8-14-10

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[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

XTRISHAX SPORT for 8/14

4-1 yesterday


8/14/2010


MLB - CHICAGO CUBS (+224)


MLB - SAN DIEGO PADRES (-107)

MLB - PIT/HOU UNDER 8 (-103)


MLB - SEA/CLE UNDER 8.5 (-105)

MLB - NYY/KC UNDER 9.5 (-103)

[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

Hammer The Book

ROTATION 903/904: 4-UNITS: SAN DIEGO PADRES @ SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (GIANTS ML +105 @ YOUWAGER)

ROTATION 907/908: 5-UNITS: PITTSBURGH PIRATES @ HOUSTON ASTROS (ASTROS ML -110 @ Legendz)

ROTATION 919/920: 3-UNITS: DETROIT TIGERS @ CHICAGO WHITE SOX (TIGERS ML +145 @ SPORTSBET & 5dimes)

ROTATION 921/922: 4-UNITS: SEATTLE MARINERS @ CLEVELAND INDIANS (INDIANS ML -115 @ Bet Jamaica, BET PHOENIX, Bookmaker, CRIS, BetUS, the greek & YOU WAGER)

ROTATION 925/926: 3-UNITS: OAKLAND ATHLETICS @ MINNESOTA TWINS (ATHLETICS ML +130 @ CANBET)

ROTATION 929/930: 4-UNITS: TORONTO BLUEJAYS @ LOS ANGELES ANGELS (ANGELS ML -126 @ SPORTSBET & 5dimes)

ROTATION 263/264: 4-UNITS: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS @ MIAMI DOLPHINS (DOLPHINS -3 @ 5dimes, Bet Jamaica, SPORTSBET, CARIB & the greek)

ROTATION 267/268: 3-UNITS: HOUSTON TEXAS @ ARIZONA CARDINALS (OVER 32 1/2 @ BET US, 5dimes & SPORTSBET)

ROTATION 271/272: 5-UNITS: CLEVELAND BROWNS @ GREEN BAY PACKERS (PACKERS -2 @ CRIS, Bookmaker, 5dimes, BetEd, Legendz & SPORTSBET)

[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

Marc Lawrence

San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants
Prediction: San Diego Padres

When the Padres send Mat Latos to the mound against the Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco in Game Two of his three-game series this afternooon they will do so knowing Latos is 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA in his last 13 team starts. This has all occurred since his pitching coach moved him from one side of the rubber to the other in an effort to take advantage of his wicked slider. With Latos 1-0 in this park with a complete game shutout in his only career team start, look for the Padres to continue their winning ways behind Latos this evening. We recommend a 1-unit play on San Diego.


Tom Freese

Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals
Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona starter Ian Kennedy has been on the winning side in 4 of his last 6 starts. The Diamondbacks are 6-0 their last 6 games after scoring 2 runs or less in their last game and they are 6-0 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their last game. The Snakes are 6-2 vs. a pitcher with a WHIP of over 1.30. Washington starter Jason Marquis has lost all 4 starts he has made this year and he has not gone past the fifth inning any of those starts. The Nationals are 7-24 off a win and they are 14-37 in game two of a series and they are 22-50 their last 72 Saturday games.


Charlie Scott

Cleveland Browns vs. Green Bay Packers
Play: Cleveland Browns +3

There's no doubt that Browns Head Coach Mangini enters this season on the "Hot Seat." If Mangini wants to make the "Hot Seat" a bit cooler, a good start would be a competitve game vs his GM's Holgrem's former team. The difference in QB depth is what has me on the Browns tonight ! Cleveland will have Jake Delhomme play the first quarter, Seneca Wallace plays the second and Brett Ratliff and Colt McCoy will play the second half. Meanwhile the Packers plan on playing QB Rogers 1 or 2 series and after Rogers there's only Matt Flynn and Harrel. Flynn and Harrel don't measure up to former pre season stars Wallace and Ratliff. I feel the Browns are worth a small get some Saturday night action Play.


Lee Kostroski

Milwaukee Brewers @ Colorado Rockies
PICK: Colorado Rockies

Chris Narveson has had inconsistent results but he has shown enough promise to stay in the Milwaukee rotation. The Brewers are just 9-10 in Narveson starts this season and he has allowed four or more runs in eight of his last 16 starts. For the season opposing batters are hitting .275 against Narveson and he has allowed 17 home runs in just 115 innings. Colorado is batting .302 at home against left-handed pitching and for the year the Rockies are 25-18 against left-handed pitchers. Colorado is 36-19 at home this season and this should be another good opportunity for a win.

Esmil Rogers is back in the rotation for the Rockies after a successful July in the minor leagues. His first start back was a success, leading the Rockies to a win against the Pirates on Sunday. In his big league appearances this season Rogers owns a 5.75 ERA but in Denver Rogers has a 2.25 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP. For the season Rogers owns a 2.2:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and the Rockies can also back him up with an outstanding bullpen, delivering far better numbers than Milwaukee has in the bullpen.

Milwaukee has some of the worst relief pitching numbers in baseball with a 5.17 season ERA. The bullpen has a 6.03 bullpen ERA in the last ten games. Colorado is 9-3 in the last twelve meetings in this series with the Brewers winning just once in Colorado the last two years. Colorado is 78-37 in the past 115 home games for one of the best home field edges in all of baseball. The Rockies are also great performers in the second game of a series, going 25-12 this season in game 2 match-ups. The Brewers in contrast are just 14-23 in game 2 match-ups this season.



Ben Burns

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Miami Dolphins
PICK: Miami Dolphins -3

The Dolphins have quietly become a pretty good team. They don't get noticed all that much in the AFC East though. That's because that's the home of Brady and the Patriots, along with the "trash-talking" Jets. That's allowed them to fly somewhat under the radar. I'm not saying that people aren't aware of the Dolphins, as expectations are quite high. However, given that this could be the best Miami team in recent memory, I still feel that they may be slightly undervalued.

The Dolphins are well coached and they should be hungry. Head coach Tony Sparano, who dropped 55 pounds in the offseason, made the theme of training camp: "Feed the Wolf," a slogan he put on T-shirts. He was quoted as saying: "I had a meeting with the group and kind of got into them a little bit during practice about 7-9 not being good enough and how this football team shouldn't be fat. They should be starving. One of the things that we talk about is feeding the wolf with little successes every day. ... We feed the wolf when we do something good, and that's what our guys understand. Small successes will lead to bigger successes down the way."

Perhaps more importantly, as we've seen the past couple of years, the Dolphins also have the type of team that has the potential for preseason success. That has a lot to do with the QB rotation. Chad Henne and Chad Pennington are both very familiar with the offense. Tyler Thigpen, the former Chief, is capable. If given the chance, fourth-stringer, Pat White has the type of play-making ability that could lead to big plays against backup defensive players.

The Dolphins were 4-0 SU and 3-0-1 ATS in the preseason last year. All four victories came by a minimum of three points. That included a 4-point win over the Bucs. The previous preseason, they went 3-1 SU/ATS. They'll be looking to "feed the wolf" by earning a victory here. If the line doesn't climb above the -3 mark, consider laying the points with Miami.


Info Plays

3* on Philadelphia Phillies -217

Reasons the Phillies win:

1.) System Play. We'll Play Against - All underdogs with a money line of +175 to +250 (NY METS) - cold hitting team - batting .250 or worse over their last 20 games against opponent with a hot starting pitcher- WHIP <= 1.000 over his last 5 starts. This is a 69-7 ML System hitting 90.8% over the last 5 seasons while gaining +53.8 units.

2.) After getting shut out last night by R.A. Dickey, the Phillies come back for revenge Saturday behind Ace Roy Halladay who has been brilliant all season. Halladay is 14-8 with a 2.34 ERA and 1.032 WHIP this year. Don't be surprised if Halladay pitches a shutout himself tonight. Bet the Phillies on the road.


Freddy Wills

Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins
Play: Oakland Athletics

This play is all about Trevor Cahill and his Cy Young like performance that nobody is talking about. Cahill is under the radar with a 12-4 record and a 2.56 ERA. Cahill is #2 in the American League in ERA and has thrown more innings than the guy ahead of him in Clay Bucholz. Cahill is 2-1 in his career vs. the Twins with a 3.15 ERA, but the Twins have yet to see his best stuff which has resulted in 0 ER over his last 3 starts in 25 IP. Oakland is 21-7 in his last 28 starts while the Twins throw a young gun out there in Brian Duensing who I like a lot but not in this spot because he's a guy transferring from the bullpen coming off a 104 pitch outing his first since 2009 season. I believe he may run into some troubles here and the Oakland and Cahill will take advantage.


Jim Feist

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals
Play: Arizona Diamondbacks

A big difference offensively with these teams, Arizona ranking 5th in the NL in runs scored, the Nationals 14th. Washington is also the worst defensive team in the NL. Arizona starter Ian Kennedy has fine numbers, allowing fewer hits than innings pitched, a 117-54 K to walk ratio in 139 innings. Washington starter Jason Marquis has been awful, with an 0-4 record and an ERA over 15. He made his first start in months 5 days ago.....and gave up 5 runs in 4 innings. Play the Diamondbacks.


EZWINNERS

Chicago White Sox -145

The White Sox newest starting pitcher Edwin Jackson faces off against one of his former teams. Jackson has allowed only two earned runs in two starts with the White Sox and has struck out thirteen batters in thirteen innings pitched. Chicago pitching coach Don Cooper has helped Jackson get over some of the wildness that has plagued him over his career and it looks like Jackson will be a solid contributor to the White Sox run at a playoff spot. The Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello has had a very disappointing season. After winning 14 games in his rookie season last year, Porcello has only shown a few flashes of the pitcher that posted a 3.96 ERA a year ago. This season Porcello is 5-10 with an ERA of 5.74 and in his last three starts his ERA is 6.62. Porcello has not had any success against the White Sox in the past either as he has an 0-4 career record against Chicago with an ERA of 10.80. Three of those losses came this season as Porcello has allowed the Sox to score nineteen in less than fifteen innings this season. I don't expect Porcello to have any better success this time around and the Tigers most likely won't provide Porcello with much run support against Jackson. Jackson is 3-0 with a 2.93 ERA in six appearances (four starts) in his career against his former team and I look for him to pitch well again in this game. The Tigers are only 2-8 in their last ten games played in Chicago and Detroit is only 3-13 in Porcello's last sixteen road starts. Play on Chicago.


Black Widow

1* on Toronto Blue Jays +120

Getting the Toronto Blue Jays as an underdog in this match-up is an absolute steal Saturday. That's because Brett Cecil takes the mound, and he has been one of the most underrated starters in the league all year long. Cecil is 9-5 with a 3.62 ERA this year, including 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last 3 starts. Angels starter Ervin Santana has posted a 4.50 ERA in 12 home starts this year, and a 9.00 ERA and 2.062 WHIP in his last 3 outings. Cecil did face the Angels earlier this season, pitching 7.2 shutout innings to get the win in a 6-0 victory at Los Angeles. Santana owns a 4.61 ERA in 8 career starts against Toronto. The Blue Jays are 6-0 in Cecil's last 6 starts vs. American League West. The Blue Jays are 10-3 in Cecil's last 13 road starts. The Angels are 1-5 in their last 6 games vs. a left-handed starter. Take the Blue Jays on the Money Line.



Jack Jones

Marlins vs. Reds
Pick Over 9.5

I like the bats to come out tonight in hitter-friendly Cincinnati in a battle between two struggling starting pitchers. Sean West hast posted a 7.20 ERA on the season to this point, while Mike Leake is 0-3 with a 9.60 ERA over his last 3 starts. During that time, Leake has allowed 16 earned runs and 28 base runners in 15 innings pitched. West has only faced the Reds once in his career back in 2009, allowing 5 earned runs in 4.1 innings.

The OVER is 7-1 in the Marlins last 8 games overall, while the OVER is 4-1 in the Reds last 5 games overall. The OVER is 5-0 in Marlins last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The OVER is 13-3 in Marlins last 16 games vs. a right-handed starter. The OVER is 6-1 in Reds last 7 home games vs. a left-handed starter. The OVER is 7-1 in Leake's last 8 starts overall. The OVER is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings in this series. Take the OVER 9.5 runs Saturday.


BRAD Diamond Sports

San Diego over San Francisco

Although the Giants are a super 36-21 on their home turf, prefer the Padres in this playoff type battle. San Diego has won 5 straight in San Francisco, while hitting at a 7-1 clip overall in the series. Further, the Padres are 6-1 with Matt Latos in a road set and a huge 35-16 in game #2 of a series.

[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

The Asian Executive

8 units Steelers -2.5
5 units Texans -1.5
5 units Vikings +2

[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

Today's MLB Picks

Boston at Texas

The Red Sox look to bounce back from last night's loss and build on their 12-2 record in Jon Lester's last 14 starts in Game 2 of a series. Boston is the pick (-110) according to Dunkel, which has the Red Sox favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-110). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14
Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST

Game 901-902: Chicago Cubs at St. Louis (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Zambrano) 13.750; St. Louis (Carpenter) 16.843
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 3; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-250); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-250); Over

Game 903-904: San Diego at San Francisco (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Latos) 16.241; San Francisco (Bumgarner) 14.322
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego (-115); 7
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-115); Under

Game 905-906: Arizona at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Kennedy) 14.580; Washington (Marquis) 13.756
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington (-110); 9
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-110); Under

Game 907-908: Pittsburgh at Houston (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Maholm) 14.196; Houston (Norris) 13.930
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Houston (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+115); Over

Game 909-910: Philadelphia at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Halladay) 15.241; NY Mets (Misch) 14.860
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-220); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-220); Under

Game 911-912: Florida at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (West) 16.238; Cincinnati (Leake) 15.312
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-160); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+140); Over

Game 913-914: LA Dodgers at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Lilly) 15.208; Atlanta (Lowe) 15.554
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-130); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-130); Under

Game 915-916: Milwaukee at Colorado (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Narveson) 14.873; Colorado (Rogers) 15.692
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-145); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-145); Under

Game 917-918: Baltimore at Tampa Bay (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Matusz) 16.246; Tampa Bay (Sonnanstine) 15.242
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-210); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+175); Under

Game 919-920: Detroit at Chicago White Sox (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Porcello) 15.123; White Sox (Jackson) 14.634
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-160); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+140); Under

Game 921-922: Seattle at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Vargas) 14.440; Cleveland (Talbot) 14.729
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-110); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-110); Over

Game 923-924: NY Yankees at Kansas City (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Hughes) 15.165; Kansas City (O'Sullivan) 14.039
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 9
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-235); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-235); Under

Game 925-926: Oakland at Minnesota (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Cahill) 16.531; Minnesota (Duensing) 16.319
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+115); Over

Game 927-928: Boston at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 16.153; Texas (Lewis) 15.532
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Texas (-110); 9
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-110); Under

Game 929-930: Toronto at LA Angels (9:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Cecil) 15.070; LA Angels (Santana) 15.333
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-130); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-130); Over

[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

Today's NFL Picks

Cleveland at Green Bay

The Browns hope for better offensive production behind new QB Jake Delhomme starting with the preseason opener tonight in Green Bay. Cleveland is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Packers favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+2 1/2). Here are all of this week's preseason picks.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14
Time Posted: 8:30 a.m. EST (8/11)

Game 263-264: Tampa Bay at Miami (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 120.776; Miami 126.426
Dunkel Line: Miami by 5 1/2; 30
Vegas Line: Miami by 3; 33 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-3); Under

Game 265-266: Detroit at Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 121.254; Pittsburgh 122.717
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 35
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh by 3; 33 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+3); Over

Game 267-268: Houston at Arizona (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 117.290; Arizona 120.443
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 3; 31
Vegas Line: Houston by 1; 33 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+1); Under

Game 269-270: Minnesota at St. Louis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 120.194; St. Louis 122.264
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 2; 35
Vegas Line: St. Louis by 1; 31 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-1); Over

Game 271-272: Cleveland at Green Bay (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 119.941; Green Bay 121.269
Dunkel Line: Green Bay by 1 1/2; 32
Vegas Line: Green Bay by 2 1/2; 34 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+2 1/2); Under

Game 273-274: Chicago at San Diego (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 123.204; San Diego 125.668
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 2 1/2; 36
Vegas Line: San Diego by 3; 33 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+3); Over

Game 275-276: Tennessee at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 122.053; Seattle 127.616
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 5 1/2; 30
Vegas Line: Seattle by 3; 33 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-3); Under

[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

NFL NEWS AND NOTES
What Bettors Need To Know: Saturday's NFL Preseason Action
By Scott Cooley


Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins (-3, 33.5)

Sharp money has moved the spread for this game to as high as 3.5 after opening at 1.5. There are a lot of factors swinging the line but perhaps none more important than the ultimate preseason element—quarterback rotation.

Chad Henne is entering his first season as a starting quarterback and will be followed by Tyler Thigpen, Chad Pennington and Pat White. White is the only quarterback without an NFL start while the other three combine for 104. Tampa Bay will trot out Josh Freeman (9 starts), Josh Johnson (4 starts) and Rudy Carpenter (0 starts).

Bucs head coach Raheem Morris said that his starters will get “about 12 snaps apiece” or a “series or so.” Morris went 1-3 SU and ATS last preseason while Tony Sparano has a 7-1 career record.

Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3, 33.5)

Ben Roethlisberger is eligible to play in this game but Mike Tomlin is trying to sell tickets and won’t say if he will.

"We're going to make you come to the stadium to check that out," Tomlin said.

Some are speculating that Big Ben won’t appear because Tomlin has said that the starters will only play eight to 12 snaps. Byron Leftwich will be the starter in Week 1 so he could eat up all of that time with the first team. Dennis Dixon, who nearly beat the Ravens in his lone career start last year, is expected to play most of the game. Charlie Batch will see some time in the fourth.

Safety Louis Delmas will not play for Detroit as well as linebacker DeAndre Levy, defensive end Jared DeVries and kicker Jason Hanson. Matthew Stafford, Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton will be the quarterback rotation.

In his first preseason as a head coach, Jim Schwartz led the Lions to a 3-1 record in 2009. Tomlin is 10-3 in the preseason since he took over in 2007.

Houston Texans at Arizona Cardinals (+1, 33)

As injury prone as Matt Schaub is, don’t expect him to be on the field long in this game. Gary Kubiak has said that backup Dan Orlovsky will see the majority of snaps in the preseason opener.

"He needs to play a bunch," Kubiak told reporters. "For backup quarterbacks, preseason is their season. I want to take a look at J.D. (John David Booty); he will play. But obviously, Dan is going to play a great deal."

Houston’s running back spot is up for grabs so Steve Slaton, Arian Foster and rookie Ben Tate should all see significant reps. The Texans could be more apt to kick lengthy field goals with Kris Brown and Neil Rackers battling for the starting job.

After sustaining a rib injury it’s unclear whether or not Beanie Wells will run for Arizona. Ken Whisenhunt said that even if he’s the least bit sore there would be no reason to play him.

Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson should see more than just a few series each as neither has run away with the quarterback job during training camp. The Cardinals went 0-4 in the preseason last year and Whisenhunt holds a 2-10 career record.

Minnesota Vikings at St. Louis Rams (-1.5, 31.5)

This preseason line has remained steady despite news about Percy Harvin’s recurring migraines. He will likely be on the sidelines for this contest and Sidney Rice is still injured, or holding out, or both. Cedric Griffin and E.J. Henderson are also unlikely to play.

With Brett Favre still wavering about his retirement decision, Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels will see most of the first-half action. The two have 21 career starts between them and know the offensive system well. Rookie Joe Webb will be the third quarterback in the rotation.

Albert Young is listed as the No. 2 back on the official depth chart behind Adrian Peterson but he, Toby Gerhart and Ryan Moats are all vying for that spot so motivation levels should be high throughout the game.

While Rams fans will be eager to see their franchise quarterback, A.J. Feeley will get the starting nod under center before Sam Bradford enters the game, but Steve Spagnuolo said both will work with the first team offense. Keith Null, who posted a 49.9 rating in four starts last year, will be the third quarterback while rookie Thaddeus Lewis will handle mop-up duty.

Cleveland Browns at Green Bay Packers (-2.5, 34)

Browns coach Eric Mangini has stated that all four of his quarterbacks are likely to play one quarter each. Jake Delhomme will start with Seneca Wallace relieving him. The second half will feature Colt McCoy and Brett Ratliff, but which will appear first is still up in the air.

Rookie running back Montario Hardesty will miss the game as well as Cleveland starting linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who has a strained pectoral muscle.

Mike McCarthy isn’t expected to play his starters more than a few series. The quarterback rotation will be Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn (who many are high on this training camp), Noah Shephard and Graham Harrell.

Linebacker Clay Matthews will not play in the game as well as cornerback Al Harris, safety Atari Bigby and rookie running back James Starks.

There is a 40 percent chance of rain with morning thunderstorms expected in the area Saturday.

Chicago Bears at San Diego Chargers (-3, 33.5)

The Chargers do not have a left tackle right now. Marcus McNeill is the incumbent starter but he’s holding out, backup Brandon Dombrowski has a groin injury, Tra Thomas is recovering from knee surgery and fourth-stringer Nick Richmond will go under the knife soon.

That leaves second-string right tackle Tyronne Green to man the position until someone returns. San Diego may not be looking to drop back Philip Rivers too often in this contest. Shawne Merriman and Vincent Jackson will also miss the game due to holdouts.

Mike Martz could be looking to do some damage in the opener with his new offense in hopes of getting fans excited. He has said that with his complex system he “would imagine that they may do a little bit more than one series” with the starters.

Martz added that he is anxious to see how his second and third-string quarterbacks, Caleb Hanie and Dan LeFevour, handle the pressure since neither has much experience.

Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks (-3, 33.5)

Possibly bucking his normal preseason routine, a few local media outlets are reporting that Jeff Fisher is toying with the idea of playing his starters (except Chris Johnson) a full quarter because he hasn’t been pleased with training camp performance.

The Titans starting defense is going to take a hit with Cortland Finnegan, Vince Fuller and rookie Derrick Morgan expected to miss the game. The quarterback rotation will be Vince Young, Kerry Collins, Chris Simms and Rusty Smith. Collins will get the least amount of work.

Plenty of preseason bettors like to back head coaches in their first year with a team because they have something to prove. Pete Carroll has announced that Matt Hasselbeck is the starter and will be quickly relieved by Charlie Whitehurst, then J.P. Losman and Mike Reilly.

The running back job is wide open at Camp Carroll (like many other positions) so Justin Forsett, Julius Jones and Quinton Ganther will be going all out. Leon Washington is also in the mix but is not expected to play as he continues to recover from a leg injury.

[spook]

Re: 8-14-10

NFL TIPS AND NOTES
Saturday Preseason Tips
By Kevin Rogers



The first full NFL preseason card provides bettors with seven games to wager on as plenty of back-ups will see substantial playing time in the openers. We'll detail the key contests as a plethora of young quarterbacks look to make their mark on Saturday. Let's start in the Sunshine State with a battle of two squads trying to get over the hump this season.

Buccaneers at Dolphins (-3 ½, 33 ½) - 7:00 PM EST

Miami made one of the biggest splashes in the offseason with its acquisition of Pro Bowl WR Brandon Marshall from Denver to bolster the receiving corps. The Dolphins finished last season with a 7-9 mark, as they look to get back to the postseason after claiming the AFC East crown in 2008. The Bucs, meanwhile, scored the third-fewest points in the NFL last season en route to a 3-13 record.

Tampa Bay played better down the stretch, winning two of the final three games, while owning a 5-4 ATS ledger the last nine contests. The merry-go-round of quarterbacks eventually stopped on 2009 first-round pick Josh Freeman, who started each of the last nine games. The former Kansas State QB may not play past the first series, according to head coach Raheem Morris. The Bucs cashed the 'under' in seven straight games to wrap up the 2009 season, as the Tampa Bay offense scored 10 points or less four times in that span.

These clubs are no strangers to one another in the preseason, meeting each August since 2000. The 'under' has hit in eight of the previous 10 preseason matchups, including a 10-6 victory by the Dolphins at Raymond James Stadium last season. Tony Sparano has been a friend to preseason backers of the Dolphins, owning a 6-1-1 ATS mark, while cashing the 'under' in seven of eight opportunities.

Lions at Steelers (-3, 33 ½) - 7:30 PM EST

Detroit and Pittsburgh both have different quarterback questions heading into the season, as the two teams meet in the preseason for the first time since 2004. Last year's top pick Matthew Stafford enters his second season as the signal-caller for the Lions, while Ben Roethlisberger will miss the first six games of the regular season after getting suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin has yet to indicate how much Big Ben will play in Saturday's opener, but Tomlin expects starters to take between eight and 12 snaps. On the flip side, the second overall pick from April's draft, Ndamukong Suh will make his Detroit debut on the defensive line. No word on long Stafford will play, but rookie RB Jahvid Best will start in place of the injured Kevin Smith.

Pittsburgh owns a 7-6 ATS preseason record under Tomlin, while cashing in three of four preseason games in 2009. The Lions have won only two regular season games the last two seasons, but Detroit is a solid 7-1 SU and 5-2-1 ATS in the preseason since 2008.

Browns at Packers (-2 ½, 34) - 8:00 PM EST

Green Bay looks to make that next step this season after getting eliminated in overtime at Arizona of last season's first round of the playoffs. Cleveland, meanwhile, attempts to rebuild after a 5-11 campaign, starting with Mike Holmgren taking over team president. The Browns finished last season with four straight wins, but there are plenty of new faces competing for the open quarterback job with both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn out of town.

Cleveland signed Jake Delhomme from Carolina, while acquiring Seneca Wallace from Seattle and drafting former University of Texas star Colt McCoy. The Browns were actually one of the best ATS teams in the league last season, covering the final seven games, while going 10-6 ATS overall. Cleveland looks to bounce back after losing twice to Green Bay last season, including a 17-0 setback at Lambeau Field last August as three-point underdogs.

The Green Bay starters are expected to play about 20 snaps, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Packers rushed for 230 yards against the Browns in last season's preseason opener, while Rodgers connected with Donald Driver on a 53-yard touchdown strike. Under Mike McCarthy, the Packers are just 8-8 ATS in the preseason, but are 12-4 to the 'over' since his arrival in 2006.

Vikings at Rams (-2, 31 ½) - 8:00 PM EST

The Brett Favre saga continues in Minnesota if he will return this season or ultimately retire. Despite this drama, the game must be played as the defending NFC North champs head south to St. Louis to battle a Rams' club who finished a dreadful 1-15 last season.

The Vikings can seemingly plug Favre back into the fray on September 9 when Minnesota visits New Orleans for the season opener. The Rams don't have that luxury, as April's top draft pick, Sam Bradford prepares for his NFL debut. The former Heisman Trophy winner will not start, as A.J. Feely will start for St. Louis, with Bradford finishing up the first half.

Minnesota owns a profitable 10-6 ATS in the preseason in Brad Childress' four seasons, while hitting the 'under' in three of four preseason openers. Despite St. Louis' struggles in the regular season the last two years (3-29), the Rams own a 5-3 SU/ATS preseason ledger.

Texans (-1 ½, 33) at Cardinals - 8:00 PM EST

Life after Kurt Warner begins for Arizona, as it looks to make the playoffs for the third straight season. The man who was supposed to be the future for the Cardinals when he was drafted in 2006 gets his opportunity now with Matt Leinart assuming the controls of the Arizona offense. Houston is coming off its first winning season in its eight-year franchise history, but the Texans have yet to make the postseason.

Leinart is likely to start Saturday's game, with Derek Anderson seeing plenty of time in the first half. There is no word how long Matt Schaub will play for the Texans, while ex-Lion Dan Orlovsky is expected to get extended snaps for Houston. The Texans are 9-5-2 ATS under Gary Kubiak in the preseason, but just 1-3-2 ATS as a favorite.

Arizona has not been a smart play in the preseason with Ken Whisenhunt on the sidelines, as the Cardinals own a 3-9 ATS mark since 2007. The Cards scored 10 points or less in three of four preseason contests last season, while Arizona is 0-6 SU at home in the preseason under Whisenhunt.

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Re: 8-14-10

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Saturday's Streaking And Slumping Starting Pitchers
By Covers Staff


Streaking

Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals (13-3, 2.89 ERA)

Just like the Incredible Hulk, you won’t like Chris Carpenter when he’s angry, especially if you’re an opposing batter. The Cardinals ace has bolstered his case for the National League Cy Young in recent starts, leaving a path of destruction along the way.

First, he blasts his shortstop for picking up the wrong glove during his last start. Then, he trades verbal barbs with Reds manager Dusty Baker during the teams’ melee this Tuesday. In the middle of all this drama, Carpenter is 4-0 in his last six starts with a 1.79 ERA. He’s posted quality starts in all six of those outings.

Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics (12-4, 2.56 ERA)

The A’s righty has been invisible to batters in his last three starts. Cahill hasn’t allowed an earned run in 25 innings and is coming off an eight-inning effort in which he gave up two unearned runs on six hits for his third straight win. He’s pitched into at least the eighth inning in all three of those starts.

Slumping

Sean Sullivan, Kansas City Royals (1-3, 5.05 ERA)

No one would be thrilled to leave an AL contender for one of its basement teams, including Sullivan. The right hander has flopped since coming to Kansas City by way of the Los Angeles Angels, going 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in his first four starts for the Royals. Sullivan was beat up for six runs on 10 hits in his last trip to the bump, falling 6-4 to his former club Monday.

Returning

Mitch Talbot, Cleveland Indians (8-9, 4.09 ERA)

The Tribe’s rookie right hander comes off the 15-day disabled list after nursing a back injury. Talbot hasn’t won since late June and is just 0-1 with an ERA just south of 5.00 in his last three outings. In his most recent start, against the New York Yankees on July 29, Talbot gave up one earned run on one hit with four walks before being yanked in the second inning with a back strain.

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Re: 8-14-10

HOT LINES

Saturday's Best MLB Bets

San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants (-105, 7)

The term "win-win situation" is overused in baseball trades. It should be saved for times like the Giants' deal for Jose Guillen on Friday.

The Giants have been lacking some power in their pursuit of the Padres in the division race while Guillen has been wasting away in Kansas City.

His number and passion have waned with the Royals, largely because he is a fierce competitor. He has not adjusted to settling for mediocrity.

"I know it got a little rough at times," Guillen told the Kansas City Star. "My passion is I want to win, and sometimes that gets misunderstood by people."

Guillen, a career .270 hitter with at least 20 home runs in five of his past seven seasons, finds a perfect place in the Giants' lineup.

Guillen can play right field and allow the Giants to move Aubrey Huff back to first base, or provide some situational hitting off the bench.

His arrival comes at the right time for this weekend's key series against the Padres. San Diego's Mat Latos took 1-0 wins from the Giants in their first two meetings.

However, the Giants adjusted and got their first win of the season over the Pads the last time they met. The Giants are batting .283 against righties in their last 10.

The Padres are hitting just .223 against leftties during that same span and haven't faced Madison Bumgarner all season. He was 1-0 against them last year.

Pick: SF Giants


Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox (-160, 9.5)

Little motivates a major-league player more than going up against his former team. Something about familiarity with an organization breeds contempt, especially if it's one that gave up on the player.

Such is the case for White Sox acquiree Edwin Jackson, who made his debut with the Chicago Northsiders last week by beating his 2009 squad, the Detroit Tigers.

Jackson downplayed the added motivation, but his new and former teammates noticed the extra zip on his pitches in the 4-1 win, in which he struck out six in seven innings of work.

"His fastball had that extra life on it," Detroit's Johnny Damon said of Jackson. "It reads 97 (mph). ... He started painting both sides of the plate. I put that right up there with the best performances against us this year. It's a great pickup for them. Pitching is what wins you ballgames, and he was pretty dominating."

Jackson has plenty of offensive support behind him now with the White Sox and seems to be more confident - something counterpart Rick Porcello has been lacking lately. He is 1-2 with a 6.62 ERA in his last three starts.

The Tigers have lost 22 of their last 29 games while the White Sox have won 22 of their last 27. The trend continues today.

Pick: Chicago White Sox

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Re: 8-14-10

BETTORS' TIPS AND NOTES
Bettors' Best Friend (BBF): Saturday's Wagering Tips
By Covers Staff


Lines To Keep An Eye On

Buccaneers at Dolphins: Miami opened at -1.5 but has been bet to -3.5 at most books. The total dipped from 34 to 33.5.

Lions at Steelers: Pittsburgh opened at -1.5 but has moved to -3 at most books. Total fell from 35 to 33.5.

Vikings at Rams: St. Louis opened at -1.5 but has been bet to -2.5 at most books.

Texans at Cardinals: Arizona opened at -1.5 but that line has turned around in Houston's favor at +1.5. Total dropped from 34 to 33.

Browns at Packers: Green Bay opened at -1.5 but has moved to -2.5. Total fell from 34.5 to 34 at most books.

Cubs at Cardinals: Total opened at 8 but has fallen to 7.5 at most books.

Pirates at Astros: Total opened at 8.5 but has slipped to 8 at most books.

Diamondbacks at Nationals: Total opened at 9.5 but has dropped to 9 at most books.

Weather To Watch

Cubs at Cardinals: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Dodgers at Braves: 60 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Tigers at White Sox: 40 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Who's Hot

Padres are 7-1 vs. the Giants this season.

Cardinals are 7-1 in their last eight.

Orioles are 9-2 since the hiring of manager Buck Showalter.

Angels are 5-1 in their last six overall and vs. Blue Jays.

Who's Not

Cubs are 2-14 in their last 16.

Astros are 1-6 in their last seven.

Nationals are 1-6 in their last seven.

Royals are 1-7 in their last eight.

Key Stat

-10 - Combined score in relation to par shot by PGA Championship golfers with the last name "Johnson". Both Zach and Dustin Johnson are 5-under after the first two rounds, good for a third-place tie. They are two of only nine golfers to complete each of the first two rounds under par.

Injury That Shouldn't Be Overlooked

Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury left Friday night's game against the Texas Rangers with an undisclosed injury. Ellsbury ran into pitcher Tommy Hunter in the first inning, but it's unclear if that had anything to do with his departure. Ellsbury was appearing in just his 18th game of the season Friday after he spent two stints on the disabled list while recovering from cracked ribs. The Red Sox, trying to stay alive for a playoff berth, can ill-afford any more injuries.

Game Of The Day

Padres at Giants (-105, 7)

Notable Quotable

"I was talking with my caddie this afternoon, and we were talking about something that happened this morning. But we both thought it was yesterday. So it's been a long day. I'll have no trouble sleeping tonight."

Golfer Nick Watney said after fog and weather issues delayed and postponed Friday's play at the PGA Championship.

Tips And Notes

Tiger Woods worked with swing coach Sean Foley on Friday following his opening-round 71 at the PGA Championship, but Woods has not definitively said if Foley will become his official swing coach. Woods has been playing without a coach since Hank Haney resigned in May. Woods sought Foley's advice during a practice round following a disastrous 18-over showing at last weekend's Bridgestone Invitational. Foley already coaches of Hunter Mahan, Sean O'Hair, Stephen Ames and Justin Rose. Woods said it is possible the two could pair up in the future. This weekend's play will weight heavily on the decision.

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton has been yanked from the closer's role, the Los Angeles Times reported. Broxton has three blown saves in his last eight appearances, including Thursday's 10-9 loss to Philadelphia when the Dodgers blew a 9-2 lead. Hong-Chi Kuo will get the chance to take over the closer's job from Broxton, who is 4-4 with 21 saves and a 3.50 ERA.

Houston Astros pitcher Bud Norris will start Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in place of an ailing Nelso Figueroa, who was scheduled to start against but had his outing pushed back to Tuesday after experiencing migraine-like symptoms. Norris is 4-7 with a 5.63 ERA. He last pitched on Monday, going 6 2/3 innings and getting a no-decision in a 10-4 win over Atlanta.

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Re: 8-14-10

GREEK SPORTS PICKS

FREE MLB PLAYS
SD Padres -109
Oakland A's +110

FREE NFL PLAY
Houston Texans -1.5

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Re: 8-14-10

THE VEGAS KILLERS
Craig Masters

FREE PLAY
4 UNIT SL Cardinals/Chicago Cubs Over 7.5

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Re: 8-14-10

BASEBALL CRUSHER
PLAY OF THE DAY

Atlanta Braves -130 over the LA Dodgers