Los Angeles at Texas 8:05 p.m. EDT

Jered Weaver has been unbeatable over the last two months. When it comes to pitching in Arlington, however, he could use the support the Los Angeles Angels provided their last starter. 

Weaver will go for his eighth straight win and 14th overall Tuesday night when the Angels continue their crucial series against the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. 

Los Angeles cut its deficit to four games following Monday night's 15-8 win. Kendrys Morales highlighted a nine-run sixth inning with a grand slam and a two-run homer - becoming the third player in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning. 

The AL's ERA leader, Weaver (13-1, 2.26 ERA) has won eight straight decisions, and the Angels have won his last 10 starts. He won his seventh consecutive start Wednesday despite laboring over five innings of an 11-6 win over Kansas City in humid conditions, giving up two runs and striking out eight while throwing 101 pitches. 

Recent trips to Texas have been tough for Weaver, who has posted an 11.15 ERA while losing his last three starts. It has been a career-long trend for him, going 2-7 with a 5.21 ERA lifetime there after allowing a season-high eight runs May 13 and failing to make it out of the fourth inning. 

Weaver is trying to become the first Angels pitcher to win eight starts in a row since Chuck Finley won 10 straight from July 1-Aug. 15, 1997. Weaver has split two decisions against the Rangers this year, giving up one run in seven innings of a 6-1 victory July 20. 

Elvis Andrus is 22 of 51 with two homers and four doubles against Weaver. Andrus, though, went 0 for 4 Monday and is 1 for his last 15. 

Despite the loss, the Rangers (59-42) could build on their offensive effort after going 3 for 7 with runners in scoring position. They had gone 1 for 31 in such instances in their previous three-game series versus Chicago during which they scored nine total runs. 

Josh Hamilton finally showed signs of breaking out of his slump Monday, going 3 for 5 with a homer and a double. Hamilton - 10 for 40 with six doubles and a homer versus Weaver - is hitting .173 in July, dropping his average 31 points to .288 

Derek Holland (7-5, 4.74) will face Weaver for the second time in 10 days for Texas. He gave up three runs and two homers in 7 2-3 innings of a 5-3 win over Boston on Wednesday while striking out seven. 

The left-hander has given up three or fewer runs in three of his last four starts since coming off the disabled list with shoulder fatigue, although he was tagged for six runs and nine hits, including two homers, in 6 2-3 innings in the July 20 loss to Weaver. 

Angels are 7-0 in their last 7 road games vs. a left-handed starter.

Angels are 12-3 in their last 15 games vs. a left-handed starter.

Angels are 5-0 in Weavers last 5 road starts.

Rangers are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. American League West.
Rangers are 1-5 in their last 6 games as an underdog.
Rangers are 1-6 in their last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Rangers are 4-1 in Hollands last 5 starts.


I really believe Derek Holland get's slammed tonight. I think he gets hit early and often. The Angles are hot and will be aggressive. I doubt Holland makes it the the 6th inning. Tonight i'm going with the Angles on the ML and the RL. Good Luck



LA Angels -106
LA Angels -1½+155

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What's Your Book of Choice

When it comes to choosing the right book there are no shortage of options out there. Some folks play poker, some play the casino games, and some simply want to get to the sports tab and check the lines on the upcoming games.

A few other things to consider when choosing a sportsbook are:

• Bonuses - Most all books will give you a nice bonus for a new account and send out promotions from time to time offering a smaller bonus for reloading your account. 
• Early Lines  - Early lines are not offered at all books and depending on your status as a player you may or may not care if you get the early line. The vast majority of the public simply waits until the last minute anyway to get in their wagers. The so-called "Sharpes" are putting in their plays with-in a few hours of the line being released. Some will however wait occasionally to check line movement, ect. 
• Lines with Value - Shopping around has become one of the most important rules in wagering. Why pay -120 when you can get -115 somewhere else. Books mostly do a good job on being competitive but yet lines still vary quite a bit from time to time. 
• Customer Service - This should be the #1 or #2 thing to look for when choosing a book. Why? Simply because you dont want to deal with a book who will not take care of you. Don't think you'll ever need them? Think again. Unless you consistently lose you will need them and will want to be treated well, especially after you've given up a considerable amount of your hard earned money. 
• Payouts - This would also be #1 or #2 on your list. Payouts are pretty important if you plan on being a successful sports investor. If your book has a bad history of paying slow you might want to reconsider your options. Research this very well. Make sure your book is rated at the top of the list in this category or simply move on. 

Once you have weighed the options and decided on a sportsbook, here are a couple things you need to have already considered and planned for:

• Initial Deposit - Referring to bonuses...in most cases you'll want to make your 1st deposit pretty hefty so you can take advantage of the big sign-on bonus these books offer for a new account. A 25% bonus on $100 wont get you much but if you're tossing in $1000 you'll get an additional $250 added in your account. Look for a book that offers good bonuses and also bonuses on reloads as well. 
• Payouts - Get ready to get drilled by anyone you expect to send you money. Yes it's yours but they have a lot of security measures in place for your safety and of course theirs. Make sure the book you sign-on with is rated at the top of the list when it comes to safety/security. If you cant find that info ask the book you are looking at to provide that info via a reputable website. Also make sure to see the timeline they have listed on payouts. Dont wait days or weeks for your money - If that book has any history of slow pay DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM. 

So, for what i have outlined so far i can say i use two offshore books that meet some pretty rigorous standards as i see it. I have deposited and received payouts from both of them for several years now and never once had an issue. Maybe i'm just lucky. The customer service is by far the best in the business. Yes i have had a bad experience with one book i dealt with but will not give out the name as that's just not my style. It happens and you move on. 

With football season just around the corner i suggest anyone looking for a solid sports book to look at the following two establishments. 

• Justbet
• Bookmaker

Justbet is offering some huge bonuses right now on new accounts but also on reloads. The account manager i deal with is one of the best in the business, hands down. Never had an issue. You can currently get a 100% bonus on a deposit and even get bonuses on reloads. 

Bookmaker is also offering a nice bonus but much smaller than Justbet. Bookmaker is a much bigger book and is #1 in customer service. They also have the early lines and quite a bit more options. They cover a big market in sports wagering and should have most everything you'd want in a sports book. This is my go to place for wagering. You can currently get a 25% bonus on a deposit and yes you can also get bonuses on reloads.

If anyone is considering opening an account at either of these two establishments, please send me an email at lsusports@yahoo.com and i will make sure you get VIP service from now on. I have personal contacts at each of these establishments. If you recently opened an account on your own and did not receive a bonus let me know...there may be something i can do.

NOTE: If you do not have a promo code when you sign-up with a sports book you will be very limited in getting perks and benefits in the future (bonuses and payouts). Make sure if you dont get signed up through me you get signed up through someone. 

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All information and recommendations made here are for entertainment and informational purposes only. They are not intended for any uses which might promote illegal activity in any form or violate any local, state, or federal laws. Any information or recommendations made is at the sole discretion and risk of the viewer. 

Soto's role in Texas

The Texas Rangers have acquired catcher Geovany Soto from the Chicago Cubs in one of two deals the Cubbies made Monday night, tweets Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.

Soto, a former rookie of the year in the National League, figures to take over some of the catching duties in Texas and serves as insurance for the Rangers in case they lose Mike Napoli to free agency this coming offseason. Soto is arbitration eligible this winter and Yorvit Torrealba will hit free agency after the season, too.

The Rangers may not be done, as they have been linked to relief pitching, starting pitching and even outfielders. The Cubs could make several more deals, one likely including right-hander Ryan Dempster.

Impact of Maholm to ATL

The Atlanta Braves are likely out of the market for Ryan Dempster as they are reportedly close to acquiring Paul Maholm from the Chicago Cubs, along with Reed Johnson, an outfielder, tweets Jon Morosi of FOXSports.com.

Maholm likely takes the rotation spot from Kris Medlen, who is slated to go Tuesday versus the Miami Marlins.

With Maholm in the fold, Medlen can head back to the bullpen and serve as insurance in case of injury or if the surging Mike Minor begins to struggle again.

What's next for the Cubs?

The Chicago Cubs have made two trades tonight, according to multiple reports, but neither included right-hander Ryan Dempster, outfielder Alfonso Soriano or closer Carlos Marmol.

Any of the three -- or all of them -- could be next as Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer reshape the Cubs organization from the top down.

With Geovany Soto heading to Texas, the Cubs are likely to recall Welington Castillo from Triple-A Iowa to help with the catching.

With Johnson off the roster, prospect Brett Jackson appears the most likely call-up to help in the outfield. Jackson may play everyday.

As for the rotation, the Cubs could call up Casey Coleman or Chris Volstad -- both of whom are on the 40-man roster -- or add one of several arms in Iowa, possibly Michael Bowden or veteran Rodrigo Lopez, to the 40-man and summon them to the big leagues.

Dempster to LAD academic?

With suitor No. 2, the Atlanta Braves, acquiring left-hander Paul Maholm Monday night, right-hander Ryan Dempster may finally land in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

At last check, the two sides were deadlocked with only the Washington Nationals emerging as a third possible destination. Dempster's preference clearly is the Dodgers, so with just hours left until the deadline that may be the next shoe to drop on the north side of Chicago.

The Cubs could keep Dempster and look to re-sign him after the season -- something that both player and club may be open to even if the veteran is traded -- so while a trade is very likely, it's not a breakaway slam dunk.

Garza to Jays or Reds?

With Matt Garza battling a triceps injury and out until after the trade deadline, the expectation became that the right-hander would not be traded. Not so fast, reports ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.

Stark tweeted Monday night that the Toronto Blue Jays have been "bearing down" on Garza, even though he hasn't pitched since July 21 and had to leave the game early. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports the Reds are also in talks with the Cubs for Garza's services.

Garza is under contract through next season, however, suggesting the interest isn't necessarily about 2012.

Tuesday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

STREAKING

Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds (9-6, 3.53 ERA)

Bailey is a major reason why the Reds are 17-2 since the All-Star break and riding a 10-game winning streak into Monday. The righty hasn’t taken a loss since June 27 and is 4-0 in his last five starts. The right-hander has a 1.43 ERA over five July starts and should continue to dominate in his next start against the lowly Padres. 

Kyle Lohse, St. Louis Cardinals (10-2, 2.71 ERA)

Lohse has emerged as the staff ace in the absence of Chris Carpenter. The 33-year-old hasn’t given up more than two runs in any of his last seven starts and owns a 2.36 ERA in July. The right-hander hasn’t taken a loss since June 15, and the Cardinals are 5-1 in his last six starts. His next outing is on the road in Colorado.

SLUMPING

James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays (8-7, 4.52 ERA)

Shields continues to be the subject of trade rumors with the Tuesday deadline approaching. The Rays reportedly declined a trade offer for the big righty from the Angels on Thursday that would have sent speedy outfielder Peter Bourjos to Tampa Bay. Shields hasn’t responded well to the rumors, allowing 22 earned runs in 32 July innings. If Shields is still in a Rays’ uniform Tuesday, he’ll take the mound against the red-hot A’s. 

Derek Lowe, Cleveland Indians (8-9, 5.09 ERA)

Since starting the season 6-1, Lowe is 2-8 with a 7.59 ERA over his last 12 starts. The sinker-baller has taken the loss in his last three outings, surrendering 16 earned runs in 15 innings pitched. With the Indians losing ground in the Wild Card race, manager Manny Acta is considering skipping Lowe’s next turn in the rotation if he doesn’t put together a strong performance against the Royals on Tuesday.

Tuesday's betting tips

Weather to watch

Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals: A 40 percent chance of thunderstorms could spoil a fantastic pitching matchup between Cliff Lee and Stephen Strasburg.

Who’s hot?

The Atlanta Braves have won five straight heading into Monday’s contest with the Marlins. Atlanta pitchers have held opponents to three runs or fewer in each of the club’s last five victories.

Who’s not?

The Kansas City Royals have lost five straight games and are 2-8 in their last 10 contests. The Royals begin a six-game home stand Tuesday when they host the Indians.

Key stat

.141 – Josh Hamilton’s batting average in July. The Rangers slugger entered the month at a .319 clip with 25 home runs. His four straight games played without a hit matches the second-longest such streak of his career.

Game of the day

Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Carl Crawford – The Red Sox outfielder said he’ll decide in the next 7-10 days whether or not to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on his ailing left elbow.

Betting notes

- Pirates right-hander pitcher Kevin Correia asked the team for a trade Sunday. Correia was bumped from the starting rotation last week when the Bucs acquired lefty Wandy Rodriguez from the Astros. 

- Yankees general manager Brian Cashman expects left-hander Andy Pettitte (ankle) to return sometime in September and be available for the playoffs. Pettitte was initially projected to miss six weeks when he suffered the fracture on June 27.

-The Reds are 11-2 without star 1B Joey Votto, who is eligible to come off the disabled list Tuesday but has not yet resumed baseball activities. 

- Third baseman Chris Johnson was the latest to escape Houston as he was dealt to Arizona for two minor leaguers Sunday. He became the sixth player traded by the Astros this month.

The "Price" is right - Tampa Bay at Oakland

David Price tries to become the majors' first 15-game winner on Monday when the Tampa Bay Rays open a three-game set with the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum.

Price has been magnificent of late and has won his last three starts, his last six decisions and has just one loss in his previous 10 assignments (8-1). His most recent win came on Wednesday in Baltimore, as he held the Orioles to a run and seven hits in seven innings.

He also struck out 10 batters without issuing a walk. Price beat the A's back on May 4 and is 2-1 in five starts against them with a 3.62 ERA.

The left-hander will try to become just the latest Rays hurler to throw a gem, as Tampa enters this series on the heels of back-to-back shutouts over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, including a 2-0 win on Sunday to capture the series.

In fact Tampa pitchers have surrendered just 18 runs over the last 10 games. However, the Rays have been held to three runs or less in seven of their last eight contests.

The series win in Anaheim got the Rays to within two games of the Angels for the second wild card spot. They can get even closer this week, as the A's sit a half-game in front of the Halos for the first wild card.

Oakland is 18-4 this month after taking two of three in both Toronto and Baltimore, and are just one win shy of clinching the best July in franchise history.

Getting the call for Melvin's club tonight will be rookie right-hander A.J. Griffin, who has won his last three starts. Griffin beat the Blue Jays on Wednesday, as he scattered three hits over six scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.25.

He has gone six innings in each of his six career starts, and hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of them.

Oakland took two of three from the Rays earlier in the year but i believe they may have a much tougher time doing that this time around. Taking the TB Rays tonight. Good Luck

TB RAYS -120

Monday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

STREAKING


Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox (8-3, 4.93 ERA)

The Red Sox haven’t been able to count much on their rotation but at least Buchholz is keeping them in games. The talented right-hander began the campaign in a major rut but has dug himself out nicely over the last nine weeks.

Buchholz owns a 2.47 ERA since May 27 and the Red Sox are 6-1 in the 27-year-old’s last seven starts. Total bettors will be happy to know that the under is also 6-2 in his last eight trips to the bump.

A.J. Griffin, Oakland Athletics (3-0, 2.25 ERA)

This 24-year-old rookie hurler has got to be wondering what the big deal is about the big show. Griffin has made six starts and all of them have been quality ones. He’s pitched six innings in each appearance and he’s allowed two or fewer runs in five of those six outings.

He’s facing one of the best pitchers in the game on Monday in David Price, so the price should be nice for underdog bettors.

SLUMPING


Ricky Romero, Toronto Blue Jays (8-7, 5.75 ERA)

The one of the few Blue Jay hurlers who’s actually healthy sure is pitching like something’s bothering him. Romero gave up eight earned runs in just 1 and 1/3 innings work last week against the A’s. It was the fourth time in his last six starts he’d allowed six or more earned runs.

The Jays are 0-6 in Romero’s last six turns in the rotation and the young lefty sports an ugly 29 to 30 strikeout to walk ratio over the last two months.

Trevor Cahill, Arizona Diamondbacks (8-9, 3.86 ERA)

The results haven’t been absolutely dreadful for Trevor Cahill but it would certainly be fair to say the 2012 campaign has been a disappointment for this former 18-game winner.

Cahill, who came to Arizona in an offseason trade with Oakland, 2-4 in his last six decisions and the Diamondbacks were favored in five of those six starts. The righty has just one quality start among his last seven outings.

Monday's betting tips

Weather to watch

Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers: The wind is expected to be blowing in from right field at 11 mph. Also, it’s going to be hot. Forecast is calling for the game time temperature to be around 102 F.

Who’s hot?

The Cincinnati Reds are riding a 10-game win streak. They’re also 17-2 over their last 19 games.

Who’s not?

Michael Phelps. The American swimmer missed another chance at gold after Team USA lost to France in the 4x100 freestyle relay.

Key stat

+1520 – Honduras’ odds of beating Spain in Sunday’s Olympic soccer match. Honduras won the match and, in the process, eliminated Spain from advancing from group play. It was the first time since the 2001 U-17 World Cup that Spain has been eliminated in the group stage of any world tournament, according to ESPN soccer writer Paul Carr.

Game of the day

Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Mike Trout – The shoe-in to win the AL Rookie of the Year – and maybe the MVP award too – was a late scratch from Sunday’s lineup because of a bruised knee. It’s just supposed to be a day-to-day thing but a hitter of Trout’s quality is going to be missed no matter how short the time on the shelf is.

Betting notes

-Things have gotten beyond awkward in the Boston Red Sox locker room. Bobby Valentine is sending mixed signals about why left fielder Carl Crawford is getting days off and it’s just another example of a long list of damaged relationships Valentine carries in the clubhouse. He seems to know what’s going on, even if he’s using sarcasm as a defensive mechanism. When asked why SP Jon Lester is having such an awful season, Valentine responded, “Got to be the manager he’s pitcher for.”

-The Atlanta Braves are shaking up their starting rotation. Kris Medlen is taking Jair Jurrjens’ spot according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Medlen is enjoying a fine season as the team’s long relief man but the Braves are hoping he can fill a hole in the rotation unless they pick up an arm on trade deadline day.

Chicago at Texas 7:05 p.m. EDT

After recently regaining the AL Central lead, it appears the Chicago White Sox are doing all they can to stay in first place going forward. 

While Francisco Liriano won't join the club until after the weekend, he could provide a big boost down the stretch. 

The White Sox try for a sixth consecutive victory and their first road sweep of the Texas Rangers in 27 years Sunday night. 

Chicago (55-45) made a big splash Saturday, sending infielder Eduardo Escobar and pitching prospect Pedro Hernandez to Minnesota in exchange for Liriano. 

Liriano is expected to remain in Minnesota until Chicago opens a three-game set there Monday. The White Sox have a chance to carry plenty of momentum into that series if they can keep things going in this one. 

After snapping a season-worst five-game road losing streak with Friday's 9-5 victory, Chicago won 5-2 on Saturday to move 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Detroit in the division. Philip Humber held the Rangers (58-41) in check for six-plus innings while Konerko and Adam Dunn both hit two-run homers. 

The White Sox, winners of five straight against the Rangers, haven't recorded a sweep of at least three games at Texas since winning four in a row Sept. 5-8, 1985. 

The Rangers, meanwhile, have dropped four of six overall thanks in large part to batting .157 with runners in scoring position. They went 0 for 13 in such situations Saturday - their worst display since going 0 for 14 on May 13, 1997. 

Washington chose to leave Josh Hamilton out of Saturday's lineup, giving the slumping center fielder a mental break. Hamilton is mired in a 1-for-23 skid and batting .119 in his last 16 games but could be available Sunday. 

Hamilton is 8 for 13 with a homer against White Sox scheduled starter Gavin Floyd (8-8, 4.46 ERA), who's gone 4-1 with a 1.67 ERA over his last five starts. The right-hander overcame a season-high six walks and limited Minnesota to three runs over six innings in a 7-4 victory Monday in his first outing since being removed from the disabled list with elbow tendinitis. 

Floyd has experienced mixed results in this series over the course of his career, going 2-4 with 4.97 ERA over seven outings. He's compiled a 0.86 ERA in three of those starts and a 10.06 mark in the other four. Floyd most recently allowed five runs in 5 2-3 innings during a 5-0 loss in Arlington on April 8. 

The Rangers counter with Scott Feldman (4-6, 5.37), who's also held his own of late. Feldman is 4-0 with a 3.81 ERA in his last five appearances - four starts - while walking two in 26 innings. 

Feldman started Monday against Boston after Roy Oswalt was scratched with back tightness and allowed one run and seven hits over a season-high seven innings in a 9-1 win - his first appearance since the All-Star break.  

The right-hander is 1-1 with a 5.45 ERA in his last six appearances - five starts - versus Chicago. Alex Rios and Konerko have both taken Feldman deep twice, going 9 for 26 and 6 for 19, respectively, in their matchups. 

Texas hasn't been swept in a home series of at least three games since suffering four consecutive losses to Baltimore from July 8-11, 2010. 


I'm not solely basing this play on trends as much as i am the following:
- Hamilton batting tonight after a night off.
- Texas getting swept at home - extremely low probability. (Yes anything is possible)
- Feldman has been really good lately. Believe this continues tonight.
- Hamilton has batted (.615) 8 for 13 off Floyd


Tonight i'm taking the Rangers both on the ML and the RL. I believe Hamilton comes out and rocks Floyd...then the rest of the dominoes will fall. Rangers should win in dramatic fashion. Good Luck


TEX RANGERS -147
TEX RANGERS -1½+130

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Mariners shoot for a rare four-game sweep

Continuing with their lengthy 10-game homestand at Safeco Field, the Seattle Mariners shoot for a rare four-game sweep this afternoon as they close out a series with the Kansas City Royals.

Winners of three straight and four of the last five outings overall, the Mariners have shown some signs of life here in the second half of the 2012 campaign. On Saturday the squad again got over on Kansas City thanks to a Mike Carp sacrifice fly out to left which plated Chone Figgins in the bottom of the eighth inning with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Jesus Montero belted a two-run home run, his 10th of the season, in the third frame to put the hosts on top until the ninth when the Royals tied the contest at 3-3. Like Montero, Casper Wells also accounted for two hits in the meeting.

Montero, who appeared in just 18 games in his first year in the majors in 2011 with the New York Yankees, has been a thorn in the side of the Royals since coming up to the big leagues. The youngster has 14 hits in 23 career at-bats and has seven consecutive multi-hit games versus KC.

Seattle starter Kevin Millwood notched just his fourth win of the season as he allowed one unearned run on six hits, walking one and striking out three over 6 1/3 innings. Reliever Tom Wilhelmsen gave up a late run but still tallied his 13th save of the campaign.

Kansas City starter Bruce Chen pitched rather well as he gave up three runs on seven hits and a walk over six frames, striking out five along the way but it simply wasn't enough to keep the Royals out of the loss column yet again.

Billy Butler raised his batting average to .306 as he posted three hits, reaching base safely in all four plate appearances. Alcides Escobar had two hits, knocked in one run and scored another but perhaps the bigger news for the Royals was Mike Moustakas who left the game early due to a knee sprain and is now being listed as day-to-day.

Trying to stretch his personal win streak to six in a row, Felix Hernandez readies to take the mound for the Mariners this afternoon.

Hernandez, who has won three straight outings overall, is among the league leaders in strikeouts with 147 through 148 total innings thus far. On Tuesday the right-hander was matched up against the New York Yankees at home and proceeded to limit the Bronx Bombers to just two earned runs on four hits and three walks. Hernandez managed just four strikeouts, giving him a total of only seven in his last two games, but his 7 1/3 innings of work was enough to earn the Mariners the 4-2 victory.

Already 1-0 against the Royals this season, thanks to an outing in which he permitted just one run on eight hits over eight innings, Hernandez has a career mark of 4-3 with a 2.69 ERA versus Kansas City.

Attempting to counter for the Royals will be rookie left-hander Will Smith. A fresh-faced Smith, who recently celebrated his 23rd birthday, actually won his last outing on Tuesday as he pitched a career-high seven innings in a 4-1 triumph against the Angels.

In that contest Smith allowed just one run on two hits, walked four and struck out four as well, snapping a personal two-game slide in the process. Even though he has appeared in a total of just five games in his brief career, one of those was against Seattle 10 days ago when he was tagged for four runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. Smith walked two and fanned five as he came out on the short end of a 6-1 decision at home.

Kansas City, which has not won back-to-back games in a month and is now a disappointing 1-6 in the season series with Seattle, is 14 games out of contention in the AL Central, a deficit that is identical to that of the Mariners in the AL West at the moment.

White Sox acquire Liriano from Twins

Francisco Liriano threw a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox last year. Now, the left-hander will join them after being traded from the Minnesota Twins.

In the deal, announced Saturday night, the Twins will obtain infielder Eduardo Escobar and pitcher Pedro Hernandez.

The AL Central-leading White Sox have been busy ahead of Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline. They acquired Kevin Youkilis from the Red Sox on June 24 and reliever Brett Myers from Houston on July 21.

Liriano is 3-10 with a 5.31 ERA in 22 games (17 starts) this season. The 28- year-old threw a no-hitter against the White Sox on May 3, 2011.

Since breaking into the majors with the Twins in 2005, Liriano has compiled a 50-52 mark in 156 games (130 starts) along with a 4.33 ERA.

Escobar, 23, who is hitting .207 in 36 games this season, was traded only moments after the White Sox beat the Rangers, 5-2, Saturday night. Escobar went 2-for-5 with an RBI in that game.

Hernandez, a 23-year-old lefty, made a spot start for the White Sox on July 18 at Boston and allowed 12 hits and eight runs over four-plus innings in a 10-1 loss. He has also combined to go 8-2 with a 2.94 ERA in 15 appearances (14 starts) this season between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte this season.

This is the first trade between the White Sox and Twins since April 30, 1986, when the White Sox sent pitchers Juan Agosto and Kurt Walker to Minnesota for pitcher Pete Filson.

Sunday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

STREAKING

Hiroki Kuroda, New York Yankees (10-7, 3.34 ERA)

Kuroda’s last start was overshadowed by the acquisition of fellow Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki, but certainly not forgotten by bettors. The righty helped snap the Yankees’ season-long four-game losing skid, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings against the Mariners Monday. Hiroki hasn’t been tagged with a loss since June 19, a span of six starts.

Paul Maholm, Chicago Cubs (9-6, 3.88 ERA)

It’s not often we get to talk about a Chicago Cubs pitcher that’s on a hot streak, besides Ryan Dempster. Maholm hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in each of his last six starts and has lowered his ERA from 5.38 to 3.88 in just over a month. The lefty has also picked up wins in five of his last six outings.

SLUMPING

James McDonald, Pittsburgh Pirates (10-4, 3.15 ERA)

There’s no doubt that McDonald is the stud of the Pirates’ pitching staff, but he’s struggled in his last three starts - squandering 15 earned runs in 15 2-3 innings to the Cubs, Rockies and Brewers. He’ll have a chance to rebound against the lowly Astros Sunday.

Jonathan Sanchez, Colorado Rockies (0-1, 11.25 ERA)

A change of scenery hasn’t been enough to change Jonathan Sanchez’s fortunes. In his first start since being acquired by the Rockies, he surrendered five earned runs in just four innings against the Diamondbacks. It’s been a nightmare season for Sanchez and now he has the challenge of pitching at high altitude in his next outing against the high-powered Reds. His last win came against the Angels way back on April 9.

Chad Billingsley vs Barry Zito

Chad Billingsley last 3 starts 4.00 ERA and 1.222 WHIP (last 5 is much worse)



Dodgers are 2-5 in Billingsleys last 7 starts as a favorite.
Dodgers are 2-5 in Billingsleys last 7 starts vs. National League West.
Dodgers are 2-6 in Billingsleys last 8 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Dodgers are 1-4 in Billingsleys last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Dodgers are 1-5 in Billingsleys last 6 starts.
Dodgers are 1-5 in Billingsleys last 6 starts on grass.
Dodgers are 1-7 in Billingsleys last 8 road starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Dodgers are 0-5 in Billingsleys last 5 starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Dodgers are 1-4 in Billingsleys last 5 starts vs. Giants.
Dodgers are 0-5 in Billingsleys last 5 road starts vs. Giants.

Billingsley has less innings pitched but with more hits, runs, earned runs, and walks against him than Zito who has pitched in the same.

Dodgers are third best in the league in times striking out with 7.3 per game.
Dodgers are second best in the league in giving up hits, allowing 7.9 per game.


Barry Zito last 3 starts 3.32 ERA and 1.053 WHIP


Giants are 6-1 in Zitos last 7 starts with 5 days of rest.
Giants are 4-1 in Zitos last 5 starts vs. National League West.
Giants are 7-2 in Zitos last 9 starts as a home underdog.
Giants are 1-4 in Zitos last 5 starts vs. Dodgers.

Giants are second best in K's per game with 6.9.
Giants allow the third least hits in the league at 8.0 per game.

I really think Zito and the Gianrts have the advantage here and i believe the line is off just because Billingsley is getting way too much love. I'm not buying it - Giants is the play.

Kansas City at Seattle 4:10 p.m. EDT

Quick Note: Some questions as to why i play dogs or "tight games". Tight games being games with close lines. Look if you think playing -150 or -170 is giving you better odds of winning you should really re-think your strategy of betting baseball. You play those heavy lines and you wont last long - plus you have to hit a much higher % of winners just to break even. For whatever reason the games i'm putting on my blog are not hitting high % right now but overall my plays have made some nice cash. 62-44-2 and +23.86 units in the last 6 weeks. (Since i started posting on Twitter) That's based on 1 unit. Hopefully i start picking a better game from my card to do write-ups on. Good Luck




A matchup with the slumping Kansas City Royals would appear to give Kevin Millwood just the opportunity he needs to snap a lengthy winless streak. 

The Seattle right-hander, though, will have to square off with Bruce Chen, who has pitched well in his recent games against the Mariners, during Saturday's game at Safeco Field. 

Seattle (45-57) has eight wins in its past 12 games in part because it's gotten plenty of chances to face Kansas City. Since July 15, the Mariners have won five of six against the Royals (41-58). 

John Jaso homered and drove in a season-high four runs in the latest of those wins, 6-1 on Friday. Mike Carp added a solo shot and is 5 for 8 with three RBIs during this series. 

Jaso is batting .345 over his last 21 games and has the best average among Mariners regulars at .288. 

The Royals, meanwhile, have scored a combined two runs in this series and Billy Butler has four of his team's six hits. He had two singles during Kansas City's 19th loss in 25 games and 12th in 15 road contests. 

Millwood (3-8, 4.13 ERA) is hoping to get similar support from the Mariners in this game and earn his first win since May 23. The veteran is 0-4 with a 4.56 ERA over those 10 starts and has received a combined 19 runs of support. 

He took the loss in a 4-1 defeat to the New York Yankees on Monday after allowing three runs over seven innings. 

To end his drought, Millwood will likely need a better performance than in Kansas City on July 18. He gave up seven runs and a season-high 10 hits over five innings during Seattle's 8-7 loss. 

The opposing pitcher for that game was Chen (7-8, 5.54), who surrendered four runs in 5 1-3 innings while not factoring in the decision. The left-hander is 0-2 with a 9.25 ERA over his last five starts but had one of his best performances in that stretch Monday on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing three runs and five hits over 5 1-3 innings. 

Chen is 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA in eight career starts against the Mariners and 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA over three in Seattle. The most recent of those visits was on Aug. 7, 2010. 

Millwood is 0-2 with a 5.16 ERA in his last five matchups with Kansas City. 


Royals are 4-9 in their last 13 games following a loss.
Royals are 7-19 in their last 26 overall.

Royals are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Royals are 1-4 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Royals are 1-5 in their last 6 vs. American League West.
Royals are 1-5 in their last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.

Royals are 1-7 in their last 8 road games.

Royals are 1-7 in their last 8 games as a road underdog.

Royals are 0-6 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing record.

Royals are 2-5 in Chens last 7 starts vs. American League West.
Royals are 1-4 in Chens last 5 starts.
Royals are 1-5 in Chens last 6 road starts.
Royals are 1-5 in Chens last 6 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Royals are 0-6 in Chens last 6 starts as an underdog.
Royals are 0-5 in Chens last 5 starts as a road underdog.

Mariners are 4-0 in their last 4 games as a favorite.
Mariners are 5-1 in their last 6 games as a home favorite.
Mariners are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. American League Central.
Mariners are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. a team with a losing record.
Mariners are 5-1 in their last 6 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Mariners are 5-2 in their last 7 overall.
Mariners are 1-4 in Millwoods last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.
Mariners are 0-6 in Millwoods last 6 starts.


Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings in Seattle.
Royals are 4-0 in Chens last 4 starts vs. Mariners.
Royals are 2-5 in the last 7 meetings in Seattle.
Royals are 1-5 in the last 6 meetings.

Under is 5-0 in last 5 games with Jordan Baker behind home plate.
Home team is 4-1 in Jordan Bakers last 5 games behind home plate.

Millwood is the weak link here even though he's actually a descent pitcher. The best thing Seattle has for them right now is the fact they are hitting better plus they're at home. Millwood has a great shot today at redemption and i believe he will take it. Chen on the other hand has been a little worse than Millwood, as per the numbers. He's also getting no run support from his team which make a win even more unlikely. The better team is Seattle here so today we take them at home to win against the weary no-scoring boys from Kansas City. I'm also playing a little on the RL -1½+180....this has cashed the last 2 games. 


SEA MARINERS -105

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Saturday's betting notes

Weather watch

Thunderstorms are threatening baseball’s greatest rivalry with a 54 percent chance of rain for Yankee Stadium when the Red Sox visit the Bronx Bombers this afternoon.

Who’s hot?

Cincinnati Reds – Even without slugger Joey Votto in the lineup, the Reds have won eight in a row and head into Saturday’s showdown with the Colorado Rockies at -157 road chalk.

Who’s not?

Houston Astros – If you’re still banking on the Astros to turn it around, perhaps you should try another hobby other than sports betting. Houston has lost 11 in a row heading into Saturday’s dust-up against the Pirates.

Key stat

.395 - Los Angeles 1B Albert Pujols is hitting .395 (17-for-43) with 11 RBIs over his last 11 games. The Angels are 6-4-1 over/under in that span.

Game of the day

Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (-179, 9)

Injury not to be overlooked

Josh Reddick, Oakland A’s – The Athletics right fielder suffered a contusion after colliding with the outfield wall while making a game-ending catch in Friday’s win over Baltimore. He was carted off the field and is listed as day-to-day. Reddick has been a sparkplug for the A’s incredible July run, batting .271 with a team-high 22 home runs and 49 RBIs this year.

Notable quotable

"We understand what they did for our game, but we also are big-time competitors as well so if we had the opportunity to play them in a game, we feel like we would win too.” – U.S.A. forward LeBron James, talking about the 1992 U.S.A. Olympic “Dream Team”.

News and notes

-- Olympic planners are frantically trying to use air conditioners to cool the pool complex down which has had temperatures climb to as high as 85 degrees. Coaches and swimmers are complaining about the heat and a warning has been sent to those fans holding tickets for swimming events. The much-hyped 400-meter individual medley is being held at the complex Saturday, featuring the showdown between Americans Michael Phelps (+125) and Ryan Lochte (-120). Phelps barely qualified for the eighth spot in tonight’s gold-medal final.

-- The Yankees have hit 19 homers and outscored the Red Sox 59-35 this season. The AL East rivals have combined for a 5-2 over/under mark in their seven meetings, including Friday’s 10-3 Yankees win that topped the 10-run total.

-- San Francisco has scored at least three runs in 12 of its 13 games since the All-Star break. The Giants are 9-4 with a 7-6 over/under record in that span.

-- The Pirates continue to kill the ball on the road. They’ve hit at least one home run in 17 straight away contests and own a 26-21-3 over/under mark on the road this season.

-- Heading into this weekend’s Crown Royal 400, Chevrolet has a nine-race win streak at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that began in 2003 – the longest current manufacturer streak at any track on the Sprint Cup schedule. Race favorites Jimmy Johnson (+600) and Tony Stewart (+800) both drive Chevys.

Options dwindling for Rangers

With the division rival Los Angeles Angels acquiring right-hander Zack GreinkeFriday, the options for the two-time defending American League champs is down to a chosen few. With Colby Lewis out for the year, Derek Hollandstruggling to grab hold of the No. 2 spot in the rotation and Roy Oswaltbattling back issues, the Rangers appear to be the contender with the greatest need.

Greinke joins Cole Hamels as two impact starting pitchers now off the market, leaving the likes of Josh Johnson and James Shields as the top two remaining -- if the Rays are even up for dealing Shields. Shields' struggles may put the club in a position where they would be selling low, and GM Andrew Friedman can always trade Shields this time next year.

The asking price for Johnson appears set much higher than Greinke, who fetched the Brewers shortstop prospect Jean Segura and two Double-A starting pitching prospects -- John Hellweg and Ariel Pena -- and rightfully so, as Johnson is not set to hit the free agent market until after 2013 whereas Greinke's contract expires after this season.

The Rangers could hold out hope that the Phillies are willing to trade Cliff Lee, but indications earlier this week suggested that the club had no intention of trading the lefty. Matt Garza, one of two Cubs right-hander on the block, is unlikely to be moved after injuring his triceps and having his next start pushed back until at least late next week -- after the trade deadline.

Yankees in 3B market now?

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is on the disabled list with a broken bone in his wrist after being struck by a pitch from Felix HernandezTuesday night in Seattle.

The injury will sideline Rodriguez for six to eight weeks, forcing manager Joe Girardi turn to Eric Chavez and Jayson Nix to fill in at third. But is there a replacement to be traded for?

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweeted Wednesday that the Yankees and Padres had not yet talked about Chase Headley, but that such a conversation will be taking place soon.

After Chavez, who has a steep injury history as it is, was hit by a pitch Friday versus Boston, the veteran stiffened up, Girardi told the media.

If the Yankees were to land Headley, he'd likely man third base through this season and next year, he'd either move to left field or stay at third base while the Yankees move Rodriguez to more a full-time DH role.

CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, though, writes that the price is too high for Headley, since the Yanks are looking more for a temporary fill-in who can platoon with Chavez and Nix. Heyman mentions Ty Wigginton as a possibility.

Saturday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Streaking

Jordan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals (7-6, 2.31 ERA)
There hasn’t been a more consistent starter in the month of July than Zimmerman. He hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in each of his last six starts and boasts a ridiculous 0.87 ERA for the month. It’s hard to believe he won’t continue to dominate in his next outing against the ice-cold Brewers. 

Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds (12-5, 2.23 ERA)

Cueto has the lowest ERA in the NL and has picked up wins in each of his last three starts. At this point in the season, Cueto has to be considered as one of the frontrunners for the NL Cy Young Award. He has a chance to continue that momentum against the struggling Rockies.

Slumping

Henderson Alvarez, Toronto Blue Jays (6-7, 4.61 ERA) 

With fireballer Brandon Morrow on the mend, Alvarez could get the boot from the rotation if he doesn’t have a strong outing against the Tigers. Alvarez allowed seven runs on eight hits over 5 2-3 innings pitched in his last start against Boston, but somehow walked away with the victory thanks to a disgraceful performance from the Red Sox pitching staff. He’s allowed 14 earned runs in just 17 innings in July.

Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox (5-8, 5.46 ERA)

Lester’s last three starts have been an absolute disaster. The lefty got booed off the mound at Fenway Park after the Blue Jays roughed him up for 11 runs in just four innings Sunday. His previous two starts against the White Sox and Yankees were equally as dreadful. Add up Lester’s July numbers and the results are staggering. Hold your breath - 22 earned runs and a 10.42 ERA in just 17 innings pitched.

Washington at Milwaukee 8:10 p.m. EDT

A red-hot offense has sparked the Washington Nationals' latest surge, propelling the club 20 games over .500 for the first time since 1994. 

Although runs could be hard to come by against the Milwaukee Brewers' Mike Fiers, their winning streak seems safe. 

The NL East-leading Nationals seek a seventh straight victory Friday against Fiers, who owns baseball's best ERA over the last six weeks with little to show for it. 

Washington (59-39) won Thursday's opener 8-2 to snap an eight-game losing streak at Miller Park and match its longest winning streak of the season. The Nationals are tied with the New York Yankees for baseball's best record and have a five-game lead over Atlanta in the division. 

The Nationals, who won eight in a row last June, are averaging 6.7 runs during their current winning streak with Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse leading the way. 

LaRoche has homered in three straight games and is batting .421 with six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak, while Morse, who drove in two runs in the opener, is hitting .364 with two homers and five RBIs in his last five. 

Fiers (3-4, 1.96 ERA), who in seven games - six starts - since July 16, has a major league-best 0.76 ERA. He gave up two runs and five hits in six innings against Cincinnati on Sunday. 

Despite recording his sixth consecutive quality start, the rookie right-hander was saddled with a 2-1 loss, leaving him with a 2-2 record in those games. The Brewers have scored one run or less in three straight and four of his last five starts. 

While the Nationals are racing toward the franchise's first playoff berth since 1981, defending NL Central champion Milwaukee (44-54) has lost a season-high seven straight and is 14 games behind first-place Cincinnati. 

The Brewers, who are almost certainly going to deal ace Zack Greinke before Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline, are trying to avoid their longest losing streak since a nine-game slide from May 10-19, 2010. 

Thursday's defeat dropped Milwaukee to 26-24 at Miller Park, matching last season's loss total there. The Brewers had a major league-best 57 home wins in 2011. The Nationals, meanwhile, currently own the majors' best road record at 31-20. 

Even Ryan Braun hasn't been immune to Milwaukee's struggles at Miller Park, batting .118 with one RBI in his last five games there. The reigning league MVP is, however, hitting .421 with five homers in his last 19 at-bats against left-handers, and he'll be facing one Friday in Ross Detwiler (5-3, 3.01). 

Detwiler allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings in Sunday's 9-2 win over Atlanta, his first victory as a starter since May 3. Although he hadn't picked up a win in nine starts, he also hasn't lost in his last six. The Nationals have won his last four outings, and he has a 0.64 ERA in his last two. 

In his only appearance against the Brewers on July 25, 2010, Detwiler allowed five unearned runs in 3 2-3 innings. 



Nationals are 7-0 in their last 7 games as an underdog.
Nationals are 4-0 in their last 4 road games.
Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 games following a win.
Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 games as a road underdog.

Nationals are 6-0 in their last 6 overall.
Nationals are 6-0 in their last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.

Nationals are 5-0 in Detwilers last 5 road starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Nationals are 4-0 in Detwilers last 4 starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Nationals are 4-0 in Detwilers last 4 starts.

Brewers are 4-1 in their last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter.

Brewers are 0-6 in their last 6 vs. National League East.
Brewers are 0-6 in their last 6 games following a loss.
Brewers are 0-4 in their last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Brewers are 0-7 in their last 7 overall.
Brewers are 0-8 in their last 8 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Brewers are 1-4 in Fiers' last 5 home starts.
Brewers are 1-4 in Fiers' last 5 starts.


While i do believe Fiers is a good pitcher i also believe Washington is on fire right now and it would be crazy not to take them as a dog in this fight. The Brewers bats are not what they once were which mean they aren't scoring while the Nationals are. This one seems easy to me. Take the Nationals +125 and sit back and watch a good game. Shop around for that line. 5Dimes and a couple more still have it. Also - Consider the ALT RL here at -1½+180.


WAS NATIONALS +125

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