The Bum's Aug. MLB Best Bets + Pod's !

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Short Sheet

Saturday, August 17

National League

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 4:05 ET FOX
Kelly: Under is 6-2 in Kelly's career road starts
Wood: Cubs 6-17 SU since start of 2012 second half when Wood starts at home

San Francisco at Miami, 7:10 ET
Cain: Giants 9-2 SU over past year when Cain starts a road night game
Alvarez: Under is 3-1 in Alvarez's starts with the Marlins

Arizona at Pittsburgh, 4:05 ET FOX
Cahill: Diamondbacks 2-7 SU in Cahill's last nine road starts
Locke: Under is 11-4-1 in Locke's career home starts

Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET MLB
Kershaw: Dodgers 6-2 SU last eight road starts for Kershaw
Kendrick: Over is 10-2 in Kendrick's 2013 home starts

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 7:10 ET
Latos: Under is 4-1-1 in Latos' last six road starts
Gallardo: Brewers 2-6 SU in Gallardo's last eight home starts

Washington at Atlanta, 7:10 ET
Strasburg: Nationals 3-7 SU when Strasburg starts on the road in 2013
Minor: Braves 12-4 SU in Minor's last 16 home starts

New York Mets at San Diego Padres, 8:40 ET
Mejia: Mets 1-5 SU in Mejia's career road starts
Volquez: Under is 4-1 in Volquez's last five starts at Petco Park


American League

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox, 4:05 ET FOX
Kuroda: Under is 11-2 in Kuroda's 2013 road starts
Lackey: Under is 9-3-1 in Lackey's home starts in 2013

Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers, 7:08 ET MLB
Davis: Under is 4-0-2 in Davis' last six road starts
Fister: Tigers are 23-8 SU when Fister starts at Comerica Park

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 7:10 ET
Happ: Blue Jays 3-13 SU last 16 games versus Tampa Bay on the road
Hernandez: Under is 4-1 in Hernandez's last five home starts

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 7:10 ET
Sale: Under is 12-3-1 in Sale's last 16 starts
Albers: Twins 5-3 last eight home games

Seattle at Texas, 8:05 ET
Hernandez: Under is 10-4 in last 14 road starts for Hernandez versus Texas
Perez: Under is 12-3 in Rangers' last 15 home games

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 ET
Keuchel: Astros 2-5 SU in Keuchel's last seven starts
Richards: Over is 5-1 in Richards last six home starts

Cleveland at Oakland, 9:05 ET
Jimenez: Indians 0-3 SU in Jimenez's last three road starts
Straily: Under is 5-1 in Straily's last six home starts


Interleague

Colorado at Baltimore, 7:05 ET
Bettis: Under is 5-2 in Rockies' last seven road games
Norris: Orioles 3-0 SU in Norris' starts

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, August 17

Hot pitchers
-- Kelly is 3-0, 1.91 in his last five starts.
-- Alvarez is 2-0, 2.36 in his last five starts. Cain is 1-2, 2.17 in his last four.
-- Latos is 4-0, 1.85 in his last five starts.
-- Kershaw is 3-1, 1.70 in his last five starts.
-- Minor is 3-0, 2.33 in his last four starts. Strasburg is 1-0, 1.13 in his last two outings.
-- Mejia is 1-2, 2.96 in four starts this season.

-- Norris is 2-0, 2.65 in three starts for Baltimore, but was also losing pitcher in relief in 14-inning game during this week.

-- Kuroda is 4-1, 0.94 in his last six starts.
-- Fister is 4-1, 2.48 in his last six starts. Davis is 2-0, 1.96 in his last three.
-- Albers didn't allow a run (17.1 IP) in winning his first two MLB starts. Sale is 2-0, 1.65 in his last couple starts.
-- FHernandez is 4-1, 1.97 in his last ten starts. Perez is 2-0, 1.59 in his last three starts.
-- Richards is 1-1, 2.42 in his last four starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Wood is 0-2, 4.58 in his last three starts.
-- Gallardo is 2-3, 7.75 in his last seven starts.
-- Cahill is 0-6, 8.22 in his last eight starts, last of which was June 30. Locke is 0-1, 4.64 in his last four starts.
-- Kendrick is 1-3, 10.31 in his last four starts.
-- Volquez is 0-2, 6.48 in his last three starts.

-- Bettis is 0-1, 5.06 in his last three starts.

-- Lackey is 0-4, 4.91 in his last five starts.
-- RHernandez is 1-2, 5.16 in his last four starts. Happ has a 6.55 RA in his two starts since coming off the DL.
-- Jimenez is 0-2, 6.75 in his last two starts. Straily is 0-4, 4.94 in his last five.
-- Keuchel is 1-3, 5.44 in his last seven starts.

Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in the first inning. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Kelly 0-7; Wood 3-24
-- Cain 7-24 (0 of last 5); Alvarez 1-7
-- Cahill 4-17; Locke 4-23 (1 of last 15)
-- Kershaw 3-25 (0 of last 5); Kendrick 9-24
-- Latos 8-24 (0 of last 5); Gallardo 5-23
-- Strasburg 5-23 (1 of last 17); Minor 8-24
-- Mejia 0-4; Volquez 9-25

-- Bettis 2-3; Norris 8-24

-- Kuroda 6-24 (0 of last 7); Lackey 9-21 (3 of last 4)
-- Davis 8-21 (6 of last 10); Fister 5-24 (0 of last 6)
-- Happ 2-9; RHernandez 9-22 (3 of last 5)
-- Sale 8-23; Albers 0-2
-- FHernandez 4-25 (1 of last 12); Perez 5-11
-- Keuchel 2-15; Richards 1-8
-- Jimenez 6-23 (1 of last 8); Straily 4-19

Totals
-- Three of last four Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Arizona games went over total.
-- Four of last five Philly games stayed under total.
-- Under is 9-4-1 in San Francisco's last fourteen games.
-- Eight of last eleven Atlanta games stayed under total.
-- Nine of last eleven Cincinnati road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 11-4-2 in last seventeen Met games.

-- Under is 5-0-2 in Colorado's last seven road games.

-- Under is 6-0-2 in last eight Kansas City games.
-- Five of last six Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Tampa Bay games.
-- Six of last nine Seattle games went over the total.
-- Under is 8-2-1 in last eleven Minnesota games.
-- Four of last five Oakland games stayed under total.
-- 12 of last 15 Angel games went over the total.

Hot teams
-- Arizona won six of its last nine games.
-- Dodgers are 41-8 in their last 49 games.
-- Atlanta won 18 of its last 20 games. Washington won five of its last seven.
-- Cincinnati won eight of its last ten games.
-- Mets won their last two games, allowing three runs.

-- Rockies won six of their last seven games.

-- Royals won 10 of their last 12 road games.
-- Bronx Bombers won six of their last eight games.
-- White Sox are 4-3 in their last seven games.
-- Rangers won 14 of their last 17 games. Seattle is 5-2 in last seven on road.
-- Astros won three of their last four games.

Cold teams
-- Cubs lost four of their last five games; Cardinals lost six of their last nine.
-- Pirates lost five of their last seven games.
-- Phillies lost six of their last seven games.
-- Giants are 5-8 in their last thirteen games, but won last two. Miami lost nine of its last twelve games.
-- Milwaukee lost six of its last nine home games.
-- Padres lost nine of their last twelve games.

-- Orioles lost five of their last six games.

-- Detroit lost six of its last nine games.
-- Red Sox lost six of their last eight games.
-- Toronto/Tampa Bay both lost six of their last nine games.
-- Minnesota lost three of last four.
-- Indians lost eight of last eleven games. Oakland is 5-6 in its last eleven games, but won last two.
-- Angels lost 15 of their last 21 games.

Umpires
-- StL-Chi-- Six of last eight Hallion games stayed under total.
-- SF-Mia-- Favorites won eight of last eleven Rackley games.
-- Az-Pitt-- Nine of last ten Wolf games stayed under total.
-- LA-Phil-- Five of last seven Holbrook games went over total.
-- Cin-Mil-- Four of last five Winters games stayed under total.
-- Wsh-Atl-- Four of last five Hudson games went over the total.
-- NY-SD-- Underdogs are 9-5 in Carlson's last fourteen games.

-- Col-Balt-- Under is 6-0-1 in last seven Conroy games.

-- NY-Bos-- 12 of last 15 Johnson games stayed under the total.
-- KC-Det-- Four of last five Davidson games went over the total.
-- Tor-TB-- Favorites won ten of last twelve Layne games.
-- Chi-Min-- Underdogs won four of last six Tichenor games.
-- Sea-Tex-- Last six Demuth games went over the total.
-- Hst-LA-- Four of last five Fairchild games went over total.
-- Cle-A's-- Favorites won seven of last nine TBarrett games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Saturday, August 17

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Trend Report
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4:05 PM
ARIZONA vs. PITTSBURGH
Arizona is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
Arizona is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing Arizona

4:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of St. Louis's last 12 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Chi Cubs's last 22 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 7 games at home

4:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 5 games on the road
NY Yankees are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:05 PM
COLORADO vs. BALTIMORE
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Colorado's last 7 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Baltimore is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Baltimore's last 8 games when playing Colorado

7:05 PM
LA DODGERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Dodgers's last 8 games on the road
Philadelphia is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games

7:08 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. DETROIT
Kansas City is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City's last 6 games on the road
Detroit is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Detroit's last 9 games when playing Kansas City

7:10 PM
TORONTO vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Toronto's last 12 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Tampa Bay's last 12 games when playing at home against Toronto
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto

7:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. MINNESOTA
Chi White Sox are 16-8 SU in their last 24 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Chi White Sox are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
Minnesota is 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox

7:10 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Washington's last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington's last 9 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 12 games

7:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Francisco's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games
Miami is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against San Francisco

7:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. MILWAUKEE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 7 games
Cincinnati is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 9 games when playing Cincinnati

8:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. TEXAS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 9 games on the road
Seattle is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games at home

8:40 PM
NY METS vs. SAN DIEGO
NY Mets are 8-15 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against San Diego
NY Mets are 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Diego
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against NY Mets
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets

9:05 PM
CLEVELAND vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oakland
Oakland is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oakland's last 10 games when playing at home against Cleveland

9:05 PM
HOUSTON vs. LA ANGELS
Houston is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games
Houston is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 6 of LA Angels's last 7 games
LA Angels are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Houston

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Saturday, August 17

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Saturday's MLB betting notes and tips
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NATIONAL

St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs (+127, OFF)

Hot pitching stat: Cubs left-hander Travis Wood is tied for second in the National League with 20 quality starts - including two against the Cardinals earlier in the season.

Cold batting stat: Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo has just one home run since Aug. 1, and hasn't registered a multi-hit game in that span.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: The Cardinals are 1-7 in their last eight games against a left-handed starter.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Pittsburgh Pirates (-158, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Pirates right-hander Jeff Locke has surrendered more than three runs in a game just once since April 18.

Hot batting stat: Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt has eight home runs and 16 RBIs in 25 games since the All-Star break.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 7-2-1 in the Diamondbacks' last ten road games.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies (+185, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw is 0-4 with a 4.31 ERA in eight career starts against Philadelphia; the Phillies and Atlanta Braves are the only NL teams he has never beaten.

Hot batting stat: Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez has torched the Phillies in his career, batting .312 with 14 home runs in 44 games.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with mostly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from right field to left field at 3 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 6-0 in the Dodgers' last six Saturday games.

San Francisco Giants at Miami Marlins (+123, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA and has yet to surrender a home run in 26 innings at home.

Cold batting stat: Miami rookie OF Jake Marisnick is batting .200 with 21 strikeouts over his first 75 major-league at-bats.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-90s, but with a 30 percent chance of a shower or thunderstorm, the roof at Marlins Park may be closed. Wind will blow in from center field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: The Giants are 1-11 in their last 12 road games against an opponent with a losing home record.

Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves (-118, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg has recorded quality starts in three of his four meetings with the Braves this season, though he has just two losses and a no-decision to show for them.

Cold batting stat: Washington 1B Adam LaRoche, drafted by Atlanta in 2000, is hitting just .189 in 227 career at-bats against the Braves.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with a 70 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from right to left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Atlanta is 10-1 in left-hander Mike Minor's last 11 Saturday starts.

Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers (+126, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Cincinnati right-hander Mat Latos is 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA since the All-Star break, and is coming off back-to-back scoreless efforts against the Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs.

Cold batting stat: Reds 2B Brandon Phillips is batting just .232 since the break, while his .633 second-half OPS is 100 points lower than what he posted in the first half.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under sunny skies. Wind will blow in from center field at 4 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 19-6-2 in the last 27 meetings.

New York Mets at San Diego Padres (-124, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Padres right-hander Edinson Volquez was torched by the Mets in his first start of the season, surrendering six runs on six hits in three innings back on April 1.

Cold batting stat: San Diego hits just .237 as a team at home, good for 27th in the majors.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 7-0 in the Mets' last seven games against teams with losing records.


AMERICAN

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (-132, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda threw seven sensational innings in a win over the Red Sox on July 20, and has strung together five consecutive quality starts overall.

Cold batting stat: New York OF Vernon Wells is hitting just .208 in 221 at-bats against right-handers.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The Yankees are 18-4 in Kuroda's last 22 starts when working on four days' rest.

Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers (-203, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Royals right-hander Wade Davis is allowing opponents to hit .315 against him - the second-highest mark among American League pitchers with at least 20 starts.

Cold batting stat: Tigers 1B Prince Fielder is hitting just .235 with one home run in 34 at-bats against the Royals this season.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 4 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 17-5-3 in the Royals' last 25 games.

Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays (-147, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Tampa Bay right-hander Roberto Hernandez has allowed three runs or more in 11 of his last 12 starts - including a June 26 loss to Toronto.

Hot batting stat: Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie leads the American League with 24 hits in August.

Weather: Dome.

Key betting note: The under is 7-0 in Tampa Bay's last seven Saturday games.

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins (+108, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Twins right-hander Andrew Albers is coming off a complete-game two-hit shutout in his second major-league start and has yet to surrender a run in 17 1/3 innings.

Hot batting stat: Minnesota leads the majors with 23 home runs in August.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 11 mph.

Key betting note: Minnesota is 1-7 in its last eight games with umpire Todd Tichenor behind home plate.

Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers (-110, 8)

Cold pitching stat: Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez is 0-2 with a 4.66 ERA in two starts against the Rangers in 2013.

Cold batting stat: Seattle 2B Dustin Ackley has just one homer in 264 at-bats this season after going deep 12 times in 2012.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-80s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: Seattle has won 10 of its last 11 games against American League West opponents.

Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels (-183, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel has surrendered 16 runs over his last 18 1/3 innings, surrendering three home runs in that span.

Hot batting stat: Angels OF Mike Trout is hitting .367 with six home runs and six steals in 90 at-bats since the All-Star break.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s under sunny skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Los Angeles is 6-14 in its last 20 games against teams with winning percentages below .400.

Cleveland Indians at Oakland Athletics (-135, 8)

Cold pitching stat: Indians RH Ubaldo Jimenez leads the American League with 65 walks, and has issued at least two free passes in 15 of his last 16 starts.

Hot batting stat: Athletics OF Josh Reddick is batting just .187 with two homers in 155 at-bats at home.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to right field at 14 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 12-3-1 in Oakland's last 16 games against an AL Central opponent.


INTERLEAGUE

Colorado Rockies at Baltimore Orioles (-181, 9)

Hot pitching stat: Orioles right-hander Bud Norris has allowed eight earned runs over his last four starts, a span of 23 1/3 innings.

Cold batting stat: Baltimore 3B Manny Machado is batting .233 with three doubles in 103 at-bats since the All-Star break; Machado hit .310 and had 39 doubles in the first half.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with overcast skies. Wind will blow from right to left field at 10 mph.

Key betting note: The Orioles are 1-5 in their last six versus the National League West.


** Odds, stats, probable starters and weather forecast as of 10:56 p.m. ET Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Saturday, August 17

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MLB Top 3: Hot "under" pitchers on the mound Saturday
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Saturday's Major League Baseball action features three road aces that have trended heavily toward under totals.

Here is a look at three pitchers to consider if you're looking to play totals.

Hiroki Kuroda, New York Yankees (11-7, 2.33 ERA)

Kuroda has been the hottest pitcher in the American League over the past month and a half, surrendering just five earned runs over 48 innings in that span. Five of those outings have seen the 38-year-old leave without giving up a run, and he's on a streak of nine consecutive 'unders' dating back to the end of June.

The Yankees visit the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals (6-9, 2.83 ERA)

Wins continue to elude the former No. 1 pick, but he remains a boon for 'under' bettors. The 25-year-old is on a five-game 'under' streak, having surrendered just 10 runs in that span. His last outing was the best of all, as he went the distance on a four-hit shutout while striking out 10 in a win over Philadelphia.

The Nationals face the Braves in Atlanta on Saturday.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (11-7, 1.88 ERA)

When you sport the major leagues' lowest ERA among qualified starters, you're going to be in plenty of low-scoring games. Such is the case for Kershaw, who has gone 'under' in seven of his last nine outings - registering a quality start in each of them, and going eight or more innings six times in that span.

The Dodgers travel to Philadelphia for a date with the Phillies on Saturday.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- Only 15,433 at the Trop Friday for Toronto-Tampa game; Rays are an interesting, contending team- they deserve better fan support. Know the Bucs were on TV, but its a damn exhibition game.

-- 17,491 at the Indians-A's game; same thing holds for Oakland.

-- Drew Brees was 14-18 for 202 yards Friday; he's ready to go.

-- Royals allowed one run in a doubleheader sweep at Detroit.

-- Mets' catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud will make his debut in the big leagues Saturday night. Regular catcher Buck is away on maternity leave.

-- Happy birthday to Harry the Handicapper, celebrating his 29th birthday for the 26th time. Enjoy your day.


*****

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Random latenight thoughts.........

13) Charlie Manuel is the best manager in Phillies' history; he deserves better than to get canned on a Friday afternoon with six weeks left in a poor season. Maybe he didn't want to manage the last six weeks of a lost season, but he didn't suddenly become a poor manager.

12) Expanded instant replay in baseball is long overdue; it should eliminate the hideous arugments that take place and serve no purpose, other than to make the game more tedious.

One thing that will have to change is that on double plays, no more will the middle infielder be able to come near the base when taking the throw- he will actually have to touch the base while he has the ball.

11) Teams will have to have a replay coach upstairs, since the dugout is a lousy place to see if a call is blown or not. Commuinicating to the dugout in a quick manner is going to be very important.

A smart baseball manager will confer with an NFL coach to see how football teams handle replay-related issues.

10) Not too often a football player's first-ever game comes in the NFL, but Detroit Lions have a kicker named Havard Rugland who is from Finland; he made a 49 and 50-yard FGs in his first ever game, and is battling David Akers for the Lions' kicking job. Not a lot of football played in Finland.

9) 11.8 million people watched Duck Dynasty this past week; I can't even make fun of the show, since I've never seen it. Its making someone an awful lot of money if 12 million people are watching it.

8) Memo for Chicago Bear fans: Marv Levy/Bud Grant were both former CFL head coaches, and they did damn well in the NFL. Combined to go 0-8 in the Super Bowl, but at least they got there.

7) While we're here, an odd fact on former Viking coach Bud Grant, who won four Grey Cups in Winnipeg; he played in the lowest scoring NBA game of all-time, when he was a Minneapolis Laker.

6) Serious question for NFL owners in Carolina/San Diego; Why the hell did you fire John Fox/Ken Whisenhunt? They weren't good enough?

5) When New Mexico Lobos' hoop team was in Australia; Cullen Neal, son of the new coach Craig Neal and a Lobo freshman, had an appendectomy and was in the hospital there for most of the trip. I had an appendectomy 20 years ago-- not the most pleasant thing.

Australia is becoming a more fertile recruiting ground for basketball teams, so its smart to take a trip there when you can, which is every four years.

4) Rex Ryan is coaching for his job this season; no way is he starting a rookie QB with his job on the line.

3) Andy Reid looks a lot different wearing red.

2) I'm going to be in a fantasy football league this season for the first time in over 20 years; If you have advice for me, I'm all ears. I have some theories as I put my draft board together. I'll let you know if they work.

1) FOX Sports1 makes its debut today on Channel 219 on DirecTV. They have UFC and a NASCAR race; am curious what they'll have on at 3am, as thats a time I'm almost always watching TV.

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Saturday

August 17, 2013


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Pirates are 11-0 since May 16, 2013 as a home favorite when they are off a win in which they never trailed for a net profit of $1100.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Rangers are 0-17 OU since April 02, 2013 as a favorite after a loss in which they had 6 or fewer hits for a net profit of $1700 when playing the under.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Ubaldo Jimenez starts the Indians are 0-10 since August 16, 2011 as a road dog vs a team that has won at least their last two games for a net profit of $1000 when playing against.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Rays are 2-30 OU since August 2010 as a favorite with a total between 7.5-8.5 off a one run win in a night game. 2-8 this season with eight straight unders.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Reds are 10-0 since April 22, 2013 as a favorite after allow- ing 6+ runs for a net profit of $1000.

-- The Indians are 0-10 OU since April 27, 2012 as a dog after a loss in which they drew 5+ walks and it is not the last game of a series for a net profit of $1000 when playing the under

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

08/16/13 17-*14-*1 54.84% +*985 Detail
08/15/13 10-*10-*0 50.00% -*380 Detail
08/14/13 13-*17-*0 43.33% -*1470 Detail
08/13/13 15-*14-*1 51.72% -*1060 Detail
08/12/13 9-*8-*1 52.94% -*65 Detail
08/11/13 10-*20-*0 33.33% -*5960 Detail
08/10/13 16-*14-*0 53.33% +*2400 Detail
08/09/13 16-*15-*1 51.61% +*205 Detail
08/08/13 10-*4-*0 71.43% +*2965 Detail
08/07/13 11-*17-*0 39.29% -*4445 Detail
08/06/13 16-*13-*1 55.17% +*795 Detail
08/05/13 10-*8-*0 55.56% -*80 Detail
08/04/13 10-*20-*0 33.33% -*6310 Detail
08/03/13 11-*17-*2 39.29% -*3725 Detail
08/02/13 12-*18-*0 40.00% -*4570 Detail
08/01/13 10-*9-*0 52.63% +*650 Detail

Totals 196-*218-*7 47.34% -*20065

Early Games:

Saturday, August 17

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Arizona - 4:05 PM ET Pittsburgh -162 500
Pittsburgh - Over 7.5 500

NY Yankees - 4:05 PM ET NY Yankees +119 500 POD # 1
Boston - Under 8.5 500

St. Louis - 4:05 PM ET Chi. Cubs +116 500 POD # 2
Chi. Cubs - Under 8 500

[WThotrod]

BOL, Bum! Let's do this!

[StarDust Bum]

Evening Pod's:


Colorado - 7:05 PM ET Colorado +170 500 POD # 4
Baltimore - Over 9 500

LA Dodgers - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia +183 500 POD # 5
Philadelphia - Over 7.5 500

Kansas City - 7:08 PM ET Kansas City +179 500 POD # 3
Detroit - Under 8.5 500

Washington - 7:10 PM ET Atlanta -113 500
Atlanta - Over 7 500

Chi. White Sox - 7:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox -126 500
Minnesota - Over 7 500

Cincinnati - 7:10 PM ET Cincinnati -145 500
Milwaukee - Under 8 500

San Francisco - 7:10 PM ET San Francisco -128 500
Miami - Over 7 500

Toronto - 7:10 PM ET Tampa Bay -148 500
Tampa Bay - Under 8.5 500

Seattle - 8:05 PM ET Seattle -102 500
Texas - Under 8 500

NY Mets - 8:40 PM ET NY Mets +108 500 POD # 2
San Diego - Under 7 500

Cleveland - 9:05 PM ET Cleveland +129 500 POD # 6
Oakland - Under 8 500

Houston - 9:05 PM ET Houston +183 500 POD # 1
LA Angels - Under 8 500

[WThotrod]

I went lite earlier and swinging for the fences with the evening POD's. Good luck, BUM!!

[StarDust Bum]

Sorry it wasn't a good night.............

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Royals (64-58) at Tigers (72-51)
Game: 4
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: August 18, 2013 1:08 PM EDT


After Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder helped Detroit break out of a minor slump, Max Scherzer looks to help the Tigers win their fifth consecutive home series.

The right-hander tries again to become the majors' first 18-game winner as the Tigers aim to take this five-game set from the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Fielder hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning and Cabrera delivered the game-winning shot in the ninth to help Detroit (72-51) avoid a third straight defeat to Kansas City with Saturday's 6-5 victory.

After totaling a run and six hits in the previous two games with the Royals (64-58), the Tigers got three hits from Jose Iglesias and two from four others as the AL Central leaders won for the third time in eight contests.

Battling leg, hip and abdominal problems, Cabrera had enough strength to muscle out his 39th home run - five back of major-league leader Chris Davis.

"Every at-bat, every game, you want to do something good, because I think people pay for that,' said Cabrera, who leads the majors with a .358 average and 117 RBIs.

Fielder is 3 for 15 in the series, but two of those hits left the park.

Scherzer (17-1, 2.85 ERA) is the first Tigers pitcher to win 17 of his first 18 decisions, but he had to grind Tuesday while giving up three runs, four hits and striking out six in six innings of a 4-3, 11-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox.

"He wasn't at his best, it's not a secret, but the fact is he made some good pitches," catcher Brayan Pena told the Tigers' official website. "But the fact that (Tuesday) wasn't his best day and he kept us in the ballgame, that says a lot about the guy."

He's 4-0 with a 3.41 ERA in his last five starts versus Kansas City. Scherzer yielded two runs and three hits in seven innings of a 3-2 win at Kauffman Stadium on June 11. That came after he allowed five in five innings of a 7-5 home victory over the Royals on April 24.

Hours after learning infielder Miguel Tejada was suspended for at least the rest of the season for testing positive for an amphetamine, the Royals lost for the fourth time in six games Saturday.

Kansas City might still have a good chance to win its fourth straight road series behind Bruce Chen (5-0, 1.62 ERA), who has allowed four runs in 38 2-3 innings in six starts since joining the rotation last month.

The 36-year-old extended his scoreless stretch to 18 2-3 innings after he allowed three hits in seven frames of a 1-0, 10-inning loss to Miami on Tuesday.

"Hey, a testament to him, he's still out there making pitches," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "He's done a great job for them."

Making his first appearance against the Tigers this season, Chen went 1-4 versus Detroit in 2012 with a 3.52 ERA while receiving an average of 1.17 runs of support.

Back in the Kansas City lineup after missing five games with a strained calf, Mike Moustakas had two hits with an RBI on Saturday. He's batting .236 on the season, but is 6 for 11 in his last three versus Detroit.

Moustakas is 2 for 20 against Scherzer.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Tigers
Thu, Aug 15 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Tigers
Fri, Aug 16 Final 3 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Royals at Tigers
Sat, Aug 17 Final 5 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Royals at Tigers
Sun, Aug 18 - 1:08PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (55-67) at Marlins (46-75)
Game: 3
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: August 18, 2013 1:10 PM EDT


Inclement weather forced Madison Bumgarner to exit his last outing.

The Miami Marlins can claim responsibility each time they've faced him.

Bumgarner attempts to lead the San Francisco Giants to their longest winning streak since early May on Sunday as he takes aim at his first career victory against the Marlins.

Bumgarner (11-7, 2.73) leads San Francisco in wins, strikeouts (154) and innings (158), while compiling the lowest ERA of any member of the rotation.

The left-hander, named to his first All-Star game last month, has been particularly impressive over his last 11 starts, going 6-3 with a 1.80 ERA - 4-1 with a 1.62 ERA in six road games.

Bumgarner had completed seven innings in 10 straight games before a prolonged rain delay ended that run Tuesday, when he was limited to four innings and allowed one run in a 4-2 loss at Washington.

Miami's retractable roof means Bumgarner won't have to worry about a possibility of rain Sunday interrupting his fourth attempt at his first win over the Marlins. He's 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in three career starts, and he surrendered five runs in six innings to lose 5-3 in his only appearance at Marlins Park on May 26, 2012.

The Giants, however, have won three in a row there since, including Saturday's 6-4 victory after opening this three-game series with their best offensive display of the season in a 14-10 victory.

They last swept the Marlins on the road from May 4-6, 2010.

Pablo Sandoval may play a key role if San Francisco is to do it again. The third baseman is 8 for 15 with seven RBIs over his last four road games, getting five hits while driving in five runs in this series.

His hustle sparked a four-run fourth Saturday, when he slid into first for a two-out infield single that scored Brandon Belt.

"It worked, hustle," Sandoval said. "That's a good rally for us. You have to play like that no matter what situation. That's the guy that I am, I play hard every day no matter what the situation is."

Belt had his career-high 11-game hitting streak end after going 0 for 2 Saturday, but he walked twice and scored as many times. He's hitting .413 since Aug. 5 with four homers, four doubles and a triple among his 19 hits.

The Marlins, losers in 10 of their last 13 games, will turn to Tom Koehler (3-8, 4.62), who was terrific in his only career start against the Giants on June 20. He yielded one run and three hits in seven innings of a 2-1 road win.

The rookie right-hander enters this matchup as the loser of back-to-back starts, surrendering eight runs in 10 1-3 innings. However, both of those came on the road, and Koehler won his most recent home game in impressive fashion on Aug. 1, scattering five hits in six innings of a 3-0 win over the Mets.

He had been 0-4 with a 5.97 ERA over his first seven games in Miami - five starts.

Giancarlo Stanton homered Saturday for the first time since July 28, and he's 11 for 31 (.355) with three doubles, four homers and nine RBIs in nine career home meetings with the Giants.

He's also pounded Bumgarner, going 6 for 8 with five doubles.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Marlins
Fri, Aug 16 Final 14 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Marlins
Sat, Aug 17 Final 6 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Giants at Marlins
Sun, Aug 18 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (58-66) at Orioles (66-56)
Game: 3
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: August 18, 2013 1:35 PM EDT


The Baltimore Orioles broke out with their most productive inning at the plate this season to end their losing streak, though they could have a difficult time building on that effort against one of baseball's hottest pitchers.

Jhoulys Chacin will try to lead the Colorado Rockies to their first interleague road series win in more than two years Sunday.

Adam Jones ended a 1-for-18 slump with three hits and Manny Machado stayed hot with two and two RBIs as Baltimore (66-56) scored seven runs in the third inning and snapped its four-game skid with an 8-4 victory Saturday.

"I think people panic a little more outside the clubhouse than we do inside the clubhouse,' said Brian Roberts, who had a two-run double in the third. "We all still feel like we are in pretty good shape.'

Although Machado has gone 7 for 15 in his last three games, the Orioles had hit .226 during their longest losing streak since June 21-24.

They aren't likely to have it easy as they face the red-hot Chacin (11-6, 3.18 ERA). The right-hander is 8-3 in his last 12 starts, with his 2.05 ERA over that span ranking among the lowest in the majors.

He'll try to help Colorado (58-66) win an interleague series on the road for the first time since taking two of three in Cleveland from June 20-22, 2011. The Rockies have dropped 13 of 18 in those contests since that set.

After getting a total of 13 runs from his offense over his previous six starts, Chacin received a career-best 14 from the Rockies in a 14-2 win over San Diego on Monday. He struck out six while giving up one run and five hits over eight innings.

"I think the key is I'm throwing my sinker for a strike, getting down and have to make them swing the bat," Chacin told the league's official website. "So that's what I'm pretty much doing, just throw my fastball for a strike, and then trying to mix in my breaking balls and my changeups."

Chacin has been especially tough on the road, where he's 4-3 with a 1.87 ERA in nine starts. He hasn't yielded a home run in his last eight away from home.

Chacin might not have to deal with J.J. Hardy after the Orioles shortstop was a late scratch Saturday with back spasms.

Baltimore hopes to win for the third time in eight games as it counters with Scott Feldman (2-3, 5.18), who has gone 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in his last three starts - all Oriole losses.

Feldman, though, showed some improvement in his last outing, fanning eight and allowing two runs - one earned - over 5 1-3 innings before Arizona rallied late for a 7-6 victory Monday.

Feldman has been knocked around at Camden Yards since joining the Orioles, going 1-3 with a 7.66 ERA in four starts. He hasn't faced the Rockies since making two relief appearances against them in 2006.

Former Twin Michael Cuddyer has fared well against the right-hander, going 7 for 13 with two homers and three doubles in this matchup. He's also hitting .336 in 33 career games at Camden Yards.

Teammate Wilin Rosario went 2 for 5 Saturday and is batting .385 with 11 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak, while Dexter Fowler is 9 for 20 with six RBIs over his last five games.

The Rockies have been on a roll offensively, averaging 6.5 runs and hitting .316 over their last eight contests.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Orioles
Fri, Aug 16 Final 6 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Orioles
Sat, Aug 17 Final 4 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rockies at Orioles
Sun, Aug 18 - 1:35PM EDT