Priceless Picks
1 Unit on Tampa Bay Rays -135
(listing Shields and Litsch)
We'll get behind the Rays' ace at home tonight. The Rays are 5-0 in Shields' last 5 home starts, 5-1 in Shields' last 6 starts vs. the American League East, 5-1 in Shields' last 6 starts with the total set at 9.0-10.5, and 6-1 in Shields' last 7 starts as a favorite. The Blue Jays are 2-7 in their last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400, 1-4 in their last 5 during game 1 of a series, and 0-5 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game. The Blue Jays are also just 3-8 in Litsch's last 11 starts vs. a team with a losing record and 2-6 in Litschs last 8 starts during game 1 of a series. Take the Rays at home.
Insider Sports Report
4* St. Louis (Lohse) -105 over Milwaukee (Parra)
Range +110 to -125
3* Orlando -5.5 over Toronto (NBA)
Range -4 to -7.5
3* Phoenix +2.5 over San Antonio (NBA)
Range +4 to +.5
2-Minute Warning
PHOENIX SUNS
Ben Burns
Calgary Flames @ San Jose Sharks
PICK: San Jose Sharks
REASON FOR PICK: The Flames have earned everyone's respect, including the respect of their oppponent. However, asking them to win a Game 7 on the road against a very powerful San Jose club is asking an awful lot. This is San Jose's time of year, as they've gone 73-44 (+33.9) their last 117 April games. During the same stretch, the Flames are a money-burning 36-48 (-16.5) when playing in the month of April.
Yes, the price is expensive and its a higher price than I'd normally lay in the regular season. However, the playoffs are a different ballgame and when we consider that the Sharks were orginally -300 (or more) to win the series, it seems a lot more reasonable. Knowing that the Sharks are 10-2 their last 12 games here is also comforting. Note the Flames are just 4-8 their last 12 on the road.
We saw what happened last night, when the underdog Bruins battled back to force a Game 7. The home team Canadiens won by a score of 5-0. The Sharks have won the last two games here by a combined score of 6-3 and I expect home ice to prove the difference again tonight. I'm laying the price with what I feel is the better team.
Ben Burns is 6-2 his last eight baseball bets and 40-23 his last 63. Ben has released three 4-game reports this baseball season. All four cashed with the individual plays going an AWESOME 10-2. The NEXT ONE goes today and it's got all the makings of another S-W-E-E-P. Don't even consider missing out!
Winning Points Online
NY METS (Figueroa) +105 over CHICAGO CUBS (Lilly)
After notching a win with the Cubs on this page yesterday, we will now change course and come back with the visiting Mets. Ted Lilly has stumbled badly to start the '08 campaign (-$285, 9.17 ERA) and the Mets check in here with an 8-1 record vs southpaws (+$650 with 5.6 runs per game). NY starter Nelson Figueroa has been a nice addition to the visitors' rotation (+$200, 2.77 ERA in his two outings) and looks like an excellent value as an underdog in this afternoon matchup. Chicago has lost money (-$195) in day games vs. righties here at Wrigley.
NBA
**PREFERRED
New Orleans* over Dallas by 11
What's Dallas' edge? That they flew home in between games, and they won road games in prior post-seasons by leaving town, making adjustments, and then returning?
Isn't that special? Jason Kidd's addition to the Mavericks hasn't elevated their play since he got there, so with an opportunity to make up for the Game 1 mistake pick on Dallas, the question of how he elevates them at this point needs an answer.
If you have it, send it along. Otherwise, consider that Byron Scott's hatred of Kidd might be more effective than Kidd's hatred of Scott, given that Scott -- in position to have the best scouting report against Kidd as his ex-coach -- has already ordered several effective defensive maneuvers against him: Forcing Kidd to turn his back to receive entry passes instead of catching them on the run, and guarding the long upcourt passes in transition. When you make a halfcourt player out of Jason Kidd, you create something more along the lines of Joe Forte. Or Smush Parker.
This is the first game on the TNT double-header card tonight,in front of Phoenix-San Antonio. So, expect physicality with fewer fouls than in Game 1, when Dallas attempted 38 free throws and New Orleans 26 (thinking Under) in a game that went Over by ''only'' 3 points.
NEW ORLEANS 99-88
PHILLY CONNECTION
Oakland-140
Gamblers Data
Arizona -1.5 -115
Sprietzer
Major Mismatch
St. Louis Cardinals
TKO
New York Mets
Ferringo
1-Unit Play. Take St. Louis (+110) over Milwaukee
2.5-Unit Play. Take Cleveland (-125) over Kansas City
2.5-Unit Play. Take Colorado (-115) over Philadelphia
1.5-Unit Play. Take Detroit (-160) over Texas
1-Unit Play. Take San Diego (-150) over Houston
2-Unit Play. Take Arizona (-1.5, +115) over San Francisco
Today's totals
1-Unit Play. Take 'Over' 10.5 New York Mets at Chicago Cubs
1.5-Unit Play. Take 'Under' 9.0 Los Angeles Angels at Boston
1.5-Unit Play. Take 'Over' 7.5 San Francisco at Arizona
Sorry, no writeups today. But this is all of my selections.
Winners Edge
NBA
SA SPURS -2 , 2 UNITS
MAGIC/RAPTORS UNDER 199 , 2 UNITS
MLB
NY METS EVEN , 2 UNITS
ATLANTA BRAVES RL-1.5 , 2 UNITS
KC ROYALS +125 , 1 UNIT
Erin Rynning
KC Royals
Young Gun Sports
5* Dallas Mavs
BIG AL McMORDIE
NATIONAL LEAGUE GAME OF THE WEEK WINNER.
Colorado Rockies
Bob Valentino
TUESDAY'S 40 DIME NBA PLAYOFF WINNER
40 DIME SUNS
Psychic
NBA
3 units Dallas +3.5
3 units Orlando -5
4 units San Antonio -2 (Major)
MLB
1 unit Texas +152
DA STICK
NHL
5 units Calgary +160
MLB
10 units Ny Yankees -131
Fat Jack
Toronto +5 1/2
San Antonio -2
The Dallas Game To Go Under The Total Of 193 1/2