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**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 09:36 AM

Thursday’s betting tips: Czech captain questionable again

Weather to watch

Los Angeles Dodgers at Oakland Athletics – 14 mph winds are expected to blow out to centerfield.

Who’s hot

NBA: Heat are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 home games.

MLB: Yankees are 31-9 in Phil Hughes' last 40 starts as a home favorite.

WNBA: The Indiana Fever are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 home games.

Who’s not

WNBA: Thunder are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a ATS loss.

MLB: Mariners are 2-10 in their last 12 games with umpire Todd Tichenor behind home plate.

WNBA: Over is 1-6 in the Connecticut Sun's last seven road games.

Key stat

4 – Portugal has hit the post four times already in the Euro 2012 and only three teams have ever hit the woodwork five times in an entire European Championship tournament.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Tomas Rosicky, Czech Republic – The Czech Republic captain’s status is in doubt again as he tries to come back from an Achilles injury that kept him out of the club’s last group match. The playmaking midfielder did train lightly Tuesday, but the squad considers him a game-time decision.

Game of the day

Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat (-3, 193.5)

Notable quotable

“I just don’t understand why we start out the first quarter the way we did with the lineup we had, and all of a sudden we change and adjust to what they had going on. So they won the last three quarters and that’s what happened… If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” – Kendrick Perkins, wondering about the lineup changes Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks made after the club jumped out to a 13-3 early lead in Game 4.

Notes and tips

As expected, Jeremy Guthrie was pulled from the Colorado Rockies' rotation Tuesday. However, in a pitching move that shows desperate times call for desperate measures, manager Jim Tracy announced the Rockies would go with a four-man rotation and the starters would be on a limit of 75 pitches. The remaining starters are Alex White, Jeff Francis, Christian Friedrich and Josh Outman, who was pulled after 72 pitches and 4 1/3 innings Tuesday against Philadelphia. When their starter goes less than six innings, which is bound to happen more with this plan, the Rockies are 9-32 overall and 3-15 on the road.

The Minnesota Lynx set a WNBA record with their 10th consecutive win to start a season last week, but couldn’t keep it going in their last game. The Lynx scored a season-low 62 points in a three-point loss to Seattle, shooting just 37.5 percent from the floor and 25 percent from downtown. The Lynx look to get back to their winning ways Thursday as 14-point home favorites against New York.

After leaving late in Game 4 with leg cramps, LeBron James returned to practice with the Miami Heat Wednesday in preparation for Thursday’s Game 5. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says James wasn’t limited in the workout and that he expects the MVP to 100 percent as the club looks to finish off the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will have guard James Harden available after he bruised his hand Tuesday.

**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 09:36 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Results from interleague play, since 2003.........

2003—NL 137-115; Marlins win second World Series.

2004—AL 126-125; Curse of Bambino ends.

2005-- AL 136-116; White Sox sweep Astros; very few remember.

2006—AL 154-98; National League ridiculed as “4-A league”.

2007—AL 137-115; Rockies come from way back to win NL title.

2008—AL 149-103; Phils beat Rays in Series; I was at Game 3.

2009—AL 137-114; Phillies get to Series again, but don’t repeat.

2010—AL 134-118; Giants win first Series since moving west.

2011—AL 131-121; Cardinals win exciting Series, as Texas loses Series for second year in row.

2012-- AL 117-88; Even the A's are 8-6 against the Senior Circuit.

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

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: The Curious Guy pays a visit..........

Every once in a while, the Curious Guy shows up with some questions; today was one of those days…….
13) All in all, I wonder how many fantasy leagues there in this country? Football, baseball, NHL, NBA, golf, NASCAR; it must be a huge dollar amount tied up in all that. A guy like Albert Pujols doesn’t just play for the Angels, he plays for thousands of fantasy teams, too.

When Jonathan Lucroy’s wife breaks his hand by dropping a suitcase on it and she starts getting hate mail, you get the idea they’re not Brewer fans, ya know? They're people who have him on their fantasy teams.

12) That said, why hasn’t MLB followed the NFL’s lead and gone in with one of these fantasy sites and promote it? They’d be promoting their sport and making some cash at the same time. Wouldn’t this be smart?

11) I’d love to see the evaluations umpires get after they work a game behind the plate; supposedly, they get a DVD with every pitch evaluated. That would be some interesting viewing, especially for the guys who get bitched at a lot.

10) I’d love to know what the average McDonald’s in an average American city makes in a year; two Burger Kings within two miles of my house have closed in last couple years, but I’ve never seen a Mickey D’s close down.

9) Time is getting short for this one, but you hear that Ichiro Suzuki would be great at Home Run Derby; would enjoy seeing him in one before his great career ends, maybe in a smaller ballpark, or if they hold the 2014 game in Seattle. I'm guessing he'd do really well.

8) How many golf balls do you think, a total amount, how many balls has Vijay Singh hit on the driving range in his pro career? Singh is famous for being the hardest worker on Tour. There are 40 golf balls in a driving range bucket. Wonder what that tally is up to?

7) I’d love to see a reality show where they have cameras in on the meetings where they draw up the NFL schedule. “OK, Team A sucks, they get to play four games against teams who played on a Monday night the week before.” You know stuff like that happens……

6) Am I the only person who is curious to see regular season games from the Japanese pro leagues? Where every batter lifts his front leg when he strides, where the starting pitchers work only once a week, where everyone is fundamentally sound because spring training for the nest year starts two hours after their World Series ends (not really, but it is way longer than ours). Anyway, MLB Network needs to work on this.

5) National League teams have to use their bullpens more, because they don’t have a DH; I’m curious if the highly underrated ban on amphetamines has contributed to the hideous relief pitching we’ve seen this season?

4) Is there any special reason why the Braves are 0-10 on Mondays, or is just a random thing?

3) Why do coaches give some media full access to their program?

I remember when Ed Orgeron was coaching Ole Miss; he let Bruce Feldman write a book about the recruiting process (Meat Market), but the problem was, although Orgeron was/is a great recruiter, as a head coach he seemed, well……..not the best possible choice. It was a great book but it had to help get Orgeron fired.

2) When John Mackovic was coaching Arizona, he let ESPN follow him around for the year (he had worked at ESPN the year or two before getting this job). The season turned into a disaster, and Mackovic clearly disliked some of his players.

Before his game with powerful USC, Mackovic was BS’ing on the field with Pete Carroll. Carroll told him what fine looking players he had and Mackovic shot back, “Want to trade?” Bet his players loved hearing that. Mackovic didn’t last much longer with the Wildcats.

1) The NBA needs a league-wide 1-on-1 tournament; they did it a couple of times in the 70’s, but Julius Erving’s agent killed it when he wouldn’t let Dr J play (nothing to gain, too big a reputation to lose).

64 guys in tournament, two from each team, with Internet voting for the last four guys. Participation should be part of the standard part of a player’s contract, to help promote the league. This would be huge.

**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 09:37 AM

Public opinion: Thunder-Heat bettors playing over

NBA:

Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat (-3, 193.5)

The Miami Heat haven’t given Oklahoma City’s attack many easy buckets up until this point, but most *********** consensus bettors expect the Thunder to be into Game 5 down to the final buzzer. Even though the Heat have covered in three straight about 57 percent of bettors like the Thunder, although the biggest consensus is with the over.

Consensus: Over, 69.6 percent

MLB:

Tampa Bay Rays at Washington Nationals (-133, N/A)

Tampa lefty Matt Moore has won three straight after his tough start and is coming off a one-hitter over seven innings against Miami. Moore faces off against Gio Gonzalez, who hasn’t allowed four runs in any outing since his first start of the year.

Consensus: Rays, 62 percent

WNBA:

New York Liberty at Minnesota Lynx (-14, 151.5)

The Lynx dropped their first game of the season the last time they took the court after setting an WNBA record by starting the year with 10 straight wins. They had a terrible offensive performance in that one, but are averaging 83.6 points per game.

Consensus: Over, 69.6 percent

**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 09:38 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Oklahoma City at Miami
The Thunder look to bounce back from their 104-98 loss in Game 4 and build on their 4-1 ATS record in their last 5 games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in the previous game. Oklahoma City is the pick (+3) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+3). Here are all of today's picks

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

Game 509-510: Oklahoma City at Miami (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 127.863; Miami 129.185
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 1 1/2; 189
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 3; 193 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+3); Under

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 21

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OKLAHOMA CITY (60 - 25) at MIAMI (61 - 27) - 6/21/2012, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 46-38 ATS (+4.2 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 77-56 ATS (+15.4 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 5-5 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 5-5 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, June 21

NBA Finals, Game Five (Miami Leads, 3-1)
Oklahoma City at Miami, 9:05 ET ABC
Oklahoma City: 14-5 ATS off BB road games
Miami: 14-4 Under at home after winning 3 of their last 4 games

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, June 21

Oklahoma City @ Miami (3-1)

-- Either way, Oklahoma City is going home after this game; the question is whether they're making Miami go back with them. Teams down 3-1 in NBA Finals are 0-30 in series, so steep hill for the Thunder to climb, but if they win this game, at least they go home to play Games 6-7.

-- Thunder is 4-5 on road in the playoffs; Miami is 10-2 at home. Heat is 7-2 vs spread in game following a win in same series.

-- Over the last 16:00 of Game 4, Thunder players other than Durant or Westbrook went 0-7 from the floor. Sefolosha keeps getting open looks on arc and he keeps missing. He's not open by accident; Miami prefers that he shoots, because he's not a great shooter.

-- Oklahoma City beat the Spurs because their role players played great, but Harden is in a funk, going 2-10 including a miss on a breakaway as he wasn't confident enough to shoot from the right with his right hand. If he doesn't regain his form in this game, the season is over.

-- Thunder has actually played better in Games 3-4, they just didn't win; their FG% went up to 48.8% last game, as Westbrook ran amuck with 43 points, seven boards, five assists.

-- Miami is 28-72 from arc in four games; Battier is 12-19, rest of squad is 16-53.

-- Over is now 7-2-1 in last ten Miami games.

-- As far as Lebron's cramps, not sure if they'll be a factor in this game. They got away with him not playing much at end of Game 4, though it was his 3-pointer than put them ahead for good.

-- The biggest question is impossible to quantify; does Oklahoma City believe they can win? They've come close but haven't finished well this series. If they can steal this game, they get home court advantage back, but someone other than Durant/Westbrook has to step up and do it.

NBA

Thursday, June 21

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. MIAMI
Oklahoma City is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games
Oklahoma City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Miami is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

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NBA

Thursday, June 21

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Thunder at Heat Game 5: What bettors need to know
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Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat (-3, 193.5)

THE STORY: Miami Heat superstar LeBron James has had to deal with critics, fan backlash and his own impossibly high standards throughout his career. Tuesday night, he overcame a brand new challenge as leg cramps left him in severe pain in the waning moments of a 102-96 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. James is expected to be in the lineup Thursday as he aims for his first career NBA title when the Heat entertain the Thunder in Game 5.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ABC, TSN

ABOUT THE THUNDER: A 43-point performance by Russell Westbrook still wasn't enough to lift the Thunder to victory, leaving them needing three straight wins to secure their first NBA championship. No team in league history has ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to prevail, but superstar Kevin Durant says his team won't quit until the Heat clinch the title. "We're going to keep fighting," he said. "Frustrating to lose like that. It was just frustrating. But we're going to keep fighting, man. That's how we've been since I got here. We're going to keep fighting and just take it a possession and a game at a time."

ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami fans were spooked when guard Dwyane Wade got up favoring his back after hitting the court hard earlier in the night. He was fine, but James was not after falling during a drive to the basket and limping around until he was finally subbed out. James suffered cramping in both legs that limited his effectiveness, but he still knocked down a pivotal 3-pointer and doesn't expect to be hobbled in the Heat's first crack at a series win over Oklahoma City. "You had to play with an intensity that you had nothing left," Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said. "He didn't. He was playing at an incredible pace."

TRENDS:

- Heat are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 home games.
- Over is 7-2-1 in Heat's last 10 overall.
- Thunder are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Miami.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Westbrook joined Rick Barry as the only players 23 or younger to score at least 43 points in a Finals game. Barry reached the mark three times.

2. James has scored at least 15 points in the paint in all four games of the Finals. He didn't reach that total in any of the six Finals games last year against Dallas.

3. Thunder G James Harden has a bruised left hand but is expected to remain in the lineup for Game 5. Harden is shooting just 35 percent in the Finals.

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**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 09:39 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

New York at Minnesota
The Lynx look to build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 11 points or more. Minnesota is the pick (-14) according to Dunkel, which has the Lynx favored by 16. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-14). Here are all of today's picks

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

Game 601-602: Connecticut at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 113.818; Indiana 119.837
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 6; 164
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 4 1/2; 161 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-4 1/2); Over

Game 603-604: New York at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 109.794; Minnesota 125.959
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 16; 155
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 14; 151 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-14); Over

WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 21

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CONNECTICUT (9 - 2) at INDIANA (5 - 4) - 6/21/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 6-4 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 6-5 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (4 - 7) at MINNESOTA (10 - 1) - 6/21/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games against Western conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) in road games off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 4-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 3-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Thursday, June 21

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. INDIANA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Connecticut's last 7 games on the road
Connecticut is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Connecticut
Indiana is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Connecticut

8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. MINNESOTA
New York is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing at home against New York

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**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 09:42 AM

MLB
Dunkel

LA Dodgers at Oakland
The Dodgers look to build on their 7-0 record in Clayton Kershaw's last 7 road starts with the run total set at 6 1/2 or lower. LA is the pick (-145) according to Dunkel, which has the Dodgers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-145). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

Game 951-952: Colorado at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Francis) 13.168; Philadelphia (Worley) 14.929
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-175); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-175); Over

Game 953-954: St. Louis at Detroit (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Lohse) 15.733; Detroit (Turner) 14.886
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1;
Vegas Line: Detroit (-110); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-110); Under

Game 955-956: LA Dodgers at Oakland (3:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 16.517; Oakland (Blackley) 15.427
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 7
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-145); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-145); Over

Game 957-958: Tampa Bay at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Moore) 15.473; Washington (Gonzalez) 15.895
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Washington (-130); 7
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-130); Under

Game 959-960: Minnesota at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Hendriks) 13.844; Pittsburgh (McDonald) 14.963
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-155); 8
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-155); Over

Game 961-962: Miami at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Zambrano) 15.517; Boston (Matsuzaka) 15.168
Dunkel Line: Miami by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-135); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+115); Under

**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 09:46 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, June 21

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

AL teams were 8-6 Tuesday, they're 117-88 against NL teams in interleague play this season, with four days to go.

Remember there are DHs in games in American League parks, no DHs in National League parks. It doesn't seem to affect totals either way.

Hot pitchers
-- Lohse is 1-1, 1.74 in his last three starts.
-- Moore is 3-1, 2.77 in his last four starts.
-- McDonald is 5-2, 2.32 in his last ten starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Francis is 0-1, 12.46 in his two starts this season. Worley is 0-1, 4.76 in his last three starts.
-- Turner is 2-1, 3.43 in seven AAA starts this year; he was 0-1, 8.53 in three MLB starts LY.
-- Kershaw is 1-2, 5.34 in his last five starts. Blackley is 1-2, 6.46 in his last three starts.
-- GGonzalez is 1-2, 4.24 in his last three starts.
-- Hendriks is 0-3, 14.30 in his last three starts.
-- Matsuzaka is 0-2, 5.73 in his two starts this season. Zambrano allowed 11 runs in 4.1 IP in his last two starts.

Hot Teams
-- Detroit won seven of its last ten games. Cardinals won three of their last four road games.
-- Oakland won seven of its last eight games.
-- Tampa Bay won five of its last six road games.
-- Pirates won nine of their last eleven home games.
-- Red Sox won six of their last seven games,

Cold Teams
-- Rockies lost 12 of their last 13 games; Phillies lost 12 of last 17, but won the last two nights.
-- Twins lost five of their last seven games.
-- Nationals lost four of their last five games.
-- Miami lost 12 of its last 14 games.
-- Dodgers lost three of their last four games.

Totals
-- Over is 19-6 in Philly's last 25 games.
-- Nine of last eleven Cardinal games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Dodger games stayed under the total.
-- Three of Tampa Bay's last four games stayed under.
-- Over is 10-5 in last fifteen Pittsburgh games.
-- Six of last nine Tampa Bay road games went over total.

Umpires
-- Col-Phil-- Last four Marquez games stayed under the total.
-- StL-Det-- Six of last nine TBarrett games went over the total.
-- LA-A's-- Under is 8-2-1 in last eleven Hernandez games.
-- TB-Wsh-- Last four Blaser games stayed under the total.
-- Min-Pitt-- Underdogs won five of last seven Holbrook games.
-- Mia-Bos-- Last five Dimuro games stayed under the total.

**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 10:04 AM

MLB

Thursday, June 21

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Trend Report
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1:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. DETROIT
St. Louis is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of St. Louis's last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Detroit's last 15 games at home
Detroit is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against St. Louis

3:35 PM
LA DODGERS vs. OAKLAND
LA Dodgers are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 4-13 SU in their last 17 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oakland's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oakland's last 6 games

7:05 PM
COLORADO vs. PHILADELPHIA
Colorado is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Colorado is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games at home
Philadelphia is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PITTSBURGH
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Pittsburgh is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota

7:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. WASHINGTON
Tampa Bay is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
MIAMI vs. BOSTON
Miami is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 game

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**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 10:08 AM

MLB

Thursday, June 21

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Thursday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
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Streaking

Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays (4-5, 4.16 ERA)

Moore looks to be turning it around after a slow start. He has won his last three starts, throwing at least six innings in each, and is coming off what was likely his best outing of the year. He allowed just one hit over seven innings while striking out eight in an 11-0 victory over Miami. The lefty owns a 2.57 ERA in his last three.

Kyle Lohse, St. Louis Cardinals (6-2, 2.98 ERA)

Lohse didn’t have his best stuff in his last outing, giving up three runs on 10 hits over seven innings, but he kept the Cards in the game again. Before that, he fired 7 2/3 shutout innings in a 2-0 win over Cleveland. In his last three trips to the bump, he owns a 1.74 ERA.

Slumping

Carlos Zambrano, Miami Marlins (4-5, 3.92 ERA)

Chicago Cubs fans knew this was coming. Zambrano cruised through most of his starts in his first couple of months with the Marlins, but has hit a rough patch recently. He hasn’t gotten through the third inning in either of his last two starts allowing 11 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. Big Z walked six batters before getting the hook in his last outing, in the loss to Matt Moore’s Rays.

Jeff Francis, Colorado Rockies (0-1, 12.46 ERA)

Francis improved from his first start back with the Rockies, but that isn’t saying much. He still gave up four runs on eight hits while walking three over 5 1/3 innings of a no decision. The Canadian lefty was drilled for eight runs over 3 1/3 innings in his first start since rejoining the team. If we had more to choose from, he would have escaped the Slumping section.

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**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 10:12 AM

MLB

Thursday, June 21

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MLB Top 6: This season’s worst money starting pitchers
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The great thing about discussing the worst starting pitchers on Covers.com’s MLB Money Starter Standings is that you get to dump on the guys who are costing you a mint.

Most of these guys are performing well below the standards books and bettors have for this season, meaning they’re losing games as big favorites, forcing you to pull your hair out.

Here’s a look at the good, bad and the ugly with these six starters.

No. 213 – Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals: -7.46 units

Coming off last season’s elbow surgery, you’d think the Cardinals would give Wainwright some more help. They have scored just seven runs in his last four starts, during which time he struck out at least six batters in all of those outings. He owns a 1.17 WHIP over his last three.

No. 214 – Chris Volstad, Chicago Cubs: -8.00 units

Volstad lost his spot in the Cubs’ rotation at the end of May after posting a 7.46 ERA in eight starts and is now getting swatted around in Iowa. Travis Wood has moved into his spot and just picked up his first win Tuesday.

No. 215 – Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies: - 8.96 units

Somehow, Lee is still searching for his first victory of the season despite allowing fewer than four runs in seven of his 11 starts. He also has 77 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 77 2/3 innings. Philadelphia has won just three of his outings.

No. 216 – Henderson Alvarez, Toronto Blue Jays: -10.31 units

Last year, Alvarez’s sinker was devastating. He yielded eight homers in 10 starts awhile striking out 5.7 batters per nine innings. But this year, with his sinker hanging in the strike one, he’s already served up 16 homers in 13 starts with only 27 punch-outs in 90 innings. Until he fixes his sinker, he’s in the no-play zone.

No. 217 – Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants: -11.48 units

The Giants continue to preach patience with The Freak, but you have to wonder if change is coming. Lincecum has allowed at least four runs in seven of his last eight starts and the Giants have dropped each of his last nine outings.

No. 218 – Dan Haren, Los Angeles Angels: -11.87 units

Things are bound to turn around for the league’s worst money starter and maybe the tide is already shifting. The Angels have won three of his last five outings and he owns a 3.97 ERA with 77 strikeouts and only 19 walks in 88 1/3 innings. On the ugly side, he has served up five homers in his last two starts.

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**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 10:54 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 21

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COLORADO (25 - 42) at PHILADELPHIA (33 - 37) - 7:05 PM
JEFF FRANCIS (L) vs. VANCE WORLEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 14-28 (-14.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
COLORADO is 76-152 (-52.3 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
COLORADO is 55-64 (-19.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 25-42 (-18.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 7-16 (-10.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
COLORADO is 45-69 (-21.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 11-29 (-19.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 25-42 (-18.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 121-142 (-41.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 17-28 (-12.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WORLEY is 16-5 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 33-37 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 14-19 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 33-34 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against COLORADO this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

JEFF FRANCIS vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
FRANCIS is 2-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 6.12 and a WHIP of 1.639.
His team's record is 3-3 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

VANCE WORLEY vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

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ST LOUIS (35 - 34) at DETROIT (33 - 35) - 1:05 PM
KYLE LOHSE (R) vs. JACOB TURNER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 38-42 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 119-107 (-35.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 33-35 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DETROIT is 33-35 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 1-1 (+0.1 Units) against DETROIT this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. DETROIT since 1997
LOHSE is 7-6 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 5.95 and a WHIP of 1.569.
His team's record is 10-9 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-9. (-1.0 units)

JACOB TURNER vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
No recent starts.

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LA DODGERS (42 - 27) at OAKLAND (33 - 36) - 3:35 PM
CLAYTON KERSHAW (L) vs. TRAVIS BLACKLEY (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 47-79 (-30.6 Units) against the money line in road games in an inter-league game since 1997.
OAKLAND is 90-48 (+32.3 Units) against the money line in home games in an inter-league game since 1997.
OAKLAND is 136-72 (+52.7 Units) against the money line in home games in June games since 1997.
LA DODGERS are 42-27 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 42-27 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 27-15 (+10.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
KERSHAW is 33-14 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KERSHAW is 30-10 (+15.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KERSHAW is 33-14 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. OAKLAND since 1997
KERSHAW is 0-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.235.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.3 units)

TRAVIS BLACKLEY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
BLACKLEY is 0-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 12.26 and a WHIP of 2.180.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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TAMPA BAY (38 - 30) at WASHINGTON (39 - 27) - 7:05 PM
MATT MOORE (L) vs. GIO GONZALEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 27-16 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 116-109 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 78-71 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 25-13 (+11.2 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
WASHINGTON is 56-48 (+19.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 39-27 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 62-53 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

MATT MOORE vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
No recent starts.

GIO GONZALEZ vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
GONZALEZ is 1-1 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.417.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

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MINNESOTA (27 - 40) at PITTSBURGH (35 - 32) - 7:05 PM
LIAM HENDRIKS (R) vs. JAMES MCDONALD (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 87-133 (-28.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 61-105 (-30.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 90-140 (-31.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 42-71 (-22.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 35-32 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 450-425 (+56.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 19-12 (+11.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
PITTSBURGH is 35-32 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 20-12 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 26-18 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 26-17 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in June games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 29-33 (-23.0 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 0-8 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

LIAM HENDRIKS vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
No recent starts.

JAMES MCDONALD vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
No recent starts.

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MIAMI (33 - 35) at BOSTON (35 - 33) - 7:10 PM
CARLOS ZAMBRANO (R) vs. DAISUKE MATSUZAKA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 71-91 (-22.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 52-71 (-19.9 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 13-29 (-16.6 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 84-124 (-33.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 105-125 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 4-13 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in June games this season.
MIAMI is 56-55 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 42-37 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ZAMBRANO is 92-61 (+33.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 92-58 (+36.3 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 65-43 (+23.5 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 47-31 (+18.8 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 43-29 (+21.9 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 63-55 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 8-15 (-11.5 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
BOSTON is 63-55 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 4-1 (+3.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

CARLOS ZAMBRANO vs. BOSTON since 1997
ZAMBRANO is 0-0 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 5.90 and a WHIP of 1.687.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA vs. MIAMI since 1997
No recent starts.

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**Udog** · 06-21-2012, 12:18 PM

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, June 21

National League

Colorado at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Francis: Colorado 7-16 SU when the total is 9 to 9.5
Worley: 16-5 TSR in night games

Interleague

St. Louis at Detroit, 1:05 ET
Lohse: ST Louis 43-23 SU on the road when the total is 8.5 to 10
Turner: Detroit 4-11 SU after 4 or more consecutive home games

LA Dodgers at Oakland, 3:35 ET
Kershaw: LA Dodgers 18-6 SU as a favorite of -125 to -175
Blackley: Oakland 4-19 SU after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7

Tampa Bay at Washington, 7:05 ET
Moore: Tampa Bay 49-30 SU after batting .240 or worse over a 20 game span
Gonzalez: Washington 6-16 SU after 6 consecutive games vs IL opponents

Minnesota at Pittsburgh, 7:05 ET
Hendricks: Minnesota 51-90 SU when the total is 8.5 to 10
McDonald: Pittsburgh 20-12 SU in home games

Miami at Boston, 7:10 ET
Zambrano: Miami 30-22 SU in road games after 2 or more consecutive overs
Matsuzaka: Boston 8-15 SU in home games against right-handed starters

Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 6/21(NBA, MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 6/21(NBA, MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

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