The Bum's MLB Best Bets - Trends - News Thru the World Series !

[StarDust Bum]

Blue Jays 2B Travis to undergo MRI on knee after ALCS injury
October 15, 2016

CLEVELAND (AP) Losing the opener might not be Toronto's only setback early in the AL Championship Series.

Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis aggravated an injury in his right knee during a 2-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Friday night and afterward sounded pessimistic about his chances of returning in the series.

''It hurts pretty bad,'' Travis said. ''I felt good going into the game. I covered first on that bunt and jarred my knee a little bit. I felt a super sharp pain in my knee and it felt like it was going to give out a little bit.''

Travis is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Saturday before Game 2 and the Blue Jays are hoping for good results. Toronto manager John Gibbons didn't want to guess whether Travis would be available for the remainder of the series.

''They're still checking him out,'' Gibbons said. ''He felt good going into the game. He planted and felt a sharp pain in his knee, and he wasn't able to continue. That's where we're at right now. What happens (next), I couldn't tell you.''

The 25-year-old Travis missed two games in the Division Series against Texas after sustaining a bone bruise in his right knee. He batted .300 with 11 homers and 50 RBIs in 101 games during the regular season.

If he's ruled out, the Blue Jays can't replace him on the 25-man roster for the rest of the ALCS because it's a pre-existing injury.

In the fifth, Coco Crisp dropped a bunt down the first base line that was fielded by Edwin Encarnacion. He threw to Travis, who caught the ball and then began walking in obvious pain. He was replaced by Ryan Goins, who was lifted for pinch-hitter Darwin Barney in the seventh.

Goins played in 77 games this year, batting .186 with 12 RBIs. He was added to the ALCS roster because of Toronto's concerns about Travis' knee.

[StarDust Bum]

Maeda to start Game 1 for Dodgers
October 14, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda will start Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night.

Maeda has lost three straight starts, lasting just three innings in his first career playoff appearance Monday against Washington. But manager Dave Roberts had limited options after he used eight pitchers in the Dodgers' series-clinching win against the Nationals on Thursday night, including ace Clayton Kershaw for the final two outs.

Jon Lester gets the ball for the Cubs, who eliminated the Giants with a 6-5 win in Game 4 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday night.

Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey round out the rotation for the Cubs in a repeat of the first round. Roberts wasn't ready to announce the rest of the rotation for the Dodgers.

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Dodgers-Cubs open NLCS; Indians go for 2-0 lead
October 15, 2016

A look at what's happening all around the majors Saturday:

PRIME TIME AT WRIGLEY FIELD

The Chicago Cubs host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series at 8:08 p.m. EDT. Four wins from their first pennant in 71 years, the Cubs send Jon Lester to the mound against rookie Kenta Maeda. Lester limited the Dodgers to one run over 15 innings in two starts this year, and Los Angeles batted .213 against left-handers overall. Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen thinks he will be ready for the opener after throwing a career-high 51 pitches Thursday night against Washington.

DRONE-HEAD

Josh Tomlin was moved up two days and will pitch for Cleveland in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series after scheduled starter Trevor Bauer cut open his right pinkie while fixing one of the drones he likes to build and fly.

''It really doesn't affect me at all,'' Tomlin said. ''I'll be on normal rest.''

The Indians won the opener 2-0 behind ace Corey Kluber.

Bauer's bizarre injury is the latest to befall a depleted Cleveland rotation, but the quirky right-hander is expected to be ready for Game 3 on Monday in Toronto. He needed several stitches to close the cut after he was sliced while repairing a propeller.

SECOND THOUGHTS

The Blue Jays could be without second baseman Devon Travis after he left the ALCS opener when he aggravated a right knee injury. He was replaced by Ryan Goins, added to the roster for this round because of Toronto's concerns about Travis' knee. Travis sat out the final two games of the Division Series against Texas with a bone bruise and is worried it's worse. He was scheduled for an MRI and sounded pessimistic about his chances of returning in the series. ''It hurts pretty bad,'' said Travis, who received a cortisone shot last week. ''I felt a sharp pain.'' If he's ruled out, the Blue Jays can't replace Travis on the 25-man roster for the rest of the ALCS because it's a pre-existing injury.

MEDICAL UPDATE

All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos, who can become a free agent after the World Series, is expected to need six to eight months of rehabilitation after having surgery on his right knee. He had his ACL reconstructed and the medial meniscus and lateral meniscus repaired. Ramos batted .307 with 22 homers and 80 RBIs for Washington this year. He was injured during the last week of the regular season.

[StarDust Bum]

Cubs, Dodgers get ready for Game 1 of NLCS
October 14, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) Joe Maddon was driving his RV through Virginia two years ago when he got the news. Andrew Friedman was leaving Tampa Bay to take over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

One pivotal moment on the road to this year's NL Championship Series.

A month after Friedman's departure, Maddon was introduced as the 54th manager of the lowly Chicago Cubs. Friedman hired general manager Farhan Zaidi in his first big move in Los Angeles, and the Dodgers continued their winning ways.

Now Maddon and Friedman are together again, with a spot in the World Series on the line. The Cubs and Dodgers play Game 1 of the NLCS on Saturday night at Wrigley Field.

''We stay in touch all the time,'' Maddon said before his team worked out on Friday. ''I know his family really well. His mom's a trip. I really enjoy the whole group. So Andrew and I are very close.''

Friedman's move to sunny LA triggered an opt-out clause in Maddon's contract, and Chicago jumped on the opportunity to put the Pennsylvania native in its dugout. The decision has worked out quite well so far, with the Cubs returning to the NLCS for the second straight year for the first time.

It turns out there are lots of friends on each side of this year's series.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts contributed a famous steal to Boston's run to the World Series title in 2004, stopping an 86-year drought. Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer worked for the Red Sox at the time, and they acquired Roberts in a trade with Los Angeles on July 31 that year.

''I kind of put Theo and Jed together and they're good friends of mine,'' Roberts said, ''and there's a lot of, a little bit of banter, but obviously I've got the ultimate respect for those guys and they really helped me get a ring.''

Roberts and the Dodgers arrived in Chicago on Friday, fresh off a dramatic 4-3 victory at Washington in Game 5 of their NL Division Series. The NL West champions used six pitchers in the series-clinching win, including closer Kenley Jansen for a career-high 51 pitches and ace Clayton Kershaw for the final two outs.

The taxing finale in Washington left Roberts few options for Game 1 of the NLCS, and he said Kenta Maeda will get the ball for the opener against the Cubs. Roberts wasn't ready to announce his rotation for the rest of the series, but hinted Kershaw likely would go in Game 2 on Sunday night.

''Physically, he feels great,'' Roberts said before the Dodgers' workout. ''He's going to go out there and get a lift in and throw and run and do what he does. So, obviously, we're not prepared to make that decision yet, but he's tracking to start when we all think.''

Jansen thinks he will be ready for the NLCS opener, and Kershaw said he felt fine. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner also said he isn't sure when he will make his next start.

''I haven't heard a thing,'' he said.

The 28-year-old Maeda went 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA in his first season in the majors. But the Japanese right-hander has lost three straight starts, lasting just three innings in his first career playoff appearance Monday against Washington.

''We've been relying a lot on our relief pitchers to take the load, so I want to be able to - I'm really just focused on throwing quality innings as long as I can,'' Maeda said through a translator. ''And as long as I keep throwing quality innings, then I would be able to throw longer and deeper into the game.''

The Cubs have been resting since they used a four-run ninth to finish off San Francisco with a 6-5 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday night. Jon Lester is lined up to start Game 1, followed by Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey in a repeat of the Division Series.

Lester pitched 15 innings of one-run ball in two starts against Los Angeles this year, and the Dodgers hit .213 against lefty pitching overall.

''He's good. And right now he's at the top of his game,'' Maddon said. ''I mean, from what I've seen, he's had a couple hiccups, which everybody does. But, man, he's been pretty much right on the last couple months, including the first game of the playoffs for him.''

There was some question about Hendricks' health after he had a comebacker go off his right forearm in Game 2 against the Giants. But the right-hander, who had a major league-best 2.13 ERA this year, felt fine after a bullpen session on Thursday, allowing the Cubs to finalize their rotation.

''Our staff has been really, really good this year, and I think that, really, if you put all of our names in a hat and pulled one out, I don't think you could go wrong,'' Lester said. ''So, it's a huge honor, especially for an organization like this, to get the ball again and try to go out and give us a good start.''

[StarDust Bum]

Kershaw's relief brings back memories
October 14, 2016

Clayton Kershaw entered Dodgers lore Thursday night, right alongside the last ace to lead the franchise to a World Series title.

In 1988, Orel Hershiser came out of the bullpen for the final out of Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets. Hershiser, who had thrown seven innings the day before, retired Kevin McReynolds on a flyball with the bases loaded in the 12th inning, enabling Los Angeles to win the game 5-4 and even the series.

Kershaw did Hershiser one better Thursday, getting the final two outs of Game 5 of the NL Division Series against Washington. The Dodgers held on for a 4-3 win and advanced to the NLCS. They're now eight wins from their first World Series championship since that '88 season.

Kershaw had only one day of rest after his Game 4 start, but in the postseason, desperate times call for desperate measures. Here are a few other standout starters who turned into relievers in crucial spots:

WALTER JOHNSON, WASHINGTON (1924 World Series, Game 7)

Johnson had lost his only two starts of the series, but with the decisive game tied in the ninth inning, he came on and threw four innings of scoreless relief against the New York Giants. The Senators finally scored in the bottom of the 12th for a 4-3 victory and the championship.

JACK MCDOWELL, N.Y. YANKEES (1995 ALDS, Game 5)

With the decisive game against Seattle in extra innings, manager Buck Showalter turned to McDowell, who had started Game 3 just two days earlier. The right-hander worked through trouble in the ninth and again in the 10th, but after the Yankees took the lead in the 11th, he didn't retire another batter. The Mariners won it 6-5 on Edgar Martinez's two-run double .

PEDRO MARTINEZ (1999 ALDS, Game 5)

Martinez was at his absolute peak in 1999 and 2000, but was limited by a strained back muscle and pitched only four innings in Game 1 of this series against Cleveland. The Red Sox started Bret Saberhagen in the decisive fifth game against Charles Nagy, and the game was tied at 8 in the fourth inning when Martinez came on and shut the Indians down the rest of the way. He held Cleveland hitless for the final six innings, and Boston won 12-8.

JOHN SMOLTZ, ATLANTA (1999 NLCS, Game 6)

Smoltz belongs on any short list of top postseason pitchers - and he would show his versatility late in his career by becoming an effective closer. This move, however, backfired for the Braves. Smoltz had two days of rest after Game 4, and with Atlanta leading the Mets 7-3 in Game 6, he came in to start the seventh.

Smoltz retired only one hitter, allowing two doubles, a single and a tying two-run homer by Mike Piazza . The Braves did manage to overcome Smoltz's brief outing, winning 10-9 in 11 innings to take the pennant.

RANDY JOHNSON, ARIZONA (2001 World Series, Game 7)

Johnson had experience coming out of the bullpen - he was the winning pitcher in that 1995 classic against McDowell and the Yankees. He faced the Yankees again in the 2001 World Series, and after throwing 104 pitches in Game 6, he was still available the following night in the finale.

Johnson got the third out of the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth, then got the win when Arizona scored twice in the ninth off Mariano Rivera for a 3-2 victory.

JOSH BECKETT, FLORIDA (2003 NLCS, Game 7)

This series is best remembered as a collapse by the Chicago Cubs, but Beckett played a big role in that, throwing 115 pitches in a two-hit shutout in Game 5, then coming back three days later for a relief appearance in the finale. The Marlins had just taken a 6-5 lead when Beckett came on in the fifth. He pitched four innings , retiring every batter he faced with the exception of Troy O'Leary, whose seventh-inning homer was too little, too late. Florida won 9-6.

Beckett would go on to win MVP honors in the World Series against the Yankees.

MADISON BUMGARNER, SAN FRANCISCO (2014 World Series, Game 7)

The Giants couldn't afford to fall behind against a stellar Kansas City bullpen, so on came Bumgarner, who had thrown a shutout in Game 5. He held the Royals scoreless for the final five innings of Game 7, earning the save in San Francisco's 3-2 victory.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

— Indians 2, Blue Jays 0– Is Terry Francona changing how bullpens will be used in the future?

— Louisville 24, Duke 14– Blue Devils hung in until the last 3:00.

— Oilers 5, Flames 3– Alberta rivals played twice in three nights, now do not play again until January 14.

— Memphis 24, Tulane 14– Back-door cover for the Green Wave.

— UNLV’s hoop team is practicing in brand-new T-Mobile Arena while their arena is being prepped for the last Presidential debate.

— When LA Kings started playing in the NHL 50 years ago, they played six games in Long Beach Arena before moving to the LA Forum.

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Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind……

13) Derrick Rose is 28 years old; at the end of this season, he will have earned $117M in salary in his career, not counting his immense sneaker contract and other endorsements. He should be sitting on the top of the world, without any cares except his playing career and his family.

Yet there he is, sitting in a courtroom in Los Angeles, the defendant in a $21M civil suit filed by an ex-girlfriend. Young people who get so rich, so quickly need to hire a life coach, someone to advise them on the pitfalls of fame and fortune, because there are many.

Being really, really rich makes you a target for parasites, being a celebrity means everything you do is fodder for social media and the nightly news. Be above reproach, because given the chance, people will come after you and try to syphon off some of your wealth for their own pockets.

I have zero idea what the truth is in the Rose matter; i just know if I’m advising Mr Rose, I’m telling him to stay the hell out of the way of drama, because he is the person with the most to lose.

12) Alex Rodriguez went out of his way the other night to praise Indians’ reliever Andrew Miller, as both a pitcher and a person. A-Rod, Pete Rose and Frank Thomas are an interesting combination in the FS1 studio after playoff games.

11) They were saying on TV the other night that one-third of the people who vote in Ohio will vote before Election Day. It isn’t just absentee ballots, either. How/why does that happen? I’d like to vote early, anything to avoid waiting in line.

10) San Diego Chargers switched the holder for kicks; backup QB Kellen Clemens was the holder Thursday night, after the backup punter botched a snap on the game-tying FG last week.

I’ve been saying for a while that players should hold for kicks, not punters, but for convenience sake (free time during practice), punters always seem to be the holders.

Back in the day, holders were mostly backup QBs, or guys like Nolan Cromwell (Rams), Karl Noonan (Miami) or Joe Scarpati (Saints) who was the holder for Tom Dempsey’s 63-yard FG for New Orleans.

9) Davidson’s basketball team has players from seven different countries.

8) Ottawa Senators have had seven head coaches in the last ten years.

7) North Carolina Tar Heels have a freshman guard named Seventh Woods; he is the youngest of six kids, his birthday is August 7. He will wear #21 because a) it is a multiple of 7 and b) his dad was born on the 21st. I’m glad the young man wasn’t born on the 29th.

6) Long Beach State alum Casper Ware is trying to make the Washington Wizards’ roster; he has played pro ball in France, England, Germany and China, as well as nine games with the 76ers three years ago. Have to admire guys who stick with it and work so hard to achieve their dreams.

5) Obscure baseball record: Norm Cash (377 HRs) holds the major league record for most career homers, without ever hitting a walk-off home run. Mark Teixeira had been the record holder until he hit a walk-off HR in late September.

4) Atlanta Braves named Brian Snitker full-time manager this week; he led the Braves to a 50-47 record in their last 97 games after a dreadful start under the previous skipper. Atlanta moves into its new stadium in Cobb County next spring.

3) College teams like South Florida or San Diego State, who play their football games in an NFL stadium? Their rent bill is usually around $250K, per game. UNLV will have to come up with that kind of $$$ to play in a new domed stadium in Las Vegas, if the Raiders move there.

2) The late Robin Williams was a great comedian/actor; he passed away far too soon. He also really liked cycling; his collection of 87 bicycles is being auctioned off this week, to benefit a couple of Williams’ favorite charities.

1— I’ve mentioned this before, but the NBA preseason is too long; they need to utilize October to stretch the regular season out and eliminate some of the back/backs that cause stars to sit games out and cheat fans (who pay lot of $$$) out of seeing them play..

This is where I point out that a player named Ron Boone (now a broadcaster for the Jazz) once played in 1,041 consecutive games; back then, teams had to play on three consecutive nights now and then and also flew commercial. This was in the 70’s and Boone was a good player— he averaged 16.8 pts/game in his career.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, October 15

Blue Jays @ Indians
Happ is 4-0, 2.78 in his last six starts; Toronto is 10-1 in his last 11 road starts. Happ is 1-0, 2.77 in nine postseason games (two starts, which were 7 years apart)- he allowed one run in seven IP in his only start against Cleveland this year.

Tomlin is 3-1, 2.35 in his last five starts; he allowed two runs in five IP in his first postseason start, last week. Indians lost four of his last six home starts. Tomlin is 0-1, 6.10 in two starts vs Toronto this season.

Toronto won six of last seven games; they’re 3-5 against the Indians this year. Gibbons is 9-7 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 won its last seven games; 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 32-18 as a postseason manager.

Dodgers @ Cubs
Maeda is 0-3, 11.17 in his last three starts; over is 8-2 in his last 10 starts. Dodgers lost four of his last five road starts. He allowed four runs in three IP in his first postseason start. Maeda did not start against the Cubs this season.

Since August 1, Lester is 9-1, 1.42 in 12 starts; under is 10-1 in his last 11 starts. Cubs won his last ten home starts. He is 7-6, 2.63 in 17 postseason games (15 starts). Lester is 1-0, 0.60 in two starts against the Dodgers this year (allowed one run in 15 IP).

Dodgers is 3-7 in its last ten road games, but just survived a Game 5 in Washington. Cubs got swept in this round by the Mets LY; they’re 4-3 against the Dodgers this year. Chicago is 12-4-1 in its last 17 games.

Roberts is a rookie manager who is 3-2 in the playoffs. Maddon got Tampa Bay to ’08 World Series; he is 20-23 as a manager in the postseason, 7-6 with Chicago.




MLB

Saturday, October 15

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Trend Report
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4:08 PM
TORONTO vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Toronto's last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games at home
Cleveland is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games at home

8:08 PM
LA DODGERS vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of LA Dodgers's last 14 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Dodgers's last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chi Cubs's last 8 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Saturday, October 15

LA Dodgers @ Chicago Cubs

Game 903-904
October 15, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(Maeda) 18.046
Chicago Cubs
(Lester) 15.542
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Dodgers
by 2 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-205
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
LA Dodgers
(+175); N/A

Toronto @ Cleveland

Game 905-906
October 15, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
(Happ) 13.788
Cleveland
(Tomlin) 18.312
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 4 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
-140
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(+120); Under




MLB
Long Sheet

Saturday, October 15

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LA DODGERS (94 - 73) at CHICAGO CUBS (106 - 59) - 8:05 PM
KENTA MAEDA (R) vs. JON LESTER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 94-73 (-5.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 40-44 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA DODGERS are 15-24 (-20.1 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 91-71 (-7.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 65-55 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 22-25 (-10.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 50-42 (-5.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 30-8 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 62-30 (+19.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LESTER is 17-2 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 1594-1682 (-260.1 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 854-784 (-153.2 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 12-14 (-11.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1537-1595 (-234.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1173-1249 (-196.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 769-825 (-187.4 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 3-4 (+0.4 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.9 Units)

KENTA MAEDA vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

JON LESTER vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
LESTER is 2-2 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 0.990.
His team's record is 2-3 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-0. (+5.0 units)

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TORONTO (93 - 74) at CLEVELAND (98 - 67) - 4:05 PM
J.A. HAPP (L) vs. JOSH TOMLIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 93-74 (-6.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 101-103 (-39.1 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
TORONTO is 3-10 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Saturday this season.
CLEVELAND is 98-67 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 51-25 (+18.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
CLEVELAND is 56-28 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 27-9 (+12.5 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
CLEVELAND is 94-64 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 26-11 (+13.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
CLEVELAND is 51-35 (+10.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TOMLIN is 20-10 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
TOMLIN is 12-4 (+7.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season. (Team's Record)
TOMLIN is 19-10 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
HAPP is 25-8 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
HAPP is 14-2 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in day games this season. (Team's Record)
HAPP is 12-3 (+8.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
HAPP is 15-2 (+11.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 36-54 (-34.9 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 5-3 (+2.0 Units) against TORONTO this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

J.A. HAPP vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
HAPP is 3-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 2.96 and a WHIP of 1.317.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)

JOSH TOMLIN vs. TORONTO since 1997
TOMLIN is 1-1 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.53 and a WHIP of 1.518.
His team's record is 3-2 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+0.7 units)

[StarDust Bum]

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


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TOR at CLE 04:00 PM

TOR -136

U 8.5 *****


LAD at CHC 08:00 PM

LAD +170 *****

O 7.5 *****

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

Six most popular picks in this week’s Westgate Super Contest:

1) Chiefs (even) 704

2) Seahawks (-6.5) 450

3) Packers (-4.5) 448

4) Texans (-3) 424

5) Eagles (-2.5) 410

6) Falcons +6.5 (404)– Lot of action both ways in this game.

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Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday……..

13) Clemson 24, NC State 17 OT— Tigers GOT SO LUCKY in this game; Wolfpack had a 33-yard FG to win it at the gun, but the kicker choked and pushed it wide right. Clemson should drop in the polls this week; key word there is “should”.

12) Arkansas 34, Ole Miss 30— Want to thank both teams for 3.5 hours of solid entertainment. Didn’t care who won, but it was a close, interesting game between two good teams, and it was fun to watch. I’m not a big fan of Arkansas coach Bielema, who is now 8-19 in SEC games, but this is a solid win for him.

11) Upset of the Day: Syracuse (+19.5) 31. Virginia Tech 17— Dino Babers gave an emotional post-game talk to his team, where he quoted the Vegas spread on this game. Go find it on the Interweb, it is worth it. Will he recruit well enough/stay long enough to make the Orangemen relevant?

10) Stanford 17, Notre Dame 10— Cardinal star McCaffery didn’t play, Irish led 10-0 before Stanford scored a defensive TD, then a safety. Notre Dame is now 2-5; this was a very bad loss, after the Washington schools eviscerated Stanford the last two weeks.

Random tangent: Why doesn’t NBC have Notre Dame alums doing color on Notre Dame games? Have a different guy do it every home game: Theismann, Golic, Tim Brown, Ismail, Bettis, Reggie Ho. Doug Flutie went to BC; why is he on there?

9) Temple 26, Central Florida 25— Knights led 25-7, I turned game off but Owls rallied for the win, scoring GW TD with 0:01 left. AAC games are oddly entertaining.

Houston 38, Tulsa 31– 21-point favorite Cougars stopped Tulsa on the one-yard line on the last play of the game.

8) Northwestern 54, Michigan State 40— Wildcats have now covered seven games in a row in East Lansing, winning five of the seven SU. No explanation for this, but wheels have fallen off for Michigan State this season- they’ve now lost four games in a row.

7) Indians 2, Blue Jays 1— Teams head to Canada with Cleveland up 2-0. Andrew Miller is first reliever EVER with 5+ strikeouts in consecutive playoff games.

Cubs 7, Dodgers 3— I had Miguel Montero on my fantasy team this summer and was happy to get two pick ups from the scrap heap for him in a trade; now he is a playoff hero. Life makes no sense sometimes.

Cubs last won a World Series in 1908; the last living player from that team passed away……in 1961. Indians haven’t won a Series since 1948. Lot of anxiety in those two fanbases.

6) North Carolina 20, Miami 13— Not many teams beat Florida State/Miami in same year; both UNC wins came on road (and they lost 34-3 at home in the game between those two- go figure). Huge win for Larry Fedora’s program; hats off to him!!!

5) Eastern Michigan 27, Ohio U 20— Tip of the Armadillo’s cap to Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton, who was a QB in his playing days at D-III Kenyon College (Shaka Smart’s alma mater). From 2012-15, Eastern was 7-41; they’re 5-2 this year, one win from the Eagles’ first bowl game since 1987 (their only bowl game). Mr Creighton is going to get some job offers.

4) Alabama 49, Tennessee 10— On last four Satudays, Vols played Florida-Georgia-Texas A&M-Alabama; no off weeks, way too tough a stretch for a college team. Alabama just killed them here, running ball for 438 yards on 49 carries. Now the Vols can regroup during a bye week and finish their season strong. Whoever made Tennessee’s schedule needs a pay cut.

3) Whoever invented the TV camera-in-the-pylon thing deserves a pay raise. They get some interesting views from that camera in the end zone.

2) Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 23 OT– Coaches get more out of close wins than routs; Buckeyes survived a stiff test here, made them a better team. Tough loss for the Badgers, who played their hearts out.

1) Florida State 17, Wake Forest 6— Much like Tennessee, Seminoles need a week off to get healthy and just recharge some- they’re off this week, then play Clemson. Watching the reality show about FSU on Showtime, they seem like a tired group, maybe with not as much depth as recent years.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Sunday, October 16

LA Dodgers @ Chicago Cubs

Game 907-908
October 16, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(Kershaw) 15.850
Chicago Cubs
(Hendrcks) 15.095
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Dodgers
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-125
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
LA Dodgers
(-125); N/A




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, October 16

Dodgers @ Cubs
Kershaw got two outs Thursday night to close out the Washington series, two days after he threw 110 pitches in Game 4. Kershaw is 1-1, 5.30 in his last three starts, is 3-6, 3.33 in 16 career playoff games (12 starts). He didn’t face the Cubs this year. LA is 9-3 in his road starts this season.

Hendricks is 1-1, 3.48 in his last four starts; he is 0-0, 5.11 in three postseason starts. Hendricks allowed three hits, two runs in eight IP in his only start vs LA this season. Cubs split his last six home starts.

Dodgers is 3-8 in its last 11 road games. Cubs got swept in this round by the Mets LY; they’re 5-3 against the Dodgers this year. Chicago is 13-4-1 in its last 18 games.

Roberts is a rookie manager who is 3-3 in the playoffs. Maddon got Tampa Bay to ’08 World Series; he is 21-23 as a manager in the postseason, 8-6 with Chicago.

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

MLB
Long Sheet

Sunday, October 16

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

LA DODGERS (94 - 74) at CHICAGO CUBS (107 - 59) - 8:05 PM
CLAYTON KERSHAW (L) vs. KYLE HENDRICKS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 94-74 (-6.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 40-45 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA DODGERS are 91-72 (-8.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 65-56 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 61-65 (-25.8 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 32-40 (-12.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 31-8 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 38-14 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 34-13 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HENDRICKS is 26-12 (+13.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
HENDRICKS is 17-5 (+12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 1595-1682 (-259.1 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 855-784 (-152.2 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1538-1595 (-233.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 770-825 (-186.4 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 5-3 (+0.4 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
KERSHAW is 5-3 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.18 and a WHIP of 1.043.
His team's record is 5-3 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-7. (-6.5 units)

KYLE HENDRICKS vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
HENDRICKS is 2-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.15 and a WHIP of 0.700.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

[StarDust Bum]

MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

10/15/2016 2-2-0 50.00% -180

WLT PCT UNITS

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

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

TRIPLE PLAYS - ***** 3 - 5

M/L-.......... 1 - 5 - 0
O/U-..........3 - 2 - 1

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

LAD at CHC 08:00 PM

CHC +113 *****

O 6.5 *****

[StarDust Bum]

Power outage from Rizzo, Russell costs Cubs against Kershaw
October 17, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) Star slugger Anthony Rizzo hit a soft liner for the Chicago Cubs' final out, which only seemed fitting.

While the rest of Chicago's lineup can take consolation knowing Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is about to get a few days off, Rizzo and shortstop Addison Russell won't share in that small solace. The duo that totaled 204 RBIs in the regular season is a combined 2 for 45 through six games in the postseason.

Kershaw only underscored their struggles during Los Angeles' 1-0 win Sunday night that tied the NL Championship Series at a game apiece.

Kershaw held Chicago to two hits over seven innings and Kenley Jansen finished with two perfect innings, but that 1-2 punch could quiet Murderers' Row.

The other Cubs have done plenty of damage, with six players getting a hit in an 8-4 Game 1 victory. Rizzo and Russell, however, were a combined 0 for 9 Saturday night before going hitless in six at-bats in Game 2.

Rizzo said changing his plate approach at this point in the series would be foolish. While it sounds counterintuitive, he's learned that patience is the quickest way to end a slump.

''I don't think it's fair to everyone trying to get six, seven, eight hits at one time. I've done that before in my career,'' he laughed ruefully, ''and it doesn't work.

''You just keep going through the process,'' he added. ''Keep battling, keep grinding.''

Rizzo and Russell were key contributors for baseball's best regular season team, but both have made every pitcher look unhittable in October, even as Chicago rolled past San Francisco in four games during an NL Division Series.

''We've been taking some good hacks,'' said Russell, whose tailspin actually began at the end of the regular season. ''They're just not falling.''

Rizzo batted .292 with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs during the regular season. He's gone 1 for 23 in the playoffs with just a single and three walks, including the only one Kershaw issued in seven innings.

When Rizzo got to 3-0 in that at-bat, he was bristling for a pitch to hit.

''No doubt,'' he said. ''It's a 1-0 game at that point. One swing changes that.''

He nearly did that in the fourth inning, turning a 1-1 fastball from Kershaw into a towering shot that cleared the outfield wall in right by plenty - it landed on Sheffield Avenue, behind Wrigley Field - but hooked just outside the foul pole. Kershaw threw high and tight on the next pitch, then coaxed Rizzo into grounding out.

Rizzo was hoping for a second bite at the long ball in the seventh. But Kershaw walked him on the next pitch.

''Anytime you can get on,'' Rizzo said, his voice trailing off.

Russell hit only .238 in the regular season, but contributed plenty of power, with 21 homers and 95 RBIs. Yet, like Rizzo, he's got only a single in his 22 at-bats. He sat out the Cubs' playoff run last year due to an injury, but he said that lack of experience wasn't an excuse.

''He got ahead early and he throws strikes,'' Russell said. ''He had his stuff tonight. ... I've got to learn to grind out the at-bats better, extend the pitchers more.''

Kershaw yielded only two hits in seven innings. Tough as he was on Rizzo, the left-hander dominated Russell, who grounded out in his first at-bat then produced a pair of routine flyouts.

Rizzo said neither he nor Russell had a reason to hang their heads, at least on this night.

''We just faced the best pitcher on the planet,'' he said.

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Bauer, Indians take 2-0 ALCS lead into Toronto
October 16, 2016

A look at what's happening all around the majors Monday:

FLYING HIGH

Trevor Bauer and the Indians take a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series into Game 3 at Toronto. Bauer had been scheduled to start Game 2, but was pushed back after he said he cut the pinkie on his right hand while fixing a drone. Bauer, who needed stitches to close the wound, is a self-described ''nerd'' and big ''Star Wars'' fan who studied mechanical engineering in college and enjoys playing around with the flying objects. Marcus Stroman will start for the Blue Jays.

TAKE A BREAK

It's workout day at Dodger Stadium with Chicago and Los Angeles tied at one game apiece in the NL Championship Series. Rich Hill is set to pitch Game 3 for LA on Tuesday against Jake Arrieta. Hill has been bothered by blister trouble, and didn't make it out of the fifth inning in either of his two starts vs. Washington in the NLDS.

THE 0 IN TORONTO

The Blue Jays totaled one run over Games 1 and 2, and of their 10 hits, just one came against the Indians' bullpen. Jose Bautista is 0 for 6, Edwin Encarnacion 2 for 7, Troy Tulowitzki 1 for 8 and Russell Martin 1 for 7. Toronto was fourth in the majors in home runs during the regular season got off to a powerful start in the playoffs, but hasn't hit one in 27 innings, since the first inning of Game 3 in their AL Division Series against Texas.

WARMING UP

Injured Indians pitcher Danny Salazar threw what appeared to be a simulated game after Cleveland's workout Sunday night in Toronto. The All-Star righty has been sidelined since Sept. 9 because of forearm trouble and isn't on the roster for the ALCS. Salazar threw to hitters at Rogers Centre a day before Game 3. He was 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA during the regular season.

LINEUP SWITCH

The Diamondbacks plan to formally introduce Mike Hazen as their general manager. The 40-year-old served as Boston's GM this season. Hazen replaces Dave Stewart, who was fired along with manager Chip Hale a day after Arizona finished 69-93 - its fifth straight year out of the playoffs. Hazen graduated from Princeton and played two seasons in the minor leagues.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday’s game

Indians @ Blue Jays

Bauer hurt a finger on his pitching hand fixing a drone (???), was pushed back to here; he is 1-2, 6.75 in his last five starts— he allowed three runs in 4.2 IP in his first postseason start. Bauer is 1-0, 1.38 in two starts vs Toronto this year; he struck out 13 Jays in 8 IP In his last start against them. Indians lost four of his last six road starts.

Stroman is 0-2, 2.77 in his last four starts, 0-0, 1.29 in two starts (14 IP) vs Cleveland this year. Blue Jays won six of his last eight home starts. He is 1-0, 3.91 in four postseason starts.

Toronto had won six in row before losing Games 1-2 in Cleveland; they’re 3-5 against the Indians this year. Gibbons is 9-8 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 won its last eight games; 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 32-18 as a postseason manager.