Friday Trends and Indexes 07/18

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Trends and Indexes
Friday July 17

Good Luck on day #200 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

Friday, July 18

CC Sabathia has been as-advertised so far in his career as a member of the Brewers, and he'll get a chance to earn himself another victory when he takes the mound Friday.

Sabathia has made two starts for Milwaukee since being acquired in that deal with the Indians, and he managed to pick up the victory in both of them. In his first outing for the club the lefthander went six innings against the Rockies, giving up just two earned runs on five hits. Sabathia walked five batters in that contest, but he also managed to fan five

Last time out, versus the Reds, Sabathia put it all together, surrendering two earned runs on eight hits over nine innings, while walking just one and striking out nine. Sabathia also contributed to the offense in that game, taking Reds starter Homer Bailey deep in the third inning. That win upped the lefthander's record to .500 at 8-8 this year.

So Sabathia can further improve on that mark when he takes the ball for the Brewers on Friday night for their road game against the Giants. The Brewers hit the All-Star break five games back of the Cubs in the NL Central, and they were trailing the Cards in the standings as well. Righthander Matt Cain (5-7, 4.06 ERA) is expected to start for San Fran; he tossed seven scoreless innings in a no-decision versus the Cubs last time out.

The Cubs will be on the road as well on Friday, as they'll travel down to Houston to start a weekend series against the Astros. The Cardinals got their second half underway on Thursday at home against the Padres, and that set will carry on over the next few days.

Other National League games on the schedule for Friday include Washington at Atlanta, Pittsburgh at Colorado, the Dodgers at Arizona, and Philadelphia at Florida. As well, the Mets will be looking to keep up their hot play when they continue their set in Cincinnati.

Over in the American League a clash of division leaders begins on Friday night, with the Red Sox out on the west coast to take on the Angels. Boston slipped past Tampa Bay and into first place in the AL East just prior to the All-Star break, while Los Angeles enters the second half of the year with a healthy six-game lead on the A's in the West.

The Athletics, meanwhile, will be in New York to face the Yankees starting on Friday night. Oakland will have to get by the rest of the season without former ace Rich Harden, who was dealt to the Cubs. That means they'll want a better effort from Friday starter Joe Blanton, who is 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA on the season. The righthander was knocked around by the Mariners last time out, giving up six earned runs in six innings.

The Rays will host the Blue Jays on Friday night, with Detroit at Baltimore, Texas at Minnesota, and Kansas City at the White Sox. In late action it's Cleveland at Seattle in a matchup of really disappointing teams. The probable pitchers for that one are the Tribe's Aaron Laffey (5-5, 3.45 ERA) and the Mariners' Felix Hernandez (6-6, 2.95 ERA).

There are four WNBA games on the schedule for Friday, with Seattle at Indiana, Detroit at Washington, Connecticut at Chicago, and Atlanta at Sacramento. As well, in Canadian Football League action it's Winnipeg at British Columbia at 10:00pm ET. The Bombers and Lions are a combined 1-5 so far, both straight-up and against-the-spread.

Finally, the British Open continues at Royal Birkdale on Friday morning. The leaders after Thursday's first round were Rocco Mediate, Graeme McDowell, and Robert Allenby, all at 1-under. Adam Scott, Greg Norman, and Bart Bryant came in at even-par. Phil Mickelson had a forgettable opening round, as he was 9-over. Vijay Singh and Ernie Els were even worse than that on Thursday, as they both finished back at 10-over.

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Six-pack for Friday

-- Being an A's fan got a little more depressing Thursday, as Blanton was sent to Philly for three prospects, the highest of whom has one save and five starts at AA Reading. Terrific.

-- Next up: Huston Street gets traded to the Dodgers. Saito is out and they have a lot of prospects.

-- Not sure how Richie Sexson will help in the Bronx.

-- I only care because he's on my fantasy team, but why are the Twins keeping Francisco Liriano in AAA? Aren't they in a pennant race they can win? (He is 8-0, 2.39 in last 10 starts)

-- Like Cincinnati wouldn't give its eye teeth (or Adam Dunn) to get Liriano on its squad?

-- Mets scored ten runs last night without Jose Reyes even getting on base; could be a long weekend for Reds' pitchers.

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[pm530]

Friday's List of 13: What I learned on my summer vacation

Some people go fishing on their vacations, some go mountain climbing or sailing; I usually go to Florida and watch summer basketball, but this year, I sat by a pool and read magazines to get ready for football season. Here is some of what I learned.....

13) Florida Gators are 4-11 against the spread as a road favorite since Urban Meyer became head coach.

12) Washington Huskies are 1-10 as home fave last four years.

11) West Virginia covered nine of last ten as an underdog in its Big East conference games.

10) Skip Holtz is 26-11 vs the spread at East Carolina, 12-2 as a road dog. Will be interesting to see if Holtz stays at ECU.

9) LSU is just 6-16 vs spread in SEC games in the Les Miles era but they've covered 11 of their last 12 non-league games.

8) Syracuse is 1-8 vs spread if their last game went overtime; in the same category, Wyoming is 6-0 vs the spread.

7) USC is 9-3 against the spread in game after a loss in the very successful Pete Carroll era.

6) Wisconsin covered one of last eleven times they were road favorite of ten or more points.

5) Wake Forest usually has good teams now, but they're 0-8 vs spread as non-conference favorite of more than three points.

4) In last four years, Clemson is 10-2 vs spread as as underdog.

3) Memphis covered just two of last 15 as single digit favorite.

2) Miami used to be a great road team; the last three years, the Hurricanes are 5-12 against the pointspread on foreign soil.

1) Part of the reason Ole Miss changed coaches? In last four seasons, Rebels were 2-10-2 vs spread when favored.

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[pm530]

Canadian Football League – Long Sheet

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 4

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Friday, July 18
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WINNIPEG (0 - 3) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (1 - 2) - 7/18/2008, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 32-52 ATS (-25.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

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


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Saturday, July 19
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MONTREAL (2 - 1) at SASKATCHEWAN (3 - 0) - 7/19/2008, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 119-90 ATS (+20.0 Units) in all games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 119-90 ATS (+20.0 Units) in all lined games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 34-16 ATS (+16.4 Units) in July games since 1996.

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


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Sunday, July 20
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EDMONTON (2 - 1) at TORONTO (1 - 2) - 7/20/2008, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) in home games in July games since 1996.

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


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[pm530]

Canadian Football League – Write up

CFL
Write-up


Week 4 CFL games

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Friday, July 18
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Winnipeg (1-2) @ BCLions (1-2)-- Lions picked off four passes, averaged just under 10 yards/pass attempt as they got first win 42-24 in Winnipeg last week, handing Bombers their third loss in row. Bombers allowed 23-38-42 pts so far, with seven INTs, and 964 yards allowed the last two weeks. Lions ran ball for 169 yards last week, after just 65-56 yards in first two games.


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Saturday, July 19
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Montreal (2-1) @ Saskatchewan (3-0)-- Alouettes only ran ball six times for 25 yards last week, after 28-24 rush attempts in first two games- they still haven't picked off pass this year. Durant has sparked Rider offense that scored 34-26-33 points- in last week's win, they had 345 passing yards on 33 attempts. TiCats had 193 rushing yards last week; Als figure to try the same.


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Sunday, July 20
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Edmonton (2-1) @ Toronto (1-2)-- Eskimos scored 81 points in winning last two games; they scored 47 points vs Argos in last week's game, despite -3 turnover ratio. Toronto allowed 474 yds on ground last two weeks, giving up 32-47 points in losses- in first two games, they were outgained by 131-242 yards, gave up 47 points last week in game they had +3 turnover margin in.


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[pm530]

Canadian Football League – Additional Trends

CFL

Week 4

Trend Sheet

Friday, July 18

10:00 PM WINNIPEG vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Winnipeg is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
British Columbia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
British Columbia is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games


Saturday, July 19

7:00 PM MONTREAL vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Montreal is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Montreal is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games
Saskatchewan is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Montreal
Saskatchewan is 5-18 SU in its last 23 games when playing Montreal


Sunday, July 20

4:00 PM EDMONTON vs. TORONTO
Edmonton is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Edmonton's last 7 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

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Canadian Football League – Preview and Predictions



CFL
Preview and Predictions


CFL games – Week 4

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Preview and Predictions
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Friday, July 18

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-3) at B.C. Lions (1-2) (B.C. -8.5)

Both teams have proven a disappointment for their respective fans since the start of the 2008 season.

Last week, the Lions crushed the Blue Bombers 42-24 in Winnipeg and QB Jarious Jackson finally rose for the occasion, completing 19 of 24 passes for 340 yards and five touchdowns. Geroy Simon added two touchdowns and gained 192 yards receiving.

In Vancouver, the Blue Bombers will be facing the Lions without center Dominic Picard, who still nurses an injury to the ankle, DL Jon Oosterhuis and left guard Matt Sheridan. Valuable WR Milt Stegall is also once again doubtful to play because of a knee injury.

In last week’s loss, Kevin Glenn only completed nine of the 17 passes he attempted for 86 yards. He was intercepted twice. Ryan Dinwiddie was more efficient with 20 passes completed out of 33 attempts with 227 yards and one touchdown.

Rob Murphy, CFL’s two-time top offensive lineman will return to the Lions lineup as will right guard Sherko Haji-Rasouli. Expect another explosive night for Jarious Jackson . The Lions should have no trouble prolonging Winnipeg’s agony as they may very well end up 0-4 when the final whistle is blown.

Pick: B.C. -8 1/2



Saturday, July 19

Montreal Alouettes (2-1) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-0) (Saskatchewan -5 1/2)

Marc Trestman’s new playbook can be dazzling offensively but the Stampeders showed last week it can also be neutralized.

The defending champ Riders may not be as powerful as they where last year when led by QB Kerry Joseph, but on the defensive side of the game they are still quite dominant. Montreal will have difficulty moving the chains and putting points on the scoreboard.

Without Marcus Crandell, the Roughriders have seen Darian Durant take over with lots of poise as he completed 23 of 33 pass attempts for 347 yards and one touchdown against Hamilton last week. Wes Cates carried the ball 15 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns.

Against Calgary, the Alouettes relied heavily on Anthony Calvillo’s arm. The veteran QB completed 21 passes with 341 yards and touchdown in their loss to Calgary. If the Alouettes can’t get Avon Cobourne to run more often with the ball, it could be a very long night for Montreal. Expect the Roughriders to remain undefeated.

Pick: Saskatchewan -5 1/2



Sunday, July 20

Edmonton Eskimos (2-1) at Toronto Argonauts (1-2) (Toronto -3 1/2)

Against all odds, Edmonton won against Toronto last week 47-28, easily covering the 2 ½-point underdog spread. With a combined 75 points, the game also went way over the posted total.

Ricky Ray completed 16 of 23 pass attempts for 213 yards and one touchdown while A.J. Harris ran for two touchdowns in that stunning win. Kerry Joseph was intercepted three times for Toronto and completed only 23 of the 40 passes he attempted for 227 yards and two touchdowns.

Joseph should be the starter once again but the decision to split duties between him and incumbent Michael Bishop was ill-fated. The Argonauts could once again fall to the Eskimos this weekend if only because Danny Maciocia keeps showing he is a much better coach than Toronto’s Rich Stubler. Even if the Argonauts manage to pull this one, they probably won’t cover the spread.

Pick: Edmonton +3 1/2

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up


Friday, July 18

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Hot Pitchers
-- Arroyo is 3-0, 3.71 in his last three starts.
-- Nolasco is 5-0, 2.66 in his last seven starts. Moyer has a 2.63 RA in his last two starts.
-- Braves are 7-2 in Hudson home starts. Redding is 1-0, 0.75 in his last two starts; Nationals are 14-4 in his last 18 starts.
-- Lilly has 1.98 RA in his last four road starts. Astros won four of last five Moehler home starts.
-- Davis has 2.36 RA in his last four home starts. Kuroda is 2-0, 1.19 in his last three starts; LA is 2-6 in his last eight on road.
-- Sabathia is 5-0, 2.29 in his last seven starts. Cain has 2.14 RA in his last three starts.

-- Mussina has 2.00 RA in his last three starts.
-- Orioles won Guthrie's last three home starts. Detroit is 6-2 on the road when Galarraga starts.
-- Rays are 9-1 at home when Shields starts.
-- Perkins is 4-0, 3.55 in his last five starts.
-- Buerhle is 4-2, 2.08 in his last seven starts. Greinke has a 2.84 RA in his last six starts.
-- Hernandez is 2-0, 1.82 in his last five starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Maine is 0-1, 6.91 in his last three starts.
-- Looper is 0-2, 4.86 in his last three starts. Maddux is 0-4, 6.44 in his last six starts; his last win was May 10, 13 starts ago.
-- Rusch is 1-1, 5.06 in two starts for the Rockies. Pirates lost six of last seven Snell road starts.

-- Toronto lost Burnett's last four road starts.
-- Millwood is 1-2, 7.97 in his last four starts.
-- Red Sox are 0-5 when Buchholz starts on the road. Lackey is 0-1, 9.26 in his last two starts.
-- Indians lost four of last five Laffey starts.

Hot Teams
-- Mets won their last ten games. Reds are 7-4 in their last 11 home games.
-- Marlins won six of their last eight games. Phillies won four of their last five games.
-- Cubs won five of their last seven games. Astros won three of their last four games.
-- Colorado won six of its last seven home games.
-- Arizona is 4-1 in game after its last five losses. Dodgers won five of their last six road games.

-- Bronx won its last four home games.
-- Blue Jays won five of their last six games.
-- Twins won their last five games at the Metrodome. Rangers won six of their last nine games.
-- White Sox are 11-2 in their last thirteen home games.
-- Angels won three of their last four games.

Cold Teams
-- Braves lost six of their last nine home games. Nationals lost nine of their last eleven games.
-- Cardinals are 2-4 in second game of home series if they won the opener. Padres lost six of their last eight games overall.
-- Pirates lost ten of their last thirteen road games.
-- Brewers are 1-5 in last six road series openers. Giants lost six of their last seven games.

-- Oakland lost six of last nine road games.
-- Orioles lost eight of their last nine games. Tigers are 1-6 in the second game of a road series, if they won the opener.
-- Rays were 0-7 last week, but are 32-7 in last 39 at home.
-- Royals lost five of last seven road games.
-- Red Sox lost seven of their last nine road games.
-- Indians lost their last nine road games, but won four in a row at home right before All-Star break. Mariners are 2-6 in their last eight games.

Totals
-- Over is 6-2 in Cincinnati's last eight games.
-- Six of last seven Florida home games went over the total.
-- Under is 7-3 in Atlanta's last ten games.
-- Under is 4-1 in last five games at Minute Maid Park.
-- Under is 6-2 in Cardinals' last eight games.
-- Four of last five games at Coors Field went over the total.
-- Under is 4-1 in Arizona's last five home games.
-- Five of last six Milwaukee games went over the total.

-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six games in the Bronx.
-- Over is 7-2 in last nine games at Camden Yards.
-- Four of last five Tampa home games went over total.
-- Three of last four Texas games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1 in White Sox' last six home games.
-- Four of last five Angel home games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-1 in Cleveland's last six road games.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB


We will update when projected scores are available.

Friday, July 18

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Tips and Trends
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Philadelphia Phillies at Florida Marlins [7:10 PM ET]

Phillies: Jamie Moyer brings a perfect 9-0 lifetime record against the Marlins into this one. Moyer snapped a personal thee-game losing streak last time out against the Cardinals, allowing just one run and seven hits in seven innings of a 4-1 victory last Thursday. He has allowed three runs or less in his last seven starts and is 4-3 in nine road starts this season with a 3.13 ERA.

Phillies are 8-1 in their last 9 games as an underdog.
Phillies are 9-0 in Moyer's last 9 starts vs. Florida.

Key Injuries - OF Geoff Jenkins (.237; elbow) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Marlins (-130, O/U 9): Florida has won seven straight with Ricky Nolasco on the mound, and he has given up more than two runs just once during that stretch. Nolasco started the winning streak by failing to allow an earned run in six innings of a 5-4 victory against the Phillies back on June 10th. He is 4-2 in six home starts with a 3.35 ERA and 3-2 lifetime vs. Philadelphia with a 4.23 ERA.

Marlins are 2-7 in their last 9 Friday games.
The OVER is 38-15-5 in Florida's last 58 games on grass.

Key Injuries - SS Hanley Ramirez (.311; shoulder) is probable.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Chicago Cubs at Houston Astros [WGN | 8:05 PM ET]

Cubs (-130, O/U 9.5): Chicago has dropped the last two games Ted Lilly has started after winning his previous five starts. Lilly is coming off his worst start since May 30th, as he allowed four runs and six hits in just 2.2 innings of work against the Reds last Thursday. He has pitched a bit better on the road though, going 4-3 in 10 starts with a 4.07 ERA. Lilly is also 2-1 lifetime vs. Houston with a 3.55 ERA.

Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10 Friday games.
Cubs are 4-9 in their last 13 road games.

Key Injuries - Closer Kerry Wood (24 saves; finger) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Astros: Brian Moehler will try to win his third straight home start when he faces Lilly and the Cubs at home for the second time this season. Moehler was on the wrong side of a 7-2 loss when they last met back on May 19th, giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He has allowed just one run in each of his last two home starts against the Red Sox and Rangers, putting in 12 innings of work between them with five walks and 10 strikeouts.

Astros are 7-20 in their last 27 games as an underdog.
The UNDER is 7-1 in Houston's last 8 Friday games.

Key Injuries - C Humberto Quintero (.244; concussion) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks [9:40 PM ET]

Dodgers: Hiroki Kuroda will look to build on his first road win in five starts when he visits Arizona. Kuroda pitched seven scoreless inning in his last road start at Houston on July 2nd, allowing just five hits with one walk and one strikeout. He followed that outing up with a one-hit, complete game shutout against the Braves before suffering a home loss to the Marlins last time out, giving up three runs in 6.2 innings. Kuroda is 2-6 in nine road starts overall with a 4.29 ERA.

Dodgers are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings.
The UNDER is 17-6 in LA's last 23 games following a win.

Key Injuries - Closer Takashi Saito (17 saves; arm) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Diamondbacks (-110, O/U 8.5): Doug Davis has been incredibly consistent in his last four starts, giving up three runs each time out. Unfortunately for Arizona, three of those outings resulted in losses. Run support has been a bit of a concern, as the Diamondbacks have scored less than five runs in seven of his last nine starts. On the positive side, Davis is 4-2 in six career starts against the Dodgers with a stellar 1.33 ERA.

Diamondbacks are 19-6 in Davis' last 25 home starts.
The OVER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Key Injuries - OF Justin Upton (.242; oblique) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels [NESN | 10:05 PM ET]

Red Sox: Clay Buchholz figures to play a big role for Boston in the second half of the season or else he will end up back in the minors. If he is going to start turning things around, there is no better place than the road, where he is 0-3 in five starts with an 8.64 ERA. In fact, the Red Sox are just 2-7 when he toes the rubber this season, losing three straight. However, Buchholz beat the Angels in his only career start against them, giving up three earned runs and eight hits in six innings of work.

Red Sox are 2-7 in their last 9 road games.
Red Sox are 2-8 in Buchholz's last 10 starts.

Key Injuries - SS Julio Lugo (.268; quad) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Angels (-155, O/U 8): John Lackey has been hit hard in each of his last two starts, which is quite surprising considering how well he pitched in his previous nine starts. Lackey had allowed no more than three runs in any of those outings, but he has surrendered a combined 12 runs and 23 hits in his last two starts against Toronto and Texas. He has also struggled mightily during his career against the Red Sox, going 1-6 in 11 starts with a 6.27 ERA.

Angels are 1-11 in Lackey's last 12 starts vs. Boston.
The OVER is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings.

Key Injuries - 3B Chone Figgins (.275; personal) is expected to return.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Friday, July 18

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Streaking Starting Pitchers
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Friday’s streaking and slumping pitchers

Streaking

C.C. Sabathia, Milwaukee Brewers (8-8, 3.67)

It hasn’t taken Sabathia long to settle in Milwaukee. The extra-large left-hander is 2-0 and has a 2.40 ERA in his first two starts as a member of the Brew Crew.

In his last two outings, Sabathia has pitched 15 innings, relinquishing just five total hits and four earned runs. He also has 14 strikeouts and six walks in that span.

Sabathia is also 1-0 in one career start at AT&T Park and the Brewers are 11-5 in their last 16 contests against the Giants.


Bronson Arroyo, Cincinnati Reds (7-7, 5.97)

It has been a very topsy-turvy campaign for Arroyo. The right-hander started the season with just one victory in his first seven starts but he has since won three straight, including a six-inning shutout against the Nationals.

Arroyo is 3-0 in his last three with a solid 3.18 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. He is also 1-0 in his sole meeting this season against the Mets, surrendering one ER in eight IP.

The Reds are 4-1 in Arroyo’s last five home starts and are 5-0 in their last five meetings with NL East opponents.


Slumping

Note: The following was written up before this news release:
OAKLAND - The Oakland Athletics traded right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton to the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday in exchange for three minor leaguers, second baseman Adrian Cardenas, left-handed pitcher Josh Outman and outfielder Matt Spencer.

Joe Blanton, Oakland Athletics (5-12, 4.96)

In three MLB campaigns, Blanton has never finished with a losing record. The right-hander has a lot of making up to do if his streak is to reach four straight. The righty is a mere 3-3 with a 5.73 ERA on the road. Blanton managed to pick up his third road victory this season on July 4, tossing a season-high 119 pitches in the triumph.

Blanton is just 1-2 in his last three starts with a soaring 7.41 ERA and has relinquished at least one HR in seven of his last 10 starts.

Oakland is 0-4 in Blanton’s last four starts against Yankees and is 1-4 in its last five contests against the AL East.


Greg Maddux, San Diego Padres (3-8, 3.90)

Mad Dog Maddux seems to have finally lost his bite. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in his last three starts, surrendering 18 hits, 12 earned runs and two HRs in that period.

Maddux, winless in his last seven road tilts, is 2-5 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.54 WHIP outside Petco Park.

The Padres are an atrocious 20-50 in their last 70 meetings with St. Louis and are 9-27 in their last 36 visits to Busch Stadium.

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, July 18

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Baseball Today
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SCOREBOARD

Friday, July 18

Boston at Los Angeles Angels (10:05 p.m. EDT). The defending World Series champs send Clay Buchholz (2-4, 5.70 ERA) to the mound for their first game after the All-Star break. John Lackey (6-2, 2.46) gets the start for the AL West-leading Angels.


STARS

Thursday

- David Wright, Mets, hit a tying, two-run homer in the ninth inning of New York's 10-8 win over Cincinnati.

- Troy Glaus, Cardinals, hit two solo homers off Jake Peavy to lift St. Louis to a 4-3 win over San Diego.

- Gary Sheffield, Tigers, hit one home run and was robbed of another in Detroit's 6-5 defeat of Baltimore.


NO 'MO NOMO

Hideo Nomo, who pitched a pair of no-hitters and led a rush of Japanese players to the major leagues, announced his retirement Thursday, agent Don Nomura said. Once known for a deceptive delivery and a devastating forkball, the 39-year-old Nomo was released by the Kansas City Royals in late April. His 123 wins are the most in the majors by a Japanese pitcher. He was the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers and is one of only four pitchers to throw no-hitters in the AL and NL.


TOP 10

The New York Mets beat Cincinnati 10-8 to win their 10th in a row and take over a share of first place in the NL East, back in the top spot for the first time since April 19. A month ago, they were 6 1/2 games out when they fired manager Willie Randolph.


CRACK OF THE BAT

Chris Ianetta broke his bat on a two-run homer in Colorado's 5-3 win over Pittsburgh.


CLARK'S BACK

The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired first baseman Tony Clark from the San Diego Padres on Thursday for minor league pitcher Evan Scribner. The 36-year-old Clark signed with the Padres before this season, but waived a $500,000 trade bonus in order to get the deal done. He hit .239 (21-for-88) with one home run and 11 RBIs in 70 games.


NICE, ANYWAY

Jay Payton made a perfectly timed leap to rob Detroit's Gary Sheffield of a home run in Baltimore, but the Tigers won 6-5 anyway.


MAXWELL DEAD AT 100

Sherman "Jocko'' Maxwell, the pioneering black sportscaster who chronicled Negro League baseball players before the racial barrier fell, died Wednesday at 100. Supporting himself with a post office job during the day, Sherman Maxwell worked at night as a sportscaster. He was a prolific writer, submitting stories to the Ledger in Newark, N.J., the predecessor of The Star-Ledger, on games played by the Newark Eagles.


SPEAKING

"We've been taking such a beating all year long for how we play the game and what we've done wrong and what little we've done right,'' closer Billy Wagner said. "I love seeing guys who told us two weeks ago how bad we stunk, and now they're going, 'Well, you're in first place.' Yeah.''


SEASONS

July 18

1882 - Ambidextrous pitcher Tony Mullane of Louisville pitched with both hands in a major league game at Baltimore. Normally a right-hander, Mullane switched to the left hand in the fourth inning. He eventually lost 9-8.

1912 - The Chicago Cubs had 21 hits in 11 innings but still lost to the Philadelphia Phillies when Gavvy Cravath stole home.

1927 - Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Athletics doubled off the glove of Harry Heilmann for his 4,000th hit.

1948 - Pat Seerey of the Chicago White Sox hit four home runs in a 12-11, 11-inning victory over the Philadelphia A's in the opener of a doubleheader.

1962 - Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins each hit grand slams in the first inning of a 14-3 rout of the Cleveland Indians.

1970 - Willie Mays bounced career hit number 3,000 through the left side of the infield off Mike Wegener in the second inning of the San Francisco Giants' 10-1 romp over the Montreal Expos.

1987 - New York's Don Mattingly tied Dale Long's 31-year-old major league record when he hit a home run for the eighth consecutive game in the Yankees' 7-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.

1998 - Donnie Sadler's first major league home run was the first of Boston's record four two-out homers in a 9-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. In the seven-run fourth inning, Darren Lewis, Nomar Garciaparra and Mo Vaughn followed to break the AL record of three held by six teams.

1999 - With Don Larsen on hand to help celebrate Yogi Berra Day at Yankee Stadium, David Cone pitched a perfect game. Cone dazzled the Montreal Expos, throwing the 14th perfect game in modern history to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-0 victory.

2001 - Roger Cedeno was 4-for-5 with a double, triple, two homers and six RBIs in Detroit's 12-4 win over the New York Yankees in the second game of a day-night doubleheader.

2006 - Atlanta became the first team since the 1930 New York Yankees to score 10 or more runs in five straight games following a 14-5 victory over St. Louis. The Braves have scored 65 runs during their offensive explosion that included two 15-run games.

Today's birthdays: Ben Sheets 29; Torii Hunter 33.

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

[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Texas at Minnesota
The Twins are an MLB-best 21-7 since June 13 and look to take advantage of Texas' 3-8 mark as a road underdog between +100 and +125. Minnesota is the pick (-120) according to Dunkel, which has the Twins favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-120). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, JULY 18

Game 901-902: NY Mets at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Maine) 16.525; Cincinnati (Arroyo) 16.628
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+105); Over

Game 903-904: Philadelphia at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Moyer) 13.542; Florida (Nolasco) 15.444
Dunkel Line: Florida by 2; 8
Vegas Line: Florida (-115); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (-115); Under

Game 905-906: Washington at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Redding) 14.733; Atlanta (Hudson) 14.229
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-175); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+165); Under

Game 907-908: Chicago Cubs at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Lilly) 14.678; Houston (Moehler) 15.793
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-115); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+105); Under

Game 909-910: San Diego at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Maddux) 14.800; St. Louis (Looper) 14.169
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+120); Under

Game 911-912: Pittsburgh at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Snell) 14.454; Colorado (Rusch) 13.595
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-120); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+110); Over

Game 913-914: LA Dodgers at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kuroda) 14.236; Arizona (Davis) 15.267
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Arizona (-110); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-110); Under

Game 915-916: Milwaukee at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Sabathia) 16.028; San Francisco (Cain) 14.850
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-130); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-130); Over

Game 917-918: Oakland at NY Yankees
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Smith) 15.166; NY Yankees (Mussina) 16.352
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 8
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 919-920: Detroit at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Galarraga) 15.053; Baltimore (Guthrie) 16.114
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-115); Under

Game 921-922: Toronto at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Burnett) 14.240; Tampa Bay (Shields) 14.748
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-135); Over

Game 923-924: Texas at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Millwood) 15.259; Minnesota (Perkins) 16.860
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-120); 9
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-120); Over

Game 925-926: Kansas City at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Greinke) 14.531; White Sox (Buehrle) 15.956
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-145); 8
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-145); Under

Game 927-928: Boston at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Buchholz) 15.213; LA Angels (Lackey) 16.595
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-150); Over

Game 929-930: Cleveland at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Laffey) 14.749; Seattle (Hernandez) 16.397
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Seattle (-130); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-130); Under

[Udog]

MLB


Friday, July 18

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Trend Sheet
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7:05 PM
DETROIT vs. BALTIMORE
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Baltimore
Detroit is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Baltimore is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games
Baltimore is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home


7:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Oakland's last 11 games
Oakland is 9-4 SU in their last 13 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Oakland
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of NY Yankees's last 13 games when playing at home against Oakland


7:10 PM
NY METS vs. CINCINNATI
NY Mets are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
NY Mets are 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Cincinnati is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing NY Mets


7:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. FLORIDA
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games on the road
Florida is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Florida's last 12 games when playing at home against Philadelphia


7:10 PM
TORONTO vs. TAMPA BAY
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Tampa Bay's last 17 games when playing Toronto


7:35 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Atlanta's last 10 games
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home


8:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. HOUSTON
Chi Cubs are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games
Chi Cubs are 4-9 SU in their last 13 games on the road
Houston is 6-3 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 5 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs


8:10 PM
TEXAS vs. MINNESOTA
Texas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Texas is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Minnesota is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing Texas


8:11 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. CHI WHITE SOX
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Kansas City's last 15 games
Kansas City is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games when playing Kansas City


8:15 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. ST. LOUIS
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
San Diego is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Diego
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Diego


9:05 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. COLORADO
Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Colorado is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Colorado is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home


9:40 PM
LA DODGERS vs. ARIZONA
LA Dodgers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Arizona's last 21 games


10:05 PM
BOSTON vs. LA ANGELS
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 8 of LA Angels's last 12 games when playing Boston


10:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. SEATTLE
Cleveland is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Seattle's last 10 games


10:15 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. SAN FRANCISCO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 10 games on the road
San Francisco is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 7 games when playing Milwaukee

[Udog]

MLB


Friday, July 18

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

Boston at Los Angeles Angels (-144, 8)

When you see the Red Sox at a price like this, it's almost instinct to get your money down on them instantly. But hold on a second. Did you know the BoSox are just 7-13 as an underdog this season? Better think twice.

Especially with Clay Buchholtz on the mound. The kid has made five road starts this season and the Red Sox have lost every single one of them thanks to some awful pitching from the right-hander. Buchholtz has an 8.64 ERA in road games and a two-month stay in the minors doesn't seem to have helped much. He was nervous and out of synch in his return to the majors on July 11, when he walked five and screwed BoSox backers as Boston lost to the Orioles as a -230 favorite.

Pick: Angels



New York Mets at Cincinnati (+103, 9)

It seems like the Mets are set to finally start playing like the club everyone thought they were supposed to be this season. They picked up where they left off before the All-Star break and made a dramatic ninth-inning rally to take a 10-8 road victory and extend their winning streak to 10 games. This club looks determined to correct the mistakes it made late last season and early this year.

The Reds' lineup made Johan Santana look like something less than an All Star last night, but believe it or not, they might have a tougher time against John Maine. The Reds are hitting just .239 against right-handers and Maine has been aguably the Mets' most consistent starter all season.

Pick: Mets

[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Long Sheet

MLB
Long Sheet


Friday, July 18

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NY METS (52 - 44) at CINCINNATI (46 - 51) - 7:10 PM
JOHN MAINE (R) vs. BRONSON ARROYO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 41-25 (+21.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 16-5 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 53-29 (+21.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 12-2 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
MAINE is 8-0 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997. (Team's Record)
MAINE is 17-6 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ARROYO is 7-15 (-9.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 3-1 (+1.7 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

JOHN MAINE vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
MAINE is 0-2 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 10.00 and a WHIP of 2.333.
His team's record is 0-2 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

BRONSON ARROYO vs. NY METS since 1997
ARROYO is 3-2 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.71 and a WHIP of 1.122.
His team's record is 3-3 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-4. (-2.3 units)

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PHILADELPHIA (52 - 44) at FLORIDA (50 - 45) - 7:10 PM
JAMIE MOYER (L) vs. RICKY NOLASCO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 26-19 (+11.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
FLORIDA is 427-484 (+29.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
FLORIDA is 229-243 (+40.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
FLORIDA is 50-45 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
FLORIDA is 19-14 (+9.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
FLORIDA is 49-43 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
FLORIDA is 37-35 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
NOLASCO is 13-5 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 12-5 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 10-5 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 7-1 (+8.4 Units) against the money line after a loss this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 7-1 (+8.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 80-66 (+27.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 31-20 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 102-77 (+15.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MOYER is 44-19 (+23.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997. (Team's Record)
MOYER is 18-5 (+15.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MOYER is 47-37 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 3-3 (+1.9 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.1 Units)

JAMIE MOYER vs. FLORIDA since 1997
MOYER is 9-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 3.03 and a WHIP of 0.994.
His team's record is 9-0 (+9.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-3. (+3.0 units)

RICKY NOLASCO vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
NOLASCO is 3-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 2.28 and a WHIP of 1.141.
His team's record is 3-1 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.3 units)

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WASHINGTON (36 - 60) at ATLANTA (45 - 50) - 7:35 PM
TIM REDDING (R) vs. TIM HUDSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 36-60 (-16.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 19-58 (-30.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
HUDSON is 110-45 (+35.5 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HUDSON is 183-104 (+39.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
HUDSON is 59-17 (+23.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 53-53 (+13.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
REDDING is 10-2 (+10.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season. (Team's Record)
REDDING is 7-1 (+7.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season. (Team's Record)
REDDING is 15-5 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
REDDING is 15-5 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
REDDING is 11-5 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 44-48 (-11.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 28-36 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ATLANTA is 61-66 (-16.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 45-50 (-12.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-3 (+3.6 Units) against ATLANTA this season
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.4 Units)

TIM REDDING vs. ATLANTA since 1997
REDDING is 2-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.1 units)

TIM HUDSON vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HUDSON is 7-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.13 and a WHIP of 0.933.
His team's record is 8-3 (+2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-7. (-3.8 units)

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

CHICAGO CUBS (57 - 38) at HOUSTON (44 - 51) - 8:05 PM
TED LILLY (L) vs. BRIAN MOEHLER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 461-442 (-97.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 266-310 (-84.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 135-194 (-61.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 57-38 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 55-34 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 59-81 (-21.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 3-3 (+0.9 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

TED LILLY vs. HOUSTON since 1997
LILLY is 2-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.55 and a WHIP of 1.026.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.1 units)

BRIAN MOEHLER vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
MOEHLER is 1-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.13 and a WHIP of 1.208.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.1 units)

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MILWAUKEE (52 - 43) at SAN FRANCISCO (40 - 55) - 10:15 PM
C.C. SABATHIA (L) vs. MATT CAIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 50-72 (-21.2 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 36-55 (-18.6 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 22-38 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 25-39 (-15.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 28-34 (-15.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 22-33 (-21.5 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
MILWAUKEE is 53-75 (-21.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 9-22 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in road games in July games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 16-23 (-12.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 641-527 (+87.4 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 147-83 (+43.3 Units) against the money line in home games against left-handed starters since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 17-28 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 58-90 (-26.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 111-146 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 17-28 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 24-42 (-19.7 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
CAIN is 16-36 (-23.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 9-18 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 16-36 (-23.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 11-23 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 5-13 (-9.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 7-24 (-18.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

C.C. SABATHIA vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
SABATHIA is 1-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 0.875.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MATT CAIN vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
CAIN is 0-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 6.43 and a WHIP of 1.429.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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OAKLAND (51 - 44) at NY YANKEES (50 - 45) - 7:05 PM
GREG SMITH (L) vs. MIKE MUSSINA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 44-59 (-20.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 15-25 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 17-26 (-22.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 127-100 (-23.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 35-35 (-12.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 61-55 (-16.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 50-45 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MUSSINA is 83-72 (-34.1 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)

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

GREG SMITH vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
No recent starts.

MIKE MUSSINA vs. OAKLAND since 1997
MUSSINA is 8-7 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 3.76 and a WHIP of 1.162.
His team's record is 9-11 (-9.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 11-8. (+2.2 units)

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DETROIT (48 - 47) at BALTIMORE (45 - 49) - 7:05 PM
ARMANDO GALARRAGA (R) vs. JEREMY GUTHRIE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 29-40 (-18.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 17-5 (+11.4 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 25-17 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
BALTIMORE is 10-4 (+8.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
BALTIMORE is 40-39 (+5.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 36-28 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 36-33 (+9.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 26-38 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 117-213 (-92.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 47-83 (-23.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

ARMANDO GALARRAGA vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
No recent starts.

JEREMY GUTHRIE vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.

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TORONTO (47 - 48) at TAMPA BAY (55 - 39) - 7:10 PM
A.J. BURNETT (R) vs. JAMES SHIELDS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 20-35 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 6-15 (-10.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TORONTO is 28-37 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BURNETT is 39-65 (-27.6 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BURNETT is 3-13 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997. (Team's Record)
BURNETT is 13-31 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
BURNETT is 14-34 (-18.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 36-15 (+17.0 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
TAMPA BAY is 38-16 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
TAMPA BAY is 40-26 (+10.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TAMPA BAY is 55-40 (+23.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 55-39 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 36-14 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 18-6 (+9.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TAMPA BAY is 24-17 (+8.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SHIELDS is 25-12 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
TORONTO is 31-23 (+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.
TAMPA BAY is 35-55 (-24.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 18-38 (-20.3 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
TAMPA BAY is 5-1 (+4.4 Units) against TORONTO this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

A.J. BURNETT vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
BURNETT is 6-3 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.21 and a WHIP of 1.022.
His team's record is 7-7 (-4.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-4. (+3.5 units)

JAMES SHIELDS vs. TORONTO since 1997
SHIELDS is 3-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 2.70 and a WHIP of 0.937.
His team's record is 4-0 (+4.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)

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TEXAS (50 - 46) at MINNESOTA (53 - 42) - 8:10 PM
KEVIN MILLWOOD (R) vs. GLEN PERKINS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 38-26 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 32-18 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
MINNESOTA is 40-28 (+16.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 23-17 (+8.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MINNESOTA is 53-42 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 30-26 (+7.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
MINNESOTA is 32-18 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 24-7 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in home games in July games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 11-4 (+8.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
MINNESOTA is 32-18 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
TEXAS is 38-30 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 27-23 (+8.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TEXAS is 28-22 (+15.3 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 50-46 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 25-25 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
MINNESOTA is 16-30 (-15.4 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.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 4-3 (+1.4 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
7 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+7.3 Units)

KEVIN MILLWOOD vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
MILLWOOD is 0-5 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 5.86 and a WHIP of 1.796.
His team's record is 3-6 (-4.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-3. (+1.5 units)

GLEN PERKINS vs. TEXAS since 1997
PERKINS is 1-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 2.84 and a WHIP of 0.948.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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KANSAS CITY (43 - 53) at CHI WHITE SOX (54 - 40) - 8:11 PM
ZACK GREINKE (R) vs. MARK BUEHRLE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 51-30 (+19.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 745-633 (+78.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHI WHITE SOX are 32-18 (+14.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 54-40 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 32-13 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 26-12 (+15.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
KANSAS CITY is 17-12 (+9.1 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
KANSAS CITY is 100-139 (+18.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 42-36 (+15.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 5-1 (+4.0 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

ZACK GREINKE vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
GREINKE is 2-7 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 4.95 and a WHIP of 1.252.
His team's record is 4-8 (-3.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-7. (-2.3 units)

MARK BUEHRLE vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
BUEHRLE is 16-7 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.31 and a WHIP of 1.189.
His team's record is 22-10 (+4.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 15-16. (-2.6 units)

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BOSTON (57 - 40) at LA ANGELS (57 - 38) - 10:05 PM
CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R) vs. JOHN LACKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 15-26 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
BOSTON is 6-17 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 20-28 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA ANGELS are 67-46 (+17.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 57-38 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 175-129 (+40.7 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 52-33 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 116-82 (+16.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 164-109 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 56-28 (+20.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 10-15 (-10.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a win this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against BOSTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
BUCHHOLZ is 1-0 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.833.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JOHN LACKEY vs. BOSTON since 1997
LACKEY is 1-7 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 6.24 and a WHIP of 1.915.
His team's record is 1-11 (-10.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-6. (-1.7 units)

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