Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 8/23 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

[Udog]

Trends and Indexes

Thursday, August 23

Good Luck on day #236 of 2012!

At this time, the sports menu in this thread consists of MLB, CFL and WNBA 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.

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[Udog]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Adrian Beltre had three homers in first four innings Wednesday, hitting two in fourth inning alone, as Texas spanked the Orioles.

-- Brian LaHair his his first homer since All-Star game Wednesday; Cubs should trade him somewhere where he can get ABs next season. Guy was on the All-Star team, now they never play him.

-- People are betting under on Miami's win total for this year; wonder if Hard Knocks has anything to do with it?

-- Mets threw towel in on 2012, shutting down Johan Santana, who was never the same after getting hurt covering first base in a game. Its easy to criticize them for letting him throw 134 pitches in his no-hitter, but it is unclear if that is what caused his decline the last two months.

-- St Louis passed the Pirates in the race for the second NL Wild Card; been a rough road trip for Bucs, who come home this weekend.

-- A's got blindsided by Bartolo Colon's suspension; they never would've sent Dan Straily down if they knew- they can't bring him back for at least 10 days, and they used Blackley in long relief earlier this week. A's had to bring Tyson Ross up to make the emergency start tonight in St Pete.


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


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

13) If I was NFL Commissioner for a day, I’d legalize celebrations, but only after touchdowns; not after first downs or sacks or successful replay challenges. Players work hard; they should be allowed some fun after they score points, but problem is, it got out of hand so the league shut it down. People like the celebrations, I think; it wouldn’t hurt anyone to allow them.

12) Football is one game where the majority of players never touch the ball/puck. Seems obvious, but it never really dawned on me until just now.

11) Toronto’s Randy Romero became just second pitcher in last 20 years (Greg Reynolds, ’08) to walk 8+ batters in a game, without striking anyone out. Romero is 0-10 in his last 11 starts, and Jays were down two runs in 9th inning in the no-decision.

10) Kevin Youkilis hit a grand slam Tuesday, after hitting one for Boston (against the White Sox) earlier this year; Elias Sports Bureau reports that makes Youkilis the first player since 1952 to hit a grand slam for and against the same team in the same season.

9) Free agent-to-be Nick Swisher is going to ask for seven years, $126M? Anyone have Heidi Klum’s phone number? I want to ask her out; I’ve got a better chance of dating her than Swisher does of making $18M a year for seven years. Seriously, thats fantasy land.

8) Felix Hernandez swears he won’t leave Seattle as a free agent; makes sense, quiet city, good pitcher’s park, but if I ran the Mariners, I’d like to get that promise in writing.

7) Oakland shortstops are hitting a combined .188 this year, which explains the Stephen Drew trade; last team to have their SS’s with such a dismal batting average was the ’77 Tigers, with a .177 average.

6) Nationals have now won 12 of their last 17 games against Atlanta, as Davey Johnson cements his bid to be a Hall of Fame manager.

5) Minor league SS Billy Hamilton set all-time minor league stolen base record; he has 147 this season, breaking Vince Coleman’s record. Hamilton is in the Cincinnati farm system.

4) Chris Paul had thumb surgery this week, is out for eight weeks, which puts him on schedule to return about two weeks before the start of the season. Just when the Clippers get a good team, the Lakers go out and get Nash/Howard, reasserting themselves as the basketball boss of LA.

3) Florida State might start four sophomores on its offensive line this year, after finishing 104th in country (out of 120 teams) in rushing yardage LY. Hard to win consistently running ball that poorly.

2) Best part of HBO’s Hard Knocks this week was when Miami coaches told Matt Moore in two different meetings (position coach first, then the head coach) he wasn’t the #1 QB anymore. They’re throwing clichés at him, while Moore is biting his tongue, saying the right things, and trying like hell to get out of the room and out of camera view as fast as possible.

1) Miami’s biggest problem with rookie Taneyhill playing QB is that he might also be their best WR; they’re weak there, and Taneyhill played WR for two years at Texas A&M, before getting moved to QB.

[Udog]

Best and worst NFL preseason Week 3 bets

NFL bettors have had two weeks to evaluate the depth of teams. Now it’s time to get a good look at the starters, who should see a significant amount of playing time in Week 3.

Heading into the third slate of tune-up tilts we take a look at the best and worst bets in Week 3 of the preseason, digging all the way back to 1995. This is the one week that resembles the regular season the most because the starters generally play into at least the third quarter.

Records from Week 3 of the preseason over the past 16 years.

BEST WEEK 3 PRESEASON BETS

New York Jets (13-3 SU, 11-4-1 ATS)

The Jets have been outstanding in Week 3 of the preseason since 1995, but haven’t been able to get the offense going this year. New York has scored just nine points in its first two preseason contests and is 0-2 SU (straight up) and ATS (against the spread). Oddsmakers still have the Jets as 2.5-point home favorites over the Panthers on Sunday.

Seattle Seahawks (11-5 SU, 12-3-1 ATS)

The Seahawks are coming off a 30-10 victory over the Broncos last week and are 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS this preseason. Seattle has put up 57 points in its first two preseason games and enters Friday’s contest in Kansas City as 1-point faves.

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5 SU, 12-4 ATS)

The Jaguars have pulled out two slim victories over the Giants and Saints this preseason. Jacksonville is 1-1 ATS and is a 7-point dog in Baltimore on Thursday.


WORST WEEK 3 PRESEASON BETS

New York Giants (2-14 SU, 3-12-1 ATS)

The Giants have been the worst SU team in Week 3 of the preseason since 1995, with their last victory coming way back in 2006 over the Jets. New York is 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS this preseason campaign. The Giants are 3-point favorites over the visiting Bears on Friday.

Kansas City Chiefs (3-13 SU, 3-12-1 ATS)

The Chiefs are seeking their first victory in Week 3 of the preseason since 2006 when they welcome the Seahawks. Kansas City is 1-1 SU and ATS this preseason after falling to the Rams, 31-17, in Week 2.

Chicago Bears (4-12 SU, 4-12 ATS)

The Bears responded with a 33-31 victory over the Redskins in Week 2 after getting pummeled by the Broncos, 31-3, in their preseason opener. Chicago is 1-1 ATS and enters as 3-point underdogs against the G-Men.

[Udog]

What bettors need to know: NFL Week 3 preseason

There are three preseason games Thursday night in the NFL and we give you a quick breakdown on the essentials for each one. This should be a big week for a lot of teams as they look to trim their rosters to 75 by Monday.

Green Bay at Cincinnati (+3, 45)

Green Bay has lost straight up and failed to cover the spread in its first two preseason games. The good news is they enter Week 3 the healthiest they’ve been all preseason and they’d like to come away with a win from Cincinnati. Head coach Mike McCarthy says his first stringers will play the first half and then he’ll give other guys a chance to make their mark in the second half.

The Bengals say they’re not approaching this week as a ‘dress rehearsal’ just like last week when the first team was in for 29 plays. Cincy is saying it will keep the first teamers on the field into the third quarter. The Bengals have won and covered in their first two preseason games.

It’s worth noting the total opened at 42.5 for this game and has since shot to 45 points, the highest total of any NFL preseason game this week.

Baltimore at Jacksonville ( -7, 41)

Jacksonville has moved into regular season mode in their practice habits. The Jags have put up two scoreboards at opposite ends of the field with 40 second clocks and they are pumping in crowd noise to their scrimmage sessions. Coach Mike Mularky says Chad Henne will remain the backup QB despite the fact Jordan Palmer has led the team to fourth-quarter, game-winning drives in the last two preseason games. Off the field, the Maurice Jones-Drew holdout issue remains a distraction and his fines totaled $840,000 as of Wednesday.

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh says his starters will play into the second half Thursday. The Ravens still have some spots up for grabs though at left guard, cornerback, nose tackle and a couple of other spots.

Arizona at Tennessee (-3, 42.5)

The Cardinals are the only team with three losses against the spread in the preseason so far. (The Saints are the only other team to have played three games.) The Cards are going to play their starters into the second half on Thursday and we’ll also get another chance to see the least appealing quarterback battle in the NFL unfold again. John Skelton will get the start but head coach Ken Whisenhunt says Kevin Kolb will also see some time with the first string.

The big news this week for Tennessee was the team announced rookie Jake Locker out of Washington would be its starting quarterback. Locker brings a versatile threat in the backfield but he has accuracy issues, converting just 45 percent of his passes so far. He wasn’t much better in college at just over 50 percent so you can bet the Titans will be working on passing. Locker didn’t look too sharp in his first NFL start last week when he went 4-of-11 for 21 yards. Tennessee is facing several injuries on defense for this game so that could effect their game plan on that side of the ball.

[Udog]

NFLX
Dunkel

Week 3

Green Bay at Cincinnati
The Packers look for their first preseason win as they travel to Cincinnati on Thursday. Green Bay is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Packers favored by 5. Dunkel Pick: Green Bay (-3). Here are all of this week's picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23

Game 251-252: Green Bay at Cincinnati (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Green Bay 127.403; Cincinnati 122.210
Dunkel Line: Green Bay by 5; 42
Vegas Line: Green Bay by 3; 45
Dunkel Pick: Green Bay (-3); Under

Game 253-254: Jacksonville at Baltimore (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville 120.222; Baltimore 130.310
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 10; 44
Vegas Line: Baltimore by 7; 41
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-7); Over

Game 255-256: Arizona at Tennessee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona 122.509; Tennessee 126.411
Dunkel Line: Tennessee by 4; 39
Vegas Line: Tennessee by 3; 42
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (-3); Under


FRIDAY, AUGUST 24

Game 257-258: Philadelphia at Cleveland (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 127.900; Cleveland 123.404
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 3 1/2; 35
Vegas Line: Cleveland by 3 1/2; 38 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+3 1/2); Under

Game 259-260: Atlanta at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 119.203; Miami 121.677
Dunkel Line: Miami by 2 1/2; 44
Vegas Line: Atlanta by 3; 41
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+3); Over

Game 261-262: New England at Tampa Bay (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New England 128.741; Tampa Bay 120.655
Dunkel Line: New England by 8; 48
Vegas Line: New England by 6; 44
Dunkel Pick: New England (-6); Over

Game 263-264: San Diego at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 121.333; Minnesota 122.380
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 45
Vegas Line: Minnesota by 3; 42 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+3); Over

Game 265-266: Chicago at NY Giants (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 117.201; NY Giants 121.442
Dunkel Line: NY Giants by 4; 38
Vegas Line: NY Giants by 3; 41
Dunkel Pick: NY Giants (-3); Under

Game 267-268: Seattle at Kansas City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 117.708; Kansas City 118.673
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1; 46
Vegas Line: Seattle by 1; 42
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+1); Over


SATURDAY, AUGUST 25

Game 269-270: Indianapolis at Washington (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indianapolis 124.777; Washington 125.809
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 41
Vegas Line: Washington by 3; 43 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indianapolis (+3); Under

Game 271-272: Pittsburgh at Buffalo (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 119.458; Buffalo 121.309
Dunkel Line: Buffalo by 2; 36
Vegas Line: Pick; 40 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo; Under

Game 273-274: Detroit at Oakland (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 127.604; Oakland 124.012
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 3 1/2; 48
Vegas Line: Detroit by 3; 44 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-3); Over

Game 275-276: Houston at New Orleans (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 121.078; New Orleans 125.563
Dunkel Line: New Orleans by 4 1/2; 47
Vegas Line: New Orleans by 3; 44 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (-3); Over

Game 277-278: St. Louis at Dallas (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 116.995; Dallas 119.767
Dunkel Line: Dallas by 3; 38
Vegas Line: Dallas by 5; 41
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+5); Under


SUNDAY, AUGUST 26

Game 279-280: San Francisco at Denver (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 126.786; Denver 123.302
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 3 1/2; 37
Vegas Line: Denver by 1 1/2; 40 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+1 1/2); Under

Game 281-282: Carolina at NY Jets (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 122.304; NY Jets 120.411
Dunkel Line: Carolina by 2; 43
Vegas Line: NY Jets by 3; 41
Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+3); Over

[Udog]

NFLX
Long Sheet

Week 3

Thursday, August 23

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GREEN BAY (0 - 2) at CINCINNATI (2 - 0) - 8/23/2012, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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JACKSONVILLE (2 - 0) at BALTIMORE (1 - 1) - 8/23/2012, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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ARIZONA (1 - 2) at TENNESSEE (1 - 1) - 8/23/2012, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TENNESSEE is 1-0 against the spread versus ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
TENNESSEE is 1-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (2 - 0) at CLEVELAND (2 - 0) - 8/24/2012, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 1-0 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 1-0 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (0 - 2) at MIAMI (0 - 2) - 8/24/2012, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 1-1 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 1-1 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ENGLAND (1 - 1) at TAMPA BAY (1 - 1) - 8/24/2012, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ENGLAND is 1-0 against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
NEW ENGLAND is 1-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN DIEGO (2 - 0) at MINNESOTA (1 - 1) - 8/24/2012, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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CHICAGO (1 - 1) at NY GIANTS (1 - 1) - 8/24/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY GIANTS are 13-30 ATS (-20.0 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1993.
NY GIANTS are 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in games played on turf since 1993.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY GIANTS is 1-0 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
NY GIANTS is 1-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SEATTLE (2 - 0) at KANSAS CITY (1 - 1) - 8/24/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) against AFC West division opponents since 1993.
SEATTLE is 34-18 ATS (+14.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1993.
KANSAS CITY is 13-31 ATS (-21.1 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 since 1993.
KANSAS CITY is 28-50 ATS (-27.0 Units) in all games since 1993.
KANSAS CITY is 28-50 ATS (-27.0 Units) in all lined games since 1993.
KANSAS CITY is 14-28 ATS (-16.8 Units) as an underdog since 1993.
KANSAS CITY is 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1993.
KANSAS CITY is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) in home games in games played on a grass field since 1993.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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Saturday, August 25

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INDIANAPOLIS (1 - 1) at WASHINGTON (1 - 1) - 8/25/2012, 4:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 1-0 against the spread versus INDIANAPOLIS over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 1-0 straight up against INDIANAPOLIS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PITTSBURGH (1 - 1) at BUFFALO (0 - 2) - 8/25/2012, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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DETROIT (1 - 1) at OAKLAND (0 - 2) - 8/25/2012, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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HOUSTON (2 - 0) at NEW ORLEANS (1 - 2) - 8/25/2012, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 1-1 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 1-1 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ST LOUIS (1 - 1) at DALLAS (1 - 1) - 8/25/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 15-38 ATS (-26.8 Units) in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points since 1993.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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Sunday, August 26

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SAN FRANCISCO (1 - 1) at DENVER (1 - 1) - 8/26/2012, 4:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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CAROLINA (1 - 1) at NY JETS (0 - 2) - 8/26/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 15-32 ATS (-20.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1993.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY JETS is 1-0 against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
NY JETS is 1-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[Udog]

NFLX
Short Sheet

Week 3

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Green Bay at Cincinnati, 7:00 ET
Green Bay: 6-0 Over as a favorite
Cincinnati: 1-6 ATS off a win by 6 points or less

Jacksonville at Baltimore, 7:30 ET
Jacksonville: 11-2 ATS away off an ATS win
Baltimore: 15-8 Under off an ATS loss

Arizona at Tennessee, 8:00 ET ESPN
Arizona: 6-1 Under after scoring 30+ points
Tennessee: 5-1 ATS off BB road games


Friday, August 24, 2012

Philadelphia at Cleveland, 7:30 ET
Philadelphia: 2-11 ATS off BB Overs
Cleveland: 10-6 Under after allowing 14 points or less

Atlanta at Miami, 7:30 ET
Atlanta: 1-5 ATS as a favorite
Miami: 5-1 Under as a home underdog

New England at Tampa Bay, 7:30 ET
New England: 7-2 Under after allowing 400+ total yards
Tampa Bay: 20-11 ATS vs. AFC East opponents

San Diego at Minnesota, 8:00 ET
San Diego: 26-10 ATS off a home game
Minnesota: 10-3 Over off a home win by 10+ points

Chicago at NY Giants, 8:00 ET CBS
Chicago: 3-13 ATS off a home win
NY Giants: 5-1 ATS off BB ATS wins

Seattle at Kansas City, 8:00 ET
Seattle: 17-6 ATS vs. NFC West opponents
Kansas City: 13-31 ATS with a line of +3 to -3


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Indianapolis at Washington, 4:00 ET NFL
Indianapolis: 14-1 Over on grass fields
Washington: 0-7 ATS at home off a combined score of 50+ points

Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 7:00 ET
Pittsburgh: 4-0 Over off a win
Buffalo: 8-2 ATS off BB games scoring 14 points or less

Detroit at Oakland, 7:00 ET
Detroit: 7-0 ATS off a non-conference game
Oakland: 1-6 ATS after allowing 30+ points

Houston at New Orleans, 8:00 ET CBS
Houston: 3-10 ATS off an Under
New Orleans: 6-0 Over off a non-conference game

St. Louis at Dallas, 8:00 ET
St. Louis: 5-1 ATS off a non-conference game
Dallas: 12-27 ATS off an Over


Sunday, August 26, 2012

San Francisco at Denver, 4:00 ET FOX
San Francisco: 2-11 ATS away off a road game
Denver: 10-0 ATS off a home loss

Carolina at NY Jets, 8:00 ET NBC
Carolina: 15-32 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
NY Jets: 8-1 ATS off a SU loss as a favorite

[Udog]

CFL
Dunkel

Hamilton at Montreal
The Tiger-Cats look to take advantage of a Montreal team that is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 home games. Hamilton is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Tiger-Cats favored by 3 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+4 1/2). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23

Game 291-292: Hamilton at Montreal (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 115.200; Montreal 111.755
Dunkel Line: Hamilton by 3 1/2; 64
Vegas Line: Montreal by 4 1/2; 60
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+4 1/2); Over


FRIDAY, AUGUST 24

Game 4293-294: BC at Winnipeg (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BC 115.414; Winnipeg 112.302
Dunkel Line: BC by 3; 46
Vegas Line: BC by 5; 50
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+5); Under


SATURDAY, AUGUST 25

Game 295-296: Calgary at Saskatchewan (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 114.702; Saskatchewan 114.506
Dunkel Line: Even; 57
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 2 1/2; 53 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+2 1/2); Over


MONDAY, AUGUST 27

Game 297-298: Edmonton at Toronto (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 111.890; Toronto 116.802
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 5; 42
Vegas Line: Toronto by 3 1/2; 45 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-3 1/2); Under




CFL
Long Sheet

Week 9

Thursday, August 23

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HAMILTON (3 - 4) at MONTREAL (4 - 3) - 8/23/2012, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HAMILTON is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up losses over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 6-3 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON is 5-4 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Friday, August 24

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (5 - 2) at WINNIPEG (2 - 5) - 8/24/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 44-66 ATS (-28.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 92-66 ATS (+19.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 55-30 ATS (+22.0 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) in August games since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) off a win over a division rival since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 4-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 3-3 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, August 25

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CALGARY (3 - 4) at SASKATCHEWAN (3 - 4) - 8/25/2012, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 93-61 ATS (+25.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
CALGARY is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in a road game where the total is between 52.5 and 56 over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) off a loss against a division rival over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in weeks 5 through 9 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-3 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-2 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Monday, August 27

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EDMONTON (4 - 3) at TORONTO (4 - 3) - 8/27/2012, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 9

Home (14-14). Favorites (12-16), Over (14-14). West 8-6 vs East.

Hamilton (3-4) @ Montreal (4-3)-- TiCats (-2) whacked Montreal 39-24 in Week 4, jumping out to 32-10 halftime lead, but allowed 34-31-32 points in its last three games, giving up 21+ points in second half of all three games. Underdog covered all three Hamilton road games, with totals of 75-69-57. Dogs are 5-2 against spread in TiCat games. Montreal scored 33+ points in its four wins, 10-24-20 in its losses; they're 1-2 as home favorite this year. Alouettes allowed 23+ points in all seven of their games. Six of seven Hamilton tilts went over total, as did five of Als' last six.

BCLions (5-2) @ Winnipeg (2-5)-- Bombers (+7.5) opened season with 33-16 loss in Vancouver, when they were outgained 358-204; after an 0-4 start, Bombers won two of last three games at home, but four of their five losses are by 10+ points. BC won its last three games, allowing 8-9-5 points; they're 2-1 on road and only one of their five wins is by less than 10 points. Lions had one takeaway (-6) in first four games, but have nine (+9) in last three- they had 125 rushing yards in first meeting with Bombers. Last five British Columbia games all stayed under the total.

Calgary (3-4) @ Saskatchewan (3-4)-- Roughriders were 3-0, then lost 41-38 in OT at Calgary in Week 4, and haven't won since, getting outscored 90-50 in second half of those games- they're 2-1 at home, with only loss by point to Hamilton. Riders were +4 in turnovers in 3-0 start, but are -8 since, with no takeaways at all in their last three games. Underdogs covered six of seven Calgary games; Stampeders lost two of three on road, but covered both tries as underdog. Last three Calgary games stayed under total; three of last four Saskatchewan games went over the total.

Edmonton (4-3) @ Toronto (4-3)-- Argonauts (+1.5) opened season with a 19-15 loss in Edmonton- they outgained Eskimos 375-304 but lost. Toronto is favored for only second time this year; they won 25-22 (-7) in first try, but failed to cover vs Winnipeg. Argos won two of three at home, with both wins by three. Edmonton is 4-1 when they allow 20 or less points, 0-2 when they allow more- they're 1-2 on road, with losses by 1-16 points. Eskimos had been +8 in turnovers over 4-game stretch before being even last week. Last four Toronto games stayed under total.





CFL

Week 9

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Trend Report
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Thursday, August 23

7:30 PM
HAMILTON vs. MONTREAL
Hamilton is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Hamilton's last 5 games on the road
Montreal is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games
Montreal is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games


Friday, August 24

8:00 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. WINNIPEG
British Columbia is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of British Columbia's last 15 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Winnipeg's last 15 games when playing British Columbia


Saturday, August 25

3:00 PM
CALGARY vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Calgary is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Saskatchewan's last 23 games


Monday, August 27

7:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. TORONTO
Edmonton is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Edmonton is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
Toronto is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Edmonton


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CFL

Week 9

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Canadian Bacon: Hamilton Ticats vs. Montreal Als
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THE MATCHUP: This marks the second meeting of the season between these two East Division rivals. Hamilton won the first one at home 39-24 as 2 ½-point favorites and the combined 63 points went over the total of 60. Montreal is tied atop the division with Toronto at 4-3 but Hamilton sits right behind at 3-4.

THE LINE: The odds haven’t moved much since this one opened. Some books opened at 4 and later moved to 4.5. The total has held steady at 60, which matches the season high for both teams. The over is 6-1 in Hamilton’s games this season and 5-2 in Montreal’s.

HAMILTON: It’s hard coming up with ways to talk about how bad Hamilton’s defense is. For starters, they let Winnipeg QB Joey Elliott win CFL player of the week honors in just his third start ever last week. The Tabbies also rank worst in just about every category that means anything, which is why no team in the league is a better over bet this season. The Ticats have held only two opponents to fewer than 30 points and maybe the lone bright spot is that one of them happens to be Montreal.

The offense looks like it might be starting to crack at the seams while having to carry the load. Quarterback Henry Burris is having a stellar season but he committed four fumbles last week in a game in which Hamilton committed six turnovers. It was the second straight loss and blown cover for Hamilton.

MONTREAL: When a man is as good for as long as Anthony Calvillo has been, it gets boring talking about him. But you have to because he’s had six straight 300-plus passing yard games and he’s on pace to pass for the most yards of his career, which he did in 2004. That’s big because he happens to be the all-time passing leader in pro football history.

That’s a roundabout way of saying Montreal’s offense is clicking. The Als have won and easily covered the spread in their last two games while scoring a combined 71 points. The defense isn’t much better than Hamilton’s though, allowing 30.4 points per game. This game could come down to who gets the ball last.

BETTING NOTES:
Montreal is 1-7 against the spread in its last eight home games
The Tiger-Cats are 6-1 in their last seven games against a team with a winning record
The Tiger-Cats are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven meetings


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[Udog]

WNBA
Dunkel

Indiana at Seattle
The Storm look to build on their 7-1 ATS record in their last 8 games as a favorite. Seattle is the pick (-2) according to Dunkel, which has the Storm favored by 4. Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-2). Here are all of today's picks

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23

Game 651-652: New York at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 106.440; Phoenix 100.102
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 6 1/2; 155
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 8 1/2; 151
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+8 1/2); Over

Game 653-654: Indiana at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 108.112; Seattle 112.209
Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 4; 141
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 2; 144 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-2); Under

Game 655-656: San Antonio at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 115.602; Los Angeles 120.714
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 5; 159 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 3; 161 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-3); Under




WNBA

Thursday, August 23

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Trend Report
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10:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. PHOENIX
New York is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
New York is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing New York

10:00 PM
INDIANA vs. SEATTLE
Indiana is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Indiana is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing Indiana
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana

10:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 9 games when playing Los Angeles
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio


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[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel

Oakland at Tampa Bay
The A's look to build on their 12-3 record in their last 15 Thursday games. Oakland is the pick (+120) according to Dunkel, which has the A's favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+120). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23

Game 901-902: Colorado at NY Mets (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Chatwood) 15.695; NY Mets (McHugh) 14.154
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 903-904: Houston at St. Louis (1:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Keuchel) 12.630; St. Louis (Westbrook) 15.255
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 2 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-310); 8
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-310); Under

Game 905-906: Cincinnati at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Cueto) 16.026; Philadelphia (Hamels) 15.129
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-115); 7
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-105); Over

Game 909-910: Atlanta at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hanson) 17.166; San Francisco (Zito) 15.858
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-115); Under

Game 911-912: Toronto at Detroit (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Happ) 14.106; Detroit (Verlander) 15.274
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Detroit (-300); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-300); Under

Game 913-914: LA Angels at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Wilson) 15.035; Boston (Morales) 13.972
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Boston (-110); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-110); Over

Game 915-916: Oakland at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Ross) 16.402; Tampa Bay (Cobb) 16.279
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-140); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+120); Under

Game 917-918: Minnesota at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Diamond) 14.064; Texas (Oswalt) 16.493
Dunkel Line: Texas by 2 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Texas (-200); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-200); Under

[Udog]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, August 23

Hot pitchers
-- Westbrook is 5-1, 3.05 in his last six starts.
-- Cueto is 7-1, 2.78 in his last eight starts. Hamels is 3-0, 1.05 in last three outings.
-- Hanson is 2-0, 2.70 in his last three starts.

-- Verlander is 1-0, 2.57 in his last three starts. Happ is 2-0, 3.86 in his last couple starts.
-- Tampa Bay won Cobb's last four starts (3-0, 4.18).
-- Diamond is 2-1, 2.68 in his last five starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Chatwood is 2-2, 5.40 in four starts for Colorado. McHugh is making his MLB debut; he was
-- Keuchel is 0-5, 7.88 in his last seven starts.
-- Zito is 1-2, 7.36 in his last five starts.

-- Wilson is 0-4, 7.93 in his last seven starts. Morales is 2-3, 5.40 in his last five starts.
-- Ross is 0-5, 7.04 in his last six starts, last of which was June 28.
-- Oswalt is 1-1, 4.50 in his last four starts.

Hot Teams
-- Colorado won eight of its last ten games.
-- Cardinals won three of their last four games.
-- Reds won ten of their last thirteen games.
-- Giants won five of their last six games.

-- Detroit won five of its last seven games.
-- Tampa Bay won 18 of its last 24 games. A's won six of their last seven.
-- Rangers won four of their last five games.

Cold Teams
-- Mets lost 12 of their last 16 games.
-- Astros lost eight of their last nine games.
-- Phillies are 3-5 in their last eight games.
-- Braves lost four of their last five games.

-- Blue Jays lost seven of their last eight games.
-- Red Sox lost six of their last eight games. Angels are 4-6 in last ten on road, but they won the last two nights.
-- Twins lost 10 of their last 12 games.

Totals
-- Four of Mets' last five games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 11-5-1 in Houston's last seventeen games.
-- Seven of last eight Cincinnati games went over the total.
-- Nine of last eleven San Francisco games went over the total.

-- Under is 6-2-1 in Verlander's last nine starts.
-- 15 of last 20 Angel games went over the total.
-- 22 of last 31 Tampa Bay games stayed under total.
-- Six of last eight Diamond starts went over the total.

[Udog]

MLB

Thursday, August 23

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Trend Report
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1:05 PM
TORONTO vs. DETROIT
Toronto is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Detroit is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games at home

1:10 PM
COLORADO vs. NY METS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Colorado's last 21 games on the road
NY Mets are 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Mets's last 7 games when playing Colorado

1:45 PM
HOUSTON vs. ST. LOUIS
Houston is 2-15 SU in its last 17 games on the road
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of St. Louis's last 24 games when playing at home against Houston
St. Louis is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Houston

7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. PHILADELPHIA
Cincinnati is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Cincinnati's last 8 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 8 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

7:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. BOSTON
LA Angels are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Angels's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing LA Angels
Boston is 15-5 SU in their last 20 games when playing LA Angels

7:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oakland's last 8 games on the road
Oakland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games when playing at home against Oakland
Tampa Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

8:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. TEXAS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Texas's last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Texas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota

10:15 PM
ATLANTA vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 10 games
San Francisco is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
San Francisco is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games


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[Udog]

MLB

Thursday, August 23

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Thursday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
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STREAKING

Jake Westbrook, St. Louis Cardinals (12-9, 3.50)

Westbrook’s stellar pitching as of late has earned him a contract extension with the Cardinals through the 2013 season and includes a mutual option for the 2014 campaign. The right-hander has earned victories in five of his last six starts and hasn’t surrendered more than two runs in each of his last three outings. He takes on the lowly Astros next time out.

Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds (16-6, 2.44)

Cueto tossed a gem Saturday to become the first NL hurler to 16 wins this season. The righty has earned victories in seven of his last eight starts but has a tough draw opposite Cole Hamels and the Phillies on Thursday.


SLUMPING

C.J. Wilson, Los Angeles Angels (9-9, 3.62)

Wilson allowed seven runs on six hits in just 4 2/3 innings against the Rays on Saturday to add to his dismal run of 10 consecutive winless starts. The lefty’s last victory came way back on June 26 against the Orioles. He toes the rubber in Boston at hitter-friendly Fenway Park next.


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[Udog]

Thursday's betting tips: Pujols quest. with calf injury

WEATHER TO WATCH

The wind will be blowing out to right field at around 10 mph AT&T Park for tonight’s game in San Francisco between the Giants and Braves. It will also be slightly chilly in the mid-50s.

WHO'S HOT?

Anthony Calvillo of the Montreal Alouettes. Calvillo has six straight games with over 300 yards passing and has led the Als to two straight wins and covers. The over/under is edging upward for tonight’s game against Hamilton – it was 60 Wednesday night and had moved to 60.5 Thursday morning.

WHO'S NOT?

The Arizona Cardinals. They are they the only team to go 0-3 against the spread so far in the NFL preseason. They face Tennessee tonight on the road as 3-point underdogs.

KEY STAT

40 percent. The Ravens have scored just two times in five red zone trips through two preseason games. They say they are going to be working on scoring touchdowns in tonight’s preseason game at home against Jacksonville, perhaps if it means giving away a chance at a field goal. They scored 25 touchdowns in their 49 red-zone possessions last season, a mediocre 17th the league for a touchdown percentage of 51.

GAME OF THE DAY

Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants (-106, 7.5)

INJURY THAT SHOULDN'T BE OVERLOOKED

Albert Pujols. The Angels’ slugger had two hits Wednesday night in a 7-3 win over Boston but suffered a calf injury while running the bases that has left him questionable for today’s game in Boston. According to the OC Register, “Pujols is 8 for 19 over the past five games with a .729 slugging percentage over his past 21 games, a major-league high 14 home runs since the All-Star break and 28 of his 82 RBIs since May 6. The Angels are -108 faves today with a total set at 8.5.

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

"It really pays to win one of the Playoffs events. It doesn't really pay to be consistent." – Luke Donald on the FedEx Cup playoff system on the PGA Tour.

BETTING NEWS AND NOTES

The FedEx Cup playoffs begin this week on the PGA Tour. In case you need a referesher of how they work - and you do - here's a link that lays it all out.

From PGAtour.com: ”Sergio Garcia has the second-best stroke average in the history of the FedExCup Playoffs. In 55 rounds in Playoffs event, his stroke average is 69.02. Only Woods (67.75) has a better stroke average.”

There was no line out for either the A’s-Rays game or the Twins-Rangers game as of Thursday morning. However, linesmaking service The Sports Club in Las Vegas originally had these odds set at -150 and -185 respectively on the overnight line. The totals were set at 8 and 10.

[Udog]

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, August 23

National League

Colorado at NY Mets, 1:10 ET
Chatwood: Colorado 11-27 SU in day games
Santana: NY Mets 12-1 SU when playing on Thursday

Houston at St. Louis, 1:45 ET
Keuchel: Houston 5-34 Su as a road underdog of +150
Westbrook: ST Louis 19-4 SU at home after 2 games with no HRS

Cincinnati at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Cueto: 26-12 TSR when the total is 7 to 8.5
Hamels: 3-16 SU after a one run loss

Atlanta at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
Hanson: 8-0 TSR against NL West opponents
Zito: San Francisco 14-21 SU after 2 or more wins


American League

Toronto at Detroit, 1:05 ET
Happ: Toronto 24-13 SU after having lost 4 of their last 5
Verlander: Detroit 12-21 SU after a win by 2 runs or less

LA Angels at Boston, 7:10 ET MLB
Wilson: 2-8 TSR in the second half of the season
Morales: Boston 143-81 SU after batting .225 or worse over 5 games

Oakland at Tampa Bay, 7:10 ET MLB
Ross: Oakland 9-3 SU when playing on Thursday
Cobb: Tampa Bay 19-20 SU at home with a hot BP whose ERA is under 3.00

Minnesota at Texas, 8:05 ET
Diamond: Minnesota 14-34 SU in August
Oswalt: 43-12 TSR in August