The Bum's Sports Page For Monday August 24th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Monday, August 24

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

2:05 PM
CLEVELAND vs. CHI CUBS
Cleveland is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games
Chi Cubs are 12-2 SU in their last 14 games at home

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Mets's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of NY Mets's last 9 games on the road
Philadelphia is 3-14 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets

7:05 PM
HOUSTON vs. NY YANKEES
Houston is 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
Houston is 3-15 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of NY Yankees's last 20 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of NY Yankees's last 18 games

7:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Miami is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
DETROIT vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Cincinnati's last 12 games
Cincinnati is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
COLORADO vs. ATLANTA
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Colorado is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

8:10 PM
BOSTON vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Boston is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Boston is 8-4 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games at home

8:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. KANSAS CITY
Baltimore is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Baltimore's last 19 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Kansas City's last 15 games at home
Kansas City is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games at home

10:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Oakland's last 11 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oakland
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Seattle's last 11 games when playing at home against Oakland

10:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. ARIZONA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis's last 8 games when playing on the road against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Arizona's last 9 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Monday, August 24


Under trending when Astros and Yankees collide

When the New York Yankees and Houston Astros get together, low-scoring games tend to follow.

The Under is 11-2 in the last 13 meetings between the two clubs. They'll renew acquaintances in the Bronx Monday with Scott Feldman and Nathan Eovaldi scheduled to start for the Astros and Yankees, respectively.

The total for the game is currently off the board at sportsbooks.


Indians a poor bet as road dogs behind Kluber

When pegged as underdogs on the road, the Cleveland Indians are a paltry 1-6 in Corey Kluber's last seven starts.

Cleveland finds themselves in that ballpark once again Monday (+117) opposite Jon Lester and the Chicago Cubs.

At the time of writing, the total hadn't hit the board.


Royals' Medlen to make first start since 2013 Monday

Kris Medlen is scheduled to make his first start since 2013 for the Kansas City Royals versus the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

Since recovering from Tommy John Surgery, Medlen has only pitched out of the bullpen for the Royals. The 29-year-old is replacing the ineffective Jeremy Guthrie, who was originally slated to get the nod before the decision was made by manager New Yost.

As of this writing, the line and total for the game were off the board.


Yankees LHP Sabathia exits with knee injury

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia exited Sunday's game with two outs in the top of the third inning with a right knee injury.

Sabathia left his 24th start of the season after getting a strikeout of Cleveland Indians catcher Yan Gomes. After getting Gomes on a fastball clocked at 91 mph by the Yankee Stadium scoreboard, trainer Steve Donahue and manager Joe Girardi came out.

The Yankees said Sabathia had right knee pain and sent him for an MRI and examination by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad.

Sabathia, who has a 4-9 record and a 5.27 ERA, had his right knee drained twice in early July. Last year, he did not pitch after May 10 and had surgery July 23.

Before leaving, Sabathia allowed a two-run homer to first baseman Carlos Santana in the first inning among four hits.


Diamondbacks recall LHP Reynolds

The Arizona Diamondbacks recalled left-hander Matt Reynolds from Triple-A Reno on Sunday.

To make room for Reynolds, the D-backs optioned left-hander Keith Hessler to Reno after Saturday night's game against the Cincinnati Reds.

Reynolds, 30, has not pitched in the major leagues since June 9, 2013, after missing all of 2014 due to Tommy John surgery. In 45 games with Reno this season, he is 3-6 with a 5.58 ERA in 50 innings.

Hessler, 26, is 0-1 with a 15.19 ERA in eight games over 5 1/3 innings with Arizona this season. He made his major league debut on Aug. 8.


Mariners add Kensing, Elias to roster

The Seattle Mariners selected the contract of right-hander Logan Kensing from Tacoma on Sunday and recalled left-hander Roenis Elias from the Triple-A club.

The Mariners also designated right-hander Fernando Rodney for assignment, optioned right-hander Danny Farquhar to Triple-A and sent left-hander James Paxton on a rehab assignment to Tacoma.

Kensing and Elias were active for Sunday's series finale against the the Chicago White Sox at Safeco Field.

Paxton was scheduled to start for Tacoma on Sunday. He has been on the disabled list since May 29 with a strained tendon in his left middle finger (throwing hand).

Kensing, 33, returns to the major leagues for the first time since 2013. He has made 135 career appearances in the majors with the Miami Marlins (2004-2009), Washington Nationals (2009) and Colorado Rockies (2013).


Blue Jays recall C Thole

The Toronto Blue Jays recalled catcher Josh Thole from Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday.

Thole was sent down to the minors in early June after batting .269 in nine games for Toronto.

Thole has experience catching knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, who was scheduled to start Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels.

To clear room on the roster, first baseman Matt Hague was optioned to Triple-A.


Cardinals recall INF Garcia

The St. Louis Cardinals recalled infielder Greg Garcia from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday.

Left-handed pitcher Tyler Lyons was optioned to Memphis following Saturday night's game at San Diego.

Garcia, 25, was batting .294 with 36 RBIs through 94 games for Memphis, playing primarily at shortstop with starts at third base and second base. He is making his third appearance with St. Louis and batted .350 (7-for-20) in 16 games in his previous games with the Cards this season.

Lyons, 27, had been with St. Louis since a recall on Aug. 7, his fourth time with the big-league club. During his most recent stint, he made three relief appearances in 7 2/3 innings.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Monday, August 24

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

NY METS (67 - 56) at PHILADELPHIA (50 - 74) - 7:05 PM
JACOB DEGROM (R) vs. ADAM MORGAN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 14-29 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-25 (+9.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 403-381 (+54.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
NY METS are 67-56 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY METS are 10-2 (+9.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday this season.
NY METS are 30-17 (+11.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
NY METS are 66-52 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY METS are 31-26 (+15.4 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 40-26 (+12.7 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
NY METS are 83-53 (+26.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 41-17 (+22.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 8-1 (+6.8 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

JACOB DEGROM vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
DEGROM is 2-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 1.67 and a WHIP of 0.926.
His team's record is 4-0 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (+0.0 units)

ADAM MORGAN vs. NY METS since 1997
No recent starts.

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

COLORADO (49 - 73) at ATLANTA (53 - 71) - 7:10 PM
JORGE DE LA ROSA (L) vs. JULIO TEHERAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 115-169 (-44.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 183-264 (-57.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
COLORADO is 43-97 (-40.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 115-169 (-44.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 26-53 (-23.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
COLORADO is 87-125 (-30.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 66-104 (-30.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 99-181 (-49.7 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
COLORADO is 90-114 (-33.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 11-30 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 32-24 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 20-13 (+9.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less this season.
ATLANTA is 32-24 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 28-18 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
ATLANTA is 17-7 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.
TEHERAN is 10-3 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
TEHERAN is 14-2 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
DE LA ROSA is 50-33 (+20.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DE LA ROSA is 50-32 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DE LA ROSA is 33-15 (+21.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DE LA ROSA is 15-7 (+9.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 132-154 (-25.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 67-83 (-27.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 33-43 (-17.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against ATLANTA this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

JORGE DE LA ROSA vs. ATLANTA since 1997
DE LA ROSA is 1-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 6.65 and a WHIP of 1.615.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)

JULIO TEHERAN vs. COLORADO since 1997
TEHERAN is 3-1 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 3.33 and a WHIP of 1.233.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.1 units)

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

PITTSBURGH (74 - 48) at MIAMI (50 - 74) - 7:10 PM
J.A. HAPP (L) vs. TOM KOEHLER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 406-403 (+35.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.
MIAMI is 365-420 (+40.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 74-48 (+17.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 56-36 (+20.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 24-8 (+13.5 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 74-48 (+17.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 115-80 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 60-38 (+15.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PITTSBURGH is 47-26 (+16.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
PITTSBURGH is 85-51 (+20.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 50-74 (-22.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MIAMI is 2-11 (-9.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday this season.
MIAMI is 50-71 (-19.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MIAMI is 32-50 (-18.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MIAMI is 25-48 (-21.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

J.A. HAPP vs. MIAMI since 1997
HAPP is 2-2 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 3.41 and a WHIP of 1.310.
His team's record is 3-3 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.3 units)

TOM KOEHLER vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
KOEHLER is 0-3 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 1.625.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.6 units)

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

ST LOUIS (78 - 45) at ARIZONA (62 - 61) - 10:10 PM
LANCE LYNN (R) vs. ROBBIE RAY (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 31-46 (-19.9 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 62-61 (+5.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 62-61 (+5.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 47-43 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 48-44 (+7.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 78-45 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 78-45 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 55-32 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ST LOUIS is 34-19 (+13.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ARIZONA is 15-30 (-13.8 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 63-75 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 51-73 (-21.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 6-16 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 46-86 (-32.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 13-41 (-24.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
RAY is 5-16 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
RAY is 1-9 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
RAY is 0-7 (-7.9 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
RAY is 5-16 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against ARIZONA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

LANCE LYNN vs. ARIZONA since 1997
LYNN is 2-0 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.91 and a WHIP of 1.471.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (+0.1 units)

ROBBIE RAY vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
No recent starts.

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

HOUSTON (69 - 56) at NY YANKEES (68 - 55) - 7:05 PM
SCOTT FELDMAN (R) vs. NATHAN EOVALDI (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FELDMAN is 8-25 (-15.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 34-23 (+10.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
EOVALDI is 12-3 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season. (Team's Record)
EOVALDI is 16-7 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 69-56 (+7.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 21-12 (+11.3 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 69-50 (+13.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 96-103 (+7.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 44-34 (+8.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 39-29 (+7.7 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
HOUSTON is 27-18 (+12.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 20-7 (+14.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 28-27 (+11.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 2-2 (+0.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

SCOTT FELDMAN vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
FELDMAN is 4-4 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 3.07 and a WHIP of 1.312.
His team's record is 5-5 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-7. (-6.5 units)

NATHAN EOVALDI vs. HOUSTON since 1997
EOVALDI is 1-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.083.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.3 units)

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

BALTIMORE (62 - 61) at KANSAS CITY (75 - 48) - 8:10 PM
UBALDO JIMENEZ (R) vs. KRIS MEDLEN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 23-35 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BALTIMORE is 17-29 (-11.5 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 39-42 (-8.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 44-48 (-6.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 194-316 (-100.2 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 21-33 (-12.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BALTIMORE is 4-12 (-9.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
JIMENEZ is 15-29 (-16.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
JIMENEZ is 2-11 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 75-48 (+24.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 42-20 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 33-16 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 74-45 (+26.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 51-34 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 51-27 (+22.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
KANSAS CITY is 46-30 (+13.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KANSAS CITY is 80-62 (+14.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 60-44 (+19.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MEDLEN is 45-19 (+22.2 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 45-19 (+22.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 37-11 (+23.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 162-131 (+30.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 23-10 (+15.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 73-57 (+17.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
JIMENEZ is 4-4 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.65 and a WHIP of 1.516.
His team's record is 6-5 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-5. (-0.6 units)

KRIS MEDLEN vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
No recent starts.

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

BOSTON (56 - 68) at CHI WHITE SOX (58 - 64) - 8:10 PM
JOE KELLY (R) vs. JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 56-68 (-18.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 23-32 (-14.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
BOSTON is 8-19 (-10.7 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
BOSTON is 23-36 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BOSTON is 7-16 (-9.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
BOSTON is 49-62 (-20.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 38-45 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BOSTON is 42-47 (-9.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BOSTON is 55-61 (-15.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 12-2 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 90-90 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KELLY is 12-3 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 22-37 (-20.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 19-28 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 21-36 (-21.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 3-1 (+2.0 Units) against BOSTON this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.1 Units)

JOE KELLY vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
KELLY is 0-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 10.81 and a WHIP of 2.102.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. BOSTON since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 1-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.73 and a WHIP of 1.125.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.1 units)

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

OAKLAND (54 - 71) at SEATTLE (57 - 67) - 10:10 PM
FELIX DOUBRONT (L) vs. HISASHI IWAKUMA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 54-71 (-24.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 40-52 (-23.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 64-77 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 21-29 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 62-63 (-22.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 52-66 (-22.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 33-44 (-15.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 42-48 (-12.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
OAKLAND is 22-31 (-14.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
OAKLAND is 19-28 (-12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OAKLAND is 23-24 (-17.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 57-67 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 27-35 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SEATTLE is 13-19 (-11.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less this season.
SEATTLE is 52-66 (-22.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 38-44 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 15-24 (-10.6 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
SEATTLE is 18-38 (-25.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SEATTLE is 66-69 (-17.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 8-15 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 7-3 (+4.1 Units) against OAKLAND this season
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.7 Units)

FELIX DOUBRONT vs. SEATTLE since 1997
DOUBRONT is 1-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 1.59 and a WHIP of 1.324.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

HISASHI IWAKUMA vs. OAKLAND since 1997
IWAKUMA is 4-3 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.06 and a WHIP of 1.015.
His team's record is 4-3 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-0. (+7.1 units)

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

DETROIT (59 - 64) at CINCINNATI (51 - 71) - 12:35 PM
BUCK FARMER (R) vs. KEYVIUS SAMPSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 247-214 (-25.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 147-222 (-58.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 32-44 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
DETROIT is 66-71 (-15.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 67-70 (-20.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 12-1 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in home games after getting shut out over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 56-47 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 51-71 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 17-33 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 12-27 (-16.5 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 51-71 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 82-108 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 38-53 (-15.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CINCINNATI is 29-42 (-12.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
CINCINNATI is 24-36 (-15.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CINCINNATI is 5-14 (-9.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 2-1 (+1.2 Units) against DETROIT this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

BUCK FARMER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
No recent starts.

KEYVIUS SAMPSON vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.

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

CLEVELAND (58 - 65) at CHICAGO CUBS (71 - 51) - 2:05 PM
COREY KLUBER (R) vs. JON LESTER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 58-65 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 2-9 (-8.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday this season.
CLEVELAND is 54-65 (-23.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 16-27 (-14.9 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
CLEVELAND is 24-33 (-16.0 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KLUBER is 9-17 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 4-10 (-8.5 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 8-17 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 71-51 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 32-18 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 71-51 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 782-752 (-164.2 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 56-72 (-23.4 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1072-1193 (-205.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 683-776 (-192.6 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 84-86 (-29.7 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 718-711 (-156.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 217-185 (-44.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

COREY KLUBER vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

JON LESTER vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
LESTER is 7-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.182.
His team's record is 11-3 (+5.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-5. (+2.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Monday, August 24

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Astros at Yankees
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason Castro's walk-off home run in the 10th inning gave the Astros a 3-2 win and three-game sweep versus the Dodgers.

Houston Astros at New York Yankees (-132, 8)

The Houston Astros still aren’t hitting very well, but the pitching is more than making up for the offensive slump. The Astros will try to take some of the pressure off their pitching staff when they visit the New York Yankees on Monday for the opener of a key three-game series.

Houston leads the American League West by four games over the Texas Rangers after pulling off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-2 win on Jason Castro’s walk-off homer in the 10th inning on Sunday. That marked the seventh straight game in which the Astros failed to score more than three runs, but they are 5-2 in that span. The Yankees dropped a 4-3 decision on Sunday and lost three of four to the Cleveland Indians over the weekend to fall a half-game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. New York will send Houston native Nathan Eovaldi to the mound while the Astros try to improve upon a 24-35 road record behind veteran Scott Feldman.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT (Houston), WPIX (New York)

LINE HISTORY: The Yankees opened around -141 but are now -132. The total remains at the opening number of 8.

INJURY REPORT: Astros - 3B Jed Lowrie (Doubtful, thumb), RF George Springer (15-day DL, wrist). Yankees - 1B Mark Teixeira (Doubtful, shin).

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-70s under parly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from rightfield to leftfield at around 10 miles per hour.

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Another no-hitter from an unlikely source as recent Astros pick-up Mike Fiers threw a no-no against a very good Dodgers team on Saturday. This team is clicking on all cylinders right now, especially the pitching, which allowed just eight runs in six games, dating back to August 18. The Yanks had a great opportunity to increase their lead in the AL East, playing two sub-.500 teams at home last week. But they didn't take full advantage. After sweeping the Twins in the first three games, New York went on to lose three of four to the Indians. Thus, the Jays are back in first place."

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.05 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (13-2, 4.24)

Feldman has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last five starts and scattered two runs and nine hits over seven innings in a no-decision against Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The 32-year-old is 1-0 in his last five outings, with the lone triumph coming with six scoreless innings at San Francisco on Aug. 12. Feldman is 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 12 career games – 10 starts – against New York.

Eovaldi has not lost since getting ripped for eight runs in two-thirds of an inning at Miami on June 16 and is coming off a win over Minnesota on Wednesday. The Texan was reached for three runs on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out eight – his most k’s since punching out nine at Baltimore on April 15. Eovaldi allowed two runs and five hits in six innings to earn a win at Houston on June 26.

TRENDS:

* Under is 11-2 in the last 13 meetings.
* Under is 6-0 in Astros last six overall.
* Yankees are 7-1 in Eovaldi's last eight starts as a favorite.
* Astros are 5-1 in their last six overall.

CONSENSUS: Sixty-four percent of bettors are backing the Yankees.

[StarDust Bum]

Baseball Capsules

August 23, 2015

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Edwin Encarnacion went 4 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs, and the Toronto Blue Jays completed a thunderous three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday with a 12-5 victory that vaulted them back into first place in the AL East.

The Jays' 16th victory in 19 games, coupled with the Yankees' 4-3 loss to Cleveland, put Toronto atop the division for the first time since Aug. 13.

The Blue Jays, who lead the majors by far with 670 runs, set a franchise record for a three-game series with 36. They totaled 48 hits against a vanquished Angels pitching staff that has surrendered 44 runs, 60 hits and 15 walks over their last four games.

R.A. Dickey (8-10) won his fifth straight decision over seven starts, despite allowing five runs and 11 hits in six innings.

The Angels' Garrett Richards (12-10) was charged with nine runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings.

INDIANS 4, YANKEES 3

NEW YORK (AP) - Francisco Lindor homered off Dellin Betances in the eighth, Trevor Bauer threw 6 1/3 strong innings and CC Sabathia exited with an injury as Cleveland beat New York on Andy Pettitte Day in the Bronx.

Carlos Santana homered off Sabathia for the Indians, who have won five of their last six games at Yankee Stadium. Sabathia departed in the third inning with right knee pain.

Lindor's homer, the rookie's second blast in two games, came moments after Carlos Beltran hit a game-tying double off reliever Bryan Shaw (2-2) in the seventh.

Lindor became the first left-handed batter to homer off Betances (6-3), who had faced 302 left-handed hitters without allowing a homer.

CARDINALS 10, PADRES 3

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Michael Wacha pitched six solid innings and Stephen Piscotty homered twice and drove in five runs to help St. Louis Cardinals avoided a three-game sweep.

Jason Heyward had three hits as St. Louis averted getting swept for the first time this season.

Wacha (15-4) got his fourth straight win, allowing one run and four hits while striking out three and walking two.

After being shut out on Saturday night, the Cardinals scored four in the first against rookie Colin Rea, who was making his third major-league start. Rea (2-1) struggled early and made a throwing error in the first that contributed to the Cardinals' rally. He gave up five runs - four earned - over four innings.

San Diego made two errors in the first inning and the Cardinals capitalized with three hits, including Piscotty's two-run triple.

MARINERS 8, WHITE SOX 6

SEATTLE (AP) - Robinson Cano had a two-run homer and Nelson Cruz doubled in two runs to help Seattle avoid a three-game sweep.

Seattle built a 7-1 lead through five innings, but the White Sox cut it to 7-6 with five runs in the sixth behind a pair of two-run homers.

Adam Eaton singled with one out in the sixth and scored on Tyler Saladino's double. Jose Abreu followed with his 23rd home run. After Melky Cabrera grounded out, Avisail Garcia singled, chasing starter Taijuan Walker. Logan Kensing, called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Tacoma, relieved and allowed a two-run homer to Adam LaRoche, his 12th.

The Mariners added a run in the eighth on Ketel Marte's sacrifice fly.

Walker (9-7) allowed five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

John Danks (6-11) was tagged for seven runs on eight hits in five innings.

ATHLETICS 8, RAYS 2

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Eric Sogard hit a tiebreaking two-run single as part of a seven-run seventh inning and Oakland withstood another blown late lead by the bullpen to beat Tampa Bay.

Mark Canha tripled and drove in four runs while Billy Burns added three hits for the A's, who won for just the third time in 12 games.

The A's went into the game with the worst record in the AL and managed only three hits through the first six innings before matching their season high with seven runs in one inning.

Stephen Vogt had two hits as part of the seventh when the Oakland sent 12 men to the plate. Vogt was also thrown out at home two batters before Sogard's hit off Steve Geltz (2-5) put the A's ahead for good.

Fernando Rodriguez (3-1) retired four batters for the win after the Rays scored twice off Sean Doolittle in the seventh.

METS 5, ROCKIES 1

DENVER (AP) - Logan Verrett stepped into Matt Harvey's spot and earned his first major league win in his first start, pitching eight impressive innings to lead New York.

After the NL East-leading Mets posted two 14-9 wins at Coors Field, Verrett (1-0) allowed just one run and four hits while striking out eight. He got the spot start when the Mets decided to push back Harvey's outing, and he turned in a performance worthy of New York's strong rotation.

Michael Conforto had three hits for the Mets, who have won 11 straight against Colorado dating to 2014.

David Hale (3-5) threw a pair of wild pitches while Anthony Recker was batting in the second inning, both allowing a run to score.

TWINS 4, ORIOLES 3, 12 INNINGS

BALTIMORE (AP) - Trevor Plouffe hit a tying single with two outs in the ninth inning and Minnesota took advantage of two errors in the 12th to complete a four-game sweep.

Twins manager Paul Molitor was ejected in the ninth for arguing a strikeout by Miguel Sano, who tried to hold back his swing. Plouffe followed with his hit, giving closer Zach Britton his third blown save of the season.

All-Star third baseman Manny Machado moved to shortstop for the first time in his major league career in the 12th and misplayed a grounder by Eduardo Escobar, who slid in safely to second. It was Machado's second error of the game. Third baseman Jimmy Paredes then could not handle a sharp grounder by Shane Robinson that allowed Escobar to score.

Glen Perkins (2-4), who had been dealing with a bulging disc and hadn't pitched since Aug. 17, picked up the win. Tommy Milone got his first career save.

Brian Matusz (1-3) took the loss.

CUBS 9, BRAVES 3

CHICAGO (AP) - Kris Bryant homered twice and Kyle Schwarber connected an inning after hitting a hard foul ball that sent a fan to the hospital as Chicago handed Atlanta its seventh straight loss.

The game was briefly delayed in the first inning after Schwarber's foul liner hit a female fan sitting just past the camera well on the first base side. The woman was carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital. The Cubs said the woman was conscious.

Several fans around the majors have been hit this season, and Major League Baseball has said it is studying the issue of crowd safety.

The Cubs hit five home runs, including a leadoff shot by Dexter Fowler in the first inning and a three-run drive by Miguel Montero.

Jason Hammel (7-5) allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Matt Wisler (5-4) gave up Bryant's two-run homer in the first, Schwarber's solo drive in the second and Montero's homer in the third.

ASTROS 3, DODGERS 2, 10 INNINGS

HOUSTON (AP) - Jason Castro's solo homer in the 10th inning helped Houston complete a three-game sweep.

There was one out in the 10th when Castro connected off Chris Hatcher (1-5), launching a 96 mph fastball into the first row of the seats in left field. The play was reviewed and confirmed.

Kenley Jansen, who had converted 17 straight save opportunities, allowed a leadoff single to rookie Carlos Correa in the ninth before the Astros tied it up on a two-out RBI single by Marwin Gonzalez.

Luke Gregerson (7-2) allowed one hit in a scoreless 10th for the win.

The NL West-leading Dodgers were swept by the Astros for the first time since May of 2008 and have dropped a season-high five straight overall.

ROYALS 8, RED SOX 6

BOSTON (AP) - Mike Moustakas' two-run double capped a four-run ninth inning that rallied AL Central-leading Kansas City past Boston.

Moustakas also had a solo homer and RBI double as the Royals salvaged a split of the four-game series.

Boston led 6-4 going into the ninth. After left fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. threw out Omar Infante trying for an inside-the-park homer for the first out, Kansas City rallied with four hits against Junichi Tazawa (2-6), tying it on Eric Hosmer's two-run single. Moustakas hit a bases-loaded double to right.

Chris Young (9-6) retired one batter and Wade Davis got the final three outs for his 11th save.

NATIONALS 9, BREWERS 5

WASHINGTON (AP) - Anthony Rendon and Wilson Ramos homered, and Danny Espinosa hit a three-run double to lead Washington.

Bryce Harper doubled twice for the Nationals, who completed consecutive series victories for the first time since winning three straight in late June.

Jordan Zimmermann (10-8) allowed four runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Matt Garza (6-14) gave up seven runs over 4 2/3 innings in his shortest outing since May 16. He allowed eight hits and a career high-tying six walks and raised his career ERA 7.17 against Washington in eight starts.

Jonathan Lucroy, Scooter Gennett and Khris Davis homered for Milwaukee.

RANGERS 4, TIGERS 2

DETROIT (AP) - Cole Hamels threw six strong innings, and Mike Napoli and Chris Gimenez homered to help Texas hold onto the second AL wild-card spot.

The Rangers, who have won nine of their last 11 games, started the day with a half-game lead over the Angels, with Baltimore another half-game back.

Hamels (7-8) got the win, allowing two runs on eight hits and two walks. He struck out two. Shawn Tolleson, the third Rangers reliever, pitched the ninth for his 25th save.

Matt Boyd (1-4) gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in six innings.

Mitch Moreland put Texas ahead with a two-run double in the sixth.

Adrian Beltre and Rangers manager Jeff Banister were both ejected in the fifth inning.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, REDS 0

CINCINNATI (AP) - Chris Anderson gave up five hits in 6 2/3 innings, and Welington Castillo and David Peralta homered to help Arizona hand Cincinnati its season hight-tying ninth straight loss.

The Diamondbacks completed their first four-game sweep over the Reds.

Anderson (6-5) was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Tuesday and recalled on Thursday when Jeremy Hellickson was put on the disabled list. Relievers Addison Reed and Matt Reynolds finished the shutout. Reynolds, coming back from Tommy John surgery, made his first big league appearance since June 2013.

Raisel Iglesias (3-5) struck out 13 in seven innings, the most by a Reds rookie since Gary Nolan fanned 15 Giants in 1967.

PHILLIES 2, MARLINS 0

MIAMI (AP) - Rookie Aaron Nola pitched a career-high eight innings and allowed only one runner to advance beyond first base, helping Philadelphia beat Miami and tighten the race for next year's top draft pick.

By winning the final three games in the four-game series, the Phillies moved into a tie with Miami for the worst record in the majors (50-74). Philadelphia is 21-12 since the All-Star break.

Nola (4-1) allowed three hits, walked two and struck out six while throwing a career-high 100 pitches. The Phillies' 2014 first-round draft choice lowered his ERA to 3.59 and improved to 4-0 in his past six starts.

Marlins rookie Adam Conley (1-1) allowed one run while pitching a career-high six innings. He walked four, but the Phillies went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position against him.

PIRATES 5, GIANTS 2

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Andrew McCutchen hit his 19th homer and Pedro Alvarez made up for some shaky defense by adding his 20th of the season as the Pirates held off the Giants.

Francisco Liriano (9-6) gave up two unearned runs and struck out five in 5 1/3 eventful innings to win his fifth straight decision. The Pirates are 10-0 in Liriano's last 10 starts dating back to June 26.

Alvarez committed a pair of errors that led directly to both San Francisco runs but atoned with a solo shot in the seventh that gave Pittsburgh some breathing room. Mark Melancon worked a perfect ninth for his major league-leading 39th save.

Matt Duffy had three hits for the Giants. Ryan Vogelsong (9-9) failed to make it out of the fourth inning as San Francisco finished 2-5 on a seven-game road trip.

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Wright rejoins Mets, injured fan in hospital

August 24, 2015

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

HE'S BACK

Mets third baseman David Wright rejoins the team to start a series in Philadelphia. The New York captain has been out of the majors since April 14 because of a back problem, and recently finished up a rehab stint in the minors. Manager Terry Collins says Wright won't be used as an everyday player for the NL East leaders right away in order to keep him healthy.

WAITING FOR AN UPDATE

A woman at Wrigley Field has become the latest fan to get injured at a baseball game this season. She was carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital Sunday after being hit by a foul line drive from Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber. The Cubs said she was conscious, but provided no further details on her condition after a win over Atlanta. A fan in Detroit was released from the hospital over the weekend, a day after she was struck by a foul. Major League Baseball has said it is studying the issue of fan safety.

LET'S SEE SEE

The Yankees will check how CC Sabathia is feeling, a day after he exited a start because of pain in his right knee. The big lefty felt discomfort warming up, then walked off the mound in the third inning vs. Cleveland. General manager Brian Cashman guessed Sabathia was headed to the disabled list. Having fallen behind Toronto in the AL East, New York now hosts West-leading Houston.

WE FINALLY MEET AGAIN

The Royals open a four-game series at home against Baltimore in their first matchup since KC swept the Birds last October in the AL Championship Series. Kris Medlen makes his first start since returning from Tommy John surgery, facing Ubaldo Jimenez and the O's.

EXTRA FRIENDLY CONFINES

Wrigley Field has been particularly kind to the home team of late, and the Cubs will look for more good fortune in Chicago as they host the Indians in the makeup of a rainout originally scheduled for June 15. Chicago homered five times on Sunday - including two from Kris Bryant - after launching four long balls on Saturday vs. Atlanta. Cleveland will counter with Corey Kluber, who allowed four homers and six runs over six innings his last time out against Boston.

BROKEN RED MACHINE

The Reds will try to snap a nine-game losing streak in a makeup game at Detroit. Cincinnati pitchers allowed 22 runs during a three-game sweep by Arizona over the weekend, and rookie Keyvius Sampson (2-2, 4.43 ERA) will try to play stopper. Outfielder Ryan LaMarre, who made his big league debut Saturday, is a Michigan native and grew up a Tigers fan, but said his allegiance has changed. ''I've love to help us beat them on Monday,'' he said recently. ''That would make a lot of folks mad.''

[StarDust Bum]

Cards travel to Arizona

August 24, 2015


ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (78-45) at ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (62-61)

First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: St. Louis -130, Arizona +120, Total: 8.5

The top team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals, attempts to continue its tremendous season when the Cardinals begin a series against the Diamondbacks on Monday night.

The Cardinals have had no issues dominating the league and they currently have the best record in baseball and own a 3.5-game lead in the NL Central. They have won six of their last seven series heading into this one, but unfortunately are fresh off their first series loss since late July. The team was nearly swept over the weekend against the Padres, but after losing the first two contests by a combined score of 17-3, were able to get a nice 10-3 victory on Sunday behind 11 hits. OF Stephen Piscotty (.324) continued a solid rookie campaign with a two-homer, five-RBI game on Sunday and is 11-for-32 (.344) with two doubles, four home runs, eight RBIs and nine runs scored over his last eight performances.

The Diamondbacks have a ton of talent and have been able to creep over .500 this past week with four consecutive road victories. They are coming off of a 10-game road trip in which they are 6-4 and certainly salvaged it with the four wins against the Reds most recently. The Arizona offense outscored the opponents 26-14 and they capped it all off with a solid 4-0 shutout on Sunday; making the most of their six hits with two balls leaving the park. He didn’t have a hit on Sunday, but 1B Paul Goldschmidt (.330) is amongst the elite in the game and ranks second in the NL in batting average, first in RBIs (93) and sixth in HRs (24).

Getting the call to take the mound for the visiting Cardinals will be RHP Lance Lynn (9-8, 2.94 ERA) as he looks to outduel LHP Robbie Ray (3-9, 3.38 ERA) of the host Diamondbacks. When St. Louis is playing on the road, they are not quite as dominant, going 32-26 (.552) as they take on this Arizona club which is 30-29 (.508) at Chase Field. Since the start of 2013, the Cardinals hold the 11-5 edge in this series and are 3-3 when on the road in that time. They have already met once this year and it was St. Louis who grabbed a sweep at home, outscoring the Diamondbacks 13-9 in the process.

Trends show that the Cardinals are 68-31 (.687) as a favorite of -110 or higher this season while Arizona is 27-14 (.659) when the total is 8.5 to 10 this year. Plenty of offense is missing on the St. Louis side of the ball with OF Matt Holliday (Quad), 1B Matt Adams (Quad), OF Jon Jay (Wrist) and OF Randal Grichuk all on the DL. On the other side of the ball, C Tuffy Gosewisch (Knee) is out for the year.

Lynn has been a huge part of this impressive ballclub since the start of the 2012 campaign as he’s put together three consecutive seasons of at least 29 starts and 15 wins. He is arguably having his best year to date despite the lower number of wins, as he is posting a career-high mark in strikeouts (9.6 K/9) and has kept the homers (0.67 HR/9) to a minimum. Lynn is also leaving 78.0% of runners on base and has kept his walks (3.27 BB/9) at a reasonable rate. He has given up two or fewer runs in seven of his last 10 times on the mound, but has not looked too great in his last two outings with a 7:5 K/BB ratio and nine runs allowed (5 ER) in 7.1 IP.

The trio of 1B Paul Goldschmidt, OF David Peralta and C Wellington Castillo have combined to go 10-for-20 (.500) with two homers and five RBIs against him, but on the other hand, OF Ender Inciarte (1-for-10, 3 K) and 2B Aaron Hill (1-for-8) have struggled against the talented righty. The Cardinals once again have assembled one of the elite bullpens in the league as the unit has gone 22-14 with a 2.37 ERA (1.24 WHIP) and are 50-for-62 (81%) in save chances. Trevor Rosenthal (1.44 ERA, 38 saves) has 63 strikeouts with just 45 hits in 56.1 frames and has not allowed a run with a mere three hits given up in nine August appearances (9 IP).

Ray was a solid prospect for the Nationals over the course of four seasons before being dealt to the Tigers where he saw his first big league experience which was short and unsuccessful. He was then moved to his current team and has been much better over 15 2015 starts; showing increased strikeout ability (7.8 K/9) and a great affinity at keeping the ball in the park (0.61 HR/9). It is not much of a surprise that he has such few wins with this club as they have scored a meager five combined runs in his last four starts. In that time he threw two quality starts and has five such outings in his last 10 times on the mound. He has never had the opportunity of facing any of the batters on St. Louis, but will need to tread lightly when going against 3B Matt Carpenter who has five homers and 11 RBIs despite hitting a mere .254 in 71 August at-bats.

Not doing so well has been 2B Kolten Wong and newly acquired OF Brandon Moss who are a combined 18-for-109 (.165) with 25 strikeouts this month. The relievers for the Diamondbacks have done well, going 21-21 with a 3.31 ERA (1.25 WHIP) and have managed to save 33-of-51 (65%) games. Brad Ziegler (1.52 ERA, 23 saves) has struck out just 5.1 batters per nine innings this year and should be expected to regress with a FIP (Fielder Independent Pitching) mark of 3.57 as batters are hitting .173 BABIP against him.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Tip Sheet

August 24, 2015


Houston Astros at New York Yankees | 7:05 p.m. ET (MLB Network)

In this rare MLB Network Monday night showdown, a couple of top American League contenders will collide in the Bronx to kick off a three-game series. The Astros enter this series following an outstanding weekend, as they are coming off an impressive Interleague sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers -- one that even included the first no-hitter in Minute Maid Park history -- while also seeing the rival Angels extend their losing streak to four games, thus dropping out of second-place in the process. They’ll hope this roll continues at Yankee Stadium, and have Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.05 ERA) on the mound to kick things off. The veteran right-hander might be a pretty good ML bet considering his recent success, as in three August starts, Feldman has registered a 1.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, his best marks in any month this year. Furthermore, his best work this season has decisively come on the road, where he’s 3-1 in seven starts with a 2.78 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Even so, Feldman finds himself a +120 road ’dog.

For the Yankees, it will be their team-leader in wins, Nathan Eovaldi (13-2, 4.24 ERA), trying to get them back on track after dropping another series to the underachieving Indians in as many weeks. And just like in that previous set, they were dethroned in the AL East by the back-in-first-place Toronto Blue Jays, who continue to relentlessly apply the pressure. Eovaldi might be a good starter to lean on against this specific opponent, as the Astros possess an offense that more so likes to live-and-die by the longball. Eovaldi, though, hasn’t served up many, as he’s given up just 10 home runs all season in his 24 starts, including only three since the beginning of June. He’s also coming off a solid home win over the Twins in which he registered eight strikeouts for the second time this season. The over/under here is 8.

New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies | 7:05 p.m. ET

After scoring the most runs in franchise history over a three-game series (33) this past weekend in Colorado, the Mets have to be feeling good about their playoff aspirations, with their first-place lead in the NL East now up to five games ahead of the scuffling Washington Nationals. New York has an excellent opportunity coming up this week to maybe extend that margin, as they travel to take on the team that sits in the cellar of the entire National League. That would be the lowly Phillies, whom the Mets have had a pretty easy time against this season, being 8-1 against their division rival in the season series. On paper, it certainly looks like they’ll continue that in the season opener, with NL Cy Young candidate Jacob deGrom (12-6, 1.98 ERA) on the hill this evening. As great as the second-year right-hander has been this season, he’s been even better since the All-Star break, owning a 1.55 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in seven starts over the current span. Furthermore, lineups are hitting just .169 off deGrom in those outings. Thus, it’s no surprise to see him being a heavy -220 road favorite.

Part of the reasoning for that significant chalk has to do with the Phillies’ starting hurler this evening, that being rookie Adam Morgan (4-4, 3.92 ERA). The 25-year-old southpaw has notched ten starts thus far into his big league career, and actually hasn’t been that bad, with eight of those starts seeing Morgan surrendered three runs or less. He’s also currently pitching his best ball of the year since debuting in the second half of June, as he’s recorded three straight quality starts after producing that exact amount in his first seven assignments. Depending on where you look, the over/under is either 7 or 7.5, as bettors will debate whether or not the freshman lefty can keep up with his ‘deGrominant’ counterpart tonight.

Baltimore Orioles at Kansas City Royals | 8:10 p.m. ET

A season ago, these O’s weren’t Royal, as Kansas City took care of the Orioles in the American League Championship Series with ease to reach their first World Series in decades. This season, the Royals look primed for another deep playoff run, especially if they can get a return to vintage form from the newest entrant into their starting rotation, Kris Medlen (1-0, 2.51 ERA), who is making his first start since 2013 when he was still with the Braves. Medlen, of course, missed all of last year due to Tommy John surgery, and was a sneaky pickup this past offseason by the Royals, who have used him exclusively in relief up until this point, yielding solid results. If Medlen can resemble the pitcher he was two years ago -- the one that went 15-12 in 31 starts with a 3.11 ERA -- the Royals have themselves yet another quality arm to lean on down the stretch in trying to solidify home-field advantage in the AL.

The Orioles, meanwhile, are fighting for their playoff lives, and considering they’re currently on a four-game losing streak, probably would rather be anywhere else than the sight of last year’s demise of their magical season. They also might prefer another starting pitcher on the hill, as Ubaldo Jimenez (9-7, 3.97 ERA) continues to be wildly inconsistent after such a great start to the campaign. Jimenez possessed a shiny 2.81 ERA going into the All-Star break, but since then, has compiled a disastrous 7.12 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in seven starts. Nonetheless, the O’s have won his last three outings. They’ll be +115 road ’dogs in this contest, while the over/under has already dropped in a lot of shops from 8 to 7.5.

St. Louis Cardinals at Arizona Diamondbacks | 10:10 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

If the MLB-best Cardinals aren’t careful, they could find themselves ousted from first-place in the NL Central, as unfortunately for them, the two other teams with more than 70 wins in the National League also reside in their division. They’ll have to be especially careful when they open up a four-game set in the desert with the suddenly surging Arizona Diamondbacks, who have won five in a row entering tonight’s ESPN Monday Night Baseball affair to miraculously pull within just five games of the NL West lead. Lance Lynn (9-8, 2.94 ERA) gets the nod for St. Louis in the series opener, looking to turn his own fortunes around. At first glance, it looks like the five-year veteran has enjoyed smooth sailing along throughout 2015, but that’s been far from the case in his past two starts. A couple of weeks ago, Lynn endured his shortest outing of the campaign when he could record only two outs, as the division rival Pirates tagged him for seven runs (three earned) in the first inning. In his last assignment, Lynn made it into the seventh while allowing just two runs, but also walked a season-high five. The linesmakers have the over/under currently set at 8.

Looking to keep up their recent winning ways while continuing to put pressure on the Giants and Dodgers, Robbie Ray (3-9, 3.38 ERA) gets the start for Arizona, although just like his counterpart this evening, the 23-year-old left-hander has been struggling as of late also. While he’s certainly pitched much better than his overall win-loss record on the year, Ray hasn’t been as sharp in his most recent outings, as he’s 0-5 with a 5.18 ERA in his past six starts, a span that also includes four straight losses. While the first-year D-back has allowed three runs or less in 12 of his 15 starts, Arizona is 4-11 when Ray toes the rubber. Even so, they’re getting relatively little value as +115 home dogs against the team with the best record in baseball.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Monday, August 24


Mets deGrom looking to continue red-hot run

New York Mets starter Jacob deGrom has been absolutely on fire and has led the Mets to wins in seven consecutive starts.

In those seven starts deGrom is rocking a 1.29 ERA and has given up zero runs three times. He also has struck out 56 batters to just nine walks.

deGrom and the Mets will be huge -210 road faves when they visit Adam Morgan and the Philadelphia Phillies Monday.


Over bets cashing in Tigers' interleague games

Over wagers have gone 6-0 in the last six Detroit Tigers' games when facing teams from the National League. The Tigers visit the Cincinnati Reds in the makeup of a game that was rained out on June 18 Monday.

The Tigers are their opponents have combined to score in the double digits in five of those six games. Most recently, the Tigers and Chicago Cubs cashed over bets in both games of a two-game set last week. There were 41 combined runs scored in the two games.

Buck Farmer is scheduled to get the ball for the Tigers on Monday, with the Reds expected to counter with Keyvius Sampson. The total is presently 9.


Swisher on a hit streak with Braves

Nick Swisher seems to have found his swing.

The Atlanta Braves left fielder homered from the left and right sides in the same game on Saturday and added three hits and two RBIs on Sunday in the Braves' 9-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Acquired from the Cleveland Indians in an Aug. 7 trade, Swisher was batting just .198 at the time.

By Sunday, he had improved to .273 through 12 games with the Braves.

"He got an opportunity last night and did a nice job," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "Same thing today carried over. He gives you good at-bats from both sides of the plate, gives you good energy. (And) so far in left field he's done OK."

On Saturday, he clubbed a home run as a left-handed batter in the second inning and added another in the fifth as a right-handed batter.

Swisher went 6-for-10 with a double, two home runs, two runs scored and six RBIs in the four-game series with the Cubs.


Sox starter Danks' struggles continue

The road struggles of White Sox starter John Danks continued on Sunday, when the 30-year-old starter got roughed up in unfriendly confines once again.

His trip to Seattle included an eight-hit, seven-run outing that left Danks staring at a 6.38 ERA on the road this season. He is now 2-8 in road games, as compared to a 4-3 record and 3.45 ERA at home.

Danks hasn't won a game on the road since May 31, when he threw a complete-game shutout at Houston. Since then, he has gone 0-5 with a 7.60 ERA away from U.S. Cellular Field.


Rockies cut ties with Betancourt

The Colorado Rockies retooled their overworked bullpen with an eye toward 2016 and cut ties with Rafael Betancourt, 40, who had been a stalwart reliever for them since 2009.

In 14-9 losses to the Mets on both Friday and Saturday, the Rockies' relievers had to pitch 14 1/3 innings and allowed 10 runs. Entering Sunday, the Rockies' bullpen was 0-6 with a 10.26 ERA (40 1/3 innings, 46 earned runs) in their previous 11 games.

With an eye to the future, the Rockies recalled right-hander Jairo Diaz and selected the contract of right-hander Simon Castro from Triple-A Albuquerque. They give the Rockies two more power arms in their bullpen.

To make room for them, reliever Justin Miller was optioned to Albuquerque and Betancourt, 40, was designated for assignment. He returned this season after missing all of 2014 following Tommy John surgery in September 2013.

[StarDust Bum]

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]

RECAPPING SATURDAY'S & SUNDAY'S ACTION:

MLB: 11 - 13 - 0 ( SAT. 5 - 7 ) ( SUNDAY 6 - 6 )

WNBA: 5 - 3 - 0

CFL: 2 - 2

NFL: 10 - 8 - 0


WNBA JUNE/ JULY RECORD/ AUGUST :

*****...............................21 - 23 - 2
DOUBLE PLAY....................49 - 40 - 1
TRIPLE PLAY......................25 - 17
SLAM DUNK.......................31 - 23

MLB RECORD FOR JUNE/JULY/AUGUST:

*****.............................110 - 131 - 1 .....................,........- 11.67
double play......................173 - 181 - 2 ..............................- 23.20
triple play........................93 - 85 - 2 .................................. - 13.00
grand slam......................99 - 90 - 4.....................,.,............- 26.91
double grand slam.............14 - 14.......................................- 3.20
underdog of the year.........0 - 1...........................................- 8.00


CFL JUNE/JULY/ AUGUST RECORD:

SINGLE PLAY.................................2 - 3
DOUBLE PLAY................................8 - 14
TRIPLE PLAY..................................11 - 4
BLOW OUT.....................................4 - 3

NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

SINGLE PLAY..................................... 12 - 8
DOUBLE PLAY.................................... 9 - 13
TRIPLE PLAY ..................................... 4 - 6 - 1
BLOW OUT......................................... 1 - 1

[StarDust Bum]

2:05 PM EDT

919 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Kluber, C 8u20 8u20 / 8u25 8u15 +1.5(-195)
920 CHICAGO CUBS (L) Lester, J -130 -125 / -126 / -128 -129 -1.5(+165)

TV: SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 662 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 12-17, GUSTY. GAME TEMP 73, RH 41% HEAT INDEX 73

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Consensus Picks

SIDES (ATS)

2:05 PM Cleveland +118 275 31.25% Chi. Cubs -128 605 68.75%

TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

2:05 PM Cleveland 7.5 72 50.70% Chi. Cubs 7.5 70 49.30%

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, AUGUST 24

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Cleveland - 2:05 PM ET Cleveland +118 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Chi. Cubs - Over 7.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Monday, August 24


No case of the Mondays for Lynn, Cardinals

Monday, the most universally disliked day of the week, has been kind to St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn as of late.

In Lynn's last 12 Monday starts, the Cards are 11-1. He's slated to get the ball tonight versus Robbie Ray and the Arizona Diamondbacks in the desert.

St. Louis is presently in the -120 ballpark at sportsbooks.