Dave Cokin
Bonus Play Wednesday
Ervin was serving’ on Tuesday night, and the F5 play on Santana and the Twins worked out well. Here’s one for this weekend’s NFL exhibition slate.
429 49ERS at 430 BRONCOS
Take: BRONCOS -4
Normally, Super Bowl champs are not teams I want to play in meaningless pre-season games. But this not the typical camp for a reigning kingpin. That’s because there’s a real QB battle taking place on this Denver team with the Manning retirement. I love QB battles as the coaches will usually try to do what they can to give each guy an equal playing field, and it also means more chances for them to try and impress.
The 49ers also have a QB battle, but it’s basically the polar opposite of what is happening with the Broncos. Colin Kaepernick has what is being called arm fatigue, and hasn’t even throw a practice pass for the last week. Gabbert was pretty bad in the exhibition opener, and the Tuesday practice was pretty much a disaster. It’s so bad the 49ers have signed Christian Ponder off the scrap heap and it sounds like he might be seeing action on Saturday night.
Weird setup for sure, as I would typically be looking to take the bad team with perhaps a little extra incentive against the elite entry that is just working to get ready for the real games. But this one has the opposite feel to it, and off that read, I’m willing to spot a handful of points here with the Broncos.
Bonus Play Wednesday
Ervin was serving’ on Tuesday night, and the F5 play on Santana and the Twins worked out well. Here’s one for this weekend’s NFL exhibition slate.
429 49ERS at 430 BRONCOS
Take: BRONCOS -4
Normally, Super Bowl champs are not teams I want to play in meaningless pre-season games. But this not the typical camp for a reigning kingpin. That’s because there’s a real QB battle taking place on this Denver team with the Manning retirement. I love QB battles as the coaches will usually try to do what they can to give each guy an equal playing field, and it also means more chances for them to try and impress.
The 49ers also have a QB battle, but it’s basically the polar opposite of what is happening with the Broncos. Colin Kaepernick has what is being called arm fatigue, and hasn’t even throw a practice pass for the last week. Gabbert was pretty bad in the exhibition opener, and the Tuesday practice was pretty much a disaster. It’s so bad the 49ers have signed Christian Ponder off the scrap heap and it sounds like he might be seeing action on Saturday night.
Weird setup for sure, as I would typically be looking to take the bad team with perhaps a little extra incentive against the elite entry that is just working to get ready for the real games. But this one has the opposite feel to it, and off that read, I’m willing to spot a handful of points here with the Broncos.
Jim Feist
Jim Feist's Comp Pick, Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Your Bonus Play for Wednesday, August 17, 2016 is in the baseball contest between the Miami Marlins and the Reds from Cincinnati. Cincinnati is a good offensive park and the Over is 16-6-5 when the Reds are at home against a team with a winning record. Miami has Andrew Cashner on the hill with a 4-9 record and a 5.08 ERA. Cashner has allowed 18 hits and 11 runs his last three outings (10+ innings). Miami is 21-9 over the total on the road vs. a team with a losing record, plus 22-10 over on the road against a team with a losing home record. Cincinnati has awful pitching and is 7-0 over the total against a right-handed starter. Homer Bailey (4.30 ERA) has allowed 20 base runners in 14+ innings and this shapes up as an offensive show.
Play Miami/Cincinnati Over the total.
Jim Feist's Comp Pick, Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Your Bonus Play for Wednesday, August 17, 2016 is in the baseball contest between the Miami Marlins and the Reds from Cincinnati. Cincinnati is a good offensive park and the Over is 16-6-5 when the Reds are at home against a team with a winning record. Miami has Andrew Cashner on the hill with a 4-9 record and a 5.08 ERA. Cashner has allowed 18 hits and 11 runs his last three outings (10+ innings). Miami is 21-9 over the total on the road vs. a team with a losing record, plus 22-10 over on the road against a team with a losing home record. Cincinnati has awful pitching and is 7-0 over the total against a right-handed starter. Homer Bailey (4.30 ERA) has allowed 20 base runners in 14+ innings and this shapes up as an offensive show.
Play Miami/Cincinnati Over the total.
Stephen Nover
Royals vs Tigers
Bonus Play Kansas City Royals
Anibal Sanchez, he of the 6-12 record and 6.31 ERA, opened a favorite for Detroit.
Still need more reasons not to fade the Tigers? Didn't think so. But just in case here are more arguments why the Royals are worth backing in this spot.
Kansas City is playing well winning eight of its last 10, including the past three. Detroit is not losing seven of its past nine.
The Tigers have been held to two or fewer runs in six of their last nine games. They have multiple injuries with the left side of their infield - third baseman Nick Castellanos and shortstop Jose Iglesias - on the DL along with center fielder Cameron Maybin. Making things even worse for the Tigers is Miguel Cabrera has a left biceps strain. He missed last night's game and is questionable here.
It's difficult to win games when your bottom four hitters are James McCann (.210 batting average), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (.200), Dixon Machado (.125) and Tyler Collins (.232). Those guys all started against the Royals last night. This lineup doesn't exactly inspire memories of the 1934 Detroit Tigers.
Now back to Sanchez. He should be pitching in middle or long relief at best. At worst, he shouldn't still be on a big league roster. He's given up 23 homers, including four during his last start in which he was hammered for eight runs in four innings by Texas last Friday. The Tigers keep trotting him out to the mound, holding their nose all the while because Jordan Zimmerman and Mike Pelfrey are on the DL.
Detroit has lost 16 of the past 21 times Sanchez has started.
I much prefer Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Sure, Ventura has maturity issues. But there's no denying his talent and nasty stuff. The key for Ventura is location and consistency. The buy sign is there now because Ventura is on a roll this month going 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA in his last three outings. Go back to his last seven starts and you'll find that Ventura hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of those appearances. So the consistency is there.
Ventura also has a good track record versus Detroit. He's faced the Tigers nine times and is 6-0 with a 3.18 ERA.
Royals vs Tigers
Bonus Play Kansas City Royals
Anibal Sanchez, he of the 6-12 record and 6.31 ERA, opened a favorite for Detroit.
Still need more reasons not to fade the Tigers? Didn't think so. But just in case here are more arguments why the Royals are worth backing in this spot.
Kansas City is playing well winning eight of its last 10, including the past three. Detroit is not losing seven of its past nine.
The Tigers have been held to two or fewer runs in six of their last nine games. They have multiple injuries with the left side of their infield - third baseman Nick Castellanos and shortstop Jose Iglesias - on the DL along with center fielder Cameron Maybin. Making things even worse for the Tigers is Miguel Cabrera has a left biceps strain. He missed last night's game and is questionable here.
It's difficult to win games when your bottom four hitters are James McCann (.210 batting average), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (.200), Dixon Machado (.125) and Tyler Collins (.232). Those guys all started against the Royals last night. This lineup doesn't exactly inspire memories of the 1934 Detroit Tigers.
Now back to Sanchez. He should be pitching in middle or long relief at best. At worst, he shouldn't still be on a big league roster. He's given up 23 homers, including four during his last start in which he was hammered for eight runs in four innings by Texas last Friday. The Tigers keep trotting him out to the mound, holding their nose all the while because Jordan Zimmerman and Mike Pelfrey are on the DL.
Detroit has lost 16 of the past 21 times Sanchez has started.
I much prefer Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Sure, Ventura has maturity issues. But there's no denying his talent and nasty stuff. The key for Ventura is location and consistency. The buy sign is there now because Ventura is on a roll this month going 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA in his last three outings. Go back to his last seven starts and you'll find that Ventura hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of those appearances. So the consistency is there.
Ventura also has a good track record versus Detroit. He's faced the Tigers nine times and is 6-0 with a 3.18 ERA.
Art Aronson
Dodgers vs Phillies
1* Bonus Play Dodgers.
Setting the scene: LA annihilated Philadelphia 15-5 yesterday and if you don’t mind laying some chalk, you may want to consider jumping on the Dodgers again tonight as we’re expecting another lop-sided destruction.
Scott Kazmir: He’s 9-6 with a 4.44 ERA. Kazmir gave up two runs off four hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings in a loss to these very Phillies last Wednesday. It’s been a rocky campaign for Kazmir, but this start was one of his better outings. Note that he’s 5-0 with a 4.55 ERA on the road this year.
Jake Thompson: He’s 1-1 with an 8.68 ERA. Thompson has made two big league starts and looked horrible in one and “ok” in the other. Most recently he gave up three runs off two hits over five innings in a 10-6 win over Colorado on Friday. Note that he’s walked seven batters over his two outings.
The bottom line: We’re going to give Kazmir the slight nod in this matchup, as well as giving the DODGERS the big nod at the plate as well. Consider the visitors in this one.
AAA Sports
Dodgers vs Phillies
1* Bonus Play Dodgers.
Setting the scene: LA annihilated Philadelphia 15-5 yesterday and if you don’t mind laying some chalk, you may want to consider jumping on the Dodgers again tonight as we’re expecting another lop-sided destruction.
Scott Kazmir: He’s 9-6 with a 4.44 ERA. Kazmir gave up two runs off four hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings in a loss to these very Phillies last Wednesday. It’s been a rocky campaign for Kazmir, but this start was one of his better outings. Note that he’s 5-0 with a 4.55 ERA on the road this year.
Jake Thompson: He’s 1-1 with an 8.68 ERA. Thompson has made two big league starts and looked horrible in one and “ok” in the other. Most recently he gave up three runs off two hits over five innings in a 10-6 win over Colorado on Friday. Note that he’s walked seven batters over his two outings.
The bottom line: We’re going to give Kazmir the slight nod in this matchup, as well as giving the DODGERS the big nod at the plate as well. Consider the visitors in this one.
AAA Sports
Marc Lawrence
Royals vs Tigers
Play - Kansas City Royals w/Ventura
Edges - Royals: Yordano Ventura 11-2 career team starts during August; and 3.35 ERA with 1.14 WHIP last 7 starts. Tigers: Anibal Sanchez 1-8 team starts at night, and 1-6 team starts versus A.L. Central this season. With Sanchez a putrid 1-12 in his last 13 overall team starts, we recommend a 1* play on Kansas City. Thank you and good luck as always.
Royals vs Tigers
Play - Kansas City Royals w/Ventura
Edges - Royals: Yordano Ventura 11-2 career team starts during August; and 3.35 ERA with 1.14 WHIP last 7 starts. Tigers: Anibal Sanchez 1-8 team starts at night, and 1-6 team starts versus A.L. Central this season. With Sanchez a putrid 1-12 in his last 13 overall team starts, we recommend a 1* play on Kansas City. Thank you and good luck as always.
