MLB 2018 Season Long Thread Thru the World Series / Picks,Trends,News Etc. !!

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wild card/division/championship series/world series /record and best bets:

Date w-l-t % units record

10/20/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
10/19/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.15
10/18/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -14.45
10/17/2018 2-1-1 66.67% +6.80
10/16/2018 2-2-0 50.00% +0.65
10/15/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +12.70
10/14/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -1.40
10/13/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +8.95
10/12/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +11.65
10/09/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -12.45
10/08/2018 3-2-1 60.00% +1.70
10/07/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -16.80
10/06/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +9.55
10/05/2018 4-4-0 50.00% -0.50
10/04/2018 2-1-0 66.67% +5.00
10/03/2018 1-1-0 50.00% +0
10/01/2018 2-1-1 66.67% +5.85

total..............30-24-2.......55.55%......+16.10


best bets:................ats.....................units ..................o/u..................units............days total

10/20/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.00.................1 - 0.................+5.00............+10.00
10/19/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-5.50
10/18/2018...............0 - 0....................+0 00.................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-5.50
10/17/2018...............1 - 1....................+1.80..................1 - 1..................0.50............+1.30
10/16/2018...............1 - 1....................+0.65.................1 - 1..................-0.50.............+0.15
10/15/2018...............1 - 0....................+7.70.................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+12.70
10/14/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+5.00
10/13/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................2 - 0.................+10.00...........+10.00
10/12/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.00..................1 - 0................+5.00.............+10.00
10/09/2018...............0 - 0................... +0.00..................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-5.50
10/08/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.95..................1 - 1.................-0.50..............+5.45
10/07/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00..................1 - 1.................-0.50..............-0.50
10/06/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.05..................1 - 1..................-0.50.............+4.55
10/05/2018...............0 - 3....................-15.00.................3 - 1..................+9.50.............-5.50
10/04/2018...............0 - 1.....................-5.00..................2 - 0.................+10.00...........+5.00
10/03/2018...............0 - 1.....................-5.00..................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+0.00
10/01/2018...............1 - 1....................+5.85..................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.85

total.........................8 - 8....................+12.00...............18 - 9.................+40.50...........+52.50
 
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Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Someone took a survey; here are the most popular Halloween candies:

1) Reese?s peanut butter cups 84.2%

2) Reese?s miniatures 81.9%

3) Twix 81.8%

4) Kit Kat 78.8%

5) Snickers 76.7%

6) Reese?s Pieces 73.4%


**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but??

13) Oakland Raiders traded Khahil Mack to the Bears for two #1 picks before the season, then started season 1-5; Monday they traded WR Omari Cooper to Dallas, for another #1 pick, as they continue to plot for the future, when they?ll be playing home games in Las Vegas.

Raiders now have three #1 picks in the 2019 Draft, which will be held in Nashville; too bad it isn?t in Las Vegas, because Raiders are going to be the center of attention. Raiders also have two #1 picks in the 2020 Draft.

12) One of the values of Twitter is getting lot of diverse opinions; almost everyone said that the Raiders did very well getting a #1 pick for Cooper, but then on Monday Night Football, those guys are all saying the Cowboys made out on the deal. What gives?

Ed Werder, who has covered the Cowboys for decades, pointed out that this is the third time Jerry Jones has traded draft picks for a star WR? the other two WR?s he got were Joey Galloway and Roy Williams. When your owner/GM is in his 70?s, draft picks tend to mean less.

11) This from the legendary Gil Brandt on Twitter:
lowest %age of players still on team that picked them (in last six NFL Drafts):

16.0% Oakland Raiders
16.3% Buffalo Bills
20.5% New Jersey Giants
20.7% Cleveland Browns
24.6% San Francisco 49ers

10) Denver Broncos haven?t had consecutive losing seasons since 1971 (4-9-1) and ?72 (5-9); they were 5-11 LY, are 3-4 this year. I?m guessing they?ll be a coaching change if they don?t finish at least .500 this season.

9) Only three NFL teams haven?t played a regular season game outside this country; the Eagles, Packers, and Panthers. Philly plays Jacksonville in London this week.

8) Would Auburn really cough up $32M to tell football coach Gus Malzahn to take a hike? Malzahn is 28-19 in conference games; the guy was a high school coach not that long ago, but do people at Auburn really have $32M lying around to get rid of a fairly successful coach? Wow.

7) Oklahoma Sooners haven?t lost consecutive regular season games since 1999; they?re 39-0 SU in the games following their last 39 regular season losses.

6) According to Astros beat reporter Brian McTaggart, Houston 2B Jose Altuve had surgery Friday to repair a patella (kneecap) avulsion fracture in his right knee. According to the Mayo Clinic website, an avulsion fracture occurs when a small chunk of bone attached to a tendon or ligament gets pulled away from the main part of the bone.

Altuve played thru that injury since August 21, hitting .276; he is one tough dude.

5) Cincinnati Reds showed very little imagination and hired David Bell as their new manager. Bell is a Cincinnati native and the son of current Reds executive Buddy Bell, and grandson of Gus Bell, both of whom played for Cincinnati.

David Bell played for seven big league teams, but never for the Reds.

Weird thing is that Bell doesn?t get to pick his own coaches; he will make recommendations, but the front office has the final say. Being a manager isn?t as big a deal as it used to be.

4) If you read this space a lot, you know I love basketball, and I have the NBA package on DirecTV- its fun to watch the games, but it is becoming more difficult to actually follow the league.

Everyone who plays/coaches in the league is pretty rich or really rich, but so few of them appear to be remotely happy? so much anger, and the season is a week old.

I mean, Rondo/Paul got into a scuffle in their game Saturday night , and then Rondo?s girlfriend shoves Paul?s wife afterwards; seriously? Time for everyone to grow up some.

Chris Paul got a two-game suspension for the fracas, that?ll cost him $491,962; the others, much less. Lakers? Brandon Ingram ran into the scuffle and threw a punch; he got a longer suspension than either Paul or Rondo, but he doesn?t make as much $$$ as they do.

3) College basketball has these ?closed/secret? scrimmages between teams; I don?t understand why they?re kept secret, when there is money to be made showing them on TV.

This weekend, North Carolina/Villanova scrimmaged, as did Minnesota/Creighton. Teams all over the country do it, but it is information being hidden and that hurts the sport.

2) Weird doings at the U of Arizona; back in January, the Wildcats fired football coach Rich Rodriguez after six years after a sexual harassment allegation against the coach.

Kevin Sumlin is the new coach; Arizona is 3-5 after a 31-30 loss at UCLA Saturday, when they used their backup QB in place of injured starter Khalil Tate- that backup is Rhett Rodriguez, son of the former coach.

The kid played alright; 15-34 for 231 yards, with two TD?s, two INT?s, but it had to be so odd, a kid playing for the coach who replaced his fired father.

1) Before Rodriguez got the Arizona job, he worked a season in the CBS Sports studio doing college football Saturdays; as soon as the Wildcats hired him, he was off recruiting; the first day CBS Sports had a show after Rodriguez quit, the crew had RichRod on as a guest via remote from Tucson.

Here?s the thing; the whole one-hour show, they left the chair Rodriguez had sat in all season empty, thats the regard they held him in. After that I always rooted for his teams. Saturday night, I was rooting for his son.
 
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World Series Cheat Sheet
Kevin Rogers

HOW THEY GOT HERE

In spite of the Astros winning the World Series last season, the Red Sox seemed like the team to knock off in the American League this season. Boston finished with the best record in franchise history at 108-54, while winning the American League East title in Alex Cora?s first season as manager. The Red Sox failed to advance past the opening round of the playoffs in 2016 and 2017 after capturing the division championship, but things changed this time around.

Boston split the first two games with rival New York in the ALDS at Fenway Park, but finished off the Yankees with a pair of victories in the Bronx to win the series, 3-1. Two of the wins came by one run, while routing New York in Game 3 by a 16-1 count. Nathan Eovaldi and Rick Porcello each pitched terrific on the road, while J.D. Martinez and Steve Pearce combined for nine hits and eight runs batted in.

The Red Sox dropped the ALCS opener to the Astros in a rematch of last season?s ALDS won by Houston. However, Boston rebounded with a comeback victory in Game 2 at home, followed up by three consecutive wins at Minute Maid Park to take home its first pennant since 2013. Eovaldi was fantastic again by tossing six innings in a Game 3 victory, while the Red Sox rallied for an 8-6 win in a wild Game 4, capped off by Jackie Bradley, Jr.?s second home run in as many games. Boston finished off Houston, 4-1 in Game 5 behind a masterful performance from David Price, who picked up his first career playoff win.

The Dodgers are back in the World Series for the second straight season, but are looking for redemption after falling to the Astros in seven games in 2017. The road wasn?t easy to capture the NL West title as the Dodgers needed to beat the Rockies in game 163, but Los Angeles remained the kings of the division for the sixth straight season.

L.A. took care of upstart Atlanta in the NLDS after blanking the Braves in two home wins and finishing things off in four games. The NLCS was significantly more challenging as the Dodgers were pushed to seven games by the NL Central champion Brewers, but Los Angeles used home runs from Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig to knock out Milwaukee, 5-1 in the decisive contest at Miller Park. The Dodgers? pitching staff allowed two runs or less in three of the final four games, while Los Angeles won two games at Chavez Ravine and two at Miller Park.

HITTERS TO WATCH

The Red Sox showcase two MVP candidates in Martinez and Mookie Betts, as the duo was the top two hitters in the American League this season. Betts batted .346 with a career-high 32 home runs, while Martinez finished second in batting average (.330), second in home runs (43), and first in runs batted in (130). Shortstop Xander Bogaerts knocked in 103 runs, while picking up a hit in eight of nine playoff games.

The balance of the Dodgers? lineup was evident this season as not one player finished in the top-five of the NL in batting average, home runs, and RBI. However, seven Dodgers drilled at least 20 home runs this season, led by Max Muncy?s 35 round-trippers. That list includes Los Angeles sluggers who were with the team the entire season, as midseason pickup Manny Machado his 13 homers with the Dodgers, but posted 37 homers total, which included his time in Baltimore. The Dodgers scored the most runs in the NL with 804, while allowing the least amount runs with 610.

PITCHERS TO WATCH

Cy Young candidate Chris Sale (12-4, 2.11 ERA) was slated to start Game 6 of the ALCS if Boston lost Game 5. However, Sale was given several extra days of rest as he will get the ball in the World Series opener. Sale beat the Yankees in the ALDS opener by tossing 5.1 innings and allowing five hits and two earned runs in a 5-4 victory for his first career playoff win. However, the lanky left-hander yielded only one hit in four innings in a 7-2 home defeat to the Astros in the ALCS opener.

Sale landed on the disabled list with a shoulder injury in August, as he has not pitched past the sixth inning since late July. The Red Sox own a 9-5 record in his 14 home starts this season, compared to a 9-4 mark in his opening season at Fenway Park in 2017. As a home favorite or -200 or below in his two seasons in Boston, the Red Sox have compiled a 6-2 mark.

Price (16-7, 3.58 ERA) exorcised his playoff demons by dominating the Astros in Game 5 of the ALCS, picking up his first playoff win in 12 career starts. In the regular season, Price put together a 9-3 record at Fenway Park, while the Sox won 14 of his 18 home starts. Price will be making his first World Series start likely in Game 2, while tossing 3.1 innings of relief in his rookie season with the Rays against the Phillies in the 2008 Fall Classic.

Clayton Kershaw (9-5, 2.73 ERA) has captured three Cy Young awards in his career, but is seeking his first World Series title. Kershaw turned in a pair of masterful performances at home against the Braves and Brewers by tossing 15 innings and allowing five hits and one run. However, Kershaw put together his shortest career playoff outing in a Game 1 loss at Milwaukee by giving up six runs in three innings of a 6-5 defeat.

In last year?s World Series against Houston, Kershaw shut down the Astros in the opener at home, 3-1 by striking out 11 batters in seven innings. However, Kershaw was knocked around at Minute Maid Park in a pivotal Game 5 as the Dodgers blew a pair of three-run leads in a 13-12 walk-off loss in extra innings.

Fellow southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu (7-3, 1.97 ERA) allowed a season-high five runs in a Game 6 NLCS loss at Milwaukee, snapping a five-game winning streak by Los Angeles in Ryu?s previous five starts. Ryu has not been listed as an underdog this season, as the Dodgers posted a 4-1 record in his five outings following a loss in his last start. Ryu did not pitch in the 2017 World Series as he faces a Red Sox lineup that hit only .250 against left-handers this season compared to .275 vs. right-handers.

SERIES HISTORY

Amazingly, these two legendary franchises have met only once before in the World Series, coming way back in 1916. The Red Sox won in five games against what was known as the Brooklyn Robins, before the franchise changed its name to Dodgers in 1932.

The last time the Red Sox and Dodgers met in the regular season came back in 2016 in Los Angeles. The Dodgers captured two of three games against the Red Sox, as Price lost the series finale in spite of Boston grabbing an early 2-0 lead. Los Angeles is making its first trip to Fenway Park since 2010 when the Sox pulled off a three-game sweep of the Dodgers.

SERIES SCHEDULE - GAMES ON FOX

Game 1 ? Tuesday, October 23 at Boston
Game 2 ? Wednesday, October 24 at Boston
Game 3 ? Friday, October 26 at Los Angeles
Game 4 ? Saturday, October 27 at Los Angeles
*Game 5 ? Sunday, October 28 at Los Angeles
*Game 6 ? Tuesday, October 30 at Boston
*Game 7 ? Wednesday, October 31 at Boston

* - If Necessary
 
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MLB
Dunkel

Tuesday, October 23

LA Dodgers @ Boston

Game 901-902
October 23, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(Kershaw) 16.718
Boston
(Sale) 20.326
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Dodgers
by 3 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-145
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-145); Under




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, October 23

World Series
Dodgers @ Red Sox
Kershaw is 4-1, 4.00 in his last six starts; over is 4-0 in his last four road starts. He closed Game 7 of the NLCS Saturday in Milwaukee (1 inning). Team in his starts: 17-11, 9-5 road
Kershaw has never pitched in Fenway Park; he is 2-1, 2.45 in his last four playoff starts.
5-inning record: 17-8-3 Allowed run in 1st inning: 3-28

Sale is 1-0, 3.80 in six starts since August 12 (over 5-1). Team in his starts: 19-10, 9-5 home
Sale is 1-2, 5.85 in five playoff games (3 starts).
5-inning record: 17-5-7 Allowed run in 1st inning: 6-29

Dodgers won three of their last four games; under is 4-1-1 in their last six games. LA is in playoffs for 6th year in row; they lost 7th game of World Series LY. Dodgers? last WS title was in 1988.

Boston won eight of its last ten games; over is 15-4-1 in their last 20 games. Red Sox are in playoffs for third year in row, but this is their first World Series since 2013- they won last three WS appearances.




MLB
Weather Report

Tuesday, October 23

1zd7vnn.jpg





MLB

Tuesday, October 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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Los Angeles Dodgers
LA Dodgers is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
LA Dodgers is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games
LA Dodgers is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
LA Dodgers is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Boston
LA Dodgers is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Red Sox
Boston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
Boston is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Boston is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 9 games at home
Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing LA Dodgers
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
 
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World Series Game 1 to be cold one
October 22, 2018
By The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) Hooting and hollering, Chris Taylor and a couple of Dodgers took aim at the Green Monster. With their arms, not bats.

Standing in left field, they kept throwing balls at a small, square space in the scoreboard, shouting every time a miss clanged off the metal letters.

''I've got good aim!'' Taylor shouted after he finally tossed one through, ending the contest Monday.

A lot of fun for Los Angeles, frolicking at Fenway Park during a World Series workout.

Might not look, sound and feel so friendly come Game 1 on Tuesday night.

''It's a completely different atmosphere,'' Boston reliever Heath Hembree cautioned. ''Are they going to feel the Monster breathing down on them?''

Goes beyond the ballpark, too.

''I think the biggest challenge for a team coming in here is you're playing the Boston Red Sox,'' pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said.

That's the part Clayton Kershaw will focus on, trying to contain Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and a team that blitzed to a team-record 108 wins, then breezed through the AL playoffs.

A three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, Kershaw has never pitched at Fenway. But he went through a drill in bullpen Sunday night, going through his entire routine on the mound - even going to his mouth and wiping his hand before taking the ball out of his glove - without throwing a single pitch. On Monday, he loosened up in a cutoff T-shirt and ski cap.

''Check this one off as far as pitching tomorrow, but I don't really think about the history part of it too much, honestly,'' he said.

The view from the other dugout certainly is more inviting.

''It's a lot better wearing the white uniforms,'' said Chris Sale, who starts the opener for Boston. ''It's not an easy place to play as a visitor.''

''This ballpark definitely brings its challenges in terms of it's different. It's not your standard wall out in center field, just kind of a half-oval. We have ... nooks and crannies and some sharp edges and some different things going on out there,'' he said. ''I could definitely see how this could raise some challenges for a team that doesn't play here a lot.''

Fans saw that earlier in the playoffs.

A relative stranger to the 37-foot-high wall, Yankees left fielder Andrew McCutchen misplayed a carom in the AL Division Series. Shortstop Didi Gregorius wandered far into the outfield, retrieved the carom and made a long relay - and wound up hurting his elbow, an injury that required Tommy John surgery.

During the AL Championship Series, Houston left fielder Marwin Gonzalez got lost out there and banged hard into the scoreboard, which isn't padded. He was down for a while.

''Crazy bounces, all the odd angles. Off the scoreboard, off the numbers,'' said Dodgers starter Rich Hill, who previously pitched for the Red Sox.

''Or you hook one down the line toward Pesky's Pole, it's probably less than 200 feet down there,'' he said. ''There's not a park like this.''

Taylor made a sensational catch in left-center field Saturday night as the Dodgers beat Milwaukee in Game 7 of the NLCS. He's played at Fenway, albeit a few years ago with Seattle.

''I'll feel it out,'' he said.

The Red Sox and Dodgers are meeting in the World Series for the first time since 1916. The Dodgers haven't played an interleague game at Fenway since 2010, meaning Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy will be getting their first looks on the field. Rookie Walker Buehler visited a couple times while he played in the amateur Cape Cod League.

Red Sox reliever Brandon Workman appreciates the oldest park in the majors, which opened about a week after the Titanic sank in 1912.

''There are some unique features here. The triangle in center field. The wall, of course,'' he said.

''I've never been in the visitors' clubhouse, but I hear it's tiny. That's OK by me, I'm on the other side.''

At least the weather is supposed to decent enough. For late October in the Northeast, no doubt.

It's supposed to be around 50 for Sale's first pitch, with temperatures dropping into the upper 40s. A little cooler for Game 2 on Wednesday night when David Price starts for Boston against Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Before that, Dodgers second baseman Brian Dozier intends to speak to his teammates, sharing the knowledge he learned over seven seasons with Minnesota.

''We actually have a long meeting coming up and I'm going to touch on that with a few different things,'' he said. ''How to play the wall that I learned even as a shortstop my rookie year. I'm going to touch on that to make sure.''

''There's no park similar to this,'' he said. ''Balls down the line hit the stands. Flyballs can get lost. I guess my message is don't let yourself be surprised by anything that happens here.''

Dodgers reliever Ryan Madson said he isn't too worried about the ballpark oddities. Easy for him to say - he was part of bullpens that won World Series championships in Philadelphia and Kansas City.

''None of that factors into what we're talking about,'' he said, adding with a smile, ''we hope not.''
 
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How Dodgers and Red Sox match up
October 22, 2018
By The Associated Press

A position-by-position look at the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox going into the World Series, starting Tuesday night at Fenway Park:

First Base:

Dodgers: David Freese or Max Muncy. One of several spots where Los Angeles platoons based on matchups. Freese, a proven postseason performer, figures to face left-handers Chris Sale and David Price early in the Series. Freese was MVP of the 2011 World Series and NLCS with St. Louis. He had a homer and five RBIs in 10 playoff at-bats this year. Muncy, who was released by Oakland and spent 2017 in the minors, became one of baseball's biggest surprises this season with 35 home runs and a .973 OPS. He batted .182 with two homers, 10 walks and 18 strikeouts in 11 playoff games.

Red Sox: Steve Pearce or Mitch Moreland. The underappreciated Pearce has played for seven big league teams, including all five in the AL East. He hammers left-handed pitching, which could really come in handy against a Dodgers team with three southpaw starters. Moreland, a Gold Glove winner in 2016 and an All-Star this season, has pop from the left side. He missed time with a hamstring injury during the playoffs but returned to the starting lineup in the clinching Game 5 of the AL Championship Series and got two hits against Justin Verlander. Moreland figures to start against rookie right-hander Walker Buehler.

Edge: Dodgers, but it's close.

---

Second Base:

Dodgers: Brian Dozier or Enrique Hernandez or Muncy. The power-hitting Dozier, a 2015 All-Star and 2017 Gold Glove winner, was acquired from Minnesota at the July 31 trade deadline to help shore up a problem spot. But he batted only .182 with a .650 OPS in 47 games for the Dodgers. The athletic Hernandez can play all over the field, but he went 3 for 26 (.115) during the NL playoffs.

Red Sox: Ian Kinsler or Brock Holt. With longtime rock Dustin Pedroia injured, Boston obtained Kinsler from the Angels in a July 30 trade. The four-time All-Star is 36 but still a steady pro. Holt is a valuable utilityman who can be dangerous against right-handed pitching. He became the first player to hit for a postseason cycle in Game 3 of the Division Series at Yankee Stadium.

Edge: Red Sox.

---

Shortstop:

Dodgers: Manny Machado. After young star Corey Seager went down early with an elbow injury, Los Angeles landed Machado for five prospects in a blockbuster deal with Baltimore on July 18. Only 26, the four-time All-Star is expected to command a huge contract as a free agent this offseason. He's aggravated opponents with questionable ethics on the field, leading Brewers slugger Christian Yelich to call Machado a "dirty player." He seems to be embracing the role of October villain - and Boston remembers his late slide that injured Pedroia last year. A terrific talent, Machado makes his World Series debut. He had three homers, two doubles and nine RBIs during the playoffs, including a surprise bunt single that paid dividends in Game 7 of the NLCS.

Red Sox: Xander Bogaerts. A heralded prospect, Bogaerts has become sort of a quiet producer on a loaded team. Batting cleanup in a high-octane lineup, the 2016 All-Star rebounded from a disappointing 2017 season with 45 doubles, 103 RBIs and a career-best .883 OPS this year.

Edge: Dodgers.

---

Third Base:

Dodgers: Justin Turner. With his bushy, bright red beard and penchant for clutch hits, Turner has become one of the Dodgers' most recognizable faces over the last few years. He was hampered by injuries this season but still batted .312 with a .924 OPS. Cast off by the Orioles and Mets when he was a part-time player with minimal power early on, Turner has blossomed into a .310 career postseason hitter with seven homers, 30 RBIs and a .941 OPS in 44 games.

Red Sox: Eduardo Nunez or Rafael Devers. The right-handed-hitting Nunez is a free-swinging slasher who can run when healthy. He's been bothered by a sore right ankle lately and is shaky on defense. Devers, who turns 22 on Wednesday, is a left-handed bat who can catch up to anybody's fastball but also has defensive shortcomings (24 errors). He went 7 for 20 (.350) with seven RBIs during the playoffs, including a three-run homer off Verlander in the clinching Game 5 of the ALCS against Houston.

Edge: Dodgers.

---

Catcher:

Dodgers: Austin Barnes. For the second consecutive postseason, Barnes has taken over the starting role from a struggling Yasmani Grandal. Barnes hasn't delivered the same offense as last year, but at least he's a strong defender who remedies Grandal's gaffes behind the plate. Barnes batted only .205 with four homers this season and went 2 for 18 with nine strikeouts in the NL playoffs.

Red Sox: Christian Vazquez or Sandy Leon. Not much offense out of this duo, although Vazquez carries a little pop. He has essentially been given the regular job in October over Leon, a slumping switch-hitter who has two hits in his last 52 at-bats. Leon, however, caught Sale all season and could start the opener.

Edge: Even.

---

Left Field:

Dodgers: Chris Taylor or Joc Pederson. Another versatile piece, Taylor often winds up at multiple spots in the same game. He gives manager Dave Roberts all sorts of flexibility because he plays center field, left field and both middle infield positions. Taylor's numbers dropped off a bit this season and he led the NL with 178 strikeouts. But the co-MVP (with Turner) of the 2017 NLCS is having another fine October. Taylor batted .360 with a 1.067 OPS in 10 playoff games and made an outstanding catch in left field to preserve the lead in Game 7 of the NLCS at Milwaukee. Pederson is a left-handed hitter with power (25 homers) and a good glove. He can also play center.

Red Sox: Andrew Benintendi. A polished young player with all-around skills, Benintendi has been just about everything the Red Sox envisioned when they drafted him seventh overall in 2015. His diving catch with the bases loaded saved a wild win in Game 4 of the ALCS and was probably the most pivotal play against defending champion Houston.

Edge: Red Sox.

---

Center Field:

Dodgers: Cody Bellinger. Last season's NL Rookie of the Year was unable to duplicate his huge 2017 power numbers, but Bellinger was still a big reason the Dodgers won their second straight pennant. He was a bit of a curious choice for NLCS MVP after batting .200 against Milwaukee, but he did come through with a couple of very clutch hits and an excellent catch in the outfield. The long, lean slugger also plays a smooth first base and appeared in a league-high 162 games this season. His father, Clay, was a light-hitting backup on championship teams with the Yankees.

Red Sox: Jackie Bradley Jr. A regular on the highlight reels for his defensive prowess, Bradley was batting .198 on July 7 before surging in the second half to finish at .234 with 13 homers and 59 RBIs. The 2016 All-Star got only three hits in the ALCS but homered twice and drove in nine runs to win MVP honors. He connected for the go-ahead hit in two Boston wins and a game-sealing grand slam in another. His .200 batting average was soon matched by Bellinger for the lowest by a position player to win MVP of a league championship series.

Edge: Dodgers.

---

Right Field:

Dodgers: Yasiel Puig. It's always an eventful ride with the excitable Puig, aptly nicknamed "The Wild Horse" by revered broadcaster Vin Scully. The talented and enigmatic slugger from Cuba burst onto the scene in 2013-14, then fell out of such favor with the Dodgers that they demoted him to the minors and tried to trade him. He's responded with two solid seasons in a row, and he went 10 for 30 (.333) with a .962 OPS during the playoffs. His three-run homer gave Los Angeles a 5-1 lead in Game 7 of the NLCS at Milwaukee. Puig seems to love the spotlight, and he certainly appears to be having fun. Of course, his rocket arm, pure speed and powerful swing still come with cocky antics and exaggerated bat flips that irritate certain opponents.

Red Sox: Mookie Betts. The likely AL MVP this season, Betts does it all as one of the game's very best all-around players. He led the majors in batting average (.346), slugging percentage (.640) and runs (129) while hitting 32 homers and stealing 30 bases from his leadoff spot. He plays dazzling defense, too. Betts has yet to hit a postseason homer, and he batted just .205 with three RBIs during this year's playoffs - although he scored eight runs and shined in the field.

Edge: Red Sox.

---

Designated Hitter:

Dodgers: Matt Kemp or Muncy. Following an offseason trade from Atlanta that brought him back to his original team, Kemp was more productive than anticipated. He batted .290 with 21 homers and 85 RBIs in 146 games, and even earned his third All-Star selection. Now 34, he still offers power from the right side of the plate and seems a logical choice for DH against lefties under American League rules at Fenway Park.

Red Sox: J.D. Martinez. After signing a $110 million, five-year contract as a free agent, Martinez was a perfect fit in his first season with Boston. He batted .330, launched 43 home runs and topped the majors with 130 RBIs before hitting .313 with two homers and nine RBIs during the playoffs. Martinez is no slouch in right or left field, and he'll certainly remain in the lineup even with no DH under NL rules when the World Series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3. That means rookie manager Alex Cora must open a spot for his slugger. He said it's possible Betts, a Gold Glove winner in right, could move to second base. Betts played second in the minors and made an appearance there this year. Boston could also just slide Betts to center and bench Bradley or Benintendi - especially against left-handers.

Edge: Red Sox.

---

Starting Pitchers:

Dodgers: Longtime ace Clayton Kershaw (9-5) was limited to 161 1/3 innings this year, and his 2.73 ERA was his highest in eight years. But the rotation received a big boost from Buehler (8-5, 2.62) and Hyun-Jin Ryu (7-3, 1.97) after the lefty returned from a groin injury. Another veteran left-hander, Rich Hill (11-5, 3.66), is from the Boston suburbs. He was languishing in an independent league before reviving his career with the Red Sox in 2015. Kershaw, who has never pitched at Fenway Park, expects to start the opener following his 15-pitch relief outing in Game 7 of the NLCS three days earlier. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP has been trying for years to add a World Series title to all his individual achievements. But he is 9-8 with a 4.09 ERA in the postseason, and he flopped in a critical game during last year's Series loss to Houston. This is a shot at redemption. Two of Kershaw's three starts this October have been outstanding, the other was a dud. Ryu had a 1.15 ERA at home during the regular season and pitched seven shutout innings there against Atlanta in Game 1 of the Division Series.

Red Sox: With two Cy Young Award winners plus a seven-time All-Star who features some of the filthiest stuff in baseball, the Red Sox certainly appear well-armed. But there are question marks going into this Series. Sale (12-4, 2.11 ERA, 237 strikeouts in 158 innings) said he's ready for the opener after being hospitalized with a stomach illness and missing a turn during the ALCS because he was still feeling weak. Shoulder trouble sidelined him during the second half of the season, too. Is he close to full strength? Price was 0-9 with a 6.16 ERA in 11 career postseason starts before throwing six shutout innings on three days' rest to win the ALCS clincher in Houston. Is he finally over that October hump? Hard-throwing Nathan Eovaldi (6-7, 3.81), who began his career with the Dodgers and was obtained from Tampa Bay in July, is 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA in his first postseason. Fellow righty Rick Porcello (17-7, 4.28) had a 4.22 ERA in two starts and two effective relief appearances during the playoffs.

Edge: Red Sox.

---

Bullpen:

Dodgers: All-Star closer Kenley Jansen allowed 13 homers this season, more than twice his previous high, and looked wobbly down the stretch. But he was in peak form during the playoffs, striking out 10 over 6 2/3 shutout innings while earning three saves. Pedro Baez, Ryan Madson, Dylan Floro and Caleb Ferguson give Roberts quality setup options in a deep bullpen that includes three left-handers. Converted starters Kenta Maeda, Alex Wood and Julio Urias provide flexibility and the ability to throw multiple innings. This group posted a 1.45 ERA during the NLCS, outperforming a touted Brewers bullpen that supposedly had an advantage. Then again, the Dodgers rode a dominant 'pen into last year's Series before Jansen and the rest of a tiring crew faltered against Houston.

Red Sox: Entering the postseason, the relief bridge to star closer Craig Kimbrel was supposed to be the one area of weakness on the best team in baseball. Instead, the setup guys have mostly pitched pretty well and it's Kimbrel who's been shaky in compiling a 7.11 ERA while saving five games. But he closed out the Astros with no problem in the ALCS clincher - apparently after former Dodgers reliever Eric Gagne pointed out a pitch-tipping issue. Matt Barnes, Joe Kelly and surprise find Ryan Brasier all have good stuff and were reliable in the playoffs, albeit a bit wild. Eduardo Rodriguez is an experienced starter, but it would be nice to have another left-hander. Cora has augmented this group in October by aggressively using Sale, Porcello and Eovaldi out of the bullpen in late-inning situations.

Edge: Dodgers.

---

Pick: Red Sox in 6.
 
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Gutting it out: Game 1 starter Sale pitching for Series ring
October 22, 2018
By The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) Chris Sale would rather talk about the ring he can win as a World Series champion instead of the almost certainly nonexistent navel ring that - he maintains with a straight face - scratched him from a start in the last round.

The Red Sox left-hander will belly up to the mound to start Game 1 against Los Angeles on Tuesday night, 10 days after his last outing and nine after he was hospitalized with what the team called a ''stomach illness.''

Sale joked - we think - that it was from a piercing gone bad, and he kept up the ruse back in Boston.

''I'm not going to spill all of my secrets,'' he said.

Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to start for the Dodgers, giving baseball a matchup of marquee lefties from a pair of iconic franchises at two of the oldest ballparks in the majors.

The Red Sox, who won a franchise-record 108 games and their third straight AL East crown, are going for their fourth title in 14 years; the Dodgers, who lost to the Astros in the Series last year, will try for their first championship since 1988.

''It's going to be rocking. This place is going to be obviously going crazy,'' Sale said. ''We've all been waiting for this. And our fans, too.''

The 2017 AL Cy Young runner-up - a favorite for this year's award before arm problems down the stretch - Sale never missed a start through the end of July, when he went on the disabled list with what the team called ''mild left shoulder inflammation.''

He came back for one start in August but then shut it down again as the Red Sox, who had a double-digit lead in the AL East, coasted into the playoffs.

After sitting out a month, he threw 26, 42, 73 and 92 pitches in four September starts to rebuild his arm strength for the postseason. He won Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the Yankees and came on in relief in the Game 4 clincher, then got knocked around in the opener of the ALCS against Houston.

During Game 2, the team announced that he had been hospitalized, forcing him to join his teammates late when the series moved to Houston and pushing him back in the rotation from the fifth to the sixth game.

Sale insisted he was prepared to gut it out, but the Red Sox clinched in five, thanks to David Price's pitching and Rafael Devers' three-run homer.

''Obviously D.P. and Devers and everybody else had a different way of going about it,'' Sale said. ''Having these extra few days has been nice to be able to get back on that routine, get a little more normalcy back into it. Getting my strength back ... got back to doing some things that made me successful in the past.''

Kershaw is a three-time NL Cy Young winner who has been in the top 5 for the award in each of the last seven years. In 2014, he was the league's MVP. He said he's glad to be facing Sale in Boston, where the pitchers won't be batting.

''Probably wouldn't have been a good matchup for me,'' he said.

Sale said on Monday that he is back to 100 percent, and he deflected questions about the illness that melted even more weight away from his 6-foot-6, 180-pound frame. But his comment about the belly button ring has exploded like the infected wound he is pretending to have.

Brock Holt said he would get a nipple or belly button ring if the Red Sox win it all; second baseman Ian Kinsler said it might become a trend.

''I'll get any type of ring if we do it,'' Kinsler said. ''If we can get four wins we might all be walking around with nipple rings or belly button rings, whatever it may be.''

Sale, wearing what appeared to be the same gray T-shirt he has sported all through the postseason, said he wasn't surprised.

''Hey, that's what I do,'' he said. ''Fashionista, I guess.''

He was joking again.

We think.
 
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Manny the Masher, Manny the Miscreant & Macho Manny
October 22, 2018
By The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) - Most players are questioned ahead of their World Series debuts. Manny Machado was cross-examined.

October's villain is especially despised at Fenway Park for planting his spikes into Dustin Pedroia in April 2017 . The Boston second baseman hasn't been the same.

"That's old history," Machado said Monday, deflector shields raised.

He's Manny the Masher, Manny the Miscreant and Macho Manny all in one, whacking baseballs, opponents and questions.

Wearing a blue Los Angeles Dodgers World Series hoodie and gray pants, arms crossed, he sat between teammates Yasiel Puig and Ross Stripling, surrounded by a scrum of inquirers in the Pavilion Room on the 106-year-old ballpark's fourth level. Even with stubble on his chin and lips, Machado's face looked boyish. His hair was styled into cornrows at the top and a crew cut on the side.

With hard slides at second base against Milwaukee and a foot planted on the heel of Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar , Machado acquired notoriety far exceeding the attention he gained as a four-time All-Star infielder with Baltimore. He even earned condemnation from Pete Rose, whose own rambunctious play included running over Ray Fosse in an All-Star Game.

"I don't think going in hard is the same as dragging your left foot, to kicking the guy's foot off the bag," Rose said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I don't know Manny Machado, so I don't know if he's a dirty player or if he's not. But I just thought when he hit the first baseman's foot it was kind of unnecessary."

A few weeks from becoming a free agent at the age of 26, Machado's actions could signal a giant "caveat emptor" sign to suitors, warning them buyer beware.

When he took out Pedroia during a slide at Baltimore on April 21 last year, Machado spiked his surgically repaired left knee and calf. Pedroia missed the next three games and has been limited to 92 games since.

"I know how I hurt my knee and I know what happened. That's it. We all know," Pedroia said.

Machado's response was out of "The Godfather:" business, not personal.

"We're not friends," he said.

Because of what happened?

"That's a good one, man. That's a good one. That's a really good one," he said, chuckling.

Anger festered. Two days after the slide, Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes threw a fastball behind Machado's head and was suspended for four games.

When the teams met that May 2, Chris Sale threw a pitch behind Machado's legs , and Machado criticized the Red Sox during a postgame interview that included 22 profanities in a 75-second span. He called Boston's behavior "coward stuff" and said "I've lost my respect for that organization, for that coaching staff, for everyone over there."

"We have bigger things to worry about now on both sides," Sale said ahead of his start in Tuesday night's opener. "We're not worried about any individual player."

Machado, as the saying goes, responded with his bat. He homered over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park later in the series, then took a leisurely 29.8-second stroll around the bases . Machado's eight homers at Fenway are tied for his most at an opposing ballpark.

"For me to put something over that one, it's pretty cool," he said.

Machado drew renewed scrutiny in the NL Championship Series. He failed to run hard on a grounder in Game 2 , then made a pair of hard slides into Milwaukee's Orlando Arcia in Game 3 while the shortstop was attempting to turn double plays. While Arcia made a wild throw on the second after Machado clipped a knee with a hand, umpires called a double play following a video review.

During an interview broadcast on FS1 before Game 4 , Machado admitted "I'm not the type of player that's going to be Johnny Hustle and run down the line and slide to first base" and added: "That's just not my personality. That's not my cup of tea. That's not who I am."

In the 10th inning of that night's game, he kicked Aguilar on the back of a leg while running out a groundout. He was fined $10,000 by the commissioner's office, according to a person familiar with the discipline. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the penalty was not announced.

"He's a player that has a history of those types of incidents," Milwaukee star Christian Yelich said. "One time is an accident. Repeated over and over and over again, you're just a dirty player. It's a dirty play by a dirty player."

Booed repeatedly when the series returned to Milwaukee, Machado surprised in Game 7 when he bunted on a 3-2 pitch from Jhoulys Chac?*n leading off the second inning and reached without a throw in 3.96 seconds, his fastest home-to-first time this year. It was the first full-count bunt single since Kansas City's Nori Aoki on May 29, 2014, and Cody Bellinger followed with a two-run homer that put the Dodgers ahead to stay.

"I can't say what I really want to say," Machado explained in the jubilant clubhouse, "I know you want me to say it. You want a big story to write tomorrow. ... He quick-pitched me. I'm going to drop one down. I know it was a little ballsy. But anything to win, and it came out perfect."

He was acquired from Baltimore on July 18 to replace injured shortstop Corey Seager. Machado hit .297 with 37 homers and 107 RBIs in the regular season, and he batted .250 with three homers and nine RBIs in 11 playoff games.

He's done what was expected, "has a good way to channel that for the positive," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Machado's answers to most everything are similar: whatever it takes.

"I'm here to play baseball," he said. "I'm here to win a World Series. I'm here to bring a parade to the city of Los Angeles."

And then, perhaps, leave.
 
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Kershaw, Sale set for Game 1 of Series
October 23, 2018
By The Associated Press

A look at what's happening around the major leagues today:

FENWAY FRESHMAN

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will pitch at Fenway Park for the first time when he starts Game 1 of the World Series against the Red Sox. The oldest park in the majors has a lot of quirks that can present many challenges for newcomers, but Kershaw says he's focusing on Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and the lineup of a team that won 108 games.

The Dodgers haven't played an interleague game at Fenway since 2010, meaning Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy will be getting their first looks on the field. The team took turns Monday throwing balls at a small, square space in the Green Monster, a little fun target practice while waiting for the real games to begin.

Game 1 should be a cold one. Forecasts call for the temperature to be around 50 degrees for the 8:09 p.m. first pitch, and it will cool off during the game to the high 40s. There is a 50-50 chance of rain during the afternoon, but it is expected to pass by game time.

RING RING

Chris Sale would rather talk about the ring he can win as a World Series champion instead of the almost certainly nonexistent navel ring that - he maintains with a straight face - scratched him from a start in the last round. The Red Sox left-hander will belly up to the mound to start against Los Angeles 10 days after his last outing and nine after he was hospitalized with what the team called a ''stomach illness.'' Sale joked - we think - that it was from a piercing gone bad, and he kept up the ruse back in Boston.

''I'm not going to spill all of my secrets,'' he said.

Sale said Monday that he is back to 100 percent, and he deflected questions about the illness that melted even more weight away from his 6-foot-6, 180-pound frame. But his comment about the belly button ring has exploded like the infected wound he is pretending to have. Brock Holt said he would get a nipple or belly button ring if the Red Sox win it all; second baseman Ian Kinsler said it might become a trend.

FINAL THREE

Yoenis Cespedes' agent may be the next general manager of the New York Mets. Brodie Van Wagenen interviewed for the job Monday and is among three finalists along with former Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin and Tampa Bay senior vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. The 44-year-old Van Wagenen has been co-head of CAA Baseball since 2010 and is familiar to the Mets as the representative for Cespedes, Jacob deGrom and Tim Tebow.

''In my role as an agent, my solution is to create opportunities for players to be successful both on and off the field,'' Van Wagenen said. ''My conversations with the Mets continue to be organic. I believe baseball is better when the Mets are competitive and successful.''

MODERN MAN

Brad Ausmus is promising to blend a better appreciation of analytics with his sturdy baseball foundation as he takes over as Angels manager. Ausmus was introduced as the replacement for Mike Scioscia on Monday, becoming the first new manager for Los Angeles in this millennium. Ausmus was dropped by the Detroit Tigers last fall after four intermittently successful seasons as their manager ended with a wholesale franchise rebuild. He spent the past year working in the Angels' front office, examining every aspect of the organization as an assistant to general manager Billy Eppler.

Ausmus thinks his lack of managerial experience was an asset when Detroit hired him, as he fit into the popular mold of hiring managers shortly removed from their playing days. But he feels better prepared for his second dugout job - partly because he has a newfound appreciation for the role of analytics in the modern game.
 
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Pedroia, Utley embrace elder role for Red Sox, Dodgers
October 23, 2018
By The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) Don't look for Dustin Pedroia and Chase Utley to be turning any double plays during this World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.

But the presence of both has already had an impact on the clubhouses of the two teams looking to add to their already rich trophy cases.

With 10 All-Star appearances and three championship rings between them, Pedroia and Utley are two of the premier second basemen of their generation, each earning revered status that exceeds their stats and awards.

Pedroia has spent his entire career in Boston, winning championships with the Red Sox in 2007 and 2013. Utley started his career in Philadelphia and spurred the Phillies team that won it all in 2008.

But with a knee injury sidelining Pedroia and age slowing down Utley as he approaches 40, they have embraced the unfamiliar role of baseball elder this time around.

''I don't think either one of us will be getting any at-bats in this Series. So, we're similar in that way,'' Utley joked on Monday.

This season has been a final lap for Utley, who in July announced his plans to retire at the end of his 16th season.

He appeared in 87 games during the regular season but after hitting just .213 with one home run and 14 RBIs, didn't make either of manager Dave Roberts' NL Division Series or NL Championship Series rosters. He's still soaked in every moment of the run so far.

''This is the reason I wanted to play this year, was to get to this point,'' Utley said. ''I'm excited for the opportunity that we have. ... Dustin, I know his teammates respect him and look up to him. From what I hear he's a good motivator and a guy you definitely want on your team.''

Dodgers third baseman David Freese said Utley commands respect.

''He just does so much for this group,'' Freese said. ''The guy just wants to win. ... I view him differently than other guys.''

Currently in his 13th season, the 35-year-old Pedroia has no plans of hanging up his cleats. That's despite playing just three games in 2018 because of a left knee injury that has dogged him since he was spiked by Manny Machado on a late slide last year.

He had surgery on the knee in the offseason but had an additional arthroscopic surgery while rehabbing in Arizona in July to clean up scar tissue. He had two initial procedures on the knee last October.

''It's hard not playing, but to be honest with you I'm enjoying this more than the other trips in years past,'' Pedroia said. ''It stinks not being able to play with them and be there with them, but I'm not upset about not playing because of the way they're approaching the year.''

His rehabilitation process was slow, though the four-time All-Star returned to action in May for three games. But he went just 1 for 11 with two walks before going on the disabled list again and eventually being shut down in September.

Even before his season ended, Pedroia remained a presence in Boston's clubhouse as it rolled up a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins.

He texted teammates after big wins and during hitting slumps. He also called the clubhouse and was put on speakerphone to offer words of encouragement. He's been on the field this week as the Red Sox prepared for Game 1 on Tuesday night.

''He's the heart and soul of this team,'' infielder Brock Holt said. ''He's been here the longest. He's won two World Series. So to have him here - it's always better with him here than when he's gone.''

That opinion of Pedroia is shared by Boston's opponent.

''He set the tone for this organization,'' Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill said.

Pedroia believes his words still have an impact.

''I hope I still do,'' he said. ''If not, they're asking me a lot of questions wasting my damn time.''

---
 
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The Latest: Pomeranz, Alexander added to Series rosters
October 23, 2018
By The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) The Latest on the World Series (all times local):

noon

The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers each added a fresh left-handed reliever to their World Series rosters.

Boston put Drew Pomeranz on its roster Tuesday in place of right-hander Brandon Workman. Los Angeles swapped lefties, adding Scott Alexander and dropping Caleb Ferguson.

Knuckleballer Steven Wright failed to make Boston's roster after throwing a simulated game Sunday. Wright was removed from the Division Series roster following the opener against the New York Yankees, a day after reinjuring his left knee during a workout.

Pomeranz gives the Red Sox another matchup left-hander to use against the Dodgers. He made 11 starts, then was sent to the bullpen in August and had a 5.96 ERA in 15 relief appearances, striking out 22 and walking 12 in 22 2/3 innings while allowing 27 hits.

Workman allowed seven hits and three walks while facing 13 batters over three appearances in the Division and League Championship Series.

Alexander made one appearance in the Division Series against Atlanta, throwing a 1-2-3 ninth inning in the Dodgers' Game 3 loss.

Ferguson, a rookie, did not allow a hit or walk while facing 10 batters over three innings in six postseason appearances. He was replaced on the Championship Series roster by fellow lefty Julio Urias.

---

11:45 a.m.

The World Series opens in October chill on Tuesday night, with Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw pitching at Fenway Park for the first time and facing a Red Sox team that had the best record in baseball.

Kershaw will confront a lineup loaded with the likes of Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez that carried Boston to 108 wins this season.

Chris Sale gets the start for Boston, pitching 10 days after his last outing and nine after he was hospitalized with what the team called a ''stomach illness.'' What precisely was wrong with Sale is unclear. He joked - possibly - that it was from a piercing gone bad.

Forecasts call for the temperature to be around 50 degrees for the first pitch a little after 8 p.m., with a drop as the night goes on.
 
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wild card/division/championship series/world series /record and best bets:

Date w-l-t % units record

10/20/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
10/19/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.15
10/18/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -14.45
10/17/2018 2-1-1 66.67% +6.80
10/16/2018 2-2-0 50.00% +0.65
10/15/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +12.70
10/14/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -1.40
10/13/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +8.95
10/12/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +11.65
10/09/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -12.45
10/08/2018 3-2-1 60.00% +1.70
10/07/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -16.80
10/06/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +9.55
10/05/2018 4-4-0 50.00% -0.50
10/04/2018 2-1-0 66.67% +5.00
10/03/2018 1-1-0 50.00% +0
10/01/2018 2-1-1 66.67% +5.85

total..............30-24-2.......55.55%......+16.10


best bets:................ats.....................units ..................o/u..................units............days total

10/20/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.00.................1 - 0.................+5.00............+10.00
10/19/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-5.50
10/18/2018...............0 - 0....................+0 00.................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-5.50
10/17/2018...............1 - 1....................+1.80..................1 - 1..................0.50............+1.30
10/16/2018...............1 - 1....................+0.65.................1 - 1..................-0.50.............+0.15
10/15/2018...............1 - 0....................+7.70.................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+12.70
10/14/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+5.00
10/13/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................2 - 0.................+10.00...........+10.00
10/12/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.00..................1 - 0................+5.00.............+10.00
10/09/2018...............0 - 0................... +0.00..................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-5.50
10/08/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.95..................1 - 1.................-0.50..............+5.45
10/07/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00..................1 - 1.................-0.50..............-0.50
10/06/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.05..................1 - 1..................-0.50.............+4.55
10/05/2018...............0 - 3....................-15.00.................3 - 1..................+9.50.............-5.50
10/04/2018...............0 - 1.....................-5.00..................2 - 0.................+10.00...........+5.00
10/03/2018...............0 - 1.....................-5.00..................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+0.00
10/01/2018...............1 - 1....................+5.85..................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.85

total.........................8 - 8....................+12.00...............18 - 9.................+40.50...........+52.50
 
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Red Sox beat Dodgers 8-4 at Fenway in World Series opener
October 23, 2018
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BOSTON (AP) The Fenway Funhouse proved too tricky, too cold and just too much for the beach boys.

Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox came out swinging in the World Series opener, seizing every advantage in their quirky ballpark to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 on a chilly, windy Tuesday night.

Benintendi had four hits, Martinez drove in two early runs and pinch-hitter Eduardo Nunez golfed a three-run homer to seal it. The 108-win Red Sox got a solid effort from their bullpen after an expected duel between aces Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw never developed.

From the get-go, Fenway Park caused all sorts of problems for the Dodgers.

Mookie Betts led off for the Red Sox with a popup that twisted first baseman David Freese as he tried to navigate the tight foul space near the stands. Lost, he overran the ball and it dropped behind him.

Given a second chance, Betts lined a single that set up a two-run first inning.

''It was important for us to score first and kind of put some pressure on them,'' Betts said.

In the seventh, left fielder Joc Pederson looked hesitant as he chased Benintendi's soft fly, rushing toward the seats that jut out down the line. The ball ticked off his glove for a double, and soon Nunez connected to break open a 5-4 game.

The crowd and cold temperatures were no picnic for Los Angeles, either.

The oddly angled ballpark became an echo chamber even before the first pitch. Chants of ''Beat LA!'' began early, Kershaw got heckled with a sing-song serenade and Dodgers villain Manny Machado heard loud boos all evening.

Only one person wearing Dodger blue drew a cheer: Manager Dave Roberts, saluted in pregame introductions for the daring steal that turned the tide in Boston's 2004 playoff comeback against the Yankees.

It was 53 degrees at first pitch, the coldest game for Los Angeles this year and quite a contrast from last year's World Series, when it was a record 103 degrees for the opener at Dodger Stadium.

Game 2 is Wednesday night, when it's supposed to be even colder. David Price, fresh from beating Houston in the ALCS clincher, starts against Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Benintendi scored three times for Boston, trying for its fourth championship in 15 years.

Matt Kemp homered and Justin Turner had three hits for the Dodgers, aiming for their first crown since 1988. Machado drove in three runs, and his RBI grounder in the fifth inning made it 3-all.

Boston retook the lead in the bottom half when Xander Bogaerts hustled to beat out a potential inning-ending double play - Dodgers reliever Ryan Madson seemed to celebrate a little too early.

Rafael Devers followed with an RBI single, giving himself an early birthday present. He turned 22 at midnight, three minutes before the game ended.

Martinez led the majors with 130 RBIs, and gave the crowd a scare when his foot slipped rounding second base on a run-scoring double in the third. He fell hard, but soon got up.

A day before this opener, Kershaw and most of the Dodgers pooh-poohed the prospect that Fenway would cause them problems. Most of them had never played at the oldest park in the majors, built in 1912, but said they were sure they'd be OK.

It didn't quite turn out that way in their first trip to Fenway since 2010.

Besides, clubs coming to Beantown have other things to worry about.

''I think the biggest challenge for a team coming in here is you're playing the Boston Red Sox,'' pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said Monday.

The only other time the Dodgers and Red Sox met in the World Series was 1916, when Babe Ruth helped pitch Boston to the championship. Those games were at Braves Field, the bigger home park of the city's National League franchise.

Kershaw and Sale each started out wearing short sleeves, but neither warmed to the possibility of the marquee matchup. In similar outings, both were pulled before getting an out in the fifth.

Kershaw took the loss in his first appearance at Fenway, tagged for five runs on seven hits and three walks. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner fell to 9-9 in the postseason, his October results often falling short of his brilliant regular-season resume.

Matt Barnes, the first of six Boston relievers, got the win. They combined to hold the Dodgers to one run on three hits in five innings.

Boston manager Alex Cora won in his first try guiding a club in the Series. This also marked the first World Series game between teams led by minority managers.

LUCKY CHARMS

Both teams had omens on their side.

Three gorgeous rainbows appeared over Fenway before the game, much like a colorful arc that came ahead of Boston's winning effort in the 2013 World Series.

The stadium organist played ''The Impossible Dream'' in a nod to Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski. The 79-year-old Yaz bounced his ceremonial first pitch, asked for another try and did fine.

Magic Johnson was in the park, too. The former Lakers star, who heard plenty of ''Beat LA!'' chants at Boston Garden, is a part-time owner of the Dodgers and visited Fenway for the first time.

Plus this: On this date in 1945, Dodgers executive Branch Rickey announced the signing of Jackie Robinson.

UP NEXT

Price had been 0-9 in 11 postseason starts before pitching six scoreless innings to help close out the Astros in Game 5. Ryu was 1-1 with a 3.40 ERA in three playoff starts this year.
 
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Column: Over-managing costs Dodgers in Game 1 of Series
October 24, 2018
By The Associated Press

Sometimes, in the pressure cooker of a World Series, a manager gets distracted by all those indecipherable charts and the trove of analytics he has at his disposable.

Sometimes, he spends too much time flailing around in search of the perfect matchup instead of just watching what's happening right before his eyes.

That's what happened to Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In a classic case of over-managing, Roberts helped send his team to an 8-4 loss in Game 1 Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox by making one move too many in the decisive seventh inning.

The Dodgers were trailing only 5-4, despite another postseason flop by Clayton Kershaw, when Andrew Benintendi led off with his fourth hit of the game - a bloop down the left-field line that somehow managed to elude Joc Pederson before hopping into the stands for a rather fluky ground-rule double.

Roberts hustled to the mound to lift Julio Urias, summoning hard-throwing right-hander Pedro Baez from the bullpen.

Baez was left off the Dodgers' postseason roster a year ago, when Los Angeles made it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series before losing to Houston, but he's been a highly valued member of the relief corps in 2018. He worked 55 games during the regular season, going 4-3 with a 2.88 ERA. He worked a total of 6 2/3 scoreless innings during two playoff rounds, allowing just two hits while striking out 10.

Baez kept up his dominance against the Red Sox, striking out Mitch Moreland with three fastballs clocked at 96, 97 and 96 mph - the last one up in the eyes that Moreland flailed at helplessly. J.D. Martinez was wisely walked intentionally, setting up a double play, but Baez looked like he wouldn't need any help from the defense as he kept unleashing a torrent of wicket fastballs.

Xander Bogaerts stared at one, missed another, fouled one off to merely delay the inevitable, then struck out swinging on yet another 96-mph fastball.

At that point, Roberts merely had to let Baez finish the job.

Instead, the Dodgers skipper popped out of the dugout again, signaling to the bullpen for left-hander Alex Wood. With left-handed hitter Rafael Devers coming up, Roberts let the matchup game get the best of him.

Boston manager Alex Cora countered with a move of his own, sending up well-traveled Eduardo Nunez as a pinch-hitter.

Roberts defended his hook of Baez.

''We talked about it with Petey throwing the ball well there,'' the manager said. ''But Devers is really good against the right-hander. With Nunez, I really liked Alex in that spot.''

Wood delivered an 83-mph breaking ball that Nunez took for a ball. Wood came back with roughly the same pitch, just a bit closer to the strike zone. Nunez was ready for it, launching a drive over the Green Monster for a three-run homer that essentially locked up the victory.

All Baez could do was watch from the dugout.

He should've still been on the mound.
 
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Dodgers' 'pen follows Kershaw in failing
October 24, 2018
By The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) The first delivery from Ryan Madson was a changeup that bounced past catcher Austin Barnes for a wild pitch, allowing two baserunners to advance.

Things hardly got better from there for the previously dependable Dodgers bullpen.

Madson and three other relievers failed to slow Boston's bats on a night when ace Clayton Kershaw wasn't at his best, either, and Los Angeles fell to the Red Sox 8-4 in the World Series opener Tuesday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been able to count on his relievers this October. The group is 4-1 with a 1.30 ERA, limiting opponents to a .180 average.

Against the AL champions at their frigid home park, though, that group went ice cold in Game 1.

Kershaw was chased from a 3-3 game in the fifth after walking Mookie Betts and allowing a single to Andrew Benintendi.

Roberts gave the ball to Madson, a key piece when LA's bullpen covered 5 1/3 scoreless innings in a Game 7 victory over Milwaukee to close out the Championship Series. Roberts has leaned on Madson in the tightest spots this October. This was his eighth appearance this postseason, and he came into Tuesday with just 16 runs allowed in 53 2/3 postseason innings for his career.

All his experience, yet Madson choked that first changeup to let Betts and Benintendi advance, then finished off a four-pitch walk to Steve Pearce.

Madson recovered momentarily, striking out J.D. Martinez on three straight fastballs. But then Xander Bogaerts narrowly beat out a possible double-play ball to bring home Betts, and a sharp single by Rafael Devers stretched Boston's edge to 5-3 before the inning ended.

Julio Urias replaced Madson for the sixth and cruised through a 1-2-3 inning, but it all fell apart for Los Angeles in the seventh.

Urias allowed a leadoff ground-rule double to Benintendi - a bloop down the left-field line that bounced off Joc Pederson's glove before bouncing into the seats. Pedro Baez replaced Urias and struck out two around an intentional walk to Martinez.

Though Baez was cruising, Roberts handed the ball to Alex Wood, a move that prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to pinch hit right-handed hitting Eduardo Nunez for the lefty-hitting Devers.

That matchup undid the Dodgers. Nunez took one knuckle curve for a ball, then drilled the next over the Green Monster.

Wood was a breakout All-Star as a starter in 2017, but he's been pushed to the bullpen and struggled there this postseason. Nunez's homer was the third Wood has allowed in 5 2/3 innings.
 
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wild card/division/championship series/world series /record and best bets:

Date w-l-t % units record

10/23/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -10.50
10/20/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
10/19/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.15
10/18/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -14.45
10/17/2018 2-1-1 66.67% +6.80
10/16/2018 2-2-0 50.00% +0.65
10/15/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +12.70
10/14/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -1.40
10/13/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +8.95
10/12/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +11.65
10/09/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -12.45
10/08/2018 3-2-1 60.00% +1.70
10/07/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -16.80
10/06/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +9.55
10/05/2018 4-4-0 50.00% -0.50
10/04/2018 2-1-0 66.67% +5.00
10/03/2018 1-1-0 50.00% +0
10/01/2018 2-1-1 66.67% +5.85

total..............30-26-2.......53.57%......+5.60


best bets:................ats.....................units ..................o/u..................units............days total

10/23/2018...............0 - 1.....................-5.00.................0 - 1...................-5.50............+10.50
10/20/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.00.................1 - 0..................+5.00............+10.00
10/19/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-5.50
10/18/2018...............0 - 0....................+0 00.................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-5.50
10/17/2018...............1 - 1....................+1.80..................1 - 1..................0.50............+1.30
10/16/2018...............1 - 1....................+0.65.................1 - 1..................-0.50.............+0.15
10/15/2018...............1 - 0....................+7.70.................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+12.70
10/14/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+5.00
10/13/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00.................2 - 0.................+10.00...........+10.00
10/12/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.00..................1 - 0................+5.00.............+10.00
10/09/2018...............0 - 0................... +0.00..................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-5.50
10/08/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.95..................1 - 1.................-0.50..............+5.45
10/07/2018...............0 - 0....................+0.00..................1 - 1.................-0.50..............-0.50
10/06/2018...............1 - 0....................+5.05..................1 - 1..................-0.50.............+4.55
10/05/2018...............0 - 3....................-15.00.................3 - 1..................+9.50.............-5.50
10/04/2018...............0 - 1.....................-5.00..................2 - 0.................+10.00...........+5.00
10/03/2018...............0 - 1.....................-5.00..................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+0.00
10/01/2018...............1 - 1....................+5.85..................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.85

total.........................8 - 9....................+7.00...............18 - 10.................+35.00...........+42.00
 
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Wednesday?s six-pack

Interesting trends for Week 8 in the NFL:

? Lions covered eight of their last ten games.

? Colts covered their last five pre-bye games.

? Kansas City covered its last eleven games.

? Ravens covered two of last 10 vs NFC teams.

? Eagles are 2-7-1 in last 10 games as a favorite.

? Cleveland covered six of its last eight games.

Tweet of the Day
?Everyone wants to believe Chris Paul is a good guy. They don?t know he?s a horrible teammate. They don?t know how he treats people. Look at what he did last year when he was in L.A.; trying to get to the Clippers? locker room. They don?t want to believe he?s capable of taunting and igniting an incident.?
Rajon Rondo, who is on his sixth team in the last five years

Wednesday?s quiz
Where did Ben Simmons play his one year of college basketball?

Tuesday?s quiz
When Jon Gruden won his Super Bowl for the Bucs against Oakland, Bill Callahan was the head coach for the Raiders.

Monday?s quiz
2007 Giants are the only NFL team to play in a Super Bowl the same year they played a regular season game in England- they beat Miami 13-10 in London.

******************************

Wednesday?s List of 13: Mid-week musings??..

13) According to ESPN.com?s Darren Rovell, at William Hill sportsbooks in Nevada, 73% of the money on Monday night?s NFL game was on the Falcons, so the swing on the Giants? 2-point conversion with 0:05 left was large in favor of the house.

Would be fun to know nation-wide, how much $$$ changed hands with Giants covering the spread like that. Had to be a huge chunk of change, right???

12) The greatest compliment any coach can give to a player is to have him on the court/field at the end of a close game; actions speak a hell of a lot louder than words.

Wizards-Trailblazers were 108-108 in last minute Monday night; Portland had Nick Stauskus on the court? Stauskus didn?t start, but he played 30:00 and he finished, tying the game with a 3 late in 4th quarter. Stauskus scored 15 points and had 8 rebounds. When a coach lets you finish, that shows true belief in your ability.

11) While we?re somewhere near the subject, I think assists on 3-point shots should count as 1.5 assists, since they?re 3-point assists, not 2-point assists. Same goes for passes that lead to made foul shots.

10) Since 2001, New England is 38-37 (.507) when losing the turnover battle.

During that time, the rest of NFL is 713-2,765-8 (.206) when losing the turnover battle.

9) From Ralph Michaels: Jacksonville Jaguars are only the 11th team since 1989 to lose back-to-back games as a favorite while scoring 7 or fewer points in both games.

In their next game after that, those other 10 teams went 5-5 SU, 6-4 ATS, with over 7-2-1.

8) The ESPN documentaries are basketball are great history lessons for anyone who likes basketball; its like watching highlights of my childhood on TV. Good stuff.

7) NC State 103, Maryland 100 in OT? 1974 ACC title game was one of the greatest college basketball games ever played, just a fantastic game that helped change the future of college hoops. I was 14 years old and remember lying on my bed listening to the game on radio? 103-100 with no shot clock or 3?s.

People don?t realize; back then, only one team from each conference made the NCAA?s, so the loser of the ACC tournament didn?t even make the NCAA tournament. NC State was #2 in the country, Maryland was #3 in the country, so the ?74 ACC title game was an elimination game just to get in the tournament!!!!

In 2002, Maryland won the national title in basketball after losing in the ACC tournament, so the bigger tournament has obviously proven to be a much better thing.

6) Former NFL special teams star Steve Tasker is a sideline reporter for CBS now; when he broke into the NFL in 1987, Jerry Glanville was the Houston Oilers? defensive coordinator.

31 years later, Glanville is an assistant coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL, where one of the Ti-Cat players is Tasker?s son Luke.

5) When Wade Phillips started coaching in the NFL, neither Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan had been born yet.

4) Only QB?s to beat all 32 NFL teams: Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre.

3) The GEICO commercial with Vikings? WR Stefan Diggs is tremendous; his neighbors notice that everything sticks to his hands, which makes it tough for him to take the garbage out.

2) World Series Game 1: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4? Eduardo Nunez broke open a close game with a 3-run, pinch-hit homer in the 7th inning. Neither starting pitcher finished the fifth inning.

1) Random political numbers; as of October 2017, Gallup polling found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrat, 24% identified as Republican, and 42% as Independent. I was curious about that at 5am one night, so I looked it up and now you know, too.
 
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MLB
Dunkel

Wednesday, October 24


LA Dodgers @ Boston

Game 903-904
October 24, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(Ryu) 20.133
Boston
(Price) 16.912
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Dodgers
by 3
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-140
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Dodgers
(+120); Under



MLB
Weather Report

Wednesday, October 24

2zf4os0.jpg





MLB

Wednesday, October 24

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Los Angeles Dodgers
LA Dodgers is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
LA Dodgers is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games
LA Dodgers is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
LA Dodgers is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Boston
LA Dodgers is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Red Sox
Boston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing LA Dodgers
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


MLB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 24

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LA DODGERS (99 - 76) at BOSTON (116 - 56) - 8:05 PM
HYUN-JIN RYU (L) vs. DAVID PRICE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 99-76 (-21.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 40-47 (-25.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 171-192 (-69.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday since 1997.
LA DODGERS are 119-135 (-36.1 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game since 1997.
LA DODGERS are 69-57 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 76-61 (-26.5 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
RYU is 7-13 (-9.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 116-56 (+39.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 17-4 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game this season.
BOSTON is 81-46 (+21.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BOSTON is 79-36 (+27.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
BOSTON is 47-30 (+17.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 28-18 (+10.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
PRICE is 24-9 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
PRICE is 11-4 (+9.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
PRICE is 2-10 (-10.8 Units) against the money line in playoff games since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

HYUN-JIN RYU vs. BOSTON since 1997
RYU is 0-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 7.20 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

DAVID PRICE vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
PRICE is 0-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 1.583.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.7 units)

----------------------------------------------------------------


World Series Game 2 Home Plate Umpire: Kerwin Danley

2018 Betting Stats:

Home Team: 13-17 ($-1071)
Over/Under: 19-10
Strike Percentage: 64.13%
Average Runs Per Game: 10.70
 
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Wednesday's Best Bet
October 24, 2018
By Sportsbetting.ag

World Series Game 2 Best Bet

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Boston Red Sox

Baseball fans were treated to highly entertaining Game 1 of the Fall Classic as the pitching duel many expected between Kershaw and Sale was quickly cast aside for what ended up being a 8-4 win for Boston. The game was much tighter than that final score would suggest as Boston broke it open with 3-run HR by Eduardo Nunez in the bottom of the 7th and there was no looking back from there.

Tonight, the Red Sox are hoping they can head to L.A. with a 2-0 series lead in their pocket, because should this thing get evened up by the Dodgers tonight, there's no guarantees that Boston would get another home game in this matchup. Boston's counting on David Price to bring things home for them this evening, and now that the pressure of getting that first playoff victory is off Price's back, it will be interesting to see how he performs.

Sportsbetting Odds: L.A. Dodgers (+125) vs Boston (-135); Total set at 8.5

David Price pitched very well in his last outing, as he allowed just three hits over 6 IP in the series-clinching win over Houston. Not only did that effort get Boston to this stage, but for Price personally it was finally nice to get that first playoff win out of the way and not get the barrage of questions about when that first playoff win is going to come. Yet, we can't just take into account what we've seen most recently, which is why Price's playoff struggles still lurk in the background why I say it will be interesting to see his performance tonight.

Conversely, on the other side of the field, L.A. is sending out Hyun-Jin Ryu to the hill tonight and he's the one in need of a strong bounce-back performance. Ryu's last outing was an ugly one against the Brewers in Game 6, as he allowed five runs on seven hits in just 3 IP in the potential closeout game for L.A. To let his teammates down in a big moment like that was stinging for Ryu, but he's probably glad to see anyone but the Milwaukee Brewers as he went 6IP or more in six of his seven previous starts before the NLCS, and L.A. was a phenomenal 5-1 SU in those six strong outings from Ryu.

The biggest question you've got to ask yourself when breaking down this game is what form can you reliably trust or believe these two starters will show? Considering both managers can't be thrilled with all the work their respective bullpens got in Game 1 ? especially with it being a Kershaw/Sale matchup ? the longer Ryu and Price can go tonight, the happier their managers will be, but their track record in these spots is spotty at best. However, if you start to look at a few other factors that will be involved in this game, you can paint a more reliable picture of how this game plays out.

For one, it's a matchup of two lefties on the mound which means both lineups will likely be right-handed heavy. That's great for knocking balls off the Green Monster out in left, but weather forecasts are projecting strong wins (13-18 mph) to be blowing across the field from left to right, pushing all those pulled balls to left back towards the middle of the diamond and the big part of the ball park. That ends up being a huge plus for these pitchers tonight.

Secondly, we've got Kerwin Danley as the home plate umpire tonight and his numbers this year aren't the greatest if you are a David Price or a Red Sox fan. Danley's been a great 'over' umpire this year behind the dish with a 19-10 O/U record, and that includes a 2-1 O/U mark when it's southpaw vs southpaw on the hill. Games Danley umped saw 10.7 runs scored per game this season and I'm sure his position back there is part of why we've got 85%+ of the action on tonight's total backing the 'over' once again. If the wind blows across like it's expected too, the 'over' might not be as easy as the majority believes, but Danley's presence behind the dish is enough to keep me off the 'under' here.

Yet, I mentioned that Danley behind the dish isn't great news for Price and Boston and that's got nothing to do with the total. Danley may be used to seeing plenty of runs scored when he's calling balls and strikes, but the majority of them come from the visitors. Road teams score 5.9 runs/game, compared to 4.8/game for home teams, with Danley behind the plate.

Visiting clubs are on a 5-2 SU run the last seven times Danley's called balls and strikes, and although Price finally shook his postseason demons last start by getting that win, is one win enough to make you trust that Price won't revert to getting knocked around again? Especially if he's getting squeezed by an umpire that definitely has a hitter's strike zone?

I know I'm not ready to trust Price in this situation and with the Dodgers being the one priced as the underdogs, taking that plus-money on L.A is definitely worth the risk here. The Dodgers would love to head back home tied at a game apiece, knowing that Boston's got to deal without their DH spot for the next three games and how that could drastically alter (and arguably weaken) their lineup.

At 1-1, the Dodgers would be better set up to take advantage of that favorable scenario, and considering they are on a 8-0 SU after allowing 5+ runs, and 7-1 SU in Ryu's last eight starts on four days of rest, I've got to take a shot backing the visiting side here.

Odds per - Sportsbetting.ag

Best Bet: L.A. Dodgers ML (+125)
 
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