5-18-12

[Mr. IWS]

We are looking for someone to post service plays in the evenings from 5pm and on from there. If you can spare some time, the group would really appreciate it.




Note:


ALL PLAYS POSTED ARE UNCONFIRMED UNLESS YOU BUY THEM YOURSELF. THERE IS BAD INFO PASSED AROUND FROM TIME TO TIME, SO PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK

[Mr. IWS]

MLB Predictions - May 18th
Baltimore Orioles @ Washington Nationals - NATIONALS TO WIN (-118)
Listed Pitchers: Arrieta vs Jackson
(Note: I'm risking 2.36 units to win 2.00 units)
The Baltimore Orioles are surprising everyone a top of the American League with a 25-14 record and a 13-5 road record. I believe that the Orioles will slow down over the course of the season, but they have shown they can compete in the AL this year. With that said I'm taking the Washington Nationals at home Friday, who have also surprised a lot of people. The Nats have gotten off to a quick 23-15 start and are 14-6 at home this year. The Orioles will send Jake Arrieta to the mound who is 2-4 on the season with a 5.21 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and .255 opponents batting average. Over his last three starts he has given up 24 hits in 18 innings of work and has a 6.50 ERA. Edwin Jackson will take the mound for the Nats. He is 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and .216 opponents batting average. He has allowed 3 or fewer earned runs against in 5 of his 7 starts. Although the Nats are facing some injuries they haven't shown it offensively scoring 3, 1, 7, 8, and 6 runs over their last 5. Take note that the Nationals are 14-4 in their last 18 games as a home favorite, and they are 5-1 in their last 6 interleague home games. The Orioles are just 1-4 in their last 5 interleague road games, and are 3-8 in Arrieta's last 11 starts as an underdog. Baltimore will have to adjust to National League rules and there bullpen isn't very well rested after a 15 inning game on Wednesday. Take the Nationals to win.

[Mr. IWS]

Jeff Benton
Friday's Action
100 Dime Winner # 6 of 8 comes in the NBA playoffs, as I side with the Philadelphia 76ers against the Boston Celtics. At the time I am releasing this play to you, the 76ers are a 2 point favorite both here in Vegas and offshore.

[Mr. IWS]

Sports Wagers MLB

N.Y. Mets +138 over TORONTO Pinnacle
The Blue Jays two-game sweep over the Yankees has their stock a tad high for this matchup. Brett Lawrie, the team's top producer, is still sitting out a suspension and Adam Lind was sent down to the minors. That leaves an already weak offense even weaker. Toronto is hitting .237 against lefties and will face one here in Jonathon Niese. Niese has allowed just 33 hits in 39 frames while striking out 33. He has outstanding control and a solid overall profile with no warning signs. The Mets are fresh off a 9-4 win over Cincinnati yesterday. New York is hitting .273 over their past 10 while batting .261 on the year against southpaws. Ricky Romero is considered to be Toronto’s ace but there are plenty of red flags in his profile. His BB/K ratio is bordering on second-rate at 26/36 in 53 innings. Romero has an xERA of 7.31 over his past three starts and that’s two runs higher than his actual ERA over that span of 5.12. In the past two seasons, Romero's numbers have declined significantly in the second half of the year. This season, the drop seems to have arrived much earlier and Romero could be one of the most overvalued pitchers in the game right now. Play: N.Y. Mets +138 (Risking 2 units).

Oakland +103 over SAN FRANCISCO Pinnacle
Once again, we’ll fade Barry Zito because his numbers are some of the most misleading in the game. Here’s a guy with a 2.53 after seven starts but has walked 20 batters while striking out 23. He has a fly-ball bias profile but has somehow managed to keep balls in the yard for now. That won’t last and neither will his .213 BAA. His xERA of 5.84 over the past month tells the real story of who he really is. Zito's command is in a three-year tailspin. Nothing has changed other than his fortune. He has an unsustainable 82% strand rate and it’s just a matter of time before it all comes crashing down. Jarrod Parker has made just four starts but three of them were quality. This is a long-time top prospect that features several outstanding pitches. His fastball sits in 90-95 MPH range. He gets terrific movement to his pitches and mixes in his secondary pitches well. His hard slider can get swings and misses along with his improving change-up, which may be his best offering. Parker has an honest BAA of .223 and offers up much more value taking back a small tag than Zito does of spotting one. Incidentally, the total in this game is 6½ and it’s not because of Zito. Play: Oakland +103 (Risking 2 units).

[Mr. IWS]

Sports Wagers NHL

UPDATED SERIES PRICE AFTER GAME 2
NEW JERSEY +102 over N.Y. Rangers Pinnacle

The Rangers being favored in this series, after the split in New York, is a mistake. Outside of the third period in game 1, the Devils have dominated play from start to finish, especially in the first periods of both games, where a tone is usually set. The Rangers simply have no answers other than Henrik Lundqvist in net. Lundqvist has allowed the Rangers to hang around in both games. Without question, Ilya Kovalchuk has been the best player on the ice while the Rangers’ Marion Gaborik has been invisible and was even benched for most of the third period last game when the Blue Shirts were down a goal and needed one to tie. After back-to-back seven game series against Ottawa and Washington, the Rangers appear to be running on fumes. They’re taking more penalties than the Devils and they’re blocking more shots because the puck is in their end for the vast majority of time. If the Rangers win this series, it’ll be because of some good fortune and Henrik Lundqvist. They have shown that they cannot outplay the Devils and it’s slowly but surely taking its toll. The L.A. Kings have dominated the Coyotes and are up 3-0. The Devils are dominating in much the same fashion. Play: New Jersey +102 to win series. (Risking 3 units).

[Mr. IWS]

Paul Leiner

100* Yankees -135

50* Sixers / Celtics Over 173.5

[Mr. IWS]

Matt Rivers

300,000♦ Lakers

100,000♦ Cardinals / Dodgers Under

[Mr. IWS]

Jimmy Boyd

***TOP PLAY*** 5* NBA Playoffs "Total" Dominator
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia Sixers Under 174

MLB Interleague SMASH
Detroit Tigers Runline (-1.5)

[Mr. IWS]

Vegas Sports Informer

3* Brewers

[Mr. IWS]

FantasySportsGametime

Baseball Friday

100* Play Detroit (-240) over Pittsburgh (MLB TOP PLAY)
Starts at 7:10 PM EST

Justin Verlander has won 34 of the last 40 games as a favorite of -150 or higher and he has also won 20 of the last 26 home games when the total posted is between 7 and 7.5 runs. Justin Verlander has won 29 of the last 41 games coming off a loss and he has an ERA of 1.78 in home starts this season.

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50* Play LA Angels (-175) over San Diego (MLB BONUS PLAY)
50* Play Texas (-160) over Houston (MLB BONUS PLAY)

[Mr. IWS]

INFO PLAYS (comp)

7* MLB FREE PICK ON SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS -110

[Mr. IWS]

Hoopsgooroo

918 Indians -150 @ 12:05p
902 Mets +105 @ 1:10p
921 A's +158 @ 2:05p
923 Orioles +109 @ 2:10p
925 White Sox +140 @ 3:35p
906 Giants -128 @ 3:45p
907 Pirates +133 @ 7:05p
928 Jays +105 @ 7:05p
930 Rays -118 @ 7:10p
912 Astros +125 @ 8:05p
915 Dodgers +107 @ 10:05p

[Mr. IWS]

The Sports Capper

Hoops Plays

FRIDAY

100* Play Boston (+2) over Philadelphia (TOP NBA PLAY)
8:00 PM EST

Boston has won 6 of the last 8 games and they have also covered the spread in 4 consecutive games coming off two division games. Boston has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 games as a road underdog of three points or less and they are only allowing an average of 84 points a game on defense in the playoffs this season.

50* Play Oklahoma City (+2.5) over Los Angeles Lakers (Bonus)

[Mr. IWS]

WUNDERDOG
MLB 131-151 Season-to-Date ($710)
Game: Seattle at Colorado (8:40 PM Eastern)
Pick: Colorado -140 (moneyline)

The National League has struggled vs. the American League in interleague play. The Rockies, with their unique setting, have been a great exception when they get to play at home vs. the AL. In interleague play the Rockies are 29-10 over the last eight years playing at home, which includes a 16-3 mark when they are listed as a favorite. The Mariners have had their struggles on the road at just 9-16 and when they have faced a right-hander in this spot, as they have dropped their last six. They stand at 28-65 in their last 83 as a dog, and don't mount much of a threat here. They have also dropped their last four vs. the Rockies. Play on Colorado.

[Mr. IWS]

David Banks

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers

If the Oklahoma City Thunder (53-19, 38-34 ATS) go on to win this series as
expected, the Los Angeles Lakers (45-30, 32-43 ATS) will rue letting Game 2
on the road get away on Wednesday. The Lakers executed their game plan of
slowing down the pace and not allowing the Thunder to run them off the court
like in Game 1 perfectly and LA held a seven-point lead with 2:00 left, but
Oklahoma City closed the game on a 9-0 run to avoid the upset 77-75,
although the Lakers did cover the eight-point spread. At least the Lakers are now
going home to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA for Game 3, which will
take place on Friday night at 10:30 ET with the television coverage on ESPN.

The Lakers had a chance to win with the ball down by one point with five
seconds left, when with the whole building expecting to see the ball in Kobe
Bryant's hands, Metta World Peace instead found Steve Blake wide open in the
corner, but he missed an extremely makeable three-point attempt. Thus, the
Lakers come home in an 0-2 hole vs. a team that they have beaten only once
all year, with that win coming in a late-season contest that was meaningless
to the Thunder. Los Angeles obviously gave an improved effort Wednesday after
a 119-90 blowout loss in the series opener, as they did not allow the
Thunder to run or get much penetration. Thus, Oklahoma City shot an
uncharacteristic 42.0 percent for the game with many of the misses being of the long
range jump-shot variety, and after setting a franchise record with only four
turnovers in Game 1, the Thunder turned it over 13 times on Wednesday. While
the Lakers slowed the pace adeptly, they still shot just 38.5 percent with
even Kobe making just nine of his 25 attempts for 20 points. Also, it seems
that as the bench goes so go the Lakers, and that was the case again with the
reserves contributing just 11 points not to mention Blake's key miss at the
end.

Thus, it was the Thunder stealing a win despite their third lackluster home
effort of these playoffs, as they won the first two games of the Dallas
series here by just a combined four points before dominating all of Game 3 and
the fourth quarter of Game 4 on the road to complete the sweep. Oklahoma
City's success vs. the Lakers this year aside, they will probably not sweep
this series if they bring the same effort as Game 2 with them to the West
Coast. Yes, the Los Angeles defense deserves a lot of credit and the Lakers
deliberate offense at times frustrated OKC, but the Thunder also missed quite a
few open looks and not all of their turnovers were forced. It also did not
help that Russell Westbrook shot a measly 5-of-17 from the field finishing
with 15 points after looking too quick and too strong for the Lakers' defense
while shooting 10-of-15 (27 points) in Game 1. The Westbrook that shows up
for Game 3 could be the key to the Thunder possibly taking a stranglehold of
this series.

Oklahoma City made two trips to Los Angeles to face the Lakers during the
regular season, and the Thunder won the only meaningful meeting 102-93 with
Westbrook leading the way with 36 points and Kevin Durant adding 21 as they
shot 46.2 percent as a team. The Lakers won the last meeting here 114-106 in
overtime in the game made infamous by World Peace's elbow on James Harden,
but as alluded to, the Thunder were already locked in as the two-seed in the
West at that time and had nothing to play for.

Pick: OKC THUNDER+2.5

[Mr. IWS]

Allen Eastman

7* MLB Interleague GOY = D-Backs

2* Marlins

[Mr. IWS]

Mti Sports 5/18
NY Mets, Boston Red Sox.
Free Pick LA Angels

[Mr. IWS]

Robert Ferringo

MIA @ CLE (-115) [4:05pm PDT]
PIT @ DET -1.5 (-115) [4:05pm PDT]
STL (-115) @ LAD [7:10pm PDT]


CIN @ NYY (-160) [4:05pm PDT]


TEX (-155) @ HOU [5:05pm PDT]
LAA (-170) @ SD [7:05pm PDT]
OAK (-100) @ SF [7:15pm PDT]

[Mr. IWS]

4.5-STAR Cincinnati over NEW YORK - Andy Pettitte as a healthy favorite against a good hitting lineup? No thanks. Pettitte struggled vs. the Mariners and Cincinnati is world better than Seattle. On the other side Bronson Arroyo has seen an uptick in his strikeouts recently and that's big in this battle.
Cincinnati is coming off a 9-4 loss to the Mets yesterday. The Reds are 17-4 since April 09, 2011 on the road after allowing 6+ runs loss for a net profit of $1545. They actually led that game, 4-0, before the bottom fell out. The Reds are 15-4 since June 09, 2011 on the road when they are off a loss in which they held the lead for a net profit of $1293. Allowing six walks did not help the cause. The Reds are 12-3 since May 27, 2011 on the road after a loss in which they allowed 5+ walks for a net profit of $1008. New York lost last night in Toronto, 4-1. They had just five hits. The Yankees are 0-14 since 2007 in the first game of a series when they are off a multiple-run, non-shutout loss in which they had fewer than six hits. Also, the Yankees are 2-9 since June 24, 2011 when playing a night game after a loss in which they had 6 or fewer hits and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $993 when playing against. Toronto had nine and left 20 men on base individually. The Yankees are 1-9 since May 13, 2011 when playing a night game after a loss in which their opponent left 18+ men on base and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $1060 when playing against. Arroyo has been strong for the Reds pitching in games expected to be close. The Reds are 9-1 since April 09, 2011 when Bronson Arroyo starts on the road within 20 cents of pickem for a net profit of $845. SPORTSBOOK BREAKERS PREDICTION: Cincinnati 7, NEW YORK 4

[Mr. IWS]

JLB SPORTS

2:20 PM-PICK #1:
FREE PICK:*MLB* (6 Units)
*FREE PREVIEW* CHICAGO W-SOX -ML (+120)

7:05PM: *MEMBERS PREMIUM PICK*
*MLB* (9 Units) HAMMER!
PICK: NY YANKEES -ML (-166)

8:05PM: *MEMBERS PREMIUM PICK*
*MLB* (6 Units) GOLD DIGGER!
PICK: TEXAS RANGERS -ML (-150)

8:07PM: *MEMBERS PREMIUM PICK*
*NBA* (5 Units) GOLD DIGGER!
PICK: PHILLY 76ERS -ML (-125)

[Mr. IWS]

Allen Eastman

NBA & MLB

D-Backs

Marlins

Oklahoma City Thunder Money Line

[Mr. IWS]

Vegas Sports Informer

NBA & MLB

Milwaukee Brewers

LA. ​Lakers -2.5

[Mr. IWS]

SPORTS N`PROFITS

Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies under 7 @ 705PM

Detroit Tigers -1 1/2 (-108) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates @ 705PM

Toronto Blue Jays -1 1/2 (+145) vs. new York Mets @ 707PM

Philadelphia 76ers -2 vs. Boston Celtics @ 8PM

Oklahomas City Thunder +2 1/2 vs. Los Angeles Lakers @ 1030PM

[Mr. IWS]

DOC SPORTS

4-unit Play Take #951 St. Louis Cardinals (-115) over Los Angeles Dodgers (10:10pm ET)
The St. Louis Cardinals head to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers in the only non-Interleague matchup this weekend. Both teams have gotten off to great starts this season and are at the top of their respective divisions. The Cardinals have also been hampered by injuries for a good part of the season without arguably their top two players - Lance Berkman and Chris Carpenter. But Berkman is back in the lineup now and Carpenter's replacement has been dominating the National League and takes the ball today. Lance Lynn was given the opportunity to fill some big shoes when Carpenter was injured in the spring, and he has come through in a huge way. Lynn leads the league with six wins and has a miniscule 1.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in his seven starts. He has also amassed a 44-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio and has clearly demonstrated that he belongs in the starting rotation. It will be an interesting decision to make once Carpenter returns, but for now Lynn will continue to be one of the best pitchers in the league.

The Dodgers have gotten bit by the injury bug lately and it's definitely slowed them down. Early frontrunner for the MVP Matt Kemp is on the 15-day disabled list, along with Juan Rivera and Juan Uribe. That's three missing starters for a team that isn't very deep to begin with. The loss of Kemp is probably bigger than any other team could have as he provides so much offensively and makes the hitters around him so much better. Ted Lilly has a tough task for the Dodgers today as he knows he needs to keep the Cardinals offense at bay because the Dodger offense isn't healthy. Unfortunately for him, the Cardinals are the best hitting team in the league and average 5.5 runs per game. The Cardinals lineup is deep and they don't give you any room for error as everyone is an above-average major league hitter. I think they'll be too much to handle for a struggling Lilly and the Cardinals should come out on top tonight.

3-unit Play Take #956 Philadelphia Phillies (-155) over Boston Red Sox (7:05pm ET)
Interleague play begins as two teams who were pegged as possible World Series opponents this year face off. So far it hasn't quite worked out that way as the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies are both in last place in their respective divisions. That's not a mistake - the Red Sox and Phillies are in the cellar and it's May 18th. Let's start with the Red Sox who have experienced more injuries than any team in the American League so far in 2012. They are currently without the services of Ellsbury, Youkilis and Crawford in their everyday lineup - three all-star players. Their bullpen has also taken a beating this season as they don't have that stopper for the 8th or 9th innings that they're accustomed to having. The offense has somehow managed to get to 2nd in the American League in runs scored, but without three of their top producers, you can't expect them to continue on that pace. Remember also, that the Red Sox will be playing without David Ortiz in their lineup today since the DH will not be used in a National League park. That's a huge loss for Boston as he's easily been their best hitter all season long.

The Phillies have some of the same problems as the Red Sox - injuries to several players on offense and a bullpen that can't get anyone out. Without Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, it's been tough for the Phillies to put runs on the board but they have shown signs of coming together lately. Over their last seven games, the Phillies have averaged 5.3 runs per game en route to a 6-1 mark. They're now 8th in the league in runs scored, a huge jump a few weeks back when they were ranked 15th. Today's starter Cole Hamels is one of the best in the business and he's in the midst of putting together a career year. So far in 2012, Hamels is 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA and he just happens to be pitching in the last year of his current contract; coincidence I think not. Not many pitchers in baseball are throwing better than Hamels so he's going to be tough to beat today. Boston's starter Daniel Bard has got a lot of press due to his transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation, but so far he hasn't lived up to expectations. Bard is 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA but what's most concerning is his 4.8 walks per nine innings. He's never had pinpoint control, but as a starter he's gotten himself into a lot jams. Luckily so far he hasn't gotten burned on them too often, but it's only a matter of time before it becomes his undoing. With the much better starting pitcher on the mound today and with David Ortiz on the bench, I like the Phillies to win this one.

3-unit Play Take #959 New York Mets (+140) over Toronto Blue Jays (7:05pm ET)
Two southpaws take the mound as the New York Mets travel north of the border to play the Toronto Blue Jays in the first of a three-game set to start off interleague play. The Mets aren't flashy and don't do anything extraordinary, but they're good enough in each facet of the game to be competitive and it's led them to a 21-17 record so far this season. Today's starter Jon Niese is one of the most underrated starting pitchers in the National League. The young left-hander has a 3.40 ERA is one of the more consistent pitchers that you will find. He knows how to work the hitters and always gives his team a shot to win. For that fact, he's a great pitcher to back at this price range.

The Blue Jays are a good team but they haven't played quite as well as some thought that they would. Their offense has been mediocre and they've had some big problems in the back end of their bullpen without a true closer. They're going to be without Brett Lawrie today as he's been suspended for throwing his helmet, which is a fairly big loss offensively. Starting pitcher Ricky Romero hasn't made the big jump for the Jays that everyone was hoping he would this season. He has a 3.88 ERA but his strikeouts are down and his walks are up from last season. It's hard to say why he's taken a step backwards from last year's huge season, but until he figures it out he's definitely a pitcher you want to avoid. The Jays are definitely the better team here today, but the Mets definitely have some value today with a solid pitcher on the mound. In addition, the Mets are actually 6-2 in Niese's last 8 starts as an underdog in the price range of +110 to +150.

NBA

3-Unit Play #523 Take Oklahoma City +2.5 over LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST, Friday)

The odds laid out by the bookies here indicate that the Lakers are expected to take care of business at home. We think that this series looks like a potential sweep. After choking away Game 2 we are just not sure the Lakers heads are in this series. This looks more like a team that doubts itself than the confident championship Lakers teams we have seen in the past. That comeback win from the Thunder might have been the nail in the coffin in this series and we just don't think the Lakers can bounce back. Even if they do, this line protects us in the case of a close game. I think it was Charles Barkley who said it after Game 2, but the Lakers have to be down after playing what was possibly their best game and then choking away the lead like they did at the end. And how many times are the Thunder going to be held under 80 points? That was the perfect chance for this team to get some momentum going and they blew it. And now instead of having some momentum they are in a freefall. OKC scored more than 100 in all of the meetings before Game 2 this season and we think that they get their points tonight and we just don't see this Lakers team matching them on offense or playing good enough defense to slow them down.

[Mr. IWS]

ROBERT FERRINGO

2-Unit Play. Take #966 Detroit (-1.5, -115) over Pittsburgh (7 p.m., Friday, May 18)

Look, it is obvious that the Tigers are one of the most overrated teams in baseball. I stated that I thought they were a little overhyped in my season preview and so far that is how it has played out. The bottom of their order is awful, they can't field or defend, and their pitching is more hype than results. But they are really in need of a win here. They just lost two embarrassing games to the Twins and their bullpen is in shambles. But they have their stopper - Cy Young winner Justin Verlander - on the mound. Verlander is 15-2 in his 20 career Interleague starts. He's 15-2! And he is facing one of the weakest hitting lineups in baseball. The Tigers are starting to mash a little bit (they just can't get people out). They are at home, where they are always tough, and they are on a little slide and really need a 'W'. Chuckles Morton and his feeble 5.51 ERA in his last three starts is on the hill. I have to think that the Tigers can handle him. The Pirates are 9-27 when he starts on the road and are just 17-35 in his starts overall. Pittsburgh is also 8-46 in their last 54 interleague games in an American League park. Odds are that we'll get screwed by a late run and the Tigers will win by one. But that's a chance I'll take with this total mismatch. The Tigers are 42-13 at home against an N.L. team and they are 61-22 as an interleague favorite. Detroit is 42-13 when Verlander starts at home.

2-Unit Play. Take #951 St. Louis (-115) over L.A. Dodgers (10 p.m., Friday, May 18)

I think that this is a real nice spot for the Cardinals. They looked pretty sharp in San Francisco after a poor home stand. And now they are catching the Dodgers without Matt Kemp. There is no doubt that is going to have an impact on L.A.'s lineup and production and catching them after an inflated win over San Diego last night is the perfect spot to predict a letdown. Ted Lily has been great this year. But he hasn't been going deep into games and right now the Dodgers are vulnerable in the bullpen. The Cardinals are 5-1 in their last six against a lefty starter and they are 7-1 in Lance Lynn's last eight starts. The Cards have some revenge after being swept in the last meetup and I like St. Louis to jump on the depleted Dodgers here tonight.

1.5-Unit Play. Take #979 Oakland (+100) over San Francisco (10 p.m., Friday, May 18)

The Giants are in sorry shape right now. Their lineup is pathetic and their bullpen is being held together by spit and gum. Oakland has clawed its way over .500 and has gone 4-3 in three tough series with the Tigers, Angels and Rangers. Not bad. Young Jarrod Parker has been excellent in his four starts this year and I think that he will be sharp again tonight. The Giants are going with ex-A Barry Zito and he is just 1-4 with a 7.24 ERA against his former team. I like the odds here playing with what I think is the hotter team. The Giants have won nine straight at home in the Bay rivalry series and the home team has dominated. But I think those trends start to change today.

1.5-Unit Play. Take #977 L.A. Angels (-170) over San Diego (10 p.m., Friday, May 18)

Hey, why not flush some more money on the Angels, eh? Let's just put it this way: if they can't beat the pathetic Padres and if they can't hit Jeff Suppan then the Angels have to be considered the worst team in baseball. The Angels are pathetic, but I will still side with Jared Weaver over Suppan, who has labored through just 16 innings in his three starts this year. I know his ERA is a sharp 1.69 and that his WHIP is respectable. But just watching those games he was not sharp in those starts. Weaver should be able to manhandle this San Diego offense. And maybe Albert Pujols will fare better against National League pitching than he has in the A.L. The Angels have been the best interleague team in baseball for a decade. They are playing the worst team in baseball. They have advantages all over the diamond. They should win this game. If they don't, there is absolutely no hope for them.

1.5-Unit Play. Take #969 Texas (-155) over Houston (8 p.m., Friday, May 18)

I will admit that this series means more to Houston than it does to Texas. And that Texas has looked a little bored while going 2-4 in their last six games. But I think that they are so much better than the Astros that today it won't matter. The Rangers are No. 2 in the Majors hitting left-handed pitching and they, collectively, have had a lot of success against Wandy Rodriguez in the past (current Rangers combine for a .293 average against him). Wandy is just 8-10 with a 5.25 ERA in his career against the American League and he has a 5.13 ERA in his career against the Rangers. I think that the visitors will be a little more engaged today. And if they are then it should be a winner for the road team to start this series.

1-Unit Play. Take #964 Cleveland (-115) over Miami (7 p.m., Friday, May 18)

I'm just riding with the American League today. They have dominated Interleague Play and I think that they will again this weekend. The Indians have looked good over the last couple weeks and I admit that I may have sold this team short. They have a lineup chock full of big lefty bats and they should be able to chew up a mediocre righty like Carlos Zambrano. I know that Big Z's numbers have looked really good lately. But he still throws like a girl and he has been feasting on some weak N.L. lineups. He has been a little too good lately. He won't be at home and he will be facing a lineup with some guys - Hafner and Damon - that have hit him hard in the past. The Indians have won four straight, they are 10-1 in the opener of a series, they have their best pitcher on the mound, and they are 62-27 as a favorite. Miami is 16-38 as an underdog and they are coming off a series against the rival Braves. This one looks like a letdown and we're getting a great price here.

0.5-Unit Play. Take #962 N.Y. Yankees (-160) over Cincinnati (7 p.m., Friday, May 18)

NBA

7-Unit Play. Take #523 Oklahoma City (+2.5) over L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m., Friday, May 18)

Note: This is our Playoff Game of the Year.

I know, I know: this is when the Lakers are going to make their big move and come back in this series, right? I don't think so. One of my favorite angles to play in the postseason - especially later in the playoffs - is to bet the better team in Game 3 when they go on the road. Home court advantage gets overblown later in the playoffs; these teams are good enough to win on the road. And the line in this game reflects a huge overreaction to the home court. Oklahoma City was an eight-point favorite in their own building and the Lakers are now 2.5-point favorites. This is the same team that lost by nearly 30 points in Game 1. And yeah, they almost stole Game 2. But the Thunder shot just 20 percent for most of the second half (finishing at 33 percent for the half) and still won the game! The Lakers were up seven with just two minutes to go and they choked that game away. Oklahoma City threw a dagger in their heart by getting that game. And the momentum is all on the side of the visitors. Not only are they the better, fresher team. But they are playing with house money in this game. They have confidence and they know they can crush L.A.'s will with a win here. The Lakers are a mess. They have been overrated all season long. You never know what Andrew Bynum is going to show up. Pau Gasol has been shaky in the last two postseasons. And the role players around Kobe Bryant - who is facing the team in the NBA that matches up with him the best - are a disaster. Russell Westbrook really hasn't broken out yet and the Lakers have no answer for James Harden. The Lakers looked old and slow in their first round series against Denver. And Denver has one-tenth the talent as the Thunder. Oklahoma City has won five of six games in this series. Their one loss was on April 22 and it was in overtime. The Lakers were down 16 points in the fourth quarter in that game and needed a crazy comeback to send it to overtime. (And Westbrook shot 3-for-22 in that game.) And that's it. Beyond that the Lakers have lost this series by 2, 29, 9, 15 and 14 points. The Thunder have won two of their last three in L.A. and I think that they will relish the big stage.

The Lakers are just 6-18 ATS as a favorite and 4-12 ATS as a home favorite. They are also just 7-17 ATS on one day's rest and they are just 5-13 ATS at home. The Thunder have gone 4-1 ATS in their last five road games and they went into Dallas in the first round and hammered the defending NBA champions by 16 points to take control of that series. If they can do that to the champions (and they won Game 2 in Dallas as a short dog in the Western Conference Finals last year; so they an win on the road in the playoffs) I think that they can do that to the Lakers, a team that has rolled over in the playoffs the last two years. I expect the Lakers to get out to a fast start. And Kobe will do everything he can to keep them in this game. But I also don't think that they have the juice to win this game and I think that Durant will be able to match Kobe shot for shot. I think the Thunder win this one outright and we really see a changing of the guard in the Western Conference. Los Angeles is old and is clinging to things that happened three or four seasons ago. The Thunder matchup with them very well and they have three of the four best scorers on the court. Take the Thunder here.

[Mr. IWS]

ALLEN EASTMAN

7-Unit Play. Take #973 Arizona (-120) over Kansas City (8 p.m., Friday, May 18)

This is my MLB Interleague Game of the Year. And if you've noticed, the number on this game is steaming. It opened with Arizona at -105 and Kansas City at -110. But now the Diamondbacks are taking heavy action from the sharps and this line is on the move. I think that it is a great situation for the Diamondbacks. They have lefty Joe Saunders on the mound and he is looking to bounce back from a poor outing. He has thrown in the American League before and is 3-0 in his career at Kaufmann Stadium. He is being opposed by Luis Mendoz, who has a an 8.03 ERA in his last three starts. The Royals are just 1-3 when he takes the mound and he looks like the Majors is just too much for him now. The Royals are coming off a very tough series with the Orioles. They played 15 innings on Wednesday and blew a late lead with their bad bullpen last night. This team is really struggling. Arizona is a team that is starting to get healthy. They won with a big comeback yesterday in Colorado and I expect that to carry over here. The Diamondbacks are 8-3 as an interleague favorite and they are 20-8 as a favorite in this range. The Royals are 1-10 against the National League West and they are just 21-45 against a left-handed starter. This team has been bad at home and bad as an underdog. The Diamondbacks have won five straight in KC and I think that they will cash this ticket for me tonight.

2-Unit Play. Take #963 Miami (+105) over Cleveland (7 p.m., Friday, May 18)

I am going with the Marlins in this one. This team has been hot over the last two weeks and I think that they will keep it going against the Indians. Cleveland was lucky to pull one out yesterday. I think that Miami's speed game will give the Tribe a lot of trouble. Carlos Zambrano has kept his mouth shut and he looks like he is back to being one of the best pitchers in the National League. He has a 0.39 ERA in his last three starts (all wins) and just a 1.88 ERA on the season. Justin Masterson has not been good this year and has a 5.40 ERA on the season. The Indians are just 2-5 in his last seven home starts and 0-7 when they face the National League East. Take the Marlins here.

NBA

2-Unit Play. Take #523 Oklahoma City (+120) over L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m., Friday, May 18)

This is a moneyline play. I like the Thunder to win this game outright and I think that they are wrong to be the underdogs in this one. I think that the Lakers are done and the Thunder have won five of the last six meetings in this series. This Los Angeles team is not as good as the general betting public thinks. They were blown out at home for most of Game 4 against Denver. This Oklahoma City team is better than that Denver team so I expect them to be able to win one of the two games here in the Staples Center. This is very good value with the better team.

[Mr. IWS]

Teddy Covers

10* Astros
10* Athletics
10* 76ers

[Mr. IWS]

INDIAN COWBOY

3-Unit Play. #951. Take St. Louis Cardinals -125 over LA Dodgers (Friday @ 1010pm est).

Let's keep it relatively simple today as these two teams hook up for a new series in Los Angeles. Lynn comes off his worst outing of the year but he is 6-1 with less than 2 era to his credit and the Dodgers have not seen his stuff before. Lynn also bounced-back to retire 9 in a row in his last start and and the Cardinals come off a 5-7 loss to the Giants in their last game so this is a bounce-back for them. Combine that with the Dodgers coming off a big 8-1 win over the Padres and defeating Volquez and this is a bit of a let down for the Dodgers and I can see the Lynn and the Cardinals both bouncing back for a win here on the road in the first game of this series.

NBA

4-Unit Play. Take Los Angeles Lakers -2.5 over Oklahoma City Thunder (Friday @ 10:30pm est).

Game two was a contest in which the Lakers could have easily won if they didn't cough up the lead late. In fact, I bet Oklahoma City themselves were a bit surprised that they won that game so late as the Lakers made a series of mistakes down the stretch both offensively and defensively. This is not to mention the Lakers not scoring in roughly their last 7 possessions or so as well which hurt their cause. I don't forsee that being too much of an issue in this contest. Keep in mind that if there is such thing as a "good" loss it was probably game two. The Lakers learned that they can beat the Thunder which I think many of them doubted before going into the game. But, I think the Lakers and their big three here of Kobe, Gasol and Bynum step up at home with a big win and this series will likely be decided in Game 4 when OKC comes off a loss in Game 3. It's now or never for the Lakers and I like them to step up here at home with a big win. The Thunder are 4-10 ATS when they face a team with a straight up winning record and the Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.

[Mr. IWS]

JASON SHARPE

5 Unit Play Take #968 Tampa Bay -125 over Atlanta (7:10pm est):

The Tampa Bay Rays are about as tough as it gets when they are playing at home, having gone a rock solid 14-4 in their 18 home games so far this season and are an incredible 37-14 at home when going back into last season.

Been a big supporter of the Atlanta Braves all season long but this is a whole different ball game for them here stepping up in class playing at Tampa Bay. The Braves are a team who usually gets the short end of the stick in these inter-league contests it seems and they suffer because of it, having won just two of their last seven games against American League teams with winning records. They hand the ball to right-hander Tommy Hanson here and Hanson just hasn't been his usual solid self this season, only posting six or more strikeouts in just three of his eight starts so far. His zip on his fastball isn't what it has been in the past and he has even struggled with his control a bit also. His WHIP is an ugly 1.41 and it's been worse in his last three starts also. Atlanta has struggled quite a bit in the dog role of late having gone just 3-8 the last 11 times they were not favored when on the road.

The Tampa Bay Rays just win. Whatever it takes and this team finds a way to get the job done. They are off to the third best start in baseball right now, on pace to win 100 games this season and have done so with some key pieces hurt and out of the lineup and also having played a very tough schedule so far. They go with one of the games most most under-valued starters here with James Shields in this one. Shields has had some tough match-ups on the young season having had to face the likes of the Yankees twice, Baltimore, Texas and Detroit to name a few. Despite all of that he is rolling along at his usual steady solid pace again in 2012. The Rays have won seven of his last eight starts this year and seven straight games when he is favored at home. The Rays have beat up on National League teams of late having won 12 of the last 16 games they have played against them.

Great combination here with Shields at home and most importantly in a very good price range also. Take Tampa Bay here in this one.

NBA

4 Unit Play Take #523 Oklahoma City +2.5 over LA Lakers (10:35pm est):

Get the feeling the Los Angeles Lakers fired their biggest and best punch the other night and they still didn't have enough to get the job done. They gave everything they had to in game two and had a nice lead late in that contest only to let it all slip through their fingers in the final minute or so. It's obvious they just don't match-up well with the Thunder as Oklahoma City has proven over and over this year that they can turn it on whenever they need to against LA. You just get the feeling that the Thunder can do whatever they need to do versus the Lakers.

The Thunder are like a lot of good young teams as they almost get bored at times and seem to actually play their best when their focus is at 100%. Put them on the road against a team they are better than and you usually get an all out max effort from this sometimes immature group. Look no further than the fact they have covered four of their last five road games coming into this contest here.

The Lakers are an overrated team in the betting market as this is arguably the worst team left in the Western Conference playoffs right now. But the book makers continue to price this team way too high in their ratings and because of that it has led LA to just a 5-13 ATS record in their last 18 home games. They are also an ugly 6-18 against the number the last 24 times they have been favored. It seems that for yor money you get your best Lakers team when they are on the road and coming off a bad game, the exact scenario that we seen going into game two for Los Angeles.

Take Oklahoma City and the points here in this one.

[Mr. IWS]

Chase Diamond

50 DIMES PHILLIES

[Mr. IWS]

Denver Money

1* Chicago White Sox +116

2* New York Mets +135

2* Detroit Tigers -1.5 -115

2* Oakland A's / San Fransisco Giants UNDER 6.5 +105

1* Atlanta Braves +115

1* Miami Marlins +110

Leans:
Boston Red Sox

Baltimore Orioles (Personally playing them)

LA Angels

Seattle Mariners

Daily Parlay:

LA Dodgers +101

Chicago White Sox +110

Arizona Diamondbacks -119

Risk 25 to win 169.20

[Mr. IWS]

Jeff Scott Sports

TOP PLAYS

4 UNIT PLAY

NY Mets/ Toronto Over 7.5

3 UNIT PLAYS

Detroit/ Pittsburgh Under 7.5

TAMPA BAY -124 over Atlanta

Texas/ Houston Over 8

Oakland/ San Francisco Over 6.5

OTHER PLAYS

2 UNIT PLAYS

Chicago White Sox/ Chicago Cubs Over 9

COLORADO -135 over Seattle

1 UNIT PLAYS

Arizona/ Kansas City Over 9

Minnesota +123 over MILWAUKEE

[Mr. IWS]

Vincent Rizzo Sports


MLB "INTERLEAGUE" PREMIUM PLAY


Baltimore / Washington OVER 7

[Mr. IWS]

Greg Shaker

MLB Total - May 18

Astros/Texas OVER 8

[Mr. IWS]

Mike Hook MLB Money Line

dime bet 979 OAK (+100) vs 980 SFG

Analysis: The OAKLAND ATHLETICS +100 are a 1 UNIT BURIED TREASURE for Friday, May 18th!

[Dancin' Shoes]

LEGIT PICKS

Friday 5/18/12 Plays...

4* PIRATES/TIGERS (OVER)
3* ORIOLES/NATIONALS (UNDER)

---SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Practicing Money Management & Shopping Lines Can Lead to Long Term Success--