Service Plays Saturday 8/28/10

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaking and Slumping Pitchers

Streaking

Clay Buchholz (15-5, 2.26 ERA) Boston Red Sox

We'd love to tell you Buchholz's ERA over his last three games, but the truth is he doesn't have one. That's right, it's 0.00 over his last 21 innings of work.

Buchholz has four straight wins and hasn't allowed an earned run since Aug. 6, thrusting himself prominently into the AL Cy Young Award conversation.

Perhaps most impressively, the Red Sox are 9-1 in his last 10 starts.

John Garland (13-8, 3.25 ERA) San Diego Padres

Garland has been hotter than Hades in the month of August, going 4-1 with an 0.98 ERA. Two of his last three outings were shutouts over six and seven innings.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander has been especially strong this season at home (7-2 with a 2.49 ERA), where he will face the Phillies today.

One word of caution: Garland is 0-4 lifetime with a 7.94 ERA against Philadelphia.

CC Sabathia (17-5, 3.02 ERA) New York Yankees

CC has won his last four starts, including a 10-0 shutout victory over the Seattle Mariners in six shutout innings, and he only left early because of a rain delay.

His previous starts have lasted 7, 8 and 8 2/3 frames - all for more than 100 pitches - so his durability seems to be a non-issue.

Sabathia has a 24/6 strikeout-to-walk ration during that span and he's 15-4 lifetime against the Chicago White Sox.


Slumping

Livan Hernandez (8-9, 3.36) Washington Nationals

Hernandez is showing all the signs of a tired pitcher. He is 0-2 and the Nationals are 0-4 in his last four starts, none of which have lasted more than seven innings.

The right-hander has thrown more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) during that span and has been working from behind in the count on numerous occasions.

In Monday's game against the light-hitting Cubs, Livan needed 121 pitches to get through 4 1/3 innings. The Cubs knocked him around for 10 hits and seven runs.

Barry Zito (8-9, 3.78) San Francisco Giants

Zito hasn't picked up a since July 16 and hasn't lasted seven innings since Aug. 6. Still, his recent outings qualify him as a slumper even by last month's standards.

The left-hander has worked just 16 innings over his last four appearances, allowing 28 hits and 14 runs during that stretch. In fairness, one was a relief appearance in which he let the Reds score the winning run.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets

Florida Marlins at Atlanta Braves (-180, 7.5)

The Braves are coming off a woeful series in which they were swept in three games at Colorado. But don’t be fooled into thinking that the NL East-leading Braves are suddenly playing bad baseball. They simply aren’t that good on the road; 29-37 to be exact.

For this series, though, Atlanta is back at home where it is by far the best team in baseball. The Braves are a daunting 44-17; no other team in the majors has fewer than 20 losses at home (ironically, that’s Colorado).

Atlanta is batting .269 as a team at Turner field compared to .250 on the road. The Braves score 4.87 runs at home while getting 4.51 across the plate as visitors. Their home ERA: 2.97. Their road ERA? Well, that balloons to 4.06.

The Marlins have won two in a row and seven of their last 10 heading into this series. Hanley Ramirez had 10 hits in a three-game series at the Mets earlier this week (the most of his career in such a span), but he will be hard-pressed to duplicate that feat with Tim Hudson going for Atlanta on Saturday.

Pick: Braves


Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays (-125, 7.5)

The Red Sox are 5.5 games out in the AL East with Tampa Bay and New York tied atop the division, so this might as well be a must-win series for Boston.

Easier said than done, of course, for the Sox. Kevin Youkilis is out for the year, Mike Cameron is having surgery on Friday, Dustin Pedroia is about to have season-ending surgery, and Jacoby Ellsbury might be out for the season as well.

The Rays, on the other hand, are flying high and invoking memories of 2008 when they made it to the World Series.

“It's exciting,” Matt Joyce said of the current pennant race. “Every day means something. You know you're playing for something. This is the way the game is supposed to be played. This makes it fun and enjoyable.”

One piece of good news for the Sox is that Clay Buchholz is taking the mound on Saturday, but the Rays are countering with Matt Garza, of no-hit fame.

Pick: Rays

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Gridiron Battles

Week 3 of the NFL’s preseason schedule is up and running with nine games on the schedule for Saturday. We’ll open up with a battle between possible playoff teams in Baltimore. Then make our way to Houston for a Lone Star State showdown before a battle in the bay.

Giants at Ravens (-4½, 38) – 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Giants looked like one of the teams to beat last season after opening the year with five straight wins. That was just a mirage as they stumbled to a 3-8 mark in the final 15 games to miss out on the postseason party.

In only two preseason games, New York has mirrored the 2009 campaign. They looked sharp in its 31-16 “road” win over the Jets, following it up with a subpar performance in a 24-17 home loss to the Steelers last Saturday night. To be fair, the tilt against Pittsburgh was without both Eli Manning and Jim Sorgi.

The G-Men have also seen some bumps and bruises in the exhibitions as well. All Manning could hear was calliope music after not telling the rest of the team he was changing a play early against the Jets. That miscue caused him to lose his helmet, leading to a three-inch gash on his forehead. That forced him to miss last week’s game altogether. Same thing goes for Sorgi, who played well in the opener (8-of-15, 146 yards, 2 touchdowns). But he suffered a shoulder injury at the end of the preseason opener that will keep him out until at least the first week of the regular season.

Everything couldn’t be better for the Ravens. They improved its middle-of-the-pack receiving corp with Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth. Baltimore’s new duo has accounted for five catches and 106 yards. Needless to say this has made Joe Flacco’s job a little easier.

These two teams have seen stark contrasts in how they handle the preseason for total players. New York has cashed the ‘over’ in both of its games, while the ‘under’ is 2-0 for Baltimore.
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The Ravens have been a strong home team during John Harbaugh’s tenure as coach during recent preseason tilts, having gone 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread. The ‘under’ is a fantastic 5-1 in these tilts as well.

While that info might lead you to take Baltimore, there is some info to know. The recent preseason history between these two teams has seen the visitors go 5-2 SU and ATS, with the ‘over’ holding a slight 4-3 advantage.

Cowboys at Texans (-3, 40½) – 8:00 p.m. EDT, CBS

Expectations are high in the Lone Star State when it comes to football.

The Cowboys know that their home stadium will play host to Super Bowl XLV. The only question that remains for them is if they will be the first team to play the game on their home field. Preseason football isn’t much of a gauge, but the 2-1 record has to make fans and bettors alike happy with their chances.

Dallas hasn’t shown much in the way of its offensive gameplan during the exhibition. The ‘Boys are 29th in the preseason on the attack, averaging 251.3 yards per game. And Tony Romo has completed just 46 percent of his passes so far, tossing a pick and a touchdown in limited play. That will change on both offense and defense for the Cowboys as Wade Phillips has stated that the starters will be playing into the third quarter.

Houston finally looks like it will finally get to the playoffs after posting its first 9-7 record in 2009 under Gary Kubiak. Matt Schaub has picked up where he left off last year with his passing prowess. In limited play, Michael Vick’s former backup has gone 13-of-16 for 195 yards and a touchdown through the air. Schaub’s extended play on Saturday night will no doubt help an offense that hasn’t done much on third down in the preseason, converting just 6 of the Texans’ 22 chances.

These two teams have been on opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to the totals: Dallas has seen the ‘under’ go 3-0, while the ‘over’ has hit in both preseason tests for the Texans.

One thing that bettors should keep an eye on is that the Cowboys are 2-5 SU and ATS in their seven road preseason tests under Phillips. The ‘over’ has gone 5-2 in that stretch as well.

49ers at Raiders (-1, 36) – 9:00 p.m. EDT

Is there a reason to be optimistic in the Bay Area? Still a little too soon to tell, but things are looking up.

San Francisco comes into this game having won both of its preseason tilts both SU and ATS. Although that cover as 3½-point home favorites last Sunday in a 15-10 win over Minnesota was a gift backers of the 49ers.

For the 49ers’ Alex Smith, he’s just happy to have Jimmy Raye running the offense. Doesn’t sound like much but this is the first time the QB from Utah has had the same offensive coordinator for two straight years. It hasn’t looked like the familiarity has helped as Smith has completed 54.5 percent of his passes for 125 yards and one pick.

One of the bigger positives of this preseason has been the play of Anthony Dixon. All the rookie out of Mississippi State has done is run for 154 yards and two scores on 41 carries.

Oakland has enjoyed the preseason with its new QB Jason Campbell, but they also found a suitable backup to him. Kyle Boller has taken advantage of injuries to Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye with the extra snaps at camp. The result has been Boller completing 19-of-30 passes for 203 yards and tosses one touchdown.

Tom Cable has had the Raiders ready and willing to help out bettors as they’re 4-3 SU and 5-2 ATS in the preseason. The ‘over’ has also gone 5-2 in these games as well.

This head-to-head battle has been decidedly tilted to the home clubs. Home teams have gone 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS. Gamblers that fancy totals should note that the ‘over’ has hit in three of the last four meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL DUNKEL

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

Game 293-294: Saskatchewan at Edmonton (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 115.734; Edmonton 108.367
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 7 1/2; 59
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 6; 56 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (-6); Over


CFL LONG SHEET

SASKATCHEWAN (5 - 2) at EDMONTON (1 - 6) - 8/28/2010, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 143-106 ATS (+26.4 Units) in all games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 143-106 ATS (+26.4 Units) in all lined games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 4-3 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-3 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


CFL WRITE-UP

Week 9 CFL games

Saskatchewan (5-2) @ Edmonton (1-6)-- Eskimos (+7) lost 24-20 to the Roughriders in Regina six weeks ago, as Riders ran ball for 234 yards and came back from down 14-10 at half. Edmonton is 1-3 as underdog; they got crushed 56-15 in Calgary last week, using three QBs. Riders allowed 70 points in losing last two road games, at Calgary/Montreal; they're 4-0 if they allow less than 30 points. Over is 4-1-1 in last six Eskimo tilts.

CFL ADDITIONAL

Trend Report

7:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. EDMONTON
Saskatchewan is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan
Edmonton is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Canadian Bacon: CFL Week 9 Analysis and predictions

Saturday

Saskatchewan Roughriders at Edmonton Eskimos (+7, 57.5)

The Eskimos are still looking for their second win of the season and, even at home, it won’t come easy against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Until this year, playing at home gave them a huge advantage because of the natural turf, which was unique in the league. That isn’t the case anymore. So far this year, they have only won a single of their four games on the new artificial turf of Commonwealth Stadium.

Since the start of 2010, the Eskimos defense has been falling in pieces. They have only 12 sacks against the opposing QB’s which ranks second worst in the league. Because of injuries to Dario Romero, Kai Ellis and Greg Peach, the defensive front is now quite fragile. This is a team that lost 56-15 to the Stampeders 10 days ago and these Roughriders are just as scary.

Without Ricky Ray, these Esks are going to enter a slaughterhouse at home. And everyone knows that amongst the 50,000-plus expected at the Commonwealth Stadium Saturday, the Riders Nation will be more visible than usual. So much for home field.

Pick: Saskatchewan

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFLX Dunkel

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

Game 263-264: Cleveland at Detroit (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 119.941; Detroit 122.881
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 3; 35
Vegas Line: Detroit by 2; 38
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-2); Under

Game 265-266: Cincinnati at Buffalo (6:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 121.751; Buffalo 116.939
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 5; 39
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 2 1/2; 35
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-2 1/2); Over

Game 267-268: Jacksonville at Tampa Bay (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville 119.949; Tampa Bay 121.594
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 38
Vegas Line: Jacksonville by 3; 36 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+3); Over

Game 269-270: NY Giants at Baltimore (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Giants 120.499; Baltimore 128.648
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 8; 33
Vegas Line: Baltimore by 5 1/2; 37 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-5 1/2); Under

Game 271-272: Dallas at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 122.059; Houston 120.876
Dunkel Line: Dallas by 1; 43
Vegas Line: Houston by 3; 40 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+3); Over

Game 273-274: Seattle at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 125.003; Minnesota 125.804
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 37
Vegas Line: Minnesota by 6; 38
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+6); Under

Game 275-276: Tennessee at Carolina (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 122.264; Carolina 119.469
Dunkel Line: Tennessee by 3; 32
Vegas Line: Carolina by 3; 35
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (+3); Under

Game 277-278: Arizona at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona 114.862; Chicago 123.195
Dunkel Line: Chicago by 8 1/2; 38
Vegas Line: Chicago by 3; 36 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-3); Over

Game 279-280: San Francisco at Oakland (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 121.037; Oakland 124.291
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 3 1/2; 34
Vegas Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 36
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-1 1/2); Under

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

What bettors need to know: Saturday's NFL preseason action

Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions (-2.5, 38)

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz has outlined his Week 3 preseason gameplan and would like for his starters to play into the third quarter of Saturday’s game.

"I'm not 100 percent set on it," Schwartz said. "There'll be some exceptions in there, but for the most part I'd like to be able to do that."

Matthew Stafford and the other first-teamers played four series against Denver last week, which spanned over the first two quarters. Shaun Hill backed him up in the second half before Drew Stanton came in for Detroit’s final two possessions.

Jake Delhomme and the Browns starters played the first half of last Saturday’s game versus the Rams. Seneca Wallace also got some reps with the first-stringers during the third quarter before giving way to Colt McCoy and Brett Ratliff in the fourth.

McCoy didn’t complete a pass during his two, three-and-out series and many have speculated that he’s on the roster bubble. Mangini said that Delhomme and Wallace would see the majority of playing time Saturday while McCoy and Ratliff will split time in the fourth preseason game.

Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills (+3, 35)

It’s not even the regular season yet and Terrell Owens has initiated a war of words. T.O. placed a target on his back after dubbing himself “Batman” and joining forces with Chad Ochocinco (Robin) in Cincinnati.

"For this week, address us (the secondary) by Mr. Freeze,” Bills cornerback Drayton Florence said. “We're just going to go out and try to shut them down."

Bettors must be aware that this will be the Bengals’ fourth preseason contest after playing in the Hall of Fame Game. That may mean the starters won’t be on the field as long as expected. Last week, Carson Palmer and the starters played through the first half (seven series) before J.T. O’Sullivan saw action in the third quarter and then Jordan Palmer in the final frame.

The Bills will again be thin in the backfield as Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch recover from injuries but rookie C.J. Spiller shined in his starting role last Thursday. Buffalo will be without linebacker Reggie Torbor for three weeks.

New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens (-4, 37.5)

This line was off the board until Thursday because the playing status of Eli Manning hadn’t been confirmed. He has deemed himself ready to play but there has been no official word from the Giants. Backup quarterback Jim Sorgi will miss the game with a shoulder injury.

Sportsbooks opened the spread anywhere from 3.5 to 7 in favor of the Ravens but that has since settled at 4. Cornerback Aaron Ross, safety Michael Johnson, wide receiver Ramses Barden, center Shaun O’Hara and running back D.J. Ware will not play for New York.

The Ravens are 2-0 ATS this year and 5-1 ATS in their last six preseason games. Bettors can reach back to a John Harbaugh quote from the first week as the source of the team’s success.

“You can lose all four preseason games and go out and win a Super Bowl. My guess is that’s been done before,” Harbaugh said. “But we sure rather win. I’d rather get the feel of winning. So we’re going to try to win them all. That’s our goal.”

Harbaugh had his starters play one possession into the second half of Baltimore’s third preseason game last year.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3, 36.5)

The Bucs surfaced as 1.5-point favorites for this game but the injury to Josh Freeman has moved the spread upward. Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback will miss the remainder of the preseason after fracturing the tip of his right thumb.

Josh Johnson started four games for Tampa Bay last season and will assume the starting role. The team went 0-4 in those games. Rudy Carpenter will serve as the backup under center and the Bucs resigned Jevan Snead as insurance. It hasn’t been pretty, but Tampa Bay is 2-0 ATS this preseason.

Jacksonville has yielded 28 and 27 points in their two preseason outings with both games sailing over the total by an average of 19.7 points.

Jack Del Rio had his regulars play the entire first half of last year’s Week 3 preseason contest.

Rain has battered Florida for the past few weeks and there is a 50-60 percent chance of precipitation leading up to this game. Forecasts have projected a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms Saturday night.

Tennessee Titans at Carolina Panthers (-3, 36.5)

The Titans looked dominant in Monday night’s preseason win over Arizona but will have to deal with a short turnaround as well as travel this week.

Vince Young and most of Tennessee’s starters played four offensive possessions Monday. Chris Johnson only appeared in one series.

In Week 3 of the preseason last year, Jeff Fisher’s regulars didn’t even play through the first half but it was technically the fourth exhibition because the Titans also played in the Hall of Fame Game. Fisher holds a career 4-9 record in Week 3 preseason games.

Carolina has scored a total of 15 points in two preseason contests and to no surprise is 0-2 ATS. Matt Moore and the starting offense haven’t posted a touchdown to date and that unit only managed 45 yards on 33 first-half plays during a 9-3 loss to the Jets last weekend.

The Panthers are 0-7 in their last seven preseason contests. John Fox had his starters play a full three quarters in last year’s Week 3 game.

Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings (-5, 38)

Brad Childress had planned on giving Brett Favre around 10 snaps in Sunday’s game versus San Francisco but that plan was adjusted after he took a hard-knock sack. Favre took four snaps and completed one pass for 13 yards before exiting.

Last year, Favre missed Minnesota’s first preseason game, played sparingly in the second and then logged one possession into the second half of Week 3. Tarvaris Jackson will serve as the backup this week but Sage Rosenfels could see the majority of action during the second half as rumors continue to swirl that he is being showcased as trade bait.

Sidney Rice was never going to play in this game but after undergoing hip surgery that will keep him out half the season, forcing the Vikings to sign veteran Javon Walker as insurance. They also recently traded for former Dolphin Greg Camarillo.

The Seahawks were dealt a major blow when their sixth-overall pick, offensive tackle Russell Okung, sustained a high-ankle sprain last Saturday. He will miss the remainder of the preseason and possibly more.

Matt Hasselbeck appeared in all five series during the first half last weekend. Charlie Whitehurst was under center for the third and fourth quarters. Justin Forsett started the game at tailback but Leon Washington looked better than Forsett and Julius Jones and practiced with the first team all week. Seattle is 0-2 ATS in the preseason.

Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans (-3, 40.5)

This game total has been bet up two points since opening at 38.5. The Cowboys played to the over in four preseason games last year but all three of their 2010 contests have gone under.

Tony Romo and the starters amassed a total of 49 yards during four, first-half possessions last weekend. Jon Kitna was under center in the third quarter before giving way to Stephen McGee.

Dallas will be without a myriad of regulars Saturday including offensive linemen Marc Columbo and Kyle Kosier, safety Gerald Sensabaugh, defensive end Marcus Spears and linebacker Keith Brooking. Thin at the tight end position, Martellus Bennett is expected to return for this game.

The Texans have moved spreads in their favor for both preseason games thus far but they lost and failed to cover the number in both.

Houston’s defense was nonexistent last Saturday when the Saints hung 28 first-half points on them. Brian Cushing is playing in the preseason but the team is still very thin in the linebacker corps. Xavier Adibi and Danny Clark are not expected to play this week while Darryl Sharpton has swollen knee, but Gary Kubiak said he should play.

“We’ve got some issues, especially at the linebacker position,” Kubiak said. “We’re really down on numbers, especially at that position.”

Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky will be the two-man rotation at quarterback Saturday. Kubiak had Schaub play for the first half in last year’s Week 3 preseason game but some of the starters, including Steve Slaton, saw three quarters of action.

Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears (-3.5, 36.5)

Ken Whisenhunt announced Thursday that Derek Anderson will start the game but the quarterback position battle between he and Matt Leinart is still ongoing. The plan is that Leinart will come off the bench late in the second quarter and play into the second half.

Leinart played in three series Monday night, all three-and-outs, while Anderson led the offense to a field goal during his five possessions. Whisenhunt had his starters play the first two quarters of their Week 3 preseason game a year ago.

The Cardinals have lost six of their last seven preseason games and have to deal with the shortened-week factor as well as travel from Tennessee, back to Arizona and then to Chicago.

Mike Martz said the Bears’ offense has appeared “dysfunctional at times” this preseason because that’s how it’s supposed to look. He added that the playbook has barely opened as the offense is still experimenting with different things.

Lovie Smith had his starters play the first half of last year’s Week 3 preseason contest. Safety Josh Bullocks, who has been sidelined with a quad injury, is expected to return for this game.

San Francisco 49ers at Oakland Raiders (-1, 36)

The Battle of the Bay will feature two unbeaten teams straight up and against the spread. Since 2003, the winner of this rivalry has flip-flopped every year, so history suggests Oakland will win after the Niners took the game 21-20 last preseason.

But early money didn’t follow the trend as this spread has dropped from an opener of 2.5. San Francisco hasn’t covered the spread against the Raiders in the last two meetings.

When asked about starters’ playing time, Oakland head coach Tom Cable said, “We’ll treat this week more like how a normal game week would be.”

Jason Campbell has played the entire first half of each of the preseason games thus far, so he should go at least that long. Last year in Week 3, Cable had his starters play midway through the third quarter.

After missing the first two preseason contests, Mike Singletary suggested that Frank Gore will play this week. Singletary also said that Vernon Davis was day-to-day but that Michael Crabtree will suit up and play about a quarter.

Last year during Week 3, Singletary had his starters play one possession into the third quarter.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bettors' best friend: Saturday's wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

Giants at Ravens: Ravens opened as -7 favorotes but are down to -4 after the Giants announced that QB Eli Manning will start with a lacerated forehead.. The total skyrocketed from 27 to 37,5 at most books.

Jaguars at Buccaneers: Jags opened as -1.5 favorites but are now listed as high as -3 at most books.

Titans at Panthers: Panthers opened as -7 favorites but are now -3. The total leaped from 27 to 36.5.

Cowboys at Texans: Total opened at 38.5 but has climbed to as high as 40.5 at most books.

Cardinals at Bears: Bears opened as -7 faves but that number has been halved to -3.5. Total opened at 27 and has ballooned to as high as 38 at most books.

49ers at Raiders: Raiders opened as -2.5 faves but have slipped to -1.

Roughriders at Eskimos (CFL): Roughriders opened at -6 but have been bet up to -7. Total also has climbed from 56.5 to 57.5.

Mercuty at Silver Stars (WNBA): Mercury opened as -1 favorites but are now -3.5.

Weather to watch

49ers at Raiders: 20 percent chance of showers.

Jaguars at Buccaneers: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Who's hot

Tigers are 7-1 in their last eight.

Astros have won five in a row.

Storm (WNBA) are 7-1 in last eight vs. Sparks

Who's not

Indians are 1-5 in their last six.

Phillies are 1-5 in their last six.

Eskimos (CFL) are 1-7 in their last eight.

Key stat

0 - Combined number of wins between pitchers Zach Duke of the Pirates and Chris Capuano of the Brewers in recent meetings entering tonight's game. Milwaukee is 0-9 in Cappy's last 10 starts at home while the Pirates are 0-10 in Duke's last nine starts in Milwaukee. Something's got to give tonight.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

The Cincinnati Reds placed star rookie Mike Leake on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a tired right shoulder. The team was preparing to cut back his innings, contemplating a move to the bullpen as to not overwork his arm, but opted for the DL. He is currently 8-4 with a 4.23 ERA in 22 starts and two relief appearances. Cincinnati expects Leake to return before the regular season ends.

Game of the day

Red Sox at Rays (-125, 7.5)

Notable quotable

"I think that it's asking too much of the women. They shouldn't be playing as many events as the men. ... you shouldn't push them to play more than they're capable of. ... It seems it takes an actual meltdown on the court or women quitting the game altogether before they realize there's a need to change the schedule."

Former four-time U.S. Open champion and CBS TV analyst said of the women's game during a conference call for next week's U.S. Open.

Tips and notes

The Arizona Cardinals will feature a new starting quarterback against the Bears tonight after two poor offensive showings in the preseason. Matt Leinart is upset with his demotion to second string behind Derek Anderson after he has directed the Cardinals to just three first downs and no points. Anderson is 24-of-41 for 193 yards, one TD and has directed the team to 15 first downs. Coach Ken Whisenhunt has said Leinart also will start the third quarter.

Injuries continue to alter the Red Sox's lineup and rotation. Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia likely will have season-ending foot surgery next week and be done for the season, He is among a handful of key Red Sox players to miss significant time this season with injuries. Lefthanded reliever Hideki Okajima rejoined the team Friday in Tampa but may not be activated from the diabled list while still rehabilitating a hamstring injury. And righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was scratched from Friday's start vs. Tampa Bay with lower back soreness, may not make his rescheduled turn next week.

The new NFL rule that moves the umpire to behind the center on the offensive line before the snap appears to be having an impact on up-tempo teams. Thursday night's game between the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers was particularly telling with Peyton Manning often bumping into the official while running the Colts' hurry-up attack. He was often delayed at the line of scrimmage while waiting for the umpire to back into position and has openly complained about the rule change. We'd like to say this new rule could impact scoring this season but this game saw a total of 83 points scored. It may, however, hurt teams with no-huddle offenses.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Baseball Crusher

SF (-140) over ARI

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

TONY GEORGE

Houston -3

Easy Pick here. REMEMBER this is Dallas 4th preseason game, not their 3rd. And to be honest Dallas has not looked all that good, but the starters will see see 1 quarter here, and Houston will show their full compliment well into the third quarter. Dallas played in the hall of fame game. Houston is playing their first home game, they are without a win the preseason to date, and will be playing more talent for a longer period of time. Does it get any easier than that for a small number of 3? I do not think so, Houston wants to win and beat big brother anytime they play, I like their chances here. Play 1 Unit on Houston.

BONUS PLAYS. Play a half unit on Jacksonville -2.5, play a half unit on Detroit -2.5. Tease Houston to +3 and Jax to +3.5 and play a half unit 2 team 6 pointer.

 

[motor87]

axiumsports

August 28th 2010

*-Weekly System Picks. Please follow the system and do not increase your starting bet until you at least triple your account. -*

Current Bankroll=$1085.63

Pick #15-Australia A League Soccer-
15)Bet 14.00 to win 13.87 on Sydney FC -0.5 OVER Central Coast Mariners -101

Pick #16-NFL Preaseason-
16a)Bet 14.18 to win 13.13 on Detroit -2.5 OVER Cleveland -108

16b)Bet 29.40 to win 27.22 on Detroit -2.5 OVER Cleveland -108

Pick #17-NFL Preseason-
17aa)Bet 14.35 to win 13.67 on San Francisco/Oakland UNDER 36 -105
17ab)Bet 29.78 to win 28.36 on San Francisco/Oakland UNDER 36 -105

17ba)Bet 14.18 to win 13.13 on San Francisco/Oakland UNDER 36 -105
17bb)Bet 60.90 to win 58.00 on San Francisco/Oakland UNDER 36 -105

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

BEN BURNS

CFL CONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR

10* Edmonton Eskimos +6

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Eckstein

Cincinnati Bengals -2.5

Bonus Play
NO Saints -3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MATT FARGO

NFLX GAME OF THE YEAR

10* Carolina Panthers -2.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hondo

Hondo was only half bad last night as he con nected with the Metamucils to offset the Cubs' fail ure and leave the deficit holding at 1765 lazzeris.

Today, he'll try another triple dip with the Padres, Dodgers and Yankees -- 10 units apiece on Garland, Billingsley (Chad, not Barbara) and Sabathia.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports
501 - 370 run 58 %

Bonus Play Sat: RED SOX + 115

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gamblers Data

SATURDAY
Padres over 7.5 -110

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

RW Sports 111-119.5-19.5 (3-7)

Premiere League

spurs - wigan, spurs -1.75, 1.91 @ pinnacle

blackburn - arsenal, 1st half: draw, 2.38 @ eurobet

blackburn - arsenal, total goals: 2-3, 2 @ bet365

blackpool - fulham, fulham +0, 1.69 @ pinnacle

blackpool - fulham, over 2.5, 2.01 @ pinnacle

England Championship

derby - qpr, qpr +0, 1.8 @ bwin

ipswich - bristol city, ipswich, 1.91 @ pinnacle

millwall - coventry, millwall, 1.95 @ boylesports

sheffield utd - preston, sheffield utd, 1.95 @ victorchandler


Spanish Primera

malaga - valencia, valencia +0, 1.76 @ pinnacle

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

"Bulgarian Paid service"

Aldershot-Stevenage 1@ 2.10

Wohlen-YEREDON 1@ 2.40

Terek-SPMOSCOW 1@ 3.30

Nancy-Toulouse tip 1 @2.50

Cheltenham-Burton tip 1 @2.60