Tuesday Trends and Indexes 07/10

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Tuesday, July 10

Good Luck on day #191 of 2007!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.

[pm530]

Six-pack for Tuesday

Six reasons former Seton Hall head coach and Spurs' aide
PJ Carlesimo won't win in Seattle............

-- The last time he was a head coach, his best player tried to strangle him. He has lot of baggage to overcome.

-- Unlike Spurs, his best player isn't a coachable superstar; his best player is supposed to be a sophomore in college.

-- Rashard Lewis, who used to be Seattle's best player, is signing with Orlando on Wednesday.

-- San Antonio has a great mix of foreign players and guys who played four years in college, which means more mature players who have been coached. Seattle??? Not so much.

-- Eva Longoria won't be going to Sonics' home games.

-- Even if the Sonics do win under Carlesimo, it probably is not going to be in Seattle; without a new arena, they're on their way to either Vegas or Oklahoma City.

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[pm530]

Tuesday's List of 13: Random thoughts as I try to stay awake during the Home Run Derby...........

Before I stumble through Home Run Derby comments, there are a total of 6,358 entrants in this year's Main Event at World Series of Poker, with a prize pool of $59,784,954. ESPN starts to show '07 WSOP programming Tuesday at 8pm.

13) This is a bad ballpark for Home Run Derby; too big, but whomever invented this event deserves a raise. Tremendous. To get the other All-Stars sitting around, just watching, it is good for the game, it makes the players seem more human.

12) Then there is Alex Rodriguez; while everyone else is lying on the ground, relaxing in uniforms, ol' A-Rod shows up in a suit, like he is the CEO of IBM or something. What a nitwit.

11) By the way, would it kill A-Rod or Jeter to compete in this event every now and then? The Bronx Bombers get stuffed down out throat all season long, but we never see them in this event, which is for the fans. They're not contenders this year-- couldn't they show up and compete? Everyone is hurt at this time of year; if A-Rod can play on Tuesday, he could take some swings on Monday.

10) Matt Holliday had his brother pitch to him in the home run derby. His brother is an assistant coach at Arizona State.

9) Does ESPN have to put Joe Morgan on the air? Couldn't they just pay him to sit home, or put him in Kenny Mayne's kayak in McCovey Cove? He is consistently horrible.

8) When I was 15, my dad got field box seats for Mets-Braves game at Shea Stadium, because my favorite player was on the Braves. Before game, Dusty Baker was signing autographs, and when he got to me, he not only signed the book I had, he read the writeup about him in the book I had.

7) Problem is, I hadn't read the book; the guy who wrote it killed Dusty, a real hatchet job. Dusty just smiled, signed the book, looked at me, laughed and said, "This guy doesn't like me." To this day, I never, ever root against Dusty Baker.

6) On ESPN Radio during my food run, Pudge Rodriguez said that Latin players root for each other in events like this, and that explains why the Mets tried to build a team like they did, with more than half their team from Latin America.

5) Long time ago, read an article by John Thompson; one of points he made was how one of the things that can break up a team is racial disharmony, which explains the makeup of lot of his Georgetown teams, but it also plays into what the Mets are doing. Cohesiveness isn't necessary, but it doesn't hurt.

4) Flipping to Knicks-Sonics on MSG-TV, Walt Frazier is on, saying he never played basketball in offseason when he was an NBA player, he lifted weights and ran sprints. Things sure have changed; all most kids do is play games now.

3) Speaking of which, I'm heading to Florida next week, going to three summer hoop tournaments in Kissimmee, so for two weeks, you'll be getting reports from the sunny south. We'll likely see Marcus Jordan play and all the other top players in eastern half of the country, so log on every day for that.

2) Kevin Durant finished 4-18 in his second summer league game for Seattle. If you listened to Gus Johnson on Knicks' broadcast, you'd swear New York was favored to win crown in the league next season. Randolph Morris had 10 points in his Knick debut, with 10 rebounds, so a good start for him.

1) Also, if you like horse racing, remember that we have pair of horse handicappers who will do battle with Saratoga's six-week meet starting July 25, with a daily bankroll of $50 to use ($100 on weekends). These guys don't pick favorites, and do a good job of giving you a better shot to win at the track.

1a) American League is 9-0-1 in last ten All-Star games. Game is at 5:30 local time, so if it is a sunny day, shadows will help pitchers early in the game. But it is just an exhibition game, so please, no wagering............one last note - Kenny Mayne made a tremendous catch in the celebrity softball game.

1b) Jimmy Kimmel is wearing a mike and catching at celebrity softball game; this is his comment as Miss America bats:

"God Bless America"

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[pm530]

Baseball -- All-Star Game

MLB - All-Star Game

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MLB

Tuesday, July 10

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All-Star Game -- Tips and Trends

American League vs. National League (FOX | 8:25 PM ET)

National League manager Tony La Russa has chosen San Diego's Jake Peavy as Tuesday's starter. The young right-hander is 9-3 with a 2.19 ERA this season. He will more than likely be followed by Los Angeles starter Brad Penny, which will make it extremely tough for the American League to hit the ball out of the ball park, as the two have combined to allow just six home runs this season. EDGE: NATIONAL LEAGUE

Oakland's Dan Haren has been given the starting assignment for the American League by manager Jim Leyland. Haren will need to regain his early-season form, as the right-hander has allowed nine runs and 15 hits in his last 11 2/3 innings. He will most likely be followed by Tigers starter Justin Verlander, who's an ultra-impressive 7-0 with a 1.99 ERA versus the National League in his career. SLIGHT EDGE: AMERICAN LEAGUE

One element in the NL’s favor is speed on the base paths, though that edge could be neutralized by the throwing arm of Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Still, with Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, David Wright and Russell Martin, La Russa has four legitimate threats in the starting lineup. SLIGHT EDGE: NATIONAL LEAGUE

The National League also has some players available to play defense in the late innings. A late-game infield including Orlando Hudson, Derek Lee and J.J. Hardy makes for a nice way to protect a lead. EDGE: UNDER

One key factor that MLB insiders will pay particular attention to is the urgency of each manager. The winning team of the All-Star Game determines home-field advantage for the World Series and with the Detroit Tigers currently sitting a top the AL Central standings, manager Jim Leyland will certainly have the American League ready to play. EDGE: AMERICAN LEAGUE

Going into the All-Star Game, an average of just 1.97 home runs were hit per game so far this season – down 12 percent from the 2.23 average prior to the All-Star break last year. This year’s pre-break average is the lowest since 1993’s 1.73. EDGE: UNDER

The Junior Circuit has won four straight All-Star Games and is 9-0-1 in the past 10 years. BIG EDGE: AMERICAN LEAGUE

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MLB All-Star Game props and odds

The All-Star Game is upon us and we finally get to see the best in the business play against each other on a very big stage. You can bet on just about anything in Tuesday night's game, but just to whet your appetite here are some of the props being offered.

Moneyline

American League –123

National League +115

Team to score first in the game

American League –160

National League +130

Will there be a run scored in the first inning?

Yes -125

No –105

Total hits, runs and errors

Over 30 ½ (hits + runs + errors) –105

Under 30 ½ (hits + runs + errors) –125

Alternate runlines

American League – 1 ½ (+200)

National League +1 ½ (+190)

American League –2 ½ (+200)

National League + 2 ½ (-260)

Game totals

Over 10 runs +102

Under 10 runs -112

American League total team runs

Over 5 runs –120

Under 5 runs –110

National League total team runs

Over 5 runs –105

Under 5 runs –125

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MLB All-Star Game player props

2007 MLB All-Star Game player props
Tuesday, July 10, 8:00 PM ET

Player to score the first run in the game:

Ivan Rodriguez +1000
David Ortiz +700
Placido Polanco +1200
Alex Rodriguez +900
Derek Jeter +800
Vladimir Guerrero +700
Magglio Ordonez +800
Ichiro Suzuki +600
Russell Martin +1500
Prince Fielder +700
Chase Utley +1000
David Wright +1000
Jose Reyes +600
Barry Bonds +800
Carlos Beltran +700
Ken Griffey Jr. +900
Field (any other player) +800

Player to record the first RBI of the game:

Ivan Rodriguez +1000
David Ortiz +600
Placido Polanco +1000
Alex Rodriguez +800
Derek Jeter +800
Vladimir Guerrero +900
Magglio Ordonez +800
Ichiro Suzuki +1200
Russell Martin +1000
Prince Fielder +700
Chase Utley +1000
David Wright +900
Jose Reyes +1200
Barry Bonds +1000
Carlos Beltran +800
Ken Griffey Jr. +800
Field (any other player) +700

What will David Ortiz do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +350
Strikeout +400
Flyout +220
Groundout +180
Single +250
Double +500
Triple +1200
Home Run +700
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +1000

What will Alex Rodriguez do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +450
Strikeout +400
Flyout +200
Groundout +180
Single +250
Double +450
Triple +1200
Home Run +700
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +1100

What will Derek Jeter do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +450
Strikeout +400
Flyout +200
Groundout +180
Single +200
Double +500
Triple +1200
Home Run +1000
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +1000

What will Vladimir Guerrero do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +450
Strikeout +400
Flyout +200
Groundout +180
Single +200
Double +500
Triple +1200
Home Run +900
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +1000

What will Magglio Ordonez do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +450
Strikeout +400
Flyout +220
Groundout +180
Single +200
Double +500
Triple +1000
Home Run +1000
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +1000

What will Ichiro Suzuki do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +500
Strikeout +400
Flyout +220
Groundout +180
Single +200
Double +500
Triple +1200
Home Run +1500
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +1000

What will Prince Fielder do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +450
Strikeout +400
Flyout +220
Groundout +180
Single +200
Double +500
Triple +1200
Home Run +800
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +1000

What will Barry Bonds do in his first at bat?

Hit by pitch +2500
Walk +400
Strikeout +450
Flyout +220
Groundout +200
Single +200
Double +500
Triple +1200
Home Run +800
Reach base on an error +2000
Passed ball +600

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Handicapping potential All-Star Game MVPs

Attempting to determine Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game MVP beforehand is no easy task. Thorough research of past MVPs, though, shows certain trends have developed over the years.

One of the aspects that makes predicting the MVP seem difficult is the division of at-bats among the players. A single player rarely sees more than two at-bats a game, but that hasn’t prevented the starters from stealing the spotlight. Nineteen of the last 25 MVPs have earned starting nods so it is highly likely a starter will take home the trophy again this year.

Another trend that has developed has been the prevalence of infielders – or lack of outfielders – winning the award. Nine of the last 12 MVPs have been infielders, including the last three years when Michael Young, Miguel Tejada and Alfonso Soriano (as a second baseman) took home the crown.

The final All-Star tendency, and perhaps the most important, has been the American League’s domination of the Senior Circuit. Aside from the 2002 tie-game debacle in Milwaukee, the AL has won 15 of the last 18 Midsummer Classics, with AL players winning the MVP in all 15 of those contests. If interleague play is any indication, the AL should again topple the NL.

With these trends in mind, let’s take a look at some players who could potentially earn MVP honors:

Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins: Morneau, the reigning American League MVP, falls into two of the three aforementioned trends. The AL infielder won’t start because David Ortiz was voted in despite rarely playing the field. Ortiz’s lack of defensive skill could work in Morneau’s favor, though, as Ortiz may get pulled early in order to get Morneau’s glove into the game. Morneau has certainly put up numbers worthy of being the starter as he leads all AL first basemen with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs.

Russell Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers: Martin has been lauded as baseball’s best all-around catcher this year and he’ll have his chance to prove it in his first All-Star appearance. He leads NL catchers in batting average, runs scored, RBIs and stolen bases and is second in home runs with nine. Martin starts and plays the infield so falls into two of the three trends. Additionally, he'll be backed up by Atlanta catcher Brian McCann, who hasn’t done enough over the first half to warrant more than one at-bat.

Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox: Lowell could potentially fall into all three of the above trends as long as the recently-injured Alex Rodriguez steps down due to injury. Rodriguez’s absence would elevate Lowell to the American League starter at third base. Another third basemen could potentially replace A-Rod but there aren’t many other candidates worthy of the honor. That could make Lowell the sole third baseman on the American League roster, ensuring him plenty of opportunities to do some damage.

Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies: Utley, the National League’s starter at second base, has established himself as the cream of the crop among second basemen in baseball. And it’s really not even close. A look at the other All-Star second basemen shows Placido Polanco, Brian Roberts, Orlando Hudson and Freddy Sanchez. Not exactly a list of household names. Having two backups in Hudson and Sanchez may take away an at-bat or two from Utley, but neither player is really worthy of getting much action.

Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants: Bonds falls into only one of the three recent All-Star Game tendencies but he has additional factors working in his favor. First of all, he is playing in what will likely be his final All-Star Game. Secondly, he is playing in front of his home crowd. Both factors could keep Bonds in the game longer, therefore giving him more opportunities to hit one into McCovey Cove. If he's able to do just that, it would be nearly impossible not to name him MVP, regardless of which team wins.

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A-Rod to play in All-Star game

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez plans to play in the All-Star game despite his strained left hamstring.

''I think, you know, 3.9 million votes, you feel like you have a responsibility to go out there and play,'' the New York Yankees star said Saturday. ''It's been feeling pretty good, and we'll go from there.''

A-Rod said he made his decision after New York's 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in 13 innings on Saturday.

The two-time MVP acknowledged his leg is still not 100 percent, but he'll start at third base for the American League on Tuesday night in San Francisco. He led fan balloting for All-Star spots, getting nearly 3.9 million votes.

Oddsmakers at pinnaclesports.com list the American League as -123 favorites for Tuesday's showdown.

''The game is about the fans, and to get that many votes, you feel like you have a responsibility to go out there and play well,'' he said.

Rodriguez was hurt Monday night when he tripped over the ankle of Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau while hustling to beat a potential double play. He missed his first game of the season Thursday, but an MRI exam came back normal.

The slugger returned to the starting lineup on Friday night, and went 0-for-4 with a walk Saturday. He began the day leading the majors with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs.

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The Vote Is In

It's the A.L. as a -125 favorite in Tuesday's All-Star Game

And the game is on. It's time for baseball's annual mid-summer classic, the All-Star Game, pitting the best from both leagues in a game that, as the advertisement says, counts. The winning league gets home field advantage in the World Series, a little extra incentive for players on contending teams in both leagues. The N.L. could use that home field edge and could really use a win in the All-Star Game, something it hasn't had in 10 years (0-9-1). Because of that dubious mark the Senior Circuit opened a slight underdog (+115) in this one due to the game being held at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco.

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Haren, Peavy get starting nods for All-Star game

SAN FRANCISCO -- Dan Haren will start the All-Star game for the American League just across the bay from his home ballpark in Oakland.

The Athletics' ace was picked by AL manager Jim Leyland on Monday to oppose San Diego's Jake Peavy, who will start for Tony La Russa's National League squad in Tuesday night's game.

The AL is listed as -150 favorites, while the NL is listed at +120.

San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds will bat second for the NL squad instead of his usual place in the cleanup spot in the lineup. Bonds hasn't started a game in the No. 2 hole since 1987, when he did four times in his second year in the majors with Pittsburgh. La Russa told Bonds of the decision on Sunday when the Giants were in St. Louis.

''We like to get the pitchers attention right away so Barry Bonds is going to hit second,'' La Russa said.

With Barry Zito gone through free agency and Rich Harden unable to stay healthy, Haren has become the ace of Oakland's staff. He took a sub-2.00 ERA into July and is 10-3 with an AL-leading 2.30 ERA at the break.

After losing his first two starts - despite allowing one earned run in 13 innings - Haren reeled off 10 straight wins before losing to Seattle on Friday night. That loss wasn't enough to cost him his All-Star start as he beat out Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia, Detroit's Justin Verlander, Boston's Josh Beckett and the Angels' John Lackey for the honor.

''I'd be lying if I didn't say it was a nice extra touch since he pitches right across the bay in Oakland,'' Leyland said. ''If the game was in Cleveland it would probably be Sabathia. If it was in Detroit, probably Verlander.''

Many questioned the A's when they traded Mark Mulder to St. Louis for Haren about five months after Mulder started the 2004 All-Star game. Haren quickly silenced those doubters by winning 14 games in each of his first two seasons in Oakland. This year has been by far his best.

''I'll be in awe, that's for sure of the team playing behind me,'' Haren said.

Peavy earned the start for the NL, part of a remarkable turnaround from a rare off year. Peavy struggled to an 11-14 record with a 4.09 ERA last season in his worst year since becoming a full-time starter in 2003.

But he got off to a fast start this season, shutting the Giants out for six innings in an opening day win at the same ballpark that will host the All-Star game. Peavy is 9-3 with a 2.19 ERA that trails only teammate Chris Young in the NL.

''It's a great honor to be chosen,'' Peavy said. ''There are a lot of deserving guys.''

Peavy is the third Padres pitcher to start an All-Star game, joining LaMarr Hoyt in 1985 and Randy Jones in 1976.

La Russa's batting order for the game has New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes leading off, followed by Bonds, CF Carlos Beltran, Mets; RF Ken Griffey Jr., Reds; 3B David Wright, Mets; 1B Prince Fielder, Brewers; C Russell Martin, Dodgers; and 2B Chase Utley, Phillies.

This will mark the first time that Bonds and Griffey, two of baseball's greatest sluggers ever, are in the same lineup for any game. They were both selected as All-Stars in 2000 but missed the game in Atlanta with injuries. In 2004, Bonds played for the NL in Houston but Griffey missed the game with an injury.

Leyland selected Seattle center fielder Ichiro Suzuki as his leadoff hitter, followed by SS Derek Jeter, Yankees; 1B David Ortiz, Red Sox; 3B Alex Rodriguez, Yankees; RF Vladimir Guerrero, Angels; LF Magglio Ordonez, Tigers; C Ivan Rodriguez, Tigers; 2B Placido Polanco, Tigers.

''I put all of the Tigers down in the order so no one would say I was favoring the Tigers,'' Leyland said.

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MLB All-Star Game props and picks

Major League Baseball showcases its best Tuesday night at the annual All-Star game in San Francisco and while most sportsbooks are offering the standard moneyline option on the game, there are also some prop bets out there if you want to mix things up a little. Here's a look at what's available with a pick for each wager.

What player will score the first run of the game?

The likely leadoff men for the two All-Star teams are the favorites with oddsmakers. Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes are both listed at +600 to score the first run.

Ichiro and Reyes each have 61 total-runs this season and post on-base percentages of .410 and .387 for their respective teams. Since the American League is batting first, the M’s All-Star might have the edge.

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, Los Angeles Angles’ Vladimir Guerrero, Milwaukee Brewers’ Prince Fielder and the Mets’ Carlos Beltran are all next on the list at +700.

Pick: Alex Rodriguez +900


What player will record the first RBI?

Boston’s Big Papi is a +600 frontrunner to bring home the first run of the game. Ortiz will likely hit clean-up for the AL squad. He has only 52 RBIs so far this season after leading the league with 137 last year. At the 2006 All-Star break, Ortiz had 87 RBIs and 31 home runs. He has only 14 dingers this season.

The Brewers big man, Prince Fielder, is listed at +700 to record the first RBI of the game. He leads the National League with 29 home runs and is second in RBIs with 70.

Detroit’s Magglio Ordonez, New York Yankees Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez (leads majors with 86 RBIs), Beltran and the Reds’ Ken Griffey Jr. are all set at +800. Vladimir Guerrero (+900) and the Minnesota Twins’ Justin Morneau (+700) are second and third in total RBIs this season.

Pick: Vladimir Guerrero +900


What will David Ortiz do his first at-bat?

In last year’s All-Star game in Pittsburgh, Ortiz went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, which is paying at +400 for his first at-bat in this season’s All-Star game. Big Papi has 29 doubles (+500) and is third in walks (+350) in the American League. A single in his first at-bat is set at +250.

Pick: Ground-out +180


What will Alex Rodriguez do his first at-bat?

I don’t think too many people would be upset if “hit by pitch” cashed in at +2500 for A-Rod’s first at-bat this Tuesday. But the chances of that happening are about the same as Prince Fielder legging out a triple (actually set at +1200).

Rodriguez has 50 singles (+200), 30 home runs (+700) but hasn’t record one triple in his 319 at-bats this year. A-Rod will likely be taking it easy with a strained hamstring that almost held him out of the game all together.

Pick: Single +200


What will Barry Bonds do his first at-bat?

How nuts would the City by the Bay go if Barry jacked one out of the park his first appearance at the plate? About as nuts as prop bettors that took “home run” at +800 would go.

The majors’ base-on-balls (+400) leader will get pitched to on Tuesday night and will definitely be trying to rip the cover off the baseball. Picking fly-out at +220 is the smartest bet with Barry trying to give the fans what they want.

Pick: Fly-out +220


Total team runs

Books have the total for Tuesday’s All-Star game set at 10 runs but if that’s not enough, you can play the over/under on each team's individual offense. Both squads have team totals set at 5.

During its current run of dominance, the American League is averaging a little over six runs per All-Star game since 1997. The AL drove in seven or more runs per game between 2002-2005 but totaled only three runs in last year’s victory.

The National League has hit four or fewer runs in six of the last 10 All-Star games, averaging just under four total runs per contest. The biggest score the NL put up was an eight-run effort in a 13-8 loss back in 1998.

Pick: Over for both teams

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MLB All-Star Game news and notes

SAN FRANCISCO -- Many All-Star managers use the opportunity to reward their own players with spots on the roster and plum assignments for the game.

Jim Leyland just isn't one of them. The AL manager chose not to start his no-hit pitcher Justin Verlander in Tuesday night's game, giving the nod to Oakland's Dan Haren instead. And the Detroit manager listed his three All-Star starters in the sixth, seventh and eighth spots of the lineup, ahead of only the pitcher.

''I put all of the Tigers down at the bottom of the order so nobody could say that I was favoring the Tigers,'' Leyland said Monday. ''I actually wanted to hit them one, two, three, but I didn't think I could get away with it.''

The Tigers players trust their manager's instincts, even if some of them might have wanted more prominent roles. But Verlander understood Leyland's thinking to let Haren start since the game was so close to his home ballpark.

''I would have liked to have started but it's not my decision,'' said Verlander, who was 10-3 with a 3.14 ERA and a no-hitter against Milwaukee in the first half. ''The game is right here in Oakland basically. The guy has unbelievable numbers. Skip makes the right decisions.''

In the lineup, Leyland batted Magglio Ordonez sixth, followed by Ivan Rodriguez and Placido Polanco, giving the more glamorous spots to players on other teams.

''I don't care where they put me,'' Polanco said. ''When I came up to the big leagues I was hitting ninth and that was with the pitcher hitting in front of me. I was just happy to be in the big leagues and I'm just happy to be here.''

Polanco was referring to his rookie year with St. Louis in 1998, when Tony La Russa batted the pitcher eighth and Polanco ninth at times in order to try to get more runners on base for Mark McGwire.

The American League All-Stars is listed as -128 favorites for Tuesday's game with the total set at 10.

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MISSING LEGENDS: Craig Biggio got his 3,000th hit in the first half of the season. Sammy Sosa hit home run No. 600 and Frank Thomas hit his 500th.

But all three are missing this week at the All-Star game, once again raising the question if baseball should have some sort of career achievement award for this game. AL manager Jim Leyland said he thought about that but determined it was too difficult to draw a line on what players to add.

NL manager Tony La Russa said he would have liked to have Biggio on his team but it's too tough with the rosters at their current size of 32.

''So the only way to make that happen is for MLB to say, 'Look, we're going to have a distinguished career spot to add to the 32 you get because it's unfair to take somebody off for somebody who is deserving because of their lifetime achievements.'''

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter advocated expanding the roster anyway because there are deserving players who don't make the game.

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MANNY BEING MANNY: One side of the room was lined with Red Sox: David Ortiz, Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell. There was one empty table though, as Manny Ramirez didn't show up for the media availability.

''I just made sure he got to San Francisco,'' Ortiz said. ''After that, I have no control.''

Ramirez usually skips the Monday media availability so this was no surprise. He also was held out of the lineup Sunday at Detroit because of a stomach ailment. The 11-time All-Star is expected to play in the game Tuesday night.

Ramirez, one of six Red Sox players bound for the Bay Area, is hitting .284 with 11 homers and 45 RBIs.

''I think he was a little surprised to be here,'' Lowell said. ''He didn't have the same numbers he usually has, but I do know he's happy to be here. Manny is hard to talk to about a lot of topics. He's a hard worker but he's in his own world.''

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BAKERS AND BONDS: Barry Bonds was handed some cookies before taking batting practice.

Marjorie Johnson of Minneapolis, acting as correspondent for the Tonight Show, gave Barry the ginger snaps in the dugout. Bonds tried one of her cookies and told her he thought they were good.

Bonds then left Johnson and walked back on the field. He stood by the cage and chatted with AL manager Jim Leyland, his manager in Pittsburgh. He hugged David Ortiz and Lloyd McLendon and signed the back of Darren Baker's Giants jersey.

Baker's father, Dusty, managed Bonds for 10 years in San Francisco. Dusty Baker was asked if the pressure of the home run chase was getting to Bonds. Baker responded, ''Why should it? Life is good.''

Bonds then took six rounds of batting practice and hit seven homers, including one into the cove and two to dead center.

---

CANCELED VACATION: Milwaukee pitcher Ben Sheets had a nice vacation planned for this week on the beach in Gulf Shores, Ala.

''When I got it I was playing terrible at the end of the first month,'' Sheets said.

His wife, however, was more encouraging.

''She's like, 'Honey, you might go. You never know.' I'm like, 'Go look at the stat page. Be honest with yourself,''' he said.

It turns out Julie Sheets was right. After going 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in April, Sheets turned things around and went 9-2 with a 3.03 ERA the rest of the second half.

The call came July 1 that he made the NL All-Star team, meaning plans had to change.

Did his wife say, ''I told you so?''

''No, but I got a bill that says I told you so,'' Sheets said. ''That's very OK.''

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Out of their league: Books weigh NL's slump

The MLB All-Star Game is supposed to be a fun, light-hearted way to honor the season’s top talent and fan favorites. But for the National League All-Stars, the mid-summer classic has become a cruel, annual example of the difference between the two leagues.

The American League has won nine of the last 10 All-Star Games with the infamous tie during the 2002 contest as its only blemish. This season, oddsmakers have set the AL squad as -125 favorites for Tuesday night’s game.

“That is the deciding factor for us before we even set an actual number,” linesmaker Peter Korner says of the AL’s dominance. “We literally go in and say ‘How much do we favor the AL by’.”

Most sportsbooks want to draw action on the All-Star Game and make sure that their odds will still entice bettors (National League is a +115 underdog) but at the end of the day, they just don’t want to lose money.

“This game is always competitive but we don't let it get away from us,” says Korner. “We look at the rosters and the pitching staffs but the real thing is that the American League wins every year.”

The American League, which features All-Stars like Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero, also has the edge when it comes to AL-versus-NL interleague play. The American League has won the yearly series the past four seasons, including this season (137-155) as well as a lopsided 154-98 victory in 2006.

The National League All-Stars, highlighted this year by Barry Bonds, Prince Fielder and Ken Griffey Jr., have been outscored 63-38 during their 10-year winless drought. For the most part, the games have remained competitive with an average margin of victory of 2 ½ runs.

“There is a clear pattern but you’re talking about a one-game situation, which make it difficult when you are used to more in-depth trends,” says professional handicapper David Jones. “Most (All-Star Games) have been close and there has been some late inning stuff that has factored in. It has the feel of a spring training game.”

Monday afternoon, managers Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland announced their batting lineups as well as the staring pitchers for Tuesday’s game. La Russa, managing the National League, gave the nod to San Diego Padres ace Jake Peavy (9-3, 2.19 ERA). Leyland, the American League skipper, announced that Oakland Athletics right-hander Danny Haren (10-3, 2.30 ERA) will take the bump for his team.

While the honor of All-Star Game starting pitcher looks impressive on a resume, oddsmakers and bettors don’t consider it as much of a handicapping factor as in regular season games. Peavy and Haren will likely only go two innings on Tuesday night, allowing the very talented bullpens of both leagues to show their stuff.

The AL has reserve arms like Josh Beckett (12-2, 3.44 ERA), C.C. Sabathia (12-3, 3.58 ERA) and Justin Verlander (10-3, 3.14 ERA). The NL bullpen features staff aces Brad Penny (10-1, 2.39 ERA), Cole Hamels (10-4, 3.72 ERA) and Ben Sheets (10-4, 3.41 ERA).
“For a game like this, it’s actually reversed. We look at who will be ending the game more than who’s starting,” says Korner. “A good closer can be the difference.”

The National League bullpen has lights-out closers like Takashi Saito, Trevor Hoffman, Francisco Cordero, Jose Valverde and Billy Wagner, who have a combined 98 saves this season. Shutting the door for the American League is Jonathan Papelbon, J.J. Putz, Francisco Rodriguez and Bobby Jenks.

Books opened with the total for Tuesday’s game at 10 runs. The All-Star festivities get under way at 8 p.m. ET from AT&T Park in San Francisco, California.

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All-Star Game Preview

The midsummer classic goes at AT&T Park in San Francisco tonight with the National League trying to end a horrible All-Star Game slide and the American League looking to extend its era of domination.

The last time the NL won an All-Star game was when it was played in Philadelphia in 1996. That was so long ago that the game was played in Veterans Stadium and the game’s MVP, Mike Piazza, still played for the Dodgers. Since then the American League has been gone undefeated in 10 straight All-Star games, including the 7-7 tie in 2002 when the two sides ran out of pitchers.

It looked like the National League was finally going to win again last year when they took a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning with Trevor Hoffman on the mound. The all-time leader in saves couldn’t shut the door though, as Michael Young delivered a two-run triple to plate the game-winning run for the AL. The clutch hit won Young the MVP award and kept the AL on top for another year.

This year’s starting lineups are a nice mix of veterans who’ve been there before, and young stars that will likely be making up All-Star rosters for the next decade or so. Some of the old vets on the AL side include Ivan Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, while over in the NL Barry Bonds will be playing in his 14th All-Star game and Ken Griffey Jr. will be suiting up for his 13th. Some of the younger talent making their All-Star debuts includes Russell Martin and Prince Fielder in the NL, while Placido Polanco will be playing in his first All-Star game in his 12th major-league season.

The starters for the All-Star game will be Oakland’s Dan Haren for the AL and San Diego’s Jake Peavy for the NL. Haren is 10-3 with an AL-best 2.30 ERA, while Peavy heads to San Francisco with a 9-3 mark and a 2.19 ERA. During interleague play Haren dominated the NL, posting a 4-0 record with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against the Giants and games against Cincinnati and St. Louis. Peavy faced Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Boston and went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA. His lone interleague loss was to the Red Sox.

The first pitch is scheduled for 8:25 pm EDT tonight, but will most likely be later after all the usual pre-game hype and hoopla. The Vegas oddsmakers are expecting the AL’s unbeaten streak to continue after setting them as a -125 favorite, while the senior circuit is a +105 underdog.

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The All-Star Game from San Francisco

While Tony Bennett has left his heart in San Francisco and hundreds of thousands left something else during the hippie generation at Haight and Asbury Streets. Major League baseball is returning to celebrate by the Bay with the Mid-Summer Classic, that is coming for the first time since Ronald Reagan was about to be reelected later that summer in 1984.

The American League has won 15 of the last 18 All-Star games, for a simple reason, talent. Looking at the starting players for each team only Jose Reyes at shortstop and Chase Utley at second base would seem to have much of an edge. This is not to say, National Leaguers have weak team on the field, rather just not the overall quality of putting an Alex Rodriguez and David Segui at the hot corners and finding three better outfielders this year than Magglio Ordondez, Ichiro Suzuki and Vlade Guerrero would be challenge for anyone.

The American League opens as a -128 wagering favorite, with the Total posted at U10, and those favoring the junior circuit on the run line having to give the -1.5 runs for a +130 payday.

The starting pitchers are veteran youngsters in Jake Peavy and Danny Haren of Oakland. The A’s ace is 10-3, with his team winning 13 of his 19 starts, collecting +5.3 units, to go along with his stellar 2.30 ERA. Peavy on the other hand is 9-3 (Padres 13-5 in his starts) with equally proficient 2.19 ERA. Oddsmakers figure Haren along with powerful line-up is reason enough to make the American League a -160 choice for the team to score first.

For the first time in five years the National League has pitchers that throw hard and have big game experience, which it has lacked in recent years. Brad Penny, Ben Sheets and Chris Young clear the way for the closers which include Billy Wagner, Trevor Hoffman and Francisco Cordero. The AL still has a full galaxy’s of stars in their own right, with John Lackey, Josh Beckett, Johan Santana and C.C. Sabathia. A great deal of comfort also is resting to finish off the NL with Frankie Rodriguez and J.J. Putz in the bullpen.

Picking a MVP winner is a crapshoot; however Barry Bonds in his home ballpark, with Commish Bud Selig in attendance is not the worst pick one could make.

For pure entertainment, this is the only All-Star game in which the players perform in a natural setting, pitching, catching and fielding like they always do. Fox Sports will carry all the festivities starting at 8 Eastern.

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All-Stars buzzing about Bonds

SAN FRANCISCO -- Everyone was buzzing about Barry Bonds.

National League manager Tony La Russa had just posted his lineup for Tuesday night's All-Star game and Bonds, baseball's prodigy and pariah, was batting second, rather than his customary cleanup spot.

''I'm hitting fourth?'' Ken Griffey Jr. said incredulously. ''Just tell him to get the guys over for me.''

Loved and loathed, admired and assailed, Bonds was the center of attention Monday as baseball's midsummer celebration returned to San Francisco for the first time in 23 years.

For once Bonds could bask in the sunlight that filled the Giants' ballpark by the bay and the attention of adoring hometown fans, the dual burden of steroid suspicions and his home-run chase lifted for a few days.

''My thing is that I feel disappointed in some of those fans that were influenced by a third-party judgment and have not given me that opportunity just to know me,'' he said. ''People in San Francisco know me.''

In a silver vest and fashionable tie, Bonds sat behind a corner table in the grand ballroom of the Westin St. Francis hotel by Union Square, surrounded by media a dozen deep as he spoke for an hour before the Home Run Derby. At the other end of the ornate room, Griffey craned his neck around Dodgers reliever Takashi Saito to get a look.

Bonds, a 14-time All-Star, decided not to take part in Monday night's derby, disappointing fans in the ballpark and ratings-hungry baseball executives. He's done it six times before and didn't want to exert himself at age 42.

''I love Barry,'' the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez said. ''I wish he was there because I'm watching it and I want to see great players hit. It would have been awesome to watch him hit some into McCovey Cove.''

Bonds skipped his turn between Carlos Beltran and Griffey when the NL stars took batting practice. When he stepped into the cage a bit later, fans cheered and chanted ''Barry! Barry!'' as he hit mostly liners and grounders. He did send a few drives out toward the right- and center-field seats. He hit seven homers in all, and fans in kayaks and rafts awaited his single splash shot, one diving into the chilly water to fish out a ball.

Bonds hasn't started a regular-season game in the No. 2 hole since June 6, 1987, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, although he batted second in the 1993 All-Star game at Baltimore. Players speculated he was pushed up that high in order to get him extra at-bats.

David Wright of the Mets, hitting fifth in the NL order, wanted to savor the moment.

''It's going to be a great story to tell my kids, my grandchildren that I got a chance to not only suit up with Barry but provide some protection for Ken Griffey Jr., as well,'' he said. ''It's just an incredible honor. It's something I'll always remember.''

The streets of San Francisco were filled with baseball fans who crowded the cable cars that climbed Nob and Russian Hills and found their way down to Fisherman's Wharf and its indelible view of the rust-colored Golden Gate Bridge. The morning fog burned off and AT&T sparkled, its flags flapping in the breeze.

Former Giants Willie McCovey and Dusty Baker were given huge ovations before the Derby. A big celebration of Willie Mays was planned before Tuesday night's game.

Books list the American League All-Stars as -130 favorites.

The Angels' Vladimir Guerrero beat Toronto's Alex Rios 3-2 in the derby final and hit the longest drive, a 503-foot shot in front of the oversized baseball glove behind the left-field seats.

When the All-Stars last came to San Francisco, the Giants played south of downtown in Candlestick Park, known for its chill and stiff wind. There were 21 strikeouts in the 1984 game, highlighted by Gary Carter's home run off Dave Stieb in a 3-1 NL win. The game took just 2 hours, 29 minutes - so fast that it still was daylight when the postgame fireworks went off.

Then there was the 1961 affair at Candlestick, when Stu Miller was blown off the mound for a balk.

The new ballpark, originally known as Pacific Bell Park and then SBC Park, was built partly from the Silicon Valley wealth created in the dot.com boom. It's south of Market Street and protected somewhat from the wind, but players say it can be treacherous.

''The wind just blows,'' the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols said. ''It's probably the toughest park in the National League for a right-handed hitter.''

Oakland's Dan Haren (10-3) and San Diego's Jake Peavy (9-3) were picked as the starting pitchers. The American League carried a nine-game winning streak in All-Star games played to a decision, with 2002's notorious 7-7, 11-inning tie at Milwaukee in the middle.

Homefield advantage for the World Series is at stake for the fifth consecutive season. A-Rod joked that he used to be back home by the time the final out was made and now he sticks around for the late innings.

By then, Bonds will have received several standing ovations. Among the stars, he's revered, not reviled.

''Just ask the guys in this room or the NL room and you'll find a lot of fans of Barry Bonds,'' Boston's Josh Beckett said, ''because we know what he's done and how hard it is to do it.''

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Guerrero edges Rios to win dry Home Run Derby

SAN FRANCISCO -- With Barry Bonds sitting out, this derby was dry - and Vladimir Guerrero was San Francisco's home run king for a day.

The Los Angeles Angels slugger won the Home Run Derby on Monday night as a +600 underdog, hitting 17 homers and beating Toronto's Alex Rios (+1200) 3-2 in the final round of the All-Star competition.

None of the eight batters managed a true ''splash hit'' over the right-field fence and into the waterfront park's iconic McCovey Cove. Dozens of eager fans wearing wetsuits and carrying nets amid the flotilla of kayaks and rafts ended up scrambling for just a handful of foul balls and ricochets during nearly six hours of batting practice and derby slugging.

But the four semifinalists sent balls into every other corner of a park that's usually a nightmare for any hitter not named Bonds.

Guerrero, who managed just two homers in his only previous derby appearance back in 2000, also produced the contest's most fearsome shot: a 503-footer to left that fell just short of the oversized baseball mitt looming over the outfield bleachers - a target that still hasn't been hit during a game in the park's 8-year history.

''The first time I came in 2000, I swung at every pitch, so you learn,'' Guerrero said through an interpreter. ''I came back this year with a different philosophy. I was going to try to take a pitch between, to rest a little bit.''

Guerrero indulged in various shenanigans with his friends and AL teammates during the first two rounds, re-taping his fingers and getting a towel-down in the middle of competition - and when Guerrero failed to homer on his first three swings in the first round, David Ortiz made a special delivery.

The Boston star charged to home plate, dramatically tossed away Guerrero's bat and called for a friend to carry a large wooden case to them. After removing a new bat from the case, Ortiz kissed the lumber and presented it to Guerrero, who used it to hit five homers on his next nine swings.

''It was my bat, and we had it planned if I wasn't doing well at the beginning, he was going to bring it out to me,'' said Guerrero, who slept late Monday to rest up after finishing a nine-game road trip with the Angels in New York.

He was all business in the final, homering on his first pitch before finishing it with three swings to spare. Guerrero casually discarded his bat and didn't even watch as his final shot settled in the left-field stands, celebrating with his cousin from the Dominican Republic.

Rios, added to the derby field on Sunday, had a remarkable 12-homer binge in the second round, but lost his swing in the final, managing just two more to finish with 19.

''It was the pitcher just throwing me the ball where I wanted,'' Rios said. ''I was a little surprised at how far they carried. ... I guess I just didn't warm up enough (before the final).''

Bonds, who's just four homers shy of tying Hank Aaron's career homer record of 755, turned down the chance to participate in the homer contest, though he took part in early batting practice and stuck around to watch the derby with Alex Rodriguez, the majors' homers leader with 30 for the Yankees.

Bonds claimed the toll from an afternoon's swings would be too exhausting and disruptive before Tuesday's game, when he'll start in left field and bat second for the NL squad. The 14-time All-Star hit a handful of homers during batting practice for the thousands of fans who showed up two hours early for the derby.

The sluggers started slowly: Three batters held the first-round lead with five homers apiece, the lowest leading total in the first round since the derby went to a three-round format in 1995.

Defending champion Ryan Howard, who managed just three homers, hit a 410-foot shot that died in the 421-foot corner of right-center, prompting him to rip off his hat in mock frustration.

''It's a tough thing to do,'' Howard said of the dearth of splash hits. ''I don't think any guys were trying to yank it down there. Guys are just trying to stay with their natural swing.''

Minnesota's Justin Morneau, Milwaukee's Prince Fielder, Detroit's Magglio Ordonez and Howard were eliminated in the first round.

Rios hit five consecutive homers on his last swing in the second round to finish with 17 over the first two rounds, pushing him past Colorado's Matt Holliday. Guerrero followed with nine second-round homers to eliminate Holliday - including that 503-foot shot to a previously unexplored area.

Albert Pujols, who hasn't homered for the Cardinals since June 14 during the longest drought of his career, finished one homer shy of the finalists.

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[pm530]

[pm530]

WNBA


Tuesday, July 10

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Hot Lines
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Lady luck: Tuesday’s best WNBA bets

Seattle Storm at Los Angeles Sparks (SEA -4)

The Storm embarrassed the Sparks a week ago in Seattle and we’d feel confident in a revenge game theory here, but Los Angeles appears asleep at the wheel.

The Storm won't have All-Star guard Sue Bird again Tuesday. She’s missed the last two games and is expected to sit another two weeks after undergoing successful surgery on her left knee.

Still, the Storm shouldn’t have any difficulty with Los Angeles. The Sparks are without an elite interior defender who can slow down Storm forward Lauren Jackson.

Pick: Storm -4


Chicago Sky at Detroit Shock (DET -7 ½)

Bill Laimbeer must be looking for ways to motivate his players. The Shock coach benched center Kara Braxton last week against the Phoenix Mercury and his comments after the game suggested it wasn’t because of matchup reasons.

“Kara’s role right now is… we’ll have to see,” Laimbeer said. “It’s probably going to change from day to day.”

Detroit beat Phoenix by 29 with Braxton sitting out all but three minutes of the game. But Braxton must be doing something right because she’ll be starting at center for the East All-Star team this weekend.

Pick: Sky +7 ½

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[Spearit]

Something about the mountain sun

The Colorado Rockies will no doubt try to schedule as many night games as possible in 2008, because their pitchers are getting shellacked in the daytime. Opposing hitters are batting .302 against Colorado’s staff in day games and the Rockies have allowed an average of 6.3 runs over their 25 afternoon outings so far.

Josh Fogg and Aaron Cook have been the team’s worst daytime starters, combining for a 1-6 record with an ERA of 6.06. The pair has allowed a dozen home runs in just 68 1/3 innings pitched during the day.

The seventh-inning stretch must wear them out

The Cincinnati Reds have some big bats and iffy pitching, meaning they’re usually a decent play on the over. The way they hit early in games (and don’t later on), however, means they’re a great over play through the first five innings.

Cincinnati has hit 102 of its 125 homers and has a .475 slugging percentage in the first through sixth innings. Things go awry after that, as the Reds’ slugging number plummets to .360 from the seventh inning onward.

An 'under' waiting to happen

Umpire Doug Eddings has called balls and strikes 19 times this season and 11 of those games have played under the total. Other umps have far better percentages on the total, but Eddings is the only MLB ump who’s called at least 10 games this year who calls at least 65 percent of the pitches he sees strikes.

There have been a lot of home runs in Eddings’ games, leading to some higher scores, but it’s not his fault. There are three strikeouts for every walk in an Eddings-called game, whereas the MLB average ratio is less than two-to-one.

Luckily they don’t let many batters reach base

The San Diego Padres’ pitching numbers are outstanding across the board, save one: they can’t prevent opposing teams from stealing bases. Baserunners have swiped 89 bases against San Diego, the most in MLB, while the Padres have gunned down only 14 would-be thieves.

That’s worth noting with the Padres’ second-half schedule featuring multiple series against the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers, all among MLB leaders in stolen bases.

Chris Young is the worst San Diego culprit. His deliberate delivery has resulted in 26 opposition stolen bases in 26 attempts.

The least likely starter to go the full nine is …

Scott Kazmir’s walks are up this year and when you combine that with the number of batters he strikes out, it means he’s using more pitches to retire batters than your average starter.

In fact, Kazmir’s 4.12 pitches per batter and 18.3 pitches per inning are both the most of any MLB pitcher with at least 100 innings under his belt this year. That means early calls to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays bullpen, which is bad news for anyone still in love with Kazmir’s stuff.

Better and better (and better) for the Tigers

Nobody’s scored runs like the Detroit Tigers have this season and a closer look at the numbers helps explain why. The Tigers have a strong top-to-bottom lineup with batters who time their hits well.

Detroit is hitting .292 overall, with an OPS of .828. Those are solid numbers, but not as good as the .304 and .851 stats the Tigers post with runners on base. Those numbers are then topped by Detroit’s .330 average and .910 OPS with runners in scoring position.

Just to make things ridiculous, Detroit batters have stepped to the plate with the bases loaded 83 times this season and they’ve hit .434 with a ridiculous 1.125 OPS in those situations.

Traveling road show

The Red Sox have a lot of star power and with Hideki Okajima joining closer Jonathan Papelbon at the All-Star Game in San Francisco, the bullpen is getting its fair share of recognition.

What might go unnoticed, however, is how dominant Boston’s bullpen has been away from Fenway Park and how it’s leading to a lot of scores playing under the total.

The Red Sox top MLB with both their 3.34 ERA and .228 opposition batting average on the road. Boston’s relievers are leading the way with their 2.27 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, resulting in only 15 of the team’s 43 road games playing over the total.

[pm530]

WNBA


Tuesday, July 10

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Long Sheet
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SEATTLE (10 - 8) at LOS ANGELES (7 - 11) - 7/10/2007, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
LOS ANGELES is 25-43 ATS (-22.3 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 8-4 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 7-5 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (8 - 10) at DETROIT (12 - 5) - 7/10/2007, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games on Tuesday over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-0 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (5 - 14) at WASHINGTON (6 - 12) - 7/10/2007, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 12-22 ATS (-12.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in July games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 16-27 ATS (-13.7 Units) in May, June, or July games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 4-17 ATS (-14.7 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 138-181 ATS (-61.1 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 22-38 ATS (-19.8 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 27-45 ATS (-22.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 2-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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INDIANA (13 - 4) at HOUSTON (5 - 13) - 7/10/2007, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 200-157 ATS (+27.3 Units) in all games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 105-75 ATS (+22.5 Units) in home games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 65-44 ATS (+16.6 Units) in July games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 143-101 ATS (+31.9 Units) in May, June, or July games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 74-51 ATS (+17.9 Units) against Eastern conference opponents since 1997.
HOUSTON is 74-51 ATS (+17.9 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 55-35 ATS (+16.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1997.
HOUSTON is 28-13 ATS (+13.7 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.
HOUSTON is 45-21 ATS (+21.9 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1997.
HOUSTON is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) in home games after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
HOUSTON is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 4-1 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 3-2 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[Kaptain]

Nice Info fellows----thanks

[pm530]

MLB - All-Star Game

MLB All-Star Game news and notes - Updated

July 10

SAN FRANCISCO -- Of every All-Star surrounding Alfonso Soriano, Barry Bonds ranked first on his list for who he most wanted to see and greet.

No matter that Bonds passed up the Chicago Cubs' star in the final week to win a starting outfield spot for the National League by a landslide.

If Soriano doesn't get enough time with the San Francisco slugger during the All-Star game festivities, the two will be facing off in four games starting Monday at Wrigley Field.

''After the All-Star break, we're playing. I'll joke with him,'' Soriano said, referring to getting bumped out of the starting lineup. ''He's the king of home runs. Maybe I'll have a chance to talk to him. That would be exciting for me.''

Bonds, who has 751 homers and is four shy of tying Hank Aaron's record, trailed Soriano 1,332,581 to 1,213,423 when vote totals were released last Monday. Bonds received 1,111,968 votes over the final few days to finish with 2,325,391 - 122,878 ahead of Soriano.

''I have 2 million friends that you guys didn't know about,'' Bonds said Monday.

And Soriano didn't mind. After all, the game is in Bonds' home ballpark. The Giants' star is approaching 43 and might not play in another midsummer classic. This is Bonds' 14th All-Star selection in 22 major league seasons and his first since 2004.

''Barry got it,'' Soriano said. ''I'm not surprised it happened. It's here in San Francisco and I'm happy for him and very excited he'll start in left field here in San Francisco.''

---

ALCOHOL-FREE ZONE: The All-Star clubhouses are dry, with no alcohol allowed on either the American League or National League side for this year's events.

Major League Baseball wasn't sure whether that had ever been the case previously. But it is becoming more of a trend by individual clubs, in spite of critics such as White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

The defending World Series champion Cardinals banned alcohol from their clubhouse this season in the wake of pitcher Josh Hancock's alcohol-related death April 29. In addition, St. Louis manager Tony La Russa, skipper of the NL squad Tuesday night, was arrested for drunken driving in March during spring training after police said they found him asleep inside his running sport utility vehicle at a stop light.

At least 13 teams now prohibit beer and other alcoholic beverages from being consumed in the clubhouse, several spurred by Hancock's death.

---

[pm530]

AT & T Park, San Francisco

[pm530]

Baseball Today

MLB
”Baseball Today”


Tuesday, July 10

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Baseball Today - July 10

STARS
Monday

-- Vladimir Guerrero, Angels, beat Toronto's Alex Rios 3-2 in the final round of the Home Run Derby at San Francisco.

STARTING PITCHERS

Oakland's Dan Haren and San Diego's Jake Peavy were announced as the starting pitchers Monday for the All-Star game. Haren, 10-3 with an AL-leading 2.30 ERA, was selected by Tigers manager Jim Leyland ahead of Justin Verlander, Johan Santana, C.C. Sabathia, Josh Beckett and John Lackey. Peavy, 9-3 with a 2.19 ERA that trails only teammate Chris Young in the NL, is the third Padres pitcher to start an All-Star game, joining LaMarr Hoyt in 1985 and Randy Jones in 1976. ^SURFING THE WEB=

Major League Baseball announced a postseason marketing campaign will include a Web site, october.com, that will allow fans to create their own compilations of past playoff highlights. MLB will launch the "There's Only One October" campaign, featuring comedian Dane Cook, during the broadcast of Tuesday's All-Star game. The Web site will give fans access to an expansive archive of MLB footage, including more than 60 clips of historical postseason plays such as Willie Mays' catch in the 1954 World Series and Kirk Gibson's 1988 home run.

SENT PACKING

The Angels waived infielder-designated hitter Shea Hillenbrand on Monday, a disappointment for Los Angeles after signing a $6.5 million, one-year contract in December. The 31-year-old Hillenbrand batted .254 with three homers and 22 RBIs in 53 games with the Angels. ... The Toronto Blue Jays released right-hander Victor Zambrano, who went 0-2 with a 10.97 ERA in eight games including two starts. Zambrano, who signed as a free agent on Jan. 30, underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time last season, allowed eight runs and eight hits in 2 2-3 innings against Boston on May 8. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list two days later with a strained right forearm. The native of Venezuela went 3-2 with a 7.40 ERA on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Syracuse before being released.

SPEAKING

"No one can determine when that's going to happen, and Hank has a life, too. You could go weeks. You expect this man to just travel all over this continent for weeks? It's just not fair to him. That's just all it's about. If you can predict what you're going to do and he can get there and like OK, bam, it's going to be this day and this time, that's a different scenario. Hank's a great ballplayer. He's the home run king. He will always be the home run king in our hearts. We respect him. We love him. Hank, if you want to stay home, stay home, brother." -- Barry Bonds, on Hank Aaron's intent not to attend the milestone when the Giants' slugger ties and passes him as the career home run king. Bonds is at 751, four behind Aaron's mark.

SEASONS

This Day in Baseball History
July 10

"The American boy starts swinging the bat about as soon as he can lift one." - TRIS SPEAKER, Hall of Fame outfielder (1907-1928)

1911 - With just one punch, Sherry Magee KOs home plate umpire Bill Finneran after he is ejected for disputing a called third strike. The star Phillies flychaser is suspended for the rest of theseason, will be reinstated after 36 games due to an appeal.

1920 - Tris Speaker, who has collected 11 consecutive hits, is finally thwarted by Washington hurler Tom Zachary. The "Grey Eagle's" effort establishes a record which will not be broken until 1938 when Red Sox third baseman Pinky Higgins hits 12 knocks in a row.

1929 - The Pirates rout the Phillies 15-9 at the Baker Bowl in game which features one home run hit in each inning. Pittsburgh goes deep five time with Philadelphia adding four more.

1932 - Indians' flychaser Johnny Burnett in 11 at-bats collects a record nine hits in an 18-inning game which the A's outscore the Tribe, 18-17. After the Philadelphia starter is knocked out in the first inning, Ed Rommel, who gives up a record 33 hits, is forced to hurl 17 innings in relief as manager/owner Connie Mack, trying to save train fare, brings only two pitchers. In a 9-8 defeat to the hometown Chicago Colts, Phillies' outfielder Ed Delahanty hits four home runs in one game. All of the round trippers are the inside-the-park variety.

1935 - Beating the Tulsa Oilers, 1-0, Galveston Buccaneers hurler Ed Cole throws the first perfect game in Texas League history. The decisive hit is an inside-the-park home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

1968 - The American League and National League agrees on next year's expansion and play-off format. Each league will divide their twelve teams into two six-team divisions playing a best-of-five game league championship series to determine the pennant winner.

1979 - Del Unser connects in his third consecutive pinch-hit home run. The Phillies ties a major league record established by Lee Lacy last year.

1999 - At Leland's ‘Hero's Auction’ of sports memorabilia held in New York, the ball batted by Carlton Fisk in the 12th inning which hit the Fenway foul pole ending one of the most dramatic games in World Series history, is sold for $113,273. George Foster, the Reds’ left fielder who retrieved and kept the 1975 historic home run ball, decided the sell the souvenir after realizing its potential value after Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball sold for almost $3 million.

2001 - In his final All-Star appearance, Cal Ripken is named the MVP of the game. His home run along with consecutive dingers from Derek Jeter and Magglio Ordonez power the AL to its fifth victory in a row beating the National League at Seattle’s Safeco Field, 4-1. In his final All-Star appearance, Cal Ripken is named the MVP of the game. His home run along with consecutive dingers from Derek Jeter and Magglio Ordonez power the AL to its fifth victory in a row beating the National League at Seattle’s Safeco Field, 4-1.

Today's birthday: Javier Lopez 30.

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MLB ALLSTAR RESULTS

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Ichiro Suzuki sped around the bases as the ball bounced away from Ken Griffey Jr. for the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star game history. On a night of tricky hops, Suzuki and the American League rebounded to win -- as usual.

Instead of a Barry Bonds splash shot, the defining hit at Tuesday's All-Star game was Suzuki's drive off the right-field wall at quirky AT&T Park.

His two-run homer in the fifth inning put the AL ahead, then Carl Crawford and Victor Martinez added conventional shots and the Americans held on for a 5-4 victory over the Nationals.

"I thought it was going to go over the fence," Suzuki said through a translator. "When it didn't, I was really bummed."

In a decade of dominance, the AL has won 10 straight games played to a decision, with the notorious 2002 tie at Milwaukee interrupting the run. The only longer streak was when the NL took 11 in a row from 1972-82.

"We're tired of losing always," the Chicago Cubs' Derrek Lee said. "We just want to win one and put all of this to rest."

Suzuki's home run ball -- smudged with green and red and signed by the Japanese star -- immediately was handed over to the Hall of Fame.

"He's an artist with that bat," NL manager Tony La Russa said.

That wasn't the only drama.

Alfonso Soriano hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth that made it 5-4, and the NL loaded the bases on three walks. Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez then retired Aaron Rowand on a routine fly to right for a save.

"I didn't enjoy it a bit," said AL manager Jim Leyland, so competitive that he screamed at an umpire in the ninth.

Willie Mays, Bonds' godfather, was honored with a touching tribute before the game. In the Say Hey Kid's day, the NL ruled All-Star games but not anymore. The AL closed to 40-36-2 and improved to 5-0 since the All-Star winner received homefield advantage in the World Series.

"Nobody wants to lose," Griffey said.

Soriano, who joined Frank Robinson as the only player to hit All-Star homers with each league, connected off Seattle closer J.J. Putz, who then walked J.J. Hardy. Rodriguez relieved and walked Lee on a full count -- Leyland screamed at first-base umpire Charlie Reliford about a check swing. A walk to Orlando Hudson loaded the bases before Rowand's fly ended it.

"I just missed it, just missed it," Rowand said. "I was trying to hit a line drive somewhere, score a couple of runs. I just missed hitting that ball off or over that fence."

Suzuki, on the verge of a large contract extension from the Mariners, had been 3-for-15 in All-Star play coming in. He got three hits, was the game's MVP and will be remembered for his strange shot, unfamiliar even to ballpark regulars such as Bonds.

"He came up to me and said I've never seen that happen before," Griffey said.

Fans had waited in kayaks out in McCovey Cove beyond right field in vain for some shots into the water -- no souvenirs found their way into the chilly bay.

Bonds, the center of attention in the days before the game, had a quiet night. He flied to right field in the first, hit an opposite-field shot to the warning track in left in the third, then departed at the top of the fourth.

He received a huge ovation after he came out on the red carpet during the pregame introductions and bowed three times to his adoring hometown fans. Hitting in the No. 2 spot -- his last regular-season appearance in that slot was 20 years ago -- he even faked a bunt on the first pitch of his second at-bat.

"There's too many emotions to be able to explain it," he said. "This is my family who I grew up for a lot of years. All I can do is say thank you."

His chase for Hank Aaron's home run record resumes later this week, and the scrutiny will return. But for a night, the swirl of steroids speculation lifted along with the San Francisco fog.

Griffey, perhaps the closest to a latter-day Mays baseball has seen, drove in two runs for the NL with a first-inning single and a sixth-inning sacrifice fly.

Boston's Josh Beckett got the win, and San Diego's Chris Young -- who gave up Suzuki's homer -- was the loser.

Young entered to start the fifth and walked his first batter, Brian Roberts. One out later, Suzuki reached down and golfed a ball to right-center field. It hit off an All-Star ad in an area known as the arcade and instead of bouncing straight back, it kicked toward right field.

"It just hit the corner and bounced the other way," Griffey said. "I tried to make a good throw to the cutoff man and hoped that he would fall down."

Suzuki was at third by the time Griffey got to the ball and easily sped home for the first inside-the-park homer of his major league career -- since joining the majors in 2001, he had never hit one in the regular season or playoffs. An All-Star every season he's played in the majors, his homer put the AL ahead 2-1.

Second in the majors with a ,359 average, Suzuki joked about his power.

"If I'm allowed to hit .220, I could probably hit 40," he said, "but nobody wants that."

Before a ballpark record crowd of 43,965 on an overcast evening, Mays was honored for being perhaps the greatest five-tool player in the sport's history. After the All-Stars were introduced, he walked in from center field, flanked by Bonds and Derek Jeter, between two rows of the assembled players. The tribute was similar -- but less emotional -- than 1999's ceremony honoring Ted Williams at Boston's Fenway Park.

Griffey was the early star. He put the NL ahead with an RBI single in the first off Dan Haren, then threw out Alex Rodriguez trying to score from second in the fourth on Ivan Rodriguez's single.

Crawford homered with two outs in the sixth against Francisco Cordero to make it 3-1. The ball went a little to the center-field side of Suzuki's shot, about 20 feet from the sign that totals Bonds' homers, currently 751. A fan appeared to reach over the brick wall, about 19 feet high, and gather up the ball.

Griffey drove in the NL's second run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half against Justin Verlander after Carlos Beltran nearly duplicated Suzuki's shot off the wall but was held to a triple by Vladimir Guerrero. Martinez hit the 18th pinch homer in All-Star history, a two-run drive in the eight off Mets closer Billy Wagner.

Bonds didn't seem to mind that he wasn't the hero.

"It was fabulous. It was great," he said. "Another chapter to my career."

Notes

The AL and NL began the night tied with 326 runs each in All-Star play. ... There have been two inside-the-parkers in the ballpark: by Fernando Vina on May 9, 2000, and Dustan Mohr on Aug. 4, 2004. ... Young pitched the fifth inning and made pickoff throws to Lee. The pair were suspended for brawling at Wrigley Field on June 16 after Young hit Lee with a pitch. ... Jeter was 1-for-3, leaving him at 8-for-16 in All-Star play. ... After the game, a recording of Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard invited fans to next year's game in New York.