Jack Brayman
My late comp winner is on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first half, against the Golden State Warriors, as I'm taking the four points with a team that has no choice but to come out swinging.
I've heard every damn argument about the Warriors' four big players, and the revenge theory, and this one being in Oakland, and how much they score... BUT WHAT ABOUT LEBRON?
Have we forgotten about LeBron James?
Have we forgotten about Kyrie Irving?
Have we forgotten about Kevin Love?
Have we forgotten about JR Smith?
Have we forgotten that these are the Cavaliers that turned back a 3-1 deficit, not the other way around?
Look, the Warriors are not the first "super team," and the Cavaliers will be just fine against Golden State + Kevin Durant.
Tonight's first half is important for the Cavs, to establish their presence in the Finals, and make it known they're not laying down.
Take Cleveland in the first half.
4* CAVALIERS FIRST HALF
DAVE PRICE
Toronto Blue Jays -149
The Toronto Blue Jays are 8-1 in their last 9 games overall. This recent run has coincided with the return of both Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki to the lineup. And they won yesterday despite both players sitting out to rest, but both are expected back Thursday. I really like backing Marco Estrada, who is 4-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 11 starts this year, and 2-0 with a 2.32 ERA in 5 home starts. I enjoy fading C.C. Sabathia, who is 5-2 in spite of a 4.42 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 10 starts. Estrada is 4-2 with a 3.21 ERA in 10 lifetime starts vs. New York. Sabathia has allowed 13 runs in 17 innings in his last 3 starts against Toronto, while Estrada has allowed just 2 runs in 14 innings in his last 2 starts against New York.
JACK JONES
Boston Red Sox -125
The Boston Red Sox are red hot at the plate right now during their 8-2 run over their last 10 games overall. They have scored at least four runs in eight of those 10 games, including six or more in six of them. The Orioles are just 2-8 in their last 10 contests while scoring three runs or less in seven of those.
Eduardo Rodriquez has been dominant this season for the Red Sox, going 4-1 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.141 WHIP over nine starts while striking out 57 batters in 54 1/3 innings. The left-hander is also 3-3 with a 3.46 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in eight career starts against Baltimore.
Wade Miley has been one of the luckiest starters in baseball this season. He has a 3.02 ERA in spite of his 1.509 WHIP over 10 starts. He has walked way too many batters to keep his ERA that low going forward, giving 31 free passes in 53 2/3 innings already. Miley gave up 6 runs in 1 1/3 innings in his only career start against Boston last season.
Miley is 1-11 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last three seasons. Baltimore is 0-9 vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.200 or better this season. The Red Sox are 6-0 in their last six vs. a team with a winning record. Boston is 4-0 in Rodriquez's last four starts vs. Baltimore.
Bruce Marshall
Arizona at Miami
Pick: Over
Jeff Locke comes off of the DL to make his first start as a Marlin tonight, and figures to get some run support as Miami's offense has scored 58 runs in the eight games since Don Mattingly moved Giancarlo Stanton into the second spot in the batting order. Arizona starter Zack Greinke has had a good start to the season, but was hit hard in his last start vs. Milwaukee, and his ERA is a not-so-spectacular 4.62 on the road.
Harry Bondi
LA ANGELS (-110) over Minnesota
The Twins have been one of the major surprises of the first half, but they are starting to look more and more like the team that they were expected to be coming into the season. Minnesota comes into tonight’s game losers of four in a row and five of their last six. The team’s already shaky bullpen is in shambles. Tonight they start left-hander Adalberto Mejia and that’s good news for the Angels, who are averaging 4.9 runs per game when facing southpaw starters. LA starter Alex Meyer has pitched very well in his home stadium this season, posting a 2.70 ERA in two starts, so let’s take the home team with the better starter and more rested bullpen at a near pick’em price.
Bob Balfe
Warriors -7
The NBA Playoffs hit a road block in the conference series. The games were just awful with pure blowouts and then a long layover makes us feel like this is the start of the preseason. The NBA needs to address the length of this layoff in the future. We are going to need a few great games to get us back in the mood. The story line in this playoff is going to read a lot like last year’s. LeBron will be doubted after a loss or two and then carry his team back on his shoulders. I do think home court means a lot and once the three pointers start falling with the lack of the Cavs Defense we might see a big double digit lead that the Cavs just won’t be ready for in regards to a comeback. I think it is safe to say nobody has much of a clue how this series is going to start out.
Bob Balfe
Twins +105
The Angels have been failing to generate runs over the past week or so and without Trout should continue to struggle. The Twins have been able to hit left handed pitching above the average of most teams and should breakout of their recent slump in their last home stand.
Ian Cameron
Red Sox TT Over 4.5
Boston lefty Eduardo Rodriguez has been an enigma for me over the years so rather than try to project how he will fare tonight against the Baltimore lineup, I decided to focus in on my belief that the Red Sox will hit Wade Miley and the Orioles bullpen which has not been as dominant this season without the services of their closer Zach Britton. Miley has a fraudulent 0.92 ERA at home in four starts despite some horrible peripherals which includes major control problems (14 walks in 19.2 IP). Miley has seen his walks per 9 innings rise significantly this season and his swinging strike rate decline. He was tagged by the Red Sox in his only previous start against them in September of last season as he lasted just 1.1 innings while getting shelled for six runs on eight hits. Miley has only worked deeper than five innings once in his last six starts and that is significant because this Baltimore's seventh straight game and their starters have not worked beyond the seventh inning in five of their last six. Boston’s lineup is collectively batting .275 and averaging 5.29 runs per game against southpaws and have scored at least four r