Friday Trends and Indexes 5/1 (NBA, MLB, NHL, Misc.)

[pm530]

NHL


Friday, May 1

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Trend Sheet
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7:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. DETROIT
Anaheim is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games
Anaheim is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Anaheim
Detroit is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Anaheim

7:30 PM
CAROLINA vs. BOSTON
Carolina is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games when playing Boston
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games at home

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[pm530]

NHL


Friday, May 1

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Ice Picks: NHL best bets
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Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks (-150, 5)

The Chicago Blackhawks' last game against the Vancouver Canucks featured a third-period line brawl that had everything from WWF-style body slams to hair pulling.

So it's safe to say they won't have to wait for the hatred to build when their second-round playoff series starts Thursday night in Vancouver.

"Obviously we have dislike for them," said Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who was bleeding, his undershirt torn, after a spirited scrap that included Ben Eager picking him up by the pants and slamming him to the ice. "Is it more than some teams? Maybe, but it will make for a good series."

The ugly ending to that last meeting a month ago started when big Blackhawks forward Dustin Byfuglien caught star goalie Roberto Luongo in the mask with his glove after being stopped on a partial breakaway.

By the time things settled, Vancouver defenseman Shane O'Brien had been taken hard to the ice by a referee trying to keep him away from Adam Burish, who was challenging top-line forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin, and Canucks agitator Alex Burrows was caught on tape twice grabbing a handful of Duncan Keith's long hair and pulling hard.

Head coaches Alain Vigneault and Joel Quenneville were screaming at each other from their benches as the officials handed out 80 minutes in penalties and misconducts - though strangely none to Burrows.

Both sides were downplaying the brawl heading into their Western Conference semifinal, but everyone expected the physical play to continue.

"If somebody wants to get in my face I'm going to get right back in there face, Burish said. "I enjoy that confrontation, it doesn't matter who it is, whether it's their best player or the guy on the bottom of the depth chart."

The Canucks also pledged to continue the intense, hard-nosed style that marked their four-game sweep of St. Louis in the first round, but say they will have to do so without taking penalties. Vancouver killed off 23 of 24, including three lengthy 5-on-3s, while knocking off the Blues and leads the playoffs in penalty killing after finishing 16th in the regular season. Chicago has the second best playoff power play, with seven goals on 24 chances.

"We can't take 24 penalties in four games, that's going to kill us," Burrows said. "There will be physical play, but I wouldn't bet on a line brawl right off the bat. We have to take a punch to get a penalty and make sure we go on the power play instead of going on the PK all the time."

Physical play will be nothing new for the young Blackhawks, who saw plenty of intimidation attempts from the more experienced but injury-riddled Calgary in the first round. Despite some wobbles while losing Games 3 and 4 on the road, Chicago handled it well, securing its first playoff series victory in 13 years with a 4-1 victory in Game 6 on Tuesday night in Calgary.

Pick: Over

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[pm530]

MLB
Dunkel Index


Boston at Tampa Bay
The Red Sox look to build on their 6-0 record in Justin Masterson's last 6 starts as a favorite, while the Rays are 0-5 in Andy Sonnanstine's last 5 starts. Boston is the pick (-125) according to Dunkel, which has the Red Sox favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-125). Here are all of today's games

FRIDAY, MAY 1

Game 951-952: Florida at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Taylor) 15.386; Cubs (Harden) 14.245
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-240); No Run Line
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+220); N/A

Game 953-954: NY Mets at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Pelfrey) 14.812; Philadelphia (Park) 14.215
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-120); 11
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+110); Under

Game 955-956: St. Louis at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wellemeyer) 15.159; Washington (Zimmerman) 15.532
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-115); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+105); Over

Game 957-958: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Arroyo) 15.976; Pittsburgh (Duke) 14.441
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-130); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+120); Under

Game 959-960: Houston at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Hampton) 14.478; Atlanta (Lowe) 16.157
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-185); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-185); Over

Game 961-962: Arizona at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Garland) 15.289; Milwaukee (Parra) 15.510
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-140); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-140); Over

Game 963-964: San Diego at LA Dodgers
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Peavy) 14.495; LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 13.524
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 7
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-130); 8
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+120); Under

Game 965-966: Colorado at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Jimenez) 15.862; San Francisco (Johnson) 14.183
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+115); Over

Game 967-968: LA Angels at NY Yankees
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Weaver) 16.095; NY Yankees (Pettitte) 15.477
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-155); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+145); Under

Game 969-970: Baltimore at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Hendrickson) 14.693; Toronto (Halladay) 16.365
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Toronto (-250); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-250); Under

Game 971-972: Cleveland at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Pavano) 14.616; Detroit (Galarraga) 15.946
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 11
Vegas Line: Detroit (-160); 10
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-160); Over

Game 973-974: Boston at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Masterson) 16.021; Tampa Bay (Sonnastine) 15.112
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-125); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-125); Under

Game 975-976: Chicago White Sox at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Buehrle) 15.235; Texas (Feldman) 16.257
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-125); 11
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+115); Over

Game 977-978: Kansas City at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Ponson) 14.983; Minnesota (Slowey) 16.648
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-140); 9
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-140); Under

Game 979-980: Oakland at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Eveland) 14.704; Seattle (Silva) 16.213
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Seattle (-120); 9
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-120); Under

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[pm530]

MLB
Long Sheet


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Friday, May 1
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FLORIDA (14 - 8) at CHICAGO CUBS (10 - 11) - 2:20 PM
GRAHAM TAYLOR (L) vs. RICH HARDEN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 98-85 (+26.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 48-45 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 31-21 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 97-83 (+26.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 68-62 (+12.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 11-2 (+10.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 967-1020 (-189.8 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 517-475 (-114.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 379-349 (-77.0 Units) against the money line in home games in day games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 910-936 (-167.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 1-0 (+1.1 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

GRAHAM TAYLOR vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

RICH HARDEN vs. FLORIDA since 1997
HARDEN is 0-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 1.69 and a WHIP of 1.125.
His team's record is 1-1 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

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NY METS (9 - 12) at PHILADELPHIA (11 - 9) - 7:05 PM
MIKE PELFREY (R) vs. CHAN HO PARK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 79-74 (-26.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 63-65 (-19.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 3-9 (-8.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PELFREY is 5-12 (-10.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

MIKE PELFREY vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
PELFREY is 1-2 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 4.09 and a WHIP of 1.455.
His team's record is 1-3 (-2.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)

CHAN HO PARK vs. NY METS since 1997
PARK is 4-3 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.83 and a WHIP of 1.160.
His team's record is 5-4 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-4. (+0.5 units)

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ST LOUIS (16 - 7) at WASHINGTON (5 - 16) - 7:05 PM
TODD WELLEMEYER (R) vs. JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 93-86 (+36.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 54-39 (+22.4 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 102-83 (+17.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 102-83 (+17.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 68-53 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 69-51 (+18.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 64-118 (-33.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 64-115 (-30.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 44-83 (-25.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 37-80 (-32.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 26-63 (-28.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

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

TODD WELLEMEYER vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
WELLEMEYER is 1-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
No recent starts.

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CINCINNATI (11 - 10) at PITTSBURGH (11 - 10) - 7:05 PM
BRONSON ARROYO (R) vs. ZACH DUKE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 249-263 (+30.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 353-336 (+36.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 456-526 (+48.9 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 82-75 (+26.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 395-473 (+32.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 300-341 (+33.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 224-237 (+43.2 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 1-1 (+0.3 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

BRONSON ARROYO vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
ARROYO is 2-3 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 4.07 and a WHIP of 1.357.
His team's record is 2-5 (-4.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-2. (+1.7 units)

ZACH DUKE vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
DUKE is 2-2 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.05 and a WHIP of 1.537.
His team's record is 3-2 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+1.8 units)

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HOUSTON (9 - 13) at ATLANTA (10 - 11) - 7:35 PM
MIKE HAMPTON (L) vs. DEREK LOWE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 162-179 (-46.0 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.
ATLANTA is 14-3 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in home games in May games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 31-14 (+18.4 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 95-88 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 93-87 (+15.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 70-63 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
HAMPTON is 88-46 (+32.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 82-101 (-27.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 81-99 (-26.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 56-68 (-18.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.

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

MIKE HAMPTON vs. ATLANTA since 1997
HAMPTON is 3-7 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.81 and a WHIP of 1.560.
His team's record is 5-9 (-3.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-7. (-2.4 units)

DEREK LOWE vs. HOUSTON since 1997
LOWE is 2-3 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.15 and a WHIP of 1.117.
His team's record is 3-4 (-2.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-5. (-4.4 units)

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ARIZONA (9 - 13) at MILWAUKEE (12 - 10) - 8:05 PM
JON GARLAND (R) vs. MANNY PARRA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 92-93 (-20.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 35-50 (-18.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 92-90 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 26-40 (-18.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against ARIZONA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

JON GARLAND vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
GARLAND is 1-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.143.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MANNY PARRA vs. ARIZONA since 1997
PARRA is 1-0 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 0.69 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

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SAN DIEGO (11 - 11) at LA DODGERS (15 - 8) - 10:10 PM
JAKE PEAVY (R) vs. CLAYTON KERSHAW (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 25-51 (-23.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 74-109 (-34.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 4-20 (-14.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 74-109 (-34.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 52-79 (-24.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 3-2 (+0.5 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.9 Units)

JAKE PEAVY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
PEAVY is 13-2 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 2.39 and a WHIP of 1.024.
His team's record is 16-7 (+10.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 12-11. (-0.6 units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
KERSHAW is 2-0 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.52 and a WHIP of 1.304.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)

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COLORADO (8 - 12) at SAN FRANCISCO (10 - 10) - 10:15 PM
UBALDO JIMENEZ (R) vs. RANDY JOHNSON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 81-101 (-27.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 61-123 (-47.2 Units) against the money line in road games in May games since 1997.
COLORADO is 81-101 (-27.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 665-561 (+80.8 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.

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

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
JIMENEZ is 1-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.37 and a WHIP of 1.055.
His team's record is 2-3 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-1. (+2.7 units)

RANDY JOHNSON vs. COLORADO since 1997
JOHNSON is 18-7 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 2.31 and a WHIP of 0.911.
His team's record is 18-9 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-17. (-9.1 units)

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LA ANGELS (9 - 12) at NY YANKEES (12 - 10) - 7:05 PM
JERED WEAVER (R) vs. ANDY PETTITTE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 110-77 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 54-38 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 183-136 (+40.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 104-67 (+22.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 40-28 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 48-27 (+18.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 89-64 (+20.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 208-140 (-62.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 82-74 (-48.7 Units) against the money line in home games in May games since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 25-31 (-20.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.

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

JERED WEAVER vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
WEAVER is 3-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 6.14 and a WHIP of 1.545.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+2.1 units)

ANDY PETTITTE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
PETTITTE is 8-7 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.95 and a WHIP of 1.533.
His team's record is 11-10 (-5.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-13. (-7.0 units)

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BALTIMORE (9 - 13) at TORONTO (15 - 9) - 7:07 PM
MARK HENDRICKSON (L) vs. ROY HALLADAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 26-56 (-22.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 124-231 (-102.5 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 62-116 (-37.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 249-173 (+45.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
HALLADAY is 87-40 (+25.6 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HALLADAY is 31-12 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HALLADAY is 104-46 (+35.6 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf since 1997. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 31-23 (+15.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.

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

MARK HENDRICKSON vs. TORONTO since 1997
HENDRICKSON is 2-6 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 4.63 and a WHIP of 1.492.
His team's record is 3-7 (-3.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-6. (-2.8 units)

ROY HALLADAY vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
HALLADAY is 17-4 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.01 and a WHIP of 1.116.
His team's record is 19-5 (+12.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-10. (-0.8 units)

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CLEVELAND (8 - 14) at DETROIT (11 - 10) - 7:05 PM
CARL PAVANO (R) vs. ARMANDO GALARRAGA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 5-13 (-10.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PAVANO is 49-37 (+19.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 85-98 (-29.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 21-33 (-17.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 30-47 (-28.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 79-84 (-22.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 54-63 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 55-74 (-31.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 43-53 (-17.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

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

CARL PAVANO vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.

ARMANDO GALARRAGA vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
GALARRAGA is 3-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.62 and a WHIP of 0.897.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

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BOSTON (14 - 8) at TAMPA BAY (9 - 14) - 7:38 PM
JUSTIN MASTERSON (R) vs. ANDY SONNANSTINE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 4-14 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 8-19 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 42-17 (+21.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 114-87 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 65-32 (+25.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 22-8 (+14.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 52-37 (+18.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 66-35 (+22.5 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 70-40 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 85-51 (+30.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 49-21 (+23.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 3-1 (+2.7 Units) against BOSTON this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

JUSTIN MASTERSON vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
MASTERSON is 1-1 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

ANDY SONNANSTINE vs. BOSTON since 1997
SONNANSTINE is 2-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 5.09 and a WHIP of 1.205.
His team's record is 4-3 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-2. (+3.0 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (11 - 10) at TEXAS (10 - 11) - 8:05 PM
MARK BUEHRLE (L) vs. SCOTT FELDMAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 19-10 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 154-163 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 67-65 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 94-67 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 55-32 (+20.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

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

MARK BUEHRLE vs. TEXAS since 1997
BUEHRLE is 10-3 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 2.63 and a WHIP of 1.024.
His team's record is 10-3 (+5.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-5. (+1.7 units)

SCOTT FELDMAN vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
FELDMAN is 1-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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

KANSAS CITY (12 - 10) at MINNESOTA (11 - 11) - 8:10 PM
SIDNEY PONSON (R) vs. KEVIN SLOWEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 54-96 (-30.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 61-34 (+19.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 21-7 (+15.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 16-4 (+13.8 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 63-36 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 70-55 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 63-39 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 26-11 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 45-40 (+11.4 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
PONSON is 32-18 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997. (Team's Record)

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

SIDNEY PONSON vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
PONSON is 11-3 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.72 and a WHIP of 1.157.
His team's record is 12-4 (+9.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-8. (-1.7 units)

KEVIN SLOWEY vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
SLOWEY is 3-0 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 1.25 and a WHIP of 0.831.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.1 units)

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OAKLAND (8 - 11) at SEATTLE (13 - 9) - 10:10 PM
DANA EVELAND (L) vs. CARLOS SILVA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 4-13 (-10.2 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
EVELAND is 13-4 (+9.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SEATTLE is 74-110 (-32.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 8-20 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 67-101 (-32.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 48-75 (-25.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 42-68 (-24.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 3-0 (+3.4 Units) against OAKLAND this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

DANA EVELAND vs. SEATTLE since 1997
EVELAND is 4-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.55 and a WHIP of 1.338.
His team's record is 4-0 (+4.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-4. (-4.4 units)

CARLOS SILVA vs. OAKLAND since 1997
SILVA is 4-3 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 3.16 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 6-5 (+2.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-6. (-2.2 units)

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[pm530]

MLB
Short Sheet


Friday, May 1st

National League

FLORIDA at CHICAGO CUBS, 2:20 PM ET
TAYLOR: FLA 8-2 as an underdog
HARDEN: CHC 7-14 after 3+ consecutive overs

NY METS at PHILADELPHIA, 7:05 PM ET
PELFREY: NYM 18-33 AWAY when the money line is +125 to -125
PARK: 36-17 TSR when the total is 10+

ST LOUIS at WASHINGTON, 7:05 PM ET
WELLEMEYER: STL 11-3 when the money line is +125 to -125
ZIMMERMANN: WAS 4-13 as a home favorite

CINCINNATI at PITTSBURGH, 7:05 PM ET
ARROYO: 18-34 TSR AWAY when the money line is +125 to -125
DUKE: PIT 10-1 after a game where they had 4 or less hits

HOUSTON at ATLANTA, 7:35 PM ET
HAMPTON: 88-46 TSR when the total is 8 to 8.5
LOWE: 3-9 TSR as a home favorite of -150 to -200

ARIZONA at MILWAUKEE, 8:05 PM ET
GARLAND: ARI 23-32 after scoring 2 runs or less
PARRA: MIL 61-30 at home in the first half of the season

SAN DIEGO at LA DODGERS, 10:10 PM ET
PEAVY: SD 16-33 after having lost 4 of their last 5
KERSHAW: LAD 24-7 at home after 3 consecutive division games

COLORADO at SAN FRANCISCO, 10:15 PM ET
JIMENEZ: 5-16 TSR in the first half of the season
JOHNSON: 16-5 UNDER when the money line is +125 to -125


American League

LA ANGELS at NY YANKEES, 7:05 PM ET
WEAVER: LAA 14-6 as an underdog of +125 to +175
PETTITTE: 5-12 TSR as a favorite of -125 to -175

BALTIMORE at TORONTO, 7:07 PM ET
HENDRICKSON: BAL 26-56 against division opponents
HALLADAY: 31-12 TSR in May

CLEVELAND at DETROIT, 7:05 PM ET
PAVANO: CLE 5-14 after a one run loss
GALARRAGA: 14-3 TSR in the first half of the season

BOSTON at TAMPA BAY, 7:38 PM ET
MASTERSON: BOS 16-4 after 3+ consecutive overs
SONNANSTINE: TB 3-11 when the money line is +125 to -125

CHI WHITE SOX at TEXAS, 8:05 PM ET
BUEHRLE: 13-2 UNDER when the money line is +125 to -125
FELDMAN: 11-2 UNDER in the first half of the season

KANSAS CITY at MINNESOTA, 8:10 PM ET
PONSON: KC 54-96 when the total is 9 to 9.5
SLOWEY: MIN 16-4 when playing with a day off

OAKLAND at SEATTLE, 10:10 PM ET
EVELAND: 13-4 TSR after a team win
SILVA: SEA 8-20 in May

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[pm530]

MLB
Write-up


Friday, May 1

Hot Pitchers
-- Harden is 2-0, 3.00 in his last couple starts.
-- Zimmermann is 2-0, 2.38 in his first two big league starts.
-- Arroyo is 2-0, 2.70 in two road starts. Duke is 3-1, 3.03 in his four starts this season.
-- Hampton is 1-0, 3.44 in his last three starts.
-- Johnson is 1-0, 1.74 in his last two starts.

-- Bronx is 3-1 in Pettitte starts (2-1, 3.29).
-- Halladay is 4-1, 3.75 in five starts this season.
-- Galarraga is 3-0, 1.85 in four starts this season.
-- Masterson is 2-0, 1.69 in two starts this season.
-- Buehrle is 3-0, 2.84 in his last three starts. Feldman won his first '09 start, allowing one run in five IP at Baltimore.
-- Slowey is 2-0, 1.80 in his last two starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Taylor, a call-up from AA, gave up four runs in 3.2 IP in his major league debut, a 13-2 loss to Philly.
-- Pelfrey is 2-0, 6.32 in three starts this season. Park has 7.63 RA in three starts, but Philly bullpen won all three games.
-- Wellemeyer is 0-1, 9.00 in his last two starts.
-- Lowe is 1-1, 4.50 in his last three starts.
-- Garland is 1-1, 6.62 in his last three starts. Parra is 0-4, 7.45 in four starts this season.
-- Kershaw is 0-2, 15.00 in his last two starts. Peavy is 2-3, 6.03 in his five starts so far in 2009.
-- Jimenez is 0-3, 12.00 in his last three starts.

-- Weaver is 0-1, 5.25 in his last two starts.
-- Hendrickson is 0-3, 12.46 in his last three starts.
-- Cleveland is 0-4 in Pavano starts (0-3, 9.50).
-- Tampa Bay is 0-4 in Sonnanstine starts (0-3, 8.24).
-- Royals are 0-4 in Ponson starts (0-3, 5.79).
-- Eveland is 1-1, 5.95 in four starts this season. Silva is 1-2, 6.14 in his four starts in 2009.

Hot Teams
-- Marlins won last three games, after losing previous seven.
-- Phillies won five of their last six games.
-- Cardinals won eight of their last ten games.
-- Cincinnati won four of its last five road games.
-- Astros won three of their last four games.
-- Brewers won four in row, eight of their last nine games.
-- Dodgers are 7-0 at home for first time since 1947.
-- Rockies won three of last four games, but lost five of last six on road. Giants won seven of their last nine games.

-- Rangers won four of their last six games.
-- Red Sox won twelve of their last fourteen games.
-- Bronx won last three games, scoring 26 runs. Angels won three of last four games.
-- Twins won five of their last six home games.
-- Seattle won six of their seven series openers.

Cold Teams
-- Mets lost six of their last seven road games.
-- Nationals lost six of their last eight games.
-- Pirates lost last three games, allowing 17 runs, but won five of their last six at home.
-- Cubs lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Braves lost five of their last six home games.
-- Arizona is 7-11 in its last eighteen games, and is 1-3 on road.
-- Padres lost eight of their last ten games.

-- Orioles lost five of their last six games.
-- Royals are 1-5 in game following their last six wins.
-- Indians lost seven of their ten road games. Detroit is 2-5 in the first game of a series.
-- Rays lost eleven of their last fifteen games.
-- White Sox are 1-6 in game after their last seven wins.
-- Royals are 1-5 in game after their last six wins.
-- A's lost five of their last six road games.

Totals
-- Over is 6-1-1 in Florida's last eight games.
-- Five of last six Philly games went over the total.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in Cardinals' last nine road games.
-- Six of last seven Cincinnati road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Atlanta home games.
-- Six of last nine games at Miller Park went over the total.
-- Over is 13-2-1 in last sixteen Dodger games.
-- Six of last eight Colorado games went over the total.

-- Six of last eight Angel games went over the total.
-- Six of seven Baltimore road games went over the total.
-- Over is 7-3 in Cleveland road games.
-- 13 of last 16 Boston games went over the total.
-- Eight of eleven Texas home games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Oakland road games stayed under the total.

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Sheet
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2:20 PM
FLORIDA vs. CHI CUBS
Florida is 14-4 SU in their last 18 games when playing Chi Cubs
Florida is 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games
Chi Cubs are 4-14 SU in their last 18 games when playing Florida

7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. PITTSBURGH
Cincinnati is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Cincinnati's last 13 games
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

7:05 PM
CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT
Cleveland is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games on the road
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing Cleveland

7:05 PM
LA ANGELS vs. NY YANKEES
LA Angels are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games on the road
LA Angels are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Angels
NY Yankees are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Angels

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
NY Mets are 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games when playing NY Mets
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets

7:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. WASHINGTON
St. Louis is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Washington
St. Louis is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
Washington is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games
Washington is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games at home

7:07 PM
BALTIMORE vs. TORONTO
Baltimore is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Baltimore's last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Baltimore
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 11 games when playing at home against Baltimore

7:35 PM
HOUSTON vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 9 games when playing Atlanta
Houston is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games

7:38 PM
BOSTON vs. TAMPA BAY
Boston is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Tampa Bay is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Boston

8:05 PM
ARIZONA vs. MILWAUKEE
Arizona is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Milwaukee
Arizona is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona
Milwaukee is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Arizona

8:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. TEXAS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chi White Sox's last 12 games
Texas is 6-3 SU in their last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox

8:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. MINNESOTA
Kansas City is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kansas City's last 11 games on the road
Minnesota is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Kansas City

10:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
Oakland is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
Oakland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 6 games when playing Oakland

10:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. LA DODGERS
San Diego is 4-10 SU in their last 14 games when playing LA Dodgers
San Diego is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
LA Dodgers are 13-5 SU in their last 18 games

10:15 PM
COLORADO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Colorado is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Francisco
San Francisco is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Francisco's last 9 games when playing at home against Colorado

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 1

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

San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers [10:10 PM ET]

Padres: Jake Peavy is 13-2 with a 2.39 ERA against LA. He had won 11 straight decisions with a 2.02 ERA over 17 starts versus Los Angeles before losing 4-1 on April 6, allowing four runs over seven innings. "That's as good of a lineup that you'll face - a little bit of everything," Peavy said. "That's a team to be reckoned with." Peavy is 6-1 with a 3.46 ERA in eight career outings at Dodger Stadium. The right-hander has won five straight decisions there and three straight starts. Several Dodgers have poor career numbers vs. Peavy, including Russell Martin (.138) and Andre Ethier (.156). Manny Ramirez is 1-for-6 against Peavy.

The Over is 9-2-1 in the Padres' last 12 games as a road underdog.
The Padres are 1-6 in their last 7 road games.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Dodgers (-140, O/U 8): LA improved to 7-0 at home with an 8-5 win Thursday in the opener of a season-high 11-game homestand. Clayton Kershaw has been hit hard in last two outings, posting a 10.29 ERA while losing both of them. "It's frustrating to give up runs like that, but there are no excuses for giving up hits," Kershaw said. "You fall behind and give up hits, it is not a mechanical thing, but just pitching poorly." The 21-year-old left-hander gave up one run and two hits over five innings April 9 in a 4-3 loss at San Diego. Kershaw is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in four career starts against the Padres.

The Over is 11-1-1 in the Dodgers' last 13 games vs. a right-handed starter.
The Dodgers are 6-0 in Kershaw's last 6 home starts.

Key Injuries - NONE

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

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 1

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays (-250, 9.5)

Roy Halladay is on the right road for another Cy Young in 2009. The crafty right hander is 4-1 with a 3.75 ERA to begin the year. His curve is dancing like Patrick Swayze and he’s induced more ground balls than any other pitcher in the majors.

In his most recent start, Halladay gave up a two-run lead to the White Sox. But unlike past years, the bats had his back. Halladay settled in and Toronto battled for a 4-3 victory Sunday.

"That's nice when you give up those leads to know that if you stay in it and keep grinding, you've got a chance to get it back,” Halladay told reporters. “That's something that we didn't do as much last year but have done a lot of it this year getting those runs, especially later in the game. It's a big confidence builder."

His teammates are providing Halladay with an average of almost nine runs of support. Last year, Toronto gave its ace just 5.45 runs per start. The Blue Jays are ranked first in collective batting average (.290 BA) and score just under six runs per game heading into Thursday.

That offensive turnaround has made them one of the top over plays in baseball. Toronto boasts a 14-9 over/under mark and has toppled the total in four of Halladay’s five appearances this season.

Oddsmakers are torn between respecting the Doc’s arm and adjusting for the Jays’ new found offense. Halladay’s starts have an average total of eight runs which Toronto has trumped single-handedly in two of those games.

Pick: Over 9.5



Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants (-111, 8.5)

The Giants have strung together a solid end to April, winning eight of their last 11 games. While a few of those victories are thanks to solid efforts from Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito, San Francisco’s lineup has found its swagger at the plate.

The Giants are averaging a mundane four runs per game during this stretch but have scored five or more runs in five of those wins including Wednesday’s 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco has been notoriously bad in the box over the past few seasons, finishing second to last in total runs the past two years.

The Giants began the year 2-7 and were knocking in just over two runs per game in those losses. The two wins came against Milwaukee, who they outscored 19-11 in their first series of the season.

Sparking this recent improvement are veteran bats Edger Renteria and Bengie Molina. The Giants short stop has been on base in 11 straight contests and went 4-for-5 against the Dodgers Wednesday. Molina was a double away from the cycle in that game and is batting .400 over the past week.

"He has really picked it up. That's what you want your veterans to do," Bruce Bochy told reporters. "Especially when you're sputtering a little bit, you hope that somebody ignites them and keeps the line moving."

Thursday’s opponent, the Colorado Rockies, are 25th in total defense, giving up five and a half runs per game and are just 4-7 on the road to begin the schedule.

Pick: San Francisco -111

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Streaking

Armando Galarraga (Detroit Tigers)

Armando Galarraga is showing that last season's success with the Detroit Tigers wasn't a fluke.

Galarraga looks to improve to 4-0 on Friday when the Tigers will try to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a three-game set at Comerica Park.

Galarraga (3-0, 1.85 ERA) led Detroit (11-10) with 13 wins last season after pitching in just three games with Texas in 2007. The right-hander has gotten off to another strong start, especially at home, where he has won both of his starts while allowing just one run in 13 1-3 innings.

Galarraga pitched six innings at Kansas City on Sunday, allowing one run and three hits in a 3-2 win. He struck out seven, but walked five and said afterward that he planned on adjusting his mechanics.

He is looking to end a string of bad pitching performances by Tigers starters against the Indians (8-14). Detroit's rotation went 0-5 with a 7.39 ERA in the final seven games - all losses - of last season's series. Galarraga faced Cleveland twice during that losing stretch but did not receive a decision in either outing. He is 3-0 with a 3.62 ERA in five career starts against the Indians.

Mark Buehrle (Chicago White Sox)

The left-hander is 10-3 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 starts and three relief appearances versus the Rangers.

Buehrle pitched six innings of two-run ball in a 10-2 victory over Toronto on Saturday. Chicago has won all four of his starts and scored 17 runs in his last two outings.


Slumping

Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Kershaw has been hit hard in last two outings, posting a 10.29 ERA while losing both of them. He gave up a career-high nine runs and eight hits over 4 2-3 innings Sunday in a 10-4 loss at Colorado.

"It's frustrating to give up runs like that, but there are no excuses for giving up hits," Kershaw said. "You fall behind and give up hits, it is not a mechanical thing, but just pitching poorly."

The 21-year-old left-hander gave up one run and two hits over five innings April 9 in a 4-3 loss at San Diego. Kershaw is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in four career starts against the Padres.

Ubaldo Jimenez (Colorado Rockies)

Colorado goes with Ubaldo Jimenez (1-3, 7.58), who looks to avoid losing his fourth consecutive start.

After giving up four hits in seven innings of a 3-0 win over the Diamondbacks on April 7, Jimenez has allowed 16 runs and 14 walks over 12 innings in losing his last three starts.

On Saturday, the right-hander gave up six runs, eight hits and four walks in four innings of a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers.

"Ubaldo is not where he needs to be," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "The consistency isn't there and the fastball command isn't there."

Jimenez had success against the Giants last season, though, going 1-0 with a 1.78 ERA in four starts.

The Rockies went 11-7 against San Francisco in 2008 and took six of nine at AT&T Park.

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[pm530]

MLB
Baseball Today


SCOREBOARD

Friday, May 1

N.Y. Mets at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EDT). The Mets head into a weekend series against the AL-East rival and World Series champion Phillies having lost seven of 10.

STARS

Thursday

— Matt Garza, Rays, took a perfect game into the seventh inning and wound up allowing a hit and a walk in 7 2-3, striking out 10 in Tampa Bay’s 13-0 win over Boston.

— Michel Hernandez, Rays, went 4 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs in Tampa Bay’s 13-0 rout of Boston.

— John Buck, Royals, hit a double and a pair of triples, driving in five runs during Kansas City’s 8-6 victory over Toronto.

— Albert Pujols, Cardinals, homered and drove in two runs in St. Louis’ come-from-behind, 9-4 win over Washington.

— Mike Cameron, Brewers, was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs in Milwaukee’s 4-1 victory over Arizona.

— Jorge Cantu, Marlins, hit a three-run double during a six-run 10th inning and Florida beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2.

DOUBLE THE FUN

The Royals matched a club record by turning six double plays in an 8-6 win over the Blue Jays. The last time they did that was in 1972, although they grounded into six themselves just last week in Cleveland. Toronto tied a team mark with the six double plays and set a club record for a nine-inning game.

SLOPPY

The Marlins scored the tying and go-ahead runs in an 8-2 victory over Chicago with help from two Cubs errors. In the eighth, Carlos Marmol threw away Cameron Maybin’s bunt toward third allowing Ross Gload to score the tying run. Then in the 10th, Alfredo Amezaga doubled and scored on Ryan Theriot’s fielding error for the go-ahead run.

NEAR PERFECT

Matt Garza took a perfect game into the seventh inning before Jacoby Ellsbury reached on an infield single, but the Rays still managed to rout Boston 13-0. Garza was facing the Red Sox at Tropicana Field for the first time since beating them in Game 7 of last season’s ALCS. After he allowed the hit, the crowd of 20,341 gave Garza a standing ovation.

COZY CONFINES

Johnny Damon and Mike Napoli homered at Yankee Stadium, pushing the number hit there to 28 overall and 19 to right field since the ballpark opened. That sets a record for most in the first seven games of a new park, one more than at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati in 2003, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

HOME SWEET HOME

The Dodgers beat San Diego 8-5 and improved to 7-0 at Chavez Ravine in the opener of an 11-game homestand. It’s their best start at home since 1947, when the Brooklyn Dodgers started out 8-0 at Ebbets Field in Jackie Robinson’s rookie year. The longest home winning streak by the franchise to start a season is nine, set in 1946.

THIS AND THAT

Ryan Zimmerman homered in Washington’s 9-4 loss to St. Louis, extending his hitting streak to a Nationals-record 19 games. Still, the Nationals lost for the seventh time in 10 games. … The Angels’ 7-4 loss to the Yankees left them 9-12 in April, ending a run of 15 straight months at .500 or better. That was the longest active streak in the majors. … The A’s Matt Holliday belted his first homer in 18 games since being acquired from Colorado over the winter. Oakland went on to beat Texas 4-2.

SPEAKING

“When it was first hit, it sounded like it was coming off hard. Then I saw it float by. I dove and watched the ball just miss my glove by inches. I’m like: ‘Oh, Barty! (shortstop Jason Bartlett). He almost made a great play.”—Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza on the infield hit that broke up his perfect game in the seventh inning of a 13-0 victory over Boston.

SEASONS

May 1

1901—Herm McFarland and Dummy Hoy homer in the Chicago White Sox’s 19-9 rout of the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers committed an AL-record 12 errors, 10 by the infield, in the loss.

1906—John Lush of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a no-hitter at Brooklyn, beating the Dodgers 6-0.

1912—George Sisler, a freshman at Michigan, struck out 20 in seven innings.

1920—Joe Oeschger of the Boston Braves and Leon Cadore of the Brooklyn Dodgers each pitched 26 innings in a 1-1 tie, the longest in major league history.

1920—Babe Ruth hit his first home run as a Yankee as New York beat Boston 6-0 at the Polo Grounds.

1924—Chicago’s Bill Barrett stole home twice, in the first and ninth innings, against the Cleveland Indians.

1927—Hod Lisenbee of Washington pitched a shutout in his first major league start, a 6-0 win over Boston.

1944—George Myatt of Washington went 6-for-6 as the Senators beat the Boston Braves 11-4.

1959—Early Wynn of the Chicago White Sox pitched a one-hitter, struck out 14, and hit a double and home run for a 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox at the age of 39.

1969—Houston’s Don Wilson beat the Cincinnati Reds with a 4-0 no-hitter at Crosley Field, one day after the Reds’ Jim Maloney no-hit the Astros and nine days after Wilson absorbed a 14-0 pounding by Cincinnati.

1973—The San Francisco Giants scored seven runs with two outs in the ninth inning to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7.

1991—Rickey Henderson surpassed Lou Brock as baseball’s career stolen base leader with his 939th steal as the Oakland Athletics beat the New York Yankees 7-4.

1991—Nolan Ryan pitched his seventh no-hitter, struck out 16 and shut down the best-hitting team in the majors when the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.

1992—The Dodgers postponed a three-game series against Montreal because of rioting in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict.

1992—Oakland’s Rickey Henderson stole his 1,000th career base in the first inning at Tiger Stadium.

2002—With a save against the Chicago Cubs, San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman set the major league record for the most saves with one team, 321. He broke Dennis Eckersley’s record of 320 with Oakland.

2005—Minnesota’s Johan Santana lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Angels, ending his 17-game winning streak. Santana struck out seven over eight innings and allowed two hits, solo home runs by Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Molina.

2006—Tim Hudson threw the second one-hitter of his career, leading Atlanta past Colorado 2-0.

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