Monday Trends and Indexes 07/07

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Monday July 7

Good Luck on day #189 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.
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[pm530]

Daily Sports Roundup

Daily Sports Roundup: July 7

There once was a time when Pedro Martinez was pretty much a sure thing on the mound. That time has come and gone. The Mets, though, are still hoping that the Pedro of old shows up again at some point this season, and the righthander gets another shot at proving he has a little bit left in the tank when he takes to the hill in Philly on Monday.

Martinez is the scheduled starter for New York in the finale of their four-game series against the Phillies on Monday night (first pitch is 7:05pm ET). Martinez's numbers over his last three starts, however, don't inspire much confidence that he'll get the job done.

The righthander is coming off a no-decision against the Cardinals on July 2 in which he surrendered five earned runs on seven hits over five innings - fanning four batters. Martinez also gave up two home runs in that game, which the Mets eventually lost 8-7.

Martinez's previous two outings were both defeats. He allowed six earned runs on six hits over 5 2-3 innings against the Yankees on June 27, and he gave up six earned runs on nine hits in just 4 1-3 innings of work versus the Rockies on June 21. The last time the righthander earned a win was back on June 15 in a solid outing versus the Rangers.

So Martinez will put his 2-2 record and ugly 7.39 ERA up against Philly's Adam Eaton on Monday night. Eaton has fared better than Martinez lately - he picked up a win last time out by holding the Braves to just two earned runs on five hits over five innings. Still, Eaton is just 1-3 over his last three starts, and he's 3-6 with a 4.79 ERA on the season.

Eaton has faced the Mets twice this year already, settling for a no-decision both times (the Phillies went 1-1 in those games). The righthander was only marginally effective in those two games, as he surrendered seven earned runs on 11 hits over the 11 innings.

There are four other National League matchups on the schedule for Monday, with Houston at Pittsburgh, Colorado at Milwaukee, Florida at San Diego, and Atlanta at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hiroki Kuroda will be making his second start for the Dodgers since coming off the disabled list last week; the righthander was very effective in his outing on July 2, blanking the Astros on five hits over seven innings to grab the victory.

Meanwhile, there are four American League contests on the schedule for Monday, including Minnesota at Boston, the Los Angeles Angels at Texas, and Seattle at Oakland. As well, the red-hot Rays will play host to the lowly Royals in a 12:40pm ET contest. Tampa Bay's play of late has allowed them to surge into top spot in the AL East.

There are no WNBA or Canadian Football League games on Monday, so the only other action takes place in the Arena Football League. The Georgia Force will play host to the Cleveland Gladiators at 8:00pm ET in the final game of the Divisional Round of the league's playoffs. The oddsmakers are going with Georgia in this one, as they've been listed as the 6.5-point home favorites. The total for the contest has been pegged at 114.

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Six-pack for Monday

Phil "S's" top six improved college football teams, as seen in his College Football Magazine

-- Notre Dame-- 89 teams have won a bowl game since Notre Dame's last bowl win; they've nine starters back on offense.

-- North Carolina-- Are -52 in turnovers the last six seasons, have 18 starters back, need good play from sophomore QB.

-- Northern Illinois-- Have 21 starters back from 2-10 team in '07; they had winning seasons the seven years before that.

-- Pitt-- Have 15 starters back, were -5 in turnovers LY, have shot at their first bowl since 2004 if they turn ball over less.

-- South Carolina-- Have 17 starters back from team that lost last five games in '07; defense figures to be dominant.

-- SMU-- June Jones inherits a team that lost three OT games LY, two others by 1-6 points. They've got 13 starters back, a QB with 22 career starts, could surprise in C-USA.

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[pm530]

Monday's Den: Wrapping up a sports weekend........

13) Not too often the ESPN Sunday night game comes on and there are still three day games underway; extra inning games in Atlanta, Seattle went real long, and 3-hour rain delay in Philly, plus more extra innings, kept Mets-Phils playing past 8pm.

12) Detroit-Seattle game went so long the Mariners ran out of pitchers and had to use backup catcher Jamie Burke to pitch in 15th inning, when Detroit scored winning run.

11) Pudge Rodriguez went 4-7 in Detroit's 2-1, 15-inning win at Seattle; he had half the Tigers' hits, but the two spots in order after him went 0-12; the three in front of him went 1-18, yet the Tigers still won to even their record at 44-44. .

10) 22 of the 30 major league teams get four days off at All-Star break; there are only four games on the 17th, usually first full day to work for teams. The Mets have the shortest break of all the teams, playing the Sunday night game on the 13th, then a Thursday night game in Cincinnati on the 17th. Colorado also plays Sunday night/Thursday, but is at home Thursday.

9) Mets (9-6), Reds (9-6) and Braves (8-7) were only NL clubs to have winning records in interleague play. New York made up five games on the Phillies (5-10) while playing AL teams. It was big win for Mets Sunday, getting homer from Tatis in 12th inning to edge Phillies on Willie Randolph's 54th birthday.

8) Phillies (25-21) have better road record than they do at home (23-20)..........Tampa Bay is 36-13 at home, White Sox 32-13.

7) Dodgers are 43-45 but only a half-game out of first; rumors have them trying to get an everyday shortstop, preferably the slick fielding Jack Wilson from Pittsburgh. They offered Matt Kemp as trade bait; Kemp batted leadoff this weekend for LA.

6) Wild Card race in NL is strange; with teams in East, West doing so poorly, Cardinals and Brewers are tied for Wild Card, with Marlins the next closest contender, four games behind, but you figure that if Marlins caught those teams, they'd catch the Phillies in the NL East, too. Looks like two teams from the NL Central will be going to the playoffs.

5) Braves' 16-inning win Sunday was just their fifth win in 26 games this season that were decided by one run.

4) Someone explain to me how JD Drew makes $14M a season but has never been in an All-Star Game? (He will be this year) How is Scott Boras going to get Mark Teixeira $18-20M a year when he didn't even make the All-Star team this season?

3) We've played 14 weeks of 26-week season, and wow, what a weird season its been: Arizona is 44-45 and in first place; the Tampa Rays have the best record in baseball, and the Brewers are adding players for the playoff run. Go figure. CC Sabathia will be announced as the newest Brewer Monday morning.

2) Terry Francona has to be kidding about Jason Varitek as an All-Star; the guy is hitting .218. AJ Pierzynski is hitting .296 in Chicago, and he got left off the team. Wonder what ol' Ozzie is saying about that on the South Side?

Mike Lowell wasn't too happy about being left off the squad but figures to get added with David Ortiz being hurt. Difficult to keep everyone happy in this situation, especially difficult in Francona's case, if one of his own guys is upset

1) Am I the only person surprised that Jose Reyes not only is not on the All-Star team, but not one of the last five guys you can vote for on the Internet? NL had to take Washington's SS Guzman, since every team has to be represented, but Tejada over Reyes is an interesting decision.

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[pm530]

Arena Football League – Long Sheet

AFL
Long Sheet

Playoffs - Division Round


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Monday, July 7
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CLEVELAND (10 - 7) at GEORGIA (10 - 6) - 7/7/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGIA is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGIA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGIA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 8 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GEORGIA is 1-1 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GEORGIA is 2-0 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[pm530]

Arena Football League – Write up

AFL
Write-up


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Monday, July 7
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Monday's Arena Football playoff game:

Cleveland (10-7) @ Georgia (10-6)-- Georgia won seven of last eight games to gain home field in this round; they won seven home games in row, winning last three by 1-1-3 points. Glads won three of last four games, with only loss by point at Philly; they're 5-3 against spread as road dog this year. Remember, home teams in this round had last week off, road sides didn't.

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[pm530]

Arena Football League – Trend Sheet

AFL


Trend Sheet

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Monday, July 7

8:00 PM CLEVELAND vs. GEORGIA
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Georgia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Georgia
Georgia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Georgia's last 5 games when playing Cleveland

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up


Monday, July 7

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Hot Pitchers
-- Jimenez has 2.67 RA in his last five starts, but Colorado is 0-9 in his road starts this year. McClung is 3-0, 2.89 in his last three starts at Miller Park.
-- Florida won last five Nolasco starts (4-0, 2.95).
-- Kuroda is 2-0, 1.14 in his last three home starts.

-- Rays won six of Garza's last seven home starts.
-- Matsuzaka is 1-0, 0.90 in his last two starts. Baker is 3-0, 3.50 in his last three starts.
-- Santana is 3-1, 3.51 in his last seven starts.
-- Eveland is 2-0, 2.42 in his last four starts. Seattle won last five Washburn starts (4-0, 1.64).

Cold Pitchers
-- Hernandez is 0-2, 6.30 in two starts for Astros. Dumatrait has a 7.48 RA in his last four starts.
-- Mets are 1-4 in Martinez road starts (1-1, 7.99). Eaton is 1-3 in his last five starts, with a 5.16 RA.
-- Maddux is 0-2, 8.10 in his last four starts.
-- Campillo is 1-3, 5.05 in his last six starts.

-- Royals lost four of Meche's last five road starts.
-- Texas is 0-4 in Mendoza starts (0-2, 13.81).

Hot Teams
-- Mets won three of their last four games.
-- Brewers won nine of their last ten home games.
-- Rockies won five of their last six games.
-- Dodgers won five of their last six games.

-- Rays won eleven of last twelve games.
-- Twins won 18 of their last 21 games.
-- Angels won five of their last seven games. Rangers are 5-2 in their last seven home games.
-- Seattle is 9-4 in its last thirteen games.

Cold Teams
-- Pirates lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Phillies lost seven of last eight home games.
-- Astros are 4-13 in their last seventeen road games.
-- Florida is 7-15 in its last twenty-two road games. San Diego is 3-11 in its last fourteen games.
-- Braves are 6-14 in their last twenty road games.

-- Royals lost four of their last five games.
-- Red Sox lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Oakland lost six of last nine games.

Totals
-- Five of last six Houston road games stayed under total.
-- Under is 5-1 in Phillies' last six home games.
-- Over is 9-4 in last thirteen games at Miller Park.
-- Over is 8-0-1 in Florida's last nine road games.
-- 11 of last 14 Dodger games stayed under the total.

-- Six of Royals' last eight games went over the total.
-- Under is 9-1-2 in last twelve Boston games.
-- Seven of last nine Angel road games stayed under total.
-- Under is 5-2 in Oakland's last seven games.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Monday, July 7

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Streaking Starting Pitchers
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Monday's streaking and slumping starters

Streaking

Matt Garza, Tampa Bay Rays (7-4, 3.47)

Garza, who spent two average campaigns with the Twins, has been nearly unhittable since suiting up for the Devil Rays.

The right-hander has 58 strikeouts in 13 starts and has not conceded more than three earned runs in any of his last five starts. Garza is also 2-1 with a 1.64 ERA in his last three outings and is 5-1 this season at Tropicana Field with a 2.16 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

Garza is coming off a spectacular triumph against the league-leading Boston Red Sox in which he pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out three.

Tampa Bay is also 18-6 in their last 24 tilts against the Royals in Florida.


Jarrod Washburn, Seattle Mariners (4-7, 5.08)

Washburn is rebounding from a terrible 2-7 start. The right-hander is 2-0 in his last three tilts with a 2.37 ERA and 1.34 WHIP.

The veteran starter is coming off a respectable victory against the Blue Jays. Washburn lasted six innings, striking out four and surrendering two earned runs.

Washburn, dominant in his last four road starts, is 2-4 with a 4.94 ERA outside Safeco Field. Seattle is also 10-1 in its last 11 contests in Oakland.


Slumping

Pedro Martinez, New York Mets (2-2, 7.39)

It may be time for Martinez to hang up his cleats. The veteran righty has started just 12 contests in the past two seasons.

Martinez is 0-2 with a 10.20 ERA and 1.93 WHIP in his last three and has conceded 17 earned runs on 22 hits in that period. He is also 1-1 with a lofty 8.37 ERA outside the Big Apple.

The veteran right-hander is 7-5 with a 3.27 ERA against the Phillies. The Mets are a meager 3-7 in their last 10 trips to Philly.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB


We will update when projected scores are available.

Monday, July 7

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Tips and Trends
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New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies [7:05 PM ET]

Mets: It's hard to believe that Pedro Martinez has been one of the worst pitchers in MLB over the last month, but that's been the case. In his last 15 innings pitched, Martinez has given up an unacceptable 17 runs. Back in the day, Pedro used to give up 17 runs in half a season. In his seven starts this year, Martinez has allowed four runs or more five times. Pedro has been hammered in five road starts, going 1-1 with a 8.37 ERA. The OVER is 4-2-1 in games with Martinez on the mound.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Phillies (-130, O/U 10.5): Adam Eaton comes into today's game losing three of his last four outings. Over that stretch, Eaton has allowed 14 runs in 23.2 innings of work. The good news for Phillies backers is Eaton has owned the Mets throughout his career. He's a perfect 5-0 with a 3.29 ERA in nine starts against New York. Eaton is one of the few Philly pitchers who hasn't received a ton of run support. Because of that, the UNDER is 7-3 in his last 10 starts.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Twins: Scott Baker comes into this game with the Red Sox on a three-game winning streak. In his last 18 innings on the mound, Baker has allowed seven runs, while striking out 15. He's been sensational at home but just average on the road, going 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in six starts away from the Metrodome. Baker has been consistent all year. He's allowed three runs or less nine times in his last 10 outings. The UNDER is 5-2 in Baker's last seven starts.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Red Sox (-175, O/U 9): After a terrible outing against St. Louis in his first start back from the DL, Daisuke Matsuzaka has regained the form he had before his injury. In his last two starts, Dice-K has only given up one run in 10 innings of work. Matsuzaka is 5-1 at Fenway Park, although his ERA is a less than impressive 4.10. Overall, the Red Sox are 11-3 in games Matsuzaka has started this season.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers [8:05 PM ET]

Angels (-140, O/U 10): After a sizzling start to the season, Ervin Santana has been average in his last 10 outings. Over that span, Santana has allowed four runs or more five times. Santana was dismal on the road last season but has turned it around in 2008, going 6-1 with a 3.36 ERA away from home. Santana was known as a pitcher who had control issues heading into this year but he's corrected that problem, striking out 106 and walking just 30 in 115.1 innings of work.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Rangers: There is the old good news, bad news when it comes to Luis Mendoza. The good news is he's been terrific as a relief pitcher. The bad news is he's been awful as a starter. Unfortunately for the Rangers, he'll be starting today. In his three starts this season Mendoza has allowed a ridiculous 17 runs in just 12.2 innings pitched. His last time out the Yankees hammered Mendoza, scoring six runs before he was lifted in the fourth inning. Two of Mendoza's three starts this year easily went OVER the total.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers [10:10 PM ET]

Braves: Jorge Campillo began the year on fire but he's come back to earth over the last month. Campillo has lost three of his last four starts, allowing 11 runs in 18.1 innings pitched. He has, however, been phenomenal away from home, possessing a road ERA of 1.00 in 10 appearances as a starter and reliever. Overall, the Braves have lost five of the last six games Campillo has started.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Dodgers (-130, O/U 7.5): Hiroki Kuroda makes his second start since coming off the DL. The Dodgers are hoping it goes as well as his last outing against the Astros where Kuroda pitched five scoreless innings. Kuroda has been tough at home this season, going 2-0 with a solid 3.00 ERA. The UNDER has been a moneymaking proposition with Kuroda on the mound, going 9-4-2 in his 15 starts this season.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

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[pm530]

MLB


Monday, July 7

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Baseball Today
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SCOREBOARD

Monday, July 7

Kansas City at Tampa Bay (12:40 p.m. EDT). The Royals attempt to slow down the streaking Rays, winners of seven straight and 11 of 12 overall.


STARS

Sunday

-David Murphy, Rangers, went 3-for-6 with a three-run homer to help rally Texas to an 11-10 win over the Orioles.

-Evan Longoria, Rays, hit a two-run homer in a 9-2 rout of the Royals. Longoria has five homers and 17 RBIs in his last 13 games.

-J.J. Hardy, Brewers, doubled and hit a pair of homers while driving in four runs in an 11-6 victory over the Pirates, delivering an emphatic response to getting left off the All-Star team.

-Cody Ross, Marlins, drove in five runs while finishing a triple shy of the cycle, helping Florida beat up on the Rockies, 10-5.

-Mark Teixeira, Braves, singled off the wall with the bases loaded in the 17th inning, his third hit and RBI, to give Atlanta a 7-6 win over the Astros.

-Fernando Tatis, Mets, delivered a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the 12th inning to give New York a 4-2 win over the Phillies.

-Jon Garland, Angels, pitched a six-hitter in a 7-1 victory over the Angels, his 100th career win and ninth complete game in 241 career starts.

-Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks, gave up a run in the first and nothing else, pitching into the seventh inning while striking out 10 in a 3-2 win over the Padres.

-Brett Gardner, Yankees, singled home the winning run off Jonathan Papelbon with two outs in the 10th inning, and New York overcame a two-run deficit to beat Boston 5-4.


OUT OF OPTIONS

Their bullpen taxed, the Mariners turned to backup catcher Jamie Burke to throw the 15th inning of a tied game against the Tigers. Marcus Thames wound up driving in pinch runner Michael Holliman with a sacrifice fly to give Detroit a 2-1 win. Seattle manager Jim Riggleman bypassed using pitchers Arthur Rhodes, Brandon Morrow or Tuesday's scheduled starter, Carlos Silva. Instead, Burke became the third position player in Mariners' history to take the mound.


MATCHING MICK

Alex Rodriguez hit his 536th homer, tying Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle for 13th on the career list in the Yankees' 5-4, 10-inning win over Boston on Sunday night.


EXTRA TIME

Mark Teixeira singled off the wall in left-center with the bases loaded in the 17th inning, giving Atlanta a 7-6 victory over Houston in a game delayed 1 hour, 50 minutes by rain. It was the longest game in Turner Field history, lasting 5 hours, 35 minutes.


LONG-ORIA

Evan Longoria hit a two-run homer to help the Rays win their seventh straight, 9-2 over the Royals. His 16 homers this season are tied with Kansas City's Bob Hamelin (1994) for the second-most by an AL rookie before the All-Star break in the last 20 years. Left off the All-Star roster, Longoria could still make it to Yankee Stadium if he's the final fan selection.


THE HARDY BOY

J.J. Hardy went 3-for-4 with a pair of homers, driving in four runs in the Brewers' 11-6 win over the Pirates. After giving up his 16-game hitting streak the previous night with a sacrifice bunt to set up the winning run, Hardy raised his average to .446 over the last 18 games.


GARLAND GRAND

Jon Garland pitched a six-hitter for his 100th major league victory, beating the Blue Jays 7-1. Garland went the distance for the ninth time in 241 career starts and first time in 18 outings with the Angels, who obtained the right-hander in a trade that sent two-time Gold Glove shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the Chicago White Sox in November.


REDS ROLL

So what if the series began with the Reds and Nationals last in their respective divisions? That won't dampen the mood in Cincinnati, which celebrated its first four-game sweep in two years. The four-game winning streak is the Reds' second longest of the season.


ROOKIE REWARDED

Announced earlier in the day as the starting catcher for the NL All-Star team, Geovany Soto backed up the fans' balloting with his 15th homer in a 7-1 win over the Cardinals. Soto's homer total is the most by a Cubs rookie since Mel Hall hit 17 in 1983, and the most for the franchise by a catcher since Randy Hundley hit 19 in 1966.


STREAKING

The Rangers' Ian Kinsler got three singles in an 11-10 win over the Orioles, extending his hitting streak to 18 games. ... The Orioles have lost 13 straight Sunday games after that 11-10 defeat to the Rangers. ... The Rays have won seven straight after pummeling Kansas City, 9-2. ... The Indians have lost eight straight after the Twins rallied for a 4-3 win.


SPEAKING

"We can't correct voting. You know, at some point, if their fans want them to be on the team, they're going have to step up and vote. That's the way it goes. But also, I think we have a responsibility to respect how they've played.'' -Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who will manage the AL All-Star team, on picking Scott Kazmir and Dioner Navarro for his roster after the Rays failed to land a starter despite the best record in baseball.


SEASONS

July 7

1923 - Lefty O'Doul, pitching for the Boston Red Sox, allowed 13 runs in the sixth inning to the Cleveland Indians, who won 27-3. In 1928, he was to return to the majors as a great hitting outfielder.

1936 - The NL won its first All-Star game 4-3 at Braves Field in Boston.

1937 - Lou Gehrig drove in four runs with a home run and a double to pace the AL to an 8-3 victory over the NL in the All-Star game at Washington's Griffith Stadium. In attendance was President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1959 - At Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, the first of two All-Star games played that season went to the NL, 5-4. The NL scored the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the eighth when Hank Aaron singled in a run and scored on a triple by Willie Mays.

1964 - The NL beat the AL 7-4 in the All-Star game on Johnny Callison's two-out, three-run homer off Dick Radatz in the bottom of the ninth inning at New York's Shea Stadium. The win pulled the NL even with its rivals (17-17-1) for the first time since the series began.

1982 - Harold Baines of Chicago hit three successive home runs, including a grand slam, to lead the White Sox to a 7-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

1998 - Coors Field lived up to its billing as a hitter's haven as the American League beat the Nationals 13-8 at Coors Field in the highest-scoring All-Star game in major league history. The 21 runs broke the record set in the AL's 11-9 win in 1954.

2003 - Shea Hillenbrand had his first three-homer game - tying a major league record by homering in three consecutive innings - and drove in seven runs as Arizona beat Colorado 14-6.

2004 - Kazuhisa Ishii pitched a one-hitter in Los Angeles' 11-0 victory over Arizona. Ishii retired his first 12 batters before giving up a leadoff walk in the fourth to Luis Gonzalez and a line single by Shea Hillenbrand. No one else reached base against Ishii, who went the distance for the second time in 72 starts.

2006 - Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner became the first player in major league history to hit five grand slams before the All-Star break when he connected in the second inning of a 9-0 win over Baltimore.

Today's birthdays: Brandon McCarthy 25; John Buck 28.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Trend Sheet

MLB


Monday, July 7

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Trend Sheet
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12:40 PM KANSAS CITY vs. TAMPA BAY
Kansas City is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas City's last 8 games
Tampa Bay is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing Kansas City


7:05 PM HOUSTON vs. PITTSBURGH
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Pittsburgh's last 10 games when playing at home against Houston


7:05 PM MINNESOTA vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Boston is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games at home


7:05 PM NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
NY Mets are 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets's last 6 games
Philadelphia is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing NY Mets


8:05 PM COLORADO vs. MILWAUKEE
Colorado is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games
Milwaukee is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Colorado
Milwaukee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Colorado


8:05 PM LA ANGELS vs. TEXAS
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games
Texas is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 6 games when playing LA Angels


10:05 PM FLORIDA vs. SAN DIEGO
Florida is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Florida's last 7 games
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Florida
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Diego's last 7 games when playing at home against Florida


10:05 PM SEATTLE vs. OAKLAND
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Seattle is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Oakland
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Oakland's last 13 games


10:10 PM ATLANTA vs. LA DODGERS
Atlanta is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Atlanta's last 12 games
LA Dodgers are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of LA Dodgers's last 7 games when playing at home against Atlanta

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[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Atlanta at LA Dodgers
The Braves played a 17-inning marathon yesterday and have to hit the road to LA today with just a 3-7 record as a road underdog between +100 and +125. The Dodgers are the pick (-120) according to Dunkel, which has LA favored by 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-120). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, JULY 7

Game 901-902: Houston at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Hernandez) 13.544; Pittsburgh (Dumatrait) 15.193
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-135); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-135); Under

Game 903-904: NY Mets at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Martinez) 15.547; Philadelphia (Eaton) 16.353
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 11
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-120); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-120); Over

Game 905-906: Colorado at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Jimenez) 13.979; Milwaukee (McClung) 16.080
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-115); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-115); Under

Game 907-908: Florida at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Nolasco) 14.586; San Diego (Maddux) 14.340
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego (-125); 8
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+115); Under

Game 909-910: Atlanta at LA Dodgers
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Campillo) 13.703; LA Dodgers (Kuroda) 16.033
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 2 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-120); Over

Game 911-912: Kansas City at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Meche) 14.811; Tampa Bay (Garza) 17.075
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-165); 8
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-165); Under

Game 913-914: Minnesota at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Baker) 15.955; Boston (Matsuzaka) 16.591
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-170); 9
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-170); Over

Game 915-916: LA Angels at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Santana) 14.716; Texas (Mendoza) 15.853
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 11
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-135); 10
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+125); Over

Game 917-918: Seattle at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Washburn) 14.566; Oakland (Eveland) 16.017
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Oakland (-155); 8
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-155); Over

[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Long Sheet

MLB
Long Sheet


Monday, July 7

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HOUSTON (41 - 48) at PITTSBURGH (40 - 47) - 7:05 PM
RUNELVYS HERNANDEZ (R) vs. PHILLIP DUMATRAIT (L)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 309-320 (-72.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 25-19 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 68-49 (+21.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 25-19 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 338-319 (+36.8 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 54-36 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in home games after allowing 10 runs or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 2-1 (+0.9 Units) against HOUSTON this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

RUNELVYS HERNANDEZ vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
No recent starts.

PHILLIP DUMATRAIT vs. HOUSTON since 1997
DUMATRAIT is 0-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.667.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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NY METS (44 - 44) at PHILADELPHIA (48 - 41) - 7:05 PM
PEDRO MARTINEZ (R) vs. ADAM EATON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 44-44 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY METS are 16-23 (-13.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 52-53 (-24.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 44-44 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY METS are 87-82 (-20.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 28-34 (-12.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NY METS are 19-26 (-12.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
MARTINEZ is 6-13 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Monday since 1997. (Team's Record)
MARTINEZ is 65-59 (-49.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
MARTINEZ is 81-67 (-30.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 34-14 (+18.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 100-75 (+16.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 6-3 (+2.1 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.6 Units)

PEDRO MARTINEZ vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
MARTINEZ is 4-4 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 3.84 and a WHIP of 1.038.
His team's record is 4-7 (-8.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-7. (-4.8 units)

ADAM EATON vs. NY METS since 1997
EATON is 5-0 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.29 and a WHIP of 1.134.
His team's record is 8-1 (+8.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-6. (-3.4 units)

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COLORADO (37 - 52) at MILWAUKEE (49 - 39) - 8:05 PM
UBALDO JIMENEZ (R) vs. SETH MCCLUNG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 16-35 (-20.5 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
COLORADO is 36-52 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 13-24 (-13.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
COLORADO is 107-162 (-41.4 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
COLORADO is 11-30 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
COLORADO is 4-16 (-12.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
COLORADO is 42-104 (-50.0 Units) against the money line in road games in July games since 1997.
COLORADO is 36-52 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 23-42 (-21.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
JIMENEZ is 5-13 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
JIMENEZ is 0-8 (-8.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
JIMENEZ is 5-13 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 47-24 (+15.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 49-39 (+7.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 28-13 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 48-37 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 77-61 (+27.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 45-22 (+27.8 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.
COLORADO is 97-89 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 99-109 (-27.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 45-64 (-30.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
JIMENEZ is 0-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

SETH MCCLUNG vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

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FLORIDA (45 - 43) at SAN DIEGO (35 - 54) - 10:05 PM
RICKY NOLASCO (R) vs. GREG MADDUX (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 44-41 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
FLORIDA is 34-30 (+9.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
FLORIDA is 45-43 (+9.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NOLASCO is 11-5 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 10-5 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
SAN DIEGO is 10-25 (-15.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN DIEGO is 35-53 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 35-53 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN DIEGO is 23-39 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.1 Units)

RICKY NOLASCO vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
NOLASCO is 0-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 7.59 and a WHIP of 1.781.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.1 units)

GREG MADDUX vs. FLORIDA since 1997
MADDUX is 13-15 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 2.93 and a WHIP of 1.068.
His team's record is 16-19 (-20.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 14-19. (-7.9 units)

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ATLANTA (42 - 47) at LA DODGERS (43 - 45) - 10:10 PM
JORGE CAMPILLO (R) vs. HIROKI KURODA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 60-64 (-15.5 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 6-18 (-13.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
ATLANTA is 42-47 (-12.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 12-29 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
ATLANTA is 41-45 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 26-33 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 115-76 (+27.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 91-51 (+26.1 Units) against the money line in road games in July games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-0 (+3.2 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

JORGE CAMPILLO vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
No recent starts.

HIROKI KURODA vs. ATLANTA since 1997
KURODA is 0-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.833.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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KANSAS CITY (39 - 50) at TAMPA BAY (55 - 32) - 12:40 PM
GIL MECHE (R) vs. MATT GARZA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 17-32 (-12.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
TAMPA BAY is 36-13 (+20.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 18-5 (+11.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TAMPA BAY is 15-3 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in home games in day games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 36-14 (+18.8 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
TAMPA BAY is 38-15 (+20.0 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
TAMPA BAY is 40-23 (+14.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TAMPA BAY is 25-10 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in home games after a win this season.
TAMPA BAY is 55-32 (+21.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 98-137 (+18.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 38-35 (+11.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 22-24 (+17.7 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +175 to +200 over the last 3 seasons.
MECHE is 22-13 (+13.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MECHE is 55-46 (+21.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 35-50 (-18.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

GIL MECHE vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
MECHE is 1-4 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 5.65 and a WHIP of 1.442.
His team's record is 2-6 (-6.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-4. (-1.6 units)

MATT GARZA vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
GARZA is 0-3 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.20 and a WHIP of 1.068.
His team's record is 0-3 (-5.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

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MINNESOTA (50 - 38) at BOSTON (52 - 39) - 7:05 PM
SCOTT BAKER (R) vs. DAISUKE MATSUZAKA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 14-27 (-14.6 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.
BOSTON is 36-11 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 37-14 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 31-10 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
BOSTON is 19-5 (+11.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
BOSTON is 51-27 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 50-38 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 27-22 (+7.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
MINNESOTA is 37-24 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 39-25 (+18.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 29-20 (+11.0 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
MINNESOTA is 12-5 (+8.3 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
MINNESOTA is 21-14 (+9.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BAKER is 13-4 (+10.7 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-1 (+2.5 Units) against BOSTON this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

SCOTT BAKER vs. BOSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
MATSUZAKA is 2-0 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.40 and a WHIP of 1.133.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

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LA ANGELS (53 - 35) at TEXAS (46 - 43) - 8:05 PM
ERVIN SANTANA (R) vs. LUIS MENDOZA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 35-27 (+15.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 36-26 (+17.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TEXAS is 56-55 (+17.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 24-19 (+13.8 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.
TEXAS is 46-43 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 68-52 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 38-24 (+13.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 24-15 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 41-39 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 53-35 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 27-15 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA ANGELS are 48-30 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 113-80 (+15.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 20-7 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season.
LA ANGELS are 63-43 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SANTANA is 19-7 (+14.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 3-2 (+0.0 Units) against TEXAS this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

ERVIN SANTANA vs. TEXAS since 1997
SANTANA is 5-4 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 6.44 and a WHIP of 1.446.
His team's record is 6-5 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-2. (+5.6 units)

LUIS MENDOZA vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
MENDOZA is 0-0 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.85 and a WHIP of 1.499.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.1 units)

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SEATTLE (35 - 53) at OAKLAND (47 - 41) - 10:05 PM
JARROD WASHBURN (L) vs. DANA EVELAND (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 35-53 (-19.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 31-51 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 24-37 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
WASHBURN is 16-27 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
OAKLAND is 27-17 (+9.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
WASHBURN is 77-62 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
OAKLAND is 27-31 (-16.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 11-22 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 33-48 (-19.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 3-2 (+0.3 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

JARROD WASHBURN vs. OAKLAND since 1997
WASHBURN is 8-13 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.08 and a WHIP of 1.328.
His team's record is 14-17 (-3.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 15-15. (-1.7 units)

DANA EVELAND vs. SEATTLE since 1997
EVELAND is 1-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 5.07 and a WHIP of 1.313.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Hot lines

MLB


Monday, July 7

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Hot lines: Today’s MLB bets
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Hot lines: Monday's best MLB bets

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee (-135, 9)

If the Milwaukee Brewers weren’t a serious contender before, they definitely are today when it’s expected they will introduce the reigning AL Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia as their new ace.

This is the kind of move that puts a lot of wind in a team’s sails – especially when the club is already motoring along at an impressive clip. The Brewers have won five of their last six, putting up 39 runs along the way.

Milwaukee may start Sabathia tomorrow, but today the Brewers have Seth McClung on the hill, a guy who should be getting some attention himself. The lanky right-hander has allowed more than two runs in an outing only once since the beginning of June.

Pick: Brewers



L.A. Angels at Texas (+120, 10)

Luis Mendoza made his return to the starting rotation last week after blister and shoulder problems from the top five early in the season.

Those issues don’t seem to be bothering him now. His sinking fastball is pounding the lower part of the strike zone and he has the bite back in his slider again. Still, while the defense behind him should take part of the blame, he hasn’t seen the sixth inning as a starter yet and opposing batters are hitting .302 against him.

Meanwhile, Ervin Santana, who is quietly having a huge year, hopes his problems at Rangers Ballpark are over after he held Texas to just three runs back in April. Before that he was 1-4 with a 8.92 ERA in Texas.

Pick: Under

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