Friday Trends and Indexes 5/8 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

[pm530]

NHL


Friday, May 8

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Trend Sheet
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7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PITTSBURGH
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 10 games

7:30 PM
BOSTON vs. CAROLINA
Boston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games on the road
Carolina is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Carolina's last 9 games when playing at home against Boston

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[pm530]

NHL


Friday, May 8

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Ice Picks: NHL best bets
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Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (-180, 5.5)

The Washington Capitals probably knew deep down they wouldn't win both games in Pittsburgh. That would have been too much to ask, to shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for two nights on their home ice with the Penguins' season hanging on every shift.

Now that they've lost one - a 3-2 overtime defeat in Game 3 - the Capitals have put themselves in danger of losing two. Of making it a brand new series. Of reviving those bad old days of previous series squandered to Pittsburgh, long before Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Simeon Varlamov wore Washington jerseys.

Win Game 4 on Friday night, and these Capitals won't have to hear about some of the worst moments in franchise history. They'll be up 3-1, with as many as three chances to close out the series and advance to the conference finals.

Lose, however, and the Capitals will find themselves opposing not only the determined Penguins, but those haunting memories of all those past Washington teams that were positioned to knock out Pittsburgh but couldn't do it.

1992: Caps up 2-0, Penguins win 4-3. 1995: Caps up 3-1, Penguins win 4-3. 1996: Caps up 2-0, Penguins win 4-2.

Here we go again? Game 4 will determine that.

Pick: Pittsburgh -180



Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes (+110, 5)

The Bruins are trying to rediscover the rhythm that carried them to five straight wins, including a first-round sweep of Montreal, to open the postseason.

But after they couldn't bounce back from their first loss of the postseason and wound up on their first losing streak of these playoffs, coach Claude Julien gave the players a day off to help them refocus.

''We're not in trouble. We're in a series that's a hard-fought series,'' Julien said. ''What we have to do, probably, is get our game going in the right direction, which means our commitment to outworking the other team and our commitment to making better decisions on the ice.

''And it's a combination of both, which brings it to, again, it's a mindset,'' he added. ''Right now, we've struggled in the last couple of games, but there's ups and downs in a season. You win a game, you're Stanley Cup contenders. You lose one, you're in trouble. That's what you have to face every day. So we just have to keep our focus on what we have to do, believe in ourselves and go out and do it.''

Pick: Boston -130

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[pm530]

MLB
Dunkel Index


Florida at Colorado
The Marlins are 7-0 in Ricky Nolasco's last 7 starts against the NL West, while the Rockies are 1-5 in their last 6 against the NL East. Florida is the underdog pick (+125) according to Dunkel, which has the Marlins favored straight up by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Florida (+125). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, MAY 8

Game 901-902: Atlanta at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Reyes) 14.530; Philadelphia (Hamels) 16.180
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-175); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-175); Under

Game 903-904: Pittsburgh at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Karstens) 14.747; NY Mets (Niese) 14.447
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-170); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+160); Over

Game 905-906: St. Louis at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Pineiro) 15.986; Cincinnati (Cueto) 14.315
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+135); Over

Game 907-908: Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Wells) 16.378; Milwaukee (Bush) 15.232
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+105); Under

Game 909-910: San Diego at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Gaudin) 13.742; Houston (Rodriguez) 15.364
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Houston (-180); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-180); Over

Game 911-912: Florida at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Nolasco) 14.421; Colorado (Hammel) 13.824
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Colorado (-135); 11
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+125); Under

Game 913-914: Washington at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Martis) 14.501; Arizona (Petit) 15.430
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Arizona (-135); 10
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-135); Over

Game 915-916: San Francisco at LA Dodgers
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Zito) 15.485; LA Dodgers (Billingsley) 16.635
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 7
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-205); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-205); Under


Game 917-918: NY Yankees at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Sabathia) 15.679; Baltimore (Guthrie) 14.369
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-175); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-175); Under

Game 919-920: Tampa Bay at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Shields) 16.676; Boston (Penny) 15.104
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 11
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-130); 10
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-130); Over

Game 921-922: Detroit at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Verlander) 15.676; Cleveland (Lee) 14.071
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-130); 9
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+120); Under

Game 923-924: Seattle at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Jakubauskus) 14.906; Minnesota (Baker) 16.023
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-145); 9
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-145); Over

Game 925-926: Texas at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Harrison) 15.209; White Sox (Contreras) 16.341
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 12
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-115); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-115); Over

Game 927-928: Kansas City at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Greinke) 17.616; LA Angels (Palmer) 16.147
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-120); 9
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+110); Under

Game 929-930: Toronto at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Richmond) 16.994; Oakland (Outman) 15.851
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Toronto (-130); 9
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-130); Over

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[pm530]

MLB
Long Sheet


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Friday, May 8
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ATLANTA (13 - 15) at PHILADELPHIA (14 - 12) - 7:05 PM
JO-JO REYES (L) vs. COLE HAMELS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 85-105 (-29.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 84-103 (-28.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 58-70 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 78-90 (-23.0 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
REYES is 11-24 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
REYES is 11-23 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 22-18 (+16.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +150 to +175 since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

JO-JO REYES vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
REYES is 0-2 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 6.23 and a WHIP of 1.443.
His team's record is 1-2 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.0 units)

COLE HAMELS vs. ATLANTA since 1997
HAMELS is 6-3 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 3.45 and a WHIP of 1.164.
His team's record is 7-4 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-4. (+1.3 units)

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PITTSBURGH (12 - 16) at NY METS (14 - 13) - 7:10 PM
JEFF KARSTENS (R) vs. JON NIESE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 35-45 (-25.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 20-28 (-24.8 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 18-23 (-17.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 67-65 (-15.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 52-49 (-23.7 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 3 seasons.

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

JEFF KARSTENS vs. NY METS since 1997
KARSTENS is 0-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.667.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JON NIESE vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
No recent starts.

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ST LOUIS (19 - 10) at CINCINNATI (15 - 13) - 7:10 PM
JOEL PINEIRO (R) vs. JOHNNY CUETO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 51-47 (+9.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 105-86 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 105-86 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 70-55 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 71-54 (+17.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 19-27 (-15.1 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 219-255 (-67.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.

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

JOEL PINEIRO vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
PINEIRO is 3-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 2.22 and a WHIP of 1.069.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)

JOHNNY CUETO vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
CUETO is 0-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 16.19 and a WHIP of 3.298.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.5 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (16 - 12) at MILWAUKEE (16 - 13) - 8:05 PM
RANDY WELLS (R) vs. DAVE BUSH (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 973-1021 (-184.8 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 284-326 (-89.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 145-202 (-59.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 3-11 (-9.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 916-937 (-162.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 471-500 (-118.3 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
BUSH is 20-9 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 2-1 (+0.7 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

RANDY WELLS vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
No recent starts.

DAVE BUSH vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
BUSH is 1-7 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.98 and a WHIP of 1.133.
His team's record is 1-11 (-11.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-6. (-3.6 units)

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SAN DIEGO (13 - 16) at HOUSTON (11 - 17) - 8:05 PM
CHAD GAUDIN (R) vs. WANDY RODRIGUEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 76-114 (-37.9 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 33-63 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 76-114 (-37.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 53-83 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 28-47 (-19.4 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 97-92 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 95-91 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
GAUDIN is 12-4 (+10.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
GAUDIN is 7-1 (+9.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
GAUDIN is 15-8 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 164-183 (-47.9 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.

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

CHAD GAUDIN vs. HOUSTON since 1997
GAUDIN is 0-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 10.39 and a WHIP of 3.002.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.3 units)

WANDY RODRIGUEZ vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 1-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 6.61 and a WHIP of 1.470.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

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FLORIDA (15 - 14) at COLORADO (11 - 16) - 9:10 PM
RICKY NOLASCO (R) vs. JASON HAMMEL (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 92-83 (+22.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 99-91 (+20.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 48-48 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 98-89 (+21.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 50-41 (+15.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
NOLASCO is 24-14 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 15-8 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 23-14 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 18-10 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 13-5 (+10.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLORADO is 84-105 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 84-105 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 53-79 (-28.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 42-59 (-17.0 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.

RICKY NOLASCO vs. COLORADO since 1997
NOLASCO is 2-0 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 1.69 and a WHIP of 0.813.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

JASON HAMMEL vs. FLORIDA since 1997
No recent starts.

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WASHINGTON (8 - 18) at ARIZONA (12 - 17) - 9:40 PM
SHAIRON MARTIS (R) vs. YUSMEIRO PETIT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 67-120 (-32.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 28-67 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 67-117 (-29.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 46-85 (-25.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 14-48 (-24.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 72-72 (+21.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 95-97 (-20.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 72-75 (-33.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Friday since 1997.
ARIZONA is 95-94 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 64-70 (-19.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

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

SHAIRON MARTIS vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

YUSMEIRO PETIT vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
PETIT is 1-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 7.50 and a WHIP of 1.833.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (14 - 13) at LA DODGERS (21 - 9) - 10:10 PM
BARRY ZITO (L) vs. CHAD BILLINGSLEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 13-1 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LA DODGERS are 33-12 (+16.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 19-6 (+12.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
LA DODGERS are 13-1 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 666-563 (+79.8 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 368-358 (+43.4 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
ZITO is 73-42 (+28.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZITO is 7-2 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA DODGERS are 70-56 (-33.5 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -175 to -200 since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 4-2 (+1.5 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.1 Units)

BARRY ZITO vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
ZITO is 5-5 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.70 and a WHIP of 1.226.
His team's record is 6-6 (+0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-6. (-3.3 units)

CHAD BILLINGSLEY vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
BILLINGSLEY is 3-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.81 and a WHIP of 1.334.
His team's record is 6-2 (+3.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-1. (+5.1 units)

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NY YANKEES (13 - 15) at BALTIMORE (12 - 17) - 7:05 PM
C.C. SABATHIA (L) vs. JEREMY GUTHRIE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 197-159 (-29.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 15-21 (-18.4 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 28-32 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 26-31 (-19.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 3-10 (-9.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
NY YANKEES are 11-14 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY YANKEES are 41-44 (-16.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
SABATHIA is 1-7 (-8.2 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 475-518 (-110.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 27-60 (-24.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 475-518 (-110.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 241-325 (-96.2 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 2-1 (+2.2 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.0 Units)

C.C. SABATHIA vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
SABATHIA is 5-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.01 and a WHIP of 1.092.
His team's record is 7-3 (+2.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+0.7 units)

JEREMY GUTHRIE vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
GUTHRIE is 3-2 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.60 and a WHIP of 1.326.
His team's record is 4-3 (+2.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.2 units)

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TAMPA BAY (14 - 16) at BOSTON (18 - 11) - 7:10 PM
JAMES SHIELDS (R) vs. BRAD PENNY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 69-31 (+20.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 110-62 (+28.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 51-24 (+21.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PENNY is 47-22 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 119-89 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 23-8 (+15.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 57-39 (+21.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 89-53 (+31.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 5-2 (+3.8 Units) against BOSTON this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

JAMES SHIELDS vs. BOSTON since 1997
SHIELDS is 3-7 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.84 and a WHIP of 1.358.
His team's record is 3-9 (-6.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-4. (+3.2 units)

BRAD PENNY vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
PENNY is 1-3 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.208.
His team's record is 1-3 (-3.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)

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DETROIT (14 - 13) at CLEVELAND (11 - 18) - 7:05 PM
JUSTIN VERLANDER (R) vs. CLIFF LEE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 88-101 (-30.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 42-52 (-19.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 84-134 (-40.7 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 10-19 (-13.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 33-50 (-29.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 82-87 (-23.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 55-66 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 45-54 (-17.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
VERLANDER is 17-22 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 6-14 (-13.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 26-39 (-18.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 7-16 (-10.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 2-1 (+0.4 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
VERLANDER is 5-10 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 6.29 and a WHIP of 1.430.
His team's record is 5-11 (-8.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-10. (-5.8 units)

CLIFF LEE vs. DETROIT since 1997
LEE is 5-7 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 5.11 and a WHIP of 1.525.
His team's record is 6-12 (-9.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-10. (-5.1 units)

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SEATTLE (15 - 14) at MINNESOTA (13 - 16) - 8:10 PM
CHRIS JAKUBAUSKAS (R) vs. SCOTT BAKER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 76-115 (-37.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 10-25 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 49-78 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 48-83 (-35.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 44-71 (-25.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 13-30 (-15.2 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 62-36 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 22-7 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 64-38 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 72-59 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 64-41 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 27-13 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-2 (+0.6 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

CHRIS JAKUBAUSKAS vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
No recent starts.

SCOTT BAKER vs. SEATTLE since 1997
BAKER is 0-3 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 5.50 and a WHIP of 1.917.
His team's record is 2-4 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-4. (-2.8 units)

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TEXAS (15 - 13) at CHI WHITE SOX (13 - 14) - 8:11 PM
MATT HARRISON (L) vs. JOSE CONTRERAS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 62-34 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 96-71 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 94-96 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 24-12 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 87-88 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 71-66 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 67-62 (+15.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

MATT HARRISON vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
HARRISON is 1-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.87 and a WHIP of 1.956.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

JOSE CONTRERAS vs. TEXAS since 1997
CONTRERAS is 1-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 10.17 and a WHIP of 1.826.
His team's record is 1-4 (-3.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-4. (-3.9 units)

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KANSAS CITY (18 - 11) at LA ANGELS (13 - 14) - 10:05 PM
GIL MECHE (R) vs. MATT PALMER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MECHE is 38-56 (-27.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 114-79 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 50-26 (+21.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 183-137 (+39.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 108-69 (+25.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 152-106 (+25.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 51-37 (+12.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 18-11 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 44-49 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 86-85 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 13-5 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 50-41 (+15.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 26-30 (-17.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.

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

GIL MECHE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
MECHE is 8-2 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.92 and a WHIP of 1.359.
His team's record is 11-7 (+6.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-8. (+1.5 units)

MATT PALMER vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
No recent starts.

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TORONTO (20 - 11) at OAKLAND (10 - 16) - 10:05 PM
SCOTT RICHMOND (R) vs. JOSH OUTMAN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 16-28 (-15.7 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 25-12 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 9-1 (+8.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
OAKLAND is 155-181 (-51.6 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-1 (+0.6 Units) against OAKLAND this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

SCOTT RICHMOND vs. OAKLAND since 1997
RICHMOND is 0-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.76 and a WHIP of 1.411.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JOSH OUTMAN vs. TORONTO since 1997
OUTMAN is 0-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 2.250.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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[pm530]

MLB
Short Sheet


Friday, May 8th

National League

ATLANTA at PHILADELPHIA, 7:05 PM ET
REYES: 9-21 TSR when the total is 8.5 to 10
HAMELS: PHI 38-20 after having lost 2 of their last 3

PITTSBURGH at NY METS, 7:10 PM ET
KARSTENS: PIT 31-16 OVER as a road underdog of +125 to +175
NIESE: NYM 30-17 OVER against NL Central

ST LOUIS at CINCINNATI, 7:10 PM ET
PINEIRO: STL 12-4 when the money line is +125 to -125
CUETO: 19-8 UNDER when the total is 8.5 to 10

CHICAGO CUBS at MILWAUKEE, 8:05 PM ET
WELLS: CHC 18-7 AWAY after having won 3 of their last 4
BUSH: 15-4 OVER at home

SAN DIEGO at HOUSTON, 8:05 PM ET
GAUDIN: 7-1 TSR AWAY when the total is 7 to 8.5
RODRIGUEZ: 12-2 UNDER at home in the first half of the season

FLORIDA at COLORADO, 9:10 PM ET
NOLASCO: 12-6 TSR as a road underdog
HAMMEL: COL 9-1 OVER at home

WASHINGTON at ARIZONA, 9:40 PM ET
MARTIS: WAS 3-11 in road games
PETIT: ARI 54-42 at home with a money line of -100 to -150

SAN FRANCISCO at LA DODGERS, 10:10 PM ET
ZITO: 7-2 TSR AWAY after a team win
BILLINGSLEY: 3-9 TSR after giving up 2 or less runs


American League

NY YANKEES at BALTIMORE, 7:05 PM ET
SABATHIA: 1-7 TSR AWAY after a team loss
GUTHRIE: BAL 49-27 OVER when the total is 9 to 9.5

TAMPA BAY at BOSTON, 7:10 PM ET
SHIELDS: TB 40-22 after a win by 2 runs or less
PENNY: BOS 13-4 OVER in night games

DETROIT at CLEVELAND, 7:05 PM ET
VERLANDER: 6-14 TSR against division opponents
LEE: CLE 21-8 after 7+ consecutive road games

SEATTLE at MINNESOTA, 8:10 PM ET
JAKUBAUSKAS: SEA 46-80 when the total is 8.5 to 10
BAKER: MIN 22-7 when playing on Friday

TEXAS at CHI WHITE SOX, 8:11 PM ET
HARRISON: 9-2 TSR as an underdog
CONTRERAS: CHW 24-11 UNDER in May

KANSAS CITY at LA ANGELS, 10:05 PM ET
MECHE: 11-20 TSR AWAY with a money line of -100 to -150
PALMER: LAA 29-20 as an underdog of +100 to +150

TORONTO at OAKLAND, 10:05 PM ET
RICHMOND: TOR 9-1 after a team loss
OUTMAN: OAK 21-9 UNDER after a win by 4+ runs

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[pm530]

MLB
Write-up


Friday, May 8

Hot Pitchers
-- Cueto is 2-0, 0.68 in his last four starts. Pineiro is 4-1, 4.13 in his five starts this season.
-- Brewers won last three Bush starts (1-0, 4.12).
-- Rodriguez is 2-1, 1.80 in his last four starts.
-- Martis is 3-0, 4.10 in his last four starts.
-- Dodgers are 6-0 in Billingsley starts (5-0, 2.43). Giants won Zito's last three starts (0-0, 1.33).

-- Verlander is 2-0, 0.64 in his last two starts. Lee has 1.86 RA in his last four starts, but Indians lost last three.
-- Shields has 2.53 RA in his last three starts; he is 1-1, 4.97 vs Boston already this season.
-- Harrison is 2-0, 3.00 in his last couple starts.
-- Angels won both Palmer starts, scoring 18 runs.
-- Richmind is 4-0, 2.73 in his last four starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Reyes is 0-1, 5.00 in three starts this season. Hamels is 0-2, 7.27 in four starts, suffering injuries in his last two.
-- Niese is 0-2, 6.55 in five AAA starts this year; he was 1-1, 7.07 in his three starts for the Mets LY. Karstens is 1-1, 6.30 in four starts.
-- Wells is 3-0, 2.77 in five AAA starts this season.
-- Gaudin is 0-1, 5.06 in two starts this season.
-- Nolasco is 0-3, 7.62 in his last five starts. Hammel is 0-0, 5.00 in two starts this season.
-- Arizona is 0-4 in Petit starts (0-2, 7.71).

-- Sabathia is 0-3, 5.46 in his last four starts. Orioles lost the last four Guthrie starts (0-2, 7.61).
-- Penny has 10.70 RA in his last four starts.
-- Baker is 0-4, 9.15 so far this season. Jakubauskus is 0-3, 6.00 in four starts for the Mariners.
-- White Sox are 0-5 in Contreras starts (0-4, 8.65).
-- Meche is 1-2, 6.88 in his last three starts.
-- Outman is 0-0, 6.28 in three starts for Oakland.

Hot Teams
-- Phillies won eight of their last twelve games.
-- Mets won five of their last six games.
-- Cardinals are 7-2 in series openers, 4-0 on the road.
-- Cubs won six of their last seven games. Brewers won twelve of their last sixteen games.
-- Dodgers are 14-0 at home this season. Giants are 11-5 in their last sixteen games.

-- Orioles won three of their last four games.
-- Red Sox won sixteen of their last twenty games. Rays won last three games, scoring 18 runs.
-- Royals won eight of their last nine games.
-- Rangers won nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Angels won four of their last five games.
-- Blue Jays won five of their last seven games.

Cold Teams
-- Braves lost four of their last six games.
-- Nationals lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Reds are 5-8 at home this season.
-- Pirates lost nine of their last ten games.
-- Astros lost five of their last six home games. Padres lost thirteen of their last sixteen games.
-- Diamondbacks lost four of their last five games.
-- Rockies are 4-6 in their last ten home games. Marlins lost six of their last seven games.

-- Bronx lost last five games, allowing 33 runs.
-- Indians lost four of their last six home games. Detroit is 0-5 in first game of a road series.
-- White Sox lost four of their last five games.
-- Mariners lost five of their last six games. Twins lost four of their last six games.
-- A's lost five of their last seven games.

Totals
-- Over is 8-3-1 in Phillies' last twelve games.
-- Three of four Karstens starts stayed under the total.
-- Last three Cueto starts stayed under the total.
-- Over is 9-3-1 in Chicago's last thirteen games.
-- All three Hernandez home starts stayed under the total.
-- Five of six Nolasco starts went over the total.
-- Three of four Petit starts went over the total.
-- Over is 16-5-2 in last twenty-three Dodger games.

-- Three of last four Sabathia starts went over the total.
-- Over is 16-4-2 in last twenty-two Boston games.
-- Last three Lee starts stayed under the total.
-- Three of four Baker starts went over the total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Texas road games.
-- Five of last six Meche starts went over the total.
-- Five of last six Oakland home games stayed under the total.

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 8

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Trend Sheet
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7:05 PM
ATLANTA vs. PHILADELPHIA
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

7:05 PM
DETROIT vs. CLEVELAND
Detroit is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Detroit is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit

7:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. BALTIMORE
NY Yankees are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games
NY Yankees are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Baltimore is 2-8 SU in their last 10 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Baltimore's last 12 games when playing NY Yankees

7:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NY METS
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of NY Mets's last 13 games when playing Pittsburgh
NY Mets are 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CINCINNATI
St. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games on the road
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing St. Louis

7:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BOSTON
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games when playing Tampa Bay

8:00 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of San Diego's last 19 games when playing Houston
San Diego is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. MILWAUKEE
Chi Cubs are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Chi Cubs's last 18 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Milwaukee is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home

8:10 PM
SEATTLE vs. MINNESOTA
Seattle is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Seattle is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Minnesota's last 16 games when playing Seattle
Minnesota is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Seattle

8:11 PM
TEXAS vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Texas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing Texas
Chi White Sox are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Texas

9:10 PM
FLORIDA vs. COLORADO
Florida is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Florida's last 11 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Florida
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing at home against Florida

9:40 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ARIZONA
Washington is 3-19 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Washington is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games
Arizona is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Arizona's last 15 games when playing at home against Washington

10:05 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. LA ANGELS
Kansas City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Kansas City is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games on the road
LA Angels are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Angels's last 6 games when playing Kansas City

10:05 PM
TORONTO vs. OAKLAND
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Oakland is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Oakland's last 11 games when playing Toronto

10:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. LA DODGERS
San Francisco is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games on the road
San Francisco is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against San Francisco
LA Dodgers are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 8

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

Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox [7:05 PM ET]

Rays (-115, O/U 10): James Shields (3-2, 3.51 ERA) has posted a 9.56 ERA in losing all 4 of his starts at Boston. He faced the Red Sox on the road April 7, surrendering 5 runs and 9 hits in 5 1-3 innings as the Rays lost 5-3. Shields earned a win at home against Boston in his last outing, giving up 2 runs and 6 hits while striking out 6 in 7 1-3 innings as Tampa Bay won 5-3 on Sunday night. The right-hander is 3-5 with a 5.17 ERA in 10 starts overall vs. the Red Sox. Slugger Carlos Pena is batting .333 (8 for 24) with 3 homers and a double in Tampa Bay's 7 games with Boston this season, helping the Rays win 5 of those contests.

The Rays are 15-48 in the last 63 meetings in Boston.
The Rays are 27-8 in Shields' last 35 starts as a favorite.

Key Injuries - OF B.J. Upton (illness) is QUESTIONABLE.

PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (Side Play of the Day)

Red Sox: The Red Sox are beat up. 1B Kevin Youkilis missed his third straight game with tightness in his left side, OF Jacoby Ellsbury has sat out two straight contests with a tight right hamstring, and DH David Ortiz was scratched from the lineup last night with a stiff neck. Ortiz is batting .421 (8 for 19) with two home runs and four doubles against Tampa's starter tonight, James Shields. Brad Penny gets the start for Boston. Penny has a 6.35 ERA in three straight losses to the Rays and is 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance all-time against them.

The Red Sox are 16-5 in their last 21 overall.
The Over is 20-6-2 in the Red Sox's last 28 on grass.

Key Injuries - DH David Ortiz (neck) is QUESTIONABLE.
1B Kevin Youkilis (side) is QUESTIONABLE.
OF Jacoby Ellsbury (hamstring) is QUESTIONABLE.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 8

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians (-121, 9)

It's been nearly a decade since the AL had a repeat Cy Young Award winner. It doesn't look like that will change this season.

Reigning Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee looks to bounce back from another tough defeat as he takes the ball for the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

On the heels of Lee's outstanding 2008, the Indians (11-18) were expected to contend for the AL Central crown this year. So far, both Lee (1-4, 3.92 ERA) and the Indians have been falling short of expectations.

Lee already has lost more games this season than he did last year, when he went 22-3. Cleveland, meanwhile, has the AL's worst record.

On Sunday, Lee gave up three runs and a season-high 12 hits in seven innings in a 3-1 loss to Detroit (14-13) as the Indians fell to just 1-5 in the left-hander's starts. Cleveland was 24-7 with Lee on the mound a year ago.

Although he's struggled to get in the win column and is unlikely to become the AL's first repeat Cy Young Award winner since Boston's Pedro Martinez in 1999 and 2000, Lee hasn't been pitching that badly lately.

He's yielded just five runs in 23 innings over his last three starts, but has been backed by just one run of support in those games. Excluding his win over the New York Yankees on April 16, Lee has received two total runs of support in 33 innings in his other five games.

The Tigers counter with Justin Verlander (2-2, 5.66), who looks to win his third straight start.

After yielding 24 runs in 21 innings over his first four starts, Verlander has given up one run while striking out 20 in 14 innings in winning his last two.

The right-hander allowed one run and two hits with a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings to beat Cleveland on Sunday.

"This is certainly the best I've felt in a while,'' he said.

After winning Rookie of the Year in 2006 and going 18-6 in 2007, Verlander regressed by going 11-17 last season. He seems to have regained some dominance.

"I think he answered some questions and answered some critics," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said after Sunday's performance.

Pick: Under 9



Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics (-101, 9)

Unheralded Scott Richmond has proved to be critical to the Toronto Blue Jays as they've managed to overcome an injury-plagued starting rotation.

The 29-year-old rookie looks to improve to 5-0 on Friday night when the AL-East leading Blue Jays open a three-game road set against the Oakland Athletics.

Since winning the fifth starter's spot in spring training, Richmond (4-0, 2.67 ERA) has more than exceeded expectations in his first full season. He's combined with ace Roy Halladay to bring stability to a rotation that's been hit hard by injuries to talented young pitchers Jesse Litsch and Ricky Romero.

Richmond allowed two earned runs while striking out six in seven innings of a 4-3 victory at Baltimore on Sunday.

"Right now (Richmond) is pitching nowhere near like a No. 5 starter,'' catcher Rod Barajas said of the AL rookie of the month for April. "He's our No. 2 guy. The way he's stepped up, the way he's pitched for us, it's something that we desperately needed.''

Two years removed from the independent Northern League, the right-hander hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 10 major league starts.

"I'm happy I'm contributing, I'm happy I'm pitching well,'' Richmond said. "I'm so focused out there. We're doing so great. I've got to do my job.''

Richmond gave up three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-3 victory over Oakland on Aug. 5, his only previous appearance versus the A's.

Pick: Toronto -106

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 8

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Scott Richmond (Toronto Blue Jays)

Unheralded Scott Richmond has proved to be critical to the Toronto Blue Jays as they've managed to overcome an injury-plagued starting rotation.

The 29-year-old rookie looks to improve to 5-0 on Friday night when the AL-East leading Blue Jays open a three-game road set against the Oakland Athletics.

Since winning the fifth starter's spot in spring training, Richmond (4-0, 2.67 ERA) has more than exceeded expectations in his first full season. He's combined with ace Roy Halladay to bring stability to a rotation that's been hit hard by injuries to talented young pitchers Jesse Litsch and Ricky Romero.

Richmond allowed two earned runs while striking out six in seven innings of a 4-3 victory at Baltimore on Sunday.

Chad Billingsley (Los Angeles Dodgers)

It will be tough for San Francisco to duplicate that offensive outburst Friday against scheduled starter Chad Billingsley (5-0, 2.21 ERA), who looks to become the NL's first six-game winner.

Billingsley gave up two runs and four hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of a 7-3 win over the Padres on Sunday, as the Dodgers improved to 6-0 in the right-hander's starts.

Billingsley is 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA in four starts against the Giants since the start of last season and set to make his third start of the year against them.

He gave up one run and five hits with 11 strikeouts in seven innings of an 11-1 home win over the Giants on April 13 and allowed three runs and eight hits while striking out eight in 7 1-3 innings of a 5-3 victory in San Francisco on April 28, but was not a factor in the decision.


Slumping

Ricky Nolasco (Florida Marlins)

If Nolasco (1-3, 7.03 ERA) is going to be the first Florida starter to earn a win since Sanchez defeated the Braves on April 16, he'll have to improve upon his most recent outing. In Sunday's 6-4 loss to Chicago, Nolasco gave up a grand slam to Derrek Lee and allowed five earned runs and eight hits.

Nolasco won a career-best 15 games with a 3.52 ERA in 2008 but is 0-3 with a 6.92 ERA since beating Washington on opening day April 6.

"When you're rolling, this game is great," Nolasco told the Marlins' official Web site. "When you're struggling, you don't get any help."

Nolasco is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two career starts versus the Rockies. He won 5-3 on Aug. 2 in his last start against them, giving up three runs and striking out a career-high 13 in eight innings.

Jose Contreras (Chicago White Sox)

Jose Contreras again looks to end his horrible start to the season and help the White Sox win their second straight in the opener of a three-game series with the Texas Rangers.

Mark Buehrle retired the first 19 batters Thursday and allowed one hit over eight innings, leading Chicago (13-14) to a 6-0 victory over Detroit that snapped a four-game skid.

The White Sox, who dropped two of three at Texas last weekend, have won all six of Buehrle's starts but are 7-14 in other games. They've lost all five starts by Contreras (0-4, 8.31 ERA).

The right-hander yielded at least five runs in three of those five outings. He gave up a season-high seven runs in a season-low 3 1-3 innings of a 9-6 loss to the Rangers on Saturday.

Although Contreras has been awful, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is planning on sticking with him in the rotation for the foreseeable future. Guillen had the opportunity to skip his beleaguered starter because of Wednesday's rainout but is giving the veteran a chance to get out of his funk.

"I don't want to give up on him, it's not my style, but I'd like to know what's going through his mind,'' Guillen said.

Contreras, who hasn't won since beating the Cubs on June 27, has allowed 14 runs in 7 1-3 innings in two starts against the Rangers since the start of last season. In five career starts versus Texas, Contreras is 1-2 with a 10.17 ERA - his highest ERA against any team he's faced more than once.

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, May 8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MLB weekend cheat sheet
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In the MLB Cheat Sheet, a guide designed to help you isolate the best bets, we focus on two top series in both leagues on this weekend’s schedule. Keep in mind that all pitcher records are ‘team starts’ unless noted otherwise.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies

Most Recent Series Result: Phillies 14-5 last 19 games vs. Braves

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Braves 4-1 last five games away vs. Phillies

Key Day/Month Stat: Phillies 16-3 on Sundays; Braves 5-15 away on Sundays

Best Arm in the Series: Phillies’ Hamels 7-1, 3.32 ERA last eight starts vs. Braves

Worst Arm in the Series: Myers 0-6, 4.65 ERA last 6 home vs. Braves; Vazquez 0-4, 7.13 ERA last four away vs. Phillies

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers

Most Recent Series Result: Dodgers 4-2 last six games vs. Giants

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Dodgers 6-2 last eight home vs. Giants

Key Day/Month Stat: Dodgers 10-0 on Saturdays; Giants 1-5 on Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Dodgers’ Billingsley 4-0, 3.54 ERA home lifetime vs. Giants

Worst Arm in the Series: Giants’ Cain 1-4, 2.82 ERA last five away vs. Dodgers

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox

Most Recent Series Result: Rays 15-7 last 22 games vs. Red Sox

Most Recent Series Rays 6-2 last 8 away vs. Red Sox

Key Day/Month Stat: Red Sox 5-0 on Saturdays; Rays 0-6 on Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Rays’ Garza 9-1, 2.54 ERA lifetime vs. Red Sox

Worst Arm in the Series: Red Sox’ Penny 0-3, 6.35 ERA last three starts vs. Rays; Wakefield 1-5, 7.20 ERA last six starts vs Rays

Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians

Most Recent Series Result: Indians 8-2 last 10 games vs. Tigers

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Indians 10-3 last 13 games home vs. Tigers

Key Day/Month Stat: Tigers 5-0 on Saturdays; Indians 1-7 home on Saturday

Best Arm in the Series: Indians’ Carmona 8-1, 3.43 ERA lifetime vs. Tigers (5-0 home)

Worst Arm in the Series: Indians’ Lee 0-7, 8.28 last eight home vs. Tigers; Tigers’ Verlander 1-7, 10.24 ERA last eight away vs. Indians

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MLB
Baseball Today


SCOREBOARD

Friday, May 8

N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EDT). Alex Rodriguez might return to boost the struggling Yankees lineup in time to support CC Sabathia (1-3) against the Orioles' Jeremy Guthrie (2-2).

STARS

Thursday

-Jason Bay, Red Sox, hit a three-run homer and an RBI double as Boston tied a modern major league record with 12 runs in an inning before making an out in a 13-3 win over Cleveland.

-Carlos Beltran and David Wright, Mets, each hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and New York beat Philadelphia 7-5 for its fourth consecutive victory.

-Bengie Molina, Giants, homered twice to help San Francisco beat Colorado 8-3.

-Alfonso Soriano, Cubs, homered twice to lead Chicago to a two-game sweep of Houston with an 8-5 victory.

-Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria, Rays, hit consecutive homers off Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning as surging Tampa Bay handed the New York Yankees their fifth consecutive loss, 8-6.

-Mark Buehrle, White Sox, was perfect into the seventh and allowed one hit over eight innings, leading Chicago to a 6-0 win over Detroit.

-Micah Owings, Reds, pitched six innings and had a tiebreaking triple, leading Cincinnati to a 6-5 win over Milwaukee.

-Jack Cust, Athletics, hit a grand slam for Oakland in a 9-4 win over Texas.

-Jered Weaver, Angels, allowed three hits in his first career complete game as Los Angeles cruised to a 6-1 win over Toronto.

-David Eckstein, Padres, singled in the winning run for San Diego with one out in the 10th inning of a 4-3 win over Arizona.

DRUG SUSPENSION

Manny Ramirez was banished for 50 games. The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder was suspended by Major League Baseball for a drug violation. Ramirez said he did not take steroids and was given medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance. A person familiar with the details of the suspension said Ramirez used the female fertility drug HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the banned substance wasn't announced.

FIRED

The Arizona Diamondbacks fired Bob Melvin, hoping a new manager will be able to get the most out of their talented core of young players. The 47-year-old Melvin's firing comes after a disappointing start by the Diamondbacks (12-17), who entered Thursday 8 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. The 2007 NL Manager of the Year went 337-340 in four-plus seasons. The Diamondbacks will name A.J. Hinch, their vice president for player development, as Melvin's replacement on Friday, according to a person familiar with the move who requested anonymity because the announcement had not been made.

MO NO

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera gave up home runs to consecutive batters for the first time in his major league career, with Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria connecting in the ninth inning of Tampa Bay's 8-6 victory. Rivera had not given up back-to-back homers in 862 games coming in, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

A-ROD RETURNS

Alex Rodriguez will make his season debut for the Yankees on Friday night in Baltimore, joining a team mired in its longest losing streak in nearly two years, five games. Rodriguez had surgery March 9 to repair torn cartilage in his right hip, and has recovered more quickly than expected. The Yankees had initially set a target date for his return of May 15.

SCORE AND SCORE SOME MORE

The Red Sox tied a modern major-league record with 12 runs in an inning before making an out in a 13-3 win over Cleveland. Jason Bay hit a three-run homer and an RBI double and four other batters had two-run hits in the sixth. The Red Sox tied the mark set by the Brooklyn Dodgers on May 24, 1953, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The previous AL record was set by the Tigers, who scored 11 runs in the sixth inning in a 19-1 win at the Yankees on June 17, 1925.

WINLESS

Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez was the loser in a 4-2 defeat to the Braves and Florida extended a club-record streak of 20 consecutive games without a win by a starting pitcher. During that span the starters are 0-10. The last Marlins starter to win was Sanchez against Atlanta on April 16.

BRING ON THE MARINERS

The Royals beat the Mariners 3-1 and have won six straight against Seattle for the first time since 1989.

HIT STREAK

Ryan Zimmerman had two hits in the Nationals' 11-9 win over the Dodgers, extending the longest hitting streak in the majors this season to 25 games.

PLUNKED

Pittsburgh's Ross Ohlendorf hit Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick in consecutive at-bats in a 5-2 loss to St. Louis. Ohlendorf, who had won his previous three starts, hit only two batters in his first five starts over 31 innings.

STATS

The Astros haven't had a starter get through six innings since April 28. ... The Phillies went 24 games without allowing an unearned run before third baseman Pedro Feliz's throwing error let in the only run Wednesday. The previous major league record to start a season was 23 games set by the 1998 Phillies, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

SPEAKING

"None of us is asking him to be the savior. We're just asking Alex to be Alex.'' - Yankees manager Joe Girardi about the return of slugger Alex Rodriguez from hip surgery. New York has lost five straight and is 6 for 43 with runners in scoring position during its skid.

SEASONS

May 8

1906 - Philadelphia manager Connie Mack needed a substitute outfielder in the sixth inning of a game against Boston and called on pitcher Chief Bender to fill in. Bender hit two home runs, both inside the park.

1907 - Boston's Big Jeff Pfeffer threw a no-hitter to give the Braves a 6-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Boston.

1929 - Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the first by a left-hander in the majors in 13 seasons.

1935 - In the first game of a doubleheader, Ernie Lombardi of the Cincinnati Reds hit four doubles in consecutive innings (sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth) off four different Phillies pitchers. Lombardi also singled as the Reds beat Philadelphia 15-4.

1966 - Frank Robinson became the only player to hit a home run out of Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. Robinson hit a 451-foot - 541 feet total - shot on a fly over the left-field wall off Cleveland right-hander Luis Tiant. The Orioles won 8-3.

1966 - The St. Louis Cardinals closed old Busch Stadium with a 10-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

1968 - Jim "Catfish'' Hunter of the Oakland A's pitched a perfect game to beat the Minnesota Twins 4-0.

1984 - Minnesota's Kirby Puckett had four singles in his first major league game as the Twins beat the California Angels 5-0.

1994 - The Colorado Silver Bullets, the first women's team to play a pro men's team, lost 19-0 to the Northern League All-Stars. Leon Durham hit two homers and Oil Can Boyd started for the All-Stars. The Silver Bullets had two hits, struck out 16 times and made six errors.

1998 - Mark McGwire became the fastest to hit 400 home runs when he connected in the third inning of the St. Louis Cardinals' game against the New York Mets. McGwire, the 26th player to reach the milestone, hit his 400 homers in 4,726 at-bats. The previous best was 4,854 by Babe Ruth.

2001 - Randy Johnson became the third pitcher to strike out 20 in nine innings, but didn't finish the game as the Arizona Diamondbacks went on beat Cincinnati 4-3 in 11 innings. Johnson, the first left-hander to strike out 20, missed out on the chance to join Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood as the record-holders for a nine-inning game because Arizona could not finish off the Reds in regulation.

2003 - Aaron Boone hit three solo homers, leading the way as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-6.

Today's birthdays: Adrian Gonzalez 27; John Maine 28.

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