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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:47 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, July 23

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The PGA Tour hits the links in Canada, the Yankees take on the Athletics, and the Diamondbacks send their ace to the hill.

Colliding in the Junior Circuit . . .

CC Sabathia (9-6, 3.66 ERA) will try to pitch the Yankees to a win on Thursday night when he takes on the Athletics and Vin Mazzaro (2-6, 4.09 ERA). Lefthander Sabathia dominated the Tigers in his last trip to the mound, tossing seven shutout innings and giving up just five hits in the victory. New York is 5-5 in Sabathia's last 10 starts. Righthander Mazzaro was knocked around by the Angels last time out, giving up eight runs (four earned) over three innings pitched.

Also on the American League schedule for Thursday: Cleveland at Toronto, Seattle at Detroit, Tampa Bay at the White Sox, and Minnesota at the Angels. The Twins will go with Scott Baker (8-7, 5.10 ERA) on Thursday night; righthander Baker has won two straight starts, holding the Rangers to one run over eight innings last time out. Jered Weaver (10-3, 3.48 ERA) took a no-decision versus the Athletics last week, surrendering five runs over 3 2-3 innings.

Clashing in the Senior Circuit . . .

There are just four games on the National League schedule for Thursday, with San Francisco at Atlanta, St. Louis at Washington, San Diego at Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh at Arizona. Probable Pirates starter Charlie Morton (2-2, 3.21 ERA) cruised to a win over the Giants last time out, holding them scoreless on three hits over seven innings of work. The Diamondbacks will counter with Dan Haren (10-5, 1.96 ERA), who has earned the victory in each of his last four starts.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

The PGA Tour is at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario this week for the RBC Canadian Open. Retief Goosen is pegged as the 8/1 Vegas favorite to capture the tournament, with Anthony Kim (10/1), Camilo Villegas (15/1), and Sean O'Hair (15/1) following him on the odds list. Also pegged at 15/1 is Canadian Mike Weir, while countryman Stephen Ames sits just back at 20/1. Luke Donald (20/1) and Kevin Na (25/1) complete the first tier of contenders at the tournament.

The Canadian Football League begins Week 4 action on Thursday night with Hamilton at Montreal. The undefeated Alouettes (3-0 straight-up and against-the-spread) pounded Saskatchewan 43-10 last time out, and they've put up 133 points over their first three games. The surprising Tiger-Cats (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) got past Winnipeg 25-13 in their last contest. Oddsmakers have the Alouettes listed as 14-point home favorites for Friday, with the total pegged at 54.5 points.

Finally, there are three WNBA games on tap for Thursday, with Chicago at Washington, Sacramento at New York, and Indiana at San Antonio. The Fever improved to 12-3 SU (10-5 ATS) with an 82-70 win over Washington on Tuesday night; Indiana's 11-game winning streak had come to an end in their previous contest. The Silver Stars sit at 6-8 SU and 5-9 ATS on the season after falling to Chicago 85-75 last time out. Becky Hammon picked up 22 points in that defeat.

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:49 AM

Six-pack for Thursday

-- Credit to the surging Astros, who historically play better in second half of the season; their owner has established in past that they play to win at all times, and it shows.

-- Washington Nationals may still have worst record in baseball, but the Nats' squad that takes the field these days is in no way the worst team in baseball-- their pitching and defense are vastly improved.

-- Carl Crawford made another great catch against the leftfield wall last night, robbing Konerko of a home run. It was very similar to the one he made in the All-Star Game, only he hit the fence harder this time.

-- Manny Ramirez drilled a tie-breaking grand slam on the only pitch he saw Wednesday, on Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Night; Dodgers beat Cincinnati 6-2, behind Billingsley.

-- Red Sox have now lost five games in row; despite being 8-0 against Bronx Bombers this season, they're now two games behind Bronx.

-- Mets are an unmitigated disaster; now it comes out that assistant GM Tony Bernazard challenged the AA Binghamton Mets to a fight on the team bus, and last week got into verbal battle with star reliever Francisco Rodriguez. At least someone is upset the Mets are losing.

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Thursday's quiz: Nobody asked me, but..........

13) A scout following the Oakland A's told Oakland TV announcer Ray Fosse the radar gun at the Coliseum is at least 2 mph faster than what was showing up on the scouts' radar gun. Not everyone throws 96.

12) Red Sox' acquisition of Adam LaRoche means Mike Lowell's health is in question. Usually I bash the Buccos for dumping salary, but this is a good move, in my opinion. LaRoche is average but makes $7M, and now they can catch Jaramillo and play Doumit at 1B, or bring Walker up and put him at 1B, or play Moss at 1B. LaRoche is no great loss.

11) How great is Miguel Tejada? What a leader and clutch player; the worst thing Billy Beane has ever done, other than re-sign Jason Giambi, was let Tejada go without trying to sign him. He gave Eric Chavez a ton of money instead, and we know how that turned out. Not good.

10) Tony Romo's career record in December/January games: 5-10.

9) Kid named Jesse Holley was winner of Michawl Irvin's reality show, and gets an invite to Cowboys' training camp; Holley was backup point guard on North Carolina's national title hoop team in 2005, and had also played some football while at Chapel Hill. He was in training camp with the Bengals two years ago, so he's not a total stranger to the NFL.

8) Tennessee Volunteers had the 115th-ranked offense last year (out of 119) and have already lost four players to injury this offseason- they'll have the same two QBs as LY. Lane Kiffin has already fired one strength coach, and it is looking like 2009 could be a very long year for someone who has made himself a lightning rod for controversy, without having coached a college football game.

7) I kind of wish I was making this up, but there is a Texas high school All-Star football game this Saturday- they're advertising it in between innings on Texas Ranger telecasts. Saturday is July freakin' 25th; how early do they start football practice in Texas?

6) Starting in 2011, both the WCC and WAC conference hoop tourneys will be played at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, plus the MWC event is at the Thomas and Mack Center, so America's favorite city, which we will be visiting in October, is rapidly becoming a college hoops hotbed.

5) Kind of ironic that Ed O'Bannon is suing the NCAA over use of the players' images in video games; it was the NCAA that put UNLV on probation after O'Bannon committed to the Rebels, which caused him to switch allegiances to UCLA, and effectively ended the UNLV tenure of coaching legend Jerry Tarkanian. What goes around comes around.

4) Steve Nash signed for two years, $22M with Phoenix, but if they're going to trade Amare Stoudemire before he walks as a free agent after next season, who will Nash have around to pass the ball to?

3) Georgetown Hoyas are playing Washington at the Wooden Classic in Anaheim Dec. 12, the Hoyas first trip to California in eight years. In the other game on the card, UCLA takes on Mississippi State, so that is a strong doubleheader for a December Saturday.

2) Johnny Dawkins got himself a commit from one of the better point guards in Class of 2010, getting a kid from Bellevue, WA to sign with his Stanford Cardinal. Dawkins is on his way to being the best head coach of the Coach K Coaching Tree, in only his second year on The Farm. Right now, Mike Brey probably is the best of the former Duke assistants.

1) I wish high school kids could go straight to the pros, but then kids who went to college committed to go there for three years, just like the baseball system. This is a model that has proven to work in baseball; it would work in basketball, too.

From: Armadillo
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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:49 AM

CFL
Dunkel Index

Hamilton at Montreal
The Tiger-Cats look to build on their 9-3 ATS record in their last 12 meetings in Montreal. Hamilton is the pick (+14 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Alouettes favored by 13 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+14 1/2). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 23

Game 401-402: Hamilton at Montreal
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 110.713; Montreal 124.069
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 13 1/2; 55 1/2
Vegas Line: Montreal by 14 1/2; 54 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+14 1/2); Over

FRIDAY, JULY 24

Game 403-404: Toronto at Winnipeg
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 101.899; Winnipeg 107.123
Dunkel Line: Winnipeg by 5; 57
Vegas Line: Winnipeg by 3 1/2; 50 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (-3 1/2); Over

Game 405-406: Calgary at BC
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 112.335; BC 110.229
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 2; 54
Vegas Line: Calgary by 3; 57 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BC (+3); Under

SATURDAY, JULY 25

Game 407-408: Edmonton at Saskatchewan
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 102.959; Saskatchewan 109.168
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 6; 56 1/2
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 4; 53 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (-4); Over

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:50 AM

CFL
Long Sheet

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Thursday, July 23

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HAMILTON (2 - 1) at MONTREAL (3 - 0) - 7/23/2009, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 4-3 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 6-1 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Friday, July 24

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TORONTO (1 - 2) at WINNIPEG (1 - 2) - 7/24/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 5-3 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 4-4 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CALGARY (1 - 2) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (1 - 2) - 7/24/2009, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

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

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Saturday, July 25

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EDMONTON (1 - 2) at SASKATCHEWAN (2 - 1) - 7/25/2009, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 117-88 ATS (+20.2 Units) in games played on turf since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 38-17 ATS (+19.3 Units) in July games since 1996.

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

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:51 AM

CFL
Write-up

Week 4 CFL games

Thursday, July 23

Hamilton (2-1) @ Montreal (3-0)-- Alouettes been rolling thru CFL so far this year, scoring 40-50-43 points in three easy wins. TiCats are their first game vs eastern opponent this season. Als ran ball for 176-118-145 yards so far in '09. TiCats posted upset wins last two weeks, in games that were both tied at half- they've outscored teams 45-21 in second half.

Friday, July 24

Toronto (1-2) @ Winnipeg (1-2)-- Argos gave up 46-44 points in losing last two games; they've been outscored 45-0 in second half of their two road games. Argos turned ball over five times in each of last two games. Bombers have run ball 29 times for 19 yards in three games, completed less than half their passes in all three games, but are +7 in turnovers.

Calgary (1-2) @ BCLions (1-2)-- Both teams won first game last week, as Stampeders crushed Toronto 44-9, but Stamps still had 16 penalties, have 30 in last two games. Underdog won all three Lion games, with all three going over total- BC protected ball better in first win last week, with just one turnover, after giving ball away eight times first two games.

Saturday, July 25

Edmonton (1-2) @ Saskatchewan (2-1)-- Roughriders have QB issues, as evidenced by Graham Harrell signing- they have only 325 passing yards in last two games. Eskimos gave up 750 passing yards and 90 points in getting waxed last two weeks- in three '09 games, they've been outscored 70-28 in second half. First time Saskatchewan has been favored in 2009.

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:51 AM

CFL

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Trend Report
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Thursday, July 23

7:30 PM
HAMILTON vs. MONTREAL
Hamilton is 4-15 SU in its last 19 games
Hamilton is 2-18 SU in its last 20 games on the road
Montreal is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Hamilton
Montreal is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Hamilton

Friday, July 24

7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. WINNIPEG
Toronto is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Toronto is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Winnipeg is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:30 PM
CALGARY vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Calgary is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Calgary is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
British Columbia is 3-9-1 ATS in its last 13 games at home
British Columbia is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games at home

Saturday, July 25

4:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Edmonton is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Edmonton is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:52 AM

CFL

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Canadian bacon: CFL Week 4 preview and picks
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Thursday, July 23

HAMILTON TIGER CATS (2-1) at MONTREAL ALOUETTES (3-0)

The Tiger Cats would love to steal a victory in Montreal and take hold of first place in the East Division. But they will be without linebacker Otis Floyd and don’t have the depth necessary to overtake the Als at this time in the season. Flamboyant slotback Jamal Richardson, who missed last week’s game in Regina, will be back and provides QB Anthony Calvillo another quality target. The Alouettes will remain unbeaten and should cover the 14.5 spread.

Pick: Alouettes

Friday, July 24

TORONTO ARGONAUTS (1-2) at WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (1-2)

Toronto will be without wide receivers Andre Talbot (sprained ankle) and Matt Lambros (knee) but youngster Mike Bradwell showed he can provide a fine target for Kerry Joseph. The Argos just can’t seem to run the ball consistently despite the obvious talent of running back Jamal Robertson. Former Bombers Dominic Picard and Zeke Moreno would probably like to help the Argos win this one even if they were downplaying any feeling of revenge this week. In Winnipeg, the heat is now on young QB Stefan LeFors and head coach Mike Kelly. This game could be ugly at times and we will carefully go with the Argos on this one.

Pick: Argonauts

CALGARY STAMPEDERS (1-2) at B.C. LIONS (1-2)

There is already a quarterback controversy in Vancouver after Jarious Jackson came off the bench to win one for the Lions after Buck Pierce suffered a concussion. Wally Buono insists Pierce is still the No. 1 man but the pressure to perform is definitely there more than ever. No such controversy in Calgary where Henry Burris finally played to the level expected last week against the Argos, completing 23-of-32 for 348 yards and one touchdown. The Stampeders will prevail in B.C.

Pick: Calgary

Saturday, July 25

EDMONTON ESKIMOS (1-2) at SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (2-1)

After a great start, the Saskatchewan Roughriders were crushed by the Alouettes last week. The defence did, however, stand strong for the first 30 minutes, managing to limit Anthony Calvillo’s bunch to only 14 points. The offensive line of the Eskimos won’t be able to match wits, nor manage to outmuscle the stout front seven of the Riders and quarterback Ricky Ray should have a miserable day. But Darian Durant will need to see much better performances from his receivers if Saskatchewan is to win this one.

Pick: Saskatchewan

(Last Week 2-2, season 5-7)

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:53 AM

MLB
Baseball Today

SCOREBOARD

Thursday, July 23

Oakland at N.Y. Yankees (7:05 p.m.EDT). CC Sabathia tries for his 10th win of the season as the surging Yankees seek their sixth straight victory when they host the fading Athletics.

STARS

Wednesday

-Manny Ramirez, Dodgers, hit his first-ever pinch-hit grand slam to lift Los Angeles to a 6-2 win over Cincinnati.

-Ricky Nolasco, Marlins, struck out 10 over 6 1-3 innings to lead Florida to a 5-0 win at San Diego.

-Todd Helton, Rockies, hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and drove in a run with his 500th career double in Colorado's 4-3 victory over Arizona.

-Ryan Doumit, Pirates, homered twice to power Pittsburgh to an 8-7 win over Milwaukee.

-A.J. Burnett, Yankees, pitched seven solid innings to win his fourth straight decision, helping New York to a 6-4 win over Baltimore.

-Rajai Davis, Athletics, had two hits and four RBIs in Oakland's 16-1 rout of Minnesota.

-Marco Scutaro, Blue Jays, hit two of Toronto's season-high five home runs and matched a career-high with four RBIs in a 10-6 win over Cleveland.

-Russell Branyan, Mariners, hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning to give Seattle a 2-1 victory over Detroit.

-Jair Jurrjens, Braves, gave up a run and three hits in 7 2-3 innings and Atlanta beat San Francisco 4-2 to hand Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum his first loss in five weeks.

STOP RIGHT THERE

Philadelphia lost 10-5 to the Chicago Cubs, ending its longest winning streak in 18 years at 10 games. Aramis Ramirez and Jeff Baker each had a two-run double and Carlos Zambrano won his third straight start for the Cubs, who avoided their first three-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1999. The NL East-leading Phillies lost for only the second time in 16 games, failing to extend their longest winning streak since they won 13 in a row from July 30 to Aug. 12, 1991.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL

The Red Sox added some depth a day after they dropped out of first in the AL East, and got rid of shortstop Julio Lugo in the process. Boston traded Lugo and cash to St. Louis for outfielder Chris Duncan, announcing the swap hours after they acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche from Pittsburgh for two minor leaguers. Lugo, who signed a $36 million, four-year free-agent deal before the 2007 season, was designated for assignment Friday. General manager Theo Epstein has called Lugo's contract "a mistake'' and "a lesson learned.''

BOBBLEHEAD MANNY

Manny Ramirez hit his first-ever pinch-hit grand slam homer to lift the Dodgers to a 6-2 win over the Reds. Ramirez didn't start because of a sore left hand after being hit with a pitch in a game the night before. He snagged a bobblehead of himself from the trainer's room and proudly held it up in the clubhouse for inspection. It was the 21st career grand slam for Ramirez, who now trails Lou Gehrig's all-time slams record by two.

BABY STEPS

Washington beat the Mets 3-1, its second straight win and first winning streak under interim manager Jim Riggleman, who took over when Manny Acta was fired July 13. Washington lost its first five games under Riggleman before beating the Mets 4-0 on Tuesday night.

POWERING UP

Brandon Moss hit Pittsburgh's season-high fifth homer of the game leading off the ninth inning and the Pirates won a series against Milwaukee for the first time in nearly two years, rallying to beat the Brewers 8-7. Ryan Doumit homered twice and Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen also went deep - all three connected in the third inning - as every Pirates homer was a solo shot. ... Marco Scutaro hit two homers, and Aaron Hill, Alex Rios and Vernon Wells all hit solo home runs in a 10-6 win over Cleveland, Toronto's first five-homer game since July 23, 2006, against the New York Yankees, according to STATS LLC.

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE

The Red Sox have lost a season-high five straight, a streak that has knocked them out of first place in the AL East. After losing the division lead Tuesday, Boston is two games behind the New York Yankees, who have won six straight after beating Baltimore on Wednesday.

INJURED

The Rays' Chad Bradford left during warm-up tosses on the mound in the seventh inning of a 4-3 loss to the White Sox. He had a stiff lower back.

SPEAKING

"Just the way he was sort of stalking around the dugout, I had a real good feeling that if he had an opportunity, he'd be ready to do something.'' - Dodgers manager Joe Torre after Manny Ramirez hit his first-ever pinch-hit grand slam - on his own bobblehead night - to lift Los Angeles to a 6-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

SEASONS

July 23

1925 - Lou Gehrig hit the first of his major league record 23 grand slams as the New York Yankees posted an 11-7 triumph over the Washington Senators.

1930 - Pie Traynor won both ends of a doubleheader for the Pittsburgh Pirates with home runs. In the first game, Traynor homered in the ninth and in the second game, he connected in the 13th.

1944 - Bill Nicholson of the Chicago Cubs hit four home runs in a doubleheader split with the New York Giants. Nicholson hit a home run in the opener, which the Cubs won 7-4. He hit three straight in the second game, but the Giants won 12-10. In that game, Nicholson was walked with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

1964 - Bert Campaneris of Kansas City hit two home runs in his first major league game. He homered on the first pitch off Minnesota's Jim Kaat, and then connected again in the seventh to lift the Athletics to a 4-3 win.

1974 - Write-in starter Steve Garvey of the Los Angeles Dodgers singled and doubled to lead the NL to a 7-2 victory over the AL in the All-Star game at Pittsburgh.

1984 - Kansas City's Dan Quisenberry registered his 200th career save as the Royals beat the New York Yankees 5-2. Quisenberry reached the 200-save plateau in his 409th appearance, the quickest in major league history.

2000 - Ryan Klesko hit a game-tying solo homer in the ninth inning and a two-run shot in the 10th to lift San Diego over Colorado 6-4.

2002 - Nomar Garciaparra homered three times on his 29th birthday, connecting twice in a 10-run third inning and then hitting a grand slam in the fourth inning of Boston's 22-2 win over Tampa Bay.

2007 - Alex Rodriguez singled home Johnny Damon in the ninth inning of the New York Yankees' 9-2 win over Kansas City to become the first player to reach 100 RBIs this season and the first player to reach the milestone in fewer than 100 team games since Manny Ramirez in 1999. The last Yankees to do it were Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig in 1937.

Today's birthdays: Hong-Chih Kuo 28; Nomar Garciaparra 36.

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:54 AM

MLB
This Day in Baseball

On July 23 in Baseball History...

* 1890 - Harry Stovey of Boston's Players League club becomes the first Major League player to reach 100 career home runs.

* 1956 - Joe Cronin and Hank Greenberg are officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York.

* 1964 - Kansas City A's rookie Bert Campaneris sends Minnesota to defeat 4-3 with two home runs in his Major League debut. The first comes on the first pitch thrown to him by Jim Kaat. The 21-year-old Cuban and Bob Nieman are the only players since 1900 with two home runs in their first Major League game.

* 1965 - Dick Stuart homers in a Major League record twenty-third different park when he connects at Shea Stadium in Philadelphia's 5-1 win.

* 1974 - The National League triumphs 7-2 in the All-Star Game at Pittsburgh. Write-in choice first baseman Steve Garvey of the Dodgers is the game's MVP.

* 1978 - The Yankees win their fifth straight, 3-1, over the White Sox. At the Chicago airport, Billy Martin, reacting to reporters' questions about Reggie Jackson and George Steinbrenner, replies, "The two deserve each other. One's a born liar; the other's convicted." The remarks will cost Billy his job.

* 1991 - Rob Dibble, just back from a three-game suspension, is ejected for throwing at - and hitting - Cubs baserunner Doug Dascenzo in an 8-5 Reds loss.

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:56 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

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Thursday, July 23
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SAN FRANCISCO (50 - 43) at ATLANTA (48 - 46) - 1:10 PM
BARRY ZITO (L) vs. KENSHIN KAWAKAMI (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 35-17 (+18.2 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 50-43 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 50-43 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 91-93 (+9.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 120-136 (-29.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 22-28 (-13.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
ATLANTA is 119-134 (-28.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 3-2 (+1.3 Units) against ATLANTA this season
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.1 Units)

BARRY ZITO vs. ATLANTA since 1997
ZITO is 2-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 2.84 and a WHIP of 1.263.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

KENSHIN KAWAKAMI vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
KAWAKAMI is 0-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 4.76 and a WHIP of 2.293.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (41 - 52) at ARIZONA (40 - 54) - 9:40 PM
CHARLIE MORTON (R) vs. DAN HAREN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 40-54 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 20-30 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ARIZONA is 40-54 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 12-21 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 13-22 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.

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

CHARLIE MORTON vs. ARIZONA since 1997
MORTON is 1-0 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.857.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

DAN HAREN vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
HAREN is 3-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.56 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 4-1 (+2.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.4 units)

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CLEVELAND (37 - 57) at TORONTO (46 - 48) - 12:37 PM
DAVID HUFF (L) vs. MARC RZEPCZYNSKI (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 37-57 (-24.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 39-59 (-27.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 30-51 (-25.9 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 54-38 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 13-4 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-3 (+0.4 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.2 Units)

DAVID HUFF vs. TORONTO since 1997
No recent starts.

MARC RZEPCZYNSKI vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
No recent starts.

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SEATTLE (49 - 44) at DETROIT (49 - 42) - 1:05 PM
JARROD WASHBURN (L) vs. LUKE FRENCH (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHBURN is 12-28 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 13-4 (+8.3 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
DETROIT is 28-13 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
DETROIT is 13-3 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in home games in day games this season.
DETROIT is 47-34 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DETROIT is 12-1 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in home games against left-handed starters this season.
DETROIT is 15-4 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SEATTLE is 49-44 (+7.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 13-6 (+8.7 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SEATTLE is 46-40 (+7.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHBURN is 19-6 (+12.4 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 since 1997. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 123-130 (-26.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 12-25 (-14.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 3-1 (+2.3 Units) against SEATTLE this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

JARROD WASHBURN vs. DETROIT since 1997
WASHBURN is 4-8 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 5.51 and a WHIP of 1.384.
His team's record is 5-9 (-5.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-6. (+0.6 units)

LUKE FRENCH vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

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TAMPA BAY (52 - 42) at CHI WHITE SOX (48 - 45) - 2:05 PM
SCOTT KAZMIR (L) vs. MARK BUEHRLE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 10-27 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in road games in July games over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 80-51 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 130-96 (+25.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 49-31 (+15.4 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BUEHRLE is 14-5 (+7.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 22-6 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 31-15 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 157-115 (+30.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 80-61 (+17.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
KAZMIR is 26-13 (+15.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 4-2 (+3.1 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

SCOTT KAZMIR vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
KAZMIR is 4-2 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 4.32 and a WHIP of 1.440.
His team's record is 5-2 (+2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.3 units)

MARK BUEHRLE vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
BUEHRLE is 5-3 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.39 and a WHIP of 1.345.
His team's record is 8-4 (+3.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-7. (-2.5 units)

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MINNESOTA (48 - 46) at LA ANGELS (54 - 38) - 10:05 PM
SCOTT BAKER (R) vs. JERED WEAVER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 54-38 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 31-11 (+18.8 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 18-6 (+12.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 51-32 (+18.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 103-75 (+17.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 72-52 (+17.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 21-6 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 94-76 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 21-27 (-18.4 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

SCOTT BAKER vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
BAKER is 0-4 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 5.88 and a WHIP of 1.574.
His team's record is 1-5 (-3.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-2. (+1.8 units)

JERED WEAVER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
WEAVER is 2-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.60 and a WHIP of 0.976.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.2 units)

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WRITE-IN GAMES

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SAN DIEGO (37 - 57) at PHILADELPHIA (53 - 38) - 7:05 PM
KEVIN CORREIA (R) vs. COLE HAMELS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 37-57 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 13-32 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 3-15 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 37-57 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN DIEGO is 69-115 (-42.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 39-73 (-29.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 53-38 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 14-3 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 152-107 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 111-78 (+15.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CORREIA is 7-1 (+8.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 13-17 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-2 (+0.9 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

KEVIN CORREIA vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
CORREIA is 1-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 4.36 and a WHIP of 2.130.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

COLE HAMELS vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
HAMELS is 2-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.25 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 3-3 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-4. (-2.3 units)

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ST LOUIS (51 - 45) at WASHINGTON (27 - 66) - 7:05 PM
ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R) vs. JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 15-9 (+11.6 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 23-12 (+12.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 96-77 (+16.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
WAINWRIGHT is 28-12 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 19-5 (+12.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 8-1 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 7-0 (+7.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 8-1 (+7.1 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 27-66 (-34.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 23-54 (-23.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 17-31 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
WASHINGTON is 21-47 (-22.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 10-32 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 27-63 (-31.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 17-48 (-28.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
WASHINGTON is 19-49 (-26.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WASHINGTON is 13-40 (-22.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WASHINGTON is 8-32 (-19.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 2-1 (+0.9 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 1-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.86 and a WHIP of 1.227.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
ZIMMERMANN is 0-1 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 7.94 and a WHIP of 1.411.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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OAKLAND (39 - 53) at NY YANKEES (56 - 37) - 7:05 PM
VIN MAZZARO (R) vs. C.C. SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 24-44 (-22.6 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 4-16 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 34-48 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 16-35 (-17.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NY YANKEES are 82-47 (+20.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
SABATHIA is 8-18 (-20.0 Units) against the money line in home games in July games since 1997. (Team's Record)
SABATHIA is 11-20 (-16.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday since 1997. (Team's Record)
SABATHIA is 8-10 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against OAKLAND this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

VIN MAZZARO vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
No recent starts.

C.C. SABATHIA vs. OAKLAND since 1997
SABATHIA is 3-7 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 6.26 and a WHIP of 1.620.
His team's record is 6-10 (-5.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-7. (+0.9 units)

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 04:58 AM

MLB
Write-up

Thursday, July 23

Hot Pitchers
-- Kawakami is 2-1, 3.46 in his last five starts.
-- Haren is 7-1, 1.68 in his last ten starts. Morton is 2-1, 2.65 in his last three starts.
-- Correia is 5-3, 3.52 in his last nine starts. Phillies won Hamels' last three starts (1-0, 3.50) scoring 36 runs.
-- Wainwright is 2-1, 1.39 in his last four starts.

-- Rzepzynkski is 1-1, 2.50 in his three major league starts.
-- Washburn is 3-0, 0.79 in his last three starts. French is 1-0, 2.76 in three starts for the Tigers.
-- Buehrle is 2-0, 2.57 in his last two home starts; White Sox won six of his last seven starts overall.
-- Baker is 4-1, 4.76 in his last five starts.
-- Sabathia is 2-1, 2.62 in his last three starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Giants lost four of last five Zito starts (1-3, 5.90).
-- Balestar was 7-9, 4.35 in 19 AAA starts; he was 3-7, 5.51 in 15 starts for the Nationals LY.

-- Huff is 1-2, 9.78 in his last four starts.
-- Kazmir is 0-2, 8.10 in his last six starts.
-- Weaver has an 8.18 RA in his last four starts.
-- Oakland lost last seven Mazzaro starts (0-6, 6.81).

Hot Teams
-- Braves won ten of their last eleven home games.
-- Phillies won 14 of their last 16 games.

-- Mariners won six of their last eight games.
-- Bronx Bombers won 11 of last 13 home games.
-- White Sox are 10-4 in their last 14 home games. Rays won eight of their last twelve games overall.
-- Angels won 13 of their last 17 games.

Cold Teams
-- Nationals lost 12 of their last 15 games, but won last two. Cardinals lost five of their last six road games.
-- Pirates lost 10 of their last 15 games. Diamondbacks lost five of their last seven games.
-- Giants lost seven of their last eight road games.
-- Padres lost 16 of their last 19 games.

-- Indians lost 10 of their last 14 road games. Blue Jays are 3-8 in their last 11 games overall.
-- Oakland is 3-12 in the first game of a home series.
-- Tigers lost five of their last seven games.
-- Twins lost three of their last four games.

Totals
-- Six of last nine Giant games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in Pittsburgh's last eight road games.
-- Six of last eight Hamels starts went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Washington home games stayed under the total.

-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Cleveland games.
-- Seven of last nine Detroit games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 14-3 in Tampa Bay's last 17 road games.
-- 10 of last 12 Minnesota road games stayed under the total, but last six Weaver starts all went over.
-- Six of last eight Oakland road games stayed under the total.

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 05:01 AM

MLB

Thursday, July 23

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Trend Report
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12:37 PM
CLEVELAND vs. TORONTO
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Toronto is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing Cleveland

1:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. DETROIT
Seattle is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games

1:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. ATLANTA
San Francisco is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Atlanta is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home

2:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Tampa Bay is 1-3-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Tampa Bay's last 25 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games at home

7:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. NY YANKEES
Oakland is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 5 games

7:05 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. PHILADELPHIA
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. WASHINGTON
St. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of St. Louis's last 23 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 8 games

9:40 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. ARIZONA
Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Pittsburgh is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games when playing Arizona
Arizona is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Arizona's last 20 games at home

10:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. LA ANGELS
Minnesota is 4-11 SU in their last 15 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 6 games

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 05:03 AM

MLB

Thursday, July 23

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals (+137, 8)

You can forgive the Cardinals if they happen to overlook their one-game stopover Thursday against the Washington Nationals. It’s fair to say they have had other topics on their minds.

The leaders of a tightly bunched National League Central are on their way to another Friday against the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies of the NL East.

Their make-up date from a May 3 postponed game against the Nationals might come at just the wrong time, though not much about Washington’s record suggests it poses much of a threat against teams with winning records.

Even so, the Nationals have a little bit of momentum on their side. They notched their first win in six tries for interim manager Jim Riggleman by blanking the New York Mets 4-0 Tuesday.

“I can’t lie to you … it feels good to win a ballgame,” Riggleman told the media afterward.

Another bright spot has been the play of the two Z boys, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and pitcher Jordan Zimmermann.

The pitcher (3-5, 4.63 ERA), who will take the mound against the Cardinals, has surrendered three earned runs or fewer in eight of his past 10 starts. Washington’s dreadful bullpen has prevented Zimmermann from having more to show for his efforts.

The third baseman was the team’s All-Star representative. He is hitting .280 BA with 15 home runs and 56 RBI, and has proven to be Washington’s most consistent all-around player.

Pick: Nationals +137

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**pm530** · 07-23-2009, 05:04 AM

MLB

Thursday, July 23

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Dan Haren (Arizona Diamondbacks)

The best pitcher in the National League is in the NL West. But it’s not Tim Lincecum of the Giants.

Haren (10-5, 1.96 ERA) has been hurt by poor run support this season, but he hasn’t let it affect his performance when he steps on the mound. He leads the league in innings pitched (138), ERA, complete games (3) and WHIP (0.80). He is also third in strikeouts (137) and has walked just 18 batters this season.

The 28 year old has allowed one or fewer runs in each of his past four starts and has gone at least seven innings in all but one of those outings. Haren hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start since May 23.

"What I noticed is that he didn't throw a lot of balls over the heart of the plate," the Cardinals' Brendan Ryan told the Associated Press. "He never even used the splitter against me, and that's probably his best pitch."

Adam Wainwright (St. Louis Cardinals)

The 27 year old could be the key to the Cardinals hopes of an NL Central title. Wainwright has emerged as the team's most consistent starter since late June.

Wainwright (10-6, 3.01 ERA) has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his past five starts, lasting at least seven innings in those outings. The key for the right-hander has been his ability to not give up the long ball. He has yielded just one round tripper during his hot streak.

In his most recent start, Wainwright yielded only two runs on five hits over seven innings against the Diamondbacks.

Slumping

Vin Mazzaro (Oakland Athletics)

After an electric debut in the majors at the beginning of June, the rest of the league appears to have caught up to Mazzaro.

Mazzarro (2-6, 4.09 ERA) hasn’t lasted more than six innings in each of his past seven starts. In his most recent outing, an 11-6 loss to the Angles, he was shelled for eight runs on 10 hits in just three innings. Two starts before that, he was hit nearly as hard, giving up five runs on 10 hits over six innings.

The fly-ball pitcher must do a better job of keeping the ball down in the zone, as opponents have turned his starts into batting practice.

“That's going to happen,” Mazzaro told the Associated Press. “I left the ball up too many times. It was probably my approach."

David Huff (Cleveland Indians)

Don’t be deceived by Huff’s most recent start. The southpaw allowed just three runs in five innings but gave up seven hits and a walk and needed 108 pitches to get that far.

But even that performance was an improvement for Huff (4-4, 6.60). In his previous start against the White Sox he was tagged for eight runs on 11 hits in just 4 1-3 innings. In fact, Huff has allowed at least seven hits in each of his past four starts.

"The big thing was getting ahead of hitters," Huff told the Associated Press after a recent loss. "But I started nibbling a little. I had to go to the fastball for a strike and those guys were sitting dead-red on it."

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Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 7/23 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 7/23 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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