The Bum's Best Bets For Sunday June 7th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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MLB
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 7

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SAN DIEGO (29 - 28) at CINCINNATI (23 - 31) - 1:10 PM
ODRISAMER DESPAIGNE (R) vs. JOHNNY CUETO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CUETO is 17-5 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CUETO is 17-5 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CUETO is 9-0 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 106-127 (-40.8 Units) against the money line in home games in June games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 5-14 (-10.6 Units) against the money line in day games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

ODRISAMER DESPAIGNE vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
No recent starts.

JOHNNY CUETO vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
CUETO is 3-3 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.283.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (30 - 25) at ATLANTA (27 - 28) - 1:35 PM
GERRIT COLE (R) vs. ALEX WOOD (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 14-29 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 215-171 (+29.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 18-4 (+12.9 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 38-20 (+20.6 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 213-170 (+28.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 120-71 (+34.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 126-113 (-36.4 Units) against the money line in home games in June games since 1997.
ATLANTA is 104-110 (-16.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 83-90 (-16.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

GERRIT COLE vs. ATLANTA since 1997
COLE is 1-0 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.071.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

ALEX WOOD vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
WOOD is 0-1 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.63 and a WHIP of 1.024.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (32 - 25) at PHILADELPHIA (21 - 36) - 1:35 PM
RYAN VOGELSONG (R) vs. SEAN O'SULLIVAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 22-36 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 132-104 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 34-22 (+15.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 65-52 (+19.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 51-34 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 132-104 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 92-70 (+14.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 77-54 (+22.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
VOGELSONG is 23-13 (+12.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

RYAN VOGELSONG vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
VOGELSONG is 1-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.667.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

SEAN O'SULLIVAN vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
O'SULLIVAN is 1-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 1.250.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (29 - 25) at WASHINGTON (30 - 26) - 4:05 PM
KYLE HENDRICKS (R) vs. JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1416-1578 (-280.0 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 753-799 (-153.8 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1359-1491 (-254.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1040-1174 (-213.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 656-761 (-201.5 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 14-2 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Sunday over the last 2 seasons.
ZIMMERMANN is 52-24 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZIMMERMANN is 29-9 (+17.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZIMMERMANN is 52-24 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
HENDRICKS is 16-7 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HENDRICKS is 16-6 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-3 (-0.1 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

KYLE HENDRICKS vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HENDRICKS is 0-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.857.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
ZIMMERMANN is 1-4 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.32 and a WHIP of 1.300.
His team's record is 3-5 (-2.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.3 units)

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MIAMI (23 - 33) at COLORADO (25 - 29) - 4:10 PM
JOSE URENA (R) vs. KYLE KENDRICK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 16-29 (-15.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 74-93 (-28.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 1-1 (+0.1 Units) against MIAMI this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

JOSE URENA vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

KYLE KENDRICK vs. MIAMI since 1997
KENDRICK is 13-3 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 3.33 and a WHIP of 1.228.
His team's record is 16-5 (+11.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 11-9. (+1.6 units)

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NY METS (30 - 27) at ARIZONA (27 - 28) - 4:10 PM
JACOB DEGROM (R) vs. JOSH COLLMENTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 44-27 (+20.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 62-43 (+17.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 91-126 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 759-669 (-87.6 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
ARIZONA is 91-126 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 34-55 (-20.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 36-68 (-27.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against NY METS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

JACOB DEGROM vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

JOSH COLLMENTER vs. NY METS since 1997
COLLMENTER is 2-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 5.63 and a WHIP of 1.313.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.1 units)

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ST LOUIS (37 - 19) at LA DODGERS (32 - 24) - 8:05 PM
LANCE LYNN (R) vs. ZACK GREINKE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
GREINKE is 51-24 (+18.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 101-57 (+33.4 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 51-24 (+18.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 74-38 (+27.8 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 52-21 (+25.7 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 37-19 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 37-19 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 30-13 (+15.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 59-36 (+16.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 60-44 (+13.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 64-63 (-15.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 4-2 (+1.9 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.8 Units)

LANCE LYNN vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
LYNN is 4-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.10 and a WHIP of 1.554.
His team's record is 4-3 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.5 units)

ZACK GREINKE vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
GREINKE is 10-5 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.17 and a WHIP of 1.148.
His team's record is 11-6 (+4.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-10. (-3.7 units)

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BALTIMORE (25 - 30) at CLEVELAND (27 - 28) - 1:05 PM
BUD NORRIS (R) vs. CARLOS CARRASCO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 112-63 (+35.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 125-100 (+29.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 56-54 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 111-88 (+25.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 97-73 (+28.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 57-42 (+17.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 54-39 (+13.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
NORRIS is 37-29 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 117-117 (-41.2 Units) against the money line in home games in June games since 1997.
CLEVELAND is 10-16 (-9.2 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CARRASCO is 10-23 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
CARRASCO is 10-23 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 1-1 (+0.1 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

BUD NORRIS vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
NORRIS is 2-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.46 and a WHIP of 1.077.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.1 units)

CARLOS CARRASCO vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
CARRASCO is 1-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 1.93 and a WHIP of 0.714.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

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LA ANGELS (28 - 28) at NY YANKEES (31 - 25) - 1:05 PM
C.J. WILSON (L) vs. C.C. SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 25-36 (-18.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday over the last 3 seasons.
WILSON is 5-17 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WILSON is 5-14 (-10.3 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 61-33 (+16.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 762-743 (+66.9 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 136-113 (+35.7 Units) against the money line in road games in June games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 272-230 (+71.6 Units) against the money line in road games in day games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 639-625 (+60.6 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
SABATHIA is 0-6 (-8.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SABATHIA is 0-6 (-8.0 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
NY YANKEES is 2-0 (+2.1 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

C.J. WILSON vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
WILSON is 4-2 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 3.48 and a WHIP of 1.427.
His team's record is 6-6 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-6. (-0.1 units)

C.C. SABATHIA vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
SABATHIA is 10-8 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.67 and a WHIP of 1.345.
His team's record is 10-10 (-3.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-11. (-3.4 units)

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HOUSTON (34 - 23) at TORONTO (27 - 30) - 1:05 PM
COLLIN MCHUGH (R) vs. R.A. DICKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 34-23 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 16-6 (+11.8 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 22-13 (+10.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 4-2 (+2.0 Units) against TORONTO this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

COLLIN MCHUGH vs. TORONTO since 1997
MCHUGH is 1-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 2.03 and a WHIP of 0.975.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

R.A. DICKEY vs. HOUSTON since 1997
DICKEY is 2-5 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 5.27 and a WHIP of 1.305.
His team's record is 4-6 (-4.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-5. (-0.8 units)

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OAKLAND (23 - 35) at BOSTON (26 - 31) - 1:35 PM
KENDALL GRAVEMAN (R) vs. CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 23-35 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 6-15 (-11.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
OAKLAND is 21-33 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 80-74 (-17.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 8-19 (-14.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BUCHHOLZ is 15-1 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in June games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 26-31 (-11.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 41-55 (-22.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 48-62 (-31.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 4-12 (-10.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Sunday over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 14-21 (-12.5 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 87-107 (-34.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 67-86 (-26.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 9-16 (-9.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
BUCHHOLZ is 14-25 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 3-13 (-14.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 4-15 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 2-9 (-10.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 10-23 (-19.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 3-13 (-12.4 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 3-12 (-12.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 4-1 (+3.4 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

KENDALL GRAVEMAN vs. BOSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. OAKLAND since 1997
BUCHHOLZ is 3-2 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 6.68 and a WHIP of 1.990.
His team's record is 4-3 (-0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-2. (+2.9 units)

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DETROIT (29 - 28) at CHI WHITE SOX (25 - 29) - 2:10 PM
ALFREDO SIMON (R) vs. JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 143-219 (-60.0 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 53-55 (-19.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SIMON is 26-17 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SIMON is 15-5 (+12.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SIMON is 12-4 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SIMON is 26-17 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SIMON is 17-5 (+13.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 13-20 (-10.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SAMARDZIJA is 17-28 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 1-10 (-10.4 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 12-27 (-17.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 16-28 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 12-25 (-13.0 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
CHI WHITE SOX is 4-4 (-0.2 Units) against DETROIT this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

ALFREDO SIMON vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SIMON is 0-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.800.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. DETROIT since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 1-0 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.067.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

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TEXAS (30 - 26) at KANSAS CITY (30 - 23) - 2:10 PM
COLBY LEWIS (R) vs. JEREMY GUTHRIE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 130-100 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 29-10 (+17.3 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 126-97 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 93-69 (+12.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 64-49 (+13.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GUTHRIE is 27-18 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GUTHRIE is 27-17 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TEXAS is 30-26 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 15-10 (+9.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TEXAS is 19-11 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
TEXAS is 9-4 (+9.7 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TEXAS is 33-26 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 28-24 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 21-15 (+12.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TEXAS is 11-6 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season.
TEXAS is 14-4 (+16.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 4-2 (+3.4 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

COLBY LEWIS vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
LEWIS is 2-4 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 5.63 and a WHIP of 1.300.
His team's record is 2-5 (-4.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.3 units)

JEREMY GUTHRIE vs. TEXAS since 1997
GUTHRIE is 6-4 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 3.42 and a WHIP of 1.272.
His team's record is 8-7 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-9. (-6.4 units)

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TAMPA BAY (30 - 27) at SEATTLE (25 - 31) - 4:10 PM
CHRIS ARCHER (R) vs. MIKE MONTGOMERY (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 107-112 (-25.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 5-13 (-10.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
SEATTLE is 25-31 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 13-18 (-10.8 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SEATTLE is 6-12 (-9.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less this season.
SEATTLE is 20-30 (-15.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 20-24 (-9.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SEATTLE is 23-28 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 4-2 (+2.0 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.9 Units)

CHRIS ARCHER vs. SEATTLE since 1997
ARCHER is 0-2 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.70 and a WHIP of 0.986.
His team's record is 0-4 (-5.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)

MIKE MONTGOMERY vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
No recent starts.

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MILWAUKEE (20 - 36) at MINNESOTA (32 - 23) - 2:10 PM
MICHAEL FIERS (R) vs. MIKE PELFREY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 20-36 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 86-155 (-52.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Sunday since 1997.
MILWAUKEE is 20-36 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 15-30 (-14.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 32-23 (+15.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 11-3 (+8.8 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
MINNESOTA is 19-9 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 48-48 (+8.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 32-23 (+15.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 14-8 (+9.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
MINNESOTA is 25-12 (+18.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PELFREY is 53-42 (+17.2 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 13-5 (+10.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 2-0 (+2.4 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

MICHAEL FIERS vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
FIERS is 1-0 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.857.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
PELFREY is 1-2 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.48 and a WHIP of 1.419.
His team's record is 2-3 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+0.5 units)

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Sunday, June 7


Norris returns to Orioles rotation Sunday

Baltimore Orioles starter Bud Norris makes his return to the rotation today in Cleveland after being sidelined since May 10th with bronchitis.

The Orioles and Norris are currently +168 road dogs against the Indians, who counter with Carlos Carrasco (7-4, 3.92 ERA).

Before getting sick Norris was 1-4 with a 9.88 ERA.


Cardinals' Carpenter leaves game with triceps injury

LOS ANGELES - St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter left Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning with a right triceps contusion.

Carpenter was hit by a pitch in the first inning by Kershaw, but he stayed in the game until the bottom of the fourth.

Carpenter, who is hitting .308 with eight homers, is listed as day-to-day.

Pete Kozma, who started the game at second base, moved over to take Carpenter's place at third base, and Kolten Wong entered the game to play second base.

[Udog]

Did they ever get the skunks out of the Cards' dugout?

You know, considering the location of Dodger Stadium, I'm surprised they don't have problems with skunks, coyotes and rattlers all the time!

[StarDust Bum]

Injuries, News & Rumors

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg used all of his pitches in a 30-pitch bullpen session prior to Saturday's game against the Cubs. It was his first session off a mound since landing on the disabled list. Though Strasburg did not feel any issues afterward, the team will see how his left trapezius strain feels on Sunday before determining the next steps in a plan for his return, manager Matt Williams said, per the Washington Post.

Braves' Jace Peterson (hand) to sit out second straight game

Braves second baseman Jace Peterson underwent an X-ray on his injured hand, which revealed no structural damage between his left thumb and index finger. He's expected to sit out his second straight game on Saturday against Pittsburgh, reports MLB.com.

"I've been playing with it for the last 2 1/2 weeks, so I think it will be good," said Peterson, who believes he jammed his hand while diving for a ball.

Prior to Friday's absence, Peterson led off every game for Atlanta since May 15, and started them all since May 8. He is hitting .262 (45 for 172) with one home run, 22 RBI and six stolen bases in 50 games played

Dodgers 2B Howie Kendrick (knee) feeling better

Dodgers ailing second baseman Howie Kendrick reported that his knee was feeling better Friday and that he should avoid a stint on the disabled list.

Kendrick was absent from the lineup Thursday and Friday.

"It's very important for me to be on the field to try to help us win," he told the Los Angeles Times. "For me, I don't like not playing. I want to have the opportunity to be out there every day."

Kendrick has been a boon to the offense. He has batted both third and cleanup while posting a slash line of .285/.347/.430 with 28 runs scored and 23 RBI.

Brett Lawrie out of Athletics lineup, Max Muncy steps in

Max Muncy will start at third base for the Athletics on Saturday, replacing Brett Lawrie.

Lawrie has started 52 games at third, including the last 10. Muncy will bat seventh in the lineup and start at third base for the sixth time this season, and first since May 25

Giants OF Hunter Pence a no-go again Saturday

As expected, Giants outfielder Hunter Pence is absent from the lineup Saturday in Philadelphia with a wrist ailment. Bruce Bochy, who had already stated that he would be out until at least Sunday, said he should return for the first game of the series against the Mets on Tuesday.

Pence, who missed the first six weeks of the season, has been sidelined since June 2. He had rebounded from a 2-for-20 slide with four hits in his last two games.

Royals' Danny Duffy throws bullpen, nearing rehab assignment

Royals pitcher Danny Duffy threw a bullpen session on Saturday, the Kansas City Star reported.

Duffy is on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. He expects to be ready to go on a minor league rehab assignment next week.

Cubs' Jorge Soler expects to return after 15 days on DL

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler is encouraged by the progress he's made in returning from a sprained left ankle that landed him on the 15-day disabled list, June 3.

Soler is wearing a walking boot, but he hopes to have it removed soon and plans to be ready on June 18, when he's eligible to return from the DL.

"I'm going to keep working hard to get back,” Soler said, per ESPN. “[Hopefully] I feel good after my 15-days.

Yost: Royals P Kris Medlen should be back by break


Ned Yost has declared that Royals shelved starting pitcher Kris Medlen should be ready to contribute by the All-Star break, per the Kansas City Star.

Medlen has been sidelined since the end of the 2013 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. But he is closing in on a rehab assignment after throwing a simulated game Thursday

Orioles' Kevin Gausman needs two or three more rehab starts

Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman will pitch three innings at Class A Frederick on Saturday. Gausman is on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis.

Buck Showalter said that Gausman could be ready to return to the Orioles after two more rehab starts, but it would probably be three, per the Baltimore Sun.

Justin Masterson may be ready to return to Red Sox

Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson may be ready to return to the team without another minor league rehab appearance, manager John Farrell said, per the Providence Journal.

Masterson is on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. Farrell said he would throw a bullpen session on Sunday, and the team would then decide if he needed another injury rehab start.

"There's a definite progressive step being taken here," Farrell said, per MLB.com. "We'll probably wait until he throws his bullpen [session] tomorrow to determine if there's another one needed or we insert him back with us. He got to 80 pitches last night, which is the minimum somebody's got to throw on a rehab [assignment] to come back in a rotation spot."

Padres' Wil Myers will work at CF and 1B in rehab games

Padres manager Bud Black said that Wil Myers would work at two positions while playing minor league rehab games.

Myers, on the disabled list with a wrist injury since May 10, will start his injury rehab assignment at Triple-A El Paso on Sunday.

Black said Myers would play both center field and first base at El Paso, and he would play the entire game, per MLB.com.


Twins SP Ricky Nolasco receives cortisone shot in his ankle


Twins starter Ricky Nolasco received a cortisone injection in his troublesome right ankle, general manager Terry Ryan told reporters Saturday, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The injury landed Nolasco on the disabled list Thursday, after starting the year 5-1 with a 5.51 ERA in seven starts. Ryan added that Nolasco will get a few days off before he resumes playing catch.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside Baseball: Emerging Astros seek star starter; would Hamels OK them?

The Houston Astros, surprise early first-place residents in the AL West, could pull a trade surprise, as well. The Astros are targeting a top-of-the-rotation starter, and while Cole Hamels probably remains something of a long shot for them, executives familiar with their thinking suggest Hamels remains on their radar, with Astros great Nolan Ryan said to be a big fan of his.

The Phillies' overt willingness to significantly pay down the money on Hamels' deal also could aid Houston's chances, as the Astros aren't inclined to pay any one player $24 million annually but possess the type of prospects to give them trading power. But even if they can't get Hamels – remember, he has a 20-team no-trade list that includes them -- the Astros, who currently carry the best record in the AL and are maybe a year or two ahead of their own schedule for serious contention, are said to be intent on adding someone who qualifies as a frontline starter, not just rotation filler.

If the Astros succeed in bolstering their rotation in a big way, they may become a team to be reckoned with, as they already have an ace in crafty lefty Dallas Keuchel and other young talents in a decent-but-not-deep rotation.

"The goal is a No. 1 or 2," says a person familiar with Houston's thinking -- although GM Jeff Luhnow, the architect of the 34-21 team, amended that slightly to say the focus will be on any pitcher who could qualify to pitch games "1 through 3" in a hypothetical playoff rotation, without naming names.

Anyway, it's no surprise then that Hamels would merit strong consideration for the Astros, who have the prospects and then some to tempt the choosy rebuilding Phillies, who are obviously trying to hit a grand slam with this deal, and for good reason.

However, there's a catch: while Hamels is a clear fit for Houston, one person close to him suggested he didn't think it was necessarily likely he would accept a deal to Houston, despite their impressive start and wildly improving future. And although while that person suggested he didn't believe Houston would "float his boat," that person added this caveat: "But you never know."

The same could be said generally about the Astros, who surely have surprised even themselves with their big beginning. They've employed a serious combination of pitching, power and (draft) picks, the latest being Lance McCullers Jr. who threw a complete-game 3-1 win at the Orioles Wednesday in what Luhnow called "one of the best performances by a 21-year-old rookie I've seen on the mound."

The future definitely looks bright, and many expect top shortstop prospect Carlos Correa, maybe baseball's best prospect, up within weeks, if not days, with the unstated reason for the timing possibly connected to the perceived Super Two cutoff. Jed Lowrie, Houston's best hitter early, could return by August at the latest, adding to the hitter parade. But the focus from the outside will be on the rotation.

"We think our offense is good enough to keep us in games and we think the bullpen is in great shape," Luhnow said, calling the rotation "a natural place to look."

Hamels is the natural place to start, and it may take a little convincing (word is, no surprise he'd expect to at least have his option picked up by any team on the no-trade list he approves, as is his right). Houston people seem to love the idea, and sources say Hamels already has the stamp of approval from no less than all-time strikeout king Ryan, a current Astros executive and father of team president Reid Ryan who also happens to "have the ear of owner Jim Crane," in the words of one Astros-connected person.

While Hamels isn't the flamethrower Ryan was, the Hall of Famer "appreciates great pitchers," no matter the pitching style, another Astros person said.

And while the Red Sox, Rangers, Cubs, Dodgers (and several other teams) have been connected much more often to Hamels, the reality is that Houston and Philly have hooked up many times in trades, and the Astros are especially strong in Philly's areas of needs, including the outfield, where Preston Tucker (already up in the bigs) and Brett Phillips are believed to intrigue Philly. Phillies executive Ed Wade, the ex-Astros GM who maintains a solid relationship with the Houston people, acquired some of Houston's better prospects in the Hunter Pence deal that benefited the Astros and could entice Philly now.

The Astros wouldn't part with Correa, who some see as a clean, young Alex Rodriguez, or the brilliant young righthander McCullers Jr. And while they'd also probably like to hold onto 100-mph-throwing righthander Vincent Velasquez, they have many more prospects, including first baseman Jonathan Singleton (who came from Philly in that boffo Pence trade), infielders Nolan Fontana and Colin Moran, outfielders Domingo Santana (who also came in that Pence deal) and Teoscar Hernandez, catcher Max Stassi and many pitchers, including righthander Mark Appel (the former No. 1 pick, who threw 97 mph in his five shutout innings Wednesday, though some still advise a change of scenery.

While Hamels' $24-million salary is a bit steep for Houston, which had baseball's lowest payroll not too long ago, Philly, with enormous TV money coming, is willing to pay down a significant portion of that pay as it aims to stock a thin farm system. That's a strategy that in effect would allow them to buy prospects, as Rob Bradford of WEEI suggested this week. Hamels' deal isn't out of whack, especially considering his recent form and velocity that's returned, so there'd be no need to pay down the contract under normal circumstances.

The biggest question that remains is whether Hamels might approve them. So far he said "no" to the Blue Jays, as was reported here, with his word quashing those talks before they even began. But it's believed he hasn't been asked for approval on anyone else yet.

If the Astros can't get Hamels –- a distinct possibility -- it'd be interesting to see where they'd turn. There's no guarantee the Reds' Johnny Cueto will become available (some suggest Cincinnati is intent on playing things out), and the same is true for Jeff Samardzija of the White Sox or the Padres' Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner (the Padres may not be having the start they envisioned, but there's reason for them to hope as 47 of their first 55 games came against teams with winning records).

In any case, the ace options may be somewhat limited.

Hamels' teammate Aaron Harang, the veteran righthander, is someone who'd interest Houston as a fallback candidate having a very nice year (2.45 ERA), and other possibilities who might include Houston product Scott Kazmir, plus perhaps Clay Buchholz (though it's probably unlikely Boston sells) and Bartolo Colon (he's becoming a folk hero in New York, but if any contender can afford to trade a starter, it's the Mets, though they may be more inclined to deal Jon Niese or Dillon Gee) plus also Kyle Lohse, who has a connection with Luhnow from St. Louis days.

[StarDust Bum]

More Inside Baseball...

The No. 1 pick remains a secret but there seems to be momentum for Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson, who's had a very nice college career. The other main considerations appear to be UC Santa Barbara RHP Dillon Tate, Kennesaw Mountain, Ga. catcher Tyler Stephenson and Vanderbilt righthander Carson Fullmer. Hard to predict the D-Backs, though, as Dave Stewart and Co. have traversed the country to find their guy ... Some scouts saw Yasmany Tomas as a big power prospect who may not hit for a high average. Well, so far he has one home run but he's hitting .331. Tomas moves back to the outfield once Jake Lamb returns to play third base ... The D-Backs like outfielder Gabby Guerrero and shortstop Jack Reinheimer, who came in the Mark Trumbo deal and have a chance. Plus they needed a catcher, so Wellington Castillo helps. They also save some money since Mark Trumbo made $6.9 million after winning his arbitration case, and the D-Backs higher-ups wanted to save a bit after spending big on Cuban signees (Tomas, etc.) ... Big-time hitting prospect Peter O'Brien suggested recently he may give up catching, but GM Dave Stewart reminded him it's not up to him to make that decision, as he suggested in this story by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. If he can catch, that would be a much easier path to the bigs. The D-Backs have many outfielders and are noticeably thin at catcher ... Paul Goldschmidt is the often overlooked one among baseball's top five players but there's no good reason he doesn't get the recognition. As Dan O'Dowd said on MLB network, it may have something to do with the market, and the "transient" nature of it.

Matt Wieters returns Friday, June 5 after missing a year with Tommy John surgery. He is a free agent after the year so it's big for all concerned.
Manager John Farrell received the dreaded vote of confidence, and while those are generally worthless, Red Sox higher-ups are believed to have immense respect for him. That his contract goes through 2017 isn't an issue, though, as they've eaten managerial contracts before and can afford to eat this one, if need be. Farrell is very bright and respected but he's had an unusual record, with a World Series championship in 2013 surrounded by all non-winning seasons so far in Toronto and Boston.

The Cubs have used versatile wunderkind Kris Bryant in left field and center field, but he hasn't done anything to suggest he isn't a third baseman long-term ... The Cubs, meanwhile, seem committed for now to excellent hitting prospect Kyle Schwarber as a catcher ... Jason Hammel has been a fantastic under-the-radar pickup. "He's been our best pitcher," one Cub remarked of the pitcher with a 9-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (63 strikeouts, seven walks) ... Starlin Castro continues to be a hit machine but he also continues to frustrate his bosses with errors on routine plays. Joe Maddon is trying positive reinforcement in what has been a half-decade project for many managers. Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune covered the subject nicely ... As was mentioned here, Rafael Soriano could become an option for the Cubs. He is now represented by the Chicago-based Alan Nero and Octagon, who also happen to represent Maddon. Octagon reps announced he will throw for teams in the D.R. next Thursday ... Junior Lake will never graduate to Senior with that protracted home run trot and hand signals he employed for his first home run, at Miami.

The Reds do not seem anxious to sell despite their low standing, rivals say. That could be because the July 14 All-Star Game is in Cincinnati (and the selling may commence shortly thereafter) but some believe owner Bob Castellini simply prefers to play it out in light of the big money he has invested (considering the market size, Joey Votto's $225-million, 10-year deal may be the most surprising mega contract in baseball) ... One rival suggests the Reds are a "mess." That may be an exaggeration, but more specifically, they do have depth issues, no surprise considering their big contracts for the small-market team (Cincinnati and Milwaukee are the smallest markets in MLB).

If superstar shortstop Troy Tulowitzki doesn't get traded, it's probably the club-owning Monforts' doing. One of the Monforts was recently overheard to say, "He's the face of the franchise," as a reason why they have no interest in trading him ... Top outfield prospect David Dahl, who chose to have his spleen removed after a collision with a teammate resulted in extensive bleeding, so he'd have a chance to return this season, is expected to be released from the hospital by Friday June 5. Best wishes to David.

A lot of folks criticized the Kendrys Morales signing for $17 million over two years. But it's turned out to be one of the better ones of the winter. Another choice would have been to go for Ryan Howard, but word is the Royals never got an indication they could have gotten Howard for a comparable price. That would have necessitated Philly paying down $43 million of the $60 million that remained at the time. It isn't known whether KC would have done that rather than sign Morales, anyway, but word is the Phillies never got quite that far in talks with KC.

Albert Pujols isn't quite done, is he? After six home runs in six games, he is at 534 for his career, two behind Mickey Mantle. And he still has six years to go on his contract ... Hector Santiago appears on the verge of taking off. In eight of his 11 starts Santiago has allowed zero or one run.

The Dodgers appear to be working toward a deal with yet another big-time Cuban player, 19-year-old righthander Yadier Alvarez. Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs first reported LA had made a $16-million offer. While there's no written agreement yet, folks are suggesting they expect Alvarez to land in LA. Alvarez is a big-time athlete who hit 97-98 mph in workouts, shocking folks. This follows the $62.5-million deal for Hector Olivera, so there will be talk about the Dodgers' having an unfair advantage in the wallet. They certainly are throwing their spending power around. He can't sign by league rules until July 2 ... Joc Pederson's amazing start includes home runs of 472 feet and 480 feet at Coors Field. Somehow he's also striking out less in the majors than he did in the minors

... The Dodgers did try for Chase Utley before landing Howie Kendrick over the winter, but deemed the price tag excessive. If it was excessive before, it's hard to imagine it wouldn't be now that Utley is hitting .204 ... Big righthanded pitching prospect Jose De Leon has hired Scott Boras to represent him ... Rafael Soriano could make sense for the Dodgers (he had 45 saves and a 1.73 ERA for Andrew Friedman's Rays back in 2010), though it's unknown whether they've looked into it.

Marlins people feel other teams are gunning for them since making the outside-the-box hiring of GM Dan Jennings as manager. While many neophytes are getting that job, other managers seem more put off that someone was hired without managing, coaching or playing experience. Jennings took the job out of "loyalty" according to friends. It's a little reminiscent of Arizona hiring A.J. Hinch out of its front office to manager. That was so poorly received by scouts and traditionalists at the time it never had a chance. But as it turns out, Hinch is excellent in his second go-round with the Astros ... Dan Haren, whose twitter handle @ithrow88 is a nice way to poke fun at himself, humorously acknowledged the disclaimer “88 tops” is appropriate now. Give him this, the man knows how to pitch. He is the Marlins' best pitcher this year, in fact ... Anyone still worried about Giancarlo Stanton (17 home runs, 46 RBI) being affected by that beanball last year?

Conventional wisdom says Torii Hunter returns next year at age 40, as he hasn't slowed a bit ... The Twins could be yet another team in the reliever market should their surprising play continue (heck, even they are surprised). They will seek depth in a few areas actually. Hunter's OPS is .794, compared to his career .798.

Gee and Niese are still available, as the Mets would probably like to add Steven Matz to their six-man rotation. Some scouts are saying Matz "is better than the others, except Harvey," which means another starting pitching star is coming ... As for Harvey, one scout says, "He has the best stuff in baseball, better than Clayton Kershaw, better than anyone." … Headline of the Week: The New York Post back page “Double Excel” to celebrate Colon's heroics in both pitching and hitting.

The Yankees are interested in Ben Zobrist, which should surprise no one considering their second-base issues. They are surprised that Jose Pirela hasn't performed since his promotion, and Stephen Drew's batting average remains oddly low again. Yankees people think Rob Refnsyder can hit at the big-league level now, but his defense remains a little rough. Of course, as an A's person said, "There will be many teams interested in Zobrist."

... The Yankees also continue to like Dustin Ackley, despite his recent struggles ... The Yankees seem more committed to Didi Gregorius at shortstop, though he hasn't been especially inspiring, even in terms of his range, which hasn't been as great as advertised

... The Yankees do not expect to be big players on Hamels, as they remain reluctant to do long deals for pitchers into their mid 30s following the ones for CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka, who both performed very well at the start ... They have to be thrilled with shortstop prospect Jorge Mateo, 19, who's wowing them at Class-A Charleston. "I saw him make a play nobody makes," said an AL scout. "He's got it all." Mateo recently hired Boras, by the way ... Mark Teixeira's resurgence is astounding. He truly came to camp in the best shape of his life, likely owing to his new gluten-free diet. Exact figures are closely guarded Yankee secrets, but word is, his weight is up while his waist size is down ... The Yankees were worried enough about Teixeira that they were among teams to look into Howard this winter. However, they saw the asking price as way too high, though ... How good is the back end of the bullpen? Andrew Miller is perfect in saves, Dellin Betances has a perfect 0.00 ERA ... The Yankees could still use another reliever (a righty), though, as they know. They have five lefties in the bullpen.

GM Billy Beane and Co. have performed a near miracle by winning 88-plus games 10 of the last 15 seasons, but with them 10 games under (despite a plus eight on run differential) and all their many injuries, they are seen as a likely seller this summer. It's too early to say for sure, as Beane pointed out, but Beane also said in a phone interview, "We have to be realistic and who's coming back and who isn't." ... Outfielder Coco Crisp and closer Sean Doolittle aren't expected back anytime soon. The absences of Doolittle, Ryan Cook and Eric O'Flaherty have been devastating, as the A's are 3-15 in one-run games ... Scott Kazmir would draw big interest, and Beane said he believes he's healthy after missing a start.

The Philly system is underwhelming, as folks mention. But third baseman Maikel Franco looks great, righthander Aaron Nola has been superb and shortstop J.P. Crawford is fantastic. A scout who saw Crawford says that while he'll be an average defender with a very good arm, he's good enough to stay at shortstop, and he has a "great bat." If Crawford is indeed a shortstop, that would enable them to move Freddy Galvis to second base, which covers three of the four infield positions ... Howard is still out there and available, but teams may be waiting for him to put together a second straight very good month ... While most believe Cliff Lee would need the surgery to have his flexor tendon repaired to keep pitching, which would require six months off, he's officially giving the rest/rehab route one more chance. But considering it didn't work last winter (and also the Phillies' standing), well, if he doesn't pitch again in the big leagues, he's had a great career ... The Phillies have all of five home runs from their outfielders.

Pittsburgh scares some rivals. "They're the team to watch. Their pitching is fantastic," says a rival GM. Also notable is that they are over .500 with Andrew McCutchen (.293 and climbing), Josh Harrison (.256) and Gregory Polanco (.250) all off to disappointing starts ... One of the best signings of the winter was Jung Ho Kang, who was inked to an $11-million, four-year deal after winning his services with a bid just over $5 million ($5,002,015). The reason the price was kept down is the small history of success among Korean hitters in MLB. But other teams are regretting not getting in on the bidding ... A.J. Burnett is making his last year one of his best years (2.20 ERA), and the assumption is that he still plans to retire at year's end. He regretted leaving the Pirates after 2013, and didn't want it to end the way it did in Philly last year, so he instructed his long-time agent Darek Braunecker to negotiate with only one team. Burnett happily took a basically unprecedented pay cut from $12.75 million to leave Philly and go to the Pirates, and had to be talked by Braunecker into accepting the $8.5 million offered since he thought $8 million was more than fair. In all ways it's been a great way to go out in a place he loves, where he finally feels completely appreciated by the fans and others.

St. Louis is a surprise entry in the Rafael Soriano derby ... Matt Holliday deserved more play for his 45-game on-base streak (47 including last year). He has been everything the Cardinals sought for $120 million over seven years. Holliday is also one of two active major-leaguers with at least an .800 OPS each of the last eight seasons. The other? Miguel Cabrera.

The Padres may be a lot better than their record indicates, as an astounding 47 of their first 55 games have come against teams with a winning record, as was noted on their telecast ... Matt Kemp's awful start has to be perplexing coming as it did after a good first couple weeks, which came on the heels of is big finish last year.

The Mariners were said by someone close to them to be "desperate" for offense considering the struggles of Dustin Ackley, Chris Taylor, Justin Ruggiano (just DFA'ed), Mike Zunino, Rickie Weeks and others. So Trumbo gives them another big bat, and he can play left field, right field, first base and DH for them, so he fits. But more changes could come considering the Mariners' very disappointing start ... Things have the potential to get ugly in Seattle, as the Mariners were seen by many as a possible World Series team (including here) and five straight losses have left them below .500 ... The Mariners probably do need a veteran catcher after giving up Castillo in the trade, though the defensively strong, delightfully-named Jesus Sucre (Sugar) is back up to back up Zunino. On Zunino, the question has to be asked: were 364 minor-league at-bats enough? ... Some in New York are speculating that Robinson Cano is "homesick" for New York, and that that's what's behind his early-season struggles. His father Jose does fly back and forth, but that's to be expected. Some have suggested he so misses New York that he has his favorite Dominican foods flown to him. Not sure if that's true, but he has his own chef, so he should be good there. "If he was going to be homesick, he would have been homesick last year," points out one Mariners person. Cano looked anything but homesick Wednesday night as he staged an event for his charity, RC 22 Foundation, which raised more than $1 million. Onlookers say they saw a "heartfelt connection" between player and community that night, at least ... With Fernando Rodney struggling, the Mariners could look into Soriano, though there's no evidence they've reached out lately. Manager Lloyd McClendon, author of our favorite managerial blowup to date, just gave Rodney a vote of confidence (so the slings and arrows haven't reached him yet) ... It's still hard to believe the Mariners are struggling below .500. "Not so hard," replied one scout. "They don't have a shortstop." In the winter, some considered them as actually having two shortstops – Taylor and Brad Miller ... The Yankees tried for Ackley a few times in the past. He could be more available now, considering his offensive struggles (.190).

Hard as it is to believe, Joey Gallo, Kris Bryant and Bryce Harper did all play together as youths in Las Vegas (Gallo and Bryant are particularly close). And yet another young slugger, Houston's Chris Carter, is also from Las Vegas. Hard to believe this city of two million people (metro area) produced four of baseball's best young sluggers. What are the odds? ... Adrian Beltre suffered a subluxation of his left thumb but no fracture so could possible be back in three weeks ... Josh Hamilton picked up where he left off three years ago in Arlington. At $3 mil per year, he may prove to be the biggest bargain in the game, even if he does have a one-month break to heal his hamstring.
Toronto hasn't completely given up the idea of signing Soriano and is looking into it, depending on the price. They tried for pen arms in the winter, and could use some experience back there, though they stopped short of making an offer on top free agent closer David Robertson when they heard the winning answer had to start with a 4 (as in 40-plus million). They have saved some money for just this type of occasion.
The MLB Draft is this Monday, here's a preview of what to know and look out for ... Pete Rose's meeting with commissioner Rob Manfred will take place sometime after the All-Star Game this year, as was suggested likely in this space last week ... Yasiel Sierra, lefthander, is another big-time Cuban prospect on the horizon ... Roc Nation has hired a new baseball head and it's Kyle Thousand, a former player and current lawyer who was working at Excel under Casey Close. Darren Heitner first reported the news ... List of the week: Favorite ballparks: 1. San Francisco. 2. Pittsburgh. 3. Mets. 4. Miami. 5. Seattle.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

-- Detroit Tigers are 10-2 when David Price starts, 19-26 otherwise.

-- Moeller HS in Cincinnati has 11 kids on its baseball team who have received at least partial baseball scholarships for this coming fall. Only 10 of them start.

-- Eric Campbell is a utility player for the Mets; he travels around with five gloves, one of which is a catcher's mitt-- he is the Mets' emergency catcher.

-- Record for RBI's in a season by a pitcher? (other than Babe Ruth): Wes Ferrell, who knocked in 29 runs in 1931.

-- Padres are getting killed by Will Venable's defense in CF; all these other teams have fast guys who get to everything. Venable is a RF, not a CF.

-- MLB Draft starts Monday afternoon; hundreds of kids we've never heard of will become pro athletes. Tremendous amount of work goes into scouting these kids.

**********

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday.......

13) I was a freshman in college the last time a horse won the Triple Crown; I had a full head of hair and was much thinner. Congrats to the owners of the winning horse but the next question becomes this: Will he ever race again?

12) Breeding fees are ridiculously high; this horse's value can't go up from what it is now. It'll be sad for racing if we never see the horse on the track again.

11) New Jersey Giants are actually playing a game in New York this season; they play in Buffalo in Week 4. Last time the Giants played a game in New York was 2007-- last time before that was 1999, both in Buffalo.

10) Underrated TV show; Highly Questionable weekend afternoons on ESPN; two ESPN talking heads with one of the guys' father in the middle and he is a pistol. It is very quirky and always makes me laugh.

9) Nomination for worst TV show of all-time: Marriage Boot Camp on the WE channel; I'd unplug my flatscreen TV and put it in the street before I'd ever watch this garbage again. Attention junkies from those stupid reality shows try to extend their 15 minutes of fame-- mind-numbing drivel.

8) Home Run Derby should be fun this year in Cincinnati, a small ballpark.

7) Watched Padres-Reds yesterday; the local Cincinnati announcers are without a doubt the most critical of any local announcers. Have to respect that.

6) The son of Cardinal manager Mike Matheny plays centerfield for Missouri State's baseball team, which is ranked #8 in the country.

5) So North Carolina gets nailed for massive academic fraud and Roy Williams gets a contract extension? How exactly does that work?

4) College baseball is different; Team A has runners at 2nd/3rd in third or fourth inning, its cleanup hitter is up. Team B walks him intentionally-- that would never happen in the majors, though they might subtly pitch around him.

Next time the kid comes up, he homers on the first pitch.

3) Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban donated $5M to Indiana U's athletic department so they can build a video/broadcasting/tech center. Nice recruiting inducement.

2) Detroit Pistons hired big-time agent Arn Tellem as a front office executive, which will prove to be very interesting. Stan Van Gundy maintains control of the basketball operations.

1) Middle Tennessee football coach Rick Stockstill deferred his own $100K raise so the school could afford to pay for cost-of-living scholarships, which will help keep its football program relevant. He'll get his raise in 2018.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, June 7


Cleveland @ Golden State

Game 703-704
June 7, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
129.663
Golden State
134.443
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 5
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 8
201
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(+8); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 7

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CLEVELAND (65 - 32) at GOLDEN STATE (80 - 18) - 6/7/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
CLEVELAND is 24-36 ATS (-15.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-40 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 49-34 ATS (+11.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-27 ATS (+6.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-21 ATS (+9.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 4-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 5-2 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Short Sheet

Sunday, June 7


NBA Finals - Best of 7 - Game 2 - GS Leads 1-0

Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriros, 8:00 ET
Cleveland: 6-14 ATS as an underdog, 0-7 ATS in road games after scoring 100 points or more 3 straight games
Golden State: 30-18 ATS in home games, 15-4 ATS when playing with 2 days rest




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, June 7


Irving is gone, no one on this planet thinks Cleveland can win series; their subs played total of 60:00 in Game 1, went 3-14 from floor, now one of those guys has to start and play better than he ever has in his life. Best chance for breakout player would be JR Smith (3-13 in Game 1). Biggest problem for Warriors is complacency; Cavs still have the best player.

Golden State won eight of its last ten games with Cleveland; nine of the ten games were decided by 8+ points. Cavaliers are 12-3 in playoffs, Warriors are 13-3. Eight of last 11 Golden State games stayed under the total. Cleveland won four of its last four road games SU. Three of last four series games stayed under the total.

2015 playoffs
Cleveland vs Golden State
GSt 108-100 OT, -6, O203.5




NBA

Sunday, June 7

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Golden State's last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing at home against Cleveland

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Sunday, June 7

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Cavaliers at Warriors
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors (-8, 200.5)

LeBron James has been carrying Cleveland throughout the playoffs and his load will be even heavier when the Cavaliers visit the Golden State Warriors in Sunday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Cleveland point guard Kyrie Irving underwent surgery to repair a fractured kneecap on Saturday and joins forward Kevin Love (shoulder) on the sidelines as the underdog Cavaliers try to even the series with Golden State.

James poured in 44 points in the opener and said his mindset won't be affected by the bad breaks being dealt to his team. "We haven't had much luck and we haven't been healthy, but I haven't gotten discouraged," James said at a press conference. "I understand the moment that I'm in and I'm not too much worried about the game. I'm worried about the moment and I'm happy with the moment." League MVP Stephen Curry led Golden State with 26 points and eight assists in the opener -- a 108-100 overtime victory -- and said the loss of Irving doesn't mean the Warriors have an easier path to claiming the title. "We can't assume ... that it's going to be a cakewalk for us to get a championship," Curry said at a press conference. It's still going to be tough. We have to control what we control and do what we do."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: The initial spread opened at Golden State -6.5, but books readjusted to -8 with the announcement that Kyrie Irving is out. The total also dropped from 201.5 to 200.5.

INJURY REPORT: Cleveland - K. Irving (out for season), K. Love (out for season) A. Varejao (out for season). Golden State - N/A.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: Cleveland played just eight players in the opener and veterans like Shawn Marion and Mike Miller never left the bench. The duo could be in line to see some minutes, especially if guards J.R. Smith (3-of-13) and Iman Shumpert (2-of-6) again experience cold-shooting performances. Power forward Tristan Thompson had 15 rebounds in the opener but scored just two points and revealed in a press conference that he has to score within the offense because coach David Blatt doesn't call plays for him.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Shooting guard Klay Thompson scored 21 points in the opener and certainly didn't appear hindered by the concussion he suffered in the finale of the Western Conference finals against Houston. "Having a week off really helped," Thompson said at a press conference. "Obviously a little sore. I mean, that's going to happen in your 100th-whatever game." Forward Draymond Green was sluggish offensively -- 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting -- and had just six rebounds after averaging 13.7 boards over the final three games of the series against the Rockets.

TRENDS:

*Under is 7-1-1 in Warriors last 9 home games.
*Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
*Cavaliers are 1-6 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Golden State.
*Warriors are 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 games playing on 2 days rest.

CONSENSUS: 61 percent of the public is backing the Cavs +8, with 67 percent on the over.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Sunday, June 7


LeBron-led teams a great bet after Game 1 loss

The Golden State Warriors took Game 1 of the NBA Finals but, if history is any indication, you can expect the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers to bounce back. In the past eight playoff series when LeBron's team dropped the first game, the team regrouped and won Game 2 while sporting a 7-1 record against the spread.

Those teams, a mixture of LeBron's tenures in Cleveland and Miami, have outscored their opponents by an average of 11.5 points per game in this situation.

LeBron himself has averaged 27.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in Game 2 after dropping the first in the series straight-up.

The Cavs are currently +8 when they head into Oracle Arena Sunday.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday's Top Action

June 7, 2015


CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (65-32) at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (80-18)

NBA Finals – Game 2

Sportsbook.ag Line: Golden State -8, Total: 201

The Warriors look to take a 2-0 series lead when they host the Cavaliers in Game 2 Sunday. Game 1 was a thriller when Golden State edged out Cleveland in a 108-100 overtime victory. The Warriors were 6-point favorites in the game and have now won eight of their past nine games heading into this contest.

Golden State shot an impressive 10-for-27 from the outside and the teams were even in the rebounding battle. The winner on the glass will come a long way in determining who wins this series.

Another major factor will be whether or not the Cavaliers are able to deal with the loss of PG Kyrie Irving (Knee), who fractured his kneecap in overtime on Thursday. He is out for the next 4 to 6 months and now there is an even bigger burden on SF LeBron James (28.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.2 BPG in playoffs), who put up 44 points in Game 1.

The Cavaliers are 17-7 against the spread after five straight games forcing an opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers over the past two seasons. They are, however, 0-7 against the spread in road games after scoring 100 points or more in three straight games this season. They’re also facing a Warriors team that is 14-4 against the spread in home games after having won three of their past four games this season.

Outside of just Irving being out for Cleveland, the team is also without PF Kevin Love (Shoulder) and C Anderson Varejao (Achilles) for the rest of the year. The Warriors are at full strength heading into this game.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Finals: Cavs-Warriors, Game 2 adjustments and what to watch

THREE KEY QUESTIONS

1. How does the Kyrie Irving injury affect both teams? The Warriors were adamant about not allowing Irving's absence to a letdown. Andre Iguodala talked about the Warriors' regular season struggles vs. teams which were missing stars. Steve Kerr said if they had such a problem, there was something wrong with the team.

"If we have a letdown in The Finals, there is something fundamentally flawed with us each individually and as a team," Kerr said. "There is no way that can possibly happen, right? I mean, we're lucky to be up 10. We're one inch away from being down 10.

This is a team that got to The Finals beating the No. 1 seed the East without Kyrie for a couple games. The challenge is still enormous. There's still so much for us to cover and deal with. There's not any threat of anything like that."

For the Cavaliers, it's simple. No one guy has to step up. LeBron James will have the ball more, but it's hard for him to do much more offensively. He joked Saturday that he doesn't know how much more aggressive he can be than the 38 shots he hoisted in Game 1. Matthew Dellavedova will start, and hopes to rebound from a rough nine minutes in Game 1 (zero points or shots, three assists, Cavs outscored by 13 with him on the floor).

J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have to get going, either on their own or through off-ball movement. Shumpert said Friday the Cavs would have to use some flare action to get weak-side shooters going, but James Jones also said that has to maintain floor balance to keep defenders out of the paint and allow perimeter penetrators (read: James) to attack. It's a tough balancing act for the Cavaliers, who really need a second playmaker to produce points.

2. Can the Cavaliers control the pace again? One "win within the loss" for Cleveland in Game 1 was its ability to control the pace. Cleveland stagnated the Warriors in transition, which allowed their defense to get stops, and then grind out possessions on the other end. The game was much slower than the Warriors have played at per game in the playoffs, and that benefits the Cavs, especially with their rebounding advantage.

If the Warriors speed up the game, they make more shots, which allows their defense to set, which forces perimeter misses, all of which quickens the pace. It's all about one thing feeding into another. Stephen Curry said nerves actually stagnated and threw off the Warriors' pace in Game 1 and he expects them to be more focused in Game 2.

Cleveland's only hope is to drag this thing into the mud. They don't have the weapons for a space-and-pace shootout anymore.

3. Can James do any more? He has to set up teammates more, and knows it. But he was also defensive about his his Game 1 performance, saying how he "got 40" instead of being "given 40." That may be true, but the Warriors helped. They openly talked before Game 1 about being willing to live with James taking contested jumpers as long three things happened:

He wasn't getting to the rim
He wasn't in rhythm
The other Cavaliers didn't get loose
All three happened ... and the Cavs almost won.

That's brought a lot of consternation from folks about whether the Cavs' plan was effective. Here's the reality: Had the Warriors lost Game 1, they would have pointed to rebounding issues, sloppy play, poor shooting and nerves. They would have talked about creating better playmaking opportunities when the defense forced the ball out of Curry's hands and about having better rim protection against Timofey Mozgov. The Warriors weren't happy with how they guarded LeBron because they won. They won in part because they defended James in a way they know is replicable.

How James approaches Game 2 will go a long way in determining if the Cavs have a shot here.

THE HIGHLIGHT: We'll miss Irving's shot-making and his sick handle. But we'll also miss his defense, which was shockingly great against Curry in Game 1, never more so than on this play, recovering from behind for the block.

Get well soon.

The Line: The Irving injury only bumped the line for Game 2 by 1.5 points, landing at Warriors minus-7.5 before jumping to eight points Saturday after Game 1's 6-point line, which the Warriors covered ... in overtime.

It's tempting to ride Cleveland here. After all, they have played well with James on the floor and Irving out. They are 5-2 in the playoffs on the road vs. the spread as well. However, the Irving injury just seems like too much vs. a team with a solid game plan. The Warriors know how to attack the Cavs and it's just not likely that the Splash Brothers struggle for a second straight game. Who's more due to produce, the Splash Brothers or Smith after his improbable playoffs?

The under, however, is tempting at 200.5. The Cavaliers should be able to use their size and smarts to drag the pace down again, and simply may not be able to score enough points to near 100.

[StarDust Bum]

LeBron James: Warriors didn't let him have 40, he got 40

OAKLAND -- LeBron James too umbrage Friday to the assertion that the Warriors "gave him" 44 points in his Game 1 loss behind an effort to play him 1-on-1 and take away his playmaking options.

"You don't let me have 40. I go get 40. It's not like they're just getting out of the way. So those guys aren't saying we're okay with letting him have 40. You don't let me have 40; I'm making those shots."

James had 44 points, but did so on 38 shots, and most of them came on contested mid-range jumpshots, an overall inefficient shot. James was 7-for-22 outside of the paint in Game 1.

The Warriors had a different perspective.

"I don't think LeBron wants to shoot 40 times," Andrew Bogut said after Game 1. I think our defense predicated that a little bit. I think he wants to play-make a little more, and we'll live with him shooting it."

"The biggest thing we wanted to do was take away easy baskets for him," Harrison Barnes said Saturday. "Wide-open dunks, anything easy. Make him take a lot of free throws to take him out of his rhythm. He made a lot of contested jump shots and he made them, he had 44. I think that's what we'll live with if we can take away his teammates as well."

That line between "giving" James 40 and "letting him have" 40 is a thin one, but an important one. It's fine for James to posture and make it seem as if his production in Game 1 was his choice, but his track record as a versatile scorer, paint presence, and playmaker suggests otherwise. LeBron James didn't all of a sudden become Carmelo Anthony, high-volume chucker, overnight.

James also took umbrage with the idea they played him "one on one."

"Sometimes they didn't dig in the post," he said. "Sometimes they let me play one-on-one. Sometimes Bogut was over on the tilt and brought two defenders. They switched sometimes on pick-and-rolls. Sometimes they went under. So they were giving me everything. They're not just giving me one steady dosage of we're going to just let him play. No. That's what they want to get out to you guys, but that's not what's happening. Yeah, I see it all throughout the course of the game. They've given me different match-ups, just trying to keep me off balance."

It's true that there was typically help coming from the weakside when James would attempt to get past his initial defender, typically with them "shading" him baseline. The Warriors' help, however, wasn't coming early as it was so often vs. Chicago and Atlanta. James did acknowledge that the Warriors' weak-side defenders were staying closer to his perimeter weapons.

"I think one of the things is trying to stay at home on a lot of my shooters. They didn't give James Jones as much air space," James said.

So, wait, which was it? Because if they weren't playing him one-on-one, but they were staying home on shooters, how does that work? It's mostly about the angle and timing of the help, which was nearly flawless in Game 1 for the Warriors. An inefficient James night on high volume where J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have 15 combined points? That's a recipe the Warriors want to cook up every time. James, though, was insistent that it's nothing new and that he'll figure out how to better attack Golden State in Game 2.

"But I've seen it all, and I've got to do a better job as well getting my other guys involved. I'm okay with getting big numbers and things of that nature, but I feel much better when I'm able to get my guys in rhythm and get them guys some more looks."

He'd better, and they'd better knock them down. Without Kyrie Irving, these Finals are in danger of becoming the Warriors vs. LeBron James even more than they were in Game 1, and that's not a formula for a Cavaliers upset.

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors wary of letdown vs. Cavs without Irving

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Kyrie Irving is out, but the Golden State Warriors are not going to let the Cavaliers sneak up on them despite their second best player being out. At least, that was the message Saturday after Warriors practice before Sunday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

With Irving out, there's a letdown to be expected from Golden State. Much of the intensity that was so high before, during, and after has dissipitated since the extent of the injury was revealed Friday afternoon. That was apparent in the atmosphere from both teams and amongst the media. However, there's a trend that has gone on in the NBA of teams missing a key player, often even their best player, performing very well, as opponents can lack energy without the marquee matchup.

Warriors guard Andre Iguodala warned against that mentality Saturday.

"We had some games where we didn't play up to our level of talent because a guy was out," Iguodala said. "It snuck up and almost bit us a few times. You know, Steph saved us.

"We've been through it and we've experienced it, so hopefully experience will help us with that. But at the same time, like I said before, they're going to make some adjustments. They played well with Dellavedova in there in the Chicago and the Atlanta series, so he's going to find a rhythm because he's going to be in the game more."

Dellavedova stepped up in the series vs. Atlanta, hitting key shots, making bold defensive plays and helping get the ball moving. Steph Curry said that the news of Irving's injury hasn't changed the Warriors' approach.

"The mood in our locker room has been the same. It feels the same today as it did yesterday and before Game 1. We know that being in The Finals is a huge accomplishment, but we've got to leave it all out there to get four more wins, and it's going to be tough regardless of who is out there on Cleveland's roster. They're a great team, and that's why they're here.

"There is no pressure or added pressure, I don't think, because our goal stays the same. We're not really listening to any outside noise or predictions or who is favored to do what because we control what we control. When we go out there and play, we've got to play better than we did in Game 1. And that is really our only focus is to come out, win Game 2, and go from there."

Steve Kerr went a step further, saying that if there was any letdown in the Finals, there's something truly wrong with the Warriors.

"If we have a letdown in The Finals, there is something fundamentally flawed with us each individually and as a team. There is no way that can possibly happen, right? I mean, we're lucky to be up 10. We're one inch away from being down 10.

This is a team that got to The Finals beating the No. 1 seed the East without Kyrie for a couple games. The challenge is still enormous. There's still so much for us to cover and deal with. There's not any threat of anything like that."

In a series that feels like such a letdown for all involved in a postseason marred by disappointment over injuries, the Warriors only have to concern themselves with staying up and taking care of business. Their road to the title just became easier, but they still have to drive it.

[StarDust Bum]

Cavaliers, Warriors react to Kyrie Irving's injury before Game 2

OAKLAND -- There's not much that can be said about the fact that Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the Finals with a fractured kneecap, but the Cavaliers and Warriors said what you'd expect the day before Game of the NBA Finals. There was an air of disappointment for both teams, even if the Warriors were insistent that they could not allow themselves a letdown vs. the Cavs, and even if the Cavaliers maintained they would be "ready" as LeBron James said Saturday before practice.

"Obviously, we've been in this situation," James said referring to Irving's absence in the Eastern Conference Finals with knee tendinitis, "but we always knew at some point he'd come back. Knowing that he's out for the rest of The Finals and out for a period of a long time, first of all, it sucks for him personally. It's a huge blow for our team, especially at this stage."

"I understand that we was the underdog coming into the series, and with Kyrie being out people are writing us off. So, I mean, that's fine. That's fine. I'm motivated to get our guys ready to go tomorrow, and we will be ready."

Being ready means more Matthew Dellavedova who will get the start after playing less than ten minutes in Game 1 and being eaten alive by Steph Curry, as the Cavaliers were outscored by 10 points when the Australian sensation was on the floor.

David Blatt told reporters that Irving was not on a minutes restriction in Game 1, nor any other restriction in regards to his knee after suffering from tendinitis the past two rounds. Blatt said the fracture in Irving's left kneecap was a contact injury caused by knee-to-knee contact, and had no impact from his previous injury.

Both Stephen Curry and Draymond Green lamented the loss of Irving, stating how unfortunate it was while asserting how dangerous the Cavs remain.

"You know, you feel sorry for him, you never want to see anyone get hurt," Green said. "One thing people forget, they talk about the game and everything, but you have to live with that every day of his life. He has to deal with it every day this summer. So it's tough. They're still a great ballclub."

Beyond Dellavedova, there's also the expectation that James will have to carry more of the load with Irving out. Draymond Green doesn't know if it's possible.

"I didn't think he could do more than he did in Game 1," Green said. "It seemed like he had the ball every possession in Game 1. It'll be interesting to see how this game goes. I didn't think it was possible for him to do any more."

The Cavaliers still have to compete, still have to try and make what seems like the impossible happen. Irving's out, the Cavs are out-matched, and as Blatt said, it is what it is.

"The situation as it is is what it is," Blatt said, "and we are going to come out and play and play to win. Request no quarter and no sympathy. We've got to come out and play and play to win. That's it."