Alex Smart
Seattle Mariners -138 / 3 units
Lee Kostroski
Minnesota Twins @ Texas Rangers
PICK: Minnesota Twins
Many likely consider Livan Hernandez overrated with his 3-0 record so far this season and there is some truth to that. The bottom line is that the Twins are 5-0 when he starts and he has pitched well enough to win in each game. Hernandez fits perfectly with the Minnesota methodology of limiting walks and letting the defense take care of the game and the team has hit well behind him. Hernandez has actually pitched better away from home with a 2.77 road ERA and he has gone at least six innings in every outing before giving way to a deep and experienced bullpen led by one of the best closers in the game.
Vicente Padilla may be the best starting pitcher the Rangers have but that is not saying much considering Texas is featuring a 5.55 team ERA. Opponents are hitting .301 against the Rangers and Texas leads baseball in walks allowed. Padilla has been known to have control problems at times and his numbers are far worse in the Ranger’s home park with a 6.00 ERA. Padilla will have little support once he exits the game as the Rangers feature a 6.85 bullpen ERA, already with seven blown saves.
Minnesota has had great success in this series, winning eight of the eleven meetings in the last two years. The Rangers are playing terrible ball right now with a 1-8 record in the last nine games, the one win coming in extra-innings. The pitching staff is so depleted that Sidney Ponson was called on for a start last night. The Minnesota offense received a huge boost with Michael Cuddyer returning to the lineup last night and his presence at the plate and in the outfield improves the Twins dramatically. The Rangers are just 3-7 in home games this season as their pitching can’t hold up in a hitter’s park, look for Minnesota to get another solid outing from Hernandez and put enough runs up to deliver another win in Texas.
EZWINNERS
MLB
2 STAR: (967) NY YANKEES (-$125) over Cleveland
(Listing Wang only)
(Risking $250 to win $200)
2 STAR: (969) BOSTON (-$132) over Tampa Bay
(Listing Beckett only)
(Risking $264 to win $200)
2 STAR: (975) MINNESOTA (+$108) over Texas
(Listing Hernandez only)
(Risking $200 to win $216)
NBA
1 STAR: DETROIT (-6) over Philadelphia
(Risking $100 to win $123)
1 STAR: NEW ORLEANS (+5) over Dallas
(Risking $100 to win $123)
JeffMoney
(NBA) WIZARDS -4 (POD)
(NHL) DAL +145
(MLB) CUBS -120
(MLB) PADRES -110
(MLB) REDS -125
(MLB) TIGERS -130
COMPUTER SPORTS
SEATTLE MARINERS-150
TOTALS 4 U
ANGELS/TIGERS UNDER 9 1/2
PLATINUM PLAYS
Pistons/76ers Over 179.5
TV HOTLINE
TEXAS -130
ARTHUR RALPH
Atl Braves
ISR
St. Louis -130
Mighty Quinn
Suns
ARMVIN SPORTS:
BLUE JAYS
Tony Mathews
Toronto Blue Jays
DR. VEGAS
St. Louis -130
John Fina
Minnesota Twins
TRACE ADAMS
Cavaliers
Donald Tran
Cleveland/Washington Over 189.5
Chad Jordan
Detroit/Philly Over 179.5
Platinum Sports Investing Club
San Francisco Giants
YEAR-AROUND-WINNERS
New Orleans Hornets +5
Vegas Insider Capping
Atlanta Braves
Global Handicapping
San Antonio +3.5
MIKE WYNN
Seattle w/Hernandez -150
2-Minute Warning
Phoenix Suns
Jack Clayton
Diamondbacks
National Sports Service
Atlanta -120
Gold Key Plays
WASHINGTON -4
Razor Sharp:
DODGERS -115
Scott Spreitzer
Indians
NEVADA SHARPSHOOTER
PHILLIES -135
Templer's Sports Picks
Florida/Ricky Nolasco +1.5
JerseySteveWins
LA Angels
lasvegassportsadvisors
NY Rangers
Paul Leiner
10* Yankees -110
Frank Patron
Detroit Pistons -5.5
HAWKEYE
Milwaukee -160
The Vegas Steam Lines:
Dallas/New Orleans over 195
Glen Mcgrew
Pistons
Bob Donahue
Astros
Sportsguru
Cleveland Indians
Beat Your Bookie
Colorado/Jeff Francis +1.5
Ultimate Sports Action
Rangers/ Penguins Under
Pointspread Lightning
Yankees
floridabookybusters
Oakland/Seattle Under 7.5
Angel's Sports Service
Rockies
Lance's Lock
Wizards
Philly Connection
Yankees
JWhip
Atlanta Braves -125
Matty O'Shea
Washington Nationals +110
Silver Key Play
DODGERS -110
BOB BALFE
WhiteSox -125
Lucky Leprechaun Sports
Phillies
JEFF MONEY
Tigers
Big Al
3* Detroit Pistons
3* New Orleans Hornets
JB Sports
2 units Phoenix -3.5
3 units Detroit -5.5
Sebastian
20* Nyy
20* Ariz Sd Over
30* Phila
20* Col
20* Det
20* Sj
20* Sa
50* Det Phila Over
Bob Balfe
NBA Basketball
Wizards -4 over Cavs
What the Wizards did to Cleveland the other day was just down right nasty. The Cavs had no answer and even though they are up 2-1 in the series they must be rattled. Washington plays much better without Arenas in the lineup. Look for the Wizards to win and cover.
Spurs +3.5 over Suns
The Spurs look as if they have no flaw in their game. The Suns just are not putting together offensive trips like they used too and Shaq in the lineup is hurting them. There is just no answer for Duncan and Parker. Look for the Suns to wrap it up tonight so they can rest up for the next series.
Mavs -5 over Hornets
This is a home series. The team at home has such an advantage. New Orleans lack of experience showed last game and it will continue to show today. Dallas has Jason Kidd going and he alone can change a game. As long as the Mavs contain Chris Paul this will be an easy win.
Savannah Sports
3 Units on NY Yankees -125
2 Units on San Diego Under 7
Bob Akmens
MLB: 4* NY YANKEES (WANG) -110 vs Cleveland (Sabathia)
MLB: 4* ST LOUIS (LOHSE) -130 vs Houston (Backe)
MLB: 4* ST LOUIS / HOUSTON UNDER 9.0 (+100)
(LOHSE / BACKE)
MLB: 4* SEATTLE / OAKLAND OVER 7.5 (-105)
(HERNANDEZ / BLANTON)
MLB: 7* TOP-PLAY: DETROIT (VERLANDER) -135 vs LA Angels (Weaver)
NHL: 3* PITTSBURGH -145 vs NY Rangers
NHL: 3* PITTSBURGH / NY RANGERS UNDER 5.5 (-130)
NBA 3* PHOENIX -4 vs San Antonio
NBA 3* DETROIT -5.5 vs Philadelphia
Winning Points Online
CHICAGO CUBS (Lilly) -125 over WASHINGTON (Lannan)
We cashed in on Carlos Zambrano against these inept Nationals yesterday, and we'll come right back against another Washington lefthander. John Lannan has been better than Matt Chico, but he's still no match for a hot Chicago club that is now 7-2 (+$485) vs. southpaws, averaging 7.3 runs per game in those contests. The home team cannot beat anybody (8-17, -$795 sofar) so we'll look for Ted Lilly to put forth a solid effort at this relatively short price.
**PREFERRED
Philadelphia* over Detroit by 3
The overall mentality that the Pistons are superior,button-pushing winners is at work in many betting circles figuring that Detroit, down 1-2 in the series,has the 76ers right where they want them.
But the possibility that ex-76ers consultant Larry Brown -- who shuffled off the Philadelphia backstage only this week -- has contributed heavily to Philadelphia's "overachievement" in this series probably hasn't been accounted for. Young legs and relentless defensive aggression got underdog Golden State past Dallas last season when assisted by the Don Nelson/Dallas coaching intimacy. The same scenario is in place here, despite ex-Piston head coach Brown's departure from Philly. He was there long enough to matter. PHILADELPHIA, 91-88.
WUNDERDOG
Game: Chicago Cubs at Washington
Pick: Chicago Cubs -123
The Cubs beat down the Nats 7-0 on Saturday. It was their seventh win in the last nine and fifteenth out of the last twenty. In the rubber game in this match, we like the Cubs to win again. We backed Ted Lilly in his last outing as he got the win. We'll take him again here as another relative bargain. How do you explain a 16-8 team with a winning road record, a team averaging 6.0 runs per game (and 7.3 against LHP) laying only -123 to a team that is 8-17 and 4-7 at home, averaging 3.7 runs per game? Lilly's early struggles and 7.30 ERA. But, that's not the Ted Lilly we will continue to see. He showed that last game, leading them to an 8-1 triumph. Washington has no power as they have gotten just 14 home runs in 25 games. Chicago is 11-2 this season already over teams averaging under one HR per game. Washington is 8-24 the past three seasons at home during April. They have yet to win a three-game series this season and we don't think this will be their first. Cubbies here.
Ben Burns
Texas Rangers -130 / 4 units
San Diego Padres -115 / 4 units
Colorado Rockies/Los Angeles Dodgers Under 9.0 / 4 units
Seattle Mariners -142 / 4 units
Detroit Tigers -130 / 5 units
Phoenix Suns -3.5 -108 / 5 units
New Orleans Hornets/Dallas Mavericks Under 195.5 / 4 units
Ben Burns
Game: New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins
Prediction: Under
Reason: The opening game in this series was high-scoring with the Penguins winning 5-4. However, I believe that this afternoon's game has an excellent shot at producing five goals or less. The Penguins saw the 'under' go 20-15 this season after scoring four or more goals in their previous game. They also saw the 'under' go 10-6 after winning three or more consecutive games and 11-5 when playing a home game with a total of 5.5. When leading in their series vs. the Senators, the UNDER was 2-1.
The Rangers never trailed in their series vs. the Devils. They have seen the 'under' go 7-4 when trailing in a playoff series in past seasons though. Additionally, we find that 14 of their 22 road games, which had a total of 5.5, stayed below the number AND that the 'under' was 12-8-2 after they had allowed four or more goals in their previous game.
Despite the Game 1 result, the 'under' is still 15-9-1 the last 25 meetings in this series, including a 7-2 mark the last nine meetings here at Pittsburgh. I expect those numbers to improve today.
Insider Sports Report
4* Minnesota (Hernandez) +110 over Texas (Padilla)
Range +125 to +100
3* Detroit -5.5 over Philadelphia (NBA)
Range -4 to -7.5
3* New Orleans +5.5 over Dallas (NBA)
Range +7 to +3.5
3* Atlanta (Smoltz)/N.Y. Mets (Figueroa) UNDER 8.5
Range 9 to 8