Michael Cannon
Tuesday's Plays..
40 Dime –
SPURS
Take the Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA finals over the Cavaliers.
Cleveland has done nothing in this series so far that leads me to believe they can pull off the win here tonight, even at Quicken Loans Arena. Sure, the crowd will be rabid and the Cavs will be in their backyard, but in the end it all comes down to which team is better and it’s the Spurs by a wide margin.
Give Cleveland coach Mike Brown credit for trying to devise a scheme to stop Tony Parker at the outset of Game 2. He tried putting LeBron James on him but it backfired in his face when the Cavs superstar picked up two fouls in the first three minutes of the game.
You knew it was over right there, but it still points to a major problem heading into Game 3.
The Cavs just don’t have anyone that can stay with Parker and it’s going to be their undoing here in Game 3. Parker is quicker than anyone Cleveland employs, and his drives to the basket are leaving the Cavs with an impossible choice…collapse the lane and give up the easy dish off to Duncan, or watch him just lay it in for an easy deuce.
It’s my opinion that the Pistons would have been a better opponent for the Spurs, but LeBron single-handily took down Detroit and now he faces a mountain that he just can’t climb yet.
I expect this game to be more closely contested than the first two in San Antonio, just because it’s in Cleveland. But there’s no way I’m going against the Spurs based on what I’ve seen so far.
The fact they relaxed in the fourth quarter of Game 2 just might have been the best thing for the Spurs, as they now realize they have to keep the pedal to the floor for the whole game and that’s perfect for them playing on the road.
Lay the tiny number and take the Spurs as they win and cover easily.
10 Dime –
INDIANS (With Carmona and Olsen as listed pitchers)
Cleveland fans can take solace in the fact that they’ll at least grab a win with the Indians tonight over the Marlins.
Fausto Carmona will get the nod for the Tribe and he’s had a complete 180-degree turnaround from last season when he failed miserably as a closer and appeared to lose confidence in his stuff.
This year he has been almost as good as their ace, C.C. Sabathia. Carmona checks in to tonight’s game with a 7-1 record and 3.11 ERA in 11 games this year. He’s 2-0 with a 4.05 ERA over his last three starts spanning 20 innings.
Florida just hasn’t put together any consistency this year and tonight’s slated starter, Scott Olsen, appears to be suffering from the sophomore slump.
Olsen is 4-5 with a 5.27 ERA in 13 games this year. He has been battered for a 7.20 ERA over his last three starts, going 0-2. What’s more, he’s walked 10 batters in just 15 innings over those last three starts.
Cleveland is the better team with the better pitcher so lay the juice and collect as the Tribe grabs the road win.
5 Dime –
DIAMONDBACKS (With Webb as listed pitcher)
Take Arizona as a nice underdog tonight over the Yankees in New York.
Don’t buy into this Yankees run just yet. They just got finished dispatching of a pitiful Pirates team, but now they go against one of the best pitchers in all of baseball in Brandon Webb.
Webb is a sinkerball specialist who excels at keeping the ball on the ground, thus negating the Yankees power. The right-hander is looking to win his fourth consecutive start. He has allowed three runs, two earned, with 23 strikeouts in 22 innings over his last three starts, including a seven-inning, seven-strikeout performance in a 1-0 win over the Giants on Wednesday.
Chien-Ming Wang will start for the Yankees and he’s struggled a bit at home this year, with a 2-3 record and 4.41 ERA in five starts.
You’re not going to get a pitcher like Webb at this price very often, so take advantage of it tonight and side with the Diamondbacks as they stop the Yankees run with the road win.
ANGELS (With Escobar and Arroyo as listed pitchers)
Take the Angels as the road chalk for the win tonight over the Reds.
Kelvim Escobar has what it takes to tame the Reds lineup. The right-hander is 7-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 11 games this year. He’s 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA over his last three starts. Escobar has held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in eight of his 11 starts this season.
On the flip side, Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo has been awful this year, with a 2-7 record and 5.01 ERA. He’s been pounded over his last three starts, going 0-3 with an 11.49 ERA in 15 2-3 innings. The right-hander has lost five straight decisions and allowed at least six earned runs in each of his last four starts. He also has just one win in 10 career interleague starts.
Take the Angels as they grab the road win behind Escobar tonight.
Scott Spreitzer's MLB 25* Tuesday Night Beatdown! Perfect 4-0 in 2007!
The Angels are my 25* on Tuesday. LAA cashed big for us on Friday when they rocked the Cardinals, 10-6. Tuesday's meeting features a major mismatch both on the mound and in the batter's box. Kelvim Escobar is smoking with a 2.76 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 11 starts this season. His road ERA is not quite as good on paper, but it's due to ONE bad start on May 15 against a Seattle team that offers much more at the plate than the Reds. Toss aside one outing in 11 tries, and you'll see Escobar has allowed just 3 ER & 12 BR in his other two road starts, spanning 14 2/3 IP. He should continue his strong season against the Reds' 22nd ranked lineup. Meanwhile, the Angels send the league's third best team BA up against the struggling Bronson Arroyo. The righty has lost his last five decisions and the Reds are just 3-10 in his 13 starts, overall. In his last four starts, Arroyo has allowed: 6, 8, 6, and 6 earned runs in just 17 2/3 IP! That's a 13.22 ERA to go along with a 2.32 WHIP! He's averaging just over 4 IP per start in those four outings which means the Angels ought to get to the league's 6th worst bullpen early on. Look for the red-hot Angels to make quick work of the Reds on Tuesday.
Leo Kostroski
(Covers Experts)
6* MLB Power Play of Year
Prime Sports Picks
*** TUESDAY: Philadelphia (Hamels) -157 ***
This is Jim Feist.
My free pick of the day is the game between (915) WAS Nationals and (916) BAL Orioles. Take "(915) WAS Nationals". Getting out of spacious Washington helps the Nationals offense, as they score more on the road than at home. That was evident this weekend as they took 2 of 3 at Minnesota, including wins as +175 and +330 dogs! They are 4-2 the last 6 games. Starter Micah Bowie (3.79 ERA) has been decent. That 6-game win streak that the Orioles had was a fluke -- this is not a good team and they are on a 2-7 run. Baltimore just lost 2 out of 3 at home to the pitiful Rockies. Orioles starter Erik Bedard walks way too many batters (41 in 84 IP). Play the Nationals!
Rocco Spacamuro
50 * Cavs +1.5
Cappersaccess
(Tue) NBA Spurs Cavs 1- Cavs
(Tue) MLB Pirates Rangers 110 Rangers
Marc Lawrence
Bonus Play: Atlanta Braves vs Minnesota Twins
Atlanta over Minnesota w/Slowey Braves open three game visit to the Twin Cities knowing they are 8-3 in their last 11 games on Tuesdays, With Twins rookie Kevin Slowey in off his first-ever MLB win in his last start, look for the Braves to strike the first blow here this evening. Don't make a move on Tuesday night's NBA Game Three showdown until you learn the 100% PERFECT angle inside the game
maddux sports
Today's Free Pick is Chicago Cubs -135
Matty O'Shea
(won 13 of 19) > pICK: Philadelphia Phillies -155 (MLB)
Bryan Leonard
PICK: Tampa Bay Devil Rays -118 (MLB)
Jeff Bonds (won 7 of 9) >
PICK: Cleveland Cavaliers +2 (NBA
John Ryan
Prediction: Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Reason: Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Tampa Bay - TB starter Kazmir is one of the best young guns in MLB in my opinion. He is pitching very well right now; perhaps the best of his young career. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 42-12 and has made 29.8 units since 2001. Play against road teams when the money line is +125 to -125 that are below average NL hitting teams batting <=.255) and is now facing a team with a below avg bullpen sporting an ERA >=4.50, with a NL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.250 or better on the season. You may have seen that MADDUX is 3-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 0.67 and a WHIP of 0.741 when facing SD. Problem is that those games occurred a long time ago - most recently in the 2001 season. So, that 3-0 mark has positively no statistical influence on tonight?s game. In fact, MADDUX is 9-19 (-16.4 Units) against the money line vs. teams outscored by opponents by 0.5 or more runs/game on the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record).
Mejia
56-21 2007 Playoff SU Record! (73%)
Projected Scores
NBA GAMES FOR 06/12/2007
Cleveland 96 San Antonio 93
steve merril
Bonus Play: Atlanta Braves vs Minnesota Twins
This should be a low-scoring game as my pitcher performance ratings predict a solid outing by both starters tonight as each one is due for a bounce-back performance after poor showings in their most recent starts. Atlanta’s Kyle Davies struggled on June 6th when he allowed five runs in just five innings in a 7-4 loss versus Florida. Davies has alternated good and bad performances all season. In fact, the past two times this year that Davies allowed four runs or more in a game, he followed up with two quality starts in which he pitched seven innings and allowed one run on both occasions (May 11th and June 1st). Minnesota’s Kevin Slowey is also due for a solid bounce back performance after a poor outing last Thursday when he allowed ten hits and five runs in just five innings of work. Despite his struggles, Slowey was still impressive in his Major League debut on June 1st when he allowed just one run in six innings of work in a 3-2 victory at Oakland. Slowey was also incredible at AAA Rochester earlier this season with a 1.54 ERA and 0.808 WHIP (walks + hits per innings pitched) with a powerful 57-5 strikeout/walk ratio in nine starts. Slowey was equally strong last year with a 1.88 ERA and 0.834 WHIP in 23 minor league starts with a 151-22 strikeout/walk ratio.
mark wieler
Bonus Play: Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros
Our FREE selection for Tuesday is Oakland A's +148 vs. Houston Astros - 8:05 ET We have a 3-pack of rated selections up and ready for Tuesday night! Join us today as we look to continue the solid run in the MLB. We are a consistent 59% over our last 22 selections and fully expect another winning night on Tuesday! Best of luck
nasa
FREE MLB BASEBALL PICKS
Chicago @ Philadelphia
Time : 7:05 PM EST
Pick: OVER 9.5
Priority Sports Info (5-4-0 / -340)
MLB - Los Angeles-A (-143)
Kevin Allen (4-7-0 / -275)
NBA - Cleveland (+1.5)
Sharp Cappers (6-5-0 / +10)
MLB - Philadelphia Under (8.5) (-125)
Gambling Farm (6-6-0 / -68)
MLB - Philadelphia (-155)
Picks4Less (9-3-0 / +490)
MLB - Detroit (-1.5) (+115)
Black Cobra (9-3-0 / +510)
MLB - Los Angeles-A (-135)
cstarssportspicks (5-6-0 / -445)
MLB - Boston (-178)
RedZone Sports (4-5-1 / -300)
NBA - San Antonio (-120)
Inside Info Investors (2-5-1 / -460)
MLB - Oakland (+150)
Prime Sports Picks (4-4-0 / -230)
MLB - Philadelphia (-155)
Nostradamus (3-9-0 / -952)
MLB - Houston (-170)
Harvest Picks (1-9-1 / -816)
NBA - San Antonio (-1.5) (-105)
NFLWiseGuy (3-3-0 / -100)
NBA - Cleveland (+1.5) (-115)
Mensapicks (3-7-0 / -545)
MLB - Minnesota (-146)
chip chirimbes
My free pick of the day is the game between (919) SDG Padres and (920) TAM Devil Rays. I will bet on the "home". Maddux allowed two runs, five hits and a walk in 6 1-3 innings in that contest. The four-time NL Cy Young Award winner has won four of his last five starts and can win three straight decisions for the first time since going 5-0 in eight starts from July 24-Aug. 30. One of baseball's most efficient pitchers, Maddux hasn't thrown more than 97 pitches in a start this season and is averaging 80.5 pitches in just over six innings per outing - making him nearly the opposite of Kazmir (4-3, 3.92). The Rays' young left-hander has thrown at least 100 pitches in all but one of his 13 starts, and is averaging 107.7 pitches in six innings per contest. Kazmir was helped by the bullpen in his last start Wednesday, as he gave up two runs in five innings before Tampa Bay's relievers allowed just three hits in four scoreless innings of a 6-2 victory over Toronto. The left-hander's pitch count was up again, as he threw 103 and allowed six hits and five walks while striking out four. "He's just so close to really taking off," Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It's just going to be one appearance that all of a sudden everything clicks." Kazmir is 0-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 11 home starts since his last Tropicana Field win July 3. The Padres will be facing a surging Tampa Bay club that took two of three from Florida over the weekend and is 4-1 in its last five. The Devil Rays got a career-high five RBIs from shortstop Brendan Harris and seven strong innings from rookie Andy Sonnanstine in a 9-4 victory over the Marlins on Sunday. The Rays swept a three-game set with San Diego from June 15-17, 2004 at Petco Park, improving them to 4-2 in the all-time series.
tom stryker
My free pick of the day is the game between (923) SEA Mariners and (924) CHI Cubs. I will bet on the "home". This is going to be a tough spot for Seattle. After pulling off the three-game sweep at San Diego, the Mariners held on for another victory at Cleveland last night. Now, the "M's" must get back on the bus and travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Cubs. Seattle has to be one tired baseball team!
The Cubbies will send right-handed youngster Rich Hill to the mound. In his last three starts against Atlanta (twice) and the LA Dodgers, Hill has been king of the mountain. Chalk up 21 innings of work and only two earned runs and 10 hits allowed! His strikeout-to-walk ratio of 20-4 is equally impressive.
Also, at Wrigley Field this season, Hill has thrown the ball extremely well. In four starts, No. 53 owns a 2-1 record and has surrendered only six earned runs and 19 hits in 26.2 frames. That breaks down to an impressive 2.03 ERA and a WHIP of 1.05!
Seattle will counter with southpaw Jarrod Washburn. In his last two starts, Washburn has been at his worst against Baltimore and Texas. The Orioles and Rangers ripped Jarrod for nine earned runs and 18 hits in just 8.1 innings.
Seattle is playing excellent ball but this team can't keep its current pace for very long especially with all of the travel that's involved right now. Take Chicago with listed pitcher Hill. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker
Big Al
3*
At 7:10pm our selection is on the Los Angeles Angels and the Cincinnati Reds 'under' the total. Here are two teams which have not met since 2002 when they played three interleague games. Here are also two teams heading in very different directions right now. The Angels are leading their division and have almost the best record in the American League, while the Reds have the worst record in the National League and almost in the entire Majors. Reds righthanded starter Bronson Arroyo typifies the difference between this year's and last year's team. In 2006, Arroyo was an All Star and he led his team to the 7th best ERA in the NL and had the most complete games of any team in the league. This year the Reds are tied for 14th place in team ERA (with the Pirates). But Arroyo is too good of a pitcher not to bounce back from his woes even if his team probably will not get much better overall between now and the end of the season. Arroyo pitched against the Angels many times when he was a member of the Red Sox in the American League, and he always seemed to have quality outings against them. So expect a big bounce back from what has been a disasterous stretch from Arroyo. He should get some quality innings in this game and so should Angels starter Kelvim Escobar who is looking to make it two impressive, injury-free seasons in a row and he is well on his way to doing so and is one of the hottest pitchers in baseball right now. The under is 9-3 in Cincy's last 12 games as an underdog and Escobar's last 4 starts have gone under as well. Take the 'under'.
5*
At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Cleveland Cavaliers plus the points over San Antonio. The line on this game opened at Cleveland -1.5 points and instantly moved upwards of 3.5 points such that Cleveland is now an underdog by 2 points. As I mentioned in our writeup for our last 5* NBA play -- Utah in Game 3 vs. the Spurs -- San Antonio has had a difficult time winning the 3rd game
Larry Ness' Terrific Tuesday Total-MLB (10-1 or 91% winners w/MLB totals this season!)
My Terrific Tuesday Total is on SD/TB Over at 7:10 ET. Let me start off with a totally meaningless stat. In three career starts vs Tampa, Maddux has three CGs (two shut outs), posting a 0.67 ERA. Why is it meaningless? Because he hasn't faced the Devil Rays since 2001 and Maddux is hardly the same pitcher these days, especially away from home. His road ERA in 2006 was 5.20 compared to a 3.41 home ERA. So far this season in six road starts, Maddux is 0-2 (team is 2-4) allowing 46 hits in 33.2 innings with an ERA of 5.08. At home, he's 5-1 with a 2.75 ERA. Expect his road woes to continue against a Tampa team that just took two of three over the weekend at Florida and has won four of its last five. Also of concern is that San Diego's bullpen, MLB's best this season, had three straight late-inning meltdowns in losing all three games to the Mariners over the weekend! Lefty Scott Kazmir goes for Tampa and believe it or not, he's gone 11 home starts since his last Tropicana Field win back on July 3. His ERA is 2.81 in those 11 games but it's 3.40 in seven home starts this year. Also note that the Padres have hit lefties well this year, averaging 4.9 RPG in 18 games. Adding to the above numbers, season averages show Tampa Bay scoring 4.97 RPG and allowing 5.97 RPG. Terrific Tuesday Total is on SD/TB Over.
Good Luck...Larry
Larry Ness' 23* on Game 3: Spurs/Cavs (6-1 86% ATS!)
My 23* play is on the Cle Cavs at 9:05 ET. There is absolutely nothing I saw in the first two games of this year's NBA Finals to make me think that the Cavs can play with the Spurs. San Antonio's "Big Three" have all been dominant and LeBron, shooting just 35.1% with 12 turnovers, looks like a "deer caught in the headlights." Larry Hughes is way less than 100% and in two games has shot 1-of-10, scoring a total of two points. Neither Ilgauskas nor Gooden have played well, plus Marshall and Varejao have more spectators than contributors. Only the rookie Daniel Gibson (15.5 PPG on 62% shooting in Games 1 and 2 / now averaging 18.8 PPG his last five games), has played with any confidence. So does that mean the Cavs are done? History says NO! In this year's postseason (not counting the mismatches of the 1st round), five teams have fallen down 0-2 on the road yet FOUR returned home and won Game 3! That includes both of the series in the conference finals. Remember how dominant the Spurs looked in Games 1 and 2 vs the Jazz but then lost Game 3 in Utah, 109-83! Since this current format (2-3-2) was introduced in The Finals back in 1985, there have been 10 instances in which teams have lost the first two games on the road. SEVEN teams have returned home to win Game 3. Checking NBA Finals' history back to 1960, 19 teams have fallen down on the road 0-2 with 15 (that's 79%!) of those teams returning home to win Game 3. A win means a cover in this one and I'm going with the Cavs. 23* Cle Cavs.
Larry Ness' 15* IL Underdog GOW (now 56-12 w/15* GOW plays since Opening Day!)
My 15* play is on the Sea Mariners at 8:05 ET. The Mariners are the 2nd-best hitting team in MLB (.288) and enter this game having won eight of their last nine and 15 of their last 20 (averaging 7.05 RPG!). That surge has made them MLB's 2nd-biggest "moneymakers," at plus-$1,175. Meanwhile, the Cubs rank 26 of 30 teams against MLB's moneyline, mainly because of their 12-17 home mark. The team's minus-$1,350 at $100/game, is the worst home mark in all of baseball! Lefty Rich Hill has rediscovered his 'mojo," posting an ERA of .0.86 and holding opponents to a .189 BA over his last three starts. However, he'll face a lineup that's DOMINATED lefties this year, as the Mariners are 12-3 (plus-$1,210), while averaging 5.5 RPG! Jarrod Washburn is off two terrible starts but both were at home. In four road starts this year, he's 3-1 with a 2.28 ERA. Also note that he's gone 7-1 in IL starts on the road in his career and that after going 14-4 in IL play during 2006, the Mariners are 4-2 this year. Also note that the Mariners will take an eight-game IL road winning streak into this game. IL Underdog GOW 15* Sea Mariners.
Good Luck...Larry
Game: Los Angeles Angels at Cincinnati (7:10 PM Eastern)
Pick: Los Angeles Angels -147
Kelvim Escobar seems to finally be over his elbow problems that set him back in 2005 and plagued him last year as well. He has been pitching great this year, and in his own words claims he is feeling better than he has in two years. A sure indication of the stuff he is bringing is found by looking at two games. He held the Yankees to 1 run and the Indians to 0. The Angels are also the hottest team in baseball as they have gone 23-8 in their last 31. They have scored 62 runs in their last eight games, good for nearly 8 per game. Bronson Arroyo has really been struggling. He has pitched to a 13 ERA over his last four starts, with no game fewer than 6 earned runs allowed. To make matters worse he is backed by a bullpen that has allowed 2 additional runs per game in his 13 starts. The Reds consequently are just 3-10 in his starts. Big mismatch with small odds
Brandon Lang
15 DIME
Spurs
5 DIME
Phillies -1 1/2 runs - Specify Pitchers - Contreas vs Hamels
Astros -1 1/2 runs - Specify Pitchers - Kennedy vs Oswalt
Giants - Specify Pitchers - Burnett vs Lowry
Will Cover
4*La Angels
3*Clev Cavs
GOLD KEY GAMES:
3 Units (Bonus Play): Colorado Rockies +1.5 runs -120
2 Units (Bonus Play): OVER 178.5 Spurs / Cavs
Silver Key (Bonus Play): OVER 9.5 runs St. Louis / KC
Golod Key (Paid Play): Cleveland Cavaliers +1.5
The Cavs under Head Coach Mike Brown showed little except to make a game of the line late in Games One and Two on the Road. Their backs are against the wall now, and they have nothing to lose by giving it their best at Home. Positive trends favoring the Cavs tonight include 8-2 Against The Spread when trailing in a Playoff Series, 29-12 ATS on Tuesday nights, and 21-12 ATS as Dogs.
The Spurs under Head Coach Gregg Popovich easily handled the Cavs at Home to take a 2-0 lead in the Finals. They are firing on all cylinders, with all key Players excelling. They show almost all positive trends applicable to this event and must be respected.
The line overnited at Spurs -1.5. We'll take those points and the Home Cavs to cover for us here tonight in a Gold Key Play
Chuck Franklin
2000? SAN ANTONIO
1500? SAN DIEGO w/ MADDUX over Tampa Bay w/ Kazmir
Drew Gordon
1. 200,000? Cavaliers
2. 100,000? Pirates
3. 100,000? Padres
Karl Garrett
40 DIMER - SAN ANTONIO SPURS....10 DIMERS - SAN DIEGO WITH MADDUX, & METS WITH MAINE
40 DIMER - SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Accu Picks 4* Cleveland Indians
Proffit Plays
Triple plays = 112-104
Boston -1.5 (RL)
LAA
NY Mets
----------------------------------------
Professional Plays
YTD = 36-19
Plays rated 1-5 units
2.5 units on Houston under 7.5
----------------------------------------
Panhandle Sports Insider
YTD = 57-25
MLB
Seattle +130
San Francisco +110
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Stu Finer
2000 DIME NBA Finals Absolute Rout...SAN ANTONIO SPURS
There is no need to over-think this one folks as San Antonio, which has better starters, a better bench and a better coach, will again stand tall and score yet another NBA Finals win and cover tonight. They have dominated the Cavs for seven of eight quarters and the Spurs clearly have their eyes on the prize. Yes, the Cavs have a home court edge and certainly motivation, but don't fool yourself into thinking San Antonio won't be motivated tonight. The Spurs remember two years ago in the finals against the Pistons when they scored home wins in Games 1 & 2, only to lose the next two at Detroit. That was a very hard-fought series that the Spurs eventually won in seven games. They don't want to be extended in such a way this June and they want to close this thing out at The Q. And please, if the Spurs (5-2 SU on the road in the playoffs) can win at Denver, Phoenix and Utah in the playoffs, then they certainly can win in Cleveland.
San Antonio has won and covered four straight overall and is on runs the last nine games of 8-1 SU and 7-1-1 ATS. The Spurs are 12-2-1 ATS as a postseason chalk and are on SU runs of 39-10 and 14-3. In the last 22 San Antonio games, the SU winner is 21-0-1 ATS. LeBron is finding out that Bowen is a real pain in the rear. Even when LeBron was on the court and not on the bench in foul trouble Sunday, the Cavs were outscored by 18 points in the first half in Game 2. Hughes has been a non-factor and Cleveland simply just doesn't have enough scoring options to withstand the Spurs for a full 48 minutes. Duncan and Parker will continue to dominate while Ginobili will also do his thing. And you never know which San Antonio reserve (Finley? Horry? Barry?) is going to breakout with a clutch scoring effort. LeBron will have to be even more dominant than he was in his epic Game 5 performance in the Eastern Conference finals for Cleveland to have a chance
500 DIME MLB No Brainer Pup....SAN DIEGO PADRES
The Padres were rolling along until a tough weekend at home when they were swept by the hot-hitting Mariners. Tonight at Tropicana Field, San Diego will bounce back behind Greg Maddux, who has won four of his last five starts. He has a 2.89 ERA in his last three starts and has had great success in his career versus Tampa. He's also backed by a pen that sports a 2.20 ERA. The Friars have a winning road record and are 12-6 against southpaw starters. Tampa's Scott Kazmir hasn't won at home since early last July and has a 4.26 ERA in his last three starts. He's backed by a bad pen (5.59 ERA) and the Rays have losing marks both at home and versus righty starters. San Diego needs to get back on the winning track and the Pads will just so tonight as a very live dog.
500 DIME MLB No Brainer Pup...SEATTLE MARINERS
Gotta ride with the hot M's, who have won four straight and eight of nine after last night's win at Cleveland. The Cubs are just 12-17 at Wrigley this year and they don't fare too well versus lefty starters (5-10 record, .233 team batting average). I'm looking for the M's Jarrod Washburn (5-5, 3.94 ERA) to bounce back after a pair of sub-par starts. He's 3-1 with a 2.28 ERA in four road starts this year and the M's seem to really like interleague play as they're 14-4 overall and 8-0 on the road since last year. After taking three straight at San Diego over the weekend, they'll keep swinging hot bats (.315 last seven games) tonight. The Cubs' Rich Hill has been tough, but the Mariners are 12-3 versus lefty starters and batting .311 against such. They'll do their share early, and then Ichiro & Co., will pounce on the Cubbie pen late as Seattle is a ripe dog
Totals 4 U
..
Top Play
SA UNDER 178-
..
Reg Plays
NYM UNDER 8
Det UNDER 9
LAA UNDER 9-
Atl OVER 9
John Ryan
Prediction: Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Reason: Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Tampa Bay - TB starter Kazmir is one of the best young guns in MLB in my opinion. He is pitching very well right now; perhaps the best of his young career. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 42-12 and has made 29.8 units since 2001. Play against road teams when the money line is +125 to -125 that are below average NL hitting teams batting <=.255) and is now facing a team with a below avg bullpen sporting an ERA >=4.50, with a NL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.250 or better on the season. You may have seen that MADDUX is 3-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 0.67 and a WHIP of 0.741 when facing SD. Problem is that those games occurred a long time ago - most recently in the 2001 season. So, that 3-0 mark has positively no statistical influence on tonight?s game. In fact, MADDUX is 9-19 (-16.4 Units) against the money line vs. teams outscored by opponents by 0.5 or more runs/game on the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record).
Stan Sharp
Triple Dime under Cavs
Double Dime Tampa Bay
Tuesday's Plays..
40 Dime –
SPURS
Take the Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA finals over the Cavaliers.
Cleveland has done nothing in this series so far that leads me to believe they can pull off the win here tonight, even at Quicken Loans Arena. Sure, the crowd will be rabid and the Cavs will be in their backyard, but in the end it all comes down to which team is better and it’s the Spurs by a wide margin.
Give Cleveland coach Mike Brown credit for trying to devise a scheme to stop Tony Parker at the outset of Game 2. He tried putting LeBron James on him but it backfired in his face when the Cavs superstar picked up two fouls in the first three minutes of the game.
You knew it was over right there, but it still points to a major problem heading into Game 3.
The Cavs just don’t have anyone that can stay with Parker and it’s going to be their undoing here in Game 3. Parker is quicker than anyone Cleveland employs, and his drives to the basket are leaving the Cavs with an impossible choice…collapse the lane and give up the easy dish off to Duncan, or watch him just lay it in for an easy deuce.
It’s my opinion that the Pistons would have been a better opponent for the Spurs, but LeBron single-handily took down Detroit and now he faces a mountain that he just can’t climb yet.
I expect this game to be more closely contested than the first two in San Antonio, just because it’s in Cleveland. But there’s no way I’m going against the Spurs based on what I’ve seen so far.
The fact they relaxed in the fourth quarter of Game 2 just might have been the best thing for the Spurs, as they now realize they have to keep the pedal to the floor for the whole game and that’s perfect for them playing on the road.
Lay the tiny number and take the Spurs as they win and cover easily.
10 Dime –
INDIANS (With Carmona and Olsen as listed pitchers)
Cleveland fans can take solace in the fact that they’ll at least grab a win with the Indians tonight over the Marlins.
Fausto Carmona will get the nod for the Tribe and he’s had a complete 180-degree turnaround from last season when he failed miserably as a closer and appeared to lose confidence in his stuff.
This year he has been almost as good as their ace, C.C. Sabathia. Carmona checks in to tonight’s game with a 7-1 record and 3.11 ERA in 11 games this year. He’s 2-0 with a 4.05 ERA over his last three starts spanning 20 innings.
Florida just hasn’t put together any consistency this year and tonight’s slated starter, Scott Olsen, appears to be suffering from the sophomore slump.
Olsen is 4-5 with a 5.27 ERA in 13 games this year. He has been battered for a 7.20 ERA over his last three starts, going 0-2. What’s more, he’s walked 10 batters in just 15 innings over those last three starts.
Cleveland is the better team with the better pitcher so lay the juice and collect as the Tribe grabs the road win.
5 Dime –
DIAMONDBACKS (With Webb as listed pitcher)
Take Arizona as a nice underdog tonight over the Yankees in New York.
Don’t buy into this Yankees run just yet. They just got finished dispatching of a pitiful Pirates team, but now they go against one of the best pitchers in all of baseball in Brandon Webb.
Webb is a sinkerball specialist who excels at keeping the ball on the ground, thus negating the Yankees power. The right-hander is looking to win his fourth consecutive start. He has allowed three runs, two earned, with 23 strikeouts in 22 innings over his last three starts, including a seven-inning, seven-strikeout performance in a 1-0 win over the Giants on Wednesday.
Chien-Ming Wang will start for the Yankees and he’s struggled a bit at home this year, with a 2-3 record and 4.41 ERA in five starts.
You’re not going to get a pitcher like Webb at this price very often, so take advantage of it tonight and side with the Diamondbacks as they stop the Yankees run with the road win.
ANGELS (With Escobar and Arroyo as listed pitchers)
Take the Angels as the road chalk for the win tonight over the Reds.
Kelvim Escobar has what it takes to tame the Reds lineup. The right-hander is 7-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 11 games this year. He’s 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA over his last three starts. Escobar has held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in eight of his 11 starts this season.
On the flip side, Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo has been awful this year, with a 2-7 record and 5.01 ERA. He’s been pounded over his last three starts, going 0-3 with an 11.49 ERA in 15 2-3 innings. The right-hander has lost five straight decisions and allowed at least six earned runs in each of his last four starts. He also has just one win in 10 career interleague starts.
Take the Angels as they grab the road win behind Escobar tonight.
Scott Spreitzer's MLB 25* Tuesday Night Beatdown! Perfect 4-0 in 2007!
The Angels are my 25* on Tuesday. LAA cashed big for us on Friday when they rocked the Cardinals, 10-6. Tuesday's meeting features a major mismatch both on the mound and in the batter's box. Kelvim Escobar is smoking with a 2.76 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 11 starts this season. His road ERA is not quite as good on paper, but it's due to ONE bad start on May 15 against a Seattle team that offers much more at the plate than the Reds. Toss aside one outing in 11 tries, and you'll see Escobar has allowed just 3 ER & 12 BR in his other two road starts, spanning 14 2/3 IP. He should continue his strong season against the Reds' 22nd ranked lineup. Meanwhile, the Angels send the league's third best team BA up against the struggling Bronson Arroyo. The righty has lost his last five decisions and the Reds are just 3-10 in his 13 starts, overall. In his last four starts, Arroyo has allowed: 6, 8, 6, and 6 earned runs in just 17 2/3 IP! That's a 13.22 ERA to go along with a 2.32 WHIP! He's averaging just over 4 IP per start in those four outings which means the Angels ought to get to the league's 6th worst bullpen early on. Look for the red-hot Angels to make quick work of the Reds on Tuesday.
Leo Kostroski
(Covers Experts)
6* MLB Power Play of Year
Prime Sports Picks
*** TUESDAY: Philadelphia (Hamels) -157 ***
This is Jim Feist.
My free pick of the day is the game between (915) WAS Nationals and (916) BAL Orioles. Take "(915) WAS Nationals". Getting out of spacious Washington helps the Nationals offense, as they score more on the road than at home. That was evident this weekend as they took 2 of 3 at Minnesota, including wins as +175 and +330 dogs! They are 4-2 the last 6 games. Starter Micah Bowie (3.79 ERA) has been decent. That 6-game win streak that the Orioles had was a fluke -- this is not a good team and they are on a 2-7 run. Baltimore just lost 2 out of 3 at home to the pitiful Rockies. Orioles starter Erik Bedard walks way too many batters (41 in 84 IP). Play the Nationals!
Rocco Spacamuro
50 * Cavs +1.5
Cappersaccess
(Tue) NBA Spurs Cavs 1- Cavs
(Tue) MLB Pirates Rangers 110 Rangers
Marc Lawrence
Bonus Play: Atlanta Braves vs Minnesota Twins
Atlanta over Minnesota w/Slowey Braves open three game visit to the Twin Cities knowing they are 8-3 in their last 11 games on Tuesdays, With Twins rookie Kevin Slowey in off his first-ever MLB win in his last start, look for the Braves to strike the first blow here this evening. Don't make a move on Tuesday night's NBA Game Three showdown until you learn the 100% PERFECT angle inside the game
maddux sports
Today's Free Pick is Chicago Cubs -135
Matty O'Shea
(won 13 of 19) > pICK: Philadelphia Phillies -155 (MLB)
Bryan Leonard
PICK: Tampa Bay Devil Rays -118 (MLB)
Jeff Bonds (won 7 of 9) >
PICK: Cleveland Cavaliers +2 (NBA
John Ryan
Prediction: Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Reason: Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Tampa Bay - TB starter Kazmir is one of the best young guns in MLB in my opinion. He is pitching very well right now; perhaps the best of his young career. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 42-12 and has made 29.8 units since 2001. Play against road teams when the money line is +125 to -125 that are below average NL hitting teams batting <=.255) and is now facing a team with a below avg bullpen sporting an ERA >=4.50, with a NL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.250 or better on the season. You may have seen that MADDUX is 3-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 0.67 and a WHIP of 0.741 when facing SD. Problem is that those games occurred a long time ago - most recently in the 2001 season. So, that 3-0 mark has positively no statistical influence on tonight?s game. In fact, MADDUX is 9-19 (-16.4 Units) against the money line vs. teams outscored by opponents by 0.5 or more runs/game on the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record).
Mejia
56-21 2007 Playoff SU Record! (73%)
Projected Scores
NBA GAMES FOR 06/12/2007
Cleveland 96 San Antonio 93
steve merril
Bonus Play: Atlanta Braves vs Minnesota Twins
This should be a low-scoring game as my pitcher performance ratings predict a solid outing by both starters tonight as each one is due for a bounce-back performance after poor showings in their most recent starts. Atlanta’s Kyle Davies struggled on June 6th when he allowed five runs in just five innings in a 7-4 loss versus Florida. Davies has alternated good and bad performances all season. In fact, the past two times this year that Davies allowed four runs or more in a game, he followed up with two quality starts in which he pitched seven innings and allowed one run on both occasions (May 11th and June 1st). Minnesota’s Kevin Slowey is also due for a solid bounce back performance after a poor outing last Thursday when he allowed ten hits and five runs in just five innings of work. Despite his struggles, Slowey was still impressive in his Major League debut on June 1st when he allowed just one run in six innings of work in a 3-2 victory at Oakland. Slowey was also incredible at AAA Rochester earlier this season with a 1.54 ERA and 0.808 WHIP (walks + hits per innings pitched) with a powerful 57-5 strikeout/walk ratio in nine starts. Slowey was equally strong last year with a 1.88 ERA and 0.834 WHIP in 23 minor league starts with a 151-22 strikeout/walk ratio.
mark wieler
Bonus Play: Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros
Our FREE selection for Tuesday is Oakland A's +148 vs. Houston Astros - 8:05 ET We have a 3-pack of rated selections up and ready for Tuesday night! Join us today as we look to continue the solid run in the MLB. We are a consistent 59% over our last 22 selections and fully expect another winning night on Tuesday! Best of luck
nasa
FREE MLB BASEBALL PICKS
Chicago @ Philadelphia
Time : 7:05 PM EST
Pick: OVER 9.5
Priority Sports Info (5-4-0 / -340)
MLB - Los Angeles-A (-143)
Kevin Allen (4-7-0 / -275)
NBA - Cleveland (+1.5)
Sharp Cappers (6-5-0 / +10)
MLB - Philadelphia Under (8.5) (-125)
Gambling Farm (6-6-0 / -68)
MLB - Philadelphia (-155)
Picks4Less (9-3-0 / +490)
MLB - Detroit (-1.5) (+115)
Black Cobra (9-3-0 / +510)
MLB - Los Angeles-A (-135)
cstarssportspicks (5-6-0 / -445)
MLB - Boston (-178)
RedZone Sports (4-5-1 / -300)
NBA - San Antonio (-120)
Inside Info Investors (2-5-1 / -460)
MLB - Oakland (+150)
Prime Sports Picks (4-4-0 / -230)
MLB - Philadelphia (-155)
Nostradamus (3-9-0 / -952)
MLB - Houston (-170)
Harvest Picks (1-9-1 / -816)
NBA - San Antonio (-1.5) (-105)
NFLWiseGuy (3-3-0 / -100)
NBA - Cleveland (+1.5) (-115)
Mensapicks (3-7-0 / -545)
MLB - Minnesota (-146)
chip chirimbes
My free pick of the day is the game between (919) SDG Padres and (920) TAM Devil Rays. I will bet on the "home". Maddux allowed two runs, five hits and a walk in 6 1-3 innings in that contest. The four-time NL Cy Young Award winner has won four of his last five starts and can win three straight decisions for the first time since going 5-0 in eight starts from July 24-Aug. 30. One of baseball's most efficient pitchers, Maddux hasn't thrown more than 97 pitches in a start this season and is averaging 80.5 pitches in just over six innings per outing - making him nearly the opposite of Kazmir (4-3, 3.92). The Rays' young left-hander has thrown at least 100 pitches in all but one of his 13 starts, and is averaging 107.7 pitches in six innings per contest. Kazmir was helped by the bullpen in his last start Wednesday, as he gave up two runs in five innings before Tampa Bay's relievers allowed just three hits in four scoreless innings of a 6-2 victory over Toronto. The left-hander's pitch count was up again, as he threw 103 and allowed six hits and five walks while striking out four. "He's just so close to really taking off," Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It's just going to be one appearance that all of a sudden everything clicks." Kazmir is 0-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 11 home starts since his last Tropicana Field win July 3. The Padres will be facing a surging Tampa Bay club that took two of three from Florida over the weekend and is 4-1 in its last five. The Devil Rays got a career-high five RBIs from shortstop Brendan Harris and seven strong innings from rookie Andy Sonnanstine in a 9-4 victory over the Marlins on Sunday. The Rays swept a three-game set with San Diego from June 15-17, 2004 at Petco Park, improving them to 4-2 in the all-time series.
tom stryker
My free pick of the day is the game between (923) SEA Mariners and (924) CHI Cubs. I will bet on the "home". This is going to be a tough spot for Seattle. After pulling off the three-game sweep at San Diego, the Mariners held on for another victory at Cleveland last night. Now, the "M's" must get back on the bus and travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Cubs. Seattle has to be one tired baseball team!
The Cubbies will send right-handed youngster Rich Hill to the mound. In his last three starts against Atlanta (twice) and the LA Dodgers, Hill has been king of the mountain. Chalk up 21 innings of work and only two earned runs and 10 hits allowed! His strikeout-to-walk ratio of 20-4 is equally impressive.
Also, at Wrigley Field this season, Hill has thrown the ball extremely well. In four starts, No. 53 owns a 2-1 record and has surrendered only six earned runs and 19 hits in 26.2 frames. That breaks down to an impressive 2.03 ERA and a WHIP of 1.05!
Seattle will counter with southpaw Jarrod Washburn. In his last two starts, Washburn has been at his worst against Baltimore and Texas. The Orioles and Rangers ripped Jarrod for nine earned runs and 18 hits in just 8.1 innings.
Seattle is playing excellent ball but this team can't keep its current pace for very long especially with all of the travel that's involved right now. Take Chicago with listed pitcher Hill. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker
Big Al
3*
At 7:10pm our selection is on the Los Angeles Angels and the Cincinnati Reds 'under' the total. Here are two teams which have not met since 2002 when they played three interleague games. Here are also two teams heading in very different directions right now. The Angels are leading their division and have almost the best record in the American League, while the Reds have the worst record in the National League and almost in the entire Majors. Reds righthanded starter Bronson Arroyo typifies the difference between this year's and last year's team. In 2006, Arroyo was an All Star and he led his team to the 7th best ERA in the NL and had the most complete games of any team in the league. This year the Reds are tied for 14th place in team ERA (with the Pirates). But Arroyo is too good of a pitcher not to bounce back from his woes even if his team probably will not get much better overall between now and the end of the season. Arroyo pitched against the Angels many times when he was a member of the Red Sox in the American League, and he always seemed to have quality outings against them. So expect a big bounce back from what has been a disasterous stretch from Arroyo. He should get some quality innings in this game and so should Angels starter Kelvim Escobar who is looking to make it two impressive, injury-free seasons in a row and he is well on his way to doing so and is one of the hottest pitchers in baseball right now. The under is 9-3 in Cincy's last 12 games as an underdog and Escobar's last 4 starts have gone under as well. Take the 'under'.
5*
At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Cleveland Cavaliers plus the points over San Antonio. The line on this game opened at Cleveland -1.5 points and instantly moved upwards of 3.5 points such that Cleveland is now an underdog by 2 points. As I mentioned in our writeup for our last 5* NBA play -- Utah in Game 3 vs. the Spurs -- San Antonio has had a difficult time winning the 3rd game
Larry Ness' Terrific Tuesday Total-MLB (10-1 or 91% winners w/MLB totals this season!)
My Terrific Tuesday Total is on SD/TB Over at 7:10 ET. Let me start off with a totally meaningless stat. In three career starts vs Tampa, Maddux has three CGs (two shut outs), posting a 0.67 ERA. Why is it meaningless? Because he hasn't faced the Devil Rays since 2001 and Maddux is hardly the same pitcher these days, especially away from home. His road ERA in 2006 was 5.20 compared to a 3.41 home ERA. So far this season in six road starts, Maddux is 0-2 (team is 2-4) allowing 46 hits in 33.2 innings with an ERA of 5.08. At home, he's 5-1 with a 2.75 ERA. Expect his road woes to continue against a Tampa team that just took two of three over the weekend at Florida and has won four of its last five. Also of concern is that San Diego's bullpen, MLB's best this season, had three straight late-inning meltdowns in losing all three games to the Mariners over the weekend! Lefty Scott Kazmir goes for Tampa and believe it or not, he's gone 11 home starts since his last Tropicana Field win back on July 3. His ERA is 2.81 in those 11 games but it's 3.40 in seven home starts this year. Also note that the Padres have hit lefties well this year, averaging 4.9 RPG in 18 games. Adding to the above numbers, season averages show Tampa Bay scoring 4.97 RPG and allowing 5.97 RPG. Terrific Tuesday Total is on SD/TB Over.
Good Luck...Larry
Larry Ness' 23* on Game 3: Spurs/Cavs (6-1 86% ATS!)
My 23* play is on the Cle Cavs at 9:05 ET. There is absolutely nothing I saw in the first two games of this year's NBA Finals to make me think that the Cavs can play with the Spurs. San Antonio's "Big Three" have all been dominant and LeBron, shooting just 35.1% with 12 turnovers, looks like a "deer caught in the headlights." Larry Hughes is way less than 100% and in two games has shot 1-of-10, scoring a total of two points. Neither Ilgauskas nor Gooden have played well, plus Marshall and Varejao have more spectators than contributors. Only the rookie Daniel Gibson (15.5 PPG on 62% shooting in Games 1 and 2 / now averaging 18.8 PPG his last five games), has played with any confidence. So does that mean the Cavs are done? History says NO! In this year's postseason (not counting the mismatches of the 1st round), five teams have fallen down 0-2 on the road yet FOUR returned home and won Game 3! That includes both of the series in the conference finals. Remember how dominant the Spurs looked in Games 1 and 2 vs the Jazz but then lost Game 3 in Utah, 109-83! Since this current format (2-3-2) was introduced in The Finals back in 1985, there have been 10 instances in which teams have lost the first two games on the road. SEVEN teams have returned home to win Game 3. Checking NBA Finals' history back to 1960, 19 teams have fallen down on the road 0-2 with 15 (that's 79%!) of those teams returning home to win Game 3. A win means a cover in this one and I'm going with the Cavs. 23* Cle Cavs.
Larry Ness' 15* IL Underdog GOW (now 56-12 w/15* GOW plays since Opening Day!)
My 15* play is on the Sea Mariners at 8:05 ET. The Mariners are the 2nd-best hitting team in MLB (.288) and enter this game having won eight of their last nine and 15 of their last 20 (averaging 7.05 RPG!). That surge has made them MLB's 2nd-biggest "moneymakers," at plus-$1,175. Meanwhile, the Cubs rank 26 of 30 teams against MLB's moneyline, mainly because of their 12-17 home mark. The team's minus-$1,350 at $100/game, is the worst home mark in all of baseball! Lefty Rich Hill has rediscovered his 'mojo," posting an ERA of .0.86 and holding opponents to a .189 BA over his last three starts. However, he'll face a lineup that's DOMINATED lefties this year, as the Mariners are 12-3 (plus-$1,210), while averaging 5.5 RPG! Jarrod Washburn is off two terrible starts but both were at home. In four road starts this year, he's 3-1 with a 2.28 ERA. Also note that he's gone 7-1 in IL starts on the road in his career and that after going 14-4 in IL play during 2006, the Mariners are 4-2 this year. Also note that the Mariners will take an eight-game IL road winning streak into this game. IL Underdog GOW 15* Sea Mariners.
Good Luck...Larry
Game: Los Angeles Angels at Cincinnati (7:10 PM Eastern)
Pick: Los Angeles Angels -147
Kelvim Escobar seems to finally be over his elbow problems that set him back in 2005 and plagued him last year as well. He has been pitching great this year, and in his own words claims he is feeling better than he has in two years. A sure indication of the stuff he is bringing is found by looking at two games. He held the Yankees to 1 run and the Indians to 0. The Angels are also the hottest team in baseball as they have gone 23-8 in their last 31. They have scored 62 runs in their last eight games, good for nearly 8 per game. Bronson Arroyo has really been struggling. He has pitched to a 13 ERA over his last four starts, with no game fewer than 6 earned runs allowed. To make matters worse he is backed by a bullpen that has allowed 2 additional runs per game in his 13 starts. The Reds consequently are just 3-10 in his starts. Big mismatch with small odds
Brandon Lang
15 DIME
Spurs
5 DIME
Phillies -1 1/2 runs - Specify Pitchers - Contreas vs Hamels
Astros -1 1/2 runs - Specify Pitchers - Kennedy vs Oswalt
Giants - Specify Pitchers - Burnett vs Lowry
Will Cover
4*La Angels
3*Clev Cavs
GOLD KEY GAMES:
3 Units (Bonus Play): Colorado Rockies +1.5 runs -120
2 Units (Bonus Play): OVER 178.5 Spurs / Cavs
Silver Key (Bonus Play): OVER 9.5 runs St. Louis / KC
Golod Key (Paid Play): Cleveland Cavaliers +1.5
The Cavs under Head Coach Mike Brown showed little except to make a game of the line late in Games One and Two on the Road. Their backs are against the wall now, and they have nothing to lose by giving it their best at Home. Positive trends favoring the Cavs tonight include 8-2 Against The Spread when trailing in a Playoff Series, 29-12 ATS on Tuesday nights, and 21-12 ATS as Dogs.
The Spurs under Head Coach Gregg Popovich easily handled the Cavs at Home to take a 2-0 lead in the Finals. They are firing on all cylinders, with all key Players excelling. They show almost all positive trends applicable to this event and must be respected.
The line overnited at Spurs -1.5. We'll take those points and the Home Cavs to cover for us here tonight in a Gold Key Play
Chuck Franklin
2000? SAN ANTONIO
1500? SAN DIEGO w/ MADDUX over Tampa Bay w/ Kazmir
Drew Gordon
1. 200,000? Cavaliers
2. 100,000? Pirates
3. 100,000? Padres
Karl Garrett
40 DIMER - SAN ANTONIO SPURS....10 DIMERS - SAN DIEGO WITH MADDUX, & METS WITH MAINE
40 DIMER - SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Accu Picks 4* Cleveland Indians
Proffit Plays
Triple plays = 112-104
Boston -1.5 (RL)
LAA
NY Mets
----------------------------------------
Professional Plays
YTD = 36-19
Plays rated 1-5 units
2.5 units on Houston under 7.5
----------------------------------------
Panhandle Sports Insider
YTD = 57-25
MLB
Seattle +130
San Francisco +110
----------------------------------------
Stu Finer
2000 DIME NBA Finals Absolute Rout...SAN ANTONIO SPURS
There is no need to over-think this one folks as San Antonio, which has better starters, a better bench and a better coach, will again stand tall and score yet another NBA Finals win and cover tonight. They have dominated the Cavs for seven of eight quarters and the Spurs clearly have their eyes on the prize. Yes, the Cavs have a home court edge and certainly motivation, but don't fool yourself into thinking San Antonio won't be motivated tonight. The Spurs remember two years ago in the finals against the Pistons when they scored home wins in Games 1 & 2, only to lose the next two at Detroit. That was a very hard-fought series that the Spurs eventually won in seven games. They don't want to be extended in such a way this June and they want to close this thing out at The Q. And please, if the Spurs (5-2 SU on the road in the playoffs) can win at Denver, Phoenix and Utah in the playoffs, then they certainly can win in Cleveland.
San Antonio has won and covered four straight overall and is on runs the last nine games of 8-1 SU and 7-1-1 ATS. The Spurs are 12-2-1 ATS as a postseason chalk and are on SU runs of 39-10 and 14-3. In the last 22 San Antonio games, the SU winner is 21-0-1 ATS. LeBron is finding out that Bowen is a real pain in the rear. Even when LeBron was on the court and not on the bench in foul trouble Sunday, the Cavs were outscored by 18 points in the first half in Game 2. Hughes has been a non-factor and Cleveland simply just doesn't have enough scoring options to withstand the Spurs for a full 48 minutes. Duncan and Parker will continue to dominate while Ginobili will also do his thing. And you never know which San Antonio reserve (Finley? Horry? Barry?) is going to breakout with a clutch scoring effort. LeBron will have to be even more dominant than he was in his epic Game 5 performance in the Eastern Conference finals for Cleveland to have a chance
500 DIME MLB No Brainer Pup....SAN DIEGO PADRES
The Padres were rolling along until a tough weekend at home when they were swept by the hot-hitting Mariners. Tonight at Tropicana Field, San Diego will bounce back behind Greg Maddux, who has won four of his last five starts. He has a 2.89 ERA in his last three starts and has had great success in his career versus Tampa. He's also backed by a pen that sports a 2.20 ERA. The Friars have a winning road record and are 12-6 against southpaw starters. Tampa's Scott Kazmir hasn't won at home since early last July and has a 4.26 ERA in his last three starts. He's backed by a bad pen (5.59 ERA) and the Rays have losing marks both at home and versus righty starters. San Diego needs to get back on the winning track and the Pads will just so tonight as a very live dog.
500 DIME MLB No Brainer Pup...SEATTLE MARINERS
Gotta ride with the hot M's, who have won four straight and eight of nine after last night's win at Cleveland. The Cubs are just 12-17 at Wrigley this year and they don't fare too well versus lefty starters (5-10 record, .233 team batting average). I'm looking for the M's Jarrod Washburn (5-5, 3.94 ERA) to bounce back after a pair of sub-par starts. He's 3-1 with a 2.28 ERA in four road starts this year and the M's seem to really like interleague play as they're 14-4 overall and 8-0 on the road since last year. After taking three straight at San Diego over the weekend, they'll keep swinging hot bats (.315 last seven games) tonight. The Cubs' Rich Hill has been tough, but the Mariners are 12-3 versus lefty starters and batting .311 against such. They'll do their share early, and then Ichiro & Co., will pounce on the Cubbie pen late as Seattle is a ripe dog
Totals 4 U
..
Top Play
SA UNDER 178-
..
Reg Plays
NYM UNDER 8
Det UNDER 9
LAA UNDER 9-
Atl OVER 9
John Ryan
Prediction: Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Reason: Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Tampa Bay - TB starter Kazmir is one of the best young guns in MLB in my opinion. He is pitching very well right now; perhaps the best of his young career. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 42-12 and has made 29.8 units since 2001. Play against road teams when the money line is +125 to -125 that are below average NL hitting teams batting <=.255) and is now facing a team with a below avg bullpen sporting an ERA >=4.50, with a NL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.250 or better on the season. You may have seen that MADDUX is 3-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 0.67 and a WHIP of 0.741 when facing SD. Problem is that those games occurred a long time ago - most recently in the 2001 season. So, that 3-0 mark has positively no statistical influence on tonight?s game. In fact, MADDUX is 9-19 (-16.4 Units) against the money line vs. teams outscored by opponents by 0.5 or more runs/game on the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record).
Stan Sharp
Triple Dime under Cavs
Double Dime Tampa Bay
