SPORTS WAGERS
Orlando +7½ over BOSTON
What we have here is an inflated line due to the Celtics complete dominance in this series. Remember, the Magic were a 6½-point choice in game one, a 7-point favorite in game 2 and now there’s a 14-14½ swing in the point spread in game four? Wow. The Magic may bet blown away again but if they have any pride whatsoever, they’ll come out and play their hearts out from start to finish. Team’s with a 3-0 lead have a tendency to get a little complacent figuring that the series is over and while they’re probably right this is a lot of points to be spotting a team that figures to go down fighting hard. The C’s have come in with a near flawless game plan and they’ve executed it to near perfection but again, a little Celtic letdown and a few early three’s by Orlando and the Magic could absolutely keep this one well within this range and possibly even win. They could go home completely embarrassed but to avoid that all they need to do is play hard for 48 minutes and put forth a strong showing regardless of whether they win or lose. One thing is for certain; this line is inflated and that’s always the best time to step in. Play: Orlando +7½ (Risking 2.14 units to win 2).
Pittsburgh +1.64 over CINCINNATI
Aaron Harang should not be this big a price over anyone and that’s all there is to it. To begin with, the Reds are 2-7 when Harang starts and that alone makes him a huge risk. He comes in with a well-deserved 6.02 ERA and .316 BAA after allowing 67 hits in 52 innings. Harang has allowed 10 bombs already this year and while the Pirates could make him or anyone else look good, Harang is still too much of a big risk to warrant laying –1.75 on. The Pirates have won its last two games in which Brian Burres started. He’s not going to dazzle anyone but he’s getting good run support and he’s giving the Pirates a chance to win. If you throw out a recent start he had at Wrigley with the wind blowing out (the total in that game was 10½), Burres has only allowed three earned runs over his last 19.1 innings and that includes shutting out the Dodgers in 5.1 frames. The fact that Harang has been so frequently knocked around gives the Pirates a great chance to win here and at this price they’re certainly worth a look. Play: Pittsburgh +1.64 (Risking 2 units).
Toronto +1.17 over L.A. ANGELS
Brett Cecil remains one of the most undervalued pitchers in the game and the fact that the Angels have never seen him makes him even more appealing here. Cecil throws strikes and he’s very capable of striking out guys, as his 30 K’s in 34 innings will attest to. His only rough outing of the year came in Arlington and if you take away that start he would have dazzling numbers. Joe Saunders has walked 23 and struck out 25. His last three games have come against Seattle, Oakland and the White Sox and that would explain his 0.81 ERA over his last three starts. Prior to those last three games, Saunders was 1-5 with an ERA of 7.04 and the fact of the matter is he’s just an average pitcher. One also must consider the current state of the Angels bullpen. They were absolutely crushed over the weekend in St. Louis and if you can’t get guys out in that park against that team, it says a lot. The Angels pen is dead last in the AL with a 5.33 ERA. They’re also averaging seven walks every nine innings and they’re dead last in the AL with 89 walks issued. In fact, they’re just about dead last in every key category and unless Saunders can go seven or more, the Angels are extremely vulnerable. So, we get the better offense, the better defense, the better starter, the better bullpen and a tag to boot. Play: Toronto +1.17 (Risking 2 units).