The Bum's Sports Page For Monday September 28th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Monday, September 28


Pitcher change announced - Rick Porcello, Boston

NY Yankees vs. Boston on September 28 at 7:05 PM. Previous Starter: Eduardo Rodriguez.

[StarDust Bum]

Twins still in running for wild-card spot

DETROIT -- Terry Ryan knew what was in the pipeline, and that shored up the Minnesota general manager's belief last winter the Twins would be a decent baseball team this season.

"We felt good coming out of spring training, even with the situation about Ervin Santana," Ryan said Sunday after Minnesota completed winning two of three against Detroit, taking a 7-1 decision. "We talked about (being in the hunt for) the postseason all the way back in February."

Minnesota opened at Detroit and got pounded in three straight games. The Twins stood 1-6 before the turnaround began.

"We've been resilient all year," he said. "We did bounce back. We were even in first place at one point.

"We aren't where we want to be at this point. But we do have a week to get there."

Ryan pointed out Minnesota began its 1991 World Series winning season 2-9, so beginnings aren't a barometer for endings.

"Now it's on to Cleveland -- and they're right behind us," manager Paul Molitor said. "We've got to try to figure out a way to get it done there. And we're going up against some awfully good pitching."

A wave of position players has come up to the Twins, who have some pitching prospects expected in a year or two.

Aaron Hicks has turned a career of disappointment into a season of hope. Kennys Vargas didn't live up to expectations but Miguel Sano has exceeded them. Eddie Rosario has had an excellent rookie season and, if Minnesota's pitching isn't spectacular, it is serviceable, with a bullpen that has been very good.

"We knew we had some young guys coming," Ryan said, "and some young guys already on the team who were going to get better. Of course, we had a few guys who we thought would be better who haven't been."

For now, it's on to Cleveland. Then home to face Kansas City.

Then, maybe, a wild-card game...

[StarDust Bum]

Yankees still uncertain of injured Tanaka's status

NEW YORK -- For fans of the New York Yankees, the question they want answered is when will Masahiro Tanaka make his next start after being idle for over a week due to a Grade One hamstring strain.

The answer is not clear cut or definitive.

"I know everyone wants an answer," New York manager Joe Girardi said before Sunday's 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. "It's really not that simple because of his value to us moving forward. It's something you have to weigh.

"Is it worth the risk maybe moving it up a day if you need him to what could possibly happen? It's a careful situation that we're trying to manage. I wish I knew really."

The Yankees are hoping it will be some point during their four-game series against the Boston Red Sox. What they do know is Tanaka will not be starting Monday but they hope he fills in the next three days when the probable pitcher is TBA.

As in to be announced.

The Yankees do not have anything to announce because they are awaiting Tanaka to get through all the necessary hurdles before clearing him for a return.

So far, Tanaka played catch Thursday, threw a bullpen session Friday and threw off flat ground Sunday. It is expected he will do fielding drills and some running, the most important steps to pass for players with leg injuries.

"I'm not ready to talk anything about that yet," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "As for now, for me, I'm just happy with the way I'm progressing."

The Yankees have seven games remaining after Sunday and a wild-card play-in game would be Oct. 6. To use Tanaka in the play-in game, Thursday would likely be his cut-off point for starting, though Girardi said he might make a one-inning cameo to stay sharp.

Of course, even with a fairly comfortable margin in front of the Houston Astros, the Yankees are not ready to start making postseason plans until it is official.

"I know we have a five-game lead with eight games to go," Girardi said. "I understand that. But I don't think as a team, as a manager you can assume anything until you know. We've seen a lot of strange things happen in this game.

"We got to worry about getting in first. Once you get in, then you can start planning ahead further. But take it a day at a time and a lot of things could change in the next few days. Who knows?

For the Yankees, the change they are hoping for is in Tanaka's status.

[StarDust Bum]

Blue Jays' regular-season work is not done

TORONTO - What started as a mere toast after a 10-8 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday turned into a soggy celebration for the Toronto Blue Jays.

They entered the Saturday game realizing they had clinched a wild-card spot and the team would compete in the postseason for the first time since 1993.

After the game, following a planned toast, it turned into a session of players dousing each other with beer and champagne.

At the same time, the players insisted they still had their focus on winning the American League East.

"It got a little out of hand for the situation, after we had a talk before the game (Saturday) about just a toast and that was it," said left-hander Mark Buehrle, who pitched six innings Sunday.

Luckily from the Blue Jays' perspective, the celebration for a job that was only partly done did not deter them.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson, a candidate for the American League MVP Award, hit his third walkoff homer of the season in the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

With the victory, the Blue Jays maintained their four-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East with seven games remaining. Their clinching number is four.

It was a grand way to end the final regular season home game for the Blue Jays. But for the first time in 22 years the finale of their home schedule won't be their final home game of the season.

There is another aspect to the final week of the season in addition to the quest for the AL East title.

The Blue Jays also are in a position to finish the season with the best record in the American League, which would give them home-field advantage through the postseason. The American League already has home-field advantage for the World Series.

They are tied with the Kansas City Royals for the best record in the AL. Each team is at 90-65.

As an indication of how much has changed, the Blue Jays were 51-51 on July 29 and the Royals were 61-39.

The Blue Jays hitters thrive at Rogers Centre. So getting the extra game at home could be a big factor for them in the playoffs.

"It's big for anybody to get that," manager John Gibbons said. "We've been so good at home, too. We're basically known as a hitting club and it's a great ballpark to hit in."

The Blue Jays finished their home schedule with a 53-28 record and they are 37-37 on the road.

But first things first. That is the division.

[StarDust Bum]

Rangers trying to hang on to lead in AL West

HOUSTON -- Following their victory over the Astros on Friday night, a win that bumped their lead to 4 1/2 games in the American League West, the Rangers appeared on the brink of a coronation celebrating their sensational month.

By Sunday afternoon, two losses to the Astros later, Texas had backed into position of having to fend off the Astros just a while longer. Houston sliced its deficit in the AL West by two games with consecutive wins behind Collin McHugh and Dallas Keuchel, putting the Rangers in position to need a successful week at home against the Tigers and Angels, who are also in the postseason chase, to claim the West title.

"Safe? There's nothing safe in baseball," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "You've got to continue to play. It's about competing. These guys, they've never taken that approach. We've been playing from behind all year long. We've worked way too hard to get to this point to think that anything is safe. We know this club's not going to lay down."

The Rangers trailed by as many as 9 1/2 games in the West this season, but their 16-7 mark in September through Friday extended their division lead to a season-high 4 1/2 games. Now, not only do the Rangers have to worry about fending off the Astros over the final seven games, they'll have the Angels to deal with for four games this coming weekend at Globe Life Park. The Angels won their fifth consecutive game on Sunday and stand just three games behind the Rangers in the division standings.

"We're exactly where we want to be," Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland said. "We've played good ball to this point. We've worked really hard. Battled a lot to get to where we're at right now. We've still got seven games left, so we're going to go out each night and try to take what we got in front of us, play hard and give everything we've got to the end."

[StarDust Bum]

Pirates within reach of first-place Cardinals

CHICAGO -- Playoff positions may be locked in for much of the postseason field, but the Pittsburgh Pirates still have some unfinished business.

A recent hot streak has propelled the Pirates to within reach of first-place St. Louis heading into a three-game series with the Cardinals starting Monday at PNC Park.

Pittsburgh was three games behind St. Louis following Sunday's 4-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

"I don't think there's any doubt that everybody who plays the game wants to play their best baseball at the end," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said last week. "It's something we talk about organizationally.

"(Now) we get to go home and play the team we're hunting."

The Pirates have played exceptional winning baseball of late, riding a season-high-tying eight straight victories -- a streak broken by the Cubs in Sunday's series finale. They also have the major league's best record (82-45) since May 9.

They were 6 1/2 games behind the Cardinals as recently as Sept. 5 and five games out on Sept. 18.

Pittsburgh wrapped up its road season with Sunday's loss and were 45-36 away from home. The Pirates' final six games are at home, where they are 50-25. Following the St. Louis series, they'll host Cincinnati for three.

[StarDust Bum]

Street, Smith injuries leave huge void in Angels bullpen

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Sunday became Day One of the Los Angeles Angels' quest to earn a playoff spot without their two best relievers, one of whom leads the American League in saves.

One week after right-handed setup specialist Joe Smith sprained his left ankle while walking down a hotel staircase, right-handed closer Huston Street suffered a strained left groin. As he ran to cover third base on a ground ball in the top of the ninth inning Saturday night, Street pulled up and could not put any weight on his left leg. The right-hander needed help to leave the field after facing two batters.

"It's a huge loss. It's devastating," center fielder Mike Trout said after that game.

Without Smith and Street, manager Mike Scioscia's options become limited, yet clear.

"We're going to do it by committee and hold some leads," Scioscia said.

That committee had its first successful meeting Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. After right-hander Jered Weaver left with shoulder tightness following five innings and 71 pitches, four relievers combined for six strikeouts and five groundouts while permitting one run and only two hits.

Right-hander Cory Rasmus generated two strikeouts and two groundouts while allowing one hit in 1 2/3 innings. Left-hander Cesar Ramos followed by inducing two groundouts from his two batters. Right-hander Fernando Salas gave up the tying run on a pinch-hit home run but struck out the next two batters he faced.

After the Angels scored in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 3-2 lead, right-hander Mike Morin pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first major-league save.

Morin struck out designated hitter Nelson Cruz and second baseman Robinson Cano. But not until Angels left fielder David Murphy caught first baseman Jesus Montero's fly ball on the warning track could the hosts escape with the win.

Morin thus became the first Angels pitcher not named Street or Smith to get a save this year, while Salas earned his second consecutive win in relief.

"We've got a lot of guys down there pitching well," Street said while leaning on crutches and wearing street clothes after Sunday's win. "That's exciting to see."

Street underwent an MRI that showed a Grade 1 strain. The right-hander said he likely will not pitch again this season but hopes to be available if the Angels reach the playoffs.

"If we get there, I'm going to try to be back as soon as I possibly can," Street said. "The MRI results, I think, were very positive. With most injuries, you've got to give them 72 hours before you know where you stand."

Yet much depends on the Angels' new committee.

"The better they pitch," Street said, "the better chance I've got of coming back and helping this team down the stretch."

[StarDust Bum]

The six teams sportsbooks fear most to win the World Series

The leaves are changing, which means the calendar is almost flipping to October. That also means playoff baseball and the fruition of those World Series futures bets made what seems like soooooooo long ago.

Sportsbooks, like MLB bettors, will have a rooting interest during the postseason, as it pertains to liability in the World Series futures market. We talked to books in Nevada and online about which teams would do the most damage to the MLB futures book should they win the Fall Classic:

Chicago Cubs (Opened: 40/1, Now: 13/2)

Echoed by brick-and-mortar and online sportsbooks, the Chicago Cubs draw action every year from the Windy City faithful. And every year, the Cubbies come up short. Way short. Well, maybe not his year. Chicago, which opened as big as 40/1 last fall, is second in the Wild Card standings behind division rival Pittsburgh as of Wednesday.

“This is just payback for all those years of taking all those Cubs futures bets without thinking they ever had a chance,” Steve Mikkelson, sportsbook director at the Atlantis Resort and Spa in Reno Nevada, tells Covers. “We’ve taken action on them at every stop: 20/1, 18/1, 16/1. We’ve got them down to 10/1 and while it’s calmed down, we’re still taking action on them.”

Going back to October, the hiring of manager Joe Maddon prompted even more futures money on Chicago than usual, dropping the Cubs down to 25/1, and it’s been a steady stream of futures wagers on the Cubbies ever since. Most books are dealing Chicago between +1,200 and +650, depending on how much liability has stockpiled under the Cubs.

Toronto Blue Jays (Opened: 30/1, Now: 7/4)

Depending on where you play or where you call home, the price on the Blue Jays could be different. In Las Vegas, Toronto opened at 30/1 to win the World Series and is down to 5/1 as of the start of the week. But north of the border, in Canada, where Blue Jays fever is reaching an all-time peak, you’re paying a premium to bet Toronto at +175 – the favorite to win the Fall Classic.

“As a Canadian book, we have a lot of Blue Jays fans playing with us,” Greg Sindall, of SportsInteraction tells Covers. “A lot of the action on the Jays is in the 14/1 to 18/1 range before the trade deadline. And then we also took a lot of action at about 7/1 just after the deadline before they went on that big winning streak.”

Toronto is currently leading the American League East, ahead of the New York Yankees by 2.5 games following New York’s extra-innings win over the Jays Tuesday. Toronto’s lineup ranks tops in most offensive categories and its pitching staff has been superb since mid-season, boasting a collective 3.24 ERA since the All-Star break – second lowest in the majors.

“The Jays are my team, so if they make it to the World Series I will be watching the games with conflicted feelings,” laughs Sindall.

New York Mets (Opened: 30/1, Now: 5/1)

Much like the Cubs, the Mets have a loyal following of baseball bettors who blindly take their team to win it all each spring. And, like Chicago, New York has bookies against the wall when it comes to its once-lofty World Series odds.

“We’ve got Chicago and right behind them, the second worst is the Mets,” Jason Simbal, vice president of risk management for CG Technology in Las Vegas, tells Covers. “They’re from big cities and they’re both public teams that people just love to pump. And, of course, they had such high prices early in the year.”

The Mets currently lead the National League East by 6.5 games, thanks in large part to a stellar starting rotation that boasts a 3.48 ERA, which sits third lowest among major league clubs. New York has also been dynamite at home with a 48-29 record inside Citi Field as of Wednesday.

Texas Rangers (Opened: 25/1, Now: 8/1)

The AL West has been a bizarre division this season, with the Angels, A’s and Mariners sinking to the bottom and the Rangers and Texas-rival Astros rising to the top. Texas, which finished dead last in the American League last season, holds a two-game edge over Houston in the standings.

“Really, this team kind of came out of nowhere in what was supposed to be a super-competitive division, only the teams that were supposed to be competitive – the Mariners and Angels - haven’t been,” Pete Childs of Sportsbook.ag tells Covers. “And the Astros, who had the division nearly wrapped up less than three weeks ago, have complete floundered down the stretch.”

Houston Astros (Opened: 100/1, Now: 18/1)

As mentioned above, Houston jumped out to a strong start in the AL West and is currently sitting second in the AL Wild Card standings behind New York. But the Astros have run out of steam this month, struggling through a 7-13 record in September and watching their ERA balloon to 4.96 in that span. In contrast, Houston has a MLB-low 2.61 ERA in August.

“Houston is a team we'd rather not see in the postseason,” John Lester of Bookmaker.eu tells Covers. “Many of our sharper clients were high on them early, for good reason, so we have some exposure there. We had the Astros at +9,500 to win it all at the beginning of the season.”

Kansas City Royals (Opened: 18/1, New: 3/1)

The Royals were offering solid value when the 2015 World Series futures hit the board last October, just coming off a loss to the San Francisco Giants in the Fall Classic. Kansas City has maintained its spot atop the AL for the majority of the season, sitting 1.5 games ahead of Toronto for the No.1 spot in the American League as of Wednesday.

“We took some big bets on the Royals,” Nick Bogdanovich, U.S. director of trading for William Hill, tells Covers. “We got stung good with some five-figure futures bets at 18/1, 12/1 and 8/1. They bet them a long time ago, so they’ve earned it.”

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

-- Phillies 12, Nationals 5-- Papelbon/Harper got into a fight in the Washington dugout, as the Nationals' season from hell winds down to a miserable conclusion.

-- Saints were 4th team since 2000 to be a double digit underdog, the week after they had been a double digit favorite.

-- Jets-Miami play in London next week, at 9:30 ET, 6:30am in Las Vegas. Oy.

-- Astros 4, Rangers 2-- Houston hits road with a half-game lead over the Angels for the second Wild Card slot.

-- Georgia opened (-1) vs Alabama; if that holds, it'll be first time in 73 games the Crimson Tide have been an underdog.

-- Today would be a good day to ask Jordan Spieth for a loan; he won $10M and the Fed Ex Cup championship.


**********

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday......

14) Bengals 28, Ravens 24-- Ravens are 0-3 for first time since franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996. Cincy led 14-0 at half, then lead changed hands four times in last 6:49, with Bengals scoring winning TD with 2:10 to play.

13) Steelers 12, Rams 6-- Roethlisberger hurt his knee, they don't know how bad it is yet, but looks like at least a month; Vick will step in against Baltimore Thursday nite. Rams' offense is putrid; not Foles' fault, QB has to have somebody who can actually catch his passes. St Louis has been in the red zone once in its last two games.

12) Vikings 31, Chargers 14-- Peterson had 126 rushing yards, Minnesota scored a defensive TD, also had 16-yard advantage in field position- they're 2-0 at home now. Home favorites in non-divisional games are 12-6-1 vs spread so far this season.

11) Texans 19, Buccaneers 9-- Tampa was just 1-12 on third down; their only TD drive was 26 yards. Bucs missed a PAT and three FGs; the one FG they did make was 58 yards long. It is way, way too early, but early returns show Tampa Bay made a mistake taking Winston over Mariota with the first pick in last spring's draft.

10) Eagles 24, Jets 17-- New York forced 10 turnovers in its first two games, had +8 ratio; they forced only one in this game, had -3 ratio, so they lost. Eagles ran a punt back for TD but still passed for only 108 yards, were 4-15 on third down. Jets threw ball 58 times, ran it 16, usually a formula for losing.

9) Panthers 27, Saints 22-- Carolina is 3-0, tied atop NFC with Atlanta, as Saints' season is rapidly slipping away. McCown was 31-38/310 in relief of Brees; Saints led 10-0, then went ahead 16-10 on punt return for TD, but couldn't hold it. Divisional home favorites are 3-8 vs spread so far this season. This spread jumped 6-7 points when Brees was declared out

8) Patriots 51, Jaguars 17-- New England covered for just second time in last ten tries as double digit favorite. Very rare an NFL team scores every time they have the ball, but it happened here-- Patriots scored six TDs, three FGs on nine drives that didn't end a half. They also had a 12-yard edge in field position, always a good thing.

7) Raiders 27, Browns 20-- Oakland snaps an 11-game road losing skid, a 16-game skid in eastern time zone. Latavius Murray ran for 139 yards and will be a popular pickup on fantasy league waiver wires. Cleveland is now 0-2 with McCown as the starter; he and his brother started on same day for first time since 2007.

6) Colts 35, Titans 33-- Indy won despite allowing 27 straight points after grabbing early 14-0 lead with defensive TD. Mariota was 27-44/367 passing and led drive for score with 0:47 left, but tying 2-point play failed and Colts held on for first win, as they travelled on short week but survived.

5) Falcons 39, Cowboys 28-- Dallas led 28-14 with 0:40 left in half, but Atlanta was dominant from that point on, scoring last 25 points of game, with Freeman running for 141 yards and three TDs and Atlanta is surprising 3-0-- they trailed all three games in fourth quarter. Julio Jones was targeted 20 times, caught 12 of them for 164 yards.

4) Cardinals 47, 49ers 7-- Arizona scored twice on defense in first 5:57, coasted from that point on; at one point Kaepernick had five completions, four INTs. Arizona is an underrated team; I would rate them and Patriots as two best teams so far. 49ers were just outscored 90-25 in first two road games; they have serious issues.

3) Seahawks 26, Bears 0-- Jimmy Clausen is now 1-10 as an NFL starter, with lone win in December 2010 against Arizona and the immortal John Skelton. Seattle needed KR return TD and trick play on punt return to set up two of first three scores. This waa 6-0 at half, before Lockett's kick return to open second half. Wonder how many times a team has been shut out without turning ball over once?

2) Bills 41, Dolphins 14-- Joe Philbin trusted his career as an NFL head coach to a QB who wasn't a QB until he was a junior in college. If you remember HBO's Hard Knocks two years ago, Ryan Tannehill didn't even know who the other teams in the AFC East were- he was a WR his first two years at Texas A&M. How do you entrust a $1B franchise to someone who doesn't like pro football?

1) Broncos 24, Lions 12-- Every key play, it seemed a Denver WR won a one-on-one battle and made a big catch. Denver hit a 45-yard TD pass with 0:05 left in half, just terrible defense by the Lions. Manning threw for 324 yards and Denver is now 3-0.

[StarDust Bum]

Pro Baseball Trend Report


ST LOUIS (99 - 57) at PITTSBURGH (95 - 61) - 7:05 PM
LANCE LYNN (R) vs. J.A. HAPP (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 95-61 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 50-24 (+17.1 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 50-25 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 95-61 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 66-45 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 75-47 (+20.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PITTSBURGH is 45-31 (+13.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PITTSBURGH is 27-14 (+14.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
ST LOUIS is 99-57 (+27.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 44-31 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
ST LOUIS is 99-57 (+27.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 70-39 (+22.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ST LOUIS is 36-20 (+12.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 42-27 (+12.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LYNN is 27-13 (+12.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PITTSBURGH is 31-39 (-15.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-8 (+0.3 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

LANCE LYNN vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
LYNN is 5-6 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 5.34 and a WHIP of 1.527.
His team's record is 9-8 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-11. (-6.4 units)

J.A. HAPP vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
HAPP is 2-8 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.433.
His team's record is 3-8 (-4.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-7. (-4.0 units)


LA DODGERS (87 - 68) at SAN FRANCISCO (81 - 74) - 10:15 PM
ZACK GREINKE (R) vs. JAKE PEAVY (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 9-6 (+5.4 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
8 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

ZACK GREINKE vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
GREINKE is 7-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.15 and a WHIP of 1.006.
His team's record is 9-0 (+9.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-3. (+3.2 units)

JAKE PEAVY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
PEAVY is 14-3 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 2.42 and a WHIP of 0.968.
His team's record is 18-10 (+9.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 14-12. (+0.4 units)


TORONTO (90 - 65) at BALTIMORE (76 - 79) - 7:05 PM
MARCO ESTRADA (R) vs. CHRIS TILLMAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 96-63 (+21.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 64-39 (+16.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 24-13 (+13.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 82-64 (+20.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 125-92 (+34.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 130-105 (+28.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 80-68 (+13.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
TILLMAN is 40-26 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 6-0 (+7.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 35-21 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 30-18 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 30-20 (+14.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 29-20 (+18.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997. (Team's Record)
TORONTO is 90-65 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 47-28 (+16.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TORONTO is 69-49 (+13.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 76-79 (-7.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 66-68 (-6.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 197-321 (-102.0 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 30-43 (-11.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 9-6 (+2.2 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
9 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.6 Units)

MARCO ESTRADA vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
ESTRADA is 2-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.18 and a WHIP of 1.059.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.0 units)

CHRIS TILLMAN vs. TORONTO since 1997
TILLMAN is 4-10 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.68 and a WHIP of 1.412.
His team's record is 6-13 (-8.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-10. (-2.3 units)

BOSTON (75 - 80) at NY YANKEES (86 - 69) - 7:05 PM
EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ (L) vs. IVAN NOVA (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 10-5 (+4.6 Units) against BOSTON this season
8 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.3 Units)

EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 2-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 1.309.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.4 units)

IVAN NOVA vs. BOSTON since 1997
NOVA is 3-4 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 5.04 and a WHIP of 1.464.
His team's record is 4-6 (-1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-4. (+1.9 units)


MINNESOTA (80 - 75) at CLEVELAND (77 - 77) - 7:10 PM
PHIL HUGHES (R) vs. COREY KLUBER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 80-75 (+20.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 69-89 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 37-32 (+11.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
MINNESOTA is 78-70 (+22.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 49-44 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 52-49 (+14.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 40-39 (+7.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
HUGHES is 33-24 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUGHES is 32-23 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 77-77 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 35-38 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 31-40 (-16.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CLEVELAND is 72-75 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 20-27 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
KLUBER is 10-20 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 3-11 (-11.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 9-20 (-18.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 6-13 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 5-10 (-8.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 5-11 (-8.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 9-6 (+4.9 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-1.0 Units)

PHIL HUGHES vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
HUGHES is 6-3 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.95 and a WHIP of 1.212.
His team's record is 7-4 (+3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-6. (-1.3 units)

COREY KLUBER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
KLUBER is 6-3 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 1.107.
His team's record is 7-7 (-2.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-7. (-0.9 units)


DETROIT (72 - 83) at TEXAS (84 - 71) - 8:05 PM
JUSTIN VERLANDER (R) vs. COLBY LEWIS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 162-158 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 31-46 (-16.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
DETROIT is 147-224 (-60.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 42-56 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
DETROIT is 51-68 (-14.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
DETROIT is 73-84 (-19.5 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
VERLANDER is 40-48 (-28.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 19-26 (-21.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 38-47 (-30.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 22-27 (-15.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TEXAS is 84-71 (+29.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 34-22 (+18.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TEXAS is 30-21 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in September games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 81-67 (+29.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 62-48 (+27.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 52-41 (+19.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TEXAS is 39-31 (+15.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
LEWIS is 10-2 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in home games in September games since 1997. (Team's Record)
LEWIS is 16-8 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
TEXAS is 26-36 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 3-1 (+2.1 Units) against DETROIT this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. TEXAS since 1997
VERLANDER is 9-6 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 3.27 and a WHIP of 1.194.
His team's record is 10-7 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 10-6. (+3.1 units)

COLBY LEWIS vs. DETROIT since 1997
LEWIS is 4-4 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.612.
His team's record is 5-5 (-0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-4. (+1.6 units)


OAKLAND (65 - 91) at LA ANGELS (81 - 74) - 10:05 PM
FELIX DOUBRONT (L) vs. HECTOR SANTIAGO (L)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 65-91 (-31.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 17-31 (-14.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
OAKLAND is 71-86 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 17-34 (-27.4 Units) against the money line in September games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 30-40 (-12.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
OAKLAND is 63-86 (-29.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 41-56 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 15-30 (-17.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
OAKLAND is 37-53 (-17.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
OAKLAND is 37-48 (-12.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OAKLAND is 4-17 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
LA ANGELS are 81-74 (+2.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 47-31 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LA ANGELS are 54-25 (+19.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 16-8 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in September games this season.
LA ANGELS are 40-29 (+11.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
LA ANGELS are 47-31 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 62-53 (+6.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 99-61 (+25.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 53-27 (+18.8 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.
DOUBRONT is 25-15 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
DOUBRONT is 10-3 (+9.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DOUBRONT is 14-6 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
DOUBRONT is 14-6 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 160-139 (-63.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 9-7 (+2.1 Units) against OAKLAND this season
11 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+6.8 Units)

FELIX DOUBRONT vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
DOUBRONT is 2-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.34 and a WHIP of 1.393.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

HECTOR SANTIAGO vs. OAKLAND since 1997
SANTIAGO is 3-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 1.182.
His team's record is 5-3 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-3. (+1.7 units)


HOUSTON (82 - 74) at SEATTLE (74 - 82) - 10:10 PM
LANCE MCCULLERS (R) vs. ROENIS ELIAS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 29-46 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
HOUSTON is 9-15 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in September games this season.
HOUSTON is 29-40 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 17-30 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
HOUSTON is 8-19 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 15-28 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
HOUSTON is 17-22 (-10.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
MCCULLERS is 7-13 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
MCCULLERS is 1-9 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
MCCULLERS is 1-8 (-8.6 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
SEATTLE is 46-35 (+9.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SEATTLE is 74-82 (-17.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 34-41 (-19.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SEATTLE is 2-8 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Monday this season.
SEATTLE is 69-81 (-22.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 51-55 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 23-27 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
ELIAS is 8-16 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ELIAS is 17-28 (-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
HOUSTON is 10-6 (+3.4 Units) against SEATTLE this season
12 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+8.9 Units)

LANCE MCCULLERS vs. SEATTLE since 1997
MCCULLERS is 1-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.89 and a WHIP of 1.393.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.1 units)

ROENIS ELIAS vs. HOUSTON since 1997
ELIAS is 1-2 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.455.
His team's record is 3-3 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.2 units)


KANSAS CITY (90 - 65) at CHICAGO CUBS (90 - 65) - 8:05 PM
YORDANO VENTURA (R) vs. KYLE HENDRICKS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 10-15 (-10.6 Units) against the money line in September games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 90-65 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 90-65 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 54-35 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 42-30 (+11.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HENDRICKS is 28-15 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HENDRICKS is 28-14 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 90-65 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 31-22 (+12.4 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 91-71 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 31-15 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 87-61 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 63-49 (+5.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 62-38 (+19.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
KANSAS CITY is 52-39 (+7.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KANSAS CITY is 83-64 (+14.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 63-46 (+18.8 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.
CHICAGO CUBS are 792-758 (-163.5 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1087-1204 (-206.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 42-58 (-36.1 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 694-783 (-191.9 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 163-207 (-59.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 1-1 (+0.3 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

YORDANO VENTURA vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
VENTURA is 0-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.714.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

KYLE HENDRICKS vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
No recent starts.


CINCINNATI (62 - 93) at WASHINGTON (79 - 76) - 3:05 PM
BRANDON FINNEGAN (L) vs. MAX SCHERZER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 62-93 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 29-48 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
CINCINNATI is 16-33 (-19.4 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
CINCINNATI is 62-93 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 47-69 (-20.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CINCINNATI is 37-54 (-14.5 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
WASHINGTON is 79-76 (-19.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 78-75 (-19.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 36-40 (-12.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
WASHINGTON is 44-37 (-12.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SCHERZER is 6-9 (-10.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season. (Team's Record)
SCHERZER is 6-9 (-10.5 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 5-0 (+5.8 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

BRANDON FINNEGAN vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
No recent starts.

MAX SCHERZER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
SCHERZER is 0-1 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 5.06 and a WHIP of 1.125.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Nats suspend Papelbon 4 games for fight with Harper

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals suspended right-handed closer Jonathan Papelbon for four games on Monday after he had an altercation with outfielder teammate and MVP candidate Bryce Harper in the dugout.

Papelbon was suspended without pay by the team for his role in the fight that took place in the eighth inning of a 12-5 loss Sunday to the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park.

Harper was suspended one game with pay, Washington manager Matt Williams said before a makeup game in the regular-season home finale Monday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds.

In addition, Papelbon will serve his three-game suspension which was handed down by Major League Baseball last week after he hit Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado with a pitch in a game Wednesday at Nationals Park. That three-game suspension began Monday and Papelbon is not allowed to be around the team for the MLB suspension.

Papelbon had appealed the MLB suspension and was thus eligible to pitch this past weekend against the Phillies. But now he will drop that appeal, according to Williams.

Williams said Papelbon is not expected to be with the Nationals on a season-ending road trip that begins Tuesday in Atlanta and concludes this weekend in New York against the division champion Mets. The Nationals entered Monday with seven games left on the schedule and thus the season is over for Papelbon.

Papelbon's team suspension will begin Thursday. The fight with Harper made national news and came less than 24 hours after the Nationals had been eliminated from playoff contention.

"The behavior exhibited by Papelbon yesterday is not acceptable," said Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo in a statement. "That is not at all in line with the way our players are expected to conduct themselves, and the Nationals organization will not tolerate it in any way."

Williams, in his second year as manager, had not seen footage of the fight until after he met with the media after Sunday's game. He sent Papelbon back out for the ninth inning after the pitcher grabbed the throat of Harper. Papelbon came on in the eighth and got the last out in a game that had no bearing on the playoff race.

"I was upset. I was appalled," Williams said of when he saw the footage Sunday night. "It has been a very difficult 24 hours for the organization. We have to get past that. We have to fix it. We have to move forward."

Williams said he spoke briefly with Harper before the Monday game but had not spoken with Papelbon.

Williams was asked why Harper was suspended.

"He played a part in it," Williams said. "Because of the incident in the dugout. He said something to Jonathan. He played a part in the incident. This has been a very disappointing season. Everyone understands that."

Washington won the NL East title last year but was knocked out of the playoffs by the San Francisco Giants. Many picked the Nationals to make the World Series this year but the team is 79-76 with seven games left.

Papelbon was acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Phillies in late July as the Washington bullpen struggled. He took over the closer role from Drew Storen, a fan favorite who was moved to the setup role. Storen struggled in that role and after a loss against the Mets in early September, he hurt his hand in frustration and is out for the year.

The Nationals hold control over the contract of Papelbon for 2016.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Betting Cheat Sheet: Pirates Plundering

Here's a comprehensive look at betting notes for the mid-week major-league schedule:

Pirates Plundering

Pittsburgh returns home after winning eight of 10 on the road, and they host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of a three game series at PNC Park on Monday. The Pirates have narrowed the gap in the standings, trailing St. Louis by just three games. Pittsburgh has won five of it's last six home meetings against the Cardinals, and they will have a favorable matchup on the mound in Game 1. Lance Lynn has a career ERA of 5.75 in 17 starts against Pittsburgh.


Johnny Be Good

The Royals thought they had finally acquired a true ace when they picked up Johnny Cueto at the trade deadline, but the deal hasn't worked out as well as they had hoped. Ceuto went 2-6 in his first eight starts for the Royals, but he's since put together back to back quality starts, and he looked good in a home win over Seattle his last time out. His next start comes on the road in Chicago, and he's 1-1 with a 7.15 ERA in two previous starts versus the White Sox.


The Wild Wild West

Get ready for an exciting finish in the AL West. The Houston Astros trail division leaders Texas by 2.5 games, while they are just a half a game up on the Angels for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. The Angels will finish the season at home in a four game series versus Texas starting Thursday. If the Astros are going to hold on to first place, they will need to win on the road, as they play a three game series at Seattle before wrapping up the season with a four game series in Arizona. They have been brutal on the road, going 14-39 in their last 53 away from Minute Maid Park.


Hitting Notes

*Rookie Kris Bryant is batting .458 with a home run and four RBIs over the last seven days. The Cubs are in Cincinnati this week, and Bryant is hitting .340 with a home run and nine RBIs against the Reds in the season series.

*Nelson Cruz is tied with Chris Davis for the major league lead with 43 home runs. He's really crushing left-handed pitching this year, batting .360 versus southpaws. He'll face Houston's rookie left-hander Lance McCullers in Seattle on Monday.

Pitching Notes

*Madison Bumgarner will start at home against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers on Tuesday, and Bumgarner has gotten the better of the Dodgers this season, going 2-1 with a 1.63 ERA in four starts. Kershaw hasn't had as much luck against the Giants, going 1-2 with a 2.76 ERA in four starts. He's 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA in two starts at AT&T Park.

*Jose Fernandez is 6-0 with a 2.91 ERA in 10 starts this season, and the 23 year old right-hander has never lost in Miami. He'll make his final start of the season in Tampa on Thursday, and he lost his only previous start versus the Rays.


Totals Streak

The Pirates have seen the total go over in six of their last eight home games, and the total has trended over at a rate of 6-2-1 in their last nine games versus St. Louis. We could see plenty of scoring in Game 1 of this series at PNC Park, as this looks like a tough spot for both pitchers. St. Louis is hitting a combined .308 over 93 at bats versus J.A. Happ.


Injury Notes

*The Angels have lost their closer Houston Street for the rest of the season after an MRI revealed a grade 1 groin strain.

*Adam Wainwright has missed most of the season with a torn Achilles, but he's making progress in an attempt to come back for the post-season.

[StarDust Bum]

Orioles' Tillman hasn't enjoyed facing the Blue Jays

Baltimore Orioles starter Chris Tillman has really struggled against the Toronto Blue Jays, going 0-4 with a 15.50 ERA in five starts against them this season.

Tillman will try to reverse his fortunes when Baltimore begins a four-game home series against the visiting Blue Jays Monday night. The Orioles are currently +123 favorites.

Toronto will counter with right-hander Marco Estrada.

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto - 7:05 PM ET Toronto -119 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Baltimore - Over 8.5 500

Boston - 7:05 PM ET Boston +120 500
NY Yankees - Over 8.5 500

St. Louis - 7:05 PM ET Pittsburgh -135 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Pittsburgh - Under 7 500

Minnesota - 7:10 PM ET Cleveland -149 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Cleveland - Under 8 500

Detroit - 8:05 PM ET Detroit +130 500 *****
Texas - Under 8.5 500

Kansas City - 8:05 PM ET Kansas City +104 500
Chi. Cubs - Under 8 500

Oakland - 10:05 PM ET LA Angels -192 500
LA Angels - Over 8.5 500

Houston - 10:10 PM ET Houston -140 500
Seattle - Over 7.5 500

LA Dodgers - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco +143 500 GRAND SLAM
San Francisco - Over 6.5 500