NFL DUNKEL Week 3 FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 Game 257-258: New England at Washington Dunkel Ratings: New England 118.687; Washington 118.722 Dunkel Line: Even; 32 1/2 Vegas Line: Washington by 3; 37 1/2 Dunkel Pick: New England (+3); Under Game 259-260: Green Bay at Arizona Dunkel Ratings: Green Bay 117.323; Arizona 124.781 Dunkel Line: Arizona by 7 1/2; 44 Vegas Line: Arizona by 3; 42 Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-3); Over
NFL LONG SHEET Week 3 Friday, August 28 NEW ENGLAND (1 - 1) at WASHINGTON (1 - 1) - 8/28/2009, 8:00 PM Top Trends for this game. NEW ENGLAND is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) against NFC East division opponents since 1993. Head-to-Head Series History There were no past matchups in this series during this time period. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GREEN BAY (2 - 0) at ARIZONA (0 - 2) - 8/28/2009, 10:00 PM There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game. Head-to-Head Series History There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
NFL SHORT SHEET Week 3 Friday, 8/28/2009 NEW ENGLAND at WASHINGTON, 8:00 PM ET CBS NEW ENGLAND: 19-8 ATS vs. NFC East WASHINGTON: 12-2 Under at home last 2 wks of preseason GREEN BAY at ARIZONA, 10:00 PM ET GREEN BAY: 6-1 Over playing with 6 or less days rest ARIZONA: 0-4 ATS as a favorite
CFL DUNKEL Week 9 Calgary at Toronto The Stampeders look to build on their 4-0-1 ATS record in their last 5 games following a bye week. Calgary is the pick (-7) according to Dunkel, which has the Stampeders favored by 9 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-7). Here are all of this week's CFL picks. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 Game 441-442: Calgary at Toronto Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 112.943; Toronto 103.422 Dunkel Line: Calgary by 9 1/2; 58 Vegas Line: Calgary by 7; 53 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-7); Over
CFL LONG SHEET Week 9 Friday, August 28 CALGARY (3 - 4) at TORONTO (2 - 5) - 8/28/2009, 7:30 PM Top Trends for this game. TORONTO is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons. TORONTO is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons. TORONTO is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons. Head-to-Head Series History CALGARY is 4-1 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons CALGARY is 4-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons 3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
Indian Cowboy 1 Unit Play. Take Under 42 between Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals (Friday @ 10pm est). Despite the fact that offense is supposed to take the lead in this game, I believe it has a good shot at going under. Green Bay hits the road for the first time this preseason and I expect their offense to not be in as sync as they have been thus far at home. Plus, Arizona's offense has been dismal to start the year scoring just a total of 16 points for the first two games. The NFC Champs have continued to improve their defense and that has shown this year as well and the end of the playoffs last year which led them to an NFC Championship. I believe Green Bay's offense will be lacking a bit on the road and Arizona's defense to play sound as well as this game likely dips under the 42 total mark.
Mighty Quinn Mighty missed with the Marlins Thursday. Today it's the Pirates and Rays. The surplus is 1,340 sirignanos.
Hondo August 28, 2009 The beating goes on. Hondo didn't have a prayer last night with the Padres, who were pummeled in Atlanta to raise the runaway deficit to 760 antonellis. Tonight, he'll back one of the Hanson brothers -- 10 units on Los Bravos to rough up Pedro & Co.
Scott Ferrall MLB FREE PICKS FOR FRIDAY PICKS ARE IN ALL CAPS AND RANKED IN ORDER OF CONFIDENCE ( ) White Sox (Buehrle) YANKEES (SABATHIA) -210 (1) Colorado (Jimenez) SAN FRANCISCO (LINCECUM) -135 (2) Washington (Lannan) ST. LOUIS (SMOLTZ) -180 (3) Run Totals White Sox / Yankees UNDER 9 Tampa Bay / Detroit OVER 8 ½ Atlanta / Philadelphia UNDER 9 Cleveland / Baltimore OVER 9 ½
THE SPORTS ADVISORS FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 NFL PRESEASON New England (1-1 SU and ATS) at Washington (1-1 SU and ATS) Tom Brady leads the Patriots into FedEx Field to take on the Redskins as the preseason continues with Week 3 games, when coaches typically have their starters on the field for the longest stretches prior to the regular season. New England mustered just a pair of first-half field goals on Aug. 20, losing 7-6 at home to Cincinnati as a 6½-point favorite. Brady was in for two possessions, leading a 57-yard drive that ended with a field goal on the Pats’ first drive. Tonight, Brady and the rest of the starters are expected to play into the second half, giving the quarterback his biggest test yet on his surgically repaired knee. Brady will be followed by Kevin O’Connell, with rookie Brian Hoyer perhaps seeing some mop-up time. Washington held off Pittsburgh 17-13 Saturday to cash as a 3½-point home chalk, as the Steelers played without injured QB Ben Roethlisberger. Coach Jim Zorn said he expects to play his starters at least two quarters, and QB Jason Campbell may need the extra work after going just 1-for-7 for 10 yards over three possessions last week. Zorn said his three backup QBs – Todd Collins, Colt Brennan and rookie Chase Daniel – will also see action. Last week, the undrafted Daniel threw two TD passes in the second half to guide Washington’s comeback win. New England is now 1-5 SU and ATS in preseason action since the start of last year, and it is 1-5 SU and 1-4-1 ATS in its last six exhibition road games. The Patriots are 5-2 ATS in Week 3 of preseason play the last seven years, including a 41-0 home rout of the Redskins in 2006. Despite last week’s win, the Redskins are still just 6-12 SU and ATS in their last 18 exhibition outings, including 2-4 SU and ATS at home. Washington is also in a 1-3 SU and ATS rut in Week 3 action, not including a 2007 contest at Baltimore that was canceled in the third quarter because of lightning. The Redskins’ last three Week 3 defeats have been by a combined score of 116-6. The under is 3-1 in New England’s last four preseason road contests, and the under is 5-1 in Washington’s last five August games overall and 5-0 in its last five at FedEx Field. ATS ADVANTAGE: NEW ENGLAND and UNDER Green Bay (2-0 SU and ATS) at Arizona (0-2 SU and ATS) The Packers aim to keep their perfect preseason going when they travel to the desert to take on the defending NFC champion Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Green Bay dumped Buffalo 31-21 Saturday as a three-point home chalk, scoring touchdowns on its first three possessions behind QB Aaron Rodgers (8 of 9, 98 yards, 2 TDs) en route to a 21-0 lead. Coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers and the starters will play the entire first half and perhaps into the third quarter. Matt Flynn is the No. 2 QB, but he is doubtful with a minor shoulder injury, so fellow second-year pro Brian Brohm will finish out the game after Rodgers exits. Arizona lost to San Diego 17-6 Saturday giving three points at home, getting just two Neil Rackers field goals in the first and third quarters. QB Kurt Warner (6 of 13, 80 yards, 1 INT) was in for four possessions, but the Cards’ only score came entirely due to LaRod Stephens-Howling’s 89-yard return of the opening kick. Warner and the starters are expected to play the first half, with Matt Leinart replacing Warner. It’s uncertain if third-string QB Brian St. Pierre (back) will play. The Packers, who haven’t had a winning preseason since 2002, have now cashed in four straight games in August (3-1 SU), but they’re still just 6-8 SU and 7-7 ATS in three-plus years of preseason play under McCarthy, including 2-4 SU and ATS on the road. Additionally, Green Bay is 2-4 SU and ATS in Week 3 over the past six summers. Arizona has now lost all five preseason home games since Ken Whisenhunt took over (1-4 ATS) and is just 2-7 ATS in its last nine as a preseason chalk, including 0-4 ATS the last two-plus years. However, unlike Green Bay, the Cardinals have been a strong play in Week 3 over the last six years, cashing in all six games while going 4-2 SU. The over is 10-4 in Green Bay’s 14 preseason contests under McCarthy, with the last three on the highway topping the total. Meanwhile, Arizona has stayed low in its first two preseason games after a 7-3 “over” stretch in August competition. ATS ADVANTAGE: ARIZONA NATIONAL LEAGUE Atlanta (67-60) at Philadelphia (73-52) Pedro Martinez (2-0, 5.14 ERA) toes the slab for the Phillies when they open a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park against the N.L. East rival Braves, who will counter with rookie Tommy Hanson (9-2, 3.12). Philadelphia just dropped two of three at Pittsburgh, needing 10 innings to get a 4-1 win Wednesday before blowing a 2-1, eighth-inning lead in Thursday’s finale, losing 3-2. However, the Phillies remain one of the hottest teams in baseball, having won 12 of their last 16, and they are on further streaks of 36-18 overall, 5-1 against winning teams and 19-7 at home. Atlanta dropped the first two games of its home series with the Padres before getting back on track with a 9-1 win Thursday. The Braves are just 2-8 in their last 10 series openers, but they are on upticks of 5-1 on the highway and 4-1 in division play. Also, in this rivalry, Atlanta is 8-4 this season against the Phillies, going 6-2 in the last eight overall and 6-2 in the last eight in Philly. The Phillies are 3-0 since Martinez joined the rotation, despite the former Cy Young winner’s mediocre ERA. On Sunday against the Mets, the right-hander gave up four runs on seven hits (two homers), getting a 9-7 road victory. Both of Martinez’s wins have come on the road, as he gave up a run in three innings in his first home start (5-1 win over Arizona). The 37-year-old is 11-10 with a 3.70 ERA in 30 career outings (23 starts) against Atlanta. Hanson, who turns 23 today, has won his last four starts, allowing eight runs in 25 2/3 innings for a 2.80 ERA, and he has 23 strikeouts over his last three outings, all at home (19 2/3 innings). On Saturday, he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks in seven innings of a 4-3 victory over Florida, striking out seven. Hanson is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in six road starts this year, and this will be his first career start against Philadelphia. With Hanson dealing, the Braves are on runs of 6-2 against winning teams and 5-2 in series openers. The under for Philadelphia is on tears of 10-4 overall, 4-0 against wining teams, 6-1 in the N.L. East and 17-5 against righty starters, and in this rivalry, the total has stayed low in four straight games. However, with the Braves on the road, the over is on rolls of 7-2 overall and 5-1 against winning teams. ATS ADVANTAGE: PHILADELPHIA Colorado (72-56) at San Francisco (69-59) The top two teams in the N.L. wild-card chase get together for the second time in a week, this time at AT&T Park, where the Giants will send ace Tim Lincecum (12-4, 2.43 ERA) against Ubaldo Jimenez (12-9, 3.36) and the Rockies to open a three-game series. San Francisco bounced back from losing three of four at Colorado last weekend by taking two of three at home against Arizona, though it got hammered 11-0 last night in the series finale. The Giants are just 2-5 in their last seven outings against winning teams, but they are on streaks at home of 38-19 overall and 9-5 against winning squads. Colorado lost two of three at home to the Dodgers, including a 3-2 setback Thursday that left the Rocks four games behind N.L. West-leading Los Angeles and three games ahead of San Francisco for the wild card. The Rockies are 52-25 in their last 77 games, and on the road, they are on upswings of 4-0 overall and 21-6 against righty starters, but they’ve lost five straight as a road pup. The Rockies have won five of the last six in this rivalry and are on further runs against the Giants of 4-1 behind Jimenez and 4-1 facing Lincecum. The same two pitchers squared off Sunday, with Jimenez allowing two runs in eight innings to outduel Lincecum (three runs in seven innings) in a 4-2 Colorado victory. San Francisco has won four of its last six behind Lincecum, but the 25-year-old has allowed eight runs in 13 innings over his last two starts (5.53 ERA). In Sunday’s 4-2 setback at Colorado, he held the Rockies hitless for 5 1/3 innings and ended up allowing three runs on three hits – including the decisive two-run homer -- with five walks and seven strikeouts. Lincecum is 7-1 with a sterling 1.98 ERA in 13 home starts this season, but he’s just 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA in nine career starts against Colorado. The Giants are on runs behind the right-hander of 5-1 at home and 8-2 with the right-hander favored. Jimenez has won his last five starts, allowing just seven runs over 38 2/3 innings for a 1.62 ERA, and he’s gone eight innings in four of those outings, including the last three in a row. Against the Giants on Sunday, he scattered six hits and two walks over his eight innings, striking out nine. Jimenez is 5-5 with a 3.48 ERA in 14 road starts this year, and he’s 3-2 with a 2.41 ERA in eight career starts against San Francisco. Still, the Rockies are on slides behind Jimenez of 10-23 on the highway and 1-5 in roadies against winning teams. The under for San Francisco is on a bundle of rolls, including 27-11-2 with the Giants favored, 6-2 behind Lincecum and 4-0 with the reigning Cy Young winner facing a winning team. For Colorado, the under is on a 7-2-1 overall stretch, and with Jimenez throwing, the under is on runs of 5-0 overall, 5-0 against winning teams and 10-3 on the road against winning units. Finally, in this rivalry, the total has stayed low in four straight meetings at AT&T Park, and the under is 6-2 in Jimenez’s last eight starts against the Giants. ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets Sacramento Monarchs at Minnesota Lynx (-2.5, 161.5) The Monarchs’ postseason hopes were resuscitated after the club reeled of wins in four of five games. The hot streak came to an end against the Dream Tuesday night. Sacramento never led and Atlanta was able to get just about whatever it wanted offensively. “We reverted back to where we were,” Monarchs coach John Whisenant told the Sacramento Bee. “We can’t play like that. We scored enough points. We just didn’t slow them down at all.” Defense has been Whisenant’s sole focus since taking over the head coaching job last month. Look for Sacramento to regain its defensive swagger in Minnesota tonight. The Lynx, who were a game above .500 at the start of the month, have dropped nine of their last 10. Pick: Under New York Liberty at Chicago Sky (-2, 145) It’s been a rough few days for the Sky. The squad got run over by a hot Sparks team and lost another one at home to the disappointing Shock. Sky center Sylvia Fowles has missed the last three games (all Chicago losses) and it’s still up in the air whether she’d be back for Friday’s tilt against New York. The Liberty, meanwhile, have won three of their last four and are 5-2-1 against the spread in their last eight games. Pick: Liberty
MLB DUNKEL Texas at Minnesota The Twins look to build on their 5-1 record in the last 6 games overall. Minnesota is the pick (+120) according to Dunkel, which has the Twins favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+120). Here are all of today's picks. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 Game 951-952: NY Mets at Chicago Cubs Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Misch) 15.356; Cubs (Lilly) 14.299 Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 11 1/2 Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-250); No Run Line Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+230); N/A Game 953-954: Atlanta at Philadelphia Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hanson) 15.124; Philadelphia (Martinez) 15.914 Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 9 Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-110); 9 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-110); Under Game 955-956: LA Dodgers at Cincinnati Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Billingsley) 15.421; Cincinnati (Bailey) 16.108 Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1/2; 9 1/2 Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-180); 9 Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+170); Over Game 957-958: San Diego at Florida Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Correia) 14.245; Florida (Volstad) 15.293 Dunkel Line: Florida by 1; 8 1/2 Vegas Line: Florida (-150); 9 Dunkel Pick: Florida (-150); Under Game 959-960: Pittsburgh at Milwaukee Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Duke) 15.234; Milwaukee (Parra) 14.108 Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 8 1/2 Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-130); 9 Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+120); Under Game 961-962: Washington at St. Louis Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Lannan) 14.511; St. Louis (Smoltz) 15.463 Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 10 Vegas Line: St. Louis (-180); 9 Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-180); Over Game 963-964: Houston at Arizona Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Bazardo) 15.087; Arizona (Scherzer) 16.132 Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 8 1/2 Vegas Line: Arizona (-160); 9 Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-160); Under Game 965-966: Colorado at San Francisco Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Jimenez) 14.348; San Francisco (Lincecum) 15.488 Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1; 7 1/2 Vegas Line: San Francisco (-135); 6 1/2 Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-135); Over Game 967-968: Cleveland at Baltimore Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Carmona) 15.028; Baltimore (Berken) 16.618 Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1 1/2; 11 Vegas Line: Cleveland (-115); 10 Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+105); Over Game 969-970: Tampa Bay at Detroit Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Garza) 14.475; Detroit (Porcello) 15.803 Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 7 1/2 Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-125); 9 Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+125); Under Game 971-972: Chicago White Sox at NY Yankees Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Buehrle) 15.437; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 16.216 Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 8 Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-210); 9 Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-210); Under Game 973-974: Toronto at Boston Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Richmond) 14.173; Boston (Beckett) 15.269 Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 8 Vegas Line: Boston (-230); 9 Dunkel Pick: Boston (-230); Under Game 975-976: Texas at Minnesota Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Hunter) 15.810; Minnesota (Duensing) 15.930 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 8 1/2 Vegas Line: Texas (-130); 9 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+120); Under Game 977-978: Oakland at LA Angels Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Tomko) 14.189; LA Angels (Bell) 15.396 Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 8 1/2 Vegas Line: LA Angels (-145); 10 Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-145); Under Game 979-980: Kansas City at Seattle Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Bannister) 14.487; Seattle (Hernandez) 15.920 Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: Seattle (-230); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-230); Under
WNBA Basketball Picks DUNKEL New York at Chicago The Liberty look to build on their 3-0 ATS record in their last 3 road games as an underdog of 3 points or less. New York is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has Chicago favored by only 1. Dunkel Pick: New York (+2 1/2). Here are all of today's picks. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 Time Posted: 8:30 a.m. EST Game 651-652: Sacramento at Minnesota Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 111.811; Minnesota 109.862 Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 2; 160 Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 2; 163 Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+2); Under Game 653-654: New York at Chicago Dunkel Ratings: New York 110.208; Chicago 111.252 Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 156 Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 2 1/2; 145 Dunkel Pick: New York (+2 1/2); Over
Canadian Bacon CFL Week 9 preview and picks Calgary Stampeders at Toronto Argonauts (+7, 54) Last time these two teams met, the Stampeders stomped all over the Argonauts 44-9. Calgary’s defence scored three touchdowns on turnovers. Since then, Cody Pickett has taken over and will get a second straight start at QB for the boatmen. But one can wonder if his offensive line will do better than they did in the July 17 game where Kerry Joseph was sacked six times. The Stamps have won they’re last four games against the Argos, a streak that started on the last game of the 2007 season. Some stats to consider: They have the second best record for most points scored with 238. The Argos are dead last with only 134. The Stamps lead the CFL with an average of 34 points scored per game. The Argos, again, are last with an average of 19.1 points a game. Calgary has scored 22 touchdowns so far this year, while the Argos only scored 11. Both teams are coming off a bye week and show a losing record, but the Stampeders have lost a few close ones against division rivals like Saskatchewan and Edmonton, two teams that have to be considered quite superior to the Argos who should extend their club record losing streak at home to 10. Pick: Calgary -7 Hamilton Tiger Cats at Edmonton Eskimos (-7.5, 53) The Tiger Cats could match their highest victory total of the last five years with a win in Edmonton - and they still will have 10 games to play this season. Hamilton has improved, no doubt about it, but they still have many issues to resolve and that starts at the QB position. Quinton Porter is the starter but has he been replaced three times already during the course of a game by veteran Kevin Glenn. In order to win consistently, the Tiger Cats need better performances from Porter. The Eskimos are one of the rare teams in the CFL this year where there’s no doubt about the identity of the starting QB. Ricky Ray is currently the third-best QB in the league, stats wise, behind Anthony Calvillo and Henry Burris. He can also count on two excellent receivers in Fred Stamps and Maurice Mann, while running back Arkee Whitlock has established himself as a threat on the ground after a rocky start in the CFL. But the TiCats have allowed the second-fewest points per game and they are the best when it comes to avoiding turnovers with only 14 giveaways. I still think Edmonton will win this one at home but it won’t be a walk in the park for the Eskimos. Pick: Hamilton +7.5 (Last Week 1-1, season 17-13)
2 MINUTE HANDICAP (All results pertain to preseason only and are most recent ATS - Against The Spread - unless noted otherwise. * = Check earlier result this season for similar situation.) WEEK THREE Friday, August 28 New England 5-1-1 Game Three…13-6-3 vs NFC WASHINGTON 9-1 SU Game Three… 2-9 UNDER vs AFC Green Bay 2-6 UNDER Away One… 1-5 before Titans ARIZONA SERIES: 0-2 SUATS… 6-0 Game Three
Benjamin lee Eckstein Ben lee lost on Thursday with the Angles -180/A's. For Friday "Mr Chalk" likes the Cardnials -$180/Nationals. "Mr Chalk" is 2-2 -$200 for the week and 73-52 -$1060 for the MLB season.
Insider Sports Report 4 Star Texas Rangers 3 Star Cleveland Indians N.E. Patriots/Washington Redskins Under 38
Mr. A's Friday, August 28th, 2009 7:05 PM EST. Chicago White Sox (63-64) at New York Yankees (79-47) (L) Mark Buehrle (11-7) vs. (L) CC Sabathia (15-7) Oddsmakers: New York as a -280 home favorite with the total listed at 9'over'. New York Yankees -220 Friday, August 28th, 2009 10:05 PM EST. Los Angeles Dodgers (75-52) at Cincinnati Reds (54-71) (R) Chad Billingsley (12-7) vs. (R) Homer Bailey (3-4) Oddsmakers: Los Angeles as a -150 road favorite with the total listed at 10 'over'. Los Angeles Dodgers -150
Dave Malinsky Today’s Free Pick GAME: Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox Aug 28, 2009 7:10PM PICK: Toronto Blue Jays + 210 REASON FOR PICK: 3* #973 TORONTO over BOSTON Has anyone watched Scott Richmond or Josh Beckett lately? That seemingly has not been the case in the pricing of this game, and that means a chance for a nice payday at the generous return that is being offered. Richmond is a late-bloomer, with his 30th birthday coming up on Sunday, but his stuff has been solid, with a 1.29 WHIP better than the 4.09 ERA shows, and for our purposes his two August starts since getting back into the rotation could not have been better – an 0-1/4.85 elicits nothing but yawns from the marketplace, but despite taking on tough lineups in the Angels and Yankees (the latter in the Bronx), he struck out 18 batters in 13 innings, while only allowing 14 hits. His abilities, along with a fresh bullpen and a lineup that will relish the chance to play spoiler against a hated rival, bring much more to the table than we usually find for an underdog in this range. The Red Sox, meanwhile, bring much less than what is being called for. They are just 19-20 since the All Star break, and Beckett is in one of the worst cycles of his career, allowing an astonishing count of 10 home runs in his last three starts. Included in that run was an ugly outing at the Rogers Centre two starts back, when he was tagged for seven runs on nine hits, including three homers, in 5.1 frames, and note that it was not all that new – the Blue Jays bring a lot of hitters that actually enjoy seeing his stuff, with Vernon Wells at 10-31 lifetime with five home runs, Lyle Overbay 9-30 with a pair of doubles, Aaron Hill 10-27 with six doubles, Rod Barajas 5-13 with two doubles and two home runs, and Adam Lind 5-8 with a double and a homer. This is not the setting for a blowout – this situation is ripe for a loose underdog to get the measure of a team that is fighting for their playoff lives, and not stepping up all that well under the pressure so far.
Free Silver Key Pick for Friday ML Baseball PHILADELPHIA MARTINEZ -R +1.5 Runs, -150 Over Atlanta (7:05 et)
Vegas Informer MLB BASEBALL PLAYS 3 Unit Play. #958 Take Florida -145 over San Diego (Friday 8/28 7:10 PM) Florida swept a three-game series against San Diego in late July at Petco Park and has won six of their last seven matchups. The Marlins are 9-2 against NL West teams. 6 Unit Play. #966 Take San Francisco -125 over Colorado (Friday 8/28 10:15 PM) (Game of the Month) A huge series starts tonight in San Francisco and this series could tell us who might win the NL Wild Card. “The Freak” get the ball tonight for the Giants but Lincecum is only 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA in nine career starts against the Rockies. With Lincecum on the mound at home we like the Giants and with “The Freak” at home the Giants should win this game. The Giants are 17-5 at home against teams with winning records. Colorado is 0-5 in their last 5 games as a road underdog. These are all the picks for the MLB today.
Dave Busk 4 Unit Pick #966 Take San Francisco (-120) over Colorado (August 28, 10:15) 2 Unit Pick #966 Take San Francisco (-1.5+1.70) over Colorado (August 28. 10:15) Rarely do I do this type of wagering but there is some good value in this situation tonight. This two teams just played each other in the beginning of the week and these two pitchers hooked up in a duel with Ubaldo Jimenez coming out on top over Tim Lincecum. Now we get a pitcher with Lincecum on the bump at home where he has allowed just 21 earned runs in 95 innings this year along with 113 to 24 strike out to walk ratio at home in a revenge spot with a quick turnaround in a big game with the Giants trailing the Rockies by three games in the hunt for the wild card. No doubt about Jimenez has been good if not great since the all-Star break as has the Rockies as a team. The Giants Sandoval is questionable but I fully expected him to be in the lineup for this important game and help the Lincecum get the revenge. 2 Unit Pick #964 Take Arizona (-1.5+1.35) over Houston (August 28, 9:40) We have a huge pitching edge here with Max Scherzer on the hill vs. Yorman Bazardo. Bazardo making his second start here after spending time in the bullpen is only going to give four to five innings before we’re in that Houston bullpen. Arizona starter Scherzer is coming off a rough outing in his last start on the road vs. the Astros, this kid has talent and I think he will rebound here and pitch a good game vs. Houston. To be able to take plus money here in this situation vs. Bazardo is good value
IC 4 Unit Play. Take Under 145 between New York Liberty @ Chicago Sky (Friday @ 8:30pm est). We keep rolling in the wnba. New York is playing very well of late and they have not quit on the season as it apparent due to their 4-2 mark over their last six games. They lost to Chicago 77-88 their last time around and the Liberty have a funny a way of stepping up on defense coming off a loss to a team earlier in the season. Although New York plays the over at home, on the road, this team steps up defensively. Tack that on with the fact that the Liberty have revenge and will look to rely on their defense more, it bears well for the under. The last time these two teams met, the total was 155. Yet, the total for this game is set at 145 which leads me to believe that this will likely be similar to the Chicago vs. LA Sparks game in Chicago earlier this season which totaled at 138. I have this game closing at or around the mid to high 130's as this game likely dips under the total. Good luck, 4 Unit Play. Take Under 9 between the San Diego Padres @ Florida Marlins (Friday @ 7:10pm est). We are 3-1 on the week in baseball as we look to go 4-1 on the week with today's winner. Correia comes off getting shelled in his last performance giving up five runs on 10 hits in less than seven innings. Correia previously had pitched 7 of 8 quality starts. I look for him to have a bounce-back start today. Volstad looks to bounce-back as well from his loss in Atlanta as the Marlins fell short 3-4 and I expect him to have a quality start today. Given we have two quality pitchers coming off rough starts, I believe this game likely dips under as the Under is 4-0 for Correia coming off five days of rest and the Under is 20-8-3 for the Marlins coming off a loss.
Robert Ferringo 5-Unit Play. Take #952 Chicago Cubs (-1.5, -120) over N.Y. Mets (2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28) Note: This is my Game of the Month. 1.5-Unit Play. Take #978 L.A. Angels (-150) over Oakland (10 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28) 1-Unit Play. Take #962 St. Louis (-1.5, +120) over Washington (8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28) 1-Unit Play. Take #974 Boston (-1.5, -115) over Toronto (7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28) 1-Unit Play. Take #966 San Francisco (-125) over Colorado (10 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28) Today’s Totals 0.5-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 9.0 Washington at St. Louis (8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28) 1-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 9.0 San Diego at Florida (7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28) That's it for today.
hris Jordan picks, he is cold... Since buying a years package... At playing one dollar per pick rated 100-400... Lost 400 Star play on Boston Will Update Jordan in s couple of weeks.. August 19th +141.67 2-1 August 20th +120.00 1-1 3-2 +261.67 August 21st -100 1-1 4-3 +161.67 August 22nd +110 2-1 6-4 +271.67 August 23rd -300 0-1 6-5 -29.23 August 24th -310 0-2 6-7 -339.23 August 25th -228 1-2 7-9 -557.23 August 26th -200 0-1 7-10 -777.23 August 27th -538 0-2 7-12 -1315.23 3 small plays today....Going to sit out and watch a while as he is 1-8 last 9 plays... Chris Jordan Friday night winners ... 100? OVER Padres/Marlins - With Kevin Correia and Chris Volstad toeing the slab, and this one being in Miami, I love this total to soar. Both teams have won two of three behind these pitchers’ last three starts, but Correia has a 4.08 ERA in his last trio of starts, while Volstad’s 7.24 ERA his last three trips to the hill is eye popping. Florida is in after losing five of eight after winning nine of their previous 11. And since it trails Colorado by 4-1/2 games of the Wild Card race, I expect the Marlins to get this one started early. I won’t side with them though, given Volstad’s numbers. Delving inside the numbers, the Over is on winning runs of 9-1 when the Friars are on the road and 8-3 when they play on Friday nights. With Florida, the high number is on upticks of 14-3 when it’s the favorite,13-3 when it’s at home and 7-2-1 when it plays on Friday nights. More importantly, the over has come in eight of the last times these two have met in Florida. I know the first three meetings averaged 5 runs per game, but they were played in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park. This one is at Land Shark Stadium, and the Marlins will dictate the high-scoring affair. 100? PATRIOTS (buy the hook down to -3 if in fact your book has the line at 3-1/2) - If this the dress rehearsal for the real season, and this one is in Foxboro, it’s a no-brainer for me to take the Patriots tonight, albeit we’re playing it safe and buying the hook. Why is this line so low, you might be asking? Well there are still the uncertainties with Tom Brady, plus, there’s the changing face of one of the NFL’s better defenses, as coach Bill Belichick is changing from his 3-4 defense to a traditional 4-3 front. Last season the Patriots ranked 14th in the NFL in sacks, so with this new scheme, there’s the opportunity for more chances at getting to opposing signal-callers. No better time like the present to make things happen and for this defense to prove to itself that it can dominate once again. And the greatest thing about the mentality of the Pats’ defensive members is they’re not as worried about the ‘sack’ as much as they are pressuring the quarterback. So no matter how much Washington quarterback Jason Campbell says he’s ready, there’s never a good time to face a Belichick-coached stop unit. This is a significant adjustment, something that is never easy for opponents to prepare for. Quite frankly, I don’t think it’s about Brady at all tonight, I think it’s the Patriots defense, which could become even more perplexing than ever. 100? RANGERS - This is an awfully interesting organization, you have to admit. With Nolan Ryan running the front office and Mike Maddux handling the pitching responsibilities, this team has turned things around and poses a real threat in the Wild Card race. Think about it, the Yankees have the best record in baseball and most certainly have been playing their best baseball the past month or so. Yet the Rangers just won a road series at the new Yankee Stadium. I didn’t see anything bothering the Rangers in the Bronx either, as they became the first visiting team to win a series there since mid-June. Much of their resurgent ways can be credited to Maddux’s effort with the pitching staff, that’s a given; but let’s be real, Ian Kinsler is killing the ball, Josh Hamilton looks alive after seeing his average fall to .220 this month, and then seeing him bat .429 with 10 RBI over the past 15 games. The good news is, Hamilton is a .389 career hitter against the Twins, and keep in mind this one is in the Homer Domer. Texas is on winning runs of 7-2 as a favorite, 13-4 on Fridays and 5-1 when Tommy Hunter starts the first game in a series. Meanwhile, the Twins come in mired in losing streaks of 3-9 against the American League West, 3-7 against winning teams and 0-4 as the home pup. Value road play.
Tony Salinas Baseball Friday, August 28, 2009 24* Reds {H.Bailey} (+180) over Dodgers {C.Billingsley} 7:10 PM -- Great American Ball Park Partly cloudy with a 40-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing in from right field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 80. 25* Pirates {Z.Duke} (+140) over Brewers {M.Parra} 8:05 PM -- Miller Park Partly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing in from right field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 70. NL Game of the Month 27* Giants {T.Lincecum} (-125) over Rockies {U.Jimenez} 10:15 PM -- AT&T Park Partly cloudy. Winds blowing out to right field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 70.
Unlocked Sports MLB 1) New York Mets vs Chicago Cubs Pick: Cubs -1.5 2) Oakland Athletics vs L.A. Angels Pick: Under 10 NFL New England Patriots vs Washington Redskins Pick: Under 37.5
Gina Friday, August 28th, 2009 10:15 p.m. est. Colorado Rockies (72-56) at San Francisco Giants (69-59) (R) Ubaldo Jimenez (12-9) vs. (R) Tim Lincecum (12-4) Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez (12-9, 3.36 ERA) has won his last five starts and is 3-1 with a 2.09 ERA in his seven last starts versus San Francisco, 3-2 with a 2.41 ERA in eight career starts against them. San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum (12-4, 2.43 ERA) is 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA in his last six starts at AT&T Park, but just 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA in his last four. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA in his last three starts against Colorado, 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA in nine career starts against them. The Rockies have beaten the Giants in five of the last six contests, four of the last six in San Francisco. Go with the Rockies with Ubaldo Jimenez on the hill to take another victory against the Giants. Jimenez beat the Giants and Lincecum, 4-2 last Sunday at Coors Field. The Rockies are 4-1 in Jimenez's last 5 starts versus the Giants, while the Giants are 1-4 in Lincecum's last 5 starts versus the Rockies. Colorado Rockies +115
Trace Adams 1500* - Philadelphia w/Martinez over Hanson Listen, I don't think Pedro Martinez is the better of the 2 pitchers on the mound tonight, but I do think that after watching the Braves lose 2 of 3 at home this week to the lowly San Diego Padres, Atlanta just is not going to be hanging around in the postseason talks much longer. Sure, Philly has issues with their bullpen, and sure the Phils did lose 2 of 3 to the Pirates, but Philadelphia is back at home for this weekend series, and they have gone 19-7 their last 26 dates at the Bank. Atlanta had won 5 straight, and 7 of 9 in the season series against the Phillies prior to dropping 2 of 3 in the middle of this month at home, and it is those losses coupled with the uninspired showing against San Diego this week that leads me to believe they will actually make Pedro look good for 6 innings this Friday night. No knocking Tommy Hanson, as it looks like Atlanta has the makings of another quality starter, but Hanson's 4 game winning streak is about due to be busted. With the Phils bats a little quiet last night, look for them to wake up in their own ball yard. I am on Philadelphia to make it a perfect 2-for-2 with my 1500?s this season! 1500? - Philadelphia w/Martinez over Hanson ??Note: Both listed pitchers must start, or no action on the play!??
Ben Burns' 2009 NFLX TOTAL OF THE YEAR!! Play Selected Total: 37.5/102 I'm playing on New England and Washington to finish OVER the total. As most of you are aware, the third week of the preseason is almost always the week where the starters see the most playing time. That should certainly be the case in this evening's matchup. While that means that both the defensive and offensive starters will see extended time, I expect both teams to place a high priority on getting their offensive starters on track. The Redskins won for me last week, scoring 17 points in the process. However, 14 of those came in the second half and starter Jason Campbell was ineffective for the second straight start. Campbell is definitely hearing the negative reviews and despite saying that he's saying he's "not concerned," he should be highly motivated to deliver a stronger performance. He was quoted as saying: "...Everybody wants to talk about 1 for 7. C'mon, there have been games when I've been 20 for 23, almost. So 1 for 7 is definitely something I'm not concerned about..." As for Coach Zorn, he was quoted as saying: "I want to see a sustained drive. I want to see us push it in when we get down to the 3-yard line..." While Campbell and co. should get plenty of playing time, the Skins also have a battle at the backup QB position and a serious fight for the #3 spot with Todd Collins, Chase Daniel and Colt Brennan all in the mix. Naturally, all will be looking to make the most of whatever opportunity that they are given this evening. I successfully played against the Pats last week, so I was happy that they only managed six points. That should work in our favor here too, as they should also be a little extra motivated to score some points. Brady is still considered to be among the very best in the game and a big game here would go a long way to remind every one of that fact. Note that the Redskins gave up 47 points last in their Week 3 game last preseason. Note that this is the second of three games that the Pats will play against teams from the NFC East this preseason. The first saw 52 points scored, a 27-25 victory at Philadelphia. It's also interesting to point out that the Pats faced an NFC East team (Eagles) in Week 3 of last year's preseason. That game saw 44 combined points scored, which was New England's highest-scoring preseason game of 2008. Overall, dating back to a 41-0 victory over the Redskins in Week 3 of the 2006 preseason, the Pats have seen the OVER go 5-1 their last six preseason games against teams from the NFC East. Those games averaged 45.16 points with five of them producing a minimum of 41. I expect more of the same here with this evening's final combined score finding its way above the low number. *10 NFLX TOY
Savannah Sports Todays Selections NFL Preseason 3 (***) Washington Over 37 3 (***) New England -3 3 (***) Green Bay +3.5 Professional Plays Eric Degarde MLB Baseball 4 (****) San Francisco -125 3 (***) Philadelphia +110
Bob Valentino FRIDAY'S 25 DIME NFL PRESEASON WINNER ... 25 DIME -- REDSKINS plus the points over New England NOTE: It is my belief that this number is going to continue to go up as the public bets on the Patriots. So my advice is to wait to make your play until about two hours prior to kickoff. At the very least, there's no excuse for grabbing less than 4 points with Washington.
Matt Fargo **9** WNBA SUPREME ANNIHILATOR *85% ANGLE* 9* Minnesota Lynx I correctly went against Sacramento in its last game and it paid off as the Monarchs lost by 20 points in Atlanta. That snapped a two-game winning steak as well as a four wins in five games run and personally I think that knocked them out of the playoffs. Sacramento is now 2.5 games out of the playoff picture and the team it is currently chasing happens to be Minnesota. The Lynx have been a disappointment of late as they have dropped six straight games as well as six of their last seven at home. That is a run that is no doubt disappointing but one that can be clearly blamed on the schedule. The last four games have come on the road while 11 of the last 13 games have come against teams that are currently in a playoff spot. The Monarchs are 0-6 ATS after allowing 90 points or more over the last two seasons and 1-10 after scoring 80 points or more this season. The Lynx also fall into a solid play against situation. Play on home teams with a losing record but with a winning percentage greater than .400 after failing to cover two of their last three games against the spread and now playing a team with a winning percentage between .250 and .400. This situation is 30-7 ATS (81.1 percent) since 1997 with the average point differential being +10.4 ppg. 9* Minnesota Lynx
Wunderdog MLB | Aug 28 Oakland Athletics vs. LAA Angels LAA Angels -147 The Oakland A's have not done much on the road all season, and right now a bad offense is struggling as much as they have all season. The A's have scored three runs or less in 11 of their last 12 games. They are facing a team that is averaging close to six runs a game on the season that is not going to be an easy task, especially for a team that is just 16-43 in their last 59 on the road against a team with a winning record on the season. The A's inconsistency has also shown them to be in a difficult position after a win, where they are just 9-21 in their last 30 off a win. The Angels are 46-22 in their last 68, and 24-9 against a team with a losing record. Those are some tough numbers, so I'm going with the Angels in this one.
C-Stars Sports 1000 Units Colorado/San Francisco over the total 1000 Units Boston Run Line -1.5 over Toronto 1000 Units Detroit over Tampa Bay
Super Sports Group (SSG) Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees 2* White Sox runline -115 San Diego Padres at Florida Marlins 3* Padres moneyline +135 Tampa Bay Rays at Detroit Tigers 7* Tigers moneyline +110 Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds 7* Reds runline +100 Cleveland Indians at Baltimore Orioles 8* Orioles moneyline -105 Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies 9* Phillies moneyline +110