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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:24 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Wednesday, October 7

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Major League Baseball begins its playoffs with three contests, while the Fever try to bring the WNBA postseason to a close.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The baseball playoffs get going in Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, with the Phillies playing host to the Rockies in the first NLDS matchup. Ubaldo Jimenez (15-12, 3.47 ERA) is set to take on Cliff Lee (14-13, 3.22 ERA) in that contest. Righthander Jimenez ended his regular season in style, holding the Dodgers to one run on two hits over six innings. Lefthander Lee was tagged with the loss in each of his last two starts, allowing 11 runs in 11 2-3 innings of work.

The other Senior Circuit series has St. Louis at Los Angeles on Wednesday, with the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter (17-4, 2.24 ERA) battling the Dodgers' Randy Wolf (11-7, 3.23 ERA). Righthander Carpenter pitched five shutout innings against the Reds in his last trip to the mound, surrendering just three hits while fanning six batters. Lefthander Wolf took the loss against the Rockies last time out, giving up two runs on five hits in those five innings, and walking four hitters.

Meanwhile, just one ALDS gets underway on Wednesday, but it features the top-seeded (and 103-game-winning) Yankees. CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.37 ERA) gets the ball for the Yankees in their playoff opener, but he's coming off a rare rough outing - nine runs (five earned) over 2 2-3 innings vs. the Rays last Friday night. New York's opponent will be the Twins, who won the play-in game Tuesday. Brian Duensing (5-2, 3.64 ERA) is expected to take to the mound for Minnesota.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

There are just two NHL games on the schedule for Wednesday, with Montreal at Vancouver and Phoenix at Pittsburgh. The Penguins stayed undefeated on the season with a 4-3 shootout win over the Islanders on Saturday night. Sidney Crosby and Ruslan Fedotenko each had a goal and an assist in that contest. The cash-strapped Coyotes doubled up on Los Angeles 6-3 in their opener Saturday. Radim Vrbata had a pair of goals for Phoenix, and Ilya Bryzgalov made 30 saves.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

Finally, the WNBA Finals resume on Wednesday night with Phoenix at Indiana. The Fever took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series on Sunday with an 86-85 home victory. Ebony Hoffman led the way with 18 points for Indiana in that win, while Tamika Catchings had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Cappie Pondexter poured in a game-high 23 points in the loss for Phoenix. Oddsmakers have the Fever pegged as 2.5-point home favorites, with the matchup's total at 179 points.

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:25 AM

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Wednesday, October 7

Patriot games

For the fifth time in as many weeks, the New England Patriots will be playing an unbeaten team when they visit the Denver Broncos. New England played Buffalo in its opener, lost to the New York Jets in Week Two, beat 2-0 Atlanta in Week 3 and knocked off 3-0 Baltimore in Week Four. The Patriots are giving three points to the Broncos (4-0).

Dub mix

Two things to keep in mind for Game Four of the WNBA Finals. Indiana has won five straight home games (2-3 ATS), but its last home loss was to Phoenix on Sept. 2. The Mercury also had the league's best home record at 11-6 during the season (11-6 ATS) and are 1-2 in the postseason (2-1 ATS).
The Fever are giving two points with a total of 178.

Sam I am - playing?

Oklahoma's Heisman-winning QB Sam Bradford is optomistic about his return from a shoulder injury suffered in Week 1 of the season. Bradford told reporters he could suit up when the Sooners face the Baylor Bears this weekend.

"I guess I'm clear. Obviously, I guess it really just has to go through the week without any excess soreness after the throwing. That's the big deal," said Bradford, who has been doing light throwing the past two weeks.

"I have to be able to make it through a week without taking any steps back. As long as that happens, then the doctors are fine," Bradford said.

Oklahoma is a 25.5-point home favorite Saturday. News of Bradford's return would likely drive this spread into the 30-point range.

Price is right

The Montreal Canadiens gave goaltender Carey Price the night off Tuesday so that he could be in top form against the Vancouver Canucks Wednesday. Price, a native of British Columbia, will have a homecoming of sorts against the Canucks. He has never started against Vancouver and has played just eight minutes versus his home-town club in his career, coming off the bench in the third period of a 4-2 Canucks win in which Price turned away the only shot he faced.

Price is off to a strong start this season, posting a 2-0 record and 1.89 GAA. Montreal is priced as a +160 road underdog while the total is set at 5.5 goals.

Extra rest

The New York Yankees had the option to choose when their American League Division Series started and chose a Wednesday start. That decision has two benefits. The first is that it gives Minnesota no rest before the start of the best-of-five series. The second benefit is that the series has three potential days off - Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday - which means the Yankees could need just three starters and use Joba Chamberlain out of the bullpen. The Yankees are 10-13 to win the AL pennant and 3-2 to win the World Series.

Notable quotable

"I guess that people want Bobby (Bowden) to step down gracefully, and I want what's best for Florida State University. I'm just really saddened by where we are. I'm hurting as much as all the Seminole Nation. It's bad."

-- Former FSU wide receiver Ron Sellers, talking about the problems with the football team at his alma mater. The Seminoles are 2-3 for the first time since 1976, Bowden's first season at the school.

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:26 AM

Six-pack for Wednesday

-- The four-team UFL kicks off Thursday in Las Vegas; they'll play a six-game regular season this year.

-- Three of the four UFL head coaches have been head coaches in the NFL-- Jim Fassel, Dennis Green and Jim Haslett. Ted Cottrell is also a head coach-- he's running the New York franchise.

-- Denzel Washington's son JD is a running back for California.

-- 62 of the 200 UFL players were drafted by NFL teams.

-- JP Losman is the QB for Las Vegas, so there are some guys playing who are of NFL quality. Losman would be the Rams' best QB now.

-- There will be a Game of the Week televised by Versus. The most expensive ticket is $40; a family of four can go to a game for $60.

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Wednesday's List of 13: Our NFL List of 13:

13) 49ers-- Willis is a great linebacker; Niners play solid defense, Hill doesn't make any big mistakes. They have momentum right now.

12) Bears-- Gave up 21 points in first half to Detroit, a red flag.

11) Steelers-- Defense late in games has been shaky-- they've taken ball away once in three games Polamalu has missed.

10) Eagles-- Interesting to see how much more involved Vick will be in the offense after the bye week.

9) Bengals-- Found ways to win late last two weeks, always a good sign.

8) Falcons-- Wonder when coaches prefer to have their bye week? This seeems a little early, having bye before the baseball playoffs.

7) Patriots-- A fan asked Tom Brady for his autograph Sunday night; he was immediately flagged by an offical for unnecessary roughness.

6) Ravens-- Sometimes the better team loses. This was the case Sunday but now Baltimore players have to put it behind them.

5) Broncos-- Got lucky in opener at Cincinnati, were gritty in close win over Cowboys. Nolan has them playing terrific defense.

4) Colts-- Passng game is better with younger legs running patterns.

3) Vikings-- Before everyone gets all Favre-tastic, remember Jets had an 8-3 record last year before things got ugly. So far, so good though.

2) Giants-- The one place they don't have depth is quarterback. Lot of podiatrists are probably angling to get on radio talk shows in NYC.

1) Saints-- These are not last year's Saints; they run ball well, are tough on defense. Brees trying to become third Purdue QB to win Super Bowl.

From: Armadillo
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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:32 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Phoenix at Indiana
The Mercury look to bounce back from their Game Three loss and take advantage of an Indiana team that is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 home games. Phoenix is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+2 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7

Game 607-608: Phoenix at Indiana
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 116.683; Indiana 115.275
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 176 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 2 1/2; 179
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+2 1/2); Under

WNBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 7

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PHOENIX (28 - 15) at INDIANA (28 - 14) - 10/7/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
PHOENIX is 23-15 ATS (+6.5 Units) after allowing 75 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 24-16 ATS (+6.4 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHOENIX is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games this season.
INDIANA is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) against Western conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 15-27 ATS (-14.7 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 6-3 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 5-4 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:35 AM

MLB

Wednesday, October 7

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Baseball Today
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SCOREBOARD

Wednesday, October 7

Colorado at Philadelphia (2:37 p.m. EDT). Two years after knocking the Phillies out of the playoffs, the Rockies will try and do it again. Ubaldo Jimenez (15-12) will face Cliff Lee (7-4) in the opener.

Minnesota at New York Yankees (6:07 p.m. EDT). One day after winning the AL Central Division title with a 12-inning victory against Detroit, the Twins send Brian Duensing (5-2, 3.64 ERA) against the Yankees and CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.37) in Game 1 of the division series.

STAR

Tuesday

- Alexi Casilla, Twins, singled home the winning run with one out in the 12th inning to lead Minnesota to a 6-5 victory over Detroit, giving the Twins the AL Central Division title.

COLLAPSE COMPLETED

Detroit's 6-5, 12-inning loss at Minnesota on Tuesday night gave the Twins the AL Central Division title and made the Tigers the first team in Major League history to miss out on the playoffs after holding a three-game lead with four to play. Trying to win their first division title since 1987, the Tigers held a seven-game lead on the Twins on Sept. 6, but limped to an 11-16 finish.

PICKING WEDNESDAY

The New York Yankees announced their decision to start their AL division series opener on Wednesday, hours before they knew who the opponent would be. Then, after 12 innings of an AL Central tiebreaker Tuesday night, they learned it would be the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees could have waited until one hour after that game to pick when they wanted to begin, but made the call about an hour before the first pitch. They picked to get going right away - instead of waiting until Thursday - in the first postseason game at the new Yankee Stadium, meaning the Twins would have about 21 hours between the final out and the first pitch. With the schedule the Yankees chose, the teams will get a day off between Games 1 and 2. The Red Sox and Angels will now start their series on Thursday.

I'M SORRY, GUYS

Detroit star Miguel Cabrera apologized to his teammates for being drunk last weekend while the Tigers were trying to clinch the AL Central title, then delivered two big hits in Tuesday night's tiebreaker loss to Minnesota. The slumping Cabrera had a double his first time up, then hit a two-run homer that put the Tigers ahead 3-0 in the third inning. But it wasn't quite enough. He had two groundouts and a walk the rest of the way and was thrown out at home plate by Twins second baseman Nick Punto in the 12th inning of Detroit's 6-5 loss that gave Minnesota the division championship.

JOSE FOR A.J.

Preparing for his first playoff series as a manager, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi confirmed Tuesday that light-hitting backup Jose Molina will catch A.J. Burnett during the postseason. That probably puts longtime Yankees star Jorge Posada on the bench when Burnett pitches, because Girardi said Hideki Matsui "is probably going to be our DH most of the time.'' Burnett is slated to start Game 2 against Minnesota in the best-of-five first round Friday night, and then a potential Game 5. Both games would be at Yankee Stadium.

STICKING AROUND

The manager with the most wins in Florida Marlins history will be given a chance to increase his total. Fredi Gonzalez will return in 2010, the Marlins announced Tuesday, ending two days of speculation about his status. The Marlins, however, will seek a new pitching coach to replace Mark Wiley, who has been offered a different position in the organization. Gonzalez's job was considered in jeopardy because owner Jeffrey Loria was upset that the Marlins failed to make the playoffs, although they finished 12 games above .500 with the smallest payroll in baseball.

SALE APPROVED

Major League baseball owners on Tuesday unanimously approved the sale of the Chicago Cubs from the bankrupt Tribune Co. to the family of online brokerage billionaire and longtime fan Joe Ricketts. The vote was made during a conference call. Tom Ricketts, who has headed the sale for his family, could take day-to-day control of the Cubs by the end of the month.

SPEAKING

"No matter what we did, it seems like it wasn't meant to be,'' Detroit's Brandon Inge, after a 6-5, 12-inning loss to Minnesota on Tuesday night gave the Twins the AL Central Division title. The Tigers led the one-game tiebreaker 3-0 in the third inning, tied the score at 4-all in the eighth after falling behind, and then moved ahead by a run in the top of the 10th. Detroit, which led Minnesota by seven games on Sept. 6, became the first team in Major League history to miss out on the playoffs after holding a three-game lead with four to play.

SEASONS

Oct. 7

1904—Jack CheXXXo got his 41st victory of the season as New York defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-2.

1928—Lou Gehrig’s two home runs led the New York Yankees to a 7-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, giving them a 3-0 lead.

1945—Hank Greenberg’s three doubles led Detroit to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs, giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead in the World Series.

1952—Billy Martin’s running catch on a high infield pop with the bases loaded in the seventh inning snuffed a Dodgers rally and the New York Yankees went on to win Game 7 of the World Series 4-2.

1961—New York’s Roger Maris won the third game of the World Series with a ninth-inning home run off the Reds’ Bob Purkey. The Yankees won 3-2 at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field.

1984—The San Diego Padres won the National League pennant with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the final game of the playoffs. The Padres won three straight after dropping the first two games.

1987—Don Baylor singled to break an eighth-inning tie and Gary Gaetti homered in his first two playoff at-bats as the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in the opening game of the ALCS.

1995—Edgar Martinez of the Seattle Mariners hit a tie-breaking grand slam in the eighth inning and drove in seven runs—most in a postseason game—to lead the Mariners past the New York Yankees 11-8 and send the AL playoff series to a decisive Game 5.

1998—Chuck Knoblauch argued for an interference call at first base instead of picking up the ball while Enrique Wilson rounded the bases and scored to break a 1-all tie in the 12th inning of the Cleveland Indians’ 4-1 victory at New York in Game 2 of the AL championship series.

2001—San Diego’s Rickey Henderson became the 25th player with 3,000 hits with a bloop double in a 14-5 loss to Colorado. Teammate Tony Gwynn ended his 20-year career by grounding out to shortstop in the ninth inning. Gwynn left the game with eight NL batting titles, a .338 lifetime average and 3,141 hits.

2001—Barry Bonds wrapped up his record-breaking season with his 73rd homer and shattered the slugging percentage record that Babe Ruth had owned for 81 years. He finished the season with a .328 batting average, a career-high 137 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .863, easily surpassing the mark of .847 that Ruth set in 1920.

2002—The wild-card San Francisco Giants eliminated the Atlanta Braves 3-1 and moved on to face St. Louis in the NL championship series. For the first time since the current postseason format was adopted in 1995, all four teams with the best record were eliminated in the opening round.

2003—Florida and the Chicago Cubs set several NLCS records in Marlins’ 9-8, 11-inning win. The teams combined for a record seven home runs. The Marlins’ Ivan Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera and Juan Encarnacion all homered in the third inning, the first time an NL team had hit three homers in one inning. And the Cubs’ nine extra-base hits also was an NLCS record, as were the 17 total extra-base hits.

Today’s birthday: Evan Longoria 24

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:36 AM

MLB

Wednesday, October 7

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This Day in Baseball
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On October 7 in Baseball History...

1904 - Jack Chesbro got his 41st victory of the season as New York defeated the Boston Red Sox, 3-2.

1919 - Two errors by Swede Risberg and one by Happy Felsch help put Dickie Kerr in a 4-0 hole, but Felsch, Buck Weaver, and Joe Jackson combine for seven hits as the White Sox win 5-4. Kerr wins his second game as the Sox now trail the best-of-nine Series by a 4-2 margin.

1925 - Walter Johnson opens the World Series in Pittsburgh. A fifth-inning home run by Pie Traynor is the only damaging blow as Johnson fans 10 for a 4-1 Washington win.

1927 - Herb Pennock is handed an 8-0 lead and takes a perfect game into the eighth inning. The Yankees southpaw retires Glenn Wright, but Pie Traynor breaks the spell with a single and Clyde Barnhart doubles him home. Pennock settles for a three-hit 8-1 victory over the Pirates to give the Yankees a commanding 3-0 edge in the World Series.

1928 - Lou Gehrig's two home runs led the New York Yankees to a 7-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, giving them a 3-0 lead.

1933 - Flags are at half staff for Game Five to honor William L. Veeck, Chicago Cubs president, who died suddenly. On the field, the World Series comes to a close when Mel Ott homers in the 10th inning for a 4-3 Giants victory over Washington.

1945 - Hank Greenberg's three doubles led Detroit to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs, giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead in the World Series.

1950 - Whitey Ford wins his first World Series game, 5-2, over Bob Miller at Yankee Stadium. The sweep of the Phillies gives the Yankees their 13th World Championship.

1952 - Billy Martin's running catch on a high infield pop with the bases loaded in the seventh inning snuffed out a Dodgers rally and the New York Yankees went on to win Game 7 of the World Series, 4-2.

1958 - The Yanks pull even against the Braves as Hank Bauer hits his fourth home run of the Series and New York wins Game Six in 10 innings, 4-3.

1961 - New York's Roger Maris won the third game of the World Series with a ninth-inning home run off the Reds' Bob Purkey. The Yankees won, 3-2, at Cincinnati's Crosley Field.

1968 - Mickey Lolich saves Detroit, 5-3, with an unlikely assist from Lou Brock, who tries to score standing up on Julian Javier's single and is gunned down by Willie Horton's throw. Al Kaline's bases-loaded single drives in the deciding runs.

1975 - The Red Sox gain a 5-3 win and three-game sweep over Oakland for the AL pennant. Carl Yastrzemski makes two great plays in the outfield and has two hits to back Rick Wise's pitching.

1977 - Down 5-3 to the Phillies in Game Three of the NLCS with two outs in the ninth inning, the Dodgers catch lightning in a bottle. Pinch-hitter Vic Davalillo beats out a two-strike drag bunt and pinch hitter Manny Mota follows with a long double. Los Angeles eventually pulls out a 6-5 victory.

1978 - The Dodgers win the pennant as Bill Russell's 10th-inning single scores Ron Cey in Game Four. Dusty Baker collects four hits as Los Angeles beats the Phillies, 4-3.

1984 - The San Diego Padres won the National League pennant with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the final game of the playoffs. The Padres won three straight after dropping the first two.

1987 - Don Baylor singled to break an eighth-inning tie and Gary Gaetti homered in his first two playoff at-bats as the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers, 8-5, in the opening game of the ALCS.

1995 - Edgar Martinez of the Seattle Mariners hit a tie-breaking grand slam in the eighth inning and drove in seven runs -- the most ever in a postseason game to date -- leading the Mariners past the New York Yankees, 11-8, and sending the AL playoff series to a decisive Game 5.

1998 - Chuck Knoblauch argued for an interference call at first base instead of picking up the ball while Enrique Wilson scored to break a 1-1 tie in the 12th inning of the Cleveland Indians' 4-1 victory at New York in Game 2 of the AL championship series.

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:37 AM

MLB

Wednesday, October 7

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The payoff pitch: Wednesday's best mound matchup
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Ubaldo Jimenez (Colorado Rockies) vs. Cliff Lee (Philadelphia Phillies)

Ubaldo Jimenez RHP (15-12, 3.47 ERA)

This was by far the best season of Jimenez's brief career. He had career bests in virtually every category, including wins, ERA and strikeouts (198). That came about because he did not have career highs in two other areas - walks (85) and wild pitches (8). His improved command had him in some Cy Young conversations during the season.

In a 12-start stretch from July 10 to Sept. 7, Jimenez rang up 12 straight quality starts, going 7-2 with a 2.65 ERA. He alternated losses and wins over his last four starts.

However, Jimenez is encountering two firsts with this start: His first meeting with the Phillies this season and his first postseason outing. The former could work for him but the latter may work against him.

Jimenez hasn't faced the Phillies since May 27, 2008. In three career starts, he is 0-1 with a 5.51 ERA, with most of the damage done in the loss.

There is no way to determine how well Jimenez will handle the pressure of the postseason. It should be noted that during the season, opponents did not hit better than .278 against him regardless of baserunners. With runners in scoring position, he held batters to a .200 average (39-of-195) with 54 strikeouts.

Cliff Lee LHP (14-13, 3.22 ERA)

At one point this season, Lee was last in the majors in starter money, a big drop from the 2008 Cy Young Award. But he sorted things out and won eight straight starts coming out of the All-Star break, making a seamless transition after his trade from Cleveland to Philadelphia.

Lee lost his last two starts of the season, allowing 10 runs and 16 hits - including three homers - in 11 2-3 innings. That was three more runs than he gave up during his winning streak.

His second NL start was against the Rockies, stopping them on one run over seven innings with nine strikeouts. Of course, Colorado now has a book on him.

This is also the first playoff start for Lee, who was left off Cleveland's postseason roster in 2007 after an awful season. He was 3-2 at Citizens Bank Park this season.

With the bases loaded, Lee limited batters to a .154 average. With runners in scoring position, opponents hit .249 (48-for-193) with 69 RBI.

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:39 AM

MLB

Wednesday, October 7

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Twins-Yankees Series Breakdown and Pick
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New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

Series odds: Yankees -370

Pitching

The Yankees covered up their biggest weakness - a lack of depth in the starting rotation - by choosing to spread their ALDS schedule over eight days instead of seven. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte will be the only starters the Yankees need, while the struggling Joba Chamberlain gets some spare time to finally put a curve in the brim of his hat.

Sabathia was lights out in the second half of the season, going 9-0 with a 2.04 ERA in August and September. Burnett, though inconsistent, can be one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, and Pettitte provides a ton of playoff experience.

Minnesota's overall pitching staff is the worst to qualify for postseason play, ranking 23rd in ERA. Making matters worse for manager Ron Gardenhire is the fact that his team's ace, Scott Baker, won't be available for the first couple games of the playoffs after pitching the AL Central one-game playoff Tuesday against the Tigers.

Gardenhire will be forced to fill the gap with Nick Blackburn, youngster Brian Duensing or former Yankee Carl Pavano. Minnesota had a slightly better bullpen ERA than the Yanks this season. Both teams feature dominant closers in Joe Nathan and Mariano Rivera.

Edge: Yankees

Offense

There's no question the Yankees have the most explosive lineup in baseball. New York led the Majors in runs, home runs and OPS while ranking second in team batting average. The collection of Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano is a modern-era version of Murderers’ Row. Even the weak links of the lineup, Melky Cabrera and Nick Swisher, combined for 149 RBI this season.

The Twins, hardly known for an explosive offense in recent years, weren't too far behind the Yankees this season. Minnesota was third in batting average, fifth in runs and a respectable 13th in homers.

Even after losing former AL MVP Justin Morneau to a back injury in the final month, the Twins continued to generate offense. Minnesota averaged more than six runs a game in its final 21 contests without its slugging first baseman. Catcher Joe Mauer led baseball with a sizzling .364 average and added 28 home runs, while Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer each went deep more than 25 times.

Edge: Yankees

Intangibles

There's a lot of pressure on the Yankees, whose season will be seen as a failure by many if they don't win the World Series. Alex Rodriguez has struggled mightily in past playoffs, but he has plenty of teammates that can pick up the slack.

The Twins are playing with house money at this point. No one expected them to have a chance without Morneau for the final month, but Minnesota won 17 of its last 21 games to edge out the Tigers for the AL Central title. Teams that pick up steam late in the season can be extremely dangerous, as the Colorado Rockies proved in 2007. This is the final year for the Metrodome, and the Twins appear intent on taking it out in style.

Edge: Twins

Pick: Yankees in four games.

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Dodgers-Cardinals series breakdown and pick
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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Series odds: Pick ‘em

Pitching

It's not often that the Dodgers don't enjoy a significant pitching edge over their opponents, but that's the case in this matchup. Although Los Angeles led the Majors in both team ERA and bullpen ERA, St. Louis wasn't far behind - ranking fourth in team ERA and fifth in bullpen ERA - and has the better starting rotation, particularly in a short series.

The Cardinals' rotation is led by a pair of Cy Young candidates in Adam Wainright and Chris Carpenter. That duo, which combined to go 36-12 this season, could conceivably pitch four games in the series.

Third starter Joel Pineiro is no slouch either, particularly at home where he had a 2.75 ERA.

While the Cardinals' top three starters are obvious, Dodgers manager Joe Torre has struggled with selecting his starters for the Division Series. Chad Billingsley seemed a no-brainer at the All-Star Break, but he's only 3-7 with a 5.20 ERA since. He was also horrible in last year's NLCS, allowing 11 runs in five innings. Clayton Kershaw (8-8,
2.79) has had an excellent year, but he's just 21 and has thrown all of two innings of relief in his playoff career. Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda and Vicente Padilla are also options for Torre, but none of them are likely to strike fear in Albert Pujols and company.

The Dodgers' pitching strength lies in its bullpen, from long relievers Jeff Weaver to late-inning specialists Ronald Belisario, George Sherrill, Ramon Trancoso, Guillermo Mota and closer Jonathan Broxton. St. Louis also has excellent relievers in Trever Miller, Dennys Reyes and Ryan Franklin.

Edge: Cardinals

Hitting

Though the teams each have one of the all-time run producers in the middle of the lineup, both the Dodgers and Cards have struggled to score runs this season. Los Angeles was scoring at will early in the year, but the 50-game suspension of Manny Ramirez and his subsequent struggles (.255 average, 10 HR, 34 RBI in the second half) slowed the Dodgers down and they finished 11th in runs.

The Cards' offence has been a two-trick pony, relying heavily on Pujols and midseason acquisition Matt Holliday. St. Louis finished 18th in runs scored this season. Neither team hits a lot of home runs, though both have team batting averages that ranked in the top 12.

Edge: Dodgers

Intangibles

The Dodgers appeared unstoppable in the first third of the season, winning 40 of their first 60 games. They were a modest 39-35 after the All-Star break. St. Louis picked up steam in the second half, going 42-29 since the All-Star Game to pull away in the NL Central. The Cards are 39-25 since acquiring Holliday from the A's.

St. Louis has a wealth of playoff experience, making its seventh postseason appearance this decade. The Cardinals were World Series champs in 2006 and finalists in 2004. The Dodgers are in the playoffs for the fourth time in six years, but they have won only one playoff round (last year's NLDS) since winning the World Series in 1988.

Edge: Cardinals

Pick: Cardinals in four games.

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Red Sox-Angels series breakdown and pick
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Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels

Series odds: Boston -150

Pitching

Los Angeles has a slight edge when it comes to starting pitching. John Lackey has an ERA under 3.00 since the All-Star break and has been effective against the Red Sox this season, while Scott Kazmir has been excellent since being acquired from the Rays last month. Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders round out the rotation.

For Boston, Josh Beckett is known as a playoff stud, but he's struggled in the second half. Jon Lester is probably the most reliable Red Sox starter right now, having lost only once in the past two months. What Boston will get from Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz or Tim Wakefield is anyone's guess.

Starting pitching gets most of the attention, but this series might be won or lost in the bullpens. Boston ranks seventh in the Majors this year in bullpen ERA, while the Angels' relief corps is ranked 24th. Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon is much more reliable than the Angels' Brian Fuentes.

Edge: Los Angeles

Offense

Both teams have the potential to put up runs in bunches, though they do it in different ways. Los Angeles has the highest team batting average in baseball and all of its regulars are hitting .270 or better. Torii Hunter, Kendry Morales, Juan Rivera and Bobby Abreu have all driven in more than 80 runs. The Angels are also known for running the bases aggressively, ranking third in stolen bases.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox rely more on the long ball, having hit the third-most home runs in the Majors this season. Leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury led the Bigs in steals this year and, along with defending AL MVP Dustin Pedroia, sets the table for RBI men Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay and Victor Martinez. David Ortiz has been a forgotten man after his awful start to the year, but he still came close to 30 homers and 100 RBI this season.

Edge: Boston

Intangibles

Though the Angels have handled the Red Sox fairly well this season, they probably aren't happy to draw Boston in the opening round. The Red Sox have eliminated Los Angeles from the playoffs three times in the past five years, including last season when the Angels had the league's best regular-season record.

Boston's players seem to thrive under the postseason pressure, winning two of the past five World Series, while Los Angeles has developed a reputation as a good regular-season team that folds in the playoffs. Exhibit A is Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, who has one RBI in his past 17 playoff games.

Though Los Angeles has home-field advantage, the Angels will be in tough if they lose one of the first two games and need at least one victory in Fenway Park to extend the series.

Pick: Boston in four games

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Rockies and Phillies series breakdown and pick
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies

Series odds: Philadelphia -165

Pitching

Led by last year's World Series MVP Cole Hamels and 2008 AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, the Phillies have a much better starting rotation than the Rockies. That disparity got even larger Saturday when Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa injured his groin against the Dodgers, leaving his availability for the first round uncertain.

Beyond his two big-name lefties, Philly manager Charlie Manuel can turn to rookie-of-the-year candidate JA Happ, under-rated Joe Blanton or future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez. The Rockies will likely throw Ubaldo Jimenez in the first game and Aaron Cook in Game 2. If De La Rosa can't pitch Game 3, Rockies manager Jim Tracy will have to choose between the struggling Jason Marquis or Jason Hammel.

Both teams' bullpens are average at best, and Philadelphia's biggest weakness is closing out games. Brad Lidge (11 blown saves) has brought a gas can out to the mound in the ninth inning all year. Manuel might opt to have Ryan Madson finish games instead. The Rockies have no such problems with their closer, Huston Street.

Edge: Phillies

Offense

Both teams ranked in the bottom half of the Majors in batting average this season, but they've still managed to light up the scoreboard most nights. The Phillies hit the second-most home runs in baseball this year and were fourth in runs scored, while the Rockies were seventh in bombs and sixth in runs.

Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard all scored 100 runs for Philadelphia this season, while Jayson Werth (97 runs) and Raul Ibanez (93) fell just short of the century mark. All six, along with Carlos Ruiz, reached double digits in home runs.

By contrast, the Rockies have only one player who scored 100 runs this season (Troy Tulowitzki) and no one reached the 100 RBI plateau. Colorado pieces its offense together with contributions from many different players. Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, Chris Iannetta, Clint Barmes, Ian Stewart, Seth Smith and Brad Hawpe all drove in 50-plus runs, while Garrett Atkins and Ryan Spilborghs each knocked home 48.

Edge: Phillies

Intangibles

Philadelphia is the defending World Series champion and loaded with All-Stars. On paper, this series is a mismatch. But if baseball was decided on paper, the Rockies wouldn't be here in the first place.

They defied all logic in 2007 by putting together a Cinderella run to reach the World Series, and they came out of nowhere this season as well. Colorado is 74-42 since Tracy took over the team from the fired Clint Hurdle two months into the season.

Edge: Rockies

Pick: Phillies in five games.

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:41 AM

MLB

Wednesday, October 7

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Hot Lines: Today's Best MLB Bets
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Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies (-126, 8)

Has a defending World Series champion ever looked more vulnerable in the bullpen than the Phillies?

A year ago, the Phillies shortened virtually every game to seven innings, riding excellent work by setup man Ryan Madson and closer Brad Lidge's perfect season to their first championship in 28 years.

This year? Well, it ain't over 'til it's over. Lidge blew 11 saves before losing his closer job last month to Madson, who never has been a full-time ninth-inning pitcher.

Madson knows what he has to do. "Step it up," he told philly.com.

However, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has not said who will be his closer. He has no shortage of candidates, including starters Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ, who very well could start Games Three and Four.

What Manuel doesn't have is a guy he can count on to get the last three outs - like Colorado's Huston Street, who has been scored upon once since Aug. 19.

Pick: Colorado

St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers (+128, 7)

The Dodgers won nine of the last 11 games started by veteran lefthander Randy Wolf, who is murder on lefthanded batters.

Wolf held lefthanded batters to a puny .159 average and one homer in 170 at-bats. Factor in the Cardinals' .233 batting average vs. lefthanders - the worst in the National League - and the Dodgers may have a formula for victory.

Not so fast, my friend.

While the Cardinals may have struggled overall against southpaws, their righthanded boppers had no such trouble. Albert Pujols hit .324 vs. righties and .338 vs. lefties. Matt Holliday batted .322 vs. righties and .289 vs. lefties. And Mark DeRosa batted .242 vs. righties and .278 vs. lefties.

Did we mention that Wolf is pitching his first postseason game?

Pick: St. Louis

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:43 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Colorado at Philadelphia
The Phillies look to take advantage of a Colorado team that is 2-9 in the last 11 meetings. Philadelphia is the pick (-130) according to Dunkel, which has the Phillies favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-130). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7

Game 951-952: Colorado at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Jimenez) 15.407; Philadelphia (Lee) 16.529
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-130); Over

Game 953-954: St. Louis at LA Dodgers
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Carpenter) 15.306; LA Dodgers (Wolf) 16.473
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 6
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-140); 7
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+130); Under

Game 955-956: Minnesota at NY Yankees
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Duensing) 15.608; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 17.283
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-300); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-300); Under

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

Game 961-962: Boston at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 16.907; LA Angels (Lackey) 15.821
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Boston (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-120); Over

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 09:45 AM

Never mind..... Posted Write-Up too soon. It's not finished.

**Spark** · 10-07-2009, 10:34 AM

Udog,

Site is not allowing me to stick .. I will try later

**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 10:41 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 7

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COLORADO (92 - 70) at PHILADELPHIA (93 - 69) - 2:37 PM
UBALDO JIMENEZ (R) vs. COLE HAMELS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 71-85 (-15.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
JIMENEZ is 12-23 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JIMENEZ is 12-24 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 56-36 (+11.4 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.
COLORADO is 92-70 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 46-29 (+20.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 92-70 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 123-111 (+25.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 69-54 (+19.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 45-36 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-16 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 45-36 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 30-29 (-13.8 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 14-19 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HAMELS is 16-16 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 1-7 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in day games this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-2 (+1.5 Units) against COLORADO this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
JIMENEZ is 0-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 5.51 and a WHIP of 1.592.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

COLE HAMELS vs. COLORADO since 1997
HAMELS is 0-2 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 8.70 and a WHIP of 1.838.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ST LOUIS (91 - 71) at LA DODGERS (95 - 67) - 9:35 PM
CHRIS CARPENTER (R) vs. RANDY WOLF (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 95-67 (+7.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 95-67 (+7.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 68-47 (+10.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WOLF is 40-27 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 25-9 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 40-27 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 22-6 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOLF is 19-12 (+9.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 85-77 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 85-77 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 62-41 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ST LOUIS is 24-13 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss this season.
CARPENTER is 52-28 (+24.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
LA DODGERS are 49-45 (-11.7 Units) against the money line after a win this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 5-2 (+3.1 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.7 Units)

CHRIS CARPENTER vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
CARPENTER is 5-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 2.20 and a WHIP of 1.024.
His team's record is 6-0 (+6.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.2 units)

RANDY WOLF vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
WOLF is 3-5 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.64 and a WHIP of 1.166.
His team's record is 4-6 (-3.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-6. (-2.7 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINNESOTA (87 - 76) at NY YANKEES (103 - 59) - 6:05 PM
BRIAN DUENSING (L) vs. C.C. SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 8-20 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters this season.
NY YANKEES are 67-36 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
NY YANKEES are 16-3 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NY YANKEES are 103-59 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY YANKEES are 51-26 (+12.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
NY YANKEES are 36-14 (+17.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 60-44 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 74-66 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 87-76 (+2.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 7-0 (+7.0 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

BRIAN DUENSING vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
No recent starts.

C.C. SABATHIA vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
SABATHIA is 13-8 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.05 and a WHIP of 1.226.
His team's record is 16-12 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 17-10. (+5.3 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, October 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BOSTON (95 - 67) at LA ANGELS (97 - 65) - 9:35 PM
JON LESTER (L) vs. JOHN LACKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 9-16 (-8.9 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
BOSTON is 31-49 (-19.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 3-15 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
LA ANGELS are 97-65 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 24-12 (+10.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 12-2 (+11.6 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
LA ANGELS are 22-9 (+12.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 90-57 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 37-17 (+16.2 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 58-38 (+13.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
LA ANGELS are 47-38 (+7.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 178-109 (+34.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 143-95 (+21.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LESTER is 56-25 (+26.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 43-16 (+23.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 36-14 (+19.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LACKEY is 1-7 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 5-4 (+1.2 Units) against BOSTON this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.5 Units)

JON LESTER vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
LESTER is 2-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.55 and a WHIP of 1.634.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.1 units)

JOHN LACKEY vs. BOSTON since 1997
LACKEY is 3-9 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.95 and a WHIP of 1.582.
His team's record is 3-14 (-11.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-7. (+1.3 units)

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**Udog** · 10-07-2009, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by Spark View Post

Udog,

Site is not allowing me to stick .. I will try later

Spark,

We're having all kiinds of probems! PM started this thread, last night, and we can't find it anywhere this morning!

Also, the graphics buttons, in "advanced reply" have stopped working. I've been doing it all by hand but may have to dispense with that as the stuff starts coming in.

Avatars and other add-ons are not showing either.

Wait... avatars are showing after coming back from that last edit!

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