The Bum's Sports Page For Tuesday August 18th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

New York Liberty 16 7 0.696 0 8-3 8-4 9-5 8-2 L-1

Indiana Fever 14 9 0.609 2 8-4 6-5 9-7 7-3 W-3

Washington Mystics 14 9 0.609 2 9-4 5-5 8-8 7-3 W-1

Chicago Sky 15 11 0.577 2 10-3 5-8 10-6 5-5 L-1

Connecticut Sun 12 12 0.500 4 7-6 5-6 4-11 5-5 L-2

Atlanta Dream 9 15 0.375 7 6-6 3-9 5-8 3-7 W-1


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

Minnesota Lynx 18 7 0.720 0 10-2 8-5 13-4 6-4 L-1

Phoenix Mercury 15 9 0.625 2 10-3 5-6 12-3 6-4 L-1

Tulsa Shock 11 14 0.440 7 6-5 5-9 6-10 1-9 W-1

Los Angeles Sparks 8 16 0.333 9 6-7 2-9 6-10 6-4 W-1

San Antonio Stars 7 18 0.280 11 7-5 0-13 5-10 3-7 L-2

Seattle Storm 7 19 0.269 11 5-6 2-13 6-11 3-7 W-1


Updated Tue Aug 18 10:07 AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- Dodgers demoted 3B coach Lorenzo Bundy and hired former Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke as their new third base coach. Interesting timing for that move.

-- Rice Owls are building a $31M practice facility for football. Rice.

-- 41 states have at least one I-A football program; Texas has 12 of them.

-- Other than the three service academies, Tulsa is the school with the least amount of students that is currently playing I-A football.

-- If I was a Redskins fan, I'd sure as hell want Kirk Cousins starting ahead of RGIII, but thats just my opinion. We'll see what the coaches think in three weeks.

-- Speaking of the Redskins' coach, Jay Gruden won six Arena Bowls; four as a QB, two more as a head coach.


**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.......

13) The Indians are in Boston this week and Terry Francona manages the Indians; he was manager of the Red Sox when they won two World Series and John Farrell was his pitching coach- they are very good friends.

Farrell manages the Red Sox now, except he has lymphoma and has taken a leave from the club. His first chemo treatment is today; Francona is going with him.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the definition of a great friend.

12) Did you ever hear of a law called escheatment?

I have a small savings account that I ignored for the last three years, just let the money sit there. Got a registered letter Monday; if I don't send a signed note back to the bank in 30 days, they're going to seize the money and give it to the state. Say what?

There is a law that if an account lays dormant for 3+ years, state can take the money. This also goes for people who die without having a will. Who made this law?

11) Don't give away your childhood: Kid named Ricky Town was a bigtime QB recruit; committed to Alabama first, then enrolled at USC a semester early, but now he has left USC and will go somewhere else, since he has seen the handwriting on the wall that the Trojans have better guys than him. It is a cruel world out there.

These top 25 schools stockpile talent; there is no waiver wire in college football. Back in 1980, Herschel Walker started the season as Georgia's #5 tailback- that didn't last long, but kids getting disgruntled and transferring is an unfortunate annual tradition.

Meanwhile, young Mr Town didn't have a senior year in high school to enjoy and that is a little sad. We all become adults fast enough; kids should enjoy being a kid. Rumors have Town headed to Florida, but he doesn't seem like a person you can depend on, and you really, really need to have a dependable quarterback..

10) Rhode Island/Cincinnati have both offered scholarships to a point guard who starts 10th grade this month. Recruiting is a fascinating, bizarre business.

9) Oakland Raiders have an assistant strength coach named Darryl Eto, who spent the last five years working for the NBA's Houston Rockets. Interesting career move.

8) Atlanta Falcons did zero live tackling before their first exhibition game against the Titans last week. None. As time goes on, teams hit less and less in practice-- paranoia about guys getting hurt is the reason why. Just can't afford injuries.

7) Danny White, Warren Moon and Mark Brunell were all very good NFL QB's; hell, Moon is in the Hall of Fame and helped Edmonton win six CFL titles before he came to the NFL, but these three QBs hold the record with ten playoff starts each, without any of them ever starting in a Super Bowl.

6) Atlanta Braves are 1-10 in Shelby Miller's last 11 starts, scoring a total of 15 runs in the 11 games. Miller couldn't even get a win Sunday when he had a no-hitter in the 8th inning. Atlanta did win that game in extra innings, though.

5) Greg Oden is still only 27 years old; he played half a year at Ohio State, jumped to the NBA, but has played in only 105 NBA games, 82 for Portland ('08-'10), then 23 more for Miami two years ago. Now he has signed to play for a pro team in China; will be very interesting to see how he does if he ever plays a full season.

4) Royals are running away with AL West and A's look stupid for having versatile Ben Zobrist for only a half-year before dealing him, but one of the guys they got from the Royals is pitcher Sean Manaea, who is 3-1, 2.84 in six starts in the AA Texas League, a hitter-happy league. Manaea has 38 strikeouts in 31 IP-- promising.

3) One thing that must be upgraded next year is Oakland's defense; one of the basic tenets of baseball is "strong defense up the middle". This hasn't changed,, no matter what the Ivy League geniuses tell you their algorithms say.

Marcus Semien has 31 errors this season; he is a horrible defensive shortstop and that is despite gradual improvement during the season. You cannot have a remedial program for players at the major league level- this has been a disaster.

2) Cardinals 2, Giants 1-- Game took 2:48 with veteran ump Bob Davidson behind the plate; it figured to be a fast game, since Davidson's last two games behind the dish lasted 14 and 16 innings. Davidson isn't a young man; that had to be tiring. Wish he had worked a game when we knew he was going to be behind the plate beforehand.

1) Jaguars-Bills are playing in London this year; one of sidebars of that game will be that one of the Jaguar assistant coaches is Doug Marrone, who spent the last two years as the Buffalo head coach, going 15-17. Think that game means extra to him?

[StarDust Bum]

Preseason Week 2 Essentials

August 17, 2015


Week 1 of the preseason went in the books with a Tim Tebow touchdown run as the final score. That’s fitting since the exhibition season often feels like Fantasyland. There’s always something teasing the imagination that can lead you to some wild proclamations.

For instance, the Vikings are 2-0 and clearly a lock for the Super Bowl since Adrian Peterson sat both games out and star safety Harrison Smith barely played. Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel is about to set the league on fire.

A lot of people out there got more ammo for their argument, disproven to this point, that Kirk Cousins would be a better quarterback for Washington than Robert Griffin III. The Patriots are going to be 0-1 with Jimmy Garoppolo if Tom Brady fails to pull off a full pardon on his suspension via appeal.

It’s a Small World here. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride over there.

The latter could definitely be utilized as an accurate description of Jameis Winston’s and Marcus Mariota’s debuts, or my fun run going 17-2-1 against the spread.

The preseason isn’t necessarily as random as the natural inclination to disparage it as meaningless forces you to believe. In some ways, it’s more easily predictable than the regular season despite far more participants and varying degrees of skill. Minnesota still has a ways to go before making reservations for Santa Clara and RG III still gives Washington its best chance to win, but not all we saw was a mirage.

Kansas City’s Daniel, if nothing else, has likely lit a fire under Alex Smith. Andy Reid isn’t going to ride out a lengthy slump. What we saw out of Winston and Mariota was likely a microcosm of what we should expect. There was some brilliance surrounded by plenty of miscues. Jimmy G. didn’t look so hot. Tebow is fourth on the Eagles pecking order of quarterbacks and showed why in between an impressive opening drive and his final glorious plunge into the end zone, struggling with reads and pressure.

There’s going to be considerably more material to scrutinize in Week 2, especially with more talent taking the field for longer periods. Here’s how the schedule unfolds:

Thursday, Aug. 20

Detroit at Washington: The Griffin-Cousins debate surges on in D.C. Since the next home game will be in the final week of the preseason, this will be the lone opportunity for the fans at FedEx Field to put in their two cents and have it register. RG III was 4-of-8 in the opener and needs to play well against a Lions team that should again compete for a playoff spot if healthy.

Buffalo at Cleveland: This nationally televised showcase pits Rex Ryan against his former defensive coordinator and confidant Mike Pettine for the first time as head coaches. With QB competitions going on in both cities, it will be interesting to see who stands out. Tyrod Taylor and Johnny Manziel are running second, but hoping to stand out by making plays with their legs that projected starters Matt Cassel and Josh McCown can’t.

Friday, Aug. 21

Atlanta at N.Y. Jets: The NYJ QB gig is Ryan Fitzpatrick’s now, so don’t expect them to risk losing him given the lack of experience behind him. You may ultimately see him draped in heavy duty plastic couch covers before the preseason is through. Rookie Bryce Petty threw for just 50 yards on 18 pass attempts against Detroit and will take the bulk of the snaps here too. The early battles between Falcons receivers and Jets corners might be the only reason to watch.

Seattle at Kansas City: There are a ton of intriguing story lines in this one, but none better than former K-State star Tyler Lockett taking his show to Arrowhead after an electric home debut where he racked up over 200 yards in returns. We’ll also see if Daniel can exploit a depleted Seahawks secondary after going 17-for-21 with three touchdown passes at Arizona.

Saturday, Aug. 22

Miami at Carolina: The Panthers are looking for their offensive line to gel throughout this month, so getting subjected to Ndamakong Suh this early is likely a blessing. Cam Newton led a scoring drive but struggled with his accuracy, while Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill was clutch in leading a scoring drive in his lone series against Chicago. Both will get more work here.

Baltimore at Philadelphia: Two of the three teams to score 30 or more in their preseason opener square off here. All eyes will be on Sam Bradford, expected to make his debut after missing all of last season after re-tearing his ACL last August. Considering how shaky Mark Sanchez looked, the Eagle faithful on hand will be crossing their fingers that he’ll look healthy and ease their concerns.

Chicago at Indianapolis: The Bears won their preseason opener 27-10 on the strength of their backups and third-stringers because the Jay Cutler-led offense and rebuilt defense were actually disappointing. Their first units will see more action against the Colts, who are likely to dust off Andrew Luck for more than the few snaps he took on Sunday.

New England at New Orleans: Since Tom Brady unexpectedly played last week, you know he’ll be a part of the equation here. Still, getting Garropolo more comfortable should be the main concern in this second preseason test. Drew Brees makes his debut as he moves on from departed favorite target Jimmy Graham.

Jacksonville at N.Y. Giants: The Eli Manning-led first unit managed one first down and 38 yards in four series against the Bengals, so boos may be heard insanely early if the listless play continues against the Jaguars. TE Julius Thomas broke his right hand on Friday, so Jacksonville’s newest weapon will miss the rest of the preseason.

Denver at Houston: Veteran Peyton Manning will need to avoid a meeting with J.J. Watt for a drive or two, debuting after sitting out last week’s win in Seattle. The Texans will have Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer continue their QB battle after both had solid showings against the 49ers on Saturday night.

Oakland at Minnesota: No, Peterson won’t play, but a defense that continues to look terrific can take another step forward as head coach Mike Zimmer looks to improve his preseason record to 7-0. The Raiders gave up three points themselves in stifling St. Louis 18-3 last Friday, so facing a quality opponent on the road could be a real confidence builder for an improving young team.

San Diego at Arizona: The Cardinals welcomed back Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, showed them love and made sure they stayed upright in brief cameos. Expect more of the same against the Chargers, who didn’t even crack 75 passing yards against Dallas last week.

Sunday, Aug. 23

Green Bay at Pittsburgh: How much of two of the NFL’s most prolific offenses will we get to see here? If this were a regular-season affair, the total would be set over 50. Rodgers actually threw the ball 19 times against New England, so we might get a fun opening half if both coaches are feeling frisky and willing to trust their offensive lines to keep their franchise quarterbacks upright.

Dallas at San Francisco: Cowboys running back Gus Johnson separated his shoulder to bow out in the race to replace DeMarco Murray, but banged-up top candidates Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar may all suit up and get some action at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers got 120 total yards out of Aussie rugby player Jarryd Hayne in the preseason opener, so he won’t be sneaking up on the Cowboys.

St. Louis at Tennessee: The Rams got nothing going with their backups in Oakland, failing to score after starter Nick Foles left the game. Foles should get a longer look here, as will Mariota, who threw his first interception in his opening quarter against live action after going through camp unblemished.

Monday, Aug. 24

Cincinnati at Tampa Bay: The season’s unoffical first Monday night game has some appeal. Winston attempts to bounces back from a rocky debut to the Andy Dalton-led offense looking to go 2-for-2 on dominating opening drives. A.J. Green caught a pass, Jeremy Hill broke off a few strong runs and an offense that has the personnel to be imposing looked mighty impressive against the Giants.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, August 18


Mets starter deGrom on fire

Jacob deGrom will try to keep his hot streak going and lead the New York Mets to their seventh straight win when he starts.

In his last six starts, deGrom has pitched to 1.32 ERA to go along with 50 strikeouts to just eight walks.

deGrom and the Mets visit Kevin Gausman the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday night. The Mets are currently even with the O's at -104.


Pirates rolling with Liriano on the hill, especially at PNC

The Pittsburgh Pirates are red-hot when Francisco Liriano starts, especially at home, winning his last eight starts overall and his last six at PNC Park.

Liriano has pitched to a 3.13 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 17 walks in his last eight starts overall and is even better at home, pitching to a 2.74 ERA with 43 strikeouts and just 14 walks in his last six starts there.

Liriano and the Pirates host the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chase Anderson Tuesday night, where the Buccos are currently big -207 favorites.


Cleveland's Bauer really struggling versus AL East

Cleveland Indians hurler Trevor Bauer is 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA in three starts versus the American League East this season and is 1-6 with a 6.65 ERA in eight career starts against the division.

Bauer has allowed 16 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings of work in those three starts versus the East this season. Those starts came against the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays.

He'll give it another shot versus the division as he's expected to get the ball at Fenway Park to face the Boston Red Sox Tuesday evening. Cleveland is presently +108 while the Red Sox, expected to counter with Eduardo Rodriguez, are -117.


Road teams cashing with Muchlinski behind the plate

Visiting teams have posted an impressive record of 7-0 in the past seven ball games that umpire Mike Muchlinksi has worked behind home plate.

Season to date, road teams are 7-13 in the games that Muchlinksi has worked behind the dish. Home teams have averaged just 2.80 runs while the visitors have averaged 4.00 runs per game.

Muchlinksi will be at Fenway Park when the Boston Red Sox host the Cleveland Indians Tuesday evening. Trevor Bauer is the probable starter for Cleveland (+108) while Eduardo Rodriguez is expected to start for the BoSox (-117).


Wind blowing in at Coors Field Tuesday

According to weather forecasts, wind is expected to blow in from right field at around 12 miles per hour at Coors Field when the Colorado Rockies host the Washington Nationals Tuesday evening.

According to our stadium data for Coors Field, the Over/Under count is 2-1 when wind blows in from right but is 3-6 O/U overall with inbound wind.

Jordan Zimmermann is probable to start for the Nationals and David Hale is expected to start for the Rockies. The total opened at 11 but is down a run to 10.


Cubs to try and extend home winning streak

The Chicago Cubs will try to extend their home winning streak to nine consecutive games when they begin a mini two-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field Tuesday.

The Cubs have been just plain dominant during the win streak at Wrigley Field, outscoring their opponents 51-22 during those eight games.

The cubs send right-hander Jason Hammel (6-5, 3.10 ERA) to the mound to take on the Tigers Anibal Sanchez (10-10, 4.95 ERA). Chicago is currently a -150 favorite.


Mets own matchup versus Orioles

The New York Mets have defeated the Baltimore Orioles in eight consecutive contests dating back to 2010, outscoring them 41-12 in the process.

The Mets swept a two-game mini series in New York back in May, with Jacob deGrom pitching seven innings of six hit, one run ball in a 5-1 win in the second game of that series.

deGrom gets the call against the Orioles once again Tuesday night, going up against the Orioles Kevin Gausman. The odds are currently even at -104 apiece.


Rangers on fire in front of home fans

The Texas Rangers have won eight consecutive home games and will look to make it nine when they face the Seattle Mariners Tuesday evening.

If you had risked $100 on the Rangers each time over the past eight home games, you'd be up 8.57 units.

The team has been a fave just four of those times and have been as much as a +152 dog (Aug. 5 vs. Houston).

Chi Chi Gonzalez is expected to take the bump for the Rangers (+126) while Hisashi Iwakuma is slated to start for the Mariners.


Rangers thriving as home dogs

The Texas Rangers will be home underdogs when they host the Seattle Mariners Tuesday night, a position they have thrived in, winning their last seven games when that is the case.

The Rangers are not having any trouble scoring as home dogs, putting up 6.86 runs per game during the seven game streak, while giving up 4.0 runs per game at the same time.

Texas and starter Chi Chi Gonzalez (2-4, 4.22 ERA) are currently +126 dogs for tonight's matchup against the Mariners Hisashi Iwakuma (4-2, 3.86 ERA), who is coming off a no-hitter in his last start.


Twins slumping against the AL East

The Minnesota Twins have lost seven consecutive games against American League East opponents after their 8-7 extra innings loss to the New York Yankees Monday night.

The Twins haven't just lost seven in a row they are getting thumped, giving up 7.0 runs per game in those seven games, while scoring just 3.7.

Minnesota will try to end the skid when they continue their series against the Bronx Bombers at Yankee Stadium Tuesday, sending Mike Pelfrey to the hill to take on C.C. Sabathia.

The Yankees are currently -163 favorites with a total sitting at 8.5.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, August 18


Dickey has been on fire since All-Star Break

R.A. Dickey has been lights-out since the All-Star break, with the knuckleballer posting a 4-0 record and a 1.49 ERA in his past six starts.

The Blue Jays have been benefiting from Dickey's pitching and have gone 5-1 in those six starts.

The Jays are currently -164 when they send Dickey to the mound Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies.


Zimmermann tough on Rockies at Coors Field

Coors Field is a notoriously tough place to pitch, but don't tell that to Washington Nationals righty Jordan Zimmermann.

The 29-year-old is 2-0 with a 3.74 ERA and has given up just two home runs in 21 2/3 innings of work in four career starts in the Mile High City.

The Nats are 3-1 in those Zimmermann starts, with the only defeat coming in 2009. Zimmermann went four innings allowing two earned runs on seven hits.

This time around, the Nationals are -150 while the Rox, who are expected to start David hale, are priced in the +138 area.


Over bettors sizing up Iwakuma's next start after no-hitter

Hisashi Iwakuma became the oldest pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Randy Johnson's perfect game in 2004, when the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday. Iwakuma became the first pitcher to toss a no-no in the American League since teammate Felix Hernandez in 2012.

Iwakuma walked two batters in the fourth and ended the day with three in total as his only blemishes on his day.

However, going back to 1999, and excluding three collective no-no's involving more than one pitcher (Houston 2003, Seattle 2012, Philadelphia 2014), starters making their first appearance since their no-hitter are 24-17-1 Over/Under – 56 percent Over.

Chris Heston, Max Scherzer and Cole Hamels have all thrown no-hitters this season with the O/U going 1-2.

Iwakuma's next scheduled start comes Tuesday when the Mariners visit the Texas Rangers.


Feldman floundering at Minute Maid Park

Home field advantage has been lost when Scott Feldman takes the mound this season, with the veteran posting a 2-4 record and a 5.56 ERA in eight starts at Minute Maid Park this season. Feldman has surrendered eight home runs in those eight starts while allowing opponents to hit .319.

The Houston Astros have gone 3-5 when Feldman takes the mound at home this season.

The 'Stros are currently -119 when they host the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, August 18

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hottest MLB betting trends to track down the stretch
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The dog days of summer are done and the postseason push has officially arrived. The next six weeks of MLB action will separate the pretenders from the contenders, as divisional matchups, daunting cross-country road trips and primetime pitching matchups will dominate the headlines from now until October.

Which teams will be left standing when all is said and done and the playoffs finally get underway? Perhaps that answer can be found below within the handful of betting trends we’re putting under the microscope this week.

Divisional showdowns

September, and to a lesser extent the first week of October, are best known around the majors for marquee divisional showdowns that carry a significant impact on the chase for the postseason. Look no further than the Chicago Cubs, who will play 23 of their final 31 contests against National League Central opposition.

For bottom dwellers, like the Milwaukee Brewers (25 games back), this stretch represents nothing more than an opportunity to call up some young, talented minor league prospects. But for those in the grueling hunt for postseason stardom, this is the most mentally-trying span of the entire 162-game season. As of Monday afternoon, here are baseball’s best and worst teams in terms of divisional play:

Best

St. Louis Cardinals: 32-18 (.640)
New York Mets: 30-17 (.638)
Kansas City Royals: 32-19 (.627)
Detroit Tigers: 30-20 (.600)
Los Angeles Dodgers: 29-20 (.592)

The NL West-leading Dodgers may be nine games over .500 within their division, but be advised that this team has a serious issue when it comes to beating the San Francisco Giants, who are 9-3 with a plus-8 run differential against the Dodgers this season.

Worst

Miami Marlins: 16-28 (.364)
Cleveland Indians: 18-31 (.367)
Colorado Rockies: 18-31 (.367)
Texas Rangers: 18-28 (.391)
Chicago White Sox: 20-31 (.392)

The Marlins, Indians, Rockies and White Sox all own losing records and were a combined 56 games under .500 as of Monday afternoon, so it’s no surprise to see those teams on this list. What is surprising is to see the Texas Rangers (59-57), who are just 1.5 games out of a wild card berth, sharing the same space. But that’s what happens when you somehow find a way to post a 4-9 record against the lowly Oakland Athletics.

How rest impacts totals

Major League Baseball has been kicking around the idea of reducing the current 162-game regular season format to 154 games in an effort to avoid situations like the one the Oakland A’s will face on Tuesday, which will see the club play a 7:05 p.m. ET start in Baltimore Monday evening before traveling across the country to host the Dodgers Tuesday.

A’s manager Bob Melvin told me Monday, during my radio show on 95.7 The Game in the Bay Area, that he’s in favor of the idea, as the Oakland skipper doesn’t understand why MLB didn’t schedule Monday’s showdown with the Orioles during the afternoon so that his team would have adequate time to rest for Tuesday’s matchup with Clayton Kershaw and the NL West-leading Dodgers.

But before baseball can make any such changes official, it’s important that we analyze how its clubs perform given the current scheduling landscape. Here’s a look at the most profitable clubs in baseball in terms of Overs and Unders when given one day of rest in 2015:

Top OVER records following one day of rest

Houston Astros: 7-3-1 (.700)
Pittsburgh Pirates: 9-4-1 (.692)
New York Yankees: 9-4 (.692)
Atlanta Braves: 8-4 (.667)
Los Angeles Angels: 8-4-1 (.667)

Top UNDER records following one day of rest

Washington Nationals: 9-3 (.750)
New York Mets: 8-3 (.727)
Arizona Diamondbacks: 8-3-1 (.727)
Philadelphia Phillies: 8-3-1 (.727)
St. Louis Cardinals: 7-3-2 (.700)

Road warriors

Winning on the road is one thing, but winning on the road while covering the number as a favorite is another feat entirely. Take the Arizona Diamondbacks as an example, who have been listed as road favorites 10 times this season, only to win in just one of those instances.

Hotel rooms, foreign time zones, unfamiliar surroundings. These are just a handful of reasons as to why a team expected to win a specific contest away from home fails to do so.

Heading into the home stretch, here are the best and worst at winning games while assuming the role of road favorite:

Best road faves

Detroit Tigers: 10-3 (.769)
Chicago Cubs: 21-8 (.724)
St. Louis Cardinals: 20-11 (.645)
Oakland A’s: 13-8 (.619)
New York Mets: 11-7 (.611)

Worst road faves

Arizona Diamondbacks: 1-9 (.100)
Houston Astros: 7-14 (.333)
Miami Marlins: 4-8 (.333)
Boston Red Sox: 6-11 (.353)
Baltimore Orioles: 7-9 (.438)

Keep an eye on…

Finally, I’ll leave you with a trend that is 100 percent worth monitoring for the rest of the 2015 MLB season:

MLB teams in the role of home underdog

San Francisco Giants: 11-3 (.786)

Stay patient, pick your spots and best of luck this week!

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Tuesday

August 18, 2015


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Diamondbacks are 0-12 since Aug 04, 2012 on the road after a win in which they left fewer than 10 men on base.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Lance Lynn starts the Cardinals are 0-17-1 OU since Jul 05, 2012 after he had a WHIP of at least 2 his last start.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Indians are 0-11 OU since Aug 20, 2013 as a dog after an away win in which they allowed 6 or fewer hits and after an away game.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Reds are 0-10 since Aug 18, 2014 as a dog in the first game of a series when seeking same season revenge for a loss.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Angels are 12-0 since Jun 28, 2015 after a win in which they never trailed.

[StarDust Bum]

Rays, Astros hook up

August 18, 2015


TAMPA BAY RAYS (59-59) at HOUSTON ASTROS (64-55)

First pitch: Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Tampa Bay +100, Houston -110, Total: 8.0

The Rays look to get back over .500 with a win over the Astros in Houston on Tuesday.

Tampa Bay currently sits 6.5 games back in the AL East and will need to really get hot in order to climb its way back into the playoff race. The Rays were fresh off of a three-game sweeping at the hands of the Rangers heading into Monday’s meeting with the Astros, but they were able to come away with a 9-2 victory after really hitting Scott Kazmir hard early on. The Astros had won three of their previous four games before taking the loss on Monday. They’ll need to come away with a victory or two in this series if they want to keep their place at the top of the AL West standings.

Starting this game for the Rays will be RHP Jake Odorizzi (6-6, 3.09 ERA, 99 K) and he’ll be going up against RHP Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.17 ERA, 51 K) for the Astros. These teams have played each other four times this season and the Rays are 4-0 in those contests. Tampa Bay is also 6-2 when playing the Astros in Houston over the past three seasons. This Rays team is 32-21 against the money line after a game where their bullpen gave up no runs this season.

The Astros, meanwhile, are an outstanding 35-14 against the money line after two or more consecutive home games this season. OF Steven Souza (Hand) is out for the Rays in this game and OF George Springer (Wrist) is close to a return for the Astros, but won’t be playing in this one.

Odorizzi really struggled in his last appearance for Tampa Bay, allowing six earned runs on nine hits in just 6.0 innings of work. He had, however, allowed three or less runs in his previous five starts and should be able to turn things around in Houston on Tuesday. The last time he saw this team, the 25-year-old pitched 5.2 innings of shutout baseball and struck out five batters in the process. One guy who will be a real x-factor for Tampa in this game is SS Asdrubal Cabrera (.268, 8 HRs, 32 RBIs). Cabrera went 2-for-4 with three RBIs on Monday and is now 11-for-22 over the past six games. He is also 4-for-7 in his career against Scott Feldman and could be in for a big game on Tuesday.

3B Evan Longoria (.277, 13 HRs, 54 RBIs) was 3-for-5 with two runs scored on Monday for the Rays. He is just 2-for-12 against Feldman in his career, but does have a homer and three RBIs in the matchup. He could really help his team if he is to get it going offensively in this one. 2B Tim Beckham (.227, 6 HRs, 25 RBIs) hit a three-run homer in Monday’s meeting with the Astros. Anything he can provide at the plate would be a big bonus for this team moving forward this season.

Feldman has really started to pitch well lately, allowing just two earned runs in his past 12.0 innings on the mound. He’s picked up three quality starts in his last four outings, but this will be his first time facing the Rays this season. Offensively, this team is going to need to figure out Odorizzi. He shut the Astros out in 5.2 innings of work the last time he pitched against them and Houston’s lineup as a whole is just 5-for-40 against the pitcher lifetime.

If the Astros are going to pick up a victory in this game then SS Carlos Correa (.286, 14 HRs, 38 RBIs) will need to step his game up. Correa hasn’t homered in the past nine games and has just two RBIs in that time. He is one of this team’s most reliable hitters and needs to make something happen at the plate on Tuesday. 2B Jose Altuve (.303, 9 HRs, 50 RBIs), meanwhile, is actually the team’s most reliable hitter. He’s now had a multi-hit performance in six of his past 10 games and the Astros could use another one against Tampa in this game.

DH Evan Gattis (.236, 18 HRs, 61 RBIs) could be an x-factor for Houston here. He homered on Monday and the Astros really need him to get hot moving forward. He is one of their only sources of power and this team can really use some firepower the rest of the season.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA

Tuesday, August 18


Fever's winning streak paying off for bettors

The Indiana Fever have won six of their past seven contests, including their past three. Bettors have been wise to ride the Fever with the team posting a 6-1 record against the spread in their past seven.

The Fever have averaged a scoring margin of +13.1 points in those six wins while facing an average closing spread of -0.5.

Indiana is currently +5 when they visit the lowly LA Sparks Tuesday.


Mercury continue to easily cash under tickets

The Phoenix Mercury are far and away the top under play when it comes to the WNBA this season, with a 8-16 over/under record on the year. Even more impressive is the recent streak that has seen the Mercury go under in 10 of their past 12 games.

Through those 12 games, the average closing total has been 149 with the Mercury and their opponents averaging a combined 146.3 points per game.

The Mercury visit the Tulsa Shock Tuesday with the total currently set at 151.

[StarDust Bum]

RECAPPING YESTERDAY'S ACTION:

MLB: 4 - 7 - 0

WNBA: 0 - 0 - 0

CFL: 0 - 0

NFL: 0 - 0 - 0


WNBA JUNE/ JULY RECORD/ AUGUST :

*****...............................19 - 19 - 2
DOUBLE PLAY....................45 - 36
TRIPLE PLAY......................22 - 16
SLAM DUNK.......................25 - 20

MLB RECORD FOR JUNE/JULY/AUGUST:

*****.............................103 - 124 - 1 .....................,........- 14.84
double play......................159 - 171 - 2 ..............................- 28.64
triple play........................83 - 72 - 2 ................................. - 5.54
grand slam......................94 - 92 - 3......................,............- 15.95
double grand slam.............11 - 10.......................................+ 13.28
.
CFL JUNE/JULY/ AUGUST RECORD:

SINGLE PLAY.................................1 - 1
DOUBLE PLAY................................8 - 14
TRIPLE PLAY..................................8 - 4
BLOW OUT.....................................4 - 3

NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

SINGLE PLAY..................................... 6 - 5
DOUBLE PLAY.................................... 5 - 6
TRIPLE PLAY ..................................... 1 - 4 - 1
BLOW OUT......................................... 1 - 0

[StarDust Bum]

Team Open Line Movements Current Moneyline Halftime Scores

8:05 PM EDT

601 PHOENIX MERCURY -3 -05 -4 / -3.5 / -3.5 -13 -3.5 -15 -165
602 TULSA SHOCK 152.5u09 151 / 152 / 152.5 152 +140

PHO-G-Diana Taurasi-OUT | Tul-G-Skylar Diggins-OUT | Tul-F-Glory Johnson-OUT

10:35 PM EDT

603 INDIANA FEVER 151o05 151 / 152 / 152.5 152 +225
604 LOS ANGELES SPARKS -5 -07 -5 / -4.5 / -5 -6 -270

TV: NBA, DTV: 216

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA Consensus Picks

SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

8:00 PM Phoenix -3.5 294 51.13% Tulsa +3.5 281 48.87% View View

10:30 PM Indiana +5.5 319 54.62% Los Angeles -5.5 265 45.38% View View


TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

8:00 PM Phoenix 152 270 54.22% Tulsa 152 228 45.78% View View

10:30 PM Indiana 152.5 289 58.38% Los Angeles 152.5 206 41.62% View View

[StarDust Bum]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores


7:05 PM EDT

901 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (R) Anderson, C 7o15 7o15 / 7o25 / 7o20 7o25 +1.5(-130)
902 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (L) Liriano, F -195 -202 / -200 / -195 -200 -1.5(+110)

TV: FS-Arizona, ROOT-Pittsburgh, DTV: 659, 686 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, WIND IN FROM RIGHT 3-8. GAME TEMP 77, RH 73% HEAT INDEX 80

8:10 PM EDT

903 MIAMI MARLINS (L) Conley, A 8.5u15 8u15 / 8u20 / 8u15 8 +1.5(-165)
904 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Cravy, T -147 -133 / -147 / -151 -152 -1.5(+145)

MIA-RF-Giancarlo Stanton-OUT | TV: FS-Florida, DTV: 654 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 70% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS EARLY. WIND IN FROM CENTER 4-9. GAME TEMP 74, RH 84% HEAT INDEX 78 (MILLER PARK ROOF CLOSES IN WET WEATHER)

8:15 PM EDT

905 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Vogelsong, R 7o20 7o20 / 7o15 7o20 +1.5(-170)
906 ST LOUIS CARDINALS (R) Lynn, L -145 -157 / -160 / -146 -145 -1.5(+150)

Overnight Pitching Change: San Francisco - R. Vogelsong for M. Leake | STL-LF-Matt Holliday-OUT | TV: CSN-Bay, FS-Midwest, DTV: 671, 696 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 60% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 4-9. GAME TEMP 80, RH 71% HEAT INDEX 84

8:40 PM EDT

907 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (R) Zimmermann, J -160 -165 / -164 / -161 -153 -1.5(+110)
908 COLORADO ROCKIES (R) Hale, D 11u15 9.5 / 9.5u15 / 9.5 9.5u15 +1.5(-130)

TV: MASN2, ROOT-Rocky Mountain, DTV: 641, 683 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 60% CHANCE LIGHT SHOWERS. WIND IN FROM RIGHT 6-11. GAME TEMP 64, RH 44%

10:10 PM EDT

909 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Wisler, M 7u20 7u20 / 7u15 7u20 +1.5(-140)
910 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Shields, J -175 -192 / -193 / -192 -190 -1.5(+120)

TV: FS-San Diego, SportSouth, DTV: 649, 694 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO RIGHT 4-9. GAME TEMP 73, RH 70% HEAT INDEX 77

7:05 PM EDT

911 MINNESOTA TWINS (R) Pelfrey, M 9u20 9u15 / 9 / 9o20 9o25 +1.5(-145)
912 NEW YORK YANKEES (L) Sabathia, C -170 -143 / -148 / -146 -150 -1.5(+125)

NYY-1B-Mark Teixeira-Doubtful | TV: FS-North, YES, DTV: 631, 668 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT 7-12. GAME TEMP 84, RH 54% HEAT INDEX 87

7:10 PM EDT

913 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Bauer, T 9 9 / 9o15 / 9o20 9o25 +1.5(-175)
914 BOSTON RED SOX (L) Rodriguez, E -125 -116 / -134 / -140 -134 -1.5(+155)

TV: NESN, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 628, 662 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 4-9. GAME TEMP 83, RH 58% HEAT INDEX 86

8:05 PM EDT

915 SEATTLE MARINERS (R) Iwakuma, H -117 -125 / -134 / -132 -140 -1.5(+120)
916 TEXAS RANGERS (R) Gonzalez, C 9o15 9.5o15 / 9.5o12 / 9.5u20 9.5u15 +1.5(-140)

TV: FS-Southwest, ROOT-Northwest, DTV: 676, 687 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND IN FROM RIGHT 10-15, GUSTY. GAME TEMP 95, RH 35% HEAT INDEX 98

8:10 PM EDT

917 TAMPA BAY RAYS (R) Odorizzi, J -126 8u15 / 8u20 / 8u15 8 +1.5(-195)
918 HOUSTON ASTROS (R) Feldman, S 8u20 -118 / -116 / -115 -114 -1.5(+165)

TV: ROOT-Southwest, DTV: 674 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 91, RH 51% HEAT INDEX 98 (MINUTE MAID PARK ROOF MAY CLOSE IN HOT WEATHER)

10:05 PM EDT

919 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (L) Danks, J 7.5o20 7.5u20 / 7.5u25 / 7.5u31 7o20 +1.5(-140)
920 LOS ANGELES ANGELS (R) Richards, G -172 -172 / -175 / -178 -180 -1.5(+120)

TV: CSN-Chicago, FS-West, DTV: 665, 692 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO CENTER 3-8. GAME TEMP 73, RH 70% HEAT INDEX 77

7:05 PM EDT

921 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (R) Dickey, R -180 -170 / -164 / -163 -164 -1.5(-105)
922 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (R) Nola, A 8o20 8o13 / 8o14 / 8o20 8o15 +1.5(-115)

TV: CSN-Philadelphia | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 4-9. GAME TEMP 84, RH 62% HEAT INDEX 89

7:05 PM EDT

923 NEW YORK METS (R) Degrom, J -120 -107 / -108 / -109 -107 -1.5(+150)
924 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (R) Gausman, K 7.5u15 7.5u15 / 7.5u20 / 7.5u18 7.5u15 +1.5(-170)

TV: MASN, SNY, DTV: 639, 640 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT 3-8. GAME TEMP 84, RH 60% HEAT INDEX 88

7:10 PM EDT

925 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (R) Volquez, E -116 7.5 / 7.5o15 / 7.5u21 7.5u20 +1.5(-210)
926 CINCINNATI REDS (R) Iglesias, R 8u20 -117 / -118 / -117 -119 -1.5(+180)

TV: FS-Kansas City, FS-Ohio, DTV: 660, 672 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND RIGHT TO LEFT 3-8. GAME TEMP 81, RH 71% HEAT INDEX 86

8:05 PM EDT

927 DETROIT TIGERS (R) Sanchez, A 8.5o20 8.5o20 +1.5(-150)
928 CHICAGO CUBS (R) Hammel, J -172 -157 / -155 / -157 -159 -1.5(+130)

TV: FS-Detroit, DTV: 663 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 70% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 79, RH 73% HEAT INDEX 83

10:05 PM EDT

929 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (L) Kershaw, C -220 -240 / -230 / -235 -240 -1.5(-135)
930 OAKLAND ATHLETICS (L) Doubront, F 6.5u20 6.5u20 / 6.5 6.5u15 +1.5(+115)

TV: CSN-California, DTV: 698 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 7-12. GAME TEMP 68, RH 73%

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Consensus Picks

SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

7:05 PM Arizona +175 255 24.54% Pittsburgh -191 784 75.46% View View

10:05 PM Chi. White Sox +161 267 27.50% LA Angels -175 704 72.50% View View

8:05 PM Detroit +143 320 30.45% Chi. Cubs -155 731 69.55% View View

8:15 PM San Francisco +133 311 31.38% St. Louis -144 680 68.62% View View

10:10 PM Atlanta +165 305 32.69% San Diego -179 628 67.31% View View

7:05 PM Minnesota +133 353 34.11% NY Yankees -144 682 65.89% View View

8:10 PM Tampa Bay +106 385 37.20% Houston -115 650 62.80% View View

8:10 PM Miami +137 352 39.02% Milwaukee -149 550 60.98% View View

7:10 PM Cleveland +123 398 42.16% Boston -133 546 57.84% View View

8:05 PM Seattle -136 500 51.23% Texas +126 476 48.77% View View

7:05 PM NY Mets -106 650 61.90% Baltimore -102 400 38.10% View View

8:40 PM Washington -150 679 69.07% Colorado +138 304 30.93% View View

10:05 PM LA Dodgers -240 736 73.60% Oakland +219 264 26.40% View View

7:10 PM Kansas City +109 814 75.16% Cincinnati -118 269 24.84% View View

7:05 PM Toronto -163 832 76.68% Philadelphia +150 253 23.32% View View


TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

7:05 PM NY Mets 7.5 258 40.95% Baltimore 7.5 372 59.05% View View

8:05 PM Seattle 9 247 42.08% Texas 9 340 57.92% View View

8:10 PM Tampa Bay 8 237 43.73% Houston 8 305 56.27% View View

8:15 PM San Francisco 7 281 46.91% St. Louis 7 318 53.09% View View

7:10 PM Kansas City 7.5 299 53.58% Cincinnati 7.5 259 46.42% View View

10:05 PM LA Dodgers 6.5 312 54.07% Oakland 6.5 265 45.93% View View

10:10 PM Atlanta 7 321 55.44% San Diego 7 258 44.56% View View

8:05 PM Detroit 8.5 182 57.59% Chi. Cubs 8.5 134 42.41% View View

7:05 PM Arizona 7 332 57.84% Pittsburgh 7 242 42.16% View View

8:40 PM Washington 9.5 366 58.56% Colorado 9.5 259 41.44% View
View

8:10 PM Miami 8 346 58.64% Milwaukee 8 244 41.36% View View

7:10 PM Cleveland 9 366 59.22% Boston 9 252 40.78% View View

10:05 PM Chi. White Sox 7.5 346 61.02% LA Angels 7.5 221 38.98% View View

7:05 PM Minnesota 9 402 62.52% NY Yankees 9 241 37.48% View View

7:05 PM Toronto 8 399 64.88% Philadelphia 8 216 35.12% View View

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, AUGUST 18

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Phoenix - 8:00 PM ET Tulsa +3.5 500 *****

Tulsa - Over 151.5 500 *****


Indiana - 10:30 PM ET Indiana +5.5 500 SLAM DUNK

Los Angeles - Over 152.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY