Thursday's Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers
By Covers.com
STREAKING
Mike Minor, Atlanta Braves (6-7, 5.18 ERA)
Minor allowed one run over eight innings and was the winning pitcher Saturday against the Phillies. He has strung together four great starts in a row and has allowed just six earned runs over 27 1/3 innings. Minor's ERA has plummeted from 6.20 to 5.18 during that span. He takes the hill against Miami in his next start.
Samuel Deduno, Minnesota Twins (2-0, 2.13 ERA)
Deduno allowed one run over seven innings and was the winner Saturday against the Indians. In his four starts this season, the rookie has pitched a total of 23 innings and surrendered eight earned runs during that stretch.
"Some will cut, some will sink," Twins catcher Joe Mauer said after Saturday’s win. "But if it's not easy to catch, it's probably tougher to hit, too."
The righty looks for a third straight win in his next outing at Fenway Park against the Red Sox.
SLUMPING
Christian Friedrich, Colorado Rockies (5-8, 6.17 ERA)
Friedrich allowed seven runs (all earned) over 4 1/3 innings and was the losing pitcher Saturday against the Reds. He was hammered for three homers in the defeat and saw his season ERA balloon to 6.17. The lefty has taken the loss in seven of his last 10 starts and will square off against the Cardinals at Coors Field on Thursday.
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox (5-8, 5.49 ERA)
Lester gave up four runs over six innings and did not factor in the decision Saturday against the Yankees. The lefty was also roughed up in his previous two outings, allowing 17 earned runs over eight innings. His 9.36 ERA in July is a major reason why the Red Sox find themselves well behind in the AL playoff race. He draws the Twins in his next start.
Thursday Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
The Thursday baseball card showcases nine contests, including seven at night. We'll take a look at four of the bigger games, including the Athletics looking to stay red-hot at home against the struggling Blue Jays. The night begins in Washington with the first and last place teams hooking up inside the NL East.
Phillies at Nationals
Philadelphia dumped a pair of outfielders prior to Tuesday's trade deadline by sending Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence to the NL West. However, the Phillies rebounded from a three-game sweep at Atlanta to blank Washington in the series opener, 8-0 as $1.25 road underdogs. The Nationals still own the top spot in the NL East, but the Braves are lurking by sitting just 2½ games back heading into Wednesday.
Cliff Lee dominated the Nationals in the opener, as another southpaw ace takes the mound on Thursday for the Phillies. Cole Hamels (11-5, 3.31 ERA) tries to rebound from a poor outing at Atlanta, just days after signing a six-year extension to remain in Philadelphia. Hamels allowed five runs (three earned) and walked six in five innings of a 6-1 loss. The Phillies aren't cashing when Hamels takes the mound of late, dropping five of his past six starts. In two starts against the Nationals this season, Hamels has beaten Washington each time, including a 9-3 victory as a short road favorite in early May.
The Nationals counter with Ross Detwiler (5-4, 3.24 ERA), who was knocked around in his last start at Milwaukee. The left-hander couldn't escape the fifth inning as the Brewers jumped out to a 4-0 lead, en route to a 6-0 victory. Detwiler received no help from his offense, which pounded out just four hits in Washington's first loss with him on the mound in his last five starts. The Nationals have cashed the 'over' in five straight home outings by Detwiler, as the Washington offense has scored at least five runs in each of those contests.
Twins at Red Sox
The last time these two teams hooked up at Target Field in April, Boston pulled out the broom and swept Minnesota in a three-game set. The Twins have come back to life following a slow start to the season, but Ron Gardenhire's club owns an 8-10 record since the All-Star break. The Red Sox have struggled to find consistency, even though Boston is coming off series victories over New York and Detroit this week.
One of the biggest mysteries coming out of Boston this season is the struggles of Jon Lester (5-8, 5.49 ERA). The southpaw has failed to put together a quality start in five of his last six outings, in spite of the Red Sox pulling out an 8-6 triumph in his last trip to the mound against the Yankees as $1.55 road underdogs. In this stretch, the 'over' has cashed five times, including four times at Fenway Park. Lester has by far been the biggest "money-burner" at home by losing 11.36 units in 12 starts at Fenway this season.
The Twins go for their fourth consecutive victory with Samuel Deduno (2-0, 3.13 ERA) on the mound, as the 29-year old from the Dominican Republic makes his third road start. Deduno is coming off back-to-back victories over the Royals and Indians, while allowing one earned run in each win. Minnesota is riding a healthy 'over' streak, by hitting in eight of the past 10 games, including five straight on the road.
Angels at Rangers
The race inside the AL West is tightening up as Los Angeles has captured four of the last five meetings with Texas. The lead has been trimmed to three games after the Halos dumped the Rangers in consecutive contests to start this crucial four-game set in Arlington. Ron Washington's team is just 3-6 the last nine games, including five losses at Rangers Ballpark.
The Rangers turn to newly acquired Ryan Dempster (5-5, 2.25 ERA), who was traded from the Cubs on Tuesday for the pennant push. Dempster has never pitched in Arlington in his career, while never facing the Angels in interleague play. The right-hander is coming off consecutive road losses at Pittsburgh and St. Louis as Dempster's name swirled around trade rumors to Atlanta or Los Angeles. In spite of the change in leagues, Dempster cashed the 'under' in his final five starts with the Cubs, while not allowing a run in five outings from June through mid-July.
A former Ranger gets the call on the Los Angeles side as C.J. Wilson (9-7. 2.88 ERA) is winless in his last six starts. The southpaw is fresh off quality starts in 12 of his last 14 appearances, including six scoreless against the Rangers in early June. Wilson didn't face Texas in the teams' last series in Southern California in late July, as the Rangers are 7-2 in his previous nine road outings.
Blue Jays at Athletics
Oakland is red-hot at the moment, winning 19 of 24 games in July to creep near the top of the AL Wild Card race. Toronto has gone backwards since winning six of eight games, as the Blue Jays dropped the opening two contests at Seattle. The Jays are short-handed offensively with Jose Bautista, J.P. Arrencibia, and Adam Lind all sitting on the disabled list.
The last time these teams met at Rogers Centre, the A's grabbed two of three matchups, including a 16-0 drubbing of Toronto in the second game of the series. Bartolo Colon (7-8, 3.78 ERA) didn't face the Jays in that series, as the veteran goes for his second win in the last seven trips to the mound. The A's are 7-2 to the 'under' in Colon's previous nine starts, while going 4-2 in his last six outings at O.Co Coliseum.
Oakland owns a 16-3 record the last 19 home contests against right-handed starting pitchers, which includes a loss in Game 2 of its previous series to James Shields and Tampa Bay. Henderson Alvarez (7-7, 4.43 ERA) is coming off back-to-back underdog wins over Detroit and Boston, while silencing the potent Tigers' offense in a 5-1 triumph last Saturday. The Jays have won three of Alvarez's four starts against AL West opponents this season, with the lone loss coming in extra-innings at Texas.
MLB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
LA Angels at Texas Ragers
Losing 15-8 to the Angels in the opener, dumped 6-2 on Tuesday the Rangers rallied to defeat LAA 11-10 Wednesday and will enter the finale of this four-game set leading the 2nd-place Halos by 4.0 games. Rangers try to extend the lead over their division rival handing the ball to newly acquired Ryan Dempster pitching against the Angels for the first time in his career. Dempster is 5-6 with a 3.50 ERA in his last 14 starts against AL teams in Interleague Play. Halos looking to win this crucial series and inch closer in the A.L. West turn to X-Ranger C.J. Wilson. The left-hander winless in six July (0-3, 2-4 TSR) starts suffered a loss against the Rays in Anaheim on Saturday despite giving up just two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. Wilson is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings against his former team. However, Wilson pitching better on the road (6-3, 2.70 ERA) than at home (3-4, 3.12 ERA) could ambush Texas. Keep in mind, Rangers are on a 1-6 slide vs a left-hander starter, Halos are a sparkling 8-0 handing the ball to Wilson following a team loss the previous night, 7-2 in the hurler's last 9 road starts.
Hot pitchers
-- Cueto is 4-0, 2.92 in his last four starts.
-- Detwiler is 1-1, 2.89 in his last three starts.
-- Eovaldi is 2-1, 2.62 in his last four starts.
-- Minor is 3-1, 3.06 in his last five.
-- Lynn is 3-0, 2.55 in his last four starts.
-- Deduno is 3-0, 3.06 in his last three starts.
-- Dempster was 5-2, 1.40 in his last seven starts for the Cubs.
-- Colon is 1-1, 2.91 in his last five starts.
Cold pitchers
-- Ohlendorf is 1-1, 5.00 in five starts for San Diego.
-- Young is 0-4, 6.00 in his last five starts. Zito is 0-1, 5.11 in his last two.
-- Hamels is 1-2, 4.67 in his last five starts.
-- Colorado lost White's last four starts (0-3, 9.37).
-- Lester is 0-3, 12.76 in his last four starts.
-- Wilson is 0-3, 4.86 in his last five starts.
-- BChen is 0-3, 8.31 in his last six starts.
-- Kluber is making his first big league start here; he is 11-7, 3.59 in 21 AAA starts this year. He allowed four runs in 4.1 IP in three big league relief stints LY.
-- Alvarez has a 5.93 RA in his last seven starts.
Hot Teams
-- Reds won 12 of their last 13 games.
-- Mets won three of their last four games.
-- Washington won eight of its last eleven games.
-- Phillies won six of nine.
-- Braves won ten of their last thirteen home games.
-- Cardinals won nine of their last twelve games.
-- Red Sox won four of their last five games.
-- Minnesota won four of six.
Cold Teams
-- Padres lost four of their last five games.
-- Giants lost six of their last seven games.
-- Marlins lost ten of their last fourteen games.
-- Rockies lost nine of their last ten games.
-- Rangers lost eight of their last 13 games.
-- Angels are 4-8 in last 12 on road.
-- Kansas City lost five of its last seven games.
-- Indians lost last five games, outscored 41-11
-- Toronto lost nine of its last 15 games.
-- Oakland lost three of four.
Totals
-- 13 of last 18 San Diego games went over the total.
-- Over is 15-9-2 in Mets' last 26 games
-- Eight of last twelve Philly games went over the total.
-- Ten of last fourteen Miami games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Colorado games went over the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Minnesota games went over the total.
-- 19 of last 26 Texas games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-3-1 in last eleven Cleveland games.
-- Over is 6-3-1 in last ten Toronto games.
Armadillosports.com
SAN DIEGO (44 - 62) at CINCINNATI (63 - 41) - 12:35 PM
ROSS OHLENDORF (R) vs. JOHNNY CUETO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 13-29 (-13.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CINCINNATI is 63-41 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 25-11 (+13.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
CINCINNATI is 63-41 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 44-29 (+10.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CINCINNATI is 138-89 (+24.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 16-4 (+10.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
CUETO is 31-14 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CUETO is 10-0 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
CUETO is 31-13 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 38-28 (+16.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 47-45 (+12.7 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 75-72 (+23.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 300-324 (-72.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 5-2 (+2.2 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)
ROSS OHLENDORF vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
OHLENDORF is 1-3 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.33 and a WHIP of 1.667.
His team's record is 2-3 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.2 units)
JOHNNY CUETO vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
CUETO is 1-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 6.35 and a WHIP of 1.544.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.0 units)
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NY METS (51 - 54) at SAN FRANCISCO (56 - 48) - 3:45 PM
CHRIS YOUNG (R) vs. BARRY ZITO (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 24-17 (+10.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 68-66 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 9-1 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday this season.
NY METS are 24-20 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 64-64 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 11-19 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 96-96 (-18.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 4-3 (-0.3 Units) against NY METS this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)
CHRIS YOUNG vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
YOUNG is 3-4 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.03 and a WHIP of 1.121.
His team's record is 5-6 (-2.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-5. (-0.7 units)
BARRY ZITO vs. NY METS since 1997
ZITO is 3-2 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.35 and a WHIP of 1.364.
His team's record is 4-3 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-3. (+0.6 units)
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PHILADELPHIA (47 - 57) at WASHINGTON (61 - 42) - 7:05 PM
COLE HAMELS (L) vs. ROSS DETWILER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 47-57 (-23.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 13-25 (-17.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 47-54 (-20.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-21 (-13.6 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 22-36 (-21.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HAMELS is 46-43 (-20.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 61-42 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 61-52 (+18.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 58-42 (+8.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 40-26 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
DETWILER is 9-1 (+9.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 25-5 (+19.0 Units) against the money line in road games in August games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-2 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 90-58 (+22.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 69-35 (+27.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 18-26 (-15.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-4 (+0.0 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)
COLE HAMELS vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HAMELS is 12-4 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.48 and a WHIP of 1.073.
His team's record is 17-5 (+6.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-14. (-6.9 units)
ROSS DETWILER vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
DETWILER is 1-3 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 4.79 and a WHIP of 1.405.
His team's record is 2-3 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-4. (-3.2 units)
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MIAMI (48 - 56) at ATLANTA (59 - 45) - 7:10 PM
NATHAN EOVALDI (R) vs. MIKE MINOR (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 48-56 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MIAMI is 13-21 (-10.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
MIAMI is 47-54 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MIAMI is 31-37 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MIAMI is 22-35 (-14.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ATLANTA is 59-45 (+9.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 57-44 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 41-23 (+16.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 11-2 (+8.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
MIAMI is 75-52 (+22.4 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 312-342 (+44.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
ATLANTA is 84-84 (-24.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 8-3 (+5.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.4 Units)
NATHAN EOVALDI vs. ATLANTA since 1997
EOVALDI is 0-0 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.333.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)
MIKE MINOR vs. MIAMI since 1997
MINOR is 1-2 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 5.62 and a WHIP of 1.531.
His team's record is 2-4 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+1.9 units)
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ST LOUIS (56 - 48) at COLORADO (37 - 65) - 8:40 PM
LANCE LYNN (R) vs. ALEX WHITE (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 5-1 (+3.3 Units) against COLORADO this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)
LANCE LYNN vs. COLORADO since 1997
LYNN is 1-0 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)
ALEX WHITE vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
No recent starts.
MINNESOTA (44 - 60) at BOSTON (53 - 52) - 7:10 PM
SAMUEL DEDUNO (R) vs. JON LESTER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 107-160 (-31.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 7-22 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 104-153 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 14-11 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss this season.
BOSTON is 53-52 (-10.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 10-14 (-15.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -175 to -200 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 27-29 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
BOSTON is 47-47 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 31-39 (-16.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BOSTON is 10-18 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.
LESTER is 8-13 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LESTER is 0-7 (-13.0 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -175 to -200 over the last 2 seasons.
LESTER is 3-9 (-11.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LESTER is 8-12 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LESTER is 2-7 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
LESTER is 4-9 (-8.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.0 Units)
SAMUEL DEDUNO vs. BOSTON since 1997
No recent starts.
JON LESTER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
LESTER is 1-3 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 5.17 and a WHIP of 1.511.
His team's record is 3-4 (-2.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.5 units)
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LA ANGELS (57 - 48) at TEXAS (60 - 43) - 8:05 PM
C.J. WILSON (L) vs. RYAN DEMPSTER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DEMPSTER is 26-9 (+15.7 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 649-638 (+63.7 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 538-525 (+65.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 644-548 (+74.4 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 636-625 (+43.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
WILSON is 35-15 (+16.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 18-19 (-10.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
TEXAS is 8-14 (-9.6 Units) against the money line after allowing 10 runs or more over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 31-29 (-12.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 7-5 (+3.0 Units) against TEXAS this season
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.6 Units)
C.J. WILSON vs. TEXAS since 1997
WILSON is 0-1 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.667.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.1 units)
RYAN DEMPSTER vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.
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CLEVELAND (50 - 54) at KANSAS CITY (43 - 60) - 8:10 PM
COREY KLUBER (R) vs. BRUCE CHEN (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 6-5 (+1.6 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+5.0 Units)
COREY KLUBER vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
No recent starts.
BRUCE CHEN vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
CHEN is 5-3 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.44 and a WHIP of 1.481.
His team's record is 5-4 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.4 units)
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TORONTO (51 - 53) at OAKLAND (56 - 48) - 10:05 PM
HENDERSON ALVAREZ (R) vs. BARTOLO COLON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ALVAREZ is 3-10 (-8.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 56-48 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 29-22 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
OAKLAND is 245-182 (+60.3 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
OAKLAND is 52-46 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 38-30 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 37-29 (+14.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TORONTO is 21-9 (+13.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
COLON is 14-24 (-18.9 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
COLON is 100-83 (-24.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 3-2 (+1.3 Units) against TORONTO this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)
HENDERSON ALVAREZ vs. OAKLAND since 1997
ALVAREZ is 0-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 3.08 and a WHIP of 1.457.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)
BARTOLO COLON vs. TORONTO since 1997
COLON is 9-5 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 4.35 and a WHIP of 1.320.
His team's record is 14-9 (+2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 13-9. (+3.8 units)
SAN DIEGO vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Diego's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Diego's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing San Diego
Cincinnati is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Diego
NY METS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
NY Mets are 5-15 SU in its last 20 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Francisco's last 9 games when playing NY Mets
PHILADELPHIA vs. WASHINGTON
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Washington is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Philadelphia
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
MINNESOTA vs. BOSTON
Minnesota is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
MIAMI vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Miami's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 7 games at home
LA ANGELS vs. TEXAS
The total has gone OVER in 14 of LA Angels's last 19 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Texas's last 15 games at home
Texas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
CLEVELAND vs. KANSAS CITY
Cleveland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Kansas City
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas City's last 9 games at home
ST. LOUIS vs. COLORADO
St. Louis is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games
Colorado is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games at home
TORONTO vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Toronto is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Oakland is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games
Oakland is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
National League
San Diego at Cincinnati
Ohlendorf: San Diego 44-71 SU with a hot bullpen whose ERA is under 3.00
Cueto: 10-0 TSR in day games
NY Mets at San Francisco
Young: NY Mets 9-1 SU when playing on Thursday
Zito: San Francisco 8-17 SU at home against NL East opponents
Philadelphia at Washington
Hamels: Philadelphia 9-16 SU after 3 games vs a division rival
Detwiler: 9-1 TSR against division opponents
Miami at Atlanta
Eovaldi: Miami 10-21 SU after scoring 4 runs or less 3 straight games
Minor: Atlanta 41-23 SU against right-handed starters
St. Louis at Colorado
Lynn: ST Louis 15-6 SU against NL West opponents
Friedrich: Colorado 9-21 SU at home when the money line is +125 to -125
American League
Minnesota at Boston,
Deduno: Minnesota 10-4 SU after 6 games versus division rivals
Lester: Boston 6-12 SU as a home favorite of -150 to -200
LA Angels at Texas
Wilson: LA Angels 32-21 SU in road games after a loss by 2 runs or less
Dempster: Texas 10-18 SU after allowing 9 runs or more
Cleveland at Kansas City
Kluber: Cleveland 13-7 SU after having lost 5 or 6 of their last 7
Guthrie: Kansas City 8-21 SU after 2 games without giving up a stolen base
Toronto at Oakland
Alvarez: 3-10 TSR in night games
Colon: Oakland 19-6 SU in the second half of the season
Diamond Trends - Thursday
By Vince Akins
VegasInsider.com
SU TREND OF THE DAY:
The Athletics are 11-0 since May 2011 as a home favorite of more than -110 beyond April when they are off a loss in which they had at least three times as many hits as runs for a net profit of $1060.
OU TREND OF THE DAY:
The Marlins are 0-9 OU since July 15, 2011 as a dog when they are off a win in which they scored in at most two separate innings and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $900 when playing the under.
STARTER TREND OF THE DAY:
The Reds are 13-0 since July 31, 2011 when Johnny Cueto starts as a 140+ favorite vs a team that has averaged 7+ strikeouts per game for a net profit of $1300.
MLB BIBLE TREND OF THE DAY:
The Mets are 12-1 OU (5.4 rpg) since May 14, 2005 when playing a day game after scoring 3 runs or less and winning as a dog.
TODAY’S TRENDS:
The Red Sox are 0-7 since May 30, 2011 when Jon Lester starts as a favorite after his team scored a total of seven or more runs in his last start for a net profit of $1025 when playing against.
The Blue Jays are 0-8 OU since April 08, 2011 when playing a night game on the road after a loss in which they had fewer than five team-left-on-base for a net profit of $800 when playing the under.
What Bettors Need to Know: Blue Jays at Athletics
By Covers.com
Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics (-122, 7.5)
The Oakland Athletics have suddenly stopped hitting – and winning. The Athletics, who won 12 of their first 14 games following the All-Star break, have lost three of their last four contests as they start a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday. The Athletics dropped two of three to the Tampa Bay Rays to start their 10-game homestand, but still hold down the final spot in the tight American League wild card race by 1½ games over Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Detroit. Oakland has scored six runs in its last four games after recording 58 in its previous seven contests.
Oakland has scored six runs in its last four games after recording 58 in its previous seven contests. RHP Bartolo Colon won his last start after going winless in his previous five outings and will oppose Toronto’s Henderson Alvarez, who has a team-leading 11 quality starts but only three since June 7. The Blue Jays have lost four straight, including a 5-3 setback to complete a three-game sweep at Seattle on Wednesday, and have fallen five games off the wild card pace.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Henderson Alvarez (7-7, 4.43 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Bartolo Colon (7-8, 3.78)
Alvarez held Detroit to one run and five hits in seven innings in Toronto’s 5-1 victory on Saturday and has alternated good starts with bad ones over his last five outings. He allowed seven runs in 5 2/3 innings in the Blue Jays’ 15-7 win at Boston on July 22. Alvarez is 0-1 with a 3.09 ERA in two starts against the Athletics and has only yielded one double among eight hits in 27 at-bats against their roster.
Colon was 0-2 with three no-decisions before yielding seven hits and striking out five in 5 2/3 scoreless innings in Oakland’s 6-1 victory at Baltimore on Saturday. He had allowed four runs in each of his previous two starts. Colon is 9-5 in 23 career starts against the Blue Jays, whose roster is batting .317 against him. Toronto should consider playing 45-year-old Omar Vizquel – he is 8-for-20 with a homer, three doubles and five RBIs against Colon.
BETTING TRENDS
The under is 5-1 in Colon’s last six starts.
The Athletics are 20-6 in their last 26 games vs. a right-handed starter.
The Blue Jays are 1-6 in their last seven games vs. American League West.
The over is 4-0 in Oakland’s last four contests vs. a team with a losing record.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto RF Jose Bautista, who injured his wrist while swinging during an at-bat at Yankee Stadium on July 16, was eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday, but isn’t ready to return.
2. Oakland franchise-record 19-5 mark in July was the best by an AL team since New York was 23-6 in 1956.
3. Athletics OF Josh Reddick is mired in a career-worst 0-for-21 slide.