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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 04:59 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, October 1

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Twins and Tigers finish their series, the Mountaineers take on the Buffaloes, and the NHL begins its regular-season slate.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

There are two college football games on tap for Thursday, with Southern Miss at UAB and Colorado at West Virginia. The Mountaineers will be trying to get back into the win column on Thursday after they fell 41-30 to Auburn in their last game; QB Jarrett Brown tossed four interceptions in that loss. The Buffaloes picked up their first win of the season last time out, blanking Wyoming 24-0. Oddsmakers have West Virginia as a big 17-point home favorite for this matchup.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The Twins and Tigers close out their crucial four-game series in Detroit on Thursday afternoon, with Scott Baker (14-9, 4.48 ERA) taking on Nate Robertson (2-2, 5.56 ERA). Righthander Baker beat the Royals in his last trip to the mound, giving up four runs on six hits over his 6 1-3 innings of work. Lefthander Robertson took a no-decision against the White Sox in his most recent outing, surrendering five runs (four earned) on six hits over 3 1-3 innings in that contest.

There are just four other games on the American League schedule for Thursday, with Texas at the Angels, Baltimore at Tampa Bay, Oakland at Seattle, and Cleveland at Boston. Jon Lester (14-8, 3.52 ERA) gets the start for the Wild-Card winning BoSox; Lester was knocked around by New York in his most recent start.

Over in the National League on Thursday it'll be Milwaukee at Colorado, Arizona at San Francisco, Houston at Philadelphia, Washington at Atlanta, Pittsburgh at the Cubs, and St. Louis at Cincinnati. The Central-winning Cardinals will hand the ball to Chris Carpenter (16-4, 2.30 ERA) in that last matchup. Righthander Carpenter is coming off back-to-back no-decisions against the Rockies and Cubs, but he gave up just one earned run on 13 hits in those 15 innings of work.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The National Hockey League season gets underway on Thursday night with four games hitting the ice: Washington at Boston, Vancouver at Calgary, San Jose at Colorado, and Montreal at Toronto. The Canadiens underwent a massive roster overhaul during the summer, with captain Saku Koivu and hard-hitting d-man Mike Komisarek among the notable departures. The Leafs, Komisarek's new employer, will be looking to start the season with a big home win over their rival.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

Finally, the WNBA Finals continue on Thursday night with Indiana at Phoenix in Game 2 of the series. The Mercury took the opener 120-116 in overtime at home on Tuesday night, with Cappie Pondexter scoring 23 points and Diana Taurasi chipping in with 22 points and nine rebounds in the victory. Katie Douglas tossed in a game-high 30 points for the Fever, and Ebony Hoffman picked up 27 points.

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:01 AM

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Thursday, October 1

Road rough for Buffs

Colorado has not won a true road game since Oct. 27, 2007. While that only includes six contests, the Buffaloes are 1-5 against the spread in those games, including an embarrassing 54-38 setback at Toledo two weeks ago. The Buffs also have lost their last three games not played on Saturday, including two this season. Colorado is getting 17.5 points with a total of 54.5 at West Virginia.

Quicker decision

Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini remained true to his word Wednesday, naming Derek Anderson as his quarterback for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mangini, who did not reveal Brady Quinn was his starter until minutes before the season opener, may have figured that no one cared about the suspense this time.

Quinn was 4-of-6 for 34 yards and an interception and was benched at the half of Sunday's 34-3 loss to Baltimore. Anderson wans't much better, going 11-of-19 for 92 yards and three picks. The Browns are getting 5.5 points from the visiting Bengals with a total of 38.

Nate the great

With the AL Central title still up for grabs, the Detroit Tigers are going with a pitcher who was not even in their rotation five weeks ago. Nate Robertson has won once in five starts, but that win came Sept. 20 on the road vs. the Minnesota Twins, who have won 12 of their last 15 games. The Tigers are +107 vs. the Twins.

Rude guests

Lost in the hubbub of Game One of the WNBA Finals - if you strain to hear the whispers amid the din of baseball and football, you can make out the experts saying it was the best game in league history - was the fact that the visiting Indiana Fever covered the 5.5 points. (Yeah, like the league would ever tout that.) When the Fever and Phoenix Mercury get together, that happens a lot. In their last 10 meetings dating to 2005, the visitor has covered the spread nine times with six straight-up wins. The Fever are getting four points with a total of 180 in Game Two.

Wounded knee

Boston Red Sox lefthander Jon Lester returns to the rotation just one day after his normal turn as he tests his bruised quadriceps for the first time since taking a line drive on it in his last start against the New York Yankees. Before the injury, the Red Sox had won seven consecutive games started by Lester, who was 5-0 with a 2.27 ERA in that stretch. Before he was hit, Lester was hit hard by the Yankees, giving up five runs and eight hits while retiring just seven batters. This will be Lester's last start before the postseason. The Red Sox are -220 vs. the Cleveland Indians.

Running in place

When the San Diego Chargers visit the Pittsburgh Steelers for Sunday Night Football, expect to see more of the backup running backs for both teams. San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson did return to practice Wednesday, but the team has a bye next week and may be better off sticking with Darren Sproles. Willie Parker missed Pittsburgh's practice Wednesday with turf toe and is questionable. If he cannot play, tat would leave the workload to Mewelde Moore and Rashard Mendenhall. The Steelers are 6.5-point favorites with a total of 43.

Notable quotable

"It's been a big elephant in the room for a while."

-- Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge, after being told he and his staff were fired. Wedge will finish the season and notched a 5-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:04 AM

Six-pack for Thursday

-- Surprised to see Nike re-signed Michael Vick to a contract to wear their gear; no word on how much, if anything he's being paid. Good to see Vick getting a second chance at life. Hope he's grateful.

-- Indians are only team to trade reigning Cy Young winners in two consecutive seasons, so of course they fired the manager for losing too much. If he still had Sabathia, Lee he might have won more, no?

-- NBA banned players from tweeting, starting 45 minutes before the game, until the game ends.

-- Someone wrote a book called I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, and it now being made into a movie. Some title.

-- Raiders' assistant coach Randy Hanson has told Napa Valley police that head coach Tom Cable broke his jaw with a punch during training camp this summer. Interesting to see if charges get filed.

-- NHL must really hate this Jim Balsillie; they refused to let him own the Phoenix Coyotes (and move them to Ontario) even though he put up an offer of $242M. Something about him not being trustworthy.

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Thursday's List of 13: Things I'm looking for this weekend........

13) How will USC fare in Berkeley after a tumultuous week where one of their RBs had his larynx crushed in a weightlifting accident?

12) Can Georgia protect the ball? They're minus-9 in turnovers, going -2 or worse in all four games. LSU is their fifth straight BCS opponent, so they could be a little tired. They were lucky to beat Arizona State.

11) How will Oklahoma freshman QB Landry Jones do at Miami, in his first road start? He tossed six TDs against Tulsa's Golden Hurricane, but Miami's Hurricanes provide a much stiffer test.

10) Can South Florida take care of business at Syracuse after their huge win at Florida State? PJ Daniels will make just his second career start.

9) Which Seminole team shows up at Boston College this week? The one that crushed BYU in Provo, or the one that lost to USF and damn near lost to I-AA Jacksonville State? Very strange team, Florida State.

8) How will Auburn's explosive offense do in their first road game, up in Knoxville against Monte Kiffin's Tennessee defense?

7) How many fans will jam into JerryWorld for Arkansas-A&M game?

6) Can the Redskins finally put away an inferior opponent? Tampa Bay is awful, but so are the Rams/Lions- Washington struggled against both.

5) Bucs' Josh Johnson, Dolphins' Chad Henne both are making their 1st NFL start; Florida's three NFL teams are a combined 1-8. Not good.

4) Can Baltimore hang 30+ on the Patriots in Foxboro? Ravens average a whopping 34.3 ppg; something tells me they won't get to 34 Sunday.

3) Trap game for Bengals in Cleveland, after a rare win over the Steelers. Derek Anderson gets the start at QB for the Browns, who don't appear to be enjoying the Eric Mangini era very much.

2) Sean Payton's offense vs Rex Ryan's defense. Tremendous matchup in the Superdome, with unbeaten Jets visiting the unbeaten Saints.

1) Brett Favre against the Packers? It doesn't seem right, kind of like if Batman went up against Robin, or Mr Fuji against Professor Tanaka.

From: Armadillo

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:10 AM

NHL
Dunkel Index

Washington at Boston
The Caps open the regular season in Boston where they look to build on their 4-1 record in the last 5 meetings between the two teams. Washington is the pick (+125) according to Dunkel, which has the Capitals favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Washington (+125). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

Game 1-2: Montreal at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.502; Toronto 11.513
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto (-130); 6
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-130); Over

Game 3-4: Washington at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.527; Boston 12.318
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-135); 6
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+125); Over

Game 5-6: San Jose at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 10.413; Colorado 11.197
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-170); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+160); Under

Game 7-8: Vancouver at Calgary
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 11.649; Calgary 11.764
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-140); Under

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NHL
Long Sheet

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Thursday, October 1
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MONTREAL (41-34-0-11, 93 pts.) at TORONTO (34-35-0-13, 81 pts.) - 10/1/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 41-45 ATS (-18.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 10-18 ATS (-13.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 7-7 (+3.1 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 7-7-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
9 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.6 Units)

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WASHINGTON (57-29-0-10, 124 pts.) at BOSTON (60-20-0-13, 133 pts.) - 10/1/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 28-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-3 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 5-3-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.8 Units)

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SAN JOSE (55-22-0-11, 121 pts.) at COLORADO (32-45-0-5, 69 pts.) - 10/1/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 126-104 ATS (+21.6 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 6-2 (+3.1 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 6-2-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.2 Units)

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VANCOUVER (51-30-0-11, 113 pts.) at CALGARY (48-33-0-7, 103 pts.) - 10/1/2009, 10:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 9-5 (+4.6 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 9-5-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.5 Units)

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NHL
Write-up

Thursday, October 1

2009-10 NHL knowledge
NHL writeups will start soon, but not for a few days, until the teams get some games under their belt.

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NHL

Thursday, October 1

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. TORONTO
Montreal is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Toronto's last 13 games at home
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Montreal

7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. BOSTON
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Washington is 7-13-2 SU in its last 22 games when playing Boston
Boston is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

9:30 PM
SAN JOSE vs. COLORADO
San Jose is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Jose's last 6 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Colorado's last 5 games at home

10:00 PM
VANCOUVER vs. CALGARY
Vancouver is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
Vancouver is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Calgary's last 8 games when playing Vancouver

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NHL

Thursday, October 1

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs (-125, 6)

The Leafs and Habs took different paths to overhauling their rosters this offseason. Montreal lost size but added skill, while Toronto went out and grabbed some heavy hitters on the blue line.

Leafs general manager Brian Burke is adding the same type of grit that helped him make the Ducks Stanley Cups champions.

“Look,” Burke told the Globe and Mail, “the point of the exercise isn’t to have the roughest team. It’s to have enough toughness that your skill players are in a fear-free environment.”

Expect Toronto to overplay its new goon card with several stupid penalties and Montreal to take advantage with a couple power-play makers.

Pick: Canadiens

Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames (-125, 6)

All Vancouver backers will be watching Mikael Samuelsson closely on Thursday. The former Red Wing is the first option to play with the Sedins on the top line, a position the Canucks haven’t had much luck filling over the past few years.

The Flames have huge expectation this year after netting All-Star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.

“It’s what I was looking for,” Bouwmeester says of Calgary. “Every year (in Florida) there were changes and that stability is what I was looking for.

“And there are some pretty top-end guys here and that would be attractive to anybody.”

The Flames were scorching hot at home last season (27-10-2-2) and Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo has a reputation for slow starts.

Pick: Flames

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:13 AM

WNBA
Dunkel Index

Indiana at Phoenix
The Mercury look to take advantage of an Indiana team that is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing with 1 day of rest. Phoenix is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 8. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-4). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

Game 603-604: Indiana at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 111.275; Phoenix 119.251
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 8; 181
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 4; 180
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-4); Over

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WNBA
Long Sheet

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Thursday, October 1
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INDIANA (26 - 14) at PHOENIX (28 - 13) - 10/1/2009, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:17 AM

Looking to this week’s CFL games for Friday and Saturday.
More info should be provided in tomorrow’s thread.

CFL
Dunkel Index

Edmonton at Winnipeg
The Eskimos look to take advantage of a Winnipeg team that is 3-8-1 ATS in its last 12 games following an ATS victory. Edmonton is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Eskimos favored by 7. Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (-4). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

Game 251-252: Edmonton at Winnipeg
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 111.301; Winnipeg 104.540
Dunkel Line: Edmonton by 7; 48
Vegas Line: Edmonton by 4; 51
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (-4); Under

Game 253-254: Saskatchewan at BC
Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 115.886; BC 111.233
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 4 1/2; 58
Vegas Line: BC by 1; 54
Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (+1); Over

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

Game 255-256: Montreal at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 121.873; Toronto 105.584
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 16 1/2; 50
Vegas Line: Montreal by 10; 47 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-10); Over

Game 257-258: Hamilton at Calgary
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 110.846; Calgary 113.360
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 2 1/2; 54
Vegas Line: Calgary by 7; 51
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+7); Over

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CFL
Long Sheet

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Friday, October 2
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EDMONTON (6 - 6) at WINNIPEG (4 - 8) - 10/2/2009, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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SASKATCHEWAN (7 - 5) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (5 - 7) - 10/2/2009, 10:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 5-5 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 6-4 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, October 3
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MONTREAL (10 - 2) at TORONTO (3 - 9) - 10/3/2009, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 5-3 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 6-2 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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HAMILTON (6 - 6) at CALGARY (7 - 5) - 10/3/2009, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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CFL

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Trend Report
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Friday, October 2

7:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games
Edmonton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Winnipeg is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing at home against Edmonton

10:30 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Saskatchewan is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
British Columbia is 5-12-1 ATS in its last 18 games at home
British Columbia is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games at home

Saturday, October 3

1:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. TORONTO
Montreal is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Montreal is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 5-9-1 ATS in its last 15 games at home
Toronto is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games at home

7:00 PM
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
Hamilton is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Hamilton's last 8 games when playing Calgary
Calgary is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Calgary's last 8 games when playing Hamilton

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:56 AM

MLB
Write-up

Thursday, October 1

Hot Pitchers
-- Carpenter is 9-1, 2.16 in his last 13 starts. KWells is 2-1, 3.65 in his last four starts.
-- Parra is 2-0, 2.51 in his last three starts.
-- Hanson has a 2.65 RA in his last six starts.
-- Maholm has a 2.57 RA in his last three starts.

-- Millwood is 2-0, 2.57 in his last couple starts.
-- Lester has 2.27 RA in his last five home starts.
-- Garza has a 2.73 RA in his last five starts.
-- Anderson is 4-0, 3.04 in his last four starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Cook is 0-3, 6.95 in his last five starts.
-- Lincecum is 1-3, 3.60 in his last four starts.
-- Mock is 0-5, 7.59 in his last six starts.
-- Paulino is 0-7, 8.13 in his last seven starts. Lee is 2-3, 6.62 in his last six starts.
-- Haren is 2-2, 4.64 in his last seven starts.
-- Samardzija is 0-2, 10.80 in two starts for the Cubs.

-- Robertson is 1-1, 6.75 in his last three starts. Baker is 1-2, 5.40 in his last four starts.
-- Lackey has a 6.75 RA in his last three starts.
-- Waters was 9-7, 4.49 in 20 AAA starts this year.
-- Carrasco is 0-4, 11.43 in four starts this season.
-- Fister is 0-3, 10.13 in his last three starts.

Hot Teams
-- Reds won eight of their last nine games.
-- Nationals won their last three games, allowing eight runs. Braves won 15 of their last 19 games, but lost last two.
-- Phillies won three of last four games; they clinched division title last night.
-- Colorado won 14 of its last 18 home games.
-- Pirates won four of their last five games.

-- Indians won four of their last six games, but fired skipper Wednesday.
-- Tigers won seven of their last ten games. Twins won 12 of their last 16 games, but lost last two.
-- Rays won seven of their last eight home games.
-- Angels won their last four games, scoring 28 runs.
-- Mariners won six of their last seven home games.

Cold Teams
-- Cardinals lost five of their last six games.
-- Brewers lost last three games, allowing 23 runs.
-- Astros lost 13 of their last 16 games.
-- Giants are 6-7 in their last thirteen home games. Arizona lost seven of its last nine games.
-- Cubs lost three of their last four games.

-- Orioles lost their last thirteen games in a row.
-- Red Sox lost eight of their last ten games.
-- Rangers lost 12 of their last 17 games.
-- Oakland lost its last three games, outscored 20-8.

Totals
-- Under is 11-2-1 in last fourteen Carpenter starts.
-- Five of last six Cook starts stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Haren starts.
-- Four of last five Paulino starts stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Hanson starts stayed under the total.
-- Six of Cubs' last seven games stayed under the total.

-- Under is 5-1-1 in Baker's last seven starts.
-- Eight of last ten Texas games went over the total.
-- Over is 10-5-1 in last sixteen Baltimore road games.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in Lester's last eight home starts.
-- Five of last seven Anderson road starts went over the total.

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:56 AM

MLB

Thursday, October 1

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Trend Report
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12:35 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CINCINNATI
St. Louis is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games on the road
St. Louis is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cincinnati is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Cincinnati is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games at home

1:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. DETROIT
Minnesota is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games
Minnesota is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Detroit is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Detroit is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games

3:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. COLORADO
Milwaukee is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Colorado is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

3:45 PM
ARIZONA vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Arizona is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Arizona is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games
San Francisco is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona
San Francisco is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Arizona

6:05 PM
TEXAS vs. LA ANGELS
Texas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Texas is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Texas
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Texas

7:05 PM
HOUSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Houston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Houston is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Philadelphia is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games
Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:08 PM
BALTIMORE vs. TAMPA BAY
Baltimore is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Baltimore is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. BOSTON
Cleveland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Cleveland is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 11 games when playing at home against Cleveland

7:10 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Washington's last 11 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:05 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CHI CUBS
Pittsburgh is 4-15 SU in their last 19 games when playing Chi Cubs
Pittsburgh is 3-17 SU in its last 20 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games at home
Chi Cubs are 15-4 SU in their last 19 games when playing Pittsburgh

10:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
Oakland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Oakland is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Seattle is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Oakland

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:57 AM

MLB

Thursday, October 1

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Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox (-220, NA)

Eric Wedge – the Tribe has spoken.

The Cleveland Indians have bid farewell to their manager, releasing the seven-year skip and his coaching staff Wednesday afternoon. Wedge was at the helm of Cleveland's September swoon, losing seven of its last 10 and 20 of the last 25 games.

In funny twist, Wedge will finish out the season for the Indians. The team reported the manager has known this firing was coming down the pipe, which could be why they have struggled in the past week. Now, Tribe bettors are going to have to put their faith in a team that may or may not try to finish strong for their departing manager.

This season has been a total bust for Cleveland. The franchise is in the basement of the American League Central and has washed its hands of two of their all-time greats in Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee. General manager Mark Shapiro has said this movement is a “reloading” - but wise bettors know its more of an imploding.

The Tribe are fade bait for the final games of the season.

Pick: Boston

Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners (+109, NA)

While most teams outside the playoff picture couldn't give a rat's ass about the final week of the season, two American League West opponents are trying to go down swinging. The Mariners and A's are a combined 30-21 this month.

As of Wednesday, Seattle must win at least one of its final five games to finish with a .500 record while Oakland is trying to salvage a sub-.500 mark for 2009.

“We’ve gone through a lot this year with injuries. We don’t have Russell Branyan, Sean White is down, (Erik) Bedard’s down,” manager Don Wakamatsu told the Kitsap Sun. “There’s a lot of injuries, maybe the most in the American League.

“Eighty-one (victories) is a stepping stone. There’s more that we’re looking to do here, but under the circumstances I’m awfully proud of these guys.”

Seattle earned a win in Game 1 of this series Tuesday night and have won 12 of the teams 17 meetings heading into Wednesday's game. The Mariners staff has posted a 3.52 ERA versus Oakland this year.

Pick: Seattle

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**pm530** · 10-01-2009, 05:58 AM

MLB

Thursday, October 1

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Paul Maholm, Pittsburgh Pirates

With the Pirates' tendency to send all their talent elsewhere, Paul Maholm could find himself on a contender in 2010 if he continues pitching this well.

The Bucs left-hander is 1-1 in his last three starts, posting a 2.14 ERA in 21 innings of work. Maholm's latest trip to the bump was a seven-inning effort in which he allowed just three earned runs on seven hits in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He was bailed out a couple times by his defense and has struggled with his command on his sinker ball during recent starts.

Brett Anderson, Oakland Athletics

The A's southpaw has had a big part in his team's hot play down the home stretch of the season. Anderson has won four straight starts and posts an ERA of 2.28 with 26 strikeouts and just three walks.

Anderson lasted just under six innings in his most recent start, limiting the Rangers to just one earned run on six hits. He whiffed six batters in that game and broke the A's rookie pitching record for strikeouts held by Rick Langford.

Slumping

John Lackey, Los Angeles Angels

The Angels ace is not as sharp as he should be with October knocking at the door. In his last two starts, Lackey has given up 10 runs in just 11 innings of work. In his last outing, the Halos right-hander allowed six hits – two of which were home runs. Those were the first long balls Lackey had allowed in a month.

Dan Haren, Arizona Diamondbacks

Another ace hitting a snag late in the season is D-backs starter Dan Haren.

Arizona's righty has allowed a total of 10 runs in his last two starts. He was knocked around for five earned runs on nine hits in six innings against the San Diego Padres last weekend. He is 5-4 since the break with a 4.44 ERA.

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**Udog** · 10-01-2009, 08:43 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs
The Pirates look to build on their 7-2 record in Paul Maholm's last 9 starts against the Cubs. Pittsburgh is the pick (+135) according to Dunkel, which has the Pirates favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+135). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

Game 951-952: St. Louis at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Carpenter) 16.308; Cincinnati (Wells) 15.804
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-175); 8
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-175); Under

Game 953-954: Milwaukee at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Parra) 14.716; Colorado (Cook) 15.664
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-170); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-170); Over

Game 955-956: Arizona at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Haren) 15.531; San Francisco (Lincecum) 14.955
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-150); 7
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+140); Over

Game 957-958: Houston at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Paulino) 14.870; Philadelphia (Lee) 14.393
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 959-960: Washington at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Mock) 14.575; Atlanta (Hanson) 15.456
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-275); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-275); Under

Game 961-962: Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Maholm) 15.756; Cubs (Samardzjia) 14.612
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-145); No Run Line
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+135); N/A

Game 963-964: Minnesota at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Baker) 15.254; Detroit (Robertson) 16.124
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-130); 9
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+120); Under

Game 965-966: Texas at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Millwood) 16.445; LA Angels (Lackey) 15.708
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-165); 9
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+155); Over

Game 967-968: Baltimore at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Waters) 12.829; Tampa Bay (Garza) 14.874
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-265); 9
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-265); Under

Game 969-970: Cleveland at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Carrasco) 14.353; Boston (Lester) 15.918
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-240); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-240); Under

Game 971-972: Oakland at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Anderson) 15.250; Seattle (Fister) 16.150
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Oakland (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+110); Over

**Udog** · 10-01-2009, 09:50 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 1

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ST LOUIS (90 - 68) at CINCINNATI (76 - 82) - 12:35 PM
CHRIS CARPENTER (R) vs. KIP WELLS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 44-32 (+18.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CINCINNATI is 75-80 (+5.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 58-57 (+11.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CINCINNATI is 76-82 (+4.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 176-144 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 121-94 (+17.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 44-32 (+15.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 48-25 (+14.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
ST LOUIS is 176-144 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 32-19 (+13.4 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CARPENTER is 51-28 (+23.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 233-269 (-67.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 3-14 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in October games since 1997.
WELLS is 20-36 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 8-7 (+1.9 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-1.0 Units)

CHRIS CARPENTER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
CARPENTER is 6-3 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 2.23 and a WHIP of 0.846.
His team's record is 8-4 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-9. (-6.9 units)

KIP WELLS vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
WELLS is 2-6 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 5.30 and a WHIP of 1.575.
His team's record is 5-8 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-7. (-1.8 units)

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MILWAUKEE (77 - 81) at COLORADO (90 - 68) - 3:10 PM
MANNY PARRA (L) vs. AARON COOK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 25-43 (-18.9 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.
MILWAUKEE is 77-81 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 21-30 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 77-78 (-5.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 56-63 (-11.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 90-68 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 146-114 (+22.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 90-68 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COOK is 3-10 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COOK is 2-11 (-12.5 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 5-0 (+6.1 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

MANNY PARRA vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

AARON COOK vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
COOK is 4-2 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.28 and a WHIP of 1.460.
His team's record is 5-3 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-5. (-2.5 units)

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ARIZONA (68 - 90) at SAN FRANCISCO (85 - 73) - 3:45 PM
DAN HAREN (R) vs. TIM LINCECUM (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 68-90 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 107-121 (-28.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 25-46 (-19.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ARIZONA is 68-90 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 66-92 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 16-26 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 85-73 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 63-53 (+9.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 45-30 (+10.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 85-73 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 26-8 (+15.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 51-29 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 9-22 (-13.6 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 12-5 (+7.1 Units) against ARIZONA this season
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

DAN HAREN vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
HAREN is 6-5 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.178.
His team's record is 6-8 (-4.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-6. (+1.0 units)

TIM LINCECUM vs. ARIZONA since 1997
LINCECUM is 4-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 1.79 and a WHIP of 0.912.
His team's record is 4-4 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.1 units)

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HOUSTON (73 - 85) at PHILADELPHIA (92 - 66) - 7:05 PM
FELIPE PAULINO (R) vs. CLIFF LEE (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 5-2 (+5.9 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

FELIPE PAULINO vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
No recent starts.

CLIFF LEE vs. HOUSTON since 1997
LEE is 0-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 18.00 and a WHIP of 3.000.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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WASHINGTON (55 - 103) at ATLANTA (86 - 72) - 7:10 PM
GARRETT MOCK (R) vs. TOMMY HANSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 21-47 (-20.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
WASHINGTON is 55-100 (-31.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 35-77 (-32.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
WASHINGTON is 45-80 (-22.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WASHINGTON is 23-63 (-29.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WASHINGTON is 18-55 (-26.4 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.
WASHINGTON is 55-103 (-34.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 9-28 (-16.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
WASHINGTON is 22-55 (-21.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
WASHINGTON is 2-18 (-14.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
ATLANTA is 40-37 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 111-113 (-20.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 55-51 (-10.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 16-18 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.
ATLANTA is 67-66 (-19.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 158-162 (-26.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 46-43 (-9.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
ATLANTA is 40-37 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 24-26 (-13.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 10-4 (+4.8 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.2 Units)

GARRETT MOCK vs. ATLANTA since 1997
MOCK is 0-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 7.20 and a WHIP of 2.200.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

TOMMY HANSON vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HANSON is 2-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.61 and a WHIP of 0.774.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (61 - 97) at CHICAGO CUBS (82 - 76) - 8:05 PM
PAUL MAHOLM (L) vs. JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 10-4 (+2.7 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.4 Units)

PAUL MAHOLM vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
MAHOLM is 4-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 7.06 and a WHIP of 1.549.
His team's record is 7-2 (+8.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-2. (+5.1 units)

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
No recent starts.

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MINNESOTA (82 - 76) at DETROIT (85 - 73) - 1:05 PM
SCOTT BAKER (R) vs. NATE ROBERTSON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 24-32 (-11.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
MINNESOTA is 26-32 (-9.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
DETROIT is 38-29 (+8.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DETROIT is 50-27 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
DETROIT is 50-27 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 170-151 (+6.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 41-27 (+10.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
DETROIT is 105-119 (-33.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 159-161 (-29.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 65-75 (-26.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ROBERTSON is 25-38 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ROBERTSON is 4-11 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ROBERTSON is 22-34 (-18.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ROBERTSON is 6-19 (-13.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 10-7 (+2.5 Units) against DETROIT this season
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.6 Units, Under=-1.3 Units)

SCOTT BAKER vs. DETROIT since 1997
BAKER is 4-4 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 4.57 and a WHIP of 1.180.
His team's record is 7-8 (-2.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-6. (+2.7 units)

NATE ROBERTSON vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
ROBERTSON is 9-10 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 4.30 and a WHIP of 1.384.
His team's record is 11-12 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-14. (-8.9 units)

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TEXAS (85 - 73) at LA ANGELS (94 - 64) - 6:05 PM
KEVIN MILLWOOD (R) vs. JOHN LACKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 3-17 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in October games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 87-56 (+21.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 60-47 (+7.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 72-38 (+32.2 Units) against the money line after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 56-37 (+13.0 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
LA ANGELS are 47-37 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA ANGELS are 43-21 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 94-64 (+21.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 87-54 (+19.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 22-8 (+13.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 33-14 (+21.0 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
TEXAS is 82-67 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 56-46 (+11.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TEXAS is 41-34 (+7.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
TEXAS is 115-123 (+17.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 85-73 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 76-82 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 101-94 (-50.3 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
LACKEY is 3-8 (-10.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season. (Team's Record)
LACKEY is 12-18 (-17.1 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 10-8 (+3.4 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

KEVIN MILLWOOD vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
MILLWOOD is 4-5 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.52 and a WHIP of 1.396.
His team's record is 6-9 (-1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-8. (-1.7 units)

JOHN LACKEY vs. TEXAS since 1997
LACKEY is 11-12 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 5.83 and a WHIP of 1.564.
His team's record is 16-15 (-5.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 15-16. (-2.7 units)

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BALTIMORE (60 - 98) at TAMPA BAY (82 - 76) - 7:08 PM
CHRIS WATERS (L) vs. MATT GARZA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 45-71 (-18.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 12-35 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 16-40 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss this season.
BALTIMORE is 10-33 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 91-167 (-49.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 29-70 (-27.4 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.
BALTIMORE is 60-98 (-27.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 24-56 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BALTIMORE is 20-48 (-18.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
TAMPA BAY is 113-57 (+34.8 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 123-65 (+37.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 72-36 (+20.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 112-54 (+37.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 85-62 (+24.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
GARZA is 14-3 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 58-53 (-7.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 82-76 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
GARZA is 10-15 (-9.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 10-7 (-0.6 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-1.5 Units)

CHRIS WATERS vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
WATERS is 0-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 10.39 and a WHIP of 2.771.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MATT GARZA vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
GARZA is 6-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 2.70 and a WHIP of 1.177.
His team's record is 6-1 (+4.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-5. (-4.2 units)

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CLEVELAND (65 - 93) at BOSTON (91 - 67) - 7:10 PM
CARLOS CARRASCO (R) vs. JON LESTER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 58-82 (-25.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 40-60 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CLEVELAND is 33-51 (-15.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CLEVELAND is 65-93 (-28.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 59-82 (-27.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 174-109 (+30.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 80-38 (+20.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 38-15 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
BOSTON is 67-27 (+21.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 53-20 (+26.4 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
BOSTON is 92-50 (+26.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 110-53 (+27.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LESTER is 55-25 (+25.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 26-6 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 42-16 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 35-14 (+18.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 32-10 (+19.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 17-1 (+16.0 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. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 3-2 (+0.6 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.9 Units)

CARLOS CARRASCO vs. BOSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

JON LESTER vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
LESTER is 2-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.77 and a WHIP of 1.412.
His team's record is 5-0 (+5.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.0 units)

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OAKLAND (75 - 83) at SEATTLE (82 - 76) - 10:10 PM
BRETT ANDERSON (L) vs. DOUG FISTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 5-18 (-14.5 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 77-68 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 57-55 (+4.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 45-35 (+6.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SEATTLE is 82-76 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 39-33 (+6.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SEATTLE is 45-32 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
OAKLAND is 68-77 (+1.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 54-61 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 56-54 (+13.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
OAKLAND is 41-41 (+8.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
OAKLAND is 75-83 (+7.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 29-36 (-20.8 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
SEATTLE is 30-42 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 258-240 (-72.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 13-5 (+8.1 Units) against OAKLAND this season
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

BRETT ANDERSON vs. SEATTLE since 1997
ANDERSON is 2-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.75 and a WHIP of 1.375.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.1 units)

DOUG FISTER vs. OAKLAND since 1997
FISTER is 0-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.600.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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**Udog** · 10-01-2009, 09:55 AM

MLB

Thursday, October 1

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Baseball Today
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SCOREBOARD

Thursday, October 1

Milwaukee at Colorado (3:10 p.m. EDT). Hoping to wrap up the NL wild card, the Rockies will send Aaron Cook (10-6) to the mound against the Brewers' Manny Parra (11-10).

STARS

Wednesday

-Ricky Nolasco, Marlins, struck out nine straight Braves and finished with a club-record 16 strikeouts - the most by a major league pitcher in more than two years - during Florida's 5-4 victory over Atlanta.

-Roy Halladay, Blue Jays, pitched a three-hitter for his second consecutive shutout and Toronto sent Boston to its sixth straight loss, 12-0.

-Justin Maxwell, Nationals, hit a game-ending grand slam off All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez with two outs in the ninth inning of Washington's 7-4 victory over the New York Mets.

-Clayton Richard, Padres, allowed one hit in seven innings of a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

-Brad Penny, Giants, tossed a six-hitter for his first complete game in four years, leading San Francisco to a 4-1 win over Arizona.

-Ryan Doumit, Pirates, went 4 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs as Pittsburgh beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2 to complete its first doubleheader sweep at Wrigley Field since June 20, 1983.

-Bronson Arroyo, Reds, allowed one run and four hits in 8 1-3 innings to lift Cincinnati over St. Louis 6-1.

-Brandon Morrow, Mariners, yielded only an infield single in eight innings and struck out a career-high nine to lead Seattle past Oakland 7-0.

THEY'RE IN

Philadelphia can rest now and prepare to defend its World Series title. Kyle Kendrick pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Pedro Martinez and the Phillies beat Houston 10-3 to clinch their third straight NL East crown. Raul Ibanez hit his career-high 34th homer for Philadelphia, which is heading to the postseason for the third straight year for the first time since Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton and crew won three consecutive division titles from 1976-78.

ALMOST THERE

Colorado moved closer to a playoff spot with a 10-6 win over Milwaukee. The Rockies lead the wild card by four games over Atlanta with four to play after the Braves lost 5-4 to Florida. Colorado also pulled within 2 1/2 games of NL West-leading Los Angeles, which is off Thursday before hosting Colorado for three games to finish the season.

TIGERTOWN

Magglio Ordonez hit a three-run double and Detroit beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 to move closer to the AL Central title. Eddie Bonine pitched five effective innings after getting off to a rough start for the Tigers, who increased their lead to three games over the Twins. The Tigers had a chance to clinch their first division championship since 1987 with a victory in Thursday afternoon's series finale.

CHANGE IN CLEVELAND

Eric Wedge was fired as manager of the Indians, who are in the final days of a terrible season that began with high hopes. Despite being told he would not be back next season, Wedge planned to manage the last six games of his seventh year with Cleveland. Wedge led the club to one playoff appearance since taking over in 2003 and went through two rebuilding projects with the midmarket club. General manager Mark Shapiro said Cleveland's coaches were told Tuesday night that they would not be retained for the 2010 season. Wedge is under contract for 2010.

ONE ILL-TIMED SLIDE

The Dodgers need another win or a Rockies loss to clinch the NL West title. That final step is proving to be a tricky one. Los Angeles matched its season high with its fourth consecutive loss, managing just one hit in a 5-0 loss at San Diego. The Dodgers failed once again to secure their second consecutive division title for the first time since 1977-78. They beat Pittsburgh 8-4 on Saturday night to wrap up a playoff berth.

LOTS of Ks

Ricky Nolasco struck out nine straight Braves in Florida's 5-4 win and finished with 16 strikeouts, the most by a major league pitcher in more than two years. Nolasco's nine consecutive strikeouts in one game were one short of the big league record set by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver for the New York Mets on April 22, 1970, against San Diego.

STINGY STAFF

Matt Palmer combined with four relievers on a one-hitter and the Los Angeles Angels beat Texas 5-0, tying a club record for most runs in a season with 866. Palmer (11-2) gave up a leadoff single in the first inning to Julio Borbon, but that was it. Darren Oliver struck out the side in the sixth before Jose Arredondo, Kevin Jepsen and fellow rookie Rafael Rodriguez each pitched a hitless inning. It was the sixth combined one-hitter in Angels history and the first since July 24, 2004, also at home against the Rangers.

NOT ANOTHER ONE

All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez gave up a game-ending grand slam for the second time this season when Justin Maxwell homered to give Washington a 7-4 victory over the New York Mets. Everth Cabrera also hit one off Rodriguez in the San Diego Padres' 6-2 win on Aug. 7.

LIMPING TO THE FINISH LINE

James Shields carried a shutout into the eighth inning, Ben Zobrist hit a three-run homer and Tampa Bay extended Baltimore's losing streak to 13 games with a 5-3 victory. The Orioles can tie the second-longest skid in franchise history, set in August 1954, with a loss in the series finale Thursday night.

SIDELINED

Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer will have season-ending surgery after tearing muscles in his groin and lower abdomen Tuesday night against Houston. He's expected to be ready for spring training. The 46-year-old left-hander was 12-10 with a 4.94 ERA in 30 games, including 25 starts. He lost his spot in the starting rotation to Pedro Martinez in August and probably wasn't going to be on the team's postseason roster. ... Mets shortstop Jose Reyes has a new tear in the injured right hamstring that sidelined him for most of this season. New York manager Jerry Manuel said doctors were trying to decide whether Reyes needs surgery. ... San Francisco second baseman Freddy Sanchez had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Sanchez should be ready for spring training.

SPEAKING

"I'll celebrate when we get to the big one.'' - Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, speaking from his office as his players doused each other with champagne and beer in the clubhouse after clinching their third consecutive NL East title.

SEASONS

Oct. 1

1903 - The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Boston Red Sox, 7-3, in the first World Series game. Jimmy Sebring hit the first series home run. Deacon Phillippe was the winning pitcher and Cy Young the loser.

1932 - Babe Ruth, as legend has it, called his home run against Chicago's Charlie Root in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the World Series, won by the New York Yankees 7-5 at Wrigley Field. Ruth and Lou Gehrig each hit two homers for the Yankees.

1946 - For the first time in major league history, a playoff series to determine a league's championship was played between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Cardinals took the first game 4-2 as Howie Pollet held the Dodgers to two hits, a homer and an RBI single by Howie Schultz.

1950 - The Philadelphia Phillies clinched the NL pennant on Dick Sisler's three-run homer against Don Newcombe in a 4-1 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers on the season's last day.

1961 - Roger Maris ended a season of personal torment by hitting his 61st home run against Tracy Stallard of the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. The homer eclipsed Babe Ruth's 34-year-old single-season home run record. The Yankees won, 1-0.

1978 - The Cleveland Indians beat the New York Yankees 9-2 on the last day of the season to force a one-game playoff between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox won their eighth straight game with a 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

1988 - Tony Gwynn went 2-for-3 to raise his league-leading batting average to .313 but hurt his hand in a 6-3 victory over the Houston Astros. Gwynn is the first NL batting champion to win the title with an average below .320. The previous lowest was Larry Doyle's .320 in 1915.

2000 - Detroit's Shane Halter became the fourth major leaguer to play all nine positions in a game, and capped his adventure by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Tigers over Minnesota 12-11.

2004 - Ichiro Suzuki set the major league record for hits in a season, breaking George Sisler's 84-year-old mark with a pair of early singles as the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 8-3. Sisler set the hits record of 257 in 1920 with the St. Louis Browns over a 154-game schedule. Suzuki broke it in the Mariners' 160th game of the year.

2006 - Joe Mauer finished 2-for-4 to become the first catcher to win an AL batting title as Minnesota beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1. Mauer finished at .347, four points ahead of New York shortstop Derek Jeter.

2007 - Matt Holliday and the Colorado Rockies pulled off the most dramatic comeback of the year. Holliday scored on Jamey Carroll's shallow fly ball, capping a stunning, three-run rally in the 13th inning against Trevor Hoffman and leading the Rockies over the San Diego Padres 9-8 in a tiebreaker for the NL wild card.

2008 - The Red Sox, behind Jason Bay's two-run homer off John Lackey in the sixth inning, beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 in the opener of their AL playoff series. It was Boston's 10th straight postseason win against the Angels dating to 1986. Boston tied a major league record for consecutive postseason wins over the same opponent, a mark Oakland set against the Red Sox from 1988-03.

Today's birthdays: Matt Cain 25; Mark McGwire 46

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**Udog** · 10-01-2009, 10:49 AM

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, 10/1/2009

National League

ST LOUIS at CINCINNATI, 12:35 PM ET
CARPENTER: STL 37-12 as a favorite of -150 or more
WELLS: CIN 3-14 in October

MILWAUKEE at COLORADO, 3:10 PM ET
PARRA: 10-1 OVER against NL West
COOK: 2-11 TSR at home after 3+ consecutive wins

ARIZONA at SAN FRANCISCO, 3:45 PM ET
HAREN: ARI 8-16 after 6 consecutive division games
LINCECUM: SF 24-9 at home when the total is 7.5 or less

HOUSTON at PHILADELPHIA, 7:05 PM ET
PAULINO: 0-7 TSR in the second half of the season
LEE: 21-6 TSR when playing on Thursday

WASHINGTON at ATLANTA, 7:10 PM ET
MOCK: WAS 14-44 as an underdog of +150 or more
HANSON: ATL 19-6 UNDER after 2+ consecutive overs

PITTSBURGH at CHICAGO CUBS, 8:05 PM ET
MAHOLM: PIT 12-40 after 3+ consecutive road games
SAMARDZIJA: CHC 11-2 off a division loss by 6+ runs

American League

MINNESOTA at DETROIT, 1:05 PM ET
BAKER: MIN 18-7 UNDER AWAY after scoring 2 runs or less
ROBERTSON: 8-24 TSR at home when the money line is +125 to -125

TEXAS at LA ANGELS, 6:05 PM ET
MILLWOOD: TEX 22-10 after a loss by 4+ runs
LACKEY: 3-8 TSR when the total is 9 to 9.5

BALTIMORE at TAMPA BAY, 7:08 PM ET
WATERS: BAL 8-29 AWAY with double revenge
GARZA: 14-3 TSR at home against division opponents

CLEVELAND at BOSTON, 7:10 PM ET
CARRASCO: CLE 12-25 after 2+ consecutive unders
LESTER: 26-6 TSR at home

OAKLAND at SEATTLE, 10:10 PM ET
ANDERSON: OAK 10-4 after a loss by 6+ runs
FISTER: SEA 25-14 OVER as a home underdog of +100 to +125

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 10/1 (MLB, NHL, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 10/1 (MLB, NHL, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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