Service Plays Friday 7/16/10

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers

Streaking

Jonathon Niese (6-3, 3.61 ERA), New York Mets

Lots of guys pitching on Friday were dealing their best stuff heading into the All-Star break. But instead of telling you the obvious like CC Sabathia and Felix Hernandez are both really good, we thought we’d point out some of the lesser-known hot hurlers.

Niese fits the bill beautifully. The young lefty became an instant favorite of Mets backers when his big league return forced Oliver Perez out of sight. The Mets are 6-1 in Niese’s seven starts since rejoining the club. The towering 23-year-old owns a 2.61 ERA over those seven appearances.

Gavin Floyd (5-7, 4.20 ERA), Chicago White Sox

This Chicago pitcher is making up for his spotty performances earlier this season and he’s doing it in a big way. The White Sox are 5-0 in his last five starts and the under is 8-2-1 in his last 11 outings.

He sports a nifty 1.25 ERA since June 6 and hasn’t allowed a home run in any of his last seven trips to the hill.


Slumping

Ricky Romero (6-6, 3.71 ERA), Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays ace is not enjoying the month of July so far. He was cruising along, delivering quality starts on a regular basis until the seventh month of the year began. He’s been tagged for 13 earned runs in his last two starts. He didn’t make it past the third inning in either of those outings.

“These past two starts, I’ve gotten my ass kicked,” Romero told reporters after the Sox tagged him for nine runs. “There’s no other way to put it. It’s pathetic.”

Ted Lilly (3-8, 4.08 ERA), Chicago Cubs

Here’s another guy that needed the All-Star break to clear his head. Lilly has allowed five homers in his last two starts, including four in an outing against Cincinnati where he gave up nine earned runs in 6.2 innings.

"I feel healthy, just not happy. The only thing that doesn't feel good is the way the ball's coming out of my hand the last couple of starts. Mechanically, I've got to get on top of the ball a little bit better," Lilly told the Associated Press after his latest ugly outing.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets

Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles (+145, 8.5)

What’s all this talk about the Orioles being the worst team in the history of MLB? The Orange Birds enjoyed a relaxing All-Star break (because they only had one representative) and start the second half with a four-game win streak.

You may not believe it but Baltimore is starting to get hot and now could be the time to jump on the betting bandwagon. The O’s earned 9.84 units for backers during a four-game sweep of the Rangers before the break and look to extend a season-high winning streak to five games Friday.

"We have some holes on the team," Nick Markakis told the Orioles' official website. "It's no secret. We know where we need to get better. I think that should be the focal point going forward from here."

With a team ERA just under 5.00, it’s surprising that the Balty bullpen hasn’t given up a single run in the last five games. The offense is starting to come around too, outscoring Texas 23-12 in the four-game series.

After looking like one of the best young pitchers in baseball the first two months of the season, the Jays’ Ricky Romero is falling back to earth. The lefty has allowed 13 earned runs during his last two starts (5.0 innings) which elevated his ERA from 2.83 to 3.71.

Don’t expect the O’s to climb back into the pennant race but it’s time to strike while the iron is hot.

Pick: Orioles


Houston Astros at Pittsburgh Pirates (+105, 8.5)

Some sports fans might rather tune into the CFL, AFL or even the WNBA than watch these lower-tiered MLB teams go at it. But just because it’s a lackluster matchup doesn’t mean there isn’t money to be made.

The Swashbucklers have been on the wrong side of six straight contests heading into the second half and there aren’t any signs that the team’s struggles can be remedied.

"It's awful," reliever Joel Hanrahan said. "This definitely isn't what we expected coming out of spring training. We need to turn it around in the second half and start playing together."

Unfortunately the Astros may not be the best team to starting turning things around for Pittsburgh. The Pirates have been swept by Houston in both series this season and are 1-9 in their last 10 games versus Houston. Pitt has failed to come out on top in nine consecutive series against the ‘Stros.

Quietly, Brett Myers has been one of the better pitchers on the Houston staff this season. The big righty is 6-6 with a 3.41 ERA and has gone at least six innings in every start of 2010. Zach Duke will oppose him Friday and coming fresh off the disabled list he will likely be on a strict pitch count.

Look for Houston, winners of four of its last six, to continue its dominance over the Pirates on Friday.

Pick: Astros

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets

Los Angeles Sparks at Chicago Sky (-8, 149)

The Sparks got a huge monkey off their backs with a win over the Tulsa Shock Tuesday night. Not only was the 87-71 victory just the team’s third win in the past 10 games but it marked the first time Los Angeles had won on the road since September 2009.

"I think it was our defense that made a difference," forward Tina Thompson told reporters. "They are a good team, they play hard, they’re very athletic, so I don’t think we expected them to lay down."

The Sparks’ defensive efforts helped give under bettors their seventh payday in L.A.’s last 10 games, improving the team’s over/under count to 10-8 on the season.

Los Angeles and Chicago have played under the total in their last three meetings and boast a 1-7 over/under mark since 2006.

Pick: Under


Atlanta Dream at Indiana Fever (-5.5, 161)

The Dream have been anything but for WNBA bettors this season.

Atlanta continues to be a money pit, burning backers for a 3-7 record against the spread in its last 10 outings. The team’s most recent ATS loss was 83-81 defeat to the Minnesota Lynx as a 2-point road favorite Wednesday.

Atlanta fell behind 44-32 at halftime, committing 13 fouls and 13 turnovers in the first 20 minutes of the game.

"We didn't play hard enough in the first half. I think that was the biggest difference in the game," Dream coach Marynell Meadors told reporters. "We can't take anything away from Minnesota, because they played well."

The Dream lost their last meeting with the Fever, 94-91, back on June 19. Atlanta was outscored 55-41 in the opening half of that contest and totaled 23 turnovers for the game.

Pick: Indiana

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL DUNKEL

Winnipeg at Hamilton
The Tiger-Cats look to bounce back from their 23-22 loss to Calgary last week and build on their 7-2 ATS record in their last 9 games following a SU loss. Hamilton is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Tiger-Cats favored by 4. Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (-3). Here are all of today's CFL picks.

FRIDAY, JULY 16

Game 413-414: Winnipeg at Hamilton (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 107.310; Hamilton 111.432
Dunkel Line: Hamilton by 4; 51
Vegas Line: Hamilton by 3; 54 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (-3); Under

Game 415-416: Montreal at BC (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 118.311; BC 113.874
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 4 1/2; 56
Vegas Line: Montreal by 5; 54
Dunkel Pick: BC (+5); Over

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Canadian bacon: This weekend's best CFL bets

Friday, July 16

Hamilton Tiger Cats at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-3.5, 54.5)

This is a rematch from Week 1, when the Bombers, led by their new quarterback Buck Pierce, rolled over the Tiger Cats in Hamilton.

They had seven sacks on Kevin Glenn in that game. In order to remove pressure from Glenn Friday, running back DeAndra Cobb must get the ball more often and make the most of it. After two games he only has 20 carries and 59 yards rushing.

The Tiger Cats did give a scare to the Calgary Stampeders last week in a game that coach Marcel Bellefeuille called the worst loss he endured since he took the helm of the Tiger Cats in 2008.

This week, Winnipeg must keep a close eye on Marcus Thigpen who, two games in his CFL career, has already scored touchdowns in four different ways: kick return, punt return, missed field goal and pass reception. He now needs to score on a rushing play to become the first one in the history of this league to find the endzone in five different ways in a single season.

Winnipeg will play this one without safety Ian Logan, who is nursing a hamstring injury. Brady Browne, a former player of the University of Manitoba Bison will get his first career start in front of family and friends. Defensive tackle Dorian Smith will also be out with a knee injury.

The Bombers should win but don’t expect the Tiger Cats to make it as easy on them as in Week 1.

Pick: Winnipeg

Montreal Alouettes at B.C. Lions (+5.5, 54)

Thanks to the magic of Anthony Calvillo and the offensive genius of coach Marc Trestman, the Alouettes managed to avoid a second loss in a row last week in Edmonton with a spectacular comeback victory over the Eskimos. That win was good for confidence according to some players.

Playing in Vancouver is never easy for the Alouettes, especially not after a short week. Montreal hasn’t won in B.C. since 2000. But this game won’t be played in the cavernous B.C. Place but outdoors at Empire Field.

The Alouettes have other reasons to worry in Week 3. Montreal’s defense continued to show weaknesses that must be a serious concern for an organization that believes it can repeat as Grey Cup champions. They just can’t seem to stop the long ball, with the secondary having surrendered 821 passing yards in two games.

With the Lions QB Casey Printers back from the quad injury that prevented him from playing in the second half of last week’s loss in Regina, the secondary of the Alouettes could be shredded once more.

Pick: B.C.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

WNBA NEWS AND NOTES
WNBA Betting Preview

Indiana Fever-Atlanta Dream

The Indiana Fever would like to get back on track at home in order to increase their chances of repeating as Eastern Conference champions.
The Fever will look to avenge their first home loss since May 12 when the Atlanta Dream visit Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday night.

Indiana (11-7) had a seven-game home winning streak snapped with a 77-68 loss to Connecticut on Wednesday. Tamika Catchings had 22 points and nine rebounds, including the 2,000th of her career, and Katie Douglas added 13 points for the Fever.

Catchings, who became the 10th player in league history with 2,000 rebounds, said Indiana needs to put away teams from here on out.

“As we look at the next 16 games (to finish the regular season) and making a playoff push, we need to put ourselves in a position where we’re not having to win games at the end,” she told the team’s official website. “In order to get a cushion, in order to make it to the playoffs, we have to win games now.

“As a team we have to realize that every single day you have to be ready.”

The Fever lead fourth-place Connecticut by one-half game in a tightly-packed conference in which all six teams are separated by five games. They will try to avoid losing for the third time in five games when they play the first-place Dream (14-6).

“We have to win,” Catchings said. “Everybody has to gut it out and we have to figure out how we’re going to win. For me, it’s frustrating. It’s all of us. It’s not just one player. As a team, we have to do better.”
Indiana and Atlanta have split two games this season with each team winning at home.

Catchings and Douglas scored 17 points each to lead the Fever to a 94-91 victory in the teams’ last game June 19. Angel McCoughtry and Iziane Castro Marques each had 21 points for the Dream, and Sancho Lyttle added 20 points and 20 rebounds.

The Dream hope Lyttle will be back in the starting lineup after missing an 83-81 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday due to the after-effects of a concussion.

In Atlanta’s second straight road loss, McCoughtry finished with 25 points and Castro Marques had 20. The Dream’s top two scorers went 18 of 43 from the field but coach Marynell Meadors saw another reason.

“We didn’t play hard enough in the first half. I think that was the biggest difference in the game,” she said, reflecting on 13 turnovers and 13 fouls by her team over the first 20 minutes.

Lyttle’s possible return could provide a boost. She is third on the team in scoring with a career-high 14.2 points, and second in the league with 10.6 rebounds per game.

Atlanta is second in the WNBA in scoring with 86.4 points. Indiana has the top defense, allowing only 70.6 points.


San Antonio Silver Stars-Tulsa Shock

The San Antonio Silver Stars are coming off consecutive 20-point defeats, and with four losses in five games, their playoff position is becoming more tenuous by the day.

Facing the Tulsa Shock should give them an excellent chance to get back on track.

The Silver Stars already have beaten Tulsa twice, and a third victory Friday night at the AT&T Center would hand the Shock a franchise record-tying 13th consecutive loss.

San Antonio (6-11) has dropped five straight road games, so a return home - where it has won three in a row by double digits - will be a welcome sight.

Even more agreeable will be seeing the Shock (3-15) occupying the visitors’ bench. After starting 3-3 in its first season after relocating from Detroit, Tulsa has lost 12 straight by an average of 15.5 points.

The Shock led Los Angeles by five at halftime Tuesday before being outscored 28-13 in the third quarter, the difference in an 87-71 loss that put them one defeat from matching the franchise record for futility set in 2002.

“I thought the first 20 minutes went pretty well,” coach Nolan Richardson said. “I thought we played the kind of basketball we’re capable playing to be able to win. But it’s always the third quarter that we come out. … It’s very difficult to understand why we come out flat.”

San Antonio has cruised to victory in both meetings this year with Tulsa - the teams play twice more after this meeting - with Sophia Young averaging 18.0 points.

Young has been held to 12.2 per game over the last five games and the Silver Stars lost four, but defense has been the team’s biggest issue during that stretch. San Antonio has surrendered 84.0 points per game and 50.2 percent shooting in those four defeats, including letting last-place Chicago hit 50 percent in an 88-61 defeat Wednesday.

“Speaking (about our defense), we definitely need to box out because they got a lot of second-chance points,” Young said. “A lot of times we would have two people going to the ball and nobody would get it, and they would just come up with loose balls.”

The Silver Stars have been outscored by 6.9 points per game this season, better than only Detroit (10.8). Despite their struggles, the Shock trail San Antonio and Phoenix by just 3 1/2 games for the Western Conference’s final two playoff spots.

If they’re going to catch either team, they’ll need their starting backcourt to step up. Scholanda Robinson averages a team-leading 11.7 points and Shanna Crossley adds 9.5 per game, but they’ve totaled 15 in the last two contests.

Chicago Sky-LA Sparks

The Chicago Sky have never advanced to the postseason. A favorable schedule over the final five weeks of the season could change that.

Chicago looks to build off the franchise’s most lopsided victory Friday when it hosts a Los Angeles Sparks team coming off its first road win of the year.

The Sky (9-11), who debuted in 2006, are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, trailing Connecticut by 2 1/2 games for the fourth and final playoff spot. Chicago set a team record for largest margin of victory with an 88-61 rout of visiting San Antonio on Wednesday, avoiding a third straight loss.

“We want to stay consistent, this is just one game,” said guard Jia Perkins, one of three Chicago players to score a team-high 14 points. “We have 14 more to go and we need to win most of them. Our main focus right now is to win games and get this playoff run.”

Seven of Chicago’s remaining games are against the West. Only Seattle—a league-best 17-2—has a winning record in that conference.

Los Angeles (5-13) was expected to challenge for the WNBA title this season after pushing eventual champion Phoenix to three games in last season’s West finals, but those chances essentially disappeared when 2008 MVP and Chicago-area native Candace Parker suffered a dislocated shoulder June 13.

The Sparks dropped six of seven following Parker’s injury before snapping a seven-game road losing streak Tuesday by defeating league-worst Tulsa 87-71. Los Angeles held the Shock to 30 points in the second half to record its first road victory since Sept. 13 versus the Mercury.

“I think it was our defense that made a difference,” Sparks center Tina Thompson said after scoring a team-best 24 points with six rebounds.

Parker was averaging a double-double with 20.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game before her season-ending injury, forcing Los Angeles to lean more on Thompson. The 13-year veteran is second to Parker with 13.8 points and 5.9 boards per game.

The Sparks, who play six of their next seven on the road, fell to 3-1 all-time in Chicago with a 75-63 loss on July 29.

Sky center Sylvia Fowles scored 13 points and had seven rebounds in that game, but she missed a 75-63 loss to the host Sparks on Aug. 25 due to a sprained right ankle.

Los Angeles has won six of eight all-time versus Chicago.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL NEWS AND NOTES
CFL Betting Preview

Montreal Alouettes (1-1, 1-1 ATS)

It isn’t often that you see teams in the CFL go on three-game road trips, particularly all on the opposite side of the country, but that’s exactly what the Als have had to start off the CFL betting campaign this year.

They rebounded from a bad overtime loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 1 by handing the Edmonton Eskimos their second defeat of the year by the count of 33-23. The offense for the Als probably wasn’t what it should have been, as 287 total yards is tame in comparison to what this team can do on a regular basis. No receiver had more than 52 yards through the air, and for the second straight week, no one had more than five receptions. QB Anthony Calvillo had 237 passing yards and two scores against a pick on the day. The game really turned on DB Jerald Brown’s pick six early in the fourth quarter. His score was the second in a span of three TDs that took the Alouettes from trailing 23-11 to leading 33-23, the final score of the game.

British Columbia Lions (1-1, 1-1 ATS)

Things looked great for the Lions after a week of play, but now that the team has had a debilitating 37-18 loss under their belts at the hands of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, they have to wonder just how strong they are going to be this year. The difference was the rushing game, which didn’t get a great effort from RB Jamal Robertson in Week 2. He rushed the ball ten times for 54 yards, but it never felt like the Leos really got him into the game. Instead, the passing game was king. QBs Casey Printers and Travis Lulay combined to throw for 317 yards and two scores, though the major of the yardage for Lulay came on a 98 yard TD pass to WR Geroy Simon, who also had a TD reception from Printers as well. The veteran Printers completed ten of his 14 passes before getting injured. His status is still up in the air for Friday, but all accounts expect BC’s starting signal caller to be the man under center when the game kicks off. Giving up 7.2 yards per play is unacceptable in this league, and the Lions are going to have to work those kinks out if they hope to beat the Alouettes on Friday night.

Montreal went 2-1 SU but just 1-2 ATS against the Leos last year. This is a very interesting game, as both of these teams haven’t played to their potential yet this season. Printers has had a woeful history against the Alouettes in his career though, and that is going to be the decisive factor, as the visitors will close out this road stand with a very acceptable 2-1 record. BC is overmatched in this CFL betting affair.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-1, 1-1 ATS)

The Blue Bombers were on the wrong end of the biggest upset of the season in the CFL to date last week when they were defeated by the Toronto Argonauts 36-34 at home as double digit chalks.

Winnipeg got a fantastic game out of its offense, as the unit put up 493 yards. The rushing attack might have had 147 yards to cheer about, but 103 of those came on seven QB Buck Pierce carries. Pierce also had 366 yards and three TDs through the air. It was a particularly strong game for WR Terence Jeffers-Harris, who had seven catches for 152 yards and two TDs in the win. The defense might have allowed 36 points, but all in all, it wasn’t an awful game by that unit. The ‘D’ only conceded two majors on offense and really held the passing game for the Argos down. All things considered, giving up 317 yards of total offense isn’t a miserable effort. The backbreaker came early in the fourth quarter when K Alexis Serna missed a 45 yard field goal that was returned 117 yards for a touchdown. The Bombers never led again and dropped to 1-1 on the campaign.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-2, 0-2 ATS)

The Tabbies wish they had the .500 problem to contend with right now. They played a game against the Calgary Stampeders that was designed to be a revenge game for K Sandro DeAngelis, who was a Stampeder until this season. However, DeAngelis was called upon four times and only converted twice in the game on field goals, and he wasn’t asked to try to boot a short field goal at the goal line in the second half that could have given Hamilton a lead that ultimately would have likely stood up. Instead, Hamilton was stopped at the doorstep, and it never really felt like it had a fantastic chance to beat the Stamps from that point on. DeAngelis could have been a hero at the end of the game, but his 59 yard attempt to win was blocked. QB Kevin Glenn rebounded from a bad game against these Blue Bombers two weeks ago by going 26-for-34 through the air with 356 yards and a score. Expect more work from RB DeAndra Cobb, who is one of just two starting running backs in the CFL to not have at least 100 yards of rushing through two games.

In that Week 1 encounter, the Blue Bombers were short underdogs and ultimately pounced in a huge way with a 49-29 victory. A win could clinch up the season series for Winnipeg and put a huge strain on a Hamilton team that was expected to do well this season. However, back in Steeltown, the Tabbies can’t afford to drop yet another game. Expect them to come out swinging to notch their first win of the year and to get some payback for the defeat at Canad Inns Stadium two weeks ago.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

AFL NEWS AND NOTES
AFL on the NFL Network: Spokane at Iowa

Spokane Shock at Iowa Barnstormers (+6.5, 107)

The AFL game of the week features one of the top teams in the league as the Spokane Shock (11-2, 8-5 ATS) make their first NFL Network appearance when they meet the Iowa Barnstormers (6-6 SU, 7-5 ATS) Friday night.

Spokane has rattled off nine consecutive victories and locked up the Western Division with a win over Cleveland last Saturday. The Barnstormers all but extinguished their playoff hopes after a 52-42 loss to Oklahoma City last weekend.

Foot Off The Pedal?

Spokane may have locked up home-field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs, but don’t expect this squad to put it on cruise control the final three games of the season.

Tampa Bay (10-3) is breathing down the Shock’s neck for best record in the AFL and which team comes away with that distinction will earn home-field in the Arena Bowl, should they advance that far. Spokane also plays its last three games on the NFL Network where players can audition for NFL scouts tuning in.

“I think it’s my responsibility to get the players seen,” head coach Rob Keefe said. “I’m going to put the best on the field every week. Somebody asked me the other day, ‘Do you want to lose before the playoffs?’ No, I think you want to win at everything you do all the time.”

So there’s the confirmation that Keefe won’t pull a Jim Caldwell and sit starters midway through the game.

Mustering Motivation

Iowa must win its next three games and have Milwaukee lose its final three in order to earn a trip to the postseason. That’s a pretty tall order to fill considering the Barnstormers play three of the elite teams in the league beginning Friday.

"I told the team the season's not over, we still have a lot to play for,” head coach John Gregory said. “We have three games left, against three of the top opponents in the league."

Iowa plays Spokane, Milwaukee and Arizona to close out the season and is 1-5 this season against teams with a .500 record or better. The Barnstormers have remained competitive throughout the year behind a hard-nosed defense but these final opponents boast three out of the top four offenses in the AFL.

The Iowa defense may be able to limit the Shock’s No. 2-ranked scoring offense (63.7 ppg) but keeping up with them on the other side of the ball might be a problem. The Barnstormers rank third-to-last in the league in scoring (49.8 ppg) and total offense (278.1 ypg). Quarterback Ryan Vena has accounted for too many turnovers this season and bettors should heed the words of a professional handicapper before backing Iowa.

“Vena is not a long-term answer, he’s not a quarterback I have a whole lot of respect for,” said Covers Expert Ted Sevransky.

Travel Log

After the Shock concluded their game last Saturday in Cleveland, the team was scheduled to fly back home Sunday. After arriving at the airport Spokane learned there had been an error in the travel arrangements and its return flight wasn’t until Monday.

The Shock went back to the hotel and relaxed in Ohio for the day and then returned home late Monday evening. They went through short film and conditioning sessions Tuesday, practiced lightly Wednesday and then flew out for Des Moines Thursday.

“What are you going to do, sit around and cry about it?” Keefe said of the botched travel. “Health is the main issue at this point for every team. It’s more honing in, getting healthy and focusing on what Iowa does.”

Being located at least a 1,000 miles from any other AFL team has its advantages when playing host but situations such as these have to wear on the Spokane players.

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

The Shock earned last week’s win in dramatic fashion. On Cleveland’s first possession of overtime, Spokane defensive back Travis Williams returned an interception 43 yards for the game-winning touchdown. The 62-56 victory allowed the Shock to cover the spread as 3-point road favorites.

Kyle Rowley completed 25-of-38 passes for 298 yards and seven scores while directing an offense that averaged 6.9 yards per play. “Baby” Huey Whittaker was the primary benefactor of Rowley’s proficiency, hauling in 11 balls for 153 yards and five touchdowns. The Shock are 3-1 ATS over their last four outings.

Two costly turnovers by the Barnstormers inside the 5-yard line proved to be the difference in the loss to Oklahoma City last Saturday. The Iowa defense, that had been relentless the previous two weeks, was only able to come away with one stop versus OKC.

"We just couldn't get them stopped," coach John Gregory said. "We were moving the ball well, but the two turnovers, that's what put us in a hole. Our defense wasn't able to make enough plays."

Iowa was installed as a 4-point road underdog in that game but the spread had moved to a pick ‘em by kickoff. The ‘Stormers are 3-3 SU and ATS in their last six games.

 

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BETTORS TIPS AND NOTES
Bettor's Best Friend (BBF): Friday's Wagering Tips

Line Off The Board

Phillies at Cubs – The total for the game is not available due to the uncertainty of wind speed and direction at Wrigley Field.

Lines To Keep An Eye On

Phillies at Cubs – The home squad opened as a -140 favorite but a few markets have dropped that moneyline to -120.

Rays at Yankees – Most shops have moved the total for this game to 8.5 after opening at 9.

Blue Jays at Orioles – Some books have dropped the total for this game to 8.5 after surfacing at 9.

Athletics at Royals – Kansas City was installed as a -150 home favorite in this contest but a few boards are offering -135. The total for the game has also moved from an opener of 8 down to 7.5.

Weather Report
(Forecasts are extracted from Weather.com the night before the game.)

Rockies at Reds – The forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of rain throughout the game.

Nationals at Marlins – The National Weather Service projects a 14 mph wind to blow in from right field. There is also a 30 percent chance of rain.

Brewers at Braves – A 40 percent chance of rain is called for.

Who’s Hot

The Orioles, owners of the worst record in baseball, have won four straight games.

Spokane (AFL) has won nine straight and is 3-1 ATS in its last four.

The OVER is 5-0 in Winnipeg’s (CFL) last five games and 3-0 in last three of the Blue Bombers-Tiger Cats series.

Who’s Not

The Pirates have lost six consecutive games and are 3-7 in their last 10.
Hamilton (CFL) is 0-3 SU and ATS in its last three games.

Utah (AFL) has dropped nine games in a row and is 2-7 ATS in that span.

Key Stat

6.0 – Number of innings Astros starter Brett Myers has lasted in every start this season. No other pitcher in MLB has accomplished that feat.

Injury/Return That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked

Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran will make his season debut on Thursday night against the San Francisco Giants. Shortstop Jose Reyes also was expected to be in the lineup for the Mets but was a late scratch. Beltran, who has been recovering from knee surgery, was batting cleanup. He batted .325 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs in 81 games for the Mets last season. Reyes had re-aggravated a strained right oblique over the weekend that kept him out of the All-Star Game.

Game Of The Day

Spokane Shock at Iowa Barnstormers (+6.5, 107)

Notable Quotable

"I don't see where you can get where he quit. He just had one bad game. It happens. Kobe had a bad game in the Finals. They won. It didn't matter. LeBron's teammates didn't help him out that game and it made the way he played even worse. But he's not a quitter. He didn't quit."

-- Heat guard Dwyane Wade said of his new teammate LeBron James who was accused by the Cavaliers’ owner of quitting on the team.

Tips And Notes

- Many people believe that hitters who participate in the Home Run Derby encounter a drop off in production the second half of the season. But as Derek Carty points out, that isn’t really the case. Through statistics and research, Carty discovered that “57 percent of derby participants outperform their projections in the second half.” He goes on to mention that even hitters that blast a large number of bombs in one round or advance to the second or third rounds “don't see any signs of a second-half decline.” Apparently, Josh Hamilton was the exception but it’s something to keep in mind for those sluggers who were in the Derby this year.

- How many of you bettors use math to pick games? Well, Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer uses math to win games on the mound. Scherzer studied business finance at the University of Missouri and utilizes advanced metrics to evaluate his pitching results. Whatever floats his boat, Scherzer is getting it done for Detroit. Since being recalled from Triple-A, the hard-throwing righty is 5-2 with a 2.44 ERA. The Tigers are a -140 favorite in Cleveland Friday.

- John Daly has won the Open Championship before and claims that the Old Course “just suits [his] game.” When he won in 1995, the blonde bomber recorded a first round of 67 and then went on to shoot 71, 73 and 71 to win in a playoff. But because of his physical challenges, many times Daly starts off a tournament strong and then falters in the latter rounds. He’s only finished in the Top 5 of a round at a major three times since his British Open victory in ’95 – in 1997, 1999 and 2007. A matchup wager against Daly could be a winner in any of the next three rounds.

 

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GREEK SPORTS PICKS

Houston Astros -115
Detroit Tigers -150

 

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BASEBALL CRUSHER
PLAY OF THE DAY

Detroit Tigers (-140) over Cleveland Indians

 

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Hondo

Hondo, whose keen horse sense paid off big time Wednesday at Belmont, went to the window again last night when he scored with the Cards to lower the deficit to 1,005 kaskos.

Tonight, he'll try to get two with the Chisox and Reds -- 10 units apiece on Floyd and Arroyo.

 

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Arthur Ralph Sports
480 - 352 run 58 %

Bonus Play FRI White Sox + 130

 

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papayagang picks of the day

Florida Marlins ML
San Diego Padres ML
Baltimore Orioles ML

 

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The Joker's Bet of the Day:

Lay Jaro at 2.0 to beat Lahti

 

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Smart Analysis Sports

One Play for Friday, July 16th:

Tampa Bay (+170) (Shields/ Sabathia listed) (4.00 units to win 6.80 units)

 

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CAPPERS ACCESS
Cubs
W.Sox

 

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GAMBLERS DATA
Blue Jays/Orioles
over 9

 

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Joe Wiz's Daily Free Pick

Under 9 runs bet. Milwaukee and Atlanta