Sunday Trends and Indexes 7/26 (MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

[Udog]

MLB


Sunday, July 26

The Twins are 1-18 as a dog vs a team that has won at least their last three games for a net profit of $1685 when playing against.

The Mets are 3-14 and it is the last game of a three game series when they split the first two for a net profit of $1385 when playing against.

The Astros are 20-4 as a favorite when they won by one run in their starter's last start for a net profit of $1475

The Rays are 2-14 on the road after an extra inning loss for a net profit of $1220 when playing against.

The Blue Jays are 25-5 since at home after a win in which they left 18+ men on base and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1910

The Reds are 0-14 as a road 170+ dog and it is the last game of the series for a net profit of $1400 when playing against.

The Pirates are 5-24 as a road 140+ dog after a 5+ run loss and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1555 when playing against.

The Dodgers are 20-4 as a home favorite when they won the last time they faced this starting pitcher for a net profit of $1365

The Indians are 2-13 on the road after scoring 6+ runs win for a net profit of $975 when playing against.

The Padres are 6-23 as a road dog after a loss in which they had 6 or fewer hits for a net profit of $1385 when playing against.

The Nationals are 8-22 at home when their starter went at least eight innings in his last start for a net profit of $1700 when playing against.

The Cardinals are 4-21 as a road 140+ dog after scoring 6+ runs for a net profit of $1365 when playing against.

The Phillies are 17-2 after a win in which their opponent left 18+ men on base and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1545

The Orioles are 1-25 as a road dog vs a team that has won at least their last two games for a net profit of $2360 when playing against.

The Orioles are 0-16 as a road 140+ dog vs a team that has won at least their last two games for a net profit of $1600 when playing against.

The Giants are 6-33 as a dog after a 5+ run loss and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $2475 when playing against.

The White Sox are 1-13 on the road after a loss in which they drew 5+ walks for a net profit of $1130 when playing against.

The Yankees are 22-4 as a home 140+ favorite after a loss in which they drew 5+ walks for a net profit of $1480

[pm530]

MLB
Baseball Today


SCOREBOARD

Sunday, July 26

St. Louis at Philadelphia (1:35 EDT). The NL Central-leading Cardinals, with newly acquired outfielder Matt Holliday, take on the NL East-leading Phillies.

STARS

Saturday

-Luke Hochevar, Royals, struck out a career-high 13 in seven innings as Kansas City ended a 10-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers.

-Jason Bartlett, Rays, hit an RBI double in the 12th inning, capping the biggest comeback in Tampa Bay history, and the Rays erased an eight-run deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-9.

-Adam Dunn, Nationals, hit a grand slam to cap a five-run second inning after a rain delay of more than three hours as Washington beat San Diego 13-1 in its most lopsided victory of the season.

-Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, hit a go-ahead grand slam and had a career-high five RBIs as Philadelphia beat the St. Louis Cardinals 14-6 in a matchup of division leaders.

-Jeremy Sowers, Indians, pitched seven scoreless innings hours after being recalled from Triple-A Columbus and helped Cleveland beat Seattle 10-3.

-Yovani Gallardo, Brewers, scattered four hits in 7 1-3 scoreless innings and hit an RBI single to defeat the previously unbeaten Tommy Hanson in the Brewers' 4-0 win over the Atlanta Braves.

-Gio Gonzalez, Athletics, allowed one run and two hits in a career-high 6 2-3 innings in a 6-4 victory, helping end Oakland's eight-game losing streak to the Yankees.

STREAKS & STATS

Since Mark Buerhle's perfect game Thursday, the Chicago White Sox have lost three straight. After he pitched his last no-hitter in 2007, Chicago lost five in a row. ... The New York Yankees' eight-game winning streak ended with a 6-4 loss to Oakland on Saturday. They also had won eight in a row over the Athletics, dating to last season. ... There have been 160 homers hit in the first 51 games at the new Yankee Stadium, matching last season's total in 81 games at the old park. ... Kansas City's Miguel Olivo is 0 for 12 with the bases loaded this season after flying out in the first inning of the Royals' 6-3 win over Texas. ... Jimmy Rollins hit the Philadelphia Phillies' eighth grand slam, tying a team record.

MILESTONE

San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez played in his 305th consecutive game Saturday night, tying the franchise mark set by Steve Garvey. Gonzalez's streak, which dates to Aug. 15, 2007, is the longest active stretch in the majors.

RAYS OF HOPE

Jason Bartlett's RBI double in the 12th inning capped the biggest comeback in Tampa Bay history, and the Rays erased an eight-run deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-9 on Saturday. Down 8-0 after four, Tampa Bay cut it to 9-7 heading into the ninth against closer Scott Downs. The defending AL champions tied it on solo homers by Carlos Pena and Willy Aybar, handing Downs his third blown save.

POWER SURGES

Chone Figgins and Maicer Izturis, who have a combined seven homers this season, both hit home runs during a nine-run outburst in the fourth inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 11-5 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. The AL West leaders also extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games. ... Jeff Francoeur, David Wright and Omir Santos each homered as the New York Mets matched their season high for homers in a game, snapping a three-game skid with a 10-3 victory over the Houston Astros. The Mets also reached 10 runs for the third time this year.

LOPSIDED MATCHUP

Boston's Jon Lester improved to 9-0 in 11 career starts against Baltimore with a 7-2 win Saturday night. The Red Sox also beat the Orioles for the 11th straight time at home. Baltimore, which lost for the 14th time in 18 games, fell to 1-16 in road games within the AL East.

RAIN MEN

Washington beat San Diego 13-1 in its most lopsided victory of the season Saturday night, waiting through a rain delay of 3 hours, 11 minutes. It was the 17th Nationals game delayed by rain this season, with those stoppages totaling 33 hours, 42 minutes.

BLAKE'S BLOOPER

Casey Blake blooped a bases-loaded single with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Florida Marlins 4-3 on Saturday night for their sixth win in seven games. Blake dropped his hit into shallow right-center, finishing Los Angeles' 27th comeback victory of the season. He had been in a 7-for-43 slump before his winner, but got just enough of Luis Ayala's last pitch to end it.

COMEBACK CUBBIE

Aramis Ramirez hit his second homer in two days to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Saturday for their ninth victory in 12 games. He's 8 for 13 in his last three games after hitting .190 in his first 11 back following a nearly two-month absence due to a separated shoulder.

ROLLIN' ROCKIES

Troy Tulowitzki drove in a career-high five runs and Jorge De La Rosa won his career-best sixth straight start as the Colorado Rockies moved a game ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the NL wild-card race with an 8-2 win Saturday night.

STRONG IN DEFEAT

Toronto's Aaron Hill hit two home runs in the Blue Jays' 10-9 loss to Tampa Bay in 12 innings on Saturday. Hill, who leads Toronto with 24 homers, had his second multihomer game of the season.

DINK AND DUNK

Detroit tied the game against Bobby Jenks in the ninth inning, then won it 4-3 off D.J. Carrasco in the 10th inning Saturday - all without hitting a single ball hard. That was certainly true of Carlos Guillen's winning single: a slow bouncer up the middle that just eluded White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez. Clete Thomas scored from second, easily beating DeWayne Wise's throw to the plate.

PUNCHLESS PIRATES

Pittsburgh's 7-0 loss at Arizona on Saturday night marked the second time in five games the Pirates failed to score, and fourth time in 16 games. The Pirates have been shut out 10 times, tied with Atlanta for the most in the NL.

SPEAKING

"It was ugly. We were throwing to the wrong base and missing cutoff men. It's what you preach in Little League and all the way up. It's not acceptable, and not the way we play. We've talked about it over and over again, and that's enough. I've seen enough of that. It's kind of getting old. It is old, and I don't want to see it anymore.'' - Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire, who kept the clubhouse door closed for 22 minutes after the final out of the Twins' 11-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.

SEASONS

July 26

1928 - Bob Meusel of the New York Yankees hit for the cycle for the third time in his career. The Yankees scored 11 runs in the top of the 12th to beat the Detroit Tigers, 12-1, in 12 innings.

1939 - The New York Yankees tied a major league record by scoring in every inning against the St. Louis Browns. Bill Dickey hit three home runs in the 14-1 win.

1962 - Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves set the National League record for home runs by a pitcher when he hit his 31st off New York's Craig Anderson. Spahn dealt the Mets their 11th straight loss with a 6-1 victory.

1970 - Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds hit three straight homers off Steve Carlton of the St. Louis Cardinals. On the same day, Orlando Cepeda of the Atlanta Braves connected for three consecutive homers in an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

1984 - Pete Rose of the Montreal Expos tied Ty Cobb on the career singles list, No. 3,052, with a base hit in the eighth inning in a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1991 - Montreal's Mark Gardner became the first to pitch nine no-hit innings against a Dodger home team since Johnny Vander Meer beat Brooklyn at Ebbets Field on June 15, 1938, for his second straight gem. But the Dodgers won in the 10th on two singles off Gardner and Darryl Strawberry's RBI single off Jeff Fassero.

1998 - Trevor Hoffman's bid to set a major league record with 42 straight saves ended when the San Diego closer gave up a home run to Moises Alou on his first delivery in the ninth inning, tying the game. The Padres wound up beating Houston 5-4 in the 10th, but Hoffman blew his chance at history.

2005 - Greg Maddux recorded his 3,000th career strikeout against San Francisco, striking out Omar Vizquel in the third inning of a 3-2, 11-inning victory for the Giants.

2008 - Skip Schumaker went 6-for-7 to help St. Louis beat the New York Mets 10-8 in 14 innings. He became the first Cardinals player to have six hits in a game since Sept. 5, 1935, when Terry Moore did it against Boston.

2008 - Trevor Hoffman recorded his record 544th save, retiring the only batter he faced after Jose Bautista hit a solo homer with two outs in the ninth inning of San Diego's 9-6 win at Pittsburgh. It also gave Hoffman his 14th season with at least 20 saves, the most in major league history. Lee Smith previously was the only other pitcher with at least 20 saves in 13 seasons.

Today's birthdays: Brandon Morrow 25; Kevin Jepsen 25; Joaquin Benoit 32.

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[pm530]

MLB
This Day in Baseball


On July 26 in Baseball History...

1872 - The National Association holds a special meeting, resolving that, because some teams have dropped out of the race, nine games will be played between contending teams this season instead of five.

1879 - Syracuse's Harry McCormick hits a home run in the first and then makes it stand up by beating Boston's Tommy Bond 1-0. This will be the only time in Major League history that a pitcher wins a 1-0 game with a first-inning home run.

1948 - Leo Durocher makes his first appearance at Ebbets Field since taking over the Giants, but the overflow crowd delights in a 13-4 win by the Dodgers.

1948 - Babe Ruth makes his last public appearance, at the New York premiere of the film The Babe Ruth Story. He will die three weeks later.

1950 - Brooklyn beats the Cardinals 7-5 as the Dodgers' Jim Russell switch-hits home runs, making him the first switch-hitter in history to do it more than once. Stan Musial hits in his thirtieth straight game, the longest streak of the decade.

1978 - Johnny Bench hits his 300th career home run, and Rose hits in his thirty-ninth straight game, but the Reds bow to the Mets 12-3.

1984 - Commissioner Bowie Kuhn announces that free-agent pitcher Vida Blue will be suspended for the remainder of the season as a result of his conviction on cocaine possession charges last November.

1987 - Catfish Hunter, Billy Williams, and Ray Dandridge are inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

1991 - After nine no-hit innings, Montreal's Mark Gardner allows two hits and a run in the tenth inning to lose at Los Angeles. Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross, and Jay Howell also allow just two hits for the win.

1992 - The Ryan Express just keeps on rolling. Nolan Ryan strikes out his 100th batter of the season for a Major League record twenty-third consecutive year. He also gets a 6-2 win over the Orioles to pass Phil Niekro for 12th place on the all-time win list with 319.

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[Udog]

WNBA
Dunkel


Sacramento at Washington
The Monarchs look to take advantage of a Washington team that is just 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games against teams with a losing record. Sacramento is the pick (+5) according to Dunkel, which has the Mystics favored by just 3. Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+5). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, JULY 26

Game 651-652: Phoenix at New York
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 116.194; New York 107.713
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 8 1/2; 177
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 3; 174
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-3); Over

Game 653-654: Sacramento at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 106.523; Washington 109.406
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 3; 152
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 5; 150
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+5); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet


Sunday, July 26

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PHOENIX (12 - 5) at NEW YORK (6 - 9) - 7/26/2009, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 115-86 ATS (+20.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
NEW YORK is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) after a division game this season.
PHOENIX is 55-36 ATS (+15.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 3-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 3-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (4 - 14) at WASHINGTON (8 - 7) - 7/26/2009, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 5-12 ATS (-8.2 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 30-53 ATS (-28.3 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 5-12 ATS (-8.2 Units) in May, June, or July games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 27-46 ATS (-23.6 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 15-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 167-215 ATS (-69.5 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 104-135 ATS (-44.5 Units) after a division game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 4-0 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 4-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Sunday, July 26

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets
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Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty (+2.5, 173)

Madison Square Garden has not been kind to the Mercury. Since 2004, the team is just 1-4 at the historic venue, including a 32-point loss there last year.

And Phoenix still is trying to regain some of its swagger which took it to the top of the Western Conference. The Mercury (12-5) are just 3-3 SU on the road this year, with their most recent loss a 99-86 defeat to Minnesota just before the All-Star break.

But Phoenix should be bolstered by the return of suspended guard Diana Taurasi (20.7 ppg) and already has defeated the Liberty once this season, a 91-84 win in early June.

The Liberty (6-9) are coming off a 15-point loss to Sacramento and are just 3-5 ATS at home this year.

Pick: Mercury


Sacramento Monarchs at Washington Mystics (-5, 150)

The Monarchs have struggled to a 4-14 record this year, but to turn around their poor fortunes, the team might consider moving its home games to the MCI Center in Washington.

Sacramento is 4-1 all-time at the arena and won there last year by three. In fact, the Monarchs all-time record against the Mystics is 9-1. The past three meetings, however, have been decided by an average of just four points per game, including one overtime.

The Monarchs also beat the Mystics earlier this year in California, 87-81.

The real dilemma comes from the Monarchs’ 2-9 SU road record. Its 3-7-1 ATS road record also is poor, but the team is finally getting healthy. Sacramento is coming off a 15-point win over the Liberty in New York and should carry that momentum down I-95 to D.C.

Pick: Monarchs

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[pm530]

Six-pack for Sunday

Sizing up the SEC East this season.......

-- Kentucky-- 9-15 in SEC last three years, after being 8-40 the seven years before that. Rich Brooks is an underrated coach.

-- Vanderbilt-- Played in first bowl since 1982 LY, won first bowl in 54 years. Have 17 starters back, but are breaking in new QB.

-- South Carolina-- Have just 11 returning starters, but were -11 LY in turnovers, so if Garcia develops at QB, they should be improved.

-- Tennessee-- Just 17-16 in SEC last four years; young Kiffin has been a lightning road for controversy, could have tough first year.

-- Georgia-- Lost Stafford/Moreno, but Dawgs have 15 starters back and Richt is 30-4 on the road, 10-2 against ranked opponents

-- Florida-- Not only is Tebow back, so are all 11 starters on defense. Gators are 16-3 against spread as a favorite the last two seasons.

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Sunday's List of 13: Random thoughts for a summer Sunday

13) Go figure. Gio Gonzalez gives up 11 runs in 2.2 innings against the Twins Monday night, in a game A's rallied to win 14-13, after trailing in third inning 12-2; Saturday, Gonzalez throws 6.1 innings in the Bronx, and gives up one run, two hits. Who saw that coming?

12) Up in Toronto, Rays trailed 9-1 after six innings, but won 10-9 in 12 innings, the greatest comeback in team history-- just this year, Rays lost a game they led by 10, won games they trailed by seven and eight runs. You just don't leave a Rays' game early, I guess.

11) This is the first year since 1999 that four teams have won games in which they trailed by eight or more runs.

10) Its funny, but I had forgotten that Rickey Henderson played until he was 44 years old; he was on nine different teams, but he only played for Oakland/Bronx until he was 36. Who remembers that he played for the Red Sox in 2002, getting in 79 games at age 43?

9) A's are retiring his number 24 next Sunday, but he wore numbers 22 and 35 (mostly) for Oakland before he wore #24 when he came back to the A's in 1989. He led off 796 different innings with walks; definitely the greatest leadoff man in the history of baseball-- hey, he scored more runs than anyone in baseball history, the most basic offensive stat.

8) My friend John thinks Dwight Evans should have gotten in the Hall of Fame before Jim Rice, because of his defensive prowess; we've had a debate a few times on this. Maybe guys like Evans will have better shot at the Hall if writers block out the steroids guys from getting voted in.

7) I'm hoping Dave Duncan gets voted in the Hall as a pitching coach.

6) Saturday was the 65th game this year that the starting pitcher for the A's was a rookie; you'd think that would explain why they're in cellar of AL West, but pitching has actually been one of their strengths.

5) Good for the Phillies for not giving up Happ and Drabek in Halladay Sweepstakes-- they should jog to a division title anyway, stripmining a minor league system is a disaster waiting to happen.

4) Six of the 18 pitchers who have thrown a perfect game threw another no-hitter sometime in their major league career.

3) The guy who played the sheriff in My Cousin Vinny was the judge in Runaway Jury. Good upward career mobility for him.

2) The CBS affililiate here, channel 6, has a weekend weatherman who looks like he's 11 years old-- I saw him last night, and thought they had let high school kids do the news for a night.

1) Mark Calcavecchia birdied nine holes in row at the Canadian Open, a new PGA Tour record-- I couldn't even do that in miniature golf. Those damn windmill holes are always a problem for me.

From: Armadillo
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[Kaptain]

It's not said enough....

This is not said enough....

PM and U DOG


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