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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:27 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Friday, August 15

The Boston Red Sox will debut the newest member of their starting rotation when they play host to the Toronto Blue Jays Friday night. Here's your Daily Sports Roundup . . .

Event of the day . . .

An injury to Tim Wakefield left a hole in Boston's rotation - and they're hoping that Paul Byrd can plug it through the end of the season. The righthander was picked up from the Indians in a deal on Tuesday afternoon, and he's going to take Clay Buchholz's start at Fenway Park on Friday. Buchholz, though, will probably remain in the rotation, since the team's Charlie Zink experiment didn't turn out well in that slugfest on Tuesday night.

Byrd (7-10, 4.53 ERA) had earned the victory in each of his last four starts as a member of the Indians, giving up just four earned runs over 29 innings of work in that span. As well, Byrd's last outing actually came against Toronto on August 9, and he surrendered only two earned runs on six hits over a full nine innings in that game. Byrd hasn't given up a home run since July 4 in a loss to the Twins.

Toronto will be sending ace Roy Halladay (13-9, 2.72 ERA) to the mound to counter Byrd on Friday night. Halladay was actually the loser in the Blue Jays' August 9 matchup against Byrd and the Indians, as he gave up four runs (one earned) on 10 hits over 6 2-3 innings. The righthander is just 2-3 over his last five trips to the mound, but he's held opponents to two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last 10 starts.

Non-event of the day . . .

The Rockies and Nationals are two of the worst teams in the National League, and they'll begin a weekend series in Washington on Friday night. The Nationals are expected to send Tim Redding (8-7, 4.61 ERA) to the mound in that contest. Colorado will counter with Jorge De La Rosa (5-6, 6.28 ERA), who gets another crack at a starting gig only because Aaron Cook's sore back forced him to miss Thursday's game.

Also on the schedule . . .

It's Carlos Zambrano (12-5, 3.22 ERA) vs. Josh Johnson (3-0, 3.19 ERA) in the Cubs/Marlins matchup in Miami on Friday. Elsewhere on the National League Friday schedule it's the Mets at Pittsburgh, St. Louis at Cincinnati, San Francisco at Atlanta, Arizona at Houston, Philadelphia at San Diego, and Milwaukee at the Dodgers.

The Yankees will play host to the lowly Royals this weekend, with Andy Pettitte (12-9, 4.32 ERA) taking on Gil Meche (10-9, 4.24 ERA) on Friday. Other American League games on tap: the Angels at Cleveland, Baltimore at Detroit, Tampa Bay at Texas, Seattle at Minnesota, and the White Sox at Oakland.

As well, there's one NFL preseason game on the Friday schedule, with Oakland in Tennessee to face the Titans at 8:00pm ET. The Titans have been listed as 5-point home favorites in that contest, with the total at 35 points. In other Friday pigskin action it's Montreal at Toronto in the Canadian Football League, with the Alouettes sitting as 3-point road favorites (and the total pegged at 53.5 points).

News from the wire . . .

The Tigers signed unemployed starting pitcher Freddy Garcia to a minor league contract . . . the Cubs might give Jeff Samardzija his first MLB start on Sunday . . . the Falcons have liked what they've seen so far from rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, and might be close to naming him their starter . . . Rams running back Steven Jackson is still holding out for a new contract and accumulating plenty of team fines.

Peek at the future . . .

Saturday features the bulk of this week's preseason NFL schedule, 10 games including Washington at Brett Favre's Jets, Indianapolis at Atlanta, Dallas at Denver, and Green Bay at San Francisco . . . John Lackey (9-2, 3.15 ERA) takes on Fausto Carmona (5-4, 4.91 ERA) in the Angels/Indians game on Saturday afternoon . . . it's Spain vs. the United States in men's hoops action in China on Saturday at 10:00am ET, and Greece vs. the United States at 8:00am ET on Monday.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:27 AM

Six-pack for Friday

-- Rangers have allowed 63 runs in their last six games; their starting pitchers gave up 46 runs in 20.1 IP in those games.

-- Red Sox outscored Texas 37-21 in their three-game series.

-- Carlos Pena homered in the 12th, as Rays moved to 73-46 after a 7-6 win over the incredibly punchless, lackluster A's.

-- Mark Kotsay went 5-5, hit for cycle last night, but hideous Braves lost anyway, 11-7 to the red-hot Cubs.

-- White Sox outscored Royals 22-2 in a three-game sweep.

-- Phillies got swept in four-game series at Dodger Stadium; Kuroda allowed just one run in seven IP for LA last night.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:28 AM

Friday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but...........

13) Madden ’09 came out this week; while I’m not a gamer; it did remind me of best football game I ever played as a kid— Sports Illustrated Football, which had color-coded charts. You rolled the dice, went to that spot on chart, then the defensive guy rolled his dice, went to his chart, and you had your play.

12) If I remember right, it was all based on the 1972 season, so Miami had the best charts. The game held fairly true to form, as far as the good teams in reality still being pretty good when you played the dice game. My Rams never played Miami.

11) Tommy Prothro coached those Rams, they weren’t very good; Prothro smoked on the sidelines and was apparently a great bridge player, which didn’t help me enjoy fall Sundays. But Prothro had been a terrific coach in Pac-10, and an astute judge of talent. Lot of success Chuck Knox had in succeeding him was because of the work Prothro did in cleaning up the Rams' roster after the strip mining-like George Allen regime.

Wow, where did all that come from? Moving on…….

10) Jason Kendall’s ’09 contract with Milwaukee has kicked in due to incentives he’s reached this year, but with Sabathia/ Sheets expected to bolt via free agency, and Brewers expected to backslide, shouldn’t one of the perennial contenders trade for him after this season? Kendall is an excellent receiver and handler of pitchers; not so much of a hitter or thrower. He’d make perfect sense for one of the New York City teams in 2009. His best asset? He's a tough guy who plays every day.

9) Looks like this will be the first season since 1986 that Giants won’t have a 20-HR hitter.

8) Rays’ pitching prodigy David Price lost his first pro game Wednesday; he threw 80 pitches in four IP, giving up seven hits, three runs, with no walks, six strikeouts. He left trailing
3-2; Durham lost 7-6. Tampa needs hitting more than pitching right now, so Price figures as a September callup.

7) With all four golf majors over for 2008, #125 on the PGA money list is xxxxxxx, with $***,*** in earnings; so far, xx golfers have earned $1M on Tour this season.

6) Someone has to explain to me why PGA uses NASCAR’s goofy points format for a playoff system, when it just as easily could use its money list? Either way, a healthy Eldrick Woods would win. With Woods out, people won’t care much anyway.

5) 5am tipoff times on the west coast for these Olympic hoop games must be great for commuters out west; 8am tipoff times for us here in the east aren’t as good for those of us with jobs. Luckily, the Professor texts me scoring updates, even though he is a Carolina fan and is rooting against Coach K’s team.

4) Greece had a 49-28 edge over the USA Thursday, as far as number of letters in the last names of their five starters. Writers must hate covering the Greek team; way too many long names.

3) Bills beat Steelers 24-21 in front of 48,000+ in Toronto, 5,000 short of capacity at Rogers Centre. Some Canadians are afraid that if the Bills move to Toronto, it could do harm to the CFL, which only has eight teams, as it is..

2) A's reliever Ziegler finally gave up an earned run, ending a streak of 39 consecutive scoreless innings to start his career, which was 12 innings better than anyone else had ever done.

1) If they ever make dice game of the 2008 baseball season, be smart and never volunteer to be tbe Washington Nationals-- their charts are going to be really, really bad.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:29 AM

Canadian Football League – Long Sheet

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 8

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Friday, August 15
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MONTREAL (4 - 3) at TORONTO (3 - 4) - 8/15/2008, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in road games when playing on a Friday since 1996.
TORONTO is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) off a loss against a division rival since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-4 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 5-3 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:29 AM

Canadian Football League – Write up

CFL
Write-up

Week 8 CFL games

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Friday, August 15

Montreal (4-3) @ Toronto (3-4)-- Alouettes scored 33+ points in six of seven games; they went WWLLLWW first seven tilts, with losses by 4-8-2 points. Argos allowed 176+ rushing yards in fou rof last six games, losing twice to 2-5 Hamilton. Argos are 2-1 at home, beating Edmonton-Winnipeg in last two at Rogers Centre. Three of last four Montreal games went over the total.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:30 AM

Canadian Football League – Additional Trends

CFL

Week 8

Trend Sheet

Friday, August 15

7:30 PM MONTREAL vs. TORONTO
Montreal is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing Toronto
Montreal is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 13-5-1 ATS in its last 19 games
Toronto is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:30 AM

Canadian Football League – Preview and Predictions

CFL
Preview and Predictions

CFL games – Week 8

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Preview and Predictions
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The CFL is entering their division bye week and the Western teams are taking advantage of the first week of rest; as Hamilton travels to Winnipeg and Montreal heads to the Rogers Centre for an Eastern Division tilt with the Toronto Argonauts. The way things are going for Toronto, I'm sure Argos Head Coach Rich Stubler wishes his team was heading into the break after their big lost last week to Hamilton. However, Hamilton might still be flying high after their big upset win over the boatmen.

Here are some CFL facts about the bye week. Entering a bye weekend can be a psychological juggling act for the head coaches, as they need to keep their players focused on the task at hand, instead players might be thinking what they might be doing with their time off. In fact, the bye week tends to favor the home teams, as they are 12-5 SU since 1996 and the road teams are 1-4 SU and ATS.

Alouettes vs. Argonauts History: Montreal is 12-9-0 (ATS), 11-10 (SU) and the O/U is 7-13-1 when they meet the Argos in Toronto.

Comment: The Montreal Alouettes are one of the most consistent football teams in the CFL this season; they've won 2 games in a row and have only lost by 8 points or less in the 3 games they have lost this year. However, both of their past wins were against Winnipeg and Hamilton! Montreal beat the Blue Bombers last week 39-11 in the Peg and might have something bigger on their mind this week, as they face the BC Lions next week. Toronto is coming off one of their most embarrassing losses in team history, as they fell 45-21 to the 2-5 Hamilton Tiger Cats. However, in order to get caught at a look ahead situation, you have to be a good football team and Toronto is far from this at the moment with their revenge game on deck next week vs. the Tiger Cats. Anthony Calvillo has been putting up some magical numbers this season and the offense is averaging 37.67 points in their last 3 outings and they are starting to look better on defense allowing 25.4 points against on the season. Montreal is 7-3-0 ATS on the road vs. division opponents during week 4 to 8. As for the UNDER, its 8-2-0 for the Alouettes, when they are a road favorite and the total is between 51.5 and 54.0. Toronto seems to have some chemistry issue in the locker room, players are rumbling and after a lost vs. a team you should have beaten, people are a bit edgy these days in Toronto. Plus, it won't get any easier for the boatmen this Friday, they are 5-13-2 SU in their last 20 meetings vs. Montreal and they are only averaging 20.67 points per game in their last 3 outings. The UNDER is 8-2-0 for the Argonauts as a Home Team when the line is a Pick'em to +3.0 and they scored 21 points or less in their last game.

Forecast: Montreal to win by 14.4 points and the O/U to land on 57.3 points.

Stat of the Game: When ANY CFL Team played as a Road team -Before a non conference game - Coming off a Score 11 - 13 AGAINST in last game - Allowed scored 13 points or less against - Coming off a 1 ATS win; The UNDER is 14-3-0 for the Road Team in this spot since 96.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:32 AM

National Football League – Long Sheet

NFL
Pre-Season

Long Sheet

Note: Limited trends are listed. There may be updates prior to play date.

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Friday, August 15
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OAKLAND (1 - 0) at TENNESSEE (1 - 0) - 8/15/2008, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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Saturday, August 16
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WASHINGTON (2 - 0) at NY JETS (1 - 0) - 8/16/2008, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY JETS are 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 since 1993.
NY JETS are 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) against NFC East division opponents since 1993.

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

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MINNESOTA (0 - 1) at BALTIMORE (1 - 0) - 8/16/2008, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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MIAMI (0 - 1) at JACKSONVILLE (1 - 0) - 8/16/2008, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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INDIANAPOLIS (0 - 2) at ATLANTA (0 - 1) - 8/16/2008, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in games played on turf since 1993.

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

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SAN DIEGO (1 - 0) at ST LOUIS (0 - 1) - 8/16/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) when playing on a Saturday since 1993.
ST LOUIS is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1993.

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

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HOUSTON (1 - 0) at NEW ORLEANS (1 - 0) - 8/16/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1993.
NEW ORLEANS is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games in dome games since 1993.
NEW ORLEANS is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games in games played on turf since 1993.
NEW ORLEANS is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points since 1993.
NEW ORLEANS is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games since 1993.
NEW ORLEANS is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home lined games since 1993.

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

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ARIZONA (0 - 1) at KANSAS CITY (1 - 0) - 8/16/2008, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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GREEN BAY (0 - 1) at SAN FRANCISCO (0 - 1) - 8/16/2008, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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DALLAS (0 - 1) at DENVER (0 - 1) - 8/16/2008, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 11-32 ATS (-24.2 Units) in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points since 1993.
DENVER is 22-7 ATS (+14.3 Units) when playing on a Saturday since 1993.
DENVER is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) in non-conference games since 1993.

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

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CHICAGO (0 - 1) at SEATTLE (1 - 0) - 8/16/2008, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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Sunday, August 17
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DETROIT (1 - 0) at CINCINNATI (1 - 0) - 8/17/2008, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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NEW ENGLAND (0 - 1) at TAMPA BAY (1 - 0) - 8/17/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ENGLAND is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1993.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 1-0 against the spread versus NEW ENGLAND over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 1-0 straight up against NEW ENGLAND over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Monday, August 18
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CLEVELAND (0 - 1) at NY GIANTS (0 - 1) - 8/18/2008, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:33 AM

National Football League – Short Sheet

NFL
Pre-Season

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Short Sheet
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Friday, August 15th

Oakland at Tennessee, 8:00 ET FOX
Oakland: 14-4 Under off home win
Tennessee: 15-5 ATS off SU win

Saturday, August 16th

Washington at NY Jets, 7:00 ET
Washington: 0-4 ATS off ATS loss
NY Jets: 23-10 ATS the line is +3 to -3

Minnesota at Baltimore, 7:30 ET
Minnesota: 3-0 ATS off SU loss
Baltimore: 6-1 Under as favorite

Miami at Jacksonville, 7:30 ET
Miami: 3-0 Under as road underdog
Jacksonville: 10-3 ATS vs. conference opponents

Indianapolis at Atlanta, 7:30 ET
Indianapolis: 23-7 Over Away in August
Atlanta: 13-4 ATS off road loss

San Diego at St. Louis, 8:00 ET
San Diego: 21-8 ATS off home game
St. Louis: 12-25 ATS vs. AFC

Houston at New Orleans, 8:00 ET
Houston: 6-0 Over on Saturdays
New Orleans: 8-19 ATS at home in preseason

Arizona at Kansas City, 8:00 ET
Arizona: 3-6 ATS L9 preseason games
Kansas City: 5-1 Under when the line is +3 to -3

Green Bay at San Francisco, 9:00 ET
Green Bay: 7-2 ATS vs. NFC West
San Francisco: 5-1 Under after a game with a turnover margin of -3 or worse

Dallas at Denver, 9:00 ET
Dallas: 10-23 ATS off Over
Denver: 30-16 ATS vs. NFC

Chicago at Seattle, 9:00 ET
Chicago: 6-1 Over after playing a Thursday game
Seattle: 3-10 ATS off road win

Sunday, August 17th

Detroit at Cincinnati, 7:30 ET
Detroit: 3-0 Over vs. AFC North
Cincinnati: 4-0 ATS off SU win

New England at Tampa Bay, 8:00 ET NFL
New England: 8-0 ATS off home loss
Tampa Bay: 20-8 Under as home favorite

Monday, August 18th

Cleveland at NY Giants, 8:00 ET ESPN
Cleveland: 4-0 Over on Monday Night
NY Giants: 4-13 ATS as home favorite

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:33 AM

National Football League – Write up

NFL
Write-up

Friday, August 15

I'm not a big fan of investing in summer games, especially early in preseason. But people have asked for some insight so here goes, as little as it is............

-- Raiders, Titans have young stars who should be anxious to shine in unusual national TV appearance. Will be interesting to see how much progress JaMarcus Russell has made for Raiders; we won't be able to tell McFadden's role until September 7. Vince Young has a new coordinator this year (Heimerdinger) who did a fine job with Steve McNair, so his progress wil be interesting to follow. Presence of Kerry Collins makes Titans a good summer team. Last preseason home game already for Tennessee.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:35 AM

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up

Friday, August 15

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Hot Pitchers
-- Davis allowed two runs in six IP in his first '08 start, at Philly.
-- Reds are 7-2 in Arroyo's last nine home starts. Thompson has 2.87 RA in three starts, but his last start was June 19.
-- Cain is 2-1, 2.12 in his last four starts.
-- Zambrano has a 1.77 RA in his last three road starts. Marlins are 6-0 when Josh Johnson starts for them.
-- Nationals are 7-2 in last nine Redding home starts.
-- Webb is 4-0, 1.80 in his last four starts.
-- Moyer is 4-1, 2.92 in his last six starts. Maddux is 3-0, 3.94 in his last three starts.
-- Billingsley is 2-0, 1.95 in his last four starts.

-- Tigers won five of last seven Robertson home starts.
-- Toronto is 6-2 in last eight Halladay road starts. Byrd is 4-0, 1.24 in his last four starts.
-- Lee is 5-0, 2.51 in his last six starts.
-- Meche is 4-0, 2.48 in his last five starts.
-- Liriano is 2-0, 2.38 since coming back from minors.

Cold Pitchers
-- Pelfrey is 1-2, 7.63 in his last three starts.
-- Braves lost Jurrjens' last three home starts (0-3, 5.31).
-- de la Rosa has a 9.10 RA in his seven road starts.
-- Rodriguez is 1-1, 7.72 in his last three starts.
-- Parra is 0-3, 5.55 in his last four starts.

-- Waters is 1-1, 4.50 in two starts for Baltimore.
-- Weaver has 7.32 RA in his last four starts.
-- Pettitte is 0-2, 8.83 in his last three starts.
-- Garza is 1-2, 5.84 in his last four road starts. Millwood is 0-2, 8.78 in his last three starts, last of which was July 23.
-- Silva is 0-4, 6.81 in his last seven starts. He pitched for Twins up until this season.
-- Floyd has 6.82 RA in his last six starts, but White Sox won his last four outings, scoring 30 runs. Braden is 1-2, 5.19 in his last three starts.

Hot Teams
-- Cubs are 14-3 in their last seventeen games.
-- Cardinals won three of their last four games.
-- Mets won their last three games, outscoring Nationals 25-6.
-- Brewers won eight of their last nine games.
-- Astros won last eight games, and fifteen of last seventeen.
-- Arizona is 6-3 in its last nine road games.
-- Dodgers are 11-3 in last fourteen home games.

-- Orioles are 11-7 in last 18 road series openers.
-- Angels are 9-3 in their last twelve road games.
-- Toronto won seven of its last ten road games. Red Sox won last four games, scoring 42 runs.
-- Rays won seven of their last nine games.
-- Twins won five of their last seven games.
-- White Sox won four of their last five games.

Cold Teams
-- Pirates lost eight of their last twelve games.
-- Reds lost seven of last nine games.
-- Marlins lost four of their last five home games.
-- Braves lost ten of last twelve home games. Giants are 4-12 in their last sixteen road games.
-- Nationals lost last six games, outscored 41-10. Rockies lost six of last eight games, allowing 54 runs.
-- Padres lost six of their last seven home games.
-- Phillies lost last four games, outscored 22-15.

-- Bronx lost five of its last six games. Royals lost seven of their last eight games.
-- Indians are 4-6 in their last ten home games.
-- Tigers are 4-10 in their last fourteen games.
-- Rangers lost seven of their last eight games, giving up 63 runs in their last six contests.
-- Mariners lost four of their last five games.
-- Oakland lost nine of its last eleven home games.

Totals
-- Over is 7-3 in Mets' last ten road games.
-- Four of last five Cincinnati games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Florida home games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-2 in last nine San Francisco road games.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Washington games.
-- Over is 10-4 in Houston's last fourteen games.
-- Under is 8-2-2 in last twelve Philadelphia games.
-- Under is 10-4 in last fourteen Dodger home games.

-- Over is 10-3 in Baltimore's last thirteen road games.
-- Under is 8-3 in last eleven Toronto games.
-- Six of Indians' last seven home games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Royal road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 11-3-1 in last fifteen Tampa Bay road games.
-- Under is 5-1 in Minnesota's last six home games.
-- Under is 12-4 in Oakland's last sixteen games.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:36 AM

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB

We will update when all projected scores are available.

Friday, August 15

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Tips and Trends
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Chicago Cubs at Florida Marlins [7:10 PM ET]

Cubs (-135, O/U 8): Carlos Zambrano lost his last time out against the Cardinals thanks in large part to four home runs allowed but that could actually be a good thing for the Cubs heading into tonight's game. In his four previous losses, Big Z has rebounded with a win and a strong performance three times. Zambrano is 6-4 on the road this season with a solid 3.38 ERA. Zambrano faced the Marlins on July 24, getting the win after allowing just two runs in seven innings.

The Cubs are 8-0 in their last 8 road games.
The OVER is 9-0 in Chicago's last 9 road games.

Key Injuries - 3B Aramis Ramirez (.285; hip) is doubtful.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Marlins: When Josh Johnson is on the mound, the Marlins win. It's that simple. Florida is a perfect 6-0 when Johnson takes the rubber this season. Johnson received a no-decision in each of his first three outings but has won his last three starts, allowing just six runs in 19.2 innings of work. Despite his strong performances, the OVER is 3-0 in Johnson's last three starts.

Marlins are 12-2 in the last 14 meetings.
Marlins are 1-4 in their last 5 home games.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 6

Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers [8:05 PM ET]

Rays (-110, O/U 10.5): Matt Garza was hammered in his last two starts against hitting lightweights Cleveland and Seattle, allowing 17 hits and nine runs in just 10.2 innings. Garza has been up and down all year but he's mostly been down on the road, going 3-5 with a lofty 5.37 ERA. Following a complete game, one-hitter at Florida, Garza has allowed 16 runs in his last four starts away from home.

Rays are 12-3 in their last 15 games overall.
Rays are 13-3 in their last 16 Friday games.

Key Injuries - 3B Evan Longoria (.278; wrist) is on the 15-day DL.
OF Carl Crawford (.273; hand) is OUT for the season.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Rangers: Kevin Millwood is making his first start since coming off the DL with a strained groin. The Rangers are hoping Millwood will be much more effective than he was before being sidelined with the injury. In his last 18.1 innings pitched, Millwood has allowed 32 hits and 16 runs. He has been much better at home than on the road, however. In eight home starts this season, Millwood is 4-1 with a 5.31 ERA. The OVER is 3-1 in Millwood's last four starts.

Rangers are 1-7 in their last 8 games overall.
The OVER is 11-4-2 in Millwood's last 17 starts overall.

Key Injuries - OF Josh Hamilton (.302; birth of child) is NOT expected to play.
DH Milton Bradley (.321; illness) has returned.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Chicago White Sox at Oakland Athletics [WGN | 10:05 PM ET]

White Sox (-115, O/U 8.5): Gavin Floyd hasn't lost a game since July 19, although his last four starts are nothing to brag about. Over that span, Floyd has allowed 15 runs in 23 innings of work. Luckily for the White Sox, their offense has provided Floyd with plenty of run support, helping the Pale Hose to emerge victorious in all four of those contests. Not surprisingly, each of those games went OVER the total as well. Overall, the OVER is 8-2 in Floyd's last 10 starts.

White Sox are 6-27 in the last 33 meetings at Oakland.
White Sox are 2-6 in their last 8 road games.

Key Injuries - 3B Joe Crede (.255; back) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

A's: Dallas Braden makes his fifth start of the season for the A's tonight. In his previous four outings, Braden has allowed 11 runs over 22 innings, going 2-2 during that stretch. Braden's lone home start this season was a loss to the Royals in a game where he gave up four runs in 6.2 innings of work. The UNDER has been money with Braden on the mound, going 3-0-1 in his four starts.

A's are 4-23 in their last 27 games overall.
The UNDER is 26-10-2 in the last 38 meetings.

Key Injuries - OF Ryan Sweeney (.283; thumb) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 05:37 AM

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Friday, August 15

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Streaking Starting Pitchers
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Friday’s streaking and slumping pitchers

Streaking

Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins (3-0, 3.19)

Johnson has been solid since coming off the IR. He is 3-0 and has a 3.19 ERA in his past three starts and is 1-0 at Dolphin Stadium.

Johnson is undefeated in his last six and has led the Fish to a 6-0 mark in that span. He has also relinquished just three HRs in that period.

Florida is 12-2 in its last 14 against the Chicago Cubs and is 6-0 in its last six versus the Cubs in Florida.

Slumping

Tim Redding, Washington Nationals (8-7, 4.61)

Redding has two wins in his last 10 and is 1-2 in his last three with a lofty 10.29 ERA. He has also relinquished 16 earned runs and four HRs in his last 14 IP.

Redding is 1-1 in his last four at Nationals park and is 4-4 overall at home. He has also tossed more than 100 pitches in each of his last two starts and has a 7.20 ERA in one start this season against the lowly Colorado Rockies.

The Nationals are 20-45 in their last 65 overall and are 3-7 in their last 10 at Nationals Park.

Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets (10-8, 4.11)

Pelfrey has finally hit a rough patch. He has just two wins in his last five and is 1-2 in his last three with a shaky 7.63 ERA and 1.83 WHIP.

In his last three starts, Pelfrey has conceded 13 earned runs in 14 2/3 IP and has relinquished two HRs in that stretch. He is also just 4-3 on the road with a lofty 6.09 ERA and 1.83 WHIP.

The Mets are 0-4 in their last four against the NL Central and are 3-8 in their last 11 meetings in Pittsburgh.

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**pm530** · 08-15-2008, 07:53 AM

Major League Baseball – Trend Sheet

MLB

Friday, August 15

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Trend Sheet
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7:05 PM BALTIMORE vs. DETROIT
Baltimore is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Detroit
Baltimore is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Detroit is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Baltimore

7:05 PM KANSAS CITY vs. NY YANKEES
Kansas City is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
Kansas City is 6-16 SU in their last 22 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 21-3 SU in their last 24 games when playing at home against Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 10 of NY Yankees's last 15 games when playing at home against Kansas City

7:05 PM LA ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND
LA Angels are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games on the road
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Angels

7:05 PM NY METS vs. PITTSBURGH
NY Mets are 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
NY Mets are 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing NY Mets
Pittsburgh is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against NY Mets

7:05 PM TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Boston
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:10 PM CHI CUBS vs. FLORIDA
Chi Cubs are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 2-12 SU in their last 14 games when playing Florida
Florida is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Florida's last 9 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

7:10 PM ST. LOUIS vs. CINCINNATI
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of St. Louis's last 10 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Cincinnati's last 10 games when playing St. Louis

7:35 PM COLORADO vs. WASHINGTON
Colorado is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games on the road
Washington is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games when playing Colorado
Washington is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Colorado

7:35 PM SAN FRANCISCO vs. ATLANTA
San Francisco is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Francisco's last 8 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

8:05 PM ARIZONA vs. HOUSTON
Arizona is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games on the road
Arizona is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Houston
Houston is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Arizona

8:05 PM TAMPA BAY vs. TEXAS
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Texas is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Tampa Bay
Texas is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

8:10 PM SEATTLE vs. MINNESOTA
Seattle is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota's last 10 games

10:05 PM CHI WHITE SOX vs. OAKLAND
Chi White Sox are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
Chi White Sox are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games on the road
Oakland is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox

10:05 PM PHILADELPHIA vs. SAN DIEGO
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
San Diego is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Diego's last 9 games when playing Philadelphia

10:40 PM MILWAUKEE vs. LA DODGERS
Milwaukee is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
Milwaukee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games

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Announcement

Friday Trends and Indexes 8/15

Friday Trends and Indexes 8/15

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