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**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 08:44 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Some college football coaches who have the best ATS records at home (numbers are from Marc Lawrence playbook):

-- Bobby Hauck, UNLV 17-6, .739

-- Art Briles, Baylor, 23-10, .697

-- Jerry Kill, Minnesota 12-6, .667

-- Bill Snyder, Kansas State 77-41, .653

-- David Bailiff, Rice .615

-- Steve Spurrier, South Carolina 33-21, .611

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Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Greetings from the desert.........

Greetings from Las Vegas; here are some notes for the second half of the season, that starts tonight with a full schedule........

13) July 31 is the next big thing, the trading deadline; what teams will be buyers, which will throw up the white flag and be sellers?

12) Will Tampa Bay trade David Price and Ben Zobrist, or will they draw a line in the sand and compete for the rest of this season? A lot will depend on the package of prospects they could get back for those two fine players.

11) Will the Phillies finally dismantle their aging nucleus and start over? Jimmy Rollins/Jonathan Papelbon seem most likely to go; Ryan Howard has a horrible contract and Chase Utley has said he won’t waive his 10/5 rights, so those two are unlikely to be traded.

10) Will the Cubs bring up all their top prospects and if so, where will the four shortstops be put in the field?

9) Have the Angels re-tooled their bullpen enough to win the AL West and if so, can they keep Weaver/Wilson healthy enough to make the bullpen relevant?

8) NL Central is a four-team race; Brewers had a big lead at one point, but played lousy the last two weeks, then the tragedy involving Juan Segura losing his young son has made playing a game seem insignificant. It’ll take a lot to get them jumpstarted for the second half of this season.

7) Pirates are 19-13 with Gregory Polanco in the lineup, 30-33 without him. Clint Hurdle should get new lineup cards made, with Polanco’s name permanently written in the leadoff spot.

6) Can the Giants regroup and give the big-money Dodgers a run for their money? Marco Scutaro is back at 2B, which gives SF stability in the infield, but they need more offense, too.

5) Anyone have a reason why 16 of 18 All-Star Game starters bat right-handed? Just a random fact? Still not sure why any baseball player would bat righty; why not just start two steps closer to first base?

4) Texas Rangers are 4-23 in their last 27 games; will they continue to be awful, or can they right the ship some and keep Ron Washington employed? Injuries are why Texas is terrible, but since when is a manager being fired fair?

3) Kansas City made a run at first place, then fell back. Again. Can they make another run at Detroit? Cool moment at the All-Star Game, when closer Greg Holland brought his dad to Monday’s All-Star press conference. Just seemed like a neat thing to do.

2) Why haven’t any heads rolled in the Bronx, which has a mediocre record despite an enormous payroll? If old man Steinbrenner were still around, he would be making a fuss and firing people weekly. Not saying that’s the right way of doing things, but their management’s current passive style ain’t working, either.

1) Will Tony Larussa can Kirk Gibson, or go forward with him as Arizona’s manager? Have to be lot of nervous people in the Arizona front office and dugout.

**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 08:45 AM

CFL
Dunkel

FRIDAY, JULY 18

Game 423-424: Toronto at Ottawa (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 111.823; Ottawa 104.792
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 7; 48
Vegas Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 52 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-2 1/2); Under

Game 425-426: Hamilton at Calgary (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 108.052; Calgary 124.101
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 16; 53
Vegas Line: Calgary by 9; 49
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-9); Over

SATURDAY, JULY 19

Game 427-428: Montreal at BC (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 109.068; BC 116.387
Dunkel Line: BC by 7 1/2; 44
Vegas Line: BC by 5; 47 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BC (-5); Under

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 4

Friday, July 18

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TORONTO (1 - 2) at OTTAWA (0 - 2) - 7/18/2014, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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HAMILTON (0 - 2) at CALGARY (2 - 0) - 7/18/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing on a Friday over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 2-2 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, July 19

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MONTREAL (1 - 2) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (1 - 2) - 7/19/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 23-40 ATS (-21.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 3-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 3-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 4

Toronto (1-2) @ Ottawa (0-2)-- Home opener for RedBlacks squad that lost first two games after leading both at halftime; Ottawa was outscored 44-11 in second half of games after they'd led by 4-5 points at half. Argonauts opened with three western foes (west is 8-2 vs east so far this season); they've gained 1,013 yards in last two games, but got hammered by Calgary last week, despite outgaining Stamps by 78 yards. Ottawa has only one turnover in first two tilts; Toronto allowed 116 rushing ypg in first three games- can Ottawa run it against them?

Hamilton (0-2) @ Calgary (2-0)-- TiCats lost four in row and eight of last nine series games, as they've lost last nine visits here, last two by total of six points. Three of last four series games stayed under total. Stamps scored 31.5 ppg in winning first two games, turning ball over just one time. Both teams already had a bye; under is 2-0 in both teams' games this season, with Stampeders allowing 11.5 ppg- TiCats are scoring just 17 ppg. Western Conference teams are 8-2 vs eastern teams so far this season. TiCats (-3) turned ball over eight times already.

Montreal (1-2) @ BCLions (1-2)-- Alouettes (+3) upset BC 24-9 two weeks ago in Quebec, as they ran ball for 203 yards, had three takeaways (+2) in 7th straight home win in series. Als lost last three visits here by combined score of 122-25; four of their last five visits to BC went under the total. Lions upset Riders in Regina last week, shutting hosts out in second half- they turned ball over eight times in first two games- they had none last week. Montreal lost its only road games 29-8 at Calgary. All three Lion games stayed under the total.

CFL

Week 4

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Trend Report
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Friday, July 18

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Ottawa is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Ottawa is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games

10:00 PM
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Hamilton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Calgary's last 15 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Calgary's last 17 games when playing Hamilton

Saturday, July 19

7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Montreal is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games on the road
British Columbia is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games

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CFL

Week 4

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Game of the Day: CFL doubleheader
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Toronto Argonauts at Ottawa Redblacks (+2.5, 53)

A sold-out crowd awaits the Ottawa Redblacks’ home opener against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday. It will be the inaugural game at newly renovated TD Place Stadium, which officially opened last Wednesday. The Redblacks would like nothing more than to open their new home with their first franchise victory in what also is the first divisional game for both teams.

Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray leads the league with 982 yards and matches up well against an Ottawa defence allowing 281.5 per game. The only team allowing more passing yards than the Redblacks is the Argonauts, who also have surrendered a league-worst 10 passing touchdowns. This game could turn into a high-scoring shootout between Ray and Ottawa pivot Henry Burris - something with which the two veterans are very familiar.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN

LINE HISTORY: The LV Superbook opened the Argos as 2.5-point road faves. Toronto moved to -2 before going back to -2.5. The total opened 52.5 and now sits at 53.

INJURY REPORT: Argonauts - SB Chad Owens (Out, foot)

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (1-2): Ray will be without his top target in slotback Chad Owens, who is out for three weeks with a foot injury. Toronto already is without slotback Andre Durie due to a broken clavicle, so Ray will need to lean heavily on Spencer Watt, Jason Barnes and John Chiles. Defensive back Jalil Carter is one of the few bright spots on the Argonauts defence, leading the team with 13 tackles and three sacks.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (0-2): Burris slowed considerably after throwing two touchdown passes in his first quarter of the season, completing fewer than 55 percent of his passes through two starts. Kierrie Johnson is the team's only receiver with more than 100 yards, while running back Chevon Walker has scored three of the team’s four touchdowns and gained 193 combined yards. Ottawa could start Jeraill McCuller on the offensive line after Burris was sacked five times in Week 3, but the team will need to find a starting spot for a Canadian player if both McCuller and Nate Menkin start.

TRENDS:

* Argonauts are 13-4-1 ATS in their last 18 road games.
* Over is 4-1 in Argonauts last five games in July.
* Argonauts are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six vs. East.

CONSENSUS: 58.46 percent of wagers on Consensus are backing the Argos.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Calgary Stampeders (-9, 50)

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are off to a rough start this season after playing in the 2013 Grey Cup Final. Their campaign doesn’t get any easier after a bye week as they visit the Calgary Stampeders on Friday. Making matters worse for the Tiger-Cats, quarterback Zach Collaros is out with an injury suffered in Week 3, meaning backup Jeremiah Masoli will make his first career start against Calgary's fearsome defence.

The Stampeders have limited opponents to 23 points in two games, recording seven sacks and allowing a league-low 71 rushing yards per contest. Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is making the most of his opportunity as the starter, registering 580 passing yards and six touchdowns. The Tiger-Cats are limiting opponents to a league-best 200 passing yards per game, but they will have their hands full with Mitchell.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN

LINE HISTORY: The LV Superbook opened the Stamps as 9.5-point home faves before moving them to -9. The total opened 49 but is up to 50.

INJURY REPORT: Ti-Cats - QB Zach Collaros (Out, head), WR Andy Fantus (Probable, head). Stampederes - RB Jon Cornish (Out, concussion), WR Maurice Price (Out, hand)

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (0-2): Masoli could have Andy Fantuz at his disposal if the wide receiver is fully recovered from a concussion suffered during the preseason. Hamilton traded linebacker Abraham Kromah to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for future considerations. Linebacker Rico Murray has recorded the team’s only two interceptions.

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (2-0): Running back Jon Cornish was cleared to resume practicing but remains questionable for Friday. Charleston Hughes and Juwan Simpson each have recorded two sacks for a defence that has allowed only one touchdown. Wide receiver Joe West is close to returning from a quadriceps injury suffered during training camp, while Maurice Price remains out with a broken hand.

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-0 in Stampeders last six games overall.
* Tiger-Cats are 6-0 ATS in their last six Friday games.
* Under is 9-2 in Tiger-Cats last 11 games overall.

CONSENSUS: 59.81 percent of wagers on Consensus are behind the Stampeders.

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**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 08:47 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, July 18

New feature below; teams' record when today's pitcher starts....

Brewers-Nationals
Milwaukee lost 11 of its last 13 games.
Washington won ten of its last fourteen games.

Five of last six Brewer games went over the total.

Rockies-Pirates
Rockies lost nine of their last ten road games.
Pittsburgh lost five of last seven games, but is 9-2 in last 11 home games.

Over is 13-5-1 in Colorado's last nineteen road games.

Giants-Marlins
Giants lost 13 of their last 20 games.
Miami lost five of its last six games.

13 of last 20 Marlin games went over the total.

Phillies-Braves
Phillies won five of last seven games, but lost last two.
Atlanta won five of its last six home games.

Eight of last eleven Philly games went over the total.

Dodgers-Cardinals
Dodgers are 15-10 in their last 25 road games.
St Louis won five of its last seven games.

Four of last five Dodger games stayed under the total.

Cubs-Diamondbacks
Cubs lost eight of their last ten games.
Arizona lost 18 of its last 29 games.

Nine of last twelve Cub games went over the total.

Mets-Padres
Mets won seven of their last eight games.
San Diego lost seven of its last nine games.

16 of last 21 San Diego games stayed under.

Rangers-Blue Jays
Rangers lost 23 of their last 27 games.
Toronto lost seven of its last nine games.

Five of last six Texas road games went over the total.

Indians-Tigers
Indians won six of their last nine games.
Detroit won five of its last six games.

Six of last seven Detroit home games went over total.

Royals-Red Sox
Royals lost six of their last nine games.
Boston won four of its last five games.

Six of last eight Kansas City games stayed under.

Astros-White Sox
Astros won last three road games, after losing 10 of previous 11.
White Sox lost four of their last five games.

Seven of last nine Houston games went over the total.

Rays-Twins
Tampa Bay won eight of its last nine road games.
Twins won five of their last six games.

Seven of last ten Tampa Bay games went over total.

Mariners-Angels
Seattle won seven of its last nine road games.
Angels won 12 of their last 14 games.

Under is 8-2-1 in last eleven Mariner games.

Orioles-A's
Baltimore won five of its last six road games.
A's won 11 of their last 12 home games.

Under is 7-1-3 in last eleven Oakland games.

Reds-Bronx
Cincinnati won seven of its last nine games.
Bronx lost seven of its last eight home games.

Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Bronx home games.

Teams' record when this starting pitcher starts:
-- de la Rosa 12-6; Liriano 7-8
-- Lohse 13-6; Strasburg 11-9
-- Bumgarner 11-9; Eovaldi 7-12
-- Burnett 10-10; Santana 8-9 (3-8 last 11)
-- Haren 10-9; Lynn 12-7
-- Jackson 6-13; Cahill 0-4
-- Colon 9-9; Kennedy 9-11

-- Darvish 11-6; Dickey 9-11
-- Bauer 6-6; Scherzer 14-5
-- Shields 12-8; Buchholz 6-8
-- Feldman 6-10; Quintana 7-12
-- Cobb 5-7; Gibson 8-10
-- Iwakuma 9-5; Weaver 12-8
-- Tillman 13-7; Samardzija 4-15/1-1

-- Leake 8-11; Phelps 3-10

Pitchers allowing runs in first inning:
-- de la Rosa 6-19; Liriano 6-15
-- Lohse 8-19; Strasburg 6-20
-- Bumgarner 4-20; Eovaldi 7-19
-- Burnett 6-20; Santana 7-17
-- Haren 9-19; Lynn 5-19
-- Jackson 8-19; Cahill 2-4
-- Colon 7-19; Kennedy 5-20

-- Darvish 3-17; Dickey 4-20
-- Bauer 4-12; Scherzer 6-19
-- Shields 5-20; Buchholz 4-14
-- Feldman 4-16; Quintana 2-19
-- Cobb 4-13; Gibson 6-18
-- Iwakuma 3-14; Weaver 4-20
-- Tillman 8-20; Samardzija 8-19

-- Leake 4-19; Phelps 1-13

**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 08:48 AM

MLB

Friday, July 18

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Trend Report
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7:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. WASHINGTON
Milwaukee is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Washington
Milwaukee is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Milwaukee

7:05 PM
COLORADO vs. PITTSBURGH
Colorado is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games

7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. NY YANKEES
Cincinnati is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cincinnati's last 9 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games at home

7:07 PM
TEXAS vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Texas's last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Texas's last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing at home against Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games at home

7:08 PM
CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games on the road
Cleveland is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Detroit's last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing Cleveland

7:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. BOSTON
Kansas City is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City's last 8 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games at home
Boston is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games at home

7:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. MIAMI
San Francisco is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Francisco's last 8 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games when playing at home against San Francisco
Miami is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

7:35 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games
Philadelphia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia

8:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chi White Sox's last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi White Sox's last 9 games

8:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. MINNESOTA
Tampa Bay is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games at home

8:15 PM
LA DODGERS vs. ST. LOUIS
LA Dodgers are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of LA Dodgers's last 22 games on the road
St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games

9:40 PM
CHI CUBS vs. ARIZONA
Chi Cubs are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Arizona's last 10 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games

10:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Seattle's last 9 games
LA Angels are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing Seattle
LA Angels are 12-1 SU in their last 13 games at home

10:05 PM
BALTIMORE vs. OAKLAND
Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games on the road
Oakland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Oakland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:10 PM
NY METS vs. SAN DIEGO
The total has gone OVER in 7 of NY Mets's last 10 games when playing on the road against San Diego
NY Mets are 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against San Diego
San Diego is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
San Diego is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

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**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 08:49 AM

MLB

Friday, July 18

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Best and worst MLB bets at the All-Star break
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With the All-Star Break marking the unofficial halfway point of the Major League Baseball season, it's time to take a look at the best and worst wagers of the season to date:

Best Money Team

Oakland Athletics (+$1,436)

The Athletics (59-36) have been the class of the majors so far, posting the best record in the league while fending off a hard-charging Los Angeles Angels club atop the American League West. Oakland has been elite where it matters most - ranking second in runs per game and second in ERA - and should have no trouble padding its record with a handful of games remaining against weaklings like the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.

Worst Money Team

Texas Rangers (-$2,254)

So much for contending for the AL West; the Rangers are already looking toward next year thanks to a disastrous start marred by injuries to key players like Prince Fielder (neck), Martin Perez (elbow), Matt Harrison (back) and Jurickson Profar (shoulder). The offense has looked pedestrian - ranked 15th in runs per game - while the home-run pop is nonexistent (27th) and a team ERA of 4.94 ranks the Rangers second-last in the majors.

Best Money Starter

Alfredo Simon, Cincinnati Reds (+$1,330)

Simon hadn't started a game since 2011, but has emerged this season as one of the top pitchers in baseball. The towering right-hander is 7-2 against the moneyline as an underdog, and the Reds are a sizzling 15-3 in his 18 starts so far in 2014. Expect some regression as the increase in workload begins to wear on him, but with eight straight quality starts to his credit going into the break, that dropoff may not happen right away.

Worst Money Starter

Jake Peavy, Boston Red Sox (-$1,256)

Peavy has run hot and cold on the season, but certainly deserves better than this. The 33-year-old righty has racked up 12 quality starts, but has only one victory - an 8-1 triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays back on April 25 - to show for it. Peavy has quality starts in five of his previous six starts, but the Boston offense has managed two or fewer runs in all but one of those outings. Expect the wins to rise if and when the Red Sox offense wakes up.

Best Over Play

Miami Marlins (54-34-6 O/U)

The Marlins weren't just bad at the plate in 2013, they were downright abysmal; Miami scored a league-low 513 runs a season ago, 85 fewer than the next-closest team (Chicago White Sox). One year later, the Marlins are a completely different team on offense, going into the break ranked 12th in the majors in runs scored. Expect oddsmakers to adjust the totals accordingly in the second half, which could take some starch out of Miami's surprising O/U record.

Best Under Play

San Diego Padres (29-62-4 O/U)

Congratulations to this year's version of the Marlins - except that the Padres are actually on pace to be even worse. San Diego has scored a paltry 279 runs to date - 81 fewer than the 29th-place St. Louis Cardinals - and boast a downright putrid .214/.273/.334 slash line. Deadline trades could limit the team's run-scoring ability even further - and with oddsmakers loath to drop totals below six, expect a whole lot more Unders the rest of the way.

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**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 08:50 AM

MLB

Friday, July 18

Blue Jays start second half with struggling Dickey

The first half of the season was a roller coaster ride for the Toronto Blue Jays. They were a force in May and the early days of June, but struggled mightily into the All-Star Break.

The Jays are now four games back of the first-place Baltimore Orioles and kick the post All-Star schedule against the Texas Rangers.

R.A. Dickey will be on the bump for the Jays and has struggled in his own right. The Blue Jays are just 1-5 in his last six starts.

Jays are small -103 home faves and posted a total of 8.

Giants struggle versus Marlins in Bumgarner's starts

The San Francisco Giants are 0-4 in pitcher Madison Bumgarner's last four starts versus the Miami Marlins. The Marlins and Giants begin a three-game series in Miami Friday.

Bumgarner's last outing versus the N.L. East club was the final meeting of the 2013 season, which the Giants lost 6-5.

The southpaw will be on the mound for the Giants in the series opener Friday. Marlins are +118 home dogs and a total of 7.5.

This team is streaking on the road

The Tampa Bay Rays have been road warriors as of late, posting an 8-1 record in the last nine games away from home. Tampa faces off against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field Friday.

The Rays are presently -130 favorites with a total of eight.

Shields, Royals lights out on the Over on the road

In Kansas City Royals pitcher James Shields' last nine starts on the road, the Over is a scorching hot 8-1. Shields will be on the mound for KC when they take on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park Friday.

Sox are -122 faves with a total of 8.5.

Indians-Tigers meetings a boon for Over bettors

The Over is cashing in for bettors when the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers square off. In the last seven meetings, the Over is a perfect 7-0.

The two teams have played eight games against one another, starting with a 4-0 score resulting Under. Since then, it's been all Overs.

The two renew acquaintances Friday and the total is 8.5 on the game.

Tyler Chatwood out for Rockies rest of season, will have Tommy John surgery

The Rockies' reeling rotation has taken another major hit.

Right-hander Tyler Chatwood will miss the rest of the season and will undergo Tommy John elbow surgery next week, a major-league source said Thursday. That means he'll miss most, if not all, of the 2015 season.

Home field a massive advantage in World Series

There's no question interest in the MLB All-Star Game has risen substantially now that it 'means something' - AKA deciding home field advantage for the World Series - but the importance in having that bonus is most likely larger than you'd think.

Only six teams since 1983 have won the World Series without home field advantage. For each of the past five years, the Commissioner's Trophy has been lifted by the team that started Game 1 in their home stadium - a good omen for American League clubs after the AL topped the NL 5-3 in Minneapolis Tuesday.

The Dodgers and Tigers are both currently listed as 9/2 faves to be crowned MLB champs

**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 09:37 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Kansas City at Boston
The Royals kick off the second half of the season in Boston tonight and come into the contest with an 8-0 record in James Shields last 8 starts versus AL East opponents. Kansas City is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Royals favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+110). Here are all of today's MLB picks.

FRIDAY, JULY 18

Game 951-952: Colorado at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (De La Rosa) 14.606; Pittsburgh (Liriano) 16.275
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-160); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-160); Under

Game 953-954: Milwaukee at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Lohse) 12.837; Washington (Strasburg) 16.165
Dunkel Line: Washington by 3 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Washington (-160); 7
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-160); Over

Game 955-956: San Francisco at Miami (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 16.761; Miami (Eovaldi) 15.361
Dunkel Line: San Francisco 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-135); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-135); Under

Game 957-958: Philadelphia at Atlanta (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Burnett) 13.774; Atlanta (Santana) 18.268
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 4 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-165); 7
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-165); Over

Game 959-960: LA Dodgers at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Haren) 16.363; St. Louis (Lynn) 15.213
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 7
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-130); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+110); Under

Game 961-962: Chicago Cubs at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Jackson) 14.183; Arizona (Cahill) 13.306
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Arizona (-140); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+120); Over

Game 963-964: NY Mets at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Colon) 15.233; San Diego (Kennedy) 17.556
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 2 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: San Diego (-130); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-130); Under

Game 965-966: Texas at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Darvish) 16.240; Toronto (Dickey) 14.932
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Texas (-115); 8
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-115); Over

Game 967-968: Cleveland at Detroit (7:08 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Bauer) 17.825; Detroit (Sanchez) 16.602
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Detroit (-175); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+155); Over

Game 969-970: Kansas City at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Shields) 18.884; Boston (Buchholz) 17.375
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Boston (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+110); Under

Game 971-972: Tampa Bay at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Cobb) 17.952; Minnesota (Gibson) 15.382
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-135); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-135); Under

Game 973-974: Houston at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Feldman) 13.749; White Sox (Quintana) 15.995
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 2; 9
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-155); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-155); Over

Game 975-976: Seattle at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Iwakuma) 16.752; LA Angels (Weaver) 14.468
Dunkel Line: Seattle 2 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-150); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+130); Over

Game 977-978: Baltimore at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Tillman) 16.017; Oakland (Samardzija) 14.382
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Oakland (-165); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+145); Under

Game 979-980: Cincinnati at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Leake) 17.063; NY Yankees (Phelps) 15.403
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+100); Under

**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 12:07 PM

MLB
Short Sheet

Friday, July 18

National League Baseball Betting Trends

Colorado at Pittsburgh, 7:05 ET
De La Rosa: 21-2 TSR after a loss
Liriano: PITTSBURGH 14-23 after having lost 2 of their last 3 games

Milwaukee at Washington, 7:05 ET
Lohse: 6-0 TSR when the total is 7 or less
Strasburg: 3-9 TSR against NL Central opponents

San Francisco at Miami, 7:10 ET
Bumgarner: 13-4 TSR on the road when the total is 7 to 8.5
Eovaldi: MIAMI 8-22 after 3 or more consecutive road games

Philadelphia at Atlanta, 7:35 ET
Burnett: 13-37 TSR as a road underdog of +125 to +175
Santana: ATLANTA 118-72 against division opponents

LA Dodgers at St Louis, 8:15 ET
Haren: 57-81 TSR when the money line is +125 to -125
Lynn: 50-24 TSR when the total is 7 to 8.5

Chicago at Arizona, 9:40 ET
Jackson: CHICAGO CUBS 18-12 after allowing 8 runs or more
Cahill: ARIZONA 4-10 TSR as a home favorite of -125 to -175

NY Mets at San Diego, 10:10 ET
Colon: 21-13 TSR in road games
Kennedy: 8-16 TSR as a favorite

American League Baseball Betting Trends

Texas at Toronto, 7:05 ET
Darvish: TEXAS 17-34 when the money line is +125 to -125
Dickey: 21-14 TSR as an underdog

Cleveland at Detroit, 7:05 ET
Bauer: CLEVELAND 32-15 UNDER after scoring and allowing 3 runs or less
Sanchez: 61-37 UNDER when the total is 8.5 to 10

Kansas City at Boston, 7:10 ET
Shields: 6-0 TSR on the road when the money line is +125 to -125
Buchholz: BOSTON 19-25 after a win

Tampa Bay at Minnesota, 8:10 ET
Cobb: 11-2 TSR in road games after a win
Gibson: MINNESOTA 17-38 after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6 games

Houston at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 ET
Feldman: 23-10 OVER when the total is 8 to 8.5
Quintana: CHI WHITE SOX 20-11 OVER after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 games

Seattle at LA Angels, 10:05 ET
Iwakuma: 20-10 TSR against division opponents
Weaver: 83-35 TSR as a home favorite

Baltimore at Oakland, 10:05 ET
Tillman: 7-0 TSR as a road underdog of +125 to +150
Samardzija: 2-9 TSR in home games

Cincinnati at NY Yankees, 7:05 ET
Leake: CINCINNATI 26-18 after one or more consecutive overs
Phelps: 1-10 TSR when the total is 7 to 8.5

**Udog** · 07-18-2014, 02:10 PM

MLB

Friday, July 18

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MLB weekend betting cheat sheet: Boston Blues
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Down Dickey

R.A. Dickey will be hoping things after the All-Star break are better for him as the highly paid Blue Jays ace has continued to fail to live up to expectations. Dickey is 7-9 with a 3.82 ERA and has lost five of his last six games.

Boston Blues

The defending World Series champions Boston Red Sox are nine games under .500 after the All-Star break and look like they are a longshot to make the playoffs, but with Clay Bucholz getting the Friday start at a lifetime 4-1 against the Royals there is a good chance that the 2013 World Series champs can get back on the right track after the break against Royals starter James Shields who is 9-13 with a 4.36 ERA against Boston.

Jeter's Farewell

Derek Jeter will continue his farewell tour with a interleague stop in Cincy taking on the Reds this weekend. Jeter is hitting .275 on the season and will be trying to help the Yankees deal with serious pitching injuries to C.C. Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka to get back in the AL East and Wild Card race with their 47-47 record.

Pitching Notes

* Oakland A's pitcher Jeff Samardzija has been adjusting to life in the American League after his trade with the Chicago Cubs before the break, pitching two games beforehand. Having to pitch to a DH has resulted in varied success in the W/L column as he is 1-1, but not with his totals as both of his AL appearances have gone Under the total with the ace on the mound. The total is 7 on Friday when the A's host the Orioles.

* Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has been red hot and the 3-0 record in his last five starts with two No Decisions speaks to why many consider him to be the best pitcher in the American League. Unders are also 7-2-1 in King Felix's last ten starts as the Mariners ace continues to frustrate batters, something that the high powered Angels lineup hopes won't happen to them in a highly anticipated Saturday affair.

* Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw was snubbed by NL manager Mike Matheny at the All-Star Game as the Cardinals manager started Adam Wainwright instead of the red hot Kershaw for the NL on Tuesday. Kershaw hasn't needed motivation to win eight straight games for the Dodgers on the mound, but expect the best pitcher in baseball to bring his heat in a 2013 NL Playoffs rematch.

Hitting Notes

* All-Star MVP Mike Trout leads the Angels in most every offensive category, including batting average (.310), home runs (22) and RBIs (73). The young AL MVP hopeful will look to build on those numbers against the Mariners this weekend.

* New York Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who is 6-for-14 in his career versus the Reds, has hit safely in 19 of his last 24 games as the former Red Sox outfielder gets more and more comfortable in pinstripes.

* Atlanta Braves 3B Chris Johnson busted out of a 3-for-28 slump with five hits, including three homers and seven RBIs in his final two games against the Chicago Cubs before the All-Star break.

Totals Streak

Felix Hernandez: King Felix has found his groove as of late and has seen six of his last seven games go under the total, including his last three starts for the Mariners as Hernandez has been throwing his best stuff entering mid-July.

Prop of the Day

Overs has cashed in four of Nationals pitcher's Stephen Strasburg's last five starts with one push. Facing the strong Milwaukee Brewers lineup the total is set at a low 7 on Friday.

Injury Notes

* Boston Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino suffered a back injury during his rehab assignment and will remain on the disabled list with no timetable set on his return.

* Cubs player Emilio Bonifacio is out of the lineup recovering from a rib cage injury that has him on the DL until late July.

* Atlanta Braves Dan Uggla is set to return from his pre-All-Star break suspension for conduct detrimental to the team and is eligible to return on Friday and if the Braves insert him back in the lineup or not should be one of the early talking points in their series against Philadelphia.

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Announcement

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 7/18 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 7/18 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

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