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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

College Football Picks, September 1st

Are you ready for some football?

The college season kicks off Thursday with a few games, including one worth dropping a buck or two on.

$11 @ 11/10 on the OVER (55 1/2), UNLV at Wisconsin

Wisconsin had one of the best running games in the country last year while UNLV had one of the worst run defenses. Look for the Badgers to gash the Rebel defense and put up at least "half a hundred," as Barry Switzer used to say. UNLV should get a score or two during trash time and I look for a total of around 60 points in this one. The OVER has covered 7 of 9 times, with one push for both teams in their last 10 games.

Starting Bankroll        $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      $0
Current Bankroll         $2,000.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, September 1st

Only one game on the docket today that looks interesting.

$20 on Milwaukee (Gallardo) over St. Louis (Dickson), -1.5 @ +$110

Gallardo is 2-0, 1.23 ERA in his last three starts and is 9-1 at home this season. Dickson is making his first start.
Starting Bankroll          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                        $33.43
Current Bankroll           $1,533.43

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 31st

Three National League games on the agenda today that look interesting.

$25 on Philadelphia (Lee) over Cincinnati (Willis), -1.5 @ -$110

Lee is 3-0, 0.82 ERA in his last three starts. Willis is 0-1, 5.74 in his last three.


$10 on Milwaukee (Wolf) over St. Louis (Westbrook), -1.5 @ +$150
Wolf is 7-2, 3.03 ERA at home this season. Westbrook is 1-1, 4.82 in his last three trips to the hill. The Brewers have won 7 of 10.


$10 on Arizona (Collmenter) over Colorado (Rogers), -1.5 @ +$135
Collmenter is 1-1, 1.42 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Rogers is 0-2, 6.11 in his last three. The D-Backs have won 8 straight and are taking control of the NL West. 

Starting Bankroll         $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                       $7.20
Current Bankroll          $1,507.20

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!






Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Full Tilt Finally Issues An Update

Full Tilt Poker has finally issued an official statement concerning their current situation.
"Our players should know that Full Tilt Poker is fully committed to paying them back in full and restoring confidence in our operations."
Here are the main points made in the statement;

1) Full Tilt was not prepared for the US government seizing of $115M and their domain name.

2) An additional $42M was stolen by one of their payment processors.

3) Full Tilt is still looking for investors and a cash infusion. (ie: "we're broke")

4) They will bring in a new management team.

5) They are committed to repaying players in full.

I wonder what the next step will be? Should be interesting.

Subject: Poker has the complete story.

MLB Picks, August 30th

Only one game worth a look today.

$20 on LA Dodgers (Kuroda) over San Diego (Stauffer), -1.5 @ +$160

Kuroda is 3-0, 2.25 ERA in his last three starts. Stauffer is 1-2, 6.75 in his last three. The Dodgers are 9-4 against the Padres this year.









Starting Bankroll              $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                         <$24.80>
Current Bankroll               $1,475.20

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Monday, August 29, 2011

MLB Picks, August 29th

Two games on the agenda today worth betting a buck or two.

$50 on LA Dodgers(Kershaw) over San Diego (Latos),         @ -$160

Kershaw is 3-0, 0.41 ERA in his last three starts. Latos is 6-12, 3.74 for the season. The Dodgers have won 7 of 10 and the Padres have dropped 4 straight. Also, LA is 8-4 against San Diego this season.
$20 on Detroit (Scherzer) over Kansas City (Hochevar), -1.5 @ +$125

Scherzer is 6-3, 3.44 ERA at home this season. Hochevar is 0-2, 6.00 in his last three starts. Detroit has won 8 of 10 overall and has won 8 of 12 against the Royals this year. Kansas City is 22-42 on the highway this season.


Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   <$36.05>
Current Bankroll        $1,463.95

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

One- Eleven



The highest temperature ever recorded in Waco is 112F.

We missed by one degree yesterday.

Endless summer.

That is all.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

MLB Picks, August 28th

Four games on the schedule that are worth a look.

$20 on NY Yankees (Nova) over Baltimore (Matusz), -1.5 @ -$120
Nova is 7-2, 3.28 ERA on the highway this year and is coming off 7 innings of shutout ball against the Twins in his last outing. Matusz is 0-3, 12.21 in his last three starts. The Yankees are 27-12 versus leftys this season.
$40 on Detroit (Penny) over Minnesota (Duensing), -1.5 @ +$140

Penny is 2-0 in his last three starts and is coming off a nice outing in which he surrendured only 1 run in 6+ inning against Tampa Bay. Duensing has had trouble getting anyone out in his last three starts, going 0-3, 10.54 ERA. Baltimore rocked him for 7 runs in 2 innings in his last start. The Tigers have won 8 of 10 and the Twins have lost 7 straight. Detroit is 10-3 versus Minnesota this season.
$20 on Milwaukee (Greinke) over ChiCubs (Coleman), -1.5 @ +$110


Greinke is 9-0, 3.15 ERA at home this year. Coleman is 0-2, 7.09 in his last three trips to the bump. The Brewers have won 7 of 10 and the Cubs have dropped 3 straight and 7 of 10.
$10 on Tampa Bay (Price) over Toronto (Morrow), -1.5 @ +$145

Price is 2-1, 1.13 ERA in his last three trips to the hill. Morrow is 4-7, 6.23 ERA at home this year and gave up 6 runs in 4+ innings against Kansas City in his last outing. The Rays have won 7 of 10 and the Jays have lost three straight.

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                    <$6.55>
Current Bankroll         $1,493.45

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Friday, August 26, 2011

MLB Picks, August 27th

Four games on the schedule today that look interesting.

$40 on Philadelphia (Halladay) over Florida (Sanchez), -1.5 @ -$125

Halladay is 15-5, 2.56 ERA on the season. Sanchez is 1-1, 6.75 in his last three starts. The Marlins have lost 7 of 10 and are 4-9 against the Phillies this year.
$20 on NY Yankees (Nova) over Baltimore (Matusz), -1.5 @ -$120

Nova is 7-2, 3.28 ERA on the highway this year and is coming off 7 innings of shutout ball against the Twins in his last outing. Matusz is 0-3, 12.21 in his last three starts. The Yankees are 27-12 versus leftys this season. 
$15 on NY Yankees (Garcia) over Baltimore (Britton), -1.5 @ -$110

Garcia is 2-0, 2.89 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Britton is 1-2, 9.28 in his last three. As previously stated, the Pinstripers are 27-12 against southpaws this year. 
$10 on Cleveland (Carmona) over Kansas City (Duffy), -1.5 @ +$140

Carmona is 1-1, 2.11 in his last three trips to the hill. Duffy is 0-3, 7.31 in his last three. 

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $3.45
Current Bankroll         $1,503.45

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Full Tilt Poker In Worse Shape Than We Thought


"Brother, can you spare a dime?"
It appears Full Tilt owes more money than previously thought. Instead of $60M, it looks more like $128M. This is definitely not good news.

Subject:Poker has the complete story.

On June 16th, Subject: Poker reported that Full Tilt Poker had credited $60 million to players for deposits that never left their bank accounts. In fact, the total amount of still uncollected funds is $128 million. This new sum represents a very signficant portion of Full Tilt’s total obligation to players.
As we first explained in June, players who deposited by electronic funds transfer (also known as EFTs or “e-checks”) received the deposited funds instantly in their Full Tilt Poker accounts. Typically, these funds would be debited from the players’ bank accounts a few business days after their deposit.However, during the time period in question, many US players found that these funds were simply never taken from their bank accounts. Full Tilt had given them funds on their site for nothing.

J-Dawg's Poker Extravaganza

"Oh Crap!"
We had seven players show for J-Dawg's Poker Extravaganza last night. Farmer Harry brought some home-made sloppy joes for the crew. We chowed down on those with some potato chips on the side and started pitching cards at seven o'clock.

Seated to my left was our host, followed by Farmer Harry, Dealer Larry, Stamps, Ollie the Accountant, Ray-Ray, and yours truly. Ray-Ray tabled quad queens in an Omaha hand early in the evening and we all thought that it would win the High Hand Jackpot. However, Ollie topped him with quad kings a little later.

Stamps was the big winner of the night in this $20 buy-in dealer's choice limit game, cashing out for a $21 profit. J-Dawg and Dealer Larry weren't far behind, with both cashing out with $15 wins. Farmer Harry got hit the hardest, losing $35 and I walked away battered and bruised myself, dropping $22.

I introduced a game several weeks ago that everyone seems to enjoy. It's dealt like hold 'em, with each player receiving two hole cards. You then deal two boards (two flops, two turns, and two rivers), with betting rounds after each street. The difference here is that whichever board has the lower river card is removed from play. For example, in the above picture, the bottom board would be removed, because the 3 is lower than the 10. So if you've been betting a big hand on one on the boards and the river for that board is lower than the other, you're screwed.

It's kinda like razz!

I call it "Oh Crap!" :)

Till next time, win the flips.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

MLB Picks, August 26th

Three National League games on the agenda today that are worth a look.

$20 on Atlanta (Hudson) over NY Mets (Capuano), -1.5 @ +$110

Hudson is 2-0, 1.61 ERA in his last three starts and threw 7 innings of shutout ball against the Diamondbacks in his last outing. Capuano is 0-1, 6.62 in his last three. The Braves have won 8 of 10 and the Mets have lost 7 of 10.
$10 on Philadelphia (Oswalt) over Florida (Hensley), -1.5 @ +$105

Oswalt is coming off an 8 inning shutout against Washington and is 2-1, 2.57 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Hensley has struggled of late, sporting a hefty 7.80 ERA in his last three starts. The Fish have lost 8 of 10. The Phillies lead the season series 9-3. 
$10 on Milwaukee (Wolf) over ChiCubs (Lopez), -1.5 @ +$115

Wolf is 2-0, 2.42 ERA in his last three starts. Lopez is 1-2, 6.31 on the highway this season. The Brew Crew have won 7 of 10. 




Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                    $21.95
Current Bankroll        $1,521.95

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

MLB Picks, August 25th

Thursday is a travel day for quite a few ballclubs and today is no different. The abbreviated schedule limits our opportunities and I just don't see anything to get excited about on today's docket. With that in mind, it looks like I'll sit on the bench for a second day and hope for something better tomorrow.

Starting Bankroll         $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                      $21.95
Current Bankroll          $1,521.95

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

MLB Picks, August 24th

Nothing on the schedule today that is worth betting. I like the pitching match up in the Houston / Colorado game and the San Francisco / San Diego games, but the Astros are bad and the Giants have played some pretty uninspired ball lately, so I think I'll pass on both.




Starting Bankroll         $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                      $21.95
Current Bankroll          $1,521.95

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Full Tilt Issues Press Release

Full Tilt has issued a press release through PokerNews, stating that they have concluded their agreement to negotiate exclusively with the potiential group of investors that the poker world has been following closely for the past several weeks. They also apologized for their lack of communication and promised to do better in the future.

Seems like we've heard that one before :)

Click here for the complete story on PokerNews.com.

MLB Picks, August 23rd

$20 on Cincinnati (Cueto) over Florida (Nolasco), -1.5 @ +$120

Cueto is 9-5, 1.89 ERA this season and gave up only 1 run in 8 innings his last time out against Washington. Nolasco has struggled lately, giving up 11 runs in only 3 innings versus the Rockies in his last start. His ERA is 7.00 over his last three trips to the bump. The Fish have dropped 5 straight and 8 of 10.
$10 on Texas (Lewis) over Boston (Lackey), -1.5 @ +$125

Lewis is 1-0, 1.74 ERA in his last three starts, including 7 innings of shutout ball against the Angels in his last outing. Lackey is 11-9 on the season, but has a hefty 6.02 ERA. The league is hitting .301 against him this year.  The Rangers have won 7 of 10 and are 4-0 versus the BoSox this season.
$40 on Atlanta (Minor) over ChiCubs (Coleman), -1.5 @ +$130

Minor is 2-0, 3.63 ERA in his last three trips to the hill and threw 6 innings of shutout ball against the Giants in his last outing. Coleman is 0-3, 12.27 in his last three, including surrendering 4 runs in 3+ innings in his last outing against a light hitting Houston club. The Braves have won 5 straight and 7 of 10. 
Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                    $47.95
Current Bankroll        $1,547.95

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

MLB Picks, August 22nd

Two games worth a look on Monday's agenda.

$20 on Minnesota (Pavano) over Baltimore (Britton), -1.5 @ +$155

Pavano sports a 2.01 ERA in his last three starts. Britton is 0-3, 24.16 in his last three and is 2-7, 7.24 on the highway this year. The Orioles have lost 5 straight and 8 of 10.
$15 on Milwaukee (Greinke) over Pittsburgh (Lincoln), -1.5 @ -$125

Greinke is 3-0, 1.66 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Lincoln has only made one start on the season. The Brewers are the hottest team in baseball, winning 22 of 25. The Bucs have dropped 6 of 10. 



Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                    $82.95
Current Bankroll        $1,582.95

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Four In A Row!

A couple of winning streaks continued this weekend. I was able to win Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tourney for the fourth consecutive week last Friday. Also, Sonny Boy and I were witnesses to the Houston Astronauts fourth straight win, which tied a season high for our favorite team.

Although I had $10 down against the Astros pulling off an improbable victory, I was thrilled to see them win an entertaining game. I have attended Astros games since 1965 and saw something I have never seen in all those years of attending MLB ballgames. Jose Altuve (all 5'6" of him) led off the game for Houston with an inside the park home run. I don't know how many lead-off ITPHR there have been in MLB history, but I bet the list is a short one.

Another highlight happened late in the game. The Astros 5-0 lead had dwindled to 5-3 when J.D. Martinez (another household name) hit a tape measure home run. It was a "no doubter" clearing the 404 ft. mark in left center field. It also cleared the 40 foot wall and the train perched on top of the wall. It was estimated to be 440 feet, but I think that number is a little conservative. Wow, what a shot!

Martinez ball flys over the train at Minute Maid!


It doesn't get much better than spending an evening with your son at a baseball game, chomping down on a couple dogs and watching your favorite team win the game.

Only 14 games behind the fifth place Cubs. Hope springs eternal!

                                           *****

We had eight runners show for Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tourney. From left to right on your radio dial were Philly Phanatic, Lil' Okie Annie, Tin Man, Bluffin' Bev, Big Daddy, Jaime, Ms. Lucki Duck and your humble scribe.

I got into a hand with Lil' Okie Annie early. I raise 3X BB from middle position with pocket kings. Annie smooth called and a couple others joined us to see the J-7-5 flop, which had two hearts. I bet the pot to discourage any flush draws and was called by Annie with everyone else folding. The turn brought another dreaded heart, so I slowed down and called Annie's $10 bet into a $50+ pot. The river was harmless and I check called Annie's $20 river bet. I was afraid of the flush, but she tabled pocket aces, still enough to beat me, but at least I still had some chips left.

Now down to 6BB, I pushed from middle position with Q-J soooted. Annie called with pocket nines and the race was on! The flop of A-K-5 gave me a straight draw which got there on the turn when a 10 hit and I was back in it!

I felted Bluffin' Bev when I raised with Q-J and she was forced to call with 10-5 because her chip stack had gotten so short. I hit a Q on the flop and Bev was off to the cash game.

Now down to three players, Big Daddy, Tin Man, and myself, I was down to 6BB once again and looked down at A-A. I raised 2.5BB, hoping to keep at least one player on the hook. Big Daddy took the bait and I shoved a 7-5-J flop. Big Daddy called and tabled 7-2 offsuit. I felt sure he would hit the second pair and knock me off, but my rockets held.

It wasn't much later when I knocked out Big Daddy. Tin Man and I decided to chop the rest of the prize money, with me taking a bigger chunk since I had the most chips at the time. That makes four weeks in a row that I have either won or chopped the tournament. I don't see how this streak can continue much longer, but it sure is fun while it lasts :)

Till next time, win the flips.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

MLB Picks, August 20th

Three National League games on the schedule today worth taking a look at.

$25 on Milwaukee (Wolf) over NY Mets (Capuano), -1.5 @ +$140

Wolf is 3-0, 2.45 ERA in his last three starts, including 8 innings of shut out ball against the Dodgers in his last outing. Capuano is 0-1, 5.00 in his last three. The Brewers have won 8 of 10 going into Friday's game.
$10 on San Francisco (Bumgarner) over Houston (Lyles), -1.5 @ +$100



Bumgarner sports a 1.64 ERA in his last three starts. Lyles is 1-7 for the season and has an 8.83 ERA in his last three trips to the hill.
$15 on Philadelphia (Kendrick) over Washington (Lannan), -1.5 @ +$125

Kendrick is 2-0, 1.50 ERA in his last three outings and threw an 8 inning shutout against the Rockies in his last start. Lannan is 1-1, 2.87 in his last three starts. The Phillies are 24-9 against leftys this year. 




Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                    $39.20
Current Bankroll         $1,539.20

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

MLB Picks, August 19th

One game on the agenda today worth a look.

$10 on Arizona (Hudson) over Atlanta (Lowe), @ +$110

Hudson is 2-1, 3.32 ERA in his last three starts. Lowe is 1-2, 7.88 in his last three and gave up 5 runs in 6 innings against the Cubs in his last outing. The D-Backs have won 8 of 10, but the Braves are also playing well, winning 7 of 10.


Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   $49.20
Current Bankroll        $1,549.20

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

MLB picks, August 18th

Only one game on the schedule worth taking a gander at.

$15 on Toronto (Romero) over Oakland (Cahill), @ -$105

Romero has thrown the pill well in his last three starts, going 3-0, 1.57 ERA. Cahill has struggled, posting a 0-2 record, with a 6.75 ERA.


Starting Bankroll      $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   $34.90
Current Bankroll       $1,534.90

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

MLB Picks, August 17th

Two games on the docket today worth risking a buck or two on.

$15 on St Louis (Lohse) over Pittsburgh (Maholm), @ -$120

Lohse is 2-0, 2.51 ERA in his last three starts. Maholm is 0-3, 7.13 in his last three.
$15 on ChiSox (Buehrle) over Cleveland (Carmona), -1.5 @ +$140

Buehrle is 5-1, 2.31 ERA at home this year. Carmona is 5-12, 5.12 on the year. The Soxs have won 8 of 10 and have beaten the Tribe 6 of the last 7 times they have met going into Tuesday's game.



Starting Bankroll            $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                         $36.90
Current Bankroll             $1,536.90

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Little League Softball World Series

Since Gary had a post the other day about his hometown team advancing to the Little League World Series, I thought I would piggy-back his observations and brag on our local Little League softball team.

I'm watching the Waco Midway girls play in a semi-final game on ESPN 2 as I write this, with the winner going to the final to play for the Little League World Championship. Should our girls win the title, it would be the 12th time that the Midway Little League Softball teams have brought home the LLWS Championship trophy.

Can you say "dynasty?"

Monday, August 15, 2011

MLB Picks, August 16th

Although I didn't see any decent games yesterday, that's certainly not the case today, with five games on the agenda that are worth considering.

$40 on Milwaukee (Gallardo) over LA Dodgers (Billingsley), -1.5 @ +$130

Gallardo is 8-1, 2.92 ERA at home this season. Billingsley is 1-1, 6.19 ERA in his previous three starts. The Brewers have won 9 of 10.
$20 on NY Yankees (Nova) over Kansas City (Duffy), -1.5 @ +$105

Nova is 5-2, 2.81 ERA on the highway this season. Duffy is 1-4, 4.50 at home. The Royals have lost 8 of 10 going into Monday night's game. 
$10 on Tampa Bay (Niemann) over Boston (Bedard), @ +$145


Niemann is 3-0, 2.08 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Bedard is 0-1, 7.94 in his last three. The Rays have won 7 of their last 10 games and sport a 22-13 record versus southpaws.
 $15 on Detroit (Verlander) over Minnesota (Blackburn), -1.5 @ -$115


Verlander is 8-3, 2.26 ERA at home this year. Blackburn is 5-5, 5.32 on the highway for the season. The Twins have dropped 8 of 10.
$10 on Texas (Holland) over LA Angels (Chatwood), -1.5 @ +$125

Holland is 5-2, 3.42 ERA on the road this season. Chatwood is 2-6, 4.24 at home. The Rangers have won 8 of 10. 





Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $15.90
Current Bankroll        $1,515.90

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Several States Looking At Online Gambling Sites

States include California, Massachusetts, and Iowa. Also, the District of Columbia.

The NY Times has the article. Click here for the complete story.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

3-D Printer

Maybe you've seen this already.

Simply amazing!

MLB Picks, August 15th

I don't see anything on the schedule that I particularly like today, so I'll sit on the bench and see what tomorrow brings.

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $15.90
Current Bankroll        $1,515.90

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

MLB Picks, August 14th

Two games on tap today that are worth a look.

$20 on Boston (Wakefield) over Seattle (Furbush), -1.5 @ +$120

Wakefield sports a 3.92 ERA in his last three starts and Furbush carries a 7.20 in his last three, including giving up 6 runs in 4 innings in his last outing versus Texas. The Red Sox  have won 7 of 10 and are 5-2 against the M's this season. They also have fared well against leftys this year, posting a 27-12 record.
$10 on LA Dodgers (Kuroda) over Houston (Lyles), -1.5 @ +$115

Kuroda has a 1.86 ERA in his last three starts. Lyles is 1-1, 6.00 in his last three and is 0-3 on the highway this season. The Astros have dropped 8 of 10 and four in a row going into Saturday night's game. 



Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                      $24.40
Current Bankroll        $1,524.40

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Hot Streaks; One Ends, One Continues

Both are good things.

We actually had some cloud cover today and our consecutive 100 degree days ended today at 44. Whew! Tomorrow's forecast high is 105, which will bring us within one for the most 100 degree days in a summer in cenral Texas, which is 63.

I was able to keep my streak of consecutive wins at Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tourney by shipping the tournament for the third week in a row.

We had nine runners show up to pitch a few cards. Philly Phanatic was seated to my left, followed by Lil' Annie Okie, Tin Man, Joel (new player), Bluffin' Bev, Josh, Misty (new player) and Ms. Lucki Duck. I was card dead for the first hour and a half and found myself down to five BB. I shoved with pocket sevens and doubled thru Joel. With blinds ay 10-20, I pushed with A-Q and picked up the blinds plus one limper when they all folded and suddenly I had a fighting chance!

I busted Ms. Duck on the bubble (again) and it was down to Philly, Josh and myself. Blinds were up to 50-100, and with only 900 chips in play, we were basically down to a game of bingo. I was the big blind, with Philly limping from the button and Josh completing his small blind. I looked down at the hammer and checked. The flop was A-7-2 rainbow. I checked behind Josh, hoping Philly would try to buy the pot with a position bet, but he checked. The turn was another 2 and I bet the minimum $100, but both opponents folded. But boating up with the hammer was sweet!

Josh and Philly got into a pissing contest on the next hand, with Philly busting in third place. I won a couple of hands where I was a 3-2 favorite (it actually held up both times) and it was over. We'll have to see if the streak will live for another week next Friday.

Things didn't go quite as good in the $2 buy-in cash game as I ended up losing $3. However, Ms. Duck did well and cashed for a $6 profit. Since Texas is a community property state, I guess you could say I came out a winner there too!

Till next time, win the flips.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

MLB Picks, August 12th

There are a couple of National League games on the agenda today that look worthwhile.

$20 on Philadelphia (Hamels) over Washington (Hernandez), -1.5     @ -$120

Hamels is 13-6, 2.53 ERA on the year. Hernandez is 1-8, 5.69 on the highway this season. The Phillies have won 9 of 10.
$20 on Milwaukee (Greinke) over Pittsburgh (Maholm), -1.5 @ +$105

Greinke is 3-0, 1.37 ERA in his last three starts and is 7-0 at home this season. Maholm is 0-2, 5.49 in his last three, including surrendering 7 runs in 6+ innings in his last start. The Brewers have won 8 of 10 while the Bucs have dropped 8 of 10.



Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                    $23.40
Current Bankroll       $1,523.40

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

The Heat Continues

No, this isn't a duplicate post. This one is about our continued miserable weather.

I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago about how hot it had been in the heart of Texas this summer. Neo commented that he remembered how awful the heat was when he lived in Dallas in 1980. That was the year the record was set for the most consecutive 100 degree plus days.

Until today. Our 104 degree high today made it 43 consecutive days. The last rain I saw was when Ms. Duck and I were in Vegas a little over a month ago. That's right, it's so dry here that we have to go to the desert to see rain! The crops have all pretty much burned up, with the corn crop being baled for cattle feed.

We haven't beaten the record for most overall days above 100, which was also set in 1980 at 63 days. We're currently sitting at 60 days.

The extended forecast? Seven more days of 100+ with no rain.

Sheeesh.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Heater Continues

I've been on a nice run at the poker table since returning from Vegas last month, winning Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tourney two weeks in a row, plus winning a decent amount in the cash game at both Tin Man's and J-Dawgs.

The heater continued Tuesday night at J-Dawgs Poker Extravaganza. After sharing some fried chicken, mashed potatoes with cream gravy, fried okra, and chocolate cookies, the ten of us started pitching cards around seven o'clock.

Seated to my left was Farmer Harry, followed by Bobby Dee, Ollie the Accountant, J-Dawg, Dealer Larry, Stamps, Gentleman Jim, Ray-Ray, and Riverboat J in this $20 buy-in, dealers choice limit game.

J-Dawg took home the High Hand Jackpot with quad 6s and no one else was even close. Even with the jackpot, he still dropped $5 on the evening. I was the big winner, pocketing a $31 profit. Harry won $26 and Ollie also came out a little ahead. Gentleman Jim and Riverboat J were the biggest losers, with Jim droppong $35 and J cashing out for 50 cents. At least he didn't have to re-buy!

Ollie and Dealer Larry are heading to Vegas next week for an IRS seminar, than a few days of R & R, so good luck to them!

MLB Picks, August 11th

I see three games that are worth a look today.

$40 on Tampa Bay (Niemann) over Kansas City (Duffy), -1.5 @ +$160

Niemann is 2-0, 2.53 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Duffy has a 7.24 ERA in his last three. The Rays are 20-13 versus leftys this season. The Royals have dropped three straight and Tampa Bay has won 3 in a row.
$40 on ChiSox (Buehrle) over Baltimore (Tillman), -1.5 @ +$150

Buehrle is 2-0, 0.90 ERA in his last three starts. Tillman is 1-1, 4.60 in his last three. The O's are 11-24 against southpaws this season.
$20 on Arizona (Saunders) over Houston (Myers), -1.5 @ -$110

Saunders is 2-1, 2.45 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Myers is 3-12, 4.76 on the year. The Astros have lost 7 of 10 going into last night's game. 




Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                < $118.60>
Current Bankroll       $1,381.40

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

MLB Picks, August 10th

Three games on the docket today that are worth putting a little scratch on.

$40 on Boston (Lester) over Minnesota (Blackburn), -1.5 @ -$115

Lester is 8-1, 2.75 ERA on the highway this season. Blackburn has had it rough lately, going 0-3, 11.68 ERA in his last three starts. The Red Sox have won 4 straight and the Twins have dropped 6 in a row.
#20 on Texas (Holland) over Seattle (Vargas), -1.5 @ -$105

Holland is 2-0, 2.16 in his last three trips to the hill. Vargas is 0-2, 4.70 in his last three. The Rangers have won 3 in a row while the M's have dropped three straight.
$40 on Atlanta (Hudson) over Florida (Sanchez), @ -$115

Hudson is 2-1, 2.14 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Sanchez is 0-2, 5.12 in his last three. Florida has dropped 6 straight. 

 



Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                 < $93.40>
Current Bankroll        $1,406.60

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Monday, August 8, 2011

MLB Picks, August 9th

Three games on today's schedule that look interesting.

$20 on Texas (Oganda) over Seattle (Pineda), -1.5 @ +$110

Oganda is 7-2, 2.69 ERA in Arlington this season. Pineda is 1-1, 6.88 in his last three starts.


$20 on Toronto (Cecil) over Oakland (Harden), -1.5 @ +$150

Cecil is 2-0, 1.64 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Harden has struggled on the highway this season, going 1-2 with a 6.19 ERA.
 

$10 on Atlanta (Beachy) over Florida (Hensley), -1.5 @ +$135

Beachy is 2-0, 2.45 ERA in his last three starts. Hensley is 0-2, 6.91 in his last three, including a short 2+ inning outing in which he gave up 6 runs to the Redbirds. The Fish have dropped 5 straight.


Starting Bankroll       $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                 < $43.40>
Current Bankroll        $1,456.60

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!






Sunday, August 7, 2011

MLB Picks, August 8th

I don't see anything on today's schedule that excites me, so I'll be sitting on the sidelines today.

Starting Bankroll      $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                < $43.40>
Current Bankroll       $1,456.60

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

MLB Picks, August 7th

Two games on the docket today worth dropping a few dollars on.

$30 on San Diego (Latos) over Pittsburgh (Correia), @ -$105

Latos sports a 3.44 ERA in his last three starts and gave up only 1 run in 7 innings against the Dodgers in his last outing. Correia has had a hard time at home this season, posting a 2-7 record, witha 7.71 ERA. The Pirates have lost 9 straight.

$20 on Detroit (Scherzer) over Kansas City (Chen), -1.5 @ +$125

Scherzer is 1-1, 2.37 ERA in his last three trips to the hill. Chen is 0-2, 7.56 in his last three. Detroit is 22-13 against lefty starters this season.

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   < $51.90>
Current Bankroll         $1,448.10

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

A Little Live Poker

We had a lite turnout for Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tournament last night with only six runners seated at the table. Lil' Annie Okie was back and was seated to my immediate left, followed by Tin Man, Bluffin' Bev, Big Daddy, and Philly Phanatic. Annie was still pretty sore from her surgery two and a half weeks ago, but the hydrocodone seemed to take the edge off the pain.

We were only at the third blind level ($3-6), when the biggest hand of the night occured. I was in the small blind and looked down at pocket aces. There were three limpers in front and although I did want to thin the field, I didn't want to bet so much that I wouldn't get any action. So, rather than a standard $30 bet, I decided to go with only $20.

Oops!

All three opponents called and we saw a flop of A-K-J. I led out with a half pot bet. Bluffin' Bev pushed for around $100 and was called by both Big Daddy and Philly Phanatic. I was afraid I was up against Q-T, but felt like the pot odds warranted a call. Even if I was behind, I could still pull it out if the board paired.

I had everyone covered and the following hands were tabled. Bev had K-J for two pair, Philly had K-Q for a pair and a gutter, and Big Daddy had a J and was pretty much dead. I was a little surprised to be ahead and was pleased that my hand held up knocking out half the tournament field in one hand!

I also knocked out Lil' Okie Annie, then Tin Man and I chopped the prize money, with me taking the most since I had a big chip lead at the time.

Big Daddy was the big winner in the $2 buy-in cash game, netting about $10-12 bucks. Philly and Bev both won a little, with Tin Man getting hit the hardest. I walked away $1 lighter.

                                              ***

We had nine runners at J-Dawgs Poker Extravaganza Thursday night. From left to right on your radio dial was Bobby Dee, J-Dawg, Gentleman Jim, Ollie the Accountant, Farmer Harry, Stamps, Dealer Larry, Ray-Ray, and yours truly.

The money circled the table for most of the night in this $20 buy-in, dealer's choice limit game, with Bobby Dee the only one who was wounded, dropping $27 on the evening. Ollie and I chopped the High Hand Jackpot with kings full of fives. He hit his early and mine was late. Because of the HHJ, I was able to walk away a $7 winner.

With the pizza and cookies eaten, we called it a night... a hot night. The game broke a little after ten o'clock and when I got in my truck, the thermometer read an even 100 degrees.

How long is it until October?

First Full Tilt Payout In A While

Full Tilt Poker has paid an overdue licensing fee to the Alderney Gaming Control Commission. Rumor is the payment was in excess of $400,000.

I can't see this as anything but a positive sign on the future of Full Tilt. Time will tell.

Click here for the announcement from the AGCC.

MLB Picks, August 6th

Two games on the agenda today that are worth a look.

$25 on Detroit (Verlander) over Kansas City (Duffy), -1.5 @ -$110
Verlander is 3-0, 1.88 ERA in his last three starts. Duffy is 3-4, 5.05 on the season.


$10 on Arizona (Saunders) over LA Dodgers (Eovalde), -1.5 @ +$140

Saunders is 2-0, 1.90 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Eovalde is up from AA ball, making his Major League debut.


Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   <$16.90>
Current Bankroll        $1,483.10

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

MLB Picks, August 5th

Three games on the schedule today that look interesting.

$10 on Tampa Bay (Niemann) over Oakland (Moscoso), -1.5 @ +$125

Niemann is 1-0, 0.87 ERA in his last three starts. Moscoso is 1-1, 7.31 in his last three.
$15 on Milwaukee (Gallardo) over Houston (Happ), -1.5 @ -$130

Gallardo is 2-1, 1.35 ERA in his last three trips to the hill, including 7 innings of shutout ball against the Astros in his last outing. Happ is 4-13, 6.01 ERA this season and gave up 2 runs in 5 innings against the Brewers in his last start. The Brew Crew has won 8 of 10. The Astros are suffering thru their worst season in franchise history.
$25 on LA Angels (Weaver) over Seattle (Vargas), -1.5 @ -$110

Weaver is 14-5, 1.88 ERA this year. Vargas is 0-3, 9.49 ERA in his last three starts. 



Starting Bankroll     $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                <$15.90>
Current Bankroll     $1,484.10

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

MLB Picks, August 4th

A couple of interesting match ups on todays schedule.

$10 on Toronto (Cecil) over Tampa Bay (Davis), @ +$115

Cecil is 2-0, 2.35 ERA in his last three starts and only gave up one run in seven innings against a good hitting Texas ball club in his last trip to the hill. Davis is 1-1, 7.16 in his last three and surrendered 5 runs in 6 innings his last outing against the A's.
$25 on NY Yankees (Nova) over ChiSox (Humber), @ -$110


Nova is 2-0, 3.50 ERA in his last three outings. Humber is 0-3, 9.00 in his last three and was rocked for 4 runs in 4+ innings against the Red Sox in his last start. The Yankees have won 6 straight and the Pale Hose have dropped 5 in a row. 

Starting Bankroll     $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                <$28.40>
Current Bankroll      $1,471.60

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

MLB Picks, August 3rd

One game on the schedule today worth putting a few bucks on.

$40 on Philadelphia (Halladay) over Colorado (Hammel), -1.5 @ -$125

Halladay is having another excellent year, posting a 13-4 record and a 2.44 ERA. Hammel is 3-7, 5.10 at home this season. The Phils have won 5 straight and the Rockies have dropped 3 in a row and 7 of 10.
Starting Bankroll     $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                <$70.40>
Current Bankroll     $1,429.60

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Is Full Tilt Back In Business?

No.

Not yet anyway, but Full Tilt has had its Secondary Client Provider Authorization renewed for two years by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Full Tilt began moving its data to the Mohawk Internet Technology’s servers last June. MIT has the bandwidth necessary to serve American poker players.

Stay tuned.

Subject: Poker has the story. Click here for the details.

MLB Picks, August 2nd

One game worth a look on the schedule today.

$20 on LA Angels (Santana) over Minnesota (Duensing), -1.5 @ +$130

Santana is 2-0, 1.17 ERA in his last three starts. Duensing sports a 5.60 ERA in his last three.



Starting Bankroll     $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                <$96.40>
Current Bankroll     $1,403.60

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!