BRAD DIAMOND SPORTS
Play on: Cleveland (Lee) over Texas
With third baseman Blaylock back in the lineup the Rangers should continue their improvement, however, they run into lefty Lee of Cleveland on Saturday night who should short circuit their momentum. Further, the Rangers are 9-23 versus left hand pitching on the road and 3-7 on Saturday. Slump ridden Cleveland (0-6 streak before Friday) is 6-1 at home and 5-1 at home versus right hand hurlers (Feldman).
James Patrick Sports
Penguins vs. Red Wings
Our Saturday selection is a series play on the Detroit Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup Championship.
Dave Cokin
Giants @ Marlins
Play: Giants -110
Matt Cain suffered from a severe form of gopheritis in his last start. The Giants righty is normally pretty stingy with the long ball, but the White Sox nailed him four times last weekend. I like Cain to rebound here against a Marlins squad that continues to win way more often than anyone thought they would. But the Marlins are struggling offensively just now, mostly due to the slump Hanley Ramirez is going through. I also have no trouble asking even the feeble SF offense to do some damage against Florida rookie Badenhop, who really isn't advanced enough for this level yet. Cain and the Giants are the choice.
Marc Lawrence
Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics
Play On: Boston w/Beckett.
The defending world champs send ace RHer Josh Beckett to the mound in Oakland in Game Two of this series knowing they are 16-4 in their last 20 games on Saturdays. With Beckett in commanding KW form with 4 walks and 22 strikeouts in his last three starts, look for Beckett to improve to 15-3 in his last 18 team starts in May here tonight.
DOC'S ARENA FOOTBALL
4 Unit Play.Take Arizona -1½ over Grand Rapids
Just another case where the home squad is the better team and this line is way too low. The Rattlers are coming off their biggest win of the season in which they won @ Dallas. Jeff Smoker is filling in nicely and threw seven touchdowns in that games against one of the best defenses in the AFL. The Rampage have lost three straight games and all three of them came by over a touchdown. This team cannot defend whatsoever evident by the fact that they have allowed 65 points per contest during their last three games. Arizona still has a chance to make the playoffs but needs an impressive performance over the weekend against one of the worst teams in the AFL.
4 Unit Play.Take San Jose -9½ over Colorado
Yet again the SaberCats are making a late surge and could clinch another playoff birth with a win. This is the defending AFL Champions and is playing a team that cannot wait for the season to end. The Crush are coming off a devastating loss to Cleveland at home last week in which two fumbles did them in. They have not had time to recover and this one will get ugly early. The Cats have won their last two games by double digits and QB Mark Grieb is starting to put it together ranking third in the league in passing yards and touchdowns. Expect major changes from the Crush next season but until that happens we will fade them hard.
Jeff Alexander Sports
1 Unit on Cleveland Indians -1.5 +120
Cliff Lee is a scorching hot 6-1 with a minute 1.37 ERA. I like him to shut down the Rangers here which really increases our chances of cashing in on the Tribe on the run line. The Rangers are only 3-8 in their last 11 games with Cleveland . The Indians are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. the American League West, 6-1 in their last 7 games as a home favorite. The Rangers are 9-23 in their last 32 road games vs. a left-handed starter and 15-40 in their last 55 road games vs. a team with a losing record. Bet the Indians
Locksmith Sports
1 Unit on Houston Astros +112
Houston has played good ball at home all season and that will continue today against the struggling Brett Myers. The Phillies are 0-5 in Myers' last 5 starts, 1-7 in his last 8 road starts, and 0-6 in his last 6 starts as a road favorite. The Astros are 8-1 in their last 9 home games against a righty starter, 10-3 in their last 13 home games, and 5-1 in their last 6 as a home dog. The ‘stros are also 5-1 in Moehler’s last 6 starts. All Astros in this one.
Priceless Picks
1 Unit on Minnesota Twins +142
The Twins have played well against their division and I like them here showing good value against Robertson who is just 1-5 with an ERA over 6.00. The Twins are 8-2 in their last 10 vs. the American League Central, 4-0 in Bonser’s last 4 starts with the total set at 9.0-10.5, and 4-1 in Bonser’s last 5 versus the AL Central. Tigers are 3-11 in Robertson’s last 14 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150 and 9-24 in Robertson’s last 33 starts vs. the American League Central. Robertson is yet to live up to expectations and it’s starting to look like he never will. Take the Twins.
Jimmy The Moose
Game: Texas Rangers at Cleveland Indians
Prediction: over
Texas has played over the total in 5 straight games and all 5 have been played on the road. THe over is 6-1 in the Rangers last 7 games as an underdog. The over is 14-4-4 in the Rangers last 22 road games vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 20-7-1 in their last 28 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The over is a profitable 17-6-2 in Cliff Lee's last 25 home starts. The over is 8-3-2 in Lee's last 13 starts vs. AL West team's. The team's played the over last night and the over is a profitable 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between the clubs. Play the over.
Jimmy Moore
Game: Boston @ Detroit
Pick: Boston +5
I know the Celtics have not won on the road yet in the playoffs but they had not lost at home until game 2. Boston will be ready to quiet their critics by getting a road win and the Pistons have always made things difficult on themselves by losing when they are in a good spot.
SPORTS ADVISORS
NBA PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Boston (9-7, 6-10 ATS) at (2) Detroit (9-4, 8-5 ATS)
The Pistons stole homecourt advantage from the Celtics with a road win on Thursday and now look to go up 2-1 and extend Boston’s postseason road woes as these rivals battle in Game 3 of their best-of-seven series inside the Palace at Auburn Hills.
Detroit snapped Boston’s 15-game home win streak with a 103-97 victory as a 4½-point underdog in Game 2. The Pistons shot 49.3 percent from the floor and had six players score in double figures, led by Richard Hamilton’s 25-point performance. Meanwhile, the Celtics shot 48.6 percent from the floor, finished with a 39-31 rebounding edge, outscored the Pistons 36-24 in the paint and got a combined 75 points from the Big Three of Kevin Garnett (24 points), Paul Pierce (26) and Ray Allen (25), but it wasn’t enough, as Boston lost a home game for the first time since March 24.
The Celtics are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven overall while the Pistons are 7-3 ATS in their last 10, including 3-1 ATS at home. Also, Thursday marked the first time in these playoffs that a road team won a game in which the Celtics participated. Boston is 0-6 SU and ATS on the highway in this postseason.
The road team is now 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings between these two, and the ‘dog has cashed in 11 of the last 15 series clashes. Boston still leads this season’s series 3-2 SU and ATS, and the straight-up winner is on a 6-0 ATS run in this rivalry. One piece of good news for the Celtics: They’re 4-0 ATS in their last four visits to the Palace, including a 92-85 win as a two-point underdog on Jan. 5, the only regular-season meeting in Motown.
The Pistons are 13-4 SU and 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games going back to the regular season, and they are on additional ATS runs of 6-1 on one day of rest, 4-0 on Saturdays and 5-1 as a favorite. On the downside, Detroit is only 2-12 ATS in its last 14 conference finals games, including a current 1-7 ATS freefall that dates to last year’s series against Cleveland, in which Flip Saunders’ squad failed to cash in all six games (2-4 SU).
The Celtics are on positive pointspread rolls of 19-7 on Saturday, 19-8 as an underdog, 40-17 as a road ‘dog and 5-0 as a ‘dog between five and 10½ points. On the negative side, though, Boston is on ATS slides of 1-6 on one day of rest, 1-5 in the conference finals, 0-6 on the road, 1-5 in conference semifinal action and 1-4 following an ATS loss.
Thursday’s Game 2 flew past the 173-point total, ending a 5-0 “under” streak in this rivalry. Still, eight of the last 10 meetings have stayed low.
Additionally, for Detroit, the under is on tears of 17-8 overall (8-5 in the playoffs), 19-8 against the East, 14-5 as a favorite, 12-4 following an ATS win, 19-9 against the Atlantic Division and 19-8-1 in the conference finals. Finally, for Boston, the under is 5-2 in its last seven conference finals games and 17-8 in its last 25 versus the Central Division.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DETROIT and UNDER
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Arizona (29-19) at Atlanta (26-22)
The Diamondbacks continue their disappointing East Coast road trip when they send Randy Johnson (4-1, 4.42 ERA) to the mound at Turner Field, while the Braves are set to counter with rookie Jorge Campillo (1-0, 0.99).
After getting swept in three games at Florida to start the week, Arizona arrived in Atlanta last night and hammered the previously red-hot Braves 11-1, snapping a six-game road losing skid. The DBacks are still just 2-4 in their last six, but they have won 15 of their last 20 games on Saturday.
Atlanta saw its five-game winning streak come to an end Friday night. The Braves still sport the best home record in the National League at 19-6, including 13-2 in the last 15. They’ve also won six of their last seven against N.L. West foes.
The DBacks have now won nine of their last 11 meetings with the Braves, including seven of eight in Atlanta. In fact, the visitor is 9-3 in the last 12 series clashes.
Johnson notched career victory No. 288 on Sunday against the Tigers, scatting six hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings en route to a 4-0 home win, easily his best outing of the season. Johnson is 3-0 with a 4.00 ERA in his last three starts, and the DBacks are 5-0 in the Big Unit’s last five trips to the hill. They’re also 21-7 in his last 28 efforts against the N.L. East.
Johnson has been nearly unhittable in two road starts, going 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA, surrendering four runs (one earned) in 11 innings, beating the Padres 5-1 and getting a no-decision in his team’s 5-4 loss in San Francisco. Also, for his career, Johnson is 5-5 with a 4.56 ERA in 11 starts against the Braves, though he hasn’t faced them since 2006.
Campillo was outstanding in just his second career big-league start on Tuesday, giving up three hits and no walks while recording seven strikeouts in six shutout innings, beating the Mets 6-2. The right-hander’s only other major-league start came in 2005 with the Mariners, and he went just one inning.
The under is 10-1 in Johnson’s last 11 road starts (1-1 this year) and 6-1 in his last seven outings against the Braves.
Last night’s game topped the posted total, ending Arizona’s six-game “under” streak. Still, the under is 5-3 in the team’s last eight on the road and 4-2 in its last six against the N.L. East. Meanwhile, for Atlanta, the under is on runs of 41-17-2 overall dating to 2007 (32-14-3 this year), 8-3 at home, 10-2 against a left-handed starter and 6-1 versus the N.L. West.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston (31-20) at Oakland (26-23)
Josh Beckett (5-3, 4.67) looks to bounce back from two dreadful starts when he leads the Red Sox against Justin Duchscherer (3-3, 2.67) and the A’s in the middle game of this weekend series in Oakland.
The A’s crushed the Red Sox 8-3 on Friday night for their second straight victory, while at the same time ending Boston’s seven-game winning streak. Prior to winning its last two, Oakland had been mired in a 2-9 funk. The A’s are now 8-2 in their last 10 against the A.L. East.
Boston, which kicked off a 10-game road trip last night, is only 10-15 away from Fenway Park in 2008, including an ongoing five-game losing streak on the highway.
These teams opened the 2008 season against each other in Tokyo, splitting a pair of games. A week later, they resumed their series in Oakland, with Boston winning both contests by scores of 2-1 and 5-0. Going back to last year, the Red Sox are on a 6-2 roll against the A’s.
Beckett earned an 11-7 win in Sunday’s home outing against the Brewers, but only because Boston’s offense bailed him out, as the right-hander got torched for six runs on six hits (including four home runs) in seven innings. That came five days after a 5-4 loss in Baltimore, where he surrendered all five runs on 11 hits in just 5 2/3 innings. For the season, Beckett is 2-3 with a 4.18 ERA in five road starts.
The first time Beckett faced the A’s in 2006, he got blasted, allowing seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. In three starts against Oakland since, however, he’s 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA, registering a quality start in all three.
Duchscherer got tagged with a 5-2 loss in Atlanta on Saturday, giving up three runs on seven hits in five innings. The reliever-turned-starter had given up exactly one or two runs in each of his previous five starts, but he’s pitched more than five innings just twice.
Duchscherer is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two games at home this year. Also, he’s faced the Red Sox 13 times (all in relief), going 0-1 with a 2.66 ERA (six runs allowed in 20 1/3 innings).
The over is 3-1 in Beckett’s last four starts overall and 3-1 in his four career outings against the A’s. Conversely, the under is 3-0 in Duchscherer’s last three starts after the over was 3-0 in his first three.
Additionally, the under is 6-3-1 in the last 10 series meetings between these clubs, 6-2 in the last eight battles in Oakland and 11-6-2 in the A’s last 19 overall. However, with last night’s contest hurdling the posted price, the over is now 5-1-1 in Boston’s last seven on the highway.
ATS ADVANTAGE: BOSTON
Greg Daraban
Milwaukee at Washington
Last night Washigton won 5-1 at Nats Park.In Game 2 The Brew Crew just 3-7 last 10 sends McClung who will make first start of season after 11 games out of Bullpen. Lannan has 4 wins and a good ERA of 3.40.
Take Washington
Jack Clayton
Game: Giants at Marlins
Pick: Marlins
The Giants are a long way from home and a bad team. Florida continues to be undervalued and just swept the first place Diamondbacks, despite facing Owings, Webb and Haren. Play the Marlins!
JEFFERSONSPORTS
MLB EARLY RELEASES FOR SAT
ATLANTA-102
NY YANKEES-162
TAMPA BAY-170
Evan Altemus
Celtics/Pistons Game 3 ANNIHILATOR
Pick: Detroit Pistons -5