The Bum's Saturday's MLB Best Bets !

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Mets & Yankees Continue Series In The Bronx

The 29th interleague series clash between the Mets and Yankees, and first of two meetings this season, continues Saturday night with a matchup of young right-handers.

It's the 30th Mets-Yankees series if you count the 2000 Fall Classic. And just as they did that October, the Yankees have dominated in the regular season as well with a 49-35 record (26-16 at home) entering Friday's fracas. The Yankees were 145 favorites with Hiroki Kuroda on the hill, and the Mets were sending Johan Santana out for his first start since his no-hitter against St. Louis on June 1.

Game 2 on Saturday will commence at 7:15 p.m. (ET) with Phil Hughes taking the ball for Joe Girardi's Yanks against the Mets' Dillon Gee. Hughes and the Yankees opened as 150 favorites with the scoreboard hurdle at nine runs.

Both New Yorkers are currently third in their respective divisions, the Mets (32-26) 1.5-games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East while the Yankees (31-25) were just a half-game behind the Orioles and Rays who were deadlocked atop the AL East to begin the weekend. Despite near identical records, the Mets and Yankees are more than 13 units apart in the MLB betting standings (Mets +10.3 units, Yankees -3.0).

They are also running disparate totals marks on the season. Four of the Yankees' last five have gone 'under' and the Bronx Bombers are 32-23-1 to the low side on the year. The Mets check into the series 34-21-3 'over,' with the high-side winning out at a 6-3-1 clip their last 10.

Gee has taken no-decisions his last two trips to the mound, both ending in defeat for the Mets, though he pitched well enough (13-2/3 IP, 4 ER). The side from Queens is 5-6 in his 11 assignments, and Saturday will mark Gee's second career start vs. the pinstripers. He lost by a 5-2 score last June at Citi Field after allowing four runs in seven innings.

Hughes is coming off a complete-game 4-hitter at Detroit after taking a licking in Anaheim courtesy of the Halos the start before that. There are signs that Hughes is getting into a groove with all four of his quality starts on the campaign coming in his last six assignments. He didn't see the Mets last season, and split his two starts against them in 2010.

The two subway rivals will meet again in about two weeks at Citi Field (June 22-24).

A's & Snakes Kill Off Saturday Slate
All things considered, you'd think it's a trade the Arizona Diamondbacks would like back. Arizona and the Oakland Athletics got together in a winter swap with the two main pieces of that trade facing off Saturday in Phoenix.

The visitors will send Jarrod Parker to the mound for the 10:10 p.m. (ET) first pitch which will be delivered by Trevor Cahill. Parker was the young talent the Diamondbacks had to part with to land Cahill, who is having a good enough season and coming off a complete game shutout in his last assignment. But Parker's rapid ascent into what has been a fine Oakland rotation looks like it will be one that leaves Arizona wondering why they made the deal.

The Snakes opened at -140 for the contest and the 9-run total leans 'under.'

One reason Arizona could afford to part with a youngster like Parker is Trevor Bauer, who appears on the fast track into the majors himself. Bauer, the third overall pick out of UCLA in June 2011, should make his major league debut at some point this season, and with the Diamondbacks struggling at 27-30 to begin the weekend, that debut could come sooner rather than later.

Parker's last start was most impressive as he limited the potent Texas Rangers to just one hit and no runs over eight innings of a 12-1 spanking. He also held the Twins scoreless for six innings the previous outing, only to get a no-decision in a contest Oakland ultimately lost, 3-2, on a walk-off homer by Minnesota's Josh Willingham.

Cahill's last outing was equally impressive with the Cali native hurling his second career shutout in a six-zip win at San Diego after growing up in nearby Oceanside. This will be his first interleague start in a D-Backs jersey, and he's still looking for his first win in front of the Arizona fans. The Diamondbacks have lost all four of his assignments in Phoenix where Cahill's ERA is 5.16 compared to about half that on the road (2.64).

Oakland entered the series with a 13-11 all-time mark vs. Arizona, and had won seven of the 15 played at Chase Field heading into Friday's opener. The Diamondbacks were $1.45 favorites for that game which featured Daniel Hudson for the Snakes opposite Tommy Milone of the A's.

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Saturday

June 9, 2012


SU TREND OF THE DAY:


The Mariners are 0-10 since May 07, 2011 at home after a win vs an opponent with at least a .300 winning percentage, in which their opponent left fewer than 10 men on base and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1110 when playing against.


OU TREND OF THE DAY:


The Rays are 0-11-1 OU since April 12, 2011 when playing a night game on the road after a win in which they used 5+ pitchers for a net profit of $1100 when playing the under.


STARTER TREND OF THE DAY:


The Rangers are 0-9 since September 29, 2009 when Scott Feldman starts after he had a WHIP of at least 2 his last start for a net profit of $1115 when playing against.


MLB BIBLE TREND OF THE DAY:


The Padres are 8-2 (3.2 rpg) since April 10, 2011 in day games after a 4+ run loss where they allowed 10+ hits.


TODAY’S TRENDS:


The Astros are 0-10 since June 05, 2011 when Jordan Lyles starts as a road dog for a net profit of $1000 when playing against.

The Rockies are 0-8 since September 08, 2007 when Jeff Francis starts at home when their team used 5+ pitchers yesterday for a net profit of $965 when playing against.

[StarDust Bum]

Interleague Notebook

June 8, 2012

This season marks 16th consecutive year that Major League Baseball has incorporated games between the National and American League into the overall schedule which is commonly referred to as Interleague Play.

The first round of games this season featured 14 three-game weekend series from May 18 through May 20. This Friday kicks-off an extended round of Interleague Play that will run from June 8 to June 24.

The following is an overview of some pertinent facts and figures related to Interleague Play as well as a list of this weekend’s games and closer look at its most intriguing matchup to get you ready for all the action.

MLB Interleague Play Overview

The popularity of Interleague play remains high with the average game drawing over 12 percent more fans to the ball parks than a traditional intra league game according to 2011 attendance figures. It allows the MLB to schedule natural geographic rivalries that would never take place unless those teams met in the World Series. It also provides a chance for the fans to see some of the biggest stars from the opposite league play in their home-town park.

For anyone who enjoys wagering on the games, it creates a true challenge handicapping a particular matchup given the unfamiliarity between a team’s starting pitcher and the opposing team’s lineup. The New York Yankees have mastered this feat the best with an overall Interleague Play record of 158-109 through this season’s first round of games, while the Pittsburgh Pirates have the worst overall record at 82-132.

Interleague Play- First Round Recap

Over the years the American League has gotten the best of Interleague Play with a 52.3 winning percentage and so far this season that continues to be the case. The AL compiled a 24-18 record during the first weekend of games which equates to a winning percentage of 57.1.

The Chicago White Sox swept the Chicago Cubs 3-0 in the Crosstown Classic by a combined score of 26-6. Seattle posted the only other sweep of the weekend with a three-game romp over Colorado in which it outscored the Rockies 20-7.

The Baltimore Orioles claimed bragging rights in the Beltway Series by taking two of three from the Washington Nationals and the Rangers remained the toast of Texas with a 2-1 series victory over the Houston Astros.

This Weekend’s Schedule (June 8-10)

Kansas City Royals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
New York Mets vs. New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Baltimore Orioles
Detroit Tigers vs. Cincinnati Reds
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Miami Marlins
Chicago Cubs vs. Minnesota Twins
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Angels vs. Colorado Rockies
Oakland Athletics vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers vs. San Francisco Giants

Spotlight Interleague Series
Mets vs. Yankees

All 14 of this weekend’s Interleague series offer some interesting matchups both on the mound and in the field, but the most anticipated one has the Mets paying a visit to Yankee Stadium for a renewal of the Subway Series.

The Yankees have dominated this series with an overall regular-season record of 49-35 and a 4-1 series victory in the 2000 World Series. They got the best of the Mets last season as well; taking four of six with a 2-1 record both at home and on the road. The total stayed ‘under’ in four of those games, but went ‘over’ in two of the three games at Yankee Stadium.

Both teams come into this series in serious contention in their division race. The Mets are a surprising 32-26 on the year and just a game and half in back of Washington in the NL East. This is quite an accomplishment considering they opened the season as 8/1 underdogs to win their division. The Mets are getting it done with a lineup that has a team batting average of .257 and is ranked fourth in the NL in scoring with an average of 4.40 runs per game. They have gotten the most out a starting rotation that has some holes and a bullpen that has had its fair share of breakdowns. Overall, their 4.19 team ERA is ranked 12th in the NL. The Mets are 5-5 in their last 10 games and just under .500 on the road at 13-14.

The Yankees opened the season as -150 favorites to win the AL East, but a slow start dug an early hole from which they are just starting to climb out of. They have won five of their last seven games to close the gap with Baltimore and Tampa Bay in the division to just half a game. The Yankees are 31-25 overall and 16-12 at home after taking two of three from the Rays earlier this week. The return of Andy Pettitte has added a spark to the starting rotation with a 3-2 record and 2.78 ERA in five starts, but the Bronx Bombers continue to earn their paychecks with their bats. While they are ranked seventh in the AL in pitching with a 3.96 team ERA, the Yankees remain near the top of the league in hitting with a team batting average of .263 and an average of 4.70 runs per game.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, June 8

Johan Santana (3-2, 2.38 ERA) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (4-6, 3.82 ERA)

Fresh off throwing the first no-hitter in Mets history, Santana will look to add another victory to his overall record of 5-3 against the Yankees. Kuroda is just 1-5 lifetime against the Mets with a 5.75 ERA.

Saturday, June 9

Dillon Gee (4-3, 4.48 ERA) vs. Phil Hughes (5-5, 4.96 ERA)

Gee has not given-up more than three earned runs in his last four starts. Hughes threw a complete game against Detroit his last time out and has not lost since May 17. He is 1-1 against the Mets with an ERA of 4.20.

Sunday, June 10

Jon Niese (4-2, 4.11 ERA) vs. Andy Pettitte (3-2, 2.78 ERA)

Last Sunday, Niese posted 10 strike outs while holding St. Louis scoreless for six innings. Pettitte held the Rays scoreless over 7 1/3 innings in his last start while also fanning 10. He is 7-4 lifetime against the Mets with a 3.56 ERA.

Betting Trends

The Mets are 2-5 in their last seven Interleague games and 2-6 in their last eight games against the AL East. The total has gone ‘over’ in six of their last eight Interleague games on the road.

The Yankees are 16-6 in their last 22 Interleague games as favorites and 8-3 in their last 11 Interleague games overall.

Head-to-head, the Yankees have a slight 6-4 edge in the last 10 meetings and are 4-2 in the last six games at Yankee Stadium. The total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of the last nine games between the two.

Upcoming Series of Interest

Over the next two weeks there will a number of intriguing matchups on the schedule, but the following is a brief listing of a few that classify as must-see TV given the natural rivalry they create.

Los Angeles Angels vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (June 11- June 13)
Cleveland Indians vs. Cincinnati Reds (June 12-June 14)
Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals (June 15-17)
Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox (June18- June 20)
New York Yankees vs. New York Mets (June 22-June 24)
Washington Nationals vs. Baltimore Orioles (June 22-June 24)

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, June 9

AL teams were 7-7 last night; they're 31-25 in interleague play this season, with over 27-28-1; 15-16-1 in NL parks, 12-12 in AL stadiums. Last night, over was 7-7. Remember there are DHs in games in American League parks, no DHs in National League parks.

Hot pitchers
-- Samardzija is 3-2, 2.26 in his last eight starts.
-- Giants won last six Vogelsong starts (3-0, 1.73).
-- GGonzalez is 5-1, 2.70 in his last six starts.
-- Hutchison is 4-1, 2.32 in his last five starts. Hanson is 3-1, 3.81 in his last five starts.
-- Haren is 2-1, 1.29 in his last three starts.
-- Sale is 4-0, 1.26 in his last four starts.
-- Gee is 1-0, 2.61 in his last three starts. Hughes is 2-0, 1.98 in his last two home starts.
-- McDonald is 5-1, 2.09 in his last eight starts. Mazzaro is 2-0, 2.45 in his two starts this season.
-- Zambrano is 2-0, 2.63 in his last couple starts. Moore is 1-1, 2.77 in his last couple starts.
-- Parker is 1-0, 0.43 in his last three starts. Cahill is 1-0, 2.14 in his last three starts; these two were traded for each other last winter.

Cold pitchers
-- Fiers is 1-1, 3.75 in his first two big league starts. Cashner is making his second MLB start; he won't pitch long here- they're converting him from a reliever to starter-- three innings is likely his limit today. He was 10-8, 2.82 in 42 minor league starts.
-- Diamond has a 5.11 RA in his last four starts.
-- Feldman is 0-4, 11.15 in his last four starts.
-- Matsuzaka is making first '12 start; over last three years, he is 16-15, 5.04 in 44 starts, after going 18-3 in '08. He is 0-3, 3.65 in eight outings in minor leagues this season.
-- Worley is 1-1, 6.19 in his last three starts. Hunter is 0-2, 7.52 in his last five starts, last of which was May 28.
-- Verlander is 0-3, 5.31 in his last three starts. Arroyo is 0-3, 5.46 in his last five starts.
-- Francis is making first '12 start; he was 6-16, 4.82 in 31 starts for Kansas City LY. This will be his 181st big league start.
-- Houston lost four of five Lyles starts (1-1, 6.21).
-- Masterson is 1-3, 5.63 in his last five starts. Lohse is 0-0, 5.16 in his last five starts.
-- Kershaw is 0-2, 5.21 in his last three starts. Vargas has a 5.01 RA in his last five starts.

Hot Teams
-- Brewers won eight of their last eleven games.
-- Pirates won 10 of their last 13 games. Kansas City won four of its last six road games.
-- Bronx won six of its last eight games.
-- Nationals won three of their last four games, but lost three of last four on road.
-- Reds won nine of their last twelve home games.
-- Braves won their last five games, allowing eight runs.
-- White Sox won 11 of their last 15 games.
-- Minnesota won eight of its last ten games.
-- Colorado won six of its last eight home games.
-- Arizona won five of its last six home games.
-- Dodgers won five of their last seven games.
-- Giants won six of their last eight games.

Cold Teams
-- San Diego lost 13 of its last 16 games.
-- Baltimore lost seven of its last ten home games. Phillies six of their last seven games.
-- Mets lost four of their last five games.
-- Boston lost four of its last five games.
-- Tigers lost eight of last 11 games.
-- Toronto is 3-4 in last seven games, losing last two nites on walkoffs.
-- Marlins lost their last four games, scoring four runs. Tampa Bay is 3-7 in its last ten games.
-- Astros lost ten of their last thirteen games.
-- Cubs lost 14 of their last 15 road games.
-- Cleveland is 5-8 in its last thirteen games. Cardinals lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Mariners are 4-5 in their last nine home games.
-- Angels lost three of their last five games.
-- Rangers lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Oakland lost eight of its last ten road games.

Totals
-- 13 of last 16 games at Miller Park went over the total.
-- Under is 21-7-1 in Pittsburgh's home games.
-- 12 of Phillies' last 13 road games went over the total.
-- Over is 18-5-1 in Mets' last 24 road games.
-- Six of last eight games at Fenway park went over the total.
-- Last seven Cincinnati home games went over the total.
-- Over is 15-5-1 in last twenty-one Miami home games.
-- Eight of last ten Atlanta home games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Houston road games went over the total.
-- Under is 8-4-1 in Cubs' last thirteen road games.
-- Four of last six St Louis home games went over.
-- Over is 14-7-1 in last 22 games at Coors Field.
-- Eight of last eleven Arizona games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Seattle games went over the total.
-- Under is 7-0-1 in Giants' last eight home games.

Umpires
-- SD-Mil-- Last four Dimuro games stayed under the total.
-- Chi-Min-- Nine of ten Emmel games went over the total.
-- Tex-SF-- Four of last five Randazzo games went over total.
-- Wsh-Bos-- Over is 7-3-1 in last eleven Demuth games.
-- Phil-Blt-- Six of last seven Cederstrom games went over.
-- Tor-Atl-- Underdogs are 5-4 in last nine Bellino games.
-- Det-Cin-- Underdogs are 8-6 in last fourteen Hallion games.
-- LA-Col-- Favorites are 5-2 (+$180) in Gonzalez games.
-- Hst-Chi-- Last four Diaz games went over the total.
-- NY-NY-- Home team won ten of thirteen Tschida games.
-- KC-Pitt-- Underdogs won four of last five Wolf games.
-- Clev-StL-- Seven of last ten Wegner games stayed under total.
-- TB-Mia-- Eight of eleven O'Nora games went over the total.
-- LA-Sea-- Favorites won seven of last nine (+$455) TBarrett games.
-- A's-Az-- Underdog won eight of last eleven McClelland games.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, June 9

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chi. Cubs - 2:10 PM ET Minnesota -132 500
Minnesota - Under 8 500

Philadelphia - 4:05 PM ET Baltimore +101 500
Baltimore - Under 9.5 500

Washington - 4:05 PM ET Washington -113 500
Boston - Under 9 500

Toronto - 4:05 PM ET Toronto +130 500
Atlanta - Under 8 500

Texas - 4:05 PM ET San Francisco -108 500
San Francisco - Under 7.5 500

Houston - 4:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox -232 500
Chi. White Sox - Over 8.5 500

Detroit - 4:10 PM ET Cincinnati +135 500
Cincinnati - Over 7.5 500

San Diego - 4:10 PM ET San Diego +132 500
Milwaukee - Over 9 500

LA Angels - 4:10 PM ET Colorado +136 500
Colorado - Over 10.5 500


Evening Games Posted Later.....Good Luck !

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, June 9

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Mets - 7:15 PM ET NY Mets +146 500
NY Yankees - Over 9.5 500

Tampa Bay - 7:15 PM ET Miami -111 500
Miami - Over 8 500

Cleveland - 7:15 PM ET Cleveland +128 500
St. Louis - Under 9 500

Kansas City - 7:15 PM ET Pittsburgh -145 500
Pittsburgh - Over 7.5 500

LA Dodgers - 7:15 PM ET LA Dodgers -126 500
Seattle - Over 6.5 500

Oakland - 10:10 PM ET Oakland +136 500
Arizona - Under 9