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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/31/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 31, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in MLB. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket.Three games take place in the afternoon. Toronto hosts Kansas City in the second game in their three-game series. Alek Manoah pitches for the Blue Jays against Mike Minor of the Royals. Toronto is a -210 money line favorite with the total set at 10 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Houston plays at San Francisco at 4:05 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. The Astros pitch Zack Greinke against the Giants Alex Wood. Houston is a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Oakland is at Los Angeles against the Angels on FS1 at 4:05 PM ET in the third game of their four-game series. Cole Irvin pitches for the A’s against Jaime Barria for the Angels. Oakland is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 9.5.Three games start at 6:10 PM ET. The New York Yankees play in Miami in the second game of their three-game series. The Yankees pitch Domingo German against a Marlins starting pitcher yet to be determined. New York is a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Detroit is at home against Baltimore in the third game of their four-game series. Matt Manning pitches for the Tigers against Jonathan Means of the Orioles. Both teams are priced at -110 with an over/under of 9. Tampa Bay plays at home against Boston in the second game of their three-game series. The Rays pitch Ryan Yarbrough against the Red Sox’s Nathan Eovaldi. Both teams are listed at -110 with a total of 8.Three games start at 7:05 PM ET. Philadelphia plays at Pittsburgh in the second game of their three-game series. Aaron Nola pitches for the Phillies against J.T. Brubaker of the Pirates. Philadelphia is a -160 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Seattle is at Texas in Game 2 of their three-game series. The newly acquired Tyler Anderson pitches for the Mariners against Kyle Gibson of the Rangers. The Chicago Cubs are at Washington in the second game of their three-game series. Kyle Hendricks pitches for the Cubs against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Nationals. Two games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox host Cleveland in the second game of their three-game series. The White Sox pitch Dallas Keuchel against the Indians Triston McKenzie. Chicago is a -170 money line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets play at home against Cincinnati in the second game of their three-game series. The Mets pitch the recently acquired Rich Hill against the Reds Wade Miley. New York is a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota plays at St. Louis on FS1 at 7:15 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. The Twins pitch Bailey Ober against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Cardinals. Milwaukee is at Atlanta at 7:20 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. Brandon Woodruff pitches for the Brewers against Kyle Muller of the Braves. The Brewers are a -145 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at Arizona at 8:10 PM ET in Game 2 of their three-game series. Merrill Kelly pitches for the Diamondbacks against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Dodgers after they traded impending starter Josiah Gray to the Washington Nationals in the haul that brought back Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. Los Angeles is a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. San Diego is at home against Colorado at 8:40 PM ET in the third game of their four-game series. Yu Darvish pitches for the Padres against German Marquez of the Rockies. BetOnline lists San Diego as a -200 money line favorite with a total of 7. 

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NFL Futures Wager: Seattle Seahawks Season Wins

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Jul 30, 2021

NFC WEST TOTAL WINS BEST BET – Over 9.5 Seattle Seahawks No matter what the circumstances entering the season, Seattle always seems to get to at least 10 wins.  In fact, since Russell Wilson took over at QB in 2012, the Seahawks have failed to win 10 games just ONCE and that was a 9-7 season in 2017.  They have averaged 10.9 wins per season during Wilson’s 9-year run as starting QB.  Seattle won the tough NFC West last year with a 12-4 record and it was no fluke as they led the division in point differential at +88.  The offense will be very good again with Wilson and his playmakers on the outside (Metcalfe & Lockett) who are among the best in the NFC.  They have the ability to outscore teams when the defense comes up short which it did a lot early last season.  The Seahawks scored 30 or more points in 6 of their first 8 games when the defense was playing poorly.  Despite the defense, they were 6-2 in those games.  The defense improved by leaps and bounds in the 2nd half of the season allowing just 15.8 PPG after giving up an average of 30.3 PPG over their first 8 games.  If the defense can pick up where they left off, this team will be very good.  We have them currently favored in 10 games this season and their underdog roles will all be small numbers (most +3 or less).  All of their road games are winnable and the Hawks face 3 of the worst teams in the NFL in non-division play (Jags, Lions, and Texans).  As we mentioned, Seattle and double digit wins have been the norm for almost a decade.  Now with an extra game added in the regular season, we see no reason this team doesn’t get to at last 10 wins again in 2021.    

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/30/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 30, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in MLB. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket.The card starts with two games at 7:05 PM ET. The Chicago Cubs play at Washington in the first game of their three-game weekend series. The Cubs pitch Trevor Williams against a Nationals pitcher yet to be named with Max Scherzer traded to the San Diego Padres. Chicago is a -130 money line road favorite with the total set at 9. Philadelphia visits Pittsburgh in the first game of a three-game series. Vince Velasquez pitches for the Phillies against Wil Crowe of the Pirates. Philadelphia is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Toronto hosts Kansas City in the opening game of their three-game series. The Blue Jays pitch Ross Stripling against the Royals' David Lynch. Kansas City is a -200 money line favorite with a total of 10.5. Four games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The New York Yankees travel to Miami for the first game of their three-game series. Jameson Taillon pitches for the Yankees against Zach Thompson of the Marlins. New York is a -150 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Detroit plays at home against Baltimore in the second game of their four-game series. The Tigers pitch Tarik Skubal against the Orioles Matt Harvey. Detroit is a -150 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Tampa Bay is at home against Boston in the opening game of their three-game series. Josh Fleming pitches for the Rays against Martin Perez of the Red Sox. Boston is a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets are at home against Cincinnati in the first game of their three-game series. The Mets see the return of Carlos Carrasco, who faces the Reds’ Sonny Gray. New York is a -130 money line favorite with a total of 8.5.Milwaukee travels to Atlanta at 7:20 PM ET for the opening game of their three-game series. Corbin Burnes pitches for the Brewers against Touki Toussaint of the Braves. Milwaukee is a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Seattle visits Texas in the opener of their three-game series at 8:05 PM ET. The Mariners pitch Logan Gilbert against the Rangers Kolby Allard. Seattle is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox are at home against Cleveland in the first of a three-game series. Lance Lynn pitches for the White Sox against J.C. Mejia of the Indians. Chicago is a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota travels to St. Louis at 8:15 PM ET to begin a three-game series. The Twins pitch Jose Berrios against the Cardinals Wade LeBlanc. Minnesota is a -125 money line road favorite with the total at 8.5.Oakland plays at Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 PM ET in the second game of their four-game series. Chris Bassitt pitches for the A’s against Patrick Sandoval of the Angels. Oakland is a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Arizona at 9:40 PM ET in the opening game of their three-game series. The Dodgers pitch Tony Gonsolin against the Diamondbacks Zac Gallen. Los Angeles is a -190 money line road favorite with a total of 7.5. San Francisco is at home at 9:45 PM ET in the first game of their three-game series. Kevin Gausman pitches for the Giants against Framber Valdez of the Astros. San Francisco is a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. San Diego is at home against Colorado at 10:10 PM ET in the second game of their four-game series. The Padres pitch Ryan Weathers against the Rockies Jon Gray. San Diego is a -190 money line favorite with a total of 8.

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CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinals Preview and Odds - 07/29/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 29, 2021

Thursday CONCACAF Gold Cup: Semifinals Preview.The knockout stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup continues on Thursday with the semifinal matches on FS1.The United States plays Qatar at 7:30 PM ET at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The Stars and Stripes beat Jamaica, 1-0, in the quarterfinals last Sunday. That match was deadlocked until the 83rd minute when Matthew Hope scored the lone goal for the Americans.The Yanks began the tournament with a 1-0 win against Haiti before a 6-1 thumping against Martinique in their second match. They got their lone goal from Shaquell Moore in the first minute against Canada to give the USMNT their third victory in their three group stage matches. The USMNT has scored nine 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 are on a 12-1-1 run in their last 14 matches. They have not lost on home soil since an upset loss to Venezuela in a friendly on June 9th, 2019. In their most recent 13 games in the United States, the USMNT has scored 49 goals and has conceded only five times, with nine clean sheets. FIFA ranks the USA at 20th in the world. The ELO ratings place them 22nd. Qatar advanced to the semifinals with a 3-2 victory on Saturday. The Maroon opened the scoring in the fifth minute with Almoez Ali’s goal. Abdulaziz Hatem followed that up with Qatar’s second goal three minutes later. Ali gave the Maroon a 3-0 lead with his penalty kick goal in the 55th minute of the second half. Things then got nervy for Qatar after El Salvador’s Joaquin Rivas scoring twice in five minutes to pull La Selecta to within one goal with 22 minutes left in regulation time. The Maroon claimed first place in Group D with a 2-0 victory against Honduras in their final group stage match. Qatar opened the tournament with a 3-3 draw with Panama. They defeated Grenada, 4-0, in their second group stage match. The Maroon leads the tournament with 12 goals scored. They have conceded goals five times.  Qatar is a guest to participate in this North American tournament as preparation for their squad when they compete and host the 2021 World Cup next November. Most of the roster consists of club-level players in Qatar. Manager Felix Sanchez’s squad is led by forward Akram Afif, who has scored 19 goals in 64 caps for the national team. Forward Hassan Al-Haydos is the all-time leader in caps with 141. The Maroon entered the event with four straight victories from friendlies and World Cup qualifying matches. FIFA ranks Qatar 58th in the world. The ELO ratings place them 45th in the world. MGM lists the USMNT as a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.5.Mexico plays Canada in the second semifinal match at 10 PM ET at NRG Stadium in Houston. El Tri advanced from the quarterfinals with a 3-0 victory against Honduras on Saturday. Rogelio Funes Mori opened the scoring with a goal in the 26th minute. Jonathan dos Santos added a second goal five minutes later. Orbelin Pineda gave Mexico their final goal seven minutes later. El Tri won Group B with their 1-0 victory against El Salvador in their final group stage match. Mexico opened their defense of the 2019 Gold Cup title with a 0-0 draw with Trinidad and Tobago. They followed that up with a 3-0 victory against Guadeloupe. El Tri has scored seven goals and has yet to concede a goal in their four matches. Manager Gerardo Martino has assembled most of the nation’s top players to compete in this event. The notable exceptions on the roster were forwards Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Raul Jimenez, and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Mexico lost for Napoli forward Hirving “Chucky” Lozano for the tournament after incurring a head injury in the opening match against Trinidad and Tobago. Mexico is led by Porto forward Jesus Corona, Atletico Madrid midfielder Hector Herrera, and Ajax defender Edson Alvarez. El Tri is ranked 11th in the world by FIFA. The ELO ratings place them 15th. Canada advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 victory against Costa Rica on Sunday. Junior Hoillet got the Canucks on the board with his goal in the 18th minute. Stephan Eustaquio added the second goal in the 68th minute in the second half. Les Rouges 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 ten times in this event while conceding three goals. Canada won the Gold Cup in 2000, and they find themselves amidst a golden generation of talent. Les Rouges had 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 suffered another loss after Turkish Super League star Cyle Larin left the tournament with a muscle injury after the group stage. Canada ranks 70th in the world by FIFA and 41st in the ELO ratings.MGM lists Mexico as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CONCACAF Gold Cup Previews and Odds - 07/29/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 29, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in MLB and the CONCACAF Gold Cup.Twelve games are on the MLB docket. Seven games take place in the afternoon. Washington plays at Philadelphia at 12:05 PM ET in the opener of their seven-inning doubleheader. After Wednesday’s game got rained out, Max Scherzer is slated to pitch for the Nationals against Vince Velasquez of the Phillies. The New York Mets are at home against Atlanta at 12:10 PM ET in the getaway game of their five-game series. The Mets pitch Taijuan Walker against the Braves Drew Smyly. New York is a -145 money line favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all MLB odds from DraftKings). The New York Yankees play at Tampa Bay at 1:10 PM ET in the getaway game of their three-game series. Gerrit Cole pitches for the Yankees against Luis Patino of the Rays. New York is a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Chicago White Sox are at Kansas City at 2:10 PM ET in the getaway game of their four-game series. The White Sox pitch Carlos Rodon against the Royals’ Carlos Hernandez. Chicago is a -190 money line road favorite with a total of 10. Cincinnati concludes their four-game series with the Cubs in Chicago at 2:20 PM ET. Luis Castillo pitches for the Reds against Alec Mills of the Cubs. Cincinnati is a -125 money line road favorite. The final game of the four-game series between the Nationals and Phillies concludes with the second game of their doubleheader at 3:05 PM ET. The Los Angels Dodgers is at San Francisco in the final game of their three-game series at 3:45 PM ET. The Dodgers pitch David Price against the Giants Johnny Cueto. Los Angeles is a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Milwaukee is at Pittsburgh at 7:05 PM ET for the final game of their three-game series. Freddy Peralta pitches for the Brewers against Chad Kuhl for the Pirates. Milwaukee is a -190 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Two games start at 7:10 PM ET. Detroit hosts Baltimore in the opening game of their four-game series. The Tigers pitch Casey Mize against the Orioles Alexander Wells. Detroit is a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Boston plays at home against Toronto in the final game of their four-game series. Eduardo Rodriguez pitches for the Red Sox against Hyun Jin Ryu of the Blue Jays. Boston is a -115 money line favorite with a total of 10.The Los Angeles Angels host Oakland at 9:38 PM ET in the opening game of their four-game weekend series. The Angels pitch Alex Cobb against the A’s Frankie Montas. Los Angeles is a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. San Diego is at home against Colorado at 10:10 PM ET in the first game of their four-game weekend series. Joe Musgrove pitches for the Padres against Kyle Freeland of the Rockies. San Diego is a -280 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup take place in an FS1 doubleheader. The United States plays Qatar at 7:30 PM ET at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The Stars and Stripes are a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Mexico goes against Canada at 10 PM ET at NRG Stadium. El Tri is a -1 goal line favorite with the total at 2.5.

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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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