The Bum's 2014 Major League Baseball playoff schedule - Trends News -Best Bets !

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MLB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 15

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ST LOUIS (94 - 75) at SAN FRANCISCO (94 - 76) - 8:05 PM
SHELBY MILLER (R) vs. RYAN VOGELSONG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 37-42 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 94-76 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 18-9 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in October games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 19-7 (+12.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 94-76 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 63-46 (+14.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 17-7 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in playoff games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 53-40 (+13.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-115 (+15.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
VOGELSONG is 35-24 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
VOGELSONG is 27-18 (+13.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 200-148 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 154-102 (+26.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 47-28 (+12.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 44-33 (+9.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 25-16 (+10.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 58-59 (-17.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 47-51 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 6-4 (+2.4 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.2 Units)

SHELBY MILLER vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
MILLER is 2-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.46 and a WHIP of 1.217.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.2 units)

RYAN VOGELSONG vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
VOGELSONG is 3-6 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 5.11 and a WHIP of 1.362.
His team's record is 4-7 (-2.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-6. (-2.8 units)

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BALTIMORE (99 - 69) at KANSAS CITY (96 - 73) - 4:05 PM
MIGUEL GONZALEZ (R) vs. JASON VARGAS (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 7-3 (+3.8 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

MIGUEL GONZALEZ vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
GONZALEZ is 1-2 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.82 and a WHIP of 1.232.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.3 units)

JASON VARGAS vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
VARGAS is 2-3 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 1.94 and a WHIP of 1.042.
His team's record is 3-5 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-8. (-8.6 units)

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Wednesday, October 15

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Baltimore 0 Bot 0 Kansas City -121 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Kansas City 0 Under 7.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

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MLB
Short Sheet

Wednesday, October 15

NL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 4 - Giants Leads 2-1

St Louis at San Francisco, 8:05 ET
Miller: ST LOUIS 16-6 revenging a one run loss to opponent
Vogelsong: SAN FRANCISCO 13-21 in home games against NL Central opponents



AL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 3 - KC leads 3-0

Baltimore at Kansas City, 4:05 ET
Gonzalez: 9-1 UNDER on the road when the money line is +125 to -125
Vargas: KANSAS CITY 64-39 UNDER after scoring 2 runs or less

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NLCS Game 4 - Cards at Giants

October 15, 2014


ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (94-76) at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (95-76)

National League Championship Series
Game 4: San Francisco leads series 2-1
First pitch: Wednesday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: St. Louis -105, San Francisco -105, Total: 7

The Cardinals attempt to even up the NLCS on Wednesday night at two games apiece with a victory on the road versus the Giants.

St. Louis had another great year, as the club reached the NLCS for the fourth time in as many seasons and has played some nail-biters so far in the 2014 playoffs. No games have been decided by more than three runs, as the Cards have been part of four one-run contests, including a tough 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Tuesday night. A throwing error is what did them in at the end, as they tallied nine hits, including a homer from OF Randal Grichuk. Meanwhile, 3B Matt Carpenter did not homer like he has done four times in these playoffs while being responsible for 8 RBI.

San Francisco has also played plenty of close games in the postseason with five of its eight games being decided by a mere run while the club used timely hitting (2-for-3 with RISP) to gain an early edge in the 5-4 win. One of those hits came off the bat of 3B Pablo Sandoval, who has a hit in all but one playoff game this year while scoring six runs. The pitching matchup for this contest will peg RHP Shelby Miller (0-0, 3.18 ERA) of the visiting Cardinals up against RHP Ryan Vogelsong (0-0, 1.59 ERA) for the host Giants.

Tuesday’s road loss dropped St. Louis’ record away from home this year to 40-45 (.471) while San Francisco has gone 48-37 (.565) by the bay. Over the past three seasons, the Giants hold a slight edge (16-14) in this matchup while being 8-6 at home in that timeframe. On the injury front, C Yadier Molina (oblique) is questionable for Game 4 after not playing on Tuesday for St. Louis, while both OF Angel Pagan (back) and 2B Marco Scutaro (back) remain out for the duration of the season.

Shelby Miller has been an interesting pitcher to watch this season as his strikeout rate dropped from a solid 8.8 K/9 in 2013 to a below average 6.3 K/9 this year. He has also seen his control fall off while walking 3.6 batters per nine innings and allowing a career-high rate of homers (1.08 HR/9). Miller pitched fine in the NLDS against the Dodgers, throwing 5.2 frames while allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts (3 walks), and overall is 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.40 WHIP over his four career postseason games (1 start).

San Francisco has never given him any issues, as he is 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in the matchup, while recording 11 strikeouts in 12.1 IP (8.0 K/9). No batter on the opposing ballclub has faced Miller more than six times, with both OF Travis Ishikawa (1-for-2) and OF Hunter Pence (1-for-5) having a solo home run in the matchup. Meanwhile, 1B Brandon Belt, OF Gregor Blanco and C Buster Posey are a mere 1-for-16 (.063) combined against the 24-year-old. The relievers for St. Louis are 29-26 (.527) with a 3.56 ERA and have successfully saved 58-of-76 (76%) games. Closer Trevor Rosenthal (4.91 ERA, 3 saves) has allowed seven hits in his 3.2 postseason frames after giving up far too many walks (5.4 BB/9) in the regular season.

Ryan Vogelsong was an important piece to the Giants 2014 season as he dropped his ERA nearly two runs from his poor 2013 campaign. Part of his success came from an improved strikeout rate (7.4 K/9) while managing a career-low walk rate (2.8 BB/9). He also was solid at not allowing homers (0.88 HR/9), and looked good in his first round game against the Nationals with a pitching line of 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER and 4 K's. He has always done well in the postseason, going 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA over five career starts. Against the Cardinals, Vogelsong is a poor 2-6 with a 6.17 ERA and 1.60 WHIP while allowing seven homers in his 65.2 frames.

Both 3B Matt Carpenter (5-for-10) and 2B Mark Ellis (8-for-21) have been successful against the veteran, while 1B Matt Adams and 2B Kolten Wong are hitless in their five at-bats in the matchup. The bullpen for St. Louis has gone 36-15 (.706) with a 2.95 ERA while saving 50-of-69 (72%) games. Closer Santiago Casilla (0.00 ERA, 3 saves) has been perfect in his five postseason innings thus far while striking out three batters.

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GAME # 4 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES


St. Louis - 8:00 PM ET San Francisco -106 500 GRAND SLAM

San Francisco - Over 7 500 DOUBLE PLAY

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MLB
Dunkel

St. Louis at San Francisco
The Giants look to clinch the NLCS following yesterday's 6-4 win and come into tonight's contest with a 10-2 record in Madison Bumgarner's last 12 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in the previous game. San Francisco is the pick (-140) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-140). Here are all of today's MLB picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16

Game 969-970: St. Louis at San Francisco (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wainwright) 14.303; San Francisco (Bumgarner) 15.897
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-140); 6
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-140); Under




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, October 16

Cardinals-Giants
Wainwright is 0-1, 9.00 in his last two starts, 3-4, 4.50 in 11 postseason starts; he is 1-1, 5.25 in two starts against the Giants this season.
Bumgarner is 2-1, 1.14 in his last three outings, 5-3, 2.58 in nine playoff starts, 1-1, 3.00 against St Louis this season.

Giants won nine of their last eleven games, five of last six at home.

St Louis lost six of its last nine road games. .

Wainwright 23-10.................4-33 first inning
Bumgarner 21-15........... ......10-36 first inning




MLB

Thursday, October 16

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Trend Report
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8:07 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
St. Louis is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
St. Louis is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing San Francisco
San Francisco is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
San Francisco is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

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MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 16

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ST LOUIS (94 - 76) at SAN FRANCISCO (95 - 76) - 8:05 PM
ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R) vs. MADISON BUMGARNER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 37-43 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 78-92 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 95-76 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 19-9 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in October games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 95-76 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 64-46 (+15.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 18-7 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in playoff games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 54-40 (+14.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 41-39 (+5.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BUMGARNER is 16-6 (+9.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 200-149 (+15.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 47-29 (+11.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 44-34 (+8.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 25-17 (+9.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
WAINWRIGHT is 49-24 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 17-6 (+10.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 25-8 (+14.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 59-59 (-16.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 48-51 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BUMGARNER is 13-16 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 12-16 (-13.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 13-16 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 7-4 (+3.4 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.2 Units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 5-6 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.92 and a WHIP of 1.176.
His team's record is 6-6 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-6. (-1.2 units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
BUMGARNER is 4-5 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.13 and a WHIP of 1.112.
His team's record is 4-5 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-6. (-4.3 units)

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MLB

Thursday, October 16

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NLCS betting preview: Cardinals at Giants
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St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco (-145, 6)

Madison Bumgarner dazzled against St. Louis in Game 1 and looks to clinch the series when the San Francisco Giants host the Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday. The left-handed ace tossed 7 2/3 stellar innings in a 3-0 victory that made it three straight strong outings this postseason and fueled talk of him being the best pitcher in the postseason. “That’s an awfully big compliment,” Bumgarner told reporters. “But no, I don’t think about any of that.”

The Giants pushed their series lead to 3-1 with a 6-4 victory on Wednesday behind three RBIs from catcher Buster Posey. Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright had a shaky outing while opposing Bumgarner in Game 1 and is vying to redeem himself and keep his team alive. “You take a competitor like that and someone who has had success and you put them on this stage, and they can’t wait to go out there and then be the ace of our staff,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said in a press conference. “It’s just right now, he’s working hard to get that real good feel.”

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

LINE HISTORY: The Giants opened as -125 favorites and have been bet up to -145. The total has been set at 6.0.

WEATHER REPORT: It should be a clear night in San Francisco with a seven mile per hour wind blowing out to center field and temperatures in the low 60s.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (0-1, 8.00 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (2-1, 0.76)

Wainwright hasn’t made it through the fifth inning in two postseason starts and threw a bullpen session in San Francisco trying to get himself on track. “I just have to have all my weapons out there with me, preferably,” Wainwright said in his press conference. “If not, I’ll grind my way through it and I’ll find a way to make it happen. But it helps when you’ve got all your weapons.” Wainwright continues to insist his right elbow isn’t an issue.

Bumgarner allowed two earned runs in 23 2/3 innings this postseason and has struck out 23 against just three walks. He said facing the Cardinals a second straight start means being ready to change the game plan on the fly. “If they force you to make adjustments, you have to be able to do it,” Bumgarner said. “If they make adjustments and you can’t, you’re going to be in trouble.”

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in Bumgarner's last five starts versus the Cardinals.
* Cardinals are 5-2 in Wainwright's last seven starts versus the Giants.
* The Giants are 2-5 in Bumgarner's last seven starts versus the Cardinals.

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MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, October 16

NL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 5 - Giants Leads 3-1

St Louis at San Francisco, 8:05 ET
Wainwright: 18-9 TSR as a road underdog
Bumgarner: 7-12 TSR as a home favorite of -125 to -175

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Preview: Cardinals (90-72) at Giants (87-74)
Game: 5
Venue: AT&T Ball Park
Date: October 16, 2014 8:07 PM EDT


Madison Bumgarner has a chance to send the San Francisco Giants to their third World Series in five years, but there's at least one reason the St. Louis Cardinals can't be too upset about that opportunity coming at AT&T Park.

The Giants' ace has been more hittable in front of a home crowd this season and in his postseason career, trends that could provide the desperate Cardinals with an opportunity Thursday night to send the NL Championship Series back to St. Louis.

San Francisco took a 3-1 series lead with Wednesday's 6-4 victory, and now turns to Bumgarner (2-1, 0.76 ERA), who is 3-1 with a 0.59 ERA and .152 opponents' batting average in his last four postseason starts.

In five home postseason starts, though, Bumgarner is 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA and .282 OBA, including a Game 3 NLDS loss to Washington. On the road, he's 4-0 with a 0.55 ERA and .174 OBA in five outings with a scoreless innings streak of 26 2-3.

His 2014 regular-season numbers at home (7-6, 4.03) and on the road (11-4, 2.22) mirror that, but Giants manager Bruce Bochy isn't about to be picky with where he gets to hand Bumgarner the ball in a potential pennant-clinching game.

"It's always good to have your ace waiting in the wings," Bochy told MLB's official website.

The left-hander began the NLCS by limiting the Cardinals to four hits in 7 2-3 innings of Saturday's 3-0 road win. His only home playoff start against St. Louis was considerably messier, as he surrendered six runs and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings of a Game 1 loss in the 2012 NLCS.

The same trend held true in the regular season with Bumgarner completing seven scoreless innings in St. Louis in May before allowing four earned runs in five innings of a July loss at AT&T Park.

Jon Jay (8 for 16) and Matt Carpenter (4 for 9) have had success against Bumgarner, while Matt Holliday (3 for 21) and Jhonny Peralta (1 for 13) have struggled.

Adam Wainwright's reputation as a big-game postseason pitcher is headed in the opposite direction of Bumgarner's after he's failed to make it through five innings in his first two starts. Wainwright (0-1, 8.00) took the Game 1 loss against Bumgarner after allowing three runs - two earned - and six hits in 4 2-3 innings. The right-hander has also struggled with elbow discomfort and mechanical issues this postseason.

"Until last year's NLCS, I was undefeated in the postseason, and I just don't want to get a bad rap for not being a good playoff pitcher," Wainwright said. "That's the time I want to shine the most. ... I know I'm capable of doing that."

He does have strong road numbers this season to fall back on. Even with his poor start in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, he's 11-6 with a 2.07 ERA in 19 total road starts. That includes a July win in San Francisco after limiting the Giants to four hits in 7 2-3 scoreless innings.

Pablo Sandoval (8 for 23) has had the most success against Wainwright, while Buster Posey (3 for 17) has struggled.

Both teams are well aware that a 3-1 hole isn't insurmountable. The Giants trailed the Cardinals by that margin in the 2012 NLCS before winning the final three games.

For any chance of reversing those roles, St. Louis might first need to correct its sloppy fielding. After the Cardinals lost Game 3 on an errant throw, first baseman Matt Adams had a pair of fielding miscues Wednesday to key San Francisco's three-run sixth inning.

The Giants haven't homered in six straight postseason games, which is the longest drought in a playoff run since the 1973 Oakland Athletics went eight straight and won the World Series.

It hasn't slowed Sandoval, who is 6 for 16 in the series and has reached base in a franchise-record 22 straight postseason games.

St. Louis continues to waste offense from Kolten Wong, who is 4 for 8 with a home run, triple and two doubles in the last two games. Jay, meanwhile, has reached in all eight postseason contests with a .581 on-base percentage.

Yadier Molina missed a second straight game with a left oblique injury, though he was available as a defensive replacement.

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

10/15/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

10/14/14 0-*4-*0 0.00% -*2135 Detail

10/12/14 0-*2-*0 0.00%-*1050 Detail

10/11/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*70 Detail

10/10/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*150 Detail

10/07/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% +*240 Detail

10/06/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*1080 Detail

10/05/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2290 Detail

10/04/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% +310 Detail

10/03/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*2395 Detail

10/02/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*450 Detail

10/01/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

09/30/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

Totals 29-*17-*0 63.04 % 6460


Rated Plays Only Record:


6 - 2 ........ + 4.25.......*****

12 - 9...........+ 12.32 ......Double Play

8 - 5 ..........+ 7.09.....Triple Play

3 - 2 .......... + 3.52 .......Grand Slam


Thursday, October 16

Game Score Status Pick Amount

St. Louis - 8:00 PM ET San Francisco -150 500 GRAND SLAM

San Francisco - Over 6 500 GRAND SLAM


LEAVING NOW FOR THE GAME.....ITS GOING TO BE PARTY TIME TONIGHT........GOOD LUCK TO ALL !!

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

10/16/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detai

10/15/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

10/14/14 0-*4-*0 0.00% -*2135 Detail

10/12/14 0-*2-*0 0.00%-*1050 Detail

10/11/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*70 Detail

10/10/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*150 Detail

10/07/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% +*240 Detail

10/06/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*1080 Detail

10/05/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2290 Detail

10/04/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% +310 Detail

10/03/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*2395 Detail

10/02/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*450 Detail

10/01/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

09/30/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

Totals 31-*17-*0 64.58 % 7460


Rated Plays Only Record:


6 - 2 ........ + 4.25.......*****

12 - 9...........+ 12.32 ......Double Play

8 - 5 ..........+ 7.09.....Triple Play

5 - 2 .......... + 11.52 .......Grand Slam

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Well folks this has been one heck of a series........it was wild it was crazy at AT&T Park last night.......And the partying after across the street at MOMO'S was just nuts......

But winning both Grand Slams was even more exciting......the game could have ended with a grand slam...Now that would have been someting.....

Its on to the World Series and lets see how these Wild Card Teams do...........

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Wild WS: Perfect Royals vs tested Giants

October 16, 2014


Lorenzo Cain gearing up to run on Buster Posey. Pablo Sandoval trying to launch long balls, Alex Gordon banging into walls chasing them. Madison Bumgarner and James Shields starting big games, with lights-out bullpens poised to close `em.

The playoff-perfect Kansas City Royals. The tried-and-tested San Francisco Giants.

A pair of wild cards, set to begin the World Series on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium in a matchup offering most everything a fan would want to watch. Tight, too, with the Giants opening as a slim favorite to win it all.

''They're as hot as you can get,'' Posey said, already a two-time champion with the Giants. ''We were playing them earlier this year and they spanked us pretty good. We know we're going to have our hands full with them.''

''They're a dynamic team that pitches really well, really good defense. They've got pop, too, along with speed. We'll definitely have our hands full,'' he said.

So much on the field to savor on both sides. Plus, there probably will be room for some second-guessing - this week, Royals manager Ned Yost poked fun at those who earlier thought of him as ''the dumbest guy on the face of the earth.''

A tasty treat, sure to get foodies debating: The vaunted Kansas City BBQ vs. all-world flavors by the Bay.

And, throw in a few celebrity rooters. Jeff Foxworthy cheering for his good pal Yost. Former Journey frontman Steve Perry in the stands at AT&T Park, leading the crowd in singing ''Don't Stop Believin''' during the seventh-inning stretch.

A surprising meeting? Maybe, although both teams had high expectations when they met in Surprise - that's in Arizona, where Hunter Pence homered as the Giants beat the Royals early in spring training.

By August, the Royals were rolling. They swept the visiting Giants in a three-game series, beating Bumgarner, Tim Hudson and Tim Lincecum, and stealing seven bases in the finale as All-Star closer Greg Holland excelled.

Now, they meet again.

''We know we have a lot of work ahead of us and we're playing a great team. But to get to this point, it's time to celebrate,'' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said after Travis Ishikawa's bottom-of-the-ninth homer Thursday night beat St. Louis in the clinching Game 5 of the NL Championship Series.

The Royals, after going 8-0 in the AL playoffs, are back in the World Series for the first time since beating the Cardinals in 1985. That's 29 years - the average age on the Royals' postseason roster is 28. That includes reliever Brandon Finnegan, who pitched this summer for TCU in the College World Series.

Cain, the AL Championship Series MVP, and Kansas City will have had five days off before Game 1. In the past, long layoffs in October have often meant rust more than rest.

The Giants are trying to extend their every-other-year success after winning crowns in 2010 and 2012. Sandoval, the popular Kung Fu Panda and a former World Series MVP, and his pals also have a lengthy break after finishing off St. Louis.

''We've got a lot of guys that's been through this ... they know what to expect and they are not afraid of the moment by no means,'' said Bumgarner, MVP of the NLCS.

''And I think the young guys that we have that have not been through it, they say that and then they feed off of that and they know that they don't have to be afraid, either,'' he said. ''I really like the group of guys that we have here and it's going to be a fun series against Kansas City.''

This will be the first time that a pair of wild cards have played in the Series since a seven-game thriller between the Angels and Giants in 2002.

And this meeting has a fair amount of mystery to it, pitting clubs that don't share a ton of history. They've played 12 times since interleague play began, with Kansas City winning nine.

Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt pitched for the Royals the last time they visited San Francisco - that was in 2005, when Barry Bonds was still the giant name in orange and black.

Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry also pitched for both teams. He earned his first career win in 1962 with the Giants when their biggest star was Willie Mays. Perry posted his 314th and final victory in 1983 with the Royals, helped by a home run from Willie Mays Aikens.

Chances are, both teams will bring out their greats starting next week.

Mays and Bonds figure to be on the field in San Francisco, with McCovey Cove barely beyond the right-field wall. George Brett has been hollering from a stadium suite in KC, with the dancing water fountains just past the center-field fence.

In a season in which both teams made a splash, who knows? A splash shot beckons.

[StarDust Bum]

Four umpires get 1st World Series call

October 17, 2014


NEW YORK (AP) - Boosted by their strong results on replay challenges this season, several umpires will get to work the World Series for the first time.

The seven-man crew includes a rare four newcomers, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press this week. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Major League Baseball hadn't made an announcement yet.

Hunter Wendelstedt, Eric Cooper, Jim Reynolds and Jerry Meals are heading to their first World Series.

Wendelstedt had only two of his calls overturned this year under baseball's expanded replay system. Cooper had just three decisions reversed and Reynolds had seven.

''An umpire's entire body of work is evaluated when assigning postseason series, and we always strive to have the most deserving umpires working postseason games,'' MLB spokesman Michael Teevan said.

''This year,'' he added, ''instant replay also became another facet of performance.''

Jeff Kellogg will be the crew chief and call his fifth World Series when Kansas City hosts San Francisco in Game 1 on Tuesday night. Ted Barrett and Jeff Nelson will work the Fall Classic for the third time.

Nearly 20 umpires had at least 10 calls changed this year. Barrett had 12 and Meals 10, while Kellogg had five.

Overall, there were 1,275 reviews in the majors this season and 47 percent of the calls were reversed.

Several factors determine which umpires get picked for the playoffs and World Series by MLB. Ball-strike ratings on plate jobs, skill at handling situations on the field, experience and time missed during the season are all considered.

MLB tries to include at least one first-time umpire on the World Series crew every year. Starting in 1998, the lone exception was 2009 - stung by a spate of missed calls earlier in that postseason, MLB chose an all-veteran crew.

In the previous 35 World Series, only twice has the crew included four first-timers, most recently in 1996.

Under a new plan this year, seven umpires handle all best-of-seven postseason matchups. One umpire works the first two games on the field, then changes places with an umpire in the New York replay booth for the rest of the series.

World Series umpires are picked from a pool of umps who worked in the Division Series.

Wendelstedt, whose father, Harry, umpired in the World Series five times, joined the MLB staff in 1999, as did Reynolds and Cooper. Meals became part of the staff in 1998.