Announcement

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 04:55 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, September 25

The No. 1 USC Trojans will be looking to hold on to that lofty ranking on Thursday night when they go to Oregon State to battle the Beavers. Here's your Daily Sports Roundup.

The Gridiron Spotlight

The Trojans are coming off a convincing 35-3 win over Ohio State which solidified their No. 1 ranking. USC quarterback Mark Sanchez went 17-of-28 for 172 yards passing in that contest, with four TD strikes and one interception. Oregon State is coming off a 45-7 win over Hawaii, but that was their first victory in three attempts this season. Lyle Moevao threw for 268 yards and three scores for the Beavers against the Warriors.

The oddsmakers don't expect the Trojans/Beavers matchup to be close; USC has been pegged as a 25.5-point favorite. The other game on the college football docket for Thursday is expected to be a bit tighter, as Tulane is favored by 18 points versus SMU.

Other Notable Events

The fight over the final playoff spot in the American League continues on Thursday night, with the White Sox at rival Minnesota. Chicago will send Gavin Floyd (16-8, 3.84 ERA) to the mound in that contest, while the Twins will counter with Kevin Slowey (12-11, 3.85 ERA). The first pitch for that game is set for 8:10pm ET at The Metrodome.

As well, THE TOUR Championship gets underway at East Lake Country Club in Atlanta on Thursday, with the Top 30 golfers in the FedExCup standings all participating. Vijay Singh is the 6/1 Vegas favorite to win the tournament, followed by Sergio Garcia at 7/1, and Phil Mickelson at 8/1. Jim Furyk is just behind that top three at 10/1 odds to win.

The Rest of the Schedule

The Cubs and Mets will finish out their series in New York on Thursday night, with Rich Harden (5-1, 1.66 ERA in the National League) going up against Pedro Martinez (5-6, 5.50 ERA). Also on the NL schedule for Thursday: Arizona at St. Louis, Florida at Washington, Cincinnati at Houston, Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, San Diego at the Dodgers, and Colorado at San Francisco.

Making up the rest of the AL schedule on Thursday: Tampa Bay at Detroit, Cleveland at Boston, the Angels at Seattle, and the Yankees at Toronto. That last matchup will see the Blue Jays pulling out all the stops to get Roy Halladay his 20th win of the season.

Finally, the WNBA's Western Conference Finals get underway on Thursday night, with San Antonio at Los Angeles. The Eastern Conference Finals will start on Friday night.

News from the Wire

Yankees starting pitcher Mike Mussina won his 19th game of the season on Tuesday night against the Blue Jays, giving him a shot at win No. 20 on the weekend . . . Packers quarterback Brett Favre hurt his ankle on Monday night, but he's expected to be able to play this weekend against the Cardinals. . . Blues defenseman Erik Johnson could miss up to nine months after suffering a knee injury during a golf tournament.

A Peek at the Future

Notable series for the last weekend of baseball's regular season: the Yankees at Boston, Tampa Bay at Detroit, Kansas City at Minnesota, Cleveland at the White Sox, Washington at Philadelphia, Florida at the Mets, and the Cubs at Milwaukee . . . Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and Jimmie Johnson are all listed as the 6/1 Vegas co-favorites to pick up a Sprint Cup Series victory at Kansas Speedway on Sunday.

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 04:55 AM

Six-pack for Thursday

Some NFL knowledge to ponder for Week 4.........

-- Raiders are 5-13 against the spread as home underdog.

-- Rams covered five of their last 18 games overall.

-- Bears covered their last five games as an underdog.

-- Chiefs failed to cover their last six home games.

-- 49ers covered two of last eight as a road underdog.

-- Dallas is 3-7 vs spread when giving more than seven points.

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 04:56 AM

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

13) There were nine defensive TDs in Week 3 of NFL; the two in the Jet-Charger game cancelled each other out-- other seven teams that scored defensive TDs all won their game, and in three of seven, the defensive TD was the margin of difference.

12) Would like to watch the Presidential debate on Comedy Central, with wisecracking subtitles. At some point before the election, I'll post my opinion on all this (not that anyone cares what I think about this), but it really is important that we all vote, no matter who it is we're voting for. Its the least we can do for living in a free country.

11) 38-year old Trent Green starts for the Rams Sunday against the Bills; the pertinent questions are:
#1-- Can the offensive line protect Green, who has had concussion issues in recent years?
#2-- If they do, will Green play any better than Marc Bulger?
#3-- Where can I get Mel Kiper's list for the 2009 Draft?

10) Tennessee punter Colquitt was suspended for first five games of this season after an offseason DUI arrest; in their first three games, Vols have allowed TDs on both a punt return and a blocked punt. It is entirely possible Philip Fulmer could lose his job because a punter got a DUI. Another reason to discourage your kids from coaching.

9) Not only did the Rutgers QB (a senior) take a swing at teammate as he came off the field Saturday (he later apologized), Knights have yet to force a turnover, and are -8 in turnover ratio after three games.

8) Tennessee Titans outscored their first three opponents 27-3 in the second half. Good conditioning, good halftime adjustments.

7) Vanderbilt is ranked in the Top 25 for first time since 1984.

6) Mets had man on third, no one out in 6-6 game in bottom of ninth inning, but didn't score and wound up losing 9-6, a damaging loss that ties them for Wild Card lead with Brewers, who get Yovani Gallardo back from his knee injury to pitch against the Pirates Thursday.

5) Twins beat the White Sox again, are just half-game out of first in AL Central. All this helps the Rays, because looks like the Central champ won't be able to set its rotation for the playoffs now.

4) Houston Astro players complained about their postponed games being played in Milwaukee, where they had to play "home games" in front of crowds made up of Cub fans who drove 90 miles to see the games at Miller Park. Bud Selig actually took out an ad in a Houston newspaper to explain what went into baseball's decision.

3) Carlos Zambrano has four homers, 14 RBI this season, not bad for a pitcher. Plus, he's a switch-hitter.

2) Whomever the Rams hire to be the new coach next season, he has to be someone who will instill toughness in a team that looks like it doesn't give a rat's ass whether it wins or loses, so we're talking a guy with a defensive background or a former offensive lineman. .

1) Michael Phelps will probably win Sportsman of the Year for '08, but too bad Rays' manager Joe Maddon couldn't win; not only are the Rays baseball's best story since the '69 Mets, but he has had onions in benching BJ Upton when he didn't hustle. Everything in Tampa is being done the right way, and Maddon is the man behind all that.

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:09 AM

WNBA – Long Sheet

WNBA
Long Sheet

Conference Finals

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, September 25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAN ANTONIO (26 - 11) at LOS ANGELES (22 - 15) - 9/25/2008, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 16-8 ATS (+7.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
LOS ANGELES is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in home games vs. division opponents this season.
LOS ANGELES is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games after a division game this season.
LOS ANGELES is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
LOS ANGELES is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOS ANGELES is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) on Thursday this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-5 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 6-5 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:09 AM

WNBA – Trends Sheet

WNBA

Conference Finals

Thursday, September 25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trends Sheet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10:30 PM SAN ANTONIO vs. LOS ANGELES
San Antonio is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
San Antonio is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games
Los Angeles is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:10 AM

Canadian Football League – Long Sheet

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 14

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, September 26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDMONTON (7 - 5) at WINNIPEG (4 - 7) - 9/26/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 9 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, September 27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CALGARY (8 - 4) at TORONTO (4 - 8) - 9/27/2008, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in home games in September games since 1996.
TORONTO is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up losses since 1996.
TORONTO is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) in home games in weeks 10 through 15 since 1996.

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

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

HAMILTON (2 - 10) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (7 - 5) - 9/27/2008, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 3-18 ATS (-16.8 Units) as a favorite of 10 or more points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 14-29 ATS (-17.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 15-29 ATS (-16.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 9 or more games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 3-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 5-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, September 28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SASKATCHEWAN (7 - 4) at MONTREAL (8 - 4) - 9/28/2008, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 53-31 ATS (+18.9 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 124-93 ATS (+21.7 Units) in all games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 124-93 ATS (+21.7 Units) in all lined games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 83-50 ATS (+28.0 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 43-23 ATS (+17.7 Units) when playing on a Sunday since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games off a division game over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in games played on turf this season.
MONTREAL is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in weeks 10 through 15 over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:11 AM

Canadian Football League – Write up

CFL
Write-up

Week 14 CFL games

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

Friday, September 26

Edmonton (7-5) @ Winnipeg (4-8)-- Eskimos allowed 111 points last three games; they got crushed 40-4 in Montreal last week; Als passed for 31-38/408 stats, huge numbers. Bombers split the last eight games after an 0-4 start; they're 2-4 at home, but have been scoring more, as they've scored 31.7 ppg in last three games, after averaging 19.9 ppg in first nine. Three of last four Eskimo toad games stayed under total.

Saturday, September 27

Calgary (8-4) @ Toronto (4-8)-- Stampeders blasted Argos 34-4 last week, handing Argos third loss in row, fifth in last six contests. Argos allowed 31+ points in each of last six games, and held only one of five home opponents under 31. Calgary won three in a row, averaging 37.7 ppg- they also won last three road games, scoring 34.7 ppg. Stamps are +6 in turnovers the last three games, now have +10 turnover ratio.

Hamilton (2-10) @ BCLions (7-5)-- TiCats lost last five games (1-4 vs spread), but three of last four losses are by five or less pts. Over is 8-3 in last eleven Hamilton games. Lions just beat Saskatchewan twice in row to get back in hunt for West Division title; they scored 30 ppg in winning last three games. BC is 2-4 vs spread as home favorite, 4-2 SU, with wins by 9-2-5-6 points. Last four Lion games stayed under. TiCats are 3-2 vs spread as a road underdog.

Sunday, September 28

Saskatchewan (8-4) @ Montreal (8-4)-- Roughriders lost four of last six games after 6-0 start; they beat Alouettes 41-33 back in Week 4, running ball for 169 yards. Als crushed Edmonton 34-4 last week, are 6-1 in last seven games, with three of their last four wins by 18+ pts. Riders are 6-0 if they score 26+ points, but only one of Montreal's last six opponents scored that many points. Under is 6-2 in Riders' last eight games.

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:12 AM

Canadian Football League – Additional Trends

CFL

Trends Sheet

Week 14

Friday, September 26

8:00 PM EDMONTON vs. WINNIPEG
Edmonton is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Edmonton is 2-3-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Winnipeg is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Winnipeg's last 9 games when playing at home against Edmonton

Saturday, September 27

7:00 PM CALGARY vs. TORONTO
Calgary is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Calgary
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Calgary

10:00 PM HAMILTON vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Hamilton is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Hamilton's last 9 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
British Columbia is 5-11-1 ATS in its last 17 games
British Columbia is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games

Sunday, September 28

1:00 PM SASKATCHEWAN vs. MONTREAL
Saskatchewan is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
Saskatchewan is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games
Montreal is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:12 AM

Baseball Today

MLB

Thursday, September 25

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

SCOREBOARD

Thursday, September 25

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins (8:10 p.m. EDT). The top two teams in the AL Central close out a three-game set with Chicago's Gavin Floyd (16-8, 3.84) going for his 17th win of the season. He will face Kevin Slowey (12-11, 3.85). The White Sox close out their season with three games against Cleveland while Minnesota hosts Kansas City.

STARS

Wednesday

— Manny Ramirez, Dodgers, homered and drove in two runs as Los Angeles beat the San Diego Padres 12-4 to clinch a tie for their first NL West championship in four years.

— Nick Blackburn, Twins, combined with three relievers to shut down the White Sox in a 3-2 victory that cut Chicago’s lead in the AL Central to a half-game over Minnesota.

— CC Sabathia, Brewers, gave up a run and four hits in seven innings, striking out 11 in a 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh that pulled Milwaukee into a tie with the Mets for the NL wild card.

— Randy Wolf, Astros, scattered eight hits over 6 2-3 innings in a 5-0 win over the Reds that kept Houston 3 1/2 games out of the wild-card race with four left.

— Francisco Rodriguez, Angels, worked the ninth inning of Los Angeles’ 6-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners to extend his major league record to 62 saves.

— Brian Bannister, Royals, pitched six shutout innings to help Kansas City beat the slumping Detroit Tigers 10-4.

— Clint Barmes, Rockies, went 4-for-5, scored four runs and drove in four as Colorado pounded the San Francisco Giants 15-6.

— Bobby Abreu, Yankees, hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, after going 0-for-4 to start the night, and New York beat Toronto 6-2.

— Michael Young, Rangers, went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs in a 14-4 rout of the Athletics.

— Ryan Howard, Phillies, hit his major league-leading 47th homer in Philadelphia’s 10-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

— Carlos Delgado, Mets, went 2-for-4 with his 13th career grand slam in New York’s costly 9-6, 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs.

— Lance Berkman, Astros, hit a two-run homer to lead Houston to a 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

WILD NL

The Phillies will return to the field Friday knowing they’re in first place, no thanks to themselves. They’ve lost two straight, but are still 1 1/2 games ahead of the bumbling New York Mets in the NL East. The Mets blew a four-run lead in a 9-6, 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs that dropped New York into a tie with the Milwaukee Brewers for the wild card.

GETTING CLOSER

The surging Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 12-4 to clinch a tie for their first NL West championship in four years. The Dodgers’ victory combined with Arizona’s 4-2 loss at St. Louis gave Los Angeles a four-game lead over the Diamondbacks with four games remaining. … Tampa Bay beat the Baltimore Orioles 11-6, but Boston’s win over Cleveland means the Rays will have to wait at least another day to celebrate their first AL East title and pop open the 200 bottles of champagne waiting in the visitors clubhouse. One more win by Tampa Bay or a loss by Boston will provide the Rays their first division crown.

RECORD RING-UPS

Arizona’s Mark Reynolds struck out once in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis to tie the major league record for strikeouts in a season with 199. Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard set the mark last season. Jack Cust also struck out for Oakland, his 192nd, in a 14-4 loss to Texas.

FUTURE FISH

The Marlins may have been eliminated from playoff contention, but they have a reason to look forward to next year. A couple, in fact. Gaby Sanchez picked up his first three major league hits and Cameron Maybin added three more in a 9-4 win over the Nationals. Sanchez was the MVP of the Double-A Southern League this season, and Maybin is 14-for-28 since getting called up.

TEXAS TWO-STEP

Rangers president Nolan Ryan, hired in February to revitalize a team that has never won a playoff series, said he doesn’t anticipate changing managers. Ryan expects Ron Washington to return next season along with general manager Jon Daniels. The team moved over .500 late in the season after a miserable start, only to slump in September and again miss the playoffs.

STREAKING

The New York Yankees won their seventh straight game, 6-2 over the Blue Jays in 10 innings. … Kansas City beat the slumping Tigers 10-4, completing a sweep of the three-game series. The Royals have won 11 of its last 13, while Detroit has lost 12 of 13. … The Orioles lost their ninth straight, 11-6 to Tampa Bay.

SPEAKING

“It wouldn’t be the Philly way. No matter what sport, we don’t make it easy.”—Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, whose Phillies remain 1 1/2 games ahead of the New York Mets in the NL East despite losing their second straight to the Atlanta Braves.

SEASONS

Sept. 25

1941-Pete Reiser's homer and Whitlow Wyatt's five-hitter helped Brooklyn beat the Boston Braves 6-0 and clinch the Dodgers? first pennant in 21 years.

1956-Sal Maglie of the Brooklyn Dodgers pitched a 5-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.

1960-The New York Yankees clinched manager Casey Stengel's 10th and last American League pennant with a 4-3 victory over Boston.

1965-Satchel Paige, at 60, became the oldest player in the majors, taking the mound for Kansas City and pitching three scoreless innings over the Boston Red Sox. He gave up one hit, to Carl Yastrzemski.

1979-The California Angels won their first AL West title, beating Kansas City 4-1 behind pitcher Frank Tanana.

1984-Rusty Staub of the Mets became the second player to hit homers as a teenager and after his 40th birthday. Ty Cobb was the other.

1987-San Diego's Benito Santiago set a modern major league record for rookies by hitting safely in his 27th consecutive game in a 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

1989-Wade Boggs went 4-for-5 for his seventh consecutive 200-hit season and Dwight Evans became the only major leaguer with 20 homers in each of the last nine years as the Boston Red Sox won 7-4 over New York.

1998-The New York Yankees set the AL record for wins with their 112th, beating Tampa Bay 6-1 to break the victory mark held by the 1954 Cleveland Indians.

2001-Richie Sexson and Jeromy Burnitz became the first teammates to hit three home runs apiece in a game as Milwaukee defeated Arizona 9-4.

2003-Carlos Delgado became the sixth player to homer in four straight at-bats in one game as Toronto beat Tampa Bay 10-8. He became the 98th player to reach 300 career homers with a three-run shot in the first inning.

2007-Prince Fielder, at 23 years, 139 days old, became the youngest major league player to hit 50 home runs in a season, connecting twice in Milwaukee's 9-1 rout of St. Louis. Fielder and his father, Cecil, became the only father-son tandem with 50-homer seasons. The elder Fielder hit 51 with the Detroit Tigers in 1990.

Today's birthdays: Rocco Baldelli 27; Jason Bergmann 27; Joel Pineiro 30; Wil Nieves 31; David Weathers 39.

MLB LATE HEADLINES

Mets lose, fall into tie for wild card
Dodgers clinch tie for NL West title
Feds flash some Bonds trial strategy
Phils fall, but lose no ground in East
Red Sox keep slim AL East hopes alive
CC helps Brewers pull even in wild card
Twins pull within half-game of White Sox
Rays cut AL East magic number to 1
Arizona's playoff hopes fade with loss
Ryan: Washington, Daniels to return

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:13 AM

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up

Thursday, September 25

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

Hot Pitchers
-- Harden is 4-0, 1.54 in his last six starts.
-- Cueto is 2-2, 3.16 in his last six starts.
-- Oswalt is 5-1, 1.39 in his last six starts.
-- Arizona won four of last five Davis starts.
-- Peavy has 2.48 RA in his last four starts; he is 3-0, 1.71 against the Dodgers this season.
-- de la Rosa is 2-0, 2.45 in three starts against the Giants this year. Giants won six of Zito's last seven starts.

-- Rays won nine of last eleven Kazmir starts.
-- Red Sox won Lester's last thirteen home starts. Sowers is 2-0, 2.65 in his last three starts.
-- Bronx won five of Pavano's six starts this season.
-- White Sox won five of last seven Floyd road starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Pineiro is 0-2, 9.60 in his last three starts.
-- Sanchez is 0-3, 7.85 in his last six starts. Balestar has 5.11 RA in his last four starts, but is 1-0, 1.54 in two starts against the Marlins.
-- Martinez is 0-3, 7.88 in his last three starts.
-- Gallardo was 0-0, 1.80 in three starts this spring before hurting his knee; he makes his return here. Duke is 1-9, 7.66 in last 13 starts.
-- Maddux is 1-4, 6.29 in six starts as a Dodger.

-- Galarraga is 0-2, 5.40 in his last five starts.
-- Halladay has 4.85 RA in his last four starts.
-- Slowey is 1-3, 4.70 in his last four starts.
-- Moseley has a 6.75 RA in nine starts this season. Jimenez threw three scoreless innings (48 PT) in his only previous '08 start.

Hot Teams
-- Reds won thirteen of their last nineteen games.
-- Cubs won ten of their last thirteen games
-- Brewers won their last three games, scoring nineteen runs .
-- Arizona won seven of its last ten games.
-- Dodgers won nine of their last thirteen games. Padres won three of their last four games.

-- Indians won seven of their last nine games. Red Sox are 10-4 in their last fourteen home games.
-- Rays are 14-5 in their last nineteen games- they clinch AL East with a win today. .
-- Bronx won its last seven games, allowing eleven runs.
-- Angels won eleven of their last fourteen games.

Cold Teams
-- Nationals lost six of their last seven games. Marlins lost four of last five games.
-- Mets lost four of their last five games.
-- ***************.com is America's favorite website.
-- Pirates lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Astros lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Cardinals lost ten of their last fourteen games.
-- Colorado lost five of their last seven road games. Giants are 2-7 in their last nine games.

-- Tigers lost ten of their last eleven games.
-- Toronto lost last three games, scoring a total of three runs.
-- Orioles are 6-28 in their last 34 games.
-- White Sox lost three of their last four games.
-- Mariners lost 13 of their last 14 games.

Totals
-- Five of last six Arizona games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in Cubs' last eight road games.
-- Florida's last six road games all went over the total.
-- Over is 7-4 in Pittsburg's last eleven road games.
-- Under is 18-3 in Cincinnati's last 21 road games.
-- Under is 10-1-2 in last thirteen Peavy starts.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Colorado's last seven games.

-- Five of last seven Detroit home games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-2 in last eight Bronx road games.
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Cleveland road games.
-- Under is 11-4 in White Sox' last fifteen road games.
-- Over is 4-1 in Seattle's last five home games.

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:14 AM

Major League Baseball – Trend Sheet

MLB

Thursday, September 25

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

1:05 PM TAMPA BAY vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 9 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

2:15 PM ARIZONA vs. ST. LOUIS
Arizona is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Arizona is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona
St. Louis is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Arizona

7:05 PM CLEVELAND vs. BOSTON
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Cleveland is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:07 PM NY YANKEES vs. TORONTO
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
NY Yankees are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:10 PM CHI CUBS vs. NY METS
Chi Cubs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
Chi Cubs are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games on the road
NY Mets are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
NY Mets are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs

7:10 PM FLORIDA vs. WASHINGTON
Florida is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
Florida is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Washington is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing Florida
Washington is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Florida

8:05 PM CINCINNATI vs. HOUSTON
Cincinnati is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Cincinnati is 3-15 SU in its last 18 games when playing Houston
Houston is 15-3 SU in its last 18 games when playing Cincinnati
Houston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

8:05 PM PITTSBURGH vs. MILWAUKEE
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

8:10 PM CHI WHITE SOX vs. MINNESOTA
Chi White Sox are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games
Chi White Sox are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 8-1 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox

10:10 PM LA ANGELS vs. SEATTLE
LA Angels are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games
LA Angels are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games on the road
Seattle is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Seattle is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Angels

10:10 PM SAN DIEGO vs. LA DODGERS
San Diego is 6-15 SU in its last 21 games on the road
San Diego is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 18-5 SU in their last 23 games
LA Dodgers are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games at home

10:15 PM COLORADO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Francisco
San Francisco is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
San Francisco is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:14 AM

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB

Thursday, September 25

If there are any updates, we will re-post.

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

Chicago Cubs at New York Mets [7:10 PM ET]

Cubs (-115, O/U 8.5): Rich Harden was scheduled to start on Tuesday but the Cubs moved him back a couple of days as they start to prepare their rotation for the postseason. Harden continues to dominate for the Cubs. Chicago has now won eight consecutive games with Harden on the mound. In his last 10 starts, Harden has allowed one run or less seven times. He’s been strong on the road, going 5-2 with a 2.44 ERA. The UNDER is 4-1 in Harden’s last five starts.

Cubs are 6-0 in their last 6 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
Cubs are 8-0 in Harden’s last 8 starts.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Mets: Pedro Martinez will be looking to get back on the winning track after losing his last three starts. Martinez has allowed 14 runs in his last 16 innings of work, while walking eight batters over that span as well. He’s just 1-3 at home this season but he’s 4-3 in his career versus the Cubs with a respectable 3.74 ERA. Even though he’s struggled recently, the UNDER is 3-1 in Pedro’s last four starts.

Mets are 1-4 in their last 5 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Mets are 1-4 in Martinez’s last 5 starts.

Key Injuries - 3B Fernando Tatis (shoulder) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins [8:10 PM ET]

White Sox: The White Sox have won five of the last seven games that Gavin Floyd has started. However, he hasn’t pitched great in two of his last three outings, allowing nine runs in losses to Toronto and Kansas City. Floyd is 3-3 in his career against the Twins with a solid 3.57 ERA. He’s been decent on the road this season, going 7-5 with an ERA of 4.04.

White Sox are 8-0 in Floyd’s last 8 starts during game 3 of a series.
White Sox are 8-2 in Floyd’s last 10 starts vs. AL Central.

Key Injuries - 2B Chris Getz (wrist) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3

Twins (-140, O/U 8.5): Kevin Slowey has lost two starts in a row, giving up 16 hits and eight runs in just 10.1 innings of work. Slowey has pitched much better at home than on the road this season. He’s 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA at the Metrodome. Slowey is 2-2 in his career versus the White Sox but pitched a gem his last time out against Chicago, throwing a complete game shutout.

Twins are 7-1 in Slowey’s last 8 home starts.
Twins are 5-2 in Slowey’s last 7 starts vs. AL Central.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side Play of the Day)

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

**pm530** · 09-25-2008, 05:15 AM

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Thursday, September 25

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

Thursday’s streaking and slumping pitchers

Streaking

Rich Harden, Chicago Cubs (10-2, 2.03 ERA)

Harden was scheduled to pitch Tuesday, but had his start pushed to Thursday. The right-handed hurler is 5-1 in his previous 10 appearances and has allowed just five earned runs over the past six games.

The Cubs have locked up the NL Central, however, they can play spoiler to the Mets' playoff hopes. Harden has never faced New York.

Roy Oswalt, Houston Astros (16-10, 3.51 ERA)

Oswalt is back on track after suffering just his second loss in 10 games last week. Houston's ace rebounded with a six-inning, one-run effort in a 6-2 win over the Pirates Sunday.

Oswalt has an ERA of 1.67 over his last 10 with a 56/12 strikeout-to-walk count.

The righty has dominated Cincinnati with a 22-1 record and 2.51 ERA over 27 games. Oswalt added to that total with three wins over the Reds this year. He did, however, leave his last start with a sore neck and is throwing on short rest.

Slumping

Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres (9-11, 2.77 ERA)

Peavy has watched his record go south after losing five of his last eight starts. His most recent showing was a 5-2 loss to the Giants in which Peavy allowed five runs on 11 hits in eight innings.

In Peavy's defense, he hasn't had the bats to back him up during this skid. He has a solid ERA, just under three in his last 10, but an average of just 2.6 runs of support.

Pedro Martinez, New York Mets (5-6, 5.50 ERA)

Pedro's place on the team has been in question ever since the Mets brought in Johan Santana during the offseason. Martinez's sub-par performances have sparked talk about where the veteran right-hander will end up next season.

He has dropped his last three starts and has allowed just as many earned runs as innings pitched (16) during that span. His breaking balls just aren't breaking and his fastball doesn't have the command it once did.

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

**Udog** · 09-25-2008, 08:38 AM

MLB

Thursday, September 25

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

New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays (-180, 8)

Roy Halladay has pitched well against the New York Yankees this season, but winning his 20th game of the year against them might not be as easy.

Halladay makes his final start of the season Thursday for the Toronto Blue Jays, who look to end the Yankees' seven-game winning streak and avoid a three-game sweep.

New York (87-71) hasn't swept a three-game road series against Toronto (83-75) since 2003, but the Yankees have been playing their best baseball of the season recently, winning seven straight and 10 of their last 11.

The Yankees look to match their longest winning streak of the season Thursday when they face Halladay (19-11, 2.81 ERA), who is trying for his first 20-win season since 2003 when he finished with 22 en route to winning the AL Cy Young Award.

Halladay is 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA in five starts against the Yankees this season, and he has won both of his home outings against them, posting a 1.69 ERA over 16 innings.

Pick: Jays

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins (-140, 8 1/2)

After winning the first two games of their biggest series this season, the Twins will try to overtake the White Sox for the top spot in the division on Thursday night.

Minnesota - looking for its fifth division title since 2002 under manager Ron Gardenhire - is 7-1 at home against Chicago this year, and 12-5 there over the last two seasons.

"They're tough customers," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "No doubt about that. We got to play hard to beat them."

Minnesota's Kevin Slowey (12-11, 3.85 ERA) will try to dominate Chicago again at home as he looks to avoid losing his third consecutive start.

Since June, Slowey has been nearly unbeatable at the Metrodome. He's gone 7-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his last eight starts there, including a six-hitter in a 7-0 victory over the White Sox on July 28.

Gavin Floyd (16-8, 3.84), slated to start for Chicago, has lost two of his last three outings, including on Saturday against Kansas City. Floyd was tagged for five runs and eight hits - including three homers - in a 5-2 defeat.

Pick: White Sox

Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 9/25 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 9/25 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment