The Bum's Wednesday's MLB Best Bets !

[StarDust Bum]

Angels And Athletics Wrap Big Series In Oakland

Four matinees are part of Wednesday's Major League Baseball betting card, none of them bigger than the series-ender in Oakland between the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels.

The AL West rivals are set for a 3:35 p.m. (ET) start at The Coliseum where Brandon McCarthy takes the mound for the A's opposite Dan Haren of the Angels. Very early MLB odds pegged the Halos as slight favorites (-110). The last three games between the clubs at this park had gone 'over' the total before Game 2 of the set, and Wednesday's target is eight runs.

Oakland streaked into Monday's opener with nine consecutive wins, but saw that string snapped with an 8-3 loss to the Halos who used three long balls to grab a third straight triumph with CJ Wilson on the hill. The A's still lead the season series 7-6, pending Tuesday's results, and remain on top of the American League wild-card race while falling four games back of the Texas Rangers in the division standings.

The Angels were also on a good run before the set started having won nine of their last 12 before Monday's victory. They moved to within 3.5-games of the second wild card opening, and were 8.5 behind Texas heading into Tuesday's contest as $1.25 favorites in a mound duel between Zack Greinke and A's rookie Jarrod Parker.

Haren will be out to square his record on Wednesday after picking up his first win since late-July the last time he climbed the hill. Los Angeles had lost four straight games he started before he limited the Mariners to one unearned run in seven innings at Seattle this past Friday. The 9-1 victory left Haren 9-10 on the season with a 4.58 ERA.

The former Pepperdine star will also be seeking his first victory over the A's since 2010. Haren didn't decision in a 5-3 Angels setback in April when he worked into the seventh and allowed just one run, and suffered the loss in May when surrendering four earnies over six frames of a 5-0 Oakland dubya. Both of those games took place in Anaheim, and the Angels also fell in each of his three starts vs. the A's a year ago.

McCarthy was the beneficiary of Oakland's 20-run explosion last Friday in the first game of an eventual sweep over the reeling Boston Red Sox. The oft-injured right-hander earned his second straight win in the rout after the A's dropped his first three games back from the disabled list.

The 29-year-old has a 1-2 record with an unsightly 7.13 ERA in three starts vs. the Angels since joining the A's in 2011. The victory came at home in Oakland a little more than a year ago, and McCarthy sports a 2.59 ERA in nine starts at The Coliseum this year compared to a 3.66 mark on the road.

Angels slugger Mark Trumbo was expected to get a day off Tuesday but should be back in Mike Scioscia's lineup for Wednesday's game. Oakland recently lost 3B Brandon Inge for the season due to a shoulder injury. Inge is expected to undergo surgery later this week and is being replaced at the hot corner by rookie Josh Donaldson who doubled and homered in Monday's contest.

Weather shouldn't be an issue for the afternoon clash with the upper-70s and mostly clear skies forecast for the Oakland area on Wednesday. Chad Fairfield should be behind the plate calling balls and strikes for the tilt. Now in his sixth full season as an MLB umpire, Fairchild owns a 13-8 'under' mark for the 2012 campaign

[StarDust Bum]

Padres-Dodgers play rubber match Wednesday

SAN DIEGO PADRES (63-74)

at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (73-64)


First pitch: Wednesday, 10:10 p.m. EDT
Line: Los Angeles -150, San Diego +140, Total: 7½

After the Padres won 6-3 in extra innings Tuesday night, they will look to take the rubber match of this three-game series Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Tuesday’s loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Dodgers and a three-game losing streak for the Padres. Clayton Richard takes the hill for San Diego, amid a stretch in which he has won each of his past three starts, going eight innings in two of them for a 2.42 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in that span. He has a 3.74 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 2012 and has a 12-12 record, averaging an impressive 6.8 innings per start. He faces Aaron Harang, who sports a 9-8 record, 3.76 ERA and 1.39 WHIP this year. The Dodgers have already seen Richard three times already this season, and even though they have won two of those games, they have yet to really figure him out with just eight runs off him in 20.3 innings. In his career, Richard owns an impressive 6-2 mark (7-4) team against Los Angeles with a 2.60 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. Look for him to continue his success. Play on SAN DIEGO as heavy underdogs here.

These two FoxSheets trends also favor the Padres:

SAN DIEGO is 43-37 (53.8%+14.7 Units) against the money line vs. teams who strand 6.9 or less runners on base per game this season. The average score was SAN DIEGO 4.2, OPPONENT 4.3 - (Rating = 2*).

SAN DIEGO is 22-14 (61.1%, +12.6 Units) against the money line vs. teams who strand 6.9 or less runners on base per game in the second half of the season this season. The average score was SAN DIEGO 4.8, OPPONENT 4.1 - (Rating = 2*).

Richard is coming off a stellar month of August, where he won five of six starts with a miniscule 2.42 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. In four starts this year, Richard’s biggest flaw is his propensity to give up the long ball, already having served up 25 jacks this year, 17 of which have come in his 16 road starts. But that could explain his success against the Dodgers, who have just 93 home runs, the second-fewest total in the majors. While Richard pitches deep into games, he is supported by a bullpen that has a solid 3.30 ERA in 2012 with a whopping 430 strikeouts in 406.2 innings.

The Dodgers have owned the Padres at home with a 16-10 record over the past three years and a 5-3 mark this season. Overall, they are 30-20 versus San Diego in the last three years, including a 9-5 record this season. Harang has pitched well against the Padres this season, going 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, punching out 29 hitters in his 24.2 innings over four starts. If for some reason Harang doesn’t have his best stuff, his bullpen should be able to pick him up. Dodger relievers have a 2.34 ERA and 1.13 WHIP at home this year with 205 strikeouts in 196.1 innings.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, September 5

Hot pitchers
-- Halladay is 4-1, 3.32 in his last six starts.
-- Dickey is 2-0, 0.78 in his last three starts. Wainwright is 5-1, 2.75 in his last six outings.
-- GGonzalez is 4-1, 2.23 in his last five starts. Volstad is 2-0, 2.95 in his last three starts.
-- Richard is 5-1, 2.62 in his last six starts.

-- McCarthy is 2-0, 2.70 in his last two starts. Haren is 1-0, 2.13 in his last couple starts.
-- MGonzalez is 3-1, 1.91 in his last five starts.
-- Kuroda is 4-3, 1.99 in his last nine starts. Moore is 4-2, 1.93 in his last eight starts.
-- Dempster is 3-0, 1.80 in his last three starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Leake is 2-2, 5.68 in his last seven starts.
-- Abad is 0-2, 7.56 in two starts this season. Correia is 1-2, 7.16 in his last three starts.
-- Peralta is making first big league start; he allowed a run in an inning in his MLB debut-- he is 7-11, 4.66 in 28 AAA starts this season. Eovaldi is 1-3, 5.40 in his last four starts.
-- White is 0-1, 5.49 in his last five starts. Minor is 1-3, 3.98 in his last five.
-- Harang is 2-2, 3.72 in his last five starts.
-- Cahill is 0-2, 5.08 in his last six starts. Bumgarner is 0-2, 7.84 in last two.

-- Walters is 0-1, 8.81 in his last four starts, last of which was June 13. Peavy is 0-3, 4.91 in his last five starts.
-- Morrow is 1-1, 3.97 in two starts since coming off the DL.
-- Jimenez is 0-3, 7.97 in his last four starts. Fister is 1-1, 7.56 in his last three starts.
-- Teaford is 1-1, 6.20 in four starts, last of which was July 8.
-- Cook is 0-3, 9.00 in his last four starts. Millwood is 0-4, 6.49 in his last six starts.

Hot Teams
-- Washington won six of its last seven games.
-- Phillies won eight of their last 12 games. Reds won seven of last ten.
-- Colorado won 11 of its last 16 games.
-- Brewers won 12 of their last 15 games.
-- St Louis won three of its last four games. Mets won seven of their last ten games, but lost last two.
-- Giants won 13 of their last 18 games.
-- Padres won 11 of their last 15 games.

-- Detroit won eight of its last eleven home games, but lost last two.
-- Tampa Bay won its last four games, scoring 23 runs.
-- Orioles won nine of their last eleven games.
-- Rangers won 12 of their last 17 games. Royals won 11 of last 15 at home.
-- A's won 14 of their last 18 games, but lost last two. Angels won 11 of their last 13 games.
-- Mariners won 13 of their last 19 games.

Cold Teams
-- Cubs are 6-13 in their last nineteen games.
-- Braves are 6-11 in their last seventeen games.
-- Marlins lost nine of their last twelve games.
-- Astros lost 15 of their last 18 games. Pirates lost 10 of last 14 games.
-- Arizona lost nine of its last twelve games.
-- Dodgers are 8-11 in their last 19 games.

-- Indians lost 16 of their last 19 games, but won last two.
-- Toronto lost nine of its last twelve home games.
-- Bronx Bombers lost 12 of their last 17 games.
-- Minnesota lost 15 of its last 21 games. White Sox lost six of last eight.
-- Boston lost eleven of its last fourteen road games.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Washington games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Cincinnati games.
-- 12 of last 16 Colorado games stayed under.
-- Over is 7-2-1 in Miami's last ten games.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Pittsburgh home games.
-- Over is 9-3-1 in last thirteen Cardinal games.
-- Under is 9-4-1 in Arizona's last fourteen games.
-- Under is 7-4-1 in San Diego's last twelve games.

-- 11 of last 14 Cleveland games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Baltimore games.
-- Nine of last eleven Bronx games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in Kansas City's last four games.
-- Six of last seven Oakland games went over the total; under is 21-10-1 in the last 32 Angel games.
-- Under is 13-5-4 in last 22 Seattle games.
-- Under is 8-3-2 in last thirteen White Sox games.

Umpires
-- Phil-Cin-- Six of last nine Guccione games stayed under total.
-- NY-StL-- Under is 8-2-1 in last eleven Blaser games.
-- Hst-Pitt-- Nine of last ten Meals games stayed under total.
-- Chi-Wsh-- Five of last seven Vanover games went over.
-- Mil-Mia-- Underdogs won four of last six Hernandez games.
-- Col-Atl-- Under is 12-1-1 in Baker games this season.
-- SD-LA-- Under is 8-2-1 in Wolf's last eleven games.
-- Az-SF-- Home teams won last five Cuzzi games.

-- Min-Chi-- Home side won last eight Fletcher games, with four of last five staying under the total.
-- LA-A's-- Over is 5-3 in Fairchild's last eight games.
-- Blt-Tor-- Seven of last nine TWelke games went over the total.
-- Cle-Det-- Underdogs won four of last five Hoye games.
-- NY-TB-- Home team won four of last five Davidson games.
-- Tex-KC-- Last thirteen Culbreth games stayed under total.
-- Bos-Sea-- Four of last five Carapazza games stayed under.

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

09/04/12 17-*9-*3 65.38% +*5270 Detail
09/03/12 17-*11-*0 60.71% +*3655 Detail
09/02/12 18-*11-*1 62.07% +*3840 Detail
09/01/12 14-*13-*2 51.85% -*735 Detail

Totals 66-*44-*6 60.00% +12030

MLB

Wednesday, September 5

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Philadelphia - 12:35 PM ET Philadelphia -108 500
Cincinnati - Under 8 500

NY Mets - 1:45 PM ET NY Mets +127 500
St. Louis - Over 7.5 500

Minnesota - 2:10 PM ET Minnesota +180 500
Chi. White Sox - Under 9 500

LA Angels - 3:35 PM ET Oakland +106 500
Oakland - Under 8 500


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

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, September 5

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Texas - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City +142 500
Kansas City - Over 9 500

Boston - 10:10 PM ET Seattle -123 500
Seattle - Under 7.5 500

San Diego - 10:10 PM ET San Diego +118 500
LA Dodgers - Over 7.5 500

Arizona - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco -138 500
San Francisco - Over 6.5 500