4-15-14

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[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tuesday's American League betting cheat sheet

Check out our quick-hitting betting notes for Tuesday's American League games:

Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles (-116, 9)

Hot pitching stat: Baltimore is 14-3 in right-hander Miguel Gonzalez's last 17 home starts.

Cold batting stat: Rays infielder Ben Zobrist has just two hits in 19 career at-bats against Gonzalez.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-40s with rain in the forecast and winds gusting in from left field at 26 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 6-1 in Gonzalez's last seven starts on five days rest.

Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers (-169, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez went 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA in four starts against the Indians in 2013.

Cold batting stat: Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis is 3-for-17 with six strikeouts in his career versus Sanchez.

Weather: Fans should expect temperatures near the freezing mark with a 43 percent chance of flurries and wind blowing out to center field at 13 mph.

Key betting note: Cleveland is 8-1 in righty Zach McAllister's last nine outings following a quality start in his previous encounter.

Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers (-150, 9)

Cold pitching stat: Rangers left-hander Robbie Ross has issued eight walks in just 10 1/3 innings so far this season.

Cold batting stat: Texas first baseman Prince Fielder struck out 12 times in 31 at-bats versus Seattle pitchers a year ago.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with clear skies and wind blowing in from right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 5-1 in Seattle starter Blake Beavan's last six meetings with Texas.

Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox (137, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: The Red Sox are 1-4 in right-hander Jake Peavy's last five starts on five days rest.

Cold batting stat: White Sox slugger Adam Dunn is a .161 career hitter with 11 strikeouts in 31 at-bats against Peavy.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-30s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing in from center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 4-0 in Boston's last four series openers.

Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins (125, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: The Blue Jays are 1-9 in right-hander Brandon Morrow's last 10 Tuesday starts.

Hot batting stat: Toronto 1B Edwin Encarnacion is 12-for-34 with a homer and four doubles lifetime against Twins righty Phil Hughes.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-30s under partly cloudy skies with wind blowing from right to left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Over is 10-2 in Minnesota's last 12 games.

Kansas City Royals at Houston Astros (131, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura tossed two-hit ball over six shutout innings in his first start of the year.

Hot batting stat: Members of the Kansas City roster are a combined 10-for-28 with two homers versus Astros starter Lucas Harrell.

Weather: Sunny skies are expected with temperatures in the high 50s and wind blowing in from right-center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 19-6-2 in Kansas City's last 27 Tuesday games.

Oakland Athletics at Los Angeles Angels (-119, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Angels right-hander Garrett Richards has limited the opposition to a .100 batting average through two starts.

Hot batting stat: Athletics first baseman Brandon Moss is 6-for-13 with a home run against Richards.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s under clear skies with wind blowing out to center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Angels are 2-8 in Richards' last 10 outings following a quality start in his previous appearance.

Interleague

Chicago Cubs at New York Yankees (-206, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka has racked up 18 strikeouts through his first 14 major-league innings.

Hot batting stat: Yankees second baseman Brian Roberts has seven hits in 17 lifetime at-bats versus Cubs righty Jason Hammel.

Weather: Steady rain is in the forecast with temperatures in the low-50s and wind blowing out to right-center field at 18 mph.

Key betting note: Over is 7-0 in Chicago's last seven games.

** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 2:35 p.m. ET Monday.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tuesday's National League betting cheat sheet

Check out our quick-hitting betting notes for Tuesday's National League games:

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (-128, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Philadelphia is 5-1 in left-hander Cliff Lee's last six Tuesday starts.

Cold batting stat: Braves outfielder Jason Heyward is just 3-for-22 in his career against Lee.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-50s with rain expected and wind blowing in from left field at 15 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 16-5 in Lee's previous 21 starts against the National League East.

Washington Nationals at Miami Marlins (162, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg fanned 12 over 6 2/3 innings in a 7-1 win over Miami last week.

Hot batting stat: Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is 8-for-24 with a pair of home runs lifetime versus Strasburg.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms and wind blowing from left to right field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: Over is 4-0-1 in Strasburg's last five starts against Miami.

Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds (-108, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Reds right-hander Mike Leake was 3-0 with a 3.28 ERA in four starts versus the Pirates in 2013.

Hot batting stat: Pittsburgh catcher Russell Martin is 9-for-18 with a homer in his career against Leake.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-30s under partly cloudy skies with wind blowing out to right field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: Pittsburgh is 8-1 in starter Gerrit Cole's last nine outings.

St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers (-118, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Brewers are 14-3 in right-hander Marco Estrada's last 17 starts versus a division foe.

Cold batting stat: Milwaukee outfielder Carlos Gomez has one hit and four strikeouts in 11 at-bats against Cardinals righty Shelby Miller.

Weather: Partly cloudy skies are forecast with temperatures hovering near the freezing mark.

Key betting note: Over is 5-1 in Miller's last six road starts.

New York Mets at Arizona Diamondbacks (-131, 9.5)

Cold pitching stat: Diamondbacks right-hander Bronson Arroyo has allowed opponents to bat .306 against him in 9 1/3 innings this season.

Cold batting stat: Mets third baseman David Wright and outfielder Chris Young are a combined 13-for-59 against Arroyo.

Weather: Sunny skies are expected with temperatures in the high-70s and wind blowing from left to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Over is 7-3-2 in Mets right-hander Jenrry Mejia's last 12 starts.

Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres (-118, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: San Diego is 5-1 in left-hander Robbie Erlin's last six starts.

Hot batting stat: Padres third baseman Chase Headley is 6-for-12 with a pair of home runs in his career against Rockies starter Juan Nicasio.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-to-high 60s under clear skies with wind blowing from left to right field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: Rockies are 3-13 in their last 16 Tuesday games.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants (-108, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum has been torched for 11 runs on 15 hits over 10 innings in 2014.

Cold batting stat: Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp is a .196 hitter with 18 strikeouts in 46 at-bats versus Lincecum.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with clear skies and wind blowing out to center field at 9 mph.

Key betting note: Los Angeles is 26-7 in its last 33 series openers.

** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 3:10 p.m. ET Monday.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Game of the Day: Dodgers at Giants

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants (-109)

Adrian Gonzalez looks to continue his torrid start on Tuesday when the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series against the host San Francisco Giants, who won two of three in Los Angeles earlier this month. Gonzalez, who has homered in four straight games, has an extra-base hit in eight consecutive contests while hitting .351 during a nine-game hitting streak. “Man, he’s smoking the ball,” teammate Matt Kemp told reporters. “He’s probably the best hitter in the league right now.”

Both teams enter the series riding a wave of momentum with Los Angeles coming off a three-game sweep in Arizona and the Giants winning two of three against Colorado. The Giants are hoping to generate more offense at home, where they’re hitting .244 through their first six games. Dodgers setup man Brian Wilson, who spent his first seven seasons with San Francisco, is expected to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday after missing two weeks with an elbow injury.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, SNLA (Los Angeles), CSNBA (San Francisco)

LINE HISTORY: The Giants opened at -109.

INJURY REPORT: Los Angeles: LF Carl Crawford - questionable (upper body), RP Brian Wilson - 15 day-DL (elbow), SP Clayton Kershaw - 15-day DL (back). San Francisco: Marco Scutaro - 15 day-DL (back)

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Giants got the better of the Dodgers in L.A. a week and a half ago, taking two of three games in that series. However, the two teams have been heading in opposite directions since. Tim Lincecum sports an inflated 9.90 ERA, but he hasn't been all bad, recording a 12/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. We often find him overvalued at AT&T Park and this could be another example of that as the Giants open as a short favorite. With that being said, it's hard to put much faith in Dodgers starter Josh Beckett. He's coming off a miserable start to the season and faces a Giants lineup that has produced at least six runs in nine of their last 10 games."

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Looking at making Giants very small favorite, around -107 or -108 and total will be 7.5 (Over -125). Expect the Over to be a popular play as all three meetings between teams in L.A. went Over the posted total. Also, both starters have ERAs above 9.00 this season." - Mike Perry, Sportsbook.ag.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Josh Beckett (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (0-1, 9.90)

Beckett started for the first time in nearly 11 months last Wednesday against Detroit and yielded five runs (four earned) over four frames. “I felt good,” Beckett told mlb.com. “It was fun to just have things to work on. I have some things to adjust.” Hunter Pence is 7-for-17 with a home run against the 33-year-old, who is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in four career starts against the Giants.

Lincecum has allowed 15 runs in his first two starts, including seven runs in four innings against Arizona last Wednesday. “He was off all night,” manager Bruce Bochy told mlb.com. “That was pretty evident. He didn’t have good stuff or command.” Gonzalez is 11-for-52 with 16 strikeouts against the two-time Cy Young award winner, who is 9-6 with a 2.92 ERA in 23 career games (22 starts) against the Dodgers.

TRENDS:

* Giants are 6-1 in Lincecums last seven starts vs. Dodgers.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Dodgers are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings in San Francisco.
* Dodgers are 1-4 in the last five meetings.

COVERS CONSENSUS: N/A.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Betting 101: How to safely bet the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs
By JASON LOGAN

The NHL playoffs, more so than any other sport’s postseason, are about as different from the regular season as you can get.

Teams that dominated during the regular schedule suddenly find themselves on the brink of elimination, and clubs that squeaked into the playoff picture can catch fire and ride a hot goalie all the way to the Stanley Cup.

In order to help hockey bettors navigate the upside-down world of postseason puck, we asked some of Covers Experts’ top handicappers to share their best tips, tactics, and trends when it comes to successfully wagering on the NHL’s second season.

Hot goaltenders

Like pitching in baseball, goaltending can singlehandedly win a playoff series. Year after year, hockey bettors witness incredible performances between the pipes and make a small mint riding these red-hot keepers.

On the other side of the coin, not having a proven No. 1 goalie can quickly put a wrap on the season – no matter how many goals a team can score. Covers Expert Jesse Schule points to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were ushered out of the playoffs the past two years thanks to shaky play in the crease.

“When I'm looking to narrow down the field to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, I always look at the goaltenders first,” agrees Covers Expert Sean Murphy. “Which ones are capable of carrying a team on their shoulders if need be? Who can steal a game, or even a series?”

Covers Expert Bryan Power uses the Los Angeles Kings as a prime example of a team that could ride their goaltender deep into the postseason. Jonathan Quick has proven his playoff mettle and makes the Kings a dangerous team as a No. 5 seed in the West.

“Despite having only the sixth most points in the Western Conference, the Kings are perceived to be a team you don't want to play as they have allowed the fewest goals this season,” notes Power.

Depth and toughness

Ever watch a hockey player get interviewed about his team’s deep postseason run? More often than not, the guy’s face looks like someone dropped a plate of spaghetti on the floor and then tried to sew it back together.

The NHL playoffs are a grueling challenge of teams’ overall talent and toughness. When a series goes six or seven games, the true depth of a roster is drawn to the surface.

Injuries can spoil a NHL bet faster than a Zdeno Chara slapshot and knowing which teams are healthy, getting healthy, and beat up entering the playoffs is a good way to gauge just where you should put your money.

“Some teams that were banged up earlier this season are healthy now and could perform better than expected, while the opposite could be true of teams suffering through multiple injuries at the moment,” says Covers Experts’ Doc’s Sports.

Teams that can get production from their third and fourth lines are the ones who survive, while clubs that rely on a few key players to carry the team often find themselves trading hockey sticks for golf clubs. Opponents draw up schemes to shadow and lock down these stars and force role players to beat them.

“It's important to consider depth,” says Murphy. “Which teams can roll four lines and get steady production from their role players? Unlike other sports, the NHL playoffs aren't all about the superstars. It's the grinders that often decide which team is left standing in June.”

Physicality also plays a major role in the outcome of the playoffs, with every hit looked at as an investment. Finesse teams can get worn down over the course of a series while teams that like to lay the lumber excel in the furious pace of the postseason.

“Some teams might not be the fastest and most skilled, but instead they out-work, out-hit, and physically dominate their opponents,” says Schule. “We've seen the Boston Bruins employ this tactic with great success in recent seasons.”

Road Warriors

Another big difference between the NHL playoffs and other sports’ tournaments is the importance - or lack thereof - when it comes to home ice.

In basketball and football, having the crowd on your side is crucial to a championship run. However, in hockey, bettors get great value with road teams in the postseason. Hot home teams like San Jose or Anaheim may be good fade bait while tough road clubs, like Colorado, can hold added pop on the road.

“Other than getting the final line change, there is really not much of an edge for the home team,” says Covers Expert Steve Merril. “Obviously, the crowd will be supporting them. But unlike the NBA, it does not influence officials as much, as penalties are normally called evenly and on an alternating makeup basis. NHL playoffs is the one sport where I feel home teams are generally overvalued, especially since travel is not a factor and both teams in a best-of-seven series have the same travel schedule.”

Covers Expert Ben Burns believes each NHL postseason game is unique and doesn't carry as much momentum from one contest to the next. Teams quickly make adjustments, line changes and roster moves based on the game before and can have a completely different feel when they face off next. A high-scoring Game 1 can produce a low-scoring Game 2 with teams tightening up on defense.

Special teams

Referees do tend to let a lot more slide in the postseason compared to regular season action, so it makes it even more important for teams to capitalize on those man-advantages when the whistle does blow.

“It is absolutely imperative to score on the power play, in order to discourage opponents from taking cheap shots at your best players,” says Schule.

Entering the postseason, the Penguins boast the top power-play attack in the league with 65 goals with the man advantage and a 23.4 power-play percentage. At the bottom of the scale, the Kings boast the lowest power-play percentage in the playoffs at 15.1 percent.

As for killing off those penalties, the St. Louis Blues didn’t get burned much with a man in the box ranking second in the NHL with an 85.7 penalty-kill percentage. The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens followed them, killing off over 85 percent of their penalties. The Minnesota Wild, No. 7 in the West, has the worst PK among playoff teams at 78.8 percent.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Knicks won five of their last seven games. Brooklyn won seven of its last ten games.
-- Denver won its last three games, all by 7 or less points- they're 6-1 vs spread in last seven games. Clippers won six of their last eight.

Cold Teams
-- None.

Series records
-- Knicks won ten of last fourteen games with Brooklyn.
-- Clippers lost four of last five games with Denver.

Totals
-- Eight of last eleven Knick-Net games stayed under.
-- Nine of last thirteen Nugget-Clipper games stayed under.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

MLB

Hot pitchers
-- Lee is 1-1, 2.07 in his last two starts. Hale is 1-0, 2.21 in four MLB starts.
-- Cole is 7-1, 2.34 in his last eight starts. Leake is 3-2, 2.43 in his last five.
-- Koehler is 3-1, 2.30 in his last five starts.
-- Estrada is 2-0, 1.75 in his last four starts.
-- Mejia is 2-2, 3.29 in his last seven starts.
-- Nicasio is 2-0, 2.60 in his last three starts. Erlin is 2-0, 1.31 in his last three.

-- McAllister is 3-0, 1.63 in his last five starts.
-- Ventura has a 2.53 RA in four MLB starts, but no wins.
-- Former White Sox Peavy is 0-0, 2.13 in two starts this year.
-- Richards is 2-0, 0.75 in two starts this season.

-- Hammel is 2-0, 2.63 in two starts this season. Tanaka is 1-0, 3.86, allowing three runs in seven IP in both of his first two starts.


Cold pitchers
-- Strasburg is 1-1, 5.82 in his last three starts.
-- Miller is 0-2, 6.35 in two starts this season.
-- Arroyo is 1-1, 9.00 in his last three starts.
-- Beckett is 0-3, 8.36 in his last six starts. Lincecum is 0-1, 9.90 in two starts this season.

-- Odorizzi is 1-1, 5.73 in two starts this season. Gonzalez is 0-1, 9.64 in his two starts this month.
-- Sanchez is 0-1, 5.40 in his last three starts.
-- Beavan has made 43 MLB starts, two LY; he was 11-11, 4.43 in 26 starts for the Mariners two years ago. Ross is 0-0, 3.48 in two starts this month.
-- Morrow is 2-2, 7.92 in his last five starts. Hughes is 0-1, 8.25 in last three.
-- Harrell is 0-2, 12.27 in two starts this season.
-- Johnson is 0-1, 9.58 in two starts this season.
-- Straily is 1-2, 3.51 in his last four starts.

Totals
-- Last five Atlanta games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Miami games went over total.
-- Three of last four Pittsburgh games stayed under total.
-- All seven games at Miller Park stayed under total. Five of last seven Cardinal games went over.
-- Six of eight Arizona home games went over total.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in Colorado road games; under is 5-2 in Padre home games.
-- Six of last eight Dodger games went over the total.

-- Four of last five Cleveland road games went over.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven games at Camden Yards.
-- Five of last six Texas home games stayed under total.
-- Six of seven Boston road games stayed under total; six of White Sox' seven home games went over.
-- 10 of 12 Minnesota games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Houston home games went over.
-- Six of seven Angel home games went over the total.

-- Last seven Cub games went over the total.

Hot teams
-- Braves won five of their last six games. Phillies won three of last four.
-- Milwaukee won nine of last ten games. Cardinals won five of last seven.
-- San Diego won four of its last five games.
-- Dodgers won five of their last six games. Giants are 4-0 in series openers.

-- Detroit won four of its five home games.
-- White Sox won five of their seven home games.
-- Minnesota won its last three games. Blue Jays won six of last nine.
-- Rangers won four of their last six home games.
-- Oakland won seven of its last eight games.

-- Bronx won three of its last four games.

Cold teams
-- Marlins lost their last eight games. Washington lost three of last four.
-- Reds lost seven of their last ten games. Pittsburgh lost four of last five.
-- Arizona lost its last six home games.
-- Colorado lost six of its last eight road games.

-- Indians lost four of their last five games.
-- Orioles lost four of their last six home games.
-- Red Sox lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Kansas City lost all five of its road games. Astros lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Angels lost five of their seven home games

-- Cubs lost three of their last four games.

Umpires
-- Atl-Phil-- Seven of last eight Gorman games went over.
-- Wsh-Mia-- Favorites won six of last eight Foster games.
-- Pitt-Cin-- Underdogs won eight of last 13 Knight games.
-- StL-Mil-- 11 of last 13 Hoye games stayed under total.
-- NY-Az-- This is only second game behind plate for rookie ump Morales.
-- LA-SF-- Three of last four Nelson games went over total.

-- TB-Balt-- Last seven Gibson games stayed under the total.
-- Sea-Tex-- Road team won ten of last twelve Carlson games.
-- A's-LAA-- This is first-ever game behind plate for rookie ump Segal.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's MLB Picks

Colorado at San Diego

The Rockies look to bounce back from last night's 5-4 loss to the Padres and come into tonight's contest with a 5-1 record in their last 6 games following a defeat. Colorado is the pick (+100) according to Dunkel, which has the Rockies favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+100). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15 Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. EST

Game 951-952: Atlanta at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hale) 14.430; Philadelphia (Lee) 15.260 Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 7 Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-140); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-140); Under

Game 953-954: Washington at Miami (7:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Strasburg) 15.787; Miami (Koehler) 13.131 Dunkel Line: Washington by 2 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Washington (-170); 7 Dunkel Pick: Washington (-170); Over

Game 955-956: Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Cole) 16.434; Cincinnati (Leake) 15.378 Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 6 1/2 Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-110); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-110); Under

Game 957-958: St. Louis at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Miller) 16.627; Milwaukee (Estrada) 15.507 Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 9 Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-120); 8 Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+100); Over

Game 959-960: NY Mets at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Mejia) 14.206; Arizona (Arroyo) 15.615 Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 10 Vegas Line: Arizona (-130); 9 Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-130); Over

Game 961-962: Colorado at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Nicasio) 15.650; San Diego (Erlin) 14.467 Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 6 Vegas Line: San Diego (-120); 7 Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+100); Under

Game 963-964: LA Dodgers at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Beckett) 16.225; San Francisco (Lincecum) 14.920 Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: San Francisco (-115); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-105); Over

Game 965-966: Cleveland at Detroit (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (McAllister) 14.476; Detroit (Sanchez) 16.037 Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 7 1/2 Vegas Line: Detroit (-160); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-160); Under

Game 967-968: Tampa Bay at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Odirizzi) 13.995; Baltimore (Gonzalez) 15.037 Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 10 Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-115); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-105); Over

Game 969-970: Seattle at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Beavan) 15.311; Texas (Ross) 16.758 Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Texas (-150); 9 Dunkel Pick: Texas (-150); Under

Game 971-972: Boston at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Peavy) 15.977; White Sox (Johnson) 14.330 Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Boston (-140); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Boston (-140); Under

Game 973-974: Toronto at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Morrow) 14.441; Minnesota 15.316 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 9 Vegas Line: Toronto (-130); 8 Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+110); Over

Game 975-976: Kansas City at Houston (8:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Ventura) 14.109; Houston (Harrell) 14.961 Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 9 Vegas Line: Kansas City (-150); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Houston (+130); Over

Game 977-978: Oakland at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Straily) 15.986; LA Angels (Richards) 16.980 Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 7 Vegas Line: LA Angels (-120); 8 Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-120); Under

Game 979-980: Chicago Cubs at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Hammel) 14.212; NY Yankees (Tanaka) 15.813 Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-210); 8 Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-210); Under

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Cappers Access

Rays -115
Yankees (RL) -1.5(+100)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports

Free Play TUES Red Sox - 139

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Gamblers Data

Free Plays Tuesday

Rangers -132

Giants/Dodgers over 7.5

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ecks and Bacon

Ben lee won his lean in the NBA with the the Bulls -12/Magic.

E&B and "Mr Chalk" have Np for Tuesday.

Ben lee is 0-0 for week twenty five 94-107-5 -$1841

"Mr Chalk" is 6-5 -$23 for the 2014 MLB season

All E&B selections will be for $50 unless noted

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Baseball Crusher
Chicago Cubs +177 over New York Yankees
(System Record: 10-0, won last 2 games)
Overall Record: 10-6

Hockey Crusher
no plays
(System Record: 91-4, lost last game)
Overall Record: 91-73-1

Basketball Crusher
nothing yet
(System Record: 77-8, won last 5 games)
Overall Record: 77-85-5

Soccer Crusher
Olimpo Bahia Blanca + Argentinos Juniors UNDER 2
This match is happening in Argentina
(System Record: 553-20, won last 8 games and a push)
Overall Record: 553-473-81
Here are the rest of his baseball, hockey and basketball plays for today...


Baseball
Arizona Diamondbacks -130 over NY Mets
Los Angeles Dodgers -105 over SF Giants
Cincinnati Reds -105 over Pittsburgh


Hockey
no plays


Basketball
nothing yet

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Dave Essler - MLB Notes

Atlanta-Philadelphia: I guess we don't really know what we're getting w/Hale, but honestly against a team that's seen so much of Cliff Lee, I can't lay -150, especially not after the collapse last night. We were on the over (we'll take it) knowing that both pens are trashed, which is no different tonight. But, terrible baseball weather in Philly tonight. Then again, it was in Cincinnati last night.

Miami-Nationals: You guys know I simply will not lay -180 on the road, and Strasburg just hasn't been right. Not saying the Fish are a live dog, but only Fish RL or Nats in a parlay for me.

Pirates-Reds: I had said watching Cole pitch last week that we'd fade him next time out and I won't change my mind. Teams are seeing more of him now. However, we'll have to see about the continuation of last nights' game and how it effects the pitching staffs. Wind still gonna be blowing, but very cold.

Cardinals-Brewers: Last night was a game where the sharp money on St. Louis turned out to be right. We'll discuss this more soon. Miller hasn't been himself and Estrada is no stranger to St. Louis. Yadier should be back in the lineup, and part of me wonders if the fact that the Brewers finally lost doesn't have them thinking too much. They hadn't been hitting as well going into last night, or I might lean over here.

Mets-Arizona: I see that total is (at least the vig) going up again, and I wonder if that's not an over reaction to last night and recent bullpen issues on both sides. Both starting pitchers are quite capable, but Arroyo has been hit and the D-backs haven't seen Mejia. Lean under at least early and if it goes to 9.5 and perhaps Mets F5 again.

Colorado-San Diego: Simply have to wonder where the Rockies heads' are at after last night (thank you) and the lack of a bullpen, period. Nicasio is "better" on the road, but the Padres have certainly seen him, so it's almost San Diego or nothing without even looking much further.

Dodgers-Giants: Obviously I don't trust either of these starters but both could throw shutouts, too. Both teams playing well, and the total (vig) moving closer to 8 (I doubt it goes there) would seemingly favor the home team, and they DO have the better bullpen, as much as it may pain me to back Lincecum.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Hondo

Giants