TEDDY COVERS
KC Royals
Minnesota Twins
DWAYNE BRYANT
Detroit Tigers
BIG AL
3* Yankees -151
3* Rangers/Orioles Under 9
NSA
20* Lakers- 7
20* Twins +125
20* Nats-145
10* Lakers Over 212.5
10* Yanks -155
10* KC +130
KIKI SPORTS
2 Units Cincinnati +112
1 Unit Washington -138
1 Unit NY Yanks -150
Jeff Benton
20 Dime: NEW YORK YANKEES -1.5
10 Dime: L.A. LAKERS
Yankees (-1½ runs)
The Rays come into this game with the better record (28-11 vs. 25-13) and more momentum (they’ve won four in a row and six of seven, while the Yankees – who squandered a 5-0 lead to the Red Sox yesterday and lost 7-6 – have dropped six of 10). However, every other advantage in this one belongs to New York. Consider:
The Yankees took two of three in Tampa Bay earlier this season, and they’re 11-4 in the last 15 matchups, winning the last six in a row at home last year. And regardless of whether it’s new Yankee Stadium or old Yankee Stadium, the Rays hate playing in the Bronx, losing 59 of their last 83 games there.
Veteran right-hander A.J. Burnett (who starts tonight) has contributed greatly to the Yankees’ success against Tampa Bay, as he’s led his ballclub to four straight blowout wins over the Rays – and when I say blowout, I mean 11-4, 11-1, 10-2 and 7-3 (the latter coming on April 11 in Tampa). In those four games, Burnett gave up a total of four earned runs in 25 innings (1.44 ERA). And over his last eight starts against the Rays – going back to 2008 when he was with Toronto – Burnett has given up just 11 earned runs in 53 innings (1.87 ERA), and Tampa has lost seven of the last eight times they’ve seen Burnett.
Contrast that with what the Yankees’ offense has done to young Rays right-hander Wade Davis: In two games against New York (both in Tampa Bay), Davis got rocked for a total of nine runs in 11 innings, losing 10-2 last year and 10-0 this year.
Burnett is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three home starts this year (the Yanks won all three by four, three and four runs). And going back to last year (playoffs included), Burnett has delivered quality starts in 16 of his last 17 home starts (including seven in a row). New York is 15-2 in those 17 games (7-0 last seven), and 11 of those 15 victories were by more than one run.
Speaking of multiple-run victories, there’s this: Despite a 7-6 loss to Boston last night, 35 of the Yankees’ 39 games this season – including every single one of their 25 wins – have been decided by multiple runs.
One final point: The Rays have completely stopped hitting. They’re batting .224 in their last 10 games, and they’ve scored four runs or less in 11 of their last 13 contests.
Look for the Yankees, who played a sloppy game against the Red Sox last night with two errors opening the flood gates and leading to three unearned runs, to come out angry tonight and behind another gem from Burnett, they’ll win this one going away.
Lakers
I made the mistake of playing the zigzag theory last night and taking Orlando in what amounted to a must-win game for the Magic. I was DEAD WRONG with that one, and I will NOT make the same mistake tonight. The Lakers are superior to the Phoenix Suns, and I explained why in great detail in my analysis leading up to Game 1. I won’t rehash it all here, but suffice it to say that nothing that occurred in Game 1 surprised me in the least. And I truly believe no adjustments the Suns try – and make no mistake, Phoenix will make adjustments – will change the outcome.
Los Angeles still has too much size down low for Phoenix to contend with (the Lakers had a 56-36 advantage in the paint and a 42-34 rebounding edge in Game 1). Los Angeles still has too much defensive skill on the perimeter to let Phoenix get hot from three-point land (the Lakers, who have the best three-point defense in the NBA, limited the Suns to five trifectas in 22 attempts in Game 1). And, most importantly, Los Angeles still has too much Kobe Bryant (he scored 40 points on 13-of-23 shooting in Game 1, and he’s now averaging exactly 28 ppg in the playoffs and exactly 30 ppg in five games this year against Phoenix).
Speaking of this rivalry, the Lakers have now on four of five against Phoenix this season (SU and ATS), and going back to last year, L.A. has defeated the Suns five straight times at the Staples Center, with the last four wins by the following margins: 132-106, 121-102, 108-88, 128-107. I’ll do the math for you: That’s a victory average of 21.5 ppg.
The Lakers, who have now won seven in a row (6-1 ATS) since being tied with the Thunder 2-2 in the opening round of the playoffs, are clearly on a mission. And the leader of that mission is Kobe Bryant, who obviously has a vendetta against Phoenix, which knocked Bryant and the Lakers out of the playoffs in 2006 and 2007. And we all know that when Bryant is highly motivated and has a chip on his shoulder, nine times out of 10, the opponent is in BIG trouble.
Throw in these facts – L.A. has won all six playoff home games this spring; the straight-up winner has covered the spread in 12 of the last 13 meetings in this rivalry; and the winner has cashed in 20 straight Suns games and nine of the Lakers’ 11 postseason contests – and there’s only one way to play this one. Look for the Lakers to post another double-digit home win over their rivals. And if Kobe goes for 50 in this one, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
Craig Davis
40* Nats
20* A's
10* Lakers
Don Wallace Sports
4* Phoenix +7.5
4* Over 214
The Duke's Sports
LA Angels Under (8') for 2.5 Units
This series has gone 1-6-1 O/U in its last 8 games and we like the "under" tonight. Both of tonight's starters are in good form: Saunders is coming off two strong outings, including a four hit shutout on the 14th; Danks has been consistently good all season having not allowed more than 3 earned runs in any of his starts. The Angels, which are batting a meager .235 on the road vs lefties, have not had success vs lefty starters. And the Angels are 8-21-1 O/U vs lefty starters. On the other hand, the 'Sox are struggling vs lefties too - batting a meager .207 in their last 10.Danks is 0-5 O/U at home in this 'total' range while Saunders is 1-5 O/U on the road in this 'total' range. "Under" the call.
Executive
250% Phoenix
250% Atlanta
CHUCK O'BRIEN
25 DIME Chicago WS
DEREK MANCINI
25 DIME Phoenix Suns
KARL GARRETT
20 DIME LA Lakers
MICHAEL CANNON
40 DIME LA Lakers.