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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:34 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, July 9

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The PGA Tour tunes up for the British Open at Deere Run, and Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum both go looking for victories.

Colliding in the Junior Circuit . . .

Roy Halladay (10-2, 2.79 ERA) will get the ball for the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon as they close out their three-game road series against the Rays and starting pitcher David Price (2-3, 5.21 ERA). Righthander Halladay got roughed up by the Yankees in his last trip to the mound, allowing an uncharacteristic five earned runs over seven innings of work in a no-decision. Lefthander Price lasted just 1 1-3 innings against the Rangers last time out, surrendering six earned runs.

There are just four other games on the American League schedule for Monday, with the Yankees at Minnesota, Cleveland at the White Sox, Kansas City at Boston, and Texas at Seattle. The Rangers will send Tommy Hunter (1-1, 3.18 ERA) to the mound in that late matchup; the righthander picked up a win over the Rays last time out (one run in 5 1-3 innings). Seattle counters with righthander Felix Hernandez (8-3, 2.62 ERA); the Mariners won each of his last five outings.

Clashing in the Senior Circuit . . .

Tim Lincecum (9-2, 2.23 ERA) will be gunning for a double-digit win total on Thursday night as his Giants host the rival Padres and Josh Geer (1-3, 5.46 ERA). Righthander Lincecum is coming off two consecutive shutout performances, allowing just five hits over 16 innings in wins versus the Astros and Cardinals. Righthander Geer has given up three or fewer earned runs in each of his last four starts, but is just 0-1 with three no-decisions over that span.

Elsewhere around the National League on Thursday it'll be Cincinnati at Philadelphia, the Dodgers at the Mets, Washington at Houston, Atlanta at Colorado, Florida at Arizona, and St. Louis at Milwaukee. The Cardinals will go with Joel Pineiro (6-9, 3.39 ERA) in their matinee road matchup, while the Brewers will send Braden Looper (7-4, 4.78 ERA) to the hill. Righthander Looper has won two straight starts, giving up three earned runs in his last 12 1-3 innings.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

The PGA Tour will be at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois this week for the John Deere Classic. Defending tournament champion Kenny Perry is pegged as the 7/1 Vegas favorite to win the event once again this year, with Steve Stricker (10/1) and Lucas Glover (12/1) trailing him on that odds list. David Toms and Zach Johnson are both listed as 15/1 odds to win the John Deere Classic; most of the world's top golfers will skip the event as they prepare for the British Open.

The Canadian Football League kicks off its Week 2 slate on Thursday night, with Edmonton at Montreal. The Eskimos got past Winnipeg by a score of 19-17 in their season opener last time out, failing to cover the 9-point spread at home (and losing RB Jesse Lumsden indefinitely with a shoulder injury). The Als were 7.5-point road underdogs in their 40-27 win over the Stampeders in Week 1. The oddsmakers have Montreal pegged as a 7-point home favorite for Thursday night.

Finally, there are two games on the WNBA's schedule for Thursday night, with Sacramento at Seattle and Los Angeles at New York. The Sparks got Candace Parker back from maternity leave in their last contest; the star forward put up six points in 20 minutes of action in that 104-89 home loss to Phoenix. The Liberty last played July 2 against Detroit, with Shameka Christon scoring 25 points in an 80-64 home victory. Loree Moore was good for 15 points for New York that night.

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:35 AM

Six-pack for Thursday

-- Kid from Xavier dunked on Lebron James in a pickup game at the Lebron James Skills Camp; two tapes of the dunk were confiscated by Nike henchmen in the gym, so they wouldn't get on YouTube.

-- Rangers are in first place on July 8 for sixth time in franchise history they made the playoffs in three of the first five seasons.

-- Colorado reliever Embree won a game Tuesday night without even throwing one pitch to home plate- he came in, picked a runner off first base, then Colorado scored, won game with Embree getting the win.

-- Andruw Jones hit three homers at Texas whacked the Angels, 8-1.

-- Roy Halladay has a no-trade clause and likes Toronto, but word is he is open to a trade; one place he apparently would veto is Texas.

-- If I own the Mets, I tell Omar Minaya to go all out to make a trade for Roy Halladay-- the franchise needs a jolt of enthusiasm.

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Quote of the Day

"I used to be a heavy gambler. But now I
just make mental bets. That's how I lost my mind."
Steve Allen

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Thursday's quiz: Random knowledge on Class of '09 recruiting

Rivals.com ranked the nation's top 25 recruiting classes in college hoop, here is our take on an interesting article..........Numbers are the rank of the recruiting class for thay school by Rivals.com.

1) Kentucky-- Brought in six signees, four of whom are ranked in top 23 in country, but they lost Meeks and winning with freshmen in SEC ain't going to be like winning with freshmen in Conference USA.

2) Villanova-- Known mostly for perimeter players, Jay Wright brings in a couple of outstanding post players to help keep Villanova in top half of the Big East, which ain't an easy thing to do.

3) Texas-- How does Rick Barnes get the Bradley kid from backyard of Washington Huskies? Then he got SF Hamilton, who is a bigtime scorer and also Williams, who can fill it up from the perimeter. Say what you want about Barnes-- the man is a great recruiter.

4) Georgia Tech-- Paul Hewitt bounces back with a 5-man class that has one player at each position, including big man Favors, top-ranked player in country by some experts. Quick prediction: Tech goes to NCAAs and then Hewitt goes home to be the next coach at St John's.

7) Oklahoma-- Losing the Griffin brothers and Padilla means Sooners are retooling, but they did get elite PG Mason-Griffin and his teammate on AAU circuit, big man Gallon. Capel used his Virginia background to get Pledger, a legitimate threat from the arc.

10) Indiana-- Immediate playing time is a powerful lure to kids, and the Hoosiers have plenty of opportunity after last year's horror of a season. None of their six recruits are in the top 40 nationally, but neither was a kid named Wade when he want to Marquette to play for Tom Crean.

11) Oklahoma State-- Travis Ford brings seven new kids to Stillwater; he needs depth to play fast the way he wants to, and now he has it. Can't wait to see undersized PG Penn play in Ford's fast-paced system.

12) Arizona-- Not only did Sean Miller scurry to bring in five prospects (again, immediate playing time is a strong lure) after being hired to save a dysfunctional program, but his best recruiting came when PG Nic Wise did the smart thing and came back to Tucson for another season.

15) Louisville-- Not only did Pitino bring in four new kids, he upgraded at assistant coach, replacing his son Richard with Ralph Willard, who is a great coach (HC at Western Kentucky, Pitt, Holy Cross). Peyton Siva is a scoring point guard, and Pitino is no stranger to those.

19) Baylor-- Scott Drew may look like a choir boy, but he is excellent recruiter; Bears capitalized this year on couple coaching changes, getting kids who committed to Memphis, Nevada. Crew has had terrific guards in Waco, and now he's bringing in three new ones this season.

20) Kansas State-- They don't pay Michael Beasley's old AAU coach a tidy $450,000 a year to run drills in practice- he gets paid to recruit, so no surprise K-State brings in a strong five-player class, including 18th-ranked player, PF Wally Judge (Wallyworld t-shirts, anyone?)

23) Oregon State-- Craig Robinson brought in pair of 4-star guards and pair of Australian forwards who will lead Beavers into the first division of the Pac-10. It helps to be the President's brother-in-law.

24) Minnesota-- Tubby Smith landed two in-state stars and also got a heady point guard, as well as a kid who washed out of Marquette into a Florida junior college. White is 2nd-rated SF in entire Class of '09.

From: Armadillo
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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:36 AM

MLB
Baseball Today

SCOREBOARD

Thursday, July 9

Toronto at Tampa Bay (12:08 p.m. EDT). How's this for a nice matinee? Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay is scheduled to face talented left-hander David Price in the finale of Toronto's three-game series at Tampa Bay.

STARS

Wednesday

-Andruw Jones, Rangers, homered in his first three at-bats to help Texas rout the Los Angeles Angels 8-1.

-Felipe Lopez, Diamondbacks, hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run rally in the eighth and Arizona defeated San Diego 6-2 to win its season-high fifth straight.

-Tim Wakefield, Red Sox, earned his AL-leading 11th victory and improved to 9-0 in his last 11 starts at Fenway Park with Boston's 5-4 win over Oakland.

-Chris Volstad, Marlins, pitched a five-hitter for his first career complete game, striking out six and not walking a batter as Florida beat San Francisco 7-0.

-A.J. Burnett, Yankees, won his third straight start, overcoming three wild pitches as New York topped Minnesota 4-3.

-Wandy Rodriguez, Astros, pitched a five-hitter and tied a career high by striking out 11, leading Houston over Pittsburgh 5-0.

-Shane Victorino, Phillies, had an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift Philadelphia over Cincinnati 3-2.

STILL SITTING

Marlins All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez is scheduled to start for the National League in next week's All-Star game in St. Louis but has missed four straight games with a right hip flexor. Ramirez hopes to play Thursday at Arizona.

SCORED UPON

Giants rookie Ryan Sadowski allowed his first runs in his third big league start - a 7-0 loss to Florida - after pitching 16 scoreless innings to begin his career. Sadowski's scoreless streak was the longest by a Giants pitcher to start his career since Al Worthington began with 19 in 1953. The 16 scoreless innings topped Hall of Famer Juan Marichal's mark of 15 to start his career in 1960 and also 15 by Dick LeMay in '61.

SLUGGING AWAY

One night after Paul Konerko connected for three homers, Texas' Andruw Jones hit three in his first three at-bats. Jones had two chances to equal the major league record but he popped out and struck out.

STUMPING FOR VOTES

The Phillies have gone all-out to get Shane Victorino selected to the final spot on the All-Star team. He went door-to-door in South Philadelphia with Mayor Michael A. Nutter to campaign for votes on Monday. Three fans in their early 20s have been sitting in the press box lounge since Tuesday afternoon clicking nonstop on their computers for Victorino. Fans in the ballpark and people listening to the game on radio or watching on television have constantly been reminded to "Vote for Shane.''

STREAKING

The Diamondbacks beat the Padres 6-2 to win their season-high fifth straight game and move out of the cellar in the NL West, ahead of San Diego.

TURNAROUND

Colorado beat Washington 10-4 to complete its third sweep in its last five home series and put the Rockies six games over .500 for the first time this season. They have gone 30-15 (.666) since May 21, the best winning percentage in the majors.

OFFENSIVE OUTAGE

After averaging 5.06 runs in going 21-14 through May 16, the Cubs have dipped to 3.43 runs while their record slumped to 20-27. They have been held to one run or fewer 15 times during the 47-game slide. The Cubs led the league in scoring last season but rank 15th in 2009.

TAKING OVER

Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer became eligible for the AL batting race with his three-hit effort against the Yankees. Mauer had been short on plate appearances, but now owns a 26-point lead over Ichiro Suzuki in the batting race. Mauer won the crown last season.

STAT

The Phillies used seven starting pitchers last season when they won the World Series. They have already used nine in 82 games this year.

SPEAKING

"Looking at the standings every day, to not be in last place is big and a breath of fresh air. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but to wake up tomorrow and be out of that is a nice feeling.'' - Arizona manager A.J. Hinch after his team ended their one-month stay in the cellar with a 6-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, wrapping up a three-game sweep.

SEASONS

July 9

1902 - Rube Waddell beat Bill Dinneen 4-2 in 17 innings when light-hitting Monte Cross hit a two-run homer for Philadelphia.

1932 - Ben Chapman of the Yankees hit three homers, including two inside the park, as New York beat the Detroit Tigers 14-9 at Yankee Stadium.

1940 - The NL recorded the first shutout in All-Star play, with a 4-0 win at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Five pitchers - Paul Derringer, Bucky Walters, Whit Wyatt, Larry French, and Carl Hubbell - held the AL to three hits. Max West hit a three-run homer.

1946 - After a one-year break due to war travel restrictions, the Americans trounced the Nationals 12-0 at Fenway Park, the most one-sided of the All-Star games. Ted Williams of the Red Sox didn't disappoint the hometown fans. He hit two homers and two singles for five RBIs.

1968 - Willie McCovey hit into a double play, scoring Willie Mays with the only run of the 39th All-Star game, played at the Houston Astrodome. It was the first game of this series played indoors and the first 1-0 contest in All-Star history.

1976 - Houston's Larry Dierker pitched a no-hitter as the Astros beat Montreal 6-0. Dierker struck out eight and walked four.

1991 - Cal Ripken hit a three-run homer to lead the AL over the NL 4-2 in the All-Star game for the AL's fourth straight victory in the contest.

1996 - Mike Piazza launched an upper-deck home run in his first at-bat and lined an RBI double next time up, leading the National League to a 6-0 victory in the All-Star game in Philadelphia.

2000 - Tyler Houston hit three home runs, tying his career-high with six RBIs, in Milwaukee's 10-2 rout of Detroit.

2002 - Despite Barry Bonds hitting a home run and Torii Hunter making a spectacular catch, the All-Star game finished in a 7-7 tie after 11 innings when both teams ran out of pitchers.

2005 - It took 847 regular-season games at Coors Field, the most any stadium needed, before hosting its first 1-0 game. The lowest total runs scored in a game at Coors Field before Colorado's 1-0 win over San Diego was 2-0. There had been three 2-0 games at the 11-year-old stadium.

2007 - Los Angeles Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero won the Home Run Derby, hitting 17 homers and beating Toronto's Alex Rios 3-2 in the final round of the All-Star competition.

Today's birthday: Miguel Montero 26.

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:37 AM

MLB
This Day in Baseball

On July 9 in Baseball History...

1946 - With seven Red Sox teammates on the A.L. squad, Ted Williams stages a power show with two home runs, two singles, a walk, four runs scored, and four RBI to lead the A.L. to a 12-0 laugher over the N.L. at Fenway Park. The highlight of the All-Star Game is Williams's homer off a Rip Sewell blooper pitch.

1957 - At Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, the A.L. nips the N.L. 6-5 in the 24th All-Star Game. Both teams score three in the ninth inning, but Minnie Minoso's running catch with the bases loaded chokes off the N.L.'s last rally.

1962 - At a meeting held in conjunction with the All-Star Game, the major league players request a reduced schedule for the 1963 season. They also vote unanimously to continue playing two All-Star Games each year.

1963 - Willie Mays is held to a single, but dominates a 5-3 N.L. win in the All-Star Game. He also walks, steals twice, scores twice, bats in a pair, and makes a great catch. It is Stan Musial's 24th All-Star appearance, a record.

1965 - Senators left fielder Frank Howard ties a major-league record with seven strikeouts in Washington's twin-bill split with the Red Sox.

1968 - Appropriately for 1968, pitching dominates the All-Star Game. Willie Mays, playing in place of injured Pete Rose, tallies an unearned run in the first inning against A.L. starter Luis Tiant to complete the scoring for the day. It is the first All-Star effort to end 1-0. Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Ron Reed, and Jerry Koosman hold the A.L. to three hits.

1976 - Astros pitcher Larry Dierker no-hits the Expos 6-0 and evens his record at 8-8. Houston is fourth in the West.

1986 - Atlanta's Dale Murphy does not play in the Braves 7-3 win over the Phillies, ending his consecutive-game streak at 740. Murphy hadn't missed a game since September 1981.

1988 - Chris Speier hits for the cycle and Ernest Riles hits the 10,000th home run in Giants history to lead San Francisco to a 21-2 rout of the Cardinals. The 21 runs are a San Francisco record.

1988 - Nolan Ryan wins his 100th game as an Astro 6-3 over the Mets, becoming the seventh pitcher in Major League history to win 100 for two different clubs. Ryan won 138 games for the Angels in the 1970s.

1991 - At Toronto's SkyDome, the A.L. wins the All-Star Game 4-2 on Cal Ripken, Jr.'s three-run home run off Montreal's Dennis Martinez. The Baltimore shortstop earns MVP honors.

1996 - The N.L. blanks the AL 6-0 in the All-Star Game at Veterans Stadium. Pennsylvania native Mike Piazza is MVP in his hometown return, Cal Ripken, Jr. plays despite having his nose accidentally broken prior to the game, and the N.L. blanks the powerful A.L. bats. However, the TV ratings are the worst since Nielson began tracking the All-Star Game in 1967.

1997 - Kansas City's Bob Boone becomes the first managerial casualty of the year when he is fired during the All-Star break. The Royals, losers of eight straight games, hire Tony Muser as their new skipper and lose four more in a row before finally ending the skid.

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:38 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

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Thursday, July 9
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ST LOUIS (46 - 39) at MILWAUKEE (43 - 40) - 2:05 PM
JOEL PINEIRO (R) vs. MANNY PARRA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 21-10 (+10.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 132-115 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 132-115 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 7-12 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in home games in July games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 16-28 (-16.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 5-11 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PARRA is 3-10 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
PARRA is 3-9 (-7.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 4-3 (+0.7 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

JOEL PINEIRO vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
PINEIRO is 1-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.26 and a WHIP of 1.190.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.1 units)

MANNY PARRA vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
PARRA is 1-1 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.72 and a WHIP of 1.603.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.5 units)

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CINCINNATI (41 - 41) at PHILADELPHIA (43 - 38) - 7:05 PM
MICAH OWINGS (R) vs. JAMIE MOYER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MOYER is 243-167 (+45.0 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 470-544 (+46.3 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 408-489 (+31.0 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 312-355 (+32.9 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 17-23 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 17-23 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 10-17 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 8-17 (-15.7 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2 (+0.7 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

MICAH OWINGS vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
OWINGS is 2-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.409.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-2. (-0.3 units)

JAMIE MOYER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
MOYER is 0-1 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.333.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.3 units)

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LA DODGERS (53 - 30) at NY METS (39 - 43) - 7:10 PM
RANDY WOLF (L) vs. LIVAN HERNANDEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HERNANDEZ is 7-1 (+8.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HERNANDEZ is 9-2 (+10.4 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
HERNANDEZ is 25-14 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA DODGERS are 53-30 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 25-17 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA DODGERS are 53-30 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 39-20 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 36-21 (+12.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WOLF is 40-28 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 128-116 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 128-116 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 18-30 (-11.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against NY METS this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

RANDY WOLF vs. NY METS since 1997
WOLF is 11-5 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.30 and a WHIP of 1.275.
His team's record is 18-11 (+8.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 13-14. (-2.4 units)

LIVAN HERNANDEZ vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 9-13 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.30 and a WHIP of 1.450.
His team's record is 10-19 (-7.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 14-12. (+0.5 units)

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WASHINGTON (24 - 57) at HOUSTON (40 - 42) - 8:05 PM
JOHN LANNAN (L) vs. RUSS ORTIZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 24-57 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 22-52 (-22.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 9-31 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
WASHINGTON is 7-28 (-16.4 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 7-23 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 24-54 (-25.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 15-42 (-25.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
WASHINGTON is 18-41 (-19.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 126-117 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 122-115 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 61-43 (+17.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ORTIZ is 26-12 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in July games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ORTIZ is 101-70 (+25.9 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 14-8 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 79-82 (+17.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

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

JOHN LANNAN vs. HOUSTON since 1997
LANNAN is 3-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.71 and a WHIP of 1.706.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.1 units)

RUSS ORTIZ vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
ORTIZ is 11-6 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.11 and a WHIP of 1.182.
His team's record is 12-6 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-8. (+0.6 units)

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ATLANTA (40 - 43) at COLORADO (44 - 39) - 8:40 PM
TOMMY HANSON (R) vs. AARON COOK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 40-43 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 18-27 (-16.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
ATLANTA is 48-74 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 40-43 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 77-90 (-23.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 23-30 (-12.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 23-7 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in home games in July games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 154-139 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 32-25 (+8.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 35-17 (+18.2 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 2-2 (+1.1 Units) against ATLANTA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

TOMMY HANSON vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

AARON COOK vs. ATLANTA since 1997
COOK is 1-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.26 and a WHIP of 1.263.
His team's record is 3-5 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-2. (+2.9 units)

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FLORIDA (43 - 42) at ARIZONA (35 - 49) - 9:40 PM
ANDREW MILLER (L) vs. YUSMEIRO PETIT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 127-119 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 75-56 (+26.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 33-21 (+21.6 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 123-114 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 89-87 (+7.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 35-49 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 17-28 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ARIZONA is 10-18 (-11.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
ARIZONA is 35-49 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 25-35 (-10.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 8-15 (-9.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
ARIZONA is 35-55 (-24.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 3-1 (+2.7 Units) against FLORIDA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

ANDREW MILLER vs. ARIZONA since 1997
MILLER is 1-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.29 and a WHIP of 1.017.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

YUSMEIRO PETIT vs. FLORIDA since 1997
PETIT is 1-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 0.333.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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SAN DIEGO (35 - 48) at SAN FRANCISCO (46 - 37) - 10:15 PM
JOSH GEER (R) vs. TIM LINCECUM (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 98-146 (-44.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 40-81 (-31.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 20-38 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 98-146 (-44.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 68-108 (-36.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 5-19 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
SAN DIEGO is 37-67 (-25.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 46-37 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 28-13 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 46-37 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 30-25 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 21-11 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 63-56 (+12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 6-2 (+3.9 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.4 Units, Under=-0.7 Units)

JOSH GEER vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
GEER is 1-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

TIM LINCECUM vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
LINCECUM is 3-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 1.43 and a WHIP of 1.189.
His team's record is 7-3 (+3.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-2. (+5.7 units)

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TORONTO (43 - 42) at TAMPA BAY (45 - 39) - 12:08 PM
ROY HALLADAY (R) vs. DAVID PRICE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 56-68 (-36.2 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
TORONTO is 1-10 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents this season.
TAMPA BAY is 150-112 (+27.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 89-40 (+36.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 63-45 (+22.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 33-9 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 90-43 (+33.7 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 96-49 (+34.1 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 108-67 (+34.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 51-20 (+26.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 52-36 (+15.4 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 55-44 (+17.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
HALLADAY is 109-48 (+37.0 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 3-1 (+2.1 Units) against TORONTO this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season. (Under=+4.0 Units)

ROY HALLADAY vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
HALLADAY is 11-8 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.81 and a WHIP of 1.208.
His team's record is 17-9 (+2.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 14-11. (+1.5 units)

DAVID PRICE vs. TORONTO since 1997
No recent starts.

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NY YANKEES (49 - 34) at MINNESOTA (43 - 41) - 1:10 PM
ALFREDO ACEVES (R) vs. R.A. DICKEY (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 5-0 (+5.0 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)

ALFREDO ACEVES vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
No recent starts.

R.A. DICKEY vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
DICKEY is 0-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 7.20 and a WHIP of 1.800.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-0. (+0.0 units)

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CLEVELAND (33 - 51) at CHI WHITE SOX (43 - 40) - 2:05 PM
DAVID HUFF (L) vs. CLAYTON RICHARD (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 33-51 (-22.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 29-49 (-24.9 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 30-45 (-20.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 16-26 (-11.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 133-116 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 76-48 (+14.8 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 64-45 (+17.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 126-93 (+25.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 46-30 (+13.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 73-47 (+22.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 6-4 (+2.9 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.4 Units, Under=-0.7 Units)

DAVID HUFF vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
HUFF is 1-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.400.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

CLAYTON RICHARD vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
RICHARD is 1-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 7.43 and a WHIP of 1.650.
His team's record is 2-1 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

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KANSAS CITY (36 - 47) at BOSTON (50 - 33) - 7:10 PM
LUKE HOCHEVAR (R) vs. BRAD PENNY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 63-110 (-34.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 63-92 (-25.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 85-41 (+21.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-1 (+9.3 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off this season.
BOSTON is 46-26 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 66-35 (+21.8 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.

LUKE HOCHEVAR vs. BOSTON since 1997
HOCHEVAR is 0-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 6.94 and a WHIP of 1.799.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

BRAD PENNY vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
PENNY is 0-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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TEXAS (46 - 36) at SEATTLE (43 - 40) - 10:10 PM
TOMMY HUNTER (R) vs. FELIX HERNANDEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 43-40 (+5.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 40-36 (+5.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 46-36 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 15-7 (+14.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 57-61 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 14-7 (+13.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 32-25 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 16-5 (+11.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
TEXAS is 45-34 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 34-24 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 86-77 (+19.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 67-98 (-29.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 69-99 (-28.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 5-0 (+5.9 Units) against SEATTLE this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

TOMMY HUNTER vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. TEXAS since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 4-9 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.35 and a WHIP of 1.331.
His team's record is 5-13 (-13.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 11-7. (+3.6 units)

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:39 AM

MLB
Write-up

Thursday, July 9

Hot Pitchers
-- Owings is 2-0, 2.13 in his last two starts, but Reds are 2-6 when he starts on the road. Moyer is 3-0, 3.12 in his last three starts.
-- Wolf has a 3.08 RA in his last five starts; Dodgers are 8-3 in his last eleven outings.
-- Lannan is 4-0, 2.80 in his last six starts.
-- Hanson is 4-0, 0.90 in his last five starts. Cook is 5-0, 2.20 in his last six outings.
-- Lincecum is 5-1, 1.98 in his last six starts, and hasn't allowed a run in his last 23 innings on the mound.

-- Twins won five of last six Liriano starts (2-0, 3.79 in last three).
-- Huff is 2-0, 2.07 in his last two road starts.
-- Royals won Hochevar's last three starts (2-0, 2.70). Penny has a 2.51 RA in his last five starts.
-- FHernandez is 3-0, 1.56 in his last seven starts. Hunter is 1-1, 3.18 in his three starts this season.

Cold Pitchers
-- Parra was 0-4, 13.92 in his last five starts before getting sent to AAA where he had an ERA under 3.00, so he's back. Pineiro is 2-9, 4.39 in his last 12 starts.
-- Mets lost last five LHernandez starts (0-3, 6.44).
-- Astros lost last four Ortiz starts (0-2, 5.54).
-- Miller is 0-4, 6.85 in his last four road starts. Petit is 0-3, 8.42 in six starts this season.
-- Padres are 0-6 on the road when Geer starts (0-2, 7.60).

-- Price is 1-3, 10.42 in his last four starts. Toronto lost Halladay's last three starts (0-1, 4.50).
-- Aceves is making first '09 start; he was 1-0, 2.40 in four starts LY.
-- Richard is 1-3, 7.31 in his last seven starts.

Hot Teams
-- Cardinals won five of their last seven games.
-- Phillies won five of their last six games.
-- Dodgers are 14-8 in their last 22 road games.
-- Astros are 16-9 in their last 25 home games.
-- Rockies won 14 of their last 18 home games.
-- Giants are 16-6 in their last 22 home games.

-- Rays won 18 of their last 21 home games.
-- White Sox won six of their last seven home games.
-- Bronx Bombers won 12 of their last 14 games.
-- Red Sox won three of their last four games.
-- Rangers won seven of their last eight games, scoring 58 runs. Mariners are 13-8 in their last twenty-one games.

Cold Teams
-- Reds lost ten of their last fourteen road games.
-- Mets lost nine of their last 14 home games.
-- Brewers lost five of their last seven games.
-- Nationals lost 21 of their last 25 road games.
-- Braves are 5-9 in last 14 road games, but won last two.
-- Arizona lost seven of its last eleven home games. Marlins lost seven of their last nine road games.
-- Padres lost seven of their last eight games overall.

-- Blue Jays lost seven of their last nine road games.
-- Royals are 7-19 in their last 26 road games.
-- Indians lost 16 of their last 20 games.
-- Orioles lost seven of their last eleven games.

Totals
-- Under is 5-0 in Parra's starts at Miller Park.
-- Seven of Phillies' last eight home games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Dodgers' last seven road games.
-- Under is 9-1-2 in last twelve games at Minute Maid Park.
-- Nine of last eleven Atlanta road games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 11-5 in Arizona's last sixteen home games.
-- Four of Geer's last five road starts went over the total.

-- Six of last eight Toronto road games went over the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in Richard's last four starts.
-- Under is 15-5-1 in last twenty-one games at Fenway Park.
-- Six of last seven FHernandez starts stayed under the total.

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:39 AM

MLB

Thursday, July 9

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Trend Report
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12:08 PM
TORONTO vs. TAMPA BAY
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

1:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. MINNESOTA
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Minnesota
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Minnesota's last 11 games
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home

2:05 PM
CLEVELAND vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Chi White Sox's last 23 games at home

2:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. MILWAUKEE
St. Louis is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 6 games at home
Milwaukee is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games

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

7:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. BOSTON
Kansas City is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Boston
Kansas City is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
Boston is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games at home

7:10 PM
LA DODGERS vs. NY METS
LA Dodgers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games
NY Mets are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of NY Mets's last 10 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Houston
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games at home

8:40 PM
ATLANTA vs. COLORADO
Atlanta is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

9:40 PM
FLORIDA vs. ARIZONA
Florida is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Arizona
Florida is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Arizona's last 23 games at home
Arizona is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

10:10 PM
TEXAS vs. SEATTLE
Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 7 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Seattle's last 20 games at home

10:15 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
San Diego is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games on the road
San Francisco is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing San Diego
The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Francisco's last 13 games when playing San Diego

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:40 AM

MLB

Thursday, July 9

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

Florida Marlins at Arizona Diamondbacks (+112, 9.5)

The Diamondbacks aren't a great team, but they have been very good at one thing this season: scoring runs at home.

Arizona has crossed home plate 204 times in its own backyard, the 11-most in baseball. The team also is batting a respectable .262 BA in their house to go with an MLB-high 100 doubles at home. On the flip side, the team is doing some of its best pitching of the entire season, as it has allowed a total of just 20 runs in its past five games – all wins.

In the other dugout, Florida is just 2-7 in its past three road series and bats a meager .242 BA away from home – the sixth lowest total in the majors.

"Obviously the year has been a little sloppy, so coming out and winning , it's a good sign," Arizona pitcher Doug Davis told the Associated Press. "It looks like we're being more aggressive and starting to care a little bit more and taking pride in this game."

Pick: Arizona +112

Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox (-120, 10)

The White Sox playing the Indians is an interesting paradox for bettors. Chicago has been consistently under the total this season, with an over/under record of 33-48-2. Conversely, Cleveland is one of the best over teams at 45-37-2 over/under.

Making this game even tougher to call, is that in the teams’ 10 meetings this season, five have gone over and five have gone under. And with David Huff (6.06 ERA) taking the mound for Cleveland and Clayton Richard (4.75 ERA) for Chicago, this game won’t exactly be a pitcher’s duel.

Chicago, however, is finally playing well and has won eight of 10. That trend should continue Thursday, but with those two gas cans on the mound, batters should stay loose.

"I think we're playing really well right now," White Sox pitcher John Danks told the Associated Press. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. there's still a lot of baseball to be played. But over this past week we've played up to our capabilities. We've been saying all along we're better than what we've been playing like."

Pick: Over 10

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:40 AM

MLB

Thursday, July 9

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

Streaking

Tim Lincecum (San Francisco Giants)

The reigning NL Cy Young winner might soon have to change his own definition for “quality start.”

The dominant right-hander has lasted at least seven innings his past six starts, including three complete games, and has allowed more than two earned runs only once since May 15. Lincecum (9-2, 2.23 ERA) followed up his complete game, two-hit shutout of the Cardinals last month by going seven innings and giving up no runs on three hits against Houston.

All this is terrible news for the Padres, which have scored a league-low 318 runs. But be careful. San Diego is 2-0 against the Giants in Lincecum starts this season.

Tommy Hanson (Atlanta Braves)

The 22-year-old right-hander is wasting no time in becoming one of the rocks of Atlanta’s starting rotation. Hanson (4-0, 2.25 ERA) has improved every single start this season, and barely saw his scoreless innings streak come to a halt last week.

Before allowing a solo home run to Washington’s Adam Dunn, Hanson had thrown 26 straight innings without letting a runner cross home plate. And despite Dunn’s blast, Hanson still managed to only give up one run on three hits in seven innings – his longest outing of the season.

If Hanson can find a way to shut down the Rockies, who rank in the Top 10 in runs scored at home and against right-handed pitchers. he should get even more attention.

Slumping

Manny Parra (Milwaukee Brewers)

Welcome back to the big leagues, Manny.

Demoted last month after allowing 21 earned runs in just 11 1-3 innings in three straight starts, Parra is poised to make his return to the Brew Crew. But the Brewers starting rotation needs all the help it can get.

Parra has a 7.52 ERA with a record of 3-8. But even more troubling is his 1.92 WHIP (walks + hits over innings pitched) as he has walked at least two batters in every start this season.

The best hope for Parra against the Cardinals? Albert Pujols forgets to set his alarm.

"No matter how hard you throw,” Brewers manager Ken Macha told the Associated Press, “if you're throwing in the 90s, 92, 93, and you throw it in the middle of the plate it gets hit.”

David Price (Tampa Bay Rays)

The Ray’s young star appeared to have it figured out after allowing just two hits and an earned run in 6 1-3 innings in a victory over Florida.

But after Texas pounded him for six earned runs in just 1 1-3 innings, in which he walked six batters, last week, the performance against the Marlins looks more and more like an aberration.

Prior to his quality start against the Fish, Price yielded a combined 15 runs and 17 hits in just 11 1-3 innings. And with Toronto on tap, he figures to have a small margin for error.

"I'm embarrassed," Price told the Associated Press. "I can't really put any words on it. I needed to stop the bleeding and I let us down."

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**pm530** · 07-09-2009, 05:54 AM

CFL
Week 2 Schedule

Thu Jul 9
7:30 PM
Edmonton @ Montreal

Fri Jul 10

7:30 PM
Calgary @ Winnipeg

10:30 PM
Hamilton @ BC

Sat Jul 11

1:00 PM
Saskatchewan @ Toronto

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CFL
Dunkel Index

Edmonton at Montreal[/B]
The Alouettes look to build on their 5-2 ATS record in their last 7 home games. Montreal is the pick (-7) according to Dunkel, which has Montreal favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-7). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 9

Game 401-402: Edmonton at Montreal
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 112.449; Montreal 119.902
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 7 1/2; 50
Vegas Line: Montreal by 7; 52 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-7); Under

FRIDAY, JULY 10

Game 403-404: Calgary at Winnipeg
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 115.609; Winnipeg 107.933
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 7 1/2; 49
Vegas Line: Calgary by 5 1/2; 52
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-5 1/2); Under

Game 405-406: Hamilton at BC
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 101.622; BC 111.780
Dunkel Line: BC by 10; 57
Vegas Line: BC by 13; 50
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+13); Over

SATURDAY, JULY 11

Game 407-408: Saskatchewan at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 108.969; Toronto 112.231
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 3 1/2; 56
Vegas Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 52
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-2 1/2); Over

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CFL
Long Sheet

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Thursday, July 9
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EDMONTON (1 - 0) at MONTREAL (1 - 0) - 7/9/2009, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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Friday, July 10
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CALGARY (0 - 1) at WINNIPEG (0 - 1) - 7/10/2009, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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HAMILTON (0 - 1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (0 - 1) - 7/10/2009, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HAMILTON is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 5-18 ATS (-14.8 Units) as a favorite of 10 or more points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 2-2 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 4-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, July 11
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 0) at TORONTO (1 - 0) - 7/11/2009, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 127-97 ATS (+20.3 Units) in all games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 127-97 ATS (+20.3 Units) in all lined games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 85-52 ATS (+27.8 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 116-87 ATS (+20.3 Units) in games played on turf since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in July games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) off a division game over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in home games in July games since 1996.

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

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CFL
Write-up

Thursday, July 9

Edmonton (1-0) @ Montreal (1-0)-- Eskimos (+6) lost 36-26 here LY in CFL semifinals; they beat Winnipeg 19-17 last week, despite being -3 in turnovers and allowing Bombers 162 rushing yards (5.8/carry). Als won 40-27 at Calgary last week, avenging loss in LY's Grey Cup.

Friday, July 10

Calgary (0-1) @ Winnipeg (0-1)-- Defending champ Stampeders gave up 27 points in first half last week, lost 40-27 at home to Montreal-- they were outgained 431-301 and had just 54 rushing yards. Bombers had an 162-33 edge in rushing yards at Edmonton last week, but lost 19-17.

Hamilton (0-1) @ BCLions (0-1)-- TiCats were down 30-3 to Toronto at half last week in their home opener- they allowed Argos 7.6 yards per rush, and were -2 in turnovers. Lions had just 103 passing yards in loss at Regina, a sloppy game (BC had six turnovers, 10 penalties/90 yards).

Saturday, July 11

Saskatchewan (1-0) @ Toronto (1-0)-- Roughriders also turned ball over six times last week, and had 128 penalty yards, but they escaped with a win, outgaining Lions 314-217. Hard to tell if Argos pulled in reins after crushing Hamilton in first half last week- they completed just 14 of 29 passes, which isn't good, but they didn't turn ball over either.

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CFL

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Trend Report
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Thursday, July 9

7:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. MONTREAL
Edmonton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Edmonton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Montreal is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Edmonton
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton

Friday, July 10

7:30 PM
CALGARY vs. WINNIPEG
Calgary is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Calgary is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Winnipeg is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Calgary
Winnipeg is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Calgary

10:30 PM
HAMILTON vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Hamilton is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
Hamilton is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
British Columbia is 3-8-1 ATS in its last 12 games at home
British Columbia is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home

Saturday, July 11

1:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. TORONTO
Saskatchewan is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Saskatchewan is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Saskatchewan
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Saskatchewan

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CFL

Thursday, July 9

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Canadian bacon: CFL Week 2 preview and picks
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Thursday, July 9

Edmonton Eskimos (1-0) at Montreal Alouettes (1-0)

In the absence of running back Jesse Lumsden, the American Arkee Whitlock will play his first game in the CFL against the Alouettes, sharing duties with non-import Calvin McCarthy.

Will that be enough to help Ricky Ray and his troops develop the anaemic offence that was deployed last week against the Blue Bombers?

One thing bettors can be sure of, the Eskimos can’t afford to be as sloppy in Montreal against the Als, otherwise they will get an embarrassing beating. Even if the Alouettes are without slotbacks Jamel Richardson and Eric Deslauriers, Anthony Calvillo will rely on their replacements, S.J. Green and Danny Desriveaux, who are both very capable.

Prediction: Montreal -7

Friday, July 10

Calgary Stampeders (0-1) at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-1)

The Blue Bombers defence showed nice things in the loss to the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 1. But young QB Stefan LeFors didn’t convince us he has what it takes to bring Winnipeg to the highest level.

This said, the defensive front of the Stampeders didn’t look good against the Alouettes and quick running backs like Fred Reid and Lavarus Giles could have a field day.

But even if they do, it is quite difficult to imagine Henry Burris and the Stampeders having another sloppy game like the one they had against the Montreal Alouettes. Even if Ken-Yon Rambo was to miss a second game due to injury, Burris can throw the ball with confidence to the amazing Titus Ryan or reliable receivers Nik Lewis, Jeremaine Copeland and Brett Ralph. The Stampeders are just too strong to fall in Winnipeg’s trap.

Prediction: Calgary -6

Hamilton Tiger Cats (0-1) at B.C. Lions (0-1)

It is always very tough for any team from the Eastern Conference to win in the West, let alone Vancouver. It’s even worse when you have to face a Lions team that just lost its previous game.

Quarterback Quinton Porter has a lot to prove yet after running nine times instead of passing, like he did against the Argos. The Lions offensive line still looks pretty fragile but we can’t envision the defensive front of the Ti-Cats taking advantage of it to unsettle Buck Pierce like the Saskatchewan Roughriders managed to do last week.

The Lions running game is also their Achilles’ heel but their passing game should cut the Tiger Cats secondary in pieces. No team in the East won against the Lions in Vancouver since 2004. The Tiger Cats won’t reverse that trend in Week 2.

Prediction: B.C. -13

Saturday, July 11

Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0) at Toronto Argonauts (1-0)

This will probably be the most exciting game of the week - one where the winner will be decided in the last seconds of the fourth quarter, if not in overtime.

The Roughriders stunned bettors by beating B.C. last week and Darian Durant was more than instrumental in that win. But the Argos have an improved offensive line and QB Kerry Joseph has many good targets to choose from, starting with Arland Bruce III. Running back Jamal Robertson has also been impressive in Week 1.

Despite the nice victory against B.C., they are still too many question marks regarding the Roughriders to think they could win this one in Toronto. This being said, the spread between the winner and loser will probably be minimal.

Prediction: Toronto -3

Last week: 2-2

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**Udog** · 07-09-2009, 07:54 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Sacramento at Seattle
The Storm look to take advantage of a Sacramento team that is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 road games. Seattle is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Storm favored by 10. Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-9). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 9

Game 651-652: Los Angeles at New York
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 113.331; New York 116.762
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 3 1/2; 150 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 2 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New York (-2 1/2); Over

Game 653-654: Sacramento at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 108.097; Seattle 118.122
Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 10; 138
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 9; 140
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-9); Under

WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, July 9

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LOS ANGELES (3 - 6) at NEW YORK (3 - 6) - 7/9/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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SACRAMENTO (3 - 8) at SEATTLE (7 - 4) - 7/9/2009, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 26-44 ATS (-22.4 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
SEATTLE is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games in July games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in home games in May, June, or July games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 46-28 ATS (+15.2 Units) on Thursday since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 14-2 ATS (+11.8 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 6-3 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 5-4 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Thursday, July 9

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets
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Los Angeles Sparks at New York Liberty (-3, 141)

The Sparks have no problem playing defense. But they aren’t good at stopping quality teams or finding a way to keep teams off the scoreboard on the road.

Los Angeles (3-6) welcomed back star Candace Parker last week, but she scored a meager six points in a 104-89 loss to Phoenix. It was the team’s first home loss, not a good sign for a squad that is 0-5 away from the Staples Center and about to embark on a six-game road trip.

The Sparks were ranked third in the league in team defense, allowing 69.88 points a game, but were hammered by the Mercury. Phoenix shot nearly 50 percent from the floor in the second half.

And just before Los Angeles gets ready to face the Liberty, it’s never a good idea to hear a coach sound like he’s rolled up the white flag already.

"I think we need to go 3-3,” Spark coach Michael Cooper told the Los Angeles Times of the upcoming road trip. "It's just about sustaining your defensive effort for 40 minutes.

New York (3-6), meantime, is coming off an 80-64 win over Detroit, one of its most convincing performances of the season.

Pick: Liberty

Sacramento Monarchs at Seattle Storm (-9, 139.5)

Don’t look now, but the Monarchs are…streaking? It’s tough to say that about a 3-8 team, but Sacramento has rattled off two straight wins and appears to be getting several key players back from injury at the same time.

"This team is not willing to make excuses," forward DeMya Walker told the Sacramento Bee. "We know what our record is. … But we're responding to it well, and we're not quitting. Everybody comes ready to work every day, and that's what it's going to take to turn it around. You don't see any droopy faces."

But it will take more than hard work to top the powerhouse Storm (7-4). The team showed its depth last week when Swin Cash led her team to a 66-53 win over the Silver Stars. Cash was money with 18 points and 12 rebounds as star Lauren Jackson struggled to establish herself. Point guard Sue Bird was also big, chipping in 17 points.

The Monarchs might be rapidly improving, but they can’t stop the Storm from bringing the rain.

Pick: Storm

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**Udog** · 07-09-2009, 07:56 AM

MLB
Dunkel

NY Yankees at Minnesota
The Twins look to build on their 4-0 record in Francisco Liriano's last 4 starts as an underdog. Minnesota is the pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Twins favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+115). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 9

Game 901-902: St. Louis at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Pineiro) 15.692; Milwaukee (Parra) 14.503
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 10
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-115); Over

Game 903-904: Cincinnati at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Owings) 15.077; Philadelphia (Moyer) 13.990
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-150); 10
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+140); Over

Game 905-906: LA Dodgers at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Wolf) 14.965; NY Mets (Hernandez) 13.549
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-150); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-150); Over

Game 907-908: Washington at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Lannan) 14.582; Houston (Ortiz) 15.728
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Houston (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-120); Over

Game 909-910: Atlanta at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hanson) 15.627; Colorado (Cook) 15.905
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Colorado (-130); 9
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-130); Under

Game 911-912: Florida at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Miller) 16.338; Arizona (Petit) 15.632
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Arizona (-125); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+115); Under

Game 913-914: San Diego at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Geer) 14.053; San Francisco ((Lincecum) 16.106
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-280); 7
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-280); Under

Game 915-916: Toronto at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Halladay) 16.227; Tampa Bay (Price) 14.486
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Toronto (-140); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-140); Under

Game 917-918: NY Yankees at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Aceves) 15.476; Minnesota (Liriano) 16.088
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-125); 10
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+115); Over

Game 919-920: Cleveland at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Huff) 14.301; White Sox (Richard) 14.188
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-125); 10
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+115); Under

Game 921-922: Kansas City at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Hochevar) 14.362; Boston (Penny) 15.821
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-200); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-200); Under

Game 923-924: Texas at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Hunter) 16.010; Seattle (Hernandez) 15.065
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Seattle (-180); 8
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+170); Under

**Udog** · 07-09-2009, 10:29 AM

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, 7/9/2009

National League

ST LOUIS at MILWAUKEE, 2:05 PM ET
PINEIRO: STL 8-1 OVER revenging a one run loss
PARRA: 3-12 TSR in the second half of the season

CINCINNATI at PHILADELPHIA, 7:05 PM ET
OWINGS: CIN 19-7 UNDER after 3+ consecutive road games
MOYER: PHI 21-6 after scoring 3 runs or less in BB games

LA DODGERS at NY METS, 7:10 PM ET
WOLF: 26-12 UNDER in night games
HERNANDEZ: 10-2 TSR as a home underdog of +125 or more

WASHINGTON at HOUSTON, 8:05 PM ET
LANNAN: WAS 8-36 AWAY when the total is 7 to 8.5
ORTIZ: 26-12 TSR in July

ATLANTA at COLORADO, 8:40 PM ET
HANSON: ATL 33-16 after 3+ consecutive unders
COOK: 1-10 TSR at home after 3+ consecutive wins

FLORIDA at ARIZONA, 9:40 PM ET
MILLER: FLA 20-8 OVER revenging BB home losses
PETIT: ARI 8-15 against left-handed starters

SAN DIEGO at SAN FRANCISCO, 10:15 PM ET
GEER: SD 17-8 OVER AWAY against right-handed starters
LINCECUM: SF 24-12 at home when the total is 7 to 8.5

American League

TORONTO at TAMPA BAY, 12:08 PM ET
HALLADAY: TOR 1-11 AWAY against division opponents
PRICE: TB 11-0 at home after allowing 9+ runs

NY YANKEES at MINNESOTA, 1:10 PM ET
ACEVES: NYY 4-1 in games played in a dome
LIRIANO: MIN 6-18 against AL East

CLEVELAND at CHI WHITE SOX, 2:05 PM ET
HUFF: CLE 8-18 playing with double revenge
RICHARD: CHW 13-4 UNDER as a home favorite of -125 to -150

KANSAS CITY at BOSTON, 7:10 PM ET
HOCHEVAR: KC 17-6 UNDER AWAY against right-handed starters
PENNY: BOS 12-3 UNDER as a home favorite of -150 to -200

TEXAS at SEATTLE, 10:10 PM ET
HUNTER: TEX 17-5 against division opponents
HERNANDEZ: SEA 15-4 UNDER playing with double revenge

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 07-09-2009, 11:06 AM

MLB

Thursday, July 9

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Tips and Trends
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Atlanta Braves at Colorado Rockies [8:40 PM ET]

Braves: The Braves have gone under the total in their last five games. They are averaging 2.8 runs in their past five games. Rookie Tommy Hanson (4-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his seventh big-league start. Hanson has lived up to his huge minor league hype as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball by allowing three runs in his last five starts spanning 30 innings. The right-hander has given up just one run in his last 26 1/3 innings. Atlanta is 5-1 in Hanson’s starts. The under has cashed in Hanson’s past five starts. Hanson, though, only has a 23-to-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Rafael Soriano has saved games the past two days, while throwing 34 pitches. Chipper Jones has missed the last two games because of a groin injury. Atlanta’s hottest hitter is utility man Martin Prado, who is batting .462 in the last nine games.

The Under is 28-10-5 in Atlanta’s past 43 games versus a right-handed starter.
Atlanta is 2-6 in its last eight games against National League West clubs.

Key Injuries - Chipper Jones (groin) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Rockies (-$1.30 O/U 9 under -$1.15): Since May 12, the Rockies have compiled the best record in baseball at 30-15. They have won 14 games in a row versus National League opponents outside of the West Division. The Rockies have won 13 of their last 15 against teams with a losing record. Aaron Cook (8-3, 3.76 ERA) got the wind knocked out of him in his last start, but says he’s fine to make this start. The Rockies are 7-1 in Cook’s last eight starts with four days rest. The right-handed sinker ball specialist gave up two earned runs on nine hits in five-plus innings against the Diamondbacks in his last start, but lost a chance for a victory when his bullpen failed to hold a lead. Cook is going for his sixth consecutive win, which would be a club record. He’s yielded just nine earned runs in his last six starts spanning 41 innings.

The Over is 18-4-1 in Cook’s last 22 home starts against a team with a losing record.
The Over is 19-8-2 in Cook’s last 29 starts overall.

Key Injuries - Manny Corpas (elbow) is on the DL

PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)

Kansas City Royals at Boston Red Sox [7:10 PM ET]

Royals: The Royals have struggled against American League East competition losing 100 of their past 147 games to AL East teams. Kansas City has lost six of its last seven at Fenway Park. The Royals are 7-19 in their last 26 overall road contests. Luke Hochevar (4-3, 5.08 ERA), however, is starting to live up to his status as a high draft choice. The third-year right-hander had his best month as a Major Leaguer in June going 3-1 with a 2.94 ERA. The Royals are 5-1 in Hochevar’s past six starts. In his last three starts, Hochevar has given up six earned runs and 14 hits in 20 innings. The key for Hochevar is winning on the road where his ERA is 6.55. Kansas City has lost six of Hochevar’s last eight away outings. Hochevar is 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA in two career starts versus Boston, both coming last year.

The Under is 8-1-1 in Kansas City’s past 10 games.
The Under is 20-6-2 in the Royals’ last 28 road contests versus a right-handed starter.

Key Injuries - John Buck (back) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Red Sox (-$2.00, O/U 9.5): Boston has defeated Kansas City 17 of the last 22 times at home. The Red Sox also are a powerful 82-37 in their last 119 home games when facing a right-handed starter. Brad Penny (6-3, 4.67 ERA) continues to pitch well after a slow start. The 31-year-old righty has surrendered just seven earned runs in his last five starts, giving up 27 hits in 28 2/3 innings. Boston is 6-2 in Penny’s last eight starts at Fenway Park. The under has cashed six of the last seven times Penny has taken the mound. Penny gave up two runs on six hits in six innings during his last start on Saturday against the Mariners. Penny has faced the Royals just once, back in 2005 when he took a loss allowing three runs on eight hits in seven innings when he played for the Dodgers.

The Red Sox are 37-14 in their last 51 games versus American League Central Division foes.

Key Injuries - Mike Lowell (hip) is on the DL.

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

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Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 7/9 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 7/9 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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