Saturday’s Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Weather to watch
Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers – 12 mph winds expected to blow out to right-centerfield.
Who’s hot
MLB: Brewers are 25-8 in Zack Greinke’s last 33 starts.
MLB: Rockies were 10-3 in their last 13 meetings in Washington heading into Friday's action.
CFL: Over is 14-3-1 in the Stampeders' last 18 road games.
WNBA: Mercury are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 vs. Eastern Conference.
Who’s not
MLB: The under is 5-14-1 in Brian O'Nora's last 20 games behind home plate.He's scheduled to work the Dodgers-Diamondbacks game.
MLB: Marlins are 3-14 in their last 17 vs. a team with a winning record.
CFL: Argonauts are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games.
WNBA: Dream are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games.
Key stat
22 – Seattle Mariners starter Jason Vargas has allowed a career-high 22 home runs already this season. He takes the hill Saturday against the Oakland Athletics in his 19th start of the year.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox - The club will reportedly place second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the disabled list Friday night. Pedroia suffered a jammed right thumb during Wednesday's game in Oakland. Tests showed that the injury was different than the torn adductor muscle he suffered in late May. Overall this season, he has a .266 batting average with six home runs with 33 RBIs.
Game of the day
San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates (-115, N/A)
Notable quotable
“A lot of people ask me, they say ‘Forrest, it’s Tito’s retirement fight. If you lose to Tito, are you going to retire?’ If I lose to Tito, I’m going to retire from life. Seriously.” – Forrest Griffin on his fight with Tito Ortiz at Saturday’s UFC 148. Oddsmakers have Griffin as a -335 favorite against Ortiz (+240).
Notes and tips
The Calgary Stampeders will see a familiar face on the opposite sideline when they visit Toronto Saturday. Chris Jones was Calgary’s defensive coordinator for four seasons before signing on with the Argos as their defensive boss shortly after the Grey Cup. The move ruffled some feathers and the Stamps ended up taking a $5,000 fine for failing to ask for permission to talk to Jones. The Argos are set as a 3.5-point underdog.
As a +350 underdog to Serena Williams in Saturday’s final, Agnieszka Radwanska may have to be close to perfect to upset Williams, the -650 favorite. However, in Radwanska’s last four matches, she has just four unforced errors.
After losing seven of their first eight games of the season, the Seattle Storm are ripping through the WNBA. The Storm have won and covered in six of their last seven, thanks in large part to veteran Sue Bird. She was averaging only about 10 points a game earlier this year but is putting up 17.2 points and 4.5 assists per game in the club’s last six wins. The Storm are set as 6.5-point underdogs at Los Angeles Saturday.