Craig Trapp
Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs
Play:Chicago Cubs -1.5
Chicago has been very good at home this year and all of last year. Today will be no different as the CUBS look to have another great start to their season. Lets take a look at records and trends for todays early day game!!
Records:
COL: 3-4 Marquis (1-0, 2.57 ERA)
CHC: 4-2 Harden (0-0, 1.50 ERA)
Trends:
-COL are 3-7 in their last 10 games on grass
-COL are 7-21 in the last 28 meetings in Chicago
-CHC are 12-4 in their last 16 Wed. games.
-CHC are 55-25 in their last 80 home games.
Last three games Cubs are putting together great hitting games. Today this one will be a great pitching match up and scoring will be at a premium. The Cubs have scored 18 runs during their three-game winning streak and have been patient at the plate. They've walked 19 times in the last two games, scoring five runs via bases-loaded walks. Today the Cubs get back Ramariz after sitting out yesterdays game with an injury. Cubs don't score a ton but they shut out COL today. SCORE: CHC 5 - COL 0
Alex Smart
San Francisco Giants @ Los Angeles Dodgers
PICK: Under
Matt Cain the San Francisco Giants starter tonight, is coming off a positive opening day assignment , as is evident by his team 7-1 victory versus the Milwaukee Brewers. The hard throwing righty hurler despite of a 0-6 record in 11 career starts against the Dodgers, has pitched admirably against them. He was 0-3 last season despite of posting a 2.79 ERA in 6 starts, and another top notch pitching performance I'm betting is on tonights agenda. His final two starts of the year against the Dodgers he pitched 13 innings and allowed two earned runs but came away with a no-decision and a loss. In three starts at Dodger Stadium, Cain allowed two runs in 18 2-3 innings, but did not get a single run of support. He received the second lowest run support in baseball last season (3.14 RPG).Meanwhile, the LA Dodgers will fire back, with a young stud hurler of their own, Clayton Kershaw, who allowed one run on two hits, but walked four while striking out six in his debut effort registering a 1.83 ERA. He will face a struggling Giants offense that is batting just .211 (27-for-128) scoring just eight runs during their current four game losing run.
Final notes & Key Trends: Under is 6-1 in Cains last 7 starts as a road underdog. Under is 4-1 in Kershaws last 5 starts overall.
Play Under
Ben Burns
Carolina Hurricanes @ New Jersey Devils
PICK: New Jersey Devils
Less than 10 days ago, the Hurricanes were the hottest team in the entire league. At the time, the Devils were still just working their way out of an extended slump. However, a lot can change in a week or two. The 'Canes have now lost two in a row while the Devils are off back to back victories and now have four wins in their last five.
These teams played each other here to close out the season with the Devils earning a 3-2 victory. While tonight's game is obviously of much greater importance (Carolina didn't even play goalie Cam Ward in the finale) I expect the Devils to build some positive momentum from that result and bring it to the rink with them this evening.
Yes, the Canes were the hotter team down the stretch. However, as already mentioned, the Devils were the hotter team in the final week. More importantly, if we look at the entire season, we find that the Canes were just 19-22 (19-16-6) on the road while the Devils were a much stronger 28-13 (28-12-1) at home.
Tonight's over/under line is listed at 5o20. That's noteworthy as the Canes are 0-5 (-5.2) the last five times that they played a road game with a total of five or less. During the same stretch, the Devils are 11-2 (+7.8) when playing a home game with a total of five or less. Consider New Jersey.
Marc Lawrence
Charlotte Bobcats at Orlando Magic
Prediction: Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats take on the Magic in this regular season ending finale for both teams in Orlando tonight. A win here puts the stamp on a 36-win campaign for Charlotte, marking a 4-game improvement over last year's effort. With the Bobbies playing with same season triple revenge and standing 7-0 ATS as division dogs of more than 3 points this season, look for teams with same season triple revenge to improve top 7-2 ATS in season finales against opponents off a double-digit loss here tonight. Grab the points with Charlotte.
LT Profits
Houston Astros (100)
The Houston Astros are off to a 1-6 start mainly due to a lack of offense, but we look for them to bust out a bit tonight vs. Ross Ohlendorf and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Granted, Ohlendorf looked decent in his first start this year vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, but he was brutal in his two starts vs. the Astros last season. He was charged with four earned runs in five innings in his one start vs. Houston here at home, but he pitched much worse than that while allowing 10 hits and two walks. His other start against Houston was simply awful, as he was touched up for six earned runs and nine hits while lasting only four innings.
The Astros counter with Mike Hampton, who is healthy to begin a season for the first time in about four years. While he was not tremendous in his first start this year vs. St. Louis, he was not terrible either, allowing three runs and four hits in five innings. His undoing was four walks which raised his pitch count, but on the positive side, he also had five strikeouts.
Hampton is now facing a Pittsburgh lineup that is batting .222 vs. left-handed pitching in the early going (compared to .264 vs. right-handers), and we look for him to pitch well enough to get the Astros their second win of the year.
Pick: Astros +100
Dennis Macklin
New York Rangers at Washington Capitals
Prediction: Over
Even with the Ranger's Henrik Lunqvist being one of the premier netminders in the league and the Broadway Blueshirt defense hitting on all cylinders, difficult to see this series being anything other than a scorefest. The Caps scoring machine is 7-2-1 over in last ten and that with all ten totals six or higher. Ovechkin and company has lit the lamp 38 times in L8 never scoring less than four times. The last meeting between these two ended 5-4 and those nine goals came despite both teams combining to go ofer 12 on the Power Play. Playoff hockey is traditionally tighter checking and closer to the vest but in this matchup, don't blink. Play the over.
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit on Pittsburgh Pirates -120
The Astros are really struggling offensively early on so I won't hesitate to fade them this evening. Many people don't realize this, but Pittsburgh has actually had Houston's number, going 19-13 against the Astros over the last 3 seasons and 10-6 at home during that time frame. The Astros are 1-10 in their last 11 games as an underdog and 0-6 in their last 6 games as a road underdog. The Pirates are an impressive 25-8 in their last 33 games as a home favorite. Take Pittsburgh at a reasonable price tonight.
John Martin
1 Unit on Royals/Indians Over 9.5
Any time Sidney Ponson is on the mound and the Total is less than 10 runs, the OVER is worth a look. Though the Indians aren’t hitting the cover off the ball by any means this season, Cleveland will get their bats going tonight against this washed-up starter. Ponson is 25-4 OVER vs. an AL team with a team batting average of .255 or worse since 1997. Sidney Ponson has NEVER beaten the Indians, going 0-7 with a 9.15 ERA through 12 career starts against Cleveland. Aaron Laffey is in line to get rocked tonight as well after Kansas City finally got their bats going yesterday by putting up 9 runs on Cleveland. Laffey gave up 8 earned runs in his last start and has yet to become a proven starter in this league. He is more of a fill-in. Cleveland is 26-11 OVER after allowing 8 runs or more over the last 2 seasons. Look for both teams to have to utilize their bullpens early in this one as neither starter makes it past the 5th inning. Cash in with the OVER 9.5 runs.
Black Widow
1* on New York Yankees -105
The Yankees have the edge on the mound tonight, and they are coming off a dominant 7-2 win over the Rays to come in with more confidence at the plate as well. Andy Pettite continues to find a way to win and get hitters out. Pettite allowed 1 earned run on 3 hits through 7 innings in a 4-1 win at Kansas City in his opening start, while striking out 6. Andy Sonnanstine is the most inconsistent starter for Tampa Bay, and he’s already off to a rough start this year. Sonnanstine allowed 5 earned runs, 8 hits and 4 walks in a 4-5 loss at Baltimore in his opening start. Pettite is 15-4 with a 3.70 ERA in 24 lifetime starts against Tampa Bay. Sonnanstine has posted a 6.09 ERA in 4 lifetime starts against the Yankees, including allowing 7 earned runs in his last start against the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees are 9-3 in their last 12 games following a win. New York is 22-7 in Pettitte’s last 29 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game. The Yankees are 5-1 in Pettitte’s last 6 road starts vs. Rays. New York is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in this series. Take the Yankees on the Money Line.
Jeff Alexander
1 Unit on Texas Rangers -105
After starting the season 3-0, the Rangers have now lost 5 straight games. This team is going to do everything in its power to avoid being swept in a second straight series tonight. Each of the first two games in this series have been close, but I don't see the O's winning the slugfest tonight. In fact,plays against road teams; good AL offensive team (>=5.4 runs/game) against a team with a below average bullpen (ERA>=4.50), after 2 straight wins by 2 runs or less are 54-27 since 1997. The Orioles are 3-11 in their last 14 road games and you have to like the Rangers bats against a southpaw as they are 5-1 in their last 6 home games vs. a left-handed starter. Take Texas.
Dave Price
1 Unit on LA Angels -126
Expect the Halos to strike back tonight. We'll always look to play against teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (SEATTLE) - after 4 or more consecutive wins, a top-level team (>=62%) playing a team with a losing record. This system is 30-10 the last 5 seasons. We'll ride this highly profitable 75% system to a big win tonight.
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
SEA (-110) vs ANA
The Angels will face a Mariners (6-2) team that's off to their best start since 2001, when they finished with an American League-record 116 victories. Seattle is also looking for its first six-game win streak since taking eight in a row from June 23-July 1, 2007. Highlighting Tuesday's home opener was Ken Griffey Jr.'s return to Seattle in a Mariners uniform. Baseball's active leader with 612 home runs went 1-for-3 with a walk. The Mariners will try to help Jarrod Washburn (1-0, 0.00) earn a second victory in as many starts. In a 2-0 win in Minnesota on Thursday, the veteran left-hander threw eight shutout innings while striking out four and allowing five hits; play on SEATTLE!
Info Plays
3* on Seattle Mariners +117
(Listing Washburn)
Reasons why Seattle wins:
1.) The Mariners are extremely underrated this season, while the Angels have gone overrated to this point. Seattle should not be the underdog at home after starting the season 6-2. What's so impressive about this mark is that Seattle has played 7 of their 8 games on the road to this point.
2.) Their pitching has been brilliant, allowing only 11 runs in their last 5 games. Jarrod Washburn went 8 innings in his debut, allowing just 5 hits and 1 walk in a 2-0 victory over the Twins. Look for Washburn to build off of that performance.
3.) System Play. We'll Play On - Home underdogs with a money line of +100 or higher (SEATTLE) - off 4 straight wins vs. division rivals, with a winning record on the season. This is a 34-15 ML System hitting 69.4% since 1997. This team is red hot right now and we'll back the Mariners to keep this winning streak alive tonight. Bet Seattle at home.
Wunderdog
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Pick: Pittsburgh -155
The Penguins will begin their quest to get back to the Stanley Cup Championship where they lost to the Redwings last season. Their opponent, Philadelphia, started the season winless over their first six games, but regrouped, got hot and went 18-8 over their next 26. However, reality is over the last 52 games they have barely been better than a breakeven team. The Penguins left many doubts with their lethargic mid-season play, but they finished looking like a team ready to repeat last season's run, closing at 16-5. The difference for them was clamping down on defense and strong goaltending on home ice. The Penguins allowed just 11 goals in their last seven home games, just 1.57 a game. Flyers are just 16-40 in their last 56 on the road vs a home team with a greater than .600 winning percentage, while the Penguins sport a stellar 21-5 mark as a home favorite of -151 to -200 in their last 26. Tight defense and excellent goaltending has been the trademark of the Penguins down the stretch, and I'll take them here.
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay
Pick: Tampa Bay -105
The Yankees and the Rays have exchanged big wins here in the first two games of this series, now it comes down to game three. The Yankees have not been a good road team over recent times and Tampa Bay has been the best home team in baseball with this current maturing group. The Rays have done something amazing in terms of protecting their turf. Last season from mid April on, when this team all came together, they played 24 home series and won 22 of them! That puts them in a pretty good place in this one, and I'll back them to win, and take the series here.
Jack Jones
Pittsburgh Pirates -109
The Pirates have surprised a lot of people with their 4-3 start to the season, but Houston's 1-6 start is nearly as surprising. The 'Stros pitch Mike Hampton tonight, and he has been a Pirate killer in his career, earning a 10-1 record against Pitt with a 1.86 ERA. What's important to remember, however, is that Hampton isn't the pitcher he once was, and he hasn't faced a Pittsburgh team since 2003. RossOhlendorf throws for the Pirates and the youngster started his season well, giving up just 2 runs in six innings of work against the Cardinals. This will be Pitt's first match up against a left-handed starter this year, but they have enough balance in their lineup to put some runs on the board, something Houston has not been able to do at all. The Astros come into this game hitting just .234 as a team and averaging just 2.3 runs over their first 7 games of the year. They've been even worse on the road, hitting .197 as a team and putting up 1.2 runs per game their 4 games as the visitor. Take the Pirates at home tonight.