GAMBLERS WORLD
TIP OF THE DAY
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics
Prediction: Boston Celtics
Reason: The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics will both be trying to pick up a playoff win on Tuesday when they battle at TD Banknorth Garden.Oddsmakers currently have the Celtics listed as 10-point favorites versus the Cavaliers, while the game's total is sitting at 184.LeBron James had a triple-double as the Cavaliers cruised past the Wizards 105-88 Friday night and clinched the best-of-seven first-round series.The Cavaliers won the game as a 3-point underdog at the Verizon Center, while the combined score made it OVER the posted total of 187.5.James had 27 points with 13 rebounds and 13 assists,while Wally Szczerbiak added 26 points for the Cavaliers.The Celtics blasted Atlanta 99-65 as a 15-point favorite in Game 7 of their opening round playoff series on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (189.5).Paul Pierce scored a game high 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Boston, while Kevin Garnett added 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win.
VicMonte
100* Inside Info Selection - Phillies +$130
Sometimes in professional sports when a team loses there best or one of there best players the rest of the team understands that the must step up and play better. When the entire team plays together and through adversity it can sometimes be profitable to a sports investor. The Philadelphia put SS Jimmy Rollins on the DL the Phillies have gone an amazing 11-4 +$728. The scored at a nice price last night and I am banking on another payday today! The Dbacks are one of the most profitable teams in baseball right now. The are so good because of there starting pitching. Tonight's starter is a big question mark. The veteran Randy Johnson will take the hill. In Johnsons last start against the Astros he failed to go 5 innings. In fact he went 4 Innings - 9 Hits - 6 Earned Runs and Only 2 K's. Tonight he faces a tough Phillies line up. We are looking for another terrible outing from Johnson tonight as the key to your play. Want More? The Phillies are a profitable 6-0 in there last 6 games as an Underdog & 6-1 in there last 7 road games against a lefty starter. 100* Inside Info Selection - Phillies
JEFF BENTON
This play comes down to one basic premise: Of the two starting pitchers going tonight both of whom are off to solid starts I believe one is for real and the other is a fraud.
Washingtons Shawn Hill is a 27-year-old late-bloomer who began his season a little late because of injury. And after a rough debut at Florida, Hill bounced back with two strong outings, holding the Mets to three runs (two earned) in five innings, then came back Wednesday against the Braves and tossed eight innings, allowing a single run on four hits. He didnt get a decision in either game, but Washington won both by scores of 10-5 and 3-2, and most importantly, Hill showed his arm is good to go as he threw 98 and 94 pitches against the Mets and Braves, respectively.
Now lets talk about Houston?s Shawn Chacon the much-traveled Shawn Chacon who is with his fourth organization since 2005. Why has he moved around so much Because despite a live arm, hes never been consistent. And because I dont expect that to change this year, its sell time with Chacon, as Im confident hes about ready to implode after posting a 3.32 ERA in his first six starts. In fact, we saw signs of the impending implosion in his last start, as he gave up a season-high five runs in five innings of an 8-7 Houston loss in Arizona.
Throw in the fact the Nats are 8-2 in their last 10 meetings with the Astros, and Im willing to back Washington despite its season-long struggles on the road.
3* WASHINGTON NATIONALS
TONY WESTON
The Phillies ruined the debut of heralded D-Backs pitcher Max Scherzer as they destroyed Arizona 11-4. Actually, Scherzer didn?t pitch too bad, giving up only two earned runs in four innings of work.
That?s not the point. Philadelphia continued its hot hitting ways and is now 4-1 its last five games and has scored 28 runs in that stretch.
For Arizona, the team is only 2-4 its last six games and will turn to one-time phenom Randy Johnson, who is only 1-1 this season with a 4.79 ERA. In his two starts at home this year he?s given up 10 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings of work.
He?s struggled and definitely not the same pitcher he once was. Take the hot Phillies offense to light up Johnson.
Go with Philadelphia on the road.
3* PHILLIES
Ross Benjamin
Tampa Bay (Kazmir) @ Boston (Lester)
Play On: Tampa Bay +120
The Rays were very careful to bring back Scott Kazmir too soon from the disabled list especially in light of the surprising start of the ball club. There is a good chance that Kazmir will be on a strict pitch count in his first start of 2008 however that is already factored into the selection. Statistically Tampa has the #1 bullpen in MLB with an ERA of 2.42 and in the last 10 games they have been even better posting a cumulative 1.60 ERA. Kazmir has not been intimidated by starting versus the mighty Red Sox in his young career as a matter of fact in 15 starts since 2005 versus Boston he has posted a sterling 2.93 ERA. Kazmir is 6-2 in his last 8 team starts on the road versus a team with a win percentage of better than .500 and 12-5 in his last 17 overall team starts versus winning teams. The Boston starter Lester has posted a lofty 5.56 ERA in 4 starts versus Tampa since 2005. Lester is 0-4 in his last 4 team starts versus teams with a win percentage of better than .500. With the Rays winning 8 of their last 10 and with all considered that has been already mentioned we are getting a very good underdog value in this spot.
Play on Tampa Bay
DCI
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 1, best-of-7
BOSTON 99, Cleveland 87
Western Conference Semifinals
Game 2, best-of-7
L.A. LAKERS 111, Utah 105
Hot Lock Sports
San Francisco Giants vs Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates -110
Battle of the Titans....Hardly.....SF is 9-21 L 30 road games and 2-10 L 12 meetings with Pittsburgh. Pitt is 5-13 L 18 overall. Duke is a much better pitcher than what he has shown thus far and we look to a solid outing today. SF is hitting .229 vs lefties with Pitt hitting slightly better at.259. Bucs have the better Pen as well so if Duke piuts together 6 or 7 solid, we see a Pirate W. Pitt for 3 units!
Sports Gambling Hotline
Tonight we like a low-scoring game between the Cavaliers and the Celtics.
Boston is coming off a solid defensive effort that saw them limit Atlanta to a lowly 65-points in Sunday's 7th game to stop an OVER streak of 4 in a row in that series.
Look for tonight's game to be a half court battle, and the UNDER to prevail. 6 of the last 8 games Boston has played at home have stayed UNDER the posted price, and Cleveland does come into this one on a 9-3 UNDER run their last 12 games.
Both regular season series meetings on the parquet floor this year stayed UNDER the total, and we see this one staying low as well.
Play on the UNDER in Game One of the East Semis.
4* UNDER
Bobby Maxwell
We keep waiting and waiting for the Rockies to wake up and start playing baseball like we remember them playing last fall. Not saying it happens today but we will play them and the plus-money at home against the Cardinals.
Lefty Mark Redman (2-2, 6.99 ERA) was brutal in his last outing and there's no way around that. He gave up 10 runs on seven hits in six innings of an 11-3 loss in Los Angeles. But other than that he has been solid this year, not allowing more than four runs in any of his starts.
Braden Looper (4-1, 3.86 ERA) goes for the Cardinals tonight and hasn't pitched on the road but once this season. He's had four straight outings in St. Louis and the Cards are just 2-2 in those four. When he went to Colorado for a start last season he got knocked around, giving up six runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings of an 8-3 loss.
The Cardinals have only hit .221 against southpaws in their last 10 games so we like Redman's chances in this outing. Let's play the Colorado offense to wake up, take the plus money and go with the Rockies.
3* COLORADO
Karl Garrett
Another diamond winner tonight, as I like Milwaukee to snap their 3-game losing streak with the win tonight over Florida.
Both Jeff Suppan, and Scott Olsen are coming off their first losses, so it will be interesting to see how these starters bounce-back.
Olsen pitched 7 strong shutout innings against the Brewers back on April 25th in a no decision. In that series the Marlins took 2 of 3 at Miller Park, but I like the Brew Crew to return the favor in this series.
The Marlins have tailed off a little bit, as they come into this home game having lost 4 of their last 6. Make that 5 of 7 after tonight's Milwaukee losing streak-ending win over the fish.
Brewers the call.
3* MILWAUKEE
Ferrall
AMERICAN LEAGUE FREE B's FOR TUES:
TORONTO -145 on ML over Tampa--Jays keep streaking upward as they get their 6th straight win behing AJ Burnett, who's tossed 16 K's over last 3 outings. He's gone 2-1 in those games with a 2.70 ERA
ROYALS -125 on ML over Angels--Bannister gets his 4th win and the LA starter Adenhart is a disaster waiting to happen. He got jacked in his first big league start and it won't get any easier tonight. Bannister ends his 3 game skid
NATIONAL LEAGUE FREE B's FOR TUES:
Padres +125 on ML over Braves--Chris Young beats Jurrjens in Atlanta. Young gets lots of strike-outs. He's got 20 over his last 3 starts with a 2.37 ERA. TAKE THE UNDER 9 RUNS here. Both guys hold teams to fewer than 4 runs
MARLINS -125 on ML over Brewers--Olsen tops Suppan, who's allowed 11 earned over his last 3 outings. Olsen has started to look good lately. He's allowed only 5 earned runs with a 2.37 ERA in his last 3 starts.
CUBS -125 on ML over Reds--Zambrano makes easy work of Cincy tonight in the Queen City. He's 4-1 with a 2.11 ERA. His ERA over his last 3 starts is 0.90 with 12 K's, going 2-0. His stuff is filthy and the Cubs love to score runs behind him. Harang's numbers are good, but the Reds dodn't score runs when he pitches. he's 1-4 with a brilliant 2.98 ERA. Can you imagine having that kind of ERA and all you do is lose ?
PlusLineSports
St-Louis -1.5
2-Minute Warning
Boston Celtics
PHILLY CONNECTION
Atlanta Braves
PRIORITY SPORTS INFO
Atlanta -130
Rockdeman Sports Dog Of The Day
Giants
Matty O'Shea
Kansas City Royals -140
JB
Cavaliers +9.5
Rocky Atkinson
Today's Pick: ATLANTA BRAVES
San Diego is 6-16 in night games this year. San Diego is scoring only 3.4 runs per game overall, 3.8 runs per game on the road and 3.2 runs per game against right handed starters this year. San Diego bullpen has a 5.74 ERA on the road this season. Atlanta is scoring 6.3 runs per game at home this year and 5.7 runs per game against right handed starters this season. Atlanta bullpen has a 3.38 ERA at home this year. Jurrjens has a 3.05 ERA overall this year, 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA at home this year and 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA his last 3 starts. Atlanta is 12-4 overall vs San Diego last 3 years. Young has a 7.11 ERA overall vs Atlanta since 1997. We'll play Atlanta for 3 units tonight!
Priceless Picks
1 Unit on LA Angels +124
The Royals have not earned the respect to be favored this heavily over a team like the Angels in my opinion. We'll take the Halos showing good value as I like them to get the job done again in KC tonight. The Royals are 2-9 in their last 11 games as a favorite, 1-7 in their last 8 vs. the American League West, 3-8 in their last 11 home games, and 3-7 in their last 10 games following a loss. The Angels are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400 and 5-1 in their last 6 games as a road underdog. The Angels are 19-7 in the last 26 meetings in Kansas City. Take the Halos.
Jeff Alexander Sports
1 Unit on Phillies +130
The D-Backs have hit their first rough patch of the season with the powerful NL East lineups of the Mets and Phillies proving to be too much. The Phillies are on fire, having won 8 of their last 11 and I'll ride their momentum again tonight. The Phillies are 10-4 in the last 14 meetings in Arizona, 5-0 in their last 5 games as an underdog, 6-1 in their last 7 road games vs. a left-handed starter, and 10-2 in their last 12 games with the total set at 9.0-10.5. The Phillies are 4-0 in Eaton's last 4 starts and 6-1 in Eaton's last 7 road starts vs. a team with a winning record. The Diamondbacks are just 3-7 in their last 10 vs. a team with a winning record and 1-4 in their last 5 vs. the National League East. Take the Phillies showing great value.