Trace Adams
1500* - Boston Celtics, 500* - Texas-Seattle UNDER (Millwood vs. Hernandez) A case can be made for the Celts having their guard down a little after their grueling 7-game set against the Bulls, but Boston also knows they let the home court slip away in Game 1 in the last series, and they saw just how hard it was to put Chicago away after losing that contest, so I doubt the C's will suffer a letdown in this spot.
Orlando has been a problem for the Celtics, as the Magic have won the last pair of series meetings, and are a solid 5-5 straight up the last 10 meetings between the teams. The problem is, most of the damage has been done at home, and Orlando is on the road for this baby.
The host in the series is a lucrative 21-9 against the spread the last 30 meetings, and with this line being so low, all we pretty much need to do is win the game, and the cover almost has to come with the win.
I like the "fatigued" Celtics to come out strong in this spot.
Lay the small home wood.
1500♦ - Boston Celtics
On the diamond, I am not seeing very many runs on the Safeco Field scoreboard this Monday night.
Kevin Millwood, and Felix Hernandez are right up there for the early season ERA lead in the junior circut.
Millwood comes in at 2-2 with a 2.13 ERA, while Hernandez is 4-0 with a 2.38 season ERA.
Both pitchers sport poor numbers against the other's team, but I expect that to change tonight, as these 2 hurlers hunker down, and give us a pitcher's duel on a Monday night in King County.
The fans will be eating their garlic fries, and looking up at goose eggs on the scoreboard for the better part of these 9 innings.
Take the UNDER.
500♦ - Texas-Seattle UNDER the total (Millwood vs. Hernandez)
♦♦Note: Both listed pitchers must start, or no action on the play!♦♦
BOUGHT,PAID AND CONFIRMED BY BIG ed83 AND MYSELF---------------------GL GUYS
1500* - Boston Celtics, 500* - Texas-Seattle UNDER (Millwood vs. Hernandez) A case can be made for the Celts having their guard down a little after their grueling 7-game set against the Bulls, but Boston also knows they let the home court slip away in Game 1 in the last series, and they saw just how hard it was to put Chicago away after losing that contest, so I doubt the C's will suffer a letdown in this spot.
Orlando has been a problem for the Celtics, as the Magic have won the last pair of series meetings, and are a solid 5-5 straight up the last 10 meetings between the teams. The problem is, most of the damage has been done at home, and Orlando is on the road for this baby.
The host in the series is a lucrative 21-9 against the spread the last 30 meetings, and with this line being so low, all we pretty much need to do is win the game, and the cover almost has to come with the win.
I like the "fatigued" Celtics to come out strong in this spot.
Lay the small home wood.
1500♦ - Boston Celtics
On the diamond, I am not seeing very many runs on the Safeco Field scoreboard this Monday night.
Kevin Millwood, and Felix Hernandez are right up there for the early season ERA lead in the junior circut.
Millwood comes in at 2-2 with a 2.13 ERA, while Hernandez is 4-0 with a 2.38 season ERA.
Both pitchers sport poor numbers against the other's team, but I expect that to change tonight, as these 2 hurlers hunker down, and give us a pitcher's duel on a Monday night in King County.
The fans will be eating their garlic fries, and looking up at goose eggs on the scoreboard for the better part of these 9 innings.
Take the UNDER.
500♦ - Texas-Seattle UNDER the total (Millwood vs. Hernandez)
♦♦Note: Both listed pitchers must start, or no action on the play!♦♦
BOUGHT,PAID AND CONFIRMED BY BIG ed83 AND MYSELF---------------------GL GUYS
Craig Davis
Monday's Lineup
50 Dime ---- CELTICS
20 Dime ---- CUBS -1 1/2 RUN LINE (List Sanchez and Dempster or this play is void)
BOSTON CELTICS --- Raise your hand if you've heard one of the following sentences in the last 24 hours: "The Celtics are going to be physically and emotionally exhausted" OR "Boston has no chance to get past the second round without Garnett" OR "Dwight Howard is itching to get back on the floor after his one-game suspension" OR "Boston doesn't have the beef inside to match up with Howard." My guess is that you've heard at least one of those comments in the last day, if not all of them. To be honest, I don't believe a single one of those comments, and today I'm going to dispel those thoughts in order to prove my case that the Celtics will win tonight's game by close to double digits.
"The Celtics are going to be physically and emotionally exhausted" --- Please!! These guys are finely tuned athletes who went through a grueling 7-game series with the Hawks in last year's first round, but if memory serves me correctly, they did just fine in the second round. Yes, I know they had Garnett last year, but to think that this team is going to be exhausted to play basketball... a game they are paid millions to play... is ridiculous and a slap in their face, not to mention enough motivation to come out and dominate tonight.
"Boston has no chance to get past the second round without Garnett" --- I can see where these comments are coming from because Garnett IS THAT GOOD, but to say they have no chance is only more motivation for the "other role players" to step up their game. Though the Celtics didn't win the only game vs. Orlando that Garnett missed, the game was closer than many thought and if Glen "Big Baby" Davis hadn't gotten into early foul trouble, the outcome could have been completely different.
"Dwight Howard is itching to get back on the floor after his one-game suspension" --- Are you kidding me? If anything, it's going to make him play softer... at least in Game 1. This guy knows that the officials are going to be watching him like a hawk, so he's going to be extra cautious tonight, hoping to take the attention away from him. Orlando HC Stan Van Gundy said it best when he told the media "We can survive one game without Howard, but we can't survive a series without him." I'm not saying Howard won't be a factor tonight, but he's not going to be his dominating self in this game... mark my words.
"Boston doesn't have the beef inside to match up with Howard." --- Okay, I admit the loss of Leon Powe hurts, but let's not discount what Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins are capable of... not to mention the recent emergence of Mikki Moore. No, Moore is not a scorer, but his 7-foot presence on the floor alone will cause Howard to alter some of his shots, not to mention the fact he's good for six hard fouls. Moore did a nice job on Brad Miller and Joakim Noah in Game 7 of the Bulls/Celtics series, which leads me to believe he's gaining more confidence the longer Boston sticks around.
Guys, the Celtics have lost just seven times at home ALL SEASON, and that's why the regular season was so important. When you play in a series like this, home court can really come into play and the Celtics clearly play better at home than they do on the road. The home team is 21-9 ATS in the last 30 H2H meetings while the Magic have suffered recently vs. teams from the Atlantic division, failing to cover the number in 10 of their last 12. Without Jameer Nelson running the show at point guard, Orlando must get significant production from Rafer Alston, and I'm just not sure he's ready for this type of atmosphere vs. the defending champs. Orlando comes in with "awe" over the fact they made the second round of the playoffs while Boston knows exactly what to expect. All we're asking the Celtics to do tonight is win the game by a bucket or more... something they should easily be able to do. Take the Celtics minus the small number as your top play of the day.
CUBS -1 1/2 RUN LINE --- Though the early numbers might not back me up, I still think the Cubs are going to win the NL Central and be one of the teams to contend for the NL pennant. And a big reason they're going to get there is their pitching staff.
Ryan Dempster takes the hill tonight for the Cubbies, sporting a very high 5.40 ERA in five starts, but amazingly his W/L record is just 1-1. Why? Well, partially because his team scores an average of 4 runs per game in his starts, including a 7-run showing the last time he pitched at home. Dempster has just one home start in five games this year, and that game resulted in a 7-5 Cubs win over a much better team than he'll face tonight.
The Giants are a dismal 2-7 on the road to start the season, and they aren't a team that's known for finishing strong. They win games by getting the early lead (usually at home) and then using solid bullpen performances to keep it. So far, the Cubs bats are better at home than on the road and I see Chicago jumping out to an early lead, forcing the Giants into early panic mode.
Jonathan Sanchez has been very good so far the Giants, but I need to see more. He's started three times this year and made one relief appearance, and if you've been with me for an extended period of time, you know how much I hate to see pitchers go back and forth from starter to middle reliever. Part of the reason, in my opinion, his ERA is so low is the fact he has just one start on the road... and it was awful. Since then he's made two masterful starts at pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. His first start of the season, in San Diego, was one to forget, as he allowed 4 hits (two of those HRs) and five earned runs in just over four innings of work, suffering a 6-3 loss to the Padres.
Control is also another issue for Sanchez, walking 12 batters in just three starts. I can promise you that if he begins to struggle with his control tonight, the Cubs will tatoo him all over the field and make him pay for those mistakes. Dating back to last season, the Giants are just 3-12 in Sanchez's last 15 starts and just 2-9 in his starts as an underdog. Chicago, meanwhile, is 18-5 in Dempster's last 23 home starts and 16-5 in his last 21 home starts as the favorite.
Bottom line: the Cubs are just a better baseball team and will prove it tonight in Game 1 of this series. It's all Cubbies tonight boys.
BOUGHT,PAID AND CONFIRMED BY IRONHORSE AND MYSELF-------------------------GL GUYS
Monday's Lineup
50 Dime ---- CELTICS
20 Dime ---- CUBS -1 1/2 RUN LINE (List Sanchez and Dempster or this play is void)
BOSTON CELTICS --- Raise your hand if you've heard one of the following sentences in the last 24 hours: "The Celtics are going to be physically and emotionally exhausted" OR "Boston has no chance to get past the second round without Garnett" OR "Dwight Howard is itching to get back on the floor after his one-game suspension" OR "Boston doesn't have the beef inside to match up with Howard." My guess is that you've heard at least one of those comments in the last day, if not all of them. To be honest, I don't believe a single one of those comments, and today I'm going to dispel those thoughts in order to prove my case that the Celtics will win tonight's game by close to double digits.
"The Celtics are going to be physically and emotionally exhausted" --- Please!! These guys are finely tuned athletes who went through a grueling 7-game series with the Hawks in last year's first round, but if memory serves me correctly, they did just fine in the second round. Yes, I know they had Garnett last year, but to think that this team is going to be exhausted to play basketball... a game they are paid millions to play... is ridiculous and a slap in their face, not to mention enough motivation to come out and dominate tonight.
"Boston has no chance to get past the second round without Garnett" --- I can see where these comments are coming from because Garnett IS THAT GOOD, but to say they have no chance is only more motivation for the "other role players" to step up their game. Though the Celtics didn't win the only game vs. Orlando that Garnett missed, the game was closer than many thought and if Glen "Big Baby" Davis hadn't gotten into early foul trouble, the outcome could have been completely different.
"Dwight Howard is itching to get back on the floor after his one-game suspension" --- Are you kidding me? If anything, it's going to make him play softer... at least in Game 1. This guy knows that the officials are going to be watching him like a hawk, so he's going to be extra cautious tonight, hoping to take the attention away from him. Orlando HC Stan Van Gundy said it best when he told the media "We can survive one game without Howard, but we can't survive a series without him." I'm not saying Howard won't be a factor tonight, but he's not going to be his dominating self in this game... mark my words.
"Boston doesn't have the beef inside to match up with Howard." --- Okay, I admit the loss of Leon Powe hurts, but let's not discount what Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins are capable of... not to mention the recent emergence of Mikki Moore. No, Moore is not a scorer, but his 7-foot presence on the floor alone will cause Howard to alter some of his shots, not to mention the fact he's good for six hard fouls. Moore did a nice job on Brad Miller and Joakim Noah in Game 7 of the Bulls/Celtics series, which leads me to believe he's gaining more confidence the longer Boston sticks around.
Guys, the Celtics have lost just seven times at home ALL SEASON, and that's why the regular season was so important. When you play in a series like this, home court can really come into play and the Celtics clearly play better at home than they do on the road. The home team is 21-9 ATS in the last 30 H2H meetings while the Magic have suffered recently vs. teams from the Atlantic division, failing to cover the number in 10 of their last 12. Without Jameer Nelson running the show at point guard, Orlando must get significant production from Rafer Alston, and I'm just not sure he's ready for this type of atmosphere vs. the defending champs. Orlando comes in with "awe" over the fact they made the second round of the playoffs while Boston knows exactly what to expect. All we're asking the Celtics to do tonight is win the game by a bucket or more... something they should easily be able to do. Take the Celtics minus the small number as your top play of the day.
CUBS -1 1/2 RUN LINE --- Though the early numbers might not back me up, I still think the Cubs are going to win the NL Central and be one of the teams to contend for the NL pennant. And a big reason they're going to get there is their pitching staff.
Ryan Dempster takes the hill tonight for the Cubbies, sporting a very high 5.40 ERA in five starts, but amazingly his W/L record is just 1-1. Why? Well, partially because his team scores an average of 4 runs per game in his starts, including a 7-run showing the last time he pitched at home. Dempster has just one home start in five games this year, and that game resulted in a 7-5 Cubs win over a much better team than he'll face tonight.
The Giants are a dismal 2-7 on the road to start the season, and they aren't a team that's known for finishing strong. They win games by getting the early lead (usually at home) and then using solid bullpen performances to keep it. So far, the Cubs bats are better at home than on the road and I see Chicago jumping out to an early lead, forcing the Giants into early panic mode.
Jonathan Sanchez has been very good so far the Giants, but I need to see more. He's started three times this year and made one relief appearance, and if you've been with me for an extended period of time, you know how much I hate to see pitchers go back and forth from starter to middle reliever. Part of the reason, in my opinion, his ERA is so low is the fact he has just one start on the road... and it was awful. Since then he's made two masterful starts at pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. His first start of the season, in San Diego, was one to forget, as he allowed 4 hits (two of those HRs) and five earned runs in just over four innings of work, suffering a 6-3 loss to the Padres.
Control is also another issue for Sanchez, walking 12 batters in just three starts. I can promise you that if he begins to struggle with his control tonight, the Cubs will tatoo him all over the field and make him pay for those mistakes. Dating back to last season, the Giants are just 3-12 in Sanchez's last 15 starts and just 2-9 in his starts as an underdog. Chicago, meanwhile, is 18-5 in Dempster's last 23 home starts and 16-5 in his last 21 home starts as the favorite.
Bottom line: the Cubs are just a better baseball team and will prove it tonight in Game 1 of this series. It's all Cubbies tonight boys.
BOUGHT,PAID AND CONFIRMED BY IRONHORSE AND MYSELF-------------------------GL GUYS
Scott Delaney
Monday winners: 15 DIME OVER Magic/Celtics - One goal for Orlando in what could be the most crucial game of this series: run Boston out of its own building. And while the Magic will be pressing the offenisve buttons and pushing the up-tempo, the Celtics will be 100 percent ready to respond after having to do so against the Bulls.
The Magic will be looking to take advantage with the high-percentage shots in the paint with a dominating frontline that easily will best Boston's. For the Celtics, it will be the quick lineup and perimeter shooting of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to keep the points tallying up.
I know there are a plethora of under trends, particularly regarding the Magic, but the smart thing for them is, as mentioned, run the Celtics ragged. Orlando will be in a mindset it can overwhelm the C's after that treacherous series with the Bulls. But Boston won't mind a high-scoring game one bit.
The high number is on a 7-3 run the last 10 times these two have met in Boston, while the over with Boston is on runs of 5-0 versus the Southeast, 5-0 when it plays on one day's rest, 17-4 when it's installed as the favorite and 21-8 in its last 29 overall.
This first game will be a high one, so play it over.
5 DIME ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (WITH Lohse and Blanton) - I was taking the Cardinals when Adam Wainwright was tabbed as the starter. I love our chances even more with Kyle Lohse toeing the slab, especially against Philly right-hander Joe Blanton, who has started four games and is still looking for his first victory of the season.
Blanton was ineffective in his last start, against the Nationals, giving up eight hits and six earned runs over 4-1/3 innings. The misfiring northpaw fired 90 pitches and while 51 for strikes, he gave up three home runs. His ERA jumped from 7.31 to 8.41, and the fact is his command hasn't been consistent as evidenced by the pitches he is leaving up in the zone.
As for Lohse, he was scratched from his scheduled start yesterday, even before the game was canceled due to rain. Tonight he comes in off six brilliant, shutout innings against Atlanta last Tuesday. I am banking the right-hander to pitch much better this time around, since the Braves were stifled while he was nursing a sore knee and a stomach bug. He was rock solid early in 2009, and now he faces a team he pitched very well against last season, winning both his starts and giving up just one run over 12 frames. Play the Redbirds tonight, as we roll with a pitching mismatch and a red-hot team that has won three of four and seven of 10.
BOUGHT,PAID AND CONFIRMED-----------GL GUYS
Monday winners: 15 DIME OVER Magic/Celtics - One goal for Orlando in what could be the most crucial game of this series: run Boston out of its own building. And while the Magic will be pressing the offenisve buttons and pushing the up-tempo, the Celtics will be 100 percent ready to respond after having to do so against the Bulls.
The Magic will be looking to take advantage with the high-percentage shots in the paint with a dominating frontline that easily will best Boston's. For the Celtics, it will be the quick lineup and perimeter shooting of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to keep the points tallying up.
I know there are a plethora of under trends, particularly regarding the Magic, but the smart thing for them is, as mentioned, run the Celtics ragged. Orlando will be in a mindset it can overwhelm the C's after that treacherous series with the Bulls. But Boston won't mind a high-scoring game one bit.
The high number is on a 7-3 run the last 10 times these two have met in Boston, while the over with Boston is on runs of 5-0 versus the Southeast, 5-0 when it plays on one day's rest, 17-4 when it's installed as the favorite and 21-8 in its last 29 overall.
This first game will be a high one, so play it over.
5 DIME ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (WITH Lohse and Blanton) - I was taking the Cardinals when Adam Wainwright was tabbed as the starter. I love our chances even more with Kyle Lohse toeing the slab, especially against Philly right-hander Joe Blanton, who has started four games and is still looking for his first victory of the season.
Blanton was ineffective in his last start, against the Nationals, giving up eight hits and six earned runs over 4-1/3 innings. The misfiring northpaw fired 90 pitches and while 51 for strikes, he gave up three home runs. His ERA jumped from 7.31 to 8.41, and the fact is his command hasn't been consistent as evidenced by the pitches he is leaving up in the zone.
As for Lohse, he was scratched from his scheduled start yesterday, even before the game was canceled due to rain. Tonight he comes in off six brilliant, shutout innings against Atlanta last Tuesday. I am banking the right-hander to pitch much better this time around, since the Braves were stifled while he was nursing a sore knee and a stomach bug. He was rock solid early in 2009, and now he faces a team he pitched very well against last season, winning both his starts and giving up just one run over 12 frames. Play the Redbirds tonight, as we roll with a pitching mismatch and a red-hot team that has won three of four and seven of 10.
BOUGHT,PAID AND CONFIRMED-----------GL GUYS
Stu's 2500 Dime NBA Playoff High Roller
Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics 8:05 PM ET
Play On: Orlando +2
The Celtics are a tired team that expended a lot of energy in disposing of the Chicago Bulls. It was amazing to watch Boston rally with the support of bench players to fend off a determined, yet young Bulls team that I am sure we will be hearing more from in the future. In the meantime though the focus is on Boston and an Orlando team that many thought would not escape the first round. With that monkey off their back Orlando is a team that is rejuvenated and confident, and frankly Boston better look out. Doc Rivers will have a plan to stop Howard but without Garnett patrolling the paint they stand little chance. Even with Garnett in the lineup the Celtics had trouble with the Magic int he regular season. Now without the showstopper Garnett patroilling the middle they seemed to be doomed to suffer versus the rested and healthy Magic. We're seeing public money coming in on Boston while the smart money is with the Magic to steal one in Boston tonight. Orlando put up strong numbers ATS and will cover this game 1 as the team favored to take the series despite surrendering home court advantage.
Play on the Orlando Magic plus the points as a 2500 Dime selection.
Paid & confirmed. GL
Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics 8:05 PM ET
Play On: Orlando +2
The Celtics are a tired team that expended a lot of energy in disposing of the Chicago Bulls. It was amazing to watch Boston rally with the support of bench players to fend off a determined, yet young Bulls team that I am sure we will be hearing more from in the future. In the meantime though the focus is on Boston and an Orlando team that many thought would not escape the first round. With that monkey off their back Orlando is a team that is rejuvenated and confident, and frankly Boston better look out. Doc Rivers will have a plan to stop Howard but without Garnett patrolling the paint they stand little chance. Even with Garnett in the lineup the Celtics had trouble with the Magic int he regular season. Now without the showstopper Garnett patroilling the middle they seemed to be doomed to suffer versus the rested and healthy Magic. We're seeing public money coming in on Boston while the smart money is with the Magic to steal one in Boston tonight. Orlando put up strong numbers ATS and will cover this game 1 as the team favored to take the series despite surrendering home court advantage.
Play on the Orlando Magic plus the points as a 2500 Dime selection.
Paid & confirmed. GL
tonyo sports
Event Date: 05/04/2009
Event Time: 10:30 PM EST
Play: LAKERS
Comments: The Los Angeles Lakers will look to continue their domination of the Houston Rockets when they meet up tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant could be in for a huge series against Houston, as he averaged 28.3 points per game in 4 regular-season contests while shooting 53 percent from the field and 53 percent from three-point range. Rockets' forward Ron Artest will have to improve if his team plans on advancing to the next round, as Artest averaged just 13 points per game vs. the Lakers on 33 percent shooting. Look for Bryant to shake off his sore throat & make the Rockets sick after a strong Game 1 performance to lift Los Angeles to victory tonight. All Lakers!
Event Date: 05/04/2009
Event Time: 07:05 PM EST
Play: YANKEES
Comments: The New York Yankees will play the Boston Red Sox tonight in the 1st game of their long-time rivalry at the brand new Yankee Stadium. Both teams start play on Monday just 1.5 games apart from eachother, which are good for 2nd & 3rd place in the AL East. Red Sox southpaw Jon Lester (1-2, 5.40 ERA) will go up against Yankees righthander Phil Hughes (1-0, 0.00 ERA) in the opener. Lester has only pitched into the 7th inning once all season & went 2-0 against New York in 2008 in 3 starts with a 1.19 ERA & struck out 24 batters. (Highest total among opposing teams) Hughes won his regular-season debut on April 28th vs. Detroit after pitching 6 shutout innings & allowed just 2 hits while striking out six during the Yankees' 11-0 win. Hughes lost his last start against Boston on April 13th, 2008 after allowing 7 runs (6 earned) on 6 hits in just 2 innings of work during the Yankees' 8-5 loss. I look for the Yankees to win a low-scoring affair tonight & record their 1st win of the season against the Red Sox. All Yankees!
Event Date: 05/04/2009
Event Time: 10:30 PM EST
Play: LAKERS
Comments: The Los Angeles Lakers will look to continue their domination of the Houston Rockets when they meet up tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant could be in for a huge series against Houston, as he averaged 28.3 points per game in 4 regular-season contests while shooting 53 percent from the field and 53 percent from three-point range. Rockets' forward Ron Artest will have to improve if his team plans on advancing to the next round, as Artest averaged just 13 points per game vs. the Lakers on 33 percent shooting. Look for Bryant to shake off his sore throat & make the Rockets sick after a strong Game 1 performance to lift Los Angeles to victory tonight. All Lakers!
Event Date: 05/04/2009
Event Time: 07:05 PM EST
Play: YANKEES
Comments: The New York Yankees will play the Boston Red Sox tonight in the 1st game of their long-time rivalry at the brand new Yankee Stadium. Both teams start play on Monday just 1.5 games apart from eachother, which are good for 2nd & 3rd place in the AL East. Red Sox southpaw Jon Lester (1-2, 5.40 ERA) will go up against Yankees righthander Phil Hughes (1-0, 0.00 ERA) in the opener. Lester has only pitched into the 7th inning once all season & went 2-0 against New York in 2008 in 3 starts with a 1.19 ERA & struck out 24 batters. (Highest total among opposing teams) Hughes won his regular-season debut on April 28th vs. Detroit after pitching 6 shutout innings & allowed just 2 hits while striking out six during the Yankees' 11-0 win. Hughes lost his last start against Boston on April 13th, 2008 after allowing 7 runs (6 earned) on 6 hits in just 2 innings of work during the Yankees' 8-5 loss. I look for the Yankees to win a low-scoring affair tonight & record their 1st win of the season against the Red Sox. All Yankees!
Lee Kostroski
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals have only lost consecutive games once this season and at 17-8 St. Louis has the second best record in the NL. The Cardinals are 10-3 at home this season and 11-5 against right-handed starters. In home games this season the Cardinals own a .349 team average against right-handed pitching and through 25 games St. Louis has out-scored opponents by 36 runs. St. Louis has also received drastically superior pitching to the Phillies and the strong road record for Philadelphia is a bit misleading given the schedule at this point in the year.
Not so long ago Kyle Lohse had trouble finding a team to sign him but he has been one of the top pitchers in the National League so far this season, coming off a great year with St. Louis last year. Lohse briefly pitched for the Phillies in 2007 and he beat his former team both times he faced them last season. Lohse has allowed just seven earned runs through five starts this season and at home he is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three starts. The St. Louis bullpen has taken a bit of time to sort out but is getting good results right now as opponents are hitting just .230 against Cardinal relievers.
Joe Blanton has not exactly delivered great results since coming over from Philadelphia. His 4-0 record with the Phillies last season was very misleading as he had very mediocre numbers. Blanton can eat up innings but he has been very hittable, a dangerous situation against one of the top hitting teams in baseball. Opposing hitters are hitting .351 against Blanton this season which has led to his 8.41 ERA and he has allowed six home runs in just 20 innings. The Philadelphia bullpen has not been as effective as it was in last year’s championship run and this is a favorable situation for the Cardinals, coming at a very reasonable price given how tough this stadium has been on opposing teams.
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St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals have only lost consecutive games once this season and at 17-8 St. Louis has the second best record in the NL. The Cardinals are 10-3 at home this season and 11-5 against right-handed starters. In home games this season the Cardinals own a .349 team average against right-handed pitching and through 25 games St. Louis has out-scored opponents by 36 runs. St. Louis has also received drastically superior pitching to the Phillies and the strong road record for Philadelphia is a bit misleading given the schedule at this point in the year.
Not so long ago Kyle Lohse had trouble finding a team to sign him but he has been one of the top pitchers in the National League so far this season, coming off a great year with St. Louis last year. Lohse briefly pitched for the Phillies in 2007 and he beat his former team both times he faced them last season. Lohse has allowed just seven earned runs through five starts this season and at home he is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three starts. The St. Louis bullpen has taken a bit of time to sort out but is getting good results right now as opponents are hitting just .230 against Cardinal relievers.
Joe Blanton has not exactly delivered great results since coming over from Philadelphia. His 4-0 record with the Phillies last season was very misleading as he had very mediocre numbers. Blanton can eat up innings but he has been very hittable, a dangerous situation against one of the top hitting teams in baseball. Opposing hitters are hitting .351 against Blanton this season which has led to his 8.41 ERA and he has allowed six home runs in just 20 innings. The Philadelphia bullpen has not been as effective as it was in last year’s championship run and this is a favorable situation for the Cardinals, coming at a very reasonable price given how tough this stadium has been on opposing teams.
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Jimmy Boyd
Rockets at Lakers
Pick: Lakers -8
Analysis: Expect the Lakers to send a message to Houston in Game 1. LA is 4-0 against Houston this season, winning in its 2 home games by 29 and 12 points respectively. The Lakers beat the Jazz by double digits in 4 of the five games in their first round series, including all 3 games at home, and the Jazz is a team which posed more problems for LA because of its athleticism. The Blazers had no answer for Yao Ming in round one, but the Lakers have two mobile scoring threats on the block in Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol that will give the big man trouble on both ends of the floor. The Rockets are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 meetings. The Lakers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5. Here's the clincher: plays against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points revenging a loss vs. an opponent of 10 points or more, playing with 3 or more days rest, are 73-36 ATS since 1996. Pound the Lakers.
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Rockets at Lakers
Pick: Lakers -8
Analysis: Expect the Lakers to send a message to Houston in Game 1. LA is 4-0 against Houston this season, winning in its 2 home games by 29 and 12 points respectively. The Lakers beat the Jazz by double digits in 4 of the five games in their first round series, including all 3 games at home, and the Jazz is a team which posed more problems for LA because of its athleticism. The Blazers had no answer for Yao Ming in round one, but the Lakers have two mobile scoring threats on the block in Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol that will give the big man trouble on both ends of the floor. The Rockets are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 meetings. The Lakers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5. Here's the clincher: plays against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points revenging a loss vs. an opponent of 10 points or more, playing with 3 or more days rest, are 73-36 ATS since 1996. Pound the Lakers.
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Stephen Nover
Orlando at Boston
Play: Under 188.5
Orlando came into the playoffs averaging 88.2 points in its last seven regular-season games.If you discount the Magic's last game, they averaged 92.6 points in their series against the 76ers. That's against a weak perimeter defense. Even without Kevin Garnett, Boston has a much stronger defense than Philadelphia.The Magic will be relying on several reserves, who I do not have a high opinion on. They need Dwight Howard to have a monster scoring game, but he's a terrible free throw shooter and will be guarded by Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis.The Celtics held Orlando to an average of 84.5 points in their four regular-season meetings. Hedo Turkoglu shot 35 percent from the floor and point guard Rafer Alston was even worse, shooting 33 percent.The Magic should have their legs, having last played on Thursday. But their shooting touch will be rusty.This is a statement game and both teams will turn up the defensive intensity.
MLB
Milwaukee Brewers
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Orlando at Boston
Play: Under 188.5
Orlando came into the playoffs averaging 88.2 points in its last seven regular-season games.If you discount the Magic's last game, they averaged 92.6 points in their series against the 76ers. That's against a weak perimeter defense. Even without Kevin Garnett, Boston has a much stronger defense than Philadelphia.The Magic will be relying on several reserves, who I do not have a high opinion on. They need Dwight Howard to have a monster scoring game, but he's a terrible free throw shooter and will be guarded by Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis.The Celtics held Orlando to an average of 84.5 points in their four regular-season meetings. Hedo Turkoglu shot 35 percent from the floor and point guard Rafer Alston was even worse, shooting 33 percent.The Magic should have their legs, having last played on Thursday. But their shooting touch will be rusty.This is a statement game and both teams will turn up the defensive intensity.
MLB
Milwaukee Brewers
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