SPORTS WAGERS
Los Angeles -½ +112 over PITTSBURGH (5 innings)
The Pirates are hardly an offensive juggernaut, and that fact is even more pronounced at home, where they are dead last in the NL in BA, OBA and SLG (.204/.281/.285). This bodes well for the Dodgers, whose offense is quite formidable away from Chavez Ravine. L.A. is third in the NL in road OPS with a .740 mark. Then we have the outstanding arm of Chad Billingsley facing a Pirates club that has struck out a league leading 276 times. That also bodes well here, as Billingsley has whiffed 38 batters in 41 frames. Billingsley has always shredded RHers, he’s still improving v. lefties and he should have his way with the Pirates. Jeff Karstens went 3-10 with a 4.92 for the Dodgers a year ago. He’s had one good start this year and three decent relief appearances in seven total games he’s pitched in. When he started against San Fran and Cinci he was ripped apart to the tune of 15 hits and 10 runs in 11 innings. Believe nothing about his surface stats (2-1, 4.05 ERA). Karstens is a career stiff and nothing in his skill set this year suggests a turnaround. Play: Los Angeles in the first five innings -½ +112 (Risking 2 units).
SPORTS WAGERS
Miami –1 over BOSTON
How does a team with an “us against the world” attitude come out in game three and play like that? The Heat played with no purpose and it seemed like they didn’t even want to be there. Boston came out with tremendous energy and intensity and put this Heat team away and now the Celtics are right back in the series. What’s so interesting about this game is the updated series price. The books have Miami as a -625 favorite to win the series with a +516 take-back on the Celtics. They are begging for Boston money and they’ll get lots of it at better than 5-1. Should the C’s win tonight in basically a pick’em game, that line will drop significantly and create a big “middle” opportunity for the bettors and that’s something the books always try to avoid. Tonight they’re not. They’re taking a big position in tonight’s game on Miami and that’s all the info we need to wager confidently on the Heat. Play: Miami –1 (Risking 3.18 units to win 3).