7-15-14

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Steve Fezzik | MLB Total - AL/NL Under 8 (-125)
All Star pick
946 AL / 945 NL Under 8 Bookmaker.comAnalysis: Customer Appreciation Play, All Star Game Under 8-125.

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WNBA Picks - Roxyfish

Connecticut Sun@Seattle Storm - CONNECTICUT SUN +4.5

well , both teams got hammered yesterday, especially the Connecticut Sun had a 2nd half meltdown against the LA Sparks, but this is a young talented team, it can happen, and the Sparks really playes well yesterday, on the other side Connecticut could not convert the easiest lay ups

they Sun still have every chance to qualify for the play offs, they play a Seattle Storm Team that comes from a blow out in Minnesota too on Sunday, the Storm looked very bad yesterday from the moment they lost their best 3 point shooter Shekina Stricklen with a head injury,Sue Bird had also a terrible day yesterday,Shekina Stricklen wont be back tomorrow

that the Connecticut Sun can do better they proved at Indiana, they just need to learn to close out games and run down the clock,at Indiana they allowed the Fever to score 31 points in the last quarter and come from a 15point deposit I have a problem with the Storm all season,Alex Bentley and even Chiney Ogwumike had a very bad day against the Sparks, Ogwumike with a season low 4 points, both did not get much playing time form Coach Anne Donovan after it was clear that they had no chance, so the Sun key players will come rested

and again, missing Shekina Stricklen have big impact on the Seattle Play, the Storm is a team that lives from their 3 point shooting, it might be a low scoring affair as the y Storm will slow down the game pace for sure and try to lead their good defense into offense, but , I go with the Sun tomorrow, Ogwumike Bentley and Katie Douglas will show us tomorrow what they are capable off, would not be surprised if the Sun will win this outright, I really hope Kelsey Bone can shake that horror game she had against the Sparks off

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Red-hot MLB All-Star Game total streak will surprise baseball bettors
By JASON LOGAN

When you think of All-Star Games, you're automatically drawn to images of high-scoring, highlight-reel action. Unless, of course, we’re talking about the MLB All-Star Game.

While other all-star showcases, like the NBA All-Star Game or NFL Pro Bowl, are known for their outpouring of offense, the MLB Mid-Summer Classic has displayed defense over the past eight years. And, totals bettors playing the under have cashed in each and every year in that span.

This season, the oddsmakers have cooked up a 7.5 total for Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Target Field in Minnesota. According to Michael Stewart, an oddsmaker with CarbonSports.ag, sportsbooks “look at past All-Star performances, the strength of the All-Star teams’ pitching staff and the stadium” when setting the total.

Last year, the American League blanked the National League 3-0, staying well Under the 8-run number set by oddsmakers. The year before, the NL shutout the AL 8-0 which just stayed below the 8.5-run total. In 2011, the NL won 5-1 with a total of eight runs. In 2010, the final score was 3-1 with a total of 8.5.

Books pegged the 2009 ASG with a 9.5-run number but the AL edged the NL 4-3. The two leagues produced that same score over 15 innings with a 10-run total in 2008. In 2007, the ASG finished 5-4 and just under the 10-run mark. And in 2006, the AL and NL combined for a 3-1 score which was well below the 10-run total.

Target Field has helped the Minnesota Twins produce a 47-42-5 Over/Under count at home this season and boasts the third highest park factor in the majors at 1.124 (a rating above 1.000 favors the hitter). Since opening in 2010, Target Field has transitioned from a pitcher-friendly park in 2010 and 2011, to a hitter’s park in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

MLB All-Star Games have posted an average of 4.78 collective runs between 2006 and 2013.

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Game of the Day: MLB All-Star Game

National League at American League (-107, 7.5)

Some of the faces will change but one theme remains the same for Tuesday's Major League All-Star Game: A retiring member of baseball's most storied franchise will command center stage for the second straight year. Retiring New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter gets the start at shortstop in his 14th and final Midsummer Classic looking to lead the American League to its eighth win in 11 years. Seattle ace Felix Hernandez draws the start for the AL against St. Louis right-hander Adam Wainwright.

Nike will commemorate Jeter's All-Star farewell with the launch of a commercial titled “RE2PECT” on Tuesday night that features a Who's Who of celebrities as well as opponents and fans paying homage to the future Hall of Famer. On the field, the AL will pit a stacked lineup featuring Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout and Nelson Cruz against a top-heavy National League pitching staff with two 12-game winners and a pair of 11-game winners. Home-field advantage goes to the victor - no small matter since the winning league has taken home the World Series title for five straight years.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FOX

LINE HISTORY: Most books opened the American League as -110 home faves. The total opened 8 and has dropped to 7.5.

WHAT THE SHARPS SAY: "The MLB All-Star game has been very streaky over the years. The National League went an incredible 23-2-1 from 1960-1982, followed by an equally impressive 18-3-1 American League run from 1988-2009, including a 12-0-1 run from 1997 to 2009. The National League then went 3-0 from 2010-2012, until the American League finally won last year. It will be interesting to see if that was the start of a new streak for the AL, or if the NL can get back on track this year." Covers Expert Steve Merril.

WHAT THE BOOKS SAY: "Well, we've hit that point in the sports schedule where all the other major sports are on hiatus and the MLB has their mid-summer classic. With home field advantage for the World Series on the line, this is probably one of the most competitive all-star games in major sports. We have the AL All-Stars favored, with 59 percent of the action on the moneyline and 89 percent on the 1.5 run line, while the total of 7.5 runs is seeing split action with 52 percent on the Under and 48 percent on the Over." Michael Stewart, Carbonsports.ag.

PITCHING MATCHUP: National League RH Adam Wainwright (12-4, 1.83 ERA) vs. American League RH Felix Hernandez (11-2, 2.12)

Hernandez was an obvious choice for Boston manager John Farrell after he went 8-1 over his last 12 starts and has allowed two runs or fewer while pitching at least seven innings in his last 11 outings. A five-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner, Hernandez's only loss during that stretch came in a 1-0 setback to Texas on June 13. Waiting in the wings is reigning Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer of Detroit - last year's AL starter along with a pair of strong left-handed starters in Oakland's Scott Kazmir and Boston's John Lester.

NL manager Mike Matheny of the Cardinals couldn't go wrong in choosing between Wainwright or Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who has won eight consecutive starts and has allowed one run over his last 45 innings. Wainwright has pitched at least seven innings and yielded two runs in 15 of 19 starts and is 4-1 with six runs allowed over his last seven turns. Zack Greinke is well rested and could follow Dodgers teammate Kershawk to the mound for the NL, which has such depth that Cincinnati 12-game winner Alfredo Simon was a last-minute replacement.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-0 in the past eight All-Star Games.
* The National League has won three of the previous four All-Star Games.
* The road team is 4-1 in the past five All-Star Games.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 63.64 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are on the American League.

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Here's your weather report for the All-Star Game
Stephen Campbell

It's looking like it's going to be a great night for baseball in Minneapolis Tuesday for the MLB All-Star Game. The forecast is currently calling for clear skies with a temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit at gametime.

The AL is presently a -107 fave with a total of 7.5.

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Razor Sharp Sports

All Star Game - Under 7.5

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Art Aronson


National League vs. American League


1* Free Play OVER 8 +115 in the All Star Game.


Let’s also take a quick look at what has happened over the last five years in The Midsummer Classic:


July 14th, 2009, Busch Stadium: American League won 4-3


July 13th, 2010, Angel Stadium: National League won 3-1


July 12th, 2011, Chase Field: National League won 5-1


July 10th, 2012, Kauffman Stadium: National League won 8-0


July 16th, 2013, Citi Field: American League won 3-0


Now let’s investigate the Park Factor at Target Field (Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road. A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher).


Target Field Through July 13th, 2014: 1.124


Target Field is currently ranked as the third best “hitters park” in the league right now and while we’ve seen some fairly low-scoring All Star games over the past five years, I feel the conditions are finally right for a higher-scoring slugfest in 2014.


Consider a second look at the OVER.


AAA Sports

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Hondo

Hondo filled his All-Star action gap with a small win play on Er Grace in the sixth at Monticello on Monday, and the result was predictable: A loss that raised his deficit to 1,260 callisons.

Tuesday night: Mr. Aitch will back Jeter and Junior Circuit in the Mid-Summer Flaccid Classic — 10 units on King Felix and friends.

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Cappers Access

American -104

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Tigers midseason report: Streaky season
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Things look bright for Detroit the remainder of the season after the Tigers entered the All-Star break with their third-largest lead to that point in the season, 6 1/2 games over the second-place Kansas City Royals.

Manager Brad Ausmus confesses he'll now begin to take peeks at the standings after spending the first half professing he isn't all that concerned about who sits where early in the season.

"Now, I might take a cursory look every once in a while," he said. "But if we keep our house in order, everything should work out fine."

Detroit was streaky up to the All-Star break, opening 27-12 before going 9-20 to fall out of first place when Kansas City swept the Tigers in a three-game set at Comerica Park to take a 1 1/2-game lead that evaporated in a couple of days.

The Tigers went into the break on a 17-6 spurt that included taking three of four from the Royals to take that 6 1/2-game lead. Detroit will have 71 games left when it resumes play July 18 at home against Cleveland.

"We've played much better the last three weeks," Ausmus said. "We hope to enjoy the time off and then come back and start over."

Spring training ended with the Tigers wondering who would replace shortstop Jose Iglesias, out for the year with shin splints in both legs. Rookie Eugenio Suarez, hauled up from Double-A after a brief test with Triple-A Toledo, has answered that question with solid defense and better-than-expected hitting.

The Tigers hit well until they hit their skid but outfielder J.D. Martinez emerged seemingly from nowhere and took a .346 average with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs into the break. The second portion of the schedule will show whether he's for real but his presence helped them out of their slump and made it much more difficult for teams to get through the middle of the Detroit lineup without difficulty.

"It seems like every team that does well has someone you don't expect to do well," Ausmus said. "There's always someone that steps up that plays well, hits well, pitches well."

Detroit's rotation has remained largely intact for the second year in a row, but bullpen reinforcements are expected due to inconsistencies at the back end. Closer Joe Nathan has 19 saves, but he also sports a 5.61 ERA and went nearly a month where closing a game for him was like closing your eyes and taking a swing at your hand with a hammer -- painful.

The Tigers have added veteran relievers Jose Veres and Octavio Dotel following the break in recent years to help them to the playoffs and some acquisitions such as that can be expected.

If teams figure out J.D. Martinez and take away Suarez's bat, Detroit could have problems down the stretch.

But the club should get immediate help with the return of Victor Martinez, who missed 11 of the club's last 13 games with a sore right side.

"He took some swings off the tee (July 13) and felt good," Ausmus said. "He's going to rest it the next four days. We'll come back Friday (July 18) and see how it feels."

With his club holding a 6 1/2-game lead with 71 to play, he should feel pretty good.

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Royals midseason report: Club hoping for surge
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Kansas City Royals entered the 2014 season coming off their best record since 1989. They replaced starting pitcher Ervin Santana with Jason Vargas and were counting on solid seasons from Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura. They struggled through the first half of 2013 and then caught fire in the second half, finishing with an 86-76 record.

Expectations were riding high in Kansas City. Through the first half of 2014, plus a few games, the team has pretty much met expectations thus far. At the All-Star break, the Royals are 48-46 and in second place in the American League Central, 6 1/2 games behind Detroit.

The offense still has to jell. The Royals are fourth in the American League with a .264 average, but they’re in the bottom half in runs. They’re last in walks and home runs, by a sizeable margin.

“Most of our guys -- Moose and Hoz included -- are second-half guys,” manager Ned Yost said. “All the signs are pointing upwards for us.”

At this point, all Yost can do is hope that it holds true again this season. “As an organization, we’ve said that those are the guys who are going to carry us offensively. I have no idea (why they’re second-have guys). If I knew, I would have fixed it.”

Yost can count on a solid rotation and a lights-out bullpen. The Royals have a combined ERA of 3.78, good for third best in the American League. The starters have a combined ERA of 3.57. Wade Davis, who is used primarily to protect a lead in the eighth inning, is 5-2 with a 1.16 ERA. And Greg Holland is going to his second straight All-Star Game with 25 saves in 26 chances.

The Royals are counting on a repeat of 2013, when they went 42-27 after the All-Star break. That kind of production in 2014 will put them right at the 90-win mark.

And the Royals, who have the longest postseason drought in the four major American professional sports, will take their chances with that.

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Indians midseason report: Average play, .500 record
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians went into the All-Star break with a record of 47-47. It's the 13th time this season they have been exactly at the .500 mark, and for most of the first half they haven't wavered more than three games above or below .500.

It will likely be a challenge for the Indians to mount a serious push for the postseason in the second half unless they start to get some consistent production from their injured and under-performing players. Two key players are currently on the disabled list: right-hander Justin Masterson and center fielder and leadoff hitter Michael Bourn.

Masterson is out with an inflamed right knee, but General Manager Chris Antonetti said the Indians expect him to be activated within a week following the resumption of play after the All-Star break. Bourn is behind Masterson in his rehab, and could still be sidelined for another couple of weeks.

Masterson has been one of the biggest disappointments on the team this year. A 14-game winner and All-Star selection last year, Masterson this year is 4-6 with a 5.51 ERA. It's hard to see the Indians climbing back into contention without a big second half from Masterson.

Antonetti said he is "exploring a lot of different things" in trade talks with other teams, but he is quick to add that the biggest need for the Indians in the second half is for the players being counting on to produce to start producing. In addition to Masterson, that list would also include designated hitter Nick Swisher, first baseman Carlos Santana, second baseman Jason Kipnis and utilityman Ryan Raburn, all of whom were important contributors last season.

Swisher has more errors than home runs, which is one reason he is being used more as a designated hitter than first baseman. The switch hitting Santana has shown some life lately, but he is still hitting just .189 against right-handed pitchers. Kipnis, like Masterson an all-star last year, is hitting just .255 with three home runs and 24 RBIs after hitting .284 with 17 home runs and 84 RBIs last year.

Raburn hit 16 home runs in 243 at-bats as a super sub last year, but this year he has hit just two home runs in 151 at-bats. With the exception of right-hander Corey Kluber, who had an all-star-caliber first half, the starting rotation has been in a constant state of flux.

So for the Indians to become a factor in the race in the second half, what they need most is simply better production from the players already on the roster. "I wish our record was better," said manager Terry Francona. "But I think the way we played (to get back to .500), the next two months, if we play good baseball, it's going to be very exciting."

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White Sox midseason report: Consistently inconsistent
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

CHICAGO -- There are days the streaky White Sox look like contenders.

Then there are stretches like the four losses in five games heading into this week's All-Star break that leaves Chicago looking like anything but.

The White Sox flirted with .500 much of the season and their current 45-50 mark is eight wins better than at last year's break and six ahead of their pace after 95 games (39-56) in 2013.

Credit rookie Jose Abreu and left-handed pitcher Chris Sale for much of improvement and overachievement for a South Side team that lost 99 games last year.

Abreu, a 27-year-old first baseman from Cuba, tops the majors with 29 home runs and has twice been named American League rookie of the month and was also AL Player of the Month once. It's hard to imagine much White Sox success without him.

Sale's 8-1 record trails only Jose Contreras' 9-0 first half record in 2006 among best starts in White Sox history. Sale has a 2.08 ERA through 14 starts and has struck out 102 while walking just 16.

Abreu, Sale and shortstop Alexei Ramirez were set to represent the White Sox at this week's All-Star Game in Minneapolis. Sale was winner of the AL's Final Vote contest.

Even with Sale, the White Sox rank near the bottom of the American League in ERA (4.17), saves (19) and walks and hits per inning pitched (1.39). And 12 blown saves are tied for third most in the league. Closer Ronald Belisario (3-6) has struggled with a 6.35 ERA and just eight saves in 38 appearances.

Chicago stands 10 1/2 games behind first place Detroit, which seems poised to run away with the division in the second half.

So the only hopes for postseason lie with a wild card berth. And right now the White Sox are seventh in the wild-card standings, 6 1/2 games behind the co-wild card leading Angels and Mariners.

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Twins midseason report: Upcoming homestand is key
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The two weeks between the All-Star Game and the July 31 trade deadline will go a long way toward deciding whether the Minnesota Twins will be a buyer or a seller at the end of the month.

The Twins (44-50) improved significantly after three consecutive 90-loss campaigns and are 4 1/2 games better at the break this season than they were last year (39-53). At 10 1/2 games out of first place in the American League Central race, Minnesota appears on the surface as if it should be a seller. However, the Twins begin the second half with a season-long, 10-game homestand.

"This week was a big week for us," Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said. "Coming back from the All-Star break with 10 games at home, everything plays in our favor. We've just got to go out and win."

With the Tampa Bay Rays (44-53), Chicago White Sox (45-51) and Cleveland Indians (47-47) the opponents coming in during the stretch at home, the Twins could make up some ground between now and July 31.

"I know how the business side of it is, but it's our job to make those decisions hard," Dozier said. "I want to contend. I believe we can. We've got the people to do it. I'm not saying we may not need a couple extra pieces to do it, but we're going to be just fine."

The past month was disappointing for the Twins, who sat only three games under .500 on June 8 when they surprised the baseball world by signing veteran slugger Kendrys Morales to a one-year, prorated $12 million contract. At the time, the Twins were only five games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and 3 1/2 out of a wild-card spot.

"Why not the Twins?" Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan asked rhetorically after signing Morales.

By June 13, the Twins were just 3 1/2 games back in the division race and 2 1/2 out in the wild-card chase. However, a five-game losing streak that began June 24 in Anaheim set the Twins back, and by the end of it, Minnesota was nine games behind surging Detroit.

Another three-game losing streak in early July added another 1 1/2 games onto the Twins' hole, but a 5-2 road trip to Seattle and Colorado to end the first half provided a glimmer of hope.