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  • Saturday's Trends and Indexes 7/24 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

    Trends and Indexes

    Saturday, July 24

    Good Luck on day #205 of 2010!

    At this time, the sports menu in this thread consists of MLB, WNBA and CFL until their seasons are played out. Also, general sports news and notes will be posted.

    NOTE:
    As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
    Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
    Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.


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    Matchup Links

    MLB Matchups

    MLB Previews

    MLB Hot or Not

    MLB Umpires

    MLB Trends

    MLB Weather

    CFL Matchups

    CFL Stats Center

    CFL Hot or Not

    CFL Trends

    CFL News and Weather

    NASCAR Schedules

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  • #2
    Bettors' best friend: Saturday's wagering tips

    Lines off the board

    Cardinals at Cubs: Total is off pending the wind direction and speed at Wrigley Field.

    Lines to keep an eye on

    White Sox at Athletics: Total opened at 7.5 but has slipped to 7.

    Braves at Marlins: Total opened at 8.5 but has dropped to 8.

    Rangers at Angels: Total opened at 9.5 but has climbed to 10.

    Red Sox at Mariners: Total opened at 8 but has dipped to 7.5.

    Yard Dawgz at Predators (AFL): Predators opened as -3 favorites but are now -3.5.

    Sharks at Battlewings (AFL): Sharks opened as -13.5 picks and are now at -14.

    Eskimos at Bluebombers (CFL): Bluebombers opened as -2 favorites but that line is now a pick-em at most books. The total has fallen from 55 to 54.

    Roughriders at Stampeders (CFL): Stampeders opened as -2 favorites but are now -1.5. The total jumped from 54.5 at opening to 56.

    Sparks at Sun (WNBA): Sun opened as -8.5 favorites but are now -9.

    Fever at Mystics (WNBA): The total opened at 145.4 and has plummeted to 140.5.

    Weather to watch

    Cardinals at Cubs: 50 percent chance of thunderstorms.

    Twins at Orioles: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

    Rockies at Phillies: 30 percent chamce of thunderstorms.

    Padres at Pirates: 50 percent chance of thunderstorms.

    Blue Jays at Tigers: 80 percent chance of thunderstorms.

    Rays at Indians: 80 percent chance of thunderstorms, wind blowing out to right field at 17 mph.

    Braves at Marlins: 60 percent chance of thunderstorms, wind blowing in from right field at 17 mph.

    Who's hot

    Athletics have won seven of their last eight.

    Indians are 6-1 in their last seven.

    Cardinals are 8-1 in their last nine.

    Yankees have won their last eight at home.

    Who's not

    Royals have lost eight of their last 10.

    Mets are 1-7 in their last eight.

    Orioles have lost six of their last seven.

    Key stat

    8,642 - Number of at-bats it took New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez to hit his 599th home run, third-fastest in baseball history behind home-run king Barry Bonds (8,212) and Babe Ruth (6,921). Ruth remains the youngest to reach the milestone at 36, unless A-Rod goes homerless for more than a year. He turns 35 on Tuesday.

    Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

    The slumping Royals can ill-afford to lose one of their few reliable hitters but have in outfielder David DeJesus, who has been placed on the DL with a severely sprained right thumb he suffered Thursday night in a collision with the outfield wall. DeJesus is batting .318 with five homers and 37 RBI this season. He will be replaced by minor-league callup Alex Gordon, who was batting .194 in 12 games with the big-league club before being optioned to Triple-A.

    Game of the day

    Angels at Rangers (-130, 10.5)

    Notable quotable

    "He's a very young and immature kid who smoked too much marijuana and has told me that he's not smoking anymore, and I told him that I would trust him as long as that was the case."

    Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn said of free-agent signee Michael Beasley. He was fined $50,000 by the NBA for the "inappropriate" comment.

    Tips and notes

    Jamie Moyer's elbow injury has forced the Philadelphia Phillies to shuffle their rotation this weekend. Lefthander J.A. Happ will return from a rehabilitation assignment to take Moyer's spot in the rotation vs. Colorado on Sunday. He has not pitched since mid-April due to a sore elbow but was anticipated to return this weekend. Righthander Kyle Kendrick, who was optioned Tuesday to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, will return to start Saturday. He is 5-4 with a 4.82 ERA this season.

    Picking an underdog to win the Brickyard 400 is risky business. The top three drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings have a combined eight wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Four-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson, who is third in the current standings, has won the race three times, all in the last four years. Jeff Gordon, who is second in the standings, has a record four wins at the 2 1/2-mile speedway since it began hosting NASCAR in 1994. Harvick, who sits atop the standings, won this race in 2003 and has added four top-10s since.

    New France soccer coach Laurent Blanc has suspended all 23 World Cup players from his debut next month in a friendly vs. Norway. Tthe French Football Federation gave Blanc permission to suspend the players as a punishment for the team's embarrassing performance at the World Cup, where France was winless and had a player mutiny against former coach Raymond Domenech. That could spell trouble for France in the 2012 Euro Cup, where it is currently an 8/1 shot to win the championship. France faces Norway in Oslo on Aug. 11, but Blanc has to name his 23-player roster by Aug. 5.

    Comment


    • #3
      MLB


      Saturday, July 24


      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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      Tampa Bay Rays at Cleveland Indians (160, 8.5)

      The Rays have not won in Cleveland since 2005, forcing manager Joe Maddon to resort to some voodoo to undo the curse of the Tribe.

      "I'm sure there's some sort of negative spiritual influence that's been cast upon us," he told the Tampa Tribune. "We're going to look for the paranormal kind of activity, we'll get … the ghost meters out the next time we come here, and we'll see if we can eradicate it somehow."

      A better solution might be to bring the same bats. The Rays are swinging a hot stick these days, scoring 38 runs in their last five outings and twice posting double figures during that span.

      They also bring to the mound lefthander David Price, who is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two career starts against the Tribe, who contrinue to struggle against lefties.

      The Indians counter with righthander Mitch Talbot, who may be suffering from fatigue. He hasn't lasted more than 5 2/3 innings in his last three starts and is 0-2 in that stretch.

      Ghosts or not, this streak is due end.

      Pick: Rays


      New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers (-130, 8.5)


      Neither team has been playing well offensively, but they haven't faced opposing pitching as weak as they will today.

      For the Mets, righthander Mike Pelfrey takes the hill for the first time since serving up seven hits and six runs in the first inning against the Diamondbacks in his last outing. In his two career outings against L.A., the Dodgers have hit him at a .341 clip.

      The Dodgers counter by digging deep in their bullpen to fill out the fifth spot in the rotation. Righty Carlos Monasterios is allowing about four fewer runs per nine innings as a reliever as opposed to a starter so the Mets may finally find some offensive opportunities.

      The Mets have been batting .221 against righties (as opposed to .185 vs. lefties) and the Dodgers are a full 15 points better against righthanders.

      Pick: Over


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      Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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      Streaking

      Vin Mazzaro (5-2, 3.50 ERA), Oakland Athletics


      Mazzaro started the season in the A’s rotation but was quickly moved over to a long relief role. He didn’t exactly flourish out of the pen, but he’s been sensational since rejoining the five-man starting unit.

      The 23-year-old New Jersey native owns a 2.82 ERA in his eight starts since rejoining the rotation. Oakland is 4-4 in those eight games but the club has been an underdog in all but one of those contests.

      Johnny Cueto (9-2, 3.39 ERA), Cincinnati Reds

      Cueto continues to deliver for the upstart Reds. The young righty has given up two or less runs in each of his last six appearances. And he’s been a nice play for total bettors too. The under is 4-1-1 in his last six trips to the bump.


      Slumping

      Ubaldo Jimenez (15-1, 2.38 ERA), Colorado Rockies


      Jimenez seemed like a lock for the NL Cy Young award but a recent stretch of average to poor starts over the last month has shaken things up a bit.

      The Rockies don’t care what Josh Johnson or Adam Wainwright are doing. They just want to see their ace regain his top form. Jimenez’s ERA is 6.39 over his last five starts and the over is 4-1 over the same period.

      His win-loss record hasn’t taken a hit thanks to some great run support from his teammates. The Rockies are still 8-2 in his last 10 outings, but bettors should know he’s not the same pitcher he was in the first two months of the season.

      Scott Feldman (5-8, 5.48 ERA), Texas Rangers

      Feldman is the weakest link in the Rangers’ revamped rotation. He’s given up five runs in four of his last five outings and Texas is 1-3 the last four times he’s taken the hill.


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      This Day in Baseball
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      On July 24 in Baseball History...

      1882 - Chicago sets a National League record for runs by beating Cleveland 35-4. Seven Chicago players get four or more hits, and six score four or more runs. The record will last until June 29, 1897, when Chicago will pile up thirty-six runs against Louisville.

      1968 - Hoyt Wilhelm's 907th game breaks Cy Young's record for Major League pitching appearances, but he loses a 2-1 decision to Oakland.

      1973 - The National League wins the All-Star Game at Kansas City 7-1. A record fifty-four players are used, including Willie Mays, who strikes out in his final All-Star appearance, and Catfish Hunter, who sustains a fractured thumb that will sideline him for four weeks. The A's ace has a 15-3 record at the time.

      1977 - Seattle's John Montague pitches 6 1/3 innings of perfect relief against California, giving him thirty-three consecutive batsmen retired over two games to tie the American League record.

      1978 - Pete Rose singles twice during the Reds' 5-3 win over the Mets, extending his hitting streak to thirty-seven games to tie the modern Major League record held by Tommy Holmes. Mets pitcher Pat Zachry, after allowing Rose's first hit, kicks the dugout steps in anger, breaking his foot and ending his season.

      1979 - Carl Yastrzemski hits his four-hundredth career home run in Boston's 7–3 win over Oakland, off Mike Morgan, in the seventh inning at Fenway Park.

      1983 - In the memorable Pine Tar Game at Yankee Stadium, George Brett hits an apparent 2-run home run off Rich Gossage to give the Royals a 5-4 lead with two outs in the ninth inning. But Yankees manager Billy Martin points out that the pine tar on Brett's bat handle exceeds the seventeen inches allowed in the rules. As a result, Brett is called out for illegally batting the ball, giving New York a 4-3 victory. The Royals immediately protest, and American League President Lee MacPhail overrules his umpires for the first time saying that, while the rules should certainly be rewritten and clarified, the home run will stand and the game will be resumed from that point on August 18.

      1993 - Mets outfielder Vince Coleman throws an explosive device - the equivalent of a quarter stick of dynamite - at fans after a game at Dodger Stadium. Amanda Santos, 2, suffers injuries to her cheek, finger and eye, and two others complain of injuries as well. Prosecutors decide to charge Coleman with a felony rather than a misdemeanor because of the explosive's strength and the amount of damage. The Mets later announce the high-priced Coleman will never again play for the team; he doesn't.


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      Comment


      • #4
        WNBA


        Saturday, July 24


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        Trend Report
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        7:00 PM
        INDIANA vs. WASHINGTON
        Indiana is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
        Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
        Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
        Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana

        7:00 PM
        LOS ANGELES vs. CONNECTICUT
        Los Angeles is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games
        Los Angeles is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games on the road
        Connecticut is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
        Connecticut is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

        8:00 PM
        CHICAGO vs. SAN ANTONIO
        The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing San Antonio
        Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
        San Antonio is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
        San Antonio is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

        8:00 PM
        PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
        Phoenix is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
        The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
        Minnesota is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games
        Minnesota is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Phoenix


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        Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets
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        Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx (-1, 184.5)

        The Mercury are finally heating up and starting to look like the defending WNBA champions. Thursday night's 123-91 victory over Tulsa might have been there best outing of the season.

        Setting WNBA records with a 67-point first half and a 36-point second quarter, the Mercury won for the fourth time in its past five games after snapping a long losing skid.

        ''Records are nice, but as long as you win the game,'' said the Mercury's Diana Taurasi, who scored a game-high 26 points. ''I think we are more happy that we got to play really good basketball for long stretches."

        The same cannot be said for the Lynx, which has lost two in a row and four of its last six. Minnesota has averaged just 74 points per game in its last five outings, more than 30 points less than the Mercury.

        Pick: Mercury


        Chicago Sky at San Antonio Silver Stars (-2, 148)


        The Sky has been playing lights-out defense lately, holding its last five opponents to just 60.6 points per game.

        The first win in that span was an 88-61 rout of the Silver Stars, who have rebounded to win two of their last four but not because of their offense.

        Both teams like to ground it out on the defensive end and the Sky, shooting just 38.4 percent on the road this season, are coming off a Friday night game and plane ride to San Antonio.

        All signs point to a defensive struggle.

        Pick: Under


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        Comment


        • #5
          CFL
          Dunkel



          SATURDAY, JULY 24

          Game 405-406: Edmonton at Winnipeg (6:30 p.m. EST)

          Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 109.117; Winnipeg 107.825
          Dunkel Line: Edmonton by 1 1/2; 58
          Vegas Line: Winnipeg by 2; 55
          Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+2); Over

          Game 407-408: Saskatchewan at Calgary (9:30 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 117.942; Calgary 112.799
          Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 5; 51
          Vegas Line: Calgary by 2 1/2; 54 1/2
          Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (+2 1/2); Under

          Comment


          • #6
            CFL
            Long Sheet



            Saturday, July 24

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

            EDMONTON (0 - 3) at WINNIPEG (1 - 2) - 7/24/2010, 6:30 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            WINNIPEG is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

            SASKATCHEWAN (3 - 0) at CALGARY (2 - 1) - 7/24/2010, 9:30 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 140-105 ATS (+24.5 Units) in all games since 1996.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 140-105 ATS (+24.5 Units) in all lined games since 1996.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 94-56 ATS (+32.4 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games when playing on a Saturday over the last 3 seasons.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) in road games versus division opponents since 1996.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 127-95 ATS (+22.5 Units) in games played on turf since 1996.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 40-19 ATS (+19.1 Units) in July games since 1996.
            SASKATCHEWAN is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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            Comment


            • #7
              CFL
              Write-Up



              Week 4 CFL games

              Saturday, July 24

              Edmonton (0-3) @ Winnipeg (1-2)-- Eskimos only winless CFL team, as they've been outscored 45-16 in second half, in losing by 15-10-4 points. They allowed 502 rushing yards this year (167.3 ypg), a ton in the CFL. Bombers scored 83 points in first two games, both at home, then scored lone TD at Hamilton last week. East/West split six games so far in '10.

              Saskatchewan (3-0) @ Calgary (2-1)-- Riders trailed at half twice in its three games, outscored 48-33, but after half, they've outscored foes by a 82-42 margin. Calgary's last two games were decided by total of just four points; they outrushed Argonauts 176-54 in winning only home game by 30-16 score. Stampeders turned ball over 10 times in three games (-3).

              Comment


              • #8
                CFL


                Saturday, July 24

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                Trend Report
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                6:30 PM
                EDMONTON vs. WINNIPEG
                Edmonton is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Winnipeg
                Edmonton is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
                The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Winnipeg's last 7 games when playing at home against Edmonton
                The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games at home

                9:30 PM
                SASKATCHEWAN vs. CALGARY
                Saskatchewan is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games ,on the road
                Saskatchewan7-2-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Calgary
                Calgary is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Saskatchewan
                Calgary is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan


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                Canadian Bacon
                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Edmonton Eskimos at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (pick, 48)

                Winnipeg will be without starting quarterback Buck Pierce (sprained knee) and will need to rely on Steven Jyles, who was somewhat effective in Friday’s lost to Hamilton (9-for-13 for 95 yards and a touchdown).

                New Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice told the media that the Eskimos are “the best 0-3 team” he has seen in a long time. The Eskimos just can’t afford to leave Winnipeg with another loss and, with the return of standout DT Dario Romero giving the defense a boost against an inexperienced QB, they shouldn’t.

                Pick: Edmonton


                Saskatchewan Roughriders at Calgary Stampeders (-1, 56)


                After three weeks of activities, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are on top of the CFL with a perfect 3-0 record. However, none of those wins were pretty - starting with the opening-day shootout against the Alouettes to Week 3's ugly 24-20 win against the Eskimos.

                The Stampeders look to rebound from their first loss of the season at the hands of the Argonauts in Toronto. With a win, the Stamps would join the Riders in first place of the West Division. They have all the tools to win this one at home and should take advantage of a Riders defensive squad that has been far too generous.

                These two teams met twice in Calgary last season and went down to the wire both times. The Roughriders won 24-23 on August 1 and the teams played to a 44-44 overtime draw on October 17.

                Pick: Calgary


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                Comment


                • #9
                  NOTE:
                  For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
                  Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Daily Sports Roundup: July 24

                    Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Red Sox look for a win over the Mariners in Seattle, while the Reds battle with the Astros, and the CFL concludes its fourth week.

                    Meeting up on the diamond . . .

                    The American League schedule for Saturday has Kansas City at the Yankees, the White Sox at Oakland, Minnesota at Baltimore, Toronto at Detroit, Tampa Bay at Cleveland, the Angels at Texas, and Boston at Seattle. The Red Sox will go with Jon Lester (11-4, 2.81 ERA) on Saturday, while the Mariners counter with David Pauley (0-2, 2.40 ERA). Lefthander Lester was tagged for a loss by the Rangers last time out, giving up four runs (three earned) on nine hits over eight innings of work. Righthander Pauley was beaten by the White Sox in his last trip to the mound, surrendering three runs on eight hits in six innings. Pauley walked one and fanned four batters that game.

                    Over in the National League on Saturday it'll be St. Louis at the Cubs, Colorado at Philadelphia, the Mets at the Dodgers, San Diego at Pittsburgh, Washington at Milwaukee, Atlanta at Florida, San Francisco at Arizona, and Cincinnati at Houston. The Reds' Johnny Cueto (9-2, 3.39 ERA) will take on the Astros' Roy Oswalt (6-11, 3.12 ERA) in that last matchup. Righthander Cueto beat the Nationals in his most recent start, giving up just two runs on four hits over his six innings of work. Righthander Oswalt is coming off a loss to the Pirates in which he allowed two runs over four innings and got hit in the ankle with a line drive. Houston is just 1-4 in Oswalt's last five outings.

                    Rounding out the Roundup . . .

                    The fourth week of the Canadian Football League season concludes on Saturday, with Edmonton at Winnipeg and Saskatchewan at Calgary. The Eskimos (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS) are the only winless team left in the league, while the Blue Bombers (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS) have lost two straight games since winning their opener. Oddsmakers have this game set as a pick'em, with the total at 54 points. The Roughriders (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) are the league's last unbeaten team, while the Stampeders (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) lost their first game of the year last week. Calgary is a 1.5-point favorite, with the total set at 56 points.

                    Finally, there are four games on the WNBA schedule for Saturday, with Los Angeles at Connecticut, Chicago at San Antonio, Phoenix at Minnesota, and Indiana at Washington. The Mystics (13-7 SU, 13-6-1 ATS) are coming off an 82-72 home win over Atlanta in their last game; Crystal Langhorne poured in 24 points for Washington in that victory. The Mystics also knocked off the Fever 68-65 when the two teams met back on June 29. Langhorne picked up 14 points and 10 boards for Washington in that win, while Tamika Catchings had a team-high 17 points in that losing cause for Indiana.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Saturday's six-pack

                      -- Very sad news: Kaye Cowher (wife of Bill) passed away from skin cancer Friday at age 54; life is short. Have fun while you can.

                      -- CJ Wilson (9-5, 3.03) blanked Angels for eight innings, as Texas won 1-0 Friday night, expanding their AL West lead to seven games.

                      -- In 40+ years of play, no San Diego Padre has hit for the cycle, which is odd, considering they've had Tony Gwynn/Dave Winfield.

                      -- Mariner prospect Michael Pineda struck out 11 in five innings in his fifth AAA start Friday; time will tell if I was stupid for dealing him for Dan Uggla in my fantasy league.

                      -- Donnie Murphy has two walk-off hits week, is quickly becoming a south Florida legend. Marlins' 7-6 win Friday was a fun game.

                      -- Losing can be frustrating; apparently, Jose Lopez/Chone Figgins got into it in the Mariner dugout in 5th inning of last night's game. Figgins was removed; his spot in lineup came up in 9th inning, with two men on and Seattle trailing 2-1. Josh Wilson whiffed feebly and the M's lost.


                      **************************************************


                      Saturday's List of 13: Checking in at summer's midpoint.......

                      13) Royals lead MLB in batting average, but are 20th in runs scored; over last 35 years, the MLB leader in batting average has never finished worse than 13th in runs scored. Losing DeJesus for the year ain't going to help.

                      12) The more you read about the divorce mess involve Dodgers' owners Frank/Jamie McCourt, the more you realize that being rich may not be all its cracked up to be. Not that I wouldn't want a chance to find out......

                      11) Mets are now 2-7 on their road trip, after winning 6-1 Friday; in first eight games of this trip, Metropolitans had scored a total of 15 runs.

                      10) Some restaurants in Las Vegas actually handwrite a suggested tip on your bill; bad idea. Some people would tip more than 15%, but if you're going to be obnoxious enough to handwrite a suggested tip and its lower than what I was going to give, I'm giving the lower amount.

                      9) There's nothing like stepping out on the Vegas Strip at midnight when its still 102 degrees and having the desert air hit you in the face.

                      8) When baseball season ends, the most significant offseason event of last winter might be Texas paying Vlad Guerrero $5.5M, while Bronx paid Nick Johnson $5M and Angels gave Hideki Matsui $6M.

                      7) Hard to believe Joe Girardi doesn't have a contract for next season.

                      6) Reds sold out (37,868) Stephen Strasburg's start Wednesday; the other three games of series drew 21,243/22,876/23,115, so the kid is helping to draw fans to the ballpark, even on the road.

                      5) Kelly Johnson hit for the cycle Friday, but Arizona still lost 7-4 to the Giants. The other NL West teams (27-10) are pounding on the Snakes.

                      4) New Vanderbilt football coach Robbie Caldwell was so entertaining at SEC Media Day this week, the media applauded him when he was done.

                      3) Rams will start Sam Bradford after two milestones have been met:
                      a) He is ready for the increased speed of the NFL game.
                      b) His offensive line can adequately protect him so he doesn't get killed. Don't laugh; the Rams are 6-42 the last three years. You don't go 6-42 in any league unless your offensive line is leaky.

                      2) If I'm running the Patriots, I take care of Tom Brady financially, to the point of giving him one dollar more than Peyton Manning makes. Don't you think he's earned it?

                      1) Next eight days will be interesting; baseball's trading deadline, training camps open in the NFL. We're in the second half of summer now........

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        MLB
                        Dunkel



                        Minnesota at Baltimore
                        The Twins look to bounce back from yesterday's loss to the Orioles and build on their 9-2 record in Scott Baker's last 11 starts as a road favorite. Minnesota is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Twins favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-135). Here are all of today's picks.

                        SATURDAY, JULY 24

                        Game 951-952: St. Louis at Chicago Cubs (1:05 p.m. EST)

                        Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Hawksworth) 16.650; Cubs (Gorzelanny) 15.765
                        Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 11
                        Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-135); No Run Total
                        Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+115); N/A

                        Game 953-954: Colorado at Philadelphia (4:10 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Jimenez) 15.021; Philadelphia (Kendrick) 14.351
                        Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 7 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Colorado (-155); 8
                        Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-155); Under

                        Game 955-956: NY Mets at LA Dodgers (4:10 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Pelfrey) 14.027; LA Dodgers (Monasterios) 15.308
                        Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 9
                        Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-130); 8 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-130); Over

                        Game 957-958: San Diego at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Latos) 15.072; Pittsburgh (Karstens) 14.499
                        Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1/2; 7
                        Vegas Line: San Diego (-175); 7 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-175); Under

                        Game 959-960: Cincinnati at Houston (7:05 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Cueto) 13.575; Houston (Oswalt) 15.265
                        Dunkel Line: Houston by 1 1/2; 8
                        Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-115); 7
                        Dunkel Pick: Houston (-105); Over

                        Game 961-962: Washington at Milwaukee (7:10 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Martin) 14.265; Milwaukee (Parra) 14.575
                        Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 10 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-130); 9 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-130); Over

                        Game 963-964: Atlanta at Florida (7:10 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Medlen) 15.580; Florida (Sanchez) 15.181
                        Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1/2; 7 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Florida (-110); 8 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-100); Under

                        Game 965-966: San Francisco at Arizona (8:10 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 15.192; Arizona (Kennedy) 15.270
                        Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1/2; 9 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Arizona (-110); 9
                        Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-110); Over

                        Game 967-968: Kansas City at NY Yankees (1:05 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Davies) 15.251; NY Yankees (Mitre) 15.092
                        Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1/2; 12
                        Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-210); 11
                        Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+175); Over

                        Game 969-970: Chicago White Sox at Oakland (4:10 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Garcia) 15.830; Oakland (Mazzaro) 16.296
                        Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1/2; 7 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Oakland (-120); 8
                        Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-120); Under

                        Game 971-972: Minnesota at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Baker) 15.979; Baltimore (Matusz0 14.647
                        Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Minnesota (-135); 9
                        Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-135); Over

                        Game 973-974: Tampa Bay at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Price) 16.794; Cleveland (Talbot) 15.271
                        Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-180); 8 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-180); Under

                        Game 975-976: Toronto at Detroit (7:05 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Marcum) 15.850; Detroit (Porcello) 14.864
                        Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 9 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Detroit (-120); 8 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+100); Over

                        Game 977-978: LA Angels at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Santana) 15.876; Texas (Feldman) 14.167
                        Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
                        Vegas Line: Texas (-130); 10 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+110); Under

                        Game 979-980: Boston at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
                        Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 14.687; Seattle (Pauley) 14.250
                        Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 8
                        Vegas Line: Boston (-200); 7 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: Boston (-200); Over

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          MLB


                          Saturday, July 24


                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Trend Report
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                          1:05 PM
                          KANSAS CITY vs. NY YANKEES
                          Kansas City is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
                          Kansas City is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
                          NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Kansas City
                          NY Yankees are 13-3 SU in their last 16 games

                          1:05 PM
                          ST. LOUIS vs. CHI CUBS
                          St. Louis is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
                          St. Louis is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
                          No trends available

                          4:05 PM
                          CHI WHITE SOX vs. OAKLAND
                          Chi White Sox are 16-8 SU in their last 24 games on the road
                          Chi White Sox are 12-4 SU in their last 16 games
                          Oakland is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
                          Oakland is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games

                          4:10 PM
                          NY METS vs. LA DODGERS
                          NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
                          NY Mets are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
                          LA Dodgers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Mets
                          LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets

                          4:10 PM
                          COLORADO vs. PHILADELPHIA
                          Colorado is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
                          Colorado is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
                          Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
                          Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado

                          7:05 PM
                          TORONTO vs. DETROIT
                          Toronto is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games ,
                          Toronto is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games ,on the road
                          Detroit is 2-7-1 SU in its last 10 games ,
                          Detroit is 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games ,at home

                          7:05 PM
                          TAMPA BAY vs. CLEVELAND
                          Tampa Bay is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
                          Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
                          Cleveland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
                          Cleveland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay

                          7:05 PM
                          SAN DIEGO vs. PITTSBURGH
                          San Diego is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
                          San Diego is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
                          Pittsburgh is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
                          Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Diego

                          7:05 PM
                          CINCINNATI vs. HOUSTON
                          Cincinnati is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Houston
                          Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
                          Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
                          Houston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home

                          7:05 PM
                          MINNESOTA vs. BALTIMORE
                          Minnesota is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
                          Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
                          Baltimore is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Minnesota
                          Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

                          7:10 PM
                          WASHINGTON vs. MILWAUKEE
                          Washington is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
                          Washington is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games when playing Milwaukee
                          Milwaukee is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Washington
                          Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

                          7:10 PM
                          ATLANTA vs. FLORIDA
                          Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
                          Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Florida
                          Florida is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
                          Florida is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

                          8:05 PM
                          LA ANGELS vs. TEXAS
                          LA Angels are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Texas
                          LA Angels are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games
                          Texas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
                          Texas is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Angels

                          8:10 PM
                          SAN FRANCISCO vs. ARIZONA
                          San Francisco is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona
                          San Francisco is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
                          Arizona is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games
                          Arizona is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Francisco

                          10:10 PM
                          BOSTON vs. SEATTLE
                          Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
                          Boston is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Seattle
                          Seattle is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games at home
                          Seattle is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games


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

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            MLB


                            Saturday, July 24


                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Tips and Trends
                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies [FOX | 4:10 PM ET]

                            Rockies (-155, O/U 8): Colorado has lost their past 3 games to drop a full 5 games behind the National League West division lead. Colorado is in a brutally tough division, where they currently are ahead of just one team in their division. The Rockies are -0.71 and +4.36 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. Ace pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez will take the mound today, so clearly the Rockies are confident they will earn the win. Jimenez is 15-1 with an ERA of 2.38 and a WHIP of 1.07 this year. The Rockies are 21-8 in their last 29 games during game 2 of a series. The Rockies are 2-6 in their last 8 games on grass. Colorado is 0-5 in their last 5 road games against a right-handed starter. The Rockies are 6-0 in Jimenez's last 6 road starts against a team with a winning record. Colorado is 10-1 in Jimenez's last 11 starts against a team with a winning record. The Rockies are 25-8 in Jimenez's last 33 starts overall.

                            Rockies are 7-3 last 10 games against a team with a winning record.
                            Over is 5-2 last 7 road games against a team with a winning home record.

                            Key Injuries - CF Dexter Fowler (wrist) is questionable.

                            PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)

                            Phillies: Philadelphia is hoping consecutive pitching shutouts will be a sign of things to come. The Phillies have received strong pitching performances in back to back games from their 2 aces, Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. The Phillies are 50-46 SU this season, 6.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division. Philadelphia is -9.12 and -8.29 units both SU and on the RL this year. P Kyle Kendrick is 5-4 with an ERA of 4.82 and a WHIP of 1.32 this season. The Phillies are 35-16 in their last 51 home games against a right-handed starter. Philadelphia is 1-4 in their last 5 games during game 2 of a series. The Phillies are 5-1 in Kendrick's last 6 home starts overall. The Phillies are 5-2 in Kendrick's last 7 starts on grass. Philadelphia is 7-3 in Kendrick's last 10 starts against the National League West. The Phillies are 3-7 in Kendrick's last 10 starts against a team with a winning record.
                            .

                            Phillies are 4-0 last 4 home games against a team with a winning record.
                            Under is 4-1 last 5 games against the National League West.

                            Key Injuries - 2B Chase Utley (thumb) is out.

                            PROJECTED SCORE: 1



                            Atlanta Braves at Florida Marlins [7:10 PM ET]

                            Braves (-110, O/U 8.5): Atlanta has been dominant for the majority of the season, a big reason why they have a 6 game lead within their division. The only negative from a bright overall season this year is their road play, where they are only 22-27 SU. Offensively, the Braves have only scored more than 4 runs twice in their past 10 games overall. The Braves are +10.35 and +10.83 units both SU and on the RL overall this season. Atlanta feels confident anytime P Kris Medlen is on the mound, as the Braves have won 10 of the 11 games started by Medlen this season. Medlen is 6-2 this year, with an ERA of 3.31 and a WHIP of 1.17. The Braves are 4-1 in their last 5 games against the National League East. Atlanta is 14-6 in their last 20 road games against a right-handed starter. The Braves are 39-17 in their last 56 during game 2 of a series. The Braves are 35-16 in their last 51 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. Atlanta is 4-0 in Medlen's last 4 road starts. The Braves are 4-0 in Medlen's last 4 starts against a team with a losing record. Atlanta is 4-0 in Medlen's last 4 starts against the National League East. The Braves are 10-1 in Medlen's last 11 starts overall.

                            Braves are 19-7 last 26 road games against a team with a losing record.
                            Under is 6-2 last 8 road games overall.

                            Key Injuries - 1B Eric Hinske (foot) is questionable.

                            PROJECTED SCORE: 4 (UNDER - Total of the Day)

                            Marlins: Florida has won their past 3 games, against some of the best teams in the National League. Florida is looking to make a 2nd half push, as they want to compete for the National League Wild Card. Florida is 48-48 SU this season, 8 games behind Atlanta in the National League East. The Marlins are certainly talented enough, it's just a matter of putting all the pieces of the talented puzzle together. Florida is -0.59 and -3.25 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. P Anibal Sanchez will make the home start tonight, as he is 7-6 with an ERA of 3.62 and a WHIP of 1.45 this season. The Marlins are 4-0 in their last 4 home games against a right-handed starter. Florida is 1-8 in their last 9 Saturday games. The Marlins are 2-5 in Sanchez's last 7 starts on grass. Florida is 0-4 in Sanchez's last 4 starts with 4 days of rest.

                            Marlins are 5-1 last 6 home games against a team with a losing road record.
                            Under is 5-0-1 last 6 games against the National League East.

                            Key Injuries - C John Baker (elbow) is out.

                            PROJECTED SCORE: 3


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                            Comment


                            • #15
                              WNBA
                              Dunkel



                              Phoenix at Minnesota
                              The Mercury look to take advantage of a Minnesota team that is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games when playing with 1 day of rest. Phoenix is the pick (Pick) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix. Here are all of today's picks.

                              SATURDAY, JULY 24

                              Game 601-602: Indiana at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)

                              Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 115.961; Washington 116.339
                              Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 138
                              Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 1 1/2; 140 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+1 1/2); Under

                              Game 603-604: Los Angeles at Connecticut (7:00 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 104.080; Connecticut 114.117
                              Dunkel Line & Total: Connecticut by 10; 155
                              Vegas Line & Total: Connecticut by 9; 156
                              Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (-9); Under

                              Game 605-606: Phoenix at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 113.869; Minnesota 111.158
                              Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 2 1/2; 187
                              Vegas Line & Total: Pick; 183 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Phoenix; Over

                              Game 607-608: Chicago at San Antonio (8:00 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 112.598; San Antonio 109.727
                              Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 3; 143
                              Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 3; 148
                              Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+3); Under

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