The Bum's Sports Page For Wednesday June 24th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (35-38) at Giants (38-34)
Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: June 24, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

Since the San Francisco Giants won their first of three World Series in five seasons in 2010, the San Diego Padres have won one of 13 series at AT&T Park.

A win by the Padres on Wednesday night isn't going to start any dynasty talk, but it will give them a starting point to overcome their Bay Area blues.

After Tuesday's 3-2 win in 11 innings, San Diego (35-38) has won 14 of 41 at AT&T since the start of 2011. Their sole series win came by taking two of three from June 23-25, 2014, and they can duplicate that a year to the day.

The Padres, hitting .224 over those last 41 at AT&T, were shut out until the eighth Tuesday and had 10 strikeouts while Madison Bumgarner sent down the first 14 batters.

"A lot of people did a lot of good things," said Will Venable, who hit the tying double off Bumgarner. "It wasn't happening for us offensively early in the game."

The Giants (38-24) lost for the 10th time in 11 home games after opening 16-9 at AT&T. They've scored 2.3 runs and hit .214 on the slide.

"We have to get better. There's no getting around it," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told MLB's official website. "As much as anything, pitching wasn't quite as tight, but we've got to find a way to score some runs. We're getting shut down too much at home."

Improvement will have to come without Nori Aoki, who was scratched Tuesday and later diagnosed with a right fibula fracture. Aoki, the club's leading hitter at .317, hasn't been in the lineup since being hit by a pitch on the ankle Saturday and will wear a cast for the next two weeks.

San Francisco's next starting pitcher has at least done his job at home.

Ryan Vogelsong has more often than not been a better - but more unfortunate - pitcher at home, though he earned the decision in Thursday's 7-0 win in Seattle after limiting the Mariners to three hits in 6 2-3 innings. Vogelsong (5-5, 4.38 ERA) is 4-9 with a 3.05 ERA in 21 home starts and 9-9 with a 5.04 mark in 23 on the road since the start of 2014.

Dating to 2012, he is 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA in five home starts against San Diego. Venable (10 for 26) and Yangervis Solarte (4 for 7) have hit him well, while Will Middlebrooks (1 for 8), Clint Barmes (2 for 13) and Yonder Alonso (2 for 11) have not.

Vogelsong is up against another veteran trying to revamp his season.

Ian Kennedy was 2-5 with a 7.15 ERA over his first eight starts but is 2-0 with a 2.63 mark in four since. After allowing a run and four hits in six innings of Thursday's 3-1 win in Oakland, Kennedy (4-5, 5.43 ERA) has only been scored on with two solo home runs over 13 innings in his last two outings.

The start to the season, which was interrupted by a hamstring injury, did include some success against San Francisco with one run allowed in 9 1-3 innings of two starts. The right-hander was hurt in his first start in San Diego against the Giants but held them to a run and six hits in seven innings of a 9-1 victory at AT&T Park on May 6.

In his career in San Francisco, he's 5-3 with a 2.49 ERA in 12 starts.

Buster Posey (15 for 37) and Brandon Belt (10 for 28 with two home runs) have hit him well, but Joe Panik (1 for 13), Angel Pagan (6 for 33) and Gregor Blanco (5 for 27) haven't.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Giants
Tue, Jun 23 Final 3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Giants
Wed, Jun 24 - 10:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Giants
Thu, Jun 25 - 3:45PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Cole for 12; Hamilton takes swings; Nova back

June 23, 2015

A look at what's happening all around the major leagues today:

AN EVEN DOZEN

Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole goes for the 12th win of the season on Wednesday night when the Pirates host Cincinnati. Cole (11-3, 1.78 ERA) is 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA in June and has won six straight starts, including 3-2 over the Chicago White Sox last week. The 24-year-old Cole will try to become the first Pittsburgh pitcher since Ken Brett in 1974 to reach 12 wins before the All-Star break.

COME SALE AWAY

Left-hander Chris Sale will take the mound for the sputtering Chicago White Sox in the series finale at Minnesota, with the chance to set a major league record. Sale has struck out at least 12 batters in each of his last five starts, matching Pedro Martinez (Boston, 1999) and Randy Johnson (Seattle, 1998). No pitcher has ever done so in six straight appearances.

HAMILTON SWINGING

Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton is set to start a rehab assignment, as the designated hitter for Double-A Frisco before joining Triple-A Round Rock in New Orleans on Thursday. He hasn't played since he strained his left hamstring on his game-ending two-run double in a 4-3 win over Boston on May 31, which wrapped up his first week back with Texas.

SPOT START

Right-hander Buck Farmer has been called up from Triple-A Toledo to make a spot start for Tigers ace Justin Verlander, who was scratched from the outing on Tuesday because of back stiffness. Verlander had made two starts in his return from a right triceps injury and was 0-1 with a 6.17 ERA this season. Farmer made one start for the Tigers this year, allowing seven runs and nine hits in five innings.

LONG WAIT, BRIEF ABSENCE

Ivan Nova returns to the mound nearly 14 months after Tommy John surgery, providing a potential boost to the New York Yankees' rotation. The right-hander is 40-22 with a 4.20 ERA in five major league seasons. He made three rehab starts in the minors. Nova will face Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who missed his previous turn Friday with a strained right hamstring.

WELCOME HOME

Mike Bolsinger makes his first start of his career against the Cubs, in Chicago, where he was born. The right-hander is winless in four outings away from Dodger Stadium but is 4-2 overall in nine starts.

KENNEDY RISING

Arizona's Ian Kennedy (4-5) is 2-0 over his last four starts following a four-game skid. He's lowered his ERA from 7.15 with a 2.63 ERA during his winning streak. He's faced the Giants twice this season, allowing one run over 9 1/3 innings.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, June 24


National League
Reds @ Pirates
Leake is 2-0, 2.77 in his last four starts; five of his last seven went over.

Cole is 6-0, 1.91 in his last eight starts; under is 8-0-1 in his last nine.

Reds won seven of last nine games with Pittsburgh; they've won four of last six games overall- seven of their last nine stayed under. Pirates won nine of last 12 games (1-3 in last four); eight of their last 11 games stayed under.

Braves @ Nationals
Miller is 0-1, 4.63 in his last four starts; four of his last five went over.

Zimmerman is 0-3, 7.63 in his last three starts; four of his last six went under.

Braves lost last six games with Washington; six of last seven series games went over total. Atlanta won four of last six games overall (under 4-1-1). Nationals scored 22 runs in winning their last four games.

Cardinals @ Marlins
Garcia is 1-2, 0.96 in his last four starts; eight of his last nine stayed under. St Louis scored 12 runs total in his last seven starts.

Latos is 1-0, 2.84 in his last two starts; three of his last four went over.

Cardinals lost four of last six games with Miami; they're 8-3 in last 11 games overall, with three of last four going over total. Marlins lost five of last games, with nine of last 11 staying under- they're 9-3 in last twelve home games.

Dodgers @ Cubs
Bolsinger is 0-1, 4.60 in his last three road starts; three of his last four starts overall went over.

Hendricks is 1-2, 6.43 in his last four starts; four of his last six stayed under.

Dodgers lost seven of last nine games; under is 6-3-1 in their last ten- they lost three of last four against the Cubs. Over is 6-2-1 in last nine series games. Cubs are 7-3 in last nine games (under 7-2-1).

Mets @ Brewers
Colon is 1-3, 6.38 in his last four road starts; three of his last four overall stayed under the total.

Nelson is 1-3, 7.29 in his last four starts; three of his last four home starts went over the total.

Mets lost their last six games and 17 of last 20 road games (under 7-1 in last eight), but won three of last five games against the Brewers- under is 5-1-1 in last seven. Milwaukee lost eight of last ten games; five of its last eight games went over.

Diamondbacks @ Rockies
Webster is 1-1, 6.55 in his two starts (under 2-0).

Hale is 1-2, 6.00 in his last four starts, three of which went over.

Arizona won four of its last five games with Colorado; nine of last 11 series games went over total. D'backs won seven of last 11 games, seven of which stayed under. Rockies won last three games after losing seven of previous eight- seven of their last eight games went over.

Padres @ Giants
Kennedy is 2-0, 2.63 in his last four starts; seven of his last ten went over.

Vogelsong is 1-3, 5.09 in his last four starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five.

San Diego won five of last seven games against the Giants; five of last seven series games played here stayed under total. Padres are 3-5 since changing managers; five of their last eight games went over. Giants are 4-3 in last seven games, but lost nine of their last ten at home. Under is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games overall.

American League
Tigers @ Indians
Farmer allowed seven runs in five IP (84 PT) in his only '15 start.

Carrasco is 1-2, 6.06 in his last three starts; seven of his last ten went over.

Detroit won ten of last 12 against the Indians (over 10-2); Tigers won last three games, scoring 27 runs-- their last eight road games went over total. Cleveland is 2-5 in its last seven games, scoring 15 runs in the seven games.

Orioles @ Red Sox
Norris is 1-1, 3.78 in his last three starts; over is 7-2-1 in his last ten.

Buchholz is 2-0, 3.51 in his last four starts; under is 4-1-2 in his last seven.

Baltimore won eight of last ten games with Boston, winning last six; five of last seven series games went over. Orioles won six of last eight games; five of their last seven went over. Red Sox are 4-3 in last seven games (over 5-1-1).

Blue Jays @ Rays
Estrada is 4-0, 4.32 in his last four starts, all of which went over; Jays scored 36 runs in those four games.

Karns is 1-1, 3.54 in his last five starts; five of his last seven stayed under.

Blue Jays lost eight of last ten games with Tampa Bay; six of last nine series games stayed under. Toronto is 4-5 in last nine games after winning 11 in a row; six of their last nine stayed under. Tampa Bay won nine of last 12 games; five of last seven stayed under.

A's @ Rangers
Graveman is 2-2, 2.27 in his last six starts; three of his last four stayed under.

Rodriguez is 2-0, 2.37 in his last three starts; five of his last six stayed under.

Oakland is 7-4 in its last 11 games with Texas; over is 6-2-1 in last nine. A's are 7-2 in their last nine games- three of their last five stayed under. Rangers lost four of last five games, scoring 12 runs; seven of their last nine games stayed under.

White Sox @ Twins
Sale is 3-1, 0.72 in his last five starts; seven of his last eight stayed under.

Hughes is 1-2, 4.15 in his last four starts; fur of his last six home starts went over the total.

Chicago lost seven of last nine games with Minnesota; under is 4-3-1 in last eight series games. White Sox lost nine of last twelve games; they've scored 19 runs in last nine games- under is 6-1-1 in their last eight. Twins won four of their last seven games; under is 6-2-2 in their last ten.

Astros @ Angels
McCullers is 1-2, 5.19 in his three road starts; under is 4-2-1 in all his starts.

Shoemaker is 0-1, 8.38 in his last two starts; his last three went over.

Angels won three of last five games with Houston; under is 8-2-1 in last 11 series games. Astros lost three of last five games; over is 10-2-1 in their last 13 games. Halos lost three of their last four games; six of their last eight stayed under the total.

Royals @ Mariners
Duffy is making first starts since May 16; he was 0-3, 13.03 in his last three starts before going on DL. Three of his last four starts went over.

Elias is 1-2, 3.04 in his last four home starts; under is 8-1-1 in his last 10 starts overall.

Royals lost eight of last 11 games with Seattle; under is 8-2-1 in those eleven games. KC won six of its last nine games (over 6-3). Mariners are 3-2 in their last five games.

Interleague
Phillies @ Bronx
Hamels is 0-2, 2.89 in his last four starts; under is 6-3-1 in his last ten.

Nova is making first '15 start; he is 40-22, 4.42 in 86 career starts- his last start was 14 months ago.

Phillies won last four games with Bronx; seven of last nine series games went over the total. Phils won last three games, scoring 31 runs; seven of their last eight went over. Bronx lost last three games; seven of last eight went over- they allowed 34 runs in their last three games.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
Cin-Pitt-- Leake 5-9; Cole 11-3
Atl-Wsh-- Miller 9-5; Zimmerman 7-7
StL-Mia-- Garcia 2-4; Latos 4-7
LA-Chi-- Bolsinger 5-4; Hendricks 7-6
NY-Mil-- Colon 9-5; Nelson 4-10
Az-Colo-- Webster 1-1; Hale 2-3
SD-SF-- Kennedy 6-6; Vogelsong 7-5

Det-Clev-- Farmer 0-1; Carrasco 8-6
Balt-Bos-- Norris 4-5; Buchholz 5-9
Tor-TB-- Estrada 4-5; Karns 7-7
A's-Tex-- Graveman 5-5; Rodriguez 8-3
Chi-Min-- Sale 8-5; Hughes 6-8
Hst-LAA-- McCullers 4-3; Shoemaker 7-6
KC-Sea-- Duffy 4-4; Elias 4-7

Phil-NY-- Hamels 7-7; Nova 0-0

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
Cin-Pitt-- Leake 3-14; Cole 6-14
Atl-Wsh-- Miller 1-14; Zimmerman 6-14
StL-Mia-- Garcia 2-6; Latos 4-11
LA-Chi-- Bolsinger 3-9; Hendricks 2-13
NY-Mil-- Colon 3-14; Nelson 8-14
Az-Colo-- Webster 0-2; Hale 3-5
SD-SF-- Kennedy 5-12; Vogelsong 2-12

Det-Clev-- Farmer 1-1; Carrasco 7-14
Balt-Bos-- Norris 2-9; Buchholz 4-14
Tor-TB-- Estrada 2-9; Karns 5-14
A's-Tex-- Graveman 4-10; Rodriguez 5-11
Chi-Min-- Sale 5-13; Hughes 3-14
Hst-LAA-- McCullers 1-7; Shoemaker 4-13
KC-Sea-- Duffy 3-8; Elias 5-11

Phil-NY-- Hamels 4-14; Nova 0-0

Umpires
Cin-Pitt-- Underdogs are 10-3 this year in TBarrett games.
Atl-Wsh-- Six of last seven Hickox games went over.
StL-Mia-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight HGibson games.
LA-Chi-- Over is 5-2-2 in last nine Meals games.
NY-Mil-- Five of last seven Kulpa games went over.
Az-Colo-- Three of last four Blaser games stayed under.
SD-SF-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Reynolds games.

Det-Clev-- Home side won five of last six Barksdale games.
Balt-Bos-- Seven of last nine Tichenor games stayed under.
Tor-TB-- May's first three games this year: 4-1/7-3/1-0.
A's-Tex-- Under is 8-4 in last dozen Iassogna games.
Chi-Min-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Eddings games.
Hst-LAA-- Under is 7-4 in last eleven Hirschbeck games.
KC-Sea-- Home side won last nine Segal games.

Phil-NY-- Under is 4-2-2 in last eight O'Nora games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, June 24

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Trend Report
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12:10 PM
TORONTO vs. TAMPA BAY
Toronto is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

12:10 PM
DETROIT vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit

1:05 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Philadelphia's last 12 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of NY Yankees's last 12 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 5 games

1:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. MINNESOTA
Chi White Sox are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Chi White Sox are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games
Minnesota is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox

3:35 PM
HOUSTON vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games on the road
LA Angels are 11-4 SU in their last 15 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Angels's last 8 games when playing at home against Houston

7:05 PM
ATLANTA vs. WASHINGTON
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing Washington
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Atlanta

7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. PITTSBURGH
Cincinnati is 3-14 SU in its last 17 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing Cincinnati
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games
Baltimore is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games
Boston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Baltimore
Boston is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Baltimore

7:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. MIAMI
St. Louis is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
St. Louis is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Miami
Miami is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Miami's last 12 games at home

8:05 PM
LA DODGERS vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
LA Dodgers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 6-13 SU in their last 19 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 7 games when playing LA Dodgers

8:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. TEXAS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oakland's last 6 games when playing on the road against Texas
Oakland is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
Texas is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas's last 6 games when playing at home against Oakland

8:10 PM
NY METS vs. MILWAUKEE
NY Mets are 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of NY Mets's last 16 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 10 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing at home against NY Mets

8:40 PM
ARIZONA vs. COLORADO
Arizona is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Arizona's last 9 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Colorado's last 7 games when playing Arizona

10:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas City's last 9 games
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Seattle's last 12 games at home

10:15 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
San Diego is 2-6-1 SU in its last 9 games ,
San Diego is 1-4-1 SU in its last 6 games ,when playing on the road against San Francisco
San Francisco is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games ,when playing San Diego
San Francisco is 1-9-1 SU in its last 11 games ,at home

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, June 24


Pitcher change - Tigers' Justin Verlander scratched

Cleveland vs. Detroit on June 24 at 12:10 PM. New Starter: Buck Farmer.


Giants lose Aoki for six weeks with broken leg

SAN FRANCISCO -- Left fielder Nori Aoki was all set to start Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres despite some pain in his lower right leg.

He convinced San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy to allow him to return to the top of the lineup after he was held out of the club's previous game.

Then came the bad news: X-rays taken during the day revealed a fractured leg, prompting Aoki's removal from the lineup and, on Wednesday, his placement on the disabled list.

The Giants expect Aoki to miss at least six weeks.


Mets' d'Arnaud goes back on DL

MILWAUKEE -- A frustrating season took yet another unfortunate turn for New York Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who landed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday due to a hyperextended left elbow.

After missing nearly two months because of a fractured finger, d'Arnaud was playing his seventh game since returning when he tried to make the tag on Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski on Saturday in Atlanta.

D'Arnaud sat out the series finale Sunday and traveled with the Mets to Milwaukee, where he underwent an MRI exam Monday afternoon.


Utley lands on DL due to slow-healing ankle

NEW YORK -- Chase Utley arrived in spring training with limited availability due to a minor right ankle injury that occurred while he was taking ground balls on his own in January.

The Philadelphia Phillies second baseman made the Opening Day roster, and he played in 65 of the team's first 73 games. Until Tuesday, the team did not know that the ankle was inflamed for the past month.

Finally, the Phillies found out, and following their 11-6 win over the New York Yankees on Tuesday, they announced that Utley was being placed on the 15-day disabled list due to right ankle inflammation.



MLB roundup: Archer pitches Rays past Jays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Chris Archer held the Toronto Blue Jays to three hits in eight innings as the Tampa Bay Rays pulled out a 4-3 win Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

The Rays bounced back from their first back-to-back losses since May, with Archer (9-4) striking out seven and taming a torrid lineup that was averaging a major-league-best 5.57 runs per game.

In three starts against Toronto this season, Archer is 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA, allowing only one earned run and seven hits in 22 innings while striking out 25 and walking four. On Tuesday, he gave up two runs (one earned) while issuing one walk and fanning seven.

Archer leads the American League in strikeouts (123) and ranks second in wins and ERA (2.10).

Cardinals 4, Marlins 3

MIAMI -- Mark Reynolds' seventh-inning line drive off the pitcher's leg drove in the winning run as St. Louis defeated Miami.

With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh, the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs on a single and two hit-by-pitches by reliever Sam Dyson (3-3). Reynolds then got smacked a ball off Dyson's leg for a run-scoring infield single.

Carlos Martinez (8-3) pitched seven innings of three-run ball, and Trevor Rosenthal pitched a scoreless ninth for his 22nd save.

Orioles 6, Red Sox 4

BOSTON -- Baltimore continued its torrid June run with a victory over Boston. The Orioles' third win in a row was their 14th in 18 games -- after they lost the first three games of the month.

David Lough, playing center field for Baltimore with Adam Jones injured, ripped a three-run homer off Joe Kelly (2-5) in the second inning, while Chris Parmelee added a triple and a double.

Ubaldo Jimenez, who came in with a 1-3 record and an 8.42 ERA lifetime against the Red Sox, toiled through five innings (three runs, eight strikeouts) and earned his third consecutive win.

Tigers 7, Indians 3

CLEVELAND -- Yoenis Cespedes and Nick Castellanos had the big hits in a six-run fifth inning, and David Price continued his domination of Cleveland in Detroit's victory.

Price (7-2) pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on nine hits with seven strikeouts and no walks

The Tigers blew open a 1-1 game with a six-run fifth inning, all of the runs coming against right-hander Danny Salazar (6-3). Cespedes and Castellanos both belted two-run doubles in the rally.

Pirates 7, Reds 6

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh capitalized on a seven-run fourth inning to pick up all the offense necessary to beat Cincinnati.

The decisive rally featured an RBI double from Pedro Alvarez, a three-run homer from Francisco Cervelli and a two-run home run by Andrew McCutchen.

The Reds, who outhit the Pirates 14-7, got a solo homer from Jay Bruce.

White Sox 6, Twins 2

MINNEAPOLIS -- Late-inning offense carried Chicago past Minnesota. Trailing 2-1 through the fifth inning, the White Sox scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings before adding a pair of insurance runs in the ninth.

Jose Abreu had a career-high four hits and scored two runs. Adam Eaton had three hits and an RBI, and Geovany Soto added a pair of RBI singles.

Jeff Samardzija (5-4) pitched seven solid innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out seven. Jake Petricka retired the last five Minnesota batters in order for his second save.

Brewers 3, Mets 2

MILWAUKEE -- Carlos Gomez scored the go-ahead run on a seventh-inning error as Milwaukee beat New York.

Gomez came all the way around from first when Adam Lind's double rolled between left fielder Michael Cuddyer's legs. Jean Segura wiped out a one-run deficit an inning before with a sacrifice fly to center.

Lind finished two of Milwaukee's nine hits. The Mets managed just four hits of four Brewers pitchers.

A's 8, Rangers 6

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oakland rebounded from a three-run deficit to down Texas.

The A's continued their recent upturn against their American League West rivals by racking up 11 hits, including home runs from Josh Phegley and Ben Zobrist. Oakland earned its third win in a row and seventh in nine games.

The Rangers dropped their third straight, their first three-game skid since mid-May, and fell to 4-7 against Oakland this season.

Nationals 3, Braves 1

WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg threw five scoreless innings in his return to the rotation, and Anthony Rendon had four singles in four at-bats as Washington beat Atlanta.

Strasburg (4-5) kept the momentum going for the Washington starters, who allowed just one run in the past four games covering 28 1/3 innings. The right-hander, back from a neck ailment, posted his first win since May 17.

The Washington offense also was aided by Denard Span and Michael A. Taylor, who each had two hits and a run. Wilson Ramos added three hits.

Phillies 11, Yankees 6

NEW YORK -- Rookie Maikel Franco capped a five-RBI night with a go-ahead, two-run double in the ninth inning, lifting Philadelphia past New York.

The Phillies capped their second five-run inning of the night with

Andres Blanco's bases-clearing triple.

Franco capped a five-run fourth off left-hander CC Sabathia with an opposite field, three-run home run down the right field line. In the first two games of the three-game series, he has three homers and 10 RBIs.

Rockies 10, Diamondbacks 5

DENVER -- Nolan Arenado homered twice as Colorado belted a season-high five home runs and came from behind to beat Arizona.

The two homers gave Arenado a career-high 19, one more than he hit last season. He matched his season high with four RBIs.

Wilin Rosario, DJ LeMahieu and Brandon Barnes hit solo homers for the Rockies, whose previous high this season was four homers May 3 at San Diego.

Mariners 6, Royals 0

SEATTLE -- Dustin Ackley had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Mike Montgomery overcame some early struggles to pitch his first career shutout as Seattle beat Kansas.

Ackley's fifth-inning homer gave Seattle a 6-0 lead, and by that time, Montgomery had found his groove.

The 25-year-old former Royals farmhand, who was making his fifth career start, allowed just four hits during his first complete game. Montgomery (2-2) gave up three hits in the first two innings but didn't allow another baserunner until Salvador Perez reached on an error with two outs in the seventh.

Cubs 1, Dodgers 0 (10 innings)

CHICAGO -- Chris Denorfia's 10th-inning sacrifice fly to center drove in Matt Szczur with the winning run as Chicago edged Los Angeles.

Batting with the bases loaded and one out and the Dodgers using two outfielders playing shallow and five infielders, Denorfia sent a long fly to center that allowed Szczur to bolt home from third.

The Cubs claimed their fourth consecutive win and their major-league-leading ninth walk-off win of the season. Jason Motte (5-1) pitched one inning of relief for the victory.

Padres 3, Giants 2 (11 innings)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Alexi Amarista's single off the glove of San Francisco reliever Hunter Strickland scored the tiebreaking run in the 11th inning and gave San Diego the win.

The Padres rallied from a late 2-0 deficit against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner, who recorded a career-best 14 strikeouts. They scored twice in the eighth inning to tie the game.

Brandon Maurer (5-0), the fifth Padres pitcher, got the win after holding the Giants hitless in the ninth and 10th innings. Closer Craig Kimbrel pitched around a one-out walk in the 11th for his 18th save.

Astros 13, Angels 3

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Carlos Correa finished a triple shy of the cycle, and Luis Valbuena hit two home runs, leading Houston past Los Angeles.

Correa had a single, a double and a three-run home run by the fourth inning, but he failed to complete the cycle in his final three at-bats.

Valbuena hit a solo homer in the fourth inning and a two-run shot in the fifth, raising his team-leading total to 19 and increasing the Astros' major-league-leading total to 107. Valbuena wound up 3-for-5 with three runs.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Wednesday, June 24


Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh

Game 951-952
June 24, 2015 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati
(Leake) 13.424
Pittsburgh
(Cole) 17.385
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 4
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-195
6 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-195); Over

Atlanta @ Washington

Game 953-954
June 24, 2015 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
(Miller) 14.424
Washington
(Zimmrmnn) 16.008
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-160
7
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-160); Over

St. Louis @ Miami

Game 955-956
June 24, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
(Garcia) 14.395
Miami
(Latos) 15.877
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis
-125
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+105); Under

LA Dodgers @ Chicago Cubs

Game 957-958
June 24, 2015 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(Bolsinger) 14.257
Chicago Cubs
(Hendricks) 15.761
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago Cubs
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-120
No Run Total
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago Cubs
(+100); N/A

NY Mets @ Milwaukee

Game 959-960
June 24, 2015 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Mets
(Colon) 12.398
Milwaukee
(Nelson) 15.900
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 3 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
-120
8
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-120); Over

Arizona @ Colorado

Game 961-962
June 24, 2015 @ 8:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
(Webster) 13.658
Colorado
(Hale) 15.175
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 1 1/2
12
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Colorado
-130
11
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado
(-130); Over

San Diego @ San Francisco

Game 963-964
June 24, 2015 @ 10:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego
(Kennedy) 15.658
San Francisco
(Vogelsong) 13.257
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego
by 2 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
-130
7
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego
(+110); Under

Detroit @ Cleveland

Game 965-966
June 24, 2015 @ 12:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
(Farmer) 16.639
Cleveland
(Carrasco) 15.590
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
-145
8
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+125); Under

Toronto @ Tampa Bay

Game 967-968
June 24, 2015 @ 12:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
(Estrada) 13.539
Tampa Bay
(Karns) 18.697
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 5
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-125
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(-125); Under

Chicago White Sox @ Minnesota

Game 969-970
June 24, 2015 @ 1:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago White Sox
(Sale) 16.790
Minnesota
(Hughes) 15.411
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago White Sox
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago White Sox
-140
7
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago White Sox
(-140); Under

Houston @ LA Angels

Game 971-972
June 24, 2015 @ 3:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
(McCullers) 17.072
LA Angels
(Shoemaker) 15.641
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Angels
-125
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(+105); Over

Baltimore @ Boston

Game 973-974
June 24, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore
(Norris) 15.697
Boston
(Buchholz) 14.510
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baltimore
by 1
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-145
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Baltimore
(+125); Over

Oakland @ Texas

Game 975-976
June 24, 2015 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
(Graveman) 17.644
Texas
(Rodriguez) 12.511
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oakland
by 5
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas
-125
9
Dunkel Pick:
Oakland
(+105); Under

Kansas City @ Seattle

Game 977-978
June 24, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kansas City
(Duffy) 16.142
Seattle
(Elias) 14.623
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas City
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
-115
7
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas City
(-105); Under

Philadelphia @ NY Yankees

Game 979-980
June 24, 2015 @ 1:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
(Hamels) 13.829
NY Yankees
(Nova) 15.150
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Yankees
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-140
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Yankees
(-140); Over

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, June 24


Yankees' slugfests has the over hot

The New York Yankees keep getting involved in slugfests and the result has been the Bronx Bombers going over in six consecutive games.

After the Yankees 11-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday night, there is an average of 15.17 total runs being scored per game over the past six games and have allowed at least 11 runs in their lat three games.

The Yankees themselves are scoring 8.00 runs per game during that span.

New York will try to avoid a sweep at the hands of the lowly Philadelphia Phillies with a Wednesday afternoon matinee. Cole Hamels gets the call for the Phillies, while the Yanks counter with Ivan Nova. The total is currently at 7.5.


Day's biggest dog remains a profitable venture

The biggest underdog on the Major League Baseball board has now won five consecutive ball games heading into Wednesday's schedule.

The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the New York Yankees 11-6 as a huge +249 moneyline dog to keep the streak alive and line bettors' pockets.

The current streak began with the Texas Rangers defeating the Chicago White Sox 2-1 as +179 moneyline underdogs back on Friday June 19. That was followed by Saturday's biggest dog, the Tampa Bay Rays (+162), beating the Cleveland Indians 4-1. The streak improved to three as the Phillies (+170) trumped the St. Louis Cardinals 9-2 on Sunday.

As of early Wednesday morning, the Cincinnati Reds were Wednesday's biggest dog at +172 against Gerrit Cole and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 19, 2015 Score ATS Results
CHI 73 Under: 147
ATL « 74 Cover: 4.5
Tools: Recaps

Aug 26, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 81 Cover: 5
ATL 80 Over: 161
Tools: Recaps

Aug 24, 2014 Score ATS Results
ATL « 92 Cover: 12
CHI 83 Over: 175
Tools: Recaps

Aug 22, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 80 Cover: 6.5
ATL 77 Over: 157
Tools: Recaps

Aug 10, 2014 Score ATS Results
ATL 69 Under: 149
CHI « 80 Cover: 5
Tools: Recaps

Jul 25, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 79 Cover: 13
ATL 75 Under: 154
Tools: Recaps

Jul 13, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI 79 Cover: 5
ATL « 81 Over: 160
Tools: Recaps

Jun 7, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI 59 Under: 156
ATL « 97 Cover: 32
Tools: Recaps

May 24, 2014 Score ATS Results
ATL 73 Over: 160
CHI « 87 Cover: 12
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, June 24


Atlanta @ Chicago

Game 601-602
June 24, 2015 @ 12:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
103.041
Chicago
117.420
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 14 1/2
149
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 8
156 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-8); Under




WNBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, June 24

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

LOS ANGELES (0 - 4) at WASHINGTON (4 - 2) - 6/23/2015, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 15-25 ATS (-12.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in June games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 18-31 ATS (-16.1 Units) in May, June, or July games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 262-320 ATS (-90.0 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 84-112 ATS (-39.2 Units) in home games in May, June, or July games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 49-71 ATS (-29.1 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-1 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 2-2 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




WNBA

Wednesday, June 24

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

12:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. CHICAGO
Atlanta is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Chicago is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

-- John Farrell got thrown out in 7th inning last night; Boston's frustration level keeps going up, as losses mount. They sent Rusney Castillo back to AAA.

-- Boston RFs are hitting .203 this season, with two home runs. No bueno.

-- Why would the Padres bat Melvin (BJ) Upton leadoff? He's hitting .154. He'll help their defense in centerfield, but he's an 8th-place hitter.

-- Giants are 9-3 against the Dodgers this season but they've lost nine of their last ten home games overall- they blew a 2-0 lead in 8th inning in last night's loss. .

-- Mets put Travis d'Arnaud on the DL, as their once-promising season gets worse.

-- Tampa Bay's TV announcers claim the Rays have the best up-the-middle defense in baseball; who can argue? The Rays are in first place.

**********

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Random mid-week thoughts.......

13) Mikael Franco turned into Ty Cobb this week, going 6-8 with five runs scored and ten RBI in two games in the Bronx. Franco is hitting .319 and is one of the few bright spots in a dismal Philly season.

12) NHL overtimes will be 3-on-3 instead of 4-on-4 next season, as the league tries to reduce the number of games decided in a shootout- there were 170 of them last year.

My hockey friends out there-- let me know what you think of this!!!

11) NHL salary cap will be $71.4M next year; it was $69M this year.

10) Former NBA player Shareef Adbur-Rahim, who now works on CBS Sports Network, said he would take Jahlil Okafor over D'Angelo Russell in the NBA Draft, because Okafor is the more unique talent- he says teams are more likely to find a guy like Russell in future drafts than a bigger player like Okafor. .

9) Minor league baseball is big business; they had 5,858 fans in Peoria last night, for a Midwest League game. School is out; minor leagues are cheap entertainment. In a lot of small towns, minor league baseball is very profitable.

8) Here is one of my all-time favorite movie clips; Steve Martin in Roxanne, at his comic greatest.........

7) You know those Life Alert commercials, where the old lady falls and presses a button so the paramedics can come and help her? Serious question; how do they get in the woman's house if she can't get up?

6) Virginia beat Vanderbilt 3-0, forced a decisive Game 3 tonight- winner-take-all for the College World Series championship.

5) A's manager Bob Melvin was happy the Warriors won the NBA title; he grew up a Golden State fan-- his godfather is Dick D'Oliva, who used to be Warriors' trainer.

4) Sal Alosi is the UCLA strength coach Sean Combs got in a scuffle with earlier this week; he used to work for the Jets, where he made headlines by tripping a Dolphins player who was running downfield to cover a punt. Strange but true.

3) Australian scientists have determined that most kangaroos are left-handed. Just thought you'd like to know.

2) Watching ESPN's Fab Five video the other night, it dawned on me that Jim Nantz has been calling the Final Four for almost 25 years. Time flies, man.

1) Former Purdue QB Denny Etling transferred to LSU, where he can play for two years starting in 2016. Purdue didn't have a lot of talent; he'll have a lot more fun in Baton Rouge, where they have a lot of speedy kids at the skill positions.

[StarDust Bum]

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities

Schedule spot

With the Pan Am Games taking place in Toronto this July, the CFL’s Argonauts and MLB’s Blue Jays will be bumped from their home inside the Rogers Centre. The Jays play 16 of their 25 July games away from home and the Argos open the 2015 campaign with five straight away from Toronto, including what is unofficially a home game in the books this coming week.

Toronto opens the schedule versus the Edmonton Eskimos in Fort McMurray, Alberta – an oil boom town in northern Canada, which is only about four hours from Edmonton. Needless to say, the “home” team won’t have many friendly fans in the stands at SMS Equipment Stadium Saturday night. Books have pegged the Argos as 4.5-point “home” underdogs.

Lookahead spot

Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer has the baseball world eagerly awaiting his next start. The right hander has put together one of the most impressive stints on the mound in recent years, allowing a single hit in his last 18 innings of work including a near-perfect game in his last trip to the mound versus the Pirates last Saturday. Scherzer has struck out 26 batters and walked just one in that span.

While it hasn’t been officially announced, as of Tuesday afternoon, Scherzer is expected to make his next start against the Philadelphia Phillies this Friday. That puts Washington in a tough spot in its series finale with the Braves Thursday, anxious awaiting to see how Scherzer performs the following day. The media circus will be insane as we get closer to that start, so the Nats could get caught looking past Atlanta this week.

Letdown spot

One of the biggest NFL offseason splashes was the Philadelphia Eagles’ signing of free agent running back DeMarco Murray, who led the league in rushing as a member of the rival Dallas Cowboys last season. The Cowboys didn’t show Murray the money he wanted and the Oklahoma product bolted Big D, putting a big circle around their Week 2 matchup on the calendar.

The Cowboys will no doubt be out to prove that Murray’s 2014 production was more to do with their stellar offensive line, and that heated NFC East rivalry game in Philadelphia sets Dallas up for a massive letdown the following week. The Cowboys host Atlanta in Week 3 and, win or lose against the Eagles, that intensity will be tough to match versus the Falcons as early 5.5-point favorites.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL season betting preview: How to bet the West Division

The 2015 Canadian Football Season kicks off this week. In the West, the Calgary Stampeders are favored to repeat as Grey Cup champions, with Alberta rivals Edmonton not far behind.

West Division

B.C. Lions (2014: 9-9 SU, 8-9-1 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +625

Why bet the Lions: Quarterback Travis Lulay was the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2011, but he's struggled through shoulder injuries in recent years. If Lulay can stay healthy, he's almost certain to put up big numbers for the Lions. He gave Lions fans plenty of reason for optimism throwing for 121 yards and a touchdown on 8-of-13 passing in two quarters in the Lions 18-13 loss to Edmonton on June 19.

Why not to bet the Lions: A healthy Travis Lulay is far from a guarantee, and the offense will suffer if he has any setbacks in his return from injury. The Lions will also have a rookie head coach in Jeff Tedford, who was a coordinator for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. History tells us that the transition from the NFL to the CFL is not an easy one.

Grey Cup Outlook: If everything goes right for the Lions, they certainly have the talent to get back to the Grey Cup.

Calgary Stampeders (2014: 15-3 SU, 12-5-1 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$375

Why bet the Stampeders: Last year's champs might have the best quarterback in the league in Bo Levi Mitchell, and the 25 year old is likely only going to get better with more experience. Jon Cornish was the league's leading rusher last year, despite only playing half the season. That's right, he ran for 1,082 yards in just nine games.

Why not to bet the Stampeders: They lost a pair of offensive linemen, with Stanley Bryant signing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Brett Jones making the move to the NFL. They also lost a couple of key players on a defense than was only mediocre last year. Calgary should face stiffer competition from the likes of B.C., Saskatchewan and Edmonton, which have all improved.

Grey Cup Outlook: Calgary is a well-deserved favorite, but keep in mind that only one team has won consecutive championships over the last 17 seasons.

Edmonton Eskimos (2014: 12-6 SU, 12-6 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$495

Why bet the Eskimos: They say that defense wins championships, and the Eskimos defense ranked first in the CFL in both yards allowed and points allowed in 2014. Much of the credit goes to head coach Chris Jones, and he's expected to take the team to the next level here in 2015. With Mike Reilly at quarterback, the offense has plenty of potential.

Why not to bet the Eskimos: The road to the Grey Cup goes through Calgary and Edmonton lost all three regular season meetings versus its provincial rivals last year, and then it was shellacked by a score of 43-18 at Calgary in the playoffs.

Grey Cup Outlook: Not good. Defense may win championships in the NFL, but in the CFL you need a stud at QB, and Bo Levi Mitchell is still better than Mike Reilly.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (2014: 10-8 SU, 7-11 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$560

Why to bet the Riders: Saskatchewan lost quarterback Darian Durant to an injury last year, and went on to lose six of its final eight games without him. Durant is back at 100 percent heading into the 2015 season and the Riders have also added an insurance policy with the addition of backup Kevin Glenn.

Why Not to bet the Riders: With the departure of star offensive lineman Ben Heenan to the NFL, protecting the QB might be a bit of an issue. Glenn is certainly a great backup QB, but there's a reason why he's not the starter.

Grey Cup Outlook: Good. The Riders have what it takes to be considered a serious contender, but they are just one of several strong teams in the West Division.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2014: 7-11 SU, 8-8-2 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$1,175

Why bet the Blue Bombers: Winnipeg showed some promise last year, winning five of its first six games. While the Bombers suffered a second-half collapse and missed the playoffs, this is still a team that is trending in the right direction. Head coach Mike O'Shea will enter his second season with Drew Willy vying to become the quarterback of the future.

Why not to bet the Blue Bombers: Winnipeg allowed a whopping 71 quarterback sacks last season - an area that desperately needs improvement. The offensive line looks better on paper, but it remains to be seen if that will translate to performance on the field.

Grey Cup Outlook: Not good. This team should be improved, but will likely be a few years away from becoming a true contender.

[StarDust Bum]

How much will CFL rule changes impact betting totals in 2015?

The CFL is throwing a little gas on the fire this coming 2015 season, trying to spark scoring with revamped rules that it hopes will boost point production after a down year for the league.

The two biggest rule changes are the new defensive pass interference rule, not allowing defenders to make any contact with receivers whatsoever after five yards from the line of scrimmage, and a new punt coverage rule that gives returning teams much more running room.

These changes could have a big impact on scoring, especially if teams continuously gain solid field position from softer defense, penalties and punts, but it won’t be reflected in the CFL betting totals. At least not yet.

According to Randall “The Handle”, renowned CFL oddsmaker for a number of sportsbooks, he’s taking a wait-and-see approach with these adjustments before tacking on any extra points to the CFL Over/Unders.

“It’s more of a case of monitoring,” Randall tells Covers. “It’s a big smoke screen, in my opinion. Scoring was down and there was a knee-jerk reaction to it. There’s just not a lot of good players in the league right now… I think the league is trying to give itself a shot in the arm (with these rule changes).”

The 2014 CFL campaign was a downtick in offensive production compared to the year prior, with teams averaging 22.74 points per game last summer compared to 26.21 in 2013.

That power outage showed up at the sportsbooks last summer, when CFL action went 5-15 Over/Under through the first five weeks of the schedule – cashing in for the Under at a 75 percent rate. And because the CFL isn’t the most popular wagering option on the board, many books didn’t even notice that one-sided lean to the Under early into 2014. On the year, CFL games finished 34-51 O/U with a 60 percent winning clip for Under bettors.

The CFL, which has hung its helmet on its explosive scoring prowess when trying to sell the product to new markets, is putting in a hands-off policy when it comes to defensive backs trying to slow down receivers.

And unlike the NFL, teams can have multiple receivers in motion when the ball is snapped, giving defenders even less time to slow down opposing targets. Oh, and head coaches can also challenge pass interference calls/no calls in the CFL, so it looks like defenders could have their hands tied in 2015.

Randall specifically mentions the decline in the passing game when noting these new rules, pointing out that there were only three receivers with more than 1,000 yards in 2014 compared to seven in 2013, and that there were only two quarterbacks who threw for 20-plus touchdown in 2014 when there were four the previous season.

As for the running game, the CFL had just one 1,000-yard rusher in 2014 – Calgary RB Jon Cornish (1,082 yards in just nine games) – after having two in 2013, four in 2012, three in 2011, five in 2010, and seven in 2009.

The new punt rule forces the five interior linemen on the punting team to stay at the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted, limiting the amount of defenders downfield. The rule is estimated to give punt returners about an extra 10 yards of running room and put more space between the defending team’s first wave – the gunners - and second wave of tacklers.

The 2014 CFL season featured nine punt return touchdowns, three scores on kickoffs and three TDs off missed field goals returns.

These amendments to the rulebook may be a change in the right direction, in terms of getting the CFL back to its high-scoring status, but are far from difference makers, says Randall, who doesn’t see teams making major adjustments to these changes, on either side of the ball, out of the gate.

“Defensively, they’ll stick to what they’ve been doing, with the same special teams coverages,” he says. “From what I’m reading, coaches really don’t know what to do, and they’ll adjust if they need to. On offense, they’re always looking for that speedster guy that can run it back, so that won’t be any different.”

Week 1 features four games with an average current total of 49.25 points. Last season, Week 1 totals closed at an average of 54 points and finished 1-3 Over/Under. Over the past 10 CFL seasons, Week 1 contests have produced a 16-24 O/U record – playing below the total 60 percent of the time.

[StarDust Bum]

Pro Baseball Trend Report

CINCINNATI (32 - 37) at PITTSBURGH (40 - 30) - 7:05 PM
MIKE LEAKE (R) vs. GERRIT COLE (R)

Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 45-72 (-23.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 45-72 (-23.0 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 17-38 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 225-176 (+33.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 73-42 (+18.8 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 48-25 (+24.2 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 73-42 (+18.8 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 91-64 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 59-33 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 24-9 (+13.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
COLE is 26-10 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLE is 26-10 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLE is 25-9 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLE is 14-1 (+12.5 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 509-576 (+29.8 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 50-58 (-15.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History

CINCINNATI is 5-2 (+4.0 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.2 Units)
MIKE LEAKE vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
LEAKE is 7-3 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.48 and a WHIP of 1.251.
His team's record is 10-12 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-11. (-1.5 units)
GERRIT COLE vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
COLE is 0-2 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.70 and a WHIP of 1.435.
His team's record is 0-4 (-5.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-2. (-0.5 units)

ATLANTA (35 - 36) at WASHINGTON (38 - 33) - 7:05 PM
SHELBY MILLER (R) vs. JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R)

Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 25-10 (+12.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
ZIMMERMANN is 29-10 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZIMMERMANN is 38-16 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 22-15 (+10.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
ATLANTA is 36-33 (+23.8 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +150 to +175 since 1997.
ATLANTA is 20-15 (+9.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
MILLER is 6-0 (+6.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season. (Team's Record)
MILLER is 9-2 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History

WASHINGTON is 6-1 (+4.7 Units) against ATLANTA this season
6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.9 Units)
SHELBY MILLER vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
MILLER is 2-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 0.73 and a WHIP of 1.176.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-4. (-4.1 units)
JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
ZIMMERMANN is 5-2 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 3.15 and a WHIP of 1.192.
His team's record is 7-5 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-4. (+3.8 units)

ST LOUIS (46 - 24) at MIAMI (30 - 42) - 7:10 PM
JAIME GARCIA (L) vs. MAT LATOS (R)

Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 23-40 (-21.4 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
GARCIA is 23-33 (-24.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
MIAMI is 403-395 (+39.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.
ST LOUIS is 46-24 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 46-24 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 39-15 (+22.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MIAMI is 30-42 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History

ST LOUIS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
0 of 0 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)
JAIME GARCIA vs. MIAMI since 1997
GARCIA is 0-0 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.800.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)
MAT LATOS vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
LATOS is 5-5 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 5.69 and a WHIP of 1.426.
His team's record is 7-5 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.8 units)

LA DODGERS (39 - 33) at CHICAGO CUBS (39 - 30) - 8:05 PM
MIKE BOLSINGER (R) vs. KYLE HENDRICKS (R)

Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 39-33 (-8.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 12-20 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA DODGERS are 15-21 (-12.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 39-33 (-8.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 8-15 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 11-16 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 11-16 (-10.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOLSINGER is 0-9 (-9.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 112-120 (+1.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 112-117 (+4.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 26-17 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 22-13 (+8.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HENDRICKS is 18-8 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HENDRICKS is 18-7 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 764-739 (-161.5 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1049-1179 (-209.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 40-54 (-31.5 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 662-765 (-198.9 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 149-164 (-44.3 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History

CHICAGO CUBS is 2-0 (+2.9 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)
MIKE BOLSINGER vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
BOLSINGER is 1-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.900.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)
KYLE HENDRICKS vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
HENDRICKS is 1-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.714.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.1 units)

NY METS (36 - 36) at MILWAUKEE (26 - 46) - 8:10 PM
BARTOLO COLON (R) vs. JIMMY NELSON (R)

Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 10-25 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
NY METS are 10-23 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
NY METS are 21-30 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
NY METS are 7-20 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
NY METS are 65-48 (+13.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
COLON is 47-29 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLON is 30-19 (+14.3 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997. (Team's Record)
COLON is 23-13 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLON is 47-28 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLON is 26-9 (+13.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 26-46 (-18.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 1-7 (-8.2 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 this season.
MILWAUKEE is 12-24 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 22-38 (-19.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 26-46 (-18.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 18-39 (-21.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NELSON is 8-18 (-10.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NELSON is 3-11 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NELSON is 8-18 (-10.5 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

MILWAUKEE is 2-2 (+0.2 Units) against NY METS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)
BARTOLO COLON vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
COLON is 3-2 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 4.62 and a WHIP of 1.718.
His team's record is 4-3 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+2.0 units)
JIMMY NELSON vs. NY METS since 1997
NELSON is 0-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 0.917.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

ARIZONA (34 - 36) at COLORADO (31 - 39) - 8:40 PM
ALLEN WEBSTER (R) vs. DAVID HALE (R)

Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 98-134 (-30.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 98-134 (-30.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 97-135 (-32.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 97-135 (-32.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 58-94 (-34.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 78-98 (-29.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History

ARIZONA is 4-2 (+1.8 Units) against COLORADO this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.0 Units)
ALLEN WEBSTER vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.
DAVID HALE vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

SAN DIEGO (35 - 38) at SAN FRANCISCO (38 - 34) - 10:15 PM
IAN KENNEDY (R) vs. RYAN VOGELSONG (R)

Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 15-35 (-18.8 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 138-113 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 26-14 (+13.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 138-113 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 1047-877 (+117.7 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
VOGELSONG is 42-30 (+15.9 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 1-8 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in home games in June games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 10-17 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 6-15 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.

Head-to-Head Series History

SAN DIEGO is 5-3 (+2.4 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.4 Units)
IAN KENNEDY vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
KENNEDY is 10-4 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.42 and a WHIP of 1.076.
His team's record is 13-9 (+4.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 11-11. (-0.2 units)
RYAN VOGELSONG vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
VOGELSONG is 5-5 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 4.69 and a WHIP of 1.455.
His team's record is 6-5 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-4. (+2.9 units)

DETROIT (37 - 34) at CLEVELAND (32 - 38) - 12:10 PM
BUCK FARMER (R) vs. CARLOS CARRASCO (R)

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History

DETROIT is 9-2 (+7.8 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
9 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+7.0 Units)
BUCK FARMER vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
No recent starts.
CARLOS CARRASCO vs. DETROIT since 1997
CARRASCO is 2-6 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 7.96 and a WHIP of 2.233.
His team's record is 2-7 (-5.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-8. (-8.2 units)

TORONTO (38 - 35) at TAMPA BAY (41 - 32) - 12:10 PM
MARCO ESTRADA (R) vs. NATE KARNS (R)

Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 19-37 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 41-32 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 15-7 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in June games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 575-653 (+19.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997.
TAMPA BAY is 18-9 (+9.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TORONTO is 15-6 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in June games this season.
ESTRADA is 9-3 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 55-63 (-28.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 15-24 (-17.8 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 56-64 (-28.3 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 63-70 (-26.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 39-45 (-19.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History

TAMPA BAY is 7-2 (+5.3 Units) against TORONTO this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)
MARCO ESTRADA vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
No recent starts.
NATE KARNS vs. TORONTO since 1997
KARNS is 1-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.571.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

CHI WHITE SOX (31 - 39) at MINNESOTA (38 - 33) - 1:10 PM
CHRIS SALE (L) vs. PHIL HUGHES (R)

Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 27-47 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 14-22 (-11.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 33-52 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
SALE is 2-9 (-10.5 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 38-33 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 15-8 (+8.1 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
MINNESOTA is 24-15 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 51-52 (+7.7 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 38-33 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 17-10 (+10.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 59-64 (+8.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 27-13 (+19.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
HUGHES is 26-20 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUGHES is 16-8 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUGHES is 30-10 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 369-372 (+31.9 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History

MINNESOTA is 8-4 (+5.2 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.4 Units)
CHRIS SALE vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
SALE is 7-3 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.58 and a WHIP of 1.123.
His team's record is 8-3 (+3.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-4. (+2.9 units)
PHIL HUGHES vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
HUGHES is 4-4 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 3.16 and a WHIP of 1.098.
His team's record is 7-6 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-7. (-1.7 units)

HOUSTON (42 - 31) at LA ANGELS (36 - 36) - 3:35 PM
LANCE MCCULLERS (R) vs. MATT SHOEMAKER (R)

Top Trends for this game.
SHOEMAKER is 23-11 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 42-31 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 18-8 (+11.9 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 57-56 (+14.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 42-28 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 26-15 (+12.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 5-13 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in day games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History

HOUSTON is 5-4 (+1.1 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.2 Units)
LANCE MCCULLERS vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.
MATT SHOEMAKER vs. HOUSTON since 1997
SHOEMAKER is 1-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 8.00 and a WHIP of 1.889.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

BALTIMORE (37 - 33) at BOSTON (31 - 41) - 7:10 PM
BUD NORRIS (R) vs. CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R)

Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 5-14 (-9.2 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 19-30 (-15.6 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
BUCHHOLZ is 17-2 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in June games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 137-103 (+39.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 71-55 (+13.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 176-200 (+40.8 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 61-56 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 30-19 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 71-48 (+25.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 121-90 (+34.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 105-76 (+33.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 75-60 (+16.4 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 62-40 (+20.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
NORRIS is 24-15 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NORRIS is 19-11 (+12.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday since 1997. (Team's Record)
NORRIS is 16-4 (+12.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NORRIS is 27-18 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 31-41 (-17.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 15-22 (-12.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
BOSTON is 50-67 (-35.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 27-33 (-15.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-22 (-15.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
BOSTON is 29-37 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 19-28 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BOSTON is 23-30 (-12.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BOSTON is 27-39 (-23.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-17 (-11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BUCHHOLZ is 16-26 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 4-13 (-13.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 5-16 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 3-9 (-9.7 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 5-14 (-11.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 12-24 (-18.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 9-21 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 2-9 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History

BALTIMORE is 8-3 (+5.6 Units) against BOSTON this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.6 Units)
BUD NORRIS vs. BOSTON since 1997
NORRIS is 2-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.52 and a WHIP of 1.304.
His team's record is 2-4 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-4. (-2.1 units)
CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
BUCHHOLZ is 8-5 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.92 and a WHIP of 1.374.
His team's record is 10-7 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-6. (+3.7 units)

OAKLAND (32 - 41) at TEXAS (37 - 34) - 8:05 PM
KENDALL GRAVEMAN (R) vs. WANDY RODRIGUEZ (L)

Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 32-41 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 28-35 (-19.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 55-60 (-27.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 30-39 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 78-72 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 4-13 (-11.1 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
OAKLAND is 59-59 (-22.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 37-34 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 35-32 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 28-22 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 24-20 (+11.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TEXAS is 19-14 (+11.1 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
RODRIGUEZ is 8-3 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
TEXAS is 33-54 (-20.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 48-65 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 22-45 (-24.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 17-35 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 35-55 (-18.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History

OAKLAND is 7-4 (+0.7 Units) against TEXAS this season
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.3 Units)
KENDALL GRAVEMAN vs. TEXAS since 1997
GRAVEMAN is 0-1 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 18.92 and a WHIP of 2.402.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)
WANDY RODRIGUEZ vs. OAKLAND since 1997
No recent starts.

KANSAS CITY (40 - 28) at SEATTLE (33 - 39) - 10:10 PM
DANNY DUFFY (L) vs. ROENIS ELIAS (L)

Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 40-28 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 45-29 (+14.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 23-15 (+10.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 70-51 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 15-5 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in road games in June games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 40-28 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 29-18 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 17-9 (+8.7 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SEATTLE is 33-39 (-11.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 3-10 (-8.5 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
SEATTLE is 17-22 (-11.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SEATTLE is 48-52 (-19.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 9-20 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Wednesday over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 28-38 (-15.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 42-48 (-22.8 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 0-7 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 13-19 (-9.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
ELIAS is 7-14 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ELIAS is 7-14 (-10.2 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

KANSAS CITY is 1-1 (+0.4 Units) against SEATTLE this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)
DANNY DUFFY vs. SEATTLE since 1997
DUFFY is 0-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 1.86 and a WHIP of 1.448.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.4 units)
ROENIS ELIAS vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
ELIAS is 1-0 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.08 and a WHIP of 1.457.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

PHILADELPHIA (26 - 47) at NY YANKEES (38 - 33) - 1:05 PM
COLE HAMELS (L) vs. IVAN NOVA (R)

Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 21-40 (-19.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 3 seasons.
HAMELS is 22-30 (-20.0 Units) against the money line in June games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 12-21 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game since 1997. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 357-383 (+51.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 53-59 (-20.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History

PHILADELPHIA is 2-0 (+4.8 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)
COLE HAMELS vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
HAMELS is 0-2 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.67 and a WHIP of 1.385.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)
IVAN NOVA vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
No recent starts.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, June 24


Ivan Nova returns to the mound Wednesday

Three straight days of terrible starting pitching performances have some New York Yankees fans and members of the media on edge. The successful return of Ivan Nova and avoiding a sweep in the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday should calm some of those fears.

Nova looked set to pitch at the top of the Yankees staff for years to come after posting a 3.10 ERA in 2013 but went down in April of 2014 and has spent the last 14 months recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Dominican Republic native got upto 84 pitches with strong velocity in his final rehab start before being declared ready to return. Nova is making his first career appearance against Philadelphia.

The Yankees are presently -123 while the Phils, how counter with ace Cole Hamels, are +114. Oddsmakers have the total at 8.


Sale has strike-friendly umpire Wednesday

Chicago White Sox ace and strikeout machine Chris Sale will go for his sixth straight start with 12 or more strikeouts when the Pale Hose visit the Minnesota Twins Wednesday.

Behind the dish calling pitches will be umpire Doug Eddings. With a strike percentage of 66 percent, Eddings has one of the highest such percentages among MLB umpires. Digging a little deeper reveals more pitcher-friendly numbers.

According to baseballsavant.com, 16.52 percent of Eddings' called strikes are actually out of the strikezone. This number, again, ranks among the highest among the bigs.

The Sox are 3-2 in those previous five starts by Sale. The Under is 4-1.

The Sox can be had around -144 while oddsmakers have tabbed Wednesday's meeting with a total of 7.


Wind blowing out at Coors Field Wednesday

According to weather forecasts, wind will be blowing out to right-centerfield at around 11 miles per hour when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field Wednesday.

Furthermore, there is a small 32 percent chance of thunderstorms projected around the early stages of the game.

The Rockies are presently -140 and oddsmakers have the total set at 11.


Tigers bring their hitting shoes to road games

The Detroit Tigers have gone over the total in eight consecutive road games thanks to an offense that has scored 6.13 runs per game over that stretch.

The Tigers also boast the major's fourth best team batting average on the road at .255 and the third best road OPS at .725.

They try to make it nine in a row when they visit the Cleveland Indians in a Wednesday afternoon matinee. The Tigers send Buck Farmer (12.60 ERA, 1-0 O/U) to the hill, while the Tribe counters with Carlos Carrasco (4.35 ERA, 8-6 O/U). The total is currently at 8.0.


Nationals establishing dominance over Braves

After losing the opening meeting of the season with the Atlanta Braves back on April 27, the Washington Nationals have won the past six contests against their NL East rivals.

Buoyed by a strong performance from Stephen Strasburg on Tuesday, the Nats trumped the Braves by a score of 3-1 to extend the winning streak to six. Over the course of those six meetings, the Nats have scored 51 runs compared to the Braves' 29.

Jordan Zimmermann will look to keep the streak going as he toes the slab for the Nats (-167) Wednesday. The Braves (+154) are projected to counter with Shelby Miller.


Astros get back to their over ways

The Houston Astros thumped the Los Angeles Angels 13-3 Tuesday night, going over the total once again.

The Astros hadn't gone under in 10 consecutive games before their 4-3 loss to the Angels Monday night, but with the big win last night the over is 10-1-1 in their last 12 games. Houston is scoring 6.75 runs per game over that stretch.

The Astros play the rubber match of their three-game series with the Angels Wednesday afternoon, where the total is currently 7.5.

Right-hander Lance McCullers (2.45 ERA, 2-4 O/U) makes the start for the Astors, while righty Matt Shoemaker (5.20 ERA, 8-4 O/U) gets the call for the Halos.