The Bum's Sports Page For Tuesday August 4th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores

7:05 PM EDT

901 CHICAGO CUBS (R) Arrieta, J -130 -131 / -132 / -134 -144 -1.5(+120)
902 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (L) Happ, J 7o15 7 / 7u15 / 7u18 7u20 +1.5(-140)

TV: ROOT-Pittsburgh, WGN (America), DTV: 307, 659 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 79, RH 38% HEAT INDEX 79

7:05 PM EDT

903 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (L) Wood, A -185 -215 / -220 / -205 -210 -1.5(-125)
904 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (R) Williams, J 8o15 8.5o15 / 8.5o20 / 8.5u14 8.5u15 +1.5(+105)

TV: Time Warner LA, CSN-Philadelphia | PARTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE THUNDERSTORMS EARLY. WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 9-14. GAME TEMP 88, RH 46% HEAT INDEX 91

7:05 PM EDT

905 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (L) Corbin, P 6.5o15 6.5o15 / 6.5o20 / 6.5o30 6.5o25 +1.5(-140)
906 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (R) Scherzer, M -200 -194 / -195 / -193 -190 -1.5(+120)

TV: FS-Arizona, MASN, DTV: 640, 686 | PARTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE THUNDERSTORMS EARLY. WIND IN FROM LEFT 5-10. GAME TEMP 91, RH 43% HEAT INDEX 95

7:10 PM EDT

907 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Peavy, J -135 -125 / -127 / -125 -126 -1.5(+140)
908 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Miller, S 7.5 7.5u28 / 7.5u25 / 7o20 7o15 +1.5(-160)

TV: CSN-Bay, SportSouth, DTV: 649, 696 | MOSTLY FAIR, WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 4-9. GAME TEMP 91, RH 36% HEAT INDEX 92

7:10 PM EDT

909 NEW YORK METS (L) Niese, J -125 -132 / -124 / -126 -125 -1.5(+140)
910 MIAMI MARLINS (L) Hand, B 7.5u15 7.5u15 / 7.5u19 / 7.5u20 7.5u25 +1.5(-160)

MIA-RF-Giancarlo Stanton-OUT | TV: FS-Florida, SNY, DTV: 639, 654 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND IN FROM CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 88, RH 61% HEAT INDEX 96 (MARLINS STADIUM ROOF MAY CLOSE IN HOT WEATHER)

7:10 PM EDT

911 ST LOUIS CARDINALS (R) Lackey, J -140 -127 / -128 / -126 -125 -1.5(+135)
912 CINCINNATI REDS (R) Desclafani, A 7.5 8o15 / 8o20 / 8o22 8o25 +1.5(-155)

STL-LF-Matt Holliday-OUT | TV: FS-Midwest, FS-Ohio, DTV: 660, 671 | MOSTLY FAIR, WIND OUT TO RIGHT 4-9. GAME TEMP 84, RH 42% HEAT INDEX 84

8:10 PM EDT

913 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Cashner, A 8u20 7.5u15 / 7.5u20 / 7.5u25 7.5u15 +1.5(-205)
914 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Nelson, J -106 -122 / -120 / -117 -120 -1.5(+175)

TV: FS-San Diego, DTV: 694 | MOSTLY FAIR, WIND OUT TO LEFT 5-10. GAME TEMP 79, RH 40% HEAT INDEX 79

7:05 PM EDT

915 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (L) Duffy, D 8.5 -105 / -108 / -107 -109 -1.5(+145)
916 DETROIT TIGERS (R) Verlander, J -107 8.5 / 8.5o20 / 8.5 8.5o20 +1.5(-165)

DET-1B-Miguel Cabrera-OUT | TV: FS-Detroit, FS-Kansas City, DTV: 663, 672 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT 7-12. GAME TEMP 79, RH 40% HEAT INDEX 79

7:05 PM EDT

917 MINNESOTA TWINS (R) Hughes, P 9u25 8.5u11 / 8.5u15 / 8.5 8.5o15 +1.5(-145)
918 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (R) Estrada, M -175 -171 / -170 / -163 -164 -1.5(+125)

TV: FS-North, DTV: 668 | PARTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND IN FROM LEFT 10-15. GAME TEMP 76, RH 51% HEAT INDEX 78 (ROGERS CENTRE ROOF CLOSES IN WET WEATHER)

7:05 PM EDT

919 BOSTON RED SOX (L) Owens, H 8.5o15 9u20 / 9u15 / 9 9u15 +1.5(-140)
920 NEW YORK YANKEES (R) Tanaka, M -210 -172 / -171 / -170 -171 -1.5(+120)

TV: NESN, YES, DTV: 628, 631 | PARTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE THUNDERSTORMS EARLY. WIND OUT TO RIGHT CENTER 8-13. GAME TEMP 89, RH 43% HEAT INDEX 91

8:05 PM EDT

921 HOUSTON ASTROS (R) Straily, D -120 10o15 / 10o19 / 10u15 9.5o20 +1.5(-195)
922 TEXAS RANGERS (R) Gallardo, Y 9o15 -107 / -109 / -110 -109 -1.5(+165)

Overnight Pitching Change: Houston - D. Straily for Undecided HOU | TV: FS-Southwest, ROOT-Southwest, DTV: 674, 676 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND IN FROM RIGHT CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 97, RH 32% HEAT INDEX 100

8:10 PM EDT

923 TAMPA BAY RAYS (R) Archer, C 6.5o15 6.5u18 / 6.5u20 / 6.5u14 6.5u15 +1.5(-195)
924 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (L) Sale, C -140 -129 / -130 / -131 -134 -1.5(+165)

TV: CSN-Chicago, SunSports, DTV: 653, 665 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT 4-9. GAME TEMP 79, RH 38% HEAT INDEX 79

10:05 PM EDT

925 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (R) Gonzalez, M -115 -117 / -114 / -116 -115 -1.5(+145)
926 OAKLAND ATHLETICS (R) Bassitt, C 7.5u25 7.5u25 / 7.5u27 / 7o15 7o20 +1.5(-165)

TV: CSN-California, MASN2, DTV: 641, 698 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO RIGHT 11-16. GAME TEMP 71, RH 56% HEAT INDEX 71

10:05 PM EDT

927 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Carrasco, C 7o30 7o30 / 7o15 / 7u20 7u25 +1.5(-200)
928 LOS ANGELES ANGELS (R) Shoemaker, M -105 -122 / -123 / -125 -128 -1.5(+170)

TV: FS-West, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 662, 692 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO RIGHT CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 78, RH 62% HEAT INDEX 80

8:40 PM EDT

929 SEATTLE MARINERS (L) Nuno, V 11 11u20 / 11u15 / 10.5o15 10.5 +1.5(-195)
930 COLORADO ROCKIES (R) Gray, J -105 +101 / +100 / -108 -110 -1.5(+165)

TV: ROOT-Northwest, ROOT-Rocky Mountain, DTV: 683, 687 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND IN FROM LEFT CENTER 10-15. GAME TEMP 82, RH 24% HEAT INDEX 79

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Consensus Picks


SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

7:05 PM Arizona +165 314 27.30% Washington -179 836 72.70% View View
7:05 PM Boston +159 326 28.70% NY Yankees -173 810 71.30% View View
10:05 PM Cleveland +114 320 29.30% LA Angels -123 772 70.70% View View
7:07 PM Minnesota +150 378 33.01% Toronto -163 767 66.99% View View
8:10 PM Tampa Bay +123 422 38.93% Chi. White Sox -133 662 61.07% View View

8:05 PM Houston +100 488 46.61% Texas -108 559 53.39% View View

8:40 PM Seattle -100 457 48.31% Colorado -108 489 51.69% View View

8:10 PM San Diego +111 537 52.54% Milwaukee -120 485 47.46% View View

7:10 PM San Francisco -120 618 57.12% Atlanta +111 464 42.88% View View

7:05 PM Chi. Cubs -135 667 57.30% Pittsburgh +125 497 42.70% View View

7:08 PM Kansas City -106 648 58.75% Detroit -102 455 41.25% View View

10:05 PM Baltimore -115 624 61.12% Oakland +106 397 38.88% View View

7:05 PM LA Dodgers -220 725 66.33% Philadelphia +201 368 33.67% View View

7:10 PM St. Louis -123 803 70.62% Cincinnati +114 334 29.38% View View

7:10 PM NY Mets -120 861 74.93% Miami +111 288 25.07% View View


TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

8:10 PM Tampa Bay 6.5 296 43.92% Chi. White Sox 6.5 378 56.08% View View

7:10 PM San Francisco 7 296 47.36% Atlanta 7 329 52.64% View View

7:10 PM St. Louis 7.5 298 47.60% Cincinnati 7.5 328 52.40% View View

7:05 PM Chi. Cubs 7 300 49.59% Pittsburgh 7 305 50.41% View View

7:08 PM Kansas City 8.5 337 52.49% Detroit 8.5 305 47.51% View View

7:05 PM Arizona 6.5 348 52.57% Washington 6.5 314 47.43% View View

8:10 PM San Diego 7.5 334 56.13% Milwaukee 7.5 261 43.87% View View

7:07 PM Minnesota 8.5 377 58.00% Toronto 8.5 273 42.00% View View

7:10 PM NY Mets 7.5 365 59.35% Miami 7.5 250 40.65% View View

10:05 PM Cleveland 7 369 60.00% LA Angels 7 246 40.00% View View

8:40 PM Seattle 10.5 397 60.15% Colorado 10.5 263 39.85% View View

8:05 PM Houston 9.5 289 63.38% Texas 9.5 167 36.62% View View

10:05 PM Baltimore 7 402 64.11% Oakland 7 225 35.89% View View

7:05 PM Boston 9 447 67.22% NY Yankees 9 218 32.78% View View

7:05 PM LA Dodgers 8 463 67.99% Philadelphia 8 218 32.01% View View

[StarDust Bum]

RECAPPING YESTERDAY'S ACTION:

MLB: 4 - 5

CFL: 1 - 1

WNBA: 0 - 0 - 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:

*****.............................79 - 100 - 1 .....................,........- 16.82
double play......................133 - 144 - 2 ..........................- 24.62
triple play........................58 - 53 - 1 .............................. - 2.67
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 - 9
TRIPLE PLAY..................................3 - 1
BLOW OUT.....................................3 - 2

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4

Game Score Status Pick Amount

San Antonio - 7:00 PM ET San Antonio +4 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Connecticut - Over 150.5 500 *****

Indiana - 8:00 PM ET Indiana +6 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Chicago - Over 162 500 *****

Tulsa - 10:00 PM ET Phoenix -8 500 GRAND SLAM
Phoenix - Over 152 500 GRAND SLAM

Minnesota - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles +2 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Los Angeles - Over 152.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Boston - 7:05 PM ET NY Yankees -173 500 TRIPLE PLAY
NY Yankees - Over 9 500

Arizona - 7:05 PM ET Washington -175 500
Washington - Over 6.5 500

Chi. Cubs - 7:05 PM ET Chi. Cubs -129 500 DOUBLE GRAND SLAM
Pittsburgh - Over 7 500

LA Dodgers - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia +201 500 GRAND SLAM
Philadelphia - Over 8 500

Minnesota - 7:07 PM ET Toronto -163 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Toronto - Over 8.5 500

Kansas City - 7:08 PM ET Kansas City -113 500
Detroit - Over 8.5 500

San Francisco - 7:10 PM ET San Francisco -120 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Atlanta - Over 7 500 TRIPLE PLAY

St. Louis - 7:10 PM ET Cincinnati +114 500 *****
Cincinnati - Over 7.5 500

NY Mets - 7:10 PM ET NY Mets -120 500 DOUBLE GRAND SLAM
Miami - Over 7.5 500

Houston - 8:05 PM ET Texas -108 500
Texas - Under 9.5 500

Tampa Bay - 8:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox -131 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Chi. White Sox - Over 6.5 500

San Diego - 8:10 PM ET San Diego +111 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Milwaukee - Over 7.5 500

Seattle - 8:40 PM ET Seattle -100 500
Colorado - Over 10.5 500

Baltimore - 10:05 PM ET Baltimore -116 500 *****
Oakland - Over 7 500

Cleveland - 10:05 PM ET Cleveland +114 500 *****
LA Angels - Under 7 500

[StarDust Bum]

It's going to be a big week for the contending Cubs

Coming into Monday's slate, Sportsline gave the Cubs a 50.7 percent chance of making the postseason. That's in essence a coin-flip, and that means the little things matter especially so. Given the sprawl of the baseball season, one week may be considered one of those "little things that matter especially so."

Take the Cubs' week this week, for instance ...



As you can see, the Cubs have three road games against the Pirates followed four home tilts against the Giants. Speaking of those three teams, here's a look at your NL wild card standings as of Monday night ...


There they all are! The Pirates are in the top spot and four games clear of the Cubs, while the Cubs are just a hairsbreadth in front of the Giants in the race for the second wild card berth. Now let's circle back to those Sportsline playoff odds invoked earlier. While they give the Cubs, as noted, better than 50-50 odds of making the playoffs, they give them just a 0.4 percent chance of winning the NL Central. That's what happens when you're in August, in third place, and 9 1/2 games behind the division leader. Ergo, if the Cubs are to make the playoffs, then it will almost certainly be via the service entrance (i.e., the wild card).

So, the wild card ... Baked into those standings above is the Cubs' Monday rainout in Pittsburgh. The game will be made up at a later date yet to be determined, and it may be when the Cubs return to PNC in mid-September. So nothing happened on that front.

Something did happen to the Giants, though ...

That's a lacerating loss if you're the Giants (as mentioned in the video, they were up 6-0 at one point), but that's a very welcome "assist" if you're the Cubs. That's especially significant because it's really the Giants that the Cubs are worried about, at least right now. The Pirates have a cushion ahead of them, and, suffice it to say, the line between first wild card and second wild card is vastly less important than the line between second wild card and "not in the playoffs." As for the Giants, prior to the loss above Sportsline gave them a 43.9 percent chance of making the postseason, and this loss will of course nudge that figure downward just a bit.

Before the Cubs directly worry about those Giants, they'll wrap up in Pittsburgh. A key game for reasons beyond the standings will be Wednesday, when deadline acquisition Dan Haren makes his Cubs debut. Haren is a veteran command guy who mixes up a four-pitch repertoire in order to work around steep velocity loss. The key for decline-phase Haren is limiting homers, and that'll be more of a challenge in Wrigley than it was in Marlins Park. Will the Cubs seek to toggle his usage so as to primarily use him in road games in pitcher-friendly parks (PNC certainly qualifies)? That might be a challenge, as the Cubs after Haren's Wednesday start have just five remaining off days to play with.

Looking ahead -- and getting back to the Giants -- the Cubs have an ever-so-slightly easier shedule the rest of the way than the Giants do, and they get four of seven games versus those Giants at home. For the series in the immediate offing, maybe manager Joe Maddon can play with his rotation a bit and move up Jon Lester, who threw just 31 pitches in Monday's rain-shortened affair.

Something else to watch for? Maybe this week Javier Baez (and his shortened swing) makes his way back to the bigs for the first time this season. Coming into Monday night, he was batting .311/.389/.551 in 43 games for Triple-A Iowa, and then he went out and did this

In any event, come Sunday night we'll know more about the Cubs and the NL wild card race. Maybe we'll know that we still don't know much, but that's a knowing of a kind. Regardless, the most important week of Cubs baseball in some time is underway.