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**jt4545** · 08-09-2010, 06:40 PM

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**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:49 PM

Ervin Santana looks to rebound from horrible outing

Kansas City (47-64) at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (56-57), 10:05 p.m. EDT Sports.com Line: Los Angeles -210, Kansas City +190 Total: 8.5
Sean O’Sullivan (1-2, 5.24 ERA), who hasn’t won in his three starts with the Royals (6.06 ERA) will be trying to gain revenge against the team that traded him last month. He’ll be going against former teammate Ervin Santana (10-8, 4.11 ERA), who was rocked by the Orioles in his last start (9 ER and 12 hits in 3.2 IP).
FoxSheets show the Angels are 49-22 (+19.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38% to 46%) over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ANGELS 5.7, OPPONENT 4.5 – (Rating = 2*). The heavily-favored Angels, who are 16-6 vs. KC in the last three seasons, are the pick.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:50 PM

Cards and Reds meet in NL Central Showdown

St. Louis (61-49) at Cincinnati (64-48), 7:10 p.m. EDT Sports.com Line: St. Louis -133, Cincinnati +123 Total: 8
With St. Louis two games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central, Chris Carpenter (12-3, 2.91 ERA) will take the mound against the Reds’ Mike Leake (7-3, 3.86 ERA). Carpenter has eight quality starts in 10 road games this season. The All-Star right-hander has won eight consecutive starts against the Reds, sporting a 1.09 ERA over that span. He is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA against Cincy this year and is 3-0 since the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, Leake, who was undefeated in his first 12 starts, has faltered lately (10 ER in 11.1 IP in his last two starts, both losses).

FoxSheets show that Carpenter has been great as the favorite. Carpenter’s teams are 135-77 (+40.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. The average score was CARPENTER 4.9, OPPONENT 3.9.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:50 PM

Tigers and Rays both look to reverse current trends

Tampa Bay (67-44) at Detroit (54-57), 7:05 p.m. EDT Sports.com Line: Tampa Bay -157, Detroit +147 Total: 8.5
Both teams are on slides. Tampa Bay has lost its last five games, while Detroit has won only six of its last 26. The Rays will be trying to bounce back from almost being no-hit for the third time this season yesterday.
The Rays, who swept the Tigers in a four-game series two weeks ago in Florida, will be going with their star left-hander, David Price (14-5, 2.82 ERA). He has pitched exceptionally against the Tigers in his brief career, going 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in four appearances (two starts). His opponent will be Armando Galarraga (3-4, 4.32 ERA) who only has two quality starts in his last eight starts.

FoxSheets tells us to play against home underdogs with a money line of +100 or higher (Detroit) - poor power team (<=0.9 HRs/game) against a starting pitcher who gives up 0.5 or less HRs/start, with a starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.300 to 1.400 on the season-AL. (50-11 since 1997.) (82%, +36.5 units. Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:51 PM

ChiSox send Edwin Jackson to mound in Baltimore

Chicago White Sox (63-48) at Baltimore (37-74), 7:05 p.m. EDT Sports.comLine: Chicago White Sox -133, Baltimore +123 Total: 9
The Orioles have won five of six games since Buck Showalter took over as manager last week. Brian Matusz (4-11, 5.26 ERA) will seek to continue the winning ways. But he might be in for a difficult time against Edwin Jackson (7-10, 4.97 ERA), who was revitalized in his return to the American League. In his first start since being traded from Arizona, he allowed one run in seven innings in defeating Detroit last week.
FoxSheets shows the White Sox are 10-0 (+10.6 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 5.20 to 5.70 this season. The average score was WHITE SOX 8.4, OPPONENT 3.0 – (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:52 PM

BoSox go for split at Yankee Stadium behind Lester

Boston (63-49) at New York Yankees (69-41), 2:05 p.m. EDT Sports.com Line:New York Yankees -130, Boston +120 Total: 9
The Red Sox will be trying to split their four-game series with the Yankees today with their ace, Jon Lester (11-7, 3.07 ERA), on the mound. Although Lester is on a career-worst four-game losing streak, he is 4-1 with a 4.01 ERA in 10 career starts against the Yankees.
His opponent is Phil Hughes (13-4, 3.96 ERA). The right-hander has alternated between losses and wins in his last six decisions, with a win his last time out. He also has fared poorly against the Red Sox in his career, going 1-2 with an 8.00 ERA in four career starts.

Boston’s bats have cooled off lately, as the Red Sox are batting .197 during their two-game losing streak. But FoxSheets show that the Sox are due for a breakout game based on recent history. BOSTON is 125-68 (+43.3 Units) against the money line after batting .225 or worse over a 5 game span since 1997. The average score was BOSTON 5.2, OPPONENT 4.1 - (Rating =1*)

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:53 PM

Diamond Trends - Monday

Royals at Angels – The Angels are 6-0 since September 28, 2009 when Ervin Santana starts at home after his team lost the last time he started vs this opponent for a net profit of $640. The Angels are 4-0 since May 07, 2010 after a 5+ run loss and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $525.

Braves at Astros – The Braves are 6-0 since May 28, 2010 as a favorite after a win in which they had 12+ hits for a net profit of $600. The Astros are 8-0 since June 02, 2010 at home after scoring 6+ runs for a net profit of $915. The Astros are 0-8 since April 09, 2010 as a home dog after a loss in which they used 5+ pitchers for a net profit of $800 when playing against. The Astros are 4-0 since September 06, 2009 when Bud Norris starts after giving up 2 or more home runs for a net profit of $700.

Diamondbacks at Brewers – The Diamondbacks are 0-12 since May 02, 2010 as a road dog when they scored two or fewer runs for their starter in his last start for a net profit of $1200 when playing against. The Diamondbacks are 0-6 since April 18, 2010 when Ian Kennedy starts vs a team that has won at least their last two games for a net profit of $640 when playing against. The Brewers are 0-5 since May 12, 2010 at home when they won by one run in their starter's last start for a net profit of $615 when playing against.

Cubs at Giants – The Cubs are 0-6 since July 28, 2010 after allowing 6+ runs loss for a net profit of $635 when playing against. The Cubs are 0-6 since August 25, 2009 when Carlos Zambrano starts in the first game of a series for a net profit of $770 when playing against. The Giants are 7-0 since April 30, 2010 as a home 140+ favorite when they scored two or fewer runs for their starter in his last start for a net profit of $700.

Athletics at Mariners – The Athletics are 6-0 since June 25, 2010 when they lost the last two games their starter started for a net profit of $600. The Mariners are 9-0 since April 16, 2010 as a home favorite when they are off a win in which they scored in at most two separate innings for a net profit of $900. The Mariners are 0-5 since August 27, 2009 when Doug Fister starts when he is off a start in which their team scored first and lost for a net profit of $595 when playing against.

White Sox at Orioles – The White Sox are 5-0 since May 01, 2010 on the road after a loss in which they had a higher team-left-on-base than their opponent for a net profit of $645.

Cardinals at Reds – The Cardinals are 6-0 since April 21, 2010 after a loss in which they had fewer than five team-left-on-base as a dog for a net profit of $605.

Rays at Tigers – The Rays are 9-0 since June 28, 2009 when David Price starts after his team scored a total of fewer than three runs in his last start for a net profit of $900. The Rays are 9-0 since June 28, 2009 when David Price starts as a favorite after his team lost the last time he started for a net profit of $900. The Tigers are 0-5 since April 12, 2010 after a win in which they drew 5+ walks and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $595 when playing against.

Red Sox at Yankees – The Yankees are 7-0 since May 31, 2010 after a win in which they had 12+ hits and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $700. The Yankees are 6-0 since June 03, 2010 after a 5+ run win and it is the last game of a series for a net profit of $600. The Yankees are 6-0 since May 02, 2010 when Philip Hughes starts when the start time is earlier than 4:00 PM local time for a net profit of $600

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:54 PM

Monday Tips

The Monday baseball card involves only nine games, with seven new series starting up. The Cardinals and Reds meet for NL Central supremacy in Cincinnati, while the Braves hit the road with a rookie pitcher in Houston against the Astros. We'll start in the Motor City with a pair of struggling teams hooking up meeting for the second time in three weeks.

Rays at Tigers - 7:05 PM EST

Despite a four-game skid, Tampa Bay is still leading the AL Wild Card race. On the flip side, Detroit has dropped 13 of 16 games to not only fall out of the playoff race, but also fall below .500. The Tigers look to avenge a four-game sweep at Tropicana Field, as Detroit was no-hit in the series opener by Matt Garza.

Things don't get easier for the Tigers as they face Tampa Bay ace David Price (14-5, 2.82 ERA), who is the frontrunner for the AL Cy Young Award. Price is coming off a no-decision in his last outing, scattering five hits and one earned run in seven innings as the Rays fell to the Twins, 2-1. Tampa Bay owns a perfect 6-0 record this season when Price starts off a loss in his last start. The road has not been friendly to the former Vanderbilt star, as the Rays are 1-3 in his previous four away outings. Price beat the Tigers on July 29 by a 4-2 count, allowing seven hits and two earned runs while striking out nine in 6.1 innings.

Armando Galarraga (3-4, 4.32 ERA) gets the ball for the Tigers, looking for his first win in over a month. The Detroit right-hander walked five and gave up two homers in a 4-1 home loss to Chicago last Wednesday, his third straight home defeat. The near-perfect game against the Indians in early June was definitely an aberration for Galarraga, who has put together only three quality starts in his previous 10 outings. Galarraga hasn't faced the Rays since last season, as Detroit outslugged Tampa Bay, 8-6. The righty didn't factor in the decision as he allowed six earned runs in just 2.1 innings.

The Tigers and Rays split a four-game set at Comerica Park last August, as three of the four games finished 'under' the total. Detroit totaled only eight runs in the four losses at Tampa Bay in late July, while the 'under' cashed three times.

Cardinals at Reds - 7:10 PM EST

The most important series over the next few days involves the top two teams in the NL Central. Cincinnati cleaned up against Pittsburgh and Chicago over the last week, winning five of six games to take sole possession of first place in the division. St. Louis continues its road swing, as the Redbirds look to win only their second away series since the end of June.

It's youth against experience on the mound in Cincinnati as rookie Mike Leake faces former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter. Leake (7-3, 3.86 ERA) has tapered off since a strong start, as the former Arizona State standout has allowed 16 earned runs in his previous four outings (1-3). His last three starts haven't exactly been against the cream of the crop, facing the Astros, Pirates, and Nationals. The one thing you can count when Leake starts is a high-scoring affair, as the 'over' has cashed in six of his last seven trips to the mound. In his only start against the Cardinals, Leake won as a $1.30 home underdog on May 15, limiting the Redbirds to four hits and two runs in six innings of a 4-2 victory.

Carpenter (12-3, 2.91 ERA) has bounced back nicely following a pair of subpar starts against the Brewers and Rockies. In those two outings, the St. Louis allowed 11 earned runs in nine innings of work, both Cardinals' losses. Since then, the Redbirds are 5-0 in Carpenter's last five outings, giving up just seven earned runs in this stretch. Out of St. Louis' six losses with Carpenter on the mound this season, three have come as a road favorite, his role in Monday's contest. The Reds have had little success against Carpenter this season, as he owns a 3-0 mark versus Cincinnati, including an Opening Day victory at the Great American Ballpark.

The Cardinals have a slight 7-5 edge on the Reds in their 12 meetings this season, with the clubs splitting six games in Cincinnati. The 'over' has been the play recently for St. Louis, cashing in eight straight games.

Braves at Astros - 8:10 PM EST

Houston stumbled at the end of its road trip after taking the first two games in St. Louis. The Astros lost the finale at Busch Stadium before dropping all three games at Milwaukee. Houston has played well at home with five straight wins at Minute Maid Park, hosting the NL East-leading Braves for the first of three.

Atlanta sends out left-hander Mike Minor for his ML debut, getting called up from Triple-A Gwinnett. Minor's numbers were solid at Gwinnett, owning a 4-1 mark with an ERA of 1.99 and WHIP of 0.88. Minor was a teammate of David Price at Vanderbilt, while actually putting up better numbers this season at Triple-A than Double-A.

Bud Norris (4-7, 5.65 ERA) is actually the more experienced pitcher in this matchup, as the 25-year old is coming off consecutive underdog wins over the Cubs and Cardinals. The Houston right-hander is extremely hit-or-miss, putting together two scoreless outings and five starts allowing at least four runs since late June. In this stretch, the 'over' has cashed six of seven times, including five in a row.

Atlanta swept Houston at Turner Field in early May, limiting the Astros to four runs in the entire series. The 'under' is 7-2 in Atlanta's last nine games, after hitting the 'under' in Sunday's win over San Francisco. Houston is 5-2 the previous seven contests as a home underdog, while the Astros are just 2-5 the last seven home openers.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:57 PM

Reds get OF Edmonds from Brewers

CINCINNATI (AP) -The NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds got Jim Edmonds from the Milwaukee Brewers in a trade for Chris Dickerson on Monday, strengthening their outfield for a playoff run.

The deal gives the Reds a proven outfielder as they try to fend off St. Louis and reach the playoffs for the first time since 1995. The Reds led the Cardinals by two games heading into their three-game showdown in Cincinnati starting Monday night.

Edmonds was in the starting lineup in center field, batting fifth against Chris Carpenter. Manager Dusty Baker envisions a part-time role for the 40-year-old outfielder, who seemed invigorated by the chance to be part of another playoff chase.

Milwaukee was third in the division at the time of the trade, 11 games out. The Reds are in a two-team race with St. Louis, which was Edmonds' team from 2000-07.

``I don't know what to say,'' Edmonds said. ``It's been a quick 24 hours. To go from kind of the bottom of the standings to the top in a hurry and show up here playing the Cardinals - it's going to be a little nuts.''

In the past year, the Reds have fortified themselves by acquiring former Cardinals. General manager Walt Jocketty, who rebuilt St. Louis into a championship team from 1995-2007, has turned to his former players to try to restore the Reds.

Jocketty traded for third baseman Scott Rolen last season, a move that gave the Reds a veteran leader and another hitting threat. He signed reliever Jason Isringhausen to a minor league deal last month, hoping he can help Cincinnati's bullpen down the stretch.

Now, he's adding a Cardinals touch to the outfield.

``It's guys that I know that are good players still and can contribute,'' Jocketty said. ``I think everyone we've acquired has done a good job, and I think this is a guy that will do the same.''

The Reds' offense has struggled with two young outfielders - Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce - counted upon heavily this season. Stubbs has started only one of the last seven games. He's batting .234 with 14 homers and leads the team with 112 strikeouts. Bruce is batting .258 with only 10 homers.

Baker plans to start Edmonds occasionally. Edmonds has been limited by a sore right Achilles' tendon.

``He's somebody that can probably contribute a couple days a week and somebody that can tutor the young outfielders,'' Baker said. ``He can still play.''

Edmonds was out of baseball last year, his career on hold because of injuries. He wanted to play for the Cardinals again, but ended up signing with the Brewers during spring training. He makes $850,000 with the chance for another $1.75 million in bonuses.

Edmonds batted .286 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in 73 games for the Brewers. His stint in Cincinnati could amount to a final go-around - he talked recently about retirement because years of injuries have taken a toll.

Dickerson has missed most of the season because of a broken bone in his right hand that required surgery. He batted .205 in 20 games before being injured. He has been on a rehabilitation assignment in the minors.

To open a roster spot for Edmonds, the Reds optioned left-hander Travis Wood to Triple-A Louisville. The rookie has been one of the Reds' most consistent starters, but was going to have to miss his next turn in the rotation because the Reds have two days off in the next week.

The Reds plan to have Wood make one start in the minors, then bring him back when he's needed again.

---

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2010, 06:58 PM

Mariners fire manager Don Wakamatsu

SEATTLE (AP) -The last-place Seattle Mariners fired manager Don Wakamatsu on Monday, more than halfway through a season that began with a boosted roster and hopes of making the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

The Mariners started the day at 42-70, the second-worst record in the American League.

Daren Brown, the manager of Triple-A Tacoma for the last three-plus seasons, took over on an interim basis hours before a game against Oakland.

Seattle also fired bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rick Adair. The team also released performance coach Steve Hecht.

``I have concluded that these changes needed to be made now and that they are in the best interest of the Mariners as we move forward,'' Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. ``Don, Ty and Rick are all good baseball men and they have done their very best. But we are where we are. I no longer have confidence that Don, Ty and Rick are the right long-term fit for our organization. New leadership is needed and it is needed now.''

Roger Hansen, who had been the Mariners' minor league catching coordinator, takes over as the bench coach. Carl Willis, who was the Mariners' minor league pitching coordinator, takes on the responsibility of big league pitching coach.

Wakamatsu, the majors' first Japanese-American manager, is the fifth manager in the big leagues to be fired this season. Baltimore's Dave Trembley, Kansas City's Trey Hillman, Arizona's A.J. Hinch and Florida's Fredi Gonzalez also were dismissed.

The Mariners added pitcher Cliff Lee, infielder Chone Figgins and outfielder Milton Bradley in the offseason. Wakamatsu had guided Seattle to an 85-77 record in his first season after taking over a team that went 61-101 in 2008.

But a poorly constructed roster has produced the worst offense in baseball and doomed them to 22 1/2 games behind first-place Texas in the AL West.

Wakamatsu was asked last week by The Associated Press how he was doing amid rampant speculation that he would become Seattle's fall guy.

``I'll be all right,'' the 47-year-old Wakamatsu said. ``I've been in this game a long time, and I have a lot of people pulling for me - most of all my family.''

He went 127-147 since getting Seattle's job in November 2008.

Wakamatsu watched slugger Ken Griffey Jr. slump this season to the point the manager finally benched the franchise icon, before Griffey drove home in early June to retirement in Florida in a huff without saying goodbye to most in Seattle. The manager sent an irate Bradley home from a game in May, and the next day Bradley asked him and the GM for help dealing with emotional issues.

Wakamatsu has also had multiple public spats with Figgins, whom Zduriencik signed to a $36 million free-agent contract before the season. The most recent incident was an in-game fracas inside the home team's dugout between Wakamatsu, Figgins and other coaches and players in full view of half the stadium and a national television audience.

The only support Wakamatsu received publicly was a limited one that came days after he led the Mariners through the worst July in team history - 6-22. On Aug. 3, Zduriencik said: ``Don is our manager. Don and I, and his son went out to dinner last night. We had a very nice evening, spent like three or four hours together and talked about a lot of things. We talked where we're headed with the club, about Don and Don is our manager.''

But when asked if Wakamatsu will return for a third season as Mariners manager in 2011, Zduriencik was evasive and noncommittal.

``Everybody is evaluated at all times,'' he said. ``As we go forward, you have to realize there is always an evaluation process going on at all times. You take a week at a time, a month at a time, a season at a time with everyone.''

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