Erik Scheponik
Detroit Pistons vs. Boston Celtics
Play: Detroit Pistons
With improved play from their young bench players, Detroit has closed the regular season gap with the Celtics. They are getting sound play from 7 players deep on both ends of the court, while Boston relying heavily on Garnett and Pierce. Detroit has been getting killed on the boards in this series, but has been a positive rebounding team in this league for a long time, so I expect them to focus, make adjustments, and narrow the gap in that aspect. Pistons 8-1$ on the road with the total in the 170's this season, and this veteran, cohesive group will take this to the wire tonight and for the rest of this series. Boston by only 3
Paul Leiner big loser 😀 -1515 units.
Priceless Picks
1 Unit on Boston Red Sox +116
The M's are struggling and with the way the Red Sox abuse lefties, I'll side with them tonight in a good value spot. The Mariners are a terrible 6-20 in their last 26 overall, 0-7 in their last 7 games as a favorite of -110 to -150, and 7-21 in their last 28 vs. the American League East. They are also just 1-4 in Bedard's last 5 starts as Bedard continue to disappoint. The Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a left-handed starter, 17-5 in their last 22 games vs. a left-handed starter, and 24-7 in their last 31 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. The Red Sox are also 20-6 in Wakefield 's last 26 starts vs. a team with a losing record. Take the Sox.
Ferrall
NL FREE B's FOR WED
CARDINALS -145 on ML over Astros--Wainwright gets things back on track for Cards in St.Louis. He's 3-0 at home and 3-0 career vs Houston. He's also won his only complete game of his career vs the Stros. Wandy Rodriguez is 1-4 career vs the Cardinals
Diamondbacks -165 on ML over Giants--Arizona is 20-6 within their division and face Sanchez and Giants tonight. Sanchez is 0-3 in four starts vs Arizona. Doug Davis has just one win in six starts vs Giants. I'm on the D'Bakcs because they are at home and their better than SF. Ariz is 19-9 at home and SF is 10-15 on road.
PADRES -135 on ML over Nationals--San Diego has won 23 of last 29 games against the Nats. They've won 10 straight sewries against Washington and look for the sweep tonight at Petco. Washington has lost 5 of last 6 in SD and are 3-11 there overall since the ballpark opened.
AL FREE B's FOR WED
ANGELS -130 on ML over Tigers--Saunders is 8-1 and tied with Dice K for most wins in AL. He;s got a 2.31 ERA and has won his last two starts. Angels get the sweep of the Tigers. Angels have won last two games in their last at bat. The Tigers have scored just 3 runs in their last 3 games.
Toronto +110 on ML over Oakland--Halladay is coming off his fifth complete game. The Jays have won 5 of 6, while the A's have won 5 straight. Harden is 2-0 in 3 home starts this yr, but is 0-3 lifetime vs the Blue Jays.
SEATTLE -120 on ML over Boston--Eric bedard finally looks good for once. He got lit up at yankee Stadium in his last outing. The Mariners have only 6 wins in their last 26 games. He has a 1.69 home ERA and is 2-1. Boston hits a miserable .163 against Bedard. Boston has dropped 13 of last 18 on road. They've dropped 4 of 5 on current trip
Paul Leiner big loser 😀 -1515 units.
He is a gem 😀
Winning Points Online Ultra.
Winning Points Online MLB.
DETROIT (Galarraga) +115 over LA ANGELS (Saunders)
It's been a rough couple of months for the Detroit pitching staff, but one bright spot has been the emergence of Armando Galarraga, who's looked sharp in his seven starts (3.70 ERA). He looks very attractive in this setting, taking on an LA team that has struggled against righthanders at home (only 9-10, -$480). And for all their woes, Detroit does handle lefthanders well (6-3, +$235 with a healthy 5.8 runs per game). Joe Saunders has been tough,but don't count the Tigers out yet, especially when available at a nice underdog price.
Winning Pointa Online NBA.
**PREFERRED
Boston* over Detroit by 14
Detroit had a no-layup rule in effect for Game 4 and the Celtics couldn't figure it out in time, attempting only 9 three-pointers and making only one. Pistons figure to play the same way and after being called for many fouls in Game 4, that won't change on the road. Celtics' Game 4 shooting percentage of 31.8% does figure to change. Chauncey Billups' bad hamstring figures to become an anchoring handicap for the Pistons soon enough. BOSTON, 96-82.
BIG AL's BASEBALL DIVISION TOTAL OF THE YEAR!
NY Yankees Under
Info Plays
3* on Pirates/Reds Over 9
Tom Gorzellany owns a 7.78 ERA in 4 road starts this season for Pittsburgh while Bronson Arroyo has a 6.33 ERA through 5 home starts for Cincinnati this season. There’s no doubt that double-digit runs will be the result of these two starters taking the mound for their teams tonight. Pittsburgh is 22-9 OVER as an underdog of +100 or higher this season. Pittsburgh is 31-17 OVER in all games this season. The Pirates finally have some hitting to go help out their terrible pitching. Cincinnati is 41-21 OVER in home games after scoring 7 runs or more 2 straight games since 1997. The Reds are heating up at the plate so look for them to get to Gorzellany early and often here. Bet the OVER 9 runs.
Dr. Bob
2 Star Selection
BOSTON -6 over Detroit
These teams have alternated victories in this series so far and I expect that trend to continue tonight given that the Celtics apply to a very good 37-9-3 ATS subset of a 136-84-4 ATS playoff bounce- back situation. Detroit is only 6-15 ATS under coach Flip Saunders in playoff road games following a victory (1-3 ATS this year), including 0-7 ATS as a road dog of 4 points or more. My ratings favor the Celtics by 6 points, so the line is fair, and I’ll take Boston in a 2-Star Best Bet at -6 points or less and for 3-Stars at - 5 or less.
My predicted total is 170 points and I’ll lean under at 172 points or more.
2-Stars at -6 or less, 3-Stars at -5 or less.
JEFFERSONSPORTS
MLB EARLY RELEASES
MINNESOTA+140
DETROIT+120
CINCINATTI-133
CUBS-164
Scott Delaney
Seattle had been on its longest losing streak of the season before last night's win over the defending World Series champions - just its sixth victory in its last 26 games. Now it's time for a mini-win streak, the second in a row for the M's. The Red Sox are in line for a tough West Coast trip, as they've lost 13 of their last 18 with a suitcase in hand. And in losing four of five on their current road trip, the Red Sox have tallied mere 14 runs. Take the home chalk with value in this one.
2* SEATTLE MARINERS
Chuck Franklin
Halladay is pitching plenty of innings, including five complete games already this season, but has a mediocre 5-5 record to show for it. He has a lifetime 5.35 ERA in 11 lifetime starts versus Oakland, going only 4-4 in those games. Harden has never beaten the Blue Jays in five starts, but is 3-0 with a 2.93 ERA so far this season and he has given up two runs or less in four of his five starts. He is 2-0 with a 1.59 in three home starts. Toronto is only 2-7 in Halladay's last nine starts on the road against a team with a winning record. They are an even worse 3-12 in his last 15 starts on grass and only 1-6 the last seven road games if Halladay is listed as the underdog. Specify both pitchers as listed and go with the A's.
3* OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Jeff Benton
First off, Chicago simply does not lose at Wrigley Field. Since dropping their first of two home games of the season to the Brewers, the Cubbies are 20-6 in the Friendly Confines, this after turning back the injury-plagued Dodgers the last two nights by identical 3-1 scores. In fact, of Chicago's 20 home wins this season, 18 have come by two runs or more. Well, can't imagine why No. 19 wouldn't come tonight, seeing as the Cubs are handing the ball to ace Carlos Zambrano. That would be the Zambrano who is 7-1 with a 2.47 ERA this year, including 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA at home and 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA in night games. The same Zambrano who has surrendered two runs or fewer in six of his last eight outings. The same Zambrano who has held the Dodgers to two runs or fewer in five of his six starts against them. In fact, in those five particular outings against L.A., Zambrano has a 1.23 ERA. Considering all those numbers, considering Zambrano is facing a stripped-down Dodgers lineup and considering L.A. is going with struggling right-hander Derek Lowe (0-2, 6.50 ERA last three starts, 0-3 6.61 ERA on the road), and Chicago should have no trouble completing the three-game sweep tonight with an easy multi-run victory.
5* CHICAGO CUBS -1½
Matt Rivers
I love Rich Harden as the guy is an absolute stud when healthy. The problem is he is not always healthy and that will affect his career when all is said and done. I really hope that Harden's career will not turn into Mark Prior's but unless he has a big year this season he is on his way to that direction. If on the Oakland righthander certainly could handle Toronto's mediocre offense as Vernon Wells is still out injured. But the Jays did not obliterate the Royals in that four game set and are playing their best ball of the season. With their stud in Roy Halladay on the bump I will take the visitors here. The Toronto righty somehow throws complete game after complete game. This guy is a beast that eats up innings like noneother. Unfortunately for him the run support has not always been there but there is no reason to believe that Halladay will not have his way with the punch and judy Oakland offense. The A's have been pretty good this season but they are still offensively challenged and up against a former Cy Young award winner should not exactly have them bust out in this thing. I do expect a well pitched game where the hurler control the flow and put up a bunch of gooseggs but in the end Toronto is the better team with the more trustworthy pitcher.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Oscarxena Sports
Florida/NY Mets Over 9 -1.22 (3 Unit Play)
I have been doing well with this series so far picking two winners so I might as well go back to the well one more time tonight and I like this game Over the total. Scott Olsen is pitching for Florida and although Florida has went 8-2 so far this year in his starts and he has an outstanding 3.00 ERA in his road starts this year his command has been very suspect as he has only struck out 3 while walking 11 on the road. Olsen has also started eight games against the Mets and 7 out of 8 have went Over the total. Meanwhile for the Mets on the mound will be Oliver Perez and in his home starts so far this year he has a 5.60 ERA and he has struck out 16 while walking 15. In his last 10 starts against the Marlins to total has went Over 6 out of 10 times with a push. The HP umpire has shown a tendency towards the Under this year but I am going to ignore that and hope that these two pitcher's control issues put runners on base in which case these two offenses can cash in those runners and score runs tonight.