Tuesday 10/20/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Finger Lakes

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 9 - Claiming - 5.5f on the Dirt. Purse: $9000 Class Rating: 80

FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NOT WON THREE RACES IN 2015. THREE YEAR OLDS, 121 LBS.; OLDER, 124 LBS. NON-WINNERS OF TWO RACES SINCE SEPTEMBER 20 ALLOWED 2 LBS. A RACE ALLOWED 4 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $5,000.


RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 5 LARA 2/1


# 2 ROCK HARD LEGACY 7/2


# 9 Z LOVELEE LINDA 10/1


I've got to go with LARA. When a handler brings any pony back this quickly it is a positive signal. Reliable average Equibase Speed Figures in dirt sprint races make this animal a key contender. I like the jock on this mare - very good chance to win the race. ROCK HARD LEGACY - Is worth thinking about and may be a bet - strong Equibase speed figs (71 average) at today's distance and surface recently. Has been running admirably lately and ought to be close to the lead early on. Z LOVELEE LINDA - Shows strong speed figures on average overall when measured up against the rest of this field.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Zia Park

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 10 - Allowance - 8.0f on the Dirt. Purse: $32000 Class Rating: 87

FOR REGISTERED NEW MEXICO BRED THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NEVER WON A RACE OTHER THAN MAIDEN, CLAIMING, STARTER, OR TRIAL OR WHICH HAVE NEVER WON TWO RACES. THREE YEAR OLDS, 120 LBS.; OLDER, 123 LBS.


RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 6 RISING GIANT 7/2


# 4 CHASING OUR DREAMS 3/1


# 2 SOARING CID 6/1


RISING GIANT looks very strong to best this field. Have to suppose this racer will make a good showing again this time around. Recent figures for the jock - 29 win percent - make this gelding stand out in this field. Has decent Equibase speed figs and has to be considered for a wager in here. CHASING OUR DREAMS - Recorded a quite good speed rating last time out. Reliable average Equibase speed figs in dirt route races make this animal a solid contender. SOARING CID - Respectable rider and handler combo winning 35 percent of their races working together. Profitable rider and handler team, with a +25 return on investment.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Hawthorne - Race #1 - Post: 2:10pm - Maiden Claiming - 8.5 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $8,000 Class Rating: 68

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#1 GRETSIE (ML=3/1)
#2 SILENT SHARK (ML=4/1)
#7 EL BANDITO (ML=5/1)


GRETSIE - After the event aboard this horse on Oct 6th, the jockey is going to 'know' the gelding much better. The October 6th event at Hawthorne was at a class level of (78). Dropping to a lower class level considerably, so he should be in a good spot to win. That 66 fig this gelding recorded in his last event tells me he's a chief player this time out. SILENT SHARK - Faced tougher last time around the track at Hawthorne. Based on Equibase class figures, this is a weaker group, so I will put this one on my list of top contenders. Dropping 7 pounds from last race. Could be a deciding factor today. EL BANDITO - This jockey and conditioner have a profitable return on investment when they combine forces. This pony comes out of a great barn for first timers. Vashchenko has a very solid ROI (+110 percent).

Vulnerable Contenders: #5 JOE'S LEGACY (ML=5/2), #4 DR. BUD (ML=6/1),

JOE'S LEGACY - This gelding didn't race too well last time. Will be hard for this horse to beat this bunch off of that last speed rating. Unlikely to improve enough to run a figure close enough to today's Equibase class figure, so put him on the questionable contenders list. DR. BUD - This gelding is always in the mix, but just doesn't win. Tough to wager on him on the top end. Substandard speed fig last out at Fairmount Park at 6 furlongs. Don't feel this questionable contender will improve too much in today's race.


STRAIGHT WAGERS:
Bet on #1 GRETSIE to win if we can get at least 3/1 odds

EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [1,2]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
Box [1,2,7] Total Cost: $6

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
None

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Parx Racing - Race #2 - Post: 1:22pm - Maiden Special - 8.3 furlongs on the Turf. Purse: $50,000 Class Rating: 62

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#4 ANYTIME SOON (ML=5/2)
#5 PARADISE NOW (ML=10/1)


ANYTIME SOON - I'm optimistic this filly will run well today. Last work was 2nd fastest of the day, which tells me she's sharp right now. My partners and I have made cash playing thoroughbreds with this type of pace. Follow my advice and do the same. She has the top (EPS) earnings per start. Take a good look at this animal. PARADISE NOW - Don't often see a beneficial ROI like +49. This rider/trainer twosome has done well together over the last year. 35-50-53 are last three speed ratings. Improving each time out is something she should do again in this event.

Vulnerable Contenders: #6 LOVE FOR SCARLETT (ML=7/2), #3 DIXIE SPIRIT (ML=9/2), #8 OFFICE SECRETARY (ML=5/1),

LOVE FOR SCARLETT - Difficult to wager on any entrant to turn things around if there is no wager value to taking the shot. Don't believe this horse will make a winning move in today's race. That last speed rating was pedestrian when compared with today's Equibase class figure. DIXIE SPIRIT - This racer didn't go to the front end and didn't make up any ground down the homestretch last time she ran. The addition of front bandages in the last race is usually a sign of slumping form. OFFICE SECRETARY - Registered a disappointing speed rating last time out in a Maiden Special race on October 6th. Doubtful to see an improved performance off of that number.


STRAIGHT WAGERS:
Play #4 ANYTIME SOON to win if you can get odds of 7/5 or more

EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [4,5]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
Pass

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
Pass

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Tuesday 10/20 Analysis
By Matt Rose

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 315 - 964 / $1735.10 BEST BETS: 47 - 77 / $162.30

Best Bet: PAPARAZZI HANOVER (4th)

Spot Play: COIN COLLECTOR (11th)


Race 1

(1) MAJOR PLAYER has just one lifetime win but he's been sharp up at Saratoga and he lands the best post. (5) INFORCE ships in off a win at Philly and picks up Sears. (7) IWILLMAKEYOUSAYWOW is another Michigan shipper for the Buters and this one sports a nice record over the fair tracks.

Race 2

(3) KAMERON P is another Buter shipper who also likes to win and he qualified effectively at Pocono. (7) ACCENTURE HANOVER raced well in his local debut after shipping from Canada; MacDonald should consider leaving the gate from this outside spot. (1) STIRLING DEBUTANT was a minor player on the NYSS circuit and she broke in her new barn last out; use caution.

Race 3

(6) IWILLNOTBEMACHED hasn't done much recently but he was caught up in some fast miles in his last two; Bartlett drives today and he's worth a look in a race with no standouts. (2) DANCINGWITHDELIGHT returns with a good post for live connections. (3) STELLA'S PHELLA has made a nice living at this level with no wins to show for it; use underneath.

Race 4

(3) PAPARAZZI HANOVER was last seen in the Tattersalls, the Bluegrass and the Jug elimination; I assume he can beat these. (4) A BETTOR HAT has just missed in his last two. (1) PASTAPALOOZA raced well last out for Allard but comes off a scratch-sick; gelding draws best.

Race 5

(4) SPORTS BETTOR did the heavy lifting last out and didn't tire that badly; Burke trainee gets some post relief. (2) SOTO has faltered badly on the front end in his last two local races; you would think the Takter trainee is better than that. (1) SILVER FOX J should be close up from this spot.

Race 6

(5) INDIANA CAM took all the money upon arrival but didn't look all that comfortable when parked out; perhaps Allard has the kinks worked out and he's worth another play at a better price. (1) ITSONLYROCKNROLL A finally put it together last week and he's clearly capable of repeating. (6) MASTERSON chased a fast mile and was flat late in his new barn.

Race 7

(2) FOREVER AS has one miscue three back otherwise every local start has been super; from this spot Dube can make one move and the filly can dominate her older foes. (5) JESSE'S STORY drops in class after not racing that badly versus better. (6) TOBER drops in class again looking for that wakeup call.

Race 8

(9) FLASHBACK goes second-time Allard off the claim, gets Sears in the bike and meets a weak field. (2) FUTURISTIC BRIDE went a tough trip last out and gave way badly; prior effort was decent. (8) CRAZED N LINDY is stuck outside and is prone to miscues but if he behaves himself he could threaten. (3) ASHLAKE wasn't bad last out, showing some early and late speed.

Race 9

(8) PARKHILL LANCELOT ships down from Canada where he's been performing well and he joins the Burke barn; that's as good an angle as any in this very tough-to-figure event. (6) FINISH LINE picks up Bartlett and had some decent form at Philly. (1) EASTON ROAD looks for three straight since shipping south and adding Lasix; gelding could have more to offer.

Race 10

(4) MIDNITE CRAZE has put in some solid efforts locally versus better and he returns from Saratoga with class relief. (2) FALCOR BLUESTONE debuts for Simpson via claim and that barn has been showing signs of life. (6) TAC'S DELIGHT beat lesser easily right off the layoff.

Race 11

(2) COIN COLLECTOR brushed and crushed last out versus one notch lesser and the recent Burke purchase may just get better. (5) NORTHERN OBSESSION pulled pocket, had aim but broke last out; chance to redeem herself at a better price. (7) SCENTED ROSES raced well in the Hudson Trot when last seen here.

Race 12

(4) AMERICANPRIMETIME made serious money in the NYSS this season and he qualified impressively last week at Monti; ready to roll. (1) CAVIART LUCA has been coming up short recently but he lands inside again and Sears returns. (5) TWIN B SCANDAL is another Canada shipper for Burke and I'm sure he'll fit well here but he's missed some time.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Tuesday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Finger Lakes (3rd) Finale Finale, 10-1
(6th) Park Boss, 6-1


Fort Erie (3rd) Charlies Mist, 6-1
(10th) Bathsheba Station, 6-1


Hawthorne (7th) Devil Alert, 3-1
(8th) Mongolian Union, 7-2


Indiana Grand (1st) Outrageous Justice, 7-2
(8th) Intrepid Humor, 4-1


Parx Racing (4th) Agonistic, 5-1
(7th) Ticfaw, 4-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cubs regroup for NLCS Game 3
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon congratulated the New York Mets on a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.

"We'll be ready to play," Maddon said Monday at the team's workout at Wrigley Field. "You can't dwell on things like that, and you can't process the moment in the wrong way. I mean it sincerely, one-game winning streaks. We've talked about it before. Let's play Tuesday and see what happens, and we'll move on from there."

Maddon's young team can climb out of a hole in the best-of-seven series with a win Tuesday, but a loss would be devastating. The Mets are well-armed, sending Jacob deGrom to the mound in Game 3 to follow up stellar starts by Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard.

From his office Sunday the theme from "Rocky" could be heard, another of the eccentric and measured Maddon's unique approaches to motivation. On the heels of a losing streak during the season he called of batting practice and told players to simply show up ready to play, as if they were little leaguers.

It was a blunt reminder that baseball is still a game, and they shouldn't approach any losing streak with dread that might block their focus on the task at hand.

Tuesday the task is a great one. Maddon believes his job is to make them see it another way.

"For me, seriously, here's the rub: Everybody believes that you need more batting practice. We need more ground balls. We need to look at video longer. I totally disagree with that," he said. "We've been doing this since February. They've been swinging the bat constantly since February. They've been taking ground balls constantly since February. If we could relax our minds and be in the present tense and go out there and play the game that we've been practicing all year, that's what I'm looking for.

"So the point is you don't want to stretch them out over this repetitive exercise that, honestly, it's not like other sports. We've been doing this for months, and in baseball you need to go out there and be able to process the moment, not overthink it, definitely not get uptight about it. It's a tension-free kind of a game. So anything I can do to promote that, that's what I attempt to do."

Right-hander Kyle Hendricks makes the start for the Cubs in Game 3. The 25-year-old was 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA in 2015. Depending on the outcome Tuesday, Maddon is leaning toward Jason Hammel for Game 4. He said he didn't want to ask Jon Lester to come back on short rest.

"Yeah, there's pressure. It's the playoffs," said Hendricks. "There's always going to be some pressure, but you've got to let the pleasure exceed that. We've heard Joe say it a lot. I'm just going to go out and try to have fun. This is why you play the game, this is why you want the ball. So pressure in a way is sometimes a good thing."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Indoor Game 4 suits Jays' Dickey
By Larry Millson, The Sports Xchange

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays like hitting at Rogers Centre. R.A. Dickey likes pitching there.
The right-hander will take his knuckleball into Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. Dickey aims to even the series at two games apiece after Toronto won 11-8 in Game 3 on Monday.
The roof at the retractable stadium will be closed, and that suits Dickey fine.
"I like this stadium, I felt I can have good results here," he said. "(It is a positive) anytime that you can take out an exponent of the equation, which is the climate in my particular case, because I don't have to worry about rain or moisture or wind when they have the dome closed."
In Game 4 of the AL Division Series against the Texas Rangers, Dickey had a six-run lead when he was removed in favor of left-hander David Price with two outs in the fifth.
The move deprived him of the win, which went to Price, who worked three innings after he was brought in to deal with the left-handed bats that Texas had coming up. Manager John Gibbons did not want to let the Rangers back into the game. The strategy worked.
Dickey had a good game against the Royals the only time he faced them this season. He allowed only two hits and two walks in seven shutout innings on Aug. 2 in Toronto.
In that outing, Dickey said he tried to attack the strike zone.
"I was fortunate because they're a swinging team, and they were hitting pieces of the ball because it was moving well," he said "Hopefully, I can repeat that."
He respects the Royals.
"One of their key qualities as a team ... they spoil a lot of pitcher counts and work the count back in their favor quite a bit," Dickey said. "This is going to sound paradoxical, but it's important for me to always be pitching to contact with my knuckleball. And that means I have to be relentless in throwing strikes with it. I think it's important to me to take a shot or two out of the strike zone.
"But the great thing about the knuckleball is that it can be in the strike zone and can be just as effective as out of the strike zone because it moves so chaotically, so late. If I'm inducing a lot of weak contact, it's great.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Royals confident Young can keep ball in park
By Larry Millson, The Sports Xchange

TORONTO -- Chris Young gives up fly balls.
The Rogers Centre is a park that gives up a lot of homers.
The Toronto Blue Jays hit a lot of home runs, including three in Game 3 in their 11-8 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
Even so, Royals manager Ned Yost feels that the right-hander is a good choice to pitch Game 4 against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
"He's had good success against some of those hitters," Yost said. "His height and his deception in his delivery, his competitiveness. He had a great outing against Houston, and his last two starts (of the regular season) were really, really good. He's a good choice for us."
It will be Young's first postseason start in 2015, but he had a seven-strikeout effort over four innings in relief against the Houston Astros in the AL Division Series.
The fly-ball aspect does not concern Yost.
"If he's got the fastball and the slider going, he will be very, very tough," the manager said. "Again, every pitcher has to execute."
Young said, "You have to make good pitches, no matter where you are. I've bad games in pitchers' parks and good games in hitters' parks. The challenge is to make good pitches, execute pitches, choose the right pitches. If you do that, more often than not, you're going to have success no matter where you are."
It is nine years since Young started in the postseason and beat the St. Louis Cardinals when he was with the San Diego Padres.
He thought at that time there would be more postseason opportunities than there have been.
"Certainly, there's an appreciation for this," he said. "I'm cherishing it.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (95-67) at Blue Jays (93-69)

Game: 4
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: October 20, 2015 4:07 PM EDT

R.A. Dickey is known for his smarts on the mound since he's been able to handle big-league hitters with his knuckleball.

Chris Young will be the first of two Ivy League products to start a playoff game Tuesday, and the Princeton graduate has shared many intellectual discussions with Dickey about baseball.

These former teammates will oppose each other at the Rogers Centre, with Dickey seeking to help the Toronto Blue Jays pull even with Young's Kansas City Royals in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series.

These right-handers were teammates with Texas in 2003-04 and with the New York Mets in 2011-12. They were known for their intelligence and reading habits, though Dickey stopped short of saying who read more.

"We had some great conversations when we were together in New York," Dickey said. "I enjoyed being around him. I enjoyed talking to him. He's got a great mind."

Young will become the 10th pitcher in baseball history to go at least nine seasons between playoff starts. Dennis Martinez (16 years) and Bret Saberhagen (10) were the most recent to do so, appearing in the 1995 postseason.

Young, who beat St. Louis with 6 2-3 scoreless innings in a 2006 division series outing with San Diego, won't be the only Ivy League pitcher on the playoff stage Tuesday since the Chicago Cubs will start Dartmouth product Kyle Hendricks in Game 3 of the NLCS.

The Royals starter said that he enjoyed spending time with Dickey because of their similar intellectual approach to the game.

"I think we both appreciate our education and the intellectual aspects of the game of baseball," Young said. "It's a great game, just everything that - the thinking man's game, everything that you have to process in a short period of time."

Dickey is 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA in his last four starts against the Royals, pitching seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball against them in a 5-2 victory Aug. 2. Ben Zobrist is a .154 hitter against him in 39 at-bats and Alex Rios is at .208 in 24 at-bats as the Kansas City hitters who have faced him the most.

Dickey went 6-0 with a 1.94 ERA in eight home starts since the All-Star break. His postseason debut was an 8-4 Game 4 division series victory at Texas last Monday in which he gave up one run in 4 2-3 innings.

Young hasn't pitched since he struck out seven in four innings of relief Oct. 8 in the Royals' division series opener against Houston. He is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts versus Toronto over the last two seasons.

Josh Donaldson is 1 for 16 against him, Jose Bautista is 3 for 16 and Troy Tulowitzki is 2 for 11. Still, Young is wary of the challenge of facing baseball's highest-scoring team.

"It's a great lineup," Young said. "I've got my work cut out for me. But I'm excited for the challenge and the opportunity and it will be a great environment."

Toronto avoided moving to the brink of elimination by flexing its muscles in Monday's 11-8 victory. Donaldson, Tulowitzki and Ryan Goins all homered as the Blue Jays knocked out Royals starter Johnny Cueto in the third inning and broke out after totaling three runs in the first two games.

'That's really what we're all about,' manager John Gibbons said. 'We desperately needed that breakout.'

Tulowitzki, who is playing with a sore shoulder, was later ejected for arguing balls and strikes before the top of the eighth.

The Royals saw win streaks of four straight overall and nine in a row in LCS play end. Their solid production at the plate continued, as Alcides Escobar went 4 for 5, Zobrist doubled three times and Kendrys Morales went 3 for 4 with a two-run homer.

Kansas City has scored 33 runs over its last 35 innings at the plate.

Another positive for the Royals on Monday was five innings of relief by Kris Medlen, which allowed them to rest their top relievers for a second straight day.

"With the three games, you've got to make sure you don't overuse somebody," manager Ned Yost said. "But two games in a row we can utilize those guys in both games, which makes it better. So he did a great job allowing us to do that."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (90-72) at Cubs (97-65)

Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: October 20, 2015 8:07 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Jason Hammel played hacky sack with a baseball, and manager Joe Maddon chatted amiably with his players and staff as he made his way around Wrigley Field on Monday afternoon.

Down 2-0 to the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series, the Chicago Cubs are sticking with what worked for them during a breakthrough season.

'We'll come out tomorrow, we'll be ready to play,' Maddon said. 'Our guys are always ready to play.'

It might not matter if the Mets continue to pitch as well as they did in New York. Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard shut down Chicago's powerful lineup in the first two games of the series, putting New York in an ideal position to make it to the World Series for the first time in 15 years - a quaint little drought compared to the Cubs' seven mostly empty decades since they last played in the Fall Classic.

According to STATS, the winner of the first two games of a best-of-seven series in the baseball playoffs has advanced 83 percent (63 of 76) of the time, and the Mets have Jacob deGrom heading to the mound for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

'We have a lot of confidence,' manager Terry Collins said. 'Any night that he pitches, we've got a good chance to win.'

DeGrom is coming off a pair of impressive victories in the NL Division Series, albeit for different reasons.

The 27-year-old was dominant in Game 1 at Los Angeles, striking out 13 while pitching seven scoreless innings in New York's 3-1 win. Then he came back for Game 5 and worked six effective innings despite not having his best stuff.

The reigning NL Rookie of the Year matched Bartolo Colon for the team lead with 14 wins this year, but it was the gutsy start against the Dodgers that really cemented his place among the best young pitchers in the game.

'The second game was definitely a battle,' deGrom said. 'I feel like it was more impressive just because it wasn't easy. When you have your best stuff, it's a lot easier to pitch.'

While deGrom has struggled in three career starts against Chicago, Harvey and Syndergaard provided a roadmap for the right-hander in the first two games of the series. Harvey and Syndergaard pounded the strike zone, getting ahead of the Cubs' young sluggers and keeping them off balance.

The Mets started the Cubs with a strike in 43 of 68 at-bats in New York, according to STATS. They threw 177 of their 274 pitches for a strike, a 64.6 percent success rate.

Those are important numbers against the patient Cubs, who finished second in the majors to Toronto with 567 walks this season. St. Louis, Chicago's opponent in the NLDS, threw a first-pitch strike 56.3 percent of the time and had a 59.9 strike percentage for the series, and the Cubs clubbed 10 homers and walked 15 times.

'I don't want our guys to change based on an umpire in the previous game, it could change in the next game,' Maddon said. 'Regardless of the fact that the strike zone is a static or supposedly a static area, it's not. It's just depending upon the guy.

'So I prefer that we just stay with our normal patterns, and then we have to adjust sometimes during the course of the game. That's it. You just have to make adjustments, but you don't necessarily want to change,' he said.

Bryant, who had two hits and drove in Chicago's only run in Game 2, said everyone on the Cubs just has to stick to their own approach.

'We've gotten pretty far just the way we've been going,' he said. 'I think it's a matter of, we've hit some balls hard and they haven't been falling. That's the way baseball goes sometimes.'

While Harvey, Syndergaard and deGrom rely on their electric stuff, Kyle Hendricks, the Game 3 starter for Chicago, is more dependent on location for his success. The Dartmouth graduate threw six shutout innings in each of his last two starts of the season, but was yanked in the fifth inning of his Game 2 start at St. Louis in the division series.

Job No. 1 for Hendricks against New York is stopping Daniel Murphy, who is one away from matching Carlos Beltran's record of homering in five straight postseason games.

'He's swinging a hot bat,' Hendricks said. 'Sometimes the best thing to do is pick your spots. See when guys are on base, when they're not, when you can pitch around him. Regardless, when he comes up, you've definitely got to be careful. You can't make any mistakes with him.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

American League

Royals vs Blue Jays
Young is 1-0, 0.79 in his only two starts since Sept 1 (under 2-0).

Dickey is 1-0, 1.99 in his last four starts (over 3-0-1).

Royals won ten of their last thirteen games (over 5-2 last seven).

Blue Jays lost three of last five games with KC; home side won ten of last 12 series games. Toronto is 4-4 in playoffs (over is 6-2-1 in their last nine games).

National League
Mets vs Cubs
deGrom is 3-0, 1.17 in his last four starts (under 3-0 in last three).

Hendricks is 1-0, 1.62 in his last thee starts (under 3-1 last four).

New York won six of last eight games (under 8-2-1 in last eleven).

Chicago won nine of last 11 games against the Mets (under 7-2-2), but is down 2-0 in this series; Cubs won nine of last 12 games overall (over 3-1-1 last five).

AL Wild Card game
Houston @ Bronx
Hst 3-0, even U7

NL Wild Card game
Chicago @ Pittsburgh
Chi 4-0, -$125, U5.5

NLDS
New York @ Los Angeles
NY 3-1, -$196, U5.5
LA 5-2, -$170, O6
NY 13-4, -$164, O7
LA 3-1, -$146, U6.5
NY 3-2, +$129, U6
Mets win series, 3-2

NLDS
Chicago @ St Louis
StL 4-0, -$107, U6
Chi 6-3, +$126, O6.5
Chi 8-6, -$202, O7
Chi 6-4, -$115, O8.5
Cubs win series, 3-1

ALDS
Texas @ Toronto
Tex 5-3, +$250, N8
Tex 6-4 (14), +$154, O7.5
Tor 5-1, +$126, U10
Tor 8-4, -$149, O10
Tor 6-3, -$170, O8
Blue Jays win series 3-2

ALDS
Houston @ Kansas City
Hst 5-2, +$122, U7.5
KC 5-4, -$178, O7.5
Hst 4-2, -$175, U7.5
KC 9-6, +$116, O7.5
KC 7-2, -$126, O7.5
Royals win series, 3-2


Blue Jays vs Royals
KC 5-0, +$107, U8
KC 6-3, +$136, O7
Tor 11-8, -$151, O8

Cubs vs Mets
NY 4-2, -$125, N6
NY 4-1, +$131, U5.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tuesday's six-pack

Six of the more interesting college football games this weekend.....

-- Cal @ UCLA (-3)-- Bruins try to bounce back after Stanford debacle.

-- K-State @ Texas (-3.5)-- Bill Snyder wrote a letter to Kansas State students, apologizing for Oklahoma loss.

-- Texas A&M @ Ole Miss (-6)-- Both teams coming off of big losses.

-- Auburn @ Arkansas (-5.5)-- Fans of losing team in this one won't be happy.

-- Clemson (-7) @ Miami-- This game opened at Clemson, -2.5.

-- Washington State @ Arizona (-7)-- Mike Leach getting points on road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Tuesday

ISLANDERS at BLUE JACKETS 7:05 PM

Take: ISLANDERS -135

I played Columbus in its home opener against the Rangers, and was looking good with just a few minutes remaining when the Blue Jackets took a 2-1 lead. But seconds later they gave up the tying goal, then seconds later they gave up another goal, then seconds later they gave up yet another goal. Three of them in 77 seconds altogether. The Blue Jacket express has gone straight downhill ever since.

This team is a real mess right now. Lead goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has openly admitted he has “zero confidence” and he’s simply a liability right now. The defense was shaky to begin with and has been worse that. Only one forward line has looked even reasonably effective. The team has also shown a really troubling flaw. Once they fall behind, they stay behind and close games have been turning into routs.

The Islanders are not a team to get healthy against. This is a very strong outfit and if the early returns are a barometer of things to come, the Isles could be playing for quite some time once the playoffs roll around.

If you followed me on Sunday playing the Blackhawks on the puck line, there’s every reason to come right back with another anti-Jackets play tonight. They’re eventually going to win a game, but until that time, I intend to keep trying to beat them as long as I keep getting paid. The price is certainly not unreasonable this evening. The home ice advantage for Columbus is decreasing as the locals are not at all happy with the squad, and I’m actually a little surprised this line isn’s a shade higher. At -135, I’ll plunk down a play on the Islanders tonight.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jim Feist

Jim Feist's Bonus Play for Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015 8:05 PM

(961) NEW YORK METS VS (962) CHICAGO CUBS

Take: Over

Reason: Your Bonus Play for Tuesday, October 20, 2015 is in the MLB contest between the Mets and the Cubs from Wrigley Field in Chicago. Wrigley Field is a small park, great for offenses. Righty Kyle Hendricks goes for the Cubs with a 3.95 ERA and the Mets are 25-6-1 on the road against a right-handed starter. New York is also on a 25-8 run over the total on the road. New York starter Jacob deGrom has good stuff but the Cubs have smacked him around, with an 0-2 record and a 6.46 ERA the last three years against him. The over is 7-2 in deGroms last 9 road starts. Chicago has good power on offense and the over is 7-2 in the Cubs last nine playoff home games. Play the Mets/Cubs Game 3 Over the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play Mets -120 w/ Degrom

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CAPPERS ACCESS

Arkansas St
Cubs

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals at Blue Jays

GAME: Kansas City Royals (100-70) at Toronto Blue Jays (97-73)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, October 20 - 4:00 PM EST
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
Playoff Series: League Championship; Kansas City leads 2-1

The Toronto Blue Jays have snapped Kansas City's impressive streak and attempt to even the American League Championship Series at two wins apiece when they host the Royals in Game 4 on Tuesday. Toronto posted an 11-8 victory in Game 3 to halt the Royals' string of nine straight ALCS victories, one shy of the record set by the Baltimore Orioles from 1969-73.

Troy Tulowitzki hit a three-run homer and Josh Donaldson launched a two-run blast during a six-run third inning as the Blue Jays ran out to a 9-2 lead en route to recording the crucial victory. "We desperately needed that breakout," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "You look at how the game finished up, those runs really came in handy. It wasn't an easy game, even though we had a big lead." Alcides Escobar has been a persistent force for the Royals as he went 4-for-5 and scored three times in Game 3 and is 7-for-12 with five runs in the series. Kansas City's Chris Young will be making the second postseason start of his career - he scattered four hits and struck out nine over 6 2/3 scoreless innings as San Diego defeated St. Louis in the 2006 National League Division Series.

TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, FS1, RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Chris Young (0-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (0-0, 1.93)

The 36-year-old Young was tabbed to start over Kris Medlen because manager Ned Yost was impressed with his relief outing against Houston in the AL Division Series as he struck out seven while allowing one run and three hits in four innings. The 6-foot-10 Young has allowed just two runs and seven hits over his last 15 1/3 frames and marvels that he is even in position to start a postseason game after a lengthy pattern of injuries. "To have this opportunity, I just can't thank the organization enough for believing in me," Young said, "whether it was in the beginning of the season or here now in the postseason."

The 40-year-old Dickey never had pitched in the postseason until giving up one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings against Texas in the ALDS. He continues to baffle hitters with his trademark knuckleball, which also tests the abilities of catcher Russell Martin. "Have you ever tried to catch a butterfly as it's floating around in the air?" Martin asked reporters. "I wish I could put a camera on my mask or something for people to see exactly what the ball's doing. It's pretty impressive."

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals CF Lorenzo Cain went 1-for-4 in Game 3 to extend his postseason hitting streak to 12 games, breaking the franchise mark set by Amos Otis (1978-80).

2. Donaldson, who has belted three homers in the postseason, is just 1-for-16 against Young.

3. Kansas City DH Kendrys Morales went 3-for-4 with a two-run shot in Game 3 and has four homers in eight games this postseason.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Royals 5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets at Cubs

GAME: New York Mets (95-74) at Chicago Cubs (101-68)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, October 20 - 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
Playoff Series: League Championship; NY Mets leads 2-0

Daniel Murphy was thought to be on his way out of New York with free agency looming and prospect Dilson Herrera knocking on the door from the minor leagues, but a week of hot hitting in the playoffs is making him indispensable to his team. Murphy will try to homer in his fifth straight game when the Mets visit the Chicago Cubs for Game 3 of the National League Championship series on Tuesday.

Murphy clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning of Game 2 on Sunday off Cubs ace Jake Arrieta and has taken Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Jon Lester and Arrieta deep in the last four games to provide plenty of support for the New York staff. “I definitely am seeing the ball well right now, so that's nice,” Murphy told reporters after blasting a first-inning homer for the second time in as many NLCS games. Chicago managed a total of three runs in the first two games but won both of its home games in the NLDS against the Cardinals and is still confident going forward. “We're looking for several one-game winning streaks and that would be kind of nice,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters. “Listen, it's never going to be easy this time of the year. They are good; we know that. We're also very good.”

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-0, 1.38 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 5.79)

DeGrom struck out 20 in 13 total innings over a pair of NLDS starts and won them both, including the Game 5 clincher. The former Rookie of the Year has allowed a total of three runs in his last four outings with 36 strikeouts in 23 innings during that span. DeGrom has never beaten Chicago, going 0-2 while allowing a total of 11 earned runs and 17 hits in 15 1/3 innings over three career starts.

Hendricks got the nod over Jason Hammel for Game 3 and will try to bounce back after surrendering three solo home runs among four hits in 4 2/3 innings at St. Louis during the NLDS. The Dartmouth product scattered three hits and no runs in 12 innings over his final two turns in the regular season and has issued a total of two walks in his five outings. Hendricks is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two career starts against New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. Murphy has five homers and eight RBIs in seven postseason games.

2. Chicago batters struck out 20 times in the first two games of the series.

3. New York 3B David Wright is 2-for-23 in the playoffs.

PREDICTION: Cubs 7, Mets 4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Tuesday, October 20

Trend Report

4:07 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. TORONTO
Kansas City is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Kansas City is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Kansas City
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Kansas City

8:07 PM
NY METS vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 17 of NY Mets's last 24 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Chi Cubs are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games when playing NY Mets