Monday Trends and Indexes 08/20

[Udog]

Monday Trends and Indexes 08/20



Trends and Indexes

Monday August 20



Good Luck on day #232 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.

[Udog]

Six-pack for Monday

Dodger-Colorado game Saturday night was amazing; here are some notes from that marathon game...........

-- Colorado's Matt Holliday had been 0-6, but got winning hit in 14th inning, proving that hero of a game doesn't have to be great the whole game, just at important times.

-- Game lasted 5:06, with a total of 468 pitches thrown.

-- Colorado used eight pitchers, Dodgers seven; Proctor of LA threw only one pitch, got a fly out, was pinch hit for.

-- Rockies prospect Morales did great in first major league start, allowing one run in 5.1 IP. Colorado has three starters out with injuries, as they try to hang in Wild Card chase.

-- Announced crowd was 52,508, but by end of game, most that were there was 10,000 or so fans. Lot of early exits.

-- Dodger catcher Martin not only stole two bases and was behind plate for all 14 innings, he played again on Sunday.

[Udog]

Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend........

13) CBS isn't as fond of their golf coverage without Eldrick Woods in the field; not only was Wyndham tourney shown from 1-4, they did lot of instructional features, instead of live action. Highest-ranked player in Wyndham field was the #40 player in world, Anders Hansen, and he is obscure here.

12) Bottom line, golf's FedEx Cup, even with $10M first prize, is going nowhere unless Eldrick Woods buys in. Skipping the first event at Westchester this week isn't a good start.

11) Speaking of golf, Arnold Palmer has 10 holes-in-one in his career. I don't have 19 aces in miniature golf.

10) White Sox are falling apart; Garland gave up ten runs in 2.2 IP Sunday; in his last nine starts, he has allowed 50 runs in just 44.2 IP, and he's one of their best pitchers.

9) The two baseball play-by-play guys who are impossible to listen to: Hawk Harrelson (White Sox), Michael Kay (Bronx). If they're on, we go mute button/music for background sound

8) Milwaukee had 5-0 lead, couldn't hold it, lost 7-6 to Reds, the 16th Capuano start in a row they've lost. What does this guy have to do to lose his spot in the rotation?

7) Johan Santana struck out 17 Rangers, walked none, as the Twins beat Texas 1-0, Rangers got only two hits off Santana, as yet another Metrodome game stayed under the total (19 of last 20 Metrodome games stayed under).

6) Brad Penny talked Dodgers into letting him pitch on three days' rest, and it was a bad idea. Colorado fouled off 34 of his pitches in first four innings; he threw 111 pitches in five IP, as his stuff just wasn't as crisp as it had been recently.

5) In one epic at-bat, Cory Sullivan fouled off thirteen pitches, before flying to left on 17th pitch of his plate appearance.

4) Because of the Donaghy mess, NBA refs no longer will be allowed to access the refs' master schedule, to see what refs are working where. This is what Donaghy used to tip off his people on who to bet on.

3) Houston Rockets may have a new GM, and he may be very young, but he isn't real powerful; Rockets' owner Alexander interviewed new coach Rick Adelman, without the GM in the room; whoever heard of doing something like that?

2) ESPN televised the national school Scrabble championship Saturday afternoon. Seriously.

1) This will sound goofy, but here's a prediction: by end of football season, Jared Lorenzen will be Giants' starting QB, but not because of injury, just because he might be better.

[Udog]

MLB
Monday's MLB betting notes


Astros lose Lee – and power

The Houston Astros paid a big price for a win on Saturday. They beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 as -122 favorites, but their top slugger had to leave the game and might not return for a while.

Houston hasn’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut this season, earning around 4.4 runs per game and if Carlos Lee’s hip flexor injury keeps him out for any length of time, that production could drop off even further. Lee leads the team in home runs and RBIs. The Astros will miss his presence in the lineup and with no one on the roster that even comes close to his combination of patience and power, Lee’s absence will probably mean fewer runs and more games playing under the total – particularly in their current series with the Washington Nationals, the worst offensive team in baseball.

Pirates offense comes alive

The 11 comeback performance by the Pittsburgh Pirates this weekend not only allowed them to claim a win over the surging Philladelphia Phillies, but it also provided further evidence that this ballclub is capable of running up the score any night of the week. It was the sixth straight result to hit the “over” for the Pirates as the heart of the Bucs order, including Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, Xavier Nady and Jason Bay, kept up the torrid offensive pace.

"It's encouraging seeing guys take good at-bats and hopefully we can continue," said Nady, who reached base four of the five times he came to the plate. "Everyone believes in themselves on this team. It's obviously encouraging to be hitting when you're swinging with guys on base."

The Pirates are averaging more than 7.5 runs per nine innings over their last 10 games. Part of that might have been assisted by the energy of sellout crowds at PNC Park, but now they’ll have to hit the road to play at Coors Field in Colorado, where they’ve played only six games over the last three seasons.

Phillies get lucky with new second baseman

There’s no doubt who will be the Philadelphia Phillies second baseman when Chase Utley returns from injury. The All-Star broke his hand on July 26 and the Phillies quickly moved to acquire Tadahito Iguchi from the Chicago White Sox (for almost nothing). In Chicago, Iguchi had been doing little at the plate, but since coming to the City of Brotherly Love, his bat has heated up considerably and he’s had eight multi-hit games and a .307 batting average.

The Phillies have gone 13-8 for a profit of nearly five units without Utley in the lineup. It’s not known what will be done with Iguchi when Utley returns, but there is some talk that he may move to third base, currently occupied by Abraham Nunez.

Tigers get better on offense and defense

Many Detroit Tigers fans got nervous when Craig Monroe was booted from the lineup. Not because he’s been a consistent contributor for the club, but because he provided a boost of power that the Detroit lineup desperately needs. Imagine the relief around Motown when super prospect Cameron Maybin stepped up in his second big league game and cranked a mammoth shot to centerfield off none other than Roger Clemens. Maybin, who is touted to be part Ken Griffey Jr. and part Willie Mays, made up for an 0-for-4 day in his debut with a 2-for-3 showing and an RBI on Saturday. It wasn’t enough to beat the Yankees, but it was a promising display from the 20-year-old phenom.

In addition to the potential offense that Maybin could provide, the Tigers moved to improve their defense by bringing up another prospect, shortstop Ramon Santiago. He made a brief appearance as a pinch runner against the Yankees, but with Carlos Guillen playing the field like a rusted tinman, a more solid fielder like Santiago could allow Guillen to move to first and improve the Tigers’ overall performance in the field.

Oakland misses on August surge

It has become an Oakland A’s tradition to harness the energy of the late summer sun and turn the “dog days” into paydays – but not this year. The A’s would be happy just to reach .500, which manager Bob Greene says, “would be huge.”

As the A’s now sit in third place in the AL West, 12 games out of the lead, some people are starting to question Billy Beane’s “moneyball” philosophy, but the Oakland general manager says there’s a simpler reason for the club’s struggles.

"That's an easy question to answer," he says. "We've used the disabled list 19 times this season. It's that simple. Any attempt to find anything deeper is not to see the obvious."

Oakland will face the Toronto Blue Jays today with Mark Kotsay, Eric Chavez, Bobby Crosby, Chris Snelling and Chris Denorfia on the DL.

[Udog]

Baseball Today - August 20


SCOREBOARD Monday, Aug. 20

N.Y. Yankees at L.A. Angels (10:05 p.m. EDT) Phil Hughes looks to win his third straight decision.

STARS Sunday

-Johan Santana, Twins, finished with a franchise-record 17 strikeouts in eight innings to help Minnesota edge Texas 1-0.

-Mark Teixeira, Braves, drove in four runs with two homers to help Atlanta top Arizona 6-2.

-Aaron Hill, Blue Jays, hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to lift Toronto over Baltimore 3-2.

-Joel Guzman, Devil Rays, hit a game-winning RBI single in his first at-bat with Tampa Bay, sending the Devil Rays past Cleveland 4-3 in 12 innings.

-Carlos Beltran, Mets, homered twice and drove in four runs to help the New York Mets finish a three-game sweep of Washington with an 8-2 win.

SANTANA SPOT-ON

Johan Santana finished with a franchise-record 17 strikeouts in eight innings to lead Minnesota past Texas 1-0 on Sunday. Santana's 17 strikeouts were the most in the majors since Ben Sheets fanned 18 for Milwaukee on May 16, 2004, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He broke the Minnesota record of 15, accomplished four times - the last by Bert Blyleven on Aug. 1, 1986. Joe Nathan struck out two in the ninth and the Twins finished with 19 strikeouts for the game, also a team record.

SMOLTZ

John Smoltz struck out a season-high 12 and became the Braves' strikeout leader as Atlanta beat Arizona 6-2 on Sunday. Smoltz, 40, passed Phil Niekro as the Braves' franchise strikeout leader. He gave up five hits, three walks and two runs in eight innings to win for only the second time since June.

SLUMP

Cincinnati edged Milwaukee 7-6 on Sunday to hand the Brewers their 16th consecutive loss in games started by Chris Capuano. Manager Ned Yost had threatened to pull him from the rotation unless he pitched better against the Reds, and the left-hander went 6 1-3 innings, giving up five runs and nine hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. The last time the Brewers won when Capuano pitched was May 7 in a 3-0 win over Washington. ... Chicago lost its eighth straight, 11-5 at Seattle. The White Sox have lost eight straight for the first time since May 15-23, 2001, and went winless on a road trip of more than six games for the first time since the 1991 season.

STREAKS

Lenny DiNardo worked a career-long eight innings to win his third straight start and fifth consecutive decision in Oakland's 6-1 victory over Kansas City on Sunday. The left-hander hasn't lost since July 13.

WASHED OUT

Sunday night's game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs was postponed following a 1-hour, 48-minute rain delay in the bottom of the third inning. A makeup date was not immediately announced.

SPEAKING

''I said 'Groove? You're completely unhittable. Nobody stands a chance.''' - Atlanta's Bobby Cox after John Smoltz told his manger he was in a groove. Smoltz struck out a franchise record 12 in a 6-2 win over Arizona on Sunday.

Aug. 20

1912 - Washington's Jay Cashion pitched a six-inning no-hitter to give the Senators a 2-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the second game of a doubleheader.

1945 - Tommy Brown, 17 years, 8 months, 14 days, of the Brooklyn Dodgers became the youngest major league player to hit a home run when he connected in Ebbets Field against Preacher Roe of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1961 - The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Braves 7-4 in the second game of a doubleheader to snap a 23-game losing streak, a modern record.

1974 - Nolan Ryan of the California Angels struck out 19 Tigers in a 1-0, 11-inning loss to Detroit. It was the third time this season that Ryan struck out 19 batters in a game.

1985 - Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets struck out 16 batters in a 3-0 victory over San Francisco. Gooden became the first National League pitcher to strike out 200 or more batters in each of his first two seasons.

1995 - Jose Mesa of the Cleveland Indians picked up his 37th save in 37 opportunities, setting a major league record as the Indians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5.

2004 - Adrian Beltre of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit two home runs, a game-tying homer in the ninth and a game-winner in the 11th, in a 3-2 win over Atlanta.

2005 - The Kansas City Royals ended baseball's longest losing streak in 17 years, beating the Oakland Athletics 2-1 to snap a club-record 19-game skid.

Today's birthdays: Cory Sullivan 24; Todd Helton 34.

[Udog]

MLB
Write-up


Monday, August 20


Hot Pitchers
-- Cubs won eight of last ten Lilly starts. Pineiro is 2-0, 1.29 in his last couple starts.
-- Braves won last ten Hudson starts (6-0, 1.78 in last seven).
-- Redding is 2-1, 2.27 in his last five starts.
-- Arizona won last seven Davis starts (5-0, 3.13).

-- Marcum is 5-0, 2.14 in his last five starts.
-- Wakefield is 3-0, 2.25 vs Devil Rays this season; he has great record at Tropicana Field. Kazmir is 4-1, 1.21 in last seven starts.
-- Garza is 3-3, 2.59 in seven starts this season.
-- Hughes is 2-0, 0.73 in two road starts this season.

Cold Pitchers
-- Mitre has a 7.81 RA in his last five starts. Ortiz is 0-2, 9.45 in his last three starts.
-- Dumatrait is 0-1, 10.01 in three starts for the Reds.
-- Astros lost nine of last ten Jennings starts.
-- Jimenez has an 8.40 RA in three starts at Coors Field. Morris is 0-1, 7.36 in three starts for Pittsburgh.
-- In his last two starts, Gallardo allowed 18 runs in 8.1 IP.

-- Blanton has 9.17 RA in his last three road starts.
-- Cabrera has been on losing side in last six starts when he won his previous start. Rangers are 1-7 in Padilla road starts.
-- Ramirez is 1-2, 10.22 in his last five starts.
-- Buehrle is 0-2, 8.18 in his last couple starts. Meche is 0-5, 5.46 in his last five starts.
-- Angels lost last three Moseley starts (0-1, 6.60).

Totals
-- Over is 6-3 in Marlins' last nine home games.
-- Over is 6-3 in Cubs' last nine home games.
-- Last nine Cincinnati games all went over the total.
-- Over is 5-1 in last six Jennings starts, but the under is 7-0-1 in Redding's starts this season.
-- Over is 20-4 in Pirates' last twenty-four games.
-- Over is 7-3 in last ten Arizona home games.

-- Last six Toronto home games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 6-2 in last eight games at Camden Yards.
-- Four of last five Boston games went over the total.
-- Under is 19-1 in Minnesota's last twenty home games.
-- Nine of last 11 Kansas City games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 7-3 in Angels' last ten home games.


Hot Teams
-- Giants won their last four games, allowing eleven runs.
-- Reds are 9-5 in their last fourteen games.
-- Cubs won last three games, allowing total of six runs.
-- Rockies won seven of their last nine home games. Pirates are 3-1 in last four games, scoring 37 runs.
-- Arizona won twelve of its last sixteen home games.
-- Astros are 8-4 in their last dozen home games.

-- Bronx won six of last seven road games.
-- Orioles lost five of their last seven home games.
-- Toronto won thirteen of its last seventeen home games.
-- Twins won four of their last five games. Mariners won six of their last eight games.
-- Royals won three of their last four games.
-- Angels won nine of their last ten home games.


Cold Teams
-- Cardinals lost first two games of Cub series, scoring 4 runs.
-- Braves lost three of their last four games.
-- Nationals lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Marlins lost six of last seven games, allowing 44 runs.
-- Brewers lost ten of their last thirteen games.

-- Oakland is 7-11 in its last eigheen road games.
-- Devil Rays lost five of their last seven games. Red Sox split their last twenty games.
-- Rangers lost ten of their last thirteen road games.
-- White Sox lost nine of their last ten games.

[Udog]

MLB
Tips and Trends


St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs (2:20 PM ET)

St. Louis starter Joel Pineiro has picked up consecutive victories for the first time this season, allowing two earned runs and nine hits in 14 innings of work against Milwaukee and San Diego. EDGE: CARDINALS
Pineiro has made eight relief appearances during the daytime this season, posting an even 1-1 record and 7.04 ERA. He’s allowed six earned runs and 11 hits over 7 2/3 innings. SLIGHT EDGE: CUBS
Chicago’s Ted Lilly is 2-1 with a 1.29 ERA in three career starts versus St. Louis. He picked up a 7-1 road victory over the Cardinals on July 25, giving up one runs and six hits over seven innings of work. EDGE: CUBS
Lilly has given up the long ball with great regularity the past four starts, allowing seven home runs over just 23 2/3 innings of work. The left-hander was drilled for six runs and six hits in five innings of work in his last start against the Cincinnati Reds. SLIGHT EDGE: CARDINALS
The Cubs are 3-7 in their last 10 games as a favorite.


Oakland Athletics at Toronto Blue Jays (7:07 PM ET)

Oakland right-hander Joe Blanton is 3-2 with a 3.43 ERA in six career starts versus Toronto. He tallied a 3-1 complete game victory over the Blue Jays on July 3, allowing one runs and four hits while striking out four and walking just a single batter. EDGE: A’S
Blanton’s performance has suffered since the All-Star break, going 2-3 with a 5.93 ERA in seven starts. The right-hander is coming off his strongest second-half start of the season, gaining a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox – tossing seven shutout innings and striking out five while walking not a single batter. SLIGHT EDGE: BLUE JAYS
Toronto’s Shaun Marcum has picked up five straight victories since July 23, allowing just eight earned runs in 33 2/3 innings. During his current winning streak, the Blue Jays have outscored their opponents by just 11 runs. EDGE: BLUE JAYS
Marcum made his only career start against the Athletics back on July 28, 2006, giving up two earned runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings. SLIGHT EDGE: ATHLETICS
The OVER is 13-4 in the last 17 meetings in Toronto.


Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Devil Rays (7:10 PM ET)

Boston starter Tim Wakefield is an unbelievable 18-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 35 career appearances versus Tampa Bay. He’s managed to allow just 139 hits in 181 1/3 innings of work against them. BIG EDGE: RED SOX
Wakefield has been less than impressive on the road this season, tallying a 5-6 record and 4.21 ERA. He picked up a 10-4 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels two starts back at Angel Stadium, giving up six earned runs and seven hits over four innings. SLIGHT EDGE: D-RAYS
Tampa Bay ace Scott Kazmir is a solid 5-3 with a 2.37 ERA in 14 career starts versus Boston. The hard-throwing left-hander tossed six shutout innings in his last start versus the Red Sox, but the Devil Rays ended up blowing the game and picking up a 2-1 loss at Fenway Park. EDGE: D-RAYS
Kazmir has been fantastic during the month of August, posting a perfect 2-0 record and 0.47 ERA in three starts. He’s allowing just a single run and 14 hits over his last 19 innings of work while striking out 24 batters and walking just six. EDGE: D-RAYS
The OVER is 6-2 in Wakefield’s last eight starts overall.


Seattle Mariners at Minnesota Twins (8:10 PM ET)

Seattle left-hander Horacio Ramirez was handed an 11-3 loss in his only career start versus Minnesota last time out, giving up six earned runs and nine hits over five innings of work. SLIGHT EDGE: TWINS
Ramirez is a perfect 2-0 with a 4.40 ERA in three indoors starts this season. He’s allowed seven runs and 17 hits over 14 1/3 innings of work. SLIGHT EDGE: MARINERS
Twins starter Matt Garza is a winless 0-7 with a 5.28 ERA in nine career outings at the Metrodome. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 2.76 ERA in three home starts in 2007, allowing just one home run over 16 1/3 innings. EDGE: MARINERS
Garza grabbed an 11-3 road victory over Seattle in his last start, surrendering just three runs and nine hits over seven innings of work. SLIGHT EDGE: TWINS
The Mariners are 5-1 in their last six road games.


Kansas City Royals at Chicago White Sox (8:11 PM ET)

Kansas City’s Gil Meche is a solid 5-2 with a 4.53 ERA in 10 career starts versus Chicago. The Royals were handed a 7-3 defeat in his last start against the White Sox, allowing three earned runs and eight hits over seven innings of work. SLIGHT EDGE: ROYALS
The Royals have lost five straight games with Meche on the hill, as the offense has scored just 11 runs over that span. The right-hander has allowed eight earned runs and 11 hits over his last 10 1/3 innings away from Kaufmann Stadium. EDGE: WHITE SOX
White Sox ace Mark Buehrle is a dominant 16-6 with a 3.36 ERA in 32 career outings versus the Royals. He’s 1-0 with a 4.85 ERA in two starts against them in 2007, allowing seven runs and 12 hits over 13 innings. EDGE: WHITE SOX
Buehrle has missed the mark in three August starts, posting a 1-2 record and 5.68 ERA. The left-hander has managed issued seven walks and fanned just nine over 19 innings of work. EDGE: ROYALS
The White Sox are 1-5 in Buehrle’s last six Monday starts.


Milwaukee Brewers at Arizona Diamondbacks (9:40 PM ET)

Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo is 1-2 with a 7.56 ERA in six away appearances this season. He was hammered in his last road start versus the Rockies, allowing 11 earned runs and 12 hits over just 2 2/3 innings. EDGE: D-BACKS
Gallardo picked up an impressive 10-1 home victory over the Diamondbacks on July 19, allowing three hits and striking out four over six shutout innings. SLIGHT EDGE: BREWERS
Arizona’s Doug Davis is 6-2 with a 4.38 ERA in 12 home starts this season. The Diamondbacks have picked up six straight victories with Davis on the mound at Chase Field, outscoring opponents 38-22 in the process. EDGE: D-BACKS
Davis is a perfect 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA in three starts this month, allowing just six runs and 15 hits over 20 1/3 innings of work. EDGE: D-BACKS
The OVER is 5-1-1 in the Brewers' last seven games overall.


New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels (ESPN2 | 10:05 PM EST)

Both of New York starter Phil Hughes’ victories have come on the road, where he has a 0.73 ERA in two starts. He’s allowed just one run and four this while striking out 12 in 12 1/3 innings. EDGE: YANKEES
The Yankees have gone 27-11 since the All-Star break, including a 16-8 mark against Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Baltimore and the Chicago White Sox. EDGE: YANKEES
Los Angeles has the best home record in the majors at 40-17, but trails the Yankees and Mariners for most home wins with 41. EDGE: ANGELS
Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero is hitting .305 in 49 lifetime games versus the Yankees, including .324 with 23 RBIs in his last 19 games against them. EDGE: ANGELS
The Angels are 6-1 in their last seven games as a home underdog.

[Udog]

NFL
Long Sheet


Monday, August 20


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CHICAGO (1 - 0) at INDIANAPOLIS (0 - 1) - 8/20/2007, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 1-0 against the spread versus INDIANAPOLIS over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 1-0 straight up against INDIANAPOLIS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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[Udog]

NFL
Short Sheet


Monday, August 20th

Chicago at Indianapolis, 8:00 EST ESPN
Chicago: 5-1 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Indianapolis: 0-5 ATS with a line of +3 to -3

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NFL
Write-up


Monday, August 20


In Week 2 and 3 preseason games, regulars play little more, but still, no one really cares who wins. Invest carefully...........

Bears have big advantage in preseason games, in that their three QBs are all about the same, so unless they put raw rookie Leak in game, they always have competent QB playing. Manning won't play much in this Super Bowl rematch; Dungy lost ten of his last eleven summer games-- they lost 23-10 at Dallas in '07 opener. It is game where two coaches are very good friends, but not sure how that effects an exhibition game like this.

[Udog]

NFL
INCREDIBLE STAT FOR AUGUST


Defending Super Bowl champions are 1-14 ATS as favorites in Game Two of the
preseason since 1990.

[Udog]

NFL
Monday's NFL starter report


Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts (+2 ½, 35 ½)

Colts starters are expected to see more time than the small cameo appearance they made last week against the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach Tony Dungy hinted his first unit would play into the second quarter.

“I would anticipate that,” Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star. “We’d like to get more time in knowing that Week 3 (of the preseason) is really going to be the week we zero in and get those guys the majority of work. But our offense played eight plays (against the Cowboys). I think our defense played 15. We’d like to get them up into the 20’s probably.”

Safety Bob Sanders is the only Indianapolis starter ruled out for Monday’s Super Bowl rematch.

Bears coach Lovie Smith says he will use a nearly identical philosophy for his club. He left his starters in the game for almost all of the first quarter last week, but will be more liberal with their minutes this week.

“We prepare a similar way, but we’ll just play our guys more,” Smith said, according to the Daily Southtown. “The plan is to play the guys at least a couple of quarters and go from there. We should get a chance to get a little better game shape.”

Linebacker Brian Urlacher and defensive lineman Tommie Harris are both expected to play despite sitting out last week against the Houston Texans due to injuries.

[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Milwaukee at Arizona
Another tough loss for the Brewers yesterday as they blew an early five-run lead at home to fall to Cincinnati (7-6). Overall the Brew Crew have dropped six of their last seven and 10 of their last 13 to fall out of first place in the NL Central with no signs of turning it around. Now they have to go on the road out west to face a hot Arizona team. To make matters worse, Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo has been hammered for 18 runs and 21 hits in his last two starts (both losses), while Arizona's Doug Davis is an eye-catching 5-0 with a 3.13 ERA in his seven starts since the All-Star break. The D-Backs look like a good pick (-122) according to Dunkel, which has Arizona favored straight up by 3. Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-122). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, AUGUST 20

Game 951-952: San Francisco at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Ortiz) 14.954; Florida (Mitre) 15.680
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida (-150); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (-150); Under

Game 953-954: St. Louis at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Pineiro) 14.839; Cubs (Lilly) 15.955
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-135); No Run Line
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-135); N/A

Game 955-956: Atlanta at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hudson) 16.964; Cincinnati (Dumatrait) 13.772
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 3; 11
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-185); 10
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-185); Over

Game 957-958: Washington at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Redding) 15.739; Houston (Jennings) 14.290
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Houston (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+115); Over

Game 959-960: Pittsburgh at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Morris) 14.615; Colorado (Jimenez) 15.735
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-150); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-150); Over

Game 961-962: Milwaukee at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Gallardo) 13.430; Arizona (Davis) 16.531
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 3; 11
Vegas Line: Arizona (-122); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-122); Over

Game 963-964: Oakland at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Blanton) 14.669; Toronto (Marcum) 15.864
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Toronto (-150); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-150); Over

Game 965-966: Texas at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Padilla) 14.190; Baltimore (Cabrera) 16.030
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 2; 8
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-155); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-155); Under

Game 967-968: Boston at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Wakefield) 15.563; Tampa Bay (Kazmir) 15.857
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-105); Under

Game 969-970: Seattle at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Ramirez) 15.241; Minnesota (Garza) 16.006
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-150); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-150); Under

Game 971-972: Kansas City at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Meche) 15.919; White Sox (Buehrle) 14.194
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-150); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+130); Over

Game 973-974: NY Yankees at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Hughes) 15.547; LA Angels (Moseley) 16.075
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-152); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+132); Over

[Udog]

MLB
Long Sheet

National League


Monday, August 20


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SAN FRANCISCO (54 - 70) at FLORIDA (56 - 68) - 1:05 PM
RUSS ORTIZ (R) vs. SERGIO MITRE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 54-70 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 13-25 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 54-70 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 34-52 (-20.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 54-69 (-26.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 27-35 (-14.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 29-16 (+14.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 27-37 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
FLORIDA is 21-27 (-10.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
FLORIDA is 53-68 (-12.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
FLORIDA is 32-43 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MITRE is 3-11 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MITRE is 3-11 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 5-1 (+4.5 Units) against FLORIDA this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

RUSS ORTIZ vs. FLORIDA since 1997
ORTIZ is 9-5 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 3.18 and a WHIP of 1.245.
His team's record is 12-5 (+6.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 10-6. (+3.7 units)

SERGIO MITRE vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
MITRE is 1-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 1.199.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)


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ST LOUIS (58 - 62) at CHICAGO CUBS (63 - 59) - 2:20 PM
JOEL PINEIRO (R) vs. TED LILLY (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 152-145 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 152-145 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 47-58 (-23.9 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PINEIRO is 32-45 (-20.4 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 61-37 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 35-27 (+11.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 38-23 (+16.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 63-59 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 69-75 (-25.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 125-177 (-61.5 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 204-190 (-57.1 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 68-81 (-24.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 63-59 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 330-315 (-73.4 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 48-58 (-26.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 16-27 (-15.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 64-73 (-19.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 7-3 (+3.8 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.8 Units)

JOEL PINEIRO vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
PINEIRO is 0-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.35 and a WHIP of 1.434.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

TED LILLY vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
LILLY is 2-1 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 1.048.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.5 units)


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ATLANTA (65 - 59) at CINCINNATI (54 - 69) - 7:10 PM
TIM HUDSON (R) vs. PHILLIP DUMATRAIT (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 144-142 (-21.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 142-138 (-19.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 100-103 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 22-29 (-9.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 67-73 (-20.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 18-11 (+10.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
ATLANTA is 52-30 (+22.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 10 to 10.5 since 1997.
HUDSON is 182-99 (+43.6 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HUDSON is 37-12 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HUDSON is 171-89 (+46.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
HUDSON is 106-51 (+30.0 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 54-69 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 27-32 (-10.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CINCINNATI is 54-69 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 188-231 (-70.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 3-0 (+4.3 Units) against ATLANTA this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.0 Units)

TIM HUDSON vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
HUDSON is 1-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 5.02 and a WHIP of 1.465.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

PHILLIP DUMATRAIT vs. ATLANTA since 1997
No recent starts.


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WASHINGTON (55 - 69) at HOUSTON (56 - 68) - 8:05 PM
TIM REDDING (R) vs. JASON JENNINGS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
REDDING is 3-13 (-11.6 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
REDDING is 23-37 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 55-69 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 41-27 (+28.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
WASHINGTON is 16-15 (+10.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
WASHINGTON is 52-66 (+7.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 31-37 (+7.7 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
WASHINGTON is 30-24 (+17.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
WASHINGTON is 11-5 (+7.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 56-68 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 279-275 (-59.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
HOUSTON is 56-68 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 37-50 (-13.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 22-31 (-11.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
JENNINGS is 3-14 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
JENNINGS is 2-9 (-8.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season. (Team's Record)
JENNINGS is 1-9 (-9.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season. (Team's Record)
JENNINGS is 1-7 (-7.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season. (Team's Record)
JENNINGS is 3-14 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

TIM REDDING vs. HOUSTON since 1997
REDDING is 0-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.429.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JASON JENNINGS vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
JENNINGS is 2-4 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 6.17 and a WHIP of 1.654.
His team's record is 4-4 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.2 units)


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PITTSBURGH (52 - 70) at COLORADO (63 - 60) - 9:05 PM
MATT MORRIS (R) vs. UBALDO JIMENEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 11-29 (-13.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 47-91 (-22.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 47-91 (-22.9 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 21-39 (-14.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
COLORADO is 63-60 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 35-23 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
COLORADO is 63-57 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 47-39 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
COLORADO is 46-42 (+11.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 33-26 (+9.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 3-0 (+3.1 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

MATT MORRIS vs. COLORADO since 1997
MORRIS is 5-5 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 5.17 and a WHIP of 1.378.
His team's record is 6-6 (-0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-6. (-1.8 units)

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
No recent starts.


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MILWAUKEE (63 - 61) at ARIZONA (71 - 54) - 9:40 PM
YOVANI GALLARDO (R) vs. DOUG DAVIS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 63-61 (-5.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 18-39 (-19.3 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 23-36 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 5-12 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 61-60 (-6.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 71-54 (+18.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 31-25 (+6.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
ARIZONA is 37-23 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ARIZONA is 12-5 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
ARIZONA is 71-54 (+18.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 54-35 (+19.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 49-39 (+10.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ARIZONA is 30-24 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ARIZONA is 14-8 (+8.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
DAVIS is 15-10 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 12-4 (+9.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 10-1 (+9.0 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 10-2 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 9-1 (+8.4 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 15-10 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 8-3 (+7.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 9-0 (+11.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 3-1 (+1.7 Units) against ARIZONA this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. ARIZONA since 1997
GALLARDO is 1-0 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.833.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

DOUG DAVIS vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
DAVIS is 0-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.333.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)


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[Udog]

MLB
Streaking Pitchers


Monday, August 20


HOT

Shaun Marcum (Toronto Blue Jays) - The right-hander has won his last five starts, including three straight as the favorite and he has not surrendered more than four runs in any of those appearances. He'll face Oakland as a -142 home favorite. The A's will counter with Joe Blanton (+134), who has yet to suffer a loss in three starts this month.

Tim Hudson (Atlanta Braves) - After a couple of so-so seasons with the Braves, the Georgia native is finally feeling just peachy playing for his hometown team. Atlanta is a perfect 10-0 in his last 10 outings and he has allowed three runs or fewer in nine of those contests. Atlanta's offense has helped total bettors cash in with the "over" eight times during his unbeaten streak. Hudson faces the Reds as a pricey -191 road favorite and the total is set at 10 runs.

Doug Davis (Arizona Diamondbacks) - The southpaw faces his former team from Milwaukee for the second time this year and the struggling Brewers could've definitely used him in their rocky rotation. He got a no-decison in his return to Miller Park on July 18, but Arizona ended up winning the contest 5-2 as a +129 underdog. The D-Backs have won each of Davis' previous seven outings and "under" bettors cashed in five times in that span. Davis and his D-Backs are priced at -117 tonight and the over/under is listed at 9 ½ runs.

COLD

Jason Jennings (Houston Astros) - Jennings' seventh season in the big leagues has been anything but lucky for Astros backers. His first six years were spent in Colorado and his ERA at hitter-friendly Coors Field was 5.19. The Texas native has made 10 appearances at his new home ballpark (Minute Maid Park) and his ERA is above 6.00. The Astros have a record of 1-9 in those home outings and have lost four straight games overall in which he has started. Houston is -130 at home tonight against former Astro Tim Redding and the Washington Nationals.

Gil Meche (Kansas City Royals) - From June 26-July 27, Meche looked like true royalty helping the normaly hapless Royals win all five of his outings during that span. He has made five appearances since then and Kansas City has gone in the opposite direction by dropping each of his past five starts. KC is listed as a +132 road dog against the White Sox.