Announcement

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 08:01 AM

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

League leaders in various baseball categories last season........

-- On-base %age-- McCutchen .410, VMartinez .409, Bautista .403

-- Runs-- Trout 115, Dozier 112, Rendon 111, Pence 106

-- RBI-- AGonzalez 116, Trout 111, MiCabrera 109, Cruz 108

-- HRs-- Cruz 40, Stanton/Carter 37, Abreu/Trout 36

-- Strikeouts-- Price 271, Kluber 269, Scherzer 252, Hernandez 248

-- ERA-- Kershaw 1.77, Hernandez 2.14, Sale 2.17, Cueto 2.25

**********

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Happy Opening Day, everyone!!!

13) Atlanta Braves raised a white flag the day before Opening Day, shedding roughly $55M in net salary, but dealing closer Craig Kimbrel to San Diego. You know your career is in the ashcan when a team trades their closer so they can also get rid of you (BJ Upton).

12) Meanwhile, the Padres are an intriguing team as the season starts; no one can say they're not trying to challenge the Dodgers/Giants in NL West.

11) Alabama hires Avery Johnson as its hoop coach; he was NBA Coach of the Year in 2006, but has never coached in college. Johnson's son plays for Texas A&M, an SEC rival of Alabama. People think he'll be a great recruiter.

Guys on ESPN Sunday went out of their way to praise Johnson as a person, so thats cool. The SEC has some outstanding basketball coaches.

10) One last thought on Shaka Smart-to-Texas: Smart made $1.8M at VCU LY; they offered him a raise to $2.8M, but he bolted to Texas for $3M a year. There is a thought process among some coaches (think Buzz Williams-- Marquette to Virginia Tech) that it is wise to align with a school that plays bigtime football, that the real money/security is there. It'll be interesting to follow, but it is unfair to say that Texas blew VCU out of the water financially.

9) Cavaliers are 31-7 in their last 38 games, so no one talks about them- they haven't lost at home since January 7.

8) NBA handicapping trend: Celtics are 10-1 vs spread on the road, when they played at home the previous night.

7) Would love to know how Brad Stevens likes coaching in the NBA, as compared to college. Getting Butler to the national title game two years in a row is one of the great achievements in recent college history. Boston is #8 in the East right now; Stevens can have his choice of college jobs, if he wants that.

6) As if this season hasn't been dismal enough for the Knicks, you watch the Cavaliers on TV and see JR Smith being a huge part of their success. Yikes.

5) How is Bo Ryan not in the basketball Hall of Fame? Four national titles at the D-3 level, two Final Fours in D-1-- he's not a Hall of Famer? Bull.

4) Texas Rangers employed professional ball shaggers in spring training; they pay guys to suit up, go out in the field and shag balls during batting practice, so players don't have to do that. Not that modern ballplayers are pampered or anything. No infield practice during the season, now no shagging. Oy.

3) Reds' 3B Todd Frazier is from Toms River, NJ; his walk-up music is very Jersey: "Best is Yet to Come" by Frank Sinatra.

2) I feel bad for Kentucky's players; they had a great year, winning 38 games in a row, but all anyone will remember is the one loss.

1) Cardinals 3, Cubs 0-- Was great to watch game that counts; Chicago could have used a third baseman who can hit. Too bad they don't have anyone like that in their farm sys-- oh wait, forget I said anything.

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 08:04 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Monday, April 6

Baltimore Orioles @ Tampa Bay Rays

Game 917-918
April 6, 2015 @ 3:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore Orioles
(Tillman) 16.709
Tampa Bay Rays
(Archer) 14.176
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baltimore Orioles
by 2 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay Rays
-125
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Baltimore Orioles
(+105); Under

Chicago White Sox @ Kansas City Royals

Game 919-920
April 6, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago White Sox
(Samardzija) 15.482
Kansas City Royal
(Ventura) 15.202
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago White Sox
by 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City Royal
-125
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago White Sox
(+105); Over

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ Seattle Mariners

Game 921-922
April 6, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles Angel
(Weaver) 14.080
Seattle Mariners
(Hernandez) 16.383
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seattle Mariners
by 2 1/2
7 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle Mariners
-145
6 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle Mariners
(-145); Over

Colorado Rockies @ Milwaukee Brewers

Game 901-902
April 6, 2015 @ 2:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado Rockies
(Kendrick) 13.939
Milwaukee Brewers
(Lohse) 15.066
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee Brewers
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee Brewers
-160
8
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee Brewers
(-160); Under

Cleveland Indians @ Houston Astros

Game 923-924
April 6, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland Indians
(Kluber) 16.272
Houston Astros
(Keuchel) 14.766
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland Indians
by 1 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland Indians
-125
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland Indians
(-125); Under

New York Mets @ Washington Nationals

Game 903-904
April 6, 2015 @ 4:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York Mets
(Colon) 15.323
Washington Nation
(Scherzer) 16.963
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington Nation
by 1 1/2
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington Nation
-190
7
Dunkel Pick:
Washington Nation
(-190); Under

Texas Rangers @ Oakland Athletics

Game 925-926
April 6, 2015 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas Rangers
(Gallardo) 15.279
Oakland Athletics
(Gray) 17.199
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oakland Athletics
by 2
8 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oakland Athletics
-150
7
Dunkel Pick:
Oakland Athletics
(-150); Over

Atlanta Braves @ Miami Marlins

Game 905-906
April 6, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta Braves
(Teheran) 15.124
Miami Marlins
(Alvarez) 13.724
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta Braves
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami Marlins
-125
7
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta Braves
(+105); Over

Boston Red Sox @ Philadelphia Phillies

Game 927-928
April 6, 2015 @ 3:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston Red Sox
(Buchholz) 14.451
Philadelphia Phil
(Hamels) 15.502
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia Phil
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia Phil
-110
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia Phil
(-110); Under

Pittsburgh Pirates @ Cincinnati Reds

Game 907-908
April 6, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh Pirate
(Liriano) 15.192
Cincinnati Reds
(Cueto) 14.457
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh Pirate
by 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati Reds
-125
7
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh Pirate
(+105); Over

San Diego Padres @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Game 909-910
April 6, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego Padres
(Shields) 14.543
Los Angeles Dodge
(Kershaw) 16.481
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles Dodge
by 2
7 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles Dodge
-190
6
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles Dodge
(-190); Over

San Francisco Giants @ Arizona Diamondbacks

Game 911-912
April 6, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Francisco Gia
(Bumgarner) 16.786
Arizona Diamondba
(Collmenter) 14.043
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco Gia
by 2 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco Gia
-140
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco Gia
(-140); Over

Toronto Blue Jays @ New York Yankees

Game 913-914
April 6, 2015 @ 1:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto Blue Jays
(Hutchison) 16.531
New York Yankees
(Tanaka) 14.964
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto Blue Jays
by 1 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York Yankees
-150
8
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto Blue Jays
(+130); Under

Minnesota Twins @ Detroit Tigers

Game 915-916
April 6, 2015 @ 1:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota Twins
(Hughes) 15.848
Detroit Tigers
(Price) 14.634
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota Twins
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit Tigers
-185
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota Twins
(+165); Over

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 08:05 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Monday, April 6

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COLORADO (66 - 96) at MILWAUKEE (82 - 80) - 2:10 PM
KYLE KENDRICK (R) vs. KYLE LOHSE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 66-96 (-28.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 147-267 (-65.9 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 since 1997.
COLORADO is 21-60 (-33.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 4-18 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 66-96 (-28.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 43-73 (-29.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 19-8 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
LOHSE is 41-24 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in April games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 21-34 (-20.5 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 3 seasons.

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

KYLE KENDRICK vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
KENDRICK is 2-4 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 5.22 and a WHIP of 1.563.
His team's record is 2-5 (-2.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.2 units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. COLORADO since 1997
LOHSE is 6-3 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 3.64 and a WHIP of 1.448.
His team's record is 9-4 (+5.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-7. (-3.6 units)

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

NY METS (79 - 83) at WASHINGTON (97 - 69) - 4:05 PM
BARTOLO COLON (R) vs. MAX SCHERZER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SCHERZER is 50-19 (+23.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SCHERZER is 26-4 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SCHERZER is 27-6 (+18.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SCHERZER is 47-18 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 80-82 (+21.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 31-22 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 80-82 (+21.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
COLON is 20-10 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLON is 11-3 (+10.7 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 or less since 1997. (Team's Record)
COLON is 11-2 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLON is 20-10 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

BARTOLO COLON vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
COLON is 2-5 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.45 and a WHIP of 1.234.
His team's record is 2-5 (-3.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-2. (+1.7 units)

MAX SCHERZER vs. NY METS since 1997
SCHERZER is 2-0 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.24 and a WHIP of 1.380.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.0 units)

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

ATLANTA (79 - 83) at MIAMI (77 - 85) - 4:10 PM
JULIO TEHERAN (R) vs. HENDERSON ALVAREZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 79-83 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 79-83 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 60-67 (-18.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 41-29 (+17.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 12-5 (+10.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.
ALVAREZ is 20-10 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ALVAREZ is 12-2 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ALVAREZ is 8-0 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ALVAREZ is 20-10 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 34-17 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 3 seasons.
TEHERAN is 10-0 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

JULIO TEHERAN vs. MIAMI since 1997
TEHERAN is 4-1 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 2.77 and a WHIP of 1.096.
His team's record is 5-3 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-1. (+5.9 units)

HENDERSON ALVAREZ vs. ATLANTA since 1997
ALVAREZ is 1-2 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 5.66 and a WHIP of 1.429.
His team's record is 3-3 (+1.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+1.1 units)

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

PITTSBURGH (88 - 75) at CINCINNATI (76 - 86) - 4:10 PM
FRANCISCO LIRIANO (L) vs. JOHNNY CUETO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 10-21 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
LIRIANO is 27-36 (-19.9 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 22-10 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 185-146 (+28.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 183-145 (+26.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.

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

FRANCISCO LIRIANO vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
LIRIANO is 1-5 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 3.82 and a WHIP of 1.256.
His team's record is 2-8 (-7.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-6. (-2.7 units)

JOHNNY CUETO vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
CUETO is 18-5 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.32 and a WHIP of 1.020.
His team's record is 20-8 (+8.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 14-12. (+1.1 units)

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

SAN DIEGO (77 - 85) at LA DODGERS (95 - 71) - 4:10 PM
JAMES SHIELDS (R) vs. CLAYTON KERSHAW (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 29-52 (-20.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 29-52 (-20.2 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KERSHAW is 45-18 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997. (Team's Record)
SHIELDS is 33-15 (+19.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less since 1997. (Team's Record)
SHIELDS is 16-5 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SHIELDS is 16-7 (+11.6 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 or less since 1997. (Team's Record)
SHIELDS is 14-5 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

JAMES SHIELDS vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
SHIELDS is 0-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 5.14 and a WHIP of 1.143.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
KERSHAW is 12-6 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 1.103.
His team's record is 16-8 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 12-12. (-0.7 units)

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

SAN FRANCISCO (100 - 79) at ARIZONA (64 - 98) - 9:40 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. JOSH COLLMENTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 100-79 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 49-41 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 181-125 (+48.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 100-79 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 1022-853 (+117.9 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 68-49 (+16.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BUMGARNER is 16-5 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 16-5 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 64-98 (-31.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 33-46 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 3-12 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in home games in April games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 64-98 (-31.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.

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

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. ARIZONA since 1997
BUMGARNER is 6-4 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.74 and a WHIP of 1.181.
His team's record is 11-6 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 10-7. (+2.2 units)

JOSH COLLMENTER vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
COLLMENTER is 3-2 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.69 and a WHIP of 1.205.
His team's record is 4-3 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.0 units)

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

TORONTO (83 - 79) at NY YANKEES (84 - 78) - 1:05 PM
DREW HUTCHISON (R) vs. MASAHIRO TANAKA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 31-39 (-16.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.

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

DREW HUTCHISON vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
HUTCHISON is 3-4 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.58 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 3-4 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-3. (+0.6 units)

MASAHIRO TANAKA vs. TORONTO since 1997
TANAKA is 3-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 1.96 and a WHIP of 0.982.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.0 units)

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

MINNESOTA (70 - 92) at DETROIT (90 - 75) - 1:05 PM
PHIL HUGHES (R) vs. DAVID PRICE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PRICE is 60-28 (+22.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 305-310 (+35.9 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 35-34 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 3 seasons.
HUGHES is 20-12 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUGHES is 13-3 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUGHES is 19-12 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 317-300 (-63.0 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.
DETROIT is 65-61 (-22.9 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 27-28 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

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

PHIL HUGHES vs. DETROIT since 1997
HUGHES is 6-7 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 4.04 and a WHIP of 1.192.
His team's record is 6-7 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.7 units)

DAVID PRICE vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
PRICE is 5-3 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.029.
His team's record is 5-5 (-3.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-7. (-4.4 units)

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

BALTIMORE (99 - 70) at TAMPA BAY (77 - 85) - 3:10 PM
CHRIS TILLMAN (R) vs. CHRIS ARCHER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 556-638 (+14.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 100-70 (+35.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 48-37 (+21.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 15-5 (+12.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 48-29 (+21.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 77-50 (+31.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TILLMAN is 26-11 (+16.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 12-5 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 8-1 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in road games in April games since 1997. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 77-85 (-27.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 36-45 (-26.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 12-18 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 36-45 (-26.3 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 40-50 (-27.1 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 27-33 (-18.3 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

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

CHRIS TILLMAN vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
TILLMAN is 4-6 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.08 and a WHIP of 1.139.
His team's record is 8-6 (+3.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-9. (-5.7 units)

CHRIS ARCHER vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
ARCHER is 1-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 6.33 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.2 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (73 - 89) at KANSAS CITY (100 - 77) - 4:10 PM
JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R) vs. YORDANO VENTURA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAMARDZIJA is 11-23 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 5-13 (-11.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 9-21 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 11-23 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 100-77 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 21-7 (+12.9 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 96-74 (+9.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 520-550 (+36.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.

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

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 0-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.27 and a WHIP of 1.264.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

YORDANO VENTURA vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
VENTURA is 1-2 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.57 and a WHIP of 1.333.
His team's record is 2-2 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-0. (+4.1 units)

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

LA ANGELS (98 - 67) at SEATTLE (87 - 75) - 4:10 PM
JERED WEAVER (R) vs. FELIX HERNANDEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 7-21 (-15.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 4-19 (-13.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 98-67 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 750-728 (+70.0 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 439-362 (+55.9 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 629-612 (+63.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 535-514 (+51.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
WEAVER is 166-103 (+32.0 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
WEAVER is 45-22 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997. (Team's Record)
SEATTLE is 77-85 (-27.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 77-85 (-27.4 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 23-30 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HERNANDEZ is 29-33 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)

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

JERED WEAVER vs. SEATTLE since 1997
WEAVER is 14-10 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.37 and a WHIP of 1.234.
His team's record is 19-12 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 16-11. (+4.3 units)

FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 11-13 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.52 and a WHIP of 1.193.
His team's record is 19-21 (-4.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 15-21. (-7.7 units)

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

CLEVELAND (85 - 77) at HOUSTON (70 - 92) - 7:10 PM
COREY KLUBER (R) vs. DALLAS KEUCHEL (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 90-64 (+41.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Monday since 1997.
HOUSTON is 108-118 (-39.4 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997.

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

COREY KLUBER vs. HOUSTON since 1997
KLUBER is 2-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 2.19 and a WHIP of 1.298.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.1 units)

DALLAS KEUCHEL vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
KEUCHEL is 1-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 1.13 and a WHIP of 0.938.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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TEXAS (67 - 95) at OAKLAND (88 - 75) - 10:05 PM
YOVANI GALLARDO (R) vs. SONNY GRAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 42-76 (-32.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 42-66 (-20.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
GALLARDO is 11-20 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GALLARDO is 6-16 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
OAKLAND is 18-5 (+11.3 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 46-29 (+24.7 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 88-75 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 19-29 (-17.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 38-38 (-17.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

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

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. OAKLAND since 1997
GALLARDO is 0-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 7.50 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

SONNY GRAY vs. TEXAS since 1997
GRAY is 4-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 2.06 and a WHIP of 1.076.
His team's record is 4-2 (-0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-5. (-4.8 units)

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

BOSTON (71 - 91) at PHILADELPHIA (73 - 89) - 3:05 PM
CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R) vs. COLE HAMELS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 71-92 (-28.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 63-80 (-25.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BUCHHOLZ is 8-16 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 15-5 (+11.8 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 16-7 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 102-106 (-35.0 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997.
HAMELS is 7-13 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 12-20 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game since 1997. (Team's Record)

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

CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
No recent starts.

COLE HAMELS vs. BOSTON since 1997
HAMELS is 4-0 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 1.97 and a WHIP of 0.906.
His team's record is 4-1 (+2.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)

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

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 08:08 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, April 6

National League
Rockies @ Brewers
Kendrick was 2-1, 2.45 in his last three starts LY (for Phils); six of his last nine starts went over total.

Lohse was 1-0, 1.17 in his last three starts LY, with all three staying under.

Brewers won six of last seven series games; over is 8-1-1 in last 10 in series.

Mets @ Nationals
Colon was 2-2, 5.56 in his last four starts LY; eight of last ten went over.

Free-agent gem Scherzer was 3-1, 3.44 in his last five starts for Detroit LY; six of his last nine starts went over total.

Washington won eight of last ten games with the Mets; three of last four stayed under the total.

Braves @ Marlins
Teheran is 1-4, 4.50 in his last five starts; three of his last four stayed under.

Alvarez is 2-1, 1.30 in his last four starts; seven of his last ten stayed under.

Marlins are 6-4 in last ten games with Atlanta; under is 3-1-1 in last five.

Pirates @ Reds
Liriano is 4-0, 1.43 in his last seven starts; five of the seven stayed under.

Cueto is 5-1, 2.22 in his last six starts; six of his last seven stayed under.

Reds won three of last four games with Pittsburgh; five of last six series games stayed under the total.

Padres @ Dodgers
Shields was 0-2, 7.07 in his last three starts LY, all playoff games; five of his last six starts went over the total.

Kershaw was 2-2, 5.26 in his last four starts LY; over is 4-1-1 in his last six

Padres lost five of last seven games in LA; three of last four series games went over the total.

Giants @ Diamondbacks
Bumgarner is 4-1, 1.32 in his last six starts; five of his last eight stayed under.

Collmenter is 3-2, 1.44 in his last seven starts; under is 5-1-1 in those games.

Giants won six of last seven games with Arizona; seven of last ten in series stayed under the total.

American League
Blue Jays @ Bronx
Hutchison is 1-2, 5.87 in his last three starts; four of his last five road starts went over the total.

Tanaka is 2-4, 5.40 in his last six starts, with four of those six tilts going over.

Bronx won three of its last four games with Toronto; four of last six games in series stayed under total.

Twins @ Tigers
Hughes is 2-2, 4.03 in his last six starts; seven of his last ten stayed under.

Price is 1-1, 1.88 in his last three starts, all of which stayed under the total.

Minnesota won four of last six games with Detroit; seven of its last 10 games went over the total.

Orioles @ Rays
Tillman is 1-1, 6.46 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Archer is 2-1, 1.65 in his last four starts; three of his last four home starts went over the total.

Baltimore is 4-3 in its last seven games with Tampa Bay; four of last six series games stayed under.

White Sox @ Royals
Samardzija is 1-1, 1.86 in his last four starts; last three went over total.

Ventura is 1-0, 2.33 in his last four starts; five of his last six went over.

Royals won seven of last nine games with Chicago; five of last six went over.

Angels @ Mariners
Weaver is 4-2, 2.93 in his last seven starts; three of his last three road starts went over the total.

Hernandez is 1-0, 0.98 in his last three home starts; five of his last six starts stayed under the total.

Angels lost last four games with Seattle last fall when Mariners were fighting for playoff spot and Angels had clinched division; four of last five games in series stayed under the total.

Indians @ Astros
Kluber is 5-0, 1.34 in his last five starts; seven of his last ten stayed under.

Keuchel is 2-0, 2.27 in his last five starts; eight of his last nine stayed under.

Cleveland won eight of last ten games with Houston; nine of those ten games stayed under the total.

Rangers @ A's
Gallardo was 0-4, 5.51 in his last six starts for Milwaukee.

Gray is 1-2, 3.00 in his last five starts; three of last four stayed under total; he shut the Rangers out on last day of season LY to put A's in playoffs.

Oakland lost five of last seven games with Texas; over is 5-2-1 in last eight series games.

Interleague
Red Sox @ Phillies
Buchholz is 0-3, 7.13 in his last three starts; his last four all went over total.

Hamels was rumored to be traded to Boston and may still be; he is 1-2, 1.86 in his last four starts. Four of his last five starts stayed under.

Boston lost four of last six games with the Phillies.

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 08:11 AM

MLB

Monday, April 6

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Trend Report
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1:05 PM
TORONTO vs. NY YANKEES
Toronto is 3-20 SU in their last 23 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
NY Yankees are 20-3 SU in their last 23 games when playing at home against Toronto
NY Yankees are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games at home

1:08 PM
MINNESOTA vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 11 games when playing Detroit
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games

2:10 PM
COLORADO vs. MILWAUKEE
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Colorado's last 16 games when playing Milwaukee
Colorado is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Milwaukee's last 12 games
Milwaukee is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games

3:05 PM
BOSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games

3:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. TAMPA BAY
Baltimore is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Baltimore is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing Baltimore
Tampa Bay is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

4:05 PM
NY METS vs. WASHINGTON
NY Mets are 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
NY Mets are 8-3 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games

4:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. LA DODGERS
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of San Diego's last 12 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
LA Dodgers are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 18 of LA Dodgers's last 25 games

4:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. SEATTLE
LA Angels are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
LA Angels are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games on the road
Seattle is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Seattle's last 10 games

4:10 PM
ATLANTA vs. MIAMI
Atlanta is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games
Atlanta is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 6 games at home
Miami is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home

4:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. KANSAS CITY
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Chi White Sox are 5-13 SU in their last 18 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kansas City's last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox

4:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 12 games
Pittsburgh is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games
Cincinnati is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games at home

7:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Houston
Houston is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 5 games when playing Cleveland

10:05 PM
TEXAS vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 6 games on the road
Texas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Oakland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Oakland is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Texas

10:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. ARIZONA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing on the road against Arizona
San Francisco is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games at home
Arizona is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

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**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 08:11 AM

MLB

Monday, April 6

Braves trade Kimbrel, Upton to Padres

The Atlanta Braves have traded Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton Jr. to the San Diego Padres for Matt Wisler, Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin and Jordan Paroubeck, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

As a part of the deal, the Braves will also receive the Padres' 41st pick in the 2015 draft.

Kimbrel recorded 47 saves out of 51 opportunities while allowing just 11 earned runs in 2014. The 26-year-old also finished with a microscopic 1.61 ERA.

Prior to the deal, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook had Atlanta's regular season win total at 73.5. The book tabbed San Diego with a number of 84.

Nationals have had Mets number

The Washington Nationals have been the class of the National League East and no one knows it better than the New York Mets, with the Mets losing 45 of the last 60 meetings between the teams.

Washington and New York open the 2015 season against each other Monday, with the Mets' Bartolo Colon facing the Nationals newly acquired ace Max Scherzer. The Nationals are currently -192 favorites.

Kershaw dominated Padres in 2014

Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers open the 2015 season against an opponent he dominated in 2014, the San Diego Padres.

Kershaw went 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in three starts against the Padres in 2014, while San Diego hitters managed a .110 batting average.

While the Padres rebuilt their team this offseason with the acquisitions of Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and James Shields among others, the Dodgers are still -185 home favorites for the opener.

Rockies struggled on the road most of last season

The Colorado Rockies were miserable on the road for most of last season, going 9-43 in their last 52 road games in the 2014 season, and that is exactly where they will open 2015.

The begin 2015 with a three-game series in Milwaukee, where Kyle Kendrick gets the Opening Day call for the Rockies, currently listed at +140.

The Brewers will counter with right hander Kyle Lohse.

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 08:12 AM

MLB

Monday, April 6

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30 key betting notes for 30 MLB teams
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Anxious for the MLB regular season to finally arrive? So are we. As you shift your handicapping focus to the diamond, we provide 30 quick betting notes for each team in the bigs.

AL East

Baltimore Orioles

They might be one bat short after losing Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis. Those aren’t easy voids to fill. The O’s bullpen takes a hit as well, with Andrew Miller lost to free agency. There are going to be a lot of moving parts in the early going and in a crowded A.L. East race, that could ultimately spell trouble.

Boston Red Sox

What happens if the injury bug bites again? Dustin Pedroia seems to have a new ailment each season and Hanley Ramirez wasn’t exactly a rock in Los Angeles. The Red Sox are counting on a lot of production from a select few and that leaves them exposed to failure once again if a couple of key injuries pop up.

New York Yankees

The bullpen has the potential to dominate with Andrew Miller, David Carpenter and Justin Wilson joining an already promising group led by last year’s rookie standout Dellin Betances. Who knows what A-Rod can contribute but I do anticipate some improvement from the Yankees offensively, and even a small boost in that department could catapult them to the top of the A.L. East with a strong starting pitching staff.

Tampa Bay Rays

Gone are the days of a dominant starting rotation in St. Petersburg. Alex Cobb now finds himself at the top of the rotation and it will probably take career years from Drew Smyly and Chris Archer to keep this group afloat. The bullpen has similar question marks. Grant Balfour has a ton of miles on his arm and can’t be relied upon as an anchor.

Toronto Blue Jays

No American League team made a bigger splash in the offseason than the Jays, as they brought in catcher Russell Martin and third baseman Josh Donaldson to add to an already potent lineup. Toronto’s youthful starting rotation shows a lot of promise and boasts just enough of a veteran presence (R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle remain on board) to qualify it as one of the best in baseball.

AL Central

Detroit Tigers

Will their pitching staff hold up its end of the bargain? Losing Max Scherzer hurts. Their bullpen will likely face a heavy workload and isn’t exactly dripping with talented arms. There’s going to be an awful lot of pressure on the offense to produce, which it will, but getting involved in slugfest after slugfest could be a recipe for disaster.

Chicago White Sox

The secret is already out. Most bettors are anticipating major progress from the White Sox this season. If they’re able to get off to a strong start, the value could be quickly sucked out of the equation. The back-end of Chicago’s rotation is a question mark and the reality is, Sale, Samardzija and Quintana aren’t going to win every start.

Cleveland Indians

The young core that led the Tribe’s resurgence in 2014 remains intact entering the new campaign. If last year’s numbers hold up and Brandon Moss is able to make an immediate impact, Cleveland should be in contention all season long. The Indians batting order is sneaky-good from top-to-bottom and this is a team that could fly beneath the radar of most bettors’ once again providing substantial value.

Minnesota Twins

It would be easy for the opposition to overlook the Twins every time they take the field. Most have Minnesota pegged as one of the A.L.’s worst teams in 2015 but there’s no dominant team in the Central and that could help the Twinkies exceed expectations. They did make small upgrades in a number of areas during the offseason and it won’t take much to improve on last year’s results.

Kansas City Royals

There were a number of changes made in the offseason and few of them figure to improve the Royals net results. There was a lot of luck involved in last year’s run to the World Series. How will this club, which isn’t exactly used to success, respond to being the hunted rather than the hunters? One thing’s for sure, the departure of James Shields leaves a gaping hole at the top of the starting rotation.

AL West

Oakland Athletics

It's easy to forget that the A's were the best team in baseball for a considerable period last season. While they're coming off a down-year for their backers, they have a history of bouncing back and their re-worked middle of their order should pace the charge with Josh Reddick, Billy Butler and Brett Lawrie ready to inflict damage.

Seattle Mariners

The bullpen has a few bright spots but closer Fernando Rodney isn't one of them. Even with the additions to the M's lineup, there are still plenty of weak spots from 1-through-9. They'll need to manufacture runs on most nights and aren't going to win many slugfests, which may not bode well in the A.L. West.

Los Angeles Angels

What about the bullpen? The Angels 'pen performed well last season but I'm not completely sold on this group. Huston Street is the closer but whether he can stay healthy remains to be seen. At the dish, say what you will about Josh Hamilton but there's no question his absence will be felt.

Houston Astros

This is a franchise on the way up. The Astros managed to make money for their backers last season despite finishing 22 games under .500 and figure to improve considerably here in 2015. Adding Evan Gattis should give an already powerful lineup a boost, with Chris Carter and George Springer coming into their own as well.

Texas Rangers

We're not sure it's as easy as simply counting on a bounce-back performance from the Rangers. They made only minor adjustments to their roster in the offseason and their pitching staff in particular still leaves a lot to be desired, especially if Derek Holland isn't able to return to form. There are simply too many players trying to get healthy and being asked to shoulder much of the load.

NL East

Atlanta Braves

Atlanta has one of the best closers in baseball in Craig Kimbrel. He blew just four saves all year long so if the Braves get a lead late, he should be able to hold it. They've got some nice pieces at the top of their rotation in Julio Teheran and Alex Wood, plus Nick Markakis is a solid addition to the lineup.

Miami Marlins

Miami opened up the check book and acquired several new additions, along with giving slugger Giancarlo Stanton a huge contract. Mat Latos solidifies the top of the rotation to go along with Jose Fernandez when he is ready to return. Mike Morse, Dee Gordon and Martin Prado provide depth to a lineup that needed some additions.

New York Mets

Who will be the closer for the team and who is going to provide middle relief? This bullpen has some live arms in Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia, but they are young and inconsistent. Will Matt Harvey stay healthy all year and can DeGrom stave off the sophomore year jinx?

Philadelphia Phillies

Ryan Howard and Chase Utley still have talent and they are both too good to struggle again this season. Dom Brown and Grady Sizemore combine well with Ben Revere in the outfield. Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee are still solid veterans in the rotation. Jonathan Papelbon is a strong closer and the team has several live arms in middle relief.

Washington Nationals

The bullpen is weaker without Tyler Clippard. Matt Thornton and Craig Stammen will have to step up their game. Jayson Werth is already banged up and Zimmerman is injury prone. Can the team handle the expectations that come with being the preseason World Series favorites?

NL Central

Chicago Cubs

The rest of the rotation is weak with Travis Wood, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks most likely filling things out. The majority of the bullpen is still hard to trust and the offensive lineup is extremely young. Javier Baez struck out 225 times last year in the majors and minors combined.

Cincinnati Reds

Johnny Cueto is an ace and he is the second best pitcher in the league after Clayton Kershaw. Cueto is backed by veteran starters Homer Bailey and Mike Leake. Aroldis Chapman can be a dominant pitcher as well. Joey Votto and Billy Hamilton make up a solid offensive lineup that can hit.

Milwaukee Brewers

The bullpen is shaky as Jonathan Broxton is untrustworthy and the pitchers behind him are very young with few quality options available. Aramis Ramirez is getting older and his effectiveness going forward is questionable. Health has been an issue with Adam Lind as well.

Pittsburgh Pirates

AJ Burnett is back with his former team and he joins Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole and others in a solid pitching rotation. Andrew McCutchen continues to be one of the best hitters and overall players in the league. The bullpen is underrated as a unit and Mark Melancon had a fantastic 0.92 WHIP the past two seasons.

St. Louis Cardinals

A veteran team that contains experienced players that have won in this division. The bench picked up Mark Reynolds who will be a productive role player. Jason Heyward plays good defense which improves the outfield. The pitching rotation is solid with strong starters and relievers.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks

Their rotation lacks an ace and is filled with mediocre starters. Josh Collmenter pitched well last year, but his awkward motion has now been seen repeatedly by everyone in the division. Rubby De La Rosa and Jeremy Hellickson come over from the American League and will now have to pitch in a very hitter friendly ballpark.

Colorado Rockies

The lineup returns pretty much intact and if Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon can stay healthy, the Rockies will roll offensively. Justin Morneau and Nolan Arenado are solid pieces as well. The rotation has talent at the top with Jhoulys Chacin and lefty Jorge De La Rosa who pitches especially well at Coors Field.

Los Angeles Dodgers

They feature the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, and he's backed by an incredible staff. Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu are very nice complementary pieces. They added Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick to an already strong offensive lineup. Relief pitcher Kenley Jansen converted 44 of his 49 save opportunities last year and the bullpen is filled with live arms.

San Diego Padres

San Diego's bench is weak and is comprised of several players that struggled last season. Wil Myers and Yonder Alonso are injury prone and have consistently missed games during their careers. The Padres appear improved this season, but they still need to prove it on the field where San Diego has won 77 games or less in six of their past seven seasons.

San Francisco Giants

They are the defending World Series champions and they have a solid pitching rotation with Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Jake Peavy and more. The bullpen is back intact and is one of the best in the league. The offensive lineup has Hunter Pence and Buster Posey in the middle and both are coming off very good seasons.

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**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 10:25 AM

MLB

Monday, April 6

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MLB's hottest baseball bets in Opening Week
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Some teams seem to always be ready to go from Game 1 while others need a while to shake off the winter rust. Here are three teams that have been sharp during Opening Week of the season:

Stats as of past 12 seasons

Best Opening Week

Los Angeles Dodgers (41-31 in Opening Week)

Opening opponents: vs. San Diego, at Arizona

There is a lot of hype surrounding the Dodgers this season. They are 4/11 to win the NL West, 3/1 to grab the Pennant and 6/1 to win the World Series. The club has traditionally been a solid starter out of the gate and gets things cooking right off the bat with a three-game set versus the San Diego Padres.

Oakland Athletics (41-31 in Opening Week)

Opening opponents: vs. Texas, vs. Seattle

The A’s are known for their late-season pushes, turning up the intensity in the home stretch of the schedule. But Oakland is just as good out of the blocks, winning 58 percent of its Opening Week games over the past 12 seasons. The Athletics went 3-3 in their first two series last April and begins this season with a four-game series versus the Texas Rangers

Cincinnati Reds (39-30 in Opening Week)

Opening opponents: vs. Pittsburgh, vs. St. Louis

Cincinnati stumbled out of the gate last season with a 2-4 record versus the Cardinals and at the Mets, but are still a decent bet during the first week. As slugger Joey Votto goes, so go the Reds and the NL Central club needs the first baseman to play in a lot more than the 62 games he played in 2014. Cincy begins the season at home with three games versus the Pirates and three against the Cards.

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**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 10:28 AM

MLB

Monday, April 6

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Best and worst MLB Opening Day bets
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The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. But it doesn’t hurt to get off on the right foot. The 2015 MLB schedule opens Sunday/Monday and we take a look back over the past 12 seasons to see which clubs come out swinging and which ones are still on spring break come Opening Day:

Records over the past 12 MLB seasons.

Best Opening Day

Los Angeles Angels: 9-3
Baltimore Orioles: 9-3
Seattle Mariners: 9-3
New York Mets: 8-4

Worst Opening Day

Oakland Athletics: 2-10
Cleveland Indians: 4-8
Washington Nationals: 4-8
Houston Astros: 4-8

Best Opening Day Over

New York Yankees: 10-2
Colorado Rockies: 9-3
Minnesota Twins: 8-3-1
Cleveland Indians: 7-4-1

Best Opening Day Unders

Los Angeles Angels: 3-8-1
San Francisco Giants: 3-6-3
Texas Rangers: 4-6-2
Kansas City Royals: 4-7-1

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**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 10:29 AM

MLB

Monday, April 6

Hitter's wind at Kauffman Stadium Monday

According to weather forecasts, wind at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City will blow out toward left field at 16 miles per hour when the Royals host the Chicago White Sox Monday.

Temperatures are predicted to be in the mid-to-high 60s under cloudy skies during the game.

At present, the Royals are -125 home favorites with a total of 7.5 for the Opening Day matchup.

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 12:22 PM

MLB

Monday, April 6

A-Rod at DH, batting seventh for Yankees

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez is in the New York Yankees lineup for Opening Day, batting seventh and serving as designated hitter.

Rodriguez returns from a suspension that spanned all of the 2014 season for admitted to receiving and using performance-enhancing drugs from a Florida clinic.

Manager Joe Girardi said he is expected a mixed reaction from the Yankee Stadium crowd.

Rodriguez reported to spring training in February and issued a vague apology for "past mistakes," but did not directly address performance-enhancing drugs.

Betting stat of the day: A's on miserable Opening Day drought

The Oakland Athletics have lost 10 consecutive Opening Day games heading into Monday's season opener against the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum. Furthermore, the A's have lost five-consecutive in front of their home fans.

Oakland's last win on Opening Day came in the 2004 season when it prevailed over the Rangers by a score of 5-4.

Last season, A's righty Sonny Gray tossed six innings of five hit ball before the pen surrendered a pair of runs in the top of the ninth en route to a 2-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

Gray is the A's probable starter Monday, while the Rangers are slated to counter with Yovani Gallardo.

At the time of writing, the A's were -150 home faves.

**Udog** · 04-06-2015, 01:50 PM

MLB
Short Sheet

Monday, April 6

Colorado at Milwaukee, 2:10 ET
COLORADO is 19-55 as a road underdog
Lohse: 41-24 TSR in April games

NY Mets at Washington, 4:05 ET
NY METS are 67-71 as a road underdog
Scherzer: 32-6 TSR as a favorite of -150 or more

Atlanta at Miami, 4:10 ET
ATLANTA is 60-67 against right-handed starters
Alvarez: 12-2 TSR in home games

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 4:10 ET
Liriano: 27-36 TSR in day games
Cueto: 15-4 TSR when the total is 7 to 8.5

San Diego at LA Dodgers, 4:10 ET
SAN DIEGO is 29-52 in road games
Kershaw: 45-18 TSR in day games

San Francisco at Arizona, 10:10 ET
Bumgarner: 12-1 TSR as a road favorite
ARIZONA is 3-12 in home games in April games

Toronto at NY Yankees, 1:05 ET
Hutchison: n/a
Tanaka: NY YANKEES are 90-68 UNDER in all games

Minnesota at Detroit, 1:05 ET
Hughes: 13-3 TSR in day games
Price: 10-15 TSR in the first half of the season

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 3:10 ET
Tillman: 25-7 TSR when the total is 7 to 8.5
TAMPA BAY is 31-43 at home when the total is 7.5 or less

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 4:10 ET
Samardzija: 1-13 TSR when the money line is +125 to -125
Ventura: 11-3 TSR when the money line is +125 to -125

LA Angles at Seattle, 4:10 ET
Weaver: 45-22 TSR in day games
SEATTLE is 23-30 in home games against right-handed starters

Cleveland at Houston, 7:10 ET
CLEVELAND is 42-24 against AL West opponents
HOUSTON is 108-118 in home games in April games

Texas at Oakland, 7:10 ET
Gallardo: 6-16 TSR in night games
OAKLAND is 18-5 TSR as a home favorite of -125 to -150

Boston at Philadelphia, 3:05 ET
Buchholz: 16-7 TSR in road games
Hamels: 8-22 TSR in the first half of the season

Announcement

Monday's MLB Trends and Indexes - 4/6

Monday's MLB Trends and Indexes - 4/6

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