Cnotes Thursday's MLB Best Bets !

Diamondbacks Wrap Series At Pittsburgh Pirates

Will Wandy Rodriguez win over Pittsburgh Pirates fans when he makes his first home start since being picked up in a July trade? More importantly, can he win money for bettors backing the Bucs who are $1.20 favorites in their series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks?

The late matinee affair at PNC Park is slated for a 4:05 p.m. (ET) first pitch from Rodriguez. He faces fellow lefty Joe Saunders of Arizona with an 8-run total.

Arizona has climbed back into the National League playoff picture thanks to a 17-11 push that began just before the all-star break. The Diamondbacks stopped a 3-game slide with a 10-4 victory in the second game of this series on Tuesday, getting a pair of late homers from newly-acquired third baseman Chris Johnson to rally from a 4-3 deficit and grab the dubya as slight +105 underdogs. The triumph left the Snakes four games out of the NL West in third place, and 6.5-games behind the Pirates for the second NL wild-card slot.

Even with that loss, the Pirates still own the best home record in the majors (34-17), and the fourth-best overall mark in the NL which puts them 3.5-games back of the Cincinnati Reds in the Central. Pittsburgh had won 13 of 20 entering Wednesday's third game of the set which was still pending. Arizona was priced at -140 for the tilt with an 8-run total. Ian Kennedy was scheduled to pitch for the D-Backs opposite Kevin Correia.

Saunders will be taking the mound for the 19th time this campaign and has produced nice numbers over his last nine outings with a 3.35 ERA and 43:16 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Despite his efforts, Arizona managed to win just two of those nine assignments thanks to a lack of run support. The Diamondbacks were blanked in three of the losses and managed to score but a single run in three others.

The former star at Virginia Tech beat the Bucs in Phoenix back in April, tossing seven innings while scattering six hits and allowing just one run.

Rodriguez has been a bit lucky as well as unlucky in his first two starts since coming from Houston in a late-July swap. Both outings were on the road, and his first start for the Pirates came against his former Astros teammates. The southpaw was a bit wild but still kept Pittsburgh in the game, and the Bucs eventually rallied for a 4-3 triumph. He surrendered just three runs in Cincinnati the last time out, but the Pirates couldn't muster any offense against Mat Latos and the Reds who scored a 3-0 whitewashing.

He last faced the Diamondbacks almost exactly one year ago in Arizona, posting zeroes for six innings and allowing just two hits while striking out five. Rodriguez is 3-5 in eight lifetime starts vs. the Snakes with a 5.40 ERA.

Pittsburgh had a slim 3-2 advantage over the Diamondbacks this season with Wednesday's contest still unsettled. The 'under' also held a 3-2 edge in 2012 clashes. The Pirates had won six of the last eight played at PNC Park.

Alfonso Marquez should complete the umpire crew's rotation in this 4-game series on Thursday. Totals have run 13-8-1 'under' in his previous 22 plate assignments, with the 'over' 3-1 the last four.

A warm, muggy day is in the forecast for Iron City where afternoon highs will reach the mid-80s. The chance of rain increases as the afternoon wears on.

Matt Moore And Rays Host Toronto Blue Jays

The American League East action gets underway early on Thursday with an afternoon tilt between the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.

First pitch from Tropicana Field will be at 1:10 p.m. (ET). Don Best is sending out Tampa as a solid $2.00 home favorite with a total of seven runs in the finale of a 3-game series.

Matt Moore (8-7, 3.84 ERA) will be on the hill for the Rays and is a big reason for their favorite status. He’s looking like the guy from last year who got called up at the end of the season and pitched great through the playoffs.

The 23-year-old lefty has over a 16-inning scoreless streak going and his home ERA for the season (3.36) is far lower than away (4.63). He is 3-1 in four starts since the All-Star break with a paltry 1.46 ERA.

Henderson Alvarez (7-8, 4.47 ERA) is the opposing pitcher and is 2-1 in his last three starts. The ‘under’ has been a solid play for him lately at 3-1 in the last four. Don Best MLB analyst Kenny White points to poor run support as one reason, nine total runs scored in three of those contests.

White also likes the ‘stuff’ of the 22-year-old right-hander with a 93 mph fastball, curve and slider. Alvarez’ most recent start against the Rays this year came in mid-May, surrendering just two earned runs over 6 2/3 innings in a 4-3 loss. He was somewhat lucky in allowing 10 hits and will need to lower that number on Thursday.

Looking at the big picture in the AL East, the Rays are 57-52 pending Wednesday night’s result. They took the first game of the series on Tuesday by a score of 4-1. Tampa is just six games back of the suddenly-struggling Yankees and right in the thick of the wild-card.

Getting Evan Longoria back from the disabled list should make a huge difference for Tampa and he was 1-for-3 with an RBI in his first game back on Tuesday. White loves the managing of Joe Maddon who has the coaching pedigree and experience to make another strong run.

Toronto (53-56) is in the division basement, even below the underachieving Red Sox, and hasn’t hit or pitched particularly well since the break.

Make sure to check out the Don Best Pro Odds. It has all the baseball betting information you need and is a must-use tool for the upcoming NFL and college football season.

Diamond Trends - Thursday

August 9, 2012

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Royals are 0-16 since April 20, 2011 when playing a night game as a dog when they are off a win in which they never trailed in a night game for a net profit of $1600 when playing against.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Rays are 0-19 OU since April 14, 2011 as a favorite after a one run win in a night game for a net profit of $1900 when playing the under.

STARTER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Marlins are 13-0 OU since May 15, 2006 when Josh Johnson starts on the road after the team won their last two games for a net profit of $1300 when playing the over.

MLB BIBLE TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Marlins are 7-0 OU (3.1 rpg) since 2010 after two straight wins where they never trailed and the last win was by 5+ runs.

TODAY’S TRENDS:

-- The Diamondbacks are 0-12 OU since May 12, 2011 on the road when they are off a loss in which they held the lead and it is the last game of a series for a net profit of $1200 when playing the under.

-- The Astros are 10-0-1 OU since May 28, 2011 at home after a loss in which they allowed 5+ walks and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1000 when playing the over.

Red Sox-Indians begin 4-game set Thursday

BOSTON RED SOX (55-57)

at CLEVELAND INDIANS (51-60)


First pitch: Thursday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Boston -130, Cleveland +120, Total: 9

Two badly struggling franchises, the Red Sox and Indians, will meet Thursday in Cleveland for the opener of a four-game series.

The Red Sox are just 2-6 in August, including two straight losses to bring their record to two games below .500. And prior to beating the Twins Wednesday night, the Indians had lost 11 games in a row (allowing 10+ runs in five of those defeats), which brought them well below the even mark too. Neither of these teams should get much help from their starting pitcher Thursday to right their ships, with Ubaldo Jimenez and Felix Doubront on the hill. Boston’s left-hander Doubront has a 4.56 ERA and 1.45 WHIP on the season, but has been shelled lately with a 6.61 ERA and 1.96 WHIP in his past three starts, in which he has walked four people per outing. Jimenez is no better though. He has a 5.29 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 2012, with 76 walks (most in majors) in 127.2 innings. He has not won since July 7, going 0-4 with an 8.42 ERA and 2.03 WHIP in five starts. The difference in this game could be the Indians’ struggles against lefties. Doubront beat them earlier this season allowing just one run in six innings, contributing to Cleveland’s major-league worst 11-24 record (.314) versus southpaws. Play on BOSTON as the road favorite here.

This three-star FoxSheets trend also favors the Red Sox:

Play On - Any team (BOSTON) - average offensive team (4.7 to 5.2 runs/game) against an average starter (ERA=4.70 to 5.70)-AL, with an on base percentage of .310 or worse over their last 20 games. (127-68 since 1997.) (65.1%, +60.4 units. Rating = 3*).

That outing earlier this year is Doubront’s only career start versus the Indians, but he has enjoyed pitching on the road this season, carting a 3.57 ERA with 60 K’s in 58 innings. More importantly, he has led the Red Sox to eight wins in his 10 away starts. And even though he does not make it deep into games, averaging 5.6 innings per start, the Boston bullpen has helped with Doubront’s great road winning percentage. Sox relievers carry a stellar 3.39 ERA in 2012, a figure that drops to 2.64 on the road. Although All-Star DH David Ortiz could come back later this weekend, the Red Sox lineup is starting to surge with 27 runs and 48 hits in the past four games.

Whereas Doubront had success pitching against the Indians this year, Jimenez has been owned by the Red Sox in his career. In his 2012 outing he yielded nine hits and seven earned runs in 4.1 innings, walking five and striking out four. Overall, including a start in the 2007 World Series, he is 0-2 versus Boston with a 9.20 ERA and 2.18 WHIP in three career starts. Supported by a lineup that averages just 3.8 runs per game with a .232 batting average against lefty starters is not encouraging either. The Cleveland bullpen is also shaky, carrying a 4.09 ERA on the season, which marks the worst relief ERA in the American League.

MLB
Dunkel

NY Yankees at Detroit
The Yankees look to build on their 4-1 record in Hiroki Kuroda's last 5 road starts. New York is the pick (+105) according to Dunkel, which has the Yankees favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (+105). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9

Game 901-902: Miami at NY Mets (12:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Johnson) 15.232; NY Mets (Dickey) 13.998
Dunkel Line: Miami by 1; 7
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-140); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+120); Over

Game 903-904: San Francisco at St. Louis (1:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 15.476; St. Louis (Wainwright) 16.663
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-145); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-145); Over

Game 905-906: Arizona at Pittsburgh (4:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Saunders) 16.014; Pittsburgh (Rodriguez) 16.965
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-130); 8
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-130); Under

Game 907-908: Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Leake) 14.876; Cubs (Volstad) 13.863
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-150); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-150); N/A

Game 909-910: Washington at Houston (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Zimmermann) 14.159; Houston (Harrell) 14.687
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Washington (-185); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+165); Under

Game 911-912: NY Yankees at Detroit (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Kuroda) 16.372; Detroit (Fister) 15.665
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Detroit (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (+105); Over

Game 913-914: Toronto at Tampa Bay (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Alvarez) 16.237; Tampa Bay (Moore) 15.137
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-185); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+165); Under

Game 915-916: Boston at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Doubront) 13.910; Cleveland (Jimenez) 14.226
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Boston (-135); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+115); Under

Game 917-918: Kansas City at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Smith) 16.207; Baltimore (Chen) 15.662
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-170); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+150); Under

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, August 9

Hot pitchers
-- JJohnson is 2-0, 1.83 in his last three starts. Dickey is 1-1, 2.57 in his last two outings.
-- Bumgarner is 2-1, 2.45 in his last five starts. Wainwright is 2-0, 2.11 in his last three outings.
-- Zimmerman is 5-1, 2.09 in his last nine starts. Harrell is 2-1, 2.05 in his last five outings.

-- Kuroda is 2-1, 1.27 in his last four starts. Fister is 4-1, 1.62 in his last five outing.
-- Moore is 3-1, 1.46 in his last four starts.
-- WChen is 3-1, 2.39 in his last four starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Saunders is 1-4, 3.99 in his last six starts. WRodriguez is 0-4, 5.59 in his last five starts.
-- Leake is 1-1, 7.29 in his last four starts. Cubs are 0-10 when Volstad starts this season (0-5, 8.51 in his last five).

-- Alvarez is 0-2, 6.92 in two starts vs Tampa Bay this year.
-- Doubrant is 0-1, 6.47 in his last three starts. Masterson is 0-4, 8.42 in his lat five starts.
-- Smith is 1-3, 5.76 in his last five starts.

Hot Teams
-- Marlins won their last two games, allowing total of two runs.
-- Giants won seven of their last nine road games.
-- Pirates won eight of their last eleven home games.
-- Milwaukee won nine of its last twelve home games.
-- Washington won 15 of its last 19 games.

-- Tigers won 16 of their last 18 home games.
-- Rays won seven of their last ten games.
-- Baltimore won eight of its last ten games. Royals won three of four.

Cold Teams
-- Mets lost their last nine home games.
-- Cardinals lost their last two games, outscored 19-2.
-- Arizona lost four of its last five games.
-- Cincinnati lost its last four games, scoring eight runs.
-- Astros lost 33 of their last 37 games.

-- Bronx lost 12 of its last 19 games.
-- Blue Jays lost eight of their last ten games.
-- Indians lost 11 of their last 12 games. Boston is 4-9 in its last 13 at home.

Totals
-- Under is 11-3-1 in Miami's last fifteen road games.
-- Over is 18-6-1 in Giants' last twenty-five road games.
-- Under is 14-7-1 in Pittsburgh's last twenty-two games.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in Leake's last nine starts.
-- Six of last eight Harrell starts stayed under the total.

-- Seven of last nine Kuroda starts stayed under total.
-- 15 of last 18 Tampa Bay games stayed under total.
-- Over is 8-3-1 in Doubrant's last twelve starts.
-- Five of last six WChen starts stayed under the total.

MLB

Thursday, August 9

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Trend Report
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12:10 PM
MIAMI vs. NY METS
Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Miami's last 11 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
NY Mets are 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing Miami

1:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. DETROIT
NY Yankees are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 8 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing NY Yankees

1:10 PM
TORONTO vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games at home
Tampa Bay is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Toronto

1:45 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. ST. LOUIS
San Francisco is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 7 games when playing St. Louis
St. Louis is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games
St. Louis is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games at home

4:05 PM
ARIZONA vs. PITTSBURGH
Arizona is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Arizona's last 18 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Pittsburgh's last 18 games when playing at home against Arizona

7:05 PM
BOSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Boston is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Boston

7:05 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. BALTIMORE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City's last 6 games
Kansas City is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Baltimore is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing Kansas City

8:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. CHI CUBS
Cincinnati is 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing Chi Cubs
Cincinnati is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing Cincinnati
Chi Cubs are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games

8:05 PM
WASHINGTON vs. HOUSTON
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Houston is 2-20 SU in its last 22 games

MLB

Thursday, August 9

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Thursday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
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Streaking

Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants (12-6, 3.03 ERA)

The Giants lefty has helped keep the club afloat during Tim Lincecum’s sub-par season and while he’s recorded just one win in his last three starts, Bumgarner has been sublime in that span. He’s allowed just five earned runs in his last 19 innings and has totaled 25 strikeouts in that stretch.

Jordan Zimmermann, Washington Nationals (8-6, 2.45 ERA)

The Nationals are fighting for the top spot in the bigs, thanks in part to the efforts of Zimmermann. The right-hander is undefeated in his previous eight starts, going 5-0 and has not allowed more than one run in that span before surrendering four earned runs in a no-decision versus Miami in his most recent outings.


Slumping

Ubaldo Jimenez, Cleveland Indians (8-11, 5.29 ERA)

It’s incredible to see how far Jimenez has fallen. The righty is winless in his last five starts with a 0-4 record in that span. He was knocked around for six earned runs on seven hits over 5 1-3 innings versus the Tigers in his most recent appearance.

Chris Volstad, Chicago Cubs (0-8, 7.22 ERA)

Volstad hasn’t won a game in 21 starts and has swallowed five straight “L’s” spread out over the course of the season. The Cubs did like what they saw from the righty in his most recent defeat, throwing seven solid innings in which he allowed just two earned runs on six hits, including one home run.

Good luck today, BRADDAH! Looking fwd to your selections.

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, August 9

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MIAMI (51 - 60) at NY METS (53 - 58) - 12:10 PM
JOSH JOHNSON (R) vs. R.A. DICKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 51-60 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MIAMI is 50-58 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MIAMI is 31-44 (-17.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
JOHNSON is 2-9 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 21-14 (+10.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
NY METS are 10-1 (+10.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday this season.
NY METS are 36-33 (+5.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
DICKEY is 16-6 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
DICKEY is 10-2 (+9.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season. (Team's Record)
DICKEY is 9-2 (+7.7 Units) against the money line in day games this season. (Team's Record)
DICKEY is 15-6 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
MIAMI is 52-40 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 60-75 (-23.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 262-266 (-72.0 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.
NY METS are 60-75 (-23.5 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 29-43 (-18.7 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 10-19 (-13.8 Units) against the money line in home games 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
NY METS is 4-4 (-0.2 Units) against MIAMI this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.4 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

JOSH JOHNSON vs. NY METS since 1997
JOHNSON is 8-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.58 and a WHIP of 1.106.
His team's record is 11-4 (+8.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-7. (+0.3 units)

R.A. DICKEY vs. MIAMI since 1997
DICKEY is 6-2 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 3.44 and a WHIP of 1.309.
His team's record is 7-2 (+5.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+0.5 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (61 - 50) at ST LOUIS (60 - 51) - 1:45 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 16-21 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 99-98 (-17.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 35-24 (+12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 61-50 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 61-50 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 46-48 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 12-23 (-17.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WAINWRIGHT is 9-13 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 9-13 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 7-14 (-12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 3-2 (+2.0 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.8 Units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
BUMGARNER is 2-1 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP of 1.172.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 0-4 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.19 and a WHIP of 1.282.
His team's record is 1-4 (-4.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+0.7 units)

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ARIZONA (56 - 55) at PITTSBURGH (63 - 47) - 4:05 PM
JOE SAUNDERS (L) vs. WANDY RODRIGUEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 33-28 (+7.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
PITTSBURGH is 310-325 (+44.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 62-47 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 24-11 (+15.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
PITTSBURGH is 35-17 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 63-48 (+23.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 24-13 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 62-47 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 41-34 (+10.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 153-127 (+20.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 153-127 (+20.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 20-46 (-19.9 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 4-2 (+3.3 Units) against ARIZONA this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)

JOE SAUNDERS vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
SAUNDERS is 1-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.46 and a WHIP of 1.154.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

WANDY RODRIGUEZ vs. ARIZONA since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 3-5 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.550.
His team's record is 3-5 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-2. (+4.0 units)

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CINCINNATI (66 - 45) at CHICAGO CUBS (43 - 66) - 8:05 PM
MIKE LEAKE (R) vs. CHRIS VOLSTAD (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 66-45 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 596-676 (+52.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 66-45 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 393-436 (+40.4 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 435-491 (+44.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 39-27 (+15.1 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 69-46 (+19.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 74-42 (+21.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 43-66 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 661-616 (-140.6 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 188-247 (-76.0 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 86-119 (-37.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 43-66 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 181-184 (-60.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 903-977 (-168.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 7-20 (-12.1 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 128-160 (-50.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
VOLSTAD is 0-10 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
VOLSTAD is 4-15 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VOLSTAD is 6-18 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
VOLSTAD is 0-10 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
VOLSTAD is 13-28 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
VOLSTAD is 2-17 (-15.9 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 3-2 (+0.2 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

MIKE LEAKE vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
LEAKE is 4-2 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.19 and a WHIP of 1.189.
His team's record is 6-2 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.4 units)

CHRIS VOLSTAD vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
VOLSTAD is 1-3 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 5.32 and a WHIP of 1.479.
His team's record is 1-3 (-2.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.0 units)

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WASHINGTON (68 - 43) at HOUSTON (36 - 76) - 8:05 PM
JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R) vs. LUCAS HARRELL (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 36-21 (+15.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
WASHINGTON is 65-43 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 45-27 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
WASHINGTON is 47-30 (+13.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WASHINGTON is 42-25 (+12.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
WASHINGTON is 68-43 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ZIMMERMANN is 7-0 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 36-75 (-29.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 36-75 (-29.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 25-53 (-21.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
HOUSTON is 24-57 (-26.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 22-52 (-23.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
HOUSTON is 43-92 (-32.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 6-1 (+4.5 Units) against HOUSTON this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. HOUSTON since 1997
ZIMMERMANN is 0-2 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.037.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

LUCAS HARRELL vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HARRELL is 0-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.35 and a WHIP of 1.049.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

NY YANKEES (64 - 46) at DETROIT (60 - 51) - 1:05 PM
HIROKI KURODA (R) vs. DOUG FISTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 71-42 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 75-48 (+16.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 38-20 (+17.8 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.
FISTER is 10-3 (+8.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 11-3 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in road games in day games this season.
NY YANKEES are 29-17 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 5-4 (+1.3 Units) against DETROIT this season
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.9 Units)

HIROKI KURODA vs. DETROIT since 1997
KURODA is 0-1 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 3.46 and a WHIP of 1.154.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

DOUG FISTER vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
FISTER is 2-2 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.09 and a WHIP of 1.478.
His team's record is 2-2 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.3 units)

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TORONTO (53 - 57) at TAMPA BAY (58 - 52) - 1:10 PM
HENDERSON ALVAREZ (R) vs. MATT MOORE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 461-551 (+26.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 8-2 (+6.1 Units) against TORONTO this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)

HENDERSON ALVAREZ vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
ALVAREZ is 0-3 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 5.68 and a WHIP of 1.263.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

MATT MOORE vs. TORONTO since 1997
MOORE is 0-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.85 and a WHIP of 1.499.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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BOSTON (55 - 57) at CLEVELAND (51 - 60) - 7:05 PM
FELIX DOUBRONT (L) vs. UBALDO JIMENEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 49-52 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 100-90 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 33-42 (-19.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BOSTON is 26-31 (-14.5 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
BOSTON is 61-53 (-21.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 1-6 (-8.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 55-57 (-15.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 55-57 (-24.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 98-87 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 11-24 (-13.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
CLEVELAND is 1-9 (-8.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 3-1 (+1.6 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

FELIX DOUBRONT vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
DOUBRONT is 1-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 0.833.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. BOSTON since 1997
JIMENEZ is 0-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 9.20 and a WHIP of 2.181.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

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KANSAS CITY (47 - 63) at BALTIMORE (60 - 51) - 7:05 PM
WILL SMITH (L) vs. WEI-YIN CHEN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 15-41 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 60-51 (+19.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 23-18 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
BALTIMORE is 35-30 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 55-44 (+18.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 17-12 (+9.9 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 35-24 (+17.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CHEN is 14-8 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
CHEN is 13-7 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 11-3 (+14.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +150 to +175 this season.
KANSAS CITY is 14-8 (+10.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
KANSAS CITY is 17-13 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BALTIMORE is 109-107 (-37.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 3-2 (+0.8 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.8 Units)

WILL SMITH vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
No recent starts.

WEI-YIN CHEN vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
CHEN is 0-0 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, August 9

National League

Miami at NY Mets, 12:10 ET
Johnson: 2-9 TSR away pitching off a team win
Dickey: 7-1 TSR pitching on 5 or 6 days rest

San Francisco at St. Louis, 1:45 ET
Bumgarner: San Francisco 21-10 Over away with a total of 7.5 runs or less
Wainwright: St. Louis 28-13 SU off a loss by 4+ runs

Arizona at Pittsburgh, 4:05 ET
Saunders: Arizona 35-22 SU after losing 3 of their last 4 games
Rodriguez: Pittsburgh 20-46 SU in August

Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 ET
Leake: 9-1 TSR pitching off BB team losses
Volstad: 0-10 TSR as an underdog

Washington at Houston, 8:05 ET
Zimmermann: Washington 17-5 SU off BB wins by 2 runs or less
Harrell: Houston 3-21 SU after losing 12+ of their last 15 games


American League

NY Yankees at Detroit, 1:05 ET
Kuroda: Yankees 23-11 SU away off a win by 4+ runs
Fister: 17-5 Under pitching off a team loss

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 1:10 ET
Alvarez: Toronto 9-19 SU after scoring 2 runs or less
Moore: Tampa Bay 10-1 SU off 5+ Unders

Boston at Cleveland, 7:05 ET MLB
Doubront: Boston 12-18 SU off BB losses
Jimenez: Cleveland 17-6 SU at home off a win by 4+ runs

Kansas City at Baltimore, 7:05 ET MLB
Smith: Kansas City 15-41 SU away vs. left-handed starters
Chen: Baltimore 11-4 SU off a win by 4+ runs

Thursday's betting tips: A new order in the S.F. bullpen

Weather to watch

Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs: A 60 percent chance of thunderstorms throughout the evening. Winds are expected to blow in from right field at 15 mph.

New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers: A 70 percent chance of rain for this afternoon tilt.

Who’s hot?

The Baltimore Orioles have won five straight and eight of 10. The Orioles have collected 60 wins so far this season compared to 69 all last year.

Who’s not?

The Chicago Cubs were swept for the ninth time Wednesday with a 2-0 loss to the Padres. Chicago has been outscored 40-16 during its eight-game losing streak.

Key stat

24- The number of games the Pittsburgh Pirates have won by a single run this season (MLB best). Pittsburgh is 54-1 when leading after seven innings, and closer Joel Hanrahan leads the National League with 33 saves.

Game of the day

San Francisco Giants @ St. Louis Cardinals (-134, 7.5)

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko suffered a mild concussion in Tuesday night's game against the Royals. He was held out of Wednesday's contest and will be re-evaluated on Friday. Konerko is batting .318 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs in 101 games this season.

Notable quotable

"Why not legalize sports betting? When it’s regulated, it’s safer. There’s no hanky-panky.” –Sacramento Kings owner Joe Maloof.

Betting news and notes

Blue Jays hurler Henderson Alvarez has yet to figure out the Rays, going 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA in three career starts against them. Tampa Bay has homered six times off Alvarez in just 19 innings.

Santiago Casilla is no longer San Francisco’s closer after blowing five of his last 10 save opportunities. Right-hander Sergio Romo and southpaws Jeremy Affeldt and Javier Lopez will share the duties.

The Orioles are expected to call up prized prospect Manny Machado from Double-A Bowie prior to Thursday's contest with the Royals. Machado is the third overall pick of the 2010 amateur draft.

Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said that first baseman Joey Votto , who has been taking batting practice and running sprints, still needs to practice sliding before he can be activated from the disabled list.

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

CBSSports.com took a survey of 100+ college basketball coaches this July, as to who the most overrated coach in the country is. Here are their results……..

23%-- Roy Williams, UNC-- Has had two plum jobs, Carolina/Kansas.

17%-- Rick Barnes, Texas-- Production hasn't matched the talent.

11%-- Scott Drew, Baylor-- Myself, I think this is unfair, but so be it.

9%-- Steve Lavin, St John's-- Will miss departed tactician Dunlap.

6%-- Wright, Villanova-- Starting guards left early, weren't drafted.

6%-- Howland, UCLA-- People forget he won at Northern Arizona.

4%-- Boeheim, Syracuse-- Doesn't complicate things; has won for years.

4%-- Amaker, Harvard-- Didn't win at Michigan or Seton Hall.


*********


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

13) Mike Trout homered on his 21st birthday Tuesday, only fifth player ever to do so: Jason Heyward-Frank Robinson-Alex Rodriguez-Ted Williams are other four. Pretty good club to belong to.

12) Angels swung at 47 Bartolo Colon pitches Tuesday and missed only once, but they also got only four hits on 20 balls they put in play. Colon keeps hitters off balance extremely well.

11) Big series with the Halos/A’s in Oakland this week; attendance was disappointing: 13,341/15,458/21,150. Too bad; the A’s are a fun team to watch, and they have a shot at making the playoffs.

10) Penn State’s football uniforms will have players’ names on the back this year, just not all the names they wanted; nine players have transferred, five recruits for 2013 have de-committed.

9) Padres’ closer Huston Street hasn’t allowed a run since June 17. Good to see the Padres signed him to an extension rather than trade him at the trading deadline for prospects.

8) Out in Seattle, Oliver Perez has very quietly posted a 2.08 ERA as a lefty out of the Mariner bullpen. He’d be an interesting piece for a team (Angels?) struggling with their relief pitching.

7) Baltimore Orioles have now won their last twelve extra inning games; Bronx Bombers lost their last eight one-run games.

6) Arizona traded for 3B Chris Johnson; the former Astro has five homers in his first eight games with the Snakes. Not really sure why Houston traded him.

5) All of a sudden Carl Crawford played in nine straight games; guess the doctors’ advice about him sitting out now and then, which caused quite a stir last week, doesn’t hold anymore, if it ever existed in first place.

4) Former UCLA/Bucks’ star Marques Johnson came out before the quarterfinals and predicted the US Olympic team wouldn’t win the gold medal, citing less-than-stellar USA defense. Americans were a 33-point favorite over Australia, and won by 33, after Aussies had game as close as six early in the third quarter.

3) Its rained hard Wednesday at Kiawah Island, site of this weekend’s PGA Championship, as remnants of a tropical storm pummel coastal area; cynical pundits have already dubbed this weekend The Pour at the Shore.

2) Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but in fact, there are 11,842 lakes in Jesse Ventura’s home state.

1) Glad to see FOX hired Mike Martz as an analyst on NFL games; can’t wait to see how he does on TV. Some of those production meetings during the week with other coaches could be interesting.

MLB

Thursday, August 9

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Miami - 12:10 PM ET Miami +123 500
NY Mets - Under 6.5 500

NY Yankees - 1:05 PM ET Detroit -113 500
Detroit - Under 9 500

Toronto - 1:10 PM ET Toronto +168 500
Tampa Bay - Over 7.5 500

San Francisco - 1:45 PM ET San Francisco +126 500
St. Louis - Over 7.5 500

Arizona - 4:05 PM ET Arizona +119 500
Pittsburgh - Over 8 500

Kansas City - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore -175 500
Baltimore - Under 8.5 500

Boston - 7:05 PM ET Boston -126 500
Cleveland - Over 9 500

Washington - 8:05 PM ET Washington -180 500
Houston - Over 7.5 500

Cincinnati - 8:05 PM ET Cincinnati -147 500