Friday 8/19/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Twins (49-72) at Royals (61-60)

Game: 2
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: August 19, 2016 8:15 PM EDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It has not been a smooth rookie season for right-hander Jose Berrios, the Minnesota Twins' top pitching prospect.

Berrios, who turned 22 in May, starts Friday against the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals.

Berrios has not pitched since Aug. 11 when he yielded six runs (five earned) and eight hits in two innings in a loss to Houston.

"The last outing was not very well," Berrios said Thursday on the eve of his eighth career start.

In the extra time between starts, he has been working with pitching coach Neil Allen and bullpen coach Eddie Guardado.

"They helped me a lot," Berrios said "We throw sides the past ten days, so, we do a couple of adjustments, (on the) release point and rhythm, and so I think I'll be prepared for tomorrow."

In his past two starts -- both defeats, Berrios surrendered 10 runs, 14 hits and two walks while striking out five in seven innings.

Those two starts ballooned Berrios' ERA to 9.32 in 28 innings. Batters are hitting .331 off him with a .410 on-base percentage, a .593 slugging percentage and a 1.004 OPS.

Berrios, a 2012 first-round draft pick out of Puerto Rico, started for the World Team in the 2014-15 Futures Games, pitching a scoreless inning in each. He made four early starts for the Twins, but was demoted after retiring only two Tigers and giving up seven runs May 16.

Berrios pitched well for Triple-A Rochester, 10-5 with a 2.44 ERA, earning an Aug. 1 recall. There is a learning curve for most rookies, even one as talented as Berrios that the Twins hope to build future rotations around.

"Now, I can learn every day and everybody here tries to help me," Berrios said. "But it's my first year. I have the ability. A couple of the outings have been rough, but I learn from that. I do adjustments. I keep the good things and the bad things I try to don't do it again. That's what I do right now, learn about that."

Veteran Royals right-hander Edison Volquez, who starts Friday, has a 2-3 record in his previous nine starts, but has pitched at least six innings in eight of them. Volquez is 6-3 with a 4.04 ERA at home this season.

Volquez has a successful history against the Twins, a 5-1 record with a 2.29 ERA in eight career starts and one relief appearance. Volquez is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA in three starts against them this season, allowing six earned runs in 18 1/3 innings.

The Royals rotation has a 1.61 ERA in a five-game winning streak. Pitching can be contagious, said right-hander Dillon Gee, who allowed one run over seven innings Thursday in the 8-1 victory over the Twins.

"I think so," Gee said. "I think energy alone is contagious. I think guys feed off each other. Good results tend to feed down. You watch those guys go out and there and put up the games they've been putting up. It makes me want to do the same thing and provide for this team like they are."

The only run off Gee was a leadoff home run to Brian Dozier.

"You just can't make mistakes to that guy, especially heaters up in the zone," Gee said. "I was glad I could come back and settle down after that."

With the club over .500 for the first time since July 22, Gee senses the club kicking into a higher gear to make a bid to return to postseason.

"We're having a lot of fun right now," he said. "The guys on the bench are having a blast and keeping it loose. Guys are just having a good time out there and the results are starting to show the way we've been playing."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (77-43) at Rockies (58-63)

Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: August 19, 2016 8:40 PM EDT

DENVER -- The rampaging Chicago Cubs begin a nine-game, 10-day road trip with three against the Colorado Rockies beginning Friday.

Chicago, which is coming off a four-game sweep of Milwaukee, has won 18 of its past 21 games. The Cubs (77-43, 32-24 on the road) are 34 games above .500 for the first time since Sept. 27, 2008, when they were 97-63 on the next-to-last-day of the season.

Kyle Hendricks, who is 11-7 with a 2.19 ERA -- the third-lowest ERA in the majors, has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his past 15 starts for Chicago, dating to May 22. In his last start Saturday against St. Louis, Hendricks allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings with no walks and 12 strikeouts but wasn't involved in the decision as the Cubs lost 8-4.

Hendricks is 3-6 with a 3.43 in 10 road starts this season. The Rockies handed Hendricks his only loss in 13 games (12 starts) at Wrigley Field this season April 15 when he allowed four runs (two earned) and seven hits in six innings of Colorado's 6-1 victory. In two starts at Coors Field -- both Chicago victories -- Hendricks is 1-0 with a 4.38 ERA.

Left-hander Tyler Anderson, who makes his first career start against the Cubs, is 4-4 with a 3.42 ERA -- the lowest ERA for a Rockies starter through his first 12 starts in franchise history.

In his last start Saturday in Philadelphia, Anderson was ejected by home plate umpire Eric Cooper for hitting Maikel Franco with a pitch to begin the fourth inning. That outing ended a streak of eight straight starts in which Anderson had pitched at least six innings.

In eight starts at Coors Field, Anderson is 4-1 with a 3.04 ERA. Because the Rockies were off Thursday, Anderson will pitch with five days of rest.

Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu, the first and second hitters in Colorado's lineup, have been on offensive tears lately.

Blackmon has a 12-game hitting streak, during which he is batting .481 in 54 at-bats with five doubles, one triple, nine homers, 15 RBIs, a 1.111 slugging percentage and a 1.637 OPS. During his streak, Blackmon raised his average 23 points to .322.

LeMahieu, who began his career in the Cubs' organization and played 37 games for them in 2011, had hits in eight straight at-bats and reached base in 10 consecutive plate appearances before both streaks ended on his second at-bat Wednesday. He has hit safely in 14 of 16 games this month, going .483 in 60 at-bats with two doubles, one triple, three homers, nine RBIs, a .483 on-base percentage and a 1.281 OPS. During the month, LeMahieu has raised his average 23 points to .343, one point behind National League leader Daniel Murphy of Washington.

Blackmon and LeMahieu have helped the Rockies weather the losses of Trevor Story, who last played July 30, and Mark Reynolds, who last played Aug. 11, to season-ending injuries. Also, Carlos Gonzalez has started only five of the past 14 games because of an ankle sprain Aug. 3 that he later re-aggravated.

"Both guys have really upped their game," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Blackmon and LeMahieu. "Both are getting on base at a really high rate. They're a big reason why our offense has performed better even with some key pieces out. Even on the road where we've struggled historically, it's performing and (that) has a lot to do with those two guys."

In Chicago's 9-6 victory Thursday against Milwaukee, Kris Bryant went 5-for-5 with a double, two homers and five RBIs. He's hitting .296 with 30 homers, 78 RBIs and a .956 OPS. With his second five-hit game of the season, Bryant tied Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado for the National League lead in home runs.

Anthony Rizzo, who went 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs on Thursday, is hitting .291 with 25 homers, 86 RBIs and a .956 OPS. With six weeks remaining in the regular season, Rizzo and Bryant along with Murphy are the leading contenders for the NL Most Valuable Player Award.

"We've obviously put ourselves in a good position to have that chatter," Rizzo said. "But we've still got to go out and play every day and do what we do."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Yankees (61-59) at Angels (51-70)

Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: August 19, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Yankees' flickering playoff hopes took a hit earlier in the week when New York faced one of the American League's best teams.

The Yankees will attempt to better their chances this weekend against one of the league's worst.

After dropping two out of three games to the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees (61-59) make their lone visit to Anaheim this season to face the AL West cellar-dwelling Angels (51-70).

New York starts play six games behind the AL wild-card co-leaders, the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox.

Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (9-4, 3.40 ERA) is scheduled to face Angels right-hander Jered Weaver (8-10, 5.32 ERA).

Tanaka is seeking to win a third consecutive start for the first time since July 2015. He recorded eight strikeouts and no walks in each of his past two wins, the first Yankees pitcher to record at least that many K's without walking a batter in consecutive starts since Mike Mussina in May 2003.

Tanaka will face Los Angeles with five days' rest due to the team's Thursday off day. He has no lifetime decisions and a 2.70 ERA over 13 1/3 innings in two starts against the Angels.

After selling off mainstays Aroldis Chapman, Carlos Beltran and Andrew Miller at the trade deadline, the Yankees have stayed in contention due largely to the combined efforts of a pair rookies, catcher Gary Sanchez and right fielder Aaron Judge.

Sanchez enters the weekend hitting .360 with five homers and 11 RBIs in 13 games, while Judge has a .389 average with two homers and four RBIs through his first five games.

While some teams would have seen the multiple trades as an end to their season, manager Joe Girardi has maintained on numerous occasions he has not given up and that his team must continue to win games to stay in contention.

"I think it is (a possibility), to make the playoffs," Girardi said Wednesday, according to Newsday. "I like what we have here. I know that there's a lot of inexperience and we've had some injuries to our pitching staff and we've had some players traded away, but we're going for this. That's what we're doing. I think you see the fight in the guys. We believe."

After returning home this week following a horrible road trip with an 11-game losing streak, Los Angeles was competitive in splitting a four-game series another team trying to make up ground in the AL wild-card race, Seattle. The Mariners entered the series with the second-best record in the majors after the All-Star break, but their playoff drive was temporarily stalled by the Angels.

Weaver will be making second appearance against the Yankees this year. He was charged with the loss on June 8 at Yankee Stadium after allowing six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Angels are looking for their first win against New York this season after dropping all four of the previous contests. However, they have played well historically at home against the Yankees, posting a 21-12 record since 2008.

With Los Angeles' season hopelessly lost, the attention has turned toward escaping the AL West basement by playing spoilers.

Albert Pujois is faring well at home, hitting .343 (33-for-99) with nine homers and 30 RBIs over his past 24 home games. Leadoff hitter Yunel Escobar is one of the league's hottest hitters, registering eight hits in the last two games of the Seattle series to raise his average to .320, second to the Houston Astros' Jose Altuve (.363).

"Yunel hits the ball hard. I think he's as good as anybody at putting the ball in play," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said after a 6-4 win over the Mariners on Thursday. "He's had a terrific season, and the last couple of nights, he's found a lot of holes."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (52-68) at Mariners (64-56)

Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: August 19, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers both went into the July 31 trade deadline in a selling mood, what with their postseason hopes slowly slipping away.

Less than three weeks later, their once-converging paths have headed in different directions.

As the Brewers head into a three-game series at Seattle's Safeco Field, they're even further from contention than they were in late July. A 5-12 August record, including six losses in seven games, has left Milwaukee at 52-68 for the season and 12 games out of the National League wild-card race.

The Mariners, meanwhile, have inexplicably battled back into playoff contention. A 12-5 record in August has Seattle (64-56) nipping at the heels of Baltimore and Boston in the American League wild-card race. The Mariners' loss to the Angels on Thursday night left Seattle three games behind the Orioles and Red Sox.

Ten of Seattle's 12 wins this month have come by two runs or fewer, prompting manager Scott Servais to tell reporters this week: "It's crazy these games we're playing."

Seattle has been playing its best baseball of the season since getting starter Felix Hernandez back from the disabled list, but the 30-year-old ace has only been a small part of the team's resurgence. The Mariners have had to rely on a group of fill-in starters and a rebuilt bullpen that includes three veteran castoffs from other teams -- Tom Wilhelmsen (Rangers), Drew Storen (Blue Jays) and Arquimedes Caminero (Pirates) -- to re-spark their postseason glimmer of hope.

Seattle's list of probable starters for the Milwaukee series is indicative of the Mariners' unpredictability as a staff. Journeyman Wade LeBlanc and rookie Ariel Miranda, who was acquired when the team dealt established veteran Wade Miley at the deadline, will be sandwiched around Hernandez during the three-game series.

LeBlanc is scheduled to make his eighth start of the season after spending 2015 in Japan and the first 2 1/2 months of this season in Toronto's minor league system. He's been somewhat of a revelation, joining surprising veteran Hisashi Iwakuma as Seattle's two most dependable starters on a staff that has already seen 13 different pitchers make a start.

Two pitchers who won't throw in the series are up-and-comers Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, both of whom were supposed to be big parts of the 2016 season. The former top prospects have been hobbled by injury and inconsistency, as Paxton's currently doing a 15-day stint on the disabled list while Walker was recently demoted to Triple-A.

Milwaukee is planning to have 26-year-old lefty Brent Suter on the mound, marking his major league debut. He'll be the ninth pitcher to start for the Brewers this season, and Milwaukee opted to promote Suter over top prospect Josh Hader to make the start.

"It's not a knock against Josh," manager Craig Counsell said, according to MLB.com. "It's just Brent Suter has pitched very well. He's pitched very well this entire year. He pitched well last year there. He's having a lot of success at the Triple-A level."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (60-61) at Giants (67-54)

Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: August 19, 2016 10:15 PM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO -- The New York Mets welcomed back outfielder Justin Ruggiano for the series opener against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.

They liked what they saw so much, manager Terry Collins is planning to bring back two more injured players Friday.

Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (strained right quad) and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (strained left knee) are expected to be reinstated from the 15-day disabled list in time for the Mets' rematch with the Giants after San Francisco took the series opener 10-7 Thursday.

Cespedes missed the minimum 15 days, while Cabrera last played for the Mets on July 31.

The Mets' third loss in four games on their road trip Thursday came despite the efforts of Ruggiano, who had three hits, including a grand slam off Giants ace left-hander Madison Bumgarner.

Bumgarner extracted a measure of revenge against the Mets, however, belting a home run of his own to aid in a Giants comeback that helped produce the win.

The homer came off Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom, who shared the marquee with Bumgarner in what was billed as a pitchers' duel in the series opener.

"I don't think that's how either of us had it drawn up," Bumgarner said the 12 combined runs scored off the two starting pitchers. "But we'll take it for sure."

At least Bumgarner and deGrom walked away healthy.

The same couldn't be said Thursday of Giants right-hander Matt Cain, who had to go on the disabled list because of a sore lower back, and Mets lefty Steven Matz, who was scratched from his scheduled Friday start because of a sore shoulder.

That leaves Mets rookie right-hander Seth Lugo (0-1, 2.65 ERA) to make his first major league start against the National League's All-Star Game starter, Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto (13-3, 2.97 ERA).

"It's a hole to fill," Collins said of losing Matz, who is being pointed toward keeping his spot in the rotation next week. "Right now, Seth Lugo's going to be the guy."

Lugo has made nine relief appearances for the Mets, and he has demonstrated an uncanny ability to get left-handed hitters out. They are batting just .130 (3-for-23) against him.

The Giants got eight hits from lefty hitters in Thursday's barrage on deGrom.

The win allowed the Giants (67-54) to move seven games ahead of the Mets (60-61) in the National League wild-card race.

San Francisco has won just two of seven on its current homestand, but the hometown fans are starting to see the club swing the bats better.

The 10-run total Thursday was the Giants' highest since a 12-run tally against the Oakland Athletics on June 30.

The club has totaled 36 runs in its past six games.

Cueto, meanwhile, hasn't won since July 6, a six-game stretch in which he has gone 0-2 with a 4.84 ERA. The Giants lost four of the six contests.

Cueto has been particularly off his game in three August starts, during which he owns a 5.59 ERA without getting a decision. The ERA is the third worst in all of baseball among unbeaten pitchers in August who have made three or more starts, trailing only the Colorado Rockies' Chad Bettis (6.43) and the Texas Rangers' Lucas Harrell (6.17).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Diamondbacks (50-71) at Padres (51-70)

Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: August 19, 2016 10:40 PM EDT

SAN DIEGO -- A tourist is coming to town, which generally is not big news in San Diego.

However, when that visitor is Zack Greinke, the San Diego Padres take notice.

Greinke leads the Arizona Diamondbacks against San Diego on Friday night in the second contest of this three-game series. The Padres won a 9-8 in the series opener Thursday.

Both teams are playing out the string on disappointing seasons, but Greinke, no matter what team is on the front of his jersey, does well at Petco Park.

The right-hander, who left the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in the offseason, is 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA in eight career starts in San Diego's downtown digs. That includes winning his only decision in two starts against the Padres this year, and it came at Petco.

Overall, Greinke has dominated the Padres to the tune of 7-1 with a 1.91 ERA.

San Diego could be the soothing tonic Greinke seeks after getting blistered in his last outing. He lasted only 1 2/3 innings against the Boston Red Sox, as they ambushed him for nine runs, 10 hits and three home runs on Sunday.

"It just happened so fast, I didn't realize how bad it actually was," Greinke said.

It was the second-most runs ever allowed by Greinke, falling short of the 11 he yielded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 2005 game while he was with the Kansas City Royals.

Greinke pitched like royalty before the Boston massacre. In his previous 10 starts, he was 8-0 with a nifty 2.47. That is why Arizona manager Chip Hale expects Greinke will find his groove again while battling a lineup consisting mostly of rookies instead of proven hitters who litter the Red Sox's order.

"Well, they just hit everything he threw up there," Hale said after the Sunday game. "It was good pitches they hit. He obviously had some bad locations on some that they hit also. But it was one of those days. We've all been there. We've all been on the good side, and we've all been on the bad side."

The Padres are looking for the good side from their Friday starter, Jarred Cosart, who was acquired in July from the Miami Marlins.

Cosart (0-1, 5.03 ERA overall) is making his fourth start as a Padre and his eighth in total this year. The right-hander pitched well his last time out on Saturday, although he didn't figure in the decision. In six innings, he allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out two as the Padres dropped a 3-2, 11-inning decision to the New York Mets.

Cosart recorded 15 of his 18 outs via groundballs.

"That's usually the kind of pitcher I am," Cosart told MLB.com. "Ground-ball guy -- that's what I've been in the past, going all the way back to the minor leagues.

"Earlier this year and my last two starts, I was up in the zone a little bit, a little sporadic. If you pitch up in the zone to any big league team, you're going to get hit."

The Padres (51-70) and Diamondbacks (50-71), battling to avoid the NL West cellar, will be familiar with each other down the stretch. Over the final 41 games, they will play each other nine times.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Friday's Diamond Notes
By Tony Mejia

Hottest team: Cubs (15-2 last 17)
Chicago is hoping that this nine-game Western journey it has embarked upon won’t slow down its tremendous August, which has seen it sweep four different opponents. Only three of their 16 games this month have come outside Wrigley Field, but the Cubs did outscore the A’s by a combined margin of 14-3 in Oakland from Aug. 5-7 and own the third-highest road winning percentage in baseball behind Washington and St. Louis. The road trip, which features series against the Padres and Dodgers, opens in Denver against the Rockies, who won two of three the only time these teams got together back in mid-April. Colorado was the first team to steal a series from the Cubs at home, a feat that has only occurred on two other occasions this season. Rookie Tyler Anderson (4-4, 3.42 ERA) was still in the minors back then and will be getting his first look at Chicago’s mighty lineup, though he has seen a few of its key guys in the minors. Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks (11-7, 2.19) has the second-lowest ERA in baseball behind the injured Clayton Kershaw (1.79), who may not end up with enough innings to ultimately qualify for the award if he’s not back soon. Since June 19, Hendricks is 7-1 and has given up nine earned runs over 66.1 innings, striking out 63 and walking 16. Colorado handed him his first loss of the season. The Cubs have scored at least three runs in 20 of their last 21 games, averaging 5.4 within that span. They’ve won two of three at Coors Field in each of the past two seasons.

Coldest team: Astros (0-5 last five, 7-16 last 23)
The Astros are in danger of falling back down to .500 for the first time since June 21, when they kicked off summer by improving to 36-36, which was quite the accomplishment since they opened 17-28 through the season’s first 45 games. Their current ill-timed slump has them even with surging Kansas City and behind the fading Yankees in a ninth-place tie in the American League, 6.5 games back of a wild card spot. While there will be 40 games left after tonight’s showdown in Baltimore, Houston is running out of time to get back to the playoffs. That would be a huge disappointment since hopes were high after they unexpectedly reached last year’s postseason, taking down New York in the Wild Card before falling to the Royals in the ALDS. After closing out a four-game set at Camden Yards, Houston opens next week in Pittsburgh before returning home for winnable series against Tampa Bay and Oakland to close out August. The Astros have given up 38 runs over their last four losses as their pitching has completely broken down. The OVER has prevailed in eight of their last 11 games. Collin McHugh (7-10, 4.70) will look to snap a run of losses in four straight starts, while the Orioles hope to see Wade Miley (7-10, 5.23) notch a win for the first time since being acquired from Seattle. He’s 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA in a Baltimore uniform and will be facing the Astros for the third time in 2016.

Hottest pitcher: Rick Porcello (16-3, 3.30 ERA)
The Red Sox lost a 4-3 decision in the first of a four-game set in Detroit when Junichi Tazawa and Brad Ziegler were unsuccessful in protecting an eighth-inning lead, snapping a six-game winning streak. Despite the loss, Boston remains firmly entrenched in an AL wild card spot, even with Baltimore, three games up on Seattle and 3.5 up on the Tigers. Porcello is 10-1 since May 22 and has produced four consecutive quality starts, putting him squarely in the AL Cy Young mix. He’ll be seeing his former team who he pitched for from 2009-14 for the first time this season and only the second time in his career. As a result, there are few current Tigers who have much of a history against him – Miguel Cabrera has never faced him – although Ian Kinsler is 7-for-13. The newly acquired Erick Aybar (5-for-27) has opposed Porcello most, and no current player on the Detroit roster has a home run against him. He’ll be part of Friday’s top pitching matchup, squaring off against rookie Michael Fulmer (10-3, 2.25), who is third in all of baseball in ERA and comes off a career-best performance last Sunday, tossing a complete-game four-hit shutout at Texas. Books slightly favor Detroit (-110) at home and have set the total at 8.5.

Coldest pitcher: Johnny Cueto (13-3, 2.97 ERA)
A little over a month ago, Cueto was 13-1 and in the running for the NL’s Cy Young award, even starting the All-Star Game in San Diego. Former teammates Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez each homered off him in the second inning, resulting in a loss that didn’t count against his record, but began a run that hasn’t ended yet since victory has eluded him since July 6. Cueto was in position to have the winless streak snapped last Sunday, but watched Baltimore rally from a 7-1 deficit over the last three innings to win 8-7. The Giants are 2-4 in his last six starts. Including the All-Star debacle, Cueto has given up multiple home runs in five of his last nine outings after not having that happen over a span of 25 starts, which includes his work helping the Royals win last year’s World Series. Cueto will be facing the Mets for the first time since Game 2 of the Fall Classic, where he delivered a complete game two-hitter in a 9-1 win. New York has lost three of its last four and scratched lefty Steven Matz from Friday’s start due to shoulder discomfort. Rookie Seth Lugo (0-1, 2.65), who has worked 17 innings exclusively out of the bullpen since being called up for the first time on July 1, gets the call for the Mets, who are 1-8 when he’s taken the mound.

Biggest UNDER run: Rangers (5-0 last five, 14-3-1 last 18)
The bar has been set at 8.5 or higher in all but one of the 17 games encompassed in Texas’ under run, but those chasing the OVER based on all the firepower the Rangers have assembled after acquiring Carlos Beltran and Jonathan Lucroy at the trade deadline are likely broke by now. Although there was a prolonged slump in there against the Tigers where they failed to score a run in consecutive games, improved pitching has also contributed to this under run. The Rangers are 14-5 over their last 19 and have improved on the AL’s best record as result, but keeping their focus on this brief five-game road trip that starts tonight could be an issue. After a three-game set in Tampa Bay, Texas will play two in Cincinnati before returning to Arlington for an immense 10-game homestand against the Indians, Mariners and Astros. Cole Hamels (12-4, 2.88) aims to get his team off to a good start and has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last six outings. Although he’s yet to win a decision in August despite an ERA of 3.15, Hamels has been a rock for the Rangers, coming in 19-5 since being acquired just prior to the 2015 trade deadline. The UNDER has prevailed in five of Hamels’ six starts since the All-Star break, but he’s pitching at Tropicana Field for the first time since winning Game 1 of the 2008 World Series for Philadelphia en route to MVP honors. He’s only seen the Rays once this decade, shutting them out over seven innings in June 2012. Matt Andriese (6-4, 3.36) has limited experience against Texas hitters and has seen the OVER prevail in three of his last four starts. He hasn’t won a decision since June 15, making 13 straight appearances without a win. Books have set this total at 7.5.

Biggest OVER run: Phillies (10-0-2 last 12, 12-1-2 last 15)
The number has been right on over the last two Phillies games against the Dodgers, as Thursday’s 5-4 win produced nine runs for the second consecutive night to push for totals bettors. Oddsmakers have definitely adjusted since the figure would’ve likely been 8.5 if not for the fact that Philadelphia has still seen only one UNDER come in this entire month. Only one of the Phils' last 10 games at Citizens Bank Park has gone UNDER the posted total, a run that dates back to July 21. St. Louis comes into town on an OVER run of its own, as the posted total has been surpassed in nine of its last 11 games, including each of the last five. Since July 27, the OVER has gone 15-4-1 over the Cardinals' last 20 games. The Cards have averaged 7.5 runs on their current four-game winning streak that has them in control of the NL's second wild card. Adan Wainwright (9-7, 4.72) lasted a season-low two innings last Friday night at Wrigley Field, surrendering a season-high seven runs. The OVER has hit in each of his last five starts. Phillies lefty Adam Morgan (1-7, 6.62) was sent down to Triple-A for over a month and lasted just three innings in his return on Sunday. THE OVER has prevailed in each of the last nine games Morgan has appeared in. His lone win came on May 10 in Atlanta. Oddsmakers have set this total back up at 9.

Matchup to watch: Blue Jays at Indians
While every other division leader plays a sub-.500 team this weekend, Toronto and Cleveland square off at Progressive Field in what could wind up being a crucial weekend. The Indians hold a one-game lead over the Jays due to two fewer losses, but the winner of this series opener will reach the 70-win plateau first and whoever claims the three-game set would temporarily put themselves in position to potentially host the other in an NLDS if the Rangers wind up securing the AL’s top record. Cleveland has a much healthier division lead in the AL Central than Toronto enjoys over Baltimore and Boston, but this series should still feature a postseason feel since no other team scheduled to visit Cleveland between now and the end of the regular-season is currently a playoff team. These teams played a contentious four-game set up in Canada to open July that featured a 19-inning 2-1 Indians win that the Blue Jays recovered from by outscoring the Tribe 26-7 over the final two games, including a 17-1 rout in their last encounter. Lefty Francisco Liriano (6-12, 5.46) takes the ball first for Toronto and is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA since coming over from Pittsburgh. Favored Cleveland (-127) will ride Trevor Bauer (9-5, 3.97), who started that aforementioned 19-inning marathon on July 1, allowing two hits over five shutout innings. He’s won his last two decisions.

Betcha didn’t know: Atlanta's Julio Teheran (3-9, 2.81) hasn't allowed a run in four of his last seven starts and returns from the disabled list tonight after having his back tighten up in his last outing on July 30. The Colombian right-hander was just 1-2 in May despite a 1.38 ERA, went 2-2 in June even though his ERA that month was 1.91. He ended up a 4.08 in July and lost both of his decisions, but had a 15-inning scoreless streak snapped in his last start. The Braves have scored four or more runs in just six of his 21 starts. His three wins have all come away from Turner Field, where he's 0-5 despite a 3.08 ERA over 12 starts. Washington, who Teheran is 0-1 against this season over two April starts, will counter with Tanner Roark (13-6, 2.81), who has allowed just five earned runs over his last 27.1 innings and won 10 of his last 12 decisions.

Biggest public favorite: Yankees (-140) at Angels

Biggest public underdog: Reds (+142) vs. Dodgers

Biggest line move: Pirates (-155 to -170) vs. Marlins

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Friday, August 19, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

Do you still not think that social media affects what decision-makers decide in sports? The Yankees are a prime example of why those who are in charge of sports teams do care what fans think at times. Of course the Yankees in a full-blown youth movement after jettisoning veteran guys like Carlos Beltran, Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, etc. Now Brian McCann has been removed as the team's primary catcher in place of top prospect Gary Sanchez (who has been raking since being called up), although McCann will DH many days. I still think McCann could be dealt by the end of this month if the Yanks eat some money. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner had to sign off on getting rid of all these veterans, and apparently fan excitement over some young New York players on Twitter convinced him it was time. So your voice matters!


Red Sox at Tigers (-105, 8.5)

This is nationally televised by the MLB Network and should have live betting at sportsbooks. Nice pitching matchup here. It's former Tiger Rick Porcello (16-3, 3.30), who has to be in the Cy Young conversation. He has managed to get a decision in nine straight starts, which isn't all that easy to do. He beat Arizona last time out, allowing a run and three hits over seven innings. He hasn't faced his former teammates this year. Porcello was with the Tigers from his rookie 2009 season through 2014 and then dealt for Yoenis Cespedes. Ian Kinsler is 7-for-13 with five RBIs career off Porcello. J.D. Martinez is 2-for-3. It's AL Rookie of the Year favorite Michael Fulmer for the Tigers and, ironically, he was acquired from the Mets for Cespedes last summer. The Tigers are now admitting they are pondering ways to limit the innings for Fulmer (10-2, 2.25). Fulmer has pitched 126⅓ innings in 2016, an inning and two-thirds more than he threw in all of 2015 (in minors). The team obviously doesn't want to shut him down with the Tigers battling for the AL Central title potentially and a wild-card spot. All Fulmer did last time out was throw a complete-game four-hitter in Texas to take the AL ERA lead. He took a no-decision on July 27 in Boston, allowing three runs over 7.2 innings.

Key trends: The Red Sox are 6-1 in Porcello's past seven on four days of rest. The Tigers are 5-0 in Fulmer's past five at home. The "over/under" has gone under in five of Porcello's past seven overall. The under is 3-1-1 in Fulmer's past five at home.

Early lean: Tigers and under.

Rangers at Rays (+125, 8)

Texas ace lefty Cole Hamels (12-4, 2.88) is still a Cy Young candidate, but he's coming off a very unusual start on Saturday vs. Detroit in which he allowed a career-high 14 hits and 17 baserunners overall but just two runs over seven innings in a loss. The Tigers left 11 men on base against him with Hamels benefitting from a double play, two outfield assists and a successful pickoff. No big-league pitcher had allowed at least 14 hits and two earned runs or fewer since Montreal's John Dopson on July 3, 1988. I actually remember that guy, but certainly not that game. Hamels hasn't faced the Rays this year. Tampa goes with Matt Andriese (6-4, 3.36), who has ping-ponged between the bullpen and rotation in 2016. He lost at the Yankees on Saturday, allowing six runs and eight hits over five innings. Andriese hasn't faced Texas in 2016.

Key trends: The Rangers are 8-2 in Hamels' past 10 road starts vs. team with a losing record. The Rays are 0-7 in Andriese's past seven vs. teams with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in Hamels' past four.

Early lean: Rangers and under.

Blue Jays at Indians (-130, 9)

Potential playoff preview here. I do think both make it, just not sure yet if as division champion or a wild-card team. The Jays go with trade acquisition Francisco Liriano (6-12, 5.46). He makes his third start since coming over from Pittsburgh and is looking for his first win as a Blue Jay. He lasted 5.2 innings last time out against Houston, allowing five runs and eight hits. Liriano hasn't seen the Indians this season. Rajai Davis has faced him plenty, going 8-for-27 with three doubles and a homer. Mike Napoli is 1-for-6 with a homer off him. The Tribe's Trevor Bauer (9-5, 3.97) beat the Angels on Sunday in allowing four runs over six innings. He also won in Toronto on July 1 in shutting out the Blue Jays over five innings. Troy Tulowitzki is 2-for-6 against him. Josh Donaldson is 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Monitor Donaldson's status, though, as he left Wednesday's game vs. the Yankees and diagnosed with a sprained thumb.

Key trends: The Jays are 2-5 in their past seven following an off day. The Indians are 5-2 in Bauer's past seven at home. The under is 4-1-1 in Bauer's past six at home.

Early lean: Indians and under.

Yankees at Angels (+125, 8.5)

Also nationally televised by the MLB Network -- I mean, it's New York and Los Angeles. Of course it is. Poor Mike Trout as the Halos are simply terrible and not likely to be very good anytime soon with some awful contracts and the worst farm system in the majors. L.A. starts Jered Weaver (5.32, 8-10) here, and he's way past his glory days. He might throw softer than anyone in MLB these days who isn't a knuckleballer. Weaver had a typical start last time out vs. Cleveland, allowing five runs and 10 hits over 5.1 innings in a loss. Weaver was shelled at Yankee Stadium on June 8, giving up six runs and nine hits over 5.1 innings. Mark Teixeira is 8-for-37 off him with three homers and 10 RBIs. Jacoby Ellsbury is a .310 hitter against Weaver with two solo homers in 29 at-bats. New York goes with Masahiro Tanaka (9-4, 3.40). He beat the Rays last time out, allowing four runs in seven innings. Tanaka took a no-decision vs. the Halos on June 6, allowing two runs in seven. Trout is 1-for-5 off him.

Key trends: The Yankees are 6-0 in Tanaka's past six road starts vs. teams with a losing record. The Angels are 1-4 in Weaver's past five vs. teams with a winning record. The over is 4-1 in Tanaka's past five on the road.

Early lean: Yankees and over.

Mets at Giants (-145, 7)

New York should get Cespedes and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera off the disabled list for this game; in fact, Cabrera might be back Thursday. Cespedes is batting .289 with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs in 94 games with the Mets this season, and he's badly missed. New York goes with lefty Steven Matz in Game 2 of this series. Matz (9-8, 3.40) took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning on Sunday against San Diego. But Alexei Ramirez slapped an opposite-field single just inside first base with one out in the eighth inning and then Matz was pulled at 105 pitches. I would have been fascinated if Mets manager Terry Collins would have let him come out for the ninth if the no-hitter was intact, but Matz, who already has had shoulder surgery in his career, at 120 pitches or so. Matz beat the Giants on April 20, shutting them out over six innings. That was his first career look at them. The Giants' Johnny Cueto (13-3, 2.97) might be fading a bit as he is 0-2 with a 4.84 ERA in his past six starts. He hasn't faced the Mets this year but did in Game 2 of the 2015 World Series with the Royals and threw a complete game, allowing one run and two hits.

Key trends: The Mets are 2-5 in Matz's past seven vs. teams with a winning record. The Giants are 8-1 in their past nine vs. a lefty. The under is 6-0 in Matz's past six vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Giants and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Friday’s games

National League

Marlins @ Pirates
Koehler is 3-0, 1.91 in his last five starts; over is 7-3 in his last ten. Miami lost four of his last five road starts.

Cole is 2-4, 5.03 in his last six starts; his last four went over. Pirates are 3-5 in his starts at home.

Marlins are 3-7 in last ten road games, 12-7 in road series openers. Four of their last five road games went over. Pittsburgh won six of its last seven games, is 12-7 in home series openers. Four of last five Pirate games went over.

Cardinals @ Phillies
Wainwright is 0-2, 8.69 in his last four starts; his last five went over. Cardinals are 8-4 in his home starts.

Morgan is 0-7, 8.52 in his last ten starts; his last eight starts went over. Phillies are 2-5 in his home starts.

Cardinals won their last four games, are 8-11 in road series openers. Over is 11-2-1 in last 14 Cardinal games. Phillies won five of last seven games; over is 7-1-2 in last ten Philly home games. Phils are 6-12 in home series openers.

Dodgers @ Phillies
Norris is 3-1, 4.55 in six starts for the Dodgers; four of his last five went over.

Adleman is 1-1, 3.72 in four starts, last of which was May 19 (over 2-2).

Dodgers won three of last four road games, are 7-12 in road series openers; over is 6-1-3 in last ten Dodger games. Cincinnati is 10-4 in last 14 home games, 4-1 in last five home series openers. Six of Reds’ last seven games went over.

Nationals @ Braves
Roark is 4-0, 1.65 in his last four starts; under is 7-3 in his last ten. Washington is 6-1 in his last seven road starts.

Teheran is 0-2, 3.19 in his last six starts; under is 11-4 in his last 15 starts. Atlanta is 1-10 in his home starts.

Nationals are 11-5 in last 16 games; six of their last eight games went over. Atlanta lost seven of last eight games; six of their last seven games went over.

Cubs @ Rockies
Hendricks is 2-0, 1.17 in his last three starts; under is 4-1-1 in his last six. Cubs are 4-6 in his road starts.

Anderson is 4-1, 3.70 in his last seven starts (under 8-4). Colorado is 5-3 in his home starts.

Cubs are 18-3 in last 21 games, 5-8 in last 13 road series openers. Three of last four Cub games stayed under. Colorado is 4-10 in its last 14 games, 10-10 in home series openers. Five of last seven Rockies games went over the total.

Diamondbacks @ Padres
Greinke is 1-1, 7.72 in his last four starts (over 3-1). Arizona is 6-1 in his road starts.

Cosart is 0-0, 3.77 in three starts for San Diego (over 2-1).

Arizona lost its last four road games; over is 6-2 in their last eight road games. San Diego lost five of its last six games; six of their last seven home games went over total.

Mets @ Giants
Lugo is making his first MLB start; he is 0-1, 2.65 in nine MLB games (17 IP). He was 3-4, 6.50 in 21 AAA games (14 starts) in hitter-friendly PCL this year.

Cueto is 0-2, 5.09 in his last six starts; over is 8-3 in his last 11.

New York lost 15 of last 22 games; under is 22-11 in their last 33 road games. Giants are 10-21 since All-Star break; five of their last six games went over the total.


American League

Red Sox @ Tigers
Porcello is 8-1, 2.67 in his last nine starts; under is 5-2 in his last seven. Red Sox are 4-6 in his road outings.

Fulmer is 1-1, 1.78 in his last four starts; five of his last six stayed under. Detroit won all five of his home starts.

Red Sox won six of last seven games; under is 13-3 in last 16 Boston road games. Detroit lost seven of last ten games; last six Tiger games stayed under the total.

Astros @ Orioles
McHugh is 0-4, 7.78 in his last four starts; his last three stayed under. Houston is 5-7 in his road starts.

Miley is 0-2, 7.63 in three starts for Baltimore (under 2-1).

Astros lost their last five games; seven of last nine Houston games went over total. Baltimore lost five of last eight home games; under is 11-1-2 in last 14 games at Camden Yards.

Rangers @ Rays
Hamels is 0-2, 3.15 in his last three starts; five of his last six stayed under. Texas is 8-4 in his road starts.

Andriese is 0-3, 5.89 in his last four starts (under 6-4-1). Rays are 2-3 in his home starts.

Rangers are 9-3 in last 12 games, 1-6 in last seven road series openers; under is 7-0-2 in their last nine road games. Tampa Bay won its last four games, is 8-12 in home series openers. Over is 10-2 in last dozen San Diego games.

Blue Jays @ Indians
Liriano is 0-1, 6.17 in two starts for Toronto (under 2-0).

Bauer is 2-0, 2.92 in his last two starts; four of his last five stayed under. Cleveland is 7-3 in his home starts.

Blue Jays are 10-5 in last 15 games, 11-8 in road series openers. Under is 8-2 in Toronto’s last ten road games. Cleveland is 7-2 in last nine home games, 13-7 in home series openers. Over is 8-4 in their last twelve home games.

A’s @ White Sox
Graveman is 1-2, 5.79 in his last four starts; six of his last eight stayed under. Oakland is 5-2 in his last seven road starts.

Shields is 0-2, 20.26 in his last three starts; over is 9-3-1 in his Chicago starts. White Sox are 4-4 in his home starts.

Oakland lost its last five games, is 0-4 in last four road series openers. Under is 9-3 in A’s last 12 games. White Sox are 7-13 in last 20 games, 9-9 in home series openers. Four of their last five games went over the total.

Twins @ Royals
Berrios is 1-2, 11.09 in his last five starts; his last four went over the total.

Volquez is 1-2, 8.61 in his last four starts; five of his last six went over.

Twins are 11-5 in last 16 road games; over is 10-1-1 in their last 12 road tilts. Kansas City won nine of last 11 games; under is 14-5 in their last 19 games.

New York @ Angels
Tanaka is 2-0, 3.46 in his last two starts; four of his last six stayed under. New York is 6-5 in his road starts.

Weaver is 0-2, 7.72 in his last three starts; over is 6-2-1 in his last nine.

New York lost three of last four games; they’re 9-10 in road series openers. Five of last six Bronx games went over total. Angels lost 12 of last 14 games; under is 4-2 in their last six games.


Interleague

Brewers @ Mariners
Suter was 6-6, 3.50 in 26 AAA games this year (15 starts); this is his MLB debut.

LeBlanc is 1-0, 4.88 in his last four starts; four of his last five went over. Seattle won all five of his home starts.

Brewers lost its last five road games, is 5-14 in road series openers. Three of last four Milwaukee games stayed under. Seattle won its last six home games, is 11-8 in home series openers. Over is 8-5 in Mariners’ last 13 home games.


Teams’ record when this pitcher starts:

Mia-Pitt– Koehler 11-13 (4-1 last 5); Cole 8-10 (2-7 last 9)
StL-Phil– Wainwright 15-9 (0-3 last 3); Morgan 3-10
LA-Cin– Norris 4-2; Adleman 2-2
Wsh-Atl– Roark 15-9 (12-2 last 14); unknown
Chi-Col– Hendricks 13-9; Anderson 6-6
NY-SF– Lugo 0-0; Cueto 11-10
Az-SD– Greinke 13-6; Cosart 1-2/1-3

Hst-Balt– McHugh 13-11 (0-4 last 4); Miley 1-2/10-9
Tex-TB– Hamels 17-7; Andriese 5-6
Bos-Det– Porcello 18-6 (10-1 last 11); Fulmer 16-3
Tor-Clev– Liriano 1-1/9-12; Bauer 10-9
A’s-Chi– Graveman 11-12; Shields 5-8/2-9
Min-KC– Berrios 2-5; Volquez 13-12 (1-4 last 5)
NY-LA– Tanaka 17-7; Weaver 9-14

Mil-Sea– Suter 0-0; LeBlanc 6-1


# of time pitcher allows 1+ runs in first inning:

Mia-Pitt– Koehler 8-24; Cole 6-18
StL-Phil– Wainwright 9-24 (3 of last 3); Morgan 6-13
LA-Cin– Norris 2-6; Adleman 0-4
Wsh-Atl– Roark 4-24; unknown
Chi-Col– Hendricks 5-22; Anderson 4-12
NY-SF– Lugo 0-0; Cueto 4-21
Az-SD– Greinke 6-19 (5 of last 6); Cosart 4-7

Hst-Balt– McHugh 10-24; Miley 7-22
Tex-TB– Hamels 5-24; Andriese 3-11
Bos-Det– Porcello 7-24; Fulmer 4-19
Tor-Clev– Liriano 6-23; Bauer 5-19
A’s-Chi– Graveman 4-23; Shields 10-24
Min-KC– Berrios 4-7 (4 of last 4); Volquez 8-25
NY-LA– Tanaka 3-24; Weaver 8-23

Mil-Sea– Suter 0-0; LeBlanc 4-7


Teams’ records in first five innings:

Team (road-home-total)- thru 8/18

Arizona 22-29-9……23-33-5……45-62
Atlanta 23-30-8……18-28-13…..41-58
Cubs 30-18-8……40-17-8…….70-35
Reds 17-37-7……26-29-4……43-66
Colo 23-27-11…..25-30-4……48-57
LA 26-23-9……36-20-7……62-43
Miami 26-25-9…..29-18-13……55-43
Milw 19-34-7……33-21-7…….52-55
Mets 24-40-7……27-24-9……51-54
Philly 20-27-15….22-28-10…..42-53
Pitt 18-33-10…..36-18-4……54-50
St. Louis 28-26-5……24-25-12….52-51
SD 19-40-4……27-27-4…..46-67
SF 27-28-7……31-17-11……58-45
Wash 30-18-13…..25-18-16…..55-36

Orioles 23-32-7……..31-21-8…….54-53
Boston 20-26-9……39-17-8……59-43
White Sox 28-28-8……30-25-2……58-53
Cleveland 34-21-6……29-23-5…….62-44
Detroit 25-29-8……29-23-4…….54-52
Astros 21-28-11…..29-24-7…….50-52
KC 24-32-8……24-23-11……48-55
Angels 22-33-7…….22-28-10……44-61
Twins 23-31-9……20-32-11…….43-63
NYY 18-32-8……27-28-9…….46-60
A’s 19-32-8……23-29-11…….42-61
Seattle 29-25-8……25-20-12……54-45
Tampa Bay 21-25-10……28-26-9……49-51
Texas 23-32-8…….28-21-9…….51-53
Toronto 35-19-4……..35-24-4……70-43

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Roark leads Nats to victory'

Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves August 19, 7:35 EST

Washington and Atlanta meet Friday at Turner Field in the second of a four game series. Washington will send Tanner Roark to the mound carrying a 13-6 record, 2.81 ERA to the hill. In his last start, Roark won his fourth consecutive decision handcuffing Braves over seven innings allowing 1-run marking his second victory over Atlanta this season. Braves are expected to respond with Julio Teheran returning off DL. Prior to his stink on the DL, Teheran took a home loss vs Philadelphia moving his record to 3-9 with a 2.81 ERA on the campaign including two losses vs Washington.

Sportsbooks opened Nationals -$1.35 to -$140 road favorites depending on locale with the total set at 7.5 runs.

Roark doing Washington's bidding bodes well Nats chances as they're 6-0 as favorites in an opposing park with the hurler. Additionally, Nationals have a 4-1 record vs the division with Roark and are 7-2 in his nine career starts vs Atlanta. Two final eye-opening stats favoring Washington. The Braves have a 1-11 skid in front of the home audience with Teheran and a 1-6 slide last seven vs Nationals handing to ball to their righty.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

StatFox Super Situations

MLB*|*MINNESOTA*at*KANSAS CITY
Play On - All underdogs with a money line of +100 or higher (MINNESOTA) poor fielding team - averaging 0.75+ errors/game on the season, in August games
59-47*over the last 5 seasons.**(*55.7%*|*36.4 units*)
1-6*this year.**(*14.3%*|*-4.8 units*)


StatFox Situational Power Trends

MLB*|*TEXAS*at*TAMPA BAY
TEXAS is 80-67 (+37.4 Units) against the money line in Road games in all games*over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was: TEXAS (4.3) , OPPONENT (4.3)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Friday’s 6-pack

— Luke Del Rio (Jack’s son) will be Florida’s starting QB when the Gators host the Idaho Vandals in two weeks.

— Cubs outscored Milwaukee 23-8 in a 4-game sweep this week; they’re 9-3 against the Brewers this season.

— Eagles’ kicker Caleb Sturgis got a concussion last night when he was hit in the head with an errant punt….during warmups. Yikes.

— Former basketball player/QB Terrelle Pryor is having a good summer as a receiver with the Browns; caught a long TD from RGIII last night.

— Eagles 17, Steelers 0– Philly had four INTs in first half alone.

— I was told long time ago by a friend in Houston that Carlos Beltran never wanted to leave the Astros; his agent signed with the Mets because the agent’s cut of the pie would be bigger In NY than if Beltran had stayed in Houston.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

#1 Sports

Friday's Free Selection: Los Angeles Dodgers - 155

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mike Wynn

Bonus Play: MLB San Francisco w/Cueto -145 Over NY Mets

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Razor Sharp

FREE PICK FOR FRIDAY: Take MIAMI/DALLAS UNDER the total of 40½

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Totals4U

Friday's Free Selection: Los Angeles Dodgers/Cincinnati Reds under 9 1/2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Atlantic Sports

Friday's Free Selection from Atlantic Sports: San Francisco Giants - 145

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Platinum Plays

Free Pick: Houston/Baltimore Game OVER 9 Runs

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golden Dragon Sports

Free Pick Detroit Fulmer -114

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Huddle Up Sports

Bonus Play: NY Yankees Tanaka -135