8-22-14

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's MLB Picks

LA Angels at Oakland

The Angels head to Oakland tonight to open up a big AL West series and come into the contest with an 18-4 record in their last 22 games against division opponents. LA is the pick (+140) according to Dunkel, which has the Angels favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+140). Here are all of today's MLB picks.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22 Time Posted: 7:30 a.m. EST

Game 9-1-902: St. Louis at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wainwright) 17.778; Philadelphia (Kendrick) 14.698 Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 3; 8 Vegas Line: St. Louis (-175); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-175); Over

Game 903-904: San Francisco at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Hudson) 14.756; Washington (Fister) 17.320 Dunkel Line: Washington by 2 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Washington (-160); 7 Dunkel Pick: Washington (-160); Over

Game 905-906: Atlanta at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Minor) 16.228; Cincinnati (Latos) 13.193 Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 3; 7 Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-125) 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+105); Under

Game 907-908: Pittsburgh at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Locke) 16.112; Milwaukee (Gallardo) 15.298 Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; ;7 Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-150); 8 Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+130); Under

Game 909-910: Miami at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Alvarez) 16.409; Colorado (Morales) 14.986 Dunkel Line: Miami by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Miami (-135); 9 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Miami (-135); Under

Game 911-912: San Diego at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Despaigne) 15.456; Arizona (Collmenter) 13.465 Dunkel Line: San Diego by 2; 7 Vegas Line: Arizona (-120); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+100); Under

Game 913-914: NY Mets at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Niese) 15.412; LA Dodgers (Haren) 13.869 Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-140); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+120); Over

Game 915-916: Houston at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Peacock) 13.212; Cleveland (Carrasco) 16.533 Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 3 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Cleveland (-210); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-210); Over

Game 917-918: Chicago White Sox at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Danks) 14.554; NY Yankees (Greene) 16.295 Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-180); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-180); Under

Game 919-920: Tampa Bay at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Smyly) 14.612; Toronto 16.998 Dunkel Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: Toronto (-135); 8 Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-135); Under

Game 921-922: Seattle at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Hernandez) 16.108; Boston (Kelly) 13.574 Dunkel Line: Seattle by 2 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Seattle (-170); 7 Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-170); Over

Game 923-924: Kansas City at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Ventura) 14.339; Texas (Lewis) 15.201 Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 10 Vegas Line: Kansas City (-145); 9 Dunkel Pick: Texas (+125); Over

Game 925-926: Detroit at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Ray) 14.879; Minnesota (Milone) 16.428 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Minnesota (-110); 9 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-110); Under

Game 927-928: LA Angels at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Santiago) 15.271; Oakland (Gray) 13/962 Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: Oakland (-160); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+140); Under

Game 929-930: Baltimore at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Gausman) 16.504; Cubs (Arrieta) 14.235 Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 2 1/2; 9 1/2 Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-120); No Run Total Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+100); N/A

[Can'tPickAWinner]

WNBA Betting Recap - 8/11-8/17
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

Favorites went 7-2 straight up
Favorites went 5-4 against the spread (ATS)
Home teams posted a 5-4 SU record
Road teams posted a 5-4 ATS record
The 'under' went 7-2

Team Betting Notes

The 'under' went 18-8 in the final two weeks of the WNBA regular season.

Phoenix (29-5) set a WNBA record with its 29th victory of the regular season in the finale in Seattle (12-22). The Mercury was on fire in the win-loss column, but they wrapped up the regular season just 2-7 ATS over their final nine.

The Mercury will meet Los Angeles (16-18) in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. LA won two of the final three games, with that only loss coming against Phoenix. The Sparks were 3-0 ATS in the final three, and the 'under' cashed in 12 of the final 17 games of the regular season.

Phoenix went 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in five regular season meetings against Los Angeles.

Minnesota (25-9) will likely give Phoenix its biggest run for the money, but they must get by San Antonio (16-18) first. The Lynx went 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS against the Stars this season, dropping the final meeting in San Antonio by a 92-76 score on Aug. 15.

Atlanta (19-15) held on for the top seed in the East, but they definitely tumbled down the stretch. The Dream won just four of their final 14 regular season games after a 15-5 start. They're face Chicago (15-19) in Round 1 of the playoffs.

The Sky went 7-5 SU in its final 12 games, and they were 6-5-1 ATS during the span. The constant was the 'under', which went 15-6 in the final 21 games.

In head-to-head meetings this season, the Sky went 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS against the Dream, winning and covering both meetings at home.

Indiana (16-18) and Washington (16-18) will meet in the first round, with the Fever as the two-seed. In a strange twist, the visitor won and covered in each of the four regular season meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

MLB

National League

Cardinals-Phillies
Wainwright is 2-2, 5.46 in his last four starts.
Kendrick is 0-1, 5.87 in his last four starts.

Cardinals won seven of their last eight games.
Phillies lost eight of their last twelve games.

Last five Cardinal games went over the total.

Giants-Nationals
Hudson is 0-3, 5.14 in his last five starts.
Fister is 6-1, 1.96 in his last eight starts. .

Giants lost five of their last seven road games.
Nationals won their last 11 games; five of last six were walk-offs.

Over is 7-2-2 in last eleven Washington home games.

Braves-Reds
Minor is 2-3, 6.04 in his last five starts.
Latos is 2-0, 2.70 in his last four starts.

Braves won six of their last seven games.
Reds lost six in row, nine of last ten games.

Over is 7-1-1 in last nine Cincinnati games

Pirates-Brewers
Locke is 2-0, 3.57 in his last three starts.
Gallardo is 3-1, 1.60 in his last five starts.

Pirates lost seven of their last eight games.
Brewers won five of their last six games.

Over is 4-1-1 in last six Pittsburgh games.

Marlins-Rockies
Alvarez is 3-0, 1.23 in his last three starts.
Morales is 0-2, 4.91 in his last four starts.

Marlins won eight of their last twelve games.
Colorado won three of its last four games.

Five of last seven Colorado games went over total.

Padres-Diamondbacks
Despaigne is 1-3, 7.01 in his last five starts.
Collmenter is 0-2, 7.71 in his last five starts.

Padres lost three of their last four games.
Arizona lost its last six games, scoring 11 runs.

Four of last five Despaigne starts went over.

Mets-Dodgers
Niese is 2-4, 5.45 in his last six starts.
Haren is 0-3, 13.50 in his last three home starts.

Mets lost six of their last nine games.
Dodgers lost six of their last nine home games.

Over is 6-1-1 in Mets' last eight road games.


American League

Astros-Indians
Peacock is 0-3, 12.46 in his last five starts.
Carrasco is 2-0, 0.00 (12 IP) in his last two starts.

Astros lost eight of their last twelve road games.
Cleveland won seven of its last ten games.

Five of last six Peacock starts went over total.

White Sox-Bronx
Danks is 0-2, 8.18 in his last four starts.
Greene is 1-0, 2.41 in his last three starts.

White Sox lost four of their last five games.
Bronx lost seven of its last ten games.

Four of last five Chicago road games stayed under.

Rays-Blue Jays
Smyly is 1-1, 2.25 in three starts for Tampa Bay.
Stroman is 5-1, 1.62 in eight home starts.

Rays lost four of their last five games.
Toronto lost six of its last eight games. .

Under is 9-2-1 in last twelve Tampa Bay games.

Mariners-Red Sox
Hernandez is 5-2, 1.75 in his last ten starts.
Kelly is 0-1, 5.29 in three starts for the Red Sox.

Mariners won 11 of their last 15 games.
Boston lost its last five games, scoring nine runs.

Under is 10-2-1 in last thirteen Hernandez starts,

Royals-Rangers
Ventura is 2-1, 3.16 in his last four starts.
Lewis is 2-4, 3.99 in his last six starts.

Royals won 17 of their last 21 games.
Texas lost five of its last seven games.

Five of last seven Royal games went over the total.

Tigers-Twins
Ray is 0-3, 10.13 in his last three starts.
Milone is 0-1, 11.05 in two starts for the Twins.

Detroit lost 11 of its last 15 road games.
Minnesota lost four of its last five games.

Three of last four Milone starts stayed under total.

Angels-A's
Santiago is 0-0, 2.35 in his last five starts (Angel bullpen 1-4).
Gray is 0-4, 5.70 in his last four starts.

Angels won eight of their last nine games.
Oakland lost eight of its last ten games.

Seven of last eight Angel games stayed under.


Interleague games

Orioles-Cubs
Gausman is 3-1, 3.23 in his last five starts.
Former Oriole Arrieta is 0-1, 1.26 in his last two starts.

Baltimore won 12 of its last 16 games.
Cubs are 5-7 in their last twelve home games.

Five of last six Baltimore games stayed under.

Teams' record when this starting pitcher starts:
-- Wainwright 18-7; Kendrick 11-14
-- Hudson 14-9; Fister 14-4
-- Minor 9-10; Latos 5-7
-- Locke 8-6; Gallardo 12-13
-- Alvarez 16-7; Morales 7-10
-- Despaigne 5-5; Collmenter 13-8
-- Niese 12-11; Haren 12-13

-- Peacock 6-12; Carrasco 3-3
-- Danks 11-14; Greene 5-2
-- Smyly 6-12/1-2; Stroman 7-7
-- Hernandez 17-9; Kelly 3-4/2-1
-- Ventura 12-11; Lewis 10-12
-- Ray 1-4; Milone 9-7/1-1
-- Santiago 5-12; Gray 15-10

-- Gausman 9-4; Arrieta 11-8

Pitchers allowing runs in first inning:
-- Wainwright 3-25; Kendrick 6-25
-- Hudson 5-24; Fister 5-18
-- Minor 6-19; Latos 1-12
-- Locke 7-14; Gallardo 7-25
-- Alvarez 6-23; Morales 3-17
-- Despaigne 3-10; Collmenter 9-22
-- Niese 7-23; Haren 12-25

-- Peacock 7-18; Carrasco 2-6
-- Danks 7-25; Greene 1-7
-- Smyly 7-21; Stroman 3-14
-- Hernandez 3-26; Kelly 4-10
-- Ventura 6-23; Lewis 8-22
-- Ray 1-5; Milone 8-18
-- Santiago 4-17; Gray 7-25

-- Gausman 3-13; Arrieta 5-19

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Angels (75-50) at Athletics (74-51)


Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: August 22, 2014 10:05 PM EDT


Mike Trout may be slumping, but the Los Angeles Angels are rolling.

Given Trout's recent history at Oakland Coliseum, he could catch fire too Friday night as the Angels look to extend their advantage in the AL West when they open a three-game series with the Athletics.

The Angels (76-50) own a two-game edge over Oakland (74-52) and have won eight of nine after their first four-game sweep in Boston since 1962. Los Angeles' pitchers own a 2.70 ERA over the last nine games and Matt Shoemaker held the Red Sox hitless for 6 2-3 of his 7 2-3 innings in Thursday's 2-0 victory.

Though Trout's 89 RBIs rank third in the majors, he's 5 for 36 in that 8-1 stretch and 9 for 57 (.158) over his last 14 games with 20 strikeouts.

However, he's batting .357 over his last 10 games in Oakland with six home runs and 16 RBIs and homered in his lone game there this year.

These clubs haven't met since the Angels took two of three in Anaheim from June 9-11. Oakland totaled one run in each of its losses after tallying 26 runs in a three-game home sweep from May 30-June 1.

The Athletics (74-52) have lost eight of 10 with their starters posting a 5.08 ERA. All but one of those losses came on the road, though, so a return home should prove favorable. Oakland is a major league-best 35-14 at home since May 7.

Sonny Gray (12-7, 2.99 ERA) has lost four straight starts with a 4.94 ERA. Previously he had only lost consecutive starts once through his first 31 career outings.

Gray gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 4-3 road loss to Atlanta on Saturday. It marked the second time in three outings he failed to complete at least six innings after doing so in 20 of his previous 22 games.

He beat the Angels in a 6-3 home victory on June 1, allowing three runs in 6 2-3 innings. He didn't factor into the decision in his only other start against Los Angeles, yielding a run over six innings in a 2-1 victory on Sept. 17.

Trout is 1 for 4 versus Gray, though the lone hit was a home run.

Los Angeles will counter with Hector Santiago (3-7, 3.46). The left-hander is undefeated over his last 11 appearances - eight starts - with a 2.45 ERA, though he also has just three victories in that span. The Angels have lost his last three outings, but have supplied him with just five runs of support over 17 1-3 innings.

He yielded a run and four hits over six innings of Los Angeles' 3-2 defeat at Texas on Sunday. Santiago was in line for the victory before Huston Street's blown save.

"There's no doubt about his ability to throw strikes and I think he's commanding counts better," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's been keeping guys off-balance. He's been pitching good baseball."

Santiago is 1-0 in three starts versus Oakland, allowing two earned runs over 19 1-3 innings. He didn't receive a decision in either matchup this year while yielding eight hits in 13 innings

Josh Donaldson is 3 for 20 over his last six games and 1 for 8 versus Santiago.

Howie Kendrick, who went 5 for 9 over the last two games against Boston, is 3 for 7 against Gray. He has also hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games at Oakland with nine RBIs.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

2Halves2Win

MLB COMP

MIA @ COL

1* Rockies +1.5 RL

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Free play FRI

Nationals w/ Fister -160

[Can'tPickAWinner]

STATSYSTEMS SPORTS MLB REPORT

***** Friday, 8/22/14 MLB Information *****
(ALL RESULTS VS. ML) - Against The Money-Line - and most recent, unless noted otherwise. Each and every day during the 2014 Major League Baseball season we will analyze all of your daily baseball action, featuring on hot and cold pitchers, hot and cold teams, over/unders and home plate umpire trends. We will also highlight some of our Highly-Rated (Situational & Match-up) Power Trends, along with some of our Situational Analysis (Betting Systems) that pertain to some of that days match-ups.
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MLB Betting News and Notes - Week #21
•Orioles Following In Footsteps Of Red Sox: The Boston Red Sox proved last season that a team can win a World Series without anyone having a monster season. The Baltimore Orioles not only are poised to succeed the Red Sox as American League East champions this season -- their nine-game bulge over the Toronto Blue Jays is the largest of any of the major leagues' six division leaders -- but are reminiscent of last year's Boston team in that none of their players are serious candidates to win the MVP or Cy Young awards. Designated hitter Nelson Cruz leads the major leagues with 33 home runs and has driven in 86 runs. However, his chances of winning the MVP are hurt by his .258 batting average in 123 games, not playing in the outfield regularly and being suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball late last season while playing for the Texas Rangers because of his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.

"You can definitely draw some parallels between our club and last year's Red Sox," Orioles closer Zach Britton said. "It's the same kind of thing where you have a different hero every night." The Orioles lead the major leagues in home runs and have seven players with at least 12. Yet beside Cruz, center fielder Adam Jones (24) and first baseman Chris Davis (21) are the only two with more than 13. Furthermore, the Orioles do have a regular with a higher batting average than right fielder Nick Markakis' .292. "We have a lot of depth and a lot of balance up and down the lineup," Markakis said. "We have a lot of guys who know how to put together a good at bat and we have the type of power where we can strike quickly."

The Orioles have three starting pitchers with double-digit wins in Wei-Yin Chen (13-4, 3.76 ERA), Bud Norris (11-7, 3.69 ERA) and Chris Tillman (10-5, 3.55 ERA). The rotation has been solid enough to allow manager Buck Showalter to demote Ubaldo Jimenez, who was signed to a four-year, $50-million contract as a free agent in spring training, to the bullpen with his 4-9 record and 4.83 ERA in 20 starts. Britton, once considered an ace-caliber starting pitching prospect, has been a revelation since being called on early in the season to replace Tommy Hunter as closer. Britton has converted 27 of 30 save opportunities with a 2.04 ERA in 56 games.

"I'm as surprised as anyone," Britton said. "I never expected to get the chance and I'm happy I've been able to have some success. It's a nerve-wracking job but it's a special kind of feeling when you get that last out." The Orioles have also been able to overcome adversity. All-Star catcher Matt Wieters played in just 26 games before his season ended with Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery, and third baseman Manny Machado, currently on the disabled list, has been limited to 82 games because of knee injuries. "This club is a lot like the city. It's a very proud club," Showalter said. "Everybody here's had their nose bloodied, and you've got a choice. You either keep moving forward or you quit. Our guys definitely aren't quitters."

•Giants' First Baseman Brandon Belt Hopes To Play Again This Season: Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that he expects Brandon Belt to play again this season. During an appearance on 95.7 The Game, the first baseman said the same. "I'm definitely planning on playing this season," Belt said while on "The Wheelhouse." I'm definitely planning on being there when we go to the playoffs." Belt has missed 22 games because of a concussion he suffered when hit by a teammate's throw last month. He told 95.7 The Game that his main problem right now is keeping his eyes focused. Belt came out of a game in Milwaukee earlier this month because he was dizzy and his vision was blurry.

Giants doctors believed there was something wrong with his vestibular system, a diagnosis confirmed Monday by concussion specialist Dr. Mickey Collins. The Giants have been concerned because Belt suffered a serious concussion while playing for the University of Texas in 2009. He was hit in the head by a pitch and was knocked out, but he was cleared to play the next day and the final three weeks of that season. Much more is known about concussions five years later, and the Giants will be cautious with Belt. Belt said on 95.7 that Dr. Collins is "100 percent sure" Belt will recover from this concussion.

"We're just not exactly sure when that's going to be because these things are unpredictable," he said. Belt will do rehab work to try and improve his vision and will go back to Pittsburgh in three weeks to see if he can get cleared by Dr. Collins. The Giants already are thinking about ways that they can get Belt some live action at their facility in Scottsdale, assuming he is cleared to resume baseball work sometime next month. Asked if he expects to have Belt back in late September, Bochy nodded. "I do," he said. "But part of that is I'm hoping, and that's for his sake, too."

•Angels Lose Richards For 6-9 Months With Knee Injury: Angels right-hander Garrett Richards sustained a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during a nasty tumble Wednesday night and will undergo season-ending surgery next week. Richards' knee buckled when he was covering first base during a game against the Boston Red Sox. He was treated on the field for 10 minutes before being carted off on a stretcher. The expected recovery time from the surgery is six to nine months, which could extend into the start of the 2015 season. The loss of Richards is a big blow for the first-place Angels in their bid to win the American League West title and reach the postseason. Richards, having an ace-like season with a 13-4 record and a 2.61 ERA in 26 starts, went down in a heap covering first base in a game against the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park and suffered what manager Mike Scioscia called at the time "a significant injury."

"It's a tough night," said Scioscia, whose team entered Thursday's play leading the Oakland Athletics by 1 1/2 games in the AL West with seven games between the teams coming up the next two weekends. "I can't tell you how bad we feel for Garrett and how hard he's worked.... This is a tough night for us." The 26-year-old Richards is the second member of the Angels' rotation to go down: Left-hander Tyler Skaggs underwent Tommy John elbow surgery earlier this season. Scioscia made it clear that the show must go on and the Angels rallied from three runs down and routed the Red Sox 8-3 on Wednesday night -- with six relievers finishing the game after Richards left for Massachusetts General Hospital in the second inning.

Around The League
--Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez readily admits his team does not have a true leadoff hitter. However, Gonzalez has also learned that the offense functions best when right fielder Jason Heyward is at the top of the batting order. The Braves are 41-35 when Hayward bats first, 19-17 when center fielder B.J. Upton leads off and 6-9 when anyone else hits at the top of the order. Heyward doesn't look the part of a leadoff hitter at 6-feet-5, 245 pounds. Yet his .352 on-base percentage is solid for a leadoff man and he has hit nine of hit 10 home runs while batting in the No. 1 hole. Heyward is having a great season in the field with a major league-leading 32 defensive runs saved, a metric developed by Baseball Info Solutions.

--Free agent outfielder Rusney Castillo is ready to follow in the footsteps of such recent Cuban defectors such as Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu and make an immediate impact in the major leagues, according to scouts who watched the 5-foot-9, 205-pounders showcase last month in Miami. Castillo will need to sign within the next 10 days in order to be able to participate in the postseason as players must be with their organizations by Aug. 31 in order to be eligible. The feeling among major league executives is either the Detroit Tigers or San Francisco Giants will win the bidding, which could top $50 million, because both have an immediate need for offensive help as they chase postseason berths.

--The San Francisco Giants were furious that their game against the Cubs at Chicago on Tuesday night was originally called after 4 1/2 innings and a 4-hour, 14-minute rain delay, pinning them with a 2-0 loss. San Francisco protested the umpires' decision on the basis that the Wrigley Field grounds crew did not cover the infield quick enough, causing the field to become unplayable. Major League Baseball upheld the protest Wednesday and the game resumed Thursday afternoon. This is the perfect opportunity for MLB to abolish the archaic rule in which a game becomes official after five innings. All games should be played to a nine-inning conclusion.

--The Los Angeles Angels, looking to bolster their infield depth for a run at an American League playoff berth, acquired second baseman Gordon Beckham from the Chicago White Sox on Thursday in exchange for cash or a player to be named. Beckham is batting .221 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs in 390 at-bats this year. He is a career .244 hitter in six seasons with the White Sox. The 27-year-old veteran is expected to back up second baseman Howie Kendrick and third baseman David Freese with the Angels. Beckham is in the second year of arbitration eligibility and is making $4.18 million this season. He is due to become a free agent after the 2015 season.

--The Chicago Cubs placed struggling right-hander Edwin Jackson on the 15-day disabled list with a lat strain and put shortstop Starlin Castro on the bereavement list Thursday. To take their spots on the roster, the Cubs called up left-hander Zac Rosscup and infielder Logan Watkins from Triple-A Iowa. Castro will be out a minimum of three days and as long as a week after he left the team because of a family emergency. The struggling Jackson has a 6-14 record with a 6.09 ERA this season. In his last outing on Wednesday, he gave up seven earned runs against the San Francisco Giants in 2 2/3 innings.
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Betting Notes - Friday

National League
•Cardinals-Phillies - 7:05 PM
--Wainwright is 2-2, 5.46 in his last four starts.
--Kendrick is 0-1, 5.87 in his last four starts.

--Cardinals won seven of their last eight games.
--Phillies lost eight of their last twelve games.

--Last five Cardinal games went over the total.

•Giants-Nationals - 7:05 PM
--Hudson is 0-3, 5.14 in his last five starts.
--Fister is 6-1, 1.96 in his last eight starts. .

--Giants lost five of their last seven road games.
--Nationals won their last 11 games; five of last six were walk-offs.

--Over is 7-2-2 in last eleven Washington home games.

•Braves-Reds - 7:10 PM
--Minor is 2-3, 6.04 in his last five starts.
--Latos is 2-0, 2.70 in his last four starts.

--Braves won six of their last seven games.
--Reds lost six in row, nine of last ten games.

--Over is 7-1-1 in last nine Cincinnati games

•Pirates-Brewers - 8:10 PM
--Locke is 2-0, 3.57 in his last three starts.
--Gallardo is 3-1, 1.60 in his last five starts.

--Pirates lost seven of their last eight games.
--Brewers won five of their last six games.

--Over is 4-1-1 in last six Pittsburgh games.

•Marlins-Rockies - 8:40 PM
--Alvarez is 3-0, 1.23 in his last three starts.
--Morales is 0-2, 4.91 in his last four starts.

--Marlins won eight of their last twelve games.
--Colorado won three of its last four games.

--Five of last seven Colorado games went over total.

•Padres-Diamondbacks - 9:40 PM
--Despaigne is 1-3, 7.01 in his last five starts.
--Collmenter is 0-2, 7.71 in his last five starts.

--Padres lost three of their last four games.
--Arizona lost its last six games, scoring 11 runs.

--Four of last five Despaigne starts went over.

•Mets-Dodgers - 10:10 PM
--Niese is 2-4, 5.45 in his last six starts.
--Haren is 0-3, 13.50 in his last three home starts.

--Mets lost six of their last nine games.
--Dodgers lost six of their last nine home games.

--Over is 6-1-1 in Mets' last eight road games.
____________________________________

American League
•Astros-Indians - 7:05 PM
--Peacock is 0-3, 12.46 in his last five starts.
--Carrasco is 2-0, 0.00 (12 IP) in his last two starts.

--Astros lost eight of their last twelve road games.
--Cleveland won seven of its last ten games.

--Five of last six Peacock starts went over total.

•White Sox-Yankees - 7:05 PM
--Danks is 0-2, 8.18 in his last four starts.
--Greene is 1-0, 2.41 in his last three starts.

--White Sox lost four of their last five games.
--New York lost seven of its last ten games.

--Four of last five Chicago road games stayed under.

•Rays-Blue Jays - 7:05 PM
--Smyly is 1-1, 2.25 in three starts for Tampa Bay.
--Stroman is 5-1, 1.62 in eight home starts.

--Rays lost four of their last five games.
--Toronto lost six of its last eight games. .

--Under is 9-2-1 in last twelve Tampa Bay games.

•Mariners-Red Sox - 7:10 PM
--Hernandez is 5-2, 1.75 in his last ten starts.
--Kelly is 0-1, 5.29 in three starts for the Red Sox.

--Mariners won 11 of their last 15 games.
--Boston lost its last five games, scoring nine runs.

--Under is 10-2-1 in last thirteen Hernandez starts,

•Royals-Rangers - 8:05 PM
--Ventura is 2-1, 3.16 in his last four starts.
--Lewis is 2-4, 3.99 in his last six starts.

--Royals won 17 of their last 21 games.
--Texas lost five of its last seven games.

--Five of last seven Royal games went over the total.

•Tigers-Twins - 8:10 PM
--Ray is 0-3, 10.13 in his last three starts.
--Milone is 0-1, 11.05 in two starts for the Twins.

--Detroit lost 11 of its last 15 road games.
--Minnesota lost four of its last five games.

--Three of last four Milone starts stayed under total.

•Angels-Athletics - 10:05 PM
--Santiago is 0-0, 2.35 in his last five starts (Angel bullpen 1-4).
--Gray is 0-4, 5.70 in his last four starts.

--Angels won eight of their last nine games.
--Oakland lost eight of its last ten games.

--Seven of last eight Angel games stayed under.

Interleague
•Orioles-Cubs - 2:20 PM
--Gausman is 3-1, 3.23 in his last five starts.
--Former Oriole Arrieta is 0-1, 1.26 in his last two starts.

--Baltimore won 12 of its last 16 games.
--Cubs are 5-7 in their last twelve home games.

--Five of last six Baltimore games stayed under.

•Incredible Stat of the Day
Red Sox's Joe Kelly is 13-5 in his team starts (72.2%) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record, including an outstanding 12-3 mark in the second half of the season over the last two seasons.

Kelly ran into his first spot of trouble since joining Boston on Sunday, when he was reached for seven runs in four innings to suffer a loss against Houston. The former Cardinal issued six walks in that turn and has allowed 13 free passes in 17 innings with the Red Sox. Kelly has never faced Seattle, and that beating against the Astros marked his first assignment against an American League opponent this season.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NFL

'Dress-Rehearsal'

The third full week of NFL preseason football continues Friday with five on tap, followed by ten running Saturday through Sunday. Preseason results don’t count for anything in the end, but any NFL head coach would be concerned if his team went winless during the preseason. That said, the six winless teams at this juncture should play with a lot more urgency during dress-rehearsal week. NFLx sports bettors thinking of siding with these winless teams in WK-3 do so at some risk as they're a vig losing 17-17 ATS the past five years split between 10-12 ATS wearing a home jersey, 7-5 ATS on the road. NFLx sports bettors thinking of siding with the undefeated need to be cautious with home teams as they're 2-7 ATS while roadies are a profitable 14-8 ATS. In looking at how squads have done overall in what is the closest thing to a regular season game teams play in August. The Saints (7-0), Seahawks (10-2-1), 49ers (6-1), Eagles (7-2) have been some of the best bets recently while Patriots (0-6), Chiefs (2-9-1), Dolphins (2-7-1) have some of the worst stretches vs the betting line.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Hondo

Hondo’s faith in Kluber was shaken Thursday when he failed to achieve in Minnesota, where the Indians fell to the Twins to increase the accounts payable to 1,470 petrocellis.

Friday night: Mr. Aitch expects Kelly to be a hero against King Felix — 10 units on the Sawx.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NFL Preseason Point Spreads and Picks
By: Mike Wilkening

Got a few minutes for football on Friday night? Well, Raiders-Packers at Lambeau Field beckons.

Seriously, it does.

Of Friday’s five exhibition games, Raiders-Packers (8 p.m. ET, CBS) looks like the biggest mismatch. And that makes it compelling, because this is the time for handicappers to learn whether we’ve correctly assessed the 32 NFL teams. August is for learning; October is for sitting back and enjoying the fruits of our labor.

So let’s talk Raiders-Packers.

For starters: the Packers — 7-point favorites in this game — ought to be able to handle Oakland if their first-stringers play anywhere close to their best.

On the other hand, the Raiders bolstered their roster in free agency. They should be better this season.

We know what to expect from the Packers’ offense. But how will their defense fare against the Raiders’ offense? The Raiders’ passing game doesn’t look like one of their strengths. If the Packers can’t pressure slow-footed Oakland quarterback Matt Schaub . . . well, that won’t be a good look (and it surely will please those who take OVER 45 in this preseason contest).

Similarly, if the Raiders’ starters are flat-out overmatched in their last major preseason test, then that will be a big-time red flag. Oakland looks likely to be an underdog in most of its games. We need to know whether the Raiders will fight or fall.

For the record, the Packers are 5-3 overall and 4-4 against the number in penultimate preseason games since Mike McCarthy became head coach in 2006, per Covers.com data. The OVER and UNDER have each cashed four times apiece.

The Raiders are 1-1 in third exhibition games under Dennis Allen, with both contests going OVER.

The Linemakers’ lean: One of our guys in Vegas has a pick on the side, another likes the total.

Green Bay knows what it has in Aaron Rodgers, and coming off a win last week in St. Louis, its focus is on the regular season. Oakland, on the other hand, has been respectable this season but is still trying to integrate Matt Schaub. Allen, says Kenny White, has the Raiders close to where he needs them to be, while the Packers are quite comfortable ahead of the regular season. Kenny takes the Raiders plus the points.

Micah Roberts, meanwhile, recommends the UNDER, as we don’t expect Rodgers to play more than a few series, and both teams will try to work on their defenses.

Raiders and the UNDER are our plays.

Here’s a look at the rest of Friday’s card. The historical point spread data is from Covers.com, while the lines cited are the Las Vegas consensus as of Thursday evening. For updated spreads and totals, visit our live odds page.

Jacksonville at Detroit (-3.5, 44.5)

The Jaguars have a compelling QB situation, with rookie Blake Bortles making a case to start sooner than later with his promising play. Bortles will get some first-team snaps on Friday night, but Chad Henne will start.

Both teams are 2-0 against the spread in the preseason. The UNDER has cashed in both Jaguars exhibition games.

Carolina at New England (-5.5, 45.5)

The offense merits a close look in the final major tune-up for the Panthers, who were 24th in yards per play through two preseason games. Quarterback Cam Newton figures to see his most extended action of the summer.

Interestingly, the Patriots are just 6-8 straight-up in next-to-last preseason games in Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach.

New York Giants at New York Jets (pick 'em, 42.5)

The Giants are 3-0 straight-up and against the spread in the preseason, but quarterback Eli Manning is 7-of-16 for 49 yards in that span. Well, at least the Big Blue backers are happy.

The Jets are 3-2 straight-up against the Giants in exhibition play in Rex Ryan’s tenure, alternating wins (2009, 2011, 2013) with losses (2010, 2012).

Chicago at Seattle (-7, 45)

There are no exhibitions for the Seahawks, just battle royales. The defending NFL champions have won their last six preseason home games dating to 2011, outscoring opponents 171-53 in this span.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll indicated Thursday that star running back Marshawn Lynch will play. That simply adds to the challenges for the Bears, who are playing their first exhibition road game of the summer.

The OVER has cashed in four of six exhibition games in Marc Trestman’s tenure as Bears coach.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

StatFox Super Situations

MLB | KANSAS CITY at TEXAS
Play On - Home underdogs with a money line of +125 to +175 (TEXAS) stranding 6.9 or less runners on base per game on the season, after 3 straight games with no home runs
39-27 over the last 5 seasons. ( 59.1% | 28.1 units )
2-5 this year. ( 28.6% | -2.4 units )

StatFox Situational Power Trends

MLB | SEATTLE at BOSTON
SEATTLE is 20-9 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in Road games on the road when the total is 7 to 7.5 this season.
The average score was: SEATTLE (5.1) , OPPONENT (3.3)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Gamblers Data

Free Plays Friday

SF/Washington Under 7

Brewers -160

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Baseball Crusher
Washington Nationals -150 over San Francisco Giants

Tampa Bay Rays +117 over Toronto Blue Jays
Detroit Tigers -105 over Minnesota Twins
San Diego Padres +107 over Arizona Dbacks
Tampa Bay Rays +117 over Toronto Blue Jays Detroit Tigers -105 over Minnesota Twins San Diego Padres +107 over Arizona Dbacks

Soccer Crusher
Cruzeiro + Gremio OVER 2 - Brazil pending
Tigre + Racing Club UNDER 2
This match is happening in Argentina

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Robert Ferringo:
1-Unit Play. Take #259 Oakland (+7) over Green Bay (8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22)
1-Unit Play. Take #261 Chicago (+7) over Seattle (10 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22)
2* Over 43.5 OAK / GB

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ben Burns

Houston vs. Cleveland - August 22, 2014 - 7:05 PM
Pick: Your pick will be graded at Bookmaker @ Over 8.5 -120
Expert: Ben Burns
Evaluation: Aug 22 - 7:05 PM
Reason For Pick:
9* Best Bet OVER Astros/Indians