Sunday Trends and Indexes 8/31

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Sunday August 31

Good Luck on day #244 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.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[pm530]

Daily Sports Roundup

Sunday, August 31

Red-hot Carl Edwards will be looking to take yet another checkered flag when the Sprint Cup Series hits Auto Club Speedway on Sunday. Here's your Daily Sports Roundup …

Event of the day . . .

Edwards got past Kyle Busch late in the race last Saturday night to visit victory lane in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol, and he'll be looking for a similar result on Sunday when he battles his bitter rival once again in the Pepsi 500 at Fontana's Auto Club Speedway.

Edwards, who has won the series' last two events, is pegged as the 5/1 Vegas favorite to win the Pepsi 500 on Sunday, while standings leader Busch is just behind him on that list at 6/1. Jimmie Johnson (7/1), Tony Stewart (8/1), and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8/1) follow those odds leaders, with each of Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, and Jeff Gordon at 12/1.

Clint Bowyer is currently holding down the 12th and final spot in the Chase standings; he's pegged at 35/1 odds to win the Pepsi 500. David Ragan, who is 12 points back of Bowyer for that coveted 12th position, is better regarded by the oddsmakers right now - he's at 25/1 odds. The Chase gets underway at New Hampshire on September 14.

Non-event of the day . . .

There are only two college football games on the Sunday sports schedule, and neither of them involve a ranked team. Kentucky will start their season with a game against Louisville; the Cardinals are 3.5-point favorites with the total at 56 points. As well, Colorado will launch their campaign by taking on Colorado State; the Buffaloes aren't expected to have much trouble in that game, as they're listed as 11-point favorites.

Also on the schedule . . .

Derek Lowe (10-11, 3.81) will try to get the better of leading Cy Young candidate Brandon Webb (19-5, 2.96 ERA) when the Dodgers and Diamondback meet on Sunday night. Also on the day's National League schedule: San Francisco at Cincinnati, the Mets at Florida, Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, Atlanta at Washington, St. Louis at Houston, Philadelphia at the Cubs, and Colorado at San Diego.

Over in the American League Roy Halladay (16-9, 2.69 ERA) will be gunning for his 17th win of the year when the Blue Jays play on the road against the Yankees and Andy Pettitte (13-10, 4.37 ERA). Rounding out the Junior Circuit's Sunday slate: Seattle at Cleveland, Kansas City at Detroit, the White Sox at Boston, Baltimore at Tampa Bay, Texas at the Angels, and Minnesota at Oakland.

Finally, the CFL offers up a single game on Sunday, with Winnipeg at Saskatchewan, and there are two WNBA games on tap: Seattle at Connecticut, and Detroit at Chicago.

News from the wire . . .

Cowboys defensive back Adam Jones has been reinstated . . .Cowboys wide receiver Sam Hurd will miss the next couple of weeks with a sprained ankle . . . Titans quarterback Vince Young bruised his thumb on Thursday, but the injury isn't thought to be serious . . . Notable unsigned NHL players with training camp fast approaching - forwards Mats Sundin, Teemu Selanne, Peter Forsberg, and Brendan Shanahan.

Peek at the future . . .

The Indians' Cliff Lee (19-2, 2.43 ERA) will be looking to earn his 20th win of the season when Cleveland hosts the division rival White Sox and John Danks (10-7, 3.30 ERA) on Monday night . . . the Canadian Football League stages its annual Labour Day contests on Monday, with Edmonton at Calgary (-4.5) at 4:00pm ET, and Toronto at Hamilton (-3) at 7:30pm ET.

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

[pm530]

Canadian Football League – Long Sheet

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, August 31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WINNIPEG (2 - 6) at SASKATCHEWAN (6 - 2) - 8/31/2008, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 122-92 ATS (+20.8 Units) in all games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 122-92 ATS (+20.8 Units) in all lined games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 42-23 ATS (+16.7 Units) when playing on a Sunday since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 111-82 ATS (+20.8 Units) in games played on turf since 1996.

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


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, September 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDMONTON (5 - 3) at CALGARY (5 - 3) - 9/1/2008, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games off a division game over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-2 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 5-3 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

TORONTO (3 - 5) at HAMILTON (2 - 6) - 9/1/2008, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up losses since 1996.
TORONTO is 40-22 ATS (+15.8 Units) in weeks 10 through 15 since 1996.
HAMILTON is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games versus division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-3 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 7-2 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

[pm530]

Canadian Football League – Write up

CFL
Write-up


Week 10 CFL games

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

The four eastern teams had last weekend off.

Sunday, August 31

Winnipeg (2-6) @ Saskatchewan (6-2)-- Riders lost last 2 games after 6-0 start, then traded for QB Bishop, as Crandell was 7-24 passing in last week's loss. Bombers are 0-3 on road, losing by 14-9-7 points- they scored 32-37 points in their two wins, after scoring average of 17.3 ppg in six losses. Riders gained total of just 549 yards in last two games, after averaging 390.3 first six

Monday, September 1

Edmonton (5-3) @ Calgary (5-3)-- Stampeders lost 34-31 back in Week 2 at Edmonton (-2.5); all three Stamp losses are by four or less points- they won last two games, both on road, scoring 30-36 points in upset wins at Regine, BC. Four of last five Calgary games went over total. Eskimos allowed 34-35-40 points in their three losses- they've won five of their last seven games.

Toronto (3-5) @ Hamilton (2-6)-- TiCats may be 2-6, but both wins are vs Arognauts; they ran ball 57 times for 620 yards in those two games- they're 0-5 when scoring less than 32 points. Six of last seven Hamilton games went over the total. Toronto got outgained 510-177 in its last game; they had a +8 turnover ratio in first six games, but don't have a takeaway last two (-4).

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

[pm530]

Canadian Football League – Additional Trends

CFL

Week 10

Trend Sheet

Sunday, August 31

3:00 PM WINNIPEG vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Winnipeg is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Saskatchewan
Winnipeg is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Saskatchewan is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games



Monday, September 1

4:00 PM EDMONTON vs. CALGARY
Edmonton is 1-2-2 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Edmonton is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Calgary is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Edmonton
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton


7:30 PM TORONTO vs. HAMILTON
Toronto is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 games when playing Hamilton
Toronto is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Hamilton
Hamilton is 6-14 ATS in its last 20 games at home
Hamilton is 5-15 SU in its last 20 games at home

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

[pm530]

Canadian Football League – Preview and Picks

CFL
Preview and Picks


CFL games – Week 10

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preview and Predictions
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, August 31

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-6) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-2) (Saskatchewan by 3)

After winning six games in a row, the reigning Grey Cup Champs have their last two games including a brutal 27-10 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos in week 9! Marcus Crandell had a terrible night, completing only six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. The Blue Bombers, who are coming off a bye week, won 37-24 against Hamilton in week 8. Kevin Glenn threw for 285 yards, completing 24 of 37 pass attempts for one touchdown. Charles Roberts rushed for 145 yards and pair of touchdowns. But expect defence to be the difference in this game and if that's the case, it will be to advantage of the Roughriders who, so far this season, as allowed about 23 points a game while Winnipeg concedes around 30 points a game. In short, the Blue Bombers usually give up one more touchdown each game than the Riders?and it probably won't be different this coming Sunday.

Pick: Saskatchewan (-3)


Monday, September 1

Edmonton Eskimos (5-3) at Calgary Stampeders (5-3) (Calgary by 5.5)

This has all the ingredients to be THE game to watch on Labour Day! These great Albertan rivals both have a 5-3 record and score around 30 points a game. Both teams average more than 300 passing yards a game, although Calgary has fared better running the ball and shutting off the opponents rushing, which actually is not strength on Edmonton's side. Ricky Ray will need a strong performance to prove the Eskimos should be treated seriously as contenders for the Western division championship, but it will be a huge challenge against Calgary's defensive squad, especially if their forced to rely only on their passing game. This being said, I would not recommend taking the Stampeders with a 5.5 points margin. Expect a shootout that will be resolved by less than three points.

Pick: Edmonton (+3)



Toronto Argonauts ( ) at Hamilton Tiger Cats ( ) (Hamilton by 3)

Kerry Joseph won't have the responsibility of calling the Argos offensive plays and that should be good news for Toronto fans. But it also shows the lack of leadership of Joseph who felt distracted by play-calling! In fact, one gets to wonder if anybody has leadership in the Argos dressing room. CFL's outstanding player last season has struggled so far in 2008, completing only 56.4 per cent of his passes and throwing six interceptions and only 4 touchdown passes! The Argonauts loss to Montreal in week 8, 32-14 and parted earlier this week with backup QB Michael Bishop, traded to Saskatchewan. It was the second consecutive loss for Toronto. The Tiger Cats lost their last game 37-24 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers but, if you compare stats, they score more points a game than the Argos and have a stronger running game led by Jesse Lumsden.

Pick: Hamilton (-3)

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

[pm530]

Canadian Football League – ATS Previews

CFL
ATS Previews


CFL ATS Previews Week 10

One of the best kept secrets in football is the CFL Labor Day Classic games, as these are the Canadian Football League's most popular double-header matches of the year and they carry many memories to long living CFL fans. Week 10 will kick off in Montreal with the Lions travelling to face the surging Alouettes. On Sunday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers travel to Mosaaic Stadium for a showdown with the first place Roughriders. Then on Labor Day Monday, the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders will headline the Game of the Week; as both teams are 5-3 SU and depending on the Roughriders outcome on Sunday, could be sharing the top spot in the west with Saskatchewan. Finally, the other game on Monday is the showdown in Steel town, the 3-5 SU Argonauts travel down the QEW to face the 2-6 SU Tiger Cats. Both games on Monday will have plenty of energy in the stands and should deliver great memories. Enjoy the Classic CFL fans!

Sunday, August 31

Winnipeg (51) vs. Saskatchewan (-3)

Blue Bombers at Roughriders History: The Bombers are 7-9-0 (ATS), 6-10 (SU) and the O/U is 10-5-1 since 1996 in Saskatchewan.

What looked like a team that was flirting with perfection through six week is now a team who will face their biggest game of the year and here's the reason why I'm stating this fact. When the Riders lost their first game of the year 30-25 to Calgary a few weeks back, it was a close game that could have went either way. However, they got man handled last week in Edmonton 27-10 and lost by 17 points. Now, this third game will be major challenge for the boys from Regina on how this story plays out the rest of the year. If the Riders win in a convincible fashion, they are for real and just went through a hiccup stage the last few weeks. However, if they lose and lose bad, then it's the law of averages taking care of business on the back side. The Bombers remind me of a dysfunctional family who have all the right pieces to the puzzle, but can't find the corner pieces to lay the foundation. Winnipeg is only as good as when Charles Robert is playing dominating football, and he's yet to find his form this season. In the meantime, it's the QB position who is accepting all the mud being slung their way. Until Roberts gets his act together, the QB position will be the person getting all the blamed or all the glory for wins and loses. The Bombers have a chance to start a good streak in the second half of the season and be the Argos of the 2007 season. Winnipeg won 37-29 last week to Hamilton and is coming off a 2 game home stand. If you?re thinking this game might be decided by defenses, there's a good chance you are right! The UNDER is 8-2-0 for Winnipeg when they are a road team after a division game and the total is between 49.5 and 51.0. However, if you're backing up the Riders this Sunday, they are 7-3 SU and 6-4-0 ATS as a Home Favorite during Week 8 to 12 vs. these same Bombers. Defense will be the story of this game in my view.

forecast: Saskatchewan 19 Winnipeg 17

Stat of the Game: When ANY CFL Team played as a Road team -Before a non division game - Coming off a 2 game Home stand - Allowed scored 24 points or less against - Coming off a game scored 35 points or more; The UNDER is 12-6-0 for the Road Team in this position.


Monday, September 1

Edmonton (57) vs. Calgary (-5.5)

Eskimos at Stampeders History: The Eskimos are 9-14-0 (ATS), 10-13 (SU) and the O/U is 8-15-0 since 1996 in Calgary.

What a great way to start the Labor Day classics with a good old fashion shootout at the Calgary "ok coral"! The Eskimos and Stampeders could switch players and you wouldn't know the difference, that's how identical these two Alberta teams have been this season. Both teams are 5-3 SU on the season and both are averaging 32 Points For on offense this year. However, the Stampeders have been the better defensive team and the kicking game is pretty much a coin toss too with DeAngelis and Prefontaine having great seasons! Edmonton is coming off a nice butt kicking last week, as they smoked the Roughriders 27-10 at home, but when an away underdog has allowed 10 points or less in their last game, they are only 19-35 SU in their next game. Therefore, this will be a big statement game for Ricky Ray and the Eskimos to prove they are true contenders of the Western Division and look for Henry Burris to outshine Ricky Ray on Monday. Calgary is coming of an emotional road win in BC, where they scored in the last minute of the game to steal a win. The last two games for the Stamps have gone OVER the total and expect another sell out at McMahon Stadium in this "Battle of Alberta" on Monday. Another betting angle that supports the Stampeders; the Eskimos are only 4-11 SU as a +3.5 to +6.5 point underdog vs. a division foe and they are coming off a division opponent. Plus, here's a CFL trend that goes back to 1996 that supports the Stamps this week; when any CFL team is a Home Favorite during a Monday game in September, they are 12-3 SU in this betting spot. I see this being a classic shootout game, but Calgary and the home crowd goes home happy! But not ATS Happy?

forecast: Calgary 31 Edmonton 30

Stat of the Game: When ANY CFL Team played as Home team as a Favorite -During the month of September -Before a conference game -During Week 8 to 12 - Allowed scored 30 points or less against; The Home Fave is 10-2 SU in this position since '96.



Toronto (54.5) vs. Hamilton (-3)

Argonauts vs. Tiger Cats History: The Argos are 11-11-1 (ATS), 12-10-1 (SU) and the O/U is 10-13-0 since 1996 in Hamilton.

Well, this is too easy to start ripping the Argos and where they went wrong from training camp to where they are at today. If anything, I'm very disappointed in Michael "Pinball" Clemons for letting Rich Stubbler take most of the heat for the Argos struggle this season. Let's focus on the main reason why the Argos are in this 3-5 SU situation and it starts with leadership. Who is the leader on this team? The defense is getting old, some veteran players don't have the football speed to attack the holes, and they can't establish a running game on offense and nobody knows for sure who?s calling the offense. I'm a handicapper and I can see this from my living room, which makes me wonder what the hell they do all week in practice? The Bishop thing was a given and should have been rectified weeks ago, but you can't be averaging 18 Points For on offense and expect to win football games in a pass happy league like the CFL. The Argos are coming off a 32-14 lost to Montreal and they'll be facing a Hamilton team who are loose, but will be keeping a close eye on Casey Printers who's coming back from a thumb injury. I think this is a marketing move by the Tiger Cats, because Richie Williams is the real deal and I haven't seen a Tiger Cats offense score so many points in 3 consecutive games since the Danny Mac days. Hamilton has been averaging 34 points per game in their last 3 outings, but they still need to find a way to tighten it up on defense, because 32.67 Points Against in their last 3 games is the main reason why they are not 3-0 in their last 3 games. Well, when it rain it pours as they say and here's more ammunition for the media to beat up Toronto; the Argos are in a horrible position on Monday, they are 1-11 SU as a Road Underdog vs. division foes during Week 8-12 of a CFL season. Hamilton on the other hand are perfect in September as a home favorite during week 8 to 10; like 9-0-1 SU perfect since '96. The bookmakers have this number right, I like the Tabbies to win by a field goal!

forecast: Hamilton 27 Toronto 24

Stat of the Game: When ANY CFL team played as Road team as a Underdog -During the month of September - Allowed score 31 points or more against; The Road Dog is 8-25 SU in this role since 1996.

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

[pm530]

WNBA – Trends Sheet

WNBA


Sunday, August 31

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

1:00 PM SEATTLE vs. CONNECTICUT
Seattle is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
Seattle is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
Connecticut is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home
Connecticut is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home


6:00 PM DETROIT vs. CHICAGO
Detroit is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

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

[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Trend Sheet

MLB


Sunday, August 31

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

12:35 PM SAN FRANCISCO vs. CINCINNATI
San Francisco is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games
San Francisco is 3-7-1 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Cincinnati is 2-8-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
Cincinnati is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games


1:05 PM KANSAS CITY vs. DETROIT
Kansas City is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Detroit
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home


1:05 PM SEATTLE vs. CLEVELAND
Seattle is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Seattle's last 11 games on the road
Cleveland is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games


1:05 PM TORONTO vs. NY YANKEES
Toronto is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games
NY Yankees are 17-8 SU in their last 25 games at home


1:10 PM NY METS vs. FLORIDA
NY Mets are 8-3 SU in its last 11 games on the road
NY Mets are 13-5 SU in its last 18 games
Florida is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Florida is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home


1:35 PM ATLANTA vs. WASHINGTON
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Atlanta is 4-15 SU in its last 19 games
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Atlanta


1:35 PM CHI WHITE SOX vs. BOSTON
Chi White Sox are 0-4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Chi White Sox are 2-10-1 SU in their last 13 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-1-1 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 7-2-1 SU in its last 10 games at home


1:35 PM MILWAUKEE vs. PITTSBURGH
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Milwaukee is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee


1:40 PM BALTIMORE vs. TAMPA BAY
Baltimore is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games


2:05 PM ST. LOUIS vs. HOUSTON
St. Louis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home


2:20 PM PHILADELPHIA vs. CHI CUBS
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Philadelphia's last 16 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games
Chi Cubs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home


3:35 PM TEXAS vs. LA ANGELS
Texas is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games
Texas is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Texas
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home


4:05 PM COLORADO vs. SAN DIEGO
Colorado is 5-1-1 SU in its last 7 games
Colorado is 9-2-1 SU in its last 12 games on the road
San Diego is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Colorado
San Diego is 3-8-1 SU in its last 12 games


4:05 PM MINNESOTA vs. OAKLAND
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Minnesota is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Oakland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Oakland is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games at home


8:05 PM LA DODGERS vs. ARIZONA
LA Dodgers are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games
LA Dodgers are 1-10 SU in their last 11 games on the road
Arizona is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Arizona is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home

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

[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB


Sunday, August 31

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

Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox [TBS | 1:30 PM ET]

White Sox: After a couple of rough starts, Gavin Floyd has rebounded to win his last two outings, allowing just five runs over 14 innings of work. Floyd has been much more effective at home than on the road this season where he’s 5-4 with a 4.17 ERA. In Floyd’s lone career start against the Red Sox he lasted only 5.1 innings after giving up seven hits and five runs. Expect to see a lot of runs today. The OVER has cashed the last eight times Floyd has taken the mound.

White Sox are 8-3 in the last 11 meetings vs. Wakefield.
The OVER is 12-6-2 in Chicago's last 20 road games.

Key Injuries - OF Dewayne Wise (.288; groin) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (OVER - Total Play of the Day)

Red Sox (-150, O/U 10): Tim Wakefield has been tough over his last three starts, allowing just five runs in 17.1 innings pitched. Wakefield has been pretty consistent for the Red Sox this year and he’s been particularly good at home where he sports an ERA of 3.32. The White Sox have been a thorn in Wakefield’s side over his long career. He’s just 7-10 with a 5.14 ERA versus the Pale Hose. The OVER is 3-1 in Wakefield’s last four starts.

Red Sox are 11-2 in the last 13 meetings.
The OVER is 7-3-2 in Boston's last 12 games overall.

Key Injuries - OF J.D. Drew (.280; back) is on the 15-day DL.
3B Mike Lowell (.270; oblique) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: 7



Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks [ESPN2 | 8:05 PM ET]

Dodgers: Derek Lowe has been sensational in his last three starts, allowing only four runs in 21.1 innings pitched. However, because of a lack of run support, Lowe has only one win to show for it. Lowe has been terrible on the road this season where he’s just 2-6 in 13 starts. Games that Lowe pitches away from Dodger Stadium tend to be high-scoring. The OVER is 3-1 in Lowe’s last four road starts.

Dodgers are 1-10 in their last 11 road games.
The OVER is 4-0 in LA's last 4 games overall.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 3

Diamondbacks (-175, O/U 7.5): Cy Young favorite Brandon Webb is looking to rebound after one of his worst outings of the year against the Padres of all teams. Webb allowed six runs in just 4.2 innings of work his last time out against San Diego. That loss broke a string of six consecutive wins for Webb and the Diamondbacks. Webb has dominated the Dodgers over his career, going 10-3 with a strong 2.54 ERA.

Diamondbacks are 8-1 in Webb's last 9 starts vs. LA.
The UNDER is 6-2 in Webb's last 8 Sunday starts.

Key Injuries - OF Justin Upton (.242; oblique) is on the 15-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5

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

[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Sunday, August 31

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

Sunday’s streaking and slumping pitchers

Streaking

Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays (16-9, 2.69)

Halladay is 3-0 and has a 2.45 ERA in his last three starts and has not relinquished more than three earned runs in nine of his last 10 overall.

Halladay is 7-3 in his last 10 and is 4-1 in his last four road starts. He has also registered at least six strikeouts in nine his last 10 starts.

The Blue Jays are 5-2 in their last seven games on grass.

CC Sabathia, Milwaukee Brewers (14-8, 2.95)

Sabathia, who can improve his undefeated streak to 10 straight starts, is 2-0 in his past three outings with a solid 1.64 ERA.

In his last road start, a victory over the San Diego Padres, Sabathia relinquished one earned run and had eight strikeouts against one walk in seven IP. He is 2-0 and has a 1.64 career ERA against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Brewers are 6-1 in their last seven contests against the NL Central and are 20-7 in their last 27 against the Pirates.



Slumping

Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves (11-9, 3.56)

Jurrjens has just three wins in his last 10 and is 0-2 in his last three with a 7.20 ERA. He has surrendered 12 earned runs and two homers in his last 15 IP.

Jurrjens, who is 1-2 in his last three on the road, is just 6-5 overall on the road this season. He is 0-1 and has a 4.05 career ERA against the Washington Nationals.

The Braves are 1-7 in their last eight road games and are 0-4 in their last four road games against the Nationals.

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

[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Texas at LA Angels
The Rangers look to avoid the sweep today and take advantage of LA's 0-3 record as a home favorite from -200 to -225. Texas is the underdog pick (+190) according to Dunkel, which has the Rangers favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: Texas (+190). Here are all of today's games.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 31

Game 901-902: San Francisco at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Cain) 14.555; Cincinnati (Arroyo) 15.303
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-135); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-135); Over

Game 903-904: NY Mets at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Martinez) 16.624; Florida (Olsen) 15.222
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-135); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (-135); Under

Game 905-906: Atlanta at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Jurrjens) 13.785; Washington (Balester) 14.771
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-135); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+125); Over

Game 907-908: Milwaukee at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Sabathia) 15.384; Pittsburgh (Karstens) 15.455
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-255); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+235); Over

Game 909-910: St. Louis at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wellemeyer) 14.564; Houston (Rodriguez) 15.622
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+125); Under

Game 911-912: Colorado at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Francis) 15.100; San Diego (Peavy) 16.464
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: San Diego (-140); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-140); Over

Game 913-914: LA Dodgers at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Lowe) 14.314; Arizona (Webb) 13.725
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Arizona (-175); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+165); Over

Game 915-916: Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Moyer) 15.883; Cubs (Zambrano) 15.657
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-200); No Run Line
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+185); N/A

Game 917-918: Seattle at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Rowland-Smith) 16.280; Cleveland (Jackson) 15.566
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-155); 10
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+145); Under

Game 919-920: Kansas City at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Meche) 14.110; Detroit (Galarraga) 13.128
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Detroit (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+185); Over

Game 921-922: Toronto at NY Yankees
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Halladay) 16.212; NY Yankees (Pettitte) 15.825
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-115); 8
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+105); Under

Game 923-924: Chicago White Sox at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Floyd) 14.923; Boston (Wakefield) 17.468
Dunkel Line: Boston by 2 1/2; 11
Vegas Line: Boston (-155); 10
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-155); Over

Game 925-926: Baltimore at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Burres) 15.206; Tampa Bay (Shields) 17.763
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-250); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-250); Over

Game 927-928: Texas at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Millwood) 15.737; LA Angels (Lackey) 14.835
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 8
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-205); 9
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+190); Under

Game 929-930: Minnesota at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Baker) 15.507; Oakland (Smith) 14.806
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-165); 8
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-165); Over

[Udog]

MLB


Sunday, August 31

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

Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox (-155, 10)

GM Kenny Williams decision to acquire another aging slugger (Griffey Jr.) instead of a starting arm put too much pressure on youngsters Gavin Floyd (14-6, 3.70) and John Danks, and assumed both would hold up in the second half. Floyd throws this afternoon and has tired early of late only throwing over 99 pitches once in his last five starts (4.97), with his worst performance coming at the hands of the BoSox on Aug. 10 (5.1 innings, seven hits, and five ERs).

As for his opposition, while investing on a 42-year-old knuckelballer can be a crapshoot, Tim Wakefield's (8-8, 3.78) recent trends give the impression he has control of the mysterious floater. In three starts this August Wakefield is 2-0 with 2.04 ERA, has only walked one batter in his last 11 innings, and overall has held opponents to a .214 average in front of the Green Monster this year. And as the Twins keep winning, Ozzie's Southsiders seem to be griping the bat much tighter with each passing game, which is not what the doctor orders when a junkballers on the mound.

Pick: Red Sox



Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates

The Brewers brass was brilliant to load the bench with performance-driven vets to keep the charismatic youngsters grounded and focused for their playoff push. While a Sunday sweep for a young team is usually a trap game on the road, with Ray Durham, Gabe Kapler, and Craig Counsell making sure Yost's starters are mentally ready everyday, good things should continue to happen. Winners of eight of their last 10 and all nine contests against the Bucos thus far, talk about a nice sized cherry on top for the Brew Crew's potential season sweep as CC Sabathia takes the rubber coming off his lowest pitch total since donning Milwaukee's best.

On the mound for Pittsburgh, as mentioned at nausea by ******, the early success from Yankee castoff Jeff Karstens simply meant better odds to end the season playing against him (last two starts: nine innings and nine earned runs). Considering the pitching starved Bronx Bombers have desperately been looking for arms all season and refused to glance at the 25-year-old career minor leaguer, gives the impression risking the 1½ runs doesn't seem too much of a stretch for the hot-hitting Brewers today.

Pick: Brewers (-1½ runs, -150)

[Udog]

MLB


Sunday, August 31

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

SCOREBOARD

Sunday, Aug. 31

L.A. Dodgers at Arizona, 8:05 p.m. Arizona's Brandon Webb (19-5) tries to become the major's first 20-game winner when he faces the Diamondbacks' NL West-rival Dodgers.

STARS

Saturday

-Manny Ramirez, Dodgers, went 4-for-5 with two homers to lift his average to .419 since joining Los Angeles in a 6-2 win over Arizona.

-Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox, went 4-for-4 for the second straight day to take over the AL lead with a .327 batting average and Boston routed Chicago 8-2.

-Jayson Werth, Phillies, went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs in Philadelphia's 5-2 win over Chicago.

-Billy Butler, Royals, had the first multihomer game of his career, driving in four runs to help Kansas City beat Detroit 13-3.

-Mike Cameron, Brewers, hit a home run and a double and drove in four runs to help Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh 11-3.

ALL MANNY

Manny Ramirez homered twice and the Dodgers ended an eight-game losing streak with a 6-2 victory over Dan Haren and the Diamondbacks. Ramirez had reached base in nine straight plate appearances before grounding out in the ninth. The slugger, who is hitting .419 since being acquired from Boston on July 31, is hitting .545 (18-of-33) in his career against Arizona with six doubles and seven RBIs.

SAVED

Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 53rd save in 58 chances in the Angels' 4-3 win over the Rangers, tying Mariano Rivera's 2004 total for the second-most saves in a season. K-Rod is now within four of the major league record set by Bobby Thigpen in 1990 with the Chicago White Sox.

STREAKING

The Nationals beat the Braves 9-8 for their season-high fifth straight win. Anderson Hernandez and Jesus Flores each drove in three runs for the Nationals, whose winning streak is their longest since a six-game run from July 31-Aug. 5, 2007. "They've been playing with a lot of confidence of late,'' manager Manny Acta said. "Right now, they're just flying high. They think they can come back and our offense is clicking.''

PEN OF INIQUITY

Before Saturday's game, Mets manager Jerry Manuel laughed about his team's beleaguered bullpen. "Woooo, lord,'' he said. "We can make an 8-1 game as exciting as anything in the world.'' Six hours later, Manuel could still manage a rueful smile after Aaron Heilman issued a bases-loaded walk to Josh Willingham in the ninth inning, giving the Marlins a 4-3 victory. The bullpen is second in the NL with 24 blown saves and has blown 11 of 26 save opportunities since the All-Star break.

AILING

Athletics designated hitter Frank Thomas was placed on the 15-day disabled list after aggravating a strained right quadriceps while taking batting practice. Thomas was in uniform and scheduled to bat fourth against the Minnesota Twins before the team made the announcement less than two hours before the start of the game. ... Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora is expected to be sidelined about a week with a strained left hamstring. ... The Rockies placed catcher Yorvit Torrealba on the 15-day disabled list because of a torn ligament in his left knee.

REHABBING

Joba Chamberlain says he's ready to rejoin the Yankees for the stretch run after breezing through 35 pitches while facing batters in a simulated game. On the disabled list with rotator cuff tendinitis, Chamberlain said he threw all of his pitches. He also threw 45 pitches off a mound on Thursday and reported no lingering problems between sessions. The 22-year-old right-hander, who was moved from the bullpen to the rotation earlier this year, said he doesn't know when he'll be activated but plans to return to relief duty.

DEBUTS

Josh Geer won his major league debut subbing for Jake Peavy in the Padres' 9-4 win over the Rockies. Geer pitched five innings for the victory, allowing two runs and five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Geer needed 105 pitches to get through the minimum number of innings for the win. ... Ramon Ramirez of the Reds shook off Randy Winn's leadoff home run to pitch seven solid innings in his major league debut against the Giants. He got a no-decision in the Reds' 7-6 win. Ramirez, who was recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday, didn't allow a hit in his last three innings and retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.

BENCHES CLEAR

The Mets and Marlins poured onto the field in the second inning after Mike Pelfrey hit Florida's Cody Ross on the arm with a pitch. Ross slammed his protective gear to the ground as he walked to first base, then shouted profanities at Pelfrey. When the players took a couple of steps toward each other, both benches emptied. No punches were thrown, and no one was ejected. Pelfrey picked off Ross to end the inning.

RARE MISCUE

Minnesota closer Joe Nathan's throwing error in the bottom of the ninth inning allowed two runs to score in a 3-2 loss to the Athletics. Bobby Crosby singled off Nathan leading off the ninth before the Minnesota right-hander hit Emil Brown to put runners on first and second. Ryan Sweeney then attempted a sacrifice bunt, and Nathan fielded the ball and tried to throw to third. The ball skipped past Twins' third baseman Brendan Harris and into foul territory and Crosby raced home, with Brown scoring behind him. Nathan had been successful on 36 of 40 save attempts before losing to Oakland.

TRADED

Veteran Matt Stairs joined the Phillies, eager to fill whatever role is needed as the defending NL East champs try to make a push back to the playoffs. Stairs was acquired from the Blue Jays for a player to be named later. With Geoff Jenkins on the disabled list with a strained hip flexor, the Phillies needed a left-handed bat. Stairs had been designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Thursday night.

STATS

Aubrey Huff homered in the Orioles' 10-9 loss to the Rays, giving him 30 for the year. He's the first Baltimore player to have 30 homers in a season since Miguel Tejada (34) in 2004. ... Raul Ibanez of the Mariners upped his average for the month to .398 by singling in the go-ahead run to spark Seattle's two-run 10th inning in a 4-3 win over the Indians. This is not the first time he's come alive with a great August. Last season, he hit .374 with nine homers for the month.

SPEAKING

"I play the game, go have fun. I'm on vacation. I don't got nothing to lose. I got one more month left, you know, go to the house, relax and see what my situation is going to be.'' - Manny Ramirez after the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 6-2. Ramirez is a free agent after this season.

SEASONS

Aug. 31

1915 - Jim Lavender of the Chicago Cubs pitched a 2-0 no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Giants.

1935 - Vern Kennedy of the Chicago White Sox pitched a no-hitter to beat Cleveland 5-0. Kennedy also had a bases-loaded triple.

1937 - Rudy York of the Tigers hit his 17th and 18th home runs of the month to set a major league record as Detroit beat Washington 12-3.

1950 - Brooklyn's Gil Hodges tied a major league record by hitting four homers against the Boston Braves in the Dodgers' 19-3 rout. Hodges also added a single for 17 total bases.

1959 - Sandy Koufax of Los Angeles struck out 18 Giants for a National League record as the Dodgers beat San Francisco 5-2.

1974 - In a Northwest League game, Portland manager Frank Peters rotated his players so each man played a different position each inning. The strategy worked for an 8-7 win over Tri-Cities.

1990 - The Griffeys - 20-year-old Ken Jr. and his dad, Ken, 40 - made major league history, leading Seattle to a 5-2 victory over Kansas City. The Griffeys were the first father and son to play together in the big leagues.

2001 - Pitcher Danny Almonte who dominated the Little League World Series with his 70 mph fastballs was ruled ineligible after government records experts determined he was 14, and that birth certificates showing he was two years younger were false. The finding nullified all the victories by his Bronx, N.Y., team, the Rolando Paulino Little League All-Stars, and wiped out all its records - including Almonte's perfect game and an earlier no-hitter.

2004 - Omar Vizquel went 6-for-7 to tie the American League record for hits for a nine-inning game in Cleveland's 22-0 victory over the New York Yankees. The 22-0 beating was the largest loss in the history of the Yankees' organization. Cleveland matched the largest shutout win in the major leagues since 1900, set by Pittsburgh against the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 16, 1975.

2005 - Florida's Jeremy Hermida became the first player in more than a century and the second to hit a grand slam in his first major league at-bat, connecting in the seventh inning off the St. Louis Cardinals' Al Reyes.

2005 - Albert Pujols hit an RBI triple in St. Louis' 10-5 victory over the Florida Marlins, giving him 100 RBIs. Pujols became the first player in major league history to hit at least 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs in his first five seasons in the majors.

2006 - The Chicago White Sox became the first major league team to hit 200 home runs in seven straight seasons following A.J. Pierzynski's homer in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay.

2007 - Minnesota's Scott Baker came within three outs of a perfect game and two outs of a no-hitter, leading the Twins to a 5-0 win over the Kansas City Royals in the second game of a doubleheader. Baker walked John Buck to open the ninth and allowed a single to pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney. The 25-year-old right-hander recovered to get the one-hitter.

Today's birthdays: Ramon Ramirez 27; Ramon Santiago 29; Gabe Kapler 33; Frank Robinson 73.

[Udog]

MLB
Short Sheet


Sunday, August 31st

National League

San Francisco at Cincinnati, 12:35 ET
Matt Cain (R) vs. Bronson Arroyo (R)
Cain: SF 10-4 revenging one run loss
Arroyo: 16-5 Under off BB team wins

NY Mets at Florida, 1:10 ET
Pedro Martinez (R) vs. Scott Olsen (L)
Martinez: 9-1 Over in road games
Olsen: Fla 8-3 Over vs. Mets

Atlanta at Washington, 1:35 ET
Jair Jurrjens (R) vs. Collen Balester (R)
Jurrjens: Atl 6-16 Away in day games
Balester: Wash 9-4 vs. Atlanta

Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 1:35 ET
CC Sabathia (L) vs. Jeff Karstens (R)
Sabathia: Mil 10-1 vs. Pittsburgh
Karstens: Pit 3-17 as a home underdog of +125 or more

St Louis at Houston, 2:05 ET
Todd Wellemeyer (R) vs. Wandy Rodriguez (L)
Wellemeyer: StL 17-7 Away vs. lefties
Rodriguez: 0-9 TSR after giving up 2 ER or less in BB outings

Colorado at San Diego, 4:05 ET
Jeff Francis (L) vs. Jake Peavy (R)
Francis: 15-9 TSR as underdog
Peavy: SD 8-0 Under as a home favorite of -150 or more

(TC) LA Dodgers at Arizona, 8:00 ET ESPN2
Derek Lowe (R) vs. Brandon Webb (R)
Lowe: 8-2 TSR vs. division
Webb: 7-0 Over as a home favorite of -125 to -175

(TC) Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 ET WGN
Jamie Moyer (L) vs. Carlos Zambrano (R)
Moyer: 5-2 Under as an underdog
Zambrano: Cubs 51-20 at home

American League

Seattle at Cleveland, 1:05 ET
Ryan Rowland-Smith (L) vs. Zach Jackson (L)
Rowland-Smith: Sea 17-10 Over in August
Jackson: Cle 18-9 in August

Kansas City at Detroit, 1:05 ET
Gil Meche (R) vs. Armando Galarraga (R)
Meche: 5-0 TSR as an underdog of +150 or more
Galarraga: Det 10-4 Under vs. Kansas City

Toronto at NY Yankees, 1:05 ET
Roy Halladay (R) vs. Andy Pettitte
Halladay: 3-0 TSR, 2.45 ERA L3 starts
Pettitte: 17-6 Under as a favorite

Chicago White Sox at Boston, 1:35 ET TBS
Gavin Floyd (R) vs. Tim Wakefield (R)
Floyd: White Sox 2-7 at Boston
Wakefield: Bos 35-9 at home in day games

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 1:40 ET
Brian Burres (L) vs. James Shields (R)
Burres: 0-3 TSR, 9.75 ERA L3 starts
Shields: TB 26-2 as a home favorite of -150 or more

Texas at LA Angels, 3:35 ET
Kevin Millwood (R) vs. John Lackey (R)
Millwood: Tex 9-16 vs. Angels
Lackey: 14-2 TSR vs. division

Minnesota at Oakland, 4:05 ET
Scott Baker (R) vs. Greg Smith (L)
Baker: Min 26-17 vs. lefties
Smith: 14-1 Under as underdog

** (TC) Denotes Time Change