Announcement

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 07:27 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Betting props for the Masters:

— Will Eldrick Woods make the cut? Yes -$170, No +$140

— Will Jordan Spieth hit a ball in water on 12th hole this week? Yes +$140, No -$190

— Most strokes recorded on any hole by any player: 8 Yes/No both -$115

— Lowest round by any player in any round: 65.5 Over/under both -$115

— Highest round by any player in any round: 82.5 Over/under both -$115

— Will there be a playoff in The Masters? Yes +$235, No —$285

**********

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

13) One of the basic truths of life: Baseball players get hurt a lot. Season started with 113 players on the disabled list, little less than four players per team.

12) There were 925 sacrifice bunts in the major leagues LY, fewest of any season since 1900.

11) When Ichiro Suzuki gets inducted into the Hall of Fame someday, it’ll a proud day for retired P Ryan Vogelsong. Ichiro was 0-15 in his career against Vogelsong.

10) New England now has four of the first 63 picks in the NFL Draft in three weeks. This is the first time since 1998 the Patriots have two 1st-round picks and two 2nd-round picks in a draft.

9) 80-year old Jim Harrick, who won a national title at UCLA in 1995, will be on Mark Gottfried’s staff at Cal-Northridge next winter. Gottfried was an assistant on that UCLA staff in ’95, with Lorenzo Romar and Steve Lavin.

8) Most NCAA tournament wins since 2000:
Kansas 49, North Carolina 48, Duke 46, Mich State/Kentucky 42

7) Dodgers pitchers allowed 8 bases-loaded walks all of last season; they issued three in the 7th inning alone Tuesday night in Arizona.

6) They had the par-3 tournament at Augusta National Wednesday; guys can have whoever they want caddy for them, and Jack Nicklaus had one of his grandsons caddy for him. They let the caddies hit a few shots, and the 15-year old grandson gets a hole-in-one, his first ever. Wow.

5) Pro golfer Tony Finau also got a hole-in-one Wednesday, but he dislocated his ankle while he was celebrating the ace. He put the ankle back in place and finished his round. Was odd to see; he just reached down and put the ankle back in place.

4) Thursday, Baltimore Ravens’ GM/coach Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh will be questioned under oath as part of the Colin Kaepernick collusion grievance.

Wednesday, the Ravens gave QB Robert Griffin III a one-year, $1M contract for 2018.

Maybe I watch too many movies, but I’m thinking this isn’t a coincidence.

3) College basketball coaching carousel:
— St Peter’s coach John Donne stays in the MAAC, but moves to Marist.
— Rhode Island promoted assistant David Cox to head coach.
— East Carolina signed Florida Gulf Coast coach Joe Dooley as its new coach.
— South Dakota hired Grand Canyon assistant Todd Lee as its new coach.

2) Cardinals led off Tuesday’s game with back/back homers off of Chase Anderson; last time the Redbirds started a game that way was when Curt Flood and Gene Freese led off with home runs off a guy named Sandy Koufax, on August 17, 1958.

1— Colorado Rockies gave Charlie Blackmon a 6-year, $108M contract, so he is staying in the friendly confines of Coors Field and will never, ever get traded in our fantasy league.

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 07:31 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, April 5

National League
Mets (4-1) @ Nationals (4-2)
deGrom allowed one run in 5.2 IP (101 PT) in his first ’18 start. Over is 7-2-1 in his last ten starts. He is 4-1, 2.95 in six career starts in Washington.

Strasburg allowed three runs in 6.1 IP (99 PT) in his first ’18 start; under is 10-2-1 in his last 13 starts. He is 8-4, 2.64 in 16 career starts against the Mets.

Mets won four of their first five games; their last three games stayed under. Washington won four of its first six games (over 3-1-2).

Marlins (2-4) @ Phillies (1-4)
Smith allowed one run in 5.1 IP (100 PT) in his first ’18 start.

Pivetta gave up three runs in four IP (73 PT) in his first ’18 start; over is 8-5-3 in his last 16 starts.

Marlins lost four of their first six games (over 3-3), all at home. Phillies lost four of their first five games (over 2-2-1), all on the road.

Rockies (3-3) @ Padres (1-5)
Anderson allowed seven runs in 2.1 IP (71 PT) in his first ’18 start; over is 10-6 in his last 16 starts. He is 1-1, 2.00 in three career starts vs San Diego.

Lucchesi allowed three runs in 4.2 IP (75 PT) in his MLB debut Friday.

Rockies won three of their last four games (over 4-2). San Diego lost five of its first six games (over 4-2)

Reds (1-3) @ Pirates (4-1)
Bailey allowed one run in six IP (104 PT) in his first ’18 start; under is 5-1-1 in his last seven starts. He is 6-2, 2.48 in 10 career starts in Pittsburgh.

Brault was 1-0, 4.50 in four starts LY; he threw three scoreless innings in relief in his only ’18 appearance, Friday in Detroit.

Reds lost three of their first four games (over 2-2). Pittsburgh won four of its first five games (over 4-1).

Diamondbacks (5-1) @ Cardinals (3-3)
Ray allowed seven runs in five IP (85 PT) in his first ’18 start; over is 7-2 in his last nine starts. He is 0-2, 6.52 in three starts vs St Louis.

Wacha allowed four runs in 4.2 IP (95 PT) in his first ’18 start. Four of his last five starts stayed under the total. 1-1, 3.45 in five starts vs Arizona.

Arizona won five of its first six games (over 3-3), all at home. Cardinals split their first six games (over 4-2), all on the road.

Cubs (2-3) @ Brewers (4-2)
Lester allowed four runs in 3.1 IP (71 PT) in his first ’18 start; over is 10-2-1 in his last 13 starts. He is 3-2, 2.77 in six starts vs Milwaukee.

Suter allowed three runs in five IP (83 PT) in his first ’18 start; four of his last five starts stayed under the total.

Cubs lost three of their last four games; under is 3-1 in their last four games. Milwaukee won four of its first six games (over 4-2).

American League
Rays (1-5) @ Red Sox (5-1)
It is a bullpen game for Tampa Bay.

Former Devil Ray Price blanked Tampa Bay for seven innings (76 PT) in his first ’18 start. Under is 6-4-2 in his last dozen starts. He is 4-3, 3.45 in 10 games (9 starts) vs his old team.

Rays lost their last five games, scoring 9 runs total in last five games (over 3-3). Boston won its last five games, all on road; four of those five games stayed under.

Rangers (2-5) @ A’s (3-4)
Perez is 1-2, 4.84 in his last four starts, all of which stayed under total. He is 7-7, 5.24 in 16 starts vs Oakland.

Mengden allowed six runs in 5.2 IP (100 PT) in his first ’18 start; under is 3-2 in his last five starts.

Texas lost five of its first seven games (under 5-2). Oakland lost four of its last six games, scoring 16 runs. Under is 4-3 in their games this season.

Mariners (3-2) @ Twins (3-2)
Paxton allowed six runs in 4.2 IP (104 PT) in his first ’18 start; under is 7-4 in his last 11 starts. He is 2-1, 2.70 in three starts vs Minnesota.

Gibson blanked Baltimore for six innings (102 PT) in his first ’18 start; under is 5-2-1 in his last eight starts. He is 4-2, 3.49 in eight starts vs Seattle.

Mariners are 3-2 in their first five games; their last four games went over. Minnesota won three of its last four games, all on road (under 3-2).

Tigers (1-4) @ White Sox (5-1)
Zimmerman allowed four runs in six IP (81 PT) in his first ’18 start; over is 6-2 in his last eight starts. He is 5-2, 5.08 in eight starts vs Chicago.

Shields allowed four runs in six IP (97 PT) in his first ’18 start; under is 7-4 in his last 11 starts. He is 9-8, 4.43 in 25 starts vs Detroit.

Detroit lost four of its first five games; three of their last four games stayed under. White Sox are 3-2 in their first five games (under 3-2).

Orioles (1-5) @ New York (4-2)
Cashner allowed five runs in five IP (79 PT) in his first ’18 start; over is 7-2 in his last nine starts. He is 1-1, 1.80 in three starts vs New York, but this is his first career start in the Bronx.

Tanaka allowed one run in six IP (79 PT) in his first ’18 start; his last five starts stayed under. He is 2-2, 3.58 in eight starts vs Baltimore.

Orioles lost their last five games; under is 5-1 in their games this month. New York won four of its first six games- their last three games went over.

Teams’ records in first five innings:
Team (road-home-total)- thru 3/29/18
Ariz 0-0……0-0……..0-0
Atl 0-0……0-1……..0-1
Cubs 1-0……0-0……..1-0
Reds 0-0……0-0……..0-0
Colo 0-0……0-0………0-0
LA 0-0……0-0………0-0
Miami 0-0…….0-1……..0-1
Milw 1-0…….0-0………1-0
Mets 0-0……1-0………1-0
Philly 1-0…….0-0………1-0
Pitt 0-0…….0-0………0-0
St. Louis 0-1…….0-0……….0-1
SD 0-0……..0-1………0-1
SF 0-0…….0-0………0-0
Wash 0-0……..0-0………0-0

Orioles 0-0……..0-0-1……0-0-1
Boston 1-0……..0-0………1-0
White Sox 1-0……..0-0………1-0
Cleveland 0-0……..0-0………0-0
Detroit 0-0……..0-0………0-0
Astros 1-0……..0-0………1-0
KC 0-0……..0-1………0-1
Angels 0-0-1……0-0……..0-0-1
Twins 0-0-1……0-0……..0-0-1
NYY 1-0………0-0…..…1-0
A’s 0-0…….0-0-1……..0-0-1
Seattle 0-0……..0-0………0-0
TB 0-0……..0-1………0-1
Texas 0-0……..0-1………0-1
Toronto 0-0……..0-1………0-1

Interleague play- 2018
NL @ AL– 3-0 NL, favorites +$79
AL @ NL– 0-0, favorites
Total: 3-0 NL, favorites +$79

Totals in interleague games
NL @ AL: Over 2-1
AL @ NL: Over
Total: Over 2-1

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 07:37 AM

MLB

Thursday, April 5

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

New York Mets
NY Mets is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
NY Mets is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
NY Mets is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
NY Mets is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 15 of NY Mets's last 21 games on the road
NY Mets is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Washington
NY Mets is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets's last 6 games when playing Washington
NY Mets is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Washington
NY Mets is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington Nationals
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
Washington is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing NY Mets
Washington is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets

Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 9 games
Tampa Bay is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 8 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Tampa Bay is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing Boston
Tampa Bay is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Red Sox
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
Boston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Boston is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Boston is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
Boston is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

Miami Marlins
Miami is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Miami is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 9 games
Miami is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games on the road
Miami is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Miami is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Miami is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Miami is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Philadelphia is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Miami
Philadelphia is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami

Texas Rangers
Texas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Texas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Texas's last 8 games
Texas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Texas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Texas's last 5 games on the road
Texas is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Oakland
Texas is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Texas's last 10 games when playing Oakland
Texas is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Texas is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Oakland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Texas's last 5 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Oakland Athletics
Oakland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Oakland's last 25 games
Oakland is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games at home
Oakland is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games at home
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oakland's last 6 games at home
Oakland is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Texas
Oakland is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Oakland's last 10 games when playing Texas
Oakland is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing at home against Texas
Oakland is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 5 games when playing at home against Texas

Colorado Rockies
Colorado is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Colorado is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 7 games
Colorado is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Colorado is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Colorado's last 8 games on the road
Colorado is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games when playing San Diego
Colorado is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing San Diego
Colorado is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Diego
Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Diego
San Diego Padres
San Diego is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games
San Diego is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games at home
San Diego is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Colorado
San Diego is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Colorado
San Diego is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Colorado
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Colorado

Detroit Tigers
Detroit is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games
Detroit is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Detroit is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Detroit's last 8 games on the road
Detroit is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Detroit's last 20 games when playing Chi White Sox
Detroit is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Detroit is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Chicago White Sox
Chi White Sox is 17-8 ATS in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 7 games
Chi White Sox is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Chi White Sox is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Chi White Sox is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Chi White Sox's last 20 games when playing Detroit
Chi White Sox is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit
Chi White Sox is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit

Seattle Mariners
Seattle is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games
Seattle is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games on the road
Seattle is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Minnesota
Seattle is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Seattle's last 10 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota Twins
Minnesota is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Minnesota is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 games at home
Minnesota is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 8 games at home
Minnesota is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Seattle
Minnesota is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota's last 10 games when playing at home against Seattle

Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Baltimore is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Baltimore's last 10 games
Baltimore is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Baltimore is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Baltimore's last 7 games on the road
Baltimore is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
Baltimore is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
Baltimore is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
New York Yankees
NY Yankees is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games
NY Yankees is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
NY Yankees is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
NY Yankees is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games at home
NY Yankees is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Baltimore
NY Yankees is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Baltimore
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 5 games when playing Baltimore
NY Yankees is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Baltimore
NY Yankees is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Baltimore
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 5 games when playing at home against Baltimore

Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games
Cincinnati is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games
Cincinnati is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Cincinnati is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Cincinnati is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Cincinnati is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Cincinnati is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 games
Pittsburgh is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games
Pittsburgh is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games at home
Pittsburgh is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
Pittsburgh is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
Pittsburgh is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Arizona is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Arizona is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Arizona is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
Arizona is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing St. Louis
Arizona is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
Arizona is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
St. Louis is 4-12 ATS in its last 16 games
St. Louis is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
St. Louis is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games at home
St. Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Arizona
St. Louis is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing Arizona
St. Louis is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona
St. Louis is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Arizona

Chicago Cubs
Chi Cubs is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Chi Cubs is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 9 games
Chi Cubs is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Chi Cubs is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games on the road
Chi Cubs is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Chi Cubs is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Milwaukee is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Milwaukee's last 16 games
Milwaukee is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Milwaukee's last 16 games at home
Milwaukee is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs
Milwaukee is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

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

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 08:28 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Thursday, April 5

NY Mets @ Washington

Game 951-952
April 5, 2018 @ 1:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Mets
(deGrom) 15.949
Washington
(Strsburg) 15.129
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Mets
by 1
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-160
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Mets
(+140); Under

Miami @ Philadelphia

Game 953-954
April 5, 2018 @ 4:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
(Smith) 14.211
Philadelphia
(Pivetta) 12.357
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
-160
9
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+140); Under

Colorado @ San Diego

Game 955-956
April 5, 2018 @ 3:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado
(Andrson) 14.241
San Diego
(Lucchesi) 12.678
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Colorado
-120
8
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado
(-120); Over

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh

Game 957-958
April 5, 2018 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati
(Bailey) 14.571
Pittsburgh
(Brault) 16.716
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-130
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-130); Under

Arizona @ St. Louis

Game 959-960
April 5, 2018 @ 7:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
(Ray) 15.375
St. Louis
(Wnwrght) 16.993
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis
-125
8
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(-125); Under

Chicago Cubs @ Milwaukee

Game 961-962
April 5, 2018 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago Cubs
(Lester) 14.659
Milwaukee
(Suter) 13.205
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago Cubs
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-125
9
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago Cubs
(-125); Under

Tampa Bay @ Boston

Game 963-964
April 5, 2018 @ 2:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay
(Chirinos) 16.820
Boston
(Price) 15.275
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-240
8
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(+200); Over

Texas @ Oakland

Game 965-966
April 5, 2018 @ 3:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
(Perez) 15.841
Oakland
(Mengden) 14.413
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oakland
-145
9 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Texas
(+125); Under

Seattle @ Minnesota

Game 967-968
April 5, 2018 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle
(Paxton) 16.784
Minnesota
(Gibson) 15.394
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seattle
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
-120
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
(-120); Under

Detroit @ Chicago White Sox

Game 969-970
April 5, 2018 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
(Zmmrmnn) 14.033
Chicago White Sox
(Shields) 16.651
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago White Sox
by 2 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago White Sox
-130
9 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago White Sox
(-130); Under

Baltimore @ NY Yankees

Game 971-972
April 5, 2018 @ 6:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore
(Cashner) 15.777
NY Yankees
(Tanaka) 14.238
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baltimore
by 1 1/2
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-245
9
Dunkel Pick:
Baltimore
(+205); Over

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 08:34 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, April 5

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

NY METS (4 - 1) at WASHINGTON (4 - 2) - 1:05 PM
JACOB DEGROM (R) vs. STEPHEN STRASBURG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 17-34 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 14-45 (-31.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
STRASBURG is 43-12 (+21.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 110-90 (+34.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Thursday since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 183-163 (-55.5 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 12-19 (-19.4 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.

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

JACOB DEGROM vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
DEGROM is 5-4 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.77 and a WHIP of 1.058.
His team's record is 7-5 (+2.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-7. (-2.9 units)

STEPHEN STRASBURG vs. NY METS since 1997
STRASBURG is 8-4 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.64 and a WHIP of 1.061.
His team's record is 12-4 (+7.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-6. (+3.1 units)

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

MIAMI (2 - 4) at PHILADELPHIA (1 - 4) - 3:05 PM
CALEB SMITH (L) vs. NICK PIVETTA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 52-105 (-41.1 Units) against the money line in road games in day games since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-21 (+14.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

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

CALEB SMITH vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
No recent starts.

NICK PIVETTA vs. MIAMI since 1997
PIVETTA is 1-1 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 8.66 and a WHIP of 1.699.
His team's record is 3-1 (+3.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+1.9 units)

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

COLORADO (3 - 3) at SAN DIEGO (1 - 5) - 3:40 PM
TYLER ANDERSON (L) vs. JOEY LUCCHESI (L)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 318-438 (-109.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 since 1997.
COLORADO is 313-429 (-93.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
SAN DIEGO is 52-39 (+23.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 46-39 (+15.5 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 18-9 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in road games in April games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 19-10 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

TYLER ANDERSON vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
ANDERSON is 1-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 2.00 and a WHIP of 0.944.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

JOEY LUCCHESI vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

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

CINCINNATI (1 - 3) at PITTSBURGH (4 - 1) - 7:05 PM
HOMER BAILEY (R) vs. STEVEN BRAULT (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 9-30 (-19.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 48-66 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.

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

HOMER BAILEY vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
BAILEY is 10-6 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.39 and a WHIP of 1.225.
His team's record is 12-9 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 13-6. (+6.0 units)

STEVEN BRAULT vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
BRAULT is 0-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 3.60 and a WHIP of 1.400.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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

ARIZONA (5 - 1) at ST LOUIS (3 - 3) - 7:15 PM
ROBBIE RAY (L) vs. ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WAINWRIGHT is 37-19 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 61-29 (+22.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 80-50 (+20.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 99-73 (+19.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 19-11 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 15-5 (+10.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 60-38 (+17.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 30-18 (+15.2 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 82-80 (-29.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 52-58 (-29.1 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 36-44 (-27.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 34-42 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

ROBBIE RAY vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
RAY is 0-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 6.51 and a WHIP of 1.965.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.2 units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. ARIZONA since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 8-3 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.56 and a WHIP of 1.195.
His team's record is 8-3 (+5.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-9. (-8.1 units)

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

CHICAGO CUBS (2 - 3) at MILWAUKEE (4 - 2) - 8:10 PM
JON LESTER (L) vs. BRENT SUTER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1697-1765 (-270.7 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 435-456 (-93.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
MILWAUKEE is 90-78 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 58-49 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 49-36 (+22.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 43-35 (+11.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 79-101 (-33.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Thursday since 1997.

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

JON LESTER vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
LESTER is 3-2 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.77 and a WHIP of 1.154.
His team's record is 4-2 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-2. (+1.9 units)

BRENT SUTER vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
SUTER is 1-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 0.73 and a WHIP of 0.892.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

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

TAMPA BAY (1 - 5) at BOSTON (5 - 1) - 2:05 PM
YONNY CHIRINOS (R) vs. DAVID PRICE (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 3-1 (+1.4 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.7 Units)

YONNY CHIRINOS vs. BOSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

DAVID PRICE vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
PRICE is 4-3 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.57 and a WHIP of 0.983.
His team's record is 4-5 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-5. (-2.1 units)

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

TEXAS (2 - 5) at OAKLAND (3 - 4) - 3:35 PM
MARTIN PEREZ (L) vs. DANIEL MENGDEN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 14-29 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 36-29 (+10.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 26-17 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 175-159 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 80-59 (+28.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 36-29 (+18.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
PEREZ is 6-0 (+8.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 2-1 (+0.6 Units) against TEXAS this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.1 Units)

MARTIN PEREZ vs. OAKLAND since 1997
PEREZ is 7-7 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 5.24 and a WHIP of 1.506.
His team's record is 9-7 (+2.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-9. (-2.7 units)

DANIEL MENGDEN vs. TEXAS since 1997
MENGDEN is 1-1 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 2.50 and a WHIP of 1.111.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.1 units)

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

SEATTLE (3 - 2) at MINNESOTA (3 - 2) - 4:10 PM
JAMES PAXTON (L) vs. KYLE GIBSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 164-205 (-57.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 88-80 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GIBSON is 19-11 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 39-58 (-20.9 Units) against the money line at home when the money line is +125 to -125 over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 71-91 (-25.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 96-125 (-49.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Thursday since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 23-42 (-21.7 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 3 seasons.

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

JAMES PAXTON vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
PAXTON is 2-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.70 and a WHIP of 1.260.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.1 units)

KYLE GIBSON vs. SEATTLE since 1997
GIBSON is 4-2 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 1.388.
His team's record is 6-2 (+4.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-3. (+1.6 units)

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

DETROIT (1 - 4) at CHI WHITE SOX (3 - 2) - 4:10 PM
JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R) vs. JAMES SHIELDS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 65-102 (-35.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 25-46 (-20.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 332-422 (-94.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 44-80 (-33.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 38-28 (+18.5 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 31-20 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 3 seasons.

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

JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
ZIMMERMANN is 5-2 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.07 and a WHIP of 1.466.
His team's record is 6-2 (+3.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-1. (+6.0 units)

JAMES SHIELDS vs. DETROIT since 1997
SHIELDS is 9-8 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 4.43 and a WHIP of 1.377.
His team's record is 14-11 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 11-13. (-2.6 units)

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

BALTIMORE (1 - 5) at NY YANKEES (4 - 2) - 6:35 PM
ANDREW CASHNER (R) vs. MASAHIRO TANAKA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 28-55 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 17-40 (-21.7 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 15-38 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 215-345 (-107.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 53-26 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 70-34 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
TANAKA is 25-7 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
TANAKA is 21-5 (+12.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

ANDREW CASHNER vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
CASHNER is 1-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

MASAHIRO TANAKA vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
TANAKA is 2-2 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.58 and a WHIP of 1.156.
His team's record is 2-6 (-6.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-6. (-4.8 units)

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

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 12:55 PM

MLB

Thursday, April 5

Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers

Streaking: Kyle Gibson, Minnesota Twins (1-0, 0.00 ERA, $100)

Kyle Gibson of the Twins had an electric start to the 2018 season when he no-hit the Orioles over six innings, only to see his potential shared no-hitter die in the at the hands of reliever Ryan Pressly. I guess starting the season with a no-hit performance qualifies him for the Streaking Starter section.

Let's see if Gibson can keep his run going today when he takes on the Seattle Mariners. Gibby and the Twinkies are slight home dogs at +100 against James Paxton and the M's.

Slumping: Tyler Anderson, Colorado Rockies (0-0, 27.00 ERA, $-100)

Tyler Anderson's first start of the season was certainly not his best work. The Rockies' 28-year-old lefty was shelled for seven earned runs, five hits, and allowed four walks over 2.1 innings of work at Chase Field against the Arizona Diamondbacks in an eventual 9-8 loss (no decision for him).

This is not the Tyler Anderson the Rockies are expecting. With their starting rotation being so young, they will need everyone to step up and duplicate their efforts from 2017 in order to have any chance of returning to the post season.

Anderson gets a bit of a cushy start today against starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi and the struggling San Diego Padres. The Rox are slight favorites at -115 and the total is set at 7.5.

Thursday's Top Trends

* Red Sox are 11-2 in their last 13 home openers. -250 today vs. Rays.
* Rangers are 1-10 in the last 11 meetings in Oakland. +130 today @ A's.
* Twins are 10-1 in Kyle Gibson's last 11 starts. +100 today vs. Mariners.
* Over is 14-2 in the last 16 meetings between the Orioles and Yankees in New York. BAL/NYY total: 9.
* Under is 6-0 in Adam Wainwright's last six home starts vs. Diamondbacks. STL/ARI total: 7.5.
* Cubs are 1-11 in their last 12 road games vs. a left-handed starter. -120 today @ Brewers (Suter).

Weather Watch

As mentioned in the Double-Play Picks section above, the forecast is calling for 15-20 mile per hour winds blowing out to right-center this evening at Yankee Stadium where the Yanks will be hosting the Orioles. The total is set at 9.

The only precipitation in the MLB forecast today is a possibility of SNOW at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago where the White Sox will be taking on the Detroit Tigers. It's going to be a miserable afternoon at the ballpark with temperatures in the low 30's and a 12-15 mile per hour cross wind. The Sox are -130 favorites and the total is set at 9.

Ump of the Day

Mike Estabrook will be making his 2018 home plate debut in today's game at Petco Park between the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres. Estabrook likes to call strikes (strike rate of 64.37 percent in 2017 and 65.12 percent in 2016) so that is great news for starting pitchers Tyler Anderson and Joey Lucchesi. More strikes means less runs and Estabrook owns an Under record of 34-18 (65.38 percent) over those that two seasons.

The total today in San Diego is set at 7.5.

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 12:59 PM

The Complete Game: What we learned from betting MLB Opening Week
Rob Hansen

Shohei Ohtani owns a slash line of .429 AVG/.857 SLG/2 HRs/5 RBI and an offensive WAR of 1.0 after only 14 at bats.

I don't know how you West Coasters do it every day.

I spent the opening week of the 2018 MLB season in sunny Las Vegas. With our World Headquarters being located on the East Coast, everything was coming at me four hours earlier than I was used to in the Pacific time zone, and it took a few days to adjust to the fact that games were dropping off betting boards at 8:30 or 9 a.m.

Humans are creatures of habit, and it took some tweaking of my personal schedule: handicapping at night rather than over coffee in the morning and hitting the sportsbook bright and early. I'm not at all a morning person and Vegas can certainly catch up with you, so I'd be lying if I told you I didn't miss a few early games.

Overall, it was a great week. I came out on the positive side in my baseball wagers (we won't discuss basketball here) and got to visit 13 different sportsbooks on or near the Las Vegas Strip.

Week in review

The biggest story of the opening week was an easy selection. Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels was certainly a cause for concern coming into the season following a dreadful spring, but he put all of those questions to rest with a solid six innings of work in his first major league start, picking up the win in a 7-4 Angels victory over the Oakland Athletics. His stuff was explosive and he certainly converted some critics.

And when it came to the questions regarding the offensive side of Ohtani's game, he promptly shut those doubters down by hitting big flies in back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday. As of Thursday morning, Ohtani owns a slash line of .429 BA/.857 SLG/2 HRs/5 RBI and an offensive WAR of 1.0 after only 14 at-bats.

That's a decent first week on the job. New York Yankees fans can boo Giancarlo Stanton until their throats explode, the Houston Astros can continue to suck at banner ceremonies, and Gabe Kapler can continue to gift wrap potential Philadelphia Phillies victories away to his opponents. But the sports world won't even notice these other events if Ohtani continues to redefine everything we used to know about modern baseball.

What to watch for this weekend

The Pittsburgh Pirates were the last-surviving unbeaten MLB team until they dropped a 7-3 decision to the Minnesota Twins Wednesday. The Buccos will continue their soft early-season schedule with a four-game home series against the Cincinnati Reds this weekend. The Pirates, remarkably, should be small favorites in all four games and I expect they'll take, at least, three of the four contests with the highlight of the weekend coming Sunday afternoon with Jameson Taillon dueling Tyler Mahle in a battle of young guns. There's a slide coming but it likely won't begin until early next week at Wrigley Field.

Much like the Pirates' regression to the mean starting after this weekend, we can expect similar (but opposite) results from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The defending National League champs are the worst money team in baseball after the opening week at -6.61 units ($661 if you wagered $100 on each game) and have a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco this weekend, with Derek Holland, Chris Stratton, and Ty Blach scheduled as the opposing starting pitchers. It took the Dodgers three games into the season to score their first run and they're averaging only 3.67 runs per game over their first six contests. The Dodgers should take, at least, two out of three from the Giants but keep an eye on the totals as both teams are struggling to score runs. It could be an Under-fest in the Bay Area.

Umpire of the Week

Each week during the season, we'll take a look at one MLB umpire and dig into his numbers in order to help you make better decisions when placing your wagers. This week our umpire profile is Jerry Layne.

Layne has officiated two games from behind the plate thus far in 2018 and he carries with him a home win/loss record of 2-0 and an Over/Under count of 2-0. While I don't put a whole lot of stock into an umpire's bias toward the home team, an umpire's Over/Under record is a legitimate handicapping tool. I never place a baseball totals wager without first checking the weather/wind direction as well as who's calling balls and strikes.

Layne is one of those guys known to make pitchers work harder for each and every out. During his two games wearing pads this season, he owns a very low strike percentage of 61.91, has seen an average of 16 runs per game cross his plate, and has circled his finger for 4.5 home runs an outing.

Keep an eye out for Layne's next home plate assignment by checking out our in-depth matchup pages every day.

**Udog** · 04-05-2018, 01:01 PM

MLB

Thursday, April 5

MLB early-season betting totals trends to ponder :

Games between American League clubs are 15-25 Over/Under (62.5% Under)

Games between National League clubs are 18-16-4 Over/Under (53% Over)

Interleague games (AL vs. NL) are 7-2 Over/Under (78% Over)

Announcement

Thursday's MLB Trends and Indexes - 4/5

Thursday's MLB Trends and Indexes - 4/5

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment