Chopping Lines: Maxin’ Relaxin’
READ MORE: American League Championship Series, Chicago White Sox, Chopping Lines, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, MLB Playoff Betting, Surfin' Byrd
8 p.m.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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Chicago White Sox
Best Line: CHW -188, LAA +206
Well, this should be easy. The Chicago White Sox fresh off their three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox enter tonight’s first game of the ALCS rested, ready, and with the most dominating pitcher in the league the second-half of the season in Jose Contreras taking the ball for game one tonight. The exhausted Angels, on the other hand, lead with Paul “Surfin’” Byrd. Nothin’ against Byrd, whose had a fairly serviceable year as an Angels’ starter, but it’s a tough spot to be put in as the only live arm on a team probably in need of some serious decompression since last night’s victory over the Yankees. Yet, the betting public is obviously hopping on the big number as only 53% are taking Chicago at this time. Hmm. We’re hopeful that our Division Series mush is over and done with, but those of you betting against us will have a nice payout if the Angels do somehow make a pit-stop at one of the Midwest’s famous meth labs and gear up for this game. If you see Darin Erstad yanking his teeth out in the third inning, we’ll know that’s the case.
PICK!: CHW -188
Red Sox Fans Are Losing Their Money, Not Their Annoying Pluck
READ MORE: Boston Red Sox, MLB Playoff Betting
Doesn’t it seem odd that the Boston Red Sox fans are being so incredibly calm about the possibility of being eliminated from the playoffs tonight? Where’s the fatalistic attitude? Where are the bridge jumpers? Man, it’s just not as fun anymore. Well, according to an article in the Boston Herald, the Red Sox fans are also losing their money betting heavily on their not-so-good team against the charging White Sox. According to Sportsinteraction.com, they’ve received record amounts of people betting on the BoSox throughout the series so far. Good for them. However, one opportunistic young gambler quoted in the story pretty much sums up this awkward shift in a Boston fans’ attitude in one year:
“I’m down about $50” from the first two games, said Stevie Molinari, a graphic designer from Avon.“You have to believe,” he said. “Last year they came from behind … they’re definitely a clutch team.”
Who are these people?
Online Bettors Losing Shirts Betting on Sox [Boston Herald]
Oddjack Announcements: FUYA, Redux
READ MORE: Football Up Your Ass, MLB Playoff Betting, NCAA Football Betting, NFL Betting
So, it’s official: we’re off our baseball picks. We’re not even going into today’s games today very intently since that hasn’t seemed to work, as we are now a shameful 2-4 with our MLB playoff picks after another 0-2 outing last night. Instead, we’ll go to the ol’ coin flip to make this happen.
First game: 4:00 p.m. Chicago White Sox(Heads)/Boston Red Sox(Tails)
Tails it is!
PICK!: Red Sox
Second game: 8:05 p.m. LA Angels(Heads)/New York Yankees(Tails)
Tails it is!
Pick!: NY Yankees
Anyway, that was fun. Now, onto the more important stuff—football. Another huge slate today as we’re going all Football Up Your Ass again and making as many picks as possible over the next, oh, seven hours. Hit the lights!
Previously: Football Up Your Ass [Oddjack]
Chopping Lines: A Tale of Two Horses
READ MORE: Atlanta Braves, Chopping Lines, Houston Astros, MLB Playoff Betting
8:10 p.m.
Houston Astros
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Atlanta Braves
John Smoltz and his bald spot are getting lots of love from the bookies. Even though it seemed like the Braves were completely man-handled by the Astros and the sweet-swinging Hebrew Morgan Ensberg. And tonight the Braves get Roger Clemens. It’s a spectacular pitching match-up between two Hall of Famers that makes it curious as to why the Braves are favored, even if by a small number. It’s a total sucker bet probably, but we’re total suckers— we can’t ignore Clemens and the Astros getting some beans on this one. Can you tell we like underdogs? Regardless, let’s see if that weird-ass Astros’ lineup featuring Mike Lamb and company can come through in a big way. We’ll even ignore the fact that Clemens is an Aerosmith fan.
PICK!: HOU +125
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Chopping Lines: Rebirth of the Padres
READ MORE: Chopping Lines, MLB Playoff Betting, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals
4:00 p.m.
San Diego Padres
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San Diego Padres
Best Line: SD +250, STL -235
We’re probably going to regret doing this, but it’s Thursday and we’re in the mood to gamble. We’re also in the mood for a milkshake so if somebody could get on that, we’d appreciate it. As we previously showed, Cardinals’ starter Mark Mulder has been a wilting turd on the mound lately. Especially during day games. What we should focus on is how well Pedro Astacio has pitched for the Padres since coming over from the Texas Rangers. Astacio has won his last five starts with an ERA a little over 2 and pitched deep into games in most of them. Now that stud pitcher Jake Peavy is out for the year with a broken rib, somebody on the staff has to step-up and the Padres little offensive flurry the last two innings of the last game shows they’re a team that won’t go away as easily as people think. There’s a big pay-out on that +250 number; we’ll hop on it and hope for the best.
PICK!: SD +250
MLB Betting: Mulder’s Yips a Cause for Alarm
READ MORE: MLB Playoff Betting, Mark Mulder, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals
Beleaguered St. Louis Cardinals starter Mark Mulder takes the mound this afternoon for the second game of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres and the hefty -220 pricetag he’s carrying has some bookmakers perplexed. According to one Covers’ expert, this number is waaay too generous for Mulder considering his recent performances:
“I think there is some cause for concern,” says Covers Expert Steve Merril. “It’s one thing for him to get shelled, but to give up that many walks, that shows a control problem. Sure it didn’t mean much, but you just can’t turn it on right away.”
Mulder’s winless in his last six starts and has been wretched in day games—a 2-5 record with a 6.86 ERA, compared to a 14-3 record, 2.26 ERA when the lights come on. Obviously, Mulder has trouble pitching with a hangover. All those betting on the Cardinals today should hope he didn’t go all Kyle Orton last night.
Chopping Lines: Wang, Bang Sweet Chien-Ming Wang
READ MORE: Chopping Lines, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, MLB Playoff Betting, New York Yankees
10:00 p.m.
New York Yankees
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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
With last night’s first inning implosion by balloon-headed pitcher Bartolo Colon, the Angels not only gave up their best starter, but also gave up momentum to the Yankees who are seemingly riding the crest of the AL East title into the LCS once again. And we thought these guys were toast? Tonight the Yankees’ show off their Chien-Ming Wang as he goes head-to-head with one-time Angels post-season hero John Lackey. This is Wang’s first start ever against the Angels and even though he’s been pitching a little shaky(thanks to a Wang-ed up shoulder), we like the pitcher’s advantage of having faced a team for the first time. Lackey posts an ERA above 6 against the Yankees and with seemingly everyone in that lineup a little more locked-in, we’re foreseeing an offensive explosion from the pinstripes side this evening.
PICK!: YANKS +115
Chopping Lines: Fat Guy In A Little Coat
READ MORE: Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Chopping Lines, MLB Playoff Betting
7:00 p.m.
Boston Red Sox
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Chicago White Sox
(CWS Lead Series 1-0)
So, we’re thinking to bet against the fat guy this evening. If David Wells lasts more than five innings in this game he has our utmost admiration. With temperatures in Chicago still hovering around 90, we’re expecting a muggy evening uncomfortable for those whom may enjoy Budweiser and crullers for an afernoon snack. The ChiSox showed last night that they can hit the ball if they want to and we’re expecting more of the same out of them tonight. Mark Buehrle was a big reason for the ChiSox’s September stumbles(and he suuucks against the Red Sox), but we’re banking on him coming back strong this evening and keeping the Red Sox under four runs. We like the over(9) in this one again and think the Red Sox head back to Boston down 2-0. Has anybody ever come back from a two-game deficit? That has to be a lot of pressure…
PICK!: CHISOX -105
One day, everything will be a wager, from a hand of poker to the likelihood you'll be struck down by a bioterror attack before the next brain backup. One day. For now, there's Oddjack. It's a sneak peek at the future of gambling.
