4-1-13

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Best & Worst MLB Opening Day Bets

The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. But it doesn’t hurt to get off on the right foot. The 2013 MLB schedule opens Sunday/Monday and we take a look back over the past 10 seasons to see which clubs come out swing and which one are still on spring break come Opening Day and Opening Week.

Records over the past 10 MLB seasons.

Best Opening Day Bets

Los Angeles Angels – 8-2
Pittsburgh Pirates – 7-3
Baltimore Orioles – 7-3
New York Mets – 7-3
Seattle Mariners – 7-3

Worst Opening Day Bets

Cleveland Indians – 2-8
Oakland Athletics – 2-8
Washington Nationals – 3-7

Best Opening Day Home Bets

Baltimore Orioles – 6-1
Los Angeles Angels – 5-1

Best Opening Day Road Bets

Chicago Cubs – 5-2
Pittsburgh Pirates – 5-1

Best Opening Day OVER Bets

New York Yankees – 9-1 over/under
Cleveland Indians – 7-2-1 over/under
Milwaukee Brewers – 7-2-1 over/under

Best Opening Day UNDER Bets

Los Angeles Angels – 2-7-1 over/under
Texas Rangers – 2-6-2 over/under
Kansas City Royals – 4-6 over/under

Best Opening Day Home OVER Bets

Arizona Diamondbacks – 5-1 over/under
Miami Marlins – 5-2 over/under

Best Opening Day Bome UNDER Bets

Los Angeles Angels – 0-5-1over/under
Kansas City Royals – 2-4 over/under

Best Opening Day Away OVER Bets

New York Yankees – 6-0 over/under
Milwaukee Brewers – 5-1 over/under

Best Opening Day Away UNDER Bets

Texas Rangers – 1-4 over/under
Oakland Athletics - 0-3 over/under

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MLB Betting Review: Last Year's Best & Worst Wagers

Here is a quick refresher on some top and bottom teams from the 2012 season.

MLB BEST BETS

1. Oakland Athletics - 38.54 units (2012 record: 94-68)

2. Baltimore Orioles - 36.83 units (2012 record: 93-69)

3. Washington Nationals - 24.21 units (2012 record: 98-64)

MLB WORST BETS

1. Boston Red Sox - -36.85 units (2012 record: 69-93)

2. Houston Astros - -30.69 units (2012 record: 55-107)

3. Chicago Cubs - -25.68 (2012 record: 61-101)

Bet MLB OVER BETS

1. Milwaukee Brewers - 89-68-5 over/under (2012 record: 83-79)

2. San Francisco Giants - 86-70-6 over/under (2012 record: 94-68)

3. San Diego Padres - 85-73-4 over/under (2012 record: 76-86)

Best MLB UNDER BETS

1. Tampa Bay Rays - 64-91-7 over/under (2012 record: 90-72)

2. Cincinnati Reds - 60-89-13 over/under (2012 record: 97-65)

3. Atlanta Braves - 67-88-7 over/under (2012 record: 94-68)

MLB BEST MONEY PITCHERS

1. Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals - 14.76 units (2012 record: 21-8, 2.89 ERA, 2012 Team W-L: 24-8)

2. Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants - 13.87 units (2012 record: 15-8, 4.15 ERA, 2012 Team W-L: 21-11)

3. Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves - 12.00 units (2012 record: 16-7, 3.62 ERA, 2012 Team W-L: 20-8)

MLB WORST MONEY PITCHERS

1. Dan Haren, Washington Nationals - -15.28 units (2012 record: 12-13, 4.33 ERA, 2012 Team W-L: 12-18)

2. Scott Feldman, Chicago Cubs - -13.72 units (2012 record: 6-11, 5.09 ERA, 2012 Team W-L: 7-14)

3. Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox - -13.65 units (2012 record: 9-14, 4.82 ERA, 2012 Team W-L: 13.20)

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Marc Lawrence: April Good Month Pitchers

Major League Baseball trades places with college hoops as the sports flavor of the month in April. And as we usher in America's favorite pastime, let's open the season with one of our favorite handicapping angles - good month pitchers.

Listed below are hurlers (and their team start record) that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of April. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in April team starts, winning 33 percent or less of their efforts. To qualify, pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years.

I'll be back next month with May's Good Month Pitchers. Until then, let's play ball!

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

A.J. Burnett, Pittsburgh Pirates

April record: 9-4

Burnett pitched last year like he did before playing for the Yankees, much more relaxed and confident. Not every player is wired to play under the intense New York microscope. Burnett had more command with his fastball in the Steel City and his circle-change was brutal on left-handed hitters.

Kevin Correia, Minnesota Twins

April record: 10-5

Correia is a control pitcher and has to keep his below 90 mph fastball and cutter down in the zone to be successful. He will have the early advantage of not being widely seen in the AL and could get off to a hot start.

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

April record: 12-4

March was not kind to Halladay, who suffered from a dead arm and a virus which cost him 10 pounds. But Halladay is a “gamer” and his repeatable delivery allows him to throw four different pitches for strikes. Expect the 35-year-old to answer the bell and help Philadelphia win early.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies

April record: 10-4

Hamels is now the ace of the Phillies staff and his low-90s fastball lives at the bottom of the strike zone. The lefty is so effective because his changeup baffles hitters even today and it is a true swing-and-a-miss pitch, which helps him pile up victories.

Kyle Lohse, Milwaukee Brewers

April record: 11-3

Lohse recently signed a three-year deal with Milwaukee. His last two years in St. Louis saw him become successful by getting ahead of hitters, avoiding walks and using an improved slider to fan more batters. The Brewers hope his previous April successes and last year’s results continue.

Ricky Nolasco, Miami Marlins

April record: 10-4

Nolasco is the new ace in Miami and thrives by working both sides of the plate with his fastball. The righty compliments his heater with a split-change and is a bulldog on the bump.

David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

April record: 10-5

Price is one of the elite left-handed pitchers in the game. His mid-90s fastball forces opposing teams to gear up for the heat and Price fools hitters frequently with a diving cutter or a power slider. If a hitter wants to sit on certain pitch, forget it, he’ll throw the change which moves away from right-handed hitters.

CC Sabathia, New York Yankees

April record: 10-5

Few pitchers in the big leagues are as reliable and consistent as Sabathia. His durability is virtually unmatched in today’s game and he still can reach the mid-90s with complete command, moving the ball in and out or up and down. His slurvy breaking ball will often be his out pitch. The Yankees will certainly need their ace early with all the injuries.

James Shields, Kansas City Royals

April Record: 14-2

We are about to find out just how good Shields actually is after he made the move from Tampa Bay to Kansas City. The righty expertly locates his low-90s fastball and his change is so effective because the release point on this pitch is the same as his fastball, making it very deceiving. Can Shields lift his new teammates to his previous levels or does he sink to theirs?

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels

April record: 12-3

While there are concerns about Weaver’s drop in velocity in 2012, he still won 20 games with his ability to add or subtract speed off the fastball. Batters are continually off-balance with his assortment of high-spinning sliders, slow curves and changeups. He always wants the ball in big games.

Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants

April record: 8-4

Zito was clutch in the postseason and was a key contributor to San Francisco’s championship run last season. The aging lefty no longer throws very hard, but last season had better overall control, making his looping curveball and changeup more effective. Zito should still contribute this year as a fifth starter.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Mark Buehrle, Toronto Blue Jays

April record: 4-11

Part of a blockbuster trade with Miami, Buehrle returns to the American League looking to resurrect his career at 34 in Toronto. The lefty has thrown 200 or more innings in each season since 2001, but his command is becoming less stable with age.

Ryan Dempster, Boston Red Sox

April record: 4-10

After spending his entire career in the National League, Dempster went to the American League and did little to help Texas last season, casting doubts about his potential success in Boston. Last year the 35-year-old infrequently topped 90 mph, as opponents started to sit on the slider and drove it. Though Dempster has experience in playing in a small park, can he be more than a .500 pitcher for the Red Sox?

Edwin Jackson, Chicago Cubs

April record: 5-10

Though he doesn’t turn 30 until September, this will be Edwin Jackson’s eighth different Major League team. His greatest attribute is durability, but he’s never found a home because of too many uneven starts over a season. Jackson did post a career strikeout rate in 2012, but playing for the Cubs will not improve his win percentage.

Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds

April record: 4-9

A notoriously slow starter, the Cincinnati right-hander’s career record in April is 2-8 with a 5.79 ERA. Once April was out of the way in 2012, Latos went 13-2 with a 3.09 ERA in his final 28 starts. Will he be able to clear the next hurdle in his career and pitch well early?

Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres

April record: 5-11

The Padres left-hander will put together a group of quality starts, giving hope he’s finally figured how to succeed only to inevitably fail again, frustrating himself and his team. What typically is Richard’s downfall is his inability to pitch inside to right handed batters, who swing too comfortably in the box.

Ervin Santana, Kansas City Royals

April record: 5-11

Santana is confident he can be the hurler he was before last season. To do so, he will be wearing a Kansas City uniform and no longer pitching in key contests like he did with Anaheim. After a disastrous first four months, Santana was pretty solid last August and most of September after fixing some mechanical issues. Which pitcher will the Royals see in 2013?

Joe Saunders, Seattle Mariners

April record: 4-10

The 31-year-old Virginia native is trying to keep up with Edwin Jackson, pitching for his fourth different team in four years with the move to Seattle. Saunders will start the year in the Mariners starting rotation and has good control, but his stuff would be best described as below average.

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MLB Betting: Top 5 Beefed-Up Lineups

Last week we took a look at five teams that improved their pitching staffs and with Opening Day on the horizon it’s time to give the teams that beefed up on offense some love.

Here are five teams that bolstered their offensive prowess in the offseason:

Atlanta Braves (14/1 to win World Series)

2012 over/under record: 67-88-7

Key additions: Justin Upton, B.J. Upton

The Braves have been a classic under play for decades because of their stellar pitching, but this year Atlanta could make some noise with its bats. The Braves added a pair of Uptons to their outfield to bolster an offense that averaged only 4.32 runs per game last campaign. Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward are no longer the new kids on the block and could be poised for breakout offensive seasons.

Cleveland Indians (70/1 to win World Series)

2012 over/under record: 78-77-1

Key additions: Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, Drew Stubbs

Speed will be the name of the game in Cleveland this year. Michael Bourn and Drew Stubbs combined to steal 72 bags last season and Nick Swisher should provide some pop in the middle of the lineup for a team that blasted only 136 home runs (25th) a year ago.

Toronto Blue Jays (12/1 to win World Series)

2012 over/under record: 77-77-8

Key additions: Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera

The Jays now have legitimate leadoff hitter after acquiring Jose Reyes and if the gamble on Melky Cabrera pays off, Toronto could be lighting up scoreboards this season.

Philadelphia Phillies (25/1 to win World Series)

2012 over/under record: 83-73-6

Key additions: Ben Revere, Michael Young

Injuries have hampered the Phillies’ ability to score runs in recent years, but when healthy, they can pile on runs in a hurry. Speedster Ben Revere was picked up to replace the departed Shane Victorino and Michael Young’s experienced bat in the middle of the lineup should protect up-and-comer Domonic Brown.

Los Angeles Angels (7/1 to win World Series)

2012 over/under record: 75-78-9

Key addition: Josh Hamilton

There are only a handful of players in the bigs that can dramatically change the offensive dynamic of a team and one of those players is Josh Hamilton. The 2010 AL batting champion will get to flex his muscles in the middle of the order alongside Albert Pujols, creating a nightmarish one-two punch for opposing hurlers to deal with.

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DAVE ESSLER

Cliff Notes - Opening Day MLB

Red Sox at Yankees: Clearly with the Boston and all the talk of their demise, there may well be value, even against Sabathia. Sox would likely start David Ross behind the plate, since Saltamacchia sucks v/LHP, and Ross has hit two jacks off of CC. Throw in Johnny Gomes who typically crushes LHP and I would not rule out taking the Red Sox. But, given the intensity of game one, I can't overlook Youkilis, who bombed off of Lester last year. Obviously can't look at weather patterns yet, but with SP's on a serious pitch count, it's the bullpens who may decide a ton of these early games. the acquisition of Hanrahan could be huge for Boston, and with Bailey out a year we really don't know what to expect. The Yankees are DFL in Spring Training BA at a mere .248. It's been my experience that these things just don't turn themselves around that quickly, and Boston has shown very little power this Spring, so we'll look hard at the under here.

Marlins at Nationals: Without a doubt with Strasburg pitching and the expectations, this ML will probably not be playable. However, last season we did real well taking these dead dogs at cheap RL prices early in the season, and this could be a case of that. Strasburg's probably on a 50 pitch count, lol. Nationals already had a great bullpen with Clippard and Storen, so add in Rafael Soriano and they WILL be tough to come back on. Hard to imagine where Nolasco's heads at since he's already being discussed as a trade-deadline acquisition for someone. He's pitched fairly well against the Nats, save Zimmerman, and unless and until Washington shows they can score (they could not last season) then even the thought of laying -1.5 RL is out of the question, and we rarely do that with a home team that won't get the last at bat if they're ahead by one. With nobody in the Miami lineup to protect Stanton, this is yet another under potential. Actually, most Marlin games will be. Early last season many thought (including myself) that Marlin Park (or whatever they call it) was going to be an over venue. It is/was not. Down the lines it's short, but cavernous from gap to gap.

Padres at Mets: Well, with the entire world hating the Mets, we might have to look at a cheap home team. Without Headley in the lineup for the Padres they'll likely put Forsythe at third, which is simply going to allow people to pitch around Alonso and/or Quentin. Both Murphy and Wright are questionable for the start of the season, so here's another potential 2-1 game. Yes, I know they moved the fences in at Citi Field, but not nearly enough. It's always been hard to wrap my money around Volquez actually finding the plate, but with Bobby Parnell as the Mets closer, that's equally hard to do. Certainly easier matchups to figure out, although the Padres have shown some pop this Spring.

Cubs at Pirates: Well, the Pirates made us a ton of money the 1H of last season, but not so sure they'll be quite as much value on them this season. I certainly don't like Grilli taking over the closing duties from Hanrahan, and the Pirates bring back essentially the same lineup as last year, with the exception of Russell Martin behind the plate. Not sure at his age how many games he can play, though, and with no DH in the NL, we're going to have to pick our spots more carefully with these guys. Travis Snyder will be in outfield against Samardjia and most all RHP, while Tabata will surely start out there v/LHP. With Snyder's pop I would think Pittsburgh may score a few more runs. The Cubs did little or nothing to add to little or nothing (Schierholz does not count). They are going to give up a shitload of runs (O/U for Edwin Jackson is 40 homers) and with Carlos Marmol closing, the O/U for his appearances (in save situations!) is 20! With that in mind, the Pirates may actually be well over the -150 threshold, especially since Burnett is typically better early in the season.

Colorado at Milwaukee: I really do wonder how the Brewers will fare without Corey Hart in the lineup. The first thing that struck me about this game is whatever the total is. Because it these two teams, my guess is that the total will be pretty high for game one, and my guess is the roof will be closed. Then again, the Brewers have one of the worst bullpens in baseball (still) and Gorzellany is probably their best relief pitcher. With everyone healthy the Rockies ARE going to score runs, no matter where they play or what time of year it is. Chacin was scratched from his last Spring Training start, but the team said he's good to go here. He's always been a much better pitcher away from Coors Field (who hasn't) and he's much tougher on RHH, which is what the Brewers are loaded with. I don't usually trust Gallardo a whole lot, and the Rockies have seen and hit him enough for me to think this could be our first live/dead dog of the season.

Angels at Reds: Obviously two of the most public teams early in the season with high hopes, and with Hamilton and Frieri being added to the roster, the Angels may be to expensive to bet on, especially against weaker teams. Getting Sean Burnett from the Nationals might prove to be their biggest acquisition, because the did have some massive holes in the middle to late relief last season. Weaver has not pitched terribly will this Spring. Reds added Sin Soo-Choo, and in Great American he could have a freak show year. After that, it's the same old Reds with a nasty bullpen and the capability of putting up 10 runs on any given day. Since the Reds haven't seen much of Weaver and the Angels have seen less of Cueto, this game may well stay under what will clearly be an inflated total in what's known as an "over" ballpark, but not so much if the weather's typical for that time of year.

Royals-White Sox: Everyone's trendy team, Kansas City. They've no doubt upgraded their starting pitching, but I've never been a big fan of Santana. I think in the summer in that stadium, when the ball carries, he gets crushed. However, it's Shields in this game so we will worry about that later. I still think he's living more off what he did two years ago, and for someone that pitched half his games in the pitcher friendly Trop, he does give up some long balls. He doesn't walk a ton of people, but even Alexi Ramirez has two bombs off him, and I have found that when Alexi hits, Chicago wins. But, Shields IS 9-1 in April the last three years. I just really wonder if we aren't over reacting to the Royals acquisitions and the Spring they're having. They've got essentially the same sticks, so they've typically been a play-on against LHP, and as fate would have it, Chris Sale is a left handed pitcher. I actually remember where I was last May 12th when the Royals beat him 5-0 in Chicago. A sportsbook in Vegas w/@goodfella00 getting in all sorts of trouble. I'll bet Sale remembers that, too. Butler owns this kid, and several other Royals do too. Not sure I like Reed as a closer, and with Crain likely out for the start of the season, that could hurt some. I do like Thornton and Jones, however. Have to lean to the trendy Royals a bit, if for no other reason than they hit Sale in the past and the price will probably be right. Also one of the few games, weather pending, that I could make a case for an over

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Pucking the Trends: This Week's Best NHL Bets

Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.

For the week of March 24-30.

HOT TEAM

Pittsburgh Penguins (4-0 SU)

The Penguins rolled to their 15th straight victory with a 2-0 win over the Islanders Saturday, but captain Sidney Crosby took a puck to the face and needed emergency oral surgery. Coach Dan Bylsma isn’t sure if Crosby will be out for a significant period of time or if he’ll be available Tuesday vs. Buffalo.

COLD TEAM

St. Louis Blues (0-3 SU)

The Blues have dropped three straight games and four of their last five. St. Louis is clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference heading into action Sunday. The Blues haven’t been able to top three goals in a single game since March 12, a span of seven contests. St. Louis plays six of its next seven away from home.

BEST OVER PLAY

Minnesota Wild (3-1 SU, 4-0 OVER/under)

The Wild have skated to eight victories in their last nine games and are starting to find the back of the net after a slow start offensively. Minnesota has averaged over four goals per game during the streak to increase its season average to 2.7 markers per contest. The Wild host the Blues Monday before hitting the road for three games.

BEST UNDER PLAY

Vancouver Canucks (3-1 SU, 0-3-1 over/UNDER)

The Canucks have gone low in seven of their last eight games (7-0-1 O/U), posting a 6-2 SU record during the run. Vancouver's under bettors got a scare Saturday when Edmonton jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first period, but the Canucks were able to stop the bleeding for the remainder of the 4-0 loss and pay them off.

Surveying the schedule:

-The Ottawa Senators begin a seven-game road trip Tuesday in Boston. The Senators have an impressive 13-3-3 record at Scotiabank Place, but only a 6-7-3
record away from home.

-After a date in Chicago Monday, the Nashville Predators return home to play seven of their next eight games at home. Nashville is 9-3-4 at Bridgestone Arena and 5-11-3 on the road.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

MLBPredictions
Kevin

2 UNIT = Colorado Rockies @ Milwaukee Brewers - BREWERS TO WIN (-141)
Listed Pitchers: Chacin vs Gallardo
(Note: I'm risking 2.00 units to win 1.42 units)

The Colorado Rockies went 64-98 last year, which was the third worst record in the National League. They were just 29-52 on the road, which was also 3rd worst in the NL. Milwaukee had a rough start to the year but made a late push to finish 83-79 on the season and 3rd in the NL Central. They were 49-32 at home. Colorado's opening day starter is Jhoulys Chacin who pitched just 14 games last season. He was 3-5 with a 4.43 ERA, .288 opponents batting average, and 1.62 WHIP. This spring he said he was being intentionally predictable but had a 8.44 ERA, .362 opponents batting average (OBA) and 1.81 WHIP. Yovani Gallardo will get yet another opening day start for Milwaukee, but hopes for a better result as he is 0-3 in opening day starts. Gallardo was 16-9 last year with a 3.66 ERA over 33 starts. He had a .243 OBA and 1.30 WHIP. Gallardo has proven to be a consistent starter as he has posted a sub 4.00 ERA in every season in the bigs. Over 18 starts at home last season he was 9-4 with a 3.72 ERA, and in 2011 he was 10-2 at home with a 3.00 ERA over 16 starts. This spring Gallardo posted a 3.54 ERA, .233 opponents batting average and 1.08 WHIP over 5 starts. He pitched 3.1 innings of work for Mexico at the World Baseball Classic and he allowed just 2 hits and 1 earned run with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk in a win over the USA. Note that the Rockies are 0-4 in Chacin's last 4 road starts, while the Brewers are 41-17 in Gallardo's last 58 home starts. Milwaukee finished off last year 37-16 in their last 53 home games, while the Rockies finished off 8-20 in their last 28 overall. Colorado played well vs Milwaukee last season, but the Brewers are 7-3 in their last 10 home meetings vs the Rockies. I like the pitching match up for Milwaukee here and with the Brewers at home I think we've got good value.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mighty Quinn

Mighty hit with Louisville (-4) Sunday.

Monday it’s the Dodgers. The deficit is 85 sirignanos.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Alan Boston

Pirates -122 big
Red Sox +115 big

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Hot Teams
-- Hawks won seven of last eleven games (1-3 last four HF).
-- Rockets won six of last nine games (1-4 last five F).
-- Memphis won last 11 home games (3-6 last nine HF). Spurs won six of last eight games, but lost three of last four on road (3-0 last three U).
-- Utah won its last four games, covered its last seven (6-1 last 7 HF).
-- Pacers won six of last seven games (6-4 last ten AU).

Cold Teams
-- Pistons lost 13 of their last 14 games (4-1 last five AU). Toronto lost six of its last seven (3-6 last nine F).
-- Cavaliers lost their last eight games (1-3 last four AU).
-- Magic lost nine of their last ten games (1-3 last four AU).
-- Minnesota lost three of last four at home (7-3 vs spread last 10 overall). Celtics lost six of last eight games, six of last seven on road.
-- Bobcats lost four of last five games, but covered five of last seven. Milwaukee lost last five games, covered once in last ten.
-- Trailblazers lost last four games, all by 10+ (4-3-1 last eight AU).
-- Clippers lost three of last four games (6-10 last 16 HF).

Totals
-- Six of last seven Toronto games went over the total; four of last five Detroit games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Cleveland games stayed under the total; four of last five Atlanta games went over.
-- Under is 8-0-1 in last nine Houston games.
-- Four of last five Minnesota home games went over total.
-- Under is 9-4 in San Antonio's last thirteen games; over is 4-0-1 in last five Memphis games.
-- Six of last eight Milwaukee home games went over total.
-- Five of last six Utah games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Clipper games went over the total.

Back-to-backs
-- Pistons are 7-5 vs spread on road if they played nite before. Toronto
-- Cleveland covered five of last six if it played night before.
-- Celtics covered four of last five if they played night before.
-- San Antonio is 0-2 vs spread if it lost night before.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

CBB

Santa Clara won its last four home games, by 9-10-23-10 points; they're still playing after winning at Purdue/Wright State last week. Broncos are 21-4 this season vs teams ranked outside the top 100 (George Mason is #137). Seven of Mason's last eight games were decided by six points or less, or in OT; they've won four of last five true road games. This is the first game of a best-of-3 series. Patriots are 2-4 vs teams ranked in top 100; its first one they've played since beating Richmond 67-64 Dec 22 (Santa Clara is #78). Over is 11-3 in last 14 Mason games, 4-1 last five Bronco games. Patriots covered six of last eight games as an underdog.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Islanders won three of last four games.
-- Canadiens won eight of their last eleven games.
-- Minnesota won eight of its last nine games.
-- Edmonton won its last three games, allowing four goals.
-- Vancouver won six of its last seven games. Sharks won five of their last six.

Cold teams
-- Devils lost six of last eight games, with all six losses by a goal.
-- Jets lost four of their last six games. Rangers lost four of last five.
-- Hurricanes lost seven of their last eight games.
-- Detroit lost last three home games, outscored 14-5. Avalanche lost eight of its last ten games.
-- Blues lost four of their last five games.
-- Nashville lost last five road games, outscored 21-12. Blackhawks lost three of their last four home games.
-- Ducks lost five of their last six games. Dallas is 3-5 in its last eight home games.
-- Flames lost five of their last six games.

Totals
-- Three of last four Islander games stayed under total.
-- Six of last seven Winnipeg games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Carolina games.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Colorado games.
-- Six of last seven St Louis games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Nashville games.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Dallas games. Four of last five Anaheim games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Calgary games went over the total.
-- Under is 7-0-1 in last eight Vancouver games.

Series records
-- Islanders lost five of last seven games with New Jersey.
-- Rangers are 0-2 vs Winnipeg this year, losing 4-3/3-1.
-- Canadiens won seven of last ten games with Carolina.
-- Avalanche lost three of last four visits to Detroit.
-- Blues won their last three games with Minnesota.
-- Road team won four of last five Nashville-Chicago games.
-- Dallas Stars won seven of last nine games with Anaheim.
-- Flames won 17 of last 20 games with Edmonton.
--

Back-to-backs
-- Detroit is 4-3 if it played day before, 0-1 if it lost.
-- Blackhawks are 6-0 if they played the day/night before.
-- Ducks are 4-3 if they played the day/night before.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's MLB Picks

Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh

The Pirates look to build on their 6-1 record in A.J. Burnett's last 7 home starts. Pittsburgh is the pick (-125) according to Dunkel, which has the Pirates favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-125). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, APRIL 1 Time Posted: 6:30 a.m. EST

Game 901-902: Miami at Washington (1:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Nolasco) 13.792; Washington (Strasburg) 16.613 Dunkel Line: Washington by 3; 6 Vegas Line: Washington (-260); 7 Dunkel Pick: Washington (-260); Under

Game 903-904: San Diego at NY Mets (1:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Volquez) 15.190; NY Mets (Nieve) 14.607 Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1/2; 8 1/2 Vegas Line: NY Mets (-150); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+130); Over

Game 905-906: Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh (1:35 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Samardzija) 12.672; Pittsburgh (Burnett) 15.760 Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 3; 6 1/2 Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-125); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-125); Under

Game 907-908: Colorado at Milwaukee (2:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Chacin) 14.797; Milwaukee (Gallardo) 14.486 Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-150); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+130); Over

Game 909-910: San Francisco at LA Dodgers (4:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Cain) 18.207; LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 16.789 Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 6 1/2 Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-155); 6 Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+135); Over

Game 911-912: Philadelphia at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Hamels) 14.974; Atlanta (Hudson) 17.003 Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 2; 6 Vegas Line: Atlanta (-120); 7 Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-120); Under

Game 913-914: St. Louis at Arizona (10:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wainwright) 17.073; Arizona (Kennedy) 15.182 Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 2; 9 Vegas Line: Arizona (-115); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-105); Over

Game 915-916: Boston at NY Yankees (1:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 13.527; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 16.995 Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 3 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-130); 8 Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-130); Under

Game 917-918: Kansas City at Chicago White Sox (4:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Shields) 14.765; White Sox (Sale) 14.317 Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-140); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+120); Over

Game 919-920: Detroit at Minnesota (4:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Verlander) 17.443; Minnesota (Worley) 14.857 Dunkel Line: Detroit by 2 1/2; 6 1/2 Vegas Line: Detroit (-200); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-200); Under

Game 921-922: Seattle at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Hernandez) 16.092; Oakland (Anderson) 15.634 Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: Oakland (-120); 6 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+100); Over

Game 923-924: LA Angels at Cincinnati (4:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Weaver) 14.527; Cincinnati (Cueto) 16.766 Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 2; 6 1/2 Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-110); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-110); Under

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DCI College Basketball
The Daniel Curry Index

04/01/13 Prediction

Season
Straight Up: 3901-1363 (.741)
ATS: 1899-1924 (.497)
ATS Vary Units: 5266-5584 (.485)
Over/Under: 633-595 (.515)
Over/Under Vary Units: 728-726 (.501)

College Basketball Invitational
Championship Series, Game #1, at Santa Clara, CA
SANTA CLARA 76, George Mason 66