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**Udog** · 10-19-2012, 09:47 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Some college football trends, with Week 7 here......

-- Spurrier's Gamecocks are 5-2 vs spread when facing Florida.

-- Kentucky is 6-14-1 vs spread in last 21 SEC home games.

-- Nebraska is 9-5-1 vs spread in game following last 15 losses.

-- Central Michigan covered only two of its last 20 games.

-- Temple is 10-3-1 vs spread in last 14 home games as a home dog.

-- Michigan State won/covered its last four games with Michigan.

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Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Things I'm looking for this weekend........

13) Who are Tigers going to play in the World Series? Looks like St Louis right now-- either way, Detroit has a long layoff until Wednesday.

12) Patriots have run 39 more plays than anyone else in NFL, but they’re still just 3-3; they’ve lost both games where they struggled in red zone. Jets have worst red zone offense in NFL, but are better on defense.

11) Virginia Tech (+8.5) will need to play better at Clemson this week to pull the upset. Falling behind 20-0 is OK against Duke, it won’t work in Death Valley- Hokies got smoked by North Carolina the week before.

10) Cowboys played well last week but lost at Baltimore; they need a win at Carolina, which was struggling badly before its bye.

9) Johnny Manziel is best freshman QB in America; his Texas Aggies step up in class this week, when LSU comes calling. A&M beat La Tech in wild 59-57 game last week- they ain’t getting 59 this week.

8) Steelers are 0-5 vs spread in last five road games; they’re visiting Bengal team Sunday night that lost last two games, to Dolphins/Browns.

7) Over/under in Baylor-Texas game is 80. Longhorns were down 36-2 at the half last week in their big rivalry game with Oklahoma. The natives in Austin are extremely restless.

6) Buffalo Bills allowed 17 or less points in their three wins, 45+ in their losses; don’t see the Titans hanging 45 on anyone, but can Bills win as a favorite? Can Tennessee win consecutive games?

5) Get a map. Find Kansas. Find West Virginia, then explain to me how these schools are in the same league.

This is a very good game, but geography teachers all over America have to be hating college sports these days.

4) Robert Griffin III makes his first visit to Swamp Stadium, where the Redskins upset the Giants LY, just their second win in last eight visits. RGIII makes the Redskins more fun to watch, but can he upset the world champs in this division rivalry?

3) Vanderbilt is -7 over Auburn this week; any coach who is +7 against Vandy is automatically on the hot seat, even if he did win the national title two years ago.

2) Steve Spurrier takes his Gamecocks back to the Swamp, Spurrier’s alma mater; South Carolina-Florida is best college game of the week.

1) Ravens’ defense ain’t what it used to be; Texans have looked very mortal playing in primetime last two weeks. Look for Arien Foster to get lot of work against the Ravens Sunday.

**Udog** · 10-19-2012, 09:48 AM

NASCAR betting: Hollywood Casino 400 preview

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400, choosing a favorite might seem easy. Then again, past statistics might actually mean nothing at all with the track getting a recent facelift.

For the first time in the history of the Chase and since 1999, the top three contenders for the title are the three previous race winners at the track the series is racing at. Denny Hamlin won at Kansas in the spring, Jimmie Johnson won this race last season and Brad Keselowski won the Kansas race last spring.

However, Kansas has been repaved since its last event and the turns now have variable banking – 17 degrees to 20 degrees – that replaces the 15 degrees (apron to wall) of the former layout. Teams got a chance to try out the new surface during a short two-day testing session this week, but don’t except past success to equal future victory.

Brad Keselowski is still in control of the points lead. After finishing outside the Top 10 at Charlotte last week, Keselowski lost half of his lead and enters Kansas seven markers ahead. While he did have a bad finish last week, keep in mind he did lead the most laps on the 1.5-mile Charlotte track, coming up short in the end after a fuel-mileage gamble that was played wrong. Keselowski could make up for his mistake with a win Sunday.

“We can’t wait to get to Kansas to prove that our finish at Charlotte was an anomaly, a blip on the radar,” Keselowski told reporters. “And going to a track where we’ve won before gives us a little extra confidence, although it is a new surface that we’ll be breaking in. We were able to take part in the tire test there a few weeks ago and they did an outstanding job with the repave. It’s smooth and fast, and while it may be one-groove for a few races, I think we’ll see it become a very competitive place. I would definitely like to be the first driver to win on the new surface.”

Jimmie Johnson parleyed his fuel mileage gamble last week into a strong third place finish. Johnson is the defending winner of this race and was third here in the spring. Johnson’s frustration at having gone winless since Indy could come to an end Sunday. Remember though, Kansas is usually a fuel mileage race and that’s something Johnson has yet to completely master.

Denny Hamlin won the spring race here but was 16th in this race last season. He was third the year prior but 12th then fifth. He could surprise this weekend but with his up and down record and given the unknowns that make the notebooks obsolete, it could be a day of simply surviving for Hamlin.

Clint Bowyer has never been known for his prowess on 1.5 tracks. However, last week at Charlotte Bowyer was able to conserve enough fuel and get in a position to score his first win on a 1.5 mile track. There’s something to be said for momentum and heading to the 1.5 track Bowyer considers his home track, Bowyer could just stage a repeat this Sunday.

“A lot of confidence, a lot of momentum, everything that comes off of a win,” Bowyer said. “But to be able to do it rolling into home, and Kansas is very special, a lot of testing over the next couple days, looking forward to getting there and seeing what we have for a race car and the new repave.”

Kasey Kahne was a favorite last week and came up far short of expectations. He’s never won at Kansas although he was second in this race last year and 8th in the spring. The two races prior to his runner up finish last season, Kahne finished outside the top 10. Kahne could be strong Sunday, but may just hope to finish inside the top 10.

Greg Biffle made the biggest gain in the points last week with a fourth place finish at Charlotte. Baffle now heads to Kansas where he’s a two time winner and finished fifth here in the spring. He also has the second highest driver rating in the field, second only to Johnson. If Biffle is on his game this weekend, he could just be the driver to beat Sunday.

Martin Truex Jr. was second here in the spring, but his record at Kansas prior to that is less than stellar. In four of the last five races prior to this year, Truex finished outside the top 20. He also has the lowest driver rating among the Chase field. Never say never, but a win at Kansas is probably not in Truex’s future.

Tony Stewart has had a quiet Chase thus far. A 13th place finish last week at Charlotte didn’t help his cause. Heading to Kansas might give him some glimmer of hope; after all he does have two wins here and the third highest driver rating. But Stewart has finished outside the top 10 in his last two visits here including a 13th here in the spring. He’s been hot and he’s been cold here; lately he seems colder than hotter.

Jeff Gordon has been in the Chase then out of the Chase. He started at the bottom and made it as high as sixth. After finishing 18th last week at Charlotte Gordon fell three spots and now enters Kansas in ninth. Gordon does have two wins here, but those came a decade ago. He was 21st here in the spring and engine woes in this race last year relegated him to a 34th. Gordon is struggling and especially so at the 1.5 mile tracks. Don’t look to victory lane for Gordon this week.

Kevin Harvick had a career best finish of third here in 2010. Since then he’s finished sixth in the spring and in this race last year and 11th in the spring race last season. Harvick has been a no-show during the Chase and that probably won’t change Sunday.

Matt Kenseth has never won here, but that could change this weekend. Kenseth has finished fourth here in the last two races including the spring race. Kenseth won at Talladega and could definitely add another win this Sunday.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., will be setting out another race as he recovers from the effects of a concussion. It will be fun to watch his replacement Regan Smith try and keep the No. 88 Chevy in the top 10.

Non-Chasers.

Carl Edwards would love nothing more than to add to Kansas Speedway victory to his resume. The Missouri native considers Kansas his home track, but has never finished better than second here. He was ninth in the spring race but with nothing to lose, Edwards could go all the way Sunday.

Mark Martin running a part time schedule for Michael Waltrip Racing has been competitive in every race he’s entered. Martin has two top-five and four top-10 finishes plus a pole in his most recent six races. Martin is a Kansas winner (2005) and finished 10th in last year’s fall event.

Seven of the 13 races have been won from a top-10 starting position. Two drivers have won from the pole: Joe Nemechek in 2004 and Jimmie Johnson in 2008. The furthest back in the field that a race winner started was 25th, by Brad Keselowski last season.

Favorites:

Brad Keselowski
Greg Biffle
Matt Kenseth
Non-Chasers
Carl Edwards
Mark Martin

Odds to win the Hollywood Casino 400 (Courtesy of JustBet)

Denny Hamlin 5-1
Jimmie Johnson 5-1
Greg Biffle 7-1
Kasey Kahne 8-1
Kyle Busch 8-1
Brad Keselowski 8-1
Matt Kenseth 12-1
Jeff Gordon 12-1
Carl Edwards 12-1
Tony Stewart 15-1
Clint Bowyer 15-1
Martin Truex Jr. 15-1
Mark Martin 15-1
Kevin Harvick 20-1
Regan Smith 30-1
Joey Lagano 40-1
Ryan Newman 60-1
Kurt Busch 75-1
Sam Hornish, Jr. 100-1
Marcos Ambrose 100-1
Jeff Burton 200-1
Paul Menard 200-1
Trevor Bayne 300-1
A.J. Allmendinger 300-1
Aric Almirola 300-1
Jamie McMurray 300-1
Juan Montoya 300-1
Bobby Labonte 300-1
Danica Patrick 300-1
Field (Any Other Driver) 50-1

**Udog** · 10-19-2012, 10:07 AM

CFL
Dunkel

Edmonton at BC
The Lions look to build on their 8-3 ATS record in their last 11 home games. BC is the pick (-8) according to Dunkel, which has the Lions favored by 15. Dunkel Pick: BC (-8). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19

Game 491-492: Winnipeg at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 108.941; Toronto 110.618
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 55
Vegas Line: Toronto by 3 1/2; 51
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+3 1/2); Over

Game 493-494: Edmonton at BC (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 107.745; BC 122.909
Dunkel Line: BC by 15; 43
Vegas Line: BC by 8; 46 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BC (-8); Under

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20

Game 495-496: Montreal at Saskatchewan (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 111.771; Saskatchewan 118.390
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 5 1/2; 51
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 3 1/2; 53
Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (-3 1/2); Under

Game 2497-498: Hamilton at Calgary (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 113.443; Calgary 119.041
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 5 1/2; 61
Vegas Line: Calgary by 7; 56
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+7); Over

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 17

Friday, October 19

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WINNIPEG (4 - 11) at TORONTO (7 - 8) - 10/19/2012, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-3 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 7-2 straight up against WINNIPEG 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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EDMONTON (7 - 8) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (11 - 4) - 10/19/2012, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 25-43 ATS (-22.3 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 45-68 ATS (-29.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record after 9 or more games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 5-5 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 6-4 straight up against EDMONTON 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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Saturday, October 20

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MONTREAL (9 - 6) at SASKATCHEWAN (8 - 7) - 10/20/2012, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 95-63 ATS (+25.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) off a loss against a division rival over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-2 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 4-2 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN 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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HAMILTON (5 - 10) at CALGARY (9 - 6) - 10/20/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-1 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-1 straight up against HAMILTON 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 17

Home (34-26). Favorites (26-33), Over (27-31-2). West 19-9 vs East.
Home underdogs are 12-5 in the CFL this season (0-3 last week).

Winnipeg (4-11) @ Toronto (7-8)-- Woeful Bombers split their last four games but are 2-5 vs spread as road underdog, with five losses by 11+ points; they're 0-2 vs Argonauts this year, losing 25-22 (+7.5) here in Week 4, 29-10 (-3.5) at home three weeks ago. 8 of Winnipeg's 11 losses are by 10+ points. Argonauts lost four of last five games, scoring 12 or less points in three of last four- they're 0-4 vs spread when favored this year. Toronto lost four of its last five home games SU. Under is 5-0-1 in last six Winnipeg games, 4-0 in Toronto's last four tilts.

Edmonton (7-8) @ British Columbia (11-4)-- Lions won nine of last 11 games after a 2-2 start; they're 4-3 as home favorites, winning home games by 17-3-19-33-5-5 points (only loss to Edmonton in Week 4). Visiting team won both series games this year; Eskimos (+7.5) won 27-14 here back in Week 4, then lost 19-18 (-3.5) at home four weeks ago. Edmonton is 2-5 on road, 3-3 as road underdogs, losing away games by 1-16-1-43-24 points. Four of last five Eskimo games went over; under is 3-0-1 in Lions' last four games. Both teams won their last two games.

Montreal (9-6) @ Saskatchewan (8-7)-- Roughriders (+6) lost 28-17 at Montreal in Week 12, turning ball over three times in game they trailed 22-6 at half-- Riders are 5-2 SU at home, 2-2 as home favorites, winning in Regina by 16-3-52-5-6 points. Alouettes went long way towards clinching East last week when they beat Toronto 27-12; Als are 3-4 on road, 1-3 as road dogs. Faves covered six of their seven away games. Montreal allowed less than 20 points in four of its last five wins. Four of last five Montreal games stayed under the total.

Hamilton (5-10) @ Calgary (9-6)-- Stampeders were 2-3 when they won 31-20 at Hamilton (+4) in Week 7, game that started them on current 7-3 run; Stamps ran ball for 233 yards in that game, rallying back from 10-7 halftime deficit. Calgary is 5-2 at home, 3-4 as home favorites, winning home games by 28-3-1-41-24 points. TiCats failed to cover any of last five road games, losing by 7-12-14-22-15 points- they're 1-4 vs spread as road dogs. 11 of 15 Hamilton games went over total; under is 7-3-1 in Calgary's last 11. Stamps playing for home field in first round of playoffs.

CFL

Week 17

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Trend Report
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Friday, October 19

7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games
Winnipeg is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Toronto17-7-1 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Winnipeg

10:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
Edmonton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing British Columbia
British Columbia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing at home against Edmonton

Saturday, October 20

3:30 PM
MONTREAL vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games when playing Montreal
Saskatchewan is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:00 PM
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
Hamilton is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Hamilton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Calgary's last 14 games when playing Hamilton

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CFL

Week 17

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Canadian Bacon: Week 17 CFL betting preview
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With only three games remaining on the regular season schedule, the drive to the postseason continues for CFL teams in Week 17.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto Argonauts (-4.5, 50.5)

The Blue Bombers are coming off a 32-21 loss to Calgary and need to win in Toronto Friday to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Bombers received some good news earlier this week when first-string QB Buck Pierce (concussion) was cleared to play. Pierce has been sidelined since taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Toronto’s Brandon Isaac in a 29-10 home loss to the Argos on Sept. 29.

The Argonauts are second in the East Division with a mediocre record of 7-8. Toronto has dropped two straight and suffered losses in four of its last five games. However, head coach Scott Milanovich announced that first-string QB Ricky Ray (MCL) will return Friday and give the club a much-needed morale boost. The Argonauts are just 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.

Edmonton Eskimos at B.C. Lions (-8, 47)

The Lions have already clinched a playoff spot with the best record (11-4) in the CFL after 15 games. The Leos have won two straight and five of their last six contests after a convincing 37-17 victory over Hamilton last week. Quarterback Travis Lulay, who celebrated the birth of a new child earlier this week, converted 27 of 34 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns, extending his streak of consecutive games with at least one passing score to 26 straight.

The Eskimos kept their playoff hopes alive with a 37-20 win over Saskatchewan last week. Running back Hugh Charles racked up a career-high 152 yards on 17 carries in the win to earn CFL Offensive Player of the Week honors. Edmonton is 5-1 ATS in its last six October games.

Montreal Alouettes at Saskatchewan Roughriders (-3.5, 53)

The Alouettes (9-7) are the only team in the East with a winning record after they avoided a third straight loss with a 24-12 victory over the Argos last week. Quarterback Anthony Calvillo has completed less than 54 percent of his pass attempts over the last five games, something that has happened only once during his previous 10 outings in 2012. The 19-year CFL veteran has looked mediocre at times this season and has voiced his frustration in dealings with the media over the last few weeks.

The Roughriders are one of the hottest teams in the league since the start of September, winning five of their last six games. However, Kory Sheets has cooled off as of late. The running back has scored just once in his last five games, which is a far cry from his efforts earlier in the campaign when he recorded at least one TD in five straight contests. The teams have played under the total in four of the last five meetings.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Calgary Stampeders (-7, 56)

The Tiger-Cats managed just three points through the first three quarters in front of their hometown fans, eventually leading to a 37-17 loss to British Columbia last week. The Hamilton defense surrendered 476 yards to the Lions and was stuck on the field for just under 40 minutes in the contest, limiting the opportunities for the league’s best offensive unit (29.2 points per game) led by QB Henry Burris.

Calgary has already secured a spot in the playoffs, thanks to a 9-6 mark after it took out Winnipeg last week. Quarterback Kevin Glenn led the way for the Stampeders, converting 21 of 29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns. The Stamps won the most recent battle with the Tiger-Cats, who are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings with Calgary, by a score of 31-20 in August

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**Udog** · 10-19-2012, 10:08 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Minnesota at Indiana
The Lynx look to build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 games in Indiana. Minnesota is the pick (-1) according to Dunkel, which has the Lynx favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-1). Here are all of today's picks

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19

Game 605-606: Minnesota at Indiana (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 120.959; Indiana 117.790
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 3; 146
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 1; 150 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-1); Under

WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, October 19

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MINNESOTA (32 - 9) at INDIANA (27 - 15) - 10/19/2012, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-3 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 5-3 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Friday, October 19

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. INDIANA
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Minnesota's last 14 games when playing Indiana
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Indiana's last 14 games when playing Minnesota

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**Udog** · 10-19-2012, 10:10 AM

MLB
Dunkel

San Francisco at St. Louis
The Cardinals look to build on their 5-0 record in Lance Lynn's last 5 home starts against a team with a winning record. St. Louis is the pick, according to Dunkel, which has the Cardinals favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: St. Louis. Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19

Game 919-920: San Francisco at St. Louis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Zito) 15.887; St. Louis (Lynn) 17.073
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 7
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

MLB
Long Sheet

Friday, October 19

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SAN FRANCISCO (98 - 73) at ST LOUIS (95 - 77) - 8:05 PM
BARRY ZITO (L) vs. LANCE LYNN (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 6-4 (+0.9 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.7 Units)

BARRY ZITO vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
ZITO is 2-6 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.89 and a WHIP of 1.731.
His team's record is 2-7 (-4.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-4. (+0.9 units)

LANCE LYNN vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
LYNN is 0-2 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 7.80 and a WHIP of 1.467.
His team's record is 1-2 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

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MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, October 19

Giants are going home after this game; question is, will they make St Louis go with them? Zito is 5-0, 2.70 in his last six starts; SF won his last 12 starts, first of which was 5-2 over Cardinals August 7 (allowed two runs in 6.2 IP)- last time they lost one of his starts was August 2 vs Mets, but he lasted only 2.2 IP in last start, giving up two runs at Cincinnati. Lynn has a 7.20 RA in his last two starts; he allowed eight runs in 9.2 IP vs Giants this year. Cardinals won eight of their last 11 home games. Over is 11-4 in NL playoffs this fall.

MLB

Friday, October 19

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Trend Report
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8:07 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. ST. LOUIS
San Francisco is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 7 games at home
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

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MLB

Friday, October 19

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NLCS betting preview: Giants at Cardinals
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San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals (-145, 7.5)

St. Louis leads series 3-1

Just a week ago, the San Francisco Giants were on the brink of elimination before advancing to the National League Championship Series by winning three straight games against Cincinnati. Now they need to do it again.

The Giants are down 3-1 in the best-of-seven NLCS after the St. Louis Cardinals rolled to an 8-3 win in Game 3 on Thursday. The win moved St. Louis one victory away from a matchup with the Detroit Tigers in the World Series, with the Cardinals’ Lance Lynn slated to face Barry Zito in Game 5. Since the League Championship Series adopted the best-of-seven format in 1985, only four of the 33 teams that fell behind 3-1 have come back to win.

Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran sat out Game 4 with a strained left knee, but he’s hopeful that he’ll be able to return to the starting lineup on Friday. Despite Beltran’s absence, the Cardinals outhit the Giants 12-6 with Jon Jay, Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday driving in two runs apiece. Holliday and Molina stepped up after going a combined 6-for-40 in their previous five games, while the Giants’ Buster Posey remains mired in a 6-for-33 postseason slump. Posey, who led the NL with a .336 average this season, went hitless in four at-bats on Thursday and is 2-for-14 with three walks in the NLCS. If the Giants extend the series and send it back to San Francisco, Ryan Vogelsong would start Game 6 and Matt Cain would get the ball for Game 7.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FOX

WEATHER: The forecast is calling for a 63 percent chance of rain early in the evening, giving way to cloudy skies and temperatures in the high 40s. Winds are expected to blow west at 9 mph.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Barry Zito (0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (1-1, 8.59)

Zito looks to rebound from his shaky outing in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Reds, when he allowed four hits and four walks over 2 2/3 innings. He’s 2-6 with a 4.89 ERA in nine career starts against St. Louis, including 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his one outing this season. Allen Craig is 4-for-10 with three home runs against Zito, who has an 8.20 ERA in four career starts at Busch Stadium.

Lynn finished 18-7 in the regular season and made the National League All-Star team, but he struggled in August and worked out of the bullpen in the NLDS against Washington. He started Game 1 of the NLCS against the Giants and cruised through the first three innings before allowing four runs in the fourth and leaving after 3 2/3 frames.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in Zitos last five starts vs. Cardinals.
* Giants are 2-6 in Zitos last eight starts vs. Cardinals.
* Giants are 1-4 in the last five meetings.

UMP TRENDS - Ted Barrett:

* Home team is 7-1 in Barretts last 8 games behind home plate.
* Under is 10-4-1 in Barretts last 15 games behind home plate vs. St. Louis.
* Cardinals are 1-4 in their last five games with Barrett behind home plate.

WALK-OFFS:

1. The Cardinals have blown a 3-1 lead in a postseason series three times in their history (1968 World Series, 1985 World Series, and 1996 NLCS).

2. San Francisco has won each of Zito’s last 12 starts.

3. If St. Louis closes out the NLCS, the Cardinals will face the Tigers in a rematch of the 2006, 1968 and 1934 World Series.

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**Udog** · 10-19-2012, 12:53 PM

MLB
Short Sheet

Friday, October 19

National League

NL Championship Series, Game Five (St. Louis Leads, 3-1)
San Francisco at St. Louis, 8:05 ET FOX
Zito: 2-7 career TSR vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Lynn: 20-4 TSR with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs

Announcement

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 10/19 (MLB, CFL, WNBA, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 10/19 (MLB, CFL, WNBA, Misc.)

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