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Golfers to Bet - Wells Fargo

Tournament: Wells Fargo Championship
Date: Thursday, May 5th
Venue: Quail Hollow Club
Location: Charlotte, NC

Rory McIlroy will be looking to defend his Wells Fargo Championship crown when the golfers head to Quail Hollow Club on Thursday. This event is one of the youngest on tour, as it was established in 2003 and has been played on the beautiful par-72, 7,562-yard course since.

The course is by no means easy to traverse and the final three holes, also known as the “Green Mile,” will certainly baffle some golfers this weekend. McIlroy has actually won this event twice now after winning in 2015.

He took home last year’s title after defeating runners-up Patrick Rodgers and Webb Simpson by seven strokes. That was an impressive feat, as the previous four installments of this tournament had been decided by one stroke or in a playoff.

Some guys that will be included in this week’s field are McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed.

With no shortage of superstars, let’s now take a look at who might be winning this thing on Sunday.

Golfers to Bet

Rory McIlroy (15/4) - Rory McIlroy will be coming into this event as a pretty heavy favorite and it’s for good reason. As previously mentioned, McIlroy has won this thing twice in his career and he did it in dominant fashion in 2015. He shot a 21-under a year ago and that gave him the tournament record for best outing. He’ll also be coming into this event with a bit of hunger. McIlroy has taken a backseat to Jason Day and Jordan Spieth these past few years and he certainly wants to get back on top. He also has not yet won a tournament this year, so he’ll be driven to change that on Sunday. He’s getting some decent odds on 15/4 and could pay out very nicely if he can get it going with the putter.

Phil Mickelson (23/1) - Heading into The Masters, Phil Mickelson had earned two top-five finishes in his previous five events. He has, however, missed the cut at each of the past two tournaments and is not playing his best golf at the moment. Nevertheless, Mickelson is still one of the best golfers on the tour and he has had some success at this tournament in the past. Mickelson has never won the Wells Fargo Championship, but he was the runner-up when McIlroy won in 2010. He shot an 11-under that year and he’ll be out to improve upon that finish this time around. He is receiving great odds at 23/1 and is worth putting a unit or two on this weekend.

J.B. Holmes (25/1) - J.B. Holmes is still searching for his first victory of the season, but he has played some good golf on the year. Holmes already has four top-10 finishes this season and he is coming into this tournament after tying for 13th at the Texas Open on Apr. 21. Holmes has also played some great golf at Quail Hollow Club in his career. Holmes won this event back in 2014, shooting a 14-under to defeat Jim Furyk by one stroke. He’ll be looking to win his second tournament here on Sunday and he is certainly worth putting a unit or two on at 25/1.

Lucas Glover (130/1) - It’s always hard to choose a dark horse to win a tournament, but Glover is a guy that may be worth putting a half-unit on this weekend. He is getting some absurd odds at 130/1 and is certainly no slouch. He has already racked up two top-15 finishes on the season and he also happened to have won this event back in 2011. He shot a 15-under that year to defeat Jonathan Byrd in a playoff. His 15-under is tied for the third best score ever shot at the tournament and it’d be crazy to rule out a former champion this weekend.

Odds to win Wells Fargo Championship

Rory McIlroy 7/2
Rickie Fowler 25/2
Adam Scott 17/1
Henrik Stenson 17/1
Hideki Matsuyama 19/1
Justin Rose 21/1
J.B. Holmes 22/1
Patrick Reed 22/1
Phil Mickelson 22/1
Daniel Berger 30/1
Kevin Chappell 35/1
Paul Casey 45/1
Jamie Lovemark 50/1
Justin Thomas 50/1
Bryson Dechambeau 55/1
Charles Howell III 60/1
Gary Woodland 65/1
Jason Kokrak 65/1
Tony Finau 65/1
Bill Haas 70/1
Danny Lee 75/1
Kevin Kisner 75/1
Luke Donald 75/1
Patrick Rodgers 75/1
Patton Kizzire 75/1
Ryan Moore 85/1
Kevin Streelman 90/1
Webb Simpson 90/1
Brendan Steele 100/1
Graham Delaet 100/1
Martin Kaymer 100/1
Lucas Glover 110/1
Emiliano Grillo 120/1
Shane Lowry 120/1
Jim Furyk 130/1
Harold Varner III 150/1
Jason Bohn 150/1
Ollie Schniederjans 150/1
Harris English 160/1
Luke List 160/1
David Lingmerth 190/1
Scott Brown 190/1
Sean OHair 190/1
Sung Kang 200/1
Scott Stallings 210/1
Will Wilcox 220/1
Jamie Donaldson 230/1
Si Woo Kim 230/1
Ben Martin 240/1
Ian Poulter 240/1
Martin Laird 240/1
Robert Streb 240/1
Daniel Summerhays 250/1
Francesco Molinari 250/1
Geoff Ogilvy 250/1
John Senden 250/1
Jonas Blixt 250/1
Anirban Lahiri 300/1
Cameron Tringale 300/1
Johnson Wagner 300/1
Matt Jones 300/1
Morgan Hoffmann 300/1
Padraig Harrington 300/1
Ricky Barnes 300/1
William McGirt 300/1
Adam Hadwin 350/1
Brendon de Jonge 350/1
Brian Harman 350/1
Chesson Hadley 350/1
Colt Knost 350/1
David Hearn 350/1
George McNeill 350/1
Henrik Norlander 350/1
Jonathan Byrd 350/1
Kyle Stanley 350/1
Scott Langley 350/1
Shawn Stefani 350/1
Spencer Levin 350/1
Stuart Appleby 350/1
Camilo Villegas 400/1
Davis Love III 400/1
Hunter Mahan 400/1
Kyle Reifers 400/1
Retief Goosen 400/1
Cameron Smith 450/1
Chad Campbell 450/1
David Toms 450/1
Jim Herman 450/1
Nick Taylor 450/1
Peter Malnati 450/1
Roberto Castro 450/1
Alex Cejka 500/1
Andres Gonzales 500/1
Andrew Loupe 500/1
Angel Cabrera 500/1
Ben Crane 500/1
Blayne Barber 500/1
Boo Weekley 500/1
Brendon Todd 500/1
Brett Stegmaier 500/1
Bronson Burgoon 500/1
Bud Cauley 500/1
Carlos Ortiz 500/1
Chad Collins 500/1
Chris Stroud 500/1
D.A. Points 500/1
Dawie Van Der Walt 500/1
Derek Ernst 500/1
Derek Fathauer 500/1
Erik Compton 500/1
Ernie Els 500/1
Fabian Gomez 500/1
Greg Owen 500/1
Hiroshi Iwata 500/1
J.J. Henry 500/1
James Hahn 500/1
Jason Gore 500/1
Jeff Overton 500/1
Justin Hicks 500/1
Kelly Mitchum 500/1
Mark Hubbard 500/1
Mark Wilson 500/1
Matt Dobyns 500/1
Matt Every 500/1
Michael Kim 500/1
Michael Thompson 500/1
Rob Oppenheim 500/1
Robert Allenby 500/1
Rory Sabbatini 500/1
Sam Saunders 500/1
Scott Pinckney 500/1
Steve Marino 500/1
Steve Wheatcroft 500/1
Steven Bowditch 500/1
Tim Wilkinson 500/1
Tom Hoge 500/1
Trevor Immelman 500/1
Tyler Aldridge 500/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 500/1
Vaughn Taylor 500/1
Vijay Singh 500/1
Whee Kim 500/1
Will MacKenzie 500/1
Zac Blair 500/1

Dustin Johnson, Cink pull out of Wells Fargo
By The Sports Xchange

Dustin Johnson and Stewart Cink withdrew from this week's Wells Fargo Championship on Tuesday along with Smylie Kaifman.
The PGA Tour announced that Cink is taking an indefinite leave of absence to be with his wife Lisa, who is battling breast cancer. No reason was given for Johnson's withdrawal.
"Last week, my wife, Lisa, and I received some unfortunate news. Lisa has been diagnosed with breast cancer -- a startling and unexpected revelation for everyone in our family," Cink said in a statement. "We are still in the process of figuring out exactly what she is fighting, and the uncertainty continues to be very difficult. However, we serve a great God, and our friends and family have been and will be by her side every step of the way.
"In order to assist Lisa in meeting this challenge, I will be stepping away from competitive golf until circumstances improve for her. Hopefully, that day will come quickly. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward."
Cink has played on four U.S. Presidents Cup teams and five U.S. Ryder Cup teams. He also won a major at the 2009 Open Championship.
Tommy Aiken, D.H. Lee and Kelly Kraft will fill the three vacanies in the Wells Fargo event, according to PGATour.com columnist Rob Bolton.
Johnson, ranked No. 8 in the world rankings, is from Columbia S.C., less than two hours south from the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte where the Wells Fargo will be played. He finished fourth at last month's Masters and is expected to be in the field for The PLAYERS Championship next week.

10 Players to Watch: Wells Fargo Championship
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland -- Quail Hollow might be McIlroy's favorite course on the PGA Tour. The defending champion and two-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship has posted five top-10 finishes in his six starts there. Last year, he carded a course-record 11-under-par 61 in the third round on his way to a seven-stroke victory over Webb Simpson and Patrick Rodgers. Rory claimed the first of his 11 PGA Tour victories by four strokes over Phil Mickelson at Quail Hollow in 2010. The Irishman is winless this season after claiming eight victories around the world in the last two years, but he has six top-10 finishes on both major tours this year, including three in his last four events, and is overdue to win.

2. Rickie Fowler, United States -- His tie for 20th in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans was a bit of a disappointment, but he figures to bounce back this week in the Wells Fargo Championship. He claimed the first of his three PGA Tour victories on the PGA Tour in 2012 at Quail Hollow, beating Rory McIlroy and D.A. Points with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Fowler has played in the tournament five times, also finishing sixth in 2010 and tying for 16th the next year. He is looking for his first victory on the PGA Tour this season, although he did win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on the European Tour, and he has five results in the top 10 and eight in the top 25 in 11 events on the U.S. tour.

3. Adam Scott, Australia -- Continuing to lead the FedEx Cup standings thanks to victories in the Honda Classic and the WGC-Cadillac Championship on consecutive weeks, Scott will be trying to get back on track after finishing outside the top 25 in the WGC-Dell Match Play (T-28) and the Masters (T-42) in his last two starts. He is making his eighth appearance in the Wells Fargo Championship and had some good results in the beginning with a tie for 16th in 2005, solo third the following year, a tie for 24th in 2007 and a tie for eighth in 2008. However, he seemed to have lost his touch at Quail Hollow, missing the cut in his last three appearances in 2009, 2010 and 2015, failing to shoot 70 in any of his six rounds during those years.

4. Justin Rose, England -- Coming off a tie for 10th in the Masters to defend his title in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last week, Rose surprisingly missed the cut. He will try to turn it into a positive after a few extra days of rest by bouncing back in the Wells Fargo Championship. He finally seemed to figure out Quail Hollow in 2014, when he posted his first top-10 finish with a solo fifth, before skipping the tournament last year. Rose, who is No. 10 in the World Golf Rankings, has four top-10 finishes and six in the top 25 on the PGA Tour but is winless so far this season after capturing the Zurich plus the UBS Hong Kong Open on the European Tour in 2015.

5. Dustin Johnson, United States -- Based on his history at tree-lined Quail Hollow, Johnson might not figure to be among the favorites this week in the Wells Fargo Championship, but he has been in contention in his last five outings on a variety of courses. He finished solo fourth in the Northern Trust Open at tree-lined Riviera, tied for 14th in the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, tied for fifth in the WGC-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club, finished third in the Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston and tied for fourth in the Masters at Augusta National. DJ is making his fourth start at Quail Hollow, missing the cut in 2008 and 2001 and tying for 29th in 2010, when he shot 65 in the third round.

6. Patrick Reed, United States -- Even though he has not won since the Hyundai Tournament of Champions about 15 months ago, Reed continues to play well this season, with eight results in the top 10, including second in his Hyundai title defense and another runner-up in his last outing at the Valero Texas Open. He has finished in the top 10 in four of his last five tournaments, with the one hiccup a tie for 49th in the Masters. Those results have put him eighth in the FedEx Cup standings and No. 12 in the World Golf Rankings. Reed is playing in the Wells Fargo for the fourth time and hopes to finally figure out Quail Hollow after tying for 32nd in both 2012 and 2013 and tying for 58th last year.

7. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Even though Lefty has played in the Wells Fargo Championship 12 times, he has never won it, although he has had chances on several occasions, with eight finishes in the top 10. The closest he came was in 2010, when he closed with a 68 to finish second as Rory McIlroy flew past him with a 62 to win by four strokes. Mickelson held the 36-hole lead with 68-67 in 2013 but played the weekend in 73-73 to wind up solo third, one stroke out of the playoff in which Derek Ernst beat David Lynn of England. Lefty, who has not won since the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield, has had his moments this year with a solo second in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, a tie for third in the CareerBuilder Challenge and solo fifth in the WGC-Cadillac Championship.

8. Hideki Matsuyama, Japan -- The highest-ranked Asian in the world at No. 14, Matsuyama is almost quietly on his way to a career season after playing quite well the previous two years on the PGA Tour. He beat Rickie Fowler on the fourth playoff hole to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open for his second PGA Tour victory and has three other top-10 results -- including a tie for seventh in the Masters in his last outing after finishing fifth at Augusta a year earlier. In 2015, he had nine finishes in the top 10 after winning the Memorial Tournament a year earlier. Matsuyama is making this third appearance in the Wells Fargo Championship, having tied for 20th last year after posting a tie for 38th a year earlier in his debut at Quail Hollow.

9. J.B. Holmes, United States -- When Holmes won the 2014 Wells Fargo Championship by one stroke over Jim Furyk, it put his PGA Tour career back on track after he underwent two brain surgeries in 2011. It was his first victory in six years, gave him back his PGA Tour card and he added a fourth win on the circuit last year in the Shell Houston Open, where he beat Jordan Spieth and Johnson Wagner with a par on the second playoff hole. Even though J.B. still is looking for his first title this season, he has three results in the top 10 including a tie for fourth in the Masters, and seven results in the top 25. Holmes has made nine starts at Quail Hollow, with his best finish other than the victory a tie for ninth in 2011.

10. Jim Furyk, United States -- The Wells Fargo Championship will be Furyk's first event since he withdrew from the BMW Championship because of a left wrist injury during the FedEx Cup playoff last September. He rested for the remainder of the year in hopes the injury would get better, but when it did not, he underwent surgery in February. If he can find any of his old form, Quail Hollow probably is a good place for Furyk to return, as he claimed one of his 17 PGA Tour victories there in 2006. He holed an eight-foot par putt on the final hole of regulation to get into a playoff with Trevor Immelman and won with a six-foot par putt on the first extra hole. Furyk lost a four-hole playoff to Vijay Singh at Quail Hollow a year earlier and finished one stroke behind J.B. Holmes in 2014.

PGA Tour Picks: Wells Fargo Championship Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
by Alan Matthews

Last week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans was a mess weather-wise, forcing not just a Monday finish but also the tournament was shortened to 54 holes (first event shortened since the 2013 opener in Hawaii). And Brian Stuard got his first PGA Tour win by beating Jamie Lovemark on the second playoff hole. Amazingly, Stuard never bogeyed a single hole in the tournament. In addition to making all 40 of his putts inside 10 feet, Stuard led the field at 2.849 in strokes gained/putting. His previous best finishes were a pair of seconds, last in 2014. The win got Stuard into next week's Tour Championship and of course next year's Masters. Now eight of the past 12 champions of the Zurich Classic have been first-time winners.

Stuard was No. 128 on the 2014-15 FedEx Cup standings and playing with conditionally-exempt status this year. The 33 year old needed to birdie the 18th hole to force the playoff as Lovemark was a stroke up; they were in the final group with Jhonattan Vegas. Stuard calmly drained the 8-foot putt. All Lovemark then had to do was two-putt from about 85 feet to win but left his eagle way short and then barely missed the 10-footer for birdie to send the tournament into a playoff for the third time in the last six years. Byeong-Hun An, playing in the group just before the final group, also birdied 18 to get himself to the playoff. He fell out on the first extra hole with a bogey.

Needless to say, I didn't have Stuard winning. I was torn between Jason Day and Justin Rose and eventually leaned Rose. He missed the cut. Day was T5, two shots out of the playoff. So I got him at -200 for a Top 10. Also hit a few head-to-head props but really not a memorable tournament.

Before I get to this week's pretty strong field at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, I'm going to address something I don't believe I ever have in this space: the Champions Tour. That's because John Daly just turned 50 and makes his Champions Tour debut -- and has there ever been a golfer more suited to 54-hole events and the use of a cart? He is in the field for the Insperity Invitational outside Houston, which starts Friday. Daly is +4000 to win. The favorite is Jeff Maggert at +700. Just wanted to throw that out there.

Wells Fargo is a major sponsor on Tour, so this event usually draws a good field, plus guys want to tune up for the following week's Tour Championship. One guy we will see for the first time since the BMW Championship in the FedEx Cup playoffs last fall is Jim Furyk, who had wrist surgery in February. He won here in 2006 and finished second in 2005 & '14. There were some rumblings that Tiger Woods might return here, but that's not the case. Reuters recently reported that Tiger did book lodging for the Players Championship. Doesn't mean he will play.

Quail Hollow is a monster par-72 at 7,575 yards and will host the 2017 PGA Championship. The final three holes, "the Green Mile," have consistently been ranked the toughest finish on the PGA Tour the past seven years. The course will not host this tournament next year as there will be some renovations this summer for the PGA Championship. The event will move to at Eagle Point in Wilmington for 2017 only.

Rory McIlroy is back to defend his title and he hasn't won on Tour since. McIlroy basically won the tournament on Saturday with an 11-under 61, a course record. He finished at 21-under 267, which shattered the tournament record by five strokes. Webb Simpson and Patrick Rodgers were second, seven shots back.

Golf Odds: Wells Fargo Championship Favorites

McIlroy is the highest-ranked player in the field -- no Day or Jordan Spieth -- and is the heavy +400 favorite at Bovada. McIlroy's first PGA Tour win also came at this event in 2010. "The golf course just sets up really well for me," McIlroy said after last year's romp. No kidding. It marked the first time McIlroy won at the same venue in his PGA Tour career. He also was a runner-up in Charlotte in 2012.

Rickie Fowler is at +1400. He won his first Tour title here in 2012 but has missed the cut and finished 38th in two trips since. He didn't play last year. Fowler was T20 last week in New Orleans. Adam Scott is +1700. He has missed the cut here his past two trips (2015, '10). He hasn't notched a Top 10 in three events since winning back-to-back in Florida.

The favorites are rounded out by Henrik Stenson and Rose (both +2000). Rose was T5 last time he played here in 2014. Stenson doesn't have a good track record here at all.

PGA Tour Picks: Wells Fargo Championship Expert Betting Predictions

For a Top-10 finish, I like McIlroy (-200), J.B. Holmes (+200) and Phil Mickelson (+240). Go McIlroy (-140) over Fowler (+110), but Fowler (-125) over Scott (-105). Like Rose (-110) over Stenson (-120), Hideki Matsuyama (-115) over Patrick Reed (-115), Mickelson (-120) over Holmes (-110), Paul Casey (-115) over Bryson DeChambeau (-115), and Justin Thomas (-115) over Jason Kokrak (-115).

McIlroy probably wins, but I'm putting some money on Lefty at +2500. He is so overdue here with six career Top-5 finishes. He was T4 last year and runner-up to McIlroy in 2010. The only reason I'm not more confident on him is that Mickelson has missed the cut in his past two PGA Tour events.

Preview: Stars (50-23) at Blues (49-24)

Date: May 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

It's not clear which goalie will start for the Dallas Stars in a pivotal Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series.

It's also not clear if it will matter the way the St. Louis Blues are playing.

The Blues have been tough to handle for Antii Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, and one of those players will be in the crosshairs Thursday night in St. Louis.

The Blues took a 2-1 series lead with Tuesday's 6-1 rout in their first home game in this series. Niemi got his first start of the series after he was effective in Game 2 by stopping 19 of 20 shots in relief of Lehtonen.

He wasn't up to snuff in Game 3, yielding three goals on 12 shots before Lehtonen entered and allowed three more.

"It hasn't been a goalie issue, really," said defenseman Alex Goligoski, who was beaten on one goal and had a second go in off his skate. "We're giving up some big chances, at bad times, early in games.

"Lost confidence in our goalies is not an issue. It's our game."

Alexander Steen and David Backes had two goals apiece for St. Louis. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists after going three straight games without a point, and Troy Brouwer had a goal and an assist in the Blues' first win this postseason by more than one goal.

"Credit everybody in the room that they bought in," said Backes, who scored in overtime to win Game 2. "We had probably our most complete effort of the postseason, and a good time to have it."

Dallas has scored first in every game, but St. Louis has turned in huge responses within the opening period of the last two. The Blues held a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes in Game 2, and Steen and Backes gave them a 2-1 lead after one period Tuesday.

"We should be better as a group, that's the bottom line," Stars captain Jamie Benn said.

Cody Eakin is the only Dallas skater with more than two points in the series thanks to his three-assist effort in Game 2. No one has scored more than once for the Stars, the league's highest-scoring team in the regular season with an average of 3.2 goals.

Dallas badly needs to move on after unraveling at the end of Game 3. Curtis McKenzie fought the Blues' Ryan Reaves in the closing minutes after defenseman Stephen Johns was penalized for boarding for a hit on Alex Pietrangelo with a check from behind.

"You gotta put that behind you, you gotta look forward," coach Lindy Ruff said. "I think the team got frustrated with some of the calls. I know I got frustrated they may have taken on my personality."

Ruff said forward Patrick Eaves could return Thursday after missing the last two games with a lower body injury.

Brian Elliott was sharp Tuesday for St. Louis with 25 saves. The Blues have killed off all 11 Dallas power plays in the series while scoring four times in the last two games with the man advantage.

"We're a team that it's really everybody that it takes to win and not one guy's going to do it, but guys (are) stepping up in every role," Elliott said.

Preview: Sharks (46-30) at Predators (41-27)

Date: May 05, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Nashville Predators have a chance to return to San Jose with their Western Conference semifinal series all tied up. Another standout performance by their special teams could go a long way toward getting them to that goal.

The Predators try for that pivotal win over the Sharks - the league's best road team - in Thursday night's Game 4.

Nashville went 2 for 5 on the power play while killing off all four San Jose chances in a 4-1 victory Tuesday. The Predators had allowed six goals in their previous 18 short-handed situations and were 2 for 31 with the man advantage to start this postseason.

James Neal, who scored the tying goal in the second period, and Filip Forsberg allowed the Predators to match that power play output in Game 3. Shea Weber also tallied his 13th career postseason goal, tying him with David Legwand for the most in Nashville history.

"(Special teams are) something we definitely need to be better at," Neal said. "I thought we had some decent looks, but ultimately it changes games when you score on the PP and you get big kills. We did that tonight and got a big win."

The Predators dealt the Sharks their first loss in four road games in these playoffs and just their second in 12 contests since Feb. 27. San Jose was 28-10-3 away from home in the regular season and 18-20-3 on its own ice.

"You're not going to win every game," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "It's the Stanley Cup playoffs. This might take seven games. It's that time of year. They're a good team. You have to give them credit.

"I thought we came out and played a pretty good game. They won the special teams battle tonight. We won it the other night. That's how this works this time of year."

San Jose reeled off four consecutive wins after its only other defeat in the playoffs but has gone 1-6-1 in its last eight in Nashville, including postseason. The lone victory was 3-2 in a shootout April 2.

"It's a different series, but any time you can be up in a series it's a good thing," San Jose goaltender Martin Jones told the league's official website. "We want to make sure we come with a better mindset next game and a better effort. This isn't a team you want to let back in the series."

The Predators are hoping to keep their depth intact by having Colton Sissons available. The forward hit his left knee while sliding into the goal post in the third period Tuesday and required assistance to get off the ice.

He returned to skate a late shift.

"It was just in a lot of pain right away. It kind of wrapped around the post a little bit," Sissons said. "It didn't feel good right away, but it settled down and I was able to get back out there."

It's unclear if Pontus Aberg will play in his second NHL game for Nashville. The forward made his debut Tuesday when Peter Laviolette made struggling veteran Mike Ribeiro a healthy scratch.

Ribeiro has one assist and a minus-3 rating in nine games this postseason.

"(Aberg), I thought, came in and gave us some good speed," coach Peter Laviolette said. "He was a good player for (AHL affiliate) Milwaukee down the stretch. He brings speed and skill, and this is a fast game right now against San Jose.

"I thought he did a really good job just using his speed and playing a good game, a smart game."

Nashville is 1-6 in its last seven Game 4s and has lost its past five of those at home. San Jose has won three of its last four Game 4s but has dropped four of the last five such road contests.

NHL

Thursday's games

St Louis-Dallas (S 2-1)
St Louis won eight of last ten games with Dallas overall-- home team won six of last eight series games, with seven of last 11 staying under total. Four of last five St Louis wins in series came in OT or SO. Blues won three of last four games overall; over is 5-1-1 in their last seven. Dallas won seven of last 11 games overall; over is 5-1-1 in their last seven games, 3-0-1 in last four on road. Stars are 0-11 on power play in series, St Louis 4-14.

Nashville-San Jose (SJ 2-1)
Home side won all three series games; Sharks lost four of last five visits here; they've won seven of last nine games overall. San Jose won seven of last nine games overall; over is 2-0-2 in their last four games. Predators lost five of last eight games; under is 2-0-2 in their last four home games. Nashville won last four times they scored 3+ goals; they're 1-5 in last six games scoring two or less goals. San Jose is 3-9 on power play in series, Nashville is 3-10. Under is 6-3-2 in last 11 series games. Most of scoring this series has come in third period.

Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 9-4, Over: 6-2-5

Thursday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds: Heat at Raptors

Once again there is only one game on the NBA Playoff schedule and it's Game 2 between the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors. We break down all the action so you can cap the game like a pro.

Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors (-4.5, 188)

Heat lead series 1-0

The Toronto Raptors have been waiting for their All-Star backcourt to step up in the postseason, and aside from one moment in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, they are still waiting. The Raptors will try to get more out of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan and even the series when they host the Miami Heat in Game 2 on Thursday.

DeRozan shot 31.9 percent from the floor in a seven-game victory over the Indiana Pacers in the first round and went 9-of-22 from the floor on Tuesday while Lowry has been even worse, shooting 31.6 percent against the Pacers and slumping to 3-of-13 in Game 1 against the Heat. "I'm trying to get my touch back. I don't know where it's at," Lowry told reporters. "It's kind of mind-boggling right now, and it's frustrating, but I'm not going to shy away from the criticism or anything. I’m going to continue to be aggressive and take shots.” The Miami backcourt carried the team through the final two games of its first-round series against the Charlotte Hornets and stepped up again against Toronto with a combined 50 points from Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade. Wade, who picked up his 100th career playoff victory with the 102-96 overtime triumph, scored seven of his 24 points in the extra period and stole the ball from DeRozan with four seconds left to seal the win.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: The Raptors opened as 4.5-point favorites for Game 2 after dropping the opener Tuesday night. The total opened at 188.5 and came down a point to 187.5 by Wednesday evening. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE HEAT (53-37, 48-41-1 ATS, 37-52-1 O/U): Miami squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before regrouping for overtime and credited injured forward Chris Bosh for keeping the team focused at the start of the extra period. "(Bosh) was huge in that timeout," Dragic told reporters. "When (Lowry) hit that shot, most other teams would think it's over. We didn't. We kind of (flipped) the switch and tried to make something positive from that. (Bosh) said, 'OK, it's our first game. We're playing in a hostile environment. We still have five minutes to go, and we're in a good position.’” Bosh is reportedly in a dispute with the Heat over his medical condition, with the team exercising caution and keeping him off the floor against his wishes.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (60-30, 47-43 ATS, 44-45-1 O/U): Lowry went from the high of sending the game into overtime with a halfcourt buzzer-beater to missing his only shot in overtime as Toronto fell. “I have but not at this time, so that's what's frustrating,” Lowry told reporters when asked if he has been in shooting slumps like this before. “In the playoffs, all eyes are on you. It sucks to be playing this bad with all eyes on me. I know I'm better than this, so I have to pick this (stuff) up.” Lowry has not shot better than 38.1 percent in any of his eight games this postseason and stayed in the gym after finishing up with his media responsibilities on Tuesday to shoot jumpers.

TRENDS:

* Heat are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Raptors are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 6-1 in Heat last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Over is 4-1 in Raptors last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Heat are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Toronto.

Preview: Heat (48-34) at Raptors (56-26)

Date: May 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

It took the Toronto Raptors 15 years to get this far again, and Kyle Lowry knows they won't go further if he doesn't play better.

The Raptors need Lowry to play the way Goran Dragic is.

'I know the pressure I put on myself. I know we won't advance if I don't play better,' Lowry said Wednesday. 'I have to play better for us to be a good team and win games.'

With Lowry faltering and Dragic flourishing, the Miami Heat aim to win the point guard matchup in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday night in Toronto.

A day after announcing that Chris Bosh wouldn't return in the postseason, the Heat can quickly move halfway to ending Toronto's first second-round appearance since 2001.

Toronto rode its backcourt of Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to a franchise-record 56 victories and the No. 2 seed in the East, but those All-Stars were outplayed by Dragic and Dwyane Wade in Miami's 102-96 overtime victory Tuesday night in the series opener.

Dragic followed his huge Game 7 that got the Heat past Charlotte in the first round by scoring 26 points, while Wade had 24 and some big defensive plays.

'Goran just wants to win,' Wade said. 'That's all he talked about, was getting back to the playoffs and feeling how it feels to be a part of winning. Right now he's in a good offensive groove for us, but he's always going to do what it takes to win and that's all we care about.'

Lowry was limited to seven points, hitting the halfcourt heave that forced overtime but otherwise missing from everywhere else on the floor in a 3-for-13 performance. DeRozan scored 22 points and shot 9 for 22, which isn't great but was well above his 33 percent in the postseason.

Lowry is at 30.6 percent and his confidence looks as shaky as his shot, and he appeared to pass up some open looks in Game 1. He worked on his shot until after 1 a.m. following Game 1, first on the Raptors' practice court and then on the main court, in an effort to rediscover a shot that's missing.

'I've had a few struggles like this in my NBA career, but nothing this big,' Lowry said. 'What makes it worse is that it's the playoffs.'

The Heat and Bosh announced Wednesday that he wouldn't play again this season, ending speculation in recent days that the All-Star forward would try to return during the playoffs.

Bosh has not played since the All-Star break after a blood clot was discovered in his left leg. Without him, the Heat have relied on some strong perimeter play - they were 8 for 11 from 3-point range Tuesday - and center Hassan Whiteside, who grabbed 17 rebounds in Game 1 after hurting his knee and briefly leaving the game in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Heat seem as puzzled as the Raptors by Lowry's struggles.

'It's surprising to me that he's struggled in the playoffs because I know him well,' Dragic said. 'We played together in Houston. He was always a confident guy and he's already played so many games and made so many big shots that it's a little bit surprising. Everybody goes through those moments when you've lost the touch a little bit.'

If it doesn't come back, perhaps the Raptors would give more playing time to backup point guard Cory Joseph, who scored 10 points in Game 1 and is shooting 58 percent in the postseason, tops on the team.

They could also continue featuring center Jonas Valanciunas, who scored 24 points in the opener.

But the Raptors know their best shot is with Lowry.

'He needs to get through it,' coach Dwane Casey said. 'We're not going to change the offense or anything like that. We believe in him.'

The series moves to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday.

NBA Odds and Picks: Thursday and Friday Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

The Miami Heat situation continues to get more interesting. Now the NBA Players' Association wants to meet with the team over the Chris Bosh issue. Bosh believes he's ready to return from his blood-clot problem and traveled with the team to Toronto for the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Yet the Heat continue to be very quiet and vague on the whole situation but have made it pretty clear he's not playing this season. I guess my question is: If Bosh signs a waiver whereby the Heat and NBA avoid any fault if he happened to die on the court, what's holding Miami back here? ESPN's Dan Le Batard, also a Miami Herald writer, has reported that Bosh has received a medical opinion clearing him to play. But the Heat medical people clearly don't agree. Not sure what the union can do to force the issue.


Thursday's Game 2: No. 3 Heat at No. 2 Raptors (-4.5, 188.5)

This line is the same as Game 1 when I previewed it but the total is 2.5 points lower. I liked the Heat in Game 1 -- and this series -- and the under. I would have been right on both counts if Toronto's Kyle Lowry hadn't made perhaps the most memorable shot in franchise history, a half-court buzzer-beater to send that game to overtime. However, the Heat quickly took control in the extra period and won 102-96. Why did I like the Heat to win this series? They have the best player on the floor in Dwyane Wade. And he was great in the opener with 24 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Although the Heat were outscored by four points with him on the court -- that's why some people hate that plus/minus rating. Goran Dragic also was strong with 26 points and six rebounds as the Heat backcourt thoroughly outplayed Toronto's. The Heat improved to 5-1 this when Wade (who did bruise his knee in Game 1) and Dragic combined to score at least 50 points.

That Raptors backcourt was an issue in the Pacers' first-round series -- Toronto was only the second team in NBA history to win a playoff series while its top two scorers shot less than 33 percent -- and it continued in Game 1. DeMar DeRozan had 22 points but was 9-for-22. And I have no clue what is wrong with All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry. He was just 3-for-13 for seven points with five fouls. His only make in seven 3-point tries was that miracle shot. Apparently Lowry is being bothered by some right elbow pain and had fluid drained from it in March. He shot only 33 percent from the floor in the final eight games of the regular season and is down to 30.6 percent in the playoffs. That's the worst postseason percentage by any NBA player in the past 50 years with a minimum of 100 attempts. The Raptors are getting swept if he doesn't shake it off.

Series line: Heat -180, Raptors +160

Key trends: The Heat are 4-1 against the spread in their past five after scoring at least 100 points in their previous game. The Raptors are 1-4 ATS in their past five at home. The "over/under" has gone under in five of Miami's past six on the road. The under is 7-2 in Toronto's past nine.

Early lean: No reason to change my mind now as Wade says his knee is no big deal. Heat and under again.


Friday's Game 3: No. 2 Spurs at No. 3 Thunder (+2, 198.5)

Not sure I've ever seen an ending like Game 2 of this Western Conference semifinal, a 98-97 Thunder road win. I'm positive I've never seen a TV analyst go so bonkers -- and be right -- than when TNT's Chris Webber kept screaming "That's An Offensive Foul!" I think the way he said it at first confused both partner Marv Albert and the audience. But Webber meant that Oklahoma City's Dion Waiters gave the Spurs' Manu Ginobili a forearm to the chest as Waiters was trying to inbound the ball the final seconds. That pass would be eventually stolen and lead to a wild sequence at the Thunder basket as the Spurs were trying to win the game. I still have no clue why Ginobili didn't shoot the ball in the lane and instead kicked it out to Patty Mills for a 3-pointer. The NBA admitted after the game that the officials missed a whopping five calls in the final 13.5 seconds, including that offensive foul on Waiters. The NBA Referees' Association said it had never seen a player do what Waiters had before -- neither had I.

If there's one team that will put something like that behind it, it's the incredibly well-coached and calm Spurs. They obviously need to do a better job offensively on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Those two struggled in Game 1 but combined for 57 points in Game 2. Steven Adams was also huge with 12 points and 17 rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge has been the best player of this series and had 41 points to lead the Spurs in the loss. But Kawhi Leonard had 14, Tony Parker seven and Tim Duncan two. The Spurs shot 43 percent as a team after shooting 61 percent in the series opener. Yet they still nearly won. It was only San Antonio's second home loss all season. The Thunder had to have that one considering that teams that won at least 65 regular-season games who also went up 2-0 in a playoff series are 35-0 all-time in those series.

Series line: Spurs -290, Thunder +245

Key trends: San Antonio was 1-1 ATS on the road in the first round against Memphis and 1-1 O/U. OKC was 1-2 ATS in the first round at home vs. Dallas and 1-2 O/U.

Early lean: Thunder and over.

NBA

Thursday's game

Miami-Toronto (M 1-0)
Toronto tied game dramatically at end of regulation, then lost in OT as Dragic had 26 points for Heat, which was -9 in 12:00 he was off floor. Miami lost four of last six games with Toronto, losing three of last four games in Canada, losing by 8ot-20-10 points. Home side won seven of last ten series games. Heat lost three of last five road games; five of their last six games stayed under total, as have seven of last nine Raptor tilts. Toronto won three of last four home games. Toronto was -16 in 12:00 without Valanciunas on floor, +10 when he was playingr.

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
Second round: Favorites: 5-2, over: 4-3

Mohawk: Friday 5/6 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF HARNESS

Race 1 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool


20-CENT PICK 5: 1,2,5,7,8/3,4/1/2,3,6,10/6,7,10 = $24

EARLY PICK 4: 2,3,6,10/6,7,10/9/2,5,7 = $36

LATE PICK 4: 3,4,6/3,9/2,4,6/1,3 = $36

MEET STATS: 54 - 163 / $351.10 BEST BETS: 10 - 16 / $43.40

SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 16 / $15.40

Best Bet: BURNIN MONEY (3rd)

Spot Play: ART ANGEL BABY (8th)


Race 1

(2) LADY JEN dropped into a claimer last week but got hung the mile and finished well back. She stands a much better chance of clearing early here and if she does she could wire these. (1) CLASSIC COMEDY is capable of showing more early speed and should get a better spot early here which makes her a contender. (7) CASIMIR LUCKY LADY has been facing better and should fit this class and take a big share.

Race 2

(3) UTOPIA raced well last week when claimed and could bridge the gap here on (4) JUSTCALLMERONALD, who beat him last time but was drifting out badly late. Those two look like the main contenders here. (1) GIRL DRAMA hasn't fared well so far in the new barn but she re-qualified okay and is always a threat at this class when she stays flat.

Race 3

(1) BURNIN MONEY raced here Monday night vs. much tougher and finds a field he should be able to handle here. (6) DUH BUBBEES raced much better in his second start and should get a good spot near the front here early which makes him a threat. (8) ODDS ON AMETHYST drops back down to a class that he wired two back and any breathers on the lead will make him tough to overhaul.

Race 4

(10) MARACASSO was bought by Waxman for himself and a partner then qualified showing big speed. Plante is a good one for getting them off the gate. Expect a big speed try here. (2) HOME JAMES improved his overall speed last week and paced a good last 1/4. He should leave better here and can threaten at a price. (6) LIGHT FOOT RD raced well last time on the pace and fits vs. this group. He is another to consider for the early Pick 4.

Race 5

(10) DONNA PARTY used a big third 1/4 move last time to open up but tired late and was nailed right on the wire. She figures here and should be able to leave in the top five. (6) BACK YARD BABY and (7) JUSTABIT MEAN both drop out of the same race won by a classy mare and should be used on Pick 4 and Pick 5 tickets.

Race 6

(9) KINETIC KING takes a big drop here and Mayotte should have him rolling early; top call. (3) DOMEDOMEDOME also faces easier and should be moving earlier in the mile this time. (1) JUSTASMALLTOWNGIRL should be able to follow along for a share and isn't out of the question for the win end with some luck.

Race 7

(5) DAZZLING ROCKETTE finished quickly last week despite having missed five weeks action. She should be even sharper and should get a good pace setup here. (2) GREYSTONE LADYLIKE couldn't stave off the persistent pressure of the first-over Moonlit Dance last week and tired late. She could take this group a long way on the lead. (7) BAROCKEY gets class relief here and is a threat from close range.

Race 8

(6) ART ANGEL BABY was a win machine last year and debuts for trainer Wallace here who has been sending them ready at this meet; top call. (4) BAD IN PARADISE showed some ability last year and is one of several in with a shot in a wide-open race. (3) SHOCKING BEAUTY couldn't chase down a stubborn leader last time but that was a better effort that she can build on.

Race 9

(3) SHE LIGHTS OUT jumped it off in the stretch last time when it looked like she had the race won. She re-qualified well and can get back on track here. (9) KATIES BEACH made two moves last time in a mile that was quick for the class. She has a chance to take her first of the year here. (8) TWIN B SWEETHEART continues to take purse shares in what has been a productive campaign and she should take a piece of this, too.

Race 10

(2) POP GOES THEWEASEL did all the work only to be overtaken late by the pocket-sitter last week. She is sharp and can turn the tables here. (4) A PLUS faces easier here and should be heard from late. (6) TOPVILLE CHEETAH rode a perfect trip to a new life's mark when beating the choice last week. She is a sharp contender but may have to do more work of her own this time.

Race 11

(3) NAUGHTY LADY B was racing well in January when laid up and re-qualified decently; slight nod in a tough-to-figure finale. (1) PARKLANE GLAMOROUS closed a bit of ground into an accelerating late pace in her qualifier and also looks ready to go here. (5) BRING ME DIAMONDS was a solid winner last out but has now missed five weeks which could leave her short down the lane. (4) TWENTY THREE RED failed as chalk after going first up last week. An easier trip could lead to a better result here. (7) STONEBRIDGE PEARL showed a bit of ability at two and brings three qualifiers into this sophomore debut. She could better this prediction.

Yonkers: Friday 5/6 Analysis
By Brewster Smith

DRF HARNESS


MEET STATS: 113 - 468 / $727.80

BEST BETS: 12 - 49 / $51.40

Best Bet: TIPITINA (9th)

Spot Play: SANTANNA ONE (7th)


Race 1

(1) OR gets serious post relief and seems to like the inside slot; threat at his best. (4) FRATERNITY comes by way of the Meadowlands and here's another that should fare well from the 4-hole. (2) DRIVE EM COWBOY has wheeled off two straight victories.

Race 2

(4) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Trotter is on the dropdown and that should help his cause. Gelding has good speed to boss this group. (3) MONEY MAVEN was sent down the road last out but did not have enough fuel in the tank and settled for the placing. (2) STORMONT PARK should find these to his liking.

Race 3

(3) AMASA AL Sharp from the fence last out to get the job done. Gelding appears to be in solid form so two straight is not out of the question. (1) ROSE RUN QUEST had a 3-hole trip and was second best to lose glory by a 1 3/4 lengths. (2) AUTOMATIC SLIMS could land a share from the 2-hole.

Race 4

(6) SPEAKING OUT Pacer did show signs of life last out with a mild bid to miss the victory by 1 3/4 lengths. With a favorable trip this gelding can put it all together. (1) LEGION OF BOOM comes by way of Canada and gets the best of the draw; threat. (4) EVERY INTENTION flashed good early speed but was flat in deep stretch last out.

Race 5

(3) GALLANT SEELSTER is quite on a roll scoring his third straight. Pacer stays in same condition so he could keep on his winning ways against these. (6) ARI ALLSTAR is clearly better than in his latest flop. (1) WHITE MOUNTAIN TOP retains the rail and does have a fondness for Yonkers.

Race 6

(1) JAG OUT Pacing mare gets another chance from the pole position. If Smith chooses to send this gal to the front the rest might have to settle for place money; factor. (8) DEVIL CHILD put in a good qualifier at Pocono last out; post hurts but is capable. (7) BETTOR N BETTER If you throw out her last try this mare had two wins at the Hilltop; watch out.

Race 7

(2) SANTANNA ONE moves into the claiming ranks and there's an indication this pacer is knocking at the door based on his last two tries. (6) IDEALBEACH HANOVER got the job done via down the road last time out. (1) NASSAU COUNTY was sharp in the pocket last out and missed glory by only a length.

Race 8

(5) CAROLSIDEAL Mare was an easy winner last out in the Matchmaker consolation. Has good form and Dube knows what to do with this 7-year-old; ready to take two straight. (8) SELL A BIT N led every step of the way in the final of the Matchmaker last time around but was caught by a very good Yagonnakissmeornot. (6) KRISPY APPLE did not fire her best last time out but she clearly is better than in her last try.

Race 9

Will try (5) TIPITINA again to put it all together. She fits well in here and was closing down the lane to lose glory by 1/2 length; can boss these at her best. (1) ELM GROVE INARUSH Got the job done wire to window at Vernon last time out. (4) OUR ELS DREAM N was on the rim at the 3/4 pole and grinded out a victory by a nose in her recent outing.

Race 10

(7) HYWAY MARCUS was very sharp to grab the place spot last out at the Big M. Gelding seems to be in good form and if Brennan can keep this 5-year-old on gait he could make tonight a winning one; we shall see. (2) RED HOT HERBIE is knocking at the door based on his last four starts. (1) E R ELLIE is better than her last flop but she is capable.

Race 11

(3) NARCIAN JEWEL was late on the scene and closed well to grab the fourth spot last out. She does know how to win races and good to see Mr. Brennan with the assignment; big threat at her best. (7) SCOOTIN FOR JOY also closed sharply to miss the victory by 3/4 length. (2) LYONS SHADOW did not race badly at Philly in her most recent effort.

SPOT PLAYS

For Thursday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Belmont Park (4th) Say Cin Cin, 4-1
(9th) March On, 4-1


Belterra Park (3rd) Michi Brah, 4-1
(7th) Feisty Rubiano, 8-1


Churchill Downs (1st) Nidge, 3-1
(11th) First Splash, 10-1


Evangeline Downs (3rd) Big Red Cat, 5-1
(8th) Specialeyes, 5-1


Golden Gate Fields (5th) Love the Kids, 9-2
(7th) Art of War, 4-1


Gulfstream Park (6th) Grand Venezuelan, 5-1
(7th) Mr. Kisses, 4-1


Penn National (2nd) Smooth Service, 5-1
(6th) English Manor, 9-2


Prairie Meadows (2nd) Hattaash, 9-2
(8th) De Facto, 8-1


Santa Anita (2nd) Hiking, 3-1
(6th) Smart Win, 6-1

May Pitchers Report
By Marc Lawrence

Horse racing fans recognize May as the month of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. For baseball purists May is simply the second month of the 2016 pro baseball season. But for die-hard baseball fans, namely those who enjoy handicapping America’s pastime, it signals our annual May Good Month/Bad Month pitchers report.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in May, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts.

To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

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

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

De La Rosa , Jorge -11-3 (5-1 A)

The Colorado right-hander had a rough April and will look to find his groove this month. The normally reliable right-hander has start and stop windup and still has low 90's fastball with tail action. He will need to spot pitches better and have more control with slider and changeup to match past numbers. Update - Went on 15-day DL on 4/27 with groin.

Hernandez, Felix -11-5 (8-3 A)

Though the "King" does not have the same velocity as a few years ago, he has more pitches he throws for strikes. Thus, he's not going to be as dominant as often, but he's making the transition away from pure power pitcher to smarter hurler to get batter out.

Hughes, Phil -10-4 (6-1 H)

Never the ace many envisioned in his younger days with the Yankees, Hughes is a dependable starter for Minnesota, who commands low-90's fastball and spins a tight-curve. His walk-to-strikeout command is excellent but the biggest problem is staying focused inning after inning and has always been prone of losing concentration.

Porcello, Rick -11-5 (8-1 A)

Sinker-ball pitcher who tried to become strikeout chucker with big contract in Boston last year and failed miserably. Has gone back to what he does best so far this season, which has batters beating the ball into the ground. A true No. 3 or No. 4 starter in the rotation whose not comfortable being depended on for more.

*Sale, Chris -10-1 (5-0 A)

A true strikeout machine who, at 27, has gained the confidence to also be clubhouse leader. At 6'6 and thin, all arms and legs with funky left-side delivery, has mid to upper 90's fastball and catcher seldom has to move once target is set. Headliner of an overabundance of White Sox lefty starters.

*Scherzer, Max -13-4 (6-1 H)

Since the middle of last season, has been pedestrian performer, more like was with Arizona, with ERA over 4.25. Scherzer depends on clean mechanics for velocity and tilt on breaking pitches. It seems to come and go without warning. Washington is looking for the pitcher they had the first half of last year as right-hand version of Clayton Kershaw when he was unhittable.

*Vogelsong, Ryan -12-3 (6-1 A)

Now with Pittsburgh, lost starting job in spring training and now works in long relief or as spot starter. Not likely to change at 38 unless injuries occur.

*Weaver, Jered -10-2 (6-1 H)

After shoulder issues in the spring related to tightness, which had his fastball topping out at 81-82, Weaver got stretched out and is now serviceable mid-rotation pitcher, who knows how to works counts and change speeds. Fastball still only in mid-80's but throws so many off-speed pitches his fastball is looking quicker to hitter's thus far.

Zimmermann, Jordan -11-5 (7-1 H)

The formers Nats pitcher took an immediate liking to the American League and went 24 1/3 innings before giving up a run in 2016. Has four good pitches he can keep in the zone and is frontline hurler. For whatever reason, seldom pitches beyond the seventh inning.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Hamels, Cole -5-12 (2-6 A)

Has fit in comfortably at Texas, with still good fastball that moves late when low in the zone, excellent cutter and still one of the best changes in the game. Part of poor record is he's been on some bad teams of late in Philadelphia and has thrown better when the weather heats up, which is not a problem in Dallas.

Peralta, Wily -3-12 (1-6 A)

Been hit hard thus far in 2016, not keeping fastball down and delivering too many room service sliders. Peralta lacks great stuff and even when he's at his best, not many swings and misses. Note: Figures represent career start marks.

Win Total Update - May

A very exciting first month of the Major League baseball season is in the books with several surprise teams making an early statement.

The toast of the Windy City heading into this season is the Cubs, who have jumped out to an impressive 17-6 record. However, their brothers to the south are starting to grab headlines in Chicago as the White Sox finished April with a 17-8 mark, while starting May with a blowout victory at Baltimore. The White Sox opened the season with an expectation to finish at .500 with a win total of 81, but Robin Ventura’s team is playing nearly .700 baseball so far.

Another major surprise is the Phillies, who were not only predicted to finish at the bottom of the National League East, but to lost nearly 100 games. Philadelphia has won 15 of its first 25 games, which includes a home sweep of Washington and a road series victory over the Mets. The Phillies wrapped up the first month of the season by sweeping the Indians at Citizens Bank Park as Philadelphia is off to a good start to eclipse its win total of 65 ½.

Four of five National League West squads are currently on the wrong end of cashing ‘over’ tickets. Colorado has shown some signs of life away from Coors Field to compile a 12-12 record, as the Rockies began the season with a season win total of 71 ½. The Diamondbacks had high expectations after signing ace Zack Greinke to a massive contract, but Arizona has begun the season 12-15, even though their win total sits at 82. Both the Giants and Dodgers are sitting at .500, as San Francisco (88 ½) and Los Angeles (89 ½) both have work to do following an inconsistent April.

Two of the biggest disappointments in the American League were playoff teams in 2015, as the Astros (8-17) and Yankees (8-15) have fallen into an early hole. Houston owned the highest win total according to oddsmakers among American League West squads (88), but are sitting in last place in its division through one month. New York’s offense ranks second-to-last in the American League in runs scored, while starting 1-5 on the road against division opponents.

Below is the season win totals for each team, their record in April, and whether they are projected to go ‘over,’ ‘under,’ or stay even on their posted number.

National League Win Totals

Team Win Total - 2016 Record on 5/2/16

Arizona 82 12-15
Atlanta 67 ½ 6-18
Chicago Cubs 93 ½ 17-6
Cincinnati 70 10-15
Colorado 71 ½ 12-12
L.A. Dodgers 89 ½ 13-13
Miami 79 ½ 12-12
Milwaukee 70 9-15
N.Y. Mets 89 ½ 15-8
Philadelphia 65 ½ 15-10
Pittsburgh 85 ½ 15-10
San Diego 73 ½ 9-16
San Francisco 88 ½ 13-13
St. Louis 86 ½ 12-13
Washington 89 ½ 17-7


American League Win Totals

Team Win Total - 2016 Record on 5/2/16

Baltimore 78 14-10
Boston 87 ½ 15-10
Chicago White Sox 81 18-8
Cleveland 86 ½ 10-12
Detroit 81 14-10
Houston 88 8-17
Kansas City 85 13-11
L.A. Angels 80 ½ 12-13
Minnesota 79 7-18
N.Y. Yankees 86 8-15
Oakland 76 ½ 13-13
Seattle 82 ½ 13-11
Tampa Bay 82 11-13
Texas 83 ½ 14-11
Toronto 86 ½ 12-14

MLB roundup: Cubs sweep Pirates
By The Sports Xchange

PITTSBURGH -- Ben Zobrist hit a three-run homer, Anthony Rizzo had a solo shot among his three hits and Jon Lester worked out of a pair of jams while pitching 5 2/3 scoreless innings as the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
Zobrist's home run in the third inning opened the scoring and came immediately after center fielder Andrew McCutchen dropped Rizzo's two-out liner for an error to extend the inning, sending the Cubs on their way to their seventh win in eight games.
Chicago improved its major-league-best record to 20-6 while winning its seventh consecutive road game. The Cubs completed their first sweep in Pittsburgh since Sept. 7-9, 2012, and moved six games in front of the second-place Pirates (15-13) in the National League Central.
Lester (3-1) scattered eight hits, struck out five and walked two, lowering his ERA to 1.58. The left-hander has allowed one run or less in five of his six starts this season.

Mets 8, Braves 0
NEW YORK -- Steven Matz allowed two hits in 7 2/3 shutout innings and Lucas Duda hit two of New York's four homers as the Mets blanked Atlanta.
The Mets bounced back from being one-hit on Tuesday night to win for the 15th time in 19 games. The Braves have scored one run or fewer eight times this season.
Matz walked none, hit a batter and struck out eight in equaling the longest start of his major league career. The Braves hit just six balls into the outfield against Matz, who has given up just two runs in 27 innings while winning his last four starts.

Reds 7, Giants 4
CINCINNATI -- Zack Cozart returned to the lineup and hit a two-run home run -- one of four homers hit by Cincinnati -- and Dan Straily earned his first victory as a Red in a victory over San Francisco in the finale of a three-game series.
Eugenio Suarez had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Brandon Phillips and Adam Duvall added solo shots for the Reds, who avoided being swept by the Giants in Cincinnati for the first time since 1999.
Brandon Belt and Conor Gillaspie homered for San Francisco off Straily (1-1), who allowed three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Nationals 13, Royals 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Washington scored early and often, with six runs in the first inning and four in the third to blow away Kansas City.
The Nationals batted around twice in the first three innings. Kris Medlen gave up nine runs (six earned) and nine hits in two-plus innings after the Royals, who came into the game tied with the Nationals for the fewest errors in Major League Baseball, had errors on the first two batters of the game.
Bryce Harper hit his 10th homer of the season in the fifth to extend the lead to 12-2.

Rockies 2, Padres 0
SAN DIEGO -- Tyler Chatwood pitched eight scoreless innings and added a single that led to Colorado's first run to help the Rockies avoid being swept in a three-game series.
Chatwood, 26, is now 4-0 in four road games this season with a major-league-best 0.33 road ERA. Jake McGee picked up his seventh save with a perfect ninth to complete the eighth shutout against the Padres this season.
Christian Adames' RBI groundout in the fifth and DJ LeMahieu's successful squeeze bunt in the ninth accounted for the Rockies' runs.

Angels 7, Brewers 3
MILWAUKEE -- Mike Trout's seventh homer of the season and a two-run single by Johnny Giavotella sparked a four-run rally in the eighth inning that helped the Angels win.
Trout already had an RBI triple to his credit on the day when he stepped in against Tyler Thornburg, who hung a slider that Trout ripped to right. Pinch hitter C.J. Cron added an RBI double in the inning, and Giavotella contributed a two-run single off Blaine Boyer.

Mariners 9, Athletic s 8
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rookie Dae-Ho Lee had the first multi-homer game of his major league career, and Nelson Cruz hit a two-run shot as Seattle swept the three-game series.
The Mariners won their seventh straight game in Oakland and hit three home runs against the A's for the second straight game.
Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez gave up eight runs (four earned) on nine hits and lasted only four innings, matching his shortest outing against the A's in 42 career starts.

Indians 4, Tigers 0
CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber pitched a five-hitter for his second career shutout, and Cleveland beat Detroit. The Indians managed just five hits, too, but three of them knocked in runs.
Kluber (2-3) struck out six and walked two. He threw 111 pitches and retired the last 10 men he faced in a row.
Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez (3-3) held the Indians scoreless in six of the seven innings he pitched, but in the other inning, the fourth, Cleveland scored four runs. Sanchez gave up four hits and three walks while striking out seven.

Blue Jays 4, Rangers 3
TORONTO -- Russell Martin singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Toronto defeated Texas.
It was the second consecutive walk-off win for the Blue Jays over the Rangers after Texas won the opener of the four-game series on Monday.
Edwin Encarnacion, who hit a two-run homer in the sixth to tie the game, led off the bottom of the ninth with a single against right-hander Tony Barnette (1-2). Ezequiel Carrera pinch-ran for Encarnacion, and Carrera eventually came around to score when Martin's deep fly to right dropped in.

Marlins 4, Diamondbacks 3
MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run home run, and Jose Fernandez won yet another home game as Miami defeated Arizona.
Stanton's homer was his ninth of the season, and he also added a double, a walk and two runs scored. Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, batting leadoff for the second time in his life and for the second straight game, provided a spark, going 3-for-4 and raising his batting average to .329.
Fernandez (3-2) lasted just five innings, allowing six hits, two walks and three runs. However, he struck out seven and did enough to improve his career home record to 19-1 -- the best home winning percentage to start a pitcher's career through 29 starts in more than 100 years.

Yankees 7, Orioles 0
BALTIMORE -- CC Sabathia threw seven innings in his best start of the season, and Brian McCann drove in three runs as New York snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over Baltimore.
Sabathia (2-2) came into the game with a 5.06 ERA, but he allowed just six hits and got out of a couple of early jams. The left-hander struck out six and walked two for his first victory over Baltimore since 2013.
The Yankees gave Sabathia all the offense he needed in a three-run sixth inning against Baltimore starter Tyler Wilson (1-1). Carlos Beltran made it 1-0 on a sacrifice fly, McCann added an RBI single two batters later, and another run scored on an error.

Rays 8, Dodgers 5
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay hit four home runs -- including a three-run, go-ahead blast from Steve Pearce in the sixth inning -- and the Rays split a two-game series with Los Angeles.
Solo home runs by Brandon Guyer and Steven Souza -- who would later leave the game with a pectoral muscle spasm but is day-to-day -- had the Rays tied 2-2 with the Dodgers after 5 1/2 innings. In the sixth, Guyer singled and advanced on an error on a ground ball hit by Evan Longoria. Pearce followed with a three-run home run to knock Dodgers starter Alex Wood (1-3) out of the game.
The Rays added three runs in the seventh on a solo home run by Curt Casali and RBI doubles by Longoria and Kevin Kiermaier.

Red Sox 5, White Sox 2
CHICAGO -- David Ortiz homered and drove in three runs, and Clay Buchholz picked up his first win of the season as Boston beat Chicago.
Ortiz's two-run homer in the fifth inning gave the Red Sox a 3-2 lead. He followed up with an RBI single in the seventh, punching a hit to the opposite field with the White Sox in a defensive shift.
Buchholz (1-3) pitched seven strong innings, limiting the White Sox to three hits and two runs while striking out six and walking three. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his ninth save.

Cardinals 5, Phillies 4
ST. LOUIS -- Headed for a sixth loss in seven games, St. Louis rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Philadelphia. Matt Holliday supplied the game-winning hit, bouncing a single into left field that scored Aledmys Diaz with the winning run.
Stephen Piscotty (3-for-5) tied it with an infield single with the bases loaded, plating Kolten Wong. Pinch runner Carlos Martinez was retired in a rundown between third and home, with Diaz advancing to third.
The rally made a winner of reliever Kevin Siegrist, who struck out three while allowing one hit in the ninth. He improved to 4-0. Philadelphia closer Jeanmar Gomez (2-1) blew a save for the first time in 10 chances this year.

Astros 16, Twins 4
HOUSTON -- Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa both finished a triple short of hitting for the cycle, and Houston blew out Minnesota.
The Astros won consecutive games for the first time this season behind an unrelenting offensive attack. Altuve and Correa both finished 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs.
Jason Castro extended his hitting streak to six games, going 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs and four RBIs.