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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:16 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Friday, August 21

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Vikings and their new quarterback play host to the Chiefs, and the Red Sox and Yankees begin a series at Fenway Park.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

There are three NFL preseason games on tap for Friday, with Atlanta (-3) at St. Louis, Tennessee at Dallas (-2.5), and Kansas City at Minnesota (-3.5). The Titans/Cowboys matchup will be the first game at Dallas' brand new stadium, but that will still be overshadowed by Brett Favre's debut in a Vikings uniform as they host the Chiefs. Favre put an end to the speculation by finally signing with Minnesota mid-week, and he's been pegged as the team's starter for Friday night.

As well, the Canadian Football League offers up a pair of games on Friday night, with Saskatchewan at Montreal and Winnipeg at British Columbia. The Alouettes are the toast of the league so far this season, as they're at 6-1 straight-up and 5-2 against-the-spread. The Roughriders are 4-3 both SU and ATS, and they're 12.5-point underdogs for Friday. Out west the 3-4 SU and ATS Lions are 7.5-point home favorites against the Bombers; Winnipeg sits at 2-5 SU and 4-3 ATS.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The Yankees and Red Sox launch yet another series on Friday night as Andy Pettitte (9-6, 4.09 ERA) takes on Brad Penny (7-7, 5.22 ERA) in Boston. The Yankees are 3-0 in Pettitte's last three trips to the mound; the lefthander held the Red Sox scoreless over seven innings in his start on August 9, but had to settle for a no-decision. Righthander Penny hasn't won since July 24, and he was tagged with a loss by the Rangers last time out (four runs over his 5 2-3 innings).

Also on the American League schedule for Friday: Seattle at Cleveland, the Angels at Toronto, Minnesota at Kansas City, Baltimore at the White Sox, Detroit at Oakland, and Texas at Tampa Bay. Dustin Nippert (4-1, 3.52 ERA) is slated to start for the Rangers on Friday; the righthander is coming off a win over the Red Sox (two runs in six innings pitched). The Rays counter with Scott Kazmir (7-7, 6.36 ERA); the lefthander was defeated by the Rangers in a start back on July 3.

Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.69 ERA) will be up against Mike Pelfrey (8-8, 4.75 ERA) as the Phillies begin a series in New York against the Mets on Friday night. Philadelphia is 0-3 in Hamels' last three trips to the mound; the lefthander took a no-decision vs. the Braves last time out, allowing two runs over six innings. Righthander Pelfrey was also stuck with a no-decision in his most recent start, as he allowed two runs on five hits in 7 1-3 innings in an outing against the Giants.

Rounding out the NL schedule for Friday: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, Milwaukee at Washington, Florida at Atlanta, Arizona at Houston, San Francisco at Colorado, St. Louis at San Diego, and the Cubs at the Dodgers. Randy Wells (9-5, 3.01 ERA) will take on Randy Wolf (7-6, 3.43 ERA) in that last matchup. Righthander Wells beat the Pirates in his last start (two runs over six innings), while lefthander Wolf is coming off a win over the Diamondbacks (three runs over 7 2-3 innings).

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

Finally, the WNBA serves up three games on Friday night, with Connecticut at New York, Los Angeles at San Antonio, and Washington at Phoenix. The Mystics (12-13 SU, 13-11-1 ATS) were beaten 72-69 on the road by Los Angeles last time out, despite Lindsey Harding's 19 points and six rebounds. The Mercury, on the other hand, knocked off Chicago 106-99 in their last contest, getting a game-high 27 points from Diana Taurasi. Phoenix is 18-8 both SU and ATS on the year.

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:17 AM

Six-pack for Friday

-- Washington Nationals did right thing, named Mike Rizzo permanent GM of the team; guy's done a good job upgrading their talent in '09.

-- According to Danny Sheridan, Florida is a 73-point favorite against Charleston Southern in its opener-- I'm guessing this game was put on the schedule before Tim Tebow decided to come back this season.

-- Tebow, in my opinion, is the greatest college football player ever.

-- Matt Holliday has been crushing the ball since the A's traded him, so its only fair that Oakland bring up 3B Brett Wallace, the big prospect they got for Holliday. Wallace is 12 for his last 24 in AAA.

-- Sporting News did a huge spread on college QBs but never once was Washington QB Jake Locker mentioned-- I think he's an excellent QB.

-- I hope John David Booty got a percentage of each #4 jersey Vikings sell this season-- he gave up #4 so the new guy in town could have it.

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Friday's List of 13: The preseason list of 13 can't-miss NFL games

13) Giants @ Cowboys, Sept 20-- Jerry World opens with first regular season game. This stadium is so big, three Texas Stadiums could fit in it. We'll see if Dallas suits up a team its stadium can be proud of.

12) Vikings @ Browns, Sept 13-- Brett Favre's aching right arm failed in December LY, so as a result, he's a Viking and Eric Mangini is the coach of the Browns. We'll see how much Cleveland blitzes in their opener.

11) Saints @ Dolphins, Oct 25-- Miami had first shot at Drew Brees but passed because of his operative shoulder; Sean Payton used to work for Mr Parcells, so this non-conference games has its share of subplots.

10) Chargers @ Steelers, Oct 4-- Lightning Bolts celebrate my ex-wife's birthday by coming east and trying to avenge two losses to the Steelers from LY, one in the playoffs. This time they'll have Shawne Merriman.

9) Dolphins @ Patriots, Nov 8-- Miami came north LY and crushed the Patriots 38-13 as they unveiled the Wildcat offense. Patriots won easily in the rematch, so we'll see what adjustments were made in offseason.

8) Titans @ Texans, Nov 23-- Monday night game that could be totally confusing if Titans wear their Houston Oiler throwback uniforms- if the Texans protect ball better in '09, this could be a very important game.

Credit to me for not putting any Ram games on this list, although in a weak NFC West, coach Spags' crew is going to make some noise. On with the list.......

7) Chargers @ Broncos, Nov 22-- You look at the AFC West on paper and it looks like San Diego should jog to the playoffs. Denver had about the worst offseason a team could have-- what will their season be like?

6) Giants @ Broncos, Nov 26-- Tough pair of home games for Broncos just five days apart- last time Big Blue came to Colorado? September 10, 2001, the day before 9-11. Lets hope this time its a quieter week.

5) Jets vs Bills at Toronto, Dec 3-- Both teams have to travel on short work week, but at least they're division rivals who know each other well. Interesting to see if Rex Ryan talks as much north of the border.

4) Chargers @ Titans, Dec 25-- This game is on NFL Network, so are sports bars open on Christmas night? This looks it will be a damn good game, but since our hideous cable provider can't strike a deal with the greedy bastards that run the NFL, I'll be in a bar Christmas night. Great.

3) Chargers @ Cowboys, Dec 13-- Just realized San Diego is on this list four times, all on the road; guess that means I'm picking them to be in the Super Bowl. LT played at TCU, so this is a homecoming game for him.

2) Eagles @ Falcons, Dec 6-- A certain #7 will be back in the house, and I don't mean Ron Jaworski. I'm guessing Michael Vick is still popular in the ATL, and this is his homecoming. Falcons became a team in 1966, but have yet to have back-to-back winning seasons in their history.

1) Vikings @ Packers, Nov 1-- Vince McMahon would be proud of this drama; all we need would be if Favre hammered Mike McCarthy with a steel chair as Green Bay left its locker room. You can't make this stuff up-- first meeting is at Minnesota on a Monday night in Week 4.

From: Armadillo
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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:18 AM

Len’s Top Five

Friday, August 21

Len's Top 5

TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for August 21, 2009 from Len Berman Sports.

1. Quick Hits

Here we go again. The Yankees begin a 3-game series tonight in Boston. The Yankees lead the Red Sox by 6 1/2 games.

The Mets have spent the least of any team on their draft choices. You have to wonder if Bernie Madoff had something to do with that?

Another lightning bolt. Jamaica's Usain Bolt sets a world record in the 200 meters. 19.19 seconds. Earlier this week he set the 100 meter world record at 9.58 seconds.

2. Paying the Price

Plaxico Burress had no choice but to plead guilty for shooting himself in the leg. He agreed to a 2-year sentence rather than face a minimum mandatory 3 1/2 year term. The Philadelphia Eagles must be counting the days until his release.

3. Snake Oil Salesmen

It never changes in college sports. The coaches are creeps, and the kids pay the price. They don't come more charming than Rick Pitino and John Calipari. They parlayed their slickness into marquee jobs, fame and fortune. And now Pitino has "character issues" at Louisville, and Calipari sets some kind of record. Both at U-Mass and Memphis, NCAA violations wipe out stellar seasons. He's since moved on to Kentucky. But hey, they win basketball games, so to their employers "no harm, no foul." Nice guys finish last, the sleazy ones get re-hired elsewhere with pay raises.

4. Friday Mailbag

I guess Tiger Woods didn't generate lots of sympathy last Sunday. D.J. writes: "Boo hoo - Tiger lost. Tired of his histrionics on the golf course. Nicklaus and Palmer need to have a talk with him about being gracious."

And from J.R. "The baby tiger cub prancing around throwing tantrums is so old and tiring. We get it. He is a great player but a complete and total self-absorbed a**h*** as a human being."
Editor's Note: Your membership in the Tiger Woods fan club is hereby rescinded.

C.F. makes a great point about Michael Vick: "The NIMBY' rule, not in my backyard. Most people think it's a good idea to give Vick a second chance, etc., but the people in Philly, who are now stuck with him, aren't at all thrilled. In short, there's general approval for his return to the NFL, but not on my team."

As for Rick Pitino, N.K. twitters "Pitino has a section on his website called 'Restaurant Review'? Looks like he took down the content."
Editor's Note: The joint was clearly too expensive.

When Michael Phelps got in a traffic accident, Seth wrote: "Maybe he was in a carpool lane?"
Editor's Note: Puns are the strong suit of the Top 5.

Along those lines, Gary writes: "500 pound man arrested for selling bootleg CDs...did he suffer from a slipped disk?"

And J.K. caught my attention with his email "How your Top 5 helped my love life." He wrote: "In my attempt to snare the woman of my affection, I started sending her a daily morning message akin to yours. I realized how much I liked having something entertaining to read every day and maybe that could work for me if I could make myself part of her everyday routine. And it would seem as if it has. Thanks Len."
Editor's note: Aw shucks.

5. TMI

For those intrigued by the South African runner who is undergoing testing to see if she is really a he. This Olympic tale bears repeating. Stella Walsh won the 100 meters representing Poland at the 1932 Olympics in L.A. When she died in 1980 her autopsy revealed male genitalia.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Happy Birthday: Two-time Heisman trophy winner Archie Griffin of Ohio State. 55.
Bonus Birthdays: The Long Island Lolita herself, Amy Fisher. 35.
Wilt Chamberlain would have been a young 73 today.

Today in Sports: Were there any commercials? Ted Lyons of Chicago no-hits the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Time of game: 67 minutes. 1926.

Bonus Event: Now we're talking. The first Lincoln-Douglas debate in Illinois. 1858.

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:20 AM

WNBA
Dunkel Index

Washington at Phoenix
The Mercury look to build on their 7-2 ATS record in their last 9 games against the Eastern Conference. Phoenix is the pick (-7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 11 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-7 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21

Game 601-602: Connecticut at New York
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 114.055; New York 112.208
Dunkel Line & Total: Connecticut by 2; 138
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 2 1/2; 143
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+2 1/2); Under

Game 603-604: Los Angeles at San Antonio
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 109.040; San Antonio 113.233
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 4; 134 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 2 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-2 1/2); Under

Game 605-606: Washington at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 106.687; Phoenix 118.053
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 11 1/2; 183
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 7 1/2; 180
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-7 1/2); Over

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WNBA
Long Sheet

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Friday, August 21
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CONNECTICUT (13 - 11) at NEW YORK (9 - 16) - 8/21/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 119-88 ATS (+22.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 76-50 ATS (+21.0 Units) in road games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games in August or September games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games on Friday since 1997.
NEW YORK is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
NEW YORK is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in home games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 8-3 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 7-5 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LOS ANGELES (11 - 13) at SAN ANTONIO (11 - 14) - 8/21/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) as a home favorite of 3 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 5-5 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-3 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (12 - 13) at PHOENIX (18 - 8) - 8/21/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 172-220 ATS (-70.0 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 104-137 ATS (-46.7 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) in road games in August or September games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
PHOENIX is 124-86 ATS (+29.4 Units) in home games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 72-50 ATS (+17.0 Units) in August or September games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 52-29 ATS (+20.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
PHOENIX is 34-15 ATS (+17.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games since 1997.

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

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WNBA

Friday, August 21

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bet
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Los Angeles Sparks at San Antonio Silver Stars (-2.5, 142)

Just when you thought it was time to write off the Sparks’ playoff chances, the team’s superstars showed up. The entire 2009 campaign has been a wait-and-see game for L.A. backers.

Veteran All-Star Lisa Leslie was injured and Candace Parker was trying to get back into game shape following the birth of her first child.

Parker’s offensive game is still out of touch, but Leslie is picking up the slack. She scored a season-high 28 points against the Lynx Wednesday, pushing her point total to 85 over her last four games.

Los Angeles has little other firepower outside of Leslie. The squad has played under the total in eight of its last 10 contests. The Sparks are among the league’s most reliable under bets this season.

Pick: Under

Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty (-2, 143)

The Sun and Liberty are completing the second half of a home-and-home series Friday. Connecticut won Wednesday’s tilt even though the club was playing without its leading scorer Asjha Jones.

Jones is expected to miss two weeks because of a sore Achilles’ tendon.

Look for New York to bounce back Friday. The team led by 17 at one point during Wednesday’s match and played pretty good defense until the late stages.

The Liberty have just one ATS loss over their last six games.

Pick: New York

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:21 AM

MLB
Baseball Today

SCOREBOARD

Friday, August 21

New York Yankees at Boston (7:10 p.m. EDT). The Yankees' Andy Pettitte (9-6, 4.09 ERA) faces Brad Penny (7-7, 5.22) and the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park.

STARS

Thursday

-J.D. Drew, Red Sox, hit two home runs as Boston beat Toronto 8-1 to complete a three-game sweep.

-Russell Martin, Dodgers, snapped a sixth-inning tie with a grand slam, leading Los Angeles to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

-Brendan Ryan, Cardinals, hit a grand slam to lead St. Louis to a 5-1 win over San Diego.

-Jayson Werth and Joe Blanton, Phillies. Werth hit his fourth home run in three games and Blanton pitched eight innings and had two hits as Philadelphia finished off a three-game sweep of Arizona with a 12-3 rout.

-Julio Borbon, Rangers, hit his first career homer and went 3 for 5 with three RBIs, raising his average to .536 (15 for 28) in seven starts since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and Texas beat Minnesota 11-1.

-Drew Stubbs, Reds, hit his first career homer leading off the bottom of the 10th inning to give Cincinnati a 2-1 victory over San Francisco.

-Wandy Rodriguez, Astros, limited Florida to four hits while pitching into the ninth inning and hit an RBI double in Houston's 4-1 victory.

HOMER HAPPY

Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz homered for the Phillies in their 12-3 victory over Arizona. Philadelphia has hit at least one home run in 10 straight games and leads the National League with 171. ... The Red Sox have hit two or more homers in six consecutive games, nine of 10 and 15 of 19. The Red Sox have 33 homers in August, two shy of the team record for that month set in 2006.

STREAKS

Joe Blanton had two singles, the first multi-hit game of his career, to become the third straight Phillies pitcher to record two hits in a game. Jamie Moyer and Cliff Lee did it Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The Phillies beat Arizona 12-3 for their fourth straight win and eighth in nine games. ... Colorado has won four straight and eight of 11 after beating Washington 4-1 to complete a three-game sweep. ... Florida's Hanley Ramirez beat out an infield single with two outs in the third to stretch his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games. ... The Red Sox have hit two or more homers in five consecutive games, and nine of 10.

SLAMS

Brian Roberts hit his fourth career grand slam in the sixth inning of the Orioles' 8-7 win over Tampa Bay. ... Russell Martin snapped a sixth-inning tie with a grand slam, propelling the Dodgers to a 7-2 victory over the Cubs. It was Martin's second career slam. ... Brendan Ryan hit his first grand slam in the second inning and St. Louis beat San Diego 5-1.

SNAPPED

Florida was limited to four hits in its 4-1 loss to Houston, ending its streak of 10-hit games at 15. That was the best stretch since the St. Louis Browns had one that long in 1937, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The record is 18, set by the 1922 Browns and matched by the 1925 Cleveland Indians. Florida ace Josh Johnson (12-3) lost for the first time in seven starts. ... Carlos Gonzalez's club record-tying streak of four games with a homer ended, though he had an RBI double to help Colorado beat Washington 4-1. ... The Orioles stopped a five-game skid and ended the Rays' four-game winning streak with an 8-7 victory.

BILLY'S BACK

Mets reliever Billy Wagner made his first appearance since Aug. 2, 2008, and struck out two in a perfect eighth inning of New York's 3-2 loss to Atlanta. The former closer with 385 saves had Tommy John surgery on Sept. 10, but the 38-year-old Wagner recovered quickly and even reached 96 mph with his fastball.

SPEAKING

"The reasonable expectation is you are going to get a nasty guy on the mound who will regain his nastiness. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here.'' - John Smoltz after joining the Cardinals in San Diego. Cut by the Red Sox, he is expected to start Sunday against the Padres.

SEASONS

Aug. 21

1919 - Bert Adams of the Philadelphia Phillies tied a National League record for catchers by recording seven assists in one game.

1926 - Ted Lyons of the Chicago White Sox pitched a no-hitter over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The 6-0 victory took 1 hour, 7 minutes.

1931 - Babe Ruth hit his 600th home run as the Yankees beat the St. Louis Browns 11-7.

1947 - The first Little League World Series was at Williamsport, Pa. The Maynard Midgets of Williamsport won the series.

1972 - Steve Carlton of Philadelphia had his 15-game winning streak snapped when Phil Niekro and the Atlanta Braves beat the Phillies 2-1 in 11 innings.

1975 - Pitching brothers Rick and Paul Reuschel of the Chicago Cubs combined to throw a 7-0 shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Rick went 6 1-3 innings and Paul finished the shutout for the first ever by two brothers.

1982 - Milwaukee pitcher Rollie Fingers became the first player to achieve 300 career saves as the Brewers beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2.

1986 - Spike Owens had four hits and became the first major league player in 40 years to score six runs in a game as the Boston Red Sox routed the Cleveland Indians 24-5 with a 24-hit attack.

1999 - Sammy Sosa hit his major league leading 50th and 51st home runs to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Sosa, who hit 66 homers last season, became the fourth player to post consecutive 50-homer seasons, joining Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr. and Babe Ruth.

2005 - Mike Jacobs of the New York Mets homered in his first major league at-bat during a 7-4 loss to Washington. Jacobs was the 90th player to homer in his first major league at-bat.

2007 - Garret Anderson of the Los Angeles Angels drove in a team-record 10 runs in an 18-9 rout of the New York Yankees. Anderson hit a grand slam, a three-run homer, a two-run double and an RBI double to become the 12th player in major league history to have 10 RBIs in a game.

2007 - Arizona's Mark Reynolds tied the major league record for consecutive strikeouts by a non-pitcher when he fanned in his ninth straight plate appearance in a 7-4 loss to Milwaukee. Reynolds struck out in his first two at-bats against Dave Bush to match the record. Bush hit Reynolds with a pitch in the sixth, ending the streak.

Today's birthdays: B.J. Upton 25; Jesse Chavez 26; Jason Marquis 31; Raymond Vazquez 34; Craig Counsell 39.

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:23 AM

MLB
This Day in Baseball

On August 21 in Baseball History...

1883 - In the most decisive shutout in major league history, the Philadelphia Quakers rout the Providence Grays 28-0.

1917 - Now with Philadelphia, Chief Bender, 34, pitches his third straight shutout, winning 6-0 over the Cubs. In his last active season, Bender will turn in four shutouts, finishing 8-2 with a 1.67 ERA.

1926 - Ted Lyons of the Chicago White Sox pitched a no-hitter over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, winning 6-0 in a quick 1 hour, 7 minutes.

1931 - Babe Ruth hits his 600th home run, off George Blaeholder of the Browns, as the Yankees win 11-7.

1932 - Cleveland's Wes Ferrell becomes the first 20th-century pitcher to win 20 or more games in each of his first four seasons, beating Washington 11-5.

1947 - The first Little League World Series tournament is held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Maynard Midgets of Williamsport, with a tourney batting average of .625, win the World Series 16-7.

1948 - Aaron Robinson homers in the ninth inning off Bob Lemon to help the White Sox beat the Indians 3-2. The run breaks the 47-inning scoreless streak by Indians pitchers. Baltimore will extend the record in 1974 to 54 innings.

1949 - A barrage of bottles from the Philadelphia stands as protest of a decision by umpire George Barr over a trapped line drive by Richie Ashburn results in the first forfeiture in the major leagues in seven years. The Giants are leading 4-2 with one out in the ninth when the forfeit occurs.

1972 - Steve Carlton of Philadelphia had his 15-game winning streak snapped when Phil Niekro and the Atlanta Braves beat the Phillies 2-1 in 11 innings.

1975 - Pitching brothers Rick and Paul Reuschel combine to hurl the Cubs to a 7-0 victory over the Dodgers. This is the first time brothers have collaborated on a shutout.

1982 - Milwaukee's Rollie Fingers records his 300th career save in a 3-2 win at Seattle, becoming the first player to reach that milestone.

1986 - Spike Owen had four hits and became the first major leaguer in 40 years to score six runs in a game as the Boston Red Sox routed the Cleveland Indians 24-5 with a 24-hit attack.

1989 - Cubs rookie outfielder Jerome Walton goes 0-for-4 in a 6-5, ten-inning loss to the Reds, ending his hitting streak at 30 consecutive games.

1997 - Oakland hit six home runs, including a team record four in one inning as the Athletics posted a 13-6 win over the Boston Red Sox. Oakland hit homers off Steve Avery in each of the first three innings and three off reliever Kerry Lacy in the third.

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:24 AM

MLB
Dunkel Index

San Francisco at Colorado
The Giants look to take advantage of Colorado's 3-8 record in Aaron Cook's last 11 starts against the NL West. San Francisco is the pick (+165) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+165). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21

Game 901-902: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Owings) 14.892; Pittsburgh (Morton) 13.946
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+125); Under

Game 903-904: Milwaukee at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Looper) 14.370; Washington (Martin) 14.248
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-140); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-140); Under

Game 905-906: Philadelphia at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Hamels) 17.052; NY Mets (Pelfrey) 14.370
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 2 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-175); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-175); Under

Game 907-908: Florida at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Sanchez) 14.818; Atlanta (Vazquez) 16.012
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 909-910: Arizona at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Petit) 14.631; Houston (Oswalt) 14.373
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Houston (-200); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+180); Over

Game 911-912: San Francisco at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Sanchez) 16.183; Colorado (Cook) 15.456
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Colorado (-175); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+165); Under

Game 913-914: St. Louis at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Lohse) 16.024; San Diego (Richard) 13.436
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 2 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-145); 8
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-145); Under

Game 915-916: Chicago Cubs at LA Dodgers
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Wells) 15.403; LA Dodgers (Wolf) 15.317
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+140); Under

Game 917-918: Seattle at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (French) 16.227; Cleveland (Huff) 15.563
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-120); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+110); Over

Game 919-920: LA Angels at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (O'Sullivan) 15.777; Toronto (Rzepczynski) 13.583
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 2; 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Toronto (-120); 10
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+110); Over

Game 921-922: NY Yankees at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Pettitte) 16.312; Boston (Penny) 17.470
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 11
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-135); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+125); Over

Game 923-924: Texas at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Nippert) 15.415; Tampa Bay (Kazmir) 15.888
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-150); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-150); Under

Game 925-926: Minnesota at Kansas City
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Blackburn) 15.119; Kansas City (Hochevar) 14.605
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-125); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-125); Under

Game 927-928: Baltimore at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Guthrie) 14.402; White Sox (Floyd) 15.327
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-190); 9
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-190); Over

Game 929-930: Detroit at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Jackson) 16.090; Oakland (Gonzalez) 14.971
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Detroit (-140); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-140); Over

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:33 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

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Friday, August 21
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CINCINNATI (51 - 69) at PITTSBURGH (49 - 70) - 7:05 PM
MICAH OWINGS (R) vs. CHARLIE MORTON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 50-67 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 82-111 (-29.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 17-33 (-14.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CINCINNATI is 54-68 (-21.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 51-69 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 24-18 (+7.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
CINCINNATI is 315-363 (+30.1 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 474-557 (+40.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 85-80 (+26.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 1-7 (-8.8 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 3-2 (+0.9 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

MICAH OWINGS vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
OWINGS is 1-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 6.86 and a WHIP of 1.619.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.2 units)

CHARLIE MORTON vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
No recent starts.

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MILWAUKEE (58 - 62) at WASHINGTON (43 - 78) - 7:05 PM
BRADEN LOOPER (R) vs. J.D. MARTIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 58-59 (-6.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 42-47 (-10.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MILWAUKEE is 25-39 (-20.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 10-16 (-9.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 58-62 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 29-38 (-20.9 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 92-92 (+23.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 50-43 (+18.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 117-116 (+34.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 69-55 (+22.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 25-22 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 22-55 (-30.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
WASHINGTON is 43-78 (-26.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 43-75 (-23.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 28-59 (-25.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
WASHINGTON is 34-60 (-18.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-2 (+1.2 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.0 Units)

BRADEN LOOPER vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
LOOPER is 1-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

J.D. MARTIN vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
MARTIN is 0-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 7.50 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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PHILADELPHIA (69 - 49) at NY METS (56 - 65) - 7:10 PM
COLE HAMELS (L) vs. MIKE PELFREY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 34-15 (+17.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 89-72 (+30.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 15-8 (+7.3 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 66-46 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 26-15 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 26-13 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 44-24 (+16.7 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 69-49 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 37-20 (+18.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
NY METS are 145-138 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 145-138 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 96-91 (-27.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PELFREY is 12-20 (-13.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-4 (+2.0 Units) against NY METS this season
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.4 Units)

COLE HAMELS vs. NY METS since 1997
HAMELS is 1-3 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 4.19 and a WHIP of 1.581.
His team's record is 3-4 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-6. (-5.9 units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
PELFREY is 3-2 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 4.02 and a WHIP of 1.463.
His team's record is 3-4 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.2 units)

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FLORIDA (64 - 57) at ATLANTA (64 - 57) - 7:35 PM
ANIBAL SANCHEZ (R) vs. JAVIER VAZQUEZ (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 5-3 (+3.4 Units) against ATLANTA this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.7 Units)

ANIBAL SANCHEZ vs. ATLANTA since 1997
SANCHEZ is 2-3 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 5.08 and a WHIP of 1.604.
His team's record is 2-4 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-5. (-4.4 units)

JAVIER VAZQUEZ vs. FLORIDA since 1997
VAZQUEZ is 6-5 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 4.25 and a WHIP of 1.306.
His team's record is 8-9 (-2.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-9. (-2.8 units)

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ARIZONA (54 - 68) at HOUSTON (59 - 62) - 8:05 PM
YUSMEIRO PETIT (R) vs. ROY OSWALT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 54-68 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 98-98 (-12.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 97-105 (-22.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 54-68 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 60-80 (-20.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 141-135 (+17.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 102-99 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 47-47 (+2.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 76-68 (+12.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 66-50 (+14.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 145-137 (+21.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 80-60 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 29-19 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
OSWALT is 33-8 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 2-1 (+1.4 Units) against ARIZONA this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.0 Units)

YUSMEIRO PETIT vs. HOUSTON since 1997
PETIT is 1-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 0.714.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

ROY OSWALT vs. ARIZONA since 1997
OSWALT is 8-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.15 and a WHIP of 1.070.
His team's record is 9-1 (+7.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-4. (+2.1 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (66 - 55) at COLORADO (68 - 53) - 9:10 PM
JONATHAN SANCHEZ (L) vs. AARON COOK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 131-107 (+18.2 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 115-100 (+30.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 61-43 (+24.3 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.
COLORADO is 68-53 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 68-53 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 169-150 (+20.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 66-55 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 701-592 (+84.3 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 48-42 (+5.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 33-22 (+11.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 66-55 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 50-66 (-22.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
COOK is 3-9 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COOK is 2-10 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 4-4 (+0.3 Units) against COLORADO this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.6 Units)

JONATHAN SANCHEZ vs. COLORADO since 1997
SANCHEZ is 1-3 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 7.30 and a WHIP of 1.730.
His team's record is 4-3 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.8 units)

AARON COOK vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
COOK is 7-8 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.620.
His team's record is 7-12 (-6.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 11-8. (+2.0 units)

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ST LOUIS (70 - 53) at SAN DIEGO (51 - 72) - 10:05 PM
KYLE LOHSE (R) vs. CLAYTON RICHARD (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LOHSE is 0-7 (-7.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
LOHSE is 0-7 (-7.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
LOHSE is 2-11 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
RICHARD is 9-3 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 156-129 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 106-82 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 156-129 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 60-39 (+15.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 14-4 (+10.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SAN DIEGO is 114-170 (-50.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 82-123 (-35.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 74-112 (-32.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 26-45 (-16.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SAN DIEGO is 42-81 (-33.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 114-170 (-50.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
LOHSE is 1-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 6.18 and a WHIP of 1.555.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-2. (-0.1 units)

CLAYTON RICHARD vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
RICHARD is 0-0 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 7.36 and a WHIP of 3.270.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (61 - 58) at LA DODGERS (72 - 50) - 10:10 PM
RANDY WELLS (R) vs. RANDY WOLF (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 26-30 (-8.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 25-32 (-10.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 61-58 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 26-36 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 157-202 (-63.9 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 6-15 (-10.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 61-58 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 28-36 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 72-50 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 72-50 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WOLF is 34-25 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 21-7 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 34-25 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 19-4 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 64-52 (+21.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 3-2 (+1.5 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

RANDY WELLS vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
WELLS is 0-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

RANDY WOLF vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
WOLF is 4-7 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.45 and a WHIP of 1.418.
His team's record is 6-10 (-3.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-8. (-2.4 units)

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SEATTLE (62 - 59) at CLEVELAND (52 - 68) - 7:05 PM
LUKE FRENCH (L) vs. DAVID HUFF (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 245-230 (-74.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997.
SEATTLE is 15-40 (-21.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 80-113 (-31.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 27-18 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 35-24 (+13.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SEATTLE is 62-59 (+6.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 59-55 (+6.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 45-60 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 32-43 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CLEVELAND is 17-34 (-16.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CLEVELAND is 12-24 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CLEVELAND is 52-68 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 26-34 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 4-3 (+1.7 Units) against SEATTLE this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.6 Units)

LUKE FRENCH vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
No recent starts.

DAVID HUFF vs. SEATTLE since 1997
HUFF is 0-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.600.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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LA ANGELS (73 - 46) at TORONTO (55 - 64) - 7:07 PM
SEAN O'SULLIVAN (R) vs. MARC RZEPCZYNSKI (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 27-11 (+15.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 69-40 (+26.5 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 35-17 (+15.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
LA ANGELS are 23-10 (+10.8 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.
LA ANGELS are 73-46 (+25.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 37-24 (+17.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA ANGELS are 22-13 (+10.7 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 10 to 10.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 192-143 (+41.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 62-43 (+20.4 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 29-42 (-16.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 27-36 (-13.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
TORONTO is 55-64 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 142-166 (-56.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 3-2 (+1.0 Units) against TORONTO this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

SEAN O'SULLIVAN vs. TORONTO since 1997
No recent starts.

MARC RZEPCZYNSKI vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.

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NY YANKEES (76 - 45) at BOSTON (69 - 51) - 7:10 PM
ANDY PETTITTE (L) vs. BRAD PENNY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 4-15 (-14.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 10 to 10.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 154-94 (+28.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 69-32 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 96-46 (+23.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 18-4 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents this season.
PENNY is 51-24 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 4-12 (-9.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 8-4 (+4.4 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.3 Units)

ANDY PETTITTE vs. BOSTON since 1997
PETTITTE is 17-9 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.96 and a WHIP of 1.443.
His team's record is 20-11 (+8.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 15-15. (-0.5 units)

BRAD PENNY vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
PENNY is 3-0 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 2.31 and a WHIP of 1.543.
His team's record is 4-0 (+6.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.4 units)

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TEXAS (68 - 52) at TAMPA BAY (65 - 55) - 7:38 PM
DUSTIN NIPPERT (R) vs. SCOTT KAZMIR (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 13-30 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 66-36 (+18.8 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 111-57 (+36.1 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 120-77 (+33.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 37-15 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 55-22 (+28.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 170-128 (+25.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 37-8 (+23.9 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 102-47 (+37.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 32-13 (+18.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 103-50 (+34.5 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
KAZMIR is 21-6 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KAZMIR is 21-6 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in home games in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KAZMIR is 21-6 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KAZMIR is 13-2 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TEXAS is 14-6 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
TEXAS is 51-38 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 38-28 (+11.0 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
TEXAS is 37-33 (+7.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TEXAS is 16-9 (+9.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
TEXAS is 68-52 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 66-70 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 3-0 (+3.7 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

DUSTIN NIPPERT vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
NIPPERT is 0-1 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 15.75 and a WHIP of 2.000.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.3 units)

SCOTT KAZMIR vs. TEXAS since 1997
KAZMIR is 4-1 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 2.06 and a WHIP of 1.083.
His team's record is 7-1 (+5.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-2. (+2.8 units)

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MINNESOTA (58 - 63) at KANSAS CITY (47 - 73) - 8:10 PM
NICK BLACKBURN (R) vs. LUKE HOCHEVAR (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 24-30 (-11.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MINNESOTA is 58-63 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 4-12 (-9.4 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
BLACKBURN is 8-24 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BLACKBURN is 2-10 (-9.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
BLACKBURN is 4-15 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 31-13 (+18.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 103-85 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 41-63 (-22.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 32-47 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 71-106 (-27.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 12-23 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.
KANSAS CITY is 19-30 (-11.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
KANSAS CITY is 47-73 (-23.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 70-120 (-34.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 25-36 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 23-38 (-16.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 4-15 (-13.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
KANSAS CITY is 23-37 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 5-4 (+3.4 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.7 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)

NICK BLACKBURN vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
BLACKBURN is 1-2 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.91 and a WHIP of 1.435.
His team's record is 2-2 (-1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.2 units)

LUKE HOCHEVAR vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
HOCHEVAR is 1-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.65 and a WHIP of 1.460.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

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BALTIMORE (49 - 72) at CHI WHITE SOX (62 - 59) - 8:11 PM
JEREMY GUTHRIE (R) vs. GAVIN FLOYD (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 83-152 (-47.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 21-55 (-25.6 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.
GUTHRIE is 4-14 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 41-33 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 61-37 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 81-54 (+21.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 62-59 (+2.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 90-56 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 58-49 (+7.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
FLOYD is 36-22 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FLOYD is 22-10 (+12.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FLOYD is 23-6 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FLOYD is 15-3 (+11.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FLOYD is 33-19 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FLOYD is 11-1 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 3-3 (+0.3 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

JEREMY GUTHRIE vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
GUTHRIE is 1-3 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.65 and a WHIP of 1.430.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-4. (-3.6 units)

GAVIN FLOYD vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
FLOYD is 1-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.643.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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DETROIT (64 - 56) at OAKLAND (53 - 67) - 10:05 PM
EDWIN JACKSON (R) vs. GIO GONZALEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 86-96 (-25.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 8-19 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season.
DETROIT is 138-144 (-30.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 24-36 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
DETROIT is 33-43 (-23.1 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 216-143 (+67.1 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
DETROIT is 62-48 (+5.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 25-45 (-14.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OAKLAND is 3-12 (-10.1 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-2 (+1.7 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

EDWIN JACKSON vs. OAKLAND since 1997
JACKSON is 1-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

GIO GONZALEZ vs. DETROIT since 1997
GONZALEZ is 0-2 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 14.84 and a WHIP of 2.399.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:39 AM

MLB
Short Sheet

Friday, August 21

National League

CINCINNATI at PITTSBURGH, 7:05 PM ET
OWINGS: CIN 16-4 AWAY in August
MORTON: PIT 1-7 as a home favorite of -125 to -150

MILWAUKEE at WASHINGTON, 7:05 PM ET
LOOPER: 10-2 OVER as a favorite of -125 to -175
MARTIN: WAS 12-39 after scoring 1 run or less

PHILADELPHIA at NY METS, 7:10 PM ET
HAMELS: PHI 12-1 AWAY after 2+ consecutive overs
PELFREY: NYM 15-7 after scoring and allowing 3 runs or less

FLORIDA at ATLANTA, 7:35 PM ET
SANCHEZ: FLA 8-3 after 3+ consecutive unders
VAZQUEZ: ATL 8-2 UNDER at home

ARIZONA at HOUSTON, 8:05 PM ET
PETIT: ARI 8-16 after 2+ consecutive overs
OSWALT: 7-0 TSR against NL West

SAN FRANCISCO at COLORADO, 9:10 PM ET
SANCHEZ: 0-9 TSR as a road underdog
COOK: COL 12-1 as a home favorite of -150 to -200

ST LOUIS at SAN DIEGO, 10:05 PM ET
LOHSE: STL 14-4 when the total is 8 to 8.5
RICHARD: SD 9-25 after a loss by 4+ runs

CHICAGO CUBS at LA DODGERS, 10:10 PM ET
WELLS: CHC 4-19 as a road underdog
WOLF: 19-4 TSR at home in night games

American League

SEATTLE at CLEVELAND, 7:05 PM ET
FRENCH: SEA 15-40 AWAY when the total is 9 to 9.5
HUFF: CLE 31-18 after scoring 10+ runs

LA ANGELS at TORONTO, 7:07 PM ET
O'SULLIVAN: LAA 19-9 OVER when the total is 10+
RZEPCZYNSKI: TOR 7-1 off 5 straight division losses

NY YANKEES at BOSTON, 7:10 PM ET
PETTITTE: NYY 16-2 after 6+ consecutive road games
PENNY: BOS 9-17 allowing 2 runs or less in BB games

TEXAS at TAMPA BAY, 7:38 PM ET
NIPPERT: TEX 13-30 AWAY against left-handed starters
KAZMIR: TB 37-8 as a home favorite of -150 to -175

MINNESOTA at KANSAS CITY, 8:10 PM ET
BLACKBURN: 2-10 TSR in games played on a grass field
HOCHEVAR: KC 22-10 OVER at home when the money line is +125 to -125

BALTIMORE at CHI WHITE SOX, 8:11 PM ET
GUTHRIE: 4-14 TSR in night games
FLOYD: 19-6 TSR at home when the total is 8.5 to 10

DETROIT at OAKLAND, 10:05 PM ET
JACKSON: DET 40-22 when the money line is -100 to -150
GONZALEZ: OAK 3-12 when playing with a day off

TSR = Team Start Record
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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:43 AM

MLB

Friday, August 21

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Trend Report
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7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. PITTSBURGH
Cincinnati is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Cincinnati is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

7:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. WASHINGTON
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 9 games
Washington is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Washington's last 19 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

7:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. CLEVELAND
Seattle is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Seattle is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cleveland's last 8 games when playing at home against Seattle

7:07 PM
LA ANGELS vs. TORONTO
LA Angels are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
LA Angels are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Toronto's last 24 games when playing LA Angels

7:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. BOSTON
NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Boston
NY Yankees are 4-9 SU in their last 13 games when playing Boston
Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NY METS
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
NY Mets are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
NY Mets are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

7:35 PM
FLORIDA vs. ATLANTA
Florida is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
Atlanta is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games at home

7:38 PM
TEXAS vs. TAMPA BAY
Texas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Texas is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Texas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing at home against Texas

8:00 PM
ARIZONA vs. HOUSTON
Arizona is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Arizona is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Arizona

8:10 PM
MINNESOTA vs. KANSAS CITY
Minnesota is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games
Minnesota is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Kansas City is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Minnesota

8:11 PM
BALTIMORE vs. CHI WHITE SOX
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games when playing Chi White Sox
Baltimore is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Chi White Sox are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 17-8 SU in their last 25 games at home

9:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Francisco's last 9 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 7 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Colorado's last 9 games when playing San Francisco
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

10:05 PM
DETROIT vs. OAKLAND
Detroit is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
Oakland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Detroit

10:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. SAN DIEGO
St. Louis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Diego
St. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Diego
San Diego is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against St. Louis

10:10 PM
CHI CUBS vs. LA DODGERS
Chi Cubs are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games at home
LA Dodgers are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing Chi Cubs

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:45 AM

MLB

Friday, August 21

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Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers (-142, 8)

The Chicago Cubs finally found the ball in their last game with the San Diego Padres Wednesday. The Cubbies scored just four runs in their first two games at Petco Park.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago has a 3-13 record in stadiums with big outfields. Now the team continues its West Coast tour in Los Angeles where it will take to the turf at Dodger Stadium. The home of the Dodgers ranks fifth among pitchers' park in the majors with a park factor of 0.887 (a rating over 1.000 is considered a hitter’s park).

"Wrigley Field is a smaller ball park that plays to our scheme of things a lot better," Cubs manager Lou Piniella told reporters, adding the Cubs are "built for power."

"You need athleticism, you need more stolen bases," Piniella said. "I think we're last in the league in stolen bases.

"Look, our team has to hit, and when we don't hit, we look flatter."

Heading into Thursday’s series opener, Los Angeles has a 28-29-4 over/under at home while Chicago carries a 25-33-3 over/under on the road. The Cubs hit .242 away from Wrigley and average just under four runs per road game.

Pick: Under 8

San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies (-164, 9.5)

Rockies leadoff hitter Carlos Gonzalez isn’t leaving the big swinging to the middle of the order.

The left fielder has hit a home run in four straight games heading into Thursday’s series finale with the Washington Nationals. That recent tear has helped Colorado win three in a row and seven of its last 10 games, securing a one-game lead over the Giants for the National League wild card.

While Gonzalez gets the headlines, center fielder Dexter Fowler has also been lethal at the plate, hitting second in the order. This month, Fowler is hitting just under .400 with four RBIs and 30 total bases in August.

"We've gotten to a point in time in the season where we're playing games to win, something a lot of people didn't think would happen," Rockies manager Jim Tracy told the media. "So it makes sense to continue to develop two very dynamic young players and also give ourselves a chance to continue to win games. I think this is a smart thing to try. We're not hurting ourselves one bit and we could possibly be enhancing ourselves even more."

Colorado has won 21 of the past 27 games against San Francisco including taking all five meetings between these NL West rivals in 2009.

Pick: Colorado -164

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:46 AM

MLB

Friday, August 21

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

J.D. Martin, Washington Nationals (2-2, 4.61)

We don’t get to talk about Nats starters very often when it comes to win streaks, so we have to jump on it when the opportunity arises.

Washington has won Martin’s last three starts and he seems to be getting better with every trip to the hill. Perhaps the rookie is getting over some beginner’s jitters after he gave up five earned runs in two of his first three starts.

Martin’s ERA is just 2.35 over his past three outings, though he’s been a consistent over bet lately with his last five starts toppling the total.

Slumping

Sean O’Sullivan, Los Angeles Angels (3-1, 5.91)

O’Sullivan is living the dream life of a rookie pitcher through eight starts – his team is covering up all his mistakes with its play at the plate.

The Angels are 7-1 in the 22-year-old right-hander’s starts despite the fact he has a ballooning ERA that is greater than 10 runs over his past three starts. That’s good for bettors. The lofty ERA means O’Sully is usually an underdog when he steps on the mound and that has helped him climb to No. 12 in our starting pitcher money standings.

O’Sullivan gave up 12 runs in fewer than nine innings in his two most recent games – both of which were against AL East opponents. He faces the Jays Friday.

Charlie Morton, Pittsburgh Pirates (2-6, 5.51 ERA)

It was a toss-up of whether to go with Morton or his Friday counterpart, Micah Owings, for our second slumper. Both guys have ERAs of more than 11 runs over their past three games.

Let’s let them battle for our love as the Reds and Bucs fight for last place in the NL Central.

We’ll hold Morton dearest to our hearts for now because he’s the dude who started the hemorrhaging in the Cubs’ 17-2 massacre over the Pirates last week. Viewer discretion is advised before looking at Morton’s stats in that one: One inning pitched. Forty-nine pitches. Seven hits. Ten earned runs. One battered ego.

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 10:47 AM

MLB

Friday, August 21

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Weekend MLB cheat sheet
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The hot summer days are warming up the MLB pennant races. The Boston Red Sox should have fire in their eyes at Fenway Park when they look to avenge a four-game series sweep suffered two weeks in the Big Apple.

Along with that series, let’s take a look into the top four series on the base paths this weekend. Remember, all results are within the series and all pitcher records are “team starts” (the team’s record in games in which the pitcher starts) versus this opponent.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Florida Marlins at Atlanta Braves

Most Recent Series Result: Marlins 6-3 last nine games (5-3 this season)

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Marlins 3-0 away (3-0 this season)

Key Day/Month Stat: Marlins 4-0 Fridays; Braves 1-4 home Fridays

Best Arm in the Series: Braves’ Jurrjens 2-0, 11.00 ERA home career team starts

Worst Arm in the Series: Braves’ Vazquez 0-4, 5.62 ERA last four home team starts

Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers

Most Recent Series Result: Dodgers 7-3 last 10 games (2-2 this season)

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Dodgers 9-5 home

Key Day/Month Stat: Cubs 6-0 Saturdays; Dodgers 2-6 Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Cubs’ Dempster 6-1 3.03 ERA career team starts

Worst Arm in the Series: Dodgers’ Billingsley 1-3 3.33 ERA career team starts

AMERICAN LEAGUE

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

Most Recent Series Result: Yankees 4-0 last four games (4-7 this season)

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Red Sox 7-0 last seven home (6-0 this season)

Key Day/Month Stat: Yankees 16-4 Fridays; Red Sox 2-4 home Fridays

Best Arm in the Series: Red Sox’ Penny 4-0, 2.28 ERA career team starts

Worst Arm in the Series: Yankees’ Sabathia 2-8, 4.74 ERA last 10 team starts

Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays

Most Recent Series Result: Rays 3-0 last three games (3-0 this season)

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Rays 12-4 last 16 home

Key Day/Month Stat: Rays 13-2 Saturdays; Rangers 2-9 Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Kazmir 4-0, 1.89 home career teams starts; Garza 2-0, 1.89 ERA home career team starts

Worst Arm in the Series: None

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**pm530** · 08-21-2009, 12:58 PM

MLB

Friday, August 21

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Tips and Trends
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No selections in baseball today for the "Tips and Trends" section.

There are selections for the NFL Preseason, see the thread: “NFL Trends and Indexes - Preseason Week 2 (8/20 – 8/24)”

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Announcement

Friday Trends and Indexes 8/21 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Friday Trends and Indexes 8/21 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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