7-23-10

[spook]

NEW GUYS! LURKERS!

Dont be afraid to post services if you come across them. Your posts will be appreciated for sure.

Just put them in the appropriate section (regular go here).

good luck!!( lets make some money)

post'em if you got'em gl

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

Baseball Crusher 7/23

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SD (-120) over PIT

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

Streaking and Slumping Pitchers

Streaking

Jason Vargas (6-4, 2.97 ERA), Seattle Mariners

The best season in an otherwise forgettable career for Jason Vargas has been a wonderful surprise for Seattle backers. The southpaw hurler struck out nine, walked one and allowed one run in 7.2 innings of work against the Angels last week.

"I had pretty good control of the changeup and I was able to get ahead with it and with my fastball. So there's definitely more potential for me to strike more people out," Vargas told the Associated Press after the masterful performance. "But wins are the most important thing."

The M’s don’t win a lot of games even with Vargas on the hill, but bettors should look at the total. The under is 6-0 in Vargas’ last six starts.

Randy Wells (4-7, 4.33 ERA), Chicago Cubs

Wells, who’s probably best suited as a spot starter in the bigs, is holding the line in the Cubs’ starting rotation. The 27-year-old righty owns a 1.66 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP (walks + hits per inning) in the month of July and has given the Cubs four straight quality starts.

Wells, like Vargas, hasn’t gotten much run support from his teammates. It’s no surprise to see the Cubs are 1-4 in his last five appearances while the under is 4-1.


Slumping

A.J. Burnett (7-8, 4.99 ERA), New York Yankees

It’s been a season to forget for this Yankee righthander. Burnett pieced together two respectable outings after a miserable month of June, but got back to his losing ways in his latest start.

He gave up four runs in two innings of work and had to leave the game early because of cuts on his hand. He cut up his hands after slapping a clubhouse door in between innings.

That injury might have been for the best because Burnett has been terrible this campaign.


Returning

Josh Beckett (1-1, 7.29 ERA), Boston Red Sox

The former Boston ace returns to action after a two-month stint on the disabled list. He last pitched on May 18, when he gave up five runs and three walks in 4.2 innings.

He’s had two simulated starts and two rehab outings in Pawtucket, but it wasn’t until his bullpen session last weekend that Beckett looked comfortable after going down with a sore back.

“No physical ailments, no physical restrictions,” Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell told NESN. “It’s just a matter of commanding all of his stuff and making all the adjustments that any pitcher does from pitch to pitch.”

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets

Tampa Bay Rays at Cleveland Indians (+130, 8)

Rays manager Joe Maddon is about as quirky as they come. He’s shaved his head in a Mohawk-style and wears a hoodie over his uniform. Maddon’s unorthodox methods carry over onto the field as well.

Tampa Bay’s lineup card is in a constant state of change under Maddon. This year, the Rays have had six different players in the leadoff spot, five cleanup batters, 10 hitters in the No. 5 position and 12 in the six-hole. The No. 2 spot in the order, occupied by Carl Crawford, is the only position that’s remained untouched all season.

You see, Maddon goes new school when setting his lineup each night. He gets on his computer every morning (does Bobby Cox even know how to use one?) and uses advanced statistics to formulate his lineup.

"There's so much ready information now that was not available a couple years ago," Maddon said. "Being able to look over information like I'm able to now and have it be so involved and accurate, it gives you a little more confidence when doing these types of things."

Since Tampa Bay is 20 games over .500 and leading the Wild Card race, no one is about to question Maddon’s managing tactics. The Rays have the fourth-worst batting average in baseball but somehow hold the second-best run differential at +112.

Tampa is 4-0 in Jeff Niemann’s last four outings and 9-0 in his road starts this season. You know the mad man Maddon is going to construct the appropriate lineup and this is an affordable price to back the Rays against a lower-tiered team.

Pick: Rays


Toronto Blue Jays at Detroit Tigers (-120, 9)

The Tigers lost third baseman Brandon Inge at possibly the worst possible time. Trailing Chicago by two games in the AL Central with Minnesota in the rear view mirror, Detroit will have to manage without its clubhouse leader and elder statesman.

But it’s a good thing the Tigers have the MVP frontrunner – Miguel Cabrera. The 6-4, 240-pound Venezuelan is one of a few players in baseball who can single-handedly put a team on his back, and he might have to.

"He's one of the best players in the game, and at some point he'll probably go down as one of the best to ever play the game if he keeps his health," manager Jim Leyland said. "You don't find guys that have that kind of power and that kind of elasticity in their swings. When he's locked in, he's as good as it gets."

Cabrera is 9-for-17 over his last four games with a pair of bombs and six RBIs. His go-ahead double on Thursday proved to be the game winner and the Tigers have now won two straight after losing seven in a row.

The Jays might have the pitching edge in this game but look for Cabrera to spark Detroit’s offense while earning a third straight win to stay in the thick of the division race.

Pick: Tigers

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets

New York Liberty at Chicago Sky (-4, 149.5)

The Liberty are off to a strong start in the second half of the WNBA schedule.

New York has won three of its last four games since the All-Star break, starting with a win over the Chicago Sky back on July 11. The Liberty's most recent victory was a 82-74 overtime win against the Connecticut Sun, covering as 6-point road underdogs in their second straight overtime affair.

“This was a huge win for us," New York coach Anne Donovan told reporters following Tuesday's win. "We just came off of an overtime game against Indiana that we didn't finish. Considering how they finished regulation, and Montgomery and (Tan) White just playing strong, it was great to see us regroup and really take over in overtime."

New York's winning ways have improved it to 10-10 on the year, going 10-9-1 against the spread. Liberty bettors can thank the team's defense for these recent paydays. New York, which allows almost 77 points per game on the season, is giving up an average of just 66.5 points in regulation over the last four contests.

The last time the Liberty faced the Sky, they allowed only 54 points on 33 percent shooting, taking a 57-54 win and pushing with the 3-point spread.

Pick: New York

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

WNBA NEWS AND NOTES
WNBA Match-Up Consensus-Team Experts

New York vs. Chicago - Friday, July 23, 2010

* Team Experts
* All Players

[New York] 85.71% VS. 14.29% [Chicago]
Number of expert picks for this game #
Expert Picks for New York 6
Expert Picks for Chicago 1
Expert Picks for the Over 3
Expert Picks for the Under 4
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[New York] 46.06% VS. 53.94% [Chicago]

Consensus on ATS
Visitor Wagers Line Home Wagers Line
New York 99 +4.5 Chicago 121 -4.5
New York 12 +4 Chicago 9 -4
New York 111 Chicago 130

Consensus on Over/Under
Over Wagers Total Under Wagers
89 148 82
4 148.5 2
26 149.5 9
119 93

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

CFL NEWS AND NOTES
CFL Betting Preview - BC Lions Travel To Face Toronto Argonauts

The BC Lions head to Rogers Centre in Toronto on Friday with two straight losses on their ledger while the Argonauts are looking to extend their two-game winning streak.

The 2010 CFL betting season continues on Friday night with a duel at Rogers Centre between the Toronto Argonauts and the BC Lions.

The Argos are hoping to keep the train rolling following two straight victories, while the Lions are trying to wipe away the taste of defeat in two straight weeks as well.

BC LionsWith the road team playing so poorly and the home team having already exceeded most expectations for the 2010 campaign, the oddsmakers have come up with a puzzling line of BC -1½ and a 'total' of 47 in this one.

The offense for the Lions has been quite embarrassing so far this season, scoring just 55 total points in three games. Only the Edmonton Eskimos (53) have scored less. On the bright side, BC does have the top scoring defense in the CFL at just 21.0 PPG allowed. The Leos can also rest easier knowing that they are undefeated this year on the road having won at Edmonton in Week 1, while they are still winless in their new temporary home at Empire Field (0-2).

Change could be on its way at the quarterback position for head coach Wally Buono. The legendary CFL coach has to be unhappy with the way Casey Printers has handled the starting job this year. He ranks seventh amongst eight CFL starting quarterbacks in completions (50) and passing yards (591). His two TD passes is third fewest in the league, while his QB rating of 75.5 is pathetically low.

Jackson is also nursing injuries to his knee and elbow, which could put Travis Lulay under center. Another possibility is Jarious Jackson, who has been held out of action all season due to offseason shoulder surgery.

If the rushing game performs as it did last week, the Lions are in a heck of a lot of trouble. Running back Jamal Robertson, a man which Buono speaks highly of, only rushed for four yards on six carries and fumbled twice against the Alouettes. It was all part of a disappointing game on the ground for BC, which mustered just seven yards on nine carries.

For the Argos, the numbers aren't overly pretty, but they're on the right side of .500 now, something that no one would have predicted even three games into the season. Toronto was tabbed by the oddsmakers to win just 4.5 games this season.

The Boatmen might be winning games, but it certainly isn't happening due to the play of the quarterback position. The Cleo Lemon experiment probably needs to come to a close. The offense has still only scored four majors all season long, just one of which has come through the air. Lemon is only completing 56.3 percent of his passes, is averaging 180.3 passing YPG, and has a 69.2 QB rating. All three numbers are worst in the CFL amongst starting quarterbacks.

Ironically, if you add up the numbers, Toronto has accounted for over double the points on special teams and defense (55) than it has on offense (24). A scoring average of 26.3 PPG might be tied with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for worst in the East Division, but only the Saskatchewan Roughriders out West have a better mean points per game mark.

The one superstar for Toronto this season has been RB Cory Boyd. No one in the CFL has carried the ball more times than Boyd, as he has toted the rock 47 times. His 283 rushing yards ranks second in the CFL, and there is no shame in averaging 6.0 YPC.

Last season, the Lions swept this series, winning 23-17 at home and 36-28 at Rogers Centre. They have won five straight visits to Toronto, going 3-2 ATS in that stretch. BC has scored at least 24 points in all of those games, while the Double Blue have only met that point total once in five tries. Needless to say, four of the five stayed 'under' the 'total.'

The Argonauts might be just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a losing record, but BC is only 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games played in the month of July.

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

CANADIAN BACON

Today's Best CFL Bets

B.C. Lions at Toronto Argonauts (+2, 47)

The Lion may have to play the Argos without starting quarterback Casey Printers, who is fighting through a sore knee. He will be a last-minute decision Friday, according to head coach Wally Buono.

If backup Travis Lulay starts the game under centre, the Argonauts could give their fans another reason to hope for better days to come. Jarious Jackson, who had shoulder surgery in February, could also be called upon to play against Toronto.

On the bright side for B.C., defensive lineman Keron Williams, who sat out for the last two games, has been deemed fit enough to play against the Argos. That may not be enough in Toronto Friday.

Pick: Toronto Argonauts

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

AFL NEWS AND NOTES
Arena Football On The NFL Network: Rush At Shock

Chicago Rush at Spokane Shock (-10)

The NFL Network features two of the top teams in the league Friday as the Chicago Rush (10-5 SU, 8-7 ATS) head west to take on the Spokane Shock (12-2 SU, 8-6 ATS) in what could be a potential first round playoff preview.

Rush Of Injuries

The spread indicates these are not evenly-matched teams but there are few factors behind the double-digit number.

The Rush have hobbled through the second half of the season and it finally caught up with them Saturday. The team lost starting quarterback Russ Michna in the first quarter of a 65-52 loss to Dallas. Michna sustained a broken rib and will miss the remainder of the season.

Dallas came into that contest on a 10-game slide and pulled off the improbable victory as 16-point underdogs. And Michna wasn’t the only Chicago casualty from the game.

Kenny Higgins, the team’s No. 3 wideout, was poised to make his first start since coming off injured reserve last week but suffered a setback to his foot during pregame warm-ups. He will not return this year and starting offensive lineman Shawn McMackin endured the same fate after he dislocated his kneecap in the first half.

“It seems like we’ve been hit with an extraordinary amount of injuries this year,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “While I know these players are devastated by the fact that they are out for the year, we cannot let their injuries be devastating to the team.”

What’s even more detrimental about McMackin’s injury is that he had just moved over from the O-line to fullback to replace Robert Boss, who recently left the team to coach at his alma mater.

Chicago lost its leading receiver three weeks ago because he was under contract with the UFL and the team’s No. 2 wideout has been on injured reserve since Week 9 but is expected to return this week.

Water Into Wine

While this rash of injuries will undoubtedly hurt Chicago, the team overcame adversity in a similar situation earlier this season and can’t be counted out of any game.

The Rush were forced to play without Michna and their three starting wideouts five weeks ago in a home game versus Milwaukee. Chicago opened as a 1-point underdog in that contest but as news surfaced about the absence of key players the spread moved to double digits by kickoff.

Hohensee and his makeshift lineup found a way to pull off the miracle, winning the game 63-56. And this wasn’t a win against a league bottom-feeder but instead a powerful and playoff-bound Milwaukee squad.

Hohensee called it “one of the most rewarding victories” in his career. Backup quarterback JJ Raternik completed 26-of-37 passes for 296 yards and five touchdowns.

Raternik replaced Michna Saturday and performed flawlessly save for one game-ending mistake. After Dallas scored on the opening possession of overtime, Chicago drove down to the four-yard line to answer but Raternik’s pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

"He has a great deal of confidence," Hohensee said of Raternik. "I just hope that (last pass) didn't ruin it all."

Cruise Control

With the best record in the AFL, the Shock have secured home-field advantage throughout the National Conference playoffs and need one more win to host the ArenaBowl championship, should they reach it.

“My guys aren’t satisfied,” said head coach Rob Keefe. “I honestly believe that’s the mark of a champion – the never-satisfied attitude.”

Keefe is also cognizant that the AFL is a stepping stone for his players to reach the pinnacle of professional football. Playing on the NFL Network provides a platform for his players to be seen by a national audience that will include NFL scouts. The coach also doesn’t want to lose the momentum of a 10-game winning streak (7-3 ATS).

“I think it’s my responsibility to get the players seen,” head coach Rob Keefe said. “I’m going to put the best on the field every week. Somebody asked me the other day, ‘Do you want to lose before the playoffs?’ No, I think you want to win at everything you do all the time.”

Go West

The Shock have the most decisive home-field edge when hosting an arena game in Eastern Washington. Utah is the only AFL team within 1,300 miles of Spokane so travel plans become precarious when visiting the Northwest.

Chicago will be on a short week having played last Saturday, and only had three days of practice before flying out on Thursday. The injuries, as well as the 1,500-mile excursion, could take a toll on the Rush.

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

Baseball Crusher

SD (-120) over PIT

[spook]

Re: 7-23-10

hello to all,

guys got called out to work today so if someone could step up and post some service plays it will be very appreciated thanks and bol....spook..

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 7-23-10

Sal Devito

10* Milwaukee Brewers - Listing Narveson (will pitch a gem)

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 7-23-10

KIKI SPORTS

Friday July 23rd

1 unit Florida +105
2 units KC/NY Yanks OVER 10.5
1 unit Boston -1.5 +135

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 7-23-10

Fantasy Sports Gametime


Friday Baseball

Play New York Yankees (-230) over Kansas City
Game starts at 7:10 PM EST



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Play Philadelphia (-200) over Colorado
Game starts at 7:00 PM EST



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Play Texas (-190) over LA Angels
Game starts at 8:10 PM EST


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Canadian Football

Play British Columbia (-2) over Toronto
Game starts at 7:30 PM EST

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 7-23-10

Totals 4 U

###Today###
Top Play (Super Total)
NYY UNDER 10-

Regular Plays
Atl OVER 8-
SF UNDER 9
Minn UNDER 9
Tx UNDER 9-