Service Plays Thursday 6/26/14

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Nats call up Hill from Syracuse's rotation
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE


MILWAUKEE -- After burning through six pitchers to cover 10 innings Tuesday night in Milwaukee, the Washington Nationals selected right-hander Taylor Hill from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday.

A sixth-round pick in the 2011 draft, Hill is 9-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 15 games for Syracuse this season and leads the International League in innings pitched.

"Taylor has been pitching really well as a starter; he gives us that length that we need," manager Matt Williams said. "We don't know how long we are going to need length, either."

Hill was slated to start for Syracuse on Wednesday but will work out of the bullpen with the Nationals. He did just that against the Milwaukee Brewers, making his major league debut in the fifth inning Wednesday and working 3 1/3 innings while giving up two runs on five hits.

"I'm not going to go and blow guys away; it's not who I am," said Hill, who added he was watching a movie when his minor league manager called to tell him about his promotion at 2 a.m. "I just want to be able to throw strikes, give my team a chance to win. It sounds weird, but my goal is to see the least amount of time ... on the mound. The (less) time I'm out there, the more time we are going to be on offense. It also translates to us not giving up runs, too, especially me."

To make room for Hill on their 40-man and 25-man rosters, the Nationals designated veteran infielder Greg Dobbs for assignment.

"You never want to lose someone like Dobber," Williams said. "That was kind of the only option we have. He is a pro. He is a good teammate, professional player. He also knows how to work; he also knows how to prepare. Unfortunately, that's the move we have to make."

 

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An improved Carroll returns to White Sox rotation
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

BALTIMORE -- Even though right-hander Scott Carroll began the season in the rotation, he didn't view his recent role in the bullpen as a demotion.

Instead, he used the time to work on his cutter and embraced the opportunity to help the team win. Now, Carroll will get another opportunity to regain his spot in the rotation when he starts Thursday against Toronto. He is replacing the struggling Andre Rienzo, who will now work as a reliever.

"I looked at it as an opportunity to help the ball team win," Carroll said. "There's a lot of good arms in the bullpen. I looked at it as an opportunity to come in and eat up some innings. It was another feather in my cap to show I was devoted to do both ends. I think it helped me."

Carroll started five games to open the season and went 1-3 with 6.15 ERA. Manager Robin Ventura then decided Carroll could develop more consistency working as a reliever. The decision worked as Carroll was much more effective. He went 1-0 with a 1.83 ERA in six relief appearances and held lefties to a .158 average.

He began to have much confidence with his cutter and that made the biggest difference.

"The stuff I'm featuring now in my repertoire is a lot more aggressive," Carroll said. "I've been able to get both righties and lefties out consistently because they can't just defend against the sinker. I think (the cutter) is a great weapon for me. I'm looking to get out there in the starting role and help the team win."

Despite relishing his time in the bullpen, Carroll is ready to be back in the rotation. He is looking for more success this time around.

"I am ready for this opportunity again," Carroll said. "I'll look to get back into my comfort zone. I'm looking forward to it."

 

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Today's MLB Picks

Cincinnati at San Francisco

The Reds open up a series in San Francisco tonight and come into the contest with a 7-1 record in their last 8 games as a road underdog. Cincinnati is the pick (+100) according to Dunkel, which has the Reds favored by 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+100). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. EST

Game 951-952: Miami at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Koehler) 16.692; Philadelphia (Hamels) 15.674 Dunkel Line: Miami by 1; 8 Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-165); 7 Dunkel Pick: Miami (+145); Over

Game 953-954: NY Mets at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Matsuzaka) 13.104; Pittsburgh (Worley) 17.765 Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 4 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-160); 8 Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-160); Under

Game 955-956: Washington at Chicago Cubs (8:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Fister) 15.643; Cubs (Wood) 14.274 Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Washington (-135); No Run Total Dunkel Pick: Washington (-135); N/A

Game 957-958: Colorado at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Friedlich) 13.621; Milwaukee (Peralta) 16.418 Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 3; 8 Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-210); 9 Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-210); Under

Game 959-960: St. Louis at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wainwright) 16.153; LA Dodgers (Beckett) 17.395 Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 7 Vegas Line: St. Louis (-125); 6 1/2 Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+105); Over

Game 961-962: Cincinnati at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Leake) 16.020; San Francisco (Vogelsong) 13.713 Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 2 1/2; 6 Vegas Line: San Francisco (-120); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+100); Under

Game 963-964: Minnesota at LA Angels (3:35 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Nolasco) 16.468; LA Angels (Weaver) 15.605 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 9 Vegas Line: LA Angels (-200); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+170); Over

Game 965-966: Chicago White Sox at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Carroll) 15.101; Toronto (Happ) 16.811 Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Toronto (-170); 10 Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-170); Under

Game 967-968: Detroit at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Porcello) 15.333; Texas (Martinez) 13.175 Dunkel Line: Detroit by 2; 9 Vegas Line: Detroit (-140); 10 Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-140); Under

Game 969-970: Atlanta at Houston (2:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Minor) 14.330; Houston (Cosart) 15.881 Dunkel Line: Houston by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Atlanta (-140); 8 Dunkel Pick: Houston (+120); Over

 

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WNBA Basketball Picks

Atlanta at San Antonio

The Stars play host to an Atlanta team that is 6-18 ATS in its last 24 road games. San Antonio is the pick (+1 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Stars favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+1 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. EST

Game 601-602: Atlanta at San Antonio (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 113.948; San Antonio 114.587 Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 1; 167 Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 161 1/2 Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+1 1/2); Over

 

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Today's CFL Picks

Toronto at Winnipeg

The Argonauts open the CFL season at Winnipeg and face a Blue Bombers team that is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 Thursday games. Winnipeg is the pick (+5) according to Dunkel, which has the Argonauts favored by only 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+5). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST

Game 321-322: Toronto at Winnipeg (8:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 117.447; Winnipeg 114.947 Dunkel Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 57 Vegas Line: Toronto by 5; 53 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+5); Over

 

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MLB

Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs

The opening matchup of a four game series between Chicago and Washington is today’s baseball betting focus. NL Central basement dwelling Cubbies look to Travis Wood in the opener. The lefty leading the club in wins is coming off a loss to the Pirates moving the mark to 7-6 with a 4.55 ERA over 15 starts (8-7 TSR). On the other side of the pitching matchup is Doug Fister who is having a strong season with his new club. Fister coming off a very strong start against Braves tossing 8 innings of shutout ball in a victory has allowed two or less runs in seven of his nine starts putting together a solid 7-2 team start record for his efforts. Taking a road favorite can be a perilous road in baseball betting, but today’s MLB pick appears to have enough in it's favor to counteract such concerns. Fister's last start was a dominating one, and he certainly knows how to follow up a strong performance with another stellar effort. When allowing two or less runs in his previous start, the Nationals are 3-1 in his subsequent appearance on the mound. Nationals have also thrived following a team loss the previous day handing the ball to Fister as they're 4-1 with the right-hander. Stick with Washington knowing Nationals are 8-4 in road series-openers, 6-3 on the road of late vs a southpaw starter, 8-3 last eleven meeting, 5-2 last seven trips into Chicago.

 

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StatFox Super Situations

WNBA | ATLANTA at SAN ANTONIO
Play Under - Road teams where the total is greater than or equal to 140 after one or more consecutive overs, good team - outscoring their opponents by 3+ points/game
212-131 since 1997. ( 61.8% | 67.9 units )
5-4 this year. ( 55.6% | 0.6 units )

WNBA | ATLANTA at SAN ANTONIO
Play On - Home teams vs. the money line (SAN ANTONIO) revenging a loss where opponent scored 75 or more points, off an upset loss by 10 points or more as a favorite
24-7 over the last 5 seasons. ( 77.4% | 0.0 units )
0-1 this year. ( 0.0% | 0.0 units )

WNBA | ATLANTA at SAN ANTONIO
Play Under - Road teams where the first half total is greater than 65.5 with a winning record on the season, in May, June, or July games
375-240 since 1997. ( 61.0% | 111.0 units )
10-12 this year. ( 45.5% | -3.2 units )

 

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MLB

Phillies Notes: Cliff Lee ready to face hitters

The Phillies have pegged Friday as the day for Cliff Lee to face hitters in a simulated game, which is essentially batting practice at full speed.

Lee, on the disabled list since May 20 with an elbow strain, is ready to graduate to facing some hitters after throwing for almost two weeks on flat ground and in the bullpen.

Depending on how Lee checks out after his session Friday, he could throw to hitters again or be ready for a minor-league rehab start. He is expected to return to the Phillies’ rotation by the all-star break, provided all continues to go well in his rehab.

• The Phillies will play a doubleheader against Atlanta on Saturday. Roberto Hernandez lines up to pitch one of the games. The Phils are expected to add a pitcher from Triple A Lehigh Valley for the other game. It could end up being right-hander Brad Lincoln, who has been starting for the IronPigs.

Manager Ryne Sandberg said he expects to know who will start by Thursday.

• Outfielder Grady Sizemore, signed to a minor-league deal on Tuesday, will join the Lehigh Valley club on Thursday.

Sizemore has not played in 10 days, since he was let go by Boston. He may need to work out for a day or two before being activated. Once he’s ready, he will play regularly as Phillies officials evaluate him to determine whether he can help at the big-league level.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL

Week 1

Not lot of information to go on yet, but we've got some info look at, as the CFL kicks off its season this weekend:

Toronto (0-0) @ Winnipeg (0-0)-- Argonauts won seven of last eight series games, winning all three meetings LY by 16-6-15 points (2-0-1 vs spread); six of last nine series games went over the total. Toronto won its last four visits here, by 5-19-16-6 points. Underdogs are 6-2-1 vs spread in last nine series games, also 6-2-1 in last nine played here. Winnipeg is just 9-27 SU the last two years. Argonauts were 6-2-1 vs spread on the road LY.

Montreal (0-0) @ Calgary (0-0)-- Montreal was 7-2 vs spread on road this year, but that was with CFL legend Calvillo (now retired) at QB. Stampeders won five of last six series games, sweeping the series LY, 22-14/38-27; Alouettes lost their last four visits here by 25-7-28-11 points. Six of last eight series games went over total, including six of last seven played here. Six of nine Calgary home games LY went over the total.

Edmonton (0-0) @ BCLions (0-0)-- Lions' QB Lulay (shoulder) isn't expected to play in this opener. British Columbia won eight of last nine series games, with last five wins by average score of 26-18 (4-1 vs spread). Eskimos lost six of last seven visits here, dropping last three by 20-10-14 points. Three of last four series games went over total. Edmonton is just 11-25 SU the last two years, but went 6-3 vs spread on road LY.

Hamilton (0-0) @ Saskatchewan (0-0)-- Rematch of LY's Grey Cup game that Roughriders won 45-23 (-7) on this field; Riders won seven of last nine series games, winning all three last year by 37-12-22 points (3-0 vs spread). TiCats are 1-11 in last dozen visits here, losing last two 37-0/45-23. Five of their last seven visits here went over the total. Riders won Grey Cup LY after going 3-6 in second half of regular season- they covered four of last five vs TiCats.

 

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MLB

Thursday, June 26

Dodgers' SS Hanley Ramirez, questionable Thursday

Ramirez is dealing with shoulder irritation and has missed the last two games. He is questionable to return on Thursday against the Cardinals.


Blue Jays' RF Jose Bautista, questionable Thursday

Bautista has a Grade 1 hamstring strain and has missed the last three games. He is questionable to return on Thursday against the White Sox.

 

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Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play THURS:

Braves -125

 

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Thursday's Late Tips
By Kevin Rogers


Cardinals at Dodgers

Probable Pitchers:
STL: Wainwright (10-3, 2.08 ERA)
LAD: Beckett (5-4, 2.28 ERA)

The opener of this four-game set at Dodger Stadium features a pair of World Series champion pitchers on the mound. Adam Wainwright has been dominant in 13 of his 15 starts this season for St. Louis, including tossing eight innings and allowing just one earned run against the Phillies in a 4-1 triumph last Saturday as a -150 home favorite. The Cardinals have won each of Wainwright’s last four road starts, while the right-hander has given up two earned runs or less in 12 of 15 outings.

The Dodgers counter with Josh Beckett, who has turned things around since a miserable season in 2013. Beckett is coming off four straight quality outings, while limiting the light-hitting Padres to four hits in seven scoreless innings of his previous start, a 4-2 road victory. Los Angeles has struggled to put up victories with Beckett at Chavez Ravine, compiling a 2-6 record, including three straight losses at home to the Diamondbacks, White Sox, and Pirates.

St. Louis continues a 10-game road trip through the NL West after taking two of three games from Colorado. On Wednesday, the Cardinals rallied from a 5-1 deficit to stun the Rockies, 9-8, which included four runs in the final two innings. The Redbirds improved to 6-2 in their last eight road series finales, while winning their fifth game in their past six games overall.

The Dodgers are back home following a 4-2 road trip, capped off by a 5-4 victory at Kansas City on Wednesday as a heavy +150 underdog. Since dropping the final two games at Cincinnati earlier this month, Los Angeles is riding a 9-3 hot stretch the last 12 contests, while winning five of its past six games at Chavez Ravine.

These two teams are meeting for the first time since last October’s National League Championship Series, when the Cardinals eliminated the Dodgers in six games to win the pennant. In Wainwright’s lone start against the Dodgers in that series, the Cardinals were blanked, 3-0, as St. Louis dropped two of three games at Dodger Stadium in the NLCS.

Reds at Giants

Probable Pitchers:
CIN: Leake (5-6, 3.59 ERA)
SF: Vogelsong (5-3, 4.13 ERA)

The Giants avoided a sweep to the Padres on Wednesday, but had a larger than normal celebration as Tim Lincecum tossed his second career no-hitter. The win snapped an unusual five-game losing skid at AT&T Park for San Francisco, who was swept by Colorado at home less than two weeks ago. Now, the Giants will try to get on a winning track against a Reds’ team that is continuing their road trip following a victory last night.

Cincinnati grabbed two of three games at Wrigley Field, including last night’s 4-1 win over the Cubs as -140 road favorites. The Reds played for the third straight game without second baseman Brandon Phillips, who is suffering from a bruised heel and is questionable for tonight. Cincinnati has surged above .500 thanks to a 10-4 run over the last 14 games, while putting together a solid 9-3 record the past 12 contests on the highway.

Ryan Vogelsong will look to duplicate Lincecum’s effort, but obviously facing a much tougher lineup than San Diego. The right-hander hasn’t put together a quality start in his last three trips to the mound, but snapped a two-start winless streak in a 6-4 victory at Arizona in his past outing last Saturday as a short underdog. Vogelsong has failed to win in his last two home starts, allowing a total of nine earned runs in 11 innings of work against Colorado and Washington.

Mike Leake rebounded from several shaky starts by shutting down the Blue Jays in his previous outing, 11-1, while scattering four hits and one run in eight innings of work. Leake was racked the last time he faced the Giants at the Great American Ballpark, allowing five earned runs in five innings of a 6-1 defeat earlier this month. The Reds have performed well with Leake on the mound when pitching on the road, winning each of his last three away starts.

The Giants won two of three meetings with the Reds at the Great American Ballpark from June 3-5, as San Francisco completed a successful road trip with series victories over Cincinnati and St. Louis. Last season, the Reds won three of four games at AT&T Park, as this series has been dominated of late by the road squads.

 

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StatFox Super Situations

MLB | WASHINGTON at CHICAGO CUBS
Play On - All favorites with a money line of -110 or higher (WASHINGTON) below average hitting team (AVG <=.255) against an average starting pitcher (ERA=4.20 to 5.20) -NL, ice cold hitting team - batting .225 or worse over their last 15 games
57-20 over the last 5 seasons. ( 74.0% | 30.5 units )
2-5 this year. ( 28.6% | -3.6 units )

StatFox Situational Power Trends

MLB | ST LOUIS at LA DODGERS
LA DODGERS are 40-16 (+22.4 Units) against the money line after having won 6 or 7 of their last 8 games over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was: LA DODGERS (4.5) , OPPONENT (3.1)

 

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Paul Leiner

100* Tigers -135
50* Giants -115

 

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BASEBALL33

USA: MLB
San Francisco Giants – Cincinnati Reds
San Francisco Giants
Odd: 1,88

 

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SPORTS WAGERS

USA +875 over Germany

The Americans have certainly earned the four points they have accumulated in their group stage up to this point. Thirty seconds separated them from pulling off a historic victory against the fourth ranked Portugal. Even more impressive is the fact that America would take the lead after trailing one to nil five minutes into the fixture. Despite the early goal, America would not accept defeat. Group G will be settled on Thursday. Germany virtually has clinched advancement to the next stage given their remarkable goal difference (+4). Entering the tournament and after their dismantling of Portugal, Germany was a regarded as a favorite to win the entire tournament, rightfully justifying their top two ranking. The Germans are now the highest ranked team remaining in the tournament, in light of Spain’s early exit. However, the Germans struggled against Ghana and in similar fashion were forced to survive a Ghanian onslaught for ninety minutes, resulting in a draw. This result embellished the American victory against Ghana, due to the fact that Ghana was apparently better than expected. Germany no longer seems superior to the field.

Many wonder if America is capable of handing Germany a loss. Odds makers speculate it is a long shot but we`re suggesting otherwise. Why? Tim Howard. Tim Howard has been exceptional in the net and America also has a fellow named Clint Dempsey. Dempsey has scored two goals in the World Cup and played through with a broken nose. This is a testament to the determination and resilience of this American team and why they should never be counted out. America for the win.

 

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Cappers Access

Astros +105

Cardinals -120

 

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Hondo

In what could be a first in the annals of baseball handicapping, Hondo, who won via the no-hitter last week with Kershaw, was the beneficiary of a second no-no Wednesday when Tim Lincecum cuffed the Pods to trim the deficit to 1,355 vander meers.

Mr. Aitch is of the belief that two no-hitters in eight days ought to be worth some bonus bucks, maybe about 1,360. Anyone want to second that emotion?

Thursday night: Hondo doesn’t expect a no-no from Koehler but will settle for a flush job — 10 units on the Marlins to burn Cole.

 

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Gamblers Data

Bonus Plays Thursday

Nationals -130

Phillies - 160

 

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SPORTSWAGERS

MLB

Chicago @ TORONTO

Chicago +152 over TORONTO

(Risking 2 units - To Win: 3.04)

It's not customary for us to make a play on a cold team but J.A. Happ cannot be in this price range and that prompts us to step in. Furthermore, the Blue Jays aren't exactly setting the world on fire either with just six wins in their past 18 games and now Brett Lawrie, Jose Bautista and Steve Tolleson are out. Furthermore, the Jays pen is reeling and they figure to get more work in here. Happ is a fly-ball pitcher with poor control in a HR hitting park so don't expect the disasters to stop anytime soon. Happ has been tagged for 15 hits and 10 runs over his past two starts at Rogers Center over 11.1 frames. Over his last five starts (three on the road), Happ has posted an ugly 1.56 WHIP and has walked 14 batters over 35 innings. His WHIP on the year now stands at 1.64 while his ERA stands at 4.87. More notably, Happ's xERA over his past six starts is 5.76. The South Side has won five of their past seven games in Toronto and this one is very winnable.

Scott Carroll is the reason the Jays are so heavily favored. Carroll has been working out of the pen since May 25, after he allowed six runs in four innings against the Royals. The start previously, Carroll lost an 11-0 decision to the A's. Carroll should be ready to return to the rotation, as he worked three or more innings in five of his six appearances as a long reliever. After getting pounded for 17 earned runs in his past three starts, he allowed only four earned runs in 19.2 IP of relief. Carroll has mostly been a starter for his career. He was originally drafted by the Reds in the third round of the 2007 draft before being signed by the White Sox off of release waivers midway through 2012. Carroll missed the majority of 2013 after Tommy John surgery after the 2012 campaign. He doesn’t throw very hard, but induces a high number of groundballs with his two-seam fastball. He exhibits loose arm action to produce movement to his 87-93 mph fastball that he locates quite well. Carroll has two breaking balls in a hard slider and slow curveball, though neither are anything more than fringe-average. Carroll has an ideal pitcher’s frame with size and strength, but he doesn’t have the velocity or aggressive demeanor to match. Thing is, we've seen the Jays struggle against this type of pitcher many times with the latest coming against Mike Leake in Cincinnati. Like Leake, Carroll has a strong groundball rate of 50% and low line-drive rate of 18%. He's walked too many batters this season but that is due to him trying to be too fine. He has good control of his pitches and if he trusts his stuff and goes right after hitters like he did in relief, he has a chance to be successful. Having said that, this one is all about fading J.A. Happ, a pitcher that has a much better chance of losing every time he takes the hill than he does of picking up a win and that is an instant fade when he's priced this high.


Colorado @ MILWAUKEE

MILWAUKEE -1½ +107 over Colorado

(Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.14)

Colorado is and always have been the Jekyll and Hyde in MLB. They win at home consistently but get them on the road and they turn into one of the worst teams in baseball. The Rockies have 15 road wins this season in 39 games. They just completed a six-game home stand and lost five of them, which included getting swept by these Brewers. Overall, the Rocks have dropped nine of 10 and now battered, bruised and not playing well, they take their dreadful road record back on the road with Christian Friedrich starting. How Friedrich received a call up to the majors is a mystery, as in 13 starts with AAA-Colorado Springs this season, he was 1-8 with a 7.89 ERA, a 1.72 WHIP and an oppBA of .324 in 67.1 IP. He managed to make it through six innings in his first start last week although he allowed nine runs and that was against these same Brewers. He also walked three batters while striking out the same amount.

Wily Peralta allowed four runs (three earned) in 7.2 innings in his last start in that same game that Friedrich started. However, he was outstanding despite the pitching line, which made him look average. Peralta induced 23 groundball outs to just seven fly-balls at Coors Field. Over his last five starts, Peralta has one of the best profiles in the game. Peralta's 57%/17%/26% groundball/line-drive/fly-ball rates over that span is spectacular. His 95 MPH four-seamer velocity is also one of the best in the game. Peralta goes right after hitters, choosing to induce groundballs as oppose to striking batters out and what that does is keep his pitch count down and allows him to work deeper into games. He has a 3.18 ERA at Miller Park, the Brewers have won his last four starts and now this red-hot team and pitcher get one of their easiest assignments to date. Yeah, we'll step in.