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  • Thursday's Trends and Indexes 9/2 (MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

    Trends and Indexes

    Thursday, September 2

    Good Luck on day #245 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.


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

    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

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

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

    Lines off the board

    Florida A&M at Miami: No line or total posted.

    Lines to keep an eye on

    NFL

    Jets at Eagles: Eagles opened as -2.5 faves but are down to -1.5 at most books.

    Panthers at Steelers: Steelers opened as -5.5 favorites but have moved to -6.5 at most books. Total has leaped from 36.5 to 37.5.

    Falcons at Jaguars: Jags opened as -1.5 faves but that line has doubled to -3.

    Dolphins at Cowboys: Dallas opened as -2.5 faves but are down to as low as -1 at some books.

    Redskins at Cardinals: Cards opened as -4.5 favorites but now can be found as high as -6 at some books.

    NCAAF

    Southern Miss at South Carolina: Total opened at 49 but has slipped to 45.5 at most books.

    Minnesota at Middle Tennessee State: MTSU opened as -3.5 favorites but are now 3-point dogs at some books. Total dropped almost a TD from 54 to 48.5.

    Marshall at Ohio State: Buckeyes opened as -24 faves but have soared to -28. Total opened at 45.5 but has climbed as high as 47 at some books.

    Pittsburgh at Utah: Utes opened as -1 favorites but have jumped to -3. Total opened at 51 but has dropped to 49.

    Southern Cal at Hawaii: USC opened as 18-point faves but have soared to -21.5 at most books. Total has jumped from 52 to 54 at most books.

    MLB

    Athletics at Yankees: Total opened at 8 but has climbed to 8.5.

    WNBA

    Phoenix at Seattle: Storm opened as -6 favorites but are now as high as -7.

    Weather to watch

    Hurricane Earl, a Category 3 storm with winds up to 125 mph, is closing in on the East Coast this weekend and could wreak havoc on games scheduled for the Northeast this weekend. That list includes MLB games like the Blue Jays-Yankees, Rays-Orioles, White Sox-Red Sox series and college football games such as Weber State-Boston College and Richmond-Virginia. Keep an eye out for postponements and/or dropping totals related to the storm.

    Packers at Chiefs: 40 percent chance of thunderstorms.

    Who's hot

    Phillies are 11-2 in their last 13 on the road.

    Orioles have won five of their last six.

    Braves are 12-3 in their last 15 vs. Mets.

    Who's not

    Red Sox have lost four of their last five.

    Athletics are 1-10 in their last nine at Yankees.

    Phoenix (WNBA) is 25-10 ATS in their last 35 on road.

    Key stat

    0-for-28 - New York Mets third baseman David Wright's batting stats at Turner Field this season entering Wednesday night's game against the Atlanta Braves. For the season, Wright is batting .292 with 21 homers and 86 RBIs.

    Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

    The New York Yankees activated first baseman/designated hitter Lance Berkman from the disabled list Wednesday. It remains to be seen if that is good news or bad news for Yankees fans. Berkman has been plagued by a right ankle sprain after he stepped on the foot of Kansas City Royals pitcher Bryan Bullington during a game last month. Berkman has struggled in his 12 games with New York, hitting 7-for-39 (.179) with no home runs and four RBIs.

    Game of the day

    No. 15 Pittsburgh at No. 24 Utah (-3, 49)

    Notable quotable

    "I don't need him, he needs me. Compare my achievements in boxing to his achievements. ... We agree with, you know, his demands. I wanted to know if that's his real reason [for not fighting]."

    Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao about Floyd Mayweather Jr., who has failed to agree to a super-fight between the two over drug-testing policies.

    Tips and notes

    Southern Miss coach Dan Fedora made waves this summer when he said his team will beat South Carolina in tonight's season opener. A better strategy might have been to sneak up on the distracted Gamecocks, who have lost tight end Weslye Saunders and could lose as many as 10 more players in an NCAA inquiry into the players living at a local hotel for reduced rent. The two-TD favorite Gamecocks could be ripe for the upset if Fedora had laid low, but a cover is not out of the question.

    Southern California football coach Lane Kiffin has suspended freshman safety Patrick Hall indefinitely, saying he has not demonstrated a full commitment to being a "championship scholar-athlete." Hall did not play last year after failing to qualify academically and then suffering torn ligaments in fall camp, but his loss is just the latest in a long line of distractions for the Trojans heading into their season opener at Hawaii, a place loaded with distractions for college kids. USC is a four-TD favorite.

    Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb is out of tonight's preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals due to a sprained ankle and backup Rex Grossman also is expected to sit for precautionary reasons. The Cardinals have a QB battle between Derek Anderson and Matt Leinart so the QB play, if not the entire game, could be one-sided. McNabb also is listed as questionable for the season opener but that could be coach Mike Shanahan's attempt at mind games.

    Comment


    • #3
      NFLX


      Dunkel

      New England at NY Giants
      The Giants look to wrap up the preseason against the Patriots and build on their 3-0 ATS record in their last 3 preseason games as a home favorite of 3 points or less. New York is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 4 1/2. Dunkel Pick: NY Giants (-3). Here are all of this week's preseason picks.

      THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

      Game 101-102: Buffalo at Detroit (6:30 p.m. EST)

      Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 116.939; Detroit 119.981
      Dunkel Line: Detroit by 3; 34
      Vegas Line: Detroit by 4 1/2; 38 1/2
      Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+4 1/2); Under

      Game 103-104: New England at NY Giants (7:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: New England 120.666; NY Giants 125.302
      Dunkel Line: NY Giants by 4 1/2; 40
      Vegas Line: NY Giants by 3; 37 1/2
      Dunkel Pick: NY Giants (-3); Over

      Game 105-106: Cincinnati at Indianapolis (7:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 121.751; Indianapolis 111.817
      Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 10; 38
      Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 6 1/2; 36 1/2
      Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-6 1/2); Over

      Game 107-108: NY Jets at Philadelphia (7:30 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: NY Jets 118.853; Philadelphia 119.126
      Dunkel Line: Even; 31
      Vegas Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 34
      Dunkel Pick: NY Jets (+1 1/2); Under

      Game 109-110: Atlanta at Jacksonville (7:30 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 118.844; Jacksonville 122.949
      Dunkel Line: Jacksonville by 4; 35
      Vegas Line: Jacksonville by 2 1/2; 37
      Dunkel Pick: Jacksonville (-2 1/2); Under

      Game 111-112: Carolina at Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 121.398; Pittsburgh 125.414
      Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 4; 39
      Vegas Line: Pittsburgh by 5 1/2; 36 1/2
      Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+5 1/2); Over

      Game 113-114: New Orleans at Tennessee (8:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 121.972; Tennessee 130.264
      Dunkel Line: Tennessee by 8 1/2; 44
      Vegas Line: Tennessee by 7; 41
      Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (-7); Over

      Game 115-116: Tampa Bay at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 119.594; Houston 119.876
      Dunkel Line: Even; 34
      Vegas Line: Houston by 2 1/2; 36 1/2
      Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+2 1/2); Under

      Game 117-118: Green Bay at Kansas City (8:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Green Bay 121.462; Kansas City 117.548
      Dunkel Line: Green Bay by 4; 44
      Vegas Line: Kansas City by 5 1/2; 40
      Dunkel Pick: Green Bay (+5 1/2); Over

      Game 119-120: Chicago at Cleveland (8:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 121.485; Cleveland 118.125
      Dunkel Line: Chicago by 3 1/2; 35
      Vegas Line: Chicago by 3; 37 1/2;
      Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-3); Under

      Game 121-122: Miami at Dallas (8:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Miami 120.341; Dallas 125.819
      Dunkel Line: Dallas by 5 1/2; 34 1/2
      Vegas Line: Dallas by 3 1/2; 37 1/2
      Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-3 1/2); Under

      Game 123-124: Baltimore at St. Louis (8:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore 128.223; St. Louis 119.766
      Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 8 1/2; 40
      Vegas Line: St. Louis by 3; 38
      Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+3); Over

      Game 125-126: Denver at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Denver 121.461; Minnesota 124.568
      Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 3; 32
      Vegas Line: Minnesota by 4 1/2; 35
      Dunkel Pick: Denver (+4 1/2); Under

      Game 127-128: San Diego at San Francisco (10:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 122.918; San Francisco 127.970
      Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 5; 39
      Vegas Line: San Francisco by 3 1/2; 36
      Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-3 1/2); Over

      Game 129-130: Washington at Arizona (10:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Washington 116.127; Arizona 122.181
      Dunkel Line: Arizona by 6; 34
      Vegas Line: Arizona by 5 1/2; 37
      Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-5 1/2); Under

      Game 131-132: Seattle at Oakland (10:00 p.m. EST)
      Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 122.387; Oakland 125.564
      Dunkel Line: Oakland by 3; 40
      Vegas Line: Oakland by 3 1/2; 37 1/2
      Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+3 1/2); Over




      Short Sheet

      Thursday, 9/2/2010

      BUFFALO at DETROIT, 7:00 PM ET

      BUFFALO: 7-0 UNDER after allowing 6 or more yards/play in their previous game
      DETROIT: 12-3 UNDER when playing on a Thursday

      NEW ENGLAND at NY GIANTS, 7:00 PM ET NFL Network
      NEW ENGLAND: 8-3 ATS off a home loss
      NY GIANTS: 1-5 ATS when playing with 6 or less days rest

      CINCINNATI at INDIANAPOLIS, 7:00 PM ET
      CINCINNATI: 7-1 ATS against AFC South division opponents
      INDIANAPOLIS: 1-5 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points

      NY JETS at PHILADELPHIA, 7:30 PM ET
      NY JETS: 10-1 ATS when playing on a Thursday
      PHILADELPHIA: 2-11 ATS in home games against AFC East division opponents

      ATLANTA at JACKSONVILLE, 7:30 PM ET
      ATLANTA: 18-5 OVER after allowing 14 points or less last game
      JACKSONVILLE: 14-4 OVER after allowing 150 or less passing yards in their last game

      CAROLINA at PITTSBURGH, 7:30 PM ET
      CAROLINA: 8-1 ATS after allowing 17 points or less in 2 straight games
      PITTSBURGH: 4-7 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite

      NEW ORLEANS at TENNESSEE, 8:00 PM ET
      NEW ORLEANS: 22-8 ATS in a road game where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points
      TENNESSEE: 1-5 ATS after playing a non-conference game

      TAMPA BAY at HOUSTON, 8:00 PM ET
      TAMPA BAY: 7-2 ATS in a road game where the total is between 35.5 and 38 points
      HOUSTON: 0-6 ATS as a home favorite of 3 points or less

      GREEN BAY at KANSAS CITY, 8:00 PM ET
      GREEN BAY: 0-7 ATS after 1 or more consecutive losses against the spread
      KANSAS CITY: 7-0 OVER off 1 or more straight overs

      CHICAGO at CLEVELAND, 8:00 PM ET
      CHICAGO: 6-11 ATS after 2 or more consecutive straight up losses
      CLEVELAND: 6-1 ATS as a home underdog

      MIAMI at DALLAS, 8:00 PM ET
      MIAMI: 6-0 ATS off 1 or more consecutive unders
      DALLAS: 14-35 ATS in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points

      BALTIMORE at ST LOUIS, 8:00 PM ET
      BALTIMORE: 6-0 UNDER in non-conference games
      ST LOUIS: 15-4 UNDER in home games after playing a non-conference game

      DENVER at MINNESOTA, 8:00 PM ET
      DENVER: 5-11 ATS after allowing 3 points or less in the first half last game
      MINNESOTA: 5-1 ATS after allowing 50 or less rushing yards last game

      SAN DIEGO at SAN FRANCISCO, 10:00 PM ET
      SAN DIEGO: 10-3 ATS after a playing a game where 50 total points or more were scored
      SAN FRANCISCO: 1-5 ATS against AFC West division opponents

      WASHINGTON at ARIZONA, 10:00 PM ET NFL Network
      WASHINGTON: 2-19 ATS when they allow 22 to 28 points
      ARIZONA: 17-1 ATS when they allow less than 75 rushing yards

      SEATTLE at OAKLAND, 10:00 PM ET
      SEATTLE: 6-0 ATS against AFC West division opponents
      OAKLAND: 10-2 UNDER off an upset loss as a favorite

      ** (TC) Denotes Time Change

      Comment


      • #4
        MLB


        Thursday, September 2


        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Philadelphia Phillies at Colorado Rockies (-140, 9)

        September is the time we separate the pretender from the contender. The Phillies are making a magical tranformation from the former to the latter.

        After a brutal homestand that saw the Phillies go 4-6 against subpar competition, they are 5-1 on their current West Coast road swing with a sweep of the Padres and a series win against the Dodgers. They pull into Colorado on a roll.

        "There's the saying the season is a marathon," said Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. "You want to try to be strong at the end of the race, and kick it in during the home stretch."

        The Phillies have taken 10 of their last 12 from the Rockies, who also are on a bit of a roll but have lost shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and third baseman Ian Stewart to injuries over the past week.

        The Phillies are finally healthy and hitting their high point down the home stretch. The Braves may not be catchable, but the NL wild-card is still up for grabs for a team that knows how to turn it on when it counts.

        Pick: Phillies


        Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles (130, 9)


        Banged-up Boston can just about forget about the postseason after dropping four of its last five while the Yankees and Rays have pulled away in the AL East standings.

        The Sox can blame their offense for falling off the radar. They have scored just 12 total runs during their last five entering Wednesday night's game against the O's.

        The Orioles have won four of their last five but have managed just 14 runs during that span. Their pitching has been stellar, especially today's starter Bradley Bergesen. He has won five straight starts and has allowed only 11 earned runs in that stretch.

        For the Red Sox, Dice-K returns to the rotation after sitting out with a sore back, but he has been hot in August by going 3-2 with a 3.49 ERA for the month. He has owned the O's this season, posting a 0.47 ERA against them.

        Opponents are batting just .222 against him over the past month, which is about what both teams are batting against righties over their last 10 games (Red Sox .223, O's .224).

        Under is 7-0-1 in Boston's last eight games and 20-8-1 in Baltimore's last 29. This one has under written all over it.

        Pick: Under



        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Streaking

        Dallas Braden (9-9, 3.28 ERA) Oakland A's


        Braden is coming off his second complete-game shutout of the season in his last start, holding the hard-hitting Rangers to four harmless hits.

        Braden is 3-1 in his last four starts, two of them lasting nine innings. He has allowed only five earned runs in the 31 innings in that stretch and hasn't allowed a home run since Aug. 6.

        Look for Braden to get a Broonx cheer in his first outing in New York since telling A-Rod to keep off the mound.

        Scott Baker (12-9, 4.55 ERA) Minnesota Twins

        After preheating through the first half of the season, Baker has been red hot since the All-Star break.

        Baker has won his last five starts, the longest streak of his career, and hasn't suffered a loss since July 19.

        The right-hander has 33 strikeouts and a 3.02 ERA during his current winning streak.


        Slumping

        Johan Santana (10-9, 3.02 ERA) New York Mets


        Santana doesn't really deserve to be lumped in with the slumpers. Perhaps he should sue his teammates for a lack of support.

        Santana has lost his last three starts while posting a respectable 3.91 ERA during that span, but the Mets have scored a total of only five runs for him in those outings.



        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        This Day in Baseball
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        On September 2 in Baseball History...

        1880 - The first night baseball is played in Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, between teams from two Boston department stores. The Boston Post reports the next day that "A clear, pure, white light was produced, very strong and yet very pleasant to the sight" by the twelve carbon-arc electric lamps.

        1919 - The National Commission recommends a best-of-nine World Series. The lengthier World Series is seen as a sign of greed and is abandoned after three years.

        1952 - Mike Fornieles of the Washington Senators, in his Major League debut, pitched a one-hitter for a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics in the second game of a doubleheader.

        1965 - Ernie Banks hit his 400th home run off Curt Simmons as the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-3, at Wrigley Field.

        1969 - Ralph Houk signs a new three-year contract with the Yankees at $65,000 a season, the highest managerial salary in either league.

        1971 - Cesar Cedeno's 200-foot fly ball in the fifth inning fell for an inside-the-park grand slam as second baseman Jim Lefebvre and right fielder Bill Buckner of the Dodgers collided. The hit helped the Houston Astros beat Los Angeles, 9-3.

        1972 - Milt Pappas of the Chicago Cubs retired 26 San Diego Padres batters in a row before walking pinch-hitter Larry Stahl on a 3-2 pitch. Pappas then retired Garry Jestadt to finish his 8-0 no-hitter.

        1987 - Houston's Kevin Bass went 4-for-4, including home runs from both sides of plate, and drove in three runs as the Astros beat the Chicago Cubs, 10-1. Bass became the first National Leaguer to homer from both sides of the plate twice in one season.

        1990 - Dave Stieb, who had lost three no-hit bids with one out to go in the previous two seasons, finally pitched one as the Toronto Blue Jays beat Cleveland, 3-0. It was the record ninth no-hitter of the season.

        1992 - Terry Mulholland of the Phillies becomes the new pickoff king. His 14 pickoffs are the most by any pitcher since the stat became official in 1989.

        1993 - The expansion Colorado Rockies drew 47,699 fans for their 6-1 loss to Montreal to set a single-season National League attendance record with a 62-game total of 3,617,863. Los Angeles set the previous record of 3,608,881 in 1982. Toronto set the Major League record of 4,028,318 in 1992.

        1995 - Tim Raines is out stealing in a 10-4 win over the Blue Jays to snap the White Sox outfielder's American League record streak of 40 consecutive stolen bases.

        1996 - Mike Greenwell set a Major League record by driving in all nine Boston runs, the final one on a 10th-inning single to give the Red Sox a 9-8 victory over Seattle.


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

        Comment


        • #5
          WNBA
          Long Sheet



          Thursday, September 2

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

          PHOENIX (17 - 19) at SEATTLE (30 - 6) - 9/2/2010, 10:00 PM
          Top Trends for this game.
          PHOENIX is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
          SEATTLE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
          SEATTLE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
          SEATTLE is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game this season.
          PHOENIX is 46-34 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
          PHOENIX is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
          PHOENIX is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) in a road game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
          PHOENIX is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games vs. division opponents this season.
          PHOENIX is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games after a division game this season.
          PHOENIX is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
          PHOENIX is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
          PHOENIX is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
          PHOENIX is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.

          Head-to-Head Series History
          SEATTLE is 8-5 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
          SEATTLE is 9-4 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
          7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




          WNBA


          Thursday, September 2

          -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bet
          -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          Phoenix Mercury at Seattle Storm (-7, 178)

          The top two teams in the WNBA’s Western Conference meet in the second round of the playoffs when the Seattle Storm host the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the conference finals Thursday.

          Seattle took over the top spot in the West from Phoenix this season, posting an impressive 28-6 record (17-15-2) and knocking off the defending league champs in all five of their head-to-head meetings, covering the spread in four of those showdowns. The Storm defeated the Los Angeles Sparks in two straight games in the opening round of the playoffs, going 2-0 ATS.

          "I'm glad that (first) series is gone because it means we advanced, we had a few extra days to prepare for Phoenix and we're ready for this round," guard Tanisha Wright told the Seattle Times. "We know Phoenix is a good team. They run the floor and get shots up and they have great individual players, so it's going to take a lot of playing good one-on-one defense so we don't have to force a lot of rotations."

          The last time these two Western powers met, Seattle stole a 78-73 win in Phoenix as a 3.5-point underdog despite cutting many of their starters minutes in order to rest for the postseason.

          Pick: Seattle -7


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

          Comment


          • #6
            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


            • #7
              dog, Hope everything is well buddy ...


              Thanks again

              Comment


              • #8
                Daily Sports Roundup: September 2

                Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The NFL's preseason schedule comes to a close, while the Tigers meet the rival Twins, and the college football campaign gets underway.

                Colliding on the gridiron . . .

                There is a full slate of 16 NFL preseason games on tap for Thursday, including two involving unbeaten teams: Baltimore at St. Louis, and San Diego at San Francisco. The 3-0 Ravens have dispatched the Panthers, Redskins, and Giants in consecutive outings, but they're 3-point underdogs for Thursday's contest against the 2-1 Rams (with the total at 38). The 3-0 Niners have beaten the Colts, Vikings, and Raiders so far in the preseason, and they're 3.5-point favorites against the 1-2 Chargers on Thursday night (with the total at 36). The Ravens game starts at 8pm ET; the Niners start at 10pm.

                Elsewhere around the NFL on Thursday it's Buffalo at Detroit (-4.5), New England at the Giants (-3), the Jets at Philadelphia (-1.5), Atlanta at Jacksonville (-3), Carolina at Pittsburgh (-5.5), Denver at Minnesota (-4.5), Chicago (-3) at Cleveland, Tampa Bay at Houston (-2.5), Miami at Dallas (-3.5), New Orleans at Tennessee (-7.5), Green Bay at Kansas City (-5.5), Seattle at Oakland (-3.5), Washington at Arizona (-5.5), and Cincinnati (-6.5) at Indianapolis. The Colts sit with the Chiefs and Bears as the only winless team so far in the preseason; Indy has fallen to the Niners, Bills, and Packers.

                There are also 18 college football games on the schedule for Thursday, including seven with lines from the oddsmakers: Southern Miss vs. South Carolina (-13.5), Marshall vs. Ohio State (-28.5), Northern Illinois vs. Iowa State (-4.5), Pittsburgh vs. Utah (-3), Minnesota (-3) vs. Middle Tennessee, Florida Atlantic vs. UAB (-15), and Southern Cal (-21.5) vs. Hawaii. The Trojans come into the year at No. 14 in the AP Top 25 poll, but they are ineligible for the postseason because of sanctions handed down by the NCAA.

                Meeting up on the diamond . . .

                There are four games on the American League schedule for Thursday, with Oakland at the Yankees, Boston at Baltimore, Cleveland at Seattle, and Detroit at Minnesota. Justin Verlander (14-8, 3.58 ERA) is expected to get the ball for the Tigers in that last matchup, while Scott Baker (12-9, 4.55 ERA) counters for the Twins. Righthander Verlander got stuck with a no-decision against the Blue Jays in his last trip to the mound despite giving up just two runs on five hits over his eight innings of work. Righthander Baker is coming off a win over Seattle in which he gave up two runs in his 6 2-3 innings.

                As well, the National League has just two games on tap for Thursday, with Philadelphia at Colorado and the Mets at Atlanta. Johan Santana (10-9, 3.02 ERA) is slated to take on Tim Hudson (15-5, 2.24 ERA) in that Mets/Braves matchup. Lefthander Santana has lost three straight starts, and he also fell to the Braves back on August 2 (four runs over seven innings of work). Righthander Hudson dazzled the Marlins last time out, holding them to just one run over seven innings while fanning 13 batters. The Braves are 8-2 in Hudson's last 10 outings, and he was the winning pitcher on August 2 against the Mets.

                Rounding out the Roundup . . .

                Finally, the WNBA's Western Conference Finals tip off on Thursday night with Phoenix at Seattle. The Mercury and Storm both swept their first-round playoff series last week; Phoenix knocked off San Antonio 92-73 in Game 2 of their set, while Seattle is coming off an 81-66 Game 2 win over Los Angeles. The oddsmakers have the Storm pegged as the 6-point home favorites for Thursday's matchup, with the total for the contest at 178.5.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Thursday's six-pack

                  -- Pinch-runner Darren Ford scored winning run for Giants in their 2-1 win Wednesday, in his big league debut. Ford wasn't in the ballpark when game started-- he arrived at the ballpark during the game.

                  -- Padres have lost seven in a row; their lead in NL West is 3 games.

                  -- Cardinals have fallen apart, losing 13 of last 17 games; they're eight games out in NL Central, and are getting killed by St Louis media.

                  -- Roy Oswalt is 4-0, 1.02 in his last five starts for the Phillies.

                  -- North Carolina has a lot of players suspended for LSU game this week; not sure they've worked out exactly how they're going to be spreading out the suspensions, but Tar Heels are unplayable now.

                  -- According to pregame.com, 72% of investors are on Minnesota (-3) in their opener at Middle Tennessee: MTSU's QB is suspended, and the Gophers have nine starters back on offense.


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


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

                  13) Next year, the Big 11 will have 12 teams; in 2012 the Big 12 is going to have 10 teams, and you wonder why I'm confused?

                  12) You know The Most Interesting Man in the World, from those Dos Equis commercials? Turns out he is Jonathan Goldsmith, an actor who once drove a garbage truck for a living. Stay thirsty, my friends, and do not forget to recycle.......

                  11) Rams have a rookie TE named Michael Hoomanawanui who slipped through some cracks in scouting because Illinois had terrible QBs, so he didn't catch many passes-- the guy has seven syllables in his last name. Coach Spagnuolo refers to him simple as "Illinois Mike".

                  10) Only one Super Bowl champ has gone winless in preseason and that was in a strike-shortened season-- the '82 Washington Redskins.

                  9) Core Logic, which provides financial information, clues us in that last year, 18.5% of borrowers chose 15-year mortgages when buying a home, compared to only 9.4% in 2007.

                  8) Instant replay in tennis is the best replay system of any sport.

                  7) Angels lost Scott Kazmir's last seven home starts, and were blanked in each of Jered Weaver's last three starts. Terrible year for the Halos.

                  6) Whats with Friday nights in AL East? Bronx Bombers lost five in a row on Friday. Tampa Bay is 1-15 in its last 16 Friday games. Wow.

                  5) Mets scored two or less runs in 13 of Johan Santana's 28 starts.

                  4) Carlos Delgado/Adam LaRoche have hit three HRs into McCovey Cove in San Francisco, the most splash hits of any visiting player.

                  3) Cardinals at Rams, Week 1. Who would've guessed the best QB in this game would be wearing blue and gold?

                  2) Why would anyone want Manny Ramirez at this stage of his career? He's a quitter. Effort should never be negotiable.

                  1) College football starts tonight. Real games. Not soon enough.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    MLB
                    Write-Up



                    Thursday, September 2

                    Hot pitchers
                    -- Hudson is 6-0, 1.43 in his last eight starts.
                    -- Chacin is 2-0, 0.61 in his last couple starts. Blanton is 2-0, 1.86 in his last three outings.

                    -- Braden is 3-1, 1.74 in his last four starts. Sabathia is 5-0, 2.95 in his last five starts.
                    -- Bergesen is 3-0, 2.70 in his last six starts.
                    -- Twins won last seven Baker starts (5-0, 3.22). Verlander is 2-1, 2.33 in his last four starts.

                    Cold pitchers
                    -- JSantana is 0-3, 3.91 in his last three starts.

                    -- Matsuzaka is 0-1, 5.31 in his last three starts.
                    -- Fister is 1-4, 5.71 in his last six starts. Tomlin is 1-3, 5.87 in his last four starts.

                    Totals
                    -- Five of last seven Atlanta games went over the total.
                    -- Ten of Phillies' last eleven games stayed under the total.

                    -- 12 of last 16 Oakland road games stayed under the total.
                    -- Six of last seven Baltimore games stayed under the total.
                    -- Under is 7-2 in last nine Verlander starts.
                    -- Under is 9-2 in Seattle's last eleven home games.

                    Hot Teams
                    -- Braves are 15-3 in their last 18 home games.
                    -- Phillies won 11 of their last 14 road games. Colorado won seven of its last ten games.

                    -- Bronx won eight of its last nine home games.
                    -- Orioles won five of their last seven games.
                    -- Minnesota won 12 of its last 15 home games.

                    Cold Teams
                    -- Mets are 8-18 on the road since the All-Star break.

                    -- Red Sox lost six of their last nine road games.
                    -- Oakland is 5-11 in last 16 road games, 1-11 in last 12 games in Bronx.
                    -- Tigers lost seven of their last nine road games.
                    -- Mariners lost eight of their last eleven games. Indians are 3-9 in their last twelve games.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      MLB


                      Thursday, September 2

                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Trend Report
                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      1:05 PM
                      OAKLAND vs. NY YANKEES
                      Oakland is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
                      Oakland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
                      NY Yankees are 11-1 SU in their last 12 games when playing at home against Oakland
                      NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Oakland

                      7:05 PM
                      BOSTON vs. BALTIMORE
                      Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
                      Boston is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing Baltimore
                      Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
                      Baltimore is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Boston

                      7:10 PM
                      NY METS vs. ATLANTA
                      NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
                      NY Mets are 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
                      Atlanta is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against NY Mets
                      Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

                      8:10 PM
                      DETROIT vs. MINNESOTA
                      Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
                      Detroit is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Minnesota
                      Minnesota is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Detroit
                      Minnesota is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Detroit

                      10:10 PM
                      CLEVELAND vs. SEATTLE
                      Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
                      Cleveland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
                      The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games when playing at home against Cleveland
                      Seattle is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland


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

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        WNBA


                        Thursday, September 2

                        -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Trend Report
                        -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        10:00 PM
                        PHOENIX vs. SEATTLE
                        Phoenix is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
                        Phoenix is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
                        Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
                        The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 5 games


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

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          MLB
                          Dunkel



                          NY Mets at Atlanta
                          The Mets look to salvage a game in the series and build on their 6-1 record in Johan Santana's last 7 starts following a team loss in the previous game. New York is the pick (+145) according to Dunkel, which has the Mets favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+145). Here are all of today's picks.

                          THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

                          Game 951-952: NY Mets at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)

                          Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Santana) 15.891; Atlanta (Hudson) 15.641
                          Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1/2; 5 1/2
                          Vegas Line: Atlanta (-165); 6 1/2
                          Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+145); Under

                          Game 953-954: Oakland at NY Yankees (1:05 p.m. EST)
                          Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Braden) 16.624; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 16.044
                          Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1/2; 9
                          Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-210); 8
                          Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+180); Over

                          Game 955-956: Boston at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
                          Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Matsuzaka) 15.858; Baltimore (Bergesen) 15.310
                          Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 8 1/2
                          Vegas Line: Boston (-145); 9
                          Dunkel Pick: Boston (-145); Under

                          Game 957-958: Detroit at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
                          Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Verlander) 15.860; Minnesota (Baker) 16.125
                          Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 7
                          Vegas Line: Minnesota (-120); 8
                          Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-120); Under

                          Game 959-960: Cleveland at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
                          Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Tomlin) 14.658; Seattle (Fister) 13.695
                          Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 8
                          Vegas Line: Seattle (-140); 7 1/2
                          Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+120); Over

                          Game 961-962: Philadelphia at Colorado (7:10 p.m. EST)
                          Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Blanton) 15.483; Colorado (Chacin) 16.108
                          Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 9 1/2
                          Vegas Line: Colorado (-130); 9
                          Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-130); Over

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            WNBA
                            Dunkel



                            Phoenix at Seattle
                            The Mercury look to build on their 10-1 ATS record in their last 11 games versus the Western Conference. Phoenix is the pick (+7) according to Dunkel, which has the Storm favored by only 6. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+7). Here are all of today's picks.

                            THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

                            Game 601-602: Phoenix at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)

                            Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 108.329; Seattle 114.539
                            Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 6; 181
                            Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 7; 177 1/2
                            Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+7); Over

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              MLB
                              Short Sheet



                              Thursday, 9/2/2010

                              National League

                              NY METS at ATLANTA, 7:10 PM ET
                              SANTANA: NY METS 2-16 as a road underdog of +150 or more
                              HUDSON: ATLANTA 50-19 at home

                              American League

                              OAKLAND at NY YANKEES, 1:05 PM ET
                              BRADEN: 9-2 off 3 or more consecutive losses
                              SABATHIA: NY YANKEES 12-15 off a win by 2 runs or less

                              BOSTON at BALTIMORE, 7:05 PM ET
                              MATSUZAKA: 11-2 TSR in road games off a win
                              BERGESEN: BALTIMORE 11-41 in September games

                              DETROIT at MINNESOTA, 8:10 PM ET
                              VERLANDER: DETROIT 2-11 on the road after allowing 2 runs or less
                              BAKER: 22-7 TSR when the money line is -100 to -150

                              CLEVELAND at SEATTLE, 10:10 PM ET
                              TOMLIN: CLEVELAND 1-12 off a game where their bullpen blew a save
                              FISTER: SEATTLE 51-36 at home off an under

                              Added Game

                              PHILADELPHIA at COLORADO, 7:10 PM ET
                              BLANTON: PHILADELPHIA 17-4 UNDER off 2 straight wins by 4 runs or more
                              CHACIN: COLORADO 10-2 UNDER off a loss to a division rival as a favorite

                              ** (TC) Denotes Time Change

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