The Bum's Sports Page For Monday August 3rd Best Bets-Trends-News !

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White Sox on a solid over run

The Chicago White Sox will try to over the total for the eighth consecutive game when they host the Tampa Bay Rays Monday night.

During their seven-game over streak the Pale Hose are scoring 6.71 runs per game, while allowing 7.00 runs per game at the same time.

Jose Quintana (3.52 ERA, 7-14 O/U) gets the call for the White Sox, while Nathan Karns (3.37 ERA, 9-10 O/U) is expected to start for the Rays. The total for tonight's game against the Rays is currently 7.5.

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Astros going Under totals with ease on the road

The Under has gone 8-0-1 in the Houston Astros last nine games away from home.

The 'Stros will be on the road once again Monday in Texas. Colby Lewis will is the probable starter for the Rangers, while Houston is slated to counter with Lance McCullers.

As of this writing, the total for the contest was sitting at nine.

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Mets struggling to win Colon's starts

The New York Mets are heating up, but tonight they send Bartolo Colon to the hill to face the Miami Marlins, having lost his last seven starts.

In his last three starts Colon is 0-3 and pitching to a huge 8.59 ERA with a WHIP of 1.77.

The Mets are currently -110 road favorites going up Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler, who are on the board at +102.

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Cubs' Haren hoping for two memorable months

Aug 02, 2015

MILWAUKEE -- After 13 years in the major leagues, right-hander Dan Haren knows his arm doesn't have too much left, so he's hoping these next two months with the Chicago Cubs send him out on a high note.

"Chances are this would be it, but I'm not going to say this is it and then pull a Brett Favre," Haren said Sunday.

Chicago sent the Miami Marlins two minor league prospects to land Haren in an effort to bolster a rotation for a potential playoff run.

Traded to Miami last winter, Haren was 7-7 with a 3.42 ERA in 21 starts for the Marlins, who spent most of the season near the bottom of the NL East.

"It was a rough situation," Haren said. "It definitely wasn't what we all planned. But I feel bad for a lot of the players there, especially a lot of the older players.

"Going into the year with so many expectations and the last few days it blew up with a lot of veterans gone and a few left has got to be rough. I'm definitely happy to be here."

Haren will make his first start with the Cubs on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Both teams are battling for a National League wild card spot and the Cubs trail the Pirates by four games in the National League Central.

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Matheny's gambles pay off for Cardinals

Aug 02, 2015

ST. LOUIS -- Manager Mike Matheny rolled the dice in the late innings of Sunday's 3-2 win over Colorado, betting that St. Louis would win the game in nine innings.

Pinch-hitter Brandon Moss' one-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth kept the Cardinals from having to play their 15th extra-inning game of the year. That's a good thing, because they would have been almost completely out of troops had this game reached the 10th.

Beginning with the decision to pinch-hit starting catcher Yadier Molina for backup Tony Cruz in the seventh, Matheny burned through his bench fast. Greg Garcia pinch-hit to begin the eighth and singled, eventually reaching third on a wild pitch and flyout.

At that point, Matheny lifted Garcia for pinch-runner Peter Bourjos, feeling Bourjos' superior speed might make the difference in unknotting a 2-2 game. But Bourjos ended up being wasted when Kolten Wong rapped into an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play.

Matheny kept pushing his chips to the table in the ninth, sending Moss up for Mark Reynolds as the Rockies had no lefties warming up. Had Moss made an out, though, Colorado could have intentionally walked Molina and forced Matheny to hit closer Trevor Rosenthal or send up .147-hitting Pete Kozma for the pitcher.

Moss' grounder into left field made those possibilities irrelevant. But a different outcome in his at-bat might have meant a different outcome for the game.

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A's don't plan in easing Crisp back in

Aug 02, 2015

OAKLAND -- Coco Crisp was in the Oakland Athletics clubhouse on Sunday even if he wasn't on the roster just yet.

That activation is to come soon, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. And when it happens, there will be no babying Crisp.

"It's not like make sure he's healthy here in August and make sure he's ready for next season," Melvin said. "We're looking to get something out of him now."

To date, the Athletics have got all of 13 games out of the 35-year-old outfielder, who has been disabled since May 20. Crisp had a rough go in 45 official at-bats, collecting only two hits -- a single and a double.

"I feel fine, that's really all I've got to say," Crisp said. "We'll see how it goes."

Melvin envisions Crisp batting second in the order behind leadoff man Billy Burns.

"I like the intensity and dynamic he adds," Melvin said. "When Billy is on base there's a lot of attention on him. Coco is a pretty good situational guy. He can pull the ball in the hole and he'll get more fastballs."

Basically, everyone is interested to see if Crisp can return to be the kind of productive sparkplug who appeared in between 120-136 games in each of the previous four seasons in Oakland.

"I don't know that we'll ease him back in," Melvin said. "We gave him multiple games, we played him nine innings back-to-back. I wouldn't run him out there 10 days in a row right away.

"The plan all along was to make sure he was healthy to come back, play multiple games in a row and now play 6-7 innings and have to take him out," the manager added. "He'll be a full-go once he's activated."

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Blue Jays thrive in playoff atmosphere

Aug 02, 2015

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays are a long way from reaching the postseason.

But in winning three of four games from the Kansas City Royals they showed that they can thrive in a playoff atmosphere.

It was a good proving ground for a team that acquired five significant players leading up to the Friday deadline. Not only do they look better on paper, but also on the field, based on the four games against a team with legitimate World Series aspirations.

The games at Rogers Centre against the Royals had a postseason feel to them, especially the 5-2 win on Sunday.

There was even an eighth-inning bench-clearing incident in the top of the eighth Sunday when right-hander Aaron Sanchez was ejected for hitting Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar with a pitch.

Plate umpire Jim Wolf warned the teams in the first inning after Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez hit third baseman Josh Donaldson with a pitch.

"It's everything you want the game to be," said Blue Jays first baseman Chris Colabello, who hit a two-run homer in the fourth. "It's a playoff atmosphere, for sure. It was awesome to hear the crowd get excited with us. Obviously you don't wish for stuff like that (the bench clearing) to have to spark it, but it's just part of the game, I guess. I don't know whether he was trying to hit a guy or buzz a guy or whatever, but it certainly got us pretty riled up.

"With the moves that we made to bolster the roster, this was going to be a really good test for us. Obviously we want to put ourselves in a position where we know we can compete with the best teams in the league and outplay them."

"We all try to make one game just like the next because mentally it's important that no game is more than important than the other game," said right-handed knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. "But (Sunday) had a different feel to it in my mind, so it was fun to perform well.

"Taking three of four from a team like that, which is a really, really good baseball team -- those were four really good baseball games that we played. We all had a great time competing the last four days. It was nice to be able to perform well."

The Royals might have had a reason for being a little testy. They are no longer the lovable underdogs as they were last season.

"I think they're used to pushing people around," Dickey said. "So when they come onto the playground and there's a kid that is bigger than they are for a day, I think it probably (ticks) them off. And I can't blame them. That's part of their swagger. That's part of what makes them good, and they compete hard. ... You just can't ever take a moment off against a playoff-caliber team, and they are a playoff-caliber team."

It was a start for the Blue Jays. They look like a team that is building in confidence, but they have put themselves in a position where they must prove it every time out

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MLB Power Rankings: Week 18


Our Top 6 teams remained mostly unchanged, with just the Angels falling out (and down five spots to #10). But that's what a 6-game losing streak will do to you. The Giants jumped two spots to #6, while Toronto moved up to the #2 spot, after acquiring David Price and Troy Tulowitzki. But the biggest decliner was Atlanta, which fell all the way down to #29 (from #23) after winning just one game last week. And if things continue the way they've been going since the All-Star Break, the Braves could displace the Phillies in the cellar, which seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago.


MLB POWER RANKINGS

COMMENTS

1 1 same 67-38
(54-51-0) -129 St. Louis
he Cards got the 1B they so desperately needed, and they killed two birds with one stone, as Brandon Moss is capable of playing the outfield as well - which will come in handy with Matt Holliday back on the DL. They took three of four from Colorado and now get six games vs. the Reds and Brewers.


2 4 up 2 54-52
(54-52-0) -120 Toronto
In desperate need of pitching, the Jays turned to the team with the worst pitching (Colorado) and acquired the best SS in baseball. But that was just the appetizer as - right before the deadline - they raised the stakes even higher, and landed LHP David Price in a trade with the Tigers.


3 3 same 60-46
(61-45-0) -119 Houston
The Astros acquired OF Carlos Gomez from the Brewers after a trade to the Mets was nixed by health concerns. Gomez appears healthy for now, and with SP Scott Kazmir, the 'Stros should be poised for a big run. They got things off to a great start with a three-game sweep of the Angels.

4 6 up 2 60-45
(47-58-0) -117 LA Dodgers
The Dodgers pulled off the biggest trade at the deadline in terms of the number of teams involved (3) and players who changed hands (13). They took on a ton of salary, but added two starters - Alex Wood and Mat Latos - who could make an impact down the stretch.


5 2 down 3 62-42
(60-44-0) -114 Kansas City
The acquisition of Ben Zobrist may not have been the biggest deal last week, but it might just turn out to be the best. KC not only needed a left fielder to replace Alex Gordon, but Zobrist can slot into 2B as well for Omar Infante when Gordon returns. And Zobrist is off to a torrid start with KC.


6 10 up 4 53-51
(56-48-0) -113 Baltimore
It seems the Orioles' winning streak against weak opposition - the Rays, Braves, and Tigers - may have convinced them that they didn't need to make a major move at the deadline. They did get OFs Junior Lake and Gerardo Parra, but will their failure to add a quality starter come back to haunt them?


7 7 same 61-43
(44-60-0) -113 Pittsburgh
The Pirates made the most of minor acquisitions in the last 10 days, shoring up their infield with 3B Ramirez, their SP with veteran RHP Joe Blanton, and their bullpen with veteran closer Soria. But there was bad news as well, with AJ Burnett going on the DL with elbow soreness (MRI scheduled for Monday).


8 8 same 57-47
(56-48-0) -113 San Francisco
Do the Giants ever seem to need to add much in the way of players at the deadline? This is the one team that seems to favor minor trades for key players over mass acquisitions (see Dodgers). They did just that with their one deadline deal, adding RHP Mike Leake from the Reds.


9 5 down 4 55-49
(51-53-0) -111 LA Angels
Was it wise for the Angels to limit their deadline trades to three OFs and one IF? Time will tell, but so far the trio of David Murphy, David DeJesus, and Shane Victorino has not paid any dividends as the Halos have lost six straight games and now LHP CJ Wilson is out for the season (elbow).


10 9 down 1 59-45
(55-49-0) -111 NY Yankees
Bronx Bombers, indeed! The offense has been off-the-charts amazing. Three games last week where they scored 21, 13, and 12 runs. A-Rod still mashing into his 40's. And Mark Teixeira perhaps the hottest hitter in baseball. Are they worried about the Blue Jays? It sure doesn't seem like it.


11 13 up 2 57-47
(47-57-0) -106 Chi. Cubs
The Cubs improved their pitching by adding a veteran starter (Dan Haren from the Marlins) and reliever (Tommy Hunter from the Orioles) and they didn't have to give up any of their prized prospects to get them. Haren will slot in nicely as a No. 3 or No. 4 and Hunter could get a shot at closing.


12 12 same 54-49
(46-57-0) -105 Washington
Drew Storen must have thought that saving 29 of 31 opportunities with a 1.73 ERA and 1.02 WHIP would be enough to ensure his job, but apparently not. Jonathan Papelbon is traded to DC and immediately moves into the closer role. How Storen responds is going to be interesting to watch.


13 16 up 3 55-50
(51-53-0) -103 NY Mets
What a week for the Mets. They made a trade for Carlos Gomez only to see it voided for medical concerns, but discovered a new hero in Wilmer Flores. Then they finally got the bat they needed in OF Cespedes right at the deadline, and finally capped it all off with a sweep of the Nats and a first place tie. Wow!


14 11 down 3 47-59
(50-56-0) -102 Oakland
Ben Zobrist and Scott Kazmir are gone and now the A's find themselves in rebuilding mode yet again. They still boast one of the best pitchers in baseball in young Sonny Gray. They have one of the toughest stretches of games coming up with the O's, Stros, Jays, O's again, and Dodgers.


15 15 same 50-53
(55-48-0) -101 Arizona
Congratulations to the Diamondbacks, who were the only Major League team which didn't pull the trigger on a deadline deal. That will likely keep the young fans who have invested in their favorite players' jerseys happy for a while, even if doesn't result in a pennant this season.


16 14 down 2 54-50
(63-41-0) -100 Minnesota
The Twins find themselves in a pennant race in the second half of the season for the first time in five years. But the only deadline deal they made was for reliever Kevin Jepsen from the Rays, while everyone around them in the standings made much more significant moves.


17 18 up 1 52-54
(56-50-0) 102 Tampa Bay
The Rays ended the week just three games back in the race for the second A.L. Wild Card spot. Exactly how they've done it remains a bit of a mystery. Chris Archer is a legitimate Cy Young contender and Logan Forsythe has come out of nowhere to be the new Ben Zobrist - or possibly better.


18 20 up 2 51-53
(62-42-0) 108 Texas
The Rangers, a team which usually does well in front of their packed stands in Arlington, have one of the worst home records in the Majors at 20-29. They may be acting like they can be a playoff team, but if they can't win at home, that's not going to happen.


19 24 up 5 47-56
(52-50-0) 109 Cincinnati
There's going to be an open casting call for starters in Cincinnati, with both Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake gone. So, just about anyone in the minor league system knows they may get a shot at a Big League start in the next eight weeks. It will be fun to watch, especially if there's a diamond in the rough.


20 17 down 3 51-54
(50-55-0) 109 Detroit
The Tigers were sellers, then they changed their mind, but a few more losses before the deadline brought them back to the obvious. They moved three of their top players in the last two days of trading as LHP Price went to the Jays, CL Soria to the Pirates, and OF Cespedes to the Mets.


21 21 same 48-56
(45-59-0) 110 Cleveland
The Indians' offense continues to struggle, so the Tribe traded two of their best hitters, OFs David Murphy (Angels) and Brandon Moss (Cardinals). It doesn't seem to make sense. Team leader Kipnis fired off that the team lacks "accountability," a comment which seemed to indict skipper Terry Francona.


22 19 down 3 43-62
(50-55-0) 111 Miami
Latos and Haren are gone from the rotation, but who needs those guys when you have Jose Fernandez? Fernandez extended his career non-losing streak at home to 24 starts (15-0). Now if the Marlins could just find a way to start Fernandez in every game instead of every fifth game.


23 25 up 2 44-59
(54-49-0) 114 Colorado
You may think that the Rockies were the loser in the trade which essentially swapped Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes. But if you look at the salary numbers - and the fact that no money changed hands - then you realize that Colorado is saving about $50 Million, and still has a pretty good shortstop.


24 29 up 5 50-53
(48-55-0) 115 Chi. White Sox
When the White Sox sent IF Conor Gillaspie to the Angels a week before the deadline, folks must have figured it was the first of many deals the team would pull off. Instead, it was the only deal as Chicago got hot and noticed that it was within striking distance of a Wild Card spot.


25 22 down 3 44-62
(48-58-0) 115 Milwaukee
On the one hand, this team will look a lot different in the coming weeks. But on the other hand, most would agree that the Brewers didn't trade as many players as people thought with 1B Adam Lind, CL Francisco Rodriguez, and SPs Matt Garza and Kyle Lohse staying in Milwaukee for now.


26 27 up 1 51-54
(55-50-0) 115 San Diego
Does Padres GM AJ Preller really think his team can make the post-season, or is he simply in too deep with the off-season deals he made? One thing's for sure: with the Pads standing pat at the deadline, they at least better improve in the remaining weeks, or Preller will have even more explaining to do.


27 28 up 1 47-59
(44-62-0) 116 Boston
With Victorino being traded, Rusney Castillo will finally get a shot at an everyday job. But the pitching is imploding right now, and Mookie Betts is on the short-term DL for a concussion. Fortunately, almost all of the attention this past week in New England was on the Patriots and Tom Brady, and not the Sox.


28 26 down 2 48-58
(44-62-0) 120 Seattle
Like the Padres over the National League, the Mariners' brass seems to think that this team can still compete this season. So, besides shipping off Dustin Ackley and Mark Lowe, the M's stood pat. Cano's bat is heating up, but it hasn't really helped much as Seattle went 2-5 last week.


29 23 down 6 47-58
(57-48-0) 123 Atlanta
This could be one heck of a team in a couple of years and that's clearly what the Braves are counting on. They shed even more salary than they did in the offseason and they acquired more solid prospects from the Mets and Dodgers.


30 30 same 41-65
(53-53-0) 138 Philadelphia
Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon finally said goodbye to the City of Brotherly Love and the Phillies kept winning, going 12-3 in their last 15 games. Go figure. Then again, they've had the Marlins, Rays and Braves for 10 of those 15, but it's still an impressive run regardless.




Power Ratings compute offensive and defensive statistics into one number for each team, while accounting for factors like recent performances and strength of schedule. Power Ratings can be used as a baseline for relative spread index to compare current or future match-ups between two teams. The relative spread does not account for non-statistical factors like home-field advantage, recent injuries, game time decisions, rivalries, publicity, and weather.

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Diamond Trends - Monday

August 3, 2015


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Diamondbacks are 11-0 since May 06, 2015 as a dog vs a team that has lost at least their last three games


PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Matt Cain starts the Giants are 0-9 SU since Aug 28, 2011 when they lost his last start during which he did not walk a batter.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Padres are 13-0-1 O/U since May 24, 2015 when within 20 cents of pickem after a loss in which they never led.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The White Sox are 0-10 O/U since Apr 10, 2015 at home as a favorite and it is the first game of the series

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Indians are 0-9 ML since May 26, 2014 after a loss in which they had 6 or fewer hits on the road and it is the first game of a series.

[StarDust Bum]

NL Futures Analysis - Post-deadline

August 3, 2015

Last week, we took a glimpse at the major league pre-trade deadline futures, marveling at how many teams had decisions to make regarding how seriously they planned on pursuing the postseason. The Blue Jays, Royals and Astros were buyers, indecisive Detroit wound up selling and the Yankees, Orioles, and Padres essentially stayed put.

Less than half of the National’s teams are above .500., yet the Padres clung to their assets in the hopes of an unlikely run at the postseason. San Diego and Arizona opened Monday’s action 6.5 games back of the second Wild Card, and even though there’s still some movement still ahead via waivers, we can now bet futures confidently now that we know every team's personnel going forward.

Odds to win the AL and NL pennants as well as the World Series have been updated at numerous shops, so below are our post-trade deadline recommendations for the National League. Find the American League here. (Odds via 5Dimes)

Arizona (+8000 to win NL, +20000 to win it all): While Paul Goldschmidt is having an MVP-type season, the Diamondbacks look like a team whose current ceiling is .500. They were on the verge of getting there over the weekend in Houston but dropped the final two games to lose the series and snap a six-game winning streak. Considering the Snakes won 64 games last year in finishing with baseball’s worst record, shooting for the stars and topping 80 would be an impressive improvement. That won’t make the playoffs though. Odds moved from +12000 and +23000, but even if they had stayed put at those figures, Arizona wouldn’t be worth backing.

Atlanta (+9500 to win NL, +25000 to win it all): The Braves knew coming into the season that they were rebuilding and have actually performed far better than expected, entering the week just 10 games under .500. Even with Freddie Freeman back, this offense would struggle to do enough damage to win your Tuesday night softball league.

Chi.Cubs (+1225 to win NL, +2500 to win it all): Despite falling well behind the Cardinals and Pirates, the Cubs have realistic aspirations of making their first postseason since 2008. Including the Bartman game, they’ve lost eight straight and this year’s best-case scenario likely offers one crack to snap that nasty streak and advance in a one-game playoff. You’ll either hear they’re too young or so young they’re bullet-proof, depending on the results. Adding Dan Haren and Tommy Hunter to bolster the pitching didn’t move the needle much, so even if Joe Maddon’s team is going to be short on ammo even if they manage to extend their season.

Cincinnati (+18500 to win NL, +50000 to win it all): Selling off Johnny Cueto was your cue to check out here, even though the Reds did enter the season with a talent base that should’ve produced more victories than they’ve managed. Closer Aroldis Chapman and slugger Jay Bruce were coveted by contenders but remained in place, while Mike Leakewas moved to the Giants. Manager Brian Price should be on a short leash going forward for failing to get more out of this group.

Colorado (+30000 to win NL, +85000 to win it all): Last year’s Rockies won 66 games due to massive injuries. This year’s team barely got going and has often appeared disinterested despite the usual gaudy offensive numbers. They moved All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto for Jose Reyes and prospects, ultimately choosing to keep Reyes for now. Carlos Gonzalez too. This will be an interesting team to watch since they appear to be retooling on the run, but there’s obviously no value in chasing what would be an astronomical payoff this season.

LA Dodgers (+335 to win NL, +700 to win it all): Despite picking up starters Alex Wood and Mat Latos to round out the rotation, their odds barely moved, which tells you books were protecting themselves against the possible acquisition of David Price or Cole Hamels, who ended up in Toronto and Texas, respectively. The brilliance of starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are still worth backing, but there are still questions that remained unanswered. Flammable Jim Johnson and lefty Luis Avilan joined the shaky bullpen. Michael Morse as an offensive reinforcement is yawn-worthy. The hope now is that Yasiel Puig finds his groove in order to hold off rival San Francisco.

Miami (+18500 to win NL, +50000 to win it all): Since Jose Fernandez, Giancarlo Stanton and Dee Gordon have all missed significant time, the Marlins never had a chance this season. The Fish could play a spoiler role in September despite trading a few of their assets to NL contenders, but they have no chance at making the playoffs.

Milwaukee (+70000 to win NL, +200000 to win it all): Oddsmakers were still protecting themselves entering deadline week, but after the Brewers moved outfielders Carlos Gomez and Gerardo Parra in addition to pitchers Mike Fiers and Jonathan Broxton, their numbers skyrocketed. Starting 4-17 effectively ended their season early.

NY Mets (+1075 to win NL, +2400 to win it all): After sweeping the Nats to even the NL East over the weekend, it’s definitely tempting to take a shot on those wonderful Mets arms. They added Jose Uribe and Kelly Johnson in underwhelming moves, but went for it in dealing highly-regarded pitching prospects Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa to acquire Yoenis Cespedes. He’s the kind of hitter who makes everyone in the lineup better merely via his presence, so since David Wright should be back at some point, the anemic offense that has cost this team so many games likely won’t be such a detriment going forward. Tyler Clippard joining the bullpen should also help, so if you want to back a long shot, the payoff isn’t likely to get much better.

Pittsburgh (+675 to win NL, +1400 to win it all): If Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano and AJ Burnett can get into October without wearing down, there’s enough pitching to take a shot here, especially with Cole around to trust in a one-and-done Wild Card. Of course, Burnett just went on the DL with elbow inflammation and the 38-year-old doesn’t feel it’s a problem that will go away. They added lefty starter J.A. Happ and elite reliever Joakim Soria to edge the bullpen, so there’s enough here to hold on to the top Wild Card. They won 3-of-4 against the Cardinals and Nationals in July, not to mention sweeping the Padres. It’s time to hop on the bandwagon if you’re going to.

San Diego (+3500 to win NL, +8000 to win it all): GM A.J. Preller unexpectedly held on to all his major potential trade pieces, so books re-adjusted significantly since these odds were at +5500 and +21000 just last week due to the anticipated fire sale of guys like James Shields, Craig Kimbrel and Justin Upton. They’re not necessarily through yet, but need to win at nearly a 70 percent clip to overcome a lethargic season thus far. There’s no way to seriously expect the Padres to play well enough to overcome the teams already in front of them. Fairy tale endings are nice, but irrational to consider given what we’ve seen thus far from this bunch of underachievers.

San Francisco (+750 to win NL, +1500 to win it all): Following wins in 13 of 14 games, the defending champs looked like they were going to run away and hide, but enter a week’s worth of road games against the Braves and Cubs as losers of three of four. They’re right on the Dodgers heels and still have a number of intangibles in play, including Madison Bumgarner to pitch a potential Wild Card game. Adding Cincinnati’s Leake to help strengthen the rotation with Tim Hudson on the DL can only help. Take advantage of these odds while your still can. They’re not likely to be this friendly much longer.

St. Louis (+280 to win NL, +500 to win it all): Because the Dodgers failed to make a major splash, oddsmakers have now installed the Cardinals, armed with the best record in baseball, as NL favorites. They’ve got a substantial lead for home field advantage in the National League, but there are certainly questions about their starting rotation since they didn’t replace Adam Wainwright. Although John Lackey, Carlos Martinez, Lance Lynn and Michael Wacha can hold the fort down, there are enough question marks to resist riding with the Redbirds. They’ve added Broxton and Steve Cishek to the bullpen and picked up another bat in Brandon Moss, but I’d wait to see if there’s not a more lucrative payoff available in the coming weeks if they hit a rough patch. At the moment, having the best record in baseball in spite of a few glaring question marks doesn’t make for a good buy.

Washington (+390 to win NL, +800 to win it all): Ace Max Scherzer has done his part in anchoring a rotation that was expected to be baseball’s deepest and most formidable, but only Jordan Zimmermann has joined him in being consistent. Doug Fister, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez have all had their issues, as has the bullpen. Fortunately, Fister and Gonzalez has picked up their level and Jonathan Papelbon came on board to close, instantly making Drew Storen one of baseball’s premier set-up men. Both the defense and the bats have also had moments that haven’t inspired confidence, though it will help that Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman both returned to the lineup to provide better protection for standout Bryce Harper. Playing in baseball’s weakest division lends itself nicely to ensuring the Nats will make the playoffs, but nothing Matt Williams has done as a manager leads you to believe he can lead this team to the top.

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Price Jays debut; Burnett to doc; Cubs-Pirates

August 3, 2015

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

PRICE DEBUT

David Price (9-4) makes his Toronto debut as the Blue Jays begin a pivotal series against wild-card rivals Minnesota. Price is 7-0 with a 3.86 ERA in nine career starts at Rogers Centre. His opponent will be Twins RHP Ervin Santana (2-1).

BURNETT VISITS DOCTOR

Pittsburgh's A.J. Burnett could find out if his troublesome elbow is going to put an end to his 17-year career a couple of months early. Burnett went on the DL Thursday and has said he will not have surgery if it's required to pitch again.

CENTRALLY SPEAKING

The Cubs are 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2008 season when they were 97-64, according to STATS. They take that record into a series against the NL Central rival Pirates. Chicago's Jon Lester (6-8) is coming off a 14-strikeout performance on July 29.

KIPNIS' SHOULDER

Indians All-Star Jason Kipnis could be headed to the DL with a sore shoulder. Cleveland management will meet to discuss a plan for the second baseman.

FOR TEXAS

Rangers RHP Colby Lewis has won three straight starts since the All-Star break. He takes on Lance McCullers and the Houston Astros in the opener of an all-Texas series.

[StarDust Bum]

RECAPPING YESTERDAY'S ACTION:

MLB: 4 - 8

CFL: 0 - 0

WNBA: 3 - 7 - 0


WNBA JUNE/ JULY RECORD/ AUGUST :

*****...............................12 - 13 - 2
DOUBLE PLAY....................32 - 27
TRIPLE PLAY......................13 - 10
SLAM DUNK.......................18 - 13

MLB RECORD FOR JUNE/JULY/AUGUST:

*****.............................77 - 97 - 1 .....................,........- 14.86
double play......................132 - 143 - 2 ..........................- 24.90
triple play........................57 - 52 - 1 .............................. - 1.86
grand slam......................81 - 82 - 3................................- 25.54
double grand slam.............0 - 2........................................- 16.00
.
CFL JUNE/JULY/ AUGUST RECORD:

SINGLE PLAY.................................1 - 1
DOUBLE PLAY................................7 - 7
TRIPLE PLAY..................................3 - 1
BLOW OUT.....................................3 - 2

[StarDust Bum]

Team Open Line Movements Current Moneyline Halftime Scores

7:05 PM EDT

327 TORONTO ARGONAUTS 55.5 54.5 / 54 / 53.5 53 +160
328 HAMILTON TIGERCATS -4.5 -3.5 / -3.5 -13 / -3.5 -15 -4 -185

TOR-QB-Ricky Ray-OUT | TV: ESPN2, DTV: 209

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

CFL Consensus Picks


SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

7:00 PM Toronto +4 500 48.88% Hamilton -4 523 51.12% View View


TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

7:00 PM Toronto 54.5 394 43.83% Hamilton 54.5 505 56.17% View View


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

MONDAY, AUGUST 3

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto - 7:00 PM ET Toronto +4 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Hamilton - Over 54.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores


7:05 PM EDT

951 CHICAGO CUBS (L) Lester, J 6.5u15 6.5u15 6.5 +1.5(-205)
952 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (L) Liriano, F -135 -144 / -140 / -134 -133 -1.5(+175)

CUB-3B-Kris Bryant-Probable | TV: CSN-Chicago, ESPN, ROOT-Pittsburgh, DTV: 206, 659, 665 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 40% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND OUT TO LEFT 9-14. GAME TEMP 83, RH 52% HEAT INDEX 85

7:05 PM EDT

953 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (R) Godley, Z 8u20 8 / 8o11 / 8 8u15 +1.5(-210)
954 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (R) Fister, D -160 -121 / -119 / -118 -117 -1.5(+180)

TV: FS-Arizona, MASN, DTV: 640, 686 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO CENTER 8-13. GAME TEMP 88, RH 51% HEAT INDEX 93

7:10 PM EDT

955 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Cain, M -150 -144 / -145 / -134 -140 -1.5(+125)
956 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Foltynewicz, M 8u20 8u24 / 8u20 / 7.5o20 7.5 +1.5(-145)

TV: CSN-Bay, SportSouth, DTV: 649, 696 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND IN FROM LEFT 3-8. GAME TEMP 88, RH 51% HEAT INDEX 93

7:10 PM EDT

957 NEW YORK METS (R) Colon, B 7o25 -118 / -117 / -116 -115 -1.5(+145)
958 MIAMI MARLINS (R) Koehler, T -115 7o25 / 7.5u20 / 7.5u25 7.5u21 +1.5(-165)

MIA-RF-Giancarlo Stanton-OUT | TV: FS-Florida, SNY, DTV: 639, 654 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 40% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND IN FROM RIGHT CENTER 7-12. GAME TEMP 87, RH 60% HEAT INDEX 94 (MARLINS STADIUM ROOF CLOSES IN WET WEATHER)

8:10 PM EDT

959 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Ross, T -104 -110 / -109 / +100 -102 +1.5(-215)
960 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Peralta, W 8u15 8u15 / 8u20 / 7.5u15 7.5u20 -1.5(+185)

TV: FS-Wisconsin, FS-San Diego, DTV: 669, 694 | CLEAR, WIND OUT TO LEFT 7-12. GAME TEMP 78, RH 32% HEAT INDEX 77

1:05 PM EDT

961 MINNESOTA TWINS (R) Santana, E 8.5u20 8o15 / 8 / 8u20 8u15 +1.5(-105) 1Under 8
962 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (L) Price, D -200 -215 / -220 / -225 -230 -1.5(-115) 5Final

TV: FS-North, DTV: 668 | PARTLY SUNNY, WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 10-15. GAME TEMP 77, RH 66% HEAT INDEX 80

8:05 PM EDT

963 HOUSTON ASTROS (R) Mccullers, L -130 -125 / -126 / -122 -123 -1.5(+130)
964 TEXAS RANGERS (R) Lewis, C 9o15 9o15 / 9o20 / 9o15 9u15 +1.5(-150)

TV: FS-Southwest, ROOT-Southwest, DTV: 674, 676 | MOSTLY FAIR, WIND IN FROM CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 97, RH 29% HEAT INDEX 98

8:10 PM EDT

965 TAMPA BAY RAYS (R) Karns, N 8u15 7.5 / 7.5u15 / 7o20 7.5o15 +1.5(-200)
966 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (L) Quintana, J -140 -122 / -123 / -121 -122 -1.5(+170)

TV: SunSports, DTV: 653 | CLEAR, WIND OUT TO CENTER 5-10. GAME TEMP 78, RH 46% HEAT INDEX 79

10:05 PM EDT

967 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (R) Wilson, T -104 7.5u18 / 7.5u25 / 7.5u20 7.5u25 +1.5(-215)
968 OAKLAND ATHLETICS (R) Chavez, J 7.5 -106 / -105 / -107 -106 -1.5(+185)

TV: CSN-California, MASN2, DTV: 641, 698 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO RIGHT 11-16. GAME TEMP 72, RH 57% HEAT INDEX 73

10:05 PM EDT

969 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Kluber, C 6.5 6.5o18 / 6.5o20 / 6.5u15 6.5u24 +1.5(-230)
970 LOS ANGELES ANGELS (R) Richards, G -120 -117 / -118 / -120 -116 -1.5(+190)

TV: FS-West, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 662, 692 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO CENTER 4-9. GAME TEMP 76, RH 61% HEAT INDEX 78

8:40 PM EDT

971 SEATTLE MARINERS (R) Hernandez, F -165 -175 / -173 / -174 -172 -1.5(-110)
972 COLORADO ROCKIES (R) Butler, E 9.5u20 9.5o15 / 9.5o20 / 9.5o15 9.5o15 +1.5(-110)

TV: ROOT-Northwest, ROOT-Rocky Mountain, DTV: 683, 687 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 40% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND OUT TO LEFT 10-20. GAME TEMP 83, RH 34% HEAT INDEX 82

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Consensus Picks


SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

1:07 PM Minnesota +197 280 28.25% Toronto -215 711 71.75% View View

10:05 PM Cleveland +105 363 30.50% LA Angels -114 827 69.50% View View

7:05 PM Arizona +108 409 34.31% Washington -117 783 65.69% View View

7:05 PM Chi. Cubs +127 445 37.15% Pittsburgh -138 753 62.85% View View

8:10 PM Tampa Bay +114 439 39.80% Chi. White Sox -123 664 60.20% View View

10:05 PM Baltimore +102 533 50.62% Oakland -110 520 49.38% View View

8:05 PM Houston -126 625 54.73% Texas +116 517 45.27% View View

7:10 PM NY Mets -114 648 57.09% Miami +105 487 42.91% View View

8:10 PM San Diego -100 662 59.37% Milwaukee -108 453 40.63% View View

8:40 PM Seattle -169 720 65.34% Colorado +156 382 34.66% View View

7:10 PM San Francisco -135 812 69.40% Atlanta +125 358 30.60% View View


TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

8:10 PM San Diego 7.5 254 40.90% Milwaukee 7.5 367 59.10% View View

8:10 PM Tampa Bay 7.5 284 42.64% Chi. White Sox 7.5 382 57.36% View View

1:07 PM Minnesota 8 275 43.44% Toronto 8 358 56.56% View View

7:05 PM Arizona 8 293 43.80% Washington 8 376 56.20% View View

7:10 PM San Francisco 7.5 319 46.23% Atlanta 7.5 371 53.77% View View

7:05 PM Chi. Cubs 6.5 322 46.87% Pittsburgh 6.5 365 53.13% View View

8:05 PM Houston 9 334 49.63% Texas 9 339 50.37% View View

10:05 PM Baltimore 7.5 332 50.23% Oakland 7.5 329 49.77% View View

8:40 PM Seattle 9.5 350 50.29% Colorado 9.5 346 49.71% View View

7:10 PM NY Mets 7.5 367 53.34% Miami 7.5 321 46.66% View View

10:05 PM Cleveland 6.5 389 57.54% LA Angels 6.5 287 42.46% View View

[Udog]

Pittsburgh's A.J. Burnett could find out if his troublesome elbow is going to put an end to his 17-year career a couple of months early. Burnett went on the DL Thursday and has said he will not have surgery if it's required to pitch again.

I sure hope he gets good news. It would be a shame for him to miss a Pirates playoff run in his last year.