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  • Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

    — Ottawa 5, Toronto 4 OT– Auston Matthews scored all of Leafs’ goals; if you have him in fantasy, you’re pretty bleepin’ happy today.

    — Matthews is 5th player ever with a hat trick in his first game, first player ever with four goals in his debut.

    — Former Baylor coach Art Briles is working with the Browns’ offense in Cleveland as a consultant. Browns have three former Baylor players.

    — Cam Newton returned to practice in Carolina, good news for them.

    — Best part of Cubs’ run is seeing 87-year old comedian Bob Newhart post pics of himself on Twitter “hoisting the W” after every Cubs win. Newhart’s great TV show in the 70’s was set in Chicago.

    — Lot of recruiting sites that rate HS prospects are full of it; Denzel Valentine is in the NBA now, was a great player at Michigan State. As a high school senior, he was listed as the country’s #129 prospect. Oy.

    **********

    Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Excerpts from an article that I think is important…….

    Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr put a Washington Post article up on Twitter last night which is very interesting; it deals with how (intentionally or not) Donald Trump has exposed a problem with our country’s tax codes. This article was written by Fareed Zakaria.

    I’m posting the excerpts from this article because I learned a lot from it, about how basically corrupt our entire system is in this country and how our “leaders” damn sure better fix it pretty soon.

    “Donald Trump has done America a great public service. No, really. By taking advantage of the country’s tax laws in such spectacular fashion, he has shone a spotlight on the corruption that is at the heart of American politics — the tax code……..

    ……….The problem with American taxes is something different: their complexity. The United States has the world’s longest tax code. The scholar Sean Ehrlich tabulated its word count at 3,866,392. Germany and France have codes that are less than 10 percent as long…….

    ………The complexity of the tax code exists by design, because it allows for the distinctive feature of the American political system: fundraising……..

    America is unique among democracies in requiring, at all levels of politics, that vast amounts of cash be raised from the private sector. In order to get this money, senators and members of Congress need something to offer in return, and what they sell are amendments to the tax code. When you pay $5,000 to have a stale breakfast with a congressman, you are not paying for his insights or personality. You and others like you are buying a line of the code, which is why it is thousands of pages long. This is the world’s ultimate “pay for play” setup.

    There are only two ways to fix this problem. One would be to stop people from paying politicians. But the Supreme Court ruled in Buckley v. Valeo in 1976 that money is speech and thus constitutionally protected. (As far as I know, this is a view shared by no other Western democracy.) That leaves another path — take away what Congress sells. If the tax code were to be made short and simple, with a handful of deductions, politicians would have little to offer people as a quid pro quo. You could still pay them, for their ideas and personality, but I suspect that the flow of money would slow to a trickle. It is the simple, single solution to the cancer in American politics. And we could thank Donald Trump for highlighting it.”
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • MLB

      Thursday, October 13


      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NLDS Game 5 Betting Preview: Dodgers at Nationals
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      "This will probably be the biggest start of my career. I've said that a few times in my life, but I think this will be it." - Max Scherzer.

      Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington Nationals (-155, 7)

      Series tied 2-2


      Max Scherzer has problems keeping the ball inside the ballpark and the Washington Nationals are hoping that won't be an issue in Thursday's decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Scherzer served up a career-worst 31 homers in the regular season and was taken deep by Corey Seager and Justin Turner in Los Angeles' 4-3 victory in Game 1.

      Scherzer is aware the Nationals have never won a playoff series since relocating from Montreal and he didn't sidestep away from the importance. "This will probably be the biggest start of my career," Scherzer told reporters. "I've said that a few times in my life, but I think this will be it. You're going to get the absolute best out of everybody on both teams." The Dodgers are looking to reach the NL Championship Series for the second time in four seasons and are expected to turn to veteran left-hander Rich Hill. Los Angeles first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run shot in Tuesday's 6-5 victory - his only homer and RBIs in the series.

      TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

      WEATHER REPORT: Conditions at Nationals Park will be clear and cool (game-time temperatures in the low 60's). There is a 10 percent chance of a shower rolling through early in the evening and the humidity level will be at 80 percent.

      WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Dodgers used their ace, Clayton Kershaw, on just three days rest in Game 4. Now Los Angeles will have to use Rich Hill on three days rest in Game 5. Meanwhile, the Nationals saved their ace Max Scherzer for Game 5 which means he is pitching on five days of rest. While Scherzer will be fresh, the Dodgers have been a much stronger offensive team versus right-handed pitchers this season, averaging 5.0 runs per nine innings with a .261 batting average, compared to just 3.5 runs and .210 versus LHP."

      PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Rich Hill (12-5, 2.12 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (20-7, 2.96)

      Hill is expected to start the contest but manager Dave Roberts asserted that 20-year-old rookie Julio Urias is also part of the Game 5 pitching plan. "I think that we talked about Rich as an option, obviously, but so is Julio and how we want to strategize to win Game 5," Roberts said at a press conference. "We're going to talk through it but it's nice now that we didn't have to go to Julio (in Game 4), so he's certainly an option." Hill lasted just 4 1/3 innings while losing Game 2, and he gave up four runs and six hits while striking out seven.

      Scherzer allowed four runs and five hits in six innings while losing against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 1. The NL Cy Young award candidate expects another raucous atmosphere with the NLCS berth awaiting the winner. "If it's anything like Game 1, it's going to be such a thrill," Scherzer said. "Game 1 was unbelievable there in D.C. The fans were just going nuts from the first pitch. So the fact that it's going to be Game 5, I mean, our fans really brought it in Game 1, so I can only imagine the atmosphere going into Game 5."

      TRENDS:

      * Dodgers are 2-8 in their last 10 playoff road games.
      * Dodgers are 0-4 in Hill's last 4 starts.
      * Nationals are 6-0 in their last 6 games following a loss.
      * Nationals are 5-0 in Scherzer's last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
      * Under is 5-1-1 in Hill's last 7 starts overall.
      * Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
      * Over is 8-2 in Kellogg's last 10 games behind home plate.

      CONSENSUS: The public is leaning heavily toward Max Scherzer and the home favorite Washington Nationals at 70 percent. In totals action, Over 7 is seeing 70 percent of the wagers.
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • MLB
        Long Sheet

        Thursday, October 13


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

        LA DODGERS (93 - 73) at WASHINGTON (97 - 69) - 8:05 PM
        RICH HILL (L) vs. MAX SCHERZER (R)
        Top Trends for this game.
        LA DODGERS are 93-73 (-6.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
        LA DODGERS are 39-44 (-16.6 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
        LA DODGERS are 7-12 (-10.6 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off this season.
        LA DODGERS are 90-71 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
        LA DODGERS are 64-55 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
        LA DODGERS are 60-65 (-27.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
        LA DODGERS are 49-42 (-6.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
        LA DODGERS are 31-39 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
        WASHINGTON is 180-148 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
        WASHINGTON is 179-147 (-18.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
        WASHINGTON is 114-99 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
        WASHINGTON is 76-71 (-12.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

        Head-to-Head Series History
        LA DODGERS is 7-3 (+4.2 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
        6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

        RICH HILL vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
        HILL is 1-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 5.32 and a WHIP of 1.500.
        His team's record is 2-2 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.2 units)

        MAX SCHERZER vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
        SCHERZER is 2-5 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.75 and a WHIP of 1.144.
        His team's record is 2-7 (-4.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-1. (+4.8 units)

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




        MLB
        Short Sheet

        Thursday, October 13


        LA Dodgers at Washington, 8:05 PM ET
        Hill: LA DODGERS are 9-14 SU after a one run win
        Scherzer: WASHINGTON is 26-11 OVER in home games against left-handed starters-handed starters




        MLB
        Armadillo's Write-Up


        Thursday, October 13

        Dodgers @ Nationals


        Hill is 0-3, 5.03 in his last four starts, he allowed four runs in 4.1 IP against Nationals earlier this series, his only start vs Washington this season and is 0-2, 8.59 in two career postseason starts, which were nine years apart. Dodgers are 1-3 in his road starts.

        Scherzer is 4-1, 4.70 in his last six starts; he allowed four runs in six IP in losing Game 1 of this series, his only start against the Dodgers this year. He is 4-4, 3.93 in 11 career playoff starts. Nationals won four of his last five home starts.

        Dodgers are in playoffs for 4th year in a row- their last World Series title was in 1988. LA is 7-3 vs Washington this season; they’re 2-7 in last nine road games. Nationals are 8-5 in last 13 games, 5-4 in last nine at home- they’re in playoffs for third time in last five years.

        Roberts is a rookie manager. Baker is 22-27 as postseason manager; he won NL pennant is 2002 with the Giants.




        MLB

        Thursday, October 13


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

        8:08 PM
        LA DODGERS vs. WASHINGTON
        The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 7 games on the road
        The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
        The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing LA Dodgers
        Washington is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

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

        MLB
        Dunkel

        Thursday, October 13


        LA Dodgers @ Washington


        Game 961-962
        October 13, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

        Dunkel Rating:
        LA Dodgers
        (Hill) 13.044
        Washington
        (Scherzer) 16.269
        Dunkel Team:
        Dunkel Line:
        Dunkel Total:
        Washington
        by 3
        5
        Vegas Team:
        Vegas Line:
        Vegas Total:
        Washington
        -150
        7
        Dunkel Pick:
        Washington
        (-150); Under
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

          10/11 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 2.00

          WLT PCT UNITS

          M/L Picks.............7 - 7....................50.00 %............ + 2.00

          O/U Picks............3 - 7 - 2................42.85 %............ - 4.00

          TRIPLE PLAYS - ***** 1 - 4

          M/L-.......... 1 - 4 - 0
          O/U-..........1 - 2 - 1



          THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13


          GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

          LAD at WAS 08:00 PM

          LAD +135

          O 7.0
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • Nats' season ends with bad decisions in NLDS Game 5 loss
            October 14, 2016


            WASHINGTON (AP) Their third-base coach made a bad decision, Max Scherzer made a bad pitch, their bullpen broke bad and in short order the Washington Nationals' season came to a crashing halt.

            Within the span of a half-hour, the Nationals dug a hole they couldn't climb out of in a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night in Game 5 of the NL Division Series. Washington lost its third consecutive playoff series on a sequence of mistakes that did nothing to change the sour October reputations of Scherzer, manager Dusty Baker and the Nationals themselves.

            ''It was tough to take, a tough loss,'' Baker said. ''We've got some improvement to make and hopefully we'll be back in the same position next year.''

            For much of the night it looked like Scherzer could change the fortunes of the franchise thanks to his big-game pitching and an RBI single by unlikely clutch hitter Danny Espinosa. Then third-base coach Bob Henley inexplicably sent Jayson Werth into a no-doubt out at the plate on a double down the left-field line by Ryan Zimmerman, ending the sixth inning.

            ''He's aggressive, and there was two outs. ... He feels terrible about that because it didn't work,'' Baker said of Henley. ''But, you know, that wasn't what lost the game, really.''

            Just four minutes later, Scherzer served up a solo home run to Joc Pederson on his first pitch of the seventh and his 99th of the game, setting off a domino effect. The end of Scherzer's outing was just the start of the trouble.

            Baker called on five relievers - Mark Rzepczynski, Blake Treinen, Sammy Solis, Shawn Kelley and Oliver Perez - to get three outs. They eventually did so, but not before Carlos Ruiz drove in a run with a pinch-hit single and Justin Turner got two more home with a triple off the center-field wall.

            The bullpen that produced Drew Storen's infamous meltdown in NLDS Game 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 and two losses to the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS in 2014 did the Nationals in once again. Rzepczynski got the loss after walking Yasmani Grandal, Solis allowed the single to Ruiz and Kelley the two-run triple to Turner and a 1-0 lead became a 4-1 deficit.

            A two-run homer by pinch-hitter Chris Heisey in the bottom of the crazy, 66-minute seventh inning made it a one-run game woke up the sellout crowd of 43,936 that booed the announcement of the last Metro train leaving the ballpark's station. The Nationals strained but couldn't crack Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, and ace Clayton Kershaw finished off the game with a two-out save, the first of his major league career.
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • Giants CEO missed elimination loss
              October 13, 2016


              SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Larry Baer left the ballpark in the sixth inning, and he remembers the exact moment because of the Kiss Cam on the scoreboard. The Giants CEO needed to get to Yom Kippur services at his synagogue by sundown Tuesday night, and San Francisco led the Cubs 5-2 at that point.

              He listened on the radio as he drove 15 minutes from AT&T Park: scoreless seventh, then scoreless eighth. Baer parked and arrived for the Kol Nidre service at 8:15 p.m. - 15 minutes early for a change - then eventually went inside and turned off his phone.

              The final score would have to wait for 90 minutes, yet Baer prepared for a flight first thing Thursday back to Chicago for Game 5 fully confident his club would stave off postseason elimination once more. The Giants had done so 10 times in a row, after all.

              ''I walked in, turned off my phone, ignored my phone - off in terms of me looking at it ... not being checked,'' Baer told The Associated Press on Thursday. ''A big Giants fan was sitting near me and said as I was literally walking to sit down, `We got out in the bottom of the eighth.' So, I took a deep breath and got into services for an hour and a half.''

              With the Jewish High Holidays service over, a man from a couple of rows back approached and told him, ''I'm sorry.'' Baer initially thought someone had died. Then he got it. The season was over, an even-year failure for the first time this decade after World Series championships in 2010, `12 and `14.

              ''That's how I found out,'' Baer said of the 6-5 loss in Game 4.

              He skipped socializing after the service and headed for his car, then ''sat in silence for a while.'' Eventually, he called family members and then general manager Bobby Evans ''to make sure he was sane.''

              ''I just sat in the car stunned,'' Baer said. ''Stunned.''

              Baer has endured both the highs and lows as a baseball executive and devoted Jew when the postseason and High Holidays collide.

              Two years ago when he readied to break the fast following Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, Baer endured a similar story with a far sweeter ending.

              ''This has a better outcome,'' Baer recalled.

              The Giants were in Washington for the NL Division Series and he stayed back in the Bay Area to be in temple. His father was being remembered, too, after Monroe Baer Jr. died in March 2014 at age 91. That time, Baer parked his car with the Giants trailing 1-0 late in the game. A stranger in the courtyard whispered in his ear ''Man on first.'' Baer went inside and the service was just beginning when someone else tapped him on the shoulder from behind with, ''Tie game.''

              Baer assumed Game 2 went to extra innings but heard nothing when services ended, so his gut told him maybe the Giants had lost. A friend then urged him to ''get home, it's the bottom of the 13th.''

              ''I'm like, `Wow,' so I went to a party, a break-the-fast,'' Baer said of the celebration two blocks from temple. Baer noticed there were far fewer people around the food and the host immediately sent him upstairs, where rabbis and friends were gathered around a television watching the Giants in the 14th.

              They stayed put through the 15th, 16th and 17th - and everybody then knew this game would end in the 18th, a significant number in Judaism derived from the Hebrew word chai, for long life.

              ''As we go to the top of the 18th, the rabbis and four people including myself simultaneously say, `It has to happen in the 18th because of the significance of the No. 18,''' he said. ''It was also pointed out that half of chai is up to bat, No. 9, Brandon Belt.''

              Belt homered, and the Giants won 2-1.

              ''And the place erupts,'' Baer said. ''That was the perfect symmetry. ... So, we're talking about complete bookends, both characterized by the holiday. It's incredible. I'm amazed. I thought I'd be in temple Wednesday and be flying at 7 a.m. Thursday to Chicago.''
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • ALCS - Game 1 Preview
                October 13, 2016


                Toronto Blue Jays (93-73, 45-38 away) vs. Cleveland Indians (97-67, 55-28 home)

                Game 1 Odds: Indians -135, Blue Jays +125, 7 ½
                Series Odds: Blue Jays -145, Indians +125

                How they got here


                Toronto is back in the American League Championship Series for the second straight season, but the Blue Jays needed to win the Wild Card game this time around. The Jays outlasted the Orioles on a three-run walk-off home run from Edwin Encarnacion to advance to the American League Divisional Series. Toronto swept Texas in three games, including a pair of victories in Arlington in the first two contests. The Jays plated 22 runs against the Rangers, while Encarnacion and Jose Bautista have combined to hit five homers in the playoffs.

                Cleveland cruised to its first AL Central title since 2007, while the Indians continued that momentum by knocking out the favored Red Sox in a three-game sweep in the ALDS. The Indians limited the Red Sox to seven total runs in the series, including a 6-0 shutout behind Corey Kluber in Game 2 as a -115 home favorite. The double-play combination of shortstop Jose Ramirez and second baseman Jason Kipnis combined to hit 9-for-21 (.428) with five runs scored against Boston, while the Cleveland bullpen allowed just two earned runs in 10.1 innings of work.

                ALCS history

                The Blue Jays fell in six games of the ALCS last season to the eventual champion Royals. Toronto last won a World Series in 1993 in the memorable Joe Carter walk-off homer against Philadelphia as the Jays have claimed two of their previous three American League Championship series since 1992.

                The Indians are playing in their first ALCS since falling to the Red Sox in seven games in 2007. Cleveland owned a commanding 3-1 series lead over Boston before the Red Sox rallied for three consecutive wins and eventually claiming the World Series title. The Tribe is seeking its first pennant since 1997, while trying to capture its first world championship since 1948.

                2016 Head-to-Head Meetings (Indians won 4-3, Under 4-3)

                Rogers Center (Toronto)
                June 30 – Indians 4, Blue Jays 1 (CLE -120, Under 8 ½)
                July 1 – Indians 2, Blue Jays 1 – 19 innings (CLE +125, Under 8 ½)
                July 2 – Blue Jays 9, Indians 6 (TOR -160, Over 9)
                July 3 – Blue Jays 17, Indians 1 (TOR +105, Over 8)

                Progressive Field (Cleveland)
                August 19 – Indians 3, Blue Jays 2 (CLE -135, Under 8 ½)
                August 20 – Blue Jays 6, Indians 5 (TOR +110, Over 9)
                August 21 – Indians 3, Blue Jays 2 (CLE -160, Under 7 ½)


                There were several classic finishes between these two teams in the regular season. Cleveland outlasted Toronto in 19 innings at Rogers Center on July 1 as the Tribe bullpen tossed 13 scoreless innings. That victory was the 14th in a row for Cleveland before Toronto snapped that hot streak the next day in a 9-6 triumph.

                Cleveland beat Toronto twice in its final at-bat at Progressive Field in mid-August as the Indians scored two runs in the ninth inning of a 3-2 victory in the series opener on a Tyler Naquin inside-the-park homer. In the Sunday matchup, the Indians scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning of another 3-2 triumph on a two-run homer by Ramirez.

                Game 1 Starters

                Toronto: Marco Estrada (10-9, 3.37 ERA)
                Overall Team Record: 15-14
                Overall (O/U) Record: 12-17
                Road Record: 6-2
                Road Team Record: 8-6
                Road O/U Record: 6-8


                Estrada dominated the Rangers in his only postseason start by tossing 8.1 innings and allowing four hits and one earned run in a 10-1 rout to open up the ALDS. The Toronto right-hander closed the season on fire by giving up a total of three earned runs in past four starts, while going at least seven innings three times. Estrada faced the Indians once this season at home, picking up a no-decision in a 9-6 win as he lasted five innings and gave up three earned runs. Toronto is 2-0 in Estrada’s two career starts against Cleveland, while the right-hander is pitching at Progressive Field for the first time in his career.

                Cleveland: Corey Kluber (19-9, 3.04 ERA)
                Overall Team Record: 20-12
                Overall (O/U) Record: 16-14-2
                Home Record: 10-5
                Home Team Record: 11-5
                Home O/U Record: 7-8-1


                The 2014 Cy Young winner has been on fire since the end of July as the Indians have won 12 of his past 13 starts. Kluber dominated the Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALDS by scattering three hits in seven scoreless innings of a 6-0 shutout for his first career playoff victory. The Cleveland ace had two dramatically different results when facing the Blue Jays this season. In the first matchup at Rogers Center, the Jays tagged Kluber for five earned runs in 3.1 innings in a 17-1 drubbing of Cleveland. Kluber turned it around in his next meeting with Toronto on August 21 by yielding only two earned runs in 6.2 innings of a 3-2 win. Since 2014, the Indians own a 2-3 record against the Jays when Kluber starts, including a pair of losses at Progressive Field.
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • Red Sox 2B Pedroia has knee surgery
                  October 13, 2016


                  BOSTON (AP) Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

                  Boston said Wednesday the procedure, a partial medial meniscectomy and chondroplasty, was successful and he is expected to be ready for spring training.

                  Pedroia batted .318 this season - his highest since winning the AL MVP in 2008 - and added 15 homers and 74 RBIs. The Red Sox were swept in the AL Division Series by the Cleveland Indians.
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • A capsule look at the Dodgers-Cubs playoff series
                    October 14, 2016


                    A look at the best-of-seven National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs:

                    ---

                    Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Saturday, at Chicago (8:08 p.m.); Game 2, Sunday, at Chicago (8:08 p.m.); Game 3, Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Los Angeles (8:08 p.m.); Game 4, Wednesday, Oct. 19, at Los Angeles (8:08 p.m.); x-Game 5, Thursday, Oct. 20, at Los Angeles (8:08 p.m.); x-Game 6, Saturday, Oct. 22, at Chicago (TBA); x-Game 7, Sunday, Oct. 23, at Chicago (TBA). (All games on FOX or FS1).

                    x-if necessary.

                    ---

                    Season Series: Cubs won 4-3.

                    ---

                    Projected Lineup:

                    Dodgers: 2B Chase Utley (.252, 14 HRs, 52 RBIs) or Charlie Culberson (.284, 1, 7, in 34 games and 67 ABs), SS Corey Seager (.308, 26, 72), 3B Justin Turner (.275, 27, 90), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (.285, 18, 90), RF Josh Reddick (.258, 2, 9 in 47 games with Dodgers; .296, 8, 28 with Oakland) or Yasiel Puig (.263, 11, 45 in 104 games), CF Joc Pederson (.246, 25, 68), C Yasmani Grandal (.228, 27, 72), LF Howie Kendrick (.255, 8, 40) or Andrew Toles (.314, 3, 16 in 47 games).

                    Cubs: CF Dexter Fowler (.276, 13, 48), 3B or LF Kris Bryant (.292, 39, 102, 121 runs, 176 hits), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.292, 32, 109, 170 hits), 2B or LF Ben Zobrist (.272, 18, 76), SS Addison Russell (.238, 21, 95), RF Jason Heyward (.230, 7, 49), 2B or 3B or SS Javier Baez (.273, 14, 59), C Miguel Montero (.216, 8, 33) or Willson Contreras (.282, 12, 35 in 76 games) or David Ross (.229, 10, 32).

                    ---

                    Projected Rotation:

                    Dodgers: RH Kenta Maeda (16-11, 3.48 ERA, 179 Ks in 175 2/3 IP), LH Clayton Kershaw (12-4, 1.69 ERA, 172 Ks in 149 IP), LH Rich Hill (3-2, 1.83, 34 1/3 IP with Dodgers; 9-3, 2.25, 76 IP in 14 starts with Oakland), LH Julio Urias (5-2, 3.39, 84 Ks in 77 IP).

                    Cubs: LH Jon Lester (19-5, 2.44, 197 Ks), RH Kyle Hendricks (16-8, MLB-best 2.13), RH Jake Arrieta (18-8, 3.10), RH John Lackey (11-8, 3.35).

                    ---

                    Relievers:

                    Dodgers: RH Kenley Jansen (3-2, 1.83, career-high 47/53 saves), RH Pedro Baez (3-2, 3.04), RH Joe Blanton (7-2, 2.48), LH Luis Avilan (3-0, 3.20), RH Ross Stripling (5-9, 3.96), LH Grant Dayton (0-1, 2.05, 39 Ks, 26 1/3 IP in 25 games), RH Josh Fields (1-0, 4.63, 42 Ks, 35 IP in 37 games for Astros and Dodgers).

                    Cubs: LH Aroldis Chapman (4-1, 1.55, 36/39 saves, 90 Ks, 58 IP for Yankees and Cubs), RH Hector Rondon (2-3, 3.53, 18/23 saves), RH Pedro Strop (2-2, 2.85), RH Carl Edwards Jr. (0-1, 3.75, 2 saves), RH Justin Grimm (2-1, 4.10), LH Mike Montgomery (4-5, 2.52, 49 games, 7 starts for Mariners and Cubs), LH Travis Wood (4-0, 2.95).

                    ---

                    Matchups:

                    One of these big-market teams is going to end a substantial drought. While the Cubs are looking for their first pennant since 1945 and World Series title since 1908, the Dodgers haven't been to the Fall Classic since winning their 1988 championship. ... Series features two of baseball's oldest and most popular ballparks in Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium. ... Chicago took three of four from Dodgers in a low-scoring series at Wrigley from May 30 to June 2, getting wins from Lester and Hendricks. Los Angeles won two of three meetings at home in late August, dropping the opener 6-4 in 10 innings before winning the final two games 3-2 and 1-0. ... Cubs avoided Kershaw and Maeda during the regular season. They also never faced Hill, who was acquired from Oakland on Aug. 1. ... Blanton had two wins out of the bullpen against Cubs this season. ... Second-year Chicago manager Joe Maddon was the skipper in Tampa Bay under front-office executive Andrew Friedman, now the Dodgers' president of baseball operations. ... Cubs wanted to make sure Hendricks was healthy before committing to him in Game 2. Hendricks left Game 2 of the Division Series against San Francisco when a comebacker went off his right forearm in the fourth inning. He had a bullpen session Thursday. Hendricks was 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA in 15 home games this year. ... Cubs led the majors with 103 wins in the regular season, 12 more than Los Angeles. ... Cubs have power arms on a staff that ranked third in majors with 1,441 strikeouts this season. ... Third in majors in runs (808) and second in on-base percentage (.343) during the season, Chicago had a tough time at the plate against Giants in the Division Series. Cubs hit .200 with a .247 on-base percentage, and a big chunk of their offense came from pitchers. Arrieta and Wood combined for two of Chicago's five homers, and those two along with Hendricks accounted for six of team's 17 RBIs. Rizzo, a contender for NL MVP, and Russell each went 1 for 15 in series. Baez, however, made one slick play after another at second base and delivered two of the biggest hits - an eighth-inning homer off Johnny Cueto for the lone run in Game 1 and the go-ahead single in the ninth inning of Game 4. ... Dodgers went 53-28 at home and 38-43 on the road this season. But they won two of three games at Washington in Division Series, including Game 5 clincher. Kershaw came out of bullpen to get final two outs for his first major league save, two days after throwing 110 pitches in Game 4 on short rest. So he almost surely won't start until Game 2 or Game 3 against Cubs. ... A tiring Jansen was pushed to career-high 51 pitches in Game 5, so his availability - and effectiveness - will be a question mark early in NLCS. ... Dodgers have struggled against left-handed pitching all year and figure to face Lester twice if series goes five games.

                    ---

                    Big Picture:

                    Dodgers: With a $234 million opening day payroll, highest in the majors, Los Angeles (91-71) reached the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in Dave Roberts' first season as manager. The Dodgers have won four straight NL West titles, a first for the storied franchise, and surpassed 90 wins for the fourth season in a row. But they are still looking for their first trip to the World Series since Kirk Gibson, Orel Hershiser & Co. won it all as big underdogs in 1988. Los Angeles was beaten in the NLCS three times from 2008-13, then lost in the NLDS each of the past two years. They just squeezed by Washington, though, with a trio of one-run wins. ... Roberts and Tom Lasorda (1977) are the only rookie managers to lead the club to a division title. ... Gonzalez had 90 RBIs for the 10th consecutive season, becoming the only major leaguer to do so. ... Grandal, Seager, Justin Turner and Pederson gave the Dodgers four players with 25 or more home runs for the fourth time in franchise history and first since 1997. ... The Dodgers put 28 players on the disabled list this season, the most for any team since at least 1987. ... Roberts used a franchise record-tying 55 players, including 31 pitchers. ... Seager's 193 hits were the most by a big league rookie since 2001. ... Dodgers pitchers recorded 1,510 strikeouts, a major league record.

                    Cubs: Is this the year the Cubs at long last win the World Series? Favorites since opening day, Chicago (103-58) entered the playoffs with a large, excited fan base hoping against hope that the first championship in more than a century was finally around the corner. The Cubs jumped out to a 25-6 start on the way to a runaway title in the NL Central, then knocked off San Francisco in a thrilling NLDS. They rallied for four runs in the ninth inning of Game 4 to eliminate the pesky Giants and secure their second straight trip to the NLCS - a first for the franchise. Swept by the New York Mets last season, they're hoping for a better result this time. ... Bryant, a favorite for NL MVP after winning Rookie of the Year last season, was 6 for 16 with a homer against the Giants. During the regular season, he joined Rogers Hornsby (1929), Hack Wilson (1930) and Derrek Lee (2005) as the only players in franchise history with at least 120 runs, 35 doubles, 39 homers and 100 RBIs. ... Hendricks and Lester became the first teammates to run 1-2 in the majors in ERA since Houston pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte in 2005. Both figure to get strong consideration for the NL Cy Young Award, which Arrieta won last year. ... Lester matched his career high for wins. ... Cubs pitchers led the majors with a 3.15 ERA. They gave up the fewest runs (556) and hits (1,125).

                    ---

                    Watch For:

                    - The Target. Well aware of the club's 108-year championship drought, the Cubs showed up for spring training bolstered by the additions of Heyward, Zobrist and Lackey, and with a neat new slogan coined by Maddon: ''Embrace the Target.'' The phrase went on a T-shirt, and the Cubs could not have worn it any better during the regular season. They won the division by 17 1/2 games and finished with eight more wins than any other team. They had the depth and versatility to withstand injuries and the poise to pull out 14 wins in their final at-bat. Then they added two more in the NLDS against playoff-tested San Francisco. But the Cubs are still chasing that target, and the postseason pressure remains.

                    - Ace In The Hole. As sensational as Kershaw has been throughout his career, he's struggled in the postseason. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP is 3-6 with a 4.79 ERA in 16 playoff games, 12 starts, over eight series since 2008. Kershaw again was far from his best in two NLDS starts against Washington, but he won the opener and saved the finale. Maybe coming through in that signature moment will finally get him going in October - if he's not worn out. The left-hander missed more than two months with a back injury before returning in September. While he was sidelined, the Dodgers surged into first place past slumping San Francisco.

                    - Top That. Lester will have a hard time even approaching his performance in the playoff opener, when he went toe-to-toe with Cueto in a 1-0 win. Lester dominated over eight innings and retired his final 13 batters. He held the Dodgers to one run in 15 innings over two starts this season. The lefty tossed a four-hitter in a June 1 win and went six scoreless innings but did not get a decision on Aug. 28.
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

                      — Dodgers 4, Nationals 3– Kershaw got last two outs to close game out, two days after he threw 110 pitches in Game 4. Thats why you pay the guy $31M a year. Break for Cubs, who won’t see Kershaw until Game 3 now.

                      — Florida visits LSU November 19 in a makeup game; Bayou Bengals go to Gainesville in both 2017 and 2018.

                      — In his great career, WR Larry Fitzgerald has caught TD passes from 13 different Cardinal QB’s.

                      — Since August 2014, half the 30 major league teams have hired a new chief baseball executive. Lot of impatient owners out there.

                      — Thru five weeks in the NFL, no kickoffs have been run back for a TD; last time that happened was 1979.

                      — Open Court on NBA TV has some good discussions with both NBA coaches/GMs that were filmed in Las Vegas this summer. Good stuff.

                      — Big Sky conference has 12 hoop teams; 8 of the 12 teams have either 4 or 5 starters back from LY. Will that make it harder to win on the road?

                      **********

                      Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Things I’m looking for this weekend

                      13) Cam Newton should be back at QB for the 1-4 Panthers, who visit the Superdome this week. Saints allowed 34+ points in three of their four games, had their bye last week, while Carolina is traveling on short week after the Monday night loss to Tampa Bay.

                      12) Tennessee Vols have had a brutal schedule: Florida-Georgia-A&M the last three weeks, now Alabama on the third Saturday in October. Vols have been gritty and resilient- beating Bama is a tall order, even in Neyland Stadium. One thing in Tennessee’s favor; Crimson Tide has only played one close game- if this one is close, the Volunteers are in familiar territory.

                      11) Who will have more fans in Miami Sunday, the Steelers or Dolphins? Pittsburgh fans are usually everywhere, but Steelers are just 12-21-1 as road favorites the last nine years. Miami scored total of 24 points in losing its last two games. Steelers are 4-0 if they allow 16 or less points.

                      10) Ole Miss QB Kelly got in a fight at his brother’s high school game during his bye week; I’m sure the Ole Miss coaches were thrilled to hear that. Rebels lost 53-52 in OT to Arkansas LY; this figures to be a high scoring, fun game to watch.

                      9) Colin Kaepernick starting for the 49ers means that thru six weeks, 8 of 32 (25%) NFL teams have started at least two QB’s this season. Will it helps the 49ers? Kaepernick is more mobile, throws a better deep ball— he is 29-20 as an NFL QB, Gabbert 9-31, but Gabbert was also on a terrible Jaguars team.

                      8) North Carolina beat Miami 59-21 LY; what is the over/under on the number of times Miami coaches brought that up this week? Problem is, Miami had their rivalry game with Florida State last week and it is tough to get really fired up two weeks in a row.

                      7) League championship series get underway in baseball, but first, I have a question.

                      Cubs pinch-hit for Addison Russell in Game 4 against the Giants. When was the last time a guy with 95+ RBI during the regular season got pinch-hit for in a big spot in a playoff game?

                      6) Northwestern covered its last six visits to Michigan State; now they’re visiting a Spartan squad that lost three games in row for first time in seven years.

                      5) Eagles-Redskins is an intriguing game. Wentz played well in Eagles’ loss LW, but they did lose, after entering their bye week 3-0. Redskins have won three games in row and pass the Eagles in the standings with a win here.

                      4) Total in the West Virginia-Texas Tech game is 83; kickoff is noon ET, which is 11am in Lubbock, more stupid scheduling for TV purposes.

                      3) Oakland is 4-1, with three wins by 3 or less points. Chiefs have been dismal on road so far, but Andy Reid is 11-4 vs spread coming off a bye. Big rivalry game in the Coliseum, with the Raiders fired up for their first playoff spot since 2002.

                      2) Texas-San Antonio won as a 17-point home underdog LW; now they’re a 3-point road favorite at Rice this week, a historic soft spot for the favorite. Rice is 0-5, allowing 40.2 pts/game, so they’re impossible to back, but this will be an interesting result.

                      1) St Louis Cardinals drafted Joe Namath in the 1965 NFL Draft; Jets drafted him in the AFL Draft. How would the football world have changed if Namath had played for the Redbirds? Arizona had extra time to prep after playing on Thursday last week; they’re hoping get QB Palmer (concussion) back this week.
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • MLB
                        Dunkel

                        Friday, October 14

                        Toronto @ Cleveland


                        Game 901-902
                        October 14, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

                        Dunkel Rating:
                        Toronto
                        (Estrada) 12.856
                        Cleveland
                        (Kluber) 16.634
                        Dunkel Team:
                        Dunkel Line:
                        Dunkel Total:
                        Cleveland
                        by 4
                        8
                        Vegas Team:
                        Vegas Line:
                        Vegas Total:
                        Cleveland
                        -135
                        7 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick:
                        Cleveland
                        (-135); Over





                        MLB
                        Long Sheet

                        Friday, October 14


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

                        TORONTO (93 - 73) at CLEVELAND (97 - 67) - 8:05 PM

                        MARCO ESTRADA (R) vs. COREY KLUBER (R)
                        Top Trends for this game.
                        TORONTO is 55-47 (-9.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
                        CLEVELAND is 97-67 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
                        CLEVELAND is 55-28 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
                        CLEVELAND is 22-5 (+16.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
                        CLEVELAND is 93-64 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
                        CLEVELAND is 69-39 (+17.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
                        CLEVELAND is 25-11 (+12.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
                        CLEVELAND is 27-11 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
                        TORONTO is 61-34 (+14.9 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.
                        ESTRADA is 43-29 (+16.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
                        KLUBER is 32-33 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
                        KLUBER is 31-31 (-13.8 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
                        CLEVELAND is 4-3 (+1.0 Units) against TORONTO this season
                        4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

                        MARCO ESTRADA vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
                        ESTRADA is 0-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.75 and a WHIP of 0.917.
                        His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

                        COREY KLUBER vs. TORONTO since 1997
                        KLUBER is 1-3 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.34 and a WHIP of 1.674.
                        His team's record is 2-3 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.1 units)

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




                        MLB
                        Short Sheet

                        Friday, October 14

                        Toronto at Cleveland, 8:05 PM ET

                        Estrada: TORONTO is 13-23 SU in road games against AL Central opponents
                        Kluber: CLEVELAND is 26-10 SU as a home favorite of -125 to -175




                        MLB
                        Armadillo's Write-Up

                        Friday, October 14

                        Blue Jays @ Indians

                        Estrada is 2-0, 0.99 in his last four starts (under 3-1); Toronto is 9-3 in his last 12 road starts. Estrada is 3-1, 2.67 in eight postseason games (4 starts); he allowed three runs in five IP in his only start against Cleveland this year. He is 0-1, 6.10 in two starts vs Toronto this season.

                        Kluber is 4-0, 2.59 in his last five starts (under 4-2 in last six); Indians are 11-1 in his last dozen home starts. Kluber threw seven shutout innings in his first postseason start, LW against the Red Sox.

                        Toronto won its last six games; they’re 3-4 against the Indians this year. Gibbons is 9-6 as a postseason manager, making it this year and last, his 8th/9th years as a manager. Jays lost in this round LY, their first playoff spot since their last world title, in 1993.

                        Cleveland also won its last six games overall; they’re in playoffs for 3rd time in last 15 years. Tribe was last in World Series in ’97; their last world title was in 1948. Francona won couple of World Series in Boston; he is 31-18 as a postseason manager.




                        MLB

                        Friday, October 14


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

                        8:08 PM
                        TORONTO vs. CLEVELAND
                        Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
                        The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing Cleveland
                        The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cleveland's last 10 games when playing Toronto
                        Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • MLB

                          Friday, October 14


                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          ALCS Game 1 Betting Preview: Blue Jays at Indians
                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          The Blue Jays haven't been to the World Series since winning the second of back-to-back crowns in 1993 while Cleveland's last visit was a losing effort in 1997.

                          Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians (-135, 7.5)

                          Series tied 0-0


                          Neither the Toronto Blue Jays nor Cleveland Indians have been to the World Series this century and the two squads begin pursuit of ending that drought when the American League Championship Series opens in Cleveland on Friday. The Blue Jays haven't been to the World Series since winning the second of back-to-back crowns in 1993 while Cleveland's last visit was a losing effort in 1997.

                          Toronto rolled to a sweep of Texas in the AL Division Series while Cleveland was similarly strong by winning three straight games against Boston. While it was clear most of the second half of the season that the Indians were going to be involved in the postseason, the Blue Jays had to overcome a late-season funk and then had to defeat Baltimore in the wild-card game before shredding the Rangers. "We just kept plugging along. No big win streaks but no major dips either in the other direction," Toronto manager John Gibbons said at Thursday's press conference. "In September our bats went silent is basically what happened. We have that kind of team, we have a free-swinging team that hits for a lot of power, so that's not abnormal. But they hung in there, we won some close games, and the pitching was really good." The Indians' starting rotation has been dented by injuries to Carlos Carrasco (fractured pitching hand) and Danny Salazar (elbow) so a strong bullpen led by closer Cody Allen and set-up men Andrew Miller and Bryan Shaw will be heavily relied upon in this series.

                          TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS

                          WEATHER REPORT: Clear, cool conditions (low 50's) are expected at Progressive Field in Cleveland for Friday night. There is a 2 percent change of rain with humidity levels hovering at around 70 percent.

                          PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (1-0, 1.08 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (1-0, 0.00)

                          Estrada was superb in Game 1 of the ALDS against Texas when he gave up one run and four hits in 8 1/3 innings. The 33-year-old, who has a 3.75 ERA in two career no-decisions against Cleveland, was a playoff standout last season when he went 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three outings. "Obviously it's the playoffs and I understand it's a big deal, but I treat every game just like the one before," Estrada said at Thursday's press conference. "I don't put extra pressure on myself. And it's something I've been saying since last year, why think about it any other way than just another normal start?"

                          The 30-year-old Kluber displayed that a late-September quadriceps injury was a non-issue by tossing seven innings of three-hit shutout ball against Boston in Game 2 of the ALDS. "I didn't feel like it was a problem, I felt like I was in the good spot," Kluber said at Thursday's press conference. "Maybe it was a blessing in disguise, having a chance for the rest of my body to recover and stuff." Kluber, who is 1-3 with a 5.34 ERA in five career starts against Blue Jays, went 18-9 in regular season to match his career-best win total from 2014 when he won the AL Cy Young Award.

                          TRENDS:

                          * Blue Jays are 6-0 in their last 6 overall.
                          * Indians are 6-0 in their last 6 overall.
                          * Indians are 9-1 in Kluber's last 10 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
                          * Under is 12-3-1 in Blue Jays' last 16 games vs. a right-handed starter.
                          * Over is 8-2 in Indians' last 10 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
                          * Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.

                          CONSENSUS: The public is leaning heavily toward Corey Kluber and the home favorite Cleveland Indians at 56 percent. In totals action, Over 7.5 is seeing 66 percent of the wagers.
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • Indians, Jays meet after 'quirky' games
                            October 13, 2016


                            CLEVELAND (AP) There wasn't a bench-clearing brawl.

                            That is about the only thing that didn't happen during seven tense, theatric and highly entertaining regular-season games between the Toronto Blue Jays and Indians, who will renew acquaintances when the AL Championship Series opens on Friday night at Progressive Field.

                            If October's drama is anything close to what it was like between the clubs in July and August, buckle up.

                            Their previous matchups included a 19-inning marathon on July 1 in Toronto and a walk-off Indians win on Aug. 19 on back-to-back homers in the ninth inning, the second an inside-the-park shot that turned rookie Tyler Naquin into a local legend.

                            ''I was watching on TV,'' said Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista, who was rehabbing a sprained left knee in Florida and missed Toronto's series in Cleveland. ''There were some games that were obviously close that had some quirky plays in them.''

                            The Indians, who swept Boston in the AL Division Series after a season filled with injuries, start Corey Kluber in Game 1 against Toronto's Marco Estrada.

                            Kluber was magnificent in his postseason debut, holding the Red Sox to three hits in seven shutout innings in Game 2 of the ALDS. The right-hander, who injured a quadriceps late in the season, will have to be on his game against the Blue Jays, who hit eight home runs in their sweep of Texas and feature a lineup with danger from top to bottom.

                            ''They're a solid lineup, one through nine,'' said Kluber, tagged for five runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings against Toronto on July 3. ''It's not just two, three, four guys that can hurt you. Everybody in that lineup can hurt you. They have a lot of power, but they're also patient. You have to go out there and execute pitches. There's not really a magic formula. Just like what we asked about with Boston, it's not a magic formula, they're just a really good offense. We all have our work cut out for us.''

                            That was the case on Canada Day, when the Indians and Blue Jays slugged it out in Rogers Centre for more than six hours before Cleveland escaped with a 2-1 win.

                            Indians manager Terry Francona, whose bullpen touch was on display against the Red Sox, brought in starter Trevor Bauer, who was scheduled to pitch the following day, and the rubber-armed right-hander responded with five shutout innings.

                            The victory capped a franchise-record, 14-game winning streak for the Indians, and although it may have sapped them physically, the win had a positive effect.

                            ''Anytime you're in a game like that, you always want to win a game from the first inning,'' said closer Cody Allen. ''But when you're playing extra ball, you're like, `Let's figure out a way to win.' And when we did it was like, `Man, if we can figure out a way to win that game, we can win any game.''

                            Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said the game was a test of endurance.

                            ''I felt like I was out there at shortstop forever,'' he said. ''We were using position players to pitch. That game stands out because it shows how evenly matched we are. Every game was close. They walked us off and you remember that because you're walking into the dugout saying, `Man, we had that one.' And you hear the Indians people saying they've been doing that all year, so there's a lot of story lines for this series. It's the two best teams to me.''

                            The Blue Jays have been in playoff mode for weeks. They battled their way to a wild-card berth and beat Baltimore in the one-game playoff, riding a sonic wave from their rambunctious home crowd and three-run homer from Edwin Encarnacion into a matchup with the Rangers, the team they traded punches with earlier in the season and knocked out with a flurry of long balls to advance to the ALCS.

                            Now, they'll square off with the Indians, a team that may lack marquee names but not confidence.

                            ''They have their strengths and weaknesses,'' Bautista said. ''And so do we. As long as everybody executes and excels at what they're good at, it's going to be a tough series for either opponent to come out on top. We'll see what happens. They're a speed-and-base-hit club and we're a walk-and-home-run club. It's going to be a pretty good series, I believe.''

                            If the first seven games were any indication, believe.

                            LIRIANO SET: Blue Jays reliever Francisco Liriano has recovered from the concussion he received when he was struck on the back of the head by a comebacker in the ALDS.

                            He's expected to be cleared from the concussion protocol on Friday in time for Game 1.

                            ''He's got a chance to be a valuable guy to us if he's healthy,'' manager John Gibbons said.

                            PRIZE POSSESSION: Several of the Indians players posed in the clubhouse for pictures with the Larry O'Brien Trophy, won by the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers in June. The championship was the first for a Cleveland team since 1964 and the Indians are trying to end a World Series drought dating to 1948.
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

                              10/13 - 1 - 0 - 1 + 1.35

                              WLT PCT UNITS

                              M/L Picks.............8 - 7....................53.33 %............ + 3.35

                              O/U Picks............3 - 7 - 1................42.85 %............ - 4.00

                              TRIPLE PLAYS - ***** 1 - 4

                              M/L-.......... 1 - 4 - 0
                              O/U-..........1 - 2 - 1


                              FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14


                              GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

                              TOR at CLE 08:00 PM

                              TOR +132 *****

                              U 7.5 *****
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment


                              • Lindor homers as Indians race past Jays 2-0 in ALCS opener
                                October 14, 2016


                                CLEVELAND (AP) Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer and Corey Kluber silenced Toronto's booming bats, giving the Cleveland Indians a 2-0 win over the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series on Friday night.

                                Lindor connected in the sixth inning off Marco Estrada and raced around the bases like a track star as the bend-but-don't-break Indians won their fourth straight playoff game in this most unexpected season.

                                Kluber, Cleveland's solid and stoic ace, pitched 6 1/3 spotless innings before manager Terry Francona turned things over to the Indians' best weapon - their bullpen.

                                Andrew Miller struck out five of the six batters he faced and Cody Allen got the save with a perfect ninth.

                                Toronto slugger Jose Bautista struck out three times and Edwin Encarnacion lost his cool when he was fanned in the eighth, jawing at plate umpire Laz Diaz.

                                After getting their first ALCS win since 2007 - and tying their longest postseason win streak since 1920 - the Indians will try to take a 2-0 lead Saturday with Josh Tomlin facing Toronto's 20-game winner, J.A. Happ.

                                Tomlin was originally scheduled to start Game 3, but was moved up when Trevor Bauer sustained an odd injury as he sliced open his right pinkie while repairing a drone.

                                Kluber kept flying in the postseason.

                                The right-hander has not allowed a run in 13 1/3 innings this October and he kept the Blue Jays inside Progressive Field after they teed off against the Texas Rangers in the Division Series.

                                Toronto had some early chances, putting six runners on in the first three innings. But the Blue Jays failed to come up with a timely hit and lost for the first time in the postseason.

                                Estrada carried a four-hit shutout into the sixth before walking Jason Kipnis with one out. Lindor was in an 0-2 hole before the shortstop, who could become a household name before this series ends, drove his homer over the wall in right-center.

                                Lindor pumped his fist as he rounded first and he didn't stop smiling or slow down until he crossed home plate.

                                Kluber dodged some early trouble and held the Blue Jays, who hit eight home runs and scored 22 times in their ALDS sweep of Texas, to six hits in the first six innings. The Indians needed every out they could get from Kluber, who shut out Boston for seven innings in his postseason debut 10 days after he injured a quadriceps in a start against Detroit.

                                The 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner, who will certainly get votes this season after winning 18 games, has been the only dependable starter all season for Cleveland, which lost starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar to injuries in September and are now dealing with Bauer's mishap.

                                Kluber walked a tightrope over the first three innings, when the Blue Jays mounted what turned into idle threats.

                                Toronto had two on with one out in the first, but Kluber struck out Bautista and retired Russell Martin on an easy grounder. The right-hander was on shaky ground again in the second, allowing a single and walk before getting Devon Travis to ground into an inning-ending double play. In the third, Kluber gave up a single and a walk with two outs before striking out Martin.

                                COMEBACK KID


                                Blue Jays lefty Francisco Liriano will be eligible to pitch Saturday after recovering from a concussion sustained in the ALDS when he was struck in the head by a line drive. Toronto played with a 24-man roster in the opener as Liriano remained in baseball's seven-day concussion protocol. As a result, RHP Marcus Stroman - Toronto's projected starter in Game 3 - was available in relief for Game 1.

                                TRAINER'S ROOM

                                Travis left in the fifth after aggravating a right knee injury. He sat out the final two games of the Division Series with a bone bruise.

                                UP NEXT

                                Blue Jays: Happ struck out 11 and allowed one run over seven innings in beating the Indians on July 3. He was second in the AL in wins, going 20-4 with a 3.18 ERA. Happ picked up the victory in Game 2 of the ALDS against Texas, allowing one run in five innings.

                                Indians: Tomlin gave up three homers - to Martin, Melvin Upton Jr. and Encarnacion - in a loss to the Blue Jays on Aug. 20. Tomlin went 0-5 in August, but has bounced back and given up seven earned runs in 31 2/3 innings over his last six appearances.
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                                Comment

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