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**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 08:48 PM

Bettors' best friend: Thursday's wagering tips

Lines off the board

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

Lines to keep an eye on

Colts at Bills: Bills opened as 3-point favorites but have jumped to -3.5. Total opened at 34 but has slipped as low as 33 at some books.

Patriots at Falcons: Falcons opened as 1.5-point favorites but have climbed to -2.5.

Nationals at Braves: Total opened at 8.5 but has dipped to 8.

White Sox at Twins: Total opened at 7.5 but has climbed to 8 at most books.

Bluebombers at Alouettes (CFL): Total opened at 53.5 and has skyrocketed to 56.

Weather to watch

Nationals at Braves: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Who's hot

Reds are 14-3 in last 17 vs. Diamondbacks.

Braves are 10-3 in their last 13.

Twins are 8-1 in their last nine.

Padres are 8-1 in their last nine.

Phillies are 5-1 in their last six.

Who's not

Rockies are 7-22 in last 29 vs. Dodgers.

White Sox are 6-20 in last 26 vs. Twins.

Angels are 0-8 vs. Red Sox this season.

Pirates are 1-8 in their last nine.

Rangers have lost four in a row to Orioles.

Key stat

200/1 - The San Diego Padre's preseason odds of winning the World Series. After winning eight of their last nine to lead the NL West, the Padres are now listed at 20/1.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is expected to miss the next couple of days after an MRI revealed a low-grade strain of his left calf. A-Rod left Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers with the injury, which kept him out of the lineup Tuesday. There is no word on his return but the Yankees' fate will depend heavily on how healthy he is down the stretch. The 35-year-old is hitting .265 for the season with 21 home runs and 97 RBIs.

Game of the day

White Sox at Twins (-160, 8)

Notable quotable

"There is nothing on me that's 100 percent, there wasn't anything that was 100 percent last year or the year before. The surgery made me a little better. ... I have played 309 straight games, I can't complain."

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, who announced he will play one more season on Wednesday. Favre, who holds the NFL record for consecutive starts

Tips and notes

It appears reports of the Philadelphia Phillies returning to full strength this weekend were premature. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro said Wednesday he is not sure when first baseman Ryan Howard will return. Howard has not played since July 30 due to an ankle injury that landed him on the 15-day disabled list. There was some speculation that he may be able to return to the two-time defending National League champions this weekend. The Phillies did get Chase Utley back in the lineup.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning returned to practice on Wednesday, two days after leaving a preseason game against the New York Jets with a lacerated forehead. The Giants announced that Manning will not play in Saturday's preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will allow suspended QB Ben Roethlisberger to see his first action of the season. This QB switcheroo could have a big impact on the game and the line.

Justine Henin said on her website Thursday that she will not return to the tennis court this season. Henin has not played since suffering a right elbow injury at Wimbledon in June. She was targeting a return in September but has changed her plans based on recent exams and medical advice. Henin has 43 career victories, including seven Grand Slams. The Belgian native returned this year after nearly two years away from the game and later won a pair of events.

**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 08:54 PM

NFL
Dunkel

Indianapolis at Buffalo
The Colts travel to Buffalo to face a Bills team looking to rebound from a 42-17 loss at Washington in the preseason opener. Buffalo is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Bills favored by 4 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-3 1/2). Here are all of Thursday's and Friday's preseason picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 19

Game 401-402: Indianapolis at Buffalo (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indianapolis 113.572; Buffalo 118.308
Dunkel Line: Buffalo by 4 1/2; 30
Vegas Line: Buffalo by 3 1/2; 33
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-3 1/2); Under

Game 403-404: New England at Atlanta (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New England 118.808; Atlanta 125.566
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 7; 40
Vegas Line: Atlanta by 2 1/2; 37
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-2 1/2); Over

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20

Game 405-406: Philadelphia at Cincinnati (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 117.466; Cincinnati 122.468
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 5; 35
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 3; 37
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-3); Under

What bettors need to know: Thursday's NFL action

Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills (-3.5, 33)

Who’s in, who’s out

With both teams coming off disastrous defensive performances last week, a sense of urgency creeps into this contest. That being the case, look for defensive starters from both units to log extended playing time tonight.

The problem for the Colts, though, is they are a banged-up bunch. TE Dallas Clark, OG Kyle DeVan, OT Ryan Diem, WR Pierre Garcon, DB Donye McCleskey, SS Bob Sanders, FS Jamie Silva, OG Jaimie Thomas and all sat out Tuesday’s practice. All except McCleskey Silva and Thomas are starters.

Silva and McCleskey have been placed on the season-ending injured reserve list. Indy signed safety Terrell Skinner, an undrafted rookie out of Maryland, to help fill the gap.

The offensive line is walking wounded. DeVan had a wrap on his leg (hamstring injury), while Thomas was wearing a walking boot.

Behind a paper-thin line, don’t expect Peyton Manning to be put into harm’s way. Curtis Painter, Tom Brandstater and Tim Hiller figure to take most of the snaps.

Speaking of a litany of injuries, is it any surprise that Sanders is banged-up again? He has missed more games than he’s started.

Sanders is one of 12-15 players currently on a one-practice-per-day regimen.

The Buffalo Bills backfield was hit with some bad news this week, losing both Marshawn Lynch (ankle) and Fred Jackson (hand) to injuries that will keep them sidelined for multiple weeks.

With Lynch and Jackson sidelined, rookie RB C. J. Spiller is in line to get the bulk of the carries and be the feature back.

Spiller has never carried the entire load for an offense, however. During his first three years at Clemson, he split carries with current Cleveland running back James Davis. In his senior season, he was a multi-purpose threat who only averaged 15 carries per game, but he says he is ready.

“My mindset is that when a man goes down, you never want to see it, but you have to prepare yourself as if you're next in line," Spiller said.

Meanwhile, QB Trent Edwards has maintained his hold on the Buffalo Bills starting job for now. Brian Brohm will get his chance to prove himself this week and it's Ryan Fitzpatrick's turn to sit.

This will be Brohm’s preseason debut while entering the game as the No. 2. He's expected to get about two quarters of playing time.

Brohm sat out last week's game while Fitzpatrick appeared in six series as Edwards' backup.

Rookie seventh-round pick Levi Brown, who's not part of the competition, will serve as the third-stringer as he did against the
Redskins.

Buffalo’s wide receiver corps has taken a hit with David Nelson, star of last week’s game against Washington, out with a torn ACL.

He provided valuable depth and size to a receiving corps that is already without former second-round pick James Hardy and current fourth-rounder Marcus Easley, who is scheduled to have surgery on his left knee.

Line movement

The Bills opened as 3-point favorites and have been bet up to -3.5. The total has moved down one full-point from 34 to 33. The Colts non-descript approach to the preseason (4-19 SU and 6-17 ATS since the start of the 2005 campaign), coupled with two extra days of preparation time for Buffalo, speaks volumes.

Key trend

In 11 career games as a head coach in the NFL, Buffalo boss Chan Gailey is 1-10 SU and 2-9 ATS during the preseason.

New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons (-2.5, 37)

Who’s in, who’s out

With extended playing time last preseason, second-year QB Brian Hoyer made the roster in 2009. Look for him to find extended minutes again, especially with Tom Brady nursing a finger injury suffered in the New Orleans game last week.

“Brian has come in since day one and he’s worked hard,” said Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio. “He’s smart. He understands our system. He’s got a quick release. He gets rid of the football… when he’s been out there, he’s done some good things.”

Hoyer is being challenged by Zac Robinson, a 7th round pick from Oklahoma State. Robinson was not as sharp as Hoyer in the Saints game.

The two quarterbacks should find plenty of playing time.

Pats’ WR Torry Holt will undergo knee surgery and has been placed on the injured reserve. Meanwhile. WR Julian Edelman enjoyed added playing time (90 receiving yards and a big punt return) in last week’s preseason opener with Wes Welker still recovering from devastating off-season knee surgery. Welker could make a limited debut against the Falcons.

Plenty of questions surround the New England secondary. Expect to see more defensive rotations. As a result, Darius Butler might get less time with the first team as coaches continue to peruse the roster.

The Falcons didn't fare well in their previous meeting with Brady. He led the Patriots to a 26-10 victory over the Falcons in Week 3 of the regular season last year, completing 25 of 42 passes for 277 yards and one touchdown.WR Randy Moss grabbed 10 passes for 116 yards in the game.

Atlanta QB Matt Ryan is feeling more comfortable with each passing game.

“Third year in the system, understanding it," Ryan said. "I think I've come a long way."

Ryan realizes the Falcons lost two tight games against the Saints last year (both ATS wins) and feels they are capable of going toe-to-toe with the defending champs.

Chris Redman, John Parker Wilson and D. J. Shockley are all contending as Atlanta’s backup signal caller.

RB Jerious Norwood missed six games with a concussion and injured hip last season. He won't play in Thursday night's exhibition against New England, but the Falcons are targeting the following week at Miami for his first action of the preseason.

Falcons’ RB Michael Turner, a 2008 Pro Bowl selection trying to come back from an ankle injury last year, gained 29 yards on four carries last week.

Atlanta’s top two corners, Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes, missed practice Tuesday. Robinson has been out with a hamstring injury, and Grimes did not practice because of a groin injury.

The Falcons finished 28th against the pass last year and they spent the off-season trying to improve the secondary.

Line movement

The oddsmakers installed Atlanta as a 1.5-point favorite with an Over/Under of 37 when the game opened. Not a lot of movement on the total but the money has settled in on the Falcons, moving to -2.5. The Patriots pointspread failure last week dropped their record to 4-5 SU and 2-7 ATS in exhibition play since the starts of the 2008 season, quite a departure from Bill Belichick’s 20-13 SU and 19-10-4 ATS mark in his first eight preseasons with New England.

Key trend

The home team is 6-1-2 ATS in Mike Smith’s preseason games in his NFL career.

**Spark** · 08-18-2010, 09:01 PM

Early Thursday udog .. hahahahaha

Thanks for all the hard work my friend

**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 09:03 PM

MLB

Thursday, August 19

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies (-175, 8.5)

The Philadelphia Phillies are finally getting some good vibes after suffering through a terrible rash of injuries lately. Second baseman Chase Utely returned to the lineup on Tuesday, coming back two weeks early following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. He was on the shelf since June 29.

"He's tough as nails," Philadelphia left fielder Raul Ibanez told reporters of Utely. "You knew he was going to do everything in his power to get back on the field. Everything about him that he brings is positive for the team. It's Chase. He brings himself. He's always preparing to be at his best to win that game."

It’ll probably take a while for Utely to find his groove, but his presence in the locker room alone should be enough to get Phillies supporters excited. He’s hitting .269 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs in 73 games this season.

Philadelphia has split the four-game season series with the Giants so far, taking both of the last two meetings. Cole Hamels faces off against Jonathan Sanchez. Hamels only has one win in his last 11 starts, but gave up more than four runs only once during that stretch.

Pick: Phillies

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins (-160, 8)

It’s no secret that there’s no love lost between the White Sox and Twins, but in case there was ever any confusion, Chicago bench boss Ozzie Guillen did a good job clearing that up in the press.

"It's not a friendly rivalry," Guillen told The Chicago Tribune. "I hate them. As soon as the game starts, we hate each other.

"They're my friends. I talk to them before the game. I talk to them after the game. I always have a smile with Gardy (Minnesota manager Rod Gardenhire) and the coaching staff. But as soon as the game starts, we're not friends anymore. We have a job to do."

Over the last little while, the White Sox have done a terrible job getting wins in Minnesota, going 5-21 over their last 26 visits. But Chicago is getting close to crunch time and it was a perfect time for Guillen to stoke the fire a bit with his club trailing Minnesota by eight games heading into Tuesday’s action, winning just three of its last 11.

Plus, Chicago has Carl Pavano on the hill Wednesday. Pavano is all business on the mound and has lost just once over his last five outings

Pick: White Sox

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Ted Lilly, Los Angeles Dodgers (6-8, 3.44 ERA)

While the Los Angeles Dodgers may be slipping out of the playoff picture, it's to no fault of Ted Lilly. Since coming over from the Cubs at the trade deadline, Lilly has won all three of his starts, allowing just four total runs. He threw six shutout innings, holding Atlanta to three hits in a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Travis Wood, Cincinnati Reds (3-1, 2.65 ERA)

Travis Wood is back in the bigs after a brief demotion to the minors to make room on the Reds' roster for Jim Edmonds. Cincinnati had good reason to get him back with the big club right away. Wood took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Cubs last week and has a 2.45 ERA over his last three starts. The lefty has thrown at least five innings in seven of his eight starts this year and has 40 strike outs under his belt compared to 13 walks.

Slumping

Sean West, Florida Marlins (0-2, 7.71 ERA)

Sean West seems to have conquered the strange control problems that plagued him in spring training while he was in the minors, but he isn't out of the woods yet. West, who literally couldn't get the ball over the plate no matter how many batters he faced this spring, has walked just four in two starts since being recalled on Aug. 1. Still, his ERA speaks for itself over 9 1/3 innings.

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This Day in Baseball
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On August 19 in Baseball History...

1909 - The Philadelphia Phillies were rained out for the 10th consecutive day, a major league record.
1911 - The Reds finally get to Christy Mathewson after 22 straight losses, beating him for the first time since May, 1908. Matty, after saving the 5-4 opener, starts the nightcap, goes five innings, and loses 7-4.
1913 - The Chicago Cubs tagged Grover Alexander for nine straight hits and six runs in a 10-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
1917 - Coaching third in a 1-1 game against Washington, Detroit's Ty Cobb gives Tiger base runner George Burns a shove when Burns stops at third on a long hit. Burns keeps going and scores the winning run for the Tigers. Clark Griffith protests, and Ban Johnson upholds him; the rules now ban coaches from touching a runner. The game is replayed, and Washington wins 2-0.
1921 - Ty Cobb gets hit number 3,000 off Boston pitcher Elmer Myers. At 34, he's the youngest ever to do so.
1931 - Lefty Grove wins his 16th consecutive game, tying the American League record set by Walter Johnson and Joe Wood in 1912.
1941 - Umpire Jocko Conlan ejects Pittsburgh Pirates manager Frankie Frisch from the second game of a doubleheader when he appears on the field with an umbrella to protest the playing conditions at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. The rainy argument is later portrayed in a famous oil painting by artist Norman Rockwell.
1945 - In the second game of a doubleheader against the Reds, 37-year-old slugger Jimmie Foxx pitches the first seven innings for Philadelphia. He leaves with a 4-1 lead, and Andy Karl saves Foxx's only major league decision. His ERA in 10 major league appearances is 1.52.
1951 - In his most interesting promotional stunt, Bill Veeck signs a three-foot, seven-inch midget, Eddie Gaedel, who goes to bat wearing the number 1/8 in the first inning of the nightcap with the Tigers. Lefty Bob Cain laughingly walks him on four pitches. Jim Delsing then pinch runs. Two days later the commissioner bars Eddie Gaedel from appearing in any more games.
1957 - New York Giants owner Horace Stoneham announced that the team's board of directors had voted 9-1 in favor of moving to San Francisco.
1965 - Reds pitcher Jim Maloney's second no-hit effort of 1965 is another 0-0 duel through nine innings, until Reds shortstop Leo Cardenas homers off the left field foul pole in the tenth at Wrigley Field. Jim Maloney's sets a no-hit record by allowing ten walks. He also fans twelve in Cincinnati's 1-0 win.
1969 - Ken Holtzman of the Cubs blanked the Atlanta Braves with a 3-0 no-hitter at Wrigley Field. Ron Santo's three-run homer in the first inning provided the Cubs' offense.
1990 - Bobby Thigpen recorded his 40th save as the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers, 4-2. Thigpen became the eighth — and fastest — to accomplish this feat.
1992 - Bret Boone made history when he became part of the first three-generation family to play in major league baseball. Boone is the grandson of Ray Boone, who played from 1948-60, and son of Bob Boone, from 1972-90. Bret, 23, started at second base for the Seattle Mariners against Baltimore.

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**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by Spark View Post

Early Thursday udog .. hahahahaha

Thanks for all the hard work my friend

Good evening, Spark!

Yeah, a lot of the stuff is up early tonight so I figured I might as well get it in. I'm just sitting here watching the Braves game anyway.

**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 09:12 PM

WNBA

Thursday, August 19

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
TULSA vs. NEW YORK
Tulsa is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Tulsa is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
New York is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Tulsa
New York is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Tulsa

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bet
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Tulsa Shock at New York Liberty (-15.5, 162.5)

The Liberty are smashing records and opponents in their late-season assault on first place in the Eastern Conference.

On Saturday they set a team record for scoring by blasting the defending champion Phoenix 107-69. On Tuesday they won a franchise record ninth straight game in beating first-place Indiana 78-57, moving within a half-game of the Fever in the Eastern Conference.

Tonight they can tie Indiana atop the standings and earn the tiebreaker via head-to-head and intra-conference records. They have every reason to play their hearts out in this one.

“It’s still tough, it’s not over with,” said New York guard Cappie Pondexter, who is averaging 21.1 points per game. “We just got to continue to stay focused and not get too high. One day at a time.”

The lowly Shock, however, are just counting down the days until the offseason. They are 2-24 in their last 26 and are just 7-19 ATS during that span despite regularly catching double digits in points.

The Shock are showing signs of playing out the side. They have their last four by an average margin of 25 points per game. The Libs may cover this spread by halftime.

Pick: New York

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**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 09:17 PM

CFL
Dunkel

Winnipeg at Montreal
The Alouettes look to take advantage of a Winnipeg team that is 2-7 ATS in the last 9 meetings between the two teams. Montreal is the pick (-11) according to Dunkel, which has the Alouettes favored by 19 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-11). Here are all of today's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 19

Game 241-242: Winnipeg at Montreal (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 106.491; Montreal 125.759
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 19 1/2; 54
Vegas Line: Montreal by 11; 56
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-11); Under

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20

Game 243-244: Hamilton at Toronto (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 109.216; Toronto 108.848
Dunkel Line: Even; 57
Vegas Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 54
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+2 1/2); Over

CFL
Long Sheet

Thursday, August 19

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WINNIPEG (2 - 5) at MONTREAL (5 - 2) - 8/19/2010, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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Friday, August 20

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HAMILTON (3 - 4) at TORONTO (5 - 2) - 8/20/2010, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) off a division game over the last 3 seasons.

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

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**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 09:20 PM

CFL

Week 8

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Trend Report
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Thursday, August 19

7:30 PM
WINNIPEG vs. MONTREAL
Winnipeg is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Montreal
Winnipeg is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Montreal is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games when playing at home against Winnipeg

Friday, August 20

7:30 PM
HAMILTON vs. TORONTO
Hamilton is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Hamilton is 3-12 ATS in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto19-5-1 SU in its last 25 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games at home

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**Udog** · 08-18-2010, 09:22 PM

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.

**Udog** · 08-19-2010, 07:21 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: August 19

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Patriots look to stay perfect in NFL preseason action, while the Twins host the ChiSox, and the PGA Tour hits the links in Greensboro.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

The NFL kicks off the second week of its preseason schedule with two games on Thursday night: Indianapolis at Buffalo, and New England at Atlanta. The Colts and Bills both lost their exhibition openers, with Indy falling 37-17 to San Francisco and Buffalo losing 42-17 to Washington. The Bills are pegged as 3.5-point favorites for Thursday's game, which will be played in Canada at Toronto's Rogers Centre. The Patriots and Falcons both won last week, as New England topped New Orleans 27-24 and Atlanta got past Kansas City 20-10. The Falcons are pegged as 2.5-point favorites for Thursday.

As well, the Canadian Football League has one game on tap for Thursday, with Winnipeg at Montreal. The Blue Bombers (2-5 SU, 3-4 ATS) have lost three straight games heading into Thursday night, while the Alouettes (5-2 SU, 3-4 ATS) are coming off a 37-22 loss to Toronto. The Alouettes are big 11-point home favorites for Thursday.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The American League schedule for Thursday has Detroit at the Yankees, Texas at Baltimore, the Angels at Boston, Cleveland at Kansas City, Tampa Bay at Oakland, and the White Sox at Minnesota. Mark Buehrle (11-9, 4.05 ERA) gets the ball for Chicago on Thursday, while Carl Pavano (15-7, 3.27 ERA) takes the hill for Minnesota. Lefthander Buehrle is coming off a win over the Tigers in which he gave up three runs on five hits over 6 1-3 innings. Righthander Pavano has won two straight starts, holding the Athletics to two runs over 6 1-3 innings last time out. Pavano fanned four in that victory.

Over in the National League on Thursday it's then Washington at Atlanta, Florida at Pittsburgh, San Francisco at Philadelphia, the Mets at Houston, Cincinnati at Arizona, Colorado at the Dodgers, and San Diego at the Cubs. Mat Latos (12-5, 2.32 ERA) is set to take on Carlos Zambrano (4-6, 5.27 ERA) in that Padres/Cubs matchup. Righthander Latos is coming off a no-decision against the Giants in which he gave up one run on five hits over six innings of work, and fanned nine. Righthander Zambrano found some of his old form in his last start, beating the Cards by giving up just two runs over 5 2-3 innings.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

The PGA Tour hits the links at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro on Thursday for the Wyndham Championship, with golfers getting their last chance to qualify for the FedExCup playoffs. Carl Pettersson and defending champion Ryan Moore are the 20/1 Vegas co-favorites to win this week's event, with Lucas Glover at 25/1, and both Brandt Snedeker and Anthony Kim at 30/1. Justin Leonard is listed at 35/1 to win the tourney.

Finally, there is one game on the WNBA's schedule for Thursday, with Tulsa at New York. The Shock (5-27 SU, 10-22 ATS) have lost five straight games as they close out their regular season with a whimper; Tulsa was thumped 90-62 in Connecticut last time out. The Liberty (20-11 SU, 17-13-1 ATS) ride a nine-game winning streak into Thursday's matchup, beating Indiana 78-57 at home in their most recent contest. Leilani Mitchell scored 19 points for New York that day, while Cappie Pondexter had 13 points.

**Udog** · 08-19-2010, 07:24 AM

Thursday's six-pack

Andy Staples of SI.com posted who he voted for in the top six for his season opening college football poll. Tbe comments are mine.......

6) TCU-- Play perennial slow starting Oregon State in opening game at Jerry World. Beating a Pac-10 team enhances their resume.

5) Iowa-- QB will have to be much better than '09 to justify #5 vote.

4) Texas-- New QB, figure to run more to protect him.

3) Ohio State-- 10 starters back on offense, four on OL, QB is starting for third year. But they're from the Big 11........

2) Boise State-- Is opener with Virginia Tech best September game?

1) Alabama-- Hard for me to endorse team with nine new starters on defense as heavy favorite to win title. QB McElroy never loses.

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

Thursday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind........

13) BYU bolted the Mountain West, is rumored to be going independent in football while looking for a basketball home. Meanwhile, MWC added Fresno State and Nevada, as college conference chaos continues. Boise St. must be wondering why they bothered to bolt the WAC for the MWC.

12) Washington Nationals came to an agreement with Bryce Harper with 0:26 (that seconds, not minutes) before the signing deadline. Washington is 7-0 with Stephen Strasburg if they give him more than two runs.

11) ESPN's Fran Fraschilla thinks American basketball should move to a 24-second clock at all levels, to create more possessions, better players. Only seven of fifty states use a shot clock of any kind for HS games.

10) Jordan Kent, son of former Oregon hoop coach Ernie Kent, has a real chance to make the Rams as a WR/special teamer. Young Kent didn't play football until his junior year in Eugene.

9) Mets are now 27-40 this year in games decided by 1 or 2 runs.

8) Giants' rookie WR Victor Cruz caught six passes for 145 yards in his first pro game Monday (oh yeah, he had three TDs, too); kid didn't get on the field at I-AA UMass until his junior year.

7) Underrated TV show: Pawn Stars on the History Channel. One of the little nuggets I learned watching this fine TV program: William H Taft was the first president to give out matchbooks with his name on it to voters as an inducement to vote for him.

6) Alabama's football team visited the White House recently, a reward for winning the national title last year; it cost $79,314 to charter the plane to bring the team to Washington. Seeing as they draw 90,000+ to the spring football game, I'm thinking the athletic department can afford it.

5) Jim Mora Jr and Kurt Warner will both be NFL game analysts on the FOX network this season; Mora is on the #3 FOX team, the two-time MVP Warner on the #7 team, meaning part-time duty for him, and in all probability, more than one Ram game. .

4) Dodgers have played 27 games where the losing team got shut out.

3) Arizona Diamondbacks have been outscored 75-46 in 8th inning,76-35 in 9th inning-- thats a ludicrous 151-81 in last two imnings combined.

2) Since the Mets are saving a decent amount of money because KRod is suspended, shouldn't they eat some money and release Oliver Perez?

1) Fueling the pitch count debate: Brondon Morrow threw 131 pitches in his 1-hitter August 8 against the Rays; he didn't pitch again until Tuesday in Oakland, when he lasted just four innings, throwing 80 pitches, none of which resulted in a swing/miss. Morrow is a diabetic, another reason why it didn't make much sense to have him throw so many pitches.

**Udog** · 08-19-2010, 07:27 AM

CFL
Write-Up

Week 8 CFL games

Winnipeg (2-5) @ Montreal (5-2)-- Alouettes are 3-0 at home, 2-1 as a home favorite, winning by 23-31-4 points at home; they got upset last week in Toronto, giving up 408 yards on just 41 Argonaut plays. Four of last five Montreal games stayed under total. Bombers are 0-3 on road, losing away games by 21-3-7 points (1-2 as road dog). Bizzare schedule saw Winnipeg play Hamilton four times in first seven weeks of season.

Hamilton (3-4) @ Toronto (5-2)-- Argos won five of last six games after upsetting Montreal last week. Toronto is favored for first time this year; they're 3-0 at home, winning by 3-4-15 points. Last week's win was the first game they've won by more than four points. Hamilton is 3-0 vs the Blue Bombers, 0-3 vs everyone else, losing by 1-23-13 points- they are 1-2 as road dogs this year. Three of four TiCat road games went over.

**Udog** · 08-19-2010, 07:30 AM

MLB
Write-Up

Thursday, August 19

Hot pitchers
-- Lowe is 1-1, 2.08 in his last three starts. Lannan is 2-0, 3.50 in his last three starts.
-- Latos is 7-1, 1.56 in his last 11 starts. Zambrano is 1-0, 3.38 in two starts since his suspension.
-- Hamels has 1.81 RA in last seven starts, but lost last two, both 1-0.
-- Wood is 3-0, 2.95 in his last three starts.
-- Astros won last four Norris starts, scoring 39 runs.
-- Lilly is 3-0, 1.89 in his last three starts.

-- Hughes is 2-1, 3.12 in his last three starts.
-- Lewis has 2.10 RA in his last four starts, but Texas lost all four.
-- ESantana is 2-0, 2.70 in his last couple starts.
-- Pavano is 6-1, 2.52 in his last seven starts. Buehrle is 3-1, 3.86 in his last five starts.
-- Cahill is 3-1, 0.84 in his last four starts. Sonnanstine is 1-1, 3.48 in his two starts this season.

Cold pitchers
-- West is 0-2, 8.68 in two starts for the Marlins. Maholm is 1-4, 9.11 in his last five starts.
-- JSanchez is 0-2, 6.75 in his last couple starts.
-- Misch allowed four runs in six IP in his first '10 start, loss to Phils.
-- Saunders is 0-2, 7.50 in his last two starts.
-- de la Rosa is 1-2, 6.57 in his last seven starts.

-- Porcello is 1-5, 6.66 in his last nine starts.
-- Matusz is 1-3, 7.76 in his last seven starts.
-- Beckett is 0-1, 12.10 in his last couple starts.
-- Talbot is 0-5, 6.51 in his last six starts. Davies has a 5.00 RA in his last five outings.

Totals
-- Under is 8-4-1 in last thirteen Atlanta home games.
-- Last three Zambrano starts stayed under the total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Maholm starts.
-- Under is 9-4 in last thirteen Hamels starts. Over is 12-2-1 in last 14 JSanchez starts.
-- Under is 12-4 in last sixteen Houston home games.
-- Eight of last eleven Arizona games went over the total.
-- Under is 11-5-1 in last seventeen Dodger home games.

-- Over is 11-3-3 in last seventeen Bronx home games.
-- Under is 9-3 in last dozen Baltimore games.
-- Six of last eight Boston games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine White Sox road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Kansas City home games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Oakland home games.

Hot Teams
-- Phillies are 12-2 in their last fourteen home games.
-- Braves are 12-4 in their last 16 home games.
-- Astros won ten of their last fourteen home games.
-- Padres won eight of their last nine games.
-- Reds won eight of their last nine road games.

-- Red Sox won six of their last eight home games.
-- Twins won their last nine home games.
-- Royals won seven of their last nine home games.
-- Rays won their last five games, scoring 30 runs. Oakland is 10-4 in its last fourteen home games.

Cold Teams
-- Pirates lost nine of their last ten games. Marlins lost four of their last six games, but won last two.
-- Giants lost six of their last seven road games.
-- Nationals lost eight of their last ten games.
-- Mets are 9-20 in their last 29 road games.
-- Cubs lost 17 of their last 21 games.
-- Arizona is 4-9 in its last thirteen home games.
-- Dodgers lost six of their last eight games. Colorado lost 11 of its last 15 road games.

-- Bronx is 9-10 in its last eighteen games, but won last two. Tigers are 5-10 in their last fifteen games.
-- Angels are 3-10 in their last 13 road games.
-- Rangers are 4-9 in their last thirteen road games. Orioles lost four of their last five games.
-- White Sox lost eight of their last ten games.
-- Indians lost nine of their last ten games.

**Udog** · 08-19-2010, 07:34 AM

MLB

Thursday, August 19

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Trend Report
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1:05 PM
DETROIT vs. NY YANKEES
Detroit is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games
NY Yankees are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit
NY Yankees are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games at home

1:05 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Washington

2:20 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. CHI CUBS
San Diego is 8-1 SU in their last 9 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Diego's last 7 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 7 games when playing at home against San Diego
Chi Cubs are 4-17 SU in their last 21 games

7:05 PM
FLORIDA vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing at home against Florida
Pittsburgh is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Florida

7:05 PM
TEXAS vs. BALTIMORE
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Texas's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Texas's last 10 games when playing Baltimore
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Baltimore's last 13 games
Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas

7:05 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. PHILADELPHIA
San Francisco is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
San Francisco is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Philadelphia's last 21 games
Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Francisco

7:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. BOSTON
LA Angels are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games

8:05 PM
NY METS vs. HOUSTON
NY Mets are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
NY Mets are 6-14 SU in its last 20 games on the road
Houston is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games at home

8:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games
Chi White Sox are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games at home

8:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. KANSAS CITY
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City's last 8 games at home
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:40 PM
CINCINNATI vs. ARIZONA
Cincinnati is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Cincinnati's last 23 games when playing Arizona
Arizona is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Arizona's last 11 games

10:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. OAKLAND
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 5 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

10:10 PM
COLORADO vs. LA DODGERS
Colorado is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Colorado is 7-18 SU in their last 25 games when playing LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 18-7 SU in their last 25 games when playing Colorado
LA Dodgers are 11-4 SU in their last 15 games when playing at home against Colorado

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Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes 8/19 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes 8/19 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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