Bob Balfe
NBA Basketball
Lakers -1 over Celtics
This is obviously a big game for the Lakers to steal home court advantage. The NBA format is 2-3-2 so a win here could have the Lakers staying in LA for good. I think the NBA wanted a good matchup between two teams with great tradition. This is a game where Kobe takes over all by himself. Look for the Lakers offense to do a little more tonight. Boston has been playing on pure emotion. Sooner or later they are going to need more than that.
Major League Baseball
Giants +110 over Nationals
Zito/Mock
Savannah Sports
2 Units on NY Mets -142
Frank Rosenthal
NBA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
LAKERS VS CELTICS
503 LAKERS+1 SB+
OVER 190 AB+
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
951 REDS-120 SB
956 BRAVES-125 SB
958 NATS EVEN SB
962 ROCKIES-115 SB
966 DODGERS-120 SB
968 TIGERS-150 SB
974 BOSOX-135 SB
979 RAYS-125 SB
JEFFERSONSPORTS
MLB SUNDAY
DETROIT-150
BOSTON-132
WUNDERDOG
Seattle at Boston
Pick: Boston -137
The Red Sox have won seven of their last nine games. They have averaged 5.9 runs per game over that span and that includes one game in which they were blanked! They face Erik Bedard here who has the name, but not the performance this year. On the road he's got an 8.85 ERA and in his last three starts he's lasted just 4.9 innings on average. Young Justin Masterson has been stellar in three appearances for the Sox, posting a 2.95 ERA. Seattle averaged just 4.1 runs per game and they have lost 13 of 17 games and Bedard doesn't have his stuff right now. Boston is 21-4 this season at home against teams that hit .265 or worse! This line should be much higher and as such, we'll jump on Boston.
TONY MATTHEWS
20 Stars: LA/Boston Under 191.5
Larry Ness
Los Angeles Angels @ Oakland Athletics
PICK: Oakland Athletics
The Angels continue to prove that they do not need a lot of runs to win games. Since the Angels beat their LA-rivals the Dodgers 10-2 back on May 18, they've yet to score more than five runs in ANY of their last 17 games. However, last night's 5-3 win in Oakland was the team's seventh straight and the 13th in its last 17, despite averaging a modest 3.29 RPG. Saturday's win moved the Angels into a tie with the Cubs for the best record in the majors (39-24), increased their lead in the AL West over the A's (33-29) to 5 1/2 games and gave them a 21-11 road mark, the best mark in all of MLB. Can the Angels make it a three-game sweep in McAfee Coliseum today? Ervin Santana will try and lead them to a win and he's been one of the more surprising pitchers of '08, so far. Most baseball fans know his story. In his first three seasons with the Angels, Santana pitched with confidence at home, posting a solid ERA of 3.43 with the Angels going 31-14 in those starts. However, Santana seemed totally 'lost' when on the road, posting an awful 7.28 ERA, as the Angels went 13-26. Santana was just abysmal away from Anaheim last season going 1-10 with an 8.38 ERA on the road, as the Angels went 3-11 in his 14 away starts. So what's been the story in '08? Santana is 8-2 with a 3.02 ERA overall and finally, has begun to pitch well away from home. He's 5-1 with a 3.59 ERA on the road this year in seven starts (team is 5-2). Now beating the A's has never been a problem for Santana, as he's 8-1 with a 1.27 ERA 10 career starts against them (Angels are 8-2). So does that mean I'm taking the Angels? Actually, no. Oakland's Rich Harden will oppose Santana and I'm looking for him to "come up big" in this one. Harden pitched two excellent games early this season against the Red Sox (one in Japan and one in Oakland), allowing just seven hits and only one ER in 11 innings (0.82 ERA). He then spent more than a month on the DL with a shoulder problem, returning May 11 with a start in Texas. He got 'ripped' in that game (3.2 IP / 8 hits / 5 ERs) but has been brilliant since. He's allowed only 18 hits and just six ERs (over 26.2 innings) in his last four outings, for a 2.03 ERA. Expect Harden to hold the Angels in check (not a tough task these days) and while Santana owns that great career mark vs the A's and has been a "different pitcher" this year on the road, let me point out that the A's are 8-1 vs right-handed starters in day games this year, averaging 6.7 RPG. Take the A's to avoid the home sweep.
Matt Fargo
Los Angeles Angels @ Oakland Athletics
PICK: Los Angeles Angels
The Angels took Game Two last night as they remain red hot. They have now won seven straight games and it has been due to excellent pitching. Los Angeles has allowed just 2.7 rpg during this winning streak which is huge considering the offense has not scored more than five runs in any of those games. This offense is definitely due for a breakout and this could be the game despite going up against a top notch starter. The Angels are now 21-11 on the road, easily the best mark in the bigs.
Oakland is now 5.5 games behind the Angels in the American League West as it has dropped six of its last 10 games. The A’s have been one of the streakiest teams around as they lost seven of eight, then won five straight, lost four straight, won four straight and now have dropped two in a row. The offense has been handcuffed in the first two games against the Angels and it has scored three runs or fewer in four of the six meetings this season. Oakland is 2-5 in its last seven games as a favorite of -150 or less.
Ervin Santana looks to be back. He started the season as good as any pitcher has, going 6-0 with a 2.02 ERA through his first seven starts. He hit a road bump with three straight non-quality outings that knocked his ERA up to 3.24. His last two starts however were gems, allowing two runs in each while picking up the win in both. Facing Oakland makes things even better as he is 8-1 with a 1.25 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 10 career starts against the A’s, all of which have been quality outings.
Rich Harden looks to be back as well as he has tossed four straight quality starts after getting roughed up by the Rangers in his initial start returning from the disabled list. He is coming off two straight no decisions and that is due to the offense behind him as the bats produced just four total runs in those two games. He has not gone against the Angels in two years so things have changed but half of his last eight starts have been non-quality including allowing six runs in two of the last three. Play Los Angeles Angels 1.5 Units
Ben Burns
Baltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays
PICK: Toronto Blue Jays
REASON FOR PICK: This game is too 'expensive' to qualify as one of my 'guaranteed' plays. All the same, Halladay vs. Liz is a serious mismatch. Halladay has been one of the best in the big leagues for years. He's 3-0 with a stellar 1.57 ERA his last three starts and he's 16-4 (2.84 ERA) over his career vs. the Orioles. In fact, the Jays' ace is 6-0 with a 2.54 ERA his last eight starts against the Orioles. Liz was respetable in this season's lone start, holding the Twins to two runs through 5 2/3 innings. However, let's not forget that he was 0-2 with a 6.93 ERA in nine games, including four starts, last year. Even with a win yesterday, the Orioles are still just 7-14 when playing in the afternoon this season. Looking back further and we find them at a money-burning 46-73 in day games the past three seasons. The Jays are 8-1 the last nine times they were home favorites in the -200 to -225 range and 26-12 their last 38 in that role. Halladay has been 'money in the bank' for years when the Jays were coming off a loss. Look for him to 'do his thing' as Toronto avoids the sweep and improves to 15-5 when playing during the afternoon.
The Silver Fox
2* Astros
Steam On-Line Guaranteed Selections
5000* BASEBALL LATE STEAMER WINNER
Chicago White Sox w/Floyd -145
Chris James Sports
4* Lakers
3* Lakers Over
2* Red Sox
1* White Sox
Computer Crushers Guaranteed Selections
5000 UNIT BASEBALL CRUSHER WINNER
Detroit w/Galarraga -150
SEABASS
Comp - Arz
20* NYM
20* LAD
20* Det
20* Balt/Tor over
10* Celtics
THE VEGAS BEARD
3* NATIONALS
3* BREWERS
Root
Chairman- Lakers
Millionaire- Rays