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**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 09:52 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Jason Heyward broke his jaw when he got hit by a pitch Wednesday, is going to have surgery Thursday.

-- Steelers' rookie RB Le'Veon Bewll has a Lisfranc (foot) injury, is out for at least 6-8 weeks, more if surgery is needed.

-- There were 332 pass interference calls in the NFL LY; 253 on defenses, 79 on the offense.

-- Eight days before opening vs Hawai'i, USC still hasn't announced who its starting QB will be, bad news for Max Wittek, who started twice in 2012.

-- As many as 20 NBA teams will wear uniforms with short sleeves at least some of the time next season.

-- Marlins' TV analyst Tommy Hutton said Giancarlo Stanton "perked up" because his hometown Dodgers came to Miami. The best way for him to get out of Miami would be to "perk up" no matter who the Marlins play.

*****

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: NFL food for thought..........

Football knowledge gained from reading the Football Outsiders’ outstanding book about NFL metrics…….
13) Jacksonville receivers dropped 44 passes LY, most in the NFL; they dropped 7.9% of passes thrown to them. No other NFL team dropped more than 7% of their passes LY.

12) Dallas special teams coach Rich Bisaccia worked for the Chargers in 2011-12; he then left for Auburn, where he spent 22 days as Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coach before taking the Dallas job.

Bisaccia worked with Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli in Tampa Bay.

11) Carolina Panthers started 2-8 each of the first two years of the Cam Newton era; they finished up 4-2/5-1, but that won’t fly this year- they’ll need a decent start to save their coach’s job. Panthers are 2-12 the last two years in games decided by 7 or less points, 11-7 in games decided by 8+ points. Letting John Fox go to hire Ron Rivera reeks of a cheap team that cares more about profit margin than winning.

10) Brandon Marshall was targeted on 40.5% of Chicago’s passes LY, the highest percentage of any receiver since Football Outsiders began tracking this stat in 1991. Part of new coach Marc Trestman’s job has to be to get the Bears’ offense to be more diverse.

9) Falcons’ coach Mike Smith is 11-0 in his head coaching career against rookie head coaches. In four of his five years as Atlanta’s coach, Falcons were in top 3 in NFL in least amount of accepted penalties, a good thing to be good at.

8) Marvin Lewis has done an excellent job in Cincinnati, going 79-84-1, when the three coaches before him went 52-124, but he still hasn’t won a playoff game with the Bengals.

People are shortsighted frontrunners; this Bengals team is expected to make some noise in the playoffs this year. Lewis has done such a good job he’s increased expectations for the Bengals in the Queen City, but in the long run, those expectations might wind up costing him his job.

7) Forbes Magazine, which about such things, says the Dallas Cowboys are the NFL’s most valuable franchise, despite their being 22-26 the last three years and having only one playoff win since 1996. Go figure.

6) Arizona coach Bruce Arians got his first NFL head coaching job at age 60, which hasn’t happened much in the NFL; last guy who got his first NFL head coaching job at age 60+ was former Syracuse coach Dick MacPherson with the Patriots in 1991; he went 8-24 and got shown the door.

5) Part of the reason the Lions were lousy LY was that they recovered only nine of the 33 fumbles in their games; Detroit’s turnover ratio was -16, so if they recover 16 of those fumbles (seven more), they win 2-3 more games.

4) Football Outsiders measure a lot of good stuff; according to them, last season was just the second time since 1996 the Colts had above-average special teams play.

When you look at seven first-time head coaches this season, its really 7.5 or 8, since Chuck Pagano coached far less than a full season last season, after being diagnosed with leukemia, which thankfully he is beating.

3) Buffalo Bills have seven former Syracuse assistants on their staff, including Nathaniel Hackett, whose dad Paul used to be the coach at USC. Pete Carroll replaced the older Hackett as HC of the Trojans.

2) Cleveland QB Brandon Weeden had 24 passes tipped/batted down at the line of scrimmage LY, five more than anyone else.

1) From 1991-2012, 14 teams had a turnover ratio of -20 or worse; 12 of those 14 teams improved the next year, by an average of 3.4 wins/team.

Last year, Chiefs/Eagles were both -24 in turnovers, so they fit here.

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 09:53 AM

NFL preseason primer: Thursday game betting breakdown

Here's a quick look at what to expect in Thursday's two NFL preseason tilts.

New England at Detroit (-2.5, 46)

The Patriots are off to a flawless 2-0 start to the preseason, winning in Philadelphia and at home against Tampa Bay. Like most teams, they're treating this game as a 'dress rehearsal' for the regular season. Tom Brady hinted that the team will play with a sense or purpose on Thursday night at Ford Field. “We’re going on the road, tough environment; we went there a few years ago and didn’t do very well, which we’ve already heard about for three days now,” Brady said. “So we’re going to have to do better than we did the last time.” Guard Logan Mankins said that the team did watch Lions game film on Monday and also had crowd noise pumped in at practice in anticipation of a loud environment in Detroit. Brady has been wearing a knee brace at practice, but is still expected to play through the first half - along with the rest of the starting units. Wide receiver Danny Amendola isn't likely to be on the field, as he has yet to practice this week due to an undisclosed injury.

Detroit won its preseason opener against the Jets but followed it up with a stinker in Cleveland last week. Head coach Jim Schwarz hasn't tipped his hand as to exactly how long starters will play, but has indicated that quarterback Matt Stafford will see at least a half of action. Safety Glover Quin welcomes the challenge of facing Tom Brady and company. "Let me go into the preseason and measure up against the top guys. Tom Brady is considered the top quarterback? That's fine - bring him on, so we can get a live look at, 'Hey, this is where we are as a defense right now. This is where we are as a secondary right now." Wide receiver Calvin Johnson missed practice on Monday and Tuesday due to a bruised knee and remains questionable to play on Thursday. He did say the knee has improved and hopes to suit up. Backup quarterback Shaun Hill is 'nicked up' according to coach Schwarz and could miss Thursday's game as well. That would mean more playing time for third-stringer Kellen Moore.

Carolina at Baltimore (-3, 42)

The Panthers have kept things rather vanilla in their first two preseason tilts but are planning on ramping things up a bit in Baltimore this week. Quarterback Cam Newton expects to see progress against the Ravens. “There are just some things we just need to iron out. But all in all, I think we've moved the ball and executed really well. We can do better and we will do better as this preseason progresses.” In their first year under the guidance of Mike Shula as offensive coordinator, it's not a surprise that the Panthers haven't been willing to tip their hand in exhibition play. Carolina will once again be without running back Jonathan Stewart while fullback Mike Tolbert is still recovering from a hamstring strain. With that in mind, the Panthers can ill afford to over-work DeAngelo Williams. Ted Ginn Jr. is expected to return kicks for the Panthers on Thursday night, getting another shot at the Ravens after facing them as a member of the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Head coach Ron Rivera is taking this game seriously, stating “This is a big week because this is really your trial run."

Like the Panthers, the Ravens are also looking for more production from their starting offense this week. Quarterback Joe Flacco has struggled to get in rhythm with his targets while the ground game has yet to gain much traction at all. With the starters expected to play the entire first half, and possibly even into the third quarter, they'll have ample opportunity to do so on Thursday night. Offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell wants to work new additions, Dallas Clark and Brandon Stokley, into the offense this week. “Hopefully, we’ll get them a few more snaps." Caldwell said on Monday. He also told the Baltimore media that he wants to see improvement from his offense as a whole. “I think it’s very important just for us to play well, more so than anything else. Any unit that takes the field, we want them to go out there and be in sync, move the ball and put some points on the board. We’re looking forward to that.” Baltimore is off to a perfect 2-0 start to the preseason thanks to last week's fourth quarter comeback win against the Falcons.

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 09:53 AM

NFC North preview: Packers too much for division foes?

Chicago Bears (2012: 10-6 SU, 7-9 ATS)

Odds to win division: +350
Season win total: 8.5

Why to bet the Bears: Chicago deserved to make the playoffs last season. They finished with a 10-6 record, and they ranked higher than seven teams that made the playoffs in my power ratings. RB Matt Forte is solid, and the Bears’ defense returned to form last year. That combination will win games for Chicago this season, and if their offensive line comes together, the Bears should earn a playoff spot in 2013.

Why not to bet the Bears: As mentioned above, the offensive line is key to Chicago’s success. The unit still has glaring needs, and it’s been that way for the last few years. The Bears’ offensive line needs stability to keep QB Jay Cutler upright. As with most quarterbacks in the NFL, time is of the essence. And it’s extremely critical for the slow-footed Cutler. The passing game suffered because of the line, and unless they improve, throwing downfield and winning games will be an issue once again.

Season win total pick: Over 8.5

Detroit Lions (2012: 4-12 SU, 6-10 ATS)

Odds to win division: +550
Season win total: 8.0

Why to bet the Lions: Detroit has a positive outlook for 2013 because they actually played more like .500 team last season. The Lions were only out-scored by just over 3 points per game relative to their opponents’ performances. QB Matthew Stafford has already proven he can play at a high level when healthy, and WR Calvin Johnson is one of the game’s best.

Why not to bet the Lions: The Lions’ defense allowed too many points per game (27.3) last season and that put too much pressure on the offense to out-score teams every week. Detroit needs significant defensive improvement to be a winning team. The offensive line was in shambles in 2012, and concern is still there heading into 2013.

Season win total pick: Under 8.0

Green Bay Packers (2012: 11-5 SU, 9-7 ATS)

Odds to win division: -145
Season win total: 10.5

Why to bet the Packers: Green Bay is certainly a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2013. The Packers will once again be a formidable opponent for every team, especially with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. The Packers have won 10 games or more in four consecutive seasons and in five of the last six seasons overall.

Why not to bet the Packers: The Packers struggled early last season; they were just 2-3 after five games. Green Bay has shown a pattern of September sluggishness; the Packers have started with a 2-2 record or worse in four of the last five seasons. The slow starts have cost them to miss the playoffs just once (2008), but they cannot keep relying on getting hot down the stretch each and every year. That is especially true this season as they play my 8th toughest schedule.

Season win total pick: Over 10.5

Minnesota Vikings (2012: 10-6 SU, 8-7-1 ATS)

Odds to win division: +700
Season win total: 7.5

Why to bet the Vikings: RB Adrian Peterson had a monster 2012 for Minnesota. Without him, the Vikings would have been one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Vikings ranked #2 in rushing the ball, and as long as AP stays on the field, Minnesota can be competitive and win ballgames.

Why not to bet the Vikings: Minnesota and QB Christian Ponder ranked No. 31 in passing the football. The Vikings’ defense was mediocre at best overall, but terrible in defending the pass. They were also fortunate as half of their wins (5 of 10) came by 7 points or less while their six losses came by 11.8 points per game. Look for a major regression from the Vikings in 2013, especially since they play in a tough division. Minnesota will be a good team to play-against, especially when they are laying points.

Season win total pick: Under 7.5

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:09 AM

NFL Top 5: Long-shot receiving yardage leaders

A sensational 2012 season has propelled Detroit Lions superstar Calvin Johnson to the top of the prop list for most receiving yards in 2013. Johnson, however, may be hard-pressed to repeat last year's exploits after racking up close to 2,000 yards.

Here are five receivers with an outside chance of topping Johnson and the rest of the NFL's pass-catching fraternity (odds courtesy CarbonSports.ag):

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (+1,800)

Jones had a productive 2012 campaign, finishing with nearly 1,200 receiving yards despite ranking outside the 20 in targets among wide receivers. With Matt Ryan and the Falcons' offense looking to build on a strong offensive showing and safety valve tight end Tony Gonzalez admittedly a step slower in what will be his final season, expect more targets - and yards - for the still-improving Jones.

Wes Welker, Denver Broncos (+1,800)

Welker goes from one future Hall of Fame quarterback to another, leaving Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to join Peyton Manning and the suddenly stacked Denver Broncos. Manning remains a top pivot even in his late-30s, and having Welker in the slot will allow him to opt for shorter passes that should spare his arm some wear and tear - bolstering Welker's stats in the process.

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (+3,000)

With a forgettable season behind him (798 yards, his lowest total since 2004), Fitzgerald enters 2013 with a new quarterback in Carson Palmer and not much competition from the rest of the Cardinals' receiving corps. Fitzgerald remains one of the most athletic wideouts in the league, and at just 29 years old still has several productive seasons ahead of him.

Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers (+5,000)

With No. 1 wideout Michael Crabtree expected to miss the entire season, the burden of leading the San Francisco receiving corps falls on the shoulders of the 32-year-old Boldin. The struggles quarterback Colin Kaepernick has had establishing chemistry with tight end Vernon Davis, coupled with a major lack of viable options behind Boldin, could mean a big year for the long-time Baltimore Ravens star.

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (+6,500)

A high-ankle sprain hampered Brown through the second half of last season, but the fourth-year pro is healthy and entrenched as Ben Roethlisberger's go-to guy. With former top wideout Mike Wallace in Miami, tight end Heath Miller still recovering from an ACL injury and the Pittsburgh running game in shambles to enter the season, Brown should see a fair number of targets.

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:20 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Minnesota at Connecticut
The Sun look to take advantage of a Minnesota team that is 1-3 ATS in its last 4 road games. Connecticut is the pick (+8 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Lynx favored by only 1. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+8 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

Game 601-602: Minnesota at Connecticut (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 112.736; Connecticut 111.823
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1; 158
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 8 1/2; 154 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+8 1/2); Over

WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, August 22

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MINNESOTA (18 - 7) at CONNECTICUT (7 - 17) - 8/22/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 92-61 ATS (+24.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home games against Western conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) after allowing 75 points or more this season.
CONNECTICUT is 12-26 ATS (-16.6 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

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WNBA

Thursday, August 22

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CONNECTICUT
Minnesota is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Connecticut
Connecticut is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Minnesota
Connecticut is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games

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**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:21 AM

CFL
Dunkel

BC at Montreal
The Alouettes look to take advantage of a BC team that is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 road games. Montreal is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Alouettes favored by 4 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-2 1/2). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

Game 291-292: BC at Montreal (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BC 110.441; Montreal 114.815
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 4 1/2; 53
Vegas Line: Montreal by 2 1/2; 58
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-2 1/2); Under

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23

Game 293-294: Calgary at Toronto (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 121.754; Toronto 120.997
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 1; 62
Vegas Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 58
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+2 1/2); Over

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

Game 295-296: Winnipeg at Hamilton (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 106.242; Hamilton 108.902
Dunkel Line: Hamilton by 2 1/2; 56
Vegas Line: Hamilton by 10; 51 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+10); Over

Game 297-298: Saskatchewan at Edmonton (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 114.875; Edmonton 112.831
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 2; 51
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 4; 54 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+4); Under

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 9

Thursday, August 22

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (5 - 2) at MONTREAL (2 - 5) - 8/22/2013, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in road games after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins over the last 2 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 74-51 ATS (+17.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 56-35 ATS (+17.5 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 22-7 ATS (+14.3 Units) in road games in August games since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 35-20 ATS (+13.0 Units) in road games off a win over a division rival since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) in road games in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.
MONTREAL is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.

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

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Friday, August 23

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CALGARY (5 - 2) at TORONTO (5 - 2) - 8/23/2013, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing on a Friday over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 5-0 against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-0 straight up against CALGARY 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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Saturday, August 24

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WINNIPEG (1 - 6) at HAMILTON (3 - 4) - 8/24/2013, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 99-72 ATS (+19.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.

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

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SASKATCHEWAN (6 - 1) at EDMONTON (1 - 6) - 8/24/2013, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) in August games over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in weeks 5 through 9 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 4-3 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 5-2 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 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

BC Lions (5-2) @ Montreal (2-5)—Alouette QB Calvillo left with concussion last week; with this game on short week, unsure if former Ohio State/Ravens backup QB Troy Smith will start or Neiswander, who was 12-30/147 with two INTs subbing for Calvillo in last week’s 24-21 loss to Riders. Lions won five of last six games since losing opener in Calgary, but they’re 1-2 on road, scoring 17-12 points in last two road tilts (average 27 ppg at home)- their only road win is 17-3 at Edmonton. Montreal has interim coach, backup QB and five losses in last six games; they’re 1-3 at home, with all three losses by 8+ points. Teams split season series each of last five years (home teams 9-2 SU), with Lions losing five of last six visits here, last two by 30-26/30-25 scores. Four of last five series games went over total, as have three of last four Alouette games.

Calgary (5-2) @ Toronto (5-2)—Argonauts beat Calgary six times in a row, despite being underdog in all six games; they beat Stamps three times LY, last of which was 35-22 (+1.5) in Grey Cup on this field. Toronto survived wild 36-33 shootout with Eskimos last week, winning despite allowing O’Reilly to pass for 511 yards. Argos didn’t have takeaway last week, after having 14 (+11) in previous five games. Calgary is 2-9 in last 11 visits here, losing last four by 3-2-3-13 points, with all four of those games going over total. Argos won last four games overall, scoring 35+ points in all four; they’re 3-1 at home, with only loss to 6-1 Roughriders. Calgary is 2-2 on road loss at BC last week, which snapped 4-game win streak. Last five Toronto games and five of seven Stampeder games went over the total.

Winnipeg (1-6) @ Hamilton (3-4)—TiCats (-3.5) won 37-18 in Winnipeg last week, outgaining hosts 456-321; Bombers then fired OC Crowton after game, week after they canned their GM. New guy calling plays makes this harder game to call; road team is 7-0 vs spread in Winnipeg games this year. Bombers are 3-0 as road dogs, losing by 5-7 points and winning SU at Montreal. Hamilton is 0-3 vs spread in its temporary home this year; they beat Winnipeg 25-20 (-5.5) here in Week 3, its only win in three games at Guelph- they’ve won last three series games vs Bombers, by 10-5-19 points- five of last seven series games stayed under total. Winnipeg allowed average of 32.2 ppg last five weeks, with three of their last four Winnipeg games going over total. Hamilton is 3-1 when it scores 25+ points, 0-3 when it doesn’t.

Saskatchewan (6-1) @ Edmonton (1-6)—Roughriders (-2.5) snapped 6-game skid on this field with 39-18 win Opening Day, just their third win in last ten series games. After scoring 36.6 ppg in 5-0 pre-bye start, Riders split last two games, scoring 27-24 points, narrowly surviving Alouettes last week in game Calvillo left early (concussion). Saskatchewan is 3-1 on road, winning by 21-11-17 points, losing at Calgary. Eskimos passed for 511 yards last week, still lost 36-33 at Toronto (+9), its fifth straight loss; Argos were 31-36/458 passing, a ridiculous 12.7 yards/attempt. Edmonton is 0-3 at home, allowing 28.7 ppg in losses by 1-14-21 points. Last week was first time this year Roughriders ran ball for less than 145 yards (93). Six of last nine series games went over total, as have six of seven Edmonton games and three of four Roughrider road games.

CFL

Week 9

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Trend Report
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Thursday, August 22

7:30 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
British Columbia is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Montreal's last 9 games at home
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

Friday, August 23

7:30 PM
CALGARY vs. TORONTO
Calgary is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games at home
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

Saturday, August 24

1:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. HAMILTON
Winnipeg is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Winnipeg's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Hamilton's last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
Hamilton is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Winnipeg

4:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Saskatchewan's last 9 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Saskatchewan's last 17 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games

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CFL

Week 9

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Lions at Alouettes: What bettors need to know
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BC Lions at Montreal Alouettes (7, 47.5)

The bad news keeps piling up for the Montreal Alouettes as they try to turn their season around. The Alouettes, who are already missing all-stars such as offensive lineman Scott Flory and slotback Jamel Richardson, will likely be without quarterback Anthony Calvillo when they host the BC Lions on Thursday. Calvillo underwent further concussion testing Monday after leaving last week’s 24-21 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the second quarter and if he is unable to play, Josh Neiswander may start his first CFL game under center.

The Lions travel east after a strong two-game homestand that saw them fend off the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Calgary Stampeders. BC won both games despite quarterback Travis Lulay throwing three interceptions against the Stampeders. Lulay has yet to throw for more than 300 yards in a game this year, leaving the Lions to lean on running back Andrew Harris - third in the league with 765 yards from scrimmage - and their defense to give them a chance to win.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE LIONS (5-2): BC’s defense is led by linebackers Solomon Elimimian (37 tackles, one interception) and Adam Bighill (31 tackles, two sacks). Wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux is Lulay’s favorite target for big plays, recording 440 yards on 22 catches - 20 yards per catch - to go with three touchdowns. Arceneaux had 1,972 yards in his first two CFL seasons before leaving in a failed bid to make the NFL.

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (2-5): Neiswander did not impress when he replaced Calvillo against the Roughriders, completing 12-of-30 passes and throwing two interceptions, meaning Montreal could turn to Troy Smith on Thursday. Smith, who signed a two-year deal with the Alouettes last week, won the Heisman Trophy in 2006 and was named an NFL offensive player of the week while playing for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2010 season. Linebacker Chip Cox leads the league with 56 tackles and also has an interception and two sacks, while fellow linebacker Kyries Hebert has 42 tackles and a team-leading seven sacks.

TRENDS:

* Lions are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
* Under is 7-1-1 in Alouettes last 9 home games.
* Under is 12-3-1 in Lions last 16 games in August.
* Alouettes are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. BC has allowed 23.4 points per game - second-best in the league to Saskatchewan (21.4).

2. The Lions released K Hugh O’Neill last week, electing to stick with 43-year-old Paul McCallum, who has kicked for BC for the last four games.

3. Montreal is 1-3 at home; BC is 1-2 on the road.

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**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:24 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Atlanta at St. Louis
The Cardinals look to take advantage of an Atlanta team that is 1-5 in Paul Maholm's last 6 road starts. St. Louis is the pick (-150) according to Dunkel, which has the Cardinals favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-150). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

Game 951-952: Arizona at Cincinnati (12:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Cahill) 15.639; Cincinnati (Latos) 17.206
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-170); 8
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-170); Under

Game 953-954: LA Dodgers at Miami (12:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 15.400; Miami (Alvarez) 16.383
Dunkel Line: Miami by 1; 7
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-250); 6
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+210); Over

Game 955-956: Washington at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Strasburg) 15.402; Cubs (Wood) 13.174
Dunkel Line: Washington by 2; 6
Vegas Line: Washington (-160); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-110); N/A

Game 957-958: Colorado at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Bettis) 15.250; Philadelphia (Kendrick) 14.215
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+115); Over

Game 959-960: Atlanta at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Maholm) 15.249; St. Louis (Kelly) 16.783
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-150); Under

Game 961-962: Pittsburgh at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Locke) 15.122; San Francisco (Cain) 14.168
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 8
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-125); 7
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+105); Over

Game 963-964: Toronto at NY Yankees (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Happ) 15.393; NY Yankees (Pettitte) 14.414
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 10
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-165); 9
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+145); Over

Game 965-966: Minnesota at Detroit (7:08 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Albers) 14.336; Detroit (Verlander) 16.180
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 2; 7
Vegas Line: Detroit (-240); 8
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-240); Under

Game 967-968: Chicago White Sox at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Quintana) 16.676; Kansas City (Shields) 15.394
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-170); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (+150); Over

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:26 AM

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, August 22

National League

Arizona at Cincinnati, 12:35 ET MLB
Cahill: Under is 10-5 when Diamondbacks play a road series finale during the day in 2013
Latos: Reds 9-1 SU when Latos starts a home day game

Los Angeles Dodgers at Miami, 12:40 ET
Kershaw: Under is 6-1 last five times Dodgers have played a road day game
Alvarez: Marlins 3-6 SU when Alvarez starts

Washington at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 ET
Strasburg: Nationals 10-3 SU when Strasburg starts a road day game
Wood: Under is 11-4 in home starts for Wood in 2013

Colorado at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Bettis: Rockies 2-6 SU in last eight road series finales
Kendrick: Over is 10-3 in home starts for Kendrick in 2013

Atlanta at St. Louis, 8:15 ET
Maholm: Over is 9-1 in last 10 road starts for Maholm
Kelly: Cardinals 13-5 SU in first game of a 2013 home series

Pittsburgh at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
Locke: Pirates 2-8 when Locke starts a road night game
Cain: Over is 9-3-2 when Cain has started at home in 2013

American League

Toronto at New York Yankees, 1:05 ET
Happ: Over is 5-2 in last seven Blue Jays road day games
Pettitte: Yankees 14-2 SU last 16 times Pettitte has started a home day game

Minnesota at Detroit, 1:08 ET
Albers: Under is 18-9 when Twins play a road day game in 2013
Verlander: Tigers 9-3 SU in last 12 home series finales

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 8:10 ET MLB
Quintana: Under is 5-2 in last seven road starts for Quintana
Shields: Royals 12-3 SU in last 15 starts for Shields

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:28 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, August 22

Hot pitchers
-- Latos is 4-1, 1.98 in his last six starts.
-- Kershaw is 4-1, 1.40 in his last six starts.
-- Strasburg is 1-0, 2.12 in his last three starts.
-- You're reading ***************.com
-- Kelly is 4-0, 1.78 in his last six starts.
-- Cain is 3-2, 2.41 in his last six starts.

-- Happ is 1-0, 2.19 in his last couple starts.
-- Verlander is 2-1, 2.48 in his last four starts. Albers is 2-1, 1.85 in his first three MLB starts.
-- You're reading ***************.com.
-- Shields is 4-1, 3.27 in his last five starts. Quintana is 3-2, 3.50 in his last six.

Cold pitchers
-- Cahill is 1-2, 8.79 in his last three starts.
-- Alvarez is 0-1, 4.95 in his last three starts.
-- Wood is 0-3, 5.09 in his last four starts.
-- Kendrick is 1-4, 8.51 in his last five starts. Bettis is 0-2, 8.20 in his first four MLB starts.
-- Maholm is 0-2, 10.80 in his last three starts, last of which was July 20.
-- Locke is 0-2, 6.93 in his last five starts.

-- Pettitte is 1-3, 5.18 in his last six 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........
-- Cahill 4-18 (1 of last 8); Latos 8-25 (0 of last 6)
-- Kershaw 3-26 (0 of last 6); Alvarez 1-8
-- Strasburg 6-24 (1 of last 6); Wood 3-25
-- Bettis 3-4; Kendrick 10-25 (3 of last 4)
-- Maholm 6-20 (3 of last 4); Kelly 0-8
-- Locke 5-24; Cain 7-25 (0 of last 6)

-- Happ 2-10; Pettitte 10-22 (8 of last 9)
-- Albers 1-3; Verlander 7-25
-- Quintana 9-25; Shields 11-25

Totals
-- Over is 4-1-2 in last seven Arizona games.
-- Five of last six Miami games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last ten Philly games stayed under total.
-- Last three St Louis games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight San Francisco games.

-- Eight of last ten Toronto games stayed under total.
-- Under is 11-3-2 in last sixteen Minnesota games.
-- Under is 8-2-2 in last twelve Kansas City games.

Hot teams
-- Reds won eight of their last eleven games. Arizona won six of its last nine.
-- Dodgers are 44-10 in their last 54 games.
-- Nationals won eight of their last twelve games.
-- Phillies won three of their last four games.
-- Braves won five of their last seven games. St Louis won seven of last ten.

-- Bronx Bombers won nine of their last eleven games.
-- Detroit won three of its last four games.
-- White Sox won their last five games, scoring 25 runs.

Cold teams
-- Miami lost six of its last seven home games.
-- Cubs lost eight of their last nine games.
-- Colorado lost four of its last five games.
-- Pirates lost eight of last eleven games. Giants are 4-6 in their last ten.

-- Blue Jays lost ten of their last fourteen games.
-- Minnesota lost seven of its last ten games.
-- Kansas City lost seven of its last nine games.

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:31 AM

MLB

Thursday, August 22

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Trend Report
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12:35 PM
ARIZONA vs. CINCINNATI
Arizona is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Cincinnati
Arizona is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Arizona
Cincinnati is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games

12:40 PM
LA DODGERS vs. MIAMI
LA Dodgers are 21-3 SU in their last 24 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of LA Dodgers's last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers
Miami is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers

1:05 PM
TORONTO vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Toronto

1:08 PM
MINNESOTA vs. DETROIT
Minnesota is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Minnesota's last 16 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Detroit's last 10 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota

2:20 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Washington's last 13 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Washington is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Chi Cubs's last 13 games when playing at home against Washington
Chi Cubs are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing Washington

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

8:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. KANSAS CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chi White Sox's last 9 games on the road
Chi White Sox are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Kansas City
Kansas City is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City's last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox

8:15 PM
ATLANTA vs. ST. LOUIS
Atlanta is 20-4 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 8 of St. Louis's last 11 games when playing Atlanta

10:15 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Pittsburgh is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
San Francisco is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh

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**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:38 AM

MLB

Thursday, August 22

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Thursday's MLB betting notes and tips
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NATIONAL

Arizona Diamondbacks at Cincinnati Reds (-173, 8)

Cold pitching stat: The road hasn't been kind to Diamondbacks right-hander Trevor Cahill, who is 3-6 with a 5.60 ERA in nine starts away from Arizona.

Hot batting stat: Arizona OF Jason Kubel has just two hits in eight at-bats against Cincinnati starter Mat Latos, but both are home runs.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 55 percent chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Wind will blow out to left field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 6-1-3 in Latos' last 10 starts against a National League West opponent.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Miami Marlins (+215, 6)

Hot pitching stat: Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw has surrendered just one earned run on six hits over his previous two starts, striking out 16 while walking just three in that span.

Cold batting stat: Marlins rookie OF Jake Marisnick is just 4-for-25 with eight strikeouts against left-handed pitching.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-80s, but with a 40 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms, the roof at Marlins Park may be closed. Wind will blow from right to left field at 11 mph.

Key betting note: The Dodgers have won 17 of Kershaw's last 22 starts against the NL East.

Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs (+150, OFF)

Hot pitching stat: Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg has surrendered one earned run in 12 career innings against the Cubs.

Cold batting stat: The three Washington hitters who have faced Chicago starter Travis Wood (Scott Hairston, Jayson Werth, Adam LaRoche) are a combined 1-for-15 against him.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 13 mph.

Key betting note: Road teams are 6-0 in umpire Tim Timmons' last six games behind home plate.

Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies (-130, 9)

Cold pitching stat: Philadelphia right-hander Kyle Kendrick was shelled in his last appearance against the Rockies, charged with seven runs on 10 hits over 4 1/3 innings in a game the Phillies won 8-7.

Hot batting stat: Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki is hitting .320 with 18 home runs in 244 at-bats against right-handers.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with a 45 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out toward right field at 4 mph.

Key betting note: Colorado has won just three of its last 17 Thursday games.

Atlanta Braves at St. Louis Cardinals (-136, 8)

Cold pitching stat: Braves right-hander Paul Maholm struggled prior to going on the DL with a wrist injury, losing three straight starts while allowing 16 runs over 13 1/3 innings in that span.

Hot hitting stat: Cardinals OF Carlos Beltran is 9-for-24 with two home runs and six RBIs in his career against Maholm.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-80s with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from left to right field at 2 mph.

Key betting note: The over is 12-2-2 in Maholm's last 16 starts.

Pittsburgh Pirates at San Francisco Giants (-124, 7)

Cold pitching stat: Giants right-hander Matt Cain has allowed 19 home runs over his first 25 starts; he surrendered 21 all of last season, and just nine in 2011.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Pittsburgh roster are hitting a collective .162 with one home run in 130 at-bats against Cain.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to left field at 9 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 14-3-1 in Pirates left-hander Jeff Locke's last 18 starts against a team with a losing record.

AMERICAN

Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees (-159, 9)

Cold pitching stat: Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ is 2-0 but has an unsightly 5.16 ERA and has surrendered four home runs in 22 2/3 career innings against New York.

Cold batting stat: Recent Yankees acquisition Mark Reynolds is 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in his career against Happ.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 30 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to left field at 9 mph.

Key betting stat: The Blue Jays have won eight of their last 10 games with umpire Mike DiMuro behind home plate.

Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers (-240, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Twins rookie right-hander Andrew Albers has a 0.66 WHIP while limiting opposing hitters to a .169 average over his first three major-league starts.

Cold batting stat: Minnesota C Ryan Doumit is hitless with three strikeouts in 11 career at-bats against Detroit starter Justin Verlander.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 70 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from right to left field at 11 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 12-2-2 in Verlander's last 16 starts during the third game of a series.

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals (-168, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Royals right-hander James Shields had one of his strongest outings of the season in his last encounter with the White Sox, tossing seven shutout innings in a 5-1 win on July 26.

Hot batting stat: Kansas City 3B Mike Moustakas has dominated Chicago starter Jose Quintana in his career, going 7-for-16 with a pair of homers.

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

Key betting note: Chicago is 1-7 in Quintana's last eight road starts against teams with winning records.

** Odds, probable starters and weather forecast as of 7:33 p.m. ET Wednesday

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

**Udog** · 08-22-2013, 10:54 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, August 22

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ARIZONA (65 - 60) at CINCINNATI (72 - 55) - 12:35 PM
TREVOR CAHILL (R) vs. MAT LATOS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 171-123 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 171-123 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LATOS is 23-7 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LATOS is 23-7 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 40-34 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
CAHILL is 47-37 (+17.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 328-354 (-90.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 3-3 (+0.3 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

TREVOR CAHILL vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
No recent starts.

MAT LATOS vs. ARIZONA since 1997
LATOS is 3-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.89 and a WHIP of 1.191.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.3 units)

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

LA DODGERS (74 - 52) at MIAMI (48 - 77) - 12:40 PM
CLAYTON KERSHAW (L) vs. HENDERSON ALVAREZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 23-24 (+7.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
MIAMI is 11-5 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in home games in day games this season.
MIAMI is 335-377 (+43.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
LA DODGERS are 74-52 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 131-89 (+25.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 37-27 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA DODGERS are 17-3 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
LA DODGERS are 49-33 (+15.4 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 71-52 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 51-33 (+11.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 44-29 (+9.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
LA DODGERS are 38-16 (+15.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
LA DODGERS are 21-6 (+13.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
KERSHAW is 21-5 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MIAMI is 117-170 (-34.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 97-126 (-35.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 116-166 (-31.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 64-103 (-27.5 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 42-70 (-26.3 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 4-2 (+1.5 Units) against MIAMI this season
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.4 Units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. MIAMI since 1997
KERSHAW is 4-1 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 2.38 and a WHIP of 0.888.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-1. (+3.0 units)

HENDERSON ALVAREZ vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
No recent starts.

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

WASHINGTON (62 - 64) at CHICAGO CUBS (54 - 72) - 2:20 PM
STEPHEN STRASBURG (R) vs. TRAVIS WOOD (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 62-64 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 20-24 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
WASHINGTON is 62-64 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 30-31 (-9.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
STRASBURG is 9-15 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 9-15 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 3-8 (-8.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 20-12 (+12.9 Units) against the money line after allowing 10 runs or more over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 115-173 (-33.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 25-40 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 13-35 (-17.6 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 23-36 (-10.5 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 25-40 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 81-128 (-29.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 648-640 (-148.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 3-3 (+1.8 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

STEPHEN STRASBURG vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
STRASBURG is 0-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 0.75 and a WHIP of 1.083.
His team's record is 1-1 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

TRAVIS WOOD vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
No recent starts.

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COLORADO (59 - 69) at PHILADELPHIA (56 - 70) - 7:05 PM
CHAD BETTIS (R) vs. KYLE KENDRICK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 123-167 (-31.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 57-77 (-25.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 161-234 (-52.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
COLORADO is 139-249 (-58.8 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 since 1997.
COLORADO is 2-12 (-13.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday this season.
COLORADO is 196-255 (-60.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 28-33 (-12.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
KENDRICK is 65-46 (+20.4 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 56-70 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 72-71 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 56-70 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 25-33 (-14.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-3 (+0.2 Units) against COLORADO this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

CHAD BETTIS vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
No recent starts.

KYLE KENDRICK vs. COLORADO since 1997
KENDRICK is 3-3 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 6.08 and a WHIP of 1.631.
His team's record is 6-4 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-1. (+7.9 units)

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ATLANTA (77 - 49) at ST LOUIS (73 - 53) - 8:15 PM
PAUL MAHOLM (L) vs. JOE KELLY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MAHOLM is 11-29 (-17.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MAHOLM is 0-11 (-11.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MAHOLM is 10-28 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MAHOLM is 17-32 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 201-132 (+47.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
ATLANTA is 77-49 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 76-48 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 119-74 (+28.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 106-65 (+25.2 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 26-14 (+11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 14-19 (-11.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 36-35 (-11.6 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
ST LOUIS is 58-68 (-24.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-0 (+3.1 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

PAUL MAHOLM vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
MAHOLM is 4-7 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.06 and a WHIP of 1.481.
His team's record is 8-10 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 11-6. (+4.4 units)

JOE KELLY vs. ATLANTA since 1997
KELLY is 0-0 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.580.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (74 - 52) at SAN FRANCISCO (56 - 70) - 10:15 PM
JEFF LOCKE (L) vs. MATT CAIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 28-49 (-23.1 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 35-41 (-17.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 223-139 (+50.3 Units) against the money line in home games against left-handed starters since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 74-52 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 28-19 (+10.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
PITTSBURGH is 32-30 (+8.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 74-52 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 49-29 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 62-40 (+25.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PITTSBURGH is 31-20 (+12.1 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
PITTSBURGH is 45-22 (+21.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 56-70 (-25.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 24-32 (-16.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 31-33 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 17-22 (-13.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 16-25 (-20.1 Units) against the money line in home games in August games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 55-66 (-22.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 34-44 (-16.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 27-41 (-20.7 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
CAIN is 1-7 (-9.2 Units) against the money line in home games in August games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.1 Units)

JEFF LOCKE vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
No recent starts.

MATT CAIN vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
CAIN is 3-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.79 and a WHIP of 1.020.
His team's record is 7-3 (+2.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-5. (-0.7 units)

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TORONTO (57 - 70) at NY YANKEES (67 - 59) - 1:05 PM
J.A. HAPP (L) vs. ANDY PETTITTE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 57-70 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 21-36 (-13.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
TORONTO is 84-118 (-22.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 8-23 (-14.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NY YANKEES are 67-59 (+5.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY YANKEES are 101-56 (+31.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 11-1 (+10.2 Units) against TORONTO this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.6 Units)

J.A. HAPP vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
HAPP is 2-0 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.16 and a WHIP of 1.279.
His team's record is 2-2 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+1.9 units)

ANDY PETTITTE vs. TORONTO since 1997
PETTITTE is 18-12 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 4.30 and a WHIP of 1.399.
His team's record is 23-15 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 14-20. (-9.1 units)

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MINNESOTA (55 - 70) at DETROIT (74 - 52) - 1:05 PM
ANDREW ALBERS (L) vs. JUSTIN VERLANDER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 20-42 (-13.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MINNESOTA is 32-34 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 15-12 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in road games in day games this season.
MINNESOTA is 54-64 (+5.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 41-42 (+21.2 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 169-132 (-16.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 161-126 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 49-45 (-18.9 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 41-33 (-13.2 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
VERLANDER is 9-11 (-11.6 Units) against the money line after a win this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 6-9 (+1.2 Units) against DETROIT this season
10 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+6.5 Units)

ANDREW ALBERS vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
VERLANDER is 14-7 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.04 and a WHIP of 1.229.
His team's record is 16-9 (+4.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 14-9. (+4.9 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (51 - 74) at KANSAS CITY (64 - 61) - 8:10 PM
JOSE QUINTANA (L) vs. JAMES SHIELDS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 51-74 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 23-42 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 20-36 (-15.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 49-69 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 30-48 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 39-56 (-14.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 8-27 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 347-340 (+34.9 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997.
CHI WHITE SOX are 105-85 (+29.8 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 7-7 (+1.2 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
11 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+7.7 Units)

JOSE QUINTANA vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
QUINTANA is 0-2 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.96 and a WHIP of 1.431.
His team's record is 2-4 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-2. (+1.6 units)

JAMES SHIELDS vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SHIELDS is 5-4 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 3.99 and a WHIP of 1.330.
His team's record is 9-7 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-8. (-0.8 units)

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Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 8/22 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 8/22 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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