.

St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan has taken an indefinite leave of absence to care for his wife as she recovers from surgery. The team said Duncan's wife, Jeanine, underwent major surgery Saturday. Duncan left the team that day in Chicago. Duncan is the longest-tenured pitching coach in the major leagues, having served in that capacity under Cardinals manager Tony La Russa for 32 seasons.

The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels put an end to their preseason quarterback competition when head coach Bobby Hauck named sophomore Caleb Herring the team’s starter. “Caleb just played better,” Hauck said. “He has a better grasp of what is going on and a great handle on the offense. He has done a nice job in camp so far.” The Rebels open the season as huge 35-point underdogs at Wisconsin on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Are you posting your wagers here soon? Just want to compare w/ mine. Thanks!

Tuesday's six-pack

-- Matt Holliday had to leave Monday night's game when a moth flew into his ear and wouldn't come out. I'm not kidding.

-- Tigers-Rays in St Pete, Verlander-Niemann an excellent matchup of two really good pitchers and 13,048 fans showed up. Not good.

-- Tony Dungy said Monday night that if the current rules had been in place in 2006, his Colts wouldn't have won the Super Bowl, because they needed to practice in pads a few times to make adjustments to what they had been doing on defense.

-- Giants lost CB Terrell Thomas to a torn ACL Monday night, very big blow to their defense. Giants haven't had a very good offseason.

-- Cleveland Browns gave OT Joe Thomas a 7-year contract that is said to be worth as much as $40M in guaranteed money. Wow.

-- Is Terrelle Pryor to the Raiders all that surprising? They spent a 3rd round pick on former Ohio State QB, so he better wind up being good.


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


Tuesday's List of 13: Looking at some more NFL trends.......

13) Philadelphia Eagles lost four of last five home openers, but scored 37-38-35 points in winning two of last three road openers…….Washington Redskins are 8-1 in last nine home openers, with seven of last eight staying under total.

12) Over is 10-1 in Giants’ last 11 road openers, with an average total of 54.9. big Blue scored 30+ points in four of last five road openers, but they haven’t won in Week 1 on road since 1999 in Tampa, losing three times since.

11) Vikings are 3-7 vs spread as a favorite in their last ten home openers; under is 16-6-1 in their last 23 home openers.

10) Chargers always seem to get off to a slow start; they’re 5-7 in last 12 home openers, with seven of last eight going over total.

9) New England’s first road game has been against the Jets in the Swamp five years in a row and eight of last 12, but not this year; Pats don’t visit New Jersey until Week 10 this year- they host the Jets in Week 5.

8) Under is 14-4 in Tampa Bay’s last 18 road openers, with Buccaneers covering one of last five. Under is 12-2 in Tennessee’s last 14 road openers, with Titans covering the last four.

7) Raiders haven’t been 1-0 since 2002, when they beat Seattle; over is 9-3 in Raiders’ last dozen road openers. Oakland covered once in their last eight home openers.

6) New Orleans is 10-3 in its last 13 home openers, 8-3 in its last 11 road openers; under is 10-4 in their last 14 home openers.

5) 49ers covered five of last seven road openers; over is 5-2-1 in their last eight. Niners are 6-1-1 vs spread in last eight home openers, with four of last five staying under the total.

4) Rams lost their last four home openers, scoring 13-13-17-13 points; they’ve lost their last nine road openers (1-8 vs spread). Eight of their last ten road openers stayed under the total.

3) Over the last 19 years, Jets are 5-14 in their first home game, 3-16 vs spread, but they’ve covered 11 of last 14 road openers, with 13 of last 20 staying under total.

2) Steelers won their last eight home openers, covering five of last six; five of their last six road openers stayed under the total.

1) Under is 8-1-1 in Seattle’s last ten home openers, 19-4 in their last 23 road openers. Seahawks won/covered seven of last eight home openers but are 0-6 vs spread in last six road openers, losing last four (last three by 24-13-17 points).

MLB
Dunkel

Cincinnati at Florida
The Reds look to take advantage of a Florida team that is 2-10 in Ricky Nolasco's last 12 home starts. Cincinnati is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Reds favored by 2. Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-135). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23

Game 901-902: Milwaukee at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Estrada) 16.587; Pittsburgh (Ohlendorf) 14.916
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-140); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-140); Over

Game 903-904: Arizona at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Kennedy) 14.067; Washington (Zimmermann) 15.603
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Washington (-110); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-110); Under

Game 905-906: NY Mets at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Niese) 14.203; Philadelphia (Worley) 16.680
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 2 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-190); 8
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-190); Under

Game 907-908: Cincinnati at Florida (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Cueto) 14.822; Florida (Nolasco) 12.901
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-135); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-135); Over

Game 909-910: Atlanta at Chicago Cubs (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Minor) 14.752; Cubs (Coleman) 15.467
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-140); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+120); N/A

Game 911-912: LA Dodgers at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 15.755; St. Louis (Lohse) 15.485
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-125); 7
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-125); Under

Game 913-914: Houston at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Norris) 14.327; Colorado (White) 15.592
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Colorado (-150); 9
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-150); Over

Game 915-916: San Diego at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Latos) 14.954; San Francisco (Cain) 14.213
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-145); 6
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+125); Under

Game 917-918: Kansas City at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Chen) 14.010; Toronto (Morrow) 15.733
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Toronto (-185); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-185);

Game 919-920: Seattle at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Vasquez) 14.951; Cleveland (McAllister) 14.437
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 921-922: Oakland at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (McCarthy) 15.618; NY Yankees (Colon) 16.152
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-200); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-200); Over

Game 923-924: Detroit at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Penny) 16.388; Tampa Bay (Price) 16.009
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-200); 8
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+170); Under

Game 925-926: Boston at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lackey) 15.278; Texas (Lewis) 16.212
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Texas (-150); 10
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-150); Under

Game 927-928: Baltimore at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Simon) 14.459; Minnesota (Duensing) 13.729
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-150); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+130); Over

Game 929-930: Chicago White Sox at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Buehrle) 15.910; LA Angels (Santana) 16.950
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 6
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-150); 7
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-150); Under

Game 931-932: Seattle at Cleveland (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Beavan) 15.741; Cleveland (Masterson) 14.615
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-220); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+190); Over

MLB
Write-Up


Tuesday, August 23

Hot pitchers
-- Estrada is 1-1, 0.90 in his last two starts.
-- Kennedy is 7-1, 2.52 in his last eight starts. Zimmerman is 2-1, 2.25 in his last four starts.
-- Phillies won Worley's last eleven starts (7-0, 2.41).
-- Cueto is 3-1, 1.95 in his last four starts.
-- Minor is 3-0, 2.96 in his last four starts.
-- Kershaw is 7-1, 1.92 in his last eight starts. Lohse is 2-0, 2.03 in his last couple starts.
-- Norris is 1-0, 2.25 in his last couple starts.
-- Cain has a 2.05 RA in his last three starts. Latos has a 2.67 RA in his last four starts.

-- Indians won last five Masterson starts (2-0, 3.34).
-- Chen is 3-0, 3.18 in his last three starts.
-- McCarthy is 4-1, 4.31 in his last five starts.
-- Price is 2-0, 0.56 in his last couple starts.
-- Lewis is 1-0, 1.71 in his last three starts.
-- Santana is 5-1, 1.60 in his last six starts. Buehrle is 4-1, 3.38 in his last six starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Ohlendorf was 0-0, 7.27 in two April starts before getting hurt.
-- Niese is 2-3, 5.91 in his last six starts.
-- Nolasco is 3-3, 7.39 in his last six starts.
-- Coleman is 0-2, 11.33 in his last three starts.

-- Beaven is 0-2, 8.74 in his last couple starts. Rookie Vasquez was 4-3, 3.21 in eight AAA starts; this is his big league debut. McCallister gave up three runs in four IP in his first big league start on July 7.
-- Morrow is 2-3, 6.10 in his last five starts.
-- Colon is 0-1, 5.17 in his last three starts.
-- Penny is 1-3, 7.31 in his last five starts.
-- Lackey has a 5.81 RA in his last five starts.
-- Duensing is 0-4, 7.13 in his last four starts. Simon is 0-2, 9.19 in his last three starts.

Totals
-- Over is 14-4 in last eighteen games at PNC Park.
-- Nine of last thirteen Washington games stayed under total.
-- Over is 7-3-1 in Niese's last eleven starts.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in Cueto's last nine road starts.
-- Under is 11-4-1 in last sixteen games at Wrigley Field.
-- 10 of last 13 Dodger road games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Norris starts stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Latos starts went over the total.

-- Six of last seven Masterson starts stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Tampa Bay games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Chen starts stayed under the total.
-- Colon's last three home starts went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Lackey starts went over the total.
-- Three of last four Simon starts went over the total.
-- Under is 8-1-2 in Buehrle's last eleven starts.

Hot Teams
-- Milwaukee won 23 of its last 26 games.
-- Cincinnati is 7-4 in its last eleven games.
-- Phillies won 17 of their last 22 games.
-- Washington won nine of its last twelve home games.
-- Braves won 14 of their last 18 games. Cubs won nine of their last 13 games at Wrigley.
-- Rockies won four of last five games, scoring 41 runs.
-- Padres won their last four games, allowing eight runs.

-- Tampa Bay won ten of its last thirteen games. Detroit won its last four games, scoring 27 runs.
-- Bronx won eight of its last eleven games.
-- Toronto won six of its last nine games.
-- Red Sox won eight of their last thirteen road games. Texas is 6-2 in its last eight home games.
-- White Sox won eight of their last nine road games. Angels won their last four games, scoring 26 runs.

Cold Teams
-- Marlins lost 15 of last 17 games, are 6-29 without Hanley Ramirez.
-- Mets lost ten of their last twelve games.
-- Pirates lost 13 of their last 19 home games.
-- Arizona lost its last six games, scoring seven runs.
-- Dodgers lost six of their last nine road games. Cardinals lost five of their last seven games.
-- Astros lost 19 of their last 22 road games.
-- Giants lost five of their last seven games.

-- Seattle lost 20 of its last 24 road games. Indians lost their last four games, allowing 25 runs.
-- Oakland lost 11 of its last 13 road series openers.
-- Royals lost 11 of their last 14 games.
-- Baltimore lost 20 of its last 26 road games. Twins lost 12 of their last 15 home games.

Umpires
-- Mil-Pitt-- Six of last nine Holbrook games stayed under total.
-- Az-Wsh-- Over is 4-0-1 in last five Hudson games.
-- NY-Phil-- Six of last eight TWelke games stayed under total.
-- Atl-Chi-- 11 of last 15 Nelson games went over the total.
-- LA-StL-- Over is 11-2-2 in Wolf's last fifteen starts.
-- Hst-Col-- Under is 13-4 in last 17 Timmons games.

-- Sea-Clev-- Favorites won 11 of last 13 Hallion games.
-- Det-TB-- Under is 9-4 in last thirteen Campos games.
-- Bos-Tex-- Under is 12-2-1 in last fifteen Eddings games.
-- Blt-Min-- Visiting team won last five Knight games.

MLB


Tuesday, August 23

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Tuesday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
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Streaking

Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians (10-7, 2.71 ERA)

Cleveland has won each of Masterson’s last five starts and Masterson has lost just once over the last two months. The 6-foot-6 righty hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in more than a month and is set as a big -250 favorite Tuesday at home to Seattle.

Bruce Chen, Kansas City Royals (8-5, 4.17 ERA)

Chen isn’t an overpowering force on the mound by any stretch of the imagination, but he has been a bright spot for the Royals lately, winning three straight starts and allowing only six earned runs over that stretch. He beat the Yankees for just the second time in his career last week, even though he walked three and gave up a pair of homers in six innings.

Kansas City is pegged as an early +170 underdog Tuesday at Toronto.


Slumping

Brian Duensing, Minnesota Twins (8-12, 4.75 ERA)

If Duensing wants to hold onto his spot in the rotation, he’d better pull it together in a hurry. After he was drilled for 10 hits and six earned runs against the Yankees in his last start, manager Ron Gardenhire indicated Duensing could be heading to the bullpen next season.

He is working on a 6.26 ERA during seven starts since the All-Star break.

Casey Coleman, Chicago Cubs (2-5, 7.43 ERA)

The Cubs are looking to Coleman to fill in for Carlos Zambrano, but so far the youngster hasn’t fared very well. He gave up four runs on 10 hits and three homers in 3 2/3 innings against Houston in his fourth stint with the big club this season and knows he’s pitching for a rotation spot next year.

‘‘I need to show people that I can go out there and compete,’’ Coleman told reporters. ‘‘Last year was a little different story. The league sees you a little bit, and they’re going to make adjustments. So now I’ll try to make some adjustments.’’

MLB


Tuesday, August 23

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Rounding the bases: This week's best MLB betting trends
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Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in Major League Baseball.

HOT TEAM: Tampa Bay Rays

THIS SEASON: 69-56
LAST WEEK: 5-1

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: Home to the Tigers for four, at the Blue Jays for four.

THE SKINNY: Give credit to Tampa Bay, especially this month. Look, the Rays are not going to make the playoffs, and they’re not going to shock the league the rest of the way. But they have taken care of business in August against the non-contenders, a note that should be of value to bettors during these dog days of summer.

Headed into Monday’s series opener vs. Detroit, Tampa Bay had played four teams out of the mix in August -- Toronto, Oakland, Kansas City and Seattle -- a total of 13 times. The Rays won 10 of those games, and swept the Mariners over the weekend by a combined score of 19-9.

The offense has been sharp, and maybe the Rays knew something that nobody else did this offseason, when they signed Johnny Damon. He has 11 homers, 12 stolen bases and 56 RBIs. Plus, he’s doing what he’s always done during his many stops around the American League. He’s keeping everyone loose, he’s putting smiles on people’s faces, and he’s helping to win games.

Like we said, they won’t win enough to play into October this year, but they certainly seem like a good bet down the stretch.

COLD TEAM: Florida Marlins

THIS SEASON: 57-70
LAST WEEK: 1-6

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: Home to the Reds for three, at the Phillies for three.

THE SKINNY: OK, so the Jack McKeon Project, Take Two was a cute, little midsummer’s story, especially the way the Marlins’ offense was stumbling along in June. But the experiment is over. Florida just doesn’t have enough talent and motivation to make anyone money down the stretch.
Sunday was a perfect example, as the Marlins trotted out a lineup that had one hitter with an average above .285, and that was outfielder Bryan Petersen (.287), who doesn’t even have 100 at-bats in the majors this season. But wait, it gets worse.

After being swept over the weekend by San Diego of all teams, the Marlins’ team batting average stood at .245. McKeon blasted his troops through the media on Sunday, after the sweep. But perhaps it’s too little, too late.

OVER TEAM: Detroit Tigers

O/U THIS SEASON: 64-52-10
O/U LAST WEEK: 5-1-1

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: At the Rays for four, at the Twins for three.

THE SKINNY: While the Indians scrambled at the trade deadline to pick up any bat and arm that would come to Cleveland, Detroit made less of a splash, tweaked some things here and there, and just prepared for an AL Central stretch run in which they probably knew all along they were the better team.

With 22 runs in three games, the Tigers posted an impressive sweep over the Indians this weekend, and with seven wins in the 10 games leading up to Monday’s contest vs. Tampa Bay, there aren’t many teams hitting the ball better these days.

Delmon Young, with four RBIs on Sunday, has been a shot in the arm, and Victor Martinez, with 70 RBIs and a .324 average in his first season in Detroit through Sunday, has proven there’s plenty left in the tank. The Tigers may not have the depth to hang around long into October, but it appears they are clearly the best the Central has to offer.

And with only a 4.5-game lead on Cleveland headed into Monday, you can expect the engine to remain revved with no letup. The Tigers may be one of your better over bets from here on in, as a result.

UNDER TEAM: Boston Red Sox

O/U THIS SEASON: 58-60-8
O/U LAST WEEK: 1-6

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: At the Rangers for four, home to the Athletics for three.

THE SKINNY: It just goes to show you how good starting pitching can lead to unders, no matter how powerful a lineup a team has. The Red Sox have bats most teams would be jealous of, and they’ve put up some impressive offensive statistics all season, but their starters -- despite a rotation in flux, and injuries up and down it -- have kept this team a decent under play through it all.

On Sunday, Boston pounded out 10 hits and six runs vs. Kansas City, but Jon Lester (13-6) and Co. held the Royals to one run, and cashed an under. Andrew Miller (5-1) and the bullpen did the same on Friday, in a 7-1 win over the Royals. The list goes on.

The Red Sox have three starters with at least 10 wins, they have two with at least 135 strikeouts, and when these starters leave the game, relievers Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon are waiting to take over.

And the bonus here, is that because of the lineup, and its power and potency, you’re going to get some value with Red Sox unders. That only figures to continue as games get more important, and the weather cools down a bit in New England.

MLB


Tuesday, August 23

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Hot lines: Tuesday's best MLB bets
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Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers (-150, 10)

The last time Boston visited Arlington for a series with the Rangers, they left with Red Sox Nation in a mad panic just three games into the season. Texas swept the Sox, outscoring them 27-12 while drilling 11 home runs.

The Red Sox say it’s different this time around.

"It's more on a personal level,” Boston’s Daniel Bard told MLB.com. “Starters went out there and got beat and they're going to have something to prove to these guys. Me personally, they kicked my butt the first day of the year and I feel like I have something to prove. It's fun. It makes it more competitive.”

Boston could be in tough again this time around in Texas with David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis banged up but Tuesday’s game hardly looks like a dynamic pitching matchup with John Lackey and Colby Lewis sharing the hill.

With Texas playing over in seven of its last eight as a favorite, we’ll take a shot with the over here too.

Pick: Over


Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates (125, 8.5)

A pair of fill-in starters go head-to-head Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates are expected to activate Ross Ohlendorf from the 60-day DL to start in place of the injured Paul Maholm. Meanwhile, Marco Estrada will get another turn in the rotation with Chris Narveson still out with a cut on his left thumb.

Estrada was solid in his last outing, giving up just a single run over five innings of work in a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, but wasn’t satisfied.

"I had the pitch count to go deep into the game, and I just threw too many balls. Fell behind too many times," Estrada told reporters. "I only gave the team five (innings), when I should have gone at least six or seven. I know they only got one run, but still, five innings isn't good enough."

Estrada walked two and gave up a homer, but his control is usually fantastic. He’ll come out firing in what may be his last start for a while.

Pick: Brewers

CINCINNATI (62 - 65) at FLORIDA (57 - 70) - 7:10 PM
JOHNNY CUETO (R) vs. RICKY NOLASCO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 62-65 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 60-64 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 38-42 (-10.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CINCINNATI is 47-50 (-10.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CINCINNATI is 23-38 (-20.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CINCINNATI is 28-31 (-13.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NOLASCO is 13-3 (+12.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 557-642 (+47.5 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 167-142 (+36.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997.
FLORIDA is 57-70 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
FLORIDA is 24-39 (-21.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
FLORIDA is 57-67 (-10.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
FLORIDA is 19-31 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
FLORIDA is 40-52 (-13.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
FLORIDA is 27-42 (-16.1 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
FLORIDA is 6-20 (-14.1 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
NOLASCO is 4-10 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 4-10 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 4-10 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 3-11 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 2-1 (+1.3 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

JOHNNY CUETO vs. FLORIDA since 1997
CUETO is 1-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 5.73 and a WHIP of 1.909.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.1 units)

RICKY NOLASCO vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
NOLASCO is 2-1 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.282.
His team's record is 2-4 (-2.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-4. (-2.8 units)

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ATLANTA (77 - 52) at CHICAGO CUBS (56 - 72) - 8:05 PM
MIKE MINOR (L) vs. CASEY COLEMAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 77-52 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 36-27 (+7.6 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
ATLANTA is 77-52 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 57-35 (+12.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 132-159 (-29.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 67-81 (-27.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 132-159 (-29.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 20-33 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 122-154 (-51.6 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
CHICAGO CUBS is 2-2 (+1.0 Units) against ATLANTA this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

MIKE MINOR vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
MINOR is 2-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.63 and a WHIP of 1.542.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

CASEY COLEMAN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
No recent starts.

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LA DODGERS (58 - 69) at ST LOUIS (67 - 61) - 8:15 PM
CLAYTON KERSHAW (L) vs. KYLE LOHSE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 58-69 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 58-69 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 40-48 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 42-51 (-11.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 69-89 (-23.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 32-54 (-23.1 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.
LOHSE is 23-11 (+13.9 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 153-137 (-28.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 150-134 (-28.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 43-44 (-17.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 84-80 (-30.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 30-41 (-32.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 3-2 (+0.5 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
KERSHAW is 2-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.61 and a WHIP of 1.394.
His team's record is 4-4 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-3. (+1.9 units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
LOHSE is 2-2 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.253.
His team's record is 2-3 (-0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+0.8 units)

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HOUSTON (42 - 86) at COLORADO (61 - 68) - 8:40 PM
BUD NORRIS (R) vs. ALEX WHITE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 42-86 (-34.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 19-44 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
HOUSTON is 40-85 (-35.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 31-58 (-17.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
HOUSTON is 25-65 (-33.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 29-56 (-19.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
HOUSTON is 33-64 (-25.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 0-11 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
COLORADO is 61-68 (-20.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 33-33 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
COLORADO is 61-68 (-20.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 96-101 (-25.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 40-53 (-23.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 26-34 (-16.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
COLORADO is 63-68 (-28.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

BUD NORRIS vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

ALEX WHITE vs. HOUSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

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SAN DIEGO (59 - 70) at SAN FRANCISCO (68 - 60) - 10:15 PM
MAT LATOS (R) vs. MATT CAIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 39-53 (-13.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
SAN DIEGO is 31-52 (-20.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LATOS is 14-22 (-11.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 171-135 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 141-88 (+29.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 28-17 (+8.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 170-133 (+22.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 119-86 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CAIN is 57-37 (+15.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN DIEGO is 149-143 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 31-32 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 31-32 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN DIEGO is 23-19 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
SAN DIEGO is 55-54 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 33-28 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 6-4 (+0.5 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
8 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+5.8 Units)

MAT LATOS vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
LATOS is 2-2 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.60 and a WHIP of 0.956.
His team's record is 2-5 (-3.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-3. (+0.6 units)

MATT CAIN vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
CAIN is 5-10 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 1.230.
His team's record is 8-17 (-11.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 10-13. (-5.0 units)

KANSAS CITY (52 - 76) at TORONTO (65 - 62) - 7:07 PM
BRUCE CHEN (L) vs. BRANDON MORROW (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 52-76 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 23-53 (-22.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 35-54 (-13.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 65-62 (+4.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 21-9 (+14.9 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 46-34 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 18-13 (+7.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
CHEN is 22-18 (+8.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 2-2 (+0.1 Units) against TORONTO this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

BRUCE CHEN vs. TORONTO since 1997
CHEN is 3-2 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.40 and a WHIP of 1.044.
His team's record is 4-3 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+2.0 units)

BRANDON MORROW vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
MORROW is 1-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.71 and a WHIP of 1.176.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

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SEATTLE (54 - 72) at CLEVELAND (62 - 62) - 7:05 PM
ANTHONY VASQUEZ (L) vs. ZACH MCALLISTER (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 4-1 (+2.8 Units) against SEATTLE this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

ANTHONY VASQUEZ vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
No recent starts.

ZACH MCALLISTER vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

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OAKLAND (57 - 70) at NY YANKEES (77 - 48) - 7:05 PM
BRANDON MCCARTHY (R) vs. BARTOLO COLON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 57-70 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 22-40 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
OAKLAND is 52-66 (-20.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 34-45 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 36-50 (-17.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NY YANKEES are 77-48 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY YANKEES are 71-42 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 33-32 (+28.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +175 to +200 since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 43-40 (-10.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
COLON is 56-49 (-21.0 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 5-1 (+3.3 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

BRANDON MCCARTHY vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
MCCARTHY is 1-0 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 1.715.
His team's record is 1-1 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.1 units)

BARTOLO COLON vs. OAKLAND since 1997
COLON is 8-5 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 3.34 and a WHIP of 1.196.
His team's record is 10-7 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-8. (-0.6 units)

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DETROIT (69 - 58) at TAMPA BAY (69 - 57) - 7:10 PM
BRAD PENNY (R) vs. DAVID PRICE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 41-64 (-22.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 36-22 (+11.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
PRICE is 23-7 (+12.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 55-47 (-18.0 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 26-33 (-10.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

BRAD PENNY vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
PENNY is 2-4 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.95 and a WHIP of 1.294.
His team's record is 2-4 (-3.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

DAVID PRICE vs. DETROIT since 1997
PRICE is 3-0 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 2.41 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.3 units)

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BOSTON (77 - 50) at TEXAS (74 - 55) - 8:05 PM
JOHN LACKEY (R) vs. COLBY LEWIS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 44-20 (+15.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 33-11 (+15.1 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 36-16 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LEWIS is 6-11 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 4-0 (+4.3 Units) against BOSTON this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

JOHN LACKEY vs. TEXAS since 1997
LACKEY is 11-13 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 6.06 and a WHIP of 1.592.
His team's record is 17-17 (-6.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 16-18. (-4.0 units)

COLBY LEWIS vs. BOSTON since 1997
LEWIS is 2-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.77 and a WHIP of 1.325.
His team's record is 3-2 (+2.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-1. (+3.0 units)

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BALTIMORE (48 - 77) at MINNESOTA (55 - 72) - 8:10 PM
ALFREDO SIMON (R) vs. BRIAN DUENSING (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 48-78 (-25.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 16-30 (-12.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
BALTIMORE is 19-42 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BALTIMORE is 41-73 (-29.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 32-57 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 12-25 (-11.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 33-9 (+21.0 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 3-2 (+0.8 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

ALFREDO SIMON vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
No recent starts.

BRIAN DUENSING vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
DUENSING is 0-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 0.800.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (63 - 63) at LA ANGELS (69 - 59) - 10:05 PM
MARK BUEHRLE (L) vs. ERVIN SANTANA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 25-8 (+14.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 34-27 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 32-21 (+15.5 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 27-21 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 17-9 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BUEHRLE is 16-8 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 16-7 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 113-108 (-60.7 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 97-104 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 69-78 (-20.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 11-20 (-12.5 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 4-2 (+2.0 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

MARK BUEHRLE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
BUEHRLE is 3-7 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.09 and a WHIP of 1.303.
His team's record is 9-10 (-1.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 11-7. (+3.3 units)

ERVIN SANTANA vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SANTANA is 4-5 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 4.74 and a WHIP of 1.351.
His team's record is 5-7 (-2.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-8. (-5.3 units)

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SEATTLE (54 - 72) at CLEVELAND (62 - 62) - 1:05 PM
BLAKE BEAVAN (R) vs. JUSTIN MASTERSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 54-72 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 49-95 (-35.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 32-55 (-24.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 113-160 (-42.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 63-62 (+7.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 60-59 (+5.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 46-43 (+7.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 4-1 (+2.8 Units) against SEATTLE this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

BLAKE BEAVAN vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
No recent starts.

JUSTIN MASTERSON vs. SEATTLE since 1997
MASTERSON is 2-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 1.46 and a WHIP of 1.095.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.2 units)

MLB
Short Sheet


Tuesday, August 23

National League

MILWAUKEE at PITTSBURGH, 7:05 PM ET
ESTRADA: MILWAUKEE 11-20 after allowing 9 runs or more
OHLENDORF: PITTSBURGH 24-19 after having lost 2 of their last 3 games

ARIZONA at WASHINGTON, 7:05 PM ET
KENNEDY: ARIZONA 18-36 after scoring 3 runs or less 2 straight games
ZIMMERMANN: WASHINGTON 23-16 at home when the money line is +125 to -125

NY METS at PHILADELPHIA, 7:05 PM ET
NIESE: 16-8 OVER in all games
WORLEY: 10-1 TSR as a favorite

CINCINNATI at FLORIDA, 7:10 PM ET
CUETO: CINCINNATI 23-38 after a win
NOLASCO: 13-3 TSR after 3 or more consecutive losses

ATLANTA at CHICAGO CUBS, 8:05 PM ET MLB
MINOR: ATLANTA 38-19 as a favorite of -125 to -175
COLEMAN: CHICAGO CUBS 29-47 at home when the money line is +125 to -125

LA DODGERS at ST LOUIS, 8:15 PM ET
KERSHAW: LA DODGERS 39-48 in night games
LOHSE: 23-11 TSR as a home underdog of +100 to +125

HOUSTON at COLORADO, 8:40 PM ET
NORRIS: HOUSTON 50-36 OVER in night games
WHITE: COLORADO 31-19 OVER at home when the total is 8.5 to 10

SAN DIEGO at SAN FRANCISCO, 10:15 PM ET
LATOS: SAN DIEGO 31-52 in night games
CAIN: 14-22 TSR when the total is 7 or less

American League

KANSAS CITY at TORONTO, 7:07 PM ET
CHEN: KANSAS CITY 15-37 as an underdog of +125 to +175
MORROW: TORONTO 46-34 in night games

SEATTLE at CLEVELAND, 7:05 PM - ** Doubleheader Game #2 ET
VASQUEZ: SEATTLE 21-40 in road games
MCALLISTER: Cleveland 10-3 after 6 consecutive games versus division rivals

OAKLAND at NY YANKEES, 7:05 PM ET
MCCARTHY: OAKLAND 34-45 in night games
COLON: NY YANKEES 45-17 as a favorite of -150 or more

DETROIT at TAMPA BAY, 7:10 PM ET
PENNY: 35-16 UNDER as a favorite of -175 to -250
PRICE: 10-1 UNDER as a favorite of -175 to -250

BOSTON at TEXAS, 8:05 PM ET MLB
LACKEY: 7-4 TSR after giving up 2 or more home runs last outing
LEWIS: 19-23 TSR as a favorite

BALTIMORE at MINNESOTA, 8:10 PM ET
SIMON: 7-4 OVER as an underdog
DUENSING: 11-0 TSR as a home favorite

CHI WHITE SOX at LA ANGELS, 10:05 PM ET WGN
BUEHRLE: 16-8 TSR in all games
SANTANA: 15-3 UNDER in night games

SEATTLE at CLEVELAND, 1:05 PM - ** Doubleheader Game #1 ET
BEAVAN: 6-2 UNDER as an underdog
MASTERSON: 16-8 UNDER when the total is 7 to 8.5

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Tuesday, August 23

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Seattle 3 Top 9 Seattle +196 500
Cleveland 4 Under 7.5 500

Oakland - 7:05 PM ET Oakland +183 500
NY Yankees - Over 9.5 500

Seattle - 7:05 PM ET Seattle +149 500
Cleveland - Under 9 500

NY Mets - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia -185 500
Philadelphia - Over 8 500

Milwaukee - 7:05 PM ET Pittsburgh +130 500
- Over 8.5 500

Arizona - 7:05 PM ET Washington -116 500
Washington - Under 7 500

Kansas City - 7:07 PM ET Kansas City +173 500
Toronto - Over 8.5 500

Detroit - 7:10 PM ET Detroit +180 500
Tampa Bay - Over 8 500

Cincinnati - 7:10 PM ET Florida +125 500 [/B
]Florida - Over 7.5 500

Boston - 8:05 PM ET Texas -152 500
Texas - Over 10 500

Atlanta - 8:05 PM ET Atlanta -138 500
Chi. Cubs - Under 11 500

Baltimore - 8:10 PM ET Baltimore +135 500
Minnesota - Over 9 500

LA Dodgers - 8:15 PM ET LA Dodgers -114 500
St. Louis - Over 7 500

Houston - 8:40 PM ET Houston +151 500
Colorado - Under 9.5 500

Chi. White Sox - 10:05 PM ET LA Angels -143 500
LA Angels - Under 7 500

San Diego - 10:15 PM ET San Diego +125 500
San Francisco - Over 6 500