TopSportsBets.com Play Of The Day Thread
Play Of The Day Thread – Thursday 7/29
TSB Scott (Administrator) about 1 month ago | 13 responses    

Nice to wake up to another winning day in baseball.

Wake Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Worst trades in MLB

http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/27/yankees-mariners-tigers-giants-business-sports-trade-deadline-bust_slide.html?partner=yahoosports

3-1 yesterday as the day games were good and the Dodgers couldn’t hang on at night.

Today/Tonight
Mariners/WSox under 9
Rays-1.5 -125
Rangers-1.5 even
Dodgers+131

2 team parlay
Pirates+1.5 +125
Marlins+1.5 -155

GL

Los Angeles Angels

The Texas Rangers are not a team with a storied history of locking down its opportunities in the American League West and the Angels have an incredible track record in this division. Still, things do not appear to be working favorably for the Angels and the gap with the division leading Rangers continues to grow. Oakland actually recently passed the Angels in the standings and even recent deadline deals may not be enough to put together a final push in Anaheim. Injuries have been an issue but the pitching staff has also taken a step back and the Los Angeles offense has not come close to matching the production of the past division championship teams.

The Angels let Chone Figgins and John Lackey leave in the off-season and neither move appears to have been overly detrimental as neither former All Star is having a great season with their new teams. The loss of Vladimir Guerrero took less criticism but the veteran has been a huge boost to division rival Texas and possibly the difference maker between these two teams. Hideki Matsui has provided solid at-bats at DH but he is not having a big impact and the re-signing of Bobby Abreu has not paid big dividends either as he has not had the same year that he enjoyed in 2009. A bigger blow has been Kendry Morales breaking his leg in a celebration in June and his absence from the lineup has been noticeable. Adding Alberto Callaspo at third base last week provides a nice upgrade to the lineup but it may be too little too late for this team. The Angels are normally one of the top hitting teams in baseball but this year the Angels rank 21st in batting average and OPS. Los Angeles is scoring 4.5 runs per game but the power and team speed are both down a notch from last season and it has not been enough to make up for shortcomings in the pitching staff.

The Angels got by with mediocre pitching last season but this year the offense has not been able to carry the load. Defensively the Angels have also taken a big step back with more errors than all but eight teams in baseball. Jared Weaver has delivered a great season at the top of the rotation but he has even struggled to pick up wins in recent weeks. Scott Kazmir has been a lost cause as he is back on the DL and was ineffective when healthy. Joel Pineiro has been solid of late and has proven to be a decent addition to the team and Ervin Santana has also had decent results, but neither is able to provide dominant outings. Swapping Joe Saunders for Dan Haren in the rotation should provide a slight upgrade but Haren’s Los Angeles debut got off to a rocky start, leaving after being struck in his throwing arm. Sean O’Sullivan also left in the Callaspo deal leaving Trevor Bell as the next best option in the rotation and ultimately the staff lacks enough consistency to make a major push in the division. The bullpen has also struggled all season with a 4.60 ERA and even worse numbers in recent weeks.

It is rare to see the Angels barely over .500 at this point in the season but that is the situation at present. Los Angeles has held virtually no significant home field advantage and the offense is batting just .255 in home games, a far reach from last season’s offensive output. Los Angeles is normally one of the top scoring teams in baseball but Los Angeles has scored four or fewer runs in 17 of the last 24 games. The Angels have actually been out-scored by 19 runs on the season despite still sitting just above .500 as even with a poor bullpen the Angels have been fortunate to win many one-run games. The Angels have a difficult road schedule the rest of the way traveling to Detroit, Boston, Minnesota, Oakland, Tampa Bay, and Texas yet this season. The closing schedule should undue the Angels even if they can hang around in August as the final 16 games of the season will all come against winning teams including a four-game set to close the year in Texas. At this point the Angels still have ten more games with the Rangers so anything is possible, but it is hard to be optimistic given the way the season has gone and knowing that Texas now has Cliff Lee added to the rotation.

Bad beats: Baseball parks’ reputations holding true…sometimes

Sometimes it is what it is.

In regards to handicapping, that tidbit of deep analysis basically means don’t over-analyze things.

Take MLB ballparks, for example. Some have reputations as hitters’ parks. Others favor pitchers.

According to ESPN’s Park Factor, a statistical rating that compares rate of stats at home compared to the rate of stats on the road, Yankee Stadium, Coors Field, Great American Ball Park, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and Chase Field are the best hitters’ parks in baseball.

Heading into Tuesday’s games, those five stadiums have produced 119 overs compared to 94 unders.

On the other side of the coin, Park Factor suggests AT&T Park, Tropicana Field, Safeco Field, Citi Field and the Oakland Coliseum are the five best pitchers’ parks.

Heading into Tuesday’s games, those stadiums had produced 89 overs and 129 unders.

See, sometimes it really is what it is.

Other times it’s not.

Florida’s Sun Life Stadium rarely gets included in the discussion of best hitters’ parks. But right now it’s produced a much higher rate of overs than Colorado’s Coors Field – the most hitter-friendly park in the game.

For years, Dodger Stadium has been considered a pitchers’ park. But this year, it has produced 30 overs to only 22 unders. Only Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park has produced a higher percentage of overs.

On the other side of things, look at San Diego’s Petco Park, considered the premier pitchers’ park in the game by most. However, this year it has produced 25 overs to 20 unders.

Here’s a quick breakdown of a few of the over and under-producing stadiums in baseball this year.

Over machines

Yankee Stadium: 28-19

Yankees games have gone over 13 out of 18 times when the wind is blowing from the south, right to left.

Great American Ball Park: 29-17

Over is 7-0 when the wind blows out to left, from the west.

Dodger Stadium: 30-22

The wind almost always blows out to center, but rarely very hard. Still, overs are 19-10 in these conditions.

Under-producing machines

Busch Stadium: 18-28

Since opening in 2006, the Cardinals’ stadium has produced 38 more unders than over.

Citi Field: 17-28

The ball has trouble getting out of the Mets’ new park no matter which way the wind’s blowing. In fact, with the wind blowing out this year, games have stayed under the total 17 of 26 games.

AT&T Park: 17-24

The Giants’ park’s reputation for windy conditions has led to over-inflation of the total. Games have stayed under the total 19 of 31 times the wind has been blowing out, including all six times it has been blowing out to right.

You can find more stadium information, including over/under stats and current wind conditions here.

NFL Win Totals:

Arizona Cardinals
Over 7.5 (-110) Under 7.5 (-110)

Atlanta Falcons
Over 9 (even) Under 9 (-120)

Baltimore Ravens
Over 10 (-110) Under 10 (-110)

Buffalo Bills
Over 5.5 (even) Under 5.5 (-120)

Carolina Panthers
Over 7.5 (+110) Under 7.5 (-130)

Chicago Bears
Over 8 (+110) Under 8 (-130)

Cincinnati Bengals
Over 7.5 (-130) Under 7.5 (+110)

Cleveland Browns
Over 5.5 (+105) Under 5.5 (-125)

Dallas Cowboys
Over 9.5 (-165) Under 9.5 (+145)

Denver Broncos
Over 7.5 (-155) Under 7.5 (+135)

Detroit Lions
Over 5 (-135) Under 5 (+115)

Green Bay Packers
Over 9.5 (-165) Under 9.5 (+145)

Houston Texans
Over 8 (-130) Under 8 (+110)

Indianapolis Colts
Over 11 (+110) Under 11 (-130)

Jacksonville Jaguars
Over 7 (even) Under 7 (-120)

Kansas City Chiefs
Over 6.5 (-150) Under 6.5 (+130)

Miami Dolphins
Over 8.5 (-110) Under 8.5 (-110)

Minnesota Vikings
Over 9.5 (-110) Under 9.5 (-110)

New England Patriots
Over 9.5 (-140) Under 9.5 (+120)

New Orleans Saints
Over 10.5 (even) Under 10.5 (-120)

New York Giants
Over 8.5 (-120) Under 8.5 (even)

New York Jets
Over 9.5 (+140) Under 9.5 (-160)

Oakland Raiders
Over 6 (even) Under 6 (-120)

Philadelphia Eagles
Over 8.5 (-120) Under 8.5 (even)

Pittsburgh Steelers
Over 9 (+130) Under 9 (-150)

San Diego Chargers
Over 11 (+110) Under 11 (-130)

San Francisco 49ers
Over 8.5 (-145) Under 8.5 (+125)

Seattle Seahawks
Over 7.5 (-110) Under 7.5 (-110)

St Louis Rams
Over 5 (+115) Under 5 (-135)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Over 5.5 (-110) Under 5.5 (-110)

Tennessee Titans
Over 8.5 (-130) Under 8.5 (+110)

Washington Redskins
Over 7.5 (+120) Under 7.5 (-140)

Like the Angles article Crotch. Dead on accurate. The Angels not only need Kendry back (lets not forget that 35 to 40 HR’s and a 300 average is out for the season), but they need to add ANOTHER big bat to compete. They need a power 3B or OF. Juan Rivera had potential before he broke his leg a few years ago. The pickup of Haren was for NEXT season – not this one. Tony Reagans knew that, I knew that, and the team knew that. That is why the move was solid. Take a starter when you can get it, and worry about a bat in December…

Great point. I’m wondering why no one is jumping at the chance to get the Big Puma.

I know he is old, but he has hit a little more of late and think he would be on the cheap compared to say Dunn. I think the WSox are taking a serious look at him. Switch hitter. They need a lefty stick which is ironic cause they let Thome go. Can’t keep trotting out Mark Kotsay as your DH.

I think the Angels will be fine. Kendry is by far the best player they have. Look, they’ve been killed by injuries. Next year they will be right back. I bet Chone wished he would have stayed. Seattle is the worst. Do the Halos have the farm, or just money, to go after a Corey Hart/Prince Fielder?

I say the last sentence because I think Matsui is just about done. Still been solid but you can see his age.

great, great stuff Crotch!

$$$$$

How about this baseball card today??? Hmmm…...

Tough to see Lorenzen Wright leave his kids like that…..

UFC this weekend.

I am so over baseball its not even funny. I have to wait 25 years to see my team win a playoff game. I’ll never see them win in my lifetime, and that makes me not want to watch. Same with the Bucks. Thank god I have the Packers and Duke basketball so I can actually be excited at the idea of competing.

They have both the farm and the money. Just a matter of if Moreno wants to pull the trigger. He didn’t want to drop 200 million on Teix, so we will see if he can get a bat for more like 5 years, 70 – 90 million. That is the ballpark he wants to stay in. I don’t see him signing a guy like Prince though.