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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/28/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jul 28, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in MLB. Sixteen games are on the MLB docket.  And today is also the birthday of my favorite sports figure, Manu Ginobili.  Five games are on the afternoon slate. The card starts at 1:10 PM ET with two games. Cleveland hosts St. Louis in the second game of their two-game series. Zach Plesac pitches for the Indians against Kwang-Hyun Kim of the Cardinals. Cleveland is a -115 money line favorite with the total set at 9 (all odds from DraftKings). Minnesota plays at home against Detroit in the final game of their three-game series. The Twins pitch J.A. Happ against the Tigers’ Willy Perala. Minnesota is a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 10.5.  Toronto plays at Boston at 2:10 PM ET in the first game of their seven-inning doubleheader. Robbie Ray pitches for the Blue Jays against Garrett Richards of the Red Sox in a rescheduling of the pitching matchup that got postponed because of rain on Tuesday. Houston plays Seattle at 3:40 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. The Astros pitch Jake Odorizzi against the Mariners Yusei Kikuchi. Houston is a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. San Diego is at home against Oakland at 4:10 PM ET in the second game of their two-game series. Blake Snell pitches for the Padres against Sean Manaea of the A’s. San Diego is a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.Three games start at 7:05 PM ET. Baltimore hosts Miami in the second game of their two-game series. The Orioles pitch Jorge Lopez against the Marlins Jordan Holloway. Baltimore is a -130 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Philadelphia plays at home against Washington in the third game of their four-game series. Zack Wheeler pitches for the Phillies against Patrick Corbin of the Nationals. Philadelphia is a -1200 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee plays at Pittsburgh in the second game of their three-game series. The Brewers pitch Adrian Houser against a Pirates starting pitcher yet to be finalized. Three games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The second game of the Blue Jays/Red Sox doubleheader has Steven Matz pitching for Toronto against Tanner Houck for Boston. The New York Mets are at home against Atlanta in the fourth game of their five-game series. Tylor Megill pitches for the Mets against Max Fried of the Braves. New York is a -125 money line favorite with a total of 8. Tampa Bay hosts the New York Yankees on ESPN in the second game of their three-game series. The Rays pitch Michael Wacha against the Yankees Nelson Cortes, Jr. Tampa Bay is a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two games start at 8:05 PM ET. Texas plays at home against Arizona in the second game of their two-game series. Jordan Lyles pitches for the Rangers against Madison Bumgarner of the Diamondbacks. Texas is a -115 money line favorite with a total of 9. Cincinnati plays at Chicago against the Cubs in the third game of their four-game series. The Reds pitch Tyler Mahle against Chicago’s Zach Davies. Cincinnati is a -115 money line road favorite. The Chicago White Sox is at Kansas City at 8:10 PM ET for the third game of their four-game series. Lucas Giolito pitches for the White Sox against Kris Bubic of the Royals. Chicago is a -180 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Los Angeles Angels host Colorado at 9:38 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. The Angels pitch Andrew Heaney against the Rockies Chi Chi Gonzalez. Los Angeles is a -220 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at San Francisco in the second game of their three-game series. Walker Buehler pitches for the Dodgers against Anthony DeSclafani of the Giants. Los Angeles is a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Preview and Odds - 07/27/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in MLB. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket.Three games begin the card at 7:05 PM ET. Milwaukee travels to Pittsburgh to start their three-game series at Pittsburgh. Brett Anderson pitches for the Brewers against Tyler Anderson of the Pirates. Milwaukee is a -140 money line road favorite with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Miami visits Baltimore for the opening game of their three-game series. The Marlins pitch Sandy Alcantara against the Orioles Spenser Watkins. Miami is a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Philadelphia is at home against Washington in the second contest of their four-game series. Matt Moore pitches for the Phillies against the starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Nationals. Philadelphia is a -120 money line favorite with a total of 10.Four games start at 7:10 PM ET. St. Louis visits Cleveland to begin a two-game series. The Cardinals pitch Adam Wainwright against the Indians Cal Quantrill. St. Louis is a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Toronto is at Boston for the second game of their four-game series. Robbie Ray pitches for the Blue Jays against Garrett Richards of the Red Sox. Toronto is a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 10.5. Atlanta plays at New York against the Mets in the third game of their five-game series this week after their doubleheader on Monday. The Braves pitch Charlie Morton against a Mets starting pitcher that is yet to be named. Tampa Bay hosts the New York Yankees in the opening game of their three-game series. The Rays pitch Shane McClanahan against the Yankees Jordan Montgomery. Tampa Bay is a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two games start at 8:05 PM ET. Texas hosts Arizona in the first game of a two-game series. Dane Dunning pitches for the Rangers against Taylor Widener of the Diamondbacks. Texas is a -155 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs are at home against Cincinnati in the second game of their four-game series. The Cubs pitch Adbert Alzolay against the Reds Vladimir Gutierrez. Chicago is a -165 money line favorite. Two games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox plays at Kansas City in the second game of their four-game series. Dylan Cease pitches for the White Sox against Brad Keller for the Royals. Chicago is a -150 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Minnesota is at home against Detroit in the second game of their three-game series. The Twins pitch Kenta Maeda against the Tigers Tyler Alexander. Minnesota is a -220 money line favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against Colorado in the second game of their three-game series. Jose Suarez pitches for the Angels against Austin Gomber of the Rockies. Los Angeles is a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to San Francisco at 9:45 PM ET in the opening game of their three-game series. The Dodgers pitch Julio Urias against the Giants Logan Webb. Los Angeles is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Two games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 PM ET. Houston plays at Seattle in the second game of their three-game series. Lance McCullers, Jr. pitches for the Astros against Chris Flexen of the Mariners. Houston is a -150 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. San Diego hosts Oakland in the opening game of a two-game series. The Padres pitch Chris Paddack against the A’s James Kaprielian. San Diego is a -160 money line favorite with a total of 8.5.

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MLB on ESPN: Toronto Blue Jays vs Boston Red Sox Preview and Odds - 07/26/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 26, 2021

Monday MLB ESPN Preview: Toronto Blue Jays versus the Boston Red Sox.The Boston Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays on ESPN at 7:10 PM ET in the first game of their four-game series to begin the week.Toronto lost their fourth game in their last five in a 5-4 loss in New York against the Mets yesterday. The Blue Jays scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 3-1 lead, but their bullpen let them down in the bottom half of that inning. Ryan Borucki started the frame in relief of Ross Stripling but gave up a two-run homer to Pete Alonso to tie the game. Jacob Barnes came on to finish only to give up another two runs and get tagged with the loss. Toronto stranded nine runners in the setback. The Blue Jays begin this series with a 49-46 record, putting them in fourth place in the American League East. They are 9 1/2 games behind the first-place Red Sox.Toronto averages 5.3 runs per game with a .270 batting average, .318 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .827. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. leads the team with a .326 batting average, 32 home runs, and 79 runs batted in. Bo Bichette is hitting .296 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs. Marcus Semien has a .275 batting average with 24 home runs and 61 RBIs. Manager Charlie Montoyo taps Thomas Hatch to make his 2021 debut as his starting pitcher tonight. Hatch is taking the spot of Alek Manoah, who is rehabbing a back injury. The 27-year-old right-hander had a 2.15 ERA in eight starts for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A team in Buffalo. Hatch was 3-1 for Toronto last season with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 17 games, including one start over 26 1/3 innings at the top level. He is supported by a Blue Jays bullpen with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP this season. The pen has 16 saves and 11 blown save opportunities. Boston concluded their weekend series with the New York Yankees with a 5-4 victory on Sunday. The Red Sox were held hitless against the Yankees’ Domingo German through seven innings before breaking through with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Boston has a league-leading 32 comeback victories this season.The Red Sox victory combined with Tampa Bay’s 3-2 loss in Cleveland elevated Boston to sole possession of first place in the AL East. Their 61-39 record places them one game ahead of the Rays.Manager Alex Cora’s team averages 5.1 runs per game, with a .257 batting average, .315 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .758. Xander Bogaerts leads the team with a .309 batting average. He has added 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. Rafael Devers leads the BoSox with 26 homers and 80 RBIs. He is hitting .279. J.D. Martinez is hitting .302 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs.Nick Pivetta takes the ball for Boston tonight. The right-hander has an 8-4 record with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 19 starts. He pitched last Monday in Toronto’s temporary home in Buffalo, allowing four runs and 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. The Red Sox bullpen has a 3.66 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. The pen has collected 32 saves but blown 14 save opportunities after yesterday’s setback.DraftKings lists Boston as a -145 money line favorite, with the total set at 11.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/26/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 26, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in MLB. Nine games are on the MLB docket.The New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves in the opening game of their seven-inning doubleheader at 5:10 PM ET. The Mets won their third game in their last four with a 5-4 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. The Braves have lost two of three games after a 2-1 loss at Philadelphia yesterday. Marcus Stroman pitches for New York against Kyle Muller for Atlanta. The Mets are a -155 money line favorite with the total set at 6.5 (all odds from DraftKings).Philadelphia plays at home against Washington at 7:05 PM ET. The Phillies won their second game in their last three with their victory against the Braves yesterday. The Nationals lost their fourth in a row with a 5-4 defeat at Baltimore on Sunday. Philadelphia pitches Spencer Howard against Washington’s Joe Ross. The Phillies are a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5.Boston is at home against Toronto on ESPN at 7:10 PM ET. The Red Sox won their fifth game in their last six with a 5-4 victory against the New York Yankees yesterday. The Blue Jays lost their fourth game in their last five with their loss to the Mets. Nick Pivetta pitches for Boston against Thomas Hatch for Toronto. The Red Sox are a -110 money line favorite with a total of 10.5. The Chicago Cubs are at home against Cincinnati at 8:05 PM ET. The Cubs won for the second time in their last three games with a 5-1 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday. The Reds had their two-game winning streak end with a 10-6 loss to St. Louis on Sunday. Chicago pitches Kyle Hendricks against Cincinnati starting pitcher Wade Miley. The Cubs are a -130 money line favorite.The Chicago White Sox visits Kansas City at 8:10 PM ET. The White Sox ended their three-game losing streak with their 3-1 victory at Milwaukee last night. The Royals won their fifth straight game with a 6-1 victory against the Detroit Tigers. Dallas Keuchel pitches for Chicago against Mike Minor of Kansas City. The White Sox are a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 10.Minnesota hosts Detroit at 8:10 PM ET. The Twins lost their third game in their last four with a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels yesterday. The Tigers lost their third game in a row with a 6-1 loss at Kansas City on Sunday. Minnesota pitches Michael Pineda against Detroit’s Matt Manning. The Twins are a -180 money line favorite with a total of 10.The second game of the Braves/Mets doubleheader is scheduled for 8:10 PM ET. Jacob DeGrom pitches for New York against Byrce Wilson for Atlanta. The Mets are a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against Colorado at 9:38 PM ET. The Angles won their third game in their last four with their victory against Minnesota yesterday. The Rockies have lost two in a row after a 3-2 loss in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on Sunday. Los Angeles pitch Shohei Ohtani against Colorado’s German Marquez. The Angels are a -155 money line favorite with a total of 8.Houston travels to Seattle at 10:10 PM ET. The Astros won their fifth game in their last six with a 3-1 victory against the Texas Rangers yesterday. The Mariners won their third straight game with their 4-3 win against the Oakland A’s on Sunday. Luis Garcia pitches for Houston against Darren McCaughan for Seattle. The Astros are a -180 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. 

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Sunday Night MLB: Chicago White Sox vs Milwaukee Brewers Preview and Odds - 07/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 25, 2021

Sunday MLB ESPN Preview: Chicago White Sox versus the Milwaukee Brewers.The Milwaukee Brewers host the Chicago White Sox on ESPN at 7:08 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. The Brewers have won the first two games after a 6-1 victory yesterday. The recently acquired Rowdy Tellez clubbed solo home runs in the sixth and eighth innings to lead the way. He went 3-4 with three runs batted in. Milwaukee traded for the first baseman from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 6th. The Brewers have won five of their last seven games to improve their record to 58-41. They are first place in the National League Central, 6 1/2 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals.Milwaukee is scoring 4.4 runs per game, with a .223 batting average, .305 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .687. Avisail Garcia leads the team with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs. He has a .253 batting average. Luke Urias is second on the team with 13 homers and 45 RBIs. He is hitting .237. Christian Yelich has disappointed this season with a .240 batting average, six home runs, and 28 RBIs.Manager Craig Counsell pitches Brandon Woodruff tonight. The right-hander allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings of work in Cincinnati in his last start last Saturday. He has a 7-4 record this season with a 2.04 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP in 19 starts. The Brewers bullpen has a 3.66 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. They have earned 25 saves and blown 16 of their save opportunities. Chicago has lost three games in a row to drop their record to a 58-40 mark. They are in first place in the American League Central, nine games ahead of the Cleveland Indians. The White Sox are scoring 5.0 runs per game this season with a .254 batting average, .331 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .749. Tim Anderson leads the team with a .304 batting average. He has added nine home runs and 36 RBIs. Jose Abreau’s 18 home runs and 75 RBIs are tops on the squad. He is hitting .256. Yoan Moncada has a .275 batting average with eight home runs and 44 RBIs. Eloy Jimenez and Nick Madrigal are on the 60-day disabled list. Yasmani Grandal went on the 10-day disabled list three weeks ago with a knee injury.Manager Tony LaRussa turns to Lance Lynn in his starting rotation. The right-hander last pitched on Monday when he allowed one run in seven innings against Minnesota. He has a 9-3 record with a 1.94 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in 27 starts. The Chicago bullpen has a 4.22 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. They have earned 26 saves and blown 16 of their save opportunities. The White Sox continue their seven-game road trip by beginning a four-game swing in Kansas City against the Royals tomorrow. The Brewers get tomorrow off before starting a six-game road trip with a three-game series in Pittsburgh.DraftKings lists the White Sox as a -160 money line favorite with a total of 7.5.

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2021 NFL: Another Long Year For ...

by Ben Burns

Sunday, Jul 25, 2021

Interested in how your favorite team is expected to do this season? The projected regular season wins numbers provide excellent insight. The list below is courtesy of Pinnacle.Based on these numbers, Detroit will be the worst team in the league. Don't worry Lions' fans. You've got a couple of things working in your favor. 1. Predictions made before the season can be way off. 2. You're used to it.Indeed, it figures to be another long year for Detroit. New coach and a rebuilding team. The Lions have gone 3-15 in division play the past few seasons. Wins in the NFC North figure to again be hard to come by. The non-conference schedule, which includes the likes of the 49'ers, Ravens, Rams and Steelers, isn't exactly easy either.  In fact, based on last year's records, the Lions' 2021 schedule is tied for the 6th most difficult in the league. (Teams they will play this year went a combined 143-127-2 last season.) Hardly seems fair. Looking for a chance at a victory? Circle October 17th, the day the Lions host the Bengals, as a potential "W." Regular Season WinsArizona CardinalsOver 8.5 Wins +113Under 8.5 Wins -134Atlanta FalconsOver 7.5 Wins -145Under 7.5 Wins +122Baltimore RavensOver 10.5 Wins -177Under 10.5 Wins +147Buffalo Bills Over 10.5 Wins -164Under 10.5 Wins +137Carolina PanthersOver 7.5 Wins -107Under 7.5 Wins -111Chicago Bears Over 7.5 Wins +105Under 7.5 Wins -125Cincinnati BengalsOver 6.5 Wins -101Under 6.5 Wins -118Cleveland Browns Over 10.5 Wins +101Under 10.5 Wins -120Dallas CowboysOver 9.5 Wins +102Under 9.5 Wins -121Denver BroncosOver 8.5 Wins -120Under 8.5 Wins +101Detroit Lions Over 5 Wins -101Under 5 Wins -117Indianapolis ColtsOver 9.5 Wins -139Under 9.5 Wins +117Jacksonville Jaguars Over 6.5 Wins +108Under 6.5 Wins -129Kansas City ChiefsOver 12.5 Wins +117Under 12.5 Wins -139Las Vegas RaidersOver 6.5 Wins -183Under 6.5 Wins +152Los Angeles ChargersOver 9.5 Wins +130Under 9.5 Wins -155Los Angeles RamsOver 10.5 Wins +120Under 10.5 Wins -143Miami Dolphins Over 9.5 Wins +143Under 9.5 Wins -171Minnesota Vikings Over 8.5 Wins -187Under 8.5 Wins +155New England Patriots Over 9.5 Wins -105Under 9.5 Wins -113New Orleans SaintsOver 9.5 Wins +128Under 9.5 Wins -153New York Giants Over 7.5 Wins +117Under 7.5 Wins -139New York JetsOver 6 Wins +105Under 6 Wins -125Pittsburgh SteelersOver 8.5 Wins +116Under 8.5 Wins -138Philadelphia EaglesOver 6.5 Wins -144Under 6.5 Wins +121San Francisco 49ers Over 10.5 Wins +118Under 10.5 Wins -140Seattle SeahawksOver 9.5 Wins -144Under 9.5 Wins +121Tampa Bay Buccaneers Over 11.5 Wins -143Under 11.5 Wins +120Tennessee Titans Over 9 Wins -134Under 9 Wins +113Washington Football TeamOver 8.5 Wins -114Under 8.5 Wins -104

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CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinals Preview - 07/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 25, 2021

Sunday CONCACAF Gold Cup: Quarterfinals Preview.The knockout stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup continues on Sunday with the final two quarterfinals matches at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Both matches are on FS1.Canada plays Costa Rica in the opening match at 7 PM ET. Les Rouges settled for second place in Group B after a 1-0 loss to the United States last Sunday. They conceded the lone goal in the opening minute of the match but could never level the score. Canada opened the tournament with a 4-1 victory against Martinique. They followed that up with a 4-1 win against Haiti. The Canucks have scored eight times in this event while conceding three goals. Les Rouges won the Gold Cup in 2000, and they find themselves amidst a golden generation of talent. Canada has not lost to a team from the CONCACAF region since 2019 before their loss to the Stars and Stripes last week. They entered this event with six straight victories with a 31 to 1 goal margin. Manager John Herman is without two of his best players for this tournament. Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Lille’s Jonathan David are training with their professional teams. The Canucks have established depth with Vancouver White Cap’s Lucas Cavallini and Turkish Super League star Cyle Larin leading a potent Canadian attack. Canada ranks 70th in the world by FIFA and 41st in the ELO ratings.Costa Rica completed their perfect group stage campaign with a 1-0 victory against Jamaica on Tuesday. Bryan Ruiz scored the winning goal in the 53rd minute. The Ticos won the match despite playing with ten men for the final 18 minutes. Leonel Moreira got suspended for this game after being issued a red card in the 72nd minute. Costa Rica defeated Guadeloupe, 3-1, in their opening match in this tournament. They then beat Suriname, 2-1, in their second match. They have scored six times and conceded two goals. The Ticos reached the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup. After reaching the semifinals of the 2017 Gold Cup, Costa Rica lost in a penalty shootout to Mexico in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Gold Cup. They have reached the knockout quarterfinals stage of this tournament six straight times. The Ticos were winless in their last six matches in international play entering this event. They lost on penalty kicks again to Mexico in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League on June 3rd. Joel Campbell leads the attack with 20 goals in 102 caps for the team. Midfielders Celso Borges and Allan Cruz form the foundation in the midfield. Borges plays professionally in Spain, and Cruz plays for FC Cincinnati in the MLS. Paris Saint-German goalkeeper Keylor Navas is not on this roster as he prepares for the upcoming Ligue 1 season. FIFA ranks Costa Rica 50th in the world. The ELO ratings place them 51st. MGM lists this match as a pick ‘em with the total set at 2.Jamaica plays the USMNT in the nightcap at 9:30 PM ET. The Reggae Boyz had already qualified for the knockout stage before the loss to Costa Rica by winning their first two group stage matches. Jamaica opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory against Suriname. They followed that up with a 2-1 victory against Guadeloupe on Friday. They have scored four times and conceded twice in their three matches. The Reggae Boyz have reached three straight semifinals in this competition with two-second place finishes in 2015 and 2017. Jamaica was unbeaten in 11 straight group stage matches in the Gold Cup before their loss to the Ticos on Tuesday. The team entered this event winless in their last four games, although all four games were friendlies. Manager Theodore Whitmore aggressively recruits European professionals who meet the eligibility requirements to represent the Jamaican national team. This roster consists primarily of players who play in the MLS, with a few players who compete in Europe. MLS’s Philadelphia Union is represented with three players in forward Cory Burke, defender Alvas Powell, and Andre Blake, who was named the top keeper in the league last season. Bayer Leverkusen wing Leon Bailey plays upfront. Miami FC midfielders Lamar Walker and Devon Williams patrol the middle of the field. The Reggae Boyz rank 45th in the world by FIFA and 61st in the ELO ratings.Shaquell Moore scored the opening goal in the first minute against Canada to give the USMNT their third victory in their three group stage matches. The Yanks began the tournament with a 1-0 win against Haiti before a 6-1 thumping against Martinique in their second match. The USMNT has scored eight times and conceded only one goal. The Stars and Stripes claimed the CONCACAF Nations League title last month with a 3-2 victory in extra time against Mexico. The USMNT won the Gold Cup for the seventh time in 2017. They finished in second place behind Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup. Manager Gregg Berhalter is testing his B team at this event, with many of the players that lifted the trophy last month now training with their professional teams. Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna, Werner Bremen’s Josh Sargent, and Manchester City’s Zack Steffan will not compete. Nineteen of the 23 players on Berhalter’s roster play on an MLS squad, led by Orlando City striker Daryl Dike. The Yanks enter the knockout stage on an 11-1-1 run in their last 13 matches. They have not lost on home soil since an upset loss to Venezuela in a friendly on June 9th, 2019. In their last 12 games in the United States, the USMNT has scored 48 goals and has conceded only five times, with eight clean sheets. FIFA ranks the USA at 20th in the world. The ELO ratings place them 22nd. MGM lists the USMNT as a -1 goal favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Sunday MLB: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox Preview and Odds - 07/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 25, 2021

Sunday MLB TBS Preview: New York Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox.The Boston Red Sox host the New York Yankees on TBS at 1:10 PM ET in the final game of their four-game series. New York won their first game in this series yesterday with a 4-3 comeback victory. The Yankees were down 3-0 with two outs in the 8th inning before Brett Gardner clubbed an RBI single that knocked starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi out of the game. Rougned Odor’s two-run double later in the inning gave the Bronx Bombers the 4-3 lead. Aroldis Chapman struck out Kike Hernandez in the bottom of the ninth inning with Boston runners on second and third to claim his 18th save of the season.The Yankees have won five of their last seven games to raise their record to 51-46 on the season. They remain in third place in the American League East, eight games behind the Red Sox.New York scores 4.2 runs per game with a .235 batting average, .319 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .714. Aaron Judge leads the team with a .282 batting average, 21 home runs, and 47 runs batted in. Giancarlo Stanton has a .261 batting average, 16 home runs, and 46 RBIs. D.J. LeMahieu has a .266 batting average, seven homers, and 37 RBIs.Manager Aaron Boone turns to Domingo German in his starting rotation this afternoon. The right-hander comes off four innings of work at home, where he allowed two runs in his last start against Philadelphia on Tuesday. German has a 4-5 record with a 4.71 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He is supported by a bullpen that has a 3.62 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP. The New York pen has collected 23 saves with 11 blown opportunities. The Yankees hope to have Gio Urshela activated from the COVID list for this game. Aaron Judge and Kyle Higashioka are expected to join the team today to fly to Tampa Bay for their next series, with their coming off the COVID list coming soon. There is no update yet on the status of Wandy Peralta, who was one of the six Yankee players who went into COVID quarantine last week. Relievers Nestor Cortes and Jonathan Loaisiga got activated on Friday. First baseman Luke Voigt is still on the disabled list from the knee injury he suffered last week. Boone hopes that catcher Gary Sanchez will be back in the lineup after experiencing back spasms the last two days.Boston had won four straight games before their loss yesterday. The Red Sox have a 60-38 record, which places them in a tie for first place with Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. Boston has trailed in 31 of their 60 victories. They have won nine of their 12 games against the Yankees this season. Manager Alex Cora’s team averages 5.1 runs per game, with a .258 batting average, .316 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .761. Xander Bogaerts leads the team with a .311 batting average. He has added 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. Rafael Devers leads the BoSox with 26 homers and 80 RBIs. He is hitting .282. J.D. Martinez is hitting .302 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs.Martin Perez takes the ball for Boston this afternoon. The left-hander has a 7-6 record with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP in 19 starts. He pitched last Sunday in Yankee Stadium against New York, allowing three runs in 4 innings of work. The Red Sox bullpen has a 3.66 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. The pen has collected 31 saves but blown 14 save opportunities after yesterday’s setback.DraftKings lists Boston as a -135 money line favorite, with the total set at 10.5.

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Funny Thing, Those NFL Playoffs

by Will Rogers

Sunday, Jul 25, 2021

You figure if your team is good enough to make it in last year, with some upgrades through the draft, free agency and trades you’d be able to return the following year. But every season roughly half of the teams fall by the wayside. Out with the old, in with the new. So if form holds this coming season, about seven of the 14 qualifiers from last winter will be on the outs, replaced by .  . . who knows?Here are the betting odds, with the three teams who didn’t qualify last season mostly likely to crash the party this time; and the three longest shots among 2020-21’s non-qualifiers.Shortest odds for getting in:San Francisco 49ers (-175) – It’s all about the quarterback, isn’t it? But no one knows right now who SF likes at the position. Always-injured Jimmy Garoppolo somehow remains on the roster, even as first-round draft pick Trey Lance waits his turn. The NFC West sent two teams (Rams, Seahawks) to the playoffs last season, and with seven teams in the post-season mix it’s possible that three teams could make it. The Niners would have to flip a 6-10 record to 10-7 to have a shot, and oddsmakers like their chances of doing just that.Dallas Cowboys (-150) – The Boys are another 6-10 team starving for a playoff berth, Jerry Jones figuring that a 26-year Super Bowl drought is long enough. The good news is that QB Dak Prescott has signed that long-sought contract extension and appears recovered from that ankle injury that shortened his 2020 season. The better news is that the Cowboys play in the NFC East, where Mediocrity is king and 10-7 is likely to be good enough to win it.Miami Dolphins (+130) – That 30-point loss to Buffalo in the season finale last year notwithstanding, the Dolphins feel like the arrow is pointing up. With New England on the skids, it doesn’t appear that the AFC East is a locked door these days. Miami is all in on QB Tua Tagovailoa, after rumors that the Fins would seek to upgrade the position. Speaking of upgrades, Miami has nibbled at the margins, notable wide receiver, but it’s basically the same cast as last season’s.Teams with longest odds to crack the playoff party:Cincinnati Bengals (+450) – In a nutshell, here’s the Bengals’ problem: The other three teams in the AFC North – Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland – had a combined record of 34-14 last season, and all three made the playoffs. At least one of those three will have to have serious engine trouble to open the door for Cincinnati. There are a few encouraging signs, however. QB Joe Burrow appears to be recovered nicely from last year’s season-ending knee injury, and the Bengals uncharacteristically signed 10 free agents.New York Jets (+500) – See you later, Sam Darnold. Hello, Zach Wilson. Welcome to a team that had one of the worst offenses in the NFL last season. Even if Wilson is the real deal, it’s hard to see how he makes the offense considerably better, considering the talent gap at so many spots. Job One for new coach Robert Saleh is making sure that the offensive line is good enough to keep Wilson upright and healthy for the best part of 17 games. Even then, getting to double digits in wins looks like a pipedream.Houston Texans (+750) – Was it all that long ago that Houston had the Defensive Player of the Year (J.J. Watt), one of the best quarterbacks in the league (Deshaun Watson) and one of the NFL’s best wideouts (DeAndre Hopkins)? With Watt and Hopkins in Arizona, and Watson plotting ways to stay out of jail, the cupboard is pretty bare in south Texas. For the record, 30-something Tyrod Taylor will be the fill-in at QB while the front office spends most of the season scouting college signal-callers.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CONCACAF Gold Cup Previews and Odds - 07/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 25, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in MLB and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket. Two games begin the card at 1:05 PM ET. Philadelphia hosts Atlanta as a -180 money line favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all MLB odds from DraftKings). Aaron Nola pitches for the Phillies against Touki Toussaint of the Braves. Baltimore plays at home against Washington as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Orioles pitch John Means against the Nationals’ Paulo Espino. Five games start at 1:10 PM ET. Tampa Bay completes their visit at Cleveland as a -150 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. Shane McClanahan pitches for the Rays against Triston McKenzie of the Indians. Cincinnati is at home against St. Louis as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Boston hosts the New York Yankees on TBS as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 10.5. Martin Perez pitches for the Red Sox against Domingo German of the Yankees. San Diego plays at Miami as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Padres send out Yu Darvish to pitch against a starting pitcher yet to be named. The New York Mets are at home against Toronto as a -130 money line favorite with a total of 9. New York pitches the newly acquired Rich Hill against the Blue Jays Ross Stripling. Three games start at 2:10 PM ET. Houston plays at home against Texas as a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Astros pitch Zack Greinke against the Rangers Taylor Hearn. Detroit concludes their series at Kansas City as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 10. Minnesota hosts the Los Angeles Angels as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 10. Bailey Ober pitches for the Twins against Jaime Barria of the Angels. The Chicago Cubs are at home against Arizona at 2:20 PM ET as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Cubs pitch Trevor Williams against the Diamondbacks Caleb Smith. San Francisco is at home against Pittsburgh at 4:05 PM ET as a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Alex Wood pitches for the Giants against J.T. Brubaker of the Pirates. Two games start at 4:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against Colorado as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Dodgers pitch Josiah Gray against the Rockies Jon Gray. Oakland concludes their series with Seattle as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Cole Irvin pitches for the A’s against Marcos Gonzales of the Mariners. The Chicago White Sox plays at Milwaukee on ESPN at 7:08 PM ET. The White Sox pitch Lance Lynn against the Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff. Milwaukee is a -140 money line favorite with a total of 7.The knockout stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup continues with the final two matches in the quarterfinals. Both games take place on FS1 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Canada plays Costa Rica at 7 PM ET in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2. The United States Men’s National Team plays Jamaica in the nightcap at 9:30 PM ET. The Stars and Stripes are a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Saturday MLB: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox Preview and Odds - 07/24/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 24, 2021

Saturday MLB FS1 Afternoon Preview: New York Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox.The Boston Red Sox host the New York Yankees on FS1 at 4:05 PM ET. Boston won the first two games of this series after their 6-2 victory last night. For the second straight night, the Red Sox spotted the Yankees the early lead. Rafael Devers gave Boston the lead with a two-run homer in the fifth inning against Gerrit Cole. Devers then blasted a three-run homer in the seventh inning to extend the Red Sox lead. Yacksel Rios got the win out of the Boston bullpen.The Red Sox have won four straight games to improve their record to 60-38. They are one game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the American League East. Boston has trailed in 31 of their 60 victories. They have won nine of their 11 games against the Yankees this season. Manager Alex Cora’s team averages 5.1 runs per game, with a .258 batting average, .317 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .761. Xander Bogaerts leads the team with a .312 batting average. He has added 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. Rafael Devers leads the BoSox with 26 homers and 79 RBIs. He is hitting .280. J.D. Martinez is hitting .302 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs.Nathan Eovaldi takes the ball for Boston this afternoon. The right-hander has a 9-5 record with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in 19 starts. He pitched last Saturday in Yankee Stadium against New York when he allowed one run and two hits in 5 innings of work. The Red Sox bullpen has a 3.62 ERA and a 1.375 WHIP. The pen has collected 31 saves but blown 13 save opportunities.Last night’s loss lowered the Yankees record to 50-46 on the season. The Bronx Bombers remain in third place in the American League East, nine games behind the Red Sox.New York scores 4.2 runs per game with a .234 batting average, .319 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .714. Aaron Judge leads the team with a .282 batting average, 21 home runs, and 47 runs batted in. Giancarlo Stanton has a .261 batting average, 16 home runs, and 46 RBIs. D.J. LeMahieu has a .266 batting average, seven homers, and 37 RBIs.Manager Aaron Boone turns to Jameson Taillon in his starting rotation. The right-hander comes off 5 1/3 scoreless innings at home against the Red Sox last Sunday night. Taillon has a 5-4 record with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 18 starts. He is supported by a bullpen that has a 3.64 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. The New York pen has collected 22 saves with 11 blown opportunities. The Yankees are still undermanned from the COVID outbreak that impacted six players last week. Hitters Aaron Judge, Kyle Higashioka, and Gio Urshela, and pitcher Wandy Peralta remain quarantine. Relievers Nestor Cortes and Jonathan Loaisiga were activated yesterday. First baseman Luke Voigt is still on the disabled list from the knee injury he suffered last week.DraftKings lists Boston as a -180 money line favorite, with the total set at 9.

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Saturday MLB: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Indians Preview and Odds - 07/24/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 24, 2021

Saturday MLB FS1 Night Preview: Tampa Bay Rays at the Cleveland Indians.The Tampa Bay Rays play at the Cleveland Indians in the second game of the FS1 Saturday doubleheader at 7:10 PM ET. The Rays won the first two games of this weekend series after a 10-5 victory last night. Nelson Cruz banged his 20th home run of the season and his first in a Rays uniform after being acquired in a trade on Thursday. Matt Wisler got the victory for Tampa Bay from two innings pitched in relief.The Rays have won four in a row to raise their record to 59-39. They are in second place in the American League East, one game behind the Boston Red Sox. Tampa Bay continued their activity before the trade deadline next Friday by trading starting pitcher Rich Hill to the New York Mets for pitcher Tommy Hunter and minor league catcher Matt Dyer.Tampa Bay averages 4.9 runs per game, with a .232 batting average, a .309 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .708. Brandon Lowe leads the team with 21 home runs. Randy Arozarena is hitting .254 with 13 homers and 46 RBIs. Auston Meadows has 16 homers and a team-leading 66 RBIs. Manager Kevin Cash opts for Drew Rasmussen to pitch as an opener tonight. The right-hander has only started as an opener one other time this season in his 23 appearances. He has a 0-1 record with a 4.55 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 29 2/3 innings. Ryan Yarbrough is expected to be Cash’s bulk pitcher tonight after pitching on Monday. The lefty has a 6-4 record with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The Rays’ bullpen has a 3.28 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. They have earned 27 saves and blown ten of their save opportunities. Cleveland got a three-run homer from Jose Ramirez last night in a losing cause. The future Guardians have lost 14 of their last 20 games to fall to a 48-47 mark. The currently-named Indians are in second place in the American League Central, nine games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox. Manager Terry Francona’s team averages 4.3 runs per game, with a .229 batting average, a .291 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .688. Ramirez leads the way with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs. Franmil Reyes has added 17 home runs and 45 RBIs that accompany his .263 batting average. Cesar Hernandez has 16 home runs, 43 RBIs, and a .227 batting average. J.C. Mejia gets the start for Francona after giving up four runs in 4 1/3 innings in his last start at Houston on Monday. He did strike out a career-high eight batters in that effort. He has a 1-5 record this season with a 7.53 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. The Cleveland bullpen has a 3.52 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP this season. They have earned 25 saves and blown 11 of their save opportunities. DraftKings lists Tampa Bay as a -160 money line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5.

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