Sunday 7/2/17 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Trends - Washington at St. Louis

Red - Hot trends are trends 80% or higher. Blue - Cold trends are trends 20% or lower.


W/L Trends


Washington
•Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.
• Nationals are 7-3 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
• Nationals are 37-17 in their last 54 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 vs. National League Central.
• Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 during game 3 of a series.
• Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 overall.
• Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 games on grass.
• Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
• Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 Sunday games.
• Nationals are 1-5 in their last 6 road games.
• Nationals are 1-5 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
• Nationals are 0-4 in their last 4 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Nationals are 6-0 in Scherzers last 6 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Nationals are 4-0 in Scherzers last 4 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Nationals are 9-2 in Scherzers last 11 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
• Nationals are 17-5 in Scherzers last 22 starts during game 3 of a series.
• Nationals are 16-5 in Scherzers last 21 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
• Nationals are 6-2 in Scherzers last 8 Sunday starts.
• Nationals are 23-8 in Scherzers last 31 road starts.
• Nationals are 19-7 in Scherzers last 26 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
• Nationals are 24-9 in Scherzers last 33 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Nationals are 24-9 in Scherzers last 33 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Nationals are 23-9 in Scherzers last 32 starts.
• Nationals are 23-9 in Scherzers last 32 starts on grass.
• Nationals are 1-4 in Scherzers last 5 starts vs. National League Central.



St. Louis
•Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
• Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 overall.
• Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 games on grass.
• Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 home games.
• Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 games following a win.
• Cardinals are 16-5 in their last 21 vs. National League East.
• Cardinals are 7-3 in their last 10 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Cardinals are 2-5 in their last 7 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Cardinals are 2-7 in their last 9 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
• Cardinals are 1-5 in their last 6 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Cardinals are 1-5 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Cardinals are 5-1 in Martinezs last 6 home starts.
• Cardinals are 9-4 in Martinezs last 13 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
• Cardinals are 11-5 in Martinezs last 16 starts vs. National League East.
• Cardinals are 35-16 in Martinezs last 51 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
• Cardinals are 17-8 in Martinezs last 25 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.


OU Trends


Washington
•Under is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 games following a loss.
• Under is 5-1-1 in Nationals last 7 overall.
• Under is 5-1-1 in Nationals last 7 on grass.
• Under is 5-1-1 in Nationals last 7 vs. National League Central.
• Under is 5-1 in Nationals last 6 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Under is 4-1-1 in Nationals last 6 Sunday games.
• Under is 4-1-1 in Nationals last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Under is 4-1 in Nationals last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
• Under is 3-1-1 in Nationals last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Over is 8-3-1 in Nationals last 12 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
• Under is 34-13-5 in Nationals last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
• Over is 10-4-1 in Nationals last 15 vs. a team with a losing record.
• Under is 4-0 in Scherzers last 4 starts vs. National League Central.
• Under is 7-1 in Scherzers last 8 starts on grass.
• Under is 7-1 in Scherzers last 8 starts overall.
• Under is 6-1 in Scherzers last 7 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
• Under is 5-1 in Scherzers last 6 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
• Under is 4-1 in Scherzers last 5 starts during game 3 of a series.
• Under is 4-1 in Scherzers last 5 road starts.
• Over is 4-1 in Scherzers last 5 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Under is 10-4 in Scherzers last 14 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Over is 5-2 in Scherzers last 7 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.



St. Louis
•Over is 4-0 in Cardinals last 4 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Over is 6-1-1 in Cardinals last 8 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Over is 5-1 in Cardinals last 6 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Over is 17-5-1 in Cardinals last 23 during game 3 of a series.
• Over is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
• Over is 6-2-1 in Cardinals last 9 games following a win.
• Over is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
• Over is 6-2-1 in Cardinals last 9 home games.
• Under is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 vs. National League East.
• Over is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Over is 34-13-4 in Cardinals last 51 Sunday games.
• Under is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
• Over is 5-2-1 in Cardinals last 8 overall.
• Over is 5-2-1 in Cardinals last 8 on grass.
• Under is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Over is 5-2-1 in Cardinals last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
• Under is 2-0-2 in Martinezs last 4 Sunday starts.
• Under is 5-0-1 in Martinezs last 6 starts during game 3 of a series.
• Over is 4-1 in Martinezs last 5 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Under is 4-1 in Martinezs last 5 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Under is 4-1 in Martinezs last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
• Under is 4-1 in Martinezs last 5 home starts.
• Under is 6-2 in Martinezs last 8 starts on grass.
• Under is 3-1-1 in Martinezs last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
• Under is 6-2 in Martinezs last 8 starts overall.
• Under is 6-2-1 in Martinezs last 9 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
• Under is 8-3 in Martinezs last 11 starts with 4 days of rest.
• Under is 8-3-1 in Martinezs last 12 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
• Under is 10-4-2 in Martinezs last 16 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.


Head to Head


•Under is 1-0-3 in the last 4 meetings in St. Louis.
• Over is 8-3-4 in the last 15 meetings.
• Nationals are 7-23 in the last 30 meetings in St. Louis.



Umpire Trends - Chris Segal


•Home team is 4-1 in Segals last 5 Sunday games behind home plate.
• Over is 4-1 in Segals last 5 games behind home plate vs. St. Louis.
• Under is 7-2 in Segals last 9 Sunday games behind home plate.
• Home team is 5-2 in Segals last 7 games behind home plate.
• Cardinals are 0-4 in their last 4 games with Segal behind home plate.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB Daily Line Drive: Sunday's picks, betting odds and analysis

"Mad Max" gets the ball for the Washington Nationals on Sunday Night Baseball. Scherzer is one of the few starters in baseball who are legitimate no-hitter threats every time they take the mound.

Double-Play Picks

New York Yankees at Houston Astros (-120, 8.5)

The New York Yankees and Houston Astros wrap up their three-game series with a Sunday afternoon rubber-match. It's a bit surprising that these two entertaining teams from massive markets aren't playing in prime-time, but regardless, it should be an early Independence Day fireworks display at Minute Maid Park.

This game features, unquestionably, the top two offenses in the American League. The Yankees and Astros rank No. 1 and No. 2 in virtually every offensive category - runs scored, hits, batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. The only blemish is that the Tampa Bay Rays rank second in home runs, just two bombs ahead of the Yankees who sit in the No. 3 position.

Luis Severino and Mike Fiers will handle the starting pitching duties today. Both starters are more than capable of allowing some runs and they met head-to-head in a game back in May which turned into a shootout in an eventual 11-6 Yankees' win.

Severino has been pretty good for the Yanks this season but over his last three outings his ERA is 4.74 and opponents are averaging seven total runs per game during those starts. Fiers is coming off a start where he allowed four runs over 5.1 innings at home against the Oakland Athletics and he has never performed well against the Yankees with an ERA of 7.59 in two career starts.

In the last four meetings this season between the Yankees and Astros the two teams have combined to average 16 total runs per contest. You get the two top offenses in the league together and they will do their best to put on a show.

Pick: Over 8.5

Washington Nationals at St. Louis Cardinals (+110, 7.5)

The St. Louis Cardinals entertain the Washington Nationals for the final game of their three-game weekend series. The Cards took the first two contests over a struggling Nats' offense that has only scored three total runs over their last three games, and will look to convert the sweep on Sunday Night Baseball.

The Red Birds will send their ace, Carlos Martinez, to the hill on Sunday. Martinez is 4-1 (team win/loss 6-2) at home this season with a very impressive 1.85 ERA and a WHIP of 0.86. Carlos has, however, dropped his last two starts and will be facing an absolute bulldog tonight.

Anytime you can get the Nationals, especially when Max Scherzer is starting, at -130 you have to take it. "Mad Max" is 6-2 on the road in 2017 with an ERA of 1.62 and a WHIP of 0.74. Scherzer is also riding some hot momentum right now - over his last seven starts he has only allowed six earned runs (1.00 ERA) and 22 hits (0.56 WHIP) to go along with 75 strikeouts (12.5 Ks per 9 innings).

Each and every time that Scherzer takes the mound he is a threat to toss a no-hitter. This game should be tight but Washington's offense will wake up enough to give Max a couple of runs to work with.

Pick: Nationals -130

Yesterday's Picks: 2-0
Season To Date: 79-69-7


Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers

Streaking: Kenta Maeda, Los Angeles Dodgers (6-3, 4.15 ERA, $423)

Right-hander Kenta Maeda has been in-and-out of the Dodgers' starting rotation over the last couple of weeks. In games that he has started he has been tremendous.

Over his last three starts he is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA and has only allowed nine hits in those three outings (0.81 WHIP).

Maeda and the Dodgers are huge road favorites in San Diego this afternoon at -200.

Slumping: Julio Teheran, Atlanta Braves (6-6, 5.30 ERA, $-164)

Atlanta Braves' ace Julio Teheran is coming off a horrible outing where he allowed seven earned runs in only three innings of work against the Milwaukee Brewers. Over hit last two starts (both losses), Teheran owns an ERA of 8.71 and has only recorded five strikeouts over 10.1 innings.

Teheran is not missing any bats recently and he and his Braves are +165 underdogs today in Oakland.

Sunday's Top Trends

* The Toronto Blue Jays are 15-1 in their last 16 after scoring two runs or less in their previous game. -115 today vs. Red Sox.
* The Chicago White Sox are 11-1 in Carlos Quintana's last 12 starts vs. American League West. -105 today vs. Rangers.
* Over is 13-3 in Alex Cobb's last 16 road starts. Rays/Orioles Total: 10.5.
* The Arizona Diamondbacks are 16-5 in their last 21 home games. -130 today vs. Rockies.

Weather To Keep An Eye On

Precipitation will not be a threat to postpone or impact any games across Major League Baseball today. It should be a perfect day across the league for beaches, barbecues, and baseball bets.

There are a few games this afternoon that will feature decent hitter's winds. The Tigers will entertain the Indians with a 12 mile per hour wind blowing out to left field and a betting total of 10, the Giants will take on the Pirates at PNC Park with a 10-12 mile per hour wind blowing out to left and a total of 8.5, and the White Sox will welcome the Rangers with a 10-11 mile per hour breeze blowing out to left field and an Over/Under set at 10.

Ump Of The Day

D.J. Reyburn will be calling ball and strikes this afternoon in San Diego and that is horrible news for the Padres - or any home team that he gets involved with for that matter.

The road team is 12-4 in games worked behind the plate by Reyburn in 2017 and he is currently riding a streak of 9-1 over his last 10 games for the road team.

The Dodgers are big road favorites today at -200.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

July good month/bad month MLB starting pitchers

Rangers starter Cole Hamels for his career has averaged 0.95 punch-outs per inning and this season has only 16 in 37 innings of work, but July has tradtionally been a strong month for the southpaw.

Independence Day Fireworks and the MLB All-Star game go hand-in-hand during the month of July. It’s also the start of the second-half of the MLB campaign. And as we’ve come to learn the key to each and every team’s fortune lies on the pitching staff. Can they sustain or will they unravel like a hand-me-down suit? Stay tuned. What we do know is that certain pitchers love hurling this time of the season while others tend to get lit up like a roman candle on the 4th of July.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of July. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in July, winning 33 percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each July over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s July list.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS

Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals - 11-4 (8-1 H)

Duffy been on the shelf since late-May with an oblique strain and will likely need multiple rehab outings to build up his pitch count before returning to action. It appears that Duffy won't be back before the All-Star break, unless everything really goes exceedingly well. Before being injured, the Kansas City lefty was like his team, rather ordinary at 4-4, with a 3.54 ERA in 11 starts, with opposing batters hitting .272 against his tosses. If the Royals are to remain in the AL Central chase, they will need a healthy Duffy.

Cole Hamels, Texas Rangers - 11-4 (4-1 H)

Hamels first start after being on the DL for two months was an ugly one, permitting seven runs on eight hits, plus four walks, in just 4 1/3 innings. He deserves a pass after that much time off. However, the greater concern for the left-hander is strikeouts. Hamels for his career has averaged 0.95 punch-outs per inning and this season has only 16 in 37 innings of work. Batters last season started laying off the cutters and curves, that were actually balls, and sitting on his fastball which has dropped from the mid-90's to the low 90's. Critical month for the 33-year old Hamels.

Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle Mariners - 11-5 (6-2 A)

The Seattle right-hander made six starts to begin the season, before going down with a bum shoulder. After doing rehab work in Triple-A Tacoma, on June 23rd he was shut down for further medical evaluation and there is no time table for his return.

* Francisco Liriano, Toronto Blue Jays - 11-4 (7-1 H)

Toronto has won seven of Liriano's last eight starts (thru June 25th), however, that is mostly because of the Blue Jays offense and not how effective the lefty has been. Liriano starts the month with an ERA well over 5 and because his command has been so poor, his WHIP is over 1.60. At 33, he no longer has the good fastball or wicked curve and we will have to wait and see if he can produce past results this month.

Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals - 7-3 (6-1 H)

Lance Lynn had an ERA of only 2.53 after eight strong innings in a 2-1 setback to the Dodgers on May 23rd. Since, Lynn has been regularly taken deep and averaged better than two walks a start, with most outings lasting only five innings. His recent lack of success is strictly placement, as opposing hitters are batting only .209 against him, but the walks and home runs surrendered (19) have been his downfall and why his ERA is up to 3.90.

Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals - 9-4 (5-2 H)

The St. Louis ace might only start July with a 6-6 record, nevertheless, he's pitched much better than that in dropping his ERA a full run to 2.88 in his past nine outings. He's only given up 75 hits in 106 1/3 innings and Martinez is really mowing down the other team's batters with 121 strikeouts. If the Cardinals are to get back in their division race, they need to hit and field better for their top hurler, because it sure looks like he will hold up his end of the bargain.

Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees - 9-3 (6-0 H)

It has been incredible to watch Tanaka turn into a batting practice pitcher the last two months. Teams are hitting .279 against his tosses, which is nearly 40 points higher than his career norm of .240. Though the strikeout and walk ratios are similar to the past, the righty is permitting a home run for every 12 outs he gathers. The Yankees claim Tanaka is healthy and just not hitting his spots. If true, he is REALLY grooving pitches over the plate. In this era of “juiced baseballs” the Japanese import needs to do better.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS

Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays - 4-10 (1-5 H)

For all the ability Archer possesses, the results do not back it up. No longer a prospect at 28, when you review Archer's stats and watch him throw, it is hard to fathom this guy has a 47-56 record, even if he's been on a few poor Tampa Bay clubs. The right-hander is one of those pitchers who is sailing along and runs into one bad inning and ends up losing games. In the immortal words of Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, hurlers like Archer "pitch good enough to lose."

Shelby Miller, Arizona Diamondbacks 2-9 (0-6 H)

Out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

With home runs on the rise can bettors find an edge when wagering MLB totals

Justin Smoak’s 22nd dinger of the season made MLB history as the 1,070th home run hit during the month of June, the most bombs the sport has ever witnessed during a single month in its existence.

Facing a 1-1 count with one out and runners on first and second base in the bottom of the first inning Friday night, Toronto first baseman Justin Smoak annihilated an 89.9 mile-per-hour Doug Fister two-seam fastball into the left-centerfield stands at Rogers Centre to deliver his Blue Jays an early 3-0 lead over the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Interestingly enough, the Sox would go on to defeat the Jays 7-4 in 11 innings on Friday. But this contest would be more remembered for Smoak’s first inning laser than Boston’s impressive come-from-behind victory. That’s because Smoak’s 22nd dinger of the season made Major League Baseball history as the 1,070th home run hit during the month of June, the most bombs the sport has ever witnessed during a single month in its existence.

When the curtain finally fell on both Friday night and the month of June, a grand total of 1,101 home runs had been hit over the previous 30 days. Baseball’s historic power surge was led by 21-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger, who blasted an incendiary 13 home runs during the month of June. Not only are those 13 jacks tied for third-most by a rookie in a single month in MLB history, but they are the most hit by a rookie in a single month since Mark McGwire crushed 15 homers in May of 1987.

However, with a significant increase in home run totals comes a significant increase in questions and scrutiny. And many around the sport are asking just what, exactly, is the primary reason why so many balls are flying out of the yard this early in the 2017 season.

Some would be quick to point the finger at performance-enhancing drugs, but baseball’s austere drug-testing program combined with the fact that no single player is currently anywhere close to challenging the single-season home run record should serve as enough contradictory evidence to rebuff those claims.

Others would point to the fact that it’s a new era in baseball, one in which only three outcomes truly matter: the home run, the walk and the strikeout. The sport is no longer placing an emphasis on defense, base-running or batting average. It’s all about either sitting guys down or taking guys deep. The sport simply no longer values anything in between.

And then there is theory number three, which states that the balls are juiced.

Said Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale this past week when asked if he thought MLB’s baseballs were juiced, “One hundred percent. We have all talked about it.”

“There’s a lot of people unhappy with the baseball, and I’m getting some feedback,” New York Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen told Nightengale. “You’re seeing guys going opposite field, breaking their bats, and the balls are flying out. It’s the balls. They’re throwing harder with it, and they’re getting less movement, so they’re just hanging there. There has got to be some investigation.”

Whatever theory with which you subscribe as it pertains to the meteoric rise in baseball’s most fan-favorite highlight, it’s important to note that from a betting perspective, none of this has slipped past the Las Vegas bookmakers. More home runs should translate into more runs, which should then translate into more overs. But as of the morning of July 1, MLB Overs held just a slight edge against Unders to the tune of a 594-545 overall record (.521 for overs).

This data suggests that, while home runs are certainly on the rise, the bookmakers are well aware of what is taking place around Major League Baseball. So where can we look to find an edge when it comes to MLB totals and the soaring home run rate?

Well, let’s ask ourselves the following question: How do you prevent a baseball from flying over the outfield fence?

Answer 1: You strike the batter out
Answer 2: You keep the ball on the ground and out of the air

Here’s a look at the top-10 MLB starting pitchers in terms of strikeouts per nine innings (K/9), immediately followed by each pitcher’s 2017 totals record (Unders listed first, followed by overs):

1. Chris Sale, Red Sox: 12.27 K/9, 9-7
2. Max Scherzer, Nationals: 11.96 K/9, 10-6
3. Corey Kluber, Indians: 11.76 K/9, 7-5
4. Robbie Ray, Diamondbacks: 11.52 K/9, 6-8-2
5. Jacob deGrom, Mets: 10.82 K/9, 8-7-1
6. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals: 10.69 K/9, 8-7-1
7. Chris Archer, Rays: 10.69 K/9, 7-10
8. Lance McCullers, Astros: 10.66 K/9, 9-6
9. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: 10.44 K/9, 8-9
10. Carlos Martinez, Cardinals: 10.24 K/9, 8-6-2

The starting pitchers who currently comprise the top-10 in strikeouts per nine innings are a combined 80-71-6 (.529) to the Under this season, which seven of those ten pitchers in the black when it comes to betting Unders. Or, to put it another way, had you bet $110 to win $100 on the under in every single game those aforementioned seven pitchers have started this season (Sale, Scherzer, Kluber, deGrom, Strasburg, McCullers and Martinez), you would currently be up $1,060.

Granted, K/9 is just a very small piece to a much larger puzzle. These rankings don’t take into account opposing pitchers, weather, defenses or our starting pitcher’s supporting cast in terms of run production. But this information does serve as a useful guide when looking to establish an edge while betting MLB totals.

Now let’s take a look at the top-10 starting pitchers in terms of groundball rate as well as their 2017 totals record (Unders listed first, followed by overs):

1. Lance McCullers, Astros: 63.9%, 9-6
2. Marcus Stroman, Blue Jays: 60.8%, 7-8-1
3. Clayton Richard, Padres: 57.9%, 8-8-1
4. Tyler Chatwood, Rockies: 56.7%, 9-4-3
5. Mike Leake, Cardinals: 56.6%, 10-5-1
6. Kyle Freeland, Rockies: 56.4%, 12-2-2
7. Luis Severino, Yankees: 56.0%, 6-9
8. Jaime Garcia, Braves: 55.0%, 8-7
9. Wade Miley, Orioles: 53.0%, 7-9
10. Jhoulys Chacin, Padres: 52.8%, 7-8-1

Grand total: Unders 83, Overs 66, Pushes 9 for an Unders winning percentage of .557.

Again, these metrics are not intended to be utilized as a be-all, end-all type of tool. Rather, incorporate them into your overall handicapping strategy in an attempt to tip the scales from the bookmaker’s favor into your favor.

Because as baseball teams continue to shift their respective strategies, we need to be prepared to do the same. And at some point when these home run totals begin to regress to the mean, Unders should start cashing at highly favorable rate early on in that process.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's six-pack

— Amir Johnson gets $11M for one year from Philly; he has earned $65M in a 12-year career, as one of the last guys to go directly from HS to the pros.

— Mets 7, Phillies 6— Asdrubel Cabrera hit the GW homer on his bobblehead day.

— Singer Bruce Hornsby’s son Keith is on the Dallas Mavericks’ summer league team; he played college ball at LSU.

— Over last six years, Iona and Cal-Northridge have had 16 players transfer into their basketball programs, most in the country.

— North Carolina is only D-I basketball program in the country that hasn’t had a player transfer out in the last six years.

— There were 1,101 home runs hit in the major leagues in June, the most ever in one month, passing May of 2000, when 1,069 taters were hit.