Monday Trends and Indexes 8/4

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Monday August 4

Good Luck on day #217 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

Monday, August 4

A busy week for sports and athletics around the world starts off with a relatively quiet Monday, with baseball the only game in town. Here's your Daily Sports Roundup . . .

Event of the day . . .

Only one game features two teams with winning records on a mediocre Monday of baseball action, and that's the Yankees at Texas at 8:05pm ET. New York is still trying to climb both the AL East and the AL Wild Card standings, while the hard-hitting Rangers now find themselves on the fringes of the Wild Card picture as well.

The Yankees will send Joba Chamberlain (4-3, 2.24 ERA) to the mound in this one. The righthander has earned a win in each of his last two starts (against the Orioles and Red Sox), holding the opposition to a single earned run on eight hits over 13 innings of work in those outings. Chamberlain also fanned 15 and walked just one in those games.

Vicente Padilla (12-5, 4.52 ERA) will get the start for Texas. The Rangers are 7-3 in the righthander's last 10 outings, although he did give up four or more earned runs in half of those games. Padilla picked up a no-decision in his most recent start, surrendering three earned runs on 10 hits over seven innings versus the Mariners, while fanning four.

Non-event of the day . . .

Nats fans saw their team drop vets Felipe Lopez and Paul Lo Duca over the weekend as they continue their run at the worst record in the major leagues. Washington will send Tim Redding (7-6, 4.34 ERA) to the mound on the road on Monday, where he'll get to face Colorado's Aaron Cook (14-6, 3.53 ERA). Cook has some solid numbers on the season, but even in the weak NL West the Rockies are far back of a playoff berth.

Also on the schedule . . .

Roy Halladay (12-8, 2.85 ERA) gets the ball for the Blue Jays on Monday as they host the Athletics and Greg Smith (5-10, 4.04 ERA). Other American League games on tap include Cleveland at Tampa Bay, Boston at Kansas City, Baltimore at the Angels, and Minnesota at Seattle.

Ryan Dempster (12-4, 2.90 ERA) will look to pitch the Cubs past the Astros on Monday night, while Manny Parra (9-4, 3.93 ERA) will be trying to do the same for the Brewers versus the Reds. Pittsburgh at Arizona and Atlanta at San Francisco round out the NL slate for the evening.

News from the wire . . .

Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek and Mets pitcher John Maine have both been placed on the 15-day disabled list . . . Braves pitcher Tim Hudson is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery and be lost for the season . . . Chiefs rookie lineman Glenn Dorsey sprained his knee in practice and is unlikely to play in the team's preseason opener . . . Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is day-to-day with a sore groin . . . Brett Favre's saga continues in Green Bay, as the quarterback has now been reinstated by the league.

Peek at the future . . .

Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter (0-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his second start of the season on Tuesday night . . . the PGA Championship gets underway at Oakland Hills on Thursday . . . the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics are also on the schedule for Thursday . . . Week 1 of the NFL preseason kicks off Thursday too . . . the Sprint Cup Series stages the Centurion Boats at the Glen at Watkins Glen on Sunday.

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[pm530]

Six-pack for Monday

-- If the baseball playoffs started Monday morning, it'd be:
AL-- Tampa Bay-Minnesota-LA Angels-Boston
NL-- Phillies-Cubs-Diamondbacks-Brewers.

-- Cardinals had bags full, one out in 9th inning Sunday, but couldn't push tying run across. Last two batters wore 62-61, a sure sign you've been dipping too much into the minors.

-- Guys that got traded last week had big day Sunday; Moss, LaRoche both homered for the Pirates, Pudge homered, Nady had six RBI, Teixeira hit a grand slam. Teams that sat on their butts last week are finding it more difficult now.

-- The Dodgers got Manny Ramirez for nothing (well, they gave up Laroche, but he's not much) while Arizona didn't do anything, now Snakes are supposed to beat them; how???

-- Phil Mickelson led by a stroke with four holes to play, then bogeyed three of last four holes. Does he own a 3-wood?

-- Hope all the Colt Brennan bashers saw his first drive as an NFL QB; he looked super leading TD drive for the Redskins.

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[pm530]

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

13) Hey, Brett Favre is back with the Packers, where he's going to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the #1 QB job- that should be lot of fun to watch. Rodgers better shine up his clipboard. How much will Favre play in the exhibition games?

12) You figure Favre can't play next weekend, in Packers' first preseason game, so how can he compete if he isn't playing? Just a very awkward situation for a team that lost NFC title in overtime last January. Good teams don't need this circus.

11) Rays drew 33,438 for their extra-inning win over Detroit; the Rays are now 16-1 at home when they draw 30,000+ fans.

10) Lefty Trever Miller got win for Tampa; the first decision he has gotten in his last 122 appearances- that was a major league record, 121 appearances for a pitcher without a win or a loss.

9) I wrote earlier this week that Manny Ramirez was wearing 28 for the Dodgers, but he wore #99 all weeekend, and there were people at Dodger Stadium with #99-Ramirez t-shirts on. Maybe he's a big Wayne Gretzky fan and we never knew it.

8) By the way, the Hispanic Great One went 8-13 with couple of homers in his first three games with the Dodgers.

7) First four hitters in Met lineup reached base 10 of 18 times in Houston Sunday, but Mets didn't score a run. Not easy to do.

6) John Maine went on DL, Billy Wagner is getting an MRI on his forearm Tuesday, and Mets used their 12th different LF in Saturday's game, kid who had been playing 3B in Binghamton. All of a sudden, things in Flushing aren't looking so good.

5) Angels fell apart late in last game of their roadtrip, allowing ten unearned runs in their last two innings in the field. They're going to sleepwalk into the playoffs; it'll be interesting to see if they can maintain their sharpness and a high level of play.

4) Reggie Willits of Angels entered Sunday's game hitting .185 he walked all four times he was up, and scored three of the four times he reached base. You don't see 0-3-0-0 in many boxes.

3) Let me see, Francisco Liriano tossed six shutout frames for Twins Sunday; Minnesota then moved into first place. Twins miss the playoffs by a game, or two, and people are going to wonder what the hell he was doing in Rochester so long. May 13 was last time Twins were in the first place.

2) Shane Victorino's batting average from 6th inning on has to be around .500 since the All-Star Game; he's had lot of big hits for the Phillies. Tremendous fielder and clutch hitter.

1) Tony Dungy started Sunday night's game with onside kick, and the Colts recovered. Its damn good to see football again.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up


Monday, August 4

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Hot Pitchers
-- Reds won six of last seven Arroyo home starts.
-- Dempster is 2-0, 0.82 in his last three starts.
-- Cook is 3-0, 2.89 in his last four starts.
-- Haren is 5-1, 1.71 in his last eight starts.
-- Jurrjens is 4-0, 0.30 (1 run/29.1 IP) in last four road starts. Cain has a 1.86 RA in his last four starts.

-- Halladay has 2.40 RA in his last two starts, but Toronto lost three of his last four starts at Rogers Centre.
-- Lee has 2.30 RA in his last four road starts. Garza is 6-1, 1.43 in his last eight home starts.
-- Chamberlain is 2-0, 1.42 in his last three starts. Rangers won Padilla's last three starts (1-0, 3.60).
-- Meche is 3-0, 1.31 in his last three starts.
-- Angels are 8-2 at home when Saunders starts.
-- Perkins is 6-1, 4.21 in his last eight starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Parra is 1-2, 5.33 in his last four starts.
-- Moehler has 5.40 RA in his last five starts.
-- Nationals lost Redding's last four road starts (0-2, 4.70).
-- Herrera is 1-1, 9.00 in four starts this season.

-- Smith is 0-3, 8.10 in his last three starts.
-- Red Sox are 1-6 on road when Buchholz starts.
-- Sarfate allowed five runs in four IP in his first '08 start.
-- Batista is 0-3, 7.03 in his last five starts.

Hot Teams
-- Cubs won seven of their last eight games. Astros won six of their last seven games.
-- Nationals won their last three games, but are 2-12 in their last 14 on road. Colorado is 11-2 in its last thirteen home games.
-- Diamondbacks are 9-4 in their last thirteen games.

-- Rays are 39-9 in last 48 home games.
-- Rangers are 8-5 in their last thirteen home games. Bronx won its last two games, scoring 22 runs.
-- Red Sox allowed just five runs in winning last three games. Royals won six of their last seven games.
-- Orioles won five of their last seven games. Angels are 14-4 in their last eighteen games.
-- Minnesota won seven of its last nine games.

Cold Teams
-- Brewers lost six of their last eight games. Reds lost eight of their last nine games.
-- Pirates are 3-6 since the Nady/Marte trade.
-- Braves lost seven of their last nine games. Giants lost seven of last ten home games.

-- Oakland is 2-15 in its last seventeen games. Blue Jays lost five of their last seven games.
-- Indians lost eight of their last twelve games.
-- Mariners lost eleven of their last fifteen games.

Totals
-- Under is 4-1 in Arroyo's last five home starts.
-- Six of last eight Cub games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Cook starts went over the total.
-- Under is 6-2 in last eight Haren home starts.
-- Under is 7-2 in Giants' last nine games.

-- Last nine Smith starts stayed under the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in Lee's last eight road starts.
-- Over is 8-1 in last nine Bronx games.
-- Over is 7-2-1 in last ten Buchholz starts.
-- Over is 20-6-1 in Orioles' last 27 road games.
-- Five of last six Perkins starts stayed under the total.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB


We will update when projected scores are available.

Monday, August 4

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Tips and Trends
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Houston Astros at Chicago Cubs [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Astros: Brian Moehler has enjoyed some success against the Cubs during his career, going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in eight appearances. Moehler earned the win in his last start vs. Chicago on July 18, giving up just one run and four hits in seven innings with one walk and three strikeouts. The Astros are 5-2 in his last seven starts overall, and he is 2-2 away from home this season with a 4.63 ERA.

Astros are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings at Chicago.
The UNDER is 13-3-1 in Moehler's last 17 starts on grass.

Key Injuries - OF Michael Bourn (.235; ankle) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Cubs (-210): After seeing his team win his first 11 home starts to open the season, Ryan Dempster has not had the same luck in his last two outings at Wrigley Field. Dempster has received just two runs of support in each of his last two outings at Wrigley, both resulting in losses. That doesn't mean he hasn't pitched well lately though. Dempster has allowed just two runs combined over his last three starts totaling 21 innings, including eight shutout innings at Houston in a win on July 20th.

Cubs are 8-1 in their last 9 games on grass.
The UNDER is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.

Key Injuries - Closer Kerry Wood (24 saves; finger) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



Cleveland Indians at Tampa Bay Rays [7:10 PM ET]

Indians: Cliff Lee will try to bounce back from his roughest outing of the season and beat the Rays for the second time in five starts. Lee got pounded for six runs and 10 hits in just five innings of an eventual 14-12 loss to Detroit. He served up two homers for only the second time this season but was able to escape with a no-decision. Lee pitched six shutout innings in his last start vs. Tampa Bay on July 11th, and he is 5-2 lifetime against the Rays with a 2.30 ERA. He is also 8-2 on the road with a 2.69 ERA.

Indians are 1-7 in their last 8 games on field turf.
Indians are 9-26 in their last 35 games as an underdog.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Rays (-130, O/U 7.5): Matt Garza has struggled against the Indians during his career, going 0-2 with a 5.85 ERA in four starts. Garza surrendered seven runs and 11 hits in five innings at Cleveland on July 12, but he is 2-1 in three starts since then with both wins coming against Toronto. He is coming off a complete-game shutout against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, allowing five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Garza has been outstanding at home this season, as he is 6-1 there with a 2.10 ERA.

Rays are 40-11 in their last 51 home games.
The UNDER is 9-2 in Tampa Bay's last 11 games overall.

Key Injuries - OF Rocco Baldelli (mitochondrial disorder) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD



New York Yankees at Texas Rangers [YES | 8:10 PM ET]

Yankees (-165, O/U 9.5): Joba Chamberlain has been outstanding on the road this season, but that hasn't necessarily translated to wins. Chamberlain owns a 1.42 ERA away from home, but the Yankees have scored just one run combined over his last two road starts resulting in a 1-1 record. New York has still managed to go 8-2 in his starts this season, although one of the losses came against the Rangers at home back on July 1.

Yankees are 8-2 in Chamberlain's 10 starts this season.
The OVER is 8-1 in New York's last 9 games overall.

Key Injuries - C Jorge Posada (.268; shoulder) is OUT for the season.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Rangers: Vicente Padilla has not enjoyed as much success at home, going 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA in eight starts. Texas is 13-3 in Padilla's last 16 starts overall but just 2-2 in his last four at home. He walked away with a no-decision last time out there against Seattle, giving up three runs and 10 hits in seven innings of an eventual 4-3 victory. He is 1-1 in two career starts against the Yankees with a 4.52 ERA.

Rangers are 6-21 in the last 27 meetings at Texas.
The OVER is 9-2-1 in Texas' last 12 games overall.

Key Injuries - OF Milton Bradley (.320; quad) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Monday, August 4

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Streaking Starting Pitchers
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Monday’s streaking and slumping pitchers

Streaking

Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs (12-4, 2.90)

The Cubs are leading the NL and Dempster's emergence as a dominant starter is a main reason for their success. He is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in his last three starts and is 10-1 with a solid 2.72 ERA at Wrigley Field.

Dempster has just two losses in his last 10 starts and is fresh off a solid road triumph against the Milwaukee Brewers in which he registered nine strikeouts and surrendered just one earned run. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts this campaign against the Houston Astros.

The Cubs are 12-2 in Dempster's last 14 home starts and are 8-2 in their last 10 games against Houston at Wrigley Field.

Matt Garza, Tampa Bay Rays (9-6, 3.56)

Don't be fooled by Garza's record, the right-hander has been puzzling opponents recently. Garza is 2-1 and has a 1.66 ERA in his past three starts.

Garza has relinquished just five earned runs in his last 21.2 IP and is fresh off a spectacular five-hit shutout win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He is also 6-1 with a 2.10 career-ERA at Tropicana Field.

The Devil Rays are 39-12 in their last 51 home games and are 7-2 in Garza's last nine home starts.

Gil Meche, Kansas City Royals (9-9, 4.22)

Meche, who has been a solid starter since joining the Royals last season, has been sensational as of late. He is 3-0 in his last three starts with a 1.33 ERA and is 6-1 in his last 10 overall.

In his last start, a road triumph against the Oakland Athletics, Meche lasted seven innings, relinquishing just five hits and striking out eight. He is 4-4 and has 4.68 ERA at home this season and is 4-2 with a 3.69 career-ERA against the Boston Red Sox.

The Royals are 5-0 in Meche's last five starts and are 6-2 in their last eight home games against Boston.



Slumping

Greg Smith, Oakland Athletics (5-10, 4.04)

Smith has just two wins in his last 10 starts and is 0-3 in his past three with a lofty 8.10 ERA. He has also surrendered 15 earned runs in his past 16.2 IP.

Smith is 3-6 on the road with a 4.61 ERA and is 0-3 in his last three starts outside McAfee Coliseum. Smith also relinquished 14 earned runs and three home runs in his last five road outings and has a 3.00 career-ERA at the Rogers Centre.

The A's are 2-14 in their last 16 overall and are 1-4 in Smith's last five road starts outside Oaktown.

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[Udog]

MLB


Monday, August 4

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MLB Top Angles
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MLB Monday: MILWAUKEE is 11-1 against the money line in road games in the second half of the season this season.

MLB Monday: TAMPA BAY is 10-0 against the money line in home games versus a starting pitcher who throws more than 6.5 innings per start this season.


MLB Monday: HALLADAY is 11-0 against the money line vs. AL teams scoring 4.2 or less runs per game on the season over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

[Udog]

MLB


Monday, August 4

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Trend Sheet
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6:07 PM OAKLAND vs. TORONTO
Oakland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 6 games
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Toronto's last 23 games when playing at home against Oakland


7:10 PM CLEVELAND vs. TAMPA BAY
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing at home against Cleveland


7:10 PM MILWAUKEE vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 11 games when playing Cincinnati
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games
Cincinnati is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home


8:05 PM HOUSTON vs. CHI CUBS
Houston is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 8 games


8:05 PM NY YANKEES vs. TEXAS
NY Yankees are 11-5 SU in their last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of NY Yankees's last 9 games
Texas is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
Texas is 5-19 SU in their last 24 games when playing NY Yankees


8:10 PM BOSTON vs. KANSAS CITY
Boston is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games on the road
Kansas City is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City's last 5 games when playing at home against Boston


9:05 PM WASHINGTON vs. COLORADO
Washington is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Colorado is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games


9:40 PM PITTSBURGH vs. ARIZONA
Pittsburgh is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing Arizona
Arizona is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh


10:05 PM BALTIMORE vs. LA ANGELS
Baltimore is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Baltimore is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
LA Angels are 14-4 SU in their last 18 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games


10:10 PM MINNESOTA vs. SEATTLE
Minnesota is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Seattle is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Seattle's last 11 games when playing Minnesota


10:15 PM ATLANTA vs. SAN FRANCISCO
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Atlanta's last 16 games when playing San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of San Francisco's last 16 games when playing Atlanta
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

[Udog]

MLB


Monday, August 4

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Baseball Today
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SCOREBOARD

Monday, Aug. 4

Oakland at Toronto (6:07 p.m. EDT). Roy Halladay (12-8) goes to the mound on extra rest for the Blue Jays, who take on young left-hander Greg Smith (5-10) and the Athletics.

STARS

Sunday

- Manny Ramirez, Dodgers, went 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs in a 9-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

- Xavier Nady, Yankees, went 4-for-5 with a homer and a career-high six RBIs, helping rally New York to a 14-9 victory over the Angels.

- Francisco Liriano, Twins, returned from the minors to pitch six scoreless innings, striking out five in a 6-2 victory over the Indians.

- Mike Aviles, Royals, went 4-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs in a 14-3 rout of the White Sox.

- B.J. Upton, Rays, homered and drove in two runs, helping rally Tampa Bay to a 6-5 victory in 10 innings over the Tigers.

- Daiuske Matsuzaka, Red Sox, gave up four hits and two runs in six innings, striking out eight in a 5-2 win over the Athletics.

- Jorge Campanillo, Braves, gave up six hits over seven innings before turning it over to the Atlanta bullpen, which kept Milwaukee off the board in a 5-0 victory.

- Greg Maddux, Padres, drove in a run and pitched six strong innings for his 352nd career victory, leading San Diego to a 4-1 win over the San Francisco.

- Gerald Laird, Rangers, hit a pair of homers and drove in four runs in an 8-4 win over the Blue Jays.


ANYBODY LEFT?

Three players and both managers were ejected in a pair of incidents during the Royals' 14-3 win over the White Sox. Miguel Olivo charged the mound after being hit by a pitch from D.J. Carrasco in the fifth inning, touching off a benches-clearing brawl that led to both players and Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen getting ejected. Two innings later, Royals starter Zack Greinke was ejected when he hit Nick Swisher with a pitch. Royals manager Trey Hillman was also ejected.


HE'S THE MANNY

Manny Ramirez continued to swing a hot bat in his first series with the Dodgers, going 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs in a 9-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ramirez is 8-for-13 with two homers and five RBIs in three games since he was acquired by Los Angeles in Thursday's three-way trade with Boston and Pittsburgh.


WELCOME BACK

Francisco Liriano threw six scoreless innings in his return to the Minnesota rotation, helping the Twins move into first in the AL Central with a 6-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians. Liriano missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery and went 0-3 with an 11.32 ERA in three starts before being sent down in April. He dominated at Triple-A Rochester, going 10-0 with a 2.67 ERA in his last 11 starts, and was openly frustrated as the Twins waited until Friday to call him up.


BACK IN THE GROOVE

Greg Maddux drove in a run and pitched six strong innings for his 352nd career victory, leading the San Diego Padres to a 4-1 win over the San Francisco Giants. Maddux (5-8) won his second straight start after going through a career-worst 14-game winless streak. The 42-year-old Maddux allowed one run and two hits.


WILD THING

Tampa Bay took advantage of Fernando Rodney's wildness to put together the winning rally in its 6-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Pinch-hitter Willy Aybar led off the 10th with a walk, bringing Jason Bartlett to the plate. Bartlett squared to bunt and left when Rodney plunked him on his right index finger. Shawn Riggans batted for Bartlett, and Rodney hit him on the chest with the next pitch. Both runners advanced on Akinori Iwamura's sacrifice and B.J. Upton walked before Carl Crawford hit a tying single into left field. One out later, Carlos Pena won it when took a 3-2 pitch to force in the winning run.


WILD THING II

Reliever Seth McClung had a rough outing in the Milwaukee Brewers' 5-0 loss at Atlanta. McClung walked three, hit Casey Kotchman with a pitch and allowed two runs in 1 1-3 innings. Yunel Escobar hit an RBI single off the right-hander in the seventh and Jeff Francoeur singled in Kotchman in the eighth.


SLUMPING

The Cincinnati Reds lost for the eighth time in nine games and fell a season-worst 10 games under .500, having failed to gain any noticeable edge from a 20-minute players-only meeting before Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Washington Nationals. Cincinnati committed three errors and failed to hold a four-run lead in Saturday night's 10-6 loss, and another error by left fielder Adam Dunn led to an unearned run in Washington's four-run first Sunday.


SPEAKING

"I'm not going to bring a guy in that throws 85 miles an hour to hit somebody. I guarantee it. I'll bring (Octavio) Dotel, I'll bring (Matt) Thornton. Then I will tell them to throw at them. That's the way I do business.'' - White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen after Royals catcher Miguel Olivo was hit on the wrist by a pitch from D.J. Carrasco and charged the mound, starting a brawl.


SEASONS

Aug. 4

1910 - Jack Coombs of the Philadelphia A's and Ed Walsh of the Chicago White Sox hooked up in a 16-inning scoreless tie. Coombs struck out 18 and allowed three hits.

1929 - The Cleveland Indians, down to their last out trailing 6-5, scored nine runs in the ninth inning for a 14-6 victory over the New York Yankees.

1955 - Chicago's Ernie Banks hit three home runs at Wrigley against three Pirates pitchers to lead the Cubs to an 11-10 win.

1963 - New York's Mickey Mantle, batting for the first time in two months after breaking his left foot, hit a pinch home run as the Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 11-10 for a split of a doubleheader.

1982 - Joel Youngblood became the first player in major league history to play and get a base hit for two different teams in two different cities in the same day. In the afternoon, his hit drove in the winning run for the New York Mets in a 7-4 victory at Chicago. After the game, he was traded to the Montreal Expos and played that night in Philadelphia. He entered the game in right field in the fourth inning and later got a single.

1985 - Tom Seaver, 40, became the 17th 300-game winner in major league history with a six-hitter - all singles - as the Chicago White Sox defeated the New York Yankees 4-1 on Phil Rizzuto Day. Seaver walked one and struck out seven, giving him 3,499 in his 19-year career.

1985 - Rod Carew of the California Angels got his 3,000th hit in a 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins, his first major league team.

1989 - Dave Stieb of the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost consecutive no-hit bids with two outs in the ninth inning last September, came within one out of a perfect game before settling for a two-hit 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees. Roberto Kelly's double spoiled Stieb's bid.

1997 - Brad Radke of Minnesota posted his 12th straight victory, pitching seven strong innings in the Twins' 9-3 win over Toronto. Radke became the third pitcher since 1950 to win 12 consecutive starts.

2006 - Chase Utley went 0-for-5 night in Philadelphia's 5-3 victory over the New York Mets, ending a 35-game hitting streak that tied him for the 10th longest in major league history and the fourth longest in National League history.

2007 - Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in major league history to hit 500 home runs with a first-inning homer in a 16-8 victory over Kansas City. Rodriguez's homer came eight days after the slugger celebrated his 32nd birthday, eclipsing Jimmie Foxx (32 years, 338 days). A-Rod became the 22nd player to reach the mark.

Today's birthdays: Scott Linebrink 32; Kazuo Fukumori 32; Bob Howry 35; Roger Clemens 46.

[Udog]

MLB


Monday, August 4

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Hot Lines: Monday's best MLB bets
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Oakland vs. Toronto (-195, 7 1/2)

A visit to Toronto might be what the Oakland Athletics need to avoid their longest losing streak of the season.

The struggling A's look to do that while trying for an eighth consecutive road victory over the Blue Jays in the opener of a four-game series Monday night.

Oakland (53-57) lost 5-2 at Boston on Sunday to mark the second time in the last month it has dropped six straight games. The A's, who have lost 15 of their last 17 overall, haven't dropped seven in a row since losing nine straight from July 6-17, 2007.

Pick: Oakland


Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants (-125, 7)

Any chance of making the playoffs seemed to evaporate last week for the Atlanta Braves. That's a couple weeks longer than the San Francisco Giants' postseason aspirations appear to have dissolved.

These two struggling teams open a three-game set Monday in San Francisco.

The Braves' season took a major turn last Monday, when Chipper Jones, who leads the majors with a .369 average, and No. 1 starter Tim Hudson were placed on the disabled list. A day later, Atlanta (51-60) traded first baseman Mark Teixeira, who led the team with 78 RBIs, to the Los Angeles Angels.

The Braves defeated Milwaukee 5-0 on Sunday to avoid being swept in three games, but Atlanta has won only two of its last nine. The Braves are 10 games back of NL East-leading Philadelphia.

Pick: Giants

[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


NY Yankees at Texas
The Yankees open a 10-game road trip tonight in Texas against a Rangers team that has won three of the last four matchups and sends 12-game winner Vicente Padilla to the mound. Texas is the underdog pick (+145) according to Dunkel which has the Rangers favored straight up by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Texas (+145). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, AUGUST 4

Game 951-952: Milwaukee at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Parra) 14.011; Cincinnati (Arroyo) 13.884
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-115); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-115); Under

Game 953-954: Houston at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Moehler) 15.495; Cubs (Dempster) 16.999
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-190); No Run Line
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-190); N/A

Game 955-956: Washington at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Redding) 14.779; Colorado (Cook) 16.624
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-210); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-210); Under

Game 957-958: Pittsburgh at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Herrera) 14.739; Arizona (Haren) 16.332
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Arizona (-270); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-270); Over

Game 959-960: Atlanta at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Jurrjens) 14.030; San Francisco (Cain) 15.076
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1; 6
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-115); 7
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-115); Under

Game 961-962: Oakland at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Smith) 13.229; Toronto (Halladay) 14.776
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Toronto (-190); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-190); Under

Game 963-964: Cleveland at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Lee) 16.926; Tampa Bay (Garza) 15.726
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+110); Over

Game 965-966: NY Yankees at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Chamberlain) 16.089; Texas (Padilla) 16.217
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-155); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+145); Under

Game 967-968: Boston at Kansas City
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Buchholz) 15.519; Kansas City (Meche) 16.411
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-110); 9
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-110); Under

Game 969-970: Baltimore at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Sarfate) 15.453; LA Angels (Saunders) 16.889
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-200); Over

Game 971-972: Minnesota at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Perkins) 15.290; Seattle (Batista) 16.420
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+115); Over

[Udog]

MLB
Long Sheet


Monday, August 4


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MILWAUKEE (62 - 50) at CINCINNATI (51 - 61) - 7:10 PM
MANNY PARRA (L) vs. BRONSON ARROYO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 89-130 (-35.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 86-124 (-32.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 64-98 (-29.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 108-116 (-28.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 34-37 (-13.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 51-61 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 24-33 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 50-59 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 25-35 (-13.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ARROYO is 8-16 (-9.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 5-4 (+1.5 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.7 Units)

MANNY PARRA vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
PARRA is 0-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.27 and a WHIP of 1.106.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

BRONSON ARROYO vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
ARROYO is 6-3 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.76 and a WHIP of 1.283.
His team's record is 7-3 (+3.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-5. (-0.8 units)

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HOUSTON (53 - 57) at CHICAGO CUBS (67 - 45) - 7:05 PM
BRIAN MOEHLER (R) vs. RYAN DEMPSTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 24-7 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 67-45 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 41-15 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 65-41 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 16-3 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 30-13 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
DEMPSTER is 96-89 (+23.2 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 55-32 (+27.3 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 43-33 (+18.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 83-77 (+18.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 35-23 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 32-26 (+11.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 8-2 (+8.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 444-481 (-118.7 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 132-184 (-63.8 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 5-4 (+2.1 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+5.0 Units)

BRIAN MOEHLER vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
MOEHLER is 1-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.48 and a WHIP of 1.097.
His team's record is 4-1 (+3.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.3 units)

RYAN DEMPSTER vs. HOUSTON since 1997
DEMPSTER is 4-7 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.538.
His team's record is 4-9 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-4. (+3.8 units)

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WASHINGTON (41 - 70) at COLORADO (51 - 62) - 9:05 PM
TIM REDDING (R) vs. AARON COOK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 41-70 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 41-67 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 28-51 (-16.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
COLORADO is 85-55 (+19.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 107-97 (+15.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 81-65 (+19.2 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 79-65 (+37.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 32-35 (+14.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 58-60 (+13.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
REDDING is 15-8 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
REDDING is 10-3 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season. (Team's Record)
REDDING is 15-8 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
COLORADO is 50-62 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 50-62 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 32-49 (-18.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COOK is 4-13 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

TIM REDDING vs. COLORADO since 1997
REDDING is 0-1 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 1.302.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-0. (+3.0 units)

AARON COOK vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
COOK is 1-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

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PITTSBURGH (51 - 60) at ARIZONA (57 - 54) - 9:40 PM
YOSLAN HERRERA (R) vs. DAN HAREN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 74-141 (-35.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 33-79 (-31.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 74-141 (-35.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 150-130 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 150-127 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 109-88 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 80-52 (+18.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
HAREN is 22-7 (+11.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PITTSBURGH is 30-29 (+9.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ARIZONA is 16-23 (-11.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
ARIZONA is 35-39 (-10.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 2-2 (+0.1 Units) against ARIZONA this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

YOSLAN HERRERA vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

DAN HAREN vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
HAREN is 2-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.96 and a WHIP of 1.274.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-2. (-0.3 units)

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ATLANTA (51 - 60) at SAN FRANCISCO (46 - 64) - 10:15 PM
JAIR JURRJENS (R) vs. MATT CAIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 50-58 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 33-42 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ATLANTA is 63-70 (-19.7 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 9-21 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
ATLANTA is 51-60 (-18.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 18-35 (-19.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 122-69 (+52.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 646-532 (+89.4 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 117-155 (-31.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 20-34 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 20-34 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 43-54 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 28-41 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
CAIN is 17-38 (-24.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 10-19 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 17-38 (-24.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 11-25 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CAIN is 11-23 (-13.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

JAIR JURRJENS vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
No recent starts.

MATT CAIN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
CAIN is 0-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 6.97 and a WHIP of 1.936.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

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OAKLAND (53 - 57) at TORONTO (55 - 56) - 6:07 PM
GREG SMITH (L) vs. ROY HALLADAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 129-143 (-22.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 88-101 (-19.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 119-89 (+26.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
HALLADAY is 96-44 (+31.7 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf since 1997. (Team's Record)
OAKLAND is 18-15 (+18.3 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +175 to +200 since 1997.
OAKLAND is 38-21 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 33-41 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 10-18 (-11.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
TORONTO is 60-61 (-15.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 55-56 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 4-2 (+2.9 Units) against TORONTO this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

GREG SMITH vs. TORONTO since 1997
SMITH is 1-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 1.42 and a WHIP of 1.105.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

ROY HALLADAY vs. OAKLAND since 1997
HALLADAY is 5-4 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.90 and a WHIP of 1.619.
His team's record is 5-7 (-3.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-3. (+4.7 units)

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CLEVELAND (48 - 62) at TAMPA BAY (66 - 44) - 7:10 PM
CLIFF LEE (L) vs. MATT GARZA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 36-41 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CLEVELAND is 37-45 (-14.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CLEVELAND is 26-35 (-15.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
CLEVELAND is 17-26 (-10.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CLEVELAND is 48-62 (-25.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 4-14 (-9.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
CLEVELAND is 19-36 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 66-44 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 43-16 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 43-17 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
TAMPA BAY is 41-29 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 47-19 (+23.8 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
TAMPA BAY is 29-13 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in home games after a win this season.
CLEVELAND is 61-38 (+27.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Monday since 1997.
LEE is 46-31 (+18.5 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 39-58 (-24.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 22-41 (-20.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GARZA is 1-7 (-7.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 4-0 (+4.6 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

CLIFF LEE vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
LEE is 5-2 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 2.29 and a WHIP of 0.945.
His team's record is 5-4 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-3. (+1.6 units)

MATT GARZA vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
GARZA is 0-2 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 5.85 and a WHIP of 1.800.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-1. (+1.9 units)

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NY YANKEES (61 - 50) at TEXAS (58 - 54) - 8:05 PM
JOBA CHAMBERLAIN (R) vs. VICENTE PADILLA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 138-105 (-19.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 36-37 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
NY YANKEES are 156-121 (-21.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 12-17 (-15.0 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 31-28 (+9.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TEXAS is 32-27 (+15.6 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.
TEXAS is 58-54 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 76-58 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 52-48 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 43-36 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 46-32 (+22.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PADILLA is 16-5 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 12-5 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 11-4 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 17-8 (+11.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 40-21 (+11.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-1 (+2.7 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

JOBA CHAMBERLAIN vs. TEXAS since 1997
CHAMBERLAIN is 0-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 2.250.
His team's record is 0-1 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

VICENTE PADILLA vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
PADILLA is 1-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.22 and a WHIP of 1.644.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

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BOSTON (64 - 48) at KANSAS CITY (52 - 60) - 8:10 PM
CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R) vs. GIL MECHE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 23-31 (-10.6 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BOSTON is 17-28 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
BUCHHOLZ is 3-9 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 1-8 (-9.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 50-51 (+7.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 28-23 (+9.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KANSAS CITY is 108-145 (+22.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MECHE is 22-11 (+15.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MECHE is 59-46 (+27.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 63-36 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 37-12 (+22.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
KANSAS CITY is 22-43 (-20.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 16-26 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
MECHE is 5-15 (-9.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
No recent starts.

GIL MECHE vs. BOSTON since 1997
MECHE is 4-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.69 and a WHIP of 1.174.
His team's record is 5-3 (+3.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-6. (-4.6 units)

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BALTIMORE (53 - 57) at LA ANGELS (69 - 42) - 10:05 PM
DENNIS SARFATE (R) vs. JOE SAUNDERS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 47-77 (-33.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 85-149 (-41.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 27-14 (+11.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
LA ANGELS are 69-42 (+20.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 30-13 (+15.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 64-37 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 49-33 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 49-35 (+8.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAUNDERS is 16-5 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 16-5 (+10.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 15-4 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 28-10 (+17.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 16-4 (+12.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 53-57 (+3.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 48-47 (+6.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 43-32 (+17.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 4-2 (+1.1 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

DENNIS SARFATE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.

JOE SAUNDERS vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
SAUNDERS is 4-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 5.16 and a WHIP of 1.676.
His team's record is 4-0 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-0. (+4.0 units)

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MINNESOTA (62 - 49) at SEATTLE (42 - 69) - 10:10 PM
GLEN PERKINS (L) vs. MIGUEL BATISTA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BATISTA is 64-48 (+19.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BATISTA is 44-19 (+24.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 62-49 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 34-30 (+6.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
MINNESOTA is 45-31 (+17.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 43-34 (+12.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 36-25 (+12.2 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
MINNESOTA is 31-24 (+8.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SEATTLE is 37-65 (-30.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 28-48 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 11-22 (-11.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
SEATTLE is 14-27 (-14.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SEATTLE is 42-69 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 12-29 (-15.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
SEATTLE is 21-34 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.

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

GLEN PERKINS vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

MIGUEL BATISTA vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
BATISTA is 2-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 5.14 and a WHIP of 1.571.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)

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[Udog]

MLB


Monday, August 4


Updated
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Tips and Trends
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Houston Astros at Chicago Cubs [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Astros: Brian Moehler has enjoyed some success against the Cubs during his career, going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in eight appearances. Moehler earned the win in his last start vs. Chicago on July 18, giving up just one run and four hits in seven innings with one walk and three strikeouts. The Astros are 5-2 in his last seven starts overall, and he is 2-2 away from home this season with a 4.63 ERA.

Astros are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings at Chicago.
The UNDER is 13-3-1 in Moehler's last 17 starts on grass.

Key Injuries - OF Michael Bourn (.235; ankle) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Cubs (-210): After seeing his team win his first 11 home starts to open the season, Ryan Dempster has not had the same luck in his last two outings at Wrigley Field. Dempster has received just two runs of support in each of his last two outings at Wrigley, both resulting in losses. That doesn't mean he hasn't pitched well lately though. Dempster has allowed just two runs combined over his last three starts totaling 21 innings, including eight shutout innings at Houston in a win on July 20th.

Cubs are 8-1 in their last 9 games on grass.
The UNDER is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.

Key Injuries - Closer Kerry Wood (24 saves; finger) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5



Cleveland Indians at Tampa Bay Rays [7:10 PM ET]

Indians: Cliff Lee will try to bounce back from his roughest outing of the season and beat the Rays for the second time in five starts. Lee got pounded for six runs and 10 hits in just five innings of an eventual 14-12 loss to Detroit. He served up two homers for only the second time this season but was able to escape with a no-decision. Lee pitched six shutout innings in his last start vs. Tampa Bay on July 11th, and he is 5-2 lifetime against the Rays with a 2.30 ERA. He is also 8-2 on the road with a 2.69 ERA.

Indians are 1-7 in their last 8 games on field turf.
Indians are 9-26 in their last 35 games as an underdog.

Key Injuries - NONE

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

Rays (-130, O/U 7.5): Matt Garza has struggled against the Indians during his career, going 0-2 with a 5.85 ERA in four starts. Garza surrendered seven runs and 11 hits in five innings at Cleveland on July 12, but he is 2-1 in three starts since then with both wins coming against Toronto. He is coming off a complete-game shutout against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, allowing five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Garza has been outstanding at home this season, as he is 6-1 there with a 2.10 ERA.

Rays are 40-11 in their last 51 home games.
The UNDER is 9-2 in Tampa Bay's last 11 games overall.

Key Injuries - OF Rocco Baldelli (mitochondrial disorder) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4



New York Yankees at Texas Rangers [YES | 8:10 PM ET]

Yankees (-165, O/U 9.5): Joba Chamberlain has been outstanding on the road this season, but that hasn't necessarily translated to wins. Chamberlain owns a 1.42 ERA away from home, but the Yankees have scored just one run combined over his last two road starts resulting in a 1-1 record. New York has still managed to go 8-2 in his starts this season, although one of the losses came against the Rangers at home back on July 1.

Yankees are 8-2 in Chamberlain's 10 starts this season.
The OVER is 8-1 in New York's last 9 games overall.

Key Injuries - C Jorge Posada (.268; shoulder) is OUT for the season.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Rangers: Vicente Padilla has not enjoyed as much success at home, going 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA in eight starts. Texas is 13-3 in Padilla's last 16 starts overall but just 2-2 in his last four at home. He walked away with a no-decision last time out there against Seattle, giving up three runs and 10 hits in seven innings of an eventual 4-3 victory. He is 1-1 in two career starts against the Yankees with a 4.52 ERA.

Rangers are 6-21 in the last 27 meetings at Texas.
The OVER is 9-2-1 in Texas' last 12 games overall.

Key Injuries - OF Milton Bradley (.320; quad) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side Play of the Day)

[Udog]

MLB
Short Sheet


Monday, August 4th

National League

Milwaukee at Cincinnati, 7:10 ET
Manny Parra (L) vs. Bronson Arroyo (R)
Parra: MIL 11-2 in the second half
Arroyo: CIN 2-12 revenging a one run loss

Houston at Chicago Cubs, 7:05 ET
Brian Moehler (R) vs. Ryan Dempster (R)
Moehler: 4-1 TSR against Chicago Cubs
Dempster: CHC 27-9 UNDER against Houston

Washington at Colorado, 9:05 ET
Tim Redding (R) vs. Aaron Cook (R)
Redding: 10-3 TSR when the total is 9 to 9.5
Cook: 4-13 TSR AWAY after a team win

Pittsburgh at Arizona, 9:40 ET
Yoslan Herrera (R) vs. Dan Haren (R)
Herrera: PIT 55-109 AWAY when the total is 8.5 to 10
Haren: ARI 22-9 against NL Central

Atlanta at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
Jair Jurrjens (R) vs. Matt Cain (R)
Jurrjens: 9-2 TSR as an underdog of +100 to +150
Cain: 4-12 TSR when the money line is +125 to -125

American League

Oakland at Toronto, 6:05 ET
Greg Smith (L) vs. Roy Halladay (R)
Smith: OAK 9-24 after scoring 3 runs or less 3 straight games
Halladay: 96-44 TSR on artificial turf

Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 7:10 ET
Cliff Lee (L) vs. Matt Garza (R)
Lee: CLE 6-21 as a road underdog of +100 to +150
Garza: TB 28-8 at home when the total is 7 to 8.5

NY Yankees at Texas, 8:05 ET
Joba Chamberlain (R) vs. Vicente Padilla (R)
Chamberlain: NYY 12-17 as a road favorite of -150 to -175
Padilla: 16-5 TSR this season

Boston at Kansas City, 8:10 ET
Clay Buchholz (R) vs. Gil Meche (R)
Buchholz: BOS 141-71 as a favorite of -110 or higher
Meche: 5-15 TSR when the total is 9 to 9.5

Baltimore at LA Angels, 10:05 ET
Dennis Sarfate (R) vs. Joe Saunders (L)
Sarfate: BAL 47-77 against left-handed starters
Saunders: 16-4 TSR after a team loss

Minnesota at Seattle, 10:10 ET
Glen Perkins (L) vs. Miguel Batista (R)
Perkins: MIN 25-10 when the money line is -100 to -150
Batista: SEA 12-29 when the total is 9 to 9.5

** (TC) Denotes Time Change