8-3-14

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Today's NFL Picks

Buffalo vs. NY Giants

The Bills and Giants open up the preseason schedule this Sunday as the two teams meet in the Hall of Fame Game. New York is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: NY Giants (+2 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST (7/31)

Game 241-242: Buffalo vs. NY Giants (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 114.705; NY Giants 115.599 Dunkel Line: NY Giants by 1; 30 Vegas Line: Buffalo by 2 1/2; 33 Dunkel Pick: NY Giants (+2 1/2); Under

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Sheep 7-30-14 early pre season -parlay card

NFL PARLAY =242 Buffalo -2 with 242 Under 32.5
NFL PARLAY =254 Washington -2 with 254 Under 37
NFL PARLAY =255 SF PK with 255 Over 35
NFL PARLAY =259 Seattle +2 with 259 Under 37

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Jeff Clement

8* HALL OF FAME GAME New York Giants +3 -120

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PhillyGodfather

Buffalo

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NFL Hall of Fame Game betting preview: Bills vs. Giants

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Giants (+3, 34)

Football bettors rejoice as the NFL returns with the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio Sunday. The Buffalo Bills and New York Giants face off in a battle of two New York franchises looking to get their seasons off on the right foot in their first preseason action after both missing the playoffs in 2013.

New York missed the postseason during Eli Manning's worst year since winning his second Super Bowl, while the Bills dealt with injuries to quarterback E.J. Manuel as well as running back C.J. Spiller during another disappointing year. But don't expect the star players to carry much of a workload during a game that is famous for first-team offenses and defenses taking as little snaps as possible.

TV: NBC 8 p.m. ET

LINE HISTORY: Various sportsbooks opened the line between Bills -1 and -2.5 before it has reached -3 heading into the weekend. The total opened as low as 32.5 and is up to 34 points at some markets.

INJURY REPORT: Bills - DT M. Dareus (Ques, Disciplinary), LB N. Bradham (Out, Suspension). Giants - T W. Beatty (Ques, Leg), CB J.Hosey (Out, Suspension).

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Feeling here is this game is more important to the Giants than the Bills with New York anxious to turn things around as quickly as possible following first losing season last year since 2004. Eli Manning's ferocious offseason conditioning program cements it." - Covers Expert Marc Lawrence.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Action of the Hall of Fame Game has been good with the Bills seeing 68 percent of the action as 3-point favorites while the 34-point total is seeing 77 percent of the money roll in on the Over." Michael Stewart, oddsmaker CarbonSports.ag.

CAPPING THE QBS:

Thanks to Manuel's injury-plagued 2013 the Buffalo Bills may have the edge at QB in this game as backups Thad Lewis and Jeff Tuel both have game experience from the 2013 NFL season once the Bills go to their bench Sunday.

Thad Lewis was 3-2 ATS and 2-3 SU as a starter for the Bills in 2013, throwing for 1,092 yards and four touchdowns while managing to just throw three interceptions during five starts. Lewis also added 52 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground and best matches Manuel's dual-threat ability as a playmaker who earned wins over the Dolphins on two occasions in 2013.

Meanwhile, Jeff Tuel started twice for the Bills, costing bettors money both times in losses against Cleveland and Kansas City. Tuel passed for 309 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Reports indicate that despite his struggles Tuel may be in line for the No. 2 job over the more productive Lewis. The Bills also have former Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon as a fourth QB. Dixon was a 2008 fifth-round selection from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As for the Giants, quarterback options are not as plentiful behind Eli Manning. The Giants have two low-quality backups behind their two-time Super Bowl winner as veteran relief option Curtis Painter and 2013 midround pick Ryan Nassib will get the bulk of Sunday's snaps.

Painter has experience during his time in Indianapolis. In 2011, when Peyton Manning was out for the season, the lifer backup stepped in to make eight starts. Nassib is just off finishing a career at Syracuse where he threw for 9,000-plus yards as well as 70 touchdowns during three seasons as a starter for the Orange.

If the Giants want to match the Bills' advantage at quarterback depth in this preseason battle they will need a big game from their younger backup in Nassib, who is looking to supplant Painter for the No. 2 role this August.

ABOUT THE BILLS: Rookie Sammy Watkins' debut will be the highlight for casual fans during the Hall of Fame Game. Watkins dominated at Clemson, most famously during its Orange Bowl victory over Ohio State, to become the first wideout taken in the 2014 NFL Draft with the fourth overall pick. Trading up to select Watkins, Bills fans are hoping to see some early flashes of potential to become one of the best wideouts in the league.

According to reports, seventh-round offensive linemen Seantrel Henderson has been a revelation during Bills training camp. Starting camp the earliest out of the NFL franchises, reports surrounding the former top high school prospect out of the University of Miami have been positive as the Hurricanes pass blocker was never short on talent and only dropped to the last round due to character issues. Expect Henderson to get plenty of snaps in the trenches for the Bills as they look to test their rookie.

ABOUT THE GIANTS: New York typically struggles in preseason action as it rests quarterback Eli Manning, going 1-3 ATS in 2013. Following Manning's struggles in the regular season last year, it will be interesting to see how many drives head coach Tom Coughlin gives Manning. The quarterback told the media that while Coughlin has yet to announce if his first teamers would play, he is confident he and the starter will gets some reps Sunday night.

"We have five (preseason games)," Manning told reporters. "Whatever coach wants to do. I wouldn't mind trying to get in a rhythm, get in a couple series and see if we can get some rhythm with that first group."

Running the football was a problem for the Giants in 2013, a problem that the team addressed by bringing in Oakland Raiders rusher Rashad Jennings and drafting Boston College workhorse Andre Williams to join former Madden cover athlete Peyton Hillis in the backfield. Jennings rushed for 733 yards and six touchdowns in Oakland last year while Williams shined for Boston College as a physical, downhill runner that matches the presence the veteran Hillis brings. Expect plenty of runs down the middle for New York once Manning leaves the game Sunday, as Coughlin tries to build confidence in not only the running backs, but also in the offensive line.

While the Bills drafted Sammy Watkins in the first round, the Giants added a talented wideout of their own in Odell Beckham Jr. Fans are excited to see "ODB" play, but the former LSU star will be likely sitting out of Sunday's clash with a hamstring injury. Luckily for the Giants, the team has four more preseason games.

TRENDS:

Dallas bucked the trend in 2013 by winning as an underdog as well as helping the game go Over the total in a 24-20 win over the Dolphins. Favorites are 9-7 SU and 7-7-2 ATS since 1996 after the Cowboys won straight up as underdogs in 2013.

The last 16 Hall of Fame Game meetings have produced a perfect 8-8 Over/Under split, but the game saw its highest score since 2008 when the Dolphins and Cowboys combined for 44 points in a 24-20 final last year.

Buffalo is 0-3 in Hall of Fame Games, losing most recently to the Tennessee Titans in 2009. New York is 1-1 in the HoF Game, beating down the Texans 34-17 in 2002 in its most recent performance in the preseason contest.

* Eight of the last 10 Hall of Fame Games have played Over with a total of 35 or less points.
* NFC teams are 8-2 SU and 7-2-1 ATS versus AFC teams in contests in Canton.
* Bills are 1-5 SU in their opening preseason games the last six years
* Bills are 1-11 SU and 1-10-1 ATS last 12 versus NFC preseason foes.
* Giants are 18-5 SU and 16-7 ATS in preseason openers versus AFC opponents, including 11-1 SU and ATS as pick or dogs.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 51 percent of bets are on Bills -3 while 50 percent of total wagers are on Over 33.5.

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Betting 101: Best ways to safely handicap the NFL preseason
By JASON LOGAN

So you want to bet NFL preseason football, do you?

Steering bettors away from the NFL’s unpredictable exhibition schedule is like trying to convince high school kids to wait until marriage, if you know what we mean. You aren’t going to convince them otherwise so you might as well preach about safe sex - or in this case safe betting habits.

We break down the best ways to handicap the NFL preseason slate and hope you don’t lose your shirt – and pants – by the time Week 1 rolls around:

Read everything

The great thing about the NFL preseason is that books and bettors are on the same level. Coaches don’t reveal their plans until usually the day before a game, and by that time odds have been up for a while. If you catch an online presser or read a quote from a coach spilling the beans on his starters’ playing time, you can quickly get down before the lines adjust.

Research is everything for preseason capping. Find out how many snaps the first teamers will get, what the focal point of the offseason is – offense or defense – and wager accordingly. Also, keep an eye on camp injuries or how veteran players are treating the tune-up games. Some star players go through the motions in August and ones limited by injuries won't risk going all out before the real games start.

A team that is trying to establish some momentum on the ground will likely run the ball a lot – therefore keeping the clock ticking and the final score Under the total. If a team is trying to fill roster spots in the secondary and is plugging in rookies and inexperienced player in its pass defense, than perhaps look at the other team to air it out and exploit those weaknesses.

QB depth

Much the way starting pitchers make up 90 percent of baseball handicapping, quarterbacks hold a similar value when betting on the preseason. It’s the most important position on the field and can single handedly make or break your bets.

Finding a team with depth at quarterback is the key for success during the exhibition schedule. The No. 1 passer will likely only take a handful of snaps in the first two games of the preseason, turning the offense over to the backups.

Look for teams with an experienced backup under center. Many clubs have veterans and former starters on the roster, guys who won’t be freaked out by the NFL’s big stage like rookie QBs and wet-behind-the-ears free agents. These vets can keep the chains moving and often excel against an opponent’s second and third-tier defense.

New coaches and schemes

The preseason is summer school for many NFL teams transitioning their playbook, whether that be with a new head coach, coordinator or just an overall flip in the way they do things.

New head coaches aren’t necessarily a red flag. They can often feel a little pressured to win in the preseason in order to impress the front office and fan base, which can give some teams added betting value. New coordinators, on the other hand, are working in different plays and schemes, which usually come with a learning curve.

Read up on how teams are adjusting to new systems and offenses, especially if there is a dramatic shift in gears, like speeding up with no-huddle attacks or going from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4. When these teams take on established coaches, who have implemented their systems for a while, there can be value going against those new faces on the sideline.

Preseason lines

Come the regular season, the infamous 3-point spread is everywhere. And while a field-goal line is a key number in football betting, it loses some of its stature in the preseason.

Teams are more likely to go for a two-point conversion or try their luck on fourth-and-short in the preseason than play it safe. Not only do the games not matter, but a fourth down gamble or two-point attempt is an extra set for the offense as it works toward the regular season.

Depending on how those rolls of the dice play out, the final score can either be closer than three points or well over it. It’s rare to see a preseason spread of more than three points with most bouncing between 1-2.5 points.

Week to week

For those looking to bet the closest facsimile of Week 1 action during the preseason, you may want to pass on the first two weeks of exhibitions and save your marbles for Week 3. That’s when starting players tend to log the most time, working the majority of the first half and sometimes into the third quarter.

Week 1 and 2 often has first teams playing limited snaps – depending on the team’s situation – and Week 4 is pretty much a craps shoot. Coaches are making their final cuts, players are fighting to stay on the roster, and the coordinators are tightening the final nuts and bolts of their playbooks.

For those bettors who like a challenge, Week 4 of the preseason could be the trickiest week of the entire NFL schedule – preseason, regular season and playoffs – to wager on.

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M's, Iwakuma dominating on the road
Stephen Campbell

Starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma and his Seattle Mariners have been road warriors lately. The M's have won seven out of their last eight games away from Safeco Field with Iwakuma on the mound.

The Japanese product gets the ball for Seattle when they visit the Baltimore Orioles in Maryland Sunday. According to BetOnline.com, the Birds are currently -112 faves with an O/U of eight.

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Mets, Colon coming through as home dogs
Stephen Campbell

With Bartolo Colon on the bump, the New York Mets have been a solid play as home dogs as of late, winning five out of their last six matchups at Citi Field.

The Mets are presently listed as +107 underdogs for their matchup with the San Francisco Giants in the Big Apple Sunday. BetOnline currently has the total at 6.5.

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Tribe traditionally a good bet as home dogs
Stephen Campbell

The Cleveland Indians are proving the doubters wrong at Progressive Field. In their last eight games when listed as home dogs, the Tribe is 7-1 through Saturday.

Cleveland is currently listed as a +102 fave for their meeting with the Texas Rangers in Ohio Sunday afternoon. The total for the game is set at 7.5, per BetOnline.

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Recent history shows Reds owning Marlins
Stephen Campbell

The Cincinnati Reds have simply dominated the Miami Marlins in recent matchups, winning seven in a row against the Fish. The two clubs will renew acquaintances in the Sunshine State Sunday.

BetOnline currently has the game as a pick 'em with a total of 7.5.

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Jays ice cold in Texas
Stephen Campbell

The Toronto Blue Jays have struggled at Minute Maid Park, posting a 2-6 record in their last eight games against the Houston Astros in the Lone Star State as of Saturday.

The two clubs meet again in Texas Sunday, with the Jays currently listed as -153 faves with a total of 8.5, per BetOnline.

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STATSYSTEMS SPORTS HALL OF FAME PREVIEW
INFORMATION WORTH BETTING ON EACH DAY
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#241 NEW YORK GIANTS Vs. #242 BUFFALO BILLS
Line: Bills -3.5, Total: 34.5

The Empire State will be the featured player when the National Football League's past meets its present this weekend. The New York Giants and Buffalo Bills will kick off the 2014 preseason in the 51st Hall of Fame Game at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The Hall of Fame Game is one of the signature events of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Enshrinement Festival that takes place over the weekend. Seven new members will be welcomed into the institution on Saturday, with linebacker Derrick Brooks, offensive tackle Walter Jones, wide receiver Andre Reed, cornerback Aeneas Williams, punter Ray Guy and defensive ends Michael Strahan and Claude Humphrey making up the 2014 class.

"This is a wonderfully spectacular tradition, one of the greatest in all of sports," said Hall of Fame president David Baker. "Nowhere can fans see so many of the greatest heroes of the game in one place at one time. There's no better way to kick off the NFL's 95th season." Two of this year's inductees have connections to the teams in the HOF Game. Strahan was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro with the Giants after being drafted by the club in the second-round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of Texas Southern. The Houston native was a dominant pass rusher, amassing an NFL single-season record 22 1/2 sacks in 2001 and finishing with 141 1/2 over his career.

Reed, meanwhile, developed into the most prolific receiver in Bills history after being taken in the fourth round of the 1985 draft out of Kutztown State. His 941 career receptions remain a Buffalo team record as are his 13,095 career receiving yards and 36 100-yard receiving games. A four-time All-AFC choice, Reed was also selected to seven consecutive Pro Bowls. "This year especially, I am so thankful that I can be on hand to share in a great weekend that shines the spotlight on the Buffalo Bills," said Bills legendary Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, who is currently battling cancer and will serve as honorary captain and participate in the pregame coin toss along with ex-Giants HOF linebacker Harry Carson.

"It is a great honor for me to represent the Bills organization at the coin toss to kick off the season. The entire experience will bring back memories from 2002 when so many of the Bills family fans, players and staff joined me in Canton for one of the most memorable times of my life." The current versions of the Giants and Bills could certainly use a few more players like Strahan, Reed and Kelly. Two Super Bowl titles will get you a lot of things in the NFL and one of them is the benefit of the doubt. Many just assume highly-regarded Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is on the precipice of turning things around with "Big Blue" but a more logical look at the team's talent level points to a far darker outcome.

The offensive line was truly offensive for the Giants in 2013 as quarterback Eli Manning produced more turnovers than your local bakery. Meanwhile, New York's running game put up the franchise's worst numbers since 1945. Underrated free agent guard Geoff Schwartz should help, but Manning and whomever plays running back, whether it be free agent pickup Rashad Jennings, holdovers Peyton Hillis, Michael Cox and David Wilson, or rookie Andre Williams, will be toiling behind one of pro football's worst blocking units again, especially after veteran Chris Snee was forced into retirement in July. After missing the final 13 games of the 2013 season due to a torn labrum in his right hip, Snee had offseason elbow surgery and was unable to recover.

"It's a physical game and it has to be played up front, it has to be technically sound, and you must be able to physically be in the position where you are making the blocks," Coughlin said. "We have always put tremendous stock on what is up front with our offensive line." Defensively the Giants took a major hit when starting middle linebacker Jon Beason went down with a ligament tear and a small fracture in his right foot during OTAs. Beason said a return by the team's Sept. 8 opener at Detroit is within the timeframe of his recovery period but that's being awfully optimistic. "I expect to be back," said Beason, who was hurt defending a pass play. "If not, I'll be back as soon as I can."

The team did improve significantly in the defensive backfield, however, after adding veteran cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond. DRC arrives from Denver to give the Giants a pure cover guy with excellent ball skills and should team with Prince Amukamara and Thurmond to give the Giants the best CB group in the defensively-challenged NFC East. For Buffalo the passing of legendary owner Ralph Wilson put the Bills' long- term future in western New York in play and that will remain the biggest story surrounding the franchise. That said, when you talk about Buffalo on the field, continuity is desperately needed. With Mike Pettine moving on to be the head coach in Cleveland, the Bills brought in their fourth defensive coordinator in as many seasons, Jim Schwartz.

The former Lions head man, Schwartz will be shifting the team from an attacking 3-4 to a wide-nine 4-3 front, a questionable tactic because Buffalo actually led the AFC in both sacks (57) and interceptions (23) under Pettine. Making things more difficult is the fact that star second-year linebacker Kiko Alonso suffered a torn ACL while working out in Oregon in the offseason and will likely miss the entire 2014 campaign. "Unfortunately (Kiko) suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and will most likely miss the 2014 season," GM Doug Whaley said. "We feel badly for Kiko because he has worked very hard this offseason in preparation for the upcoming season, but we look forward to his return with his style of play that made him one of the league's outstanding rookies in 2013."

Offensively for the Bills, it's all about growing with second-year quarterback E.J. Manuel, who will certainly enjoy his new toy, wide receiver Sammy Watkins, the fourth overall pick in May's draft. "He has gotten so much more comfortable," Bills offensive coordinator Nathanial Hackett said when discussing Manuel. "Everyday he's getting better and better." "I'm definitely excited for the opportunity to experience my pro debut at the Hall of Fame Game," added Watkins. "It was one of the first things I noticed when I looked at the schedule after being drafted by the Bills. Growing up a Bills fan, the chance to play in Canton on the same weekend that Andre Reed gets inducted into the Hall will be surreal."

This year's HOF Game will also debut a series of innovations that fans will see during the 2014 regular season including a revamped instant replay system in which the on-field referee will be able to consult with the league's vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, during replay reviews, a change that should resulting much-needed continuity. In addition, the recovery of a loose ball in the field of play will now be reviewable and the uprights will now extend to 35 feet above the crossbar, up from 30 feet in previous seasons, to help officials make definitive rulings on field-goal attempts that previously crossed above the top of the uprights. Additionally, for the Hall of Fame Game and the first two weeks of the preseason, the NFL will experiment with extra point attempts by spotting the ball at the 15-yard line for extra-point kick attempts.

This marks the Giants fifth appearance in the Hall of Fame Game, with the last one coming in 2002. New York is 2-1-1 in Canton and played in the inaugural Hall of Fame Game in 1962, tying the St. Louis Cardinals 21-21. The Giants next appearance came in 1972, when they lost, 23-17, to the Kansas City Chiefs. New York earned its first victory in 1985 when they defeated the Houston Oilers, 21-20. In their most recent visit in '02, the Giants defeated the expansion Houston Texans, 34-17. Buffalo has made three previous appearances in the HOF Game but has never won in Canton, losing to the Cardinals in 1974, the Washington Redskins in 1989 and the Tennessee Titans in 2009.

This is the fifth preseason matchup between the Giants and Bills with "Big Blue" holding a 3-1 advantage in the previous meetings. In their last preseason meeting, the Giants defeated Buffalo, 23-17, in the old Giants Stadium on Aug. 5, 1991. In the regular season, the Bills hold a slight series lead, 6-5. The teams last faced each other on neutral turf in Super Bowl XXV in Tampa, where Scott Norwood's 47-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right, clinching a 20-19 Giants victory.

QB ROTATIONS
•Giants: Eli Manning, Curtis Painter, Ryan Nassib.
•Bills: E. J. Manuel, Thad Lewis, Jeff Tuel, Dennis Dixon.

MOST RECENT PRESEASON TRENDS – ALL ATS
•Giants: 23-26 ATS dog... 19-11 Game #1 (2-0 L2)... 1-6 away versus opponent off SU dog win... 1-6 favorites off BB SU losses... 2-8 .500 or better as an underdog under Coughlin.
•Bills: 13-22 ATS favorite... 13-17 Game #1 (2-0 L2)... 0-6 favorites off DD SU win... 0-6 off BB SU wins... 2-8 home versus opponent off DD SU loss... 1-9 L10 away.

TEAM/COACH - SU, ATS, O/U, BEST/WORSE ROLE
•New York, Tom Coughlin: 38-35 SU, 36-33-4 ATS, 27-29 O/U, 5-0 off BB SU/ATS wins.
•Buffallo, Doug Marrone: 2-2 SU, 1-2-1 ATS, 2-2 O/U, 0-2 vs. opponent off SU win.

FAST FACT
In the last 10 preseasons, Giant road games have averaged just 34.5 total PPG... and have gone 5-14 Over/Under (74% Unders). If you remove the New England Patriots from the Giants’ preseason schedule, the results improve to 2-12 Over/Under versus any other team (86% Unders).

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MLB

National League
Phillies-Nationals
Hamels is 4-0, 1.72 in his last five starts.
Strasburg is 0-3, 3.66 in his last five starts.

Phillies are 7-5 in their last twelve road games.
Washington lost four of its last six games.

Five of last six Hamels starts stayed under the total.

Reds-Marlins
Leake is 1-2, 4.05 in his last four starts.
Turner is 2-0, 2.53 in his last two starts.

Cincinnati lost ten of its last twelve road games.
Marlins lost three of their last four games.

Under is 8-0-2 in last ten Cincinnati road games.

Giants-Mets
Bumgarner is 3-1, 3.70 in his last four starts.
Mets won last three Colon starts (2-0, 3.15).

San Francisco lost seven of its last nine games.
Mets won ten of their last thirteen home games.

Four of last five Colon home starts went over the total.

Brewers-Cardinals
Garza is 1-0, 1.20 in his last couple starts.
Lackey was 2-1, 2.70 in his last three starts for Boston.

Milwaukee lost five of last seven road games.
Cardinals lost seven of their last eleven games.

Nine of last twelve Milwaukee games stayed under the total.

Pirates-Diamondbacks
Pirates won last three Liriano starts (2-0, 1.42).
Cahill is 0-6, 8.82 in seven starts this season.

Pirates won five of their last seven games.
Arizona lost three of its last four home games.

Four of last five Cahill starts went over total.

Cubs-Dodgers
Jackson is 0-4, 7.39 in his last seven starts.
Beckett is 1-1, 6.50 in his last four starts.

Cubs lost ten of their last twelve road games.
Dodgers won 16 of its last 22 home games.

Eight of last eleven Jackson starts went over total.


Braves-Padres
Harang is 4-0, 2.87 in his last seven starts.
Ross is 3-0, 0.95 in his last three starts.

Atlanta lost nine of its last twelve road games.
San Diego won six of its last seven home games.

Five of last seven Harang starts stayed under total.


American League
Mariners-Orioles
Iwakuma is 4-1, 2.32 in his last six starts.
Tillman is 0-1, 4.14 in his last six starts.

Seattle is 1-9 in game following its last ten wins.
Baltimore won eight of its last twelve games.

13 of last 16 Seattle games stayed under the total.

Rangers-Indians
Darvish is 2-1, 2.50 in his last three starts; 43-67 Rangers are 13-7 in Darvish starts, 30-60 in all other games.
Bauer is 1-2, 6.06 in his last three starts.

Rangers lost ten of their last fourteen games.
Cleveland won three of its last four games.

Five of last seven Darvish starts stayed under the total.

Angels-Rays
Weaver is 4-0, 3.51 in his last eight starts.
Odorizzi is 3-0, 2.79 in his last three starts.

Angels won 18 of their last 26 games.
Tampa Bay won 10 of 13 games since All-Star break.


Under is 12-5-1 in last eighteen Angel games.

Bronx-Red Sox
Phelps is 2-1, 3.26 in his last five starts.
Buchholz is 0-2, 9.82 in his last couple starts.

Bronx lost five of its last seven games.
Red Sox lost nine of their last eleven games.

Six of last eight Bronx road games stayed under.

Blue Jays-Astros
Stroman is 3-0, 0.43 in his last three starts.
Feldman is 0-3, 6.20 in his last four starts.

Blue Jays won eleven of their last fifteen games.
Astros lost nine of their last fourteen home games.

Over is 19-9 in last 28 Houston games.

Twins-White Sox
Gibson is 1-3, 6.64 in his last four starts.
Quintana is 3-0, 1.74 in his last seven starts.

Minnesota lost ten of its last fifteen games.
White Sox won six of their last nine games.

Under is 7-1 in last eight Quintana starts.

Royals-A's
Shields is 1-2, 2.48 in his last five starts.
Kazmir is 3-0, 1.72 in his last five starts.

Royals won eight of their last eleven games.
Oakland is 16-4 in its last twenty home games.

Six of last seven Kansas City road games stayed under the total.


Interleague games
Rockies-Tigers
de la Rosa is 5-0, 3.65 in his last eight starts.
Sanchez is 1-2, 6.75 in his last three starts.

Colorado lost 17 of its last 19 road games.
Tigers won three of their last four games.

Under is 3-0-1 in last four de la Rosa starts.

Teams' record when this starting pitcher starts:
-- Bumgarner 13-10; Colon 12-9
-- Leake 9-13; Turner 6-5
-- Hamels 9-10; Strasburg 11-12
-- Garza 11-11; Lackey 12-9/0-0
-- Jackson 7-15; Beckett 9-10
-- Liriano 10-8; Cahill 1-6
-- Harang 11-10; Ross 11-12

-- Darvish 13-7; Bauer 7-8
-- Iwakuma 10-7; Tillman 14-9
-- Weaver 14-9; Odorizzi 9-12
-- Gibson 9-11; Quintana 9-13
-- Stroman 6-5; Feldman 6-13
-- Shields 13-10; Kazmir 16-5
-- Phelps 5-11; Buchholz 7-10

-- de la Rosa 13-7; Sanchez 10-9

Pitchers allowing runs in first inning:
-- Bumgarner 5-23; Colon 7-22
-- Leake 5-22; Turner 5-11
-- Hamels 3-19; Strasburg 8-23
-- Garza 8-22; Lackey 5-21
-- Jackson 11-22; Beckett 4-19
-- Liriano 6-18; Cahill 3-7
-- Harang 5-22; Ross 5-23

-- Darvish 3-20; Bauer 4-15
-- Iwakuma 3-17; Tillman 10-23
-- Weaver 5-23; Odorizzi 2-21
-- Gibson 6-20; Quintana 3-22
-- Stroman 2-11; Feldman 4-19
-- Shields 6-23; Kazmir 4-21
-- Phelps 1-16; Buchholz 7-17

-- de la Rosa 8-21; Sanchez 5-19

Umpires
-- Phil-Wsh-- Five of last six Cooper games stayed under.
-- Cin-Mia-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Wegner games.
-- SF-NY-- Underdogs are 7-5 in last dozen Reyburn games.
-- Mil-StL--- Seven of last ten Little games stayed under.
-- Pitt-Az-- Six of last seven Hickox games stayed under.
-- Atl-SD-- Four of last five Knight games stayed under.
-- Cubs-LA-- Home team won 15 of 19 Rackley games.

-- KC-A's-- Under is 8-2-1 in last ten Wendelstedt games.
-- NY-Bos-- Over is 8-1-1 in last ten Schrieber games.
-- Tex-Clev-- Favorites won last four Eddings games.
-- Sea-Balt--- Five of last seven Timmons games went over.
-- LA-TB-- Eight of last ten Carapazza games stayed under.
-- Tor-Hst-- Last six Meals games went over the total.
-- Min-Chi-- Last twelve Danley games stayed under.

-- Col-Det-- 11 of last 13 BWelke games stayed under.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NFL Odds and Spreads
By: Mike Wilkening

The NFL exhibition slate begins Sunday night, with the Giants and Bills squaring off in the NFL’s Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, (8 p.m. ET, NBC).

Now let’s get down to business.

The Bills are two-point favorites against the Giants, with a total of 32.5. Narrow point spreads and little totals are exhibition hallmarks. The point spread is a shrug; the total is stop-sign red. Everyone knows the Bills and Giants will try to get their work in with a maximum of efficiency and a minimum of personnel losses.

Forgive the Bills and Giants if they aren’t thrilled to be playing an extra preseason game -- or any exhibition game for that matter. The Bills lost quarterback Kevin Kolb to a career-ending concussion last summer, while the Giants lost tailback Andre Brown to a broken leg in the exhibition finale.

The injuries had a major impact on both teams’ fortunes. Without Kolb, the Bills didn’t have a quarterback with significant experience behind rookie EJ Manuel. In the end, this hurt Buffalo, which saw Manuel miss six starts with knee issues. The Bills were 2-4 in those games, and they lost another winnable game at Cleveland after backup Jeff Tuel struggled in relief of the injured Manuel.

Similarly, the loss of Brown had a chilling effect on the Giants’ running game. With virtually no depth beyond Brown, the Giants got little from their ground game early in the season, and it was reflected in the play of the overall offense. Though the Giants briefly rallied after an 0-6 start, they were never really in the playoff hunt.

With the Bills’ and Giants’ recent injury issues in mind, here are storylines handicappers must consider as they study Sunday night’s game:

What are both clubs trying to get out of the game?

Both teams need improved offensive play this season. The Giants hired a new coordinator (Ben McAdoo) and changed schemes with more quick, short passes as part of the new menu. Given recent history, look for quarterback Eli Manning to play about a quarter in the preseason opener, and his comfort in the offense is something to monitor.

The Bills’ offense also bears watching. Buffalo started fast in the 2013 exhibition slate, scoring 64 combined points in the first two games while regularly employing a no-huddle scheme. Then, Manuel went on the shelf with a knee injury, and Kolb was lost for the season, leaving Buffalo to scramble at quarterback to end the summer. While the Bills need to keep Manuel healthy, they also must have the offense sharp entering 2014.

How will the teams proceed with their backup quarterbacks?

The Bills have the stronger QB depth. Thaddeus Lewis and Jeff Tuel are the primary competitors for the top reserve role behind Manuel, with Dennis Dixon also in reserve. Lewis was superior to Tuel a season ago, winning a pair of his five starts. Tuel, Lewis and Dixon all have two seasons of experience in Buffalo’s offense.

The Giants’ QB depth chart is more unsettled. Second-year pro Ryan Nassib, a fourth-round pick in 2013, is trying to beat out Curtis Painter, who held the backup job a season ago. Both are trying to master the new offense -- and with less practice reps than Manning, to be certain.

Which club has the better depth?

We’ll give the edge to the Bills, who have some skilled players holding down reserve roles on both sides of the ball, especially at tailback. Potential third-stringer Bryce Brown is a starter-caliber talent; if he’s getting backup reps in the summer, he could put up some nice numbers against reserve defenses.

The Giants have decent depth, but they will be without tailback David Wilson (neck), and rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring) will likely sit, too. In other words, the Giants’ offense might have some issues moving the ball once the starters depart.

If the Bills have stronger depth, then what’s the case for the Giants? Well, for one thing, Tom Coughlin-led clubs have generally done OK in preseason openers. According to Covers.com, his teams are 9-7-1 against the number in their preseason games since 1996 (56.3 percent), with nine straight-up wins. We offer this data to take or leave, not as a sure-fire angle, of course.

Finally, how much scoring can we reasonably expect?

Here are some historical numbers to ponder:

In the 12 completed Hall of Fame games since 2000, teams have combined to average 34.8 points. Overall, in those 12 seasons with a completed Hall of Fame game (which excludes 2003 and 2011), clubs have combined to average 37.8 points per contest.

Last season, teams averaged 20.6 points in the preseason, the most since 2000, which is as far back as we could find cumulative NFL exhibition point statistics. Teams have averaged at least 20 points in two of the last three seasons.

Overall, teams have combined to average 32.8 points in the last 25 completed Hall of Fame games, which is in line with the over/under of 32.5.