GCup Semis - USA vs. Jamaica
July 20, 2015
Gold Cup Semifinals - USA vs. Jamaica
Kick-off: Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: United States -232, Jamaica +600, Tie +315, Total: 2.5
The United States takes on Jamaica in the semifinals of the Gold Cup Wednesday night.
The United States advanced to the semifinals of the Gold Cup in emphatic fashion, beating Cuba by a score of 6-0. Clint Dempsey had a standout performance, converting a hat-trick, upping his tournament total to six goals. Aron Johannsson, who made his second start of the tournament, scored a goal and added an assist, and team captain Michael Bradley had two assists of his own.
While the USA should be content with its victory, the matchup was undeniably the easiest it has had thus far in the Gold Cup. Anything less than a runaway win would have been concerning, but the six-goal victory indicates more about Cuba’s quality than it does about the Americans’ play.
Jamaica will be a much tougher opponent, as the Reggae Boyz advanced into the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over a tricky Haiti side thanks to an early Giles Barnes goal. That win gave Jamaica its third win in four games at the tournament, with the country’s only other result being a 2-2 tie in its group stage opener against Costa Rica.
In addition to its success at the Gold Cup, Jamaica has proven to be capable of putting up a fight against superior opponents at the Copa América, South America’s premiere international tournament.
Although it lost all three of its games in that tournament, the scores were all 1-0 against the likes of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. These results will give the Jamaicans confidence against the United States, and a win for the Caribbean nation is not out of the question.
Both the USA and Jamaica tend to play low-scoring games, especially against relatively even competition, so expect under 2.5 goals to be scored in this game.
And while Jamaica is certainly capable of forcing extra time, or maybe even springing an upset, the home-field advantage and overall edge in talent should be enough for the United States to come away with the win, perhaps by a score of 1-0.
Propositions - per Sportsbook.ag
To Qualify for Next Round
USA -575
Jamaica +375
Draw No Bet (Regular Time)
USA -800
Jamaica +460
Goal Line (Regular Time)
USA - 1.5 (+140)
Jamaica +1.5 (-180)
Alternative Lines (Regular Time)
USA -0.5 (-230)
Jamaica +0.5 (+170)
Over 1.5 (-300)
Under 1.5 (+210)
USA -2.5 (+375)
Jamaica +2.5 (-550)
Over 3.5 (+270)
Under 3.5 (-400)
Total USA Goals
Over 1.5 (-145)
Under 1.5 (+105)
Total Jamaica Goals
Over 0.5 (-105)
Under 0.5 (-135)
Both Teams to Score (Regular Time)
YES +125
NO -165
USA to keep a clean sheet (Regular Time)
YES -135
NO -105
Jamaica to keep a clean sheet (Regular Time)
YES +450
NO -750
Method of Qualification
Jamaica in Extra time +2300
Jamaica in Regular Time +600
Jamaica on Penalties +1350
USA in Extra time +550
USA in Regular Time -230
USA on Penalties +1050
Total Goals (Regular Time)
1 goal +300
2 goals +235
3 goals +300
4 goals +500
5 goals +1150
6 or more goals +1900
No goals +750
1st Team to Score (Regular Time)
Jamaica +260
No Goal +750
USA -260
Half Time/Full Time
Jamaica / Jamaica +1050
Jamaica / Tie +1900
Jamaica / USA +3500
Tie / Jamaica +1250
Tie / Tie +400
Tie / USA +240
USA / Jamaica +5000
USA / Tie +1900
USA / USA -105
Correct Score
Any Other Score +6000
Jamaica win 1-0 +1250
Jamaica win 2-0 +4000
Jamaica win 2-1 +2200
Jamaica win 3-0 +20000
Jamaica win 3-1 +10000
Jamaica win 3-2 +11000
Jamaica win 4-0 +20000
Jamaica win 4-1 +20000
Jamaica win 4-2 +20000
Jamaica win 4-3 +20000
Jamaica win 5-0 +20000
Jamaica win 5-1 +20000
Jamaica win 5-2 +20000
Jamaica win 5-3 +20000
Jamaica win 5-4 +20000
Tie 0-0 +750
Tie 1-1 +650
Tie 2-2 +2400
Tie 3-3 +19000
Tie 4-4 +20000
Tie 5-5 +20000
USA win 1-0 +375
USA win 2-0 +425
USA win 2-1 +725
USA win 3-0 +750
USA win 3-1 +1200
USA win 3-2 +3500
USA win 4-0 +1700
USA win 4-1 +2700
USA win 4-2 +8500
USA win 4-3 +20000
USA win 5-0 +4500
USA win 5-1 +7500
USA win 5-2 +20000
USA win 5-3 +20000
USA win 5-4 +20000
July 20, 2015
Gold Cup Semifinals - USA vs. Jamaica
Kick-off: Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: United States -232, Jamaica +600, Tie +315, Total: 2.5
The United States takes on Jamaica in the semifinals of the Gold Cup Wednesday night.
The United States advanced to the semifinals of the Gold Cup in emphatic fashion, beating Cuba by a score of 6-0. Clint Dempsey had a standout performance, converting a hat-trick, upping his tournament total to six goals. Aron Johannsson, who made his second start of the tournament, scored a goal and added an assist, and team captain Michael Bradley had two assists of his own.
While the USA should be content with its victory, the matchup was undeniably the easiest it has had thus far in the Gold Cup. Anything less than a runaway win would have been concerning, but the six-goal victory indicates more about Cuba’s quality than it does about the Americans’ play.
Jamaica will be a much tougher opponent, as the Reggae Boyz advanced into the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over a tricky Haiti side thanks to an early Giles Barnes goal. That win gave Jamaica its third win in four games at the tournament, with the country’s only other result being a 2-2 tie in its group stage opener against Costa Rica.
In addition to its success at the Gold Cup, Jamaica has proven to be capable of putting up a fight against superior opponents at the Copa América, South America’s premiere international tournament.
Although it lost all three of its games in that tournament, the scores were all 1-0 against the likes of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. These results will give the Jamaicans confidence against the United States, and a win for the Caribbean nation is not out of the question.
Both the USA and Jamaica tend to play low-scoring games, especially against relatively even competition, so expect under 2.5 goals to be scored in this game.
And while Jamaica is certainly capable of forcing extra time, or maybe even springing an upset, the home-field advantage and overall edge in talent should be enough for the United States to come away with the win, perhaps by a score of 1-0.
Propositions - per Sportsbook.ag
To Qualify for Next Round
USA -575
Jamaica +375
Draw No Bet (Regular Time)
USA -800
Jamaica +460
Goal Line (Regular Time)
USA - 1.5 (+140)
Jamaica +1.5 (-180)
Alternative Lines (Regular Time)
USA -0.5 (-230)
Jamaica +0.5 (+170)
Over 1.5 (-300)
Under 1.5 (+210)
USA -2.5 (+375)
Jamaica +2.5 (-550)
Over 3.5 (+270)
Under 3.5 (-400)
Total USA Goals
Over 1.5 (-145)
Under 1.5 (+105)
Total Jamaica Goals
Over 0.5 (-105)
Under 0.5 (-135)
Both Teams to Score (Regular Time)
YES +125
NO -165
USA to keep a clean sheet (Regular Time)
YES -135
NO -105
Jamaica to keep a clean sheet (Regular Time)
YES +450
NO -750
Method of Qualification
Jamaica in Extra time +2300
Jamaica in Regular Time +600
Jamaica on Penalties +1350
USA in Extra time +550
USA in Regular Time -230
USA on Penalties +1050
Total Goals (Regular Time)
1 goal +300
2 goals +235
3 goals +300
4 goals +500
5 goals +1150
6 or more goals +1900
No goals +750
1st Team to Score (Regular Time)
Jamaica +260
No Goal +750
USA -260
Half Time/Full Time
Jamaica / Jamaica +1050
Jamaica / Tie +1900
Jamaica / USA +3500
Tie / Jamaica +1250
Tie / Tie +400
Tie / USA +240
USA / Jamaica +5000
USA / Tie +1900
USA / USA -105
Correct Score
Any Other Score +6000
Jamaica win 1-0 +1250
Jamaica win 2-0 +4000
Jamaica win 2-1 +2200
Jamaica win 3-0 +20000
Jamaica win 3-1 +10000
Jamaica win 3-2 +11000
Jamaica win 4-0 +20000
Jamaica win 4-1 +20000
Jamaica win 4-2 +20000
Jamaica win 4-3 +20000
Jamaica win 5-0 +20000
Jamaica win 5-1 +20000
Jamaica win 5-2 +20000
Jamaica win 5-3 +20000
Jamaica win 5-4 +20000
Tie 0-0 +750
Tie 1-1 +650
Tie 2-2 +2400
Tie 3-3 +19000
Tie 4-4 +20000
Tie 5-5 +20000
USA win 1-0 +375
USA win 2-0 +425
USA win 2-1 +725
USA win 3-0 +750
USA win 3-1 +1200
USA win 3-2 +3500
USA win 4-0 +1700
USA win 4-1 +2700
USA win 4-2 +8500
USA win 4-3 +20000
USA win 5-0 +4500
USA win 5-1 +7500
USA win 5-2 +20000
USA win 5-3 +20000
USA win 5-4 +20000
GCup Semis - Panama vs. Mexico
July 22, 2015
Gold Cup Semifinals - Panama vs. Mexico
Kick-off: Wednesday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Panama +450, Mexico -153, Tie +270, Total: 2.5
Mexico and Panama meet in the second semifinal matchup of the Gold Cup.
Although Mexico has struggled since defeating Cuba 6-0 in its opening match of the Gold Cup, the country has managed to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Mexicans finished the group stage with a 0-0 tie against Guatemala and a shocking 4-4 result against Trinidad and Tobago, who used a last-gasp goal to claim a point and the top position in Group C over Mexico.
Mexico again could not find a way to claim a victory in regulation time in its quarterfinal matchup against Costa Rica, but it narrowly avoided going into a penalty shootout thanks to a very questionable penalty called in its favor in the dying moments of the second half of extra time.
Needless to say, Mexico will need to improve on its play if it plans on advancing. Panama has not looked much better than Mexico, and has actually yet to win a game outright in this tournament, with three draws in the group stage and a penalty shootout victory over Trinidad and Tobago in the quarterfinals.
Despite this, the Panamanians controlled the game against Trinidad and Tobago, especially in the later stages, and were unlucky not to find the back of the net in the second half or extra time. Luis Tejada scored his second goal of the tournament, and the diminutive Alberto Quintero looked menacing throughout the match, but overall, Panama must be more clinical up front.
If this match does stay close, Panama will feel confident with Jaime Penedo in net, as the veteran goalkeeper played hero in the quarterfinal shootout victory with two saves. Both of these teams have looked shaky up front, and a low scoring affair with under 2.5 goals scored should be expected.
And while Mexico is the favorite in this matchup, Panama could get the win. Penedo will need to play well again, so if Panama is indeed victorious, the game could end 1-0.
Propositions - per Sportsbook.ag
To Qualify for Next Round
Panama +250
Mexico -370
Goal Line
Panama +0.5 (+120)
Mexico -0.5 (-155)
Alternative Lines A (Regular Time)
Panama +1.5 (-265)
Mexico -1.5 (+185)
Over 1.5 (-230)
Under 1.5 (+170)
Alternative Lines B (Regular Time)
Panama +0.5 (+450)
Mexico -0.5 (-750)
Over 3.5 (+375)
Under 3.5 (-575)
Total Panama Goals
Over 0.5 (-120)
Under 0.5 (-120)
Total Mexico Goals
Over 1.5 (Even)
Under 1.5 (-140)
Both Teams to Score (Regular Time)
Yes +130
No -170
Panama to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes +350
No -500
Mexico to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes -120
No -120
Method of Qualification
Mexico in Extra time +600
Mexico in Regular Time -155
Mexico on Penalties +900
Panama in Extra time +1800
Panama in Regular Time +450
Panama on Penalties +1100
Total Goals
1 goal +260
2 goals +220
3 goals +325
4 goals +600
5 goals +1500
6 or more goals +2900
No goals +600
1st Team to Score
Mexico -200
No Goal +600
Panama +220
Half Time/Full Time
Mexico / Mexico +130
Mexico / Panama +5000
Mexico / Tie +1700
Panama / Mexico +3000
Panama / Panama +750
Panama / Tie +1700
Tie / Mexico +270
Tie / Panama +900
Tie / Tie +325
Correct Score
Any Other Score +10000
Mexico win 1-0 +350
Mexico win 2-0 +475
Mexico win 2-1 +750
Mexico win 3-0 +1000
Mexico win 3-1 +1500
Mexico win 3-2 +4500
Mexico win 4-0 +2700
Mexico win 4-1 +4000
Mexico win 4-2 +11000
Mexico win 4-3 +20000
Mexico win 5-0 +8500
Mexico win 5-1 +13000
Mexico win 5-2 +20000
Mexico win 5-3 +20000
Mexico win 5-4 +20000
Panama win 1-0 +900
Panama win 2-0 +2800
Panama win 2-1 +1800
Panama win 3-0 +12000
Panama win 3-1 +8000
Panama win 3-2 +10000
Panama win 4-0 +20000
Panama win 4-1 +20000
Panama win 4-2 +20000
Panama win 4-3 +20000
Panama win 5-0 +20000
Panama win 5-1 +20000
Panama win 5-2 +20000
Panama win 5-3 +20000
Panama win 5-4 +20000
Tie 0-0 +600
Tie 1-1 +550
Tie 2-2 +2300
Tie 3-3 +20000
Tie 4-4 +20000
Tie 5-5 +20000
First Goal Scorer
Abdiel Arroyo (PAN) +1100
Adolfo Machado (PAN) +4000
Alberto Quintero (PAN) +2200
Alfredo Stephens (PAN) +1400
Andres Guardado (MEX) +700
Angel Patrick (PAN) +2500
Anibal Godoy (PAN) +2800
Antonio Rios (MEX) +1200
Armando Cooper (PAN) +2000
Blas Perez (PAN) +800
Carlos Esquivel (MEX) +800
Carlos Vela (MEX) +450
Darwin Pinzon (PAN) +1400
Diego ReYes (MEX) +2500
Erick Davis (PAN) +5000
Francisco Rodriguez (MEX) +2800
Gabriel Gomez (PAN) +1800
Gabriel Torres (PAN) +1000
Giovani Dos Santos (MEX) +550
Harold Cummings (PAN) +5000
Hector Herrera (MEX) +1000
Javier Orozco (MEX) +500
Jesus Corona (MEX) +650
Jesus Duenas (MEX) +1400
Jonathan Dos Santos (MEX) +1000
Jorge Torres Nilo (MEX) +2800
Jose Vazquez (MEX) +1400
Luis Henriquez (PAN) +3300
Luis Tejada (PAN) +800
Miguel Camargo (PAN) +2200
Miguel Herrera (MEX) +2800
Miguel Layun (MEX) +2200
Oribe Peralta (MEX) +450
Oswaldo Alanis (MEX) +2500
Paul Aguilar (MEX) +2000
Roberto Nurse (PAN) +1100
Rolando Blackburn (PAN) +1100
Roman Torres (PAN) +3300
Valentin Pimentel (PAN) +1600
Yasser Corona (MEX) +2200
July 22, 2015
Gold Cup Semifinals - Panama vs. Mexico
Kick-off: Wednesday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Panama +450, Mexico -153, Tie +270, Total: 2.5
Mexico and Panama meet in the second semifinal matchup of the Gold Cup.
Although Mexico has struggled since defeating Cuba 6-0 in its opening match of the Gold Cup, the country has managed to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Mexicans finished the group stage with a 0-0 tie against Guatemala and a shocking 4-4 result against Trinidad and Tobago, who used a last-gasp goal to claim a point and the top position in Group C over Mexico.
Mexico again could not find a way to claim a victory in regulation time in its quarterfinal matchup against Costa Rica, but it narrowly avoided going into a penalty shootout thanks to a very questionable penalty called in its favor in the dying moments of the second half of extra time.
Needless to say, Mexico will need to improve on its play if it plans on advancing. Panama has not looked much better than Mexico, and has actually yet to win a game outright in this tournament, with three draws in the group stage and a penalty shootout victory over Trinidad and Tobago in the quarterfinals.
Despite this, the Panamanians controlled the game against Trinidad and Tobago, especially in the later stages, and were unlucky not to find the back of the net in the second half or extra time. Luis Tejada scored his second goal of the tournament, and the diminutive Alberto Quintero looked menacing throughout the match, but overall, Panama must be more clinical up front.
If this match does stay close, Panama will feel confident with Jaime Penedo in net, as the veteran goalkeeper played hero in the quarterfinal shootout victory with two saves. Both of these teams have looked shaky up front, and a low scoring affair with under 2.5 goals scored should be expected.
And while Mexico is the favorite in this matchup, Panama could get the win. Penedo will need to play well again, so if Panama is indeed victorious, the game could end 1-0.
Propositions - per Sportsbook.ag
To Qualify for Next Round
Panama +250
Mexico -370
Goal Line
Panama +0.5 (+120)
Mexico -0.5 (-155)
Alternative Lines A (Regular Time)
Panama +1.5 (-265)
Mexico -1.5 (+185)
Over 1.5 (-230)
Under 1.5 (+170)
Alternative Lines B (Regular Time)
Panama +0.5 (+450)
Mexico -0.5 (-750)
Over 3.5 (+375)
Under 3.5 (-575)
Total Panama Goals
Over 0.5 (-120)
Under 0.5 (-120)
Total Mexico Goals
Over 1.5 (Even)
Under 1.5 (-140)
Both Teams to Score (Regular Time)
Yes +130
No -170
Panama to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes +350
No -500
Mexico to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes -120
No -120
Method of Qualification
Mexico in Extra time +600
Mexico in Regular Time -155
Mexico on Penalties +900
Panama in Extra time +1800
Panama in Regular Time +450
Panama on Penalties +1100
Total Goals
1 goal +260
2 goals +220
3 goals +325
4 goals +600
5 goals +1500
6 or more goals +2900
No goals +600
1st Team to Score
Mexico -200
No Goal +600
Panama +220
Half Time/Full Time
Mexico / Mexico +130
Mexico / Panama +5000
Mexico / Tie +1700
Panama / Mexico +3000
Panama / Panama +750
Panama / Tie +1700
Tie / Mexico +270
Tie / Panama +900
Tie / Tie +325
Correct Score
Any Other Score +10000
Mexico win 1-0 +350
Mexico win 2-0 +475
Mexico win 2-1 +750
Mexico win 3-0 +1000
Mexico win 3-1 +1500
Mexico win 3-2 +4500
Mexico win 4-0 +2700
Mexico win 4-1 +4000
Mexico win 4-2 +11000
Mexico win 4-3 +20000
Mexico win 5-0 +8500
Mexico win 5-1 +13000
Mexico win 5-2 +20000
Mexico win 5-3 +20000
Mexico win 5-4 +20000
Panama win 1-0 +900
Panama win 2-0 +2800
Panama win 2-1 +1800
Panama win 3-0 +12000
Panama win 3-1 +8000
Panama win 3-2 +10000
Panama win 4-0 +20000
Panama win 4-1 +20000
Panama win 4-2 +20000
Panama win 4-3 +20000
Panama win 5-0 +20000
Panama win 5-1 +20000
Panama win 5-2 +20000
Panama win 5-3 +20000
Panama win 5-4 +20000
Tie 0-0 +600
Tie 1-1 +550
Tie 2-2 +2300
Tie 3-3 +20000
Tie 4-4 +20000
Tie 5-5 +20000
First Goal Scorer
Abdiel Arroyo (PAN) +1100
Adolfo Machado (PAN) +4000
Alberto Quintero (PAN) +2200
Alfredo Stephens (PAN) +1400
Andres Guardado (MEX) +700
Angel Patrick (PAN) +2500
Anibal Godoy (PAN) +2800
Antonio Rios (MEX) +1200
Armando Cooper (PAN) +2000
Blas Perez (PAN) +800
Carlos Esquivel (MEX) +800
Carlos Vela (MEX) +450
Darwin Pinzon (PAN) +1400
Diego ReYes (MEX) +2500
Erick Davis (PAN) +5000
Francisco Rodriguez (MEX) +2800
Gabriel Gomez (PAN) +1800
Gabriel Torres (PAN) +1000
Giovani Dos Santos (MEX) +550
Harold Cummings (PAN) +5000
Hector Herrera (MEX) +1000
Javier Orozco (MEX) +500
Jesus Corona (MEX) +650
Jesus Duenas (MEX) +1400
Jonathan Dos Santos (MEX) +1000
Jorge Torres Nilo (MEX) +2800
Jose Vazquez (MEX) +1400
Luis Henriquez (PAN) +3300
Luis Tejada (PAN) +800
Miguel Camargo (PAN) +2200
Miguel Herrera (MEX) +2800
Miguel Layun (MEX) +2200
Oribe Peralta (MEX) +450
Oswaldo Alanis (MEX) +2500
Paul Aguilar (MEX) +2000
Roberto Nurse (PAN) +1100
Rolando Blackburn (PAN) +1100
Roman Torres (PAN) +3300
Valentin Pimentel (PAN) +1600
Yasser Corona (MEX) +2200
NCAA tweaks March Madness seeding
July 20, 2015
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The committee that puts together the field of 68 for the NCAA men's basketball tournament will have more flexibility to set the First Four and give No. 2 seeds more favorable matchups.
The NCAA announced Monday that the Division I selection committee will now be allowed to slide every team up or down the seed list, including the last four at-large teams selected. Until now, the last four teams voted into the tournament field were locked into the First Four, the eight-team playoff that serves as the tournament's first round.
Going forward, the last four at-large teams on the overall seed list - after the seeds have been tweaked by a process known as scrubbing - will play in the First Four.
''It's a small, yet significant, alteration to the language outlining our seeding process,'' said Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, the chairman of the Division I men's basketball committee. ''Making this change gives the committee the opportunity to properly seed every team, whereas previous procedures did not permit appropriate scrubbing of the last four at-large teams.''
Selecting teams usually involves looking at teams in groups of eight, Castiglione said. Scrubbing is comparing two teams against one another, from their records against each other and common opponents to their wins against tournament teams.
''This tweak provides us with the opportunity to scrub teams even more thoroughly,'' he said.
Last season, the seeding process placed Dayton into the First Four, playing at home. UCLA, another team that was among the last to get into the field, was placed in the main bracket. The old procedures did not allow the committee to switch Dayton and UCLA.
The First Four started in 2011 when the field expanded to 68 teams. The last four at-large teams selected to the field are paired off in two games and the last four teams on the overall seed list are matched in two other games played on Tuesday and Wednesday at Dayton's home arena. A First Four participant has reached the round of 32 each season since, including Dayton last season.
The other change allows the committee to move the team seeded fifth overall out of its natural geographic area to avoid the best No. 2 seed being placed in the same region as the top overall team. The committee nearly was faced with the prospect of having Wisconsin as the No. 2 seed in Kentucky's bracket last season because of rules regarding geographical advantage.
The Badgers ended up as a No. 1 seed and played - and beat - Kentucky in the Final Four before losing to Duke in the championship game. But if Wisconsin had ended up as a 2 seed, and clearly the best team on that line, the rules would have locked the Badgers into the Midwest Region with No. 1 overall seed Kentucky.
''This change doesn't mean we are going to a true S-curve but if we can achieve it, or come closer to having more competitive balance on the top two lines without compromising our existing principles and without putting a team at a great disadvantage, we will consider it,'' Castiglione said.
The committee also adjusted procedures to prevent a committee member from being present during discussion or participating in a vote involving a team in which an immediate family member is employed by the school's athletic department, or is an athlete on the basketball team.
July 20, 2015
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The committee that puts together the field of 68 for the NCAA men's basketball tournament will have more flexibility to set the First Four and give No. 2 seeds more favorable matchups.
The NCAA announced Monday that the Division I selection committee will now be allowed to slide every team up or down the seed list, including the last four at-large teams selected. Until now, the last four teams voted into the tournament field were locked into the First Four, the eight-team playoff that serves as the tournament's first round.
Going forward, the last four at-large teams on the overall seed list - after the seeds have been tweaked by a process known as scrubbing - will play in the First Four.
''It's a small, yet significant, alteration to the language outlining our seeding process,'' said Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, the chairman of the Division I men's basketball committee. ''Making this change gives the committee the opportunity to properly seed every team, whereas previous procedures did not permit appropriate scrubbing of the last four at-large teams.''
Selecting teams usually involves looking at teams in groups of eight, Castiglione said. Scrubbing is comparing two teams against one another, from their records against each other and common opponents to their wins against tournament teams.
''This tweak provides us with the opportunity to scrub teams even more thoroughly,'' he said.
Last season, the seeding process placed Dayton into the First Four, playing at home. UCLA, another team that was among the last to get into the field, was placed in the main bracket. The old procedures did not allow the committee to switch Dayton and UCLA.
The First Four started in 2011 when the field expanded to 68 teams. The last four at-large teams selected to the field are paired off in two games and the last four teams on the overall seed list are matched in two other games played on Tuesday and Wednesday at Dayton's home arena. A First Four participant has reached the round of 32 each season since, including Dayton last season.
The other change allows the committee to move the team seeded fifth overall out of its natural geographic area to avoid the best No. 2 seed being placed in the same region as the top overall team. The committee nearly was faced with the prospect of having Wisconsin as the No. 2 seed in Kentucky's bracket last season because of rules regarding geographical advantage.
The Badgers ended up as a No. 1 seed and played - and beat - Kentucky in the Final Four before losing to Duke in the championship game. But if Wisconsin had ended up as a 2 seed, and clearly the best team on that line, the rules would have locked the Badgers into the Midwest Region with No. 1 overall seed Kentucky.
''This change doesn't mean we are going to a true S-curve but if we can achieve it, or come closer to having more competitive balance on the top two lines without compromising our existing principles and without putting a team at a great disadvantage, we will consider it,'' Castiglione said.
The committee also adjusted procedures to prevent a committee member from being present during discussion or participating in a vote involving a team in which an immediate family member is employed by the school's athletic department, or is an athlete on the basketball team.
Handicapping Heisman race
July 20, 2015
With college football media days off to a banging start thanks to Nick Saban making excuses and Steve Spurrier cracking jokes at the SEC event, it’s officially time to turn the page to the pigskin.
The NFL is clearly king, but you can get away with calling the NCAA version a worthy prince and can definitely refer to the eventual Heisman Trophy winner as the season’s top dog. Because of the history the hardware carries, it’s the most important individual award in any of the major sports, coming closest to trumping the capturing of a team championship.
Think about it. While most seasons are primarily identified by what team won it all, you can get by recalling Heisman winners in college football just as easily.
The last five, for a variety of reasons, are all household names. Quarterbacks Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will all be weighed down by the expectations lauded on them as former Heisman winners throughout their respective NFL seasons.
The last non-QB to win, running back Mark Ingram, has been labeled a bust because we all expected more. Rounding out the last dozen winners, Sam Bradford has been a failure and faces a new day with Philadelphia, while the winner who preceded him, Tim Tebow, prays for the same chance. Reggie Bush (vacated) never lived up to the hype, but certainly came much closer than the QBs who sandwiched him, Ohio State’s Troy Smith, USC’s Matt Leinart and Oklahoma’s Jason White.
In many ways, winning has been a massive curse, but as is the case with being on the cover of EA’s Madden game, everyone wants the honor. The following is an early handicapping of the top 20 names in the race (Odds courtesy of Sportsbook.com). All are passers or running backs, which is fair since a receiver hasn’t won since 1991 (Desmond Howard) and a defensive player hasn’t won since ’97 (Charles Woodson).
Quarterbacks
Trevone Boykin, TCU (9/2): He’s the favorite for a reason. Not only did he finish fourth behind first-rounders Mariota, Melvin Gordon and Amari Cooper last year, he’s got a legitimate shot to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue all season. The Horned Frogs figure to be great on both sides of the ball and the schedule looks friendly until a grueling final stretch that sees them go to Oklahoma and host Baylor six days later. If he gets through those, TCU will almost certainly make the CFB Playoff given no Big 12 Championship game, increasing his chances of being the sixth dual-threat quarterback in a row to hold up the Heisman come December.
Cody Kessler, USC (10/1): Now a senior, he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 3,826 yards last season, impressively tossing 39 TDs against just five interceptions. The Trojans figure to be relevant all season so there will be plenty of chances for him to shine, but he did lose three of his top four targets and may not be as consistent.
Dak Prescott, Miss. State (10/1): He got two first-place votes last year and finished eighth, so it’s no surprise to see him return as one of the favorites. Still, we’ll see if the Bulldogs can be a 10-win team again, which doesn’t seem as likely given their late-season setbacks and personnel losses.
Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones & JT Barrett, Ohio State (15/1): The fact these guys are listed together is the obvious problem. If any looked like the clear starter, that guy would be up there with Boykin and their own talented tailback Ezekiel Elliott as a favorite, but Urban Meyer is likely to get them all snaps. Unless you’re of the belief that Miller will be a force of nature as he seeks to make up for lost time, it’s best to avoid all three.
Deshaun Watson, Clemson (15/1): He showed why he was so highly touted in an oft-injured freshman season, but now must prove he can make it through a full slate. The Tigers host Notre Dame and Florida State, so opportunities to shine will definitely be there, making the 19-year-old an interesting choice. It’s definitely a plus that he’s been cleared for practice and should be completely ready for the opener, but Clemson is likely to miss offensive coordinator Chad Morris, who took over for SMU.
Jeremy Johnson, Auburn (22/1): He inherits the keys to Gus Malzahn's explosive offense and has the physical tools to do major damage. The problem is he’ll have to be sharp immediately since Auburn opens with Louisville in Atlanta and visits LSU in the season’s third week. Seems like a boom-or-bust proposition.
Connor Cook, Michigan State (25/1): He led the Big Ten in passing last season and is entering his senior year, so there’s a reason it seems he’s been there forever. He’ll have a Heisman statement game in Columbus against the Buckeyes late in the season (Nov. 21), so the opportunity to compete should definitely exist.
Josh Rosen, UCLA (25/1): Vying to replace Brett Hundley, the consensus top QB recruit in the country has the goods, but that spotlight is going to be too bright for my taste. His receiving corps is going to be young too, so there are bound to be growing pains.
Kyler Murray, Texas A&M (25/1): Another new kid on the block, he opted out of baseball’s draft despite being a likely top-round pick and will challenge Kyle Allen for the job of running Kevin Sumlin's prolific attack. If he can slice up the SEC better than Allen did in taking over for Manziel, we’ll all certainly hear about it.
Anu Solomon, Arizona (30/1): The Wildcats may be this season’s big surprise given the abundance of talent that Rich Rodriguez has returning, so Solomon may actually offer tremendous value. He’s Mariota-like in his maturity and presence running an up-tempo offense, shining as a true freshman (58 pct, 3,793 yds, 28 TDs, 9 INTs), so there’s no reason to believe he won’t improve. The Las Vegas product may indeed be worth gambling on.
Everett Golson, Florida State (30/1): What he brings from South Bend to Tallahassee is a familiarity with the spotlight. If he’s able to keep the Seminoles in the national title picture as Winston’s replacement, he’s got a shot. Of course, we’ve all seen him fail in the clutch a little too much to trust, so there may not be many takers here.
Running backs
Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State (7/1): After dusting Wisconsin for 220 rushing yards in the Big Ten championship, he piled up 230 yards on Alabama in the national semis and went for another 246 yards and an Al Bundy-like four touchdowns to help beat Oregon for the title. So, yes, he’s riding a wave of momentum into Week 1, playing for the odds-on favorite and likely to benefit from his team’s quarterback platoon detailed above. If he weren’t fighting the uphill battle due to his position, he’d be expected to win.
Nick Chubb, Georgia (10/1): He stepped in for the now departed Todd Gurley as a freshman and ran for 1,547, ripping off over seven yards per carry. The Dawgs are going to be in the thick of things in the SEC and Chubb has an opportunity to be among the country’s top backs, making him an attractive option if you believe this is the year Mark Richt’s team finally breaks through. The offensive line he’ll be working behind is definitely supposed to be a strength.
Leonard Fournette, LSU (12/1): After topping 1,000 yards as a freshman, the back considered the best prep at his position coming into the college game could be set to take a major step forward with a year of experience under his belt. Like Chubb, he'll have horses in front of him and a head coach that prefers a conservative run-first approach.
Derrick Henry, Alabama (15/1): Saban's Crimson Tide will again rely on the defense to take it back to promised land, but Henry is poised to anchor the offense. The 240-pound junior is a monster and led 'Bama with 990 yards and 11 rushing TDs despite fewer carries than T.J. Yeldon. There's tremendous value here since Henry has only started two career games.
Samaje Perine, Oklahoma (15/1): You've heard of him due to the single-game record 427 yards and five TDs he piled up against Kansas, but this is no one-hit wonder. A third-team All-American as a true freshman, his only drawback is that the Sooners took a decided step back last season and may again no longer be among the Big 12's best.
Paul Perkins, UCLA (22/1): He led the Pac-12 in rushing (1,575 yds) as a sophomore and can make life much easier on Jim Mora's new quarterback if he can capably put the offense on his back. With his entire O-line back in front of him, Perkins should do major damage.
Royce Freeman, Oregon (30/1): Coming off a freshman season where he scored 18 touchdowns and helped the Mariota-led offense be even more balanced and multi-faceted, there will be increased touches in store for him as the Ducks look to get back to a national championship game.
July 20, 2015
With college football media days off to a banging start thanks to Nick Saban making excuses and Steve Spurrier cracking jokes at the SEC event, it’s officially time to turn the page to the pigskin.
The NFL is clearly king, but you can get away with calling the NCAA version a worthy prince and can definitely refer to the eventual Heisman Trophy winner as the season’s top dog. Because of the history the hardware carries, it’s the most important individual award in any of the major sports, coming closest to trumping the capturing of a team championship.
Think about it. While most seasons are primarily identified by what team won it all, you can get by recalling Heisman winners in college football just as easily.
The last five, for a variety of reasons, are all household names. Quarterbacks Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will all be weighed down by the expectations lauded on them as former Heisman winners throughout their respective NFL seasons.
The last non-QB to win, running back Mark Ingram, has been labeled a bust because we all expected more. Rounding out the last dozen winners, Sam Bradford has been a failure and faces a new day with Philadelphia, while the winner who preceded him, Tim Tebow, prays for the same chance. Reggie Bush (vacated) never lived up to the hype, but certainly came much closer than the QBs who sandwiched him, Ohio State’s Troy Smith, USC’s Matt Leinart and Oklahoma’s Jason White.
In many ways, winning has been a massive curse, but as is the case with being on the cover of EA’s Madden game, everyone wants the honor. The following is an early handicapping of the top 20 names in the race (Odds courtesy of Sportsbook.com). All are passers or running backs, which is fair since a receiver hasn’t won since 1991 (Desmond Howard) and a defensive player hasn’t won since ’97 (Charles Woodson).
Quarterbacks
Trevone Boykin, TCU (9/2): He’s the favorite for a reason. Not only did he finish fourth behind first-rounders Mariota, Melvin Gordon and Amari Cooper last year, he’s got a legitimate shot to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue all season. The Horned Frogs figure to be great on both sides of the ball and the schedule looks friendly until a grueling final stretch that sees them go to Oklahoma and host Baylor six days later. If he gets through those, TCU will almost certainly make the CFB Playoff given no Big 12 Championship game, increasing his chances of being the sixth dual-threat quarterback in a row to hold up the Heisman come December.
Cody Kessler, USC (10/1): Now a senior, he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 3,826 yards last season, impressively tossing 39 TDs against just five interceptions. The Trojans figure to be relevant all season so there will be plenty of chances for him to shine, but he did lose three of his top four targets and may not be as consistent.
Dak Prescott, Miss. State (10/1): He got two first-place votes last year and finished eighth, so it’s no surprise to see him return as one of the favorites. Still, we’ll see if the Bulldogs can be a 10-win team again, which doesn’t seem as likely given their late-season setbacks and personnel losses.
Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones & JT Barrett, Ohio State (15/1): The fact these guys are listed together is the obvious problem. If any looked like the clear starter, that guy would be up there with Boykin and their own talented tailback Ezekiel Elliott as a favorite, but Urban Meyer is likely to get them all snaps. Unless you’re of the belief that Miller will be a force of nature as he seeks to make up for lost time, it’s best to avoid all three.
Deshaun Watson, Clemson (15/1): He showed why he was so highly touted in an oft-injured freshman season, but now must prove he can make it through a full slate. The Tigers host Notre Dame and Florida State, so opportunities to shine will definitely be there, making the 19-year-old an interesting choice. It’s definitely a plus that he’s been cleared for practice and should be completely ready for the opener, but Clemson is likely to miss offensive coordinator Chad Morris, who took over for SMU.
Jeremy Johnson, Auburn (22/1): He inherits the keys to Gus Malzahn's explosive offense and has the physical tools to do major damage. The problem is he’ll have to be sharp immediately since Auburn opens with Louisville in Atlanta and visits LSU in the season’s third week. Seems like a boom-or-bust proposition.
Connor Cook, Michigan State (25/1): He led the Big Ten in passing last season and is entering his senior year, so there’s a reason it seems he’s been there forever. He’ll have a Heisman statement game in Columbus against the Buckeyes late in the season (Nov. 21), so the opportunity to compete should definitely exist.
Josh Rosen, UCLA (25/1): Vying to replace Brett Hundley, the consensus top QB recruit in the country has the goods, but that spotlight is going to be too bright for my taste. His receiving corps is going to be young too, so there are bound to be growing pains.
Kyler Murray, Texas A&M (25/1): Another new kid on the block, he opted out of baseball’s draft despite being a likely top-round pick and will challenge Kyle Allen for the job of running Kevin Sumlin's prolific attack. If he can slice up the SEC better than Allen did in taking over for Manziel, we’ll all certainly hear about it.
Anu Solomon, Arizona (30/1): The Wildcats may be this season’s big surprise given the abundance of talent that Rich Rodriguez has returning, so Solomon may actually offer tremendous value. He’s Mariota-like in his maturity and presence running an up-tempo offense, shining as a true freshman (58 pct, 3,793 yds, 28 TDs, 9 INTs), so there’s no reason to believe he won’t improve. The Las Vegas product may indeed be worth gambling on.
Everett Golson, Florida State (30/1): What he brings from South Bend to Tallahassee is a familiarity with the spotlight. If he’s able to keep the Seminoles in the national title picture as Winston’s replacement, he’s got a shot. Of course, we’ve all seen him fail in the clutch a little too much to trust, so there may not be many takers here.
Running backs
Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State (7/1): After dusting Wisconsin for 220 rushing yards in the Big Ten championship, he piled up 230 yards on Alabama in the national semis and went for another 246 yards and an Al Bundy-like four touchdowns to help beat Oregon for the title. So, yes, he’s riding a wave of momentum into Week 1, playing for the odds-on favorite and likely to benefit from his team’s quarterback platoon detailed above. If he weren’t fighting the uphill battle due to his position, he’d be expected to win.
Nick Chubb, Georgia (10/1): He stepped in for the now departed Todd Gurley as a freshman and ran for 1,547, ripping off over seven yards per carry. The Dawgs are going to be in the thick of things in the SEC and Chubb has an opportunity to be among the country’s top backs, making him an attractive option if you believe this is the year Mark Richt’s team finally breaks through. The offensive line he’ll be working behind is definitely supposed to be a strength.
Leonard Fournette, LSU (12/1): After topping 1,000 yards as a freshman, the back considered the best prep at his position coming into the college game could be set to take a major step forward with a year of experience under his belt. Like Chubb, he'll have horses in front of him and a head coach that prefers a conservative run-first approach.
Derrick Henry, Alabama (15/1): Saban's Crimson Tide will again rely on the defense to take it back to promised land, but Henry is poised to anchor the offense. The 240-pound junior is a monster and led 'Bama with 990 yards and 11 rushing TDs despite fewer carries than T.J. Yeldon. There's tremendous value here since Henry has only started two career games.
Samaje Perine, Oklahoma (15/1): You've heard of him due to the single-game record 427 yards and five TDs he piled up against Kansas, but this is no one-hit wonder. A third-team All-American as a true freshman, his only drawback is that the Sooners took a decided step back last season and may again no longer be among the Big 12's best.
Paul Perkins, UCLA (22/1): He led the Pac-12 in rushing (1,575 yds) as a sophomore and can make life much easier on Jim Mora's new quarterback if he can capably put the offense on his back. With his entire O-line back in front of him, Perkins should do major damage.
Royce Freeman, Oregon (30/1): Coming off a freshman season where he scored 18 touchdowns and helped the Mariota-led offense be even more balanced and multi-faceted, there will be increased touches in store for him as the Ducks look to get back to a national championship game.
Wednesday's Tip Sheet
July 22, 2015
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees | 7:05 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Whenever there’s a nationally-televised baseball game, odds are it involves the New York Yankees, and that’s exactly the case -- yet again -- for this week’s ESPN Wednesday Night Baseball affair. This series deserves top-billing, however, with the Yankees cementing a season-high lead for first-place in the AL East, while the reigning division champion Orioles remain in close pursuit. They’ll turn to Kevin Gausman (1-1, 5.00 ERA) this evening to try and cut the deficit, and this will be the former top prospect’s fourth start of the year since rejoining the rotation a few weeks ago. He was pretty good in the first two before imploding in his most recent outing, when the Twins roughed him up for eight runs (seven earned) in 3 2/3 innings of work. Gausman will need to bounce back here if he wants to hold down his current spot on the starting staff, or risk losing it to the old tenant and last year’s team-leader in wins Bud Norris.
Going for the Yankees is Ivan Nova (1-3, 3.42 ERA), who, coincidentally, finds himself in a similar position as his counterpart this evening, having recently rejoined his club’s rotation as well. Although in Nova’s case, this was a return from Tommy John surgery, and since then, he’s made four starts producing mixed results. In his first outing back, the 28-year-old looked like the old Nova, blanking the Phillies over 6 2/3 innings and yielding just five baserunners. His last two starts, though, spanning 11 2/3 innings, have seen the right-hander surrender seven combined runs. Thus, it might be tough to tell where he stands. The linesmakers currently have the over/under for this one rightfully set at 8.5.
St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago White Sox | 8:10 p.m. ET
The Majors’ best team, the St. Louis Cardinals, is starting to heat up again. After entering the All-Star break on a stretch that saw them uncharacteristically lose five of seven, they’ve won three out of four since play resumed, including last night’s series-opening win over the White Sox behind Michael Wacha. Tonight, they’ll turn to trusty Lance Lynn (7-5, 2.79 ERA), who has been enjoying another terrific campaign in ’15. Despite seemingly being one of the more unsung heroes in all of baseball, Lynn continues to be pretty much as consistent as anyone. In fact, he’s remarkably allowed two runs or less in 13 of his 17 starts, which is why the under is 9-0-1 in his last ten outings. The line for this game is currently 8 in most places.
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While Lynn’s streak of unders is impressive, it will be tough to hold up through this particular start, with John Danks (5-8, 4.98 ERA) toeing the rubber as his counterpart this evening. With Danks’ mediocrity, it’s a wonder that he’s lasted nine years as a big league starter, despite the fact that he hasn’t posted an ERA below 4.75 since 2011. It’s a good bet that run will continue another year, though Danks is currently enjoying his best month of the season, having a 3.12 ERA in three July starts thus far. He’s a +125 home ’dog opposite Lynn.
Miami Marlins at Arizona Diamondbacks | 9:40 p.m. ET
When Jose Fernandez (2-0, 2.37 ERA) returned from Tommy John surgery at the beginning of the month, there surprisingly didn’t seem to be that much fanfare surrounding it, despite the fact that the 22-year-old phenom has done nothing but amaze the baseball universe since his debut two years ago. Over his last two starts, however, Fernandez has quickly reminded everyone why he was so highly-coveted, having yielded just two runs in his past two starts combined, spanning a total of 13 innings. He’s also racked up 15 strikeouts in the process, compared to just one walk. The linesmakers appropriately have him set as a -120 road favorite in this one.
While the Diamondbacks have fallen a bit as of late, one of their few bright spots within the starting rotation has quietly emerged, that being young Robbie Ray (3-4, 2.29 ERA). The 23-year-old southpaw was dreadful as a rookie last season, being 1-4 in nine games (six starts) with a 8.16 ERA and 1.88 WHIP in Detroit. He was dealt to Arizona over the offseason, and since getting his first opportunity to stick in the rotation, Ray hasn’t looked back. In all nine starts, he’s lasted at least five innings, while allowing three runs or less in all but one of them. Furthermore, the under is 5-2-2 in his outings up to this point, and as a result, the over/under has opened up at 7.5, which is uncharacteristically low for a game at Chase Field.
Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | 10:05 p.m. ET
Even without mega star Mike Trout for the first time all year, the Angels’ bats were still able to muster up a potent attack last night, plating seven runs in Tuesday night’s series opener, which well more than enough needed to pick up the win. They’ll look to keep it going behind veteran hurler C.J. Wilson (7-7, 3.59 ERA) in game two, hoping for another strong effort from the southpaw in his rebound campaign. After a disappointing 2014, one that saw Wilson post his highest ERA since first transitioning to a starting pitcher in 2009, the 34-year-old has been very solid for the Angels in helping them make their surge past the Astros for the top spot in the AL West. Wilson has registered a quality start in six of his last seven assignments, and is enjoying his best month of the year, having a 2.61 ERA and .216 BAA in three July outings.
The Twins, meanwhile, will counter with fellow veteran Mike Pelfrey (5-6, 4.00 ERA), who was enjoying a very nice season up until a few starts ago. In fact, since his final start in June, Pelfrey has allowed a whopping 15 runs over 13 2/3 innings, spanning three starts, and it doesn’t figure to get any easier this evening. The glaring stat on Big Pelf is that he’s a much, much better home pitcher, having a 2.22 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and .242 BAA in eight starts at cozy Target Field. In nine starts on the road, though, Pelfrey has an ugly 6.02 ERA and 1.81 WHIP, while opposing lineups are hitting more than 100 points higher (.344!) compared to his batting-average-against at home. Unfortunately for the former Met, he’ll find himself on the mound at Angel Stadium of Anaheim this evening, and it will be as a +160 road ’dog.
July 22, 2015
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees | 7:05 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Whenever there’s a nationally-televised baseball game, odds are it involves the New York Yankees, and that’s exactly the case -- yet again -- for this week’s ESPN Wednesday Night Baseball affair. This series deserves top-billing, however, with the Yankees cementing a season-high lead for first-place in the AL East, while the reigning division champion Orioles remain in close pursuit. They’ll turn to Kevin Gausman (1-1, 5.00 ERA) this evening to try and cut the deficit, and this will be the former top prospect’s fourth start of the year since rejoining the rotation a few weeks ago. He was pretty good in the first two before imploding in his most recent outing, when the Twins roughed him up for eight runs (seven earned) in 3 2/3 innings of work. Gausman will need to bounce back here if he wants to hold down his current spot on the starting staff, or risk losing it to the old tenant and last year’s team-leader in wins Bud Norris.
Going for the Yankees is Ivan Nova (1-3, 3.42 ERA), who, coincidentally, finds himself in a similar position as his counterpart this evening, having recently rejoined his club’s rotation as well. Although in Nova’s case, this was a return from Tommy John surgery, and since then, he’s made four starts producing mixed results. In his first outing back, the 28-year-old looked like the old Nova, blanking the Phillies over 6 2/3 innings and yielding just five baserunners. His last two starts, though, spanning 11 2/3 innings, have seen the right-hander surrender seven combined runs. Thus, it might be tough to tell where he stands. The linesmakers currently have the over/under for this one rightfully set at 8.5.
St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago White Sox | 8:10 p.m. ET
The Majors’ best team, the St. Louis Cardinals, is starting to heat up again. After entering the All-Star break on a stretch that saw them uncharacteristically lose five of seven, they’ve won three out of four since play resumed, including last night’s series-opening win over the White Sox behind Michael Wacha. Tonight, they’ll turn to trusty Lance Lynn (7-5, 2.79 ERA), who has been enjoying another terrific campaign in ’15. Despite seemingly being one of the more unsung heroes in all of baseball, Lynn continues to be pretty much as consistent as anyone. In fact, he’s remarkably allowed two runs or less in 13 of his 17 starts, which is why the under is 9-0-1 in his last ten outings. The line for this game is currently 8 in most places.
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While Lynn’s streak of unders is impressive, it will be tough to hold up through this particular start, with John Danks (5-8, 4.98 ERA) toeing the rubber as his counterpart this evening. With Danks’ mediocrity, it’s a wonder that he’s lasted nine years as a big league starter, despite the fact that he hasn’t posted an ERA below 4.75 since 2011. It’s a good bet that run will continue another year, though Danks is currently enjoying his best month of the season, having a 3.12 ERA in three July starts thus far. He’s a +125 home ’dog opposite Lynn.
Miami Marlins at Arizona Diamondbacks | 9:40 p.m. ET
When Jose Fernandez (2-0, 2.37 ERA) returned from Tommy John surgery at the beginning of the month, there surprisingly didn’t seem to be that much fanfare surrounding it, despite the fact that the 22-year-old phenom has done nothing but amaze the baseball universe since his debut two years ago. Over his last two starts, however, Fernandez has quickly reminded everyone why he was so highly-coveted, having yielded just two runs in his past two starts combined, spanning a total of 13 innings. He’s also racked up 15 strikeouts in the process, compared to just one walk. The linesmakers appropriately have him set as a -120 road favorite in this one.
While the Diamondbacks have fallen a bit as of late, one of their few bright spots within the starting rotation has quietly emerged, that being young Robbie Ray (3-4, 2.29 ERA). The 23-year-old southpaw was dreadful as a rookie last season, being 1-4 in nine games (six starts) with a 8.16 ERA and 1.88 WHIP in Detroit. He was dealt to Arizona over the offseason, and since getting his first opportunity to stick in the rotation, Ray hasn’t looked back. In all nine starts, he’s lasted at least five innings, while allowing three runs or less in all but one of them. Furthermore, the under is 5-2-2 in his outings up to this point, and as a result, the over/under has opened up at 7.5, which is uncharacteristically low for a game at Chase Field.
Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | 10:05 p.m. ET
Even without mega star Mike Trout for the first time all year, the Angels’ bats were still able to muster up a potent attack last night, plating seven runs in Tuesday night’s series opener, which well more than enough needed to pick up the win. They’ll look to keep it going behind veteran hurler C.J. Wilson (7-7, 3.59 ERA) in game two, hoping for another strong effort from the southpaw in his rebound campaign. After a disappointing 2014, one that saw Wilson post his highest ERA since first transitioning to a starting pitcher in 2009, the 34-year-old has been very solid for the Angels in helping them make their surge past the Astros for the top spot in the AL West. Wilson has registered a quality start in six of his last seven assignments, and is enjoying his best month of the year, having a 2.61 ERA and .216 BAA in three July outings.
The Twins, meanwhile, will counter with fellow veteran Mike Pelfrey (5-6, 4.00 ERA), who was enjoying a very nice season up until a few starts ago. In fact, since his final start in June, Pelfrey has allowed a whopping 15 runs over 13 2/3 innings, spanning three starts, and it doesn’t figure to get any easier this evening. The glaring stat on Big Pelf is that he’s a much, much better home pitcher, having a 2.22 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and .242 BAA in eight starts at cozy Target Field. In nine starts on the road, though, Pelfrey has an ugly 6.02 ERA and 1.81 WHIP, while opposing lineups are hitting more than 100 points higher (.344!) compared to his batting-average-against at home. Unfortunately for the former Met, he’ll find himself on the mound at Angel Stadium of Anaheim this evening, and it will be as a +160 road ’dog.
MLB Consensus Picks
SIDES (ATS)
Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds
8:10 PM Boston +132 255 24.52% Houston -143 785 75.48% View View
12:35 PM NY Mets +100 237 30.11% Washington -108 550 69.89% View View
8:10 PM Pittsburgh +121 325 31.34% Kansas City -131 712 68.66% View View
10:05 PM Minnesota +156 321 31.66% LA Angels -170 693 68.34% View View
7:08 PM Seattle +124 351 35.06% Detroit -134 650 64.94% View View
10:05 PM Toronto +140 362 36.75% Oakland -152 623 63.25% View View
7:05 PM Baltimore +106 399 39.47% NY Yankees -115 612 60.53% View View
3:10 PM Texas +147 359 41.41% Colorado -160 508 58.59% View View
3:40 PM San Francisco -103 414 44.23% San Diego -105 522 55.77% View View
6:10 PM Chi. Cubs +112 437 46.79% Cincinnati -121 497 53.21% View View
12:35 PM Chi. Cubs -111 385 51.96% Cincinnati +103 356 48.04% View View
9:40 PM Miami -111 514 55.09% Arizona +103 419 44.91% View View
2:10 PM Cleveland +106 492 58.85% Milwaukee -115 344 41.15% View View
12:10 PM LA Dodgers -144 450 63.29% Atlanta +133 261 36.71% View View
1:05 PM Tampa Bay -174 569 71.66% Philadelphia +160 225 28.34% View View
8:10 PM St. Louis -139 780 75.51% Chi. White Sox +128 253 24.49% View View
TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)
Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds
12:35 PM NY Mets 7 142 31.07% Washington 7 315 68.93% View View
9:40 PM Miami 7 220 35.77% Arizona 7 395 64.23% View View
12:35 PM Chi. Cubs 8 171 37.75% Cincinnati 8 282 62.25% View View
1:05 PM Tampa Bay 7.5 185 39.19% Philadelphia 7.5 287 60.81% View View
8:10 PM Pittsburgh 7.5 239 41.93% Kansas City 7.5 331 58.07% View View
7:08 PM Seattle 8.5 268 42.27% Detroit 8.5 366 57.73% View View
8:10 PM St. Louis 8 246 43.54% Chi. White Sox 8 319 56.46% View View
3:40 PM San Francisco 7 244 44.77% San Diego 7 301 55.23% View View
2:10 PM Cleveland 9 226 47.28% Milwaukee 9 252 52.72% View View
6:10 PM Chi. Cubs 8.5 275 47.91% Cincinnati 8.5 299 52.09% View View
12:10 PM LA Dodgers 7.5 225 53.70% Atlanta 7.5 194 46.30% View View
3:10 PM Texas 10.5 307 55.32% Colorado 10.5 248 44.68% View View
7:05 PM Baltimore 8.5 350 56.91% NY Yankees 8.5 265 43.09% View View
10:05 PM Minnesota 7.5 334 59.43% LA Angels 7.5 228 40.57% View View
10:05 PM Toronto 7 356 60.34% Oakland 7 234 39.66% View View
8:10 PM Boston 8 149 63.68% Houston 8 85 36.32% View View
Games are highlighted when more than 59% of all cash contests players choose outcome.
SIDES (ATS)
Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds
8:10 PM Boston +132 255 24.52% Houston -143 785 75.48% View View
12:35 PM NY Mets +100 237 30.11% Washington -108 550 69.89% View View
8:10 PM Pittsburgh +121 325 31.34% Kansas City -131 712 68.66% View View
10:05 PM Minnesota +156 321 31.66% LA Angels -170 693 68.34% View View
7:08 PM Seattle +124 351 35.06% Detroit -134 650 64.94% View View
10:05 PM Toronto +140 362 36.75% Oakland -152 623 63.25% View View
7:05 PM Baltimore +106 399 39.47% NY Yankees -115 612 60.53% View View
3:10 PM Texas +147 359 41.41% Colorado -160 508 58.59% View View
3:40 PM San Francisco -103 414 44.23% San Diego -105 522 55.77% View View
6:10 PM Chi. Cubs +112 437 46.79% Cincinnati -121 497 53.21% View View
12:35 PM Chi. Cubs -111 385 51.96% Cincinnati +103 356 48.04% View View
9:40 PM Miami -111 514 55.09% Arizona +103 419 44.91% View View
2:10 PM Cleveland +106 492 58.85% Milwaukee -115 344 41.15% View View
12:10 PM LA Dodgers -144 450 63.29% Atlanta +133 261 36.71% View View
1:05 PM Tampa Bay -174 569 71.66% Philadelphia +160 225 28.34% View View
8:10 PM St. Louis -139 780 75.51% Chi. White Sox +128 253 24.49% View View
TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)
Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds
12:35 PM NY Mets 7 142 31.07% Washington 7 315 68.93% View View
9:40 PM Miami 7 220 35.77% Arizona 7 395 64.23% View View
12:35 PM Chi. Cubs 8 171 37.75% Cincinnati 8 282 62.25% View View
1:05 PM Tampa Bay 7.5 185 39.19% Philadelphia 7.5 287 60.81% View View
8:10 PM Pittsburgh 7.5 239 41.93% Kansas City 7.5 331 58.07% View View
7:08 PM Seattle 8.5 268 42.27% Detroit 8.5 366 57.73% View View
8:10 PM St. Louis 8 246 43.54% Chi. White Sox 8 319 56.46% View View
3:40 PM San Francisco 7 244 44.77% San Diego 7 301 55.23% View View
2:10 PM Cleveland 9 226 47.28% Milwaukee 9 252 52.72% View View
6:10 PM Chi. Cubs 8.5 275 47.91% Cincinnati 8.5 299 52.09% View View
12:10 PM LA Dodgers 7.5 225 53.70% Atlanta 7.5 194 46.30% View View
3:10 PM Texas 10.5 307 55.32% Colorado 10.5 248 44.68% View View
7:05 PM Baltimore 8.5 350 56.91% NY Yankees 8.5 265 43.09% View View
10:05 PM Minnesota 7.5 334 59.43% LA Angels 7.5 228 40.57% View View
10:05 PM Toronto 7 356 60.34% Oakland 7 234 39.66% View View
8:10 PM Boston 8 149 63.68% Houston 8 85 36.32% View View
Games are highlighted when more than 59% of all cash contests players choose outcome.
Your Evening Selections:
Baltimore - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore +106 500 DOUBLE PLAY
NY Yankees - Over 8.5 500
Seattle - 7:08 PM ET Seattle +124 500
Detroit - Over 8.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Boston - 8:10 PM ET Houston -143 500 GRAND SLAM
Houston - Under 8 500
St. Louis - 8:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox +128 500 *****
Chi. White Sox - Under 8 500
Pittsburgh - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City -131 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Kansas City - Under 7.5 500
Miami - 9:40 PM ET Arizona +103 500 GRAND SLAM
Arizona - Under 7 500
Minnesota - 10:05 PM ET LA Angels -170 500 TRIPLE PLAY
LA Angels - Over 7.5 500
Toronto - 10:05 PM ET Toronto +140 500
Oakland - Over 7 500
Baltimore - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore +106 500 DOUBLE PLAY
NY Yankees - Over 8.5 500
Seattle - 7:08 PM ET Seattle +124 500
Detroit - Over 8.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Boston - 8:10 PM ET Houston -143 500 GRAND SLAM
Houston - Under 8 500
St. Louis - 8:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox +128 500 *****
Chi. White Sox - Under 8 500
Pittsburgh - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City -131 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Kansas City - Under 7.5 500
Miami - 9:40 PM ET Arizona +103 500 GRAND SLAM
Arizona - Under 7 500
Minnesota - 10:05 PM ET LA Angels -170 500 TRIPLE PLAY
LA Angels - Over 7.5 500
Toronto - 10:05 PM ET Toronto +140 500
Oakland - Over 7 500
Wednesday's List of 13: Happy Hump Day from the desert....
13) My suggestion to improve Las Vegas: Apparently cocktail waitresses never retire; there are a couple at the Westgate Sportsbook who appear to be 60-65 years old. At the risk of sounding rude, 65-year old cocktail waitresses need to wear costumes that, um.......are a little more modest than the normal cocktail waitress' uniform.
12) Pitcher Nathan Karns hit a homer in Tampa Bay's 1-0 win in Philly; he is the first MLB pitcher to homer in a 1-0 game since Milt Pappas in 1962.
11) Karns is also first AL pitcher to homer since Zach Britton on July 3, 2011.
10) Detroit is in trouble; Marc Krauss batted fifth last night-- he came into the game batting a paltry .132. He batted right behind Victor Martinez- oy.
9) Yordano Ventura was the Royals' Opening Day starter, but he is 4-7, 5.19 and has been shipped to AAA.
8) Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher answered a lot of non-football questions during ACC Media Day-- he'll be relieved when practices start.
7) Mets are 35-5 when they score 4+ runs, 14-40 when they do not; problem is, they scored less than four runs in 54 of 94 games.
6) Indiana Pacers will wear Hickory High uniforms at times next season to honor the 30th anniversary of the movie Hoosiers.
5) Bryce Harper's on-base percentage this season is .463-- damn, but he is only 7-31 against the Mets this season.
4) Shaquille O'Neal named an all-time Laker team and left Jerry West off? Ugh.
3) Houston Astros scored two runs on a stolen base last night; throw to second hit a sliding Jake Marisnick on the left arm, rolled into left field as he and the runner on 3rd both sprinted home. Red Sox are falling apart dangerously fast.
2) Pirates were down 3-0 in ninth inning last night; they had a runner thrown out at the plate with no one out-- had he stayed at third, tying run would've been at the plate with no one out. As it was, tying run never came to the plate.
1) Rookie catcher Kyle Schwarber was The Man in Cincinnati Tuesday night; he tied the game with a 9th inning homer, then won it with another homer in the 13th inning
Wednesday's six-pack
Odds to win this season's regular season home run title.......
-- Bryce Harper 3-1-- Have to admire how intense he is.
-- Giancarlo Stanton 4-1-- Injured hand; won't be back for few weeks.
-- Todd Frazier 5-1-- TodFather has a friendly home ballpark.
-- Albert Pujols 6-1-- Guess he isn't washed up after all.
-- Mike Trout, Josh Donaldson, both 15-1-- Trout has banged-up heel.
-- Nelson Cruz 18-1-- Lot of teams missed the boat on this guy.
13) My suggestion to improve Las Vegas: Apparently cocktail waitresses never retire; there are a couple at the Westgate Sportsbook who appear to be 60-65 years old. At the risk of sounding rude, 65-year old cocktail waitresses need to wear costumes that, um.......are a little more modest than the normal cocktail waitress' uniform.
12) Pitcher Nathan Karns hit a homer in Tampa Bay's 1-0 win in Philly; he is the first MLB pitcher to homer in a 1-0 game since Milt Pappas in 1962.
11) Karns is also first AL pitcher to homer since Zach Britton on July 3, 2011.
10) Detroit is in trouble; Marc Krauss batted fifth last night-- he came into the game batting a paltry .132. He batted right behind Victor Martinez- oy.
9) Yordano Ventura was the Royals' Opening Day starter, but he is 4-7, 5.19 and has been shipped to AAA.
8) Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher answered a lot of non-football questions during ACC Media Day-- he'll be relieved when practices start.
7) Mets are 35-5 when they score 4+ runs, 14-40 when they do not; problem is, they scored less than four runs in 54 of 94 games.
6) Indiana Pacers will wear Hickory High uniforms at times next season to honor the 30th anniversary of the movie Hoosiers.
5) Bryce Harper's on-base percentage this season is .463-- damn, but he is only 7-31 against the Mets this season.
4) Shaquille O'Neal named an all-time Laker team and left Jerry West off? Ugh.
3) Houston Astros scored two runs on a stolen base last night; throw to second hit a sliding Jake Marisnick on the left arm, rolled into left field as he and the runner on 3rd both sprinted home. Red Sox are falling apart dangerously fast.
2) Pirates were down 3-0 in ninth inning last night; they had a runner thrown out at the plate with no one out-- had he stayed at third, tying run would've been at the plate with no one out. As it was, tying run never came to the plate.
1) Rookie catcher Kyle Schwarber was The Man in Cincinnati Tuesday night; he tied the game with a 9th inning homer, then won it with another homer in the 13th inning
Wednesday's six-pack
Odds to win this season's regular season home run title.......
-- Bryce Harper 3-1-- Have to admire how intense he is.
-- Giancarlo Stanton 4-1-- Injured hand; won't be back for few weeks.
-- Todd Frazier 5-1-- TodFather has a friendly home ballpark.
-- Albert Pujols 6-1-- Guess he isn't washed up after all.
-- Mike Trout, Josh Donaldson, both 15-1-- Trout has banged-up heel.
-- Nelson Cruz 18-1-- Lot of teams missed the boat on this guy.
