Monday Trends and Indexes 06/23

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Monday June 23

Good Luck on day #175 of 2008!

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]

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

13) Former New York Giant George Martin finished walking on his cross-country tour to raise money for 9/11 victims; Martin raised over $2 million, work out 27 pairs of sneakers; he was on road for 171 days, walking average of 22 miles/day. Well done.

12) Jose Reyes scored 18 runs in the Mets' last ten wins; he's led off the last two games with triples.

11) Tommy John missed the 1975 season, after having surgery on his elbow which became known as "Tommy John surgery"; John was 124-106 in 318 starts before the surgery, 164-125 in 382 starts after the surgery. Why isn't he in the Hall of Fame? He had a 2.65 ERA in 14 postseason games.

10) Giants had a 10-3 lead with Lincecum on the mound, but it didn't last against the surging Royals, who rallied to take 11-10 lead in 7th inning, and went on for an unlikely 11-10 win.

9) A's are pleasant surprise at 41-34; one of main reasons is the solid play of previously-injury prone Bobby Crosby, who has started all 75 games at shortstop for Oakland.

8) Justin Duchscherer leads the AL with a 1.99 ERA, just more evidence than Oakland pitching coach Curt Young is a totally underrated pitching guru. Rick Peterson always got credit for Hudson-Mulder-Zito, but Young has done equally good job.

7) Tampa Rays wore uniforms worn by St Petersburg Pelicans of the old Senior League (1989-90) Saturday night, Astros had their rainbow uniforms from 1980 on. Pelicans won the one and only championship in the ill-fated Senior League.

6) Baseball oddity: Aaron Miles of Cardinals went 5-6 Sunday, but didn't score a run or knock in a run. Very strange.

5) Tremendous coaching job by Danny White, who led AFL's Utah Blaze to 6-10 finish, which doesn't sound like much, until you realize Utah started the season 0-9. Very difficult to keep a team pasted together that was so awful early in season.

4) Eric Patterson od the Cubs hit his first big league home run Sunday nite, day after his older brother Corey hit the 100th HR of his career with Cincinnati in the Bronx.

3) Want to win a bet? Bet someone they can't name the only two major leaguers with three walk-off hits this season.........

2) Five current members of the Cubs played in College World Series; thats a lot, considering their roster is only 25 guys.

1) ESPN had White Sox at Cubs last night; to show they can be flexible, next Sunday night they have Cubs at White Sox. I am convinced they don't know there are 30 big league teams.


3a) Skip Schumaker, Gabe Gross are the two big leaguers with three walk-off hits each so far this season.

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

[pm530]

Six-pack for Monday

Kiplinger.com's six best cities to live in for 2008:

6) Austin, TX—Population growth: 17% since 2000. Average median income: $52,882.

5) Colorado Springs-- Population growth: 10.5% since 2000. Average median income: $53,486

4) Boise-- Population growth: 18.2% since 2000. Average median income: $49,833

3) Omaha-- Population growth: 6.6% since 2000. Average median income: $51,627

2) Raleigh, NC-- Population growth: 19.9% since 2000. Average median income: $56,150

1) Houston-- Population growth: 14.9% since 2000. Average median income: $50,250

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

[pm530]

Sports News

NHL / NBA


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sports News – Future Odds
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wings, Celtics favored to repeat

The Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Celtics both won their respective league titles this past season, and those teams are also the Vegas favorites to win again next year.

NHL

The Red Wings are expected to keep their Stanley Cup champion club mostly intact over the offseason, and as a result Vegas has them listed as the 5/1 favorite to win back-to-back titles. Detroit finished with the most points in the NHL last season and managed to outlast Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup final.

The Pens, though, are expected to put up a fight again next season, and they're listed second at 11/2 odds to win the 2009 Stanley Cup. Star forwards Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will again lead the Pittsburgh offense next year, although it remains to be seen whether Marian Hossa will still be on the team - he can become a free agent on July 1.

Next on the odds list are the San Jose Sharks and the Montreal Canadiens, both at 10/1, with the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks each at 12/1. The Canadiens made a splash at the NHL Entry Draft, acquiring forward Alex Tanguay from the Calgary Flames for a first-round draft pick. The Ducks are just one year removed from being the champs.

The Ottawa Senators floundered in the second half of last season and were bounced early from the playoffs, but they're still pegged at 15/1 odds to put the pieces back together next season. That ties them with the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers on the odds list, while the upstart Washington Capitals are a little behind at 18/1.

The New Jersey Devils (20/1), Carolina Hurricanes (22/1), Minnesota Wild (22/1), and Colorado Avalanche (25/1) round out the top tier of contenders, with each of the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators, and Vancouver Canucks at 30/1. The Flames picked up forward Mike Cammalleri to replace Tanguay this year.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs are then at 40/1, with the Tampa Bay Lightning (and top draft choice Steve Stamkos) at 45/1. Bigger longshots include the Edmonton Oilers (50/1), Florida Panthers (50/1), Atlanta Thrashers (60/1), and St. Louis Blues (60/1). The New York Islanders, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Phoenix Coyotes are at 75/1, with the Los Angeles Kings right at the bottom at just 100/1 odds.

NBA

Over in the NBA the Celtics are a little less lucrative than the Red Wings right now - Vegas has them pegged at 3/1 odds to win a second straight title. The Los Angeles Lakers, though, are right there with Boston at 3/1 odds, with each of the Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Hornets, and San Antonio Spurs tied for third place on the list at 7/1 odds.

The Phoenix Suns fizzled in this year's playoffs despite the acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal, and they're a bit farther back on next year's odds list at only 10/1. That puts them just ahead of the Utah Jazz (12/1), with each of the Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets then sitting at 15/1 to claim the title.

The Denver Nuggets are rumored to be shopping star forward Carmelo Anthony, which could affect their current 22/1 odds to win the 2009 NBA Finals. The Toronto Raptors have guard T.J. Ford on the block, and a big return could help them improve their 25/1 odds. Both the Washington Wizards and the Golden State Warriors are currently sitting at 30/1 odds for next year, with the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers at 40/1 odds.

Bigger underdogs include the Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and New Jersey Nets, who are all at 50/1, with each of the Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte Bobcats, and Sacramento Kings at 75/1. The Minnesota Timberwolves currently sit with 100/1 odds, with the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks at 150/1.

And it doesn't seem that long ago that the Miami Heat were the NBA champions. On the current odds list, though, they're way back at 200/1 to win the 2009 title. That puts them ahead of only the Memphis Grizzlies and Seattle SuperSonics, who are down at 250/1.

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

[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up


Monday, June 23

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

AL teams were 8-6 yesterday, are 96-71 against NL this season. Over is 58-61-7 since over last 10 days in interleague games.

Hot Pitchers
-- Reyes is 1-0, 2.40 in his last couple starts. Sheets is 4-0, 2.13 in his last six starts.
-- Arizona won last four Haren starts (2-0, 2.00). Beckett is 2-0 in his last three starts, with a 2.37 RA.
-- Angels won last four Lackey starts (3-0, 1.80).
-- Mets won four of last five Santana home starts, but lost his last three starts overall, scoring a total of six runs. Hernandez is 4-0, 1.59 in his last four starts.
-- Francis is 3-1, 3.24 in his last four starts. Bannister is 2-0, 2.63 in his last four home starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Bergmann is 0-4, 8.72 in his last four starts.

Hot Teams
-- Brewers won six of their last seven games.
-- Angels won 12 of their last 15 road games.
-- Mets won five of their last seven games.
-- Royals won seven of last eight games. Rockies are 12-7 in last 19 games, 4-1 in last five on road.

Cold Teams
-- Braves are 6-10 in last 16 games, but won last two.
-- Arizona is 6-17 in its last 23 road games. Red Sox lost last five series openers.
-- Nationals are 5-15 in their last twenty home games.
-- Mariners lost 19 of last 24 road games.

Totals
-- Four of last five Milwaukee games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Arizona games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Washington home games.
-- Over is 4-0-1 in Mariners' last five games.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Colorado road games; five of last six Kansas City home games went over the total. .

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

[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Additional

MLB


Monday, June 23

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Sheet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:05 PM ARIZONA vs. BOSTON
Arizona is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Arizona is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Arizona
Boston is 18-4 SU in its last 22 games at home


7:10 PM LA ANGELS vs. WASHINGTON
LA Angels are 8-1 SU in their last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 6 games when playing Washington
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Washington is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home


7:10 PM MILWAUKEE vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing Atlanta
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home


7:10 PM SEATTLE vs. NY METS
Seattle is 5-18 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
NY Mets are 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
NY Mets are 8-4 SU in its last 12 games at home


8:10 PM COLORADO vs. KANSAS CITY
Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Kansas City is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas City's last 9 games when playing Colorado

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

[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB


Monday, June 23

We will update when projected scores are available.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips and Trends
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arizona Diamondbacks at Boston Red Sox [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks have emerged victorious the last four times Dan Haren has taken the hill. Over that span, Haren has allowed just six runs over 27 innings of work. Haren hasn't been getting the job dome on the road this season, where he's 0-3 with an ERA of 4.62 in six starts away from home. Haren faced the Red Sox once last season as a member of the Oakland A's, taking a no-decision after allowing two runs in 7.2 innings pitched. The UNDER is 7-3 in Haren's last 10 starts.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Red Sox (-170, O/U 8.5): Josh Beckett has been nasty in three of his last four starts. Take out a bad outing against the Orioles and Beckett has only allowed three runs in 19 innings pitched. Beckett has received tremendous run support at Fenway Park this season, helping him to a perfect 4-0 record, despite a not-so impressive 4.81 ERA. The OVER is 3-1 in Beckett's last four starts at home.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Seattle Mariners at New York Mets [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Mariners: Felix Hernandez has been close to unhittable in winning his last four starts. King Felix has allowed just five runs in his last 28.1 innings on the mound. Hernandez hasn't received much run support on the road, which is unfortunate seeing his ERA is a stellar 1.90 away from home. Betting the UNDER with Hernandez on the mound has been like visiting an ATM machine. The UNDER is 9-1 in King Felix's last 10 starts, with the one loss going over by just one run.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Mets (-170, O/U 7): Mets ace Johan Santana takes to the hill trying to get out of a mini-slump. The Mets have lost his last three starts with Santana going 0-2 with one no-decision over that span. It's not like Santana has pitched horrible in his previous three outings, allowing seven runs in 19 innings pitched. However, the Mets offense has done little to help out, scoring a total of seven runs in Santana's last three outings. The UNDER is 5-1 in Santana's last six starts.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Milwaukee Brewers at Atlanta Braves [7:10 PM ET]

Brewers (-120, O/U 8): Ben Sheets is making his case to be the All-Star game starter. He hasn't dropped a decision since May 10. Since then, the Brewers are 5-1 in games that Sheets has started. Over his last six starts, Sheets has allowed two runs or less five times. He's perfect on the road so far this season, going 5-0 with a 2.62 ERA in nine starts. However, the OVER is 4-2 in Sheets' last six starts on the road.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Braves: Jo-Jo Reyes has pitched extremely well in his two most recent outings, allowing just four runs in 15 innings of work. The Braves won both of those games by a score of 5-2. Reyes has an even 2-2 record at Turner Field but his ERA is a less than impressive 5.17. Reyes has allowed 17 runs in his last four starts at home. Even though he's struggled overall, the UNDER has been a moneymaking proposition with Reyes on the mound of late. The UNDER is 4-1 in his last five starts.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

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

[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB


Monday, June 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Streaking Starting Pitchers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday's streaking and slumping pitchers

A look at a few of Monday’s hottest and coldest pitchers.

Streaking

Ben Sheets, Milwaukee Brewers (8-1, 2.74 ERA)

At 8-1 this season, the Brew Crew’s Sheets is pretty good. He gets even better when you throw him on the mound during a road start at night.

Sheets is 5-0 on the road and 5-0 at night with a spectacular 1.82 ERA. He’s also 4-0 over his last six starts and the righty gave up only one earned run through six innings in the only game Milwaukee lost during that stretch.

Sheets also loves playing the Braves. He’s won his last five starts against them dating back to 2005.



John Lackey, L.A. Angels (4-1, 1.73)

How solid has Lackey been?

If you’re an ‘over’ bettor, you’d say not very good at all. The under is 8-0-1 in the right-hander’s last nine starts and it’s largely because scoring runs on him doesn’t come easily.

Lackey has allowed just 10 earned runs in seven starts this season, despite tossing at least seven innings in every outing. He’s allowed more than two runs only once, when the White Sox did it in late May when Lackey tossed eight innings.

The Angels have won his last four starts and there aren’t any signs of him slowing down. He faces a struggling hurler on Monday, who made our ‘slumping’ list for the day.



Slumping

Jason Bergmann, Washington Nationals (1-5, 5.03 ERA)

Bergmann is having a tough time. The Nats have won just one of his nine starts this season which includes a streak of six straight losses heading into Monday’s start against the L.A. Angels.

Washington is 0-4 in Bergmann’s home outings, where he sports a costly 6.35 ERA. That’s not entirely all his fault, however. The Nationals are just 15-22 at home this season and they’ve lost nearly $1000 for supporters risking $100 per game.

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

[pm530]

MLB


Monday, June 23

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baseball Today
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SCOREBOARD

Monday, June 23

Arizona at Boston (7:05 p.m. EDT). The Diamondbacks' Dan Haren (7-4, 3.26 ERA) and Josh Beckett (7-4, 3.87) of the Red Sox present an interesting matchup on a light day in the major leagues, with just five games on the schedule.


STARS

Sunday

-Mark Teixeira, Braves, hit three home runs - including homers from both sides of the plate - and finished with four RBIs in an 8-3 win over the Mariners.

-Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox, hit a pair of homers including the game-winning, two-run shot in the 13th inning for a 5-3 win over the Cardinals.

-Andy Pettitte, Yankees, ran his scoreless streak to 19 innings, scattering four hits and two walks over six in a 4-1 win over the Reds.

-Prince Fielder, Brewers, hit a pair of homers, a double and finished with three RBIs in a 7-3 win over the Orioles.

-Justin Duchscherer, Athletics, gave up a run and six hits over 7 2-3 innings to drop his AL-leading ERA to 1.99 in a 7-1 rout of the Marlins.

-Magglio Ordonez, Tigers, homered and drove in three runs in a 5-3 win over the Padres.

-Vicente Padilla, Rangers, gave up three runs on five hits and a pair of walks to win his 10th game of the season with a 5-3 victory over the woeful Nationals.


BYE BYE BYE

Mark Teixeira homered three times to lead Atlanta over Seattle 8-3. Teixeira hit solo drives batting left-handed in the second and fourth innings, and a two-run shot from the right side in the seventh for his 13th homer of the season. It was his second career three-homer game and the first for an Atlanta player at Turner Field. Teixeira's first three-homer game came on July 13, 2006, for Texas at Baltimore. It's the fourth time in his career he has connected from both sides of the plate.


FRIENDLY CONFINES

Ryan Dempster (9-2) won his ninth straight decision this season at Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs, who beat the crosstown White Sox 7-1 to finish off a three-game sweep Sunday night.

The Cubs, the owners of the best record in the majors (48-28), won their 14th straight home game to go 32-8 at Wrigley Field this season. This is the Cubs' longest streak at home since they won 14 straight there June 4-June 10, 1936.


HELLO, GOODBYE

The Florida Marlins called up outfielder Jai Miller from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday to provide some depth after center fielder Alfredo Amezaga injured his left groin while running the bases Saturday. It was a short stay for Miller, who made his major league debut in the seventh and struck out in his only at-bat. He was optioned back to Triple-A after the Marlins' 7-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics.


GREEK GOD OF HOMERS

The Red Sox led off the 10th, 11th and 12th innings with doubles, yet failed to put away the Cardinals. Kevin Youkilis's second home run, in the bottom of the 13th, sealed things in Boston's 5-3 win over St. Louis. Youkilis is hitting .407 (11-for-27) with four homers during his seven-game hitting streak.


HOMER HAPPY

Prince Fielder hit two of the Brewers' four homers and Milwaukee beat Baltimore 7-3 for their sixth win in seven games. The Brewers have hit 45 home runs in their past 22 games, going 15-7 in that span.


MANUEL'S LABOR PAYS OFF

Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer and the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 3-1 to wrap up a winning road trip under interim manager Jerry Manuel, who took over for the fired Willie Randolph after the Mets beat the Los Angeles Angels to open a six-game trip last Monday. New York lost in Manuel's debut on the bench, but rebounded to beat the Angels and take two of three from the Rockies.


CLOSURE

Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth in Los Angeles' 3-2 win over Philadelphia. He picked up his major league-leading 30th save in 32 chances. Rodriguez has saved at least 40 games each of the past three years, but had never picked up his 30th before Aug. 13. Bobby Thigpen, who holds the single-season mark with 57 saves in 1990, picked up his 30th that year on July 15.


AILING

Pirates starter Ian Snell lasted just four innings in Pittsburgh's 8-5 loss to Toronto. Snell has won only once since April 12, and manager John Russell said he would undergo an MRI exam on Monday. The right-hander complained about irritation in his elbow after the loss. Snell allowed four runs and eight hits and his ERA climbed to 5.99.


SNAPPED

Braves starter Tim Hudson allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings in Atlanta's 8-3 win over Seattle to finally win an interleague game with Atlanta. Before Sunday, Hudson was 0-10 with a 7.82 ERA in 12 interleague starts with the Braves. He was 0-3 with an 11.25 ERA against AL West teams. ... Justin Verlander of Detroit gave up two runs in 5 1-3 innings in Detroit's 5-3 win over San Diego for his first road win since last September. He had been 0-5 on the road in six starts this season.


STREAKING

Matt Holliday went 1-for-4 in Colorado's 3-1 loss to the Mets. He has hit safely in 24 straight games against New York. ... Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte tossed six innings of four-hit ball in New York's 4-1 win over Cincinnati. He hasn't allowed a run in 19 straight innings. ... The Twins beat the Diamondbacks for their sixth straight win. ... Giants outfielder Fred Lewis went 3-for-4 in San Francisco's 11-10 loss to Kansas City. He has hit in 12 straight games.


SLUMPING

Reds manager Dusty Baker sat slugger Adam Dunn, mired in a 6-for-55 skid. ... Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek went 0-for-5 against the Cardinals and is hitless in his past 24 at-bats. ... Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb gave up five runs - four earned - and eight hits in seven innings in Arizona's 5-3 loss to Minnesota. The 2006 NL Cy Young winner started the season 9-0, but is 2-4 with a 4.64 ERA since.


SPEAKING

"There were so many things when you lose a game like that. It goes to show that you have to play hard for nine innings, and they did. They shut us down the last four innings and we had trouble shutting them down. This was an ugly game for both sides, really.'' -Giants manager Bruce Bochy, after watching his team squander a seven-run lead in an 11-10 loss to the Royals.


SEASONS

June 23

1917 - In baseball's greatest relief effort, Ernie Shore of the Boston Red Sox relieved pitcher Babe Ruth with nobody out and a man on first. The base runner was cut down stealing and Shore retired all 26 batters he faced to gain a 4-0 victory over Washington. Ruth walked Eddie Foster to open the game and was ejected after arguing with umpire Brick Owens.

1950 - Hoot Evers' game-winning home run in the ninth inning gave the Detroit Tigers a 10-9 victory over the New York Yankees as the teams combined for 11 home runs, a major league record. The Yankees hit six and the Tigers five.

1963 - Jimmie Piersall, playing for the Mets in New York, hit his 100th career home run and celebrated by running around the bases backwards.

1971 - Rick Wise of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds and hit two homers. Wise became the first pitcher to hit two homers while throwing a no-hitter.

1973 - Pitcher Ken Brett of the Philadelphia Phillies hit a home run in the fourth consecutive game that he pitched in June. He beat Montreal 7-2.

1984 - Chicago's Ryne Sandberg hit two late-inning home runs off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bruce Sutter to tie the game twice as the Cubs went on to win 12-11 in 11 innings. Sandberg led off the ninth inning with a solo home run to tie the game 9-9 then hit a two-run, two-out homer in the 10th to tie the game 11-11. Willie McGee hit for the cycle and drove in six runs for St. Louis.

2000 - Bret Boone hit three home runs along with six RBIs in San Diego's 10-7, 10-inning victory over Cincinnati.

2006 - Jose Contreras won his 16th straight decision, leading the Chicago White Sox past Houston 7-4. Contreras, 16-0 in his last 21 regular-season starts, last lost to Minnesota on Aug. 15, 2005. He surpassed the club mark for consecutive wins held by LaMarr Hoyt and Wilson Alvarez.

Today's birthday: Mark Hendrickson 34.

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

[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Seattle at NY Mets
Seattle's Felix Hernandez has won his last four starts with a 0.95 ERA over that span and will look to take advantage of New York's 1-3 record when the total is listed at 7 or less. The Mariners are the underdog pick (+150) according to Dunkel, which has Seattle favored straight up by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+150). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, JUNE 23

Game 901-902: Milwaukee at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Sheets) 14.493; Atlanta (Reyes) 16.035
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-110); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+100); Over

Game 903-904: Arizona at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Haren) 15.044; Boston (Beckett) 14.573
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-160); 9
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+150); Under

Game 905-906: LA Angels at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Lackey) 16.023; Washington (Bergmann) 13.576
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 2 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-155); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-155); Under

Game 907-908: Seattle at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Hernandez) 14.947; NY Mets (Santana) 14.482
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-160); 7
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+150); Over

Game 909-910: Colorado at Kansas City
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Francis) 15.212; Kansas City (Bannister) 15.358
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-110); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-110); Over

[Udog]

MLB
Long Sheet


Monday, June 23


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

MILWAUKEE (41 - 34) at ATLANTA (38 - 39) - 7:10 PM
BEN SHEETS (R) vs. JO-JO REYES (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 17-28 (-15.1 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 48-70 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 46-69 (-22.6 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 50-79 (-24.9 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 19-35 (-15.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 23-37 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 27-12 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 27-12 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 17-5 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
MILWAUKEE is 30-15 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 122-117 (-15.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 28-48 (-26.9 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 84-85 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 95-102 (-26.7 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against ATLANTA this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.1 Units)

BEN SHEETS vs. ATLANTA since 1997
SHEETS is 8-3 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.80 and a WHIP of 1.307.
His team's record is 8-3 (+6.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-4. (+2.4 units)

JO-JO REYES vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
REYES is 0-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.92 and a WHIP of 0.892.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

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

ARIZONA (39 - 37) at BOSTON (47 - 31) - 7:05 PM
DAN HAREN (R) vs. JOSH BECKETT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 5-13 (-10.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
ARIZONA is 23-26 (-9.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ARIZONA is 9-19 (-13.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 154-100 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 12-1 (+10.3 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 this season.
BOSTON is 29-9 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
BOSTON is 40-12 (+23.7 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 46-22 (+19.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 35-13 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 132-113 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 132-110 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 95-75 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 318-241 (-47.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.

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

DAN HAREN vs. BOSTON since 1997
HAREN is 1-3 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.26 and a WHIP of 1.187.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

JOSH BECKETT vs. ARIZONA since 1997
BECKETT is 1-3 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 5.65 and a WHIP of 1.570.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-4. (-3.5 units)

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

LA ANGELS (46 - 30) at WASHINGTON (30 - 47) - 7:10 PM
JOHN LACKEY (R) vs. JASON BERGMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 61-37 (+27.9 Units) against the money line in home games in an inter-league game since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 46-30 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 24-12 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA ANGELS are 8-1 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in road games in June games this season.
LA ANGELS are 41-25 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 17-9 (+8.6 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 107-76 (+14.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 18-6 (+13.8 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season.

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

JOHN LACKEY vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
LACKEY is 0-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.333.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

JASON BERGMANN vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.

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

SEATTLE (26 - 49) at NY METS (37 - 37) - 7:10 PM
FELIX HERNANDEZ (R) vs. JOHAN SANTANA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 26-49 (-27.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 22-47 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 18-34 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 5-13 (-10.1 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
SEATTLE is 18-30 (-13.4 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SANTANA is 87-36 (+31.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
SANTANA is 73-23 (+39.2 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
SANTANA is 68-19 (+34.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 125-111 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 13-22 (-21.9 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 61-54 (-23.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 125-111 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 40-38 (-18.8 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 22-28 (-11.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NY METS are 17-21 (-8.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.

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

FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. NY METS since 1997
No recent starts.

JOHAN SANTANA vs. SEATTLE since 1997
SANTANA is 7-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.29 and a WHIP of 1.085.
His team's record is 8-1 (+7.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-5. (-1.3 units)

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

COLORADO (32 - 44) at KANSAS CITY (33 - 43) - 8:10 PM
JEFF FRANCIS (L) vs. BRIAN BANNISTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 31-44 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 50-70 (-27.6 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 since 1997.
COLORADO is 31-44 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 21-36 (-16.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 15-28 (-14.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
KANSAS CITY is 35-31 (+13.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 26-21 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 19-11 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 28-18 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 92-83 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
FRANCIS is 48-35 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FRANCIS is 48-35 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FRANCIS is 20-8 (+11.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 17-31 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

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

JEFF FRANCIS vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
FRANCIS is 1-0 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 1.88 and a WHIP of 0.977.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

BRIAN BANNISTER vs. COLORADO since 1997
BANNISTER is 0-0 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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

[Udog]

MLB


Monday, June 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Lines: Monday's best MLB bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Milwaukee at Atlanta (+105, 8)

The Milwaukee Brewers are known for a few things like home runs, excellent fans and a fantastic mascot, but what doesn't get as much attention as it should is the way this team can play some defense.

The Brewers turned five double plays Sunday night to help starter Manny Parra figure in a 7-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

"Any time you walk 10 guys and only one scores, you've got some marvelous defense in there somewhere," manager Ned Yost told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

The Brewers probably won't have to worry about that many free passes today with Ben Sheets on the hill against a red-hot Jo-Jo Reyes and his Atlanta Braves. Sheets hasn't allowed more than three earned runs since May 15 and Milwaukee is 10-4 with their ace on the hill.

Pick: Brewers



Arizona at Boston (-160, 8 1/2)

It must seem like an eternity ago since the Diamondbacks got off to their blistering start this season. After opening up a big lead in the NL West, Arizona is only 11-21 since May 20, and has lost 6.65 units for the club's bettors so far this season.

Still, the D-Backs sit 3 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Dodgers in the NL West as the club gets ready for a three-game set at Fenway Park and have Danny Haren on the hill to go up against Josh Beckett today. Haren has allowed just six earned runs over his last four starts.

Pick: Under

[Udog]

MLB
Short Sheet


Monday, June 23rd

National League

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 7:10 ET
Ben Sheets (R) vs. Jo Jo Reyes (L)
Sheets: Mil 7-21 Away off BB home games
Reyes: Atl 17-5 at home vs. righties

Interleague Play

Arizona at Boston, 7:05 ET ESPN
Dan Haren (R) vs. Josh Beckett (R)
Haren: Ari 53-15 Away when the total is 8.5 to 10
Beckett: Bos 13-1 as a home favorite of -150 to -200

LA Angels at Washington, 7:10 ET
John Lackey (R) vs. Jason Bergmann (R)
Lackey: 3-0 TSR, 1.64 ERA L3 starts
Bergmann: 0-3 TSR, 6.58 ERA L3 starts

Seattle at NY Mets, 7:10 ET
Felix Hernandez (R) vs. Johan Santana (L)
Hernandez: 9-2 TSR as an underdog
Santana: Mets 10-24 off BB road games

Colorado at Kansas City, 8:10 ET
Jeff Francis (L) vs. Brian Bannister (R)
Francis: Col 15-28 after a loss
Bannister: 14-3 Under in home starts

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

MLB


Monday, June 23


Update
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips and Trends
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arizona Diamondbacks at Boston Red Sox [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks have emerged victorious the last four times Dan Haren has taken the hill. Over that span, Haren has allowed just six runs over 27 innings of work. Haren hasn't been getting the job dome on the road this season, where he's 0-3 with an ERA of 4.62 in six starts away from home. Haren faced the Red Sox once last season as a member of the Oakland A's, taking a no-decision after allowing two runs in 7.2 innings pitched. The UNDER is 7-3 in Haren's last 10 starts.

Diamondbacks are 2-6 in their last 8 games overall.
The UNDER is 7-3 in Haren's last 10 starts.

Key Injuries - OF Eric Byrnes (.219; hamstrings) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3

Red Sox (-175, O/U 8): Josh Beckett has been nasty in three of his last four starts. Take out a bad outing against the Orioles and Beckett has only allowed three runs in 19 innings pitched. Beckett has received tremendous run support at Fenway Park this season, helping him to a perfect 4-0 record, despite a not-so impressive 4.81 ERA. The OVER is 3-1 in Beckett's last four starts at home.

Red Sox are 49-13 in their last 62 interleague games.
Red Sox are 40-12 in their last 52 home games.

Key Injuries - DH David Ortiz (.252; hand) is on the 15-day DL.
RP Mike Timlin (3-3; knee) is on the 15-day DL).

PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (Side Play of the Day)



Seattle Mariners at New York Mets [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Mariners: Felix Hernandez has been close to unhittable in winning his last four starts. King Felix has allowed just five runs in his last 28.1 innings on the mound. Hernandez hasn't received much run support on the road, which is unfortunate seeing his ERA is a stellar 1.90 away from home. Betting the UNDER with Hernandez on the mound has been like visiting an ATM machine. The UNDER is 9-1 in King Felix's last 10 starts, with the one loss going over by just one run.

Mariners are 1-7 in their last 8 interleague road games.
The UNDER is 11-1 in Hernandez's last 12 starts.

Key Injuries - 3B Adrian Beltre (.240; finger) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 2 (UNDER - Total Play of the Day)

Mets (-170, O/U 7): Mets ace Johan Santana takes to the hill trying to get out of a mini-slump. The Mets have lost his last three starts with Santana going 0-2 with one no-decision over that span. It's not like Santana has pitched horrible in his previous three outings, allowing seven runs in 19 innings pitched. However, the Mets offense has done little to help out, scoring a total of seven runs in Santana's last three outings. The UNDER is 5-1 in Santana's last six starts.

Mets are 9-2 in their last 11 interleague games.
The OVER is 8-3-2 in New York's last 13 games following a win.

Key Injuries - OF Ryan Church (.300; concussion) is on the 15-day DL.
OF Moises Alou (.367; calf) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3



Milwaukee Brewers at Atlanta Braves [7:10 PM ET]

Brewers (-120, O/U 8): Ben Sheets is making his case to be the All-Star game starter. He hasn't dropped a decision since May 10. Since then, the Brewers are 5-1 in games that Sheets has started. Over his last six starts, Sheets has allowed two runs or less five times. He's perfect on the road so far this season, going 5-0 with a 2.62 ERA in nine starts. However, the OVER is 4-2 in Sheets' last six starts on the road.

Brewers are 10-2 in Sheets' last 12 road starts.
The OVER is 9-3 in Milwaukee's last 12 games as a favorite.

Key Injuries - OF Mike Cameron (.222; toe) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5

Braves: Jo-Jo Reyes has pitched extremely well in his two most recent outings, allowing just four runs in 15 innings of work. The Braves won both of those games by a score of 5-2. Reyes has an even 2-2 record at Turner Field but his ERA is a less than impressive 5.17. Reyes has allowed 17 runs in his last four starts at home. Even though he's struggled overall, the UNDER has been a moneymaking proposition with Reyes on the mound of late. The UNDER is 4-1 in his last five starts.

Braves are 3-9 in their last 12 games following a win.
The UNDER is 22-4 in Atlanta's last 26 games as an underdog.

Key Injuries - 3B Chipper Jones (.393; quad) is questionable.
SS Yunel Escobar (.299; hip) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3