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**Udog** · 07-12-2011, 07:22 AM

Tuesday's betting tips: Bettors backing AL

Who’s hot

WNBA: The over is 7-1 in Washington’s last eight games in Seattle.

WNBA: San Antonio is 7-3 against the spread this season and has covered each of its last three matchups against Los Angeles.

Who’s not

WNBA: Washington is just 1-7 against the spread in its last eight games overall.

WNBA: Los Angeles has covered only once over its last six games.

Key stat

+220 – Chile and Peru meet Tuesday in Copa America play and oddsmakers have the draw set at +220 with both sides already assured advancement out of the group stage.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Crystal Langhorne, Washington Mystics – Washington’s top scorer is considered questionable for Tuesday’s game with a back injury. Langhorne is putting up better than 18 points and eight rebounds per game. The Mystics are set as 9.5-point underdogs at Seattle.

Game of the day

American League at National League (-115, 8.5)

Notable quotable

"It's very important. You saw it last year. It's a very important component in helping to win a world championship. So, I think it's a great thing for the best players in the world to go out there and compete and work for that home-field advantage." - Jered Weaver about the importance of starting for the American League Tuesday night with home-field advantage in the World Series on the line.

Notes and tips

Right now about 56 percent of *********** Consensus bettors are backing the American League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Most books currently have the AL set as a +105 underdog.

The days of high-scoring MLB All-Star games seem to be a thing of the past. The under has cashed in on each of the last three Midsummer Classics with seven or fewer runs being scored in each of those matchups dating back to 2008. Chase Field’s retractable roof is expected to be closed during the game to combat hot temperatures.

Everyone is ripping on Brazil and Argentina for their slow starts at Copa America, but what about Uruguay? Uruguay, which played in the World Cup semifinals a year ago, faces a must-win situation Tuesday against Mexico without two key starters – Martin Caceres (suspension) and Edinson Cavani (injury). The good news for Uruguay supporters is that the club faces a second-string Mexico side that has yet to pick up a point in the tournament. Uruguay is set as a -250 favorite with the draw at +280 and Mexico at +590.

**Udog** · 07-12-2011, 07:27 AM

Tuesday's six-pack

-- Sure. I get to Vegas and Carrot Top comes down with laryngitis. To paraphrase Vince Lombardi, "Whats the hell is going on out there???"

-- Pretty cool that Robinson Cano's dad and Matt Holliday's brother go to Home Run Derby and throw; makes it a better event.

-- Either the balls or bats in Home Run Derby are juiced. Or both.

-- Three adults in CastleRock, CO were charged with 3rd degree assault and disorderly conduct as result of a fight after a Little League game, and I really wish I was making that one up.

-- Only 17 of the top 50 ranked golfers in the world are Americans, and one of those 17 never plays anymore.

-- I can see the Eiffel Tower from my hotel suite. Sweet.

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Tuesday's Den: Our readers speak out in the summer survey

We do a survey question every summer, with your answers posted on this website Tuesday, July 12. This year's question:
If you could change places with any celebrity for one week, who would it be (with one sentence on why)? Here are your answers.........

Counselor Garvey—I’d switch places with Lebron James, focus on learning a spin move, a Dirk-like fadeaway jumper to re-invent his career.

Shooter Smith—I’d switch places with (pro golfer) Natalie Gulbis, just to look in the mirror every morning.

Professor— I’d trade places with Dennis Hoff, owner of the Moonlight Bunny Ranch in Nevada. Dude tried to buy a Wendy’s, and when that didn’t pan out, he brought a brothel.

Charles in Charge—I’d like to change places with the President, so I could end the Federal Reserve, close some of our 800+ military installations overseas and I’d bring home all our troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.

KC, Legal Eagle—I’d change places for a week with Michele Bachmann, to see if she’s really as stupid as she seems to be.

Sam from White Plains—I’d trade places with Pat Sajak; who wouldn’t to spend a week working with Vanna White?

PeterPuck17—I’d trade places with a Zamboni driver in between periods of an NHL game.

Bogeyman—I’d change places with Tiger Woods (before November ’09); he must have had an awful lot of fun.

Ed from Roanoke—I’d change places with the Most Interesting Man in the World, from Dos Equus commercials; he seems to be very popular.

Seamus12—I’d change places with Tom Brady. Married to a supermodel, had another kid with Bridget Moynihan. Plus he's pretty good throwing a football. Its good to be him.

27Rings—I’d change places for a week with Alex Rodriguez, just so I could meet Derek Jeter. And a lot of strippers.

Exacta Ernie—I’d change places with Calvin Borel during Kentucky Derby week, to know what it feels like to come charging up the rail and win the Derby.

Memphis Guy—I’d like to change places with Steve Martin. It would be great to be able to make people laugh and also play the banjo. The white hair? Not so much.

Mikey38—I’d change places for a week with Hugh Hefner, and not because I like wearing smoking jackets.

Fairway to Heaven—I’d change places with Jim Nantz, the week he does the national championship college hoop game on Monday night, then the Masters later that same week.

Poker Dude—Phil Ivey. He’s usually thought of as the best poker player in the world—would be good to know how he thinks as hands play out.

Irish Eyes—I’d change places with Rory McIlroy, just to be that young again, that rich and that talented.

Laughing Larry—The dude in the Cash Cab. He gets to drive all over Manhattan and be on TV as a quizmaster.

Roulette Dave—I’d like to be a dealer in a high stakes poker game, just to feel the tension rise as they played for an especially big pot.

Jeff the Lawyer—I’d like to change places with a gigolo. Getting paid to have sex is my ideal job.

Gerald from Southern-- Hugh Hefner. To break off an engagement with a beautiful woman 60 years your junior, then without breaking stride, geaux get a new one at age 80+, thats some Playboy Chit.

Jfd from the BLT-- I'd love to change places with Jay Z. Whats not to love about doing the big nasty with Beyonce every day? Plus, his money and owning part of the Nets are just icing on the cake.

**Udog** · 07-12-2011, 07:30 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Los Angeles at San Antonio
The Sparks look to take advantage of a San Antonio team that is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 Tuesday games. Los Angeles is the pick (+7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Silver Stars favored by only 5. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+7 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, JULY 12

Game 601-602: Washington at Seattle (3:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 106.309; Seattle 115.243
Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 9; 141
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 10; 144
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+10); Under

Game 603-604: Los Angeles at San Antonio (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 110.228; San Antonio 115.311
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 5; 164
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 7 1/2; 160 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+7 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 07-12-2011, 07:36 AM

WNBA

Tuesday, July 12

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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. SEATTLE
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Washington's last 9 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games
Seattle is 24-1 SU in its last 25 games at home

8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. SAN ANTONIO
Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Los Angeles is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
San Antonio is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Los Angeles

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**Udog** · 07-12-2011, 07:39 AM

WNBA

Tuesday, July 12

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Lady luck: Tuesday's best WNBA bets
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Washington Mystics at Seattle Storm (-10, 145)

After putting up its worst offensive display of the season, the Washington Mystics need to get it together in a hurry.

Seattle is coming off an impressive 99-80 victory over Los Angeles. Swim Cash led the charge with 26 points and Tanisha Wright added 21 as the Storm ran away with the game in the second half. It was a big win that might finally help the club snap its inconsistent streak.

"Once you get that penetration, then you don't have as much pressure on the outside. You're able to penetrate and kick and those are shots that we practice every day in practice," Cash said. "It was good to see Katie (Smith) knocking down some shots, T (Wright) getting to the paint and being aggressive. We need that. Hopefully this was the start and we're going to get off this roller coaster and have another good performance on Tuesday."

There’s no reason to think Washington will get things going – especially with Crystal Langhorne questionable with a back injury – but then again, it’s hard to trust the Storm.

Pick: Over

Los Angeles Sparks at San Antonio Silver Stars (-8.5, 160.5)

The Los Angeles Sparks begin a new era Tuesday night with Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant making his first appearance as the club’s head coach after Jennifer Gallom was fired Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Silver Stars are also looking to get things turned around as they’ve lost back-to-back games for the first time this season –both against the New York Liberty.

Becky Hammon helped San Antonio stay in the game with 18 points, but was also just 3-of-6 from the charity stripe in the club’s 76-73 loss as a 5.5-point favorite.

"I can't remember the last time I shot free throws like that," Hammon told reporters. "This loss hurts because we should have had that one."

The Silver Stars always have problems with the Liberty, but should bounce back here against the Sparks.

Pick: Silver Stars

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**Udog** · 07-12-2011, 07:42 AM

MLB All-Star Game: What bettors need to know

The All-Star Game takes place Tuesday night in scorching-hot Phoenix, where almost assuredly the roof at Chase Ballpark will be closed for the annual Midsummer Classic. Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up for this year’s contest:

PILING UP PITCHERS

The All-Star Game rosters tend to feature a sea of pitchers, with the starter the only one guaranteed much time on the mound – perhaps three innings or so – and the American League and National League managers shuffling in pitchers throughout the rest of the game.

With several pitchers declared ineligible because they started Sunday games, Jered Weaver has been told by AL manager Ron Washington that he’ll get the ball first – something he’s pretty happy about.

“It’s very exciting,” Weaver told The Associated Press. “Never in my life would I think that I’d even be in an All-Star Game, let alone starting.”

Weaver’s stats are worthy of an All-Star start, as he’s 11-4 with a 1.86 ERA. The Angels have won in six of his last nine starts, and even in the games they’ve lost, he’s been sterling, going 5-0 with four no-decisions. He threw nine innings in a 1-0, 10-inning loss at Minnesota, and last Thursday, he threw a six-hit complete game in a 5-1 home win over the Mariners.

In the nine-game stretch, he’s yielded 10 runs in 70.2 innings – an ERA of just 1.27.

The Phillies’ Roy Halladay will toe the slab first for the NL – and he hasn’t lost a game in nearly two months. The reigning Cy Young Award winner is 11-3 with a 2.45 ERA, and Philadelphia has won 10 straight behind the veteran right-hander. In that span, Halladay is 6-0 and has gone seven or more innings nine times, including back-to-back complete games in a 3-1 win over Oakland and a 5-3 victory at Toronto.

NL manager Bruce Bochy had no problem tapping Halladay to start, rather than his own stud, Giants ace Tim Lincecum, who is having a so-so year thus far.

“When you talk about the best, this guy is always at the top,” Bochy told MLB.com. “It’s been like this the last few years. So I’m really looking forward to seeing him start this game, and I’m excited that I could name him the starter.”

It probably wasn’t too tough a call. Lincecum, despite a 3.06 ERA, is just 7-7 this season. Among the other hurlers Bochy has to choose from Tuesday night are: red-hot Braves ace Jair Jurrjens, who is 12-3 with a minuscule 1.87 ERA; Phils starter Cliff Lee (9-6, 2.82); Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (9-4, 3.03); and two more of Bochy’s own from San Francisco in Ryan Vogelsong (6-1, 2.17 ERA) and bearded closer Brian Wilson (6-2, 3.14), who has 26 saves this year but has also blown four saves.

Washington, skipper of the Texas Rangers, has some sturdy throwers behind Weaver, including: Boston’s Josh Beckett (8-3, 2.27); Texas’ Alexi Ogando (9-3, 2.92); Cleveland’s Chris Perez, who has 21 saves in 22 chances; and Detroit’s Jose Valverde, who is perfect in 24 save chances this year.

STARS GONE MISSING

This year’s contest is looking like it might be remembered more for who’s not playing than who is, after a wave of players dropped out over the past few days. At the top of that list is Yankees third baseman and perennial All-Star Alex Rodriguez, who had to bow out due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.

An MRI on Friday revealed Rodriguez’s injury, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi made it public on Saturday. Now the word is that A-Rod will have surgery and will miss four to six weeks.

Rodriguez is one of 16 All-Stars who won’t appear in the game; several of those are out due to injury, though some are pitchers who started this past Sunday and wouldn’t be available to throw Tuesday. Fellow Yankee CC Sabathia falls into that category; he wasn’t on the rosters announced last week, but when Tampa Bay’s James Shields started Sunday, Sabathia replaced Shields on the roster – even though CC started on Sunday, as well, thereby eliminating him from pitching in the All-Star Game.

But Sabathia isn’t too upset about missing out on joining several fellow Pinstripers in Phoenix.

“I’ve seen these guys every day since February,” Sabathia told The Associated Press. “I’ll see them on Thursday.”

Other pitchers missing due to Sunday starts include Tampa Bay’s James Shields, Detroit’s Justin Verlander, Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels.

The Yanks’ Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are also sitting out, with Jeter opting to rest an injured calf and Rivera nursing a sore right triceps. Among other notables who won’t play are the Mets’ Jose Reyes (disabled list, hamstring) and the Rays’ David Price (turf toe).

ALL-STAR TRENDS

The American League has absolutely owned this game in recent years, even though the National League mustered a 3-1 victory last year at Angel Stadium. Prior to that, the AL had won 12 of 13 dating to 1997, and the only one the junior circuit didn’t claim was the dreaded 7-7 tie in 2002 at Milwaukee’s Miller Park.

Taking things back to 1983, when the game was played at the old Comiskey Park in Chicago, the AL All-Stars have gone 20-7-1. Also in that stretch, the NL All-Stars have won two or more in a row just two times – in 1984-85, and a three-game run from 1994-96.

The NL hasn’t even had any luck in “home” ballparks over the past 13 years. An NL city has hosted seven games in that stretch, but the senior circuit doesn’t have a single win to show for it, going 0-6-1. Perhaps the Diamondbacks’ home stadium, hosting for the first time, can help break that slide.

Total bettors should know that the All-Star Game has lacked big-time run production over the past few years. The under is 3-0 in since the 2008 All-Star Game and there has been seven or fewer runs scored in each of those exhibitions. Oddsmakers have the over/under number set at 8.5 for Tuesday’s game.

Announcement

Tuesday's Trends and Indexes - 7/12 ( MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Tuesday's Trends and Indexes - 7/12 ( MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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