The Bum's Major League Baseball Best Bets-News,Trends For April

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday, April 10

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Oakland - 1:10 PM ET Minnesota +122 500 *****
Minnesota - Over 8.5 500

Pittsburgh - 2:20 PM ET Pittsburgh -125 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Chi. Cubs - Over 7.5 500

Miami - 4:05 PM ET Miami +198 500 *****
Washington - Over 7.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Josh Hamilton hurt his thumb, is out 6-8 weeks. Bad news for the Angels.

-- Wisconsin-Milwaukee got a lousy APR score, is ineligible for postseason play this year, after winning the Horizon tournament last month.

-- Victor Martinez caught for the first time this year, hit game-winning homer in 10th inning as Detroit outlasted the Dodgers 7-6 in LA.

-- Pacers won at Milwaukee despite sitting their starters, taking top seed in East back since Miami lost in Memphis.

-- Atlanta held off the Mets 4-3; Ervin Santana was impressive in his first start in the National League.

-- There are 24 first-time entrants at The Masters this year. A lot.

*****

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but........

13) An unnamed baseball executive floated the idea of seven-inning major league games with Buster Olney this week; this is similar to the idea Charlie Finley had 45 years ago, when he suggested a walk be three balls and a strikeout two strikes.

Myself? I like baseball the way it is; if you want to shorten games, cut out some of the TV commercials (egads!?!?!?) or don’t let managers/pitching coaches go to the mound to visit pitchers. Those two things along would make a big difference.

12) NFL can't possibly think people get excited about the release of their preseason schedule; its the regular season schedule we want. Hopefully within ten days.

11) Nets went 4-0 vs Miami this season, with three wins by a single point; they are only third team in NBA history to beat the same team three times by a point in the same season. Brooklyn-Miami playoff series would be very interesting.

10) Weather Channel is back on DirecTV; not even sure why it was off, but they had some other bogus weather channel on in its place. I use my IPhone for the weather now. Groundskeepers in Oakland should watch Weather Channel, so they know when to cover the field. You know, in case it rains.

9) UConn was 100-1 to win the national championship on Selection Sunday.

Speaking of UConn, Ryan Boatright got offered a scholarship by USC…….when he was in 8th grade. Former coach Tim Floyd (now at UTEP) has a sharp eye, knew the kid was going to be a real good player.

8) Marlins’ pitcher Jacob Turner got scratched from his Wednesday start and is on the DL because he hurt his shoulder during batting practice Tuesday. Turner is 4-51 at the plate in the majors. Oy.

7) Lakers scored 130 points Tuesday…..and lost by 15.

6) Speaking of the Lakers, Marshall hasn’t named its new basketball coach, fueling speculation it’ll be Marshall alum Mike D’Antoni, once the Lakers can him at the end of the regular season. One of the Herd’s better players wants to transfer, but the school won’t release him, probably figuring D’Antoni will be able to re-recruit the kid, once he gets to Huntington.

5) Pirate closer Jason Grilli’s agent is former big league slugger Gary Sheffield. Really, Sheffield is an agent now.

4) Nike increased the prices of its most expensive NFL jerseys, the ones closest to what the players wear, from $250 to $295. The less expensive replica jerseys are staying the same price- they actually sell more of those.

3) You can get 80-1 in Las Vegas that Phil Mickelson will get a hole-in-one this week at Augusta; that seems low to me, but that’s the number.

2) Ryan Braun has 23 RBI in 21 career games at Citizens Bank ballpark in Philly. He had seven RBI in Tuesday’s game. Brewers are already 5-0 on the road.

1) Speaking of three-HR games, Hank Aaron only had one in his brilliant career, against the Giants in 1959, at old Seals Stadium.

He also never hit 50 homers in a season; hard to believe, but true.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Cleveland at Chicago White Sox
The Indians (5-4) head to Chicago tonight to face a White Sox team that is 2-9 in John Danks' last 11 home starts against a team with a winning record. Cleveland is the pick (-115) according to Dunkel, which has the Indians favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-115). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10

Game 901-902: Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Cole) 15.842; Cubs (Wood) 14.748
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-130); No Total
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-130); N/A

Game 903-904: Miami at Washington (4:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Koehler) 14.674; Washington (Strasburg) 16.173
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington (-225); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-225); Under

Game 905-906: Milwaukee at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Estrada) 14.436; Philadelphia (Lee) 15.892
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-125); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-125); Under

Game 907-908: NY Mets at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Mejia) 15.131; Atlanta (Hale) 14.277
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-140); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+120); Over

Game 909-910: Arizona at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Delgado) 15.250; San Francisco (Vogelsong) 14.186
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 9
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-140); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+120); Over

Game 911-912: Oakland at Minnesota (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Straily) 16.710; Minnesota (Pelfrey) 14.144
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 2 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Oakland (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-145); Under

Game 913-914: Boston at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Buchholz) 15.856; NY Yankees (Pineda) 13.634
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 9
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+100); Over

Game 915-916: Houston at Toronto (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Keuchel) 12.420; Toronto (Dickey) 14.978
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Toronto (-225); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-225); Under

Game 917-918: Cleveland at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Salazar) 15.699; White Sox (Danks) 14.104
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-115); 8
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-115); Under

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, April 10

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PITTSBURGH (5 - 3) at CHICAGO CUBS (3 - 5) - 2:20 PM
GERRIT COLE (R) vs. TRAVIS WOOD (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 102-74 (+25.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 46-40 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 53-37 (+15.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 102-74 (+25.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 44-28 (+16.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 57-33 (+17.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 130-202 (-42.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 33-53 (-21.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 27-54 (-18.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 20-34 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 33-53 (-21.2 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 45-77 (-25.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 22-46 (-22.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
WOOD is 16-30 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
WOOD is 2-10 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WOOD is 16-30 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 3-2 (+0.4 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

GERRIT COLE vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
COLE is 2-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.08 and a WHIP of 1.231.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

TRAVIS WOOD vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
WOOD is 3-5 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.40 and a WHIP of 1.091.
His team's record is 3-6 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-3. (+2.7 units)

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MIAMI (5 - 4) at WASHINGTON (6 - 2) - 4:05 PM
TOM KOEHLER (R) vs. STEPHEN STRASBURG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 86-138 (-38.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 29-10 (+17.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
STRASBURG is 0-6 (-8.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

TOM KOEHLER vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
KOEHLER is 1-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 6.55 and a WHIP of 1.364.
His team's record is 1-1 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

STEPHEN STRASBURG vs. MIAMI since 1997
STRASBURG is 6-3 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 3.91 and a WHIP of 1.178.
His team's record is 9-5 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-6. (-0.2 units)

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MILWAUKEE (6 - 2) at PHILADELPHIA (3 - 5) - 7:05 PM
MARCO ESTRADA (R) vs. CLIFF LEE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 8-21 (-15.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
LEE is 30-11 (+18.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday since 1997. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 58-54 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 157-175 (-39.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 98-102 (-34.6 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 157-172 (-36.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 54-71 (-22.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 40-53 (-23.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LEE is 6-12 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.2 Units)

MARCO ESTRADA vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
ESTRADA is 0-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 9.00 and a WHIP of 2.444.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

CLIFF LEE vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
LEE is 1-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 4.65 and a WHIP of 1.283.
His team's record is 4-3 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-5. (-4.0 units)

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NY METS (3 - 5) at ATLANTA (5 - 3) - 7:10 PM
JENRRY MEJIA (R) vs. DAVID HALE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 96-57 (+25.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 42-41 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 12-3 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 42-41 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 1-1 (+0.2 Units) against ATLANTA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

JENRRY MEJIA vs. ATLANTA since 1997
MEJIA is 0-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 7.20 and a WHIP of 1.600.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

DAVID HALE vs. NY METS since 1997
No recent starts.

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ARIZONA (3 - 8) at SAN FRANCISCO (6 - 3) - 10:15 PM
RANDALL DELGADO (R) vs. RYAN VOGELSONG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 50-35 (+14.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 965-804 (+113.1 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
VOGELSONG is 33-21 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
VOGELSONG is 32-21 (+14.7 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 34-45 (-22.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 4-2 (+1.9 Units) against ARIZONA this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.0 Units)

RANDALL DELGADO vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
DELGADO is 1-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 0.96 and a WHIP of 0.750.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-0. (+3.0 units)

RYAN VOGELSONG vs. ARIZONA since 1997
VOGELSONG is 2-3 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 4.68 and a WHIP of 1.509.
His team's record is 4-6 (-2.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-6. (-2.6 units)

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OAKLAND (5 - 3) at MINNESOTA (3 - 5) - 1:10 PM
DANIEL STRAILY (R) vs. MIKE PELFREY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 103-72 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 50-27 (+21.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 91-77 (+27.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 100-68 (+20.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 132-92 (+41.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 120-78 (+39.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 94-57 (+25.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 63-101 (-34.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 32-58 (-24.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 76-96 (-38.3 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Thursday since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 213-228 (-52.1 Units) against the money line in home games in day games since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 63-101 (-34.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 44-71 (-24.6 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 16-35 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 10-34 (-21.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

DANIEL STRAILY vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
STRAILY is 0-0 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.17 and a WHIP of 1.058.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. OAKLAND since 1997
PELFREY is 0-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 21.00 and a WHIP of 3.000.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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BOSTON (4 - 5) at NY YANKEES (4 - 5) - 7:05 PM
CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R) vs. MICHAEL PINEDA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 112-75 (+21.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BUCHHOLZ is 17-4 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 14-4 (+10.6 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 15-3 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 26-11 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
BUCHHOLZ is 5-5 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.32 and a WHIP of 1.601.
His team's record is 5-7 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-6. (-2.0 units)

MICHAEL PINEDA vs. BOSTON since 1997
PINEDA is 0-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 14.55 and a WHIP of 2.079.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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HOUSTON (3 - 6) at TORONTO (5 - 4) - 7:05 PM
DALLAS KEUCHEL (L) vs. R.A. DICKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 109-223 (-58.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 24-64 (-27.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 33-82 (-27.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 17-68 (-33.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.0 Units)

DALLAS KEUCHEL vs. TORONTO since 1997
KEUCHEL is 1-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.77 and a WHIP of 1.256.
His team's record is 1-1 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

R.A. DICKEY vs. HOUSTON since 1997
DICKEY is 2-2 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.15 and a WHIP of 1.238.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.4 units)

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CLEVELAND (5 - 4) at CHI WHITE SOX (4 - 5) - 8:10 PM
DANNY SALAZAR (R) vs. JOHN DANKS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 97-75 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 94-72 (+22.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 61-26 (+30.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 67-104 (-33.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 23-51 (-27.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 9-23 (-16.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 29-53 (-22.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 65-99 (-30.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 40-68 (-24.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 34-67 (-30.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
DANKS is 3-12 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997. (Team's Record)
DANKS is 24-37 (-21.1 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)

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

DANNY SALAZAR vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SALAZAR is 1-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 2.00 and a WHIP of 1.444.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

JOHN DANKS vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
DANKS is 4-9 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 5.07 and a WHIP of 1.379.
His team's record is 7-11 (-4.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-9. (-2.0 units)

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, April 10

Hot pitchers
-- Cole is 6-1, 1.84 in his last seven starts.
-- Koehler is 3-0, 2.13 in his last four starts.
-- Estrada is 1-0, 1.89 in his last five starts. Lee is 5-2, 3.00 in his last seven.
-- Hale is 1-0, 0.56 in three MLB starts. Mejia is 2-2, 2.70 in his last six starts.

-- Pineda has a 2.70 RA but no wins in his last two starts.
-- Dickey is 3-2, 3.44 in his last five starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Wood is 0-2, 4.43 in his last four starts.
-- Strasburg is 0-1, 8.71 in two starts this season.
-- Delgado is 1-3, 8.34 in his last five starts. Vogelsong is 1-2, 6.75 in his last six outings.

-- Pelfrey is 0-4, 7.30 in his last five starts. Straily is 0-2, 4.44 in his last four.
-- Buchholz is 0-0, 6.12 in his last five starts.
-- Keuchel is 1-3, 7.76 in his last five starts.
-- Salazar is 1-2, 4.71 in his last four starts. Danks is 0-4, 7.62 in his last five.

Totals
-- Last three Cub games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Miami games stayed under the total.
-- Last three Philly games went over the total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Atlanta games.
-- Eight of last ten Arizona games went over total.

-- All eight Minnesota games went over total.
-- Seven of nine Boston games stayed under total.
-- Three of last four Keuchel road starts went over.
-- Six of nine White Sox games went over the total.

Hot teams
-- Nationals won their last three games.
-- Brewers won their last five games, all on the road.
-- Braves won five of their last seven games.
-- Five of last seven San Francisco games went over.

-- A's won four of their last five games.
-- Blue Jays won three of their last four games.
-- Indians are 3-0 in series openers.

Cold teams
-- Marlins lost their last three games.
-- Phillies lost five of their last seven games.
-- Mets lost five of their first eight games.
-- Arizona lost five of its seven road games.

-- Twins lost five of their last eight games.
-- Astros lost six of their last seven games.
-- Red Sox lost four of their last six games
-- White Sox lost five of their last seven games.

Umpires
-- Pitt-Chi-- Road team won nine of last eleven Carlson games.
-- Mia-Wsh-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Davidson games.
-- Mil-Phil-- Under is 16-4-1 in last 21 Nauert games.
-- NY-Atl-- Six of last nine Cederstrom games stayed under.
-- Az-SF-- Under is 9-1-1 in last ten Culbreth games.

-- A's-Min-- Four of last five Hamari games stayed under.
-- Hst-Tor-- Under is 6-3-2 in last eleven Wendelstedt games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Thursday, April 10

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Trend Report
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1:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. MINNESOTA
Oakland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Oakland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games
Minnesota is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Oakland

2:20 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CHI CUBS
Pittsburgh is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Chi Cubs's last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Chi Cubs's last 25 games when playing Pittsburgh

4:05 PM
MIAMI vs. WASHINGTON
Miami is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Miami's last 10 games when playing Washington
Washington is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home
Washington is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

7:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 8 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

7:05 PM
BOSTON vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
Boston is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of NY Yankees's last 10 games at home

7:07 PM
HOUSTON vs. TORONTO
Houston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 8 games at home
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston

7:10 PM
NY METS vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of NY Mets's last 15 games
NY Mets are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 8 games

8:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Cleveland's last 23 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Chi White Sox's last 19 games
Chi White Sox are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland

10:15 PM
ARIZONA vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Arizona is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 5 games
San Francisco is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Thursday, April 10

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday's MLB betting cheat sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

American League

Oakland Athletics at Minnesota Twins (120, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey has allowed seven runs in three career innings versus the Athletics.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Minnesota roster are just 1-for-14 against Oakland righty Dan Straily.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with clear skies and wind blowing out to right-center field at 15 mph.

Key betting note: Twins are 1-6 in Pelfrey's last seven starts.


Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (105, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Red Sox southpaw Clay Buchholz limited left-handed hitters to a .187 average in 2013.

Cold batting stat: Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner is 2-for-17 lifetime versus Buchholz.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s under clear skies with wind blowing from right to left field at 12 mph.

Key betting note: Boston has won six of the last seven meetings.


Houston Astros at Toronto Blue Jays (-205, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey allowed five runs on six innings in his only start against Houston last season.

Cold batting stat: Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is hitless in seven lifetime at-bats against Dickey.

Weather: N/A

Key betting note: Astros are 5-21 in their last 26 Thursday games.


Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox (105, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Indians right-hander Danny Salazar went 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in nine innings against Chicago last year.

Hot batting stat: White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez has four hits - all singles - in five career at-bats versus Salazar.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-40s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing out to left-center field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: Indians are 4-1 in Salazar's last five starts versus the American League Central.



National League

Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs (OFF)

Hot pitching stat: Cubs left-hander Travis Wood limited Pittsburgh to three runs over 18 innings last season.

Cold batting stat: Pittsburgh slugger Pedro Alvarez is 1-for-15 with six strikeouts against Wood.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with a 67 percent chance of rain and wind blowing from left to right field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: Pirates are 7-1 in right-hander Gerrit Cole's last eight starts.


Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals (-240, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: The Nationals are 8-2 in right-hander Stephen Strasburg's last 10 starts.

Hot batting stat: Washington outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is 8-for-21 with a pair of home runs lifetime versus Strasburg.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s under clear skies with wind blowing out to center field at 13 mph.

Key betting note: Over is 4-1 in the Nationals' last five Thursday games.


Milwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies (-132, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Phillies lefty Cliff Lee threw seven shutout innings to improve to 2-0 in a 2-0 win over the Cubs last time out.

Hot batting stat: Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is a .435 hitter with three solo home runs in 23 at-bats versus Lee.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s under sunny skies with wind blowing out to center field at 11 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 6-0 in Milwaukee right-hander Marco Estrada's last six road starts.


New York Mets at Atlanta Braves (-137, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Mets right-hander Jenrry Mejia struck out eight over six solid innings to win his season debut April 4 against Cincinnati.

Hot batting stat: New York third baseman David Wright hit four home runs in 58 at-bats versus Atlanta in 2013.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with clear skies and wind blowing out to center field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: Mets are 1-6 in Mejia's last seven road starts.


Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants (-130, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Arizona righty Randall Delgado was tagged for six runs on 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings in his previous outing.

Hot batting stat: Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill is a .563 hitter in 16 at-bats versus Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with sunny skies and wind blowing out to center field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: Diamondbacks are 0-4 in Delgado's last four road starts.


** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 1:55 p.m. ET Wednesday.

[StarDust Bum]

EVENING PLAYS:

Thursday, April 10

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Pittsburgh 5 Bot 8 Pittsburgh -125 500
Chi. Cubs 4 Over 7.5 500

Miami 0 Bot 4 Miami +198 500
Washington 2 Over 7.5 500

Boston - 7:05 PM ET Boston -105 500 *****
NY Yankees - Under 8.5 500

Milwaukee - 7:05 PM ET Milwaukee +115 500 *****
Philadelphia - Under 7.5 500

Houston - 7:07 PM ET Toronto -200 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Toronto - Under 9 500

NY Mets - 7:10 PM ET Atlanta -131 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Atlanta - Over 7.5 500

Cleveland - 8:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox +121 500 *****
Chi. White Sox - Over 8 500

Arizona - 10:15 PM ET Arizona +111 500 TRIPLE PLAY
San Francisco - Over 8 500

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

-- Ripoff alert: DirecTV is still advertising the NBA League pass for $59; what a bunch of weasels-- damn season ends in five days. Playoffs are on regular TV.

-- NHL package includes some first round playoff games. NBA's doesn't.

-- Pretty obvious Michael Pineda had pine tar on his hand while pitching against Boston last night; he didn't make a big effort to hide it, either.

-- Memphis is 46-32, tied in loss column with Dallas for last playoff spot in the west; they've played two less games than the Mavericks.

-- Knicks are two games behind Atlanta with four games left for the last playoff spot in the east.

-- Minnesota Gophers scored a goal with 0:00.6 left to break North Dakota's heart and win the national semifinal game- they play Union in the national final.

*****

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random stuff with the weekend here........

13) If you were a major league position player, why wouldn’t you want to play for the Rockies? Your offensive numbers have to be better in the thin air, seems like a great place in the summer, they’ve got a good stadium, whats not to like?

12) Speaking of which, it took until April 10 for Rockies’ CF Charlie Blackmon to get picked up in our 16-team keeper fantasy league. He had to go 16-34 (.471) before some team gobbled him up. I have to use my monthly pickups to shore up my pitching, plus I have the annual Jose Reyes injury problems, so I couldn’t add another OF. Curious to see how long Mr Blackmon keeps hitting.

11) There are 16 Cubans currently in the major leagues; four of the 16 play for the White Sox.

10) In basketball statistics, an assist is a pass that leads to a made basket; there is subjectivity to what is and is not an assist.

When I was doing stats at UAlbany from 1978-83, I developed a stat called assist opportunity, which was basically is what is referred to today as the “hockey assist”, the pass that leads to the pass, or a pass that would’ve been an assist had the shot been made, or the pass that leads to two foul shots.

Lot of times, it provides insight not only into who creates more scoring chances, but the level of the scoring chances. If a guy is creating layups for teammates with his passes, he will have more assists, less “assist opp’s”.

9) Weird seeing Union College in college hockey’s Frozen Four; during my married years in the 90’s, my ex’s nephews played lot of youth hockey in Achilles Rink, on the Union campus. Union is a really good academic school, not very big; the coach there has done a great job.

8) Once watched my ex’s nephew play a game at Union on a Sunday, the day after he broke his wrist- they cut the glove so the casted wrist would fit inside. Poor kid rushed with the puck, split two defensemen and got knocked to the ice, falling on the broken wrist. You could hear him crying from the other end of the arena; last one of those games I went to- the kid was 12 or 13.

Youth hockey remains the craziest thing I’ve observed in person; if you think Little League parents are crazed, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.

7) Eli Manning had ankle surgery this week, is out for six weeks, which means he’ll miss lot of the Giants’ off-season workouts. I know guys like to avoid surgery if they can, but shouldn’t this surgery have happened earlier in the offseason?

6) A quality start in the major league is listed as “six innings, three or less earned runs”, not really that great an effort. Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven has his own standard for a quality start: seven innings, two or less earned runs. Blyleven is an excellent analyst on Twins’ games. I’m going to track the “Bert QS” and will post results here from time to time.

5) Mr Tanaka in the Bronx allowed three runs in seven IP in each of his first two starts, but with 18 strikeouts and only 15 baserunners. He should win lot of games on a good team; Bronx’ closer situation and their lineup being less potent than it has been will hurt his win total, but it is obvious he's pretty good.

Remains to be seen if he is worth all that money, though; he certainly isn’t dominant but got 35 misses on 107 swings in his two starts- the 35 misses leads MLB.

4) There are 132 Waffle House restaurants,, just in the Atlanta area. Was in one in Florida once, by Disney World; waitress got mad at the manager, threw her apron at him and quit, leaving the place without a waitress. Mercifully, we hadn’t ordered yet, so we got the hell out of there before chaos reigned.

3) Last hole-in-one on 12th hole at Augusta during The Masters was Curtis Strange in 1988. There have been only three Masters aces on #12 overall; tough par-3.

2) Cal Bears targeted Xavier coach Chris Mack to replace Mike Montgomery; Mack is a Xavier alum. Big blow for the Musketeers if he leaves there. Won’t look good for the Big East either, if one of its coaches bolts for a middle-rung Pac-12 program, especially after Buzz Williams bolted Marquette for Virginia Tech.

1) Do you think Gary McCord watches the Masters? They banished him from the CBS air waves during Masters week years ago because he is irreverent, which was weird. Free speech doesn’t exist everywhere in this great land of ours.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

NY Mets at LA Angels
The Mets head to Anaheim tonight and come into the series against the Angels (4-5) with a 13-3 record in their last 16 interleague road games against a team with a losing record. New York is the pick (+140) according to Dunkel, which has the Mets favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+140). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

Game 951-952: Miami at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Fernandez) 15.224; Philadelphia (Burnett) 13.742
Dunkel Line: Miami by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Miami (-120); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-120); Under

Game 953-954: Washington at Atlanta (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Roark) 16.623; Atlanta (Teheran) 14.919
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-135); 7
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+115); Over

Game 955-956: Pittsburgh at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Liriano) 16.320; Milwaukee (Peralta) 15.487
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-130); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+110); Over

Game 957-958: Chicago Cubs at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Samardzija) 14.469; St. Louis (Kelly) 15.825
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-155); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-155); Under

Game 959-960: LA Dodgers at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Ryu) 15.612; Arizona (McCarthy) 14.572
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 8
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-120); Under

Game 961-962: Colorado at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (De La Rosa) 15.730; San Francisco (Bumgarner) 14.863
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 8
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-170); 7
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+150); Over

Game 963-964: Boston at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 15.293; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 16.197
Dunkel Line: NY Yankee by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (+105); Over

Game 965-966: Toronto at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (McGowan) 14.219; Baltimore (Tillman) 15.959
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-135); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-135); Under

Game 967-968: Houston at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Feldman) 15.180; Texas (Darvish) 14.595
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Texas (-240); 8
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+200); Over

Game 969-970: Cleveland at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Carrasco) 14.087; White Sox (Sale) 15.719
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-170); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-170); Under

Game 971-972: Kansas City at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Chen) 15.542; Minnesota (Gibson) 13.873
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-125); Under

Game 973-974: Oakland at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Milone) 16.981; Seattle (Hernandez) 15.761
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Seattle (-175); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+155); Over

Game 975-976: Tampa Bay at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Price) 15.887; Cincinnati (Cueto) 15.030
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1; 6
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-110); 7
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-110); Under

Game 977-978: NY Mets at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Gee) 16.489; LA Angels (Skaggs) 15.352
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 9
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-160); 8
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+140); Over

Game 979-980: Detroit at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Porcello) 14.923; San Diego (Cashner) 16.558
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-115); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-105); Over

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, April 11

Hot pitchers
-- Fernandez is 4-0, 0.67 in his last four starts.
-- Roark is 4-1, 2.19 in his last six starts. Teheran is 1-1, 2.77 in his first couple starts this season.
-- Liriano is 1-1, 2.52 in his last four starts.
-- Samardzija has a 2.08 RA in his last four starts, but no wins. Kelly is 2-1, 3.34 in his last six starts.
-- Ryu is 2-1, 3.43 in his last four starts.
-- Bumgarner is 3-0, 2.76 in his last five starts.

-- Tillman is 1-0, 1.35 in his first two '14 starts.
-- Darvish is 2-2, 1.95 in his last six starts. Feldman is 2-0, 0.66 in his first two starts this season.
-- BChen is 2-1, 3.13 in his last four starts.
-- Sale is 2-0, 1.77 in two starts this season.
-- FHernandez is 2-0, 2.51 in his first two '14 starts.

-- Cueto is 0-1, 1.93 in his first two '14 starts.
-- Porcello is 3-0, 1.59 in his last four starts. Cashner is 0-1, 2.25 in his first two starts this season.

Cold pitchers
-- Burnett is 1-2, 10.54 in his last three starts.
-- Peralta is 3-2, 4.67 in his last six starts.
-- McCarthy is 0-3, 5.96 in his last four starts.
-- de la Rosa is 0-1, 10.97 in his last three starts.

-- McGowan allowed 11 baserunners, four runs in 2.2 IP in his first '14 start.
-- Lester is 0-2, 3.77 in his first two starts this year. Sabathia is 1-1, 7.50 in his first two starts.
-- Gibson is 1-2, 6.58 in his last six starts.
-- Carrasco is 0-1, 8.10 in his last two starts.
-- Milone has a 6.84 RA in his last five starts.

-- Price is 1-1, 5.75 in his last three starts.
-- Gee is 1-1, 5.19 in his last four starts. Skaggs is 1-2, 5.60 in his last three.

Totals
-- Last four Philly games went over the total.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in Atlanta games this season.
-- Last three Milwaukee games went over total.
-- Last four Cub games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Arizona games went over total.
-- Nine of ten Giant games went over the total.

-- All four Boston road games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Toronto games went over total.
-- Four of last five Houston games went over total.
-- All four White Sox home games went over total.
-- Four of last five Kansas City games stayed under; eight of nine Minnesota games went over.
-- Three of last four Oakland games went over total.

-- Three of last four Tampa Bay games stayed under.
-- Seven of nine Angel games went over the total.
-- Four of last five San Diego games stayed under.

Hot teams
-- Nationals won four in row, seven of first nine games.
-- Milwaukee won its last six games, all on road. Pirates won six of their first nine games.
-- Arizona won three of its last four games.

-- Bronx won five of its last eight games.
-- Orioles won three of their last four games.
-- White Sox won three of first four home games.
-- Royals won four of their last six games.
-- Oakland won its last four games.

-- Mets/Angels both won four of their last six games.
-- Detroit won five of its first seven games.

Cold teams
-- Miami/Philly both lost their last four games.
-- Braves lost three of their last four games.
-- Cubs lost six of their first nine games.

-- Red Sox lost five of their last seven games.
-- Astros lost six of their last eight games. Texas lost four of last six.
-- Indians lost four of their last six games.
-- Minnesota lost its first three home games.

-- Cincinnati lost six of its first nine games. Rays lost three of last four.
-- San Diego lost six of its last eight games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, April 11

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:05 PM
BOSTON vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 9 games when playing Boston
NY Yankees are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Boston

7:05 PM
MIAMI vs. PHILADELPHIA
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games at home
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:05 PM
TORONTO vs. BALTIMORE
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Baltimore is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games when playing at home against Toronto

7:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. CINCINNATI
Tampa Bay is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Cincinnati's last 10 games at home

7:35 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Atlanta
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing Washington
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

8:05 PM
HOUSTON vs. TEXAS
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston's last 11 games when playing on the road against Texas
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games on the road
Texas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston

8:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. MILWAUKEE
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Pittsburgh's last 21 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Milwaukee's last 21 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

8:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Cleveland is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 8 games
Chi White Sox are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Chi White Sox are 1-14 SU in their last 15 games when playing Cleveland

8:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games
Kansas City is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 9 games

8:15 PM
CHI CUBS vs. ST. LOUIS
Chi Cubs are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games when playing St. Louis
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
St. Louis is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs

9:40 PM
LA DODGERS vs. ARIZONA
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games at home
Arizona is 4-12-1 SU in its last 17 games ,

10:05 PM
NY METS vs. LA ANGELS
NY Mets are 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 6 games at home
LA Angels are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against NY Mets

10:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
Oakland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oakland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Seattle's last 13 games when playing Oakland
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Oakland

10:10 PM
DETROIT vs. SAN DIEGO
Detroit is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Diego
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of San Diego's last 13 games at home

10:15 PM
COLORADO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Colorado's last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of San Francisco's last 12 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Francisco's last 9 games when playing Colorado

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, April 11

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday's MLB American League betting cheat sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles (-141, 9)

Cold pitching stat: Orioles right-hander Bud Norris was tagged for five runs on nine hits over five innings in his first start of the year.

Cold batting stat: Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus is just 4-for-22 with six strikeouts lifetime versus Norris.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with a 58 percent chance of rain.

Key betting note: Toronto is 6-21 in right-hander Dustin McGowan's last 27 starts on grass.


Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (101, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia has coughed up 10 runs in 12 innings of work so far in 2014.

Cold batting stat: Red Sox DH David Ortiz is a .230 hitter with 15 strikeouts in 61 at-bats against Sabathia.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with a 53 percent chance of showers.

Key betting note: Over is 5-1 in Sabathia's last six home starts.


Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (-229, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Rangers righty Yu Darvish is 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 43 innings versus Houston.

Hot batting stat: Rangers outfielder Alex Rios is 11-for-35 with a pair of homers against Astros right-hander Scott Feldman.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing in from right field at 10 mph.

Key betting note: Rangers are 4-0 in Darvish's last four starts.


Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins (117, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Royals southpaw Bruce Chen allowed one run with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings in his first start of the year.

Hot batting stat: Twins infielder Brian Dozier has five hits - including a homer - in nine at-bats versus Chen.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with partly cloudy skies.

Key betting note: Under is 8-2-1 in Chen's last 11 appearances following a quality start in his previous outing.


Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox (-151, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: White Sox left-hander Chris Sale has limited opponents to a .173 average in his first two starts.

Cold batting stat: Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is 2-for-16 with eight strikeouts lifetime versus Sale.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing from right to left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Cleveland is 3-13 in right-hander Carlos Carrasco's last 16 starts.


Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners (-166, 6.5)

Hot pitching stat: Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has fanned 19 over 14 1/3 innings to open the season.

Cold batting stat: Seattle slugger Justin Smoak has just two hits in 15 career at-bats versus A's lefty Tommy Milone.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing in from left field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: Mariners have won their last five games against left-handed starters.


Interleague

New York Mets at Los Angeles Angels (-142, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Mets right-hander Dillon Gee is holding the opposition to a .196 batting average through his first two outings.

Cold batting stat: Angels outfielder Raul Ibanez is 1-for-7 in his career against Gee.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing out to left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Los Angeles is 21-6 in its last 27 games following an off day.


** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 2:05 p.m. ET Thursday.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, April 11

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday's MLB National League betting cheat sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies (-105, 6.5)

Hot pitching stat: Marlins right-hander Jose Fernandez has allowed one run in 12 2/3 innings to start the year.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Philadelphia roster are 5-for-47 with 15 strikeouts against Fernandez.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with a 34 percent chance of showers.

Key betting note: Marlins are 10-1 in Fernandez's last 11 starts against teams with losing records.


Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves (-134, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Braves right-hander Julio Teheran went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 30 innings against the Nationals in 2013.

Hot batting stat: Washington outfielder Bryce Harper is 5-for-13 with a pair of home runs lifetime versus Teheran.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with clear skies and wind blowing out to right-center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 12-3 in Teheran's last 15 home starts.


Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers (-105, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Pirates southpaw Francisco Liriano posted a 5.52 ERA in three starts versus Milwaukee last year.

Hot batting stat: Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez is batting .500 with a pair of homers in 16 at-bats against Liriano.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing from right to left field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: Milwaukee is 4-12 in its last 16 home games versus a left-handed starter.


Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals (-155, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija has surrendered two runs over 14 innings to open the campaign.

Hot batting stat: Members of the St. Louis roster are batting a combined .330 in 103 at-bats against Samardzija.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing in from center field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: Chicago is 0-6 in Samardzija's previous six starts.


Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks (107, 9)

Cold pitching stat: Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon McCarthy has been tagged for 11 runs over 12 2/3 innings in his first two starts.

Hot/ batting stat: Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt is 8-for-16 with a homer and five RBIs against Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-80s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing from left to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Los Angeles is 12-2 in Ryu's last 14 starts versus teams with losing records.


Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants (-173, 6.5)

Hot pitching stat: Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner has allowed just three home runs over his last 15 starts.

Hot batting stat: Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is 11-for-30 with four homers lifetime against Bumgarner.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing out to left field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: Colorado is 12-2 in left-hander Jorge De La Rosa's last 14 starts on five days rest.



Interleague

Tampa Bay Rays at Cincinnati Reds (-105, 6.5)

Cold pitching stat: Rays lefty David Price is 7-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 17 career interleague starts.

Hot batting stat: Reds shortstop Ramon Santiago has four hits in nine career at-bats against Price.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with a 49 percent chance of rain.

Key betting note: Reds are 7-2 in their last nine interleague home games.


Detroit Tigers at San Diego Padres (-102, 6.5)

Hot pitching stat: Opposing hitters are batting just .200 against Padres righty Andrew Cashner over his first two starts.

Hot batting stat: San Diego outfielder Carlos Quentin is 5-for-16 in his career against Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing from left to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 6-0 in Cashner's last six starts against teams with winning records.


** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Short Sheet

Friday, April 11

Miami at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Fernandez: 9-0 TSR as a favorite
Burnett: PHILADELPHIA 18-26 at home when the total is 7 or less

Washington at Atlanta, 7:35 ET
Roark: WASHINGTON 13-30 as an underdog of +100 to +150
Teheran: ATLANTA 22-5 in home games after a loss

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 8:10 ET
Liriano: PITTSBURGH 26-17 as a road underdog of +100 to +150
Peralta: MILWAUKEE 11-22 in home games after 2 straight wins by 4 runs or more

Chicago at St Louis, 8:15 ET
Samardzija: 2-12 TSR when working on 5 or 6 days rest
Kelly: ST LOUIS 53-23 after a loss

LA Dodgers at Arizona, 9:40 ET
Ryu: LA DODGERS 42-26 UNDER after having won 2 of their last 3 games
McCarthy: 5-13 TSR when the total is 8.5 to 10

Colorado at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
De La Rosa: COLORADO 35-70 against left-handed starters
Bumgarner: SAN FRANCISCO 95-63 against division opponents

Boston at NY Yankees, 7:05 ET
Lester: BOSTON 51-24 after a loss
Sabathia: 13-3 TSR after a loss

Toronto at Baltimore, 7:05 ET
McGowan: TORONTO 37-56 when the money line is +125 to -125
Tillman: 23-12 TSR in all games

Houston at Texas, 8:05 ET
Feldman: 5-14 TSR against division opponents
Darvish: TEXAS is 53-23 against division opponents

Cleveland at Chicago, 8:10 ET
Carrasco: CLEVELAND 21-11 after a loss by 4 runs or more
Sale: CHI WHITE SOX 30-53 against division opponents

Kansas City at Minnesota, 8:10 ET
Chen: 60-42 TSR against division opponents
Gibson: MINNESOTA 4-17 in home games after 2 straight games where they committed no errors

Oakland at Seattle, 10:10 ET
Milone: 13-6 TSR as a road underdog
Hernandez: 4-14 TSR as a home favorite of -125 to -175

Tampa Bay at Cincinnati, 7:10 ET
Price: 13-20 TSR when the total is 7 or less
Cueto: CINCINNATI 19-7 after 6 or more consecutive road games

NY Mets at LA Angels, 10:05 ET
Gee: 15-9 TSR as a road underdog of +125 to +175
Skaggs: LA ANGELS 12-21 as a home favorite of -125 to -175

Detroit at San Diego, 10:10 ET
Porcello: DETROIT 9-16 when the total is 7 or less
Cashner: SAN DIEGO 17-9 after allowing 1 run or less