Sunday 6/14/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Twins OF Hunter drops appeal
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter dropped the appeal of his two-game suspension on Saturday.

Hunter was in the original lineup for Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers, but his decision was announced by the Twins about an hour before the game.

Hunter will be eligible to play in Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals after he sits out consecutive day games Saturday and Sunday.

Major League Baseball suspended Hunter for two games and fined him an undisclosed amount on Friday for his actions during a game against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

In the eighth inning, Hunter had to be restrained after being called out on strikes by home plate umpire Mark Ripperger in the Twins' 7-2 loss. While Hunter argued, he had to be restrained by crew chief Brian O'Nora and Twins manager Paul Molitor.

Hunter ripped off his elbow pad, shin guard, batting gloves and jersey, and threw them toward the batter's box before exiting.

Hunter appealed the suspension and played in Friday's game in Texas, going 1-for-4 with a strikeout.

The 39-year-old Hunter is batting .268 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB notebook: Twins' Hunter drops appeal
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter dropped the appeal of his two-game suspension on Saturday.

Hunter was in the original lineup for Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers, but his decision was announced by the Twins about an hour before the game.

Hunter will be eligible to play in Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals after he sits out consecutive day games Saturday and Sunday.

Major League Baseball suspended Hunter for two games and fined him an undisclosed amount on Friday for his actions during a game against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

In the eighth inning, Hunter had to be restrained after being called out on strikes by home plate umpire Mark Ripperger in the Twins' 7-2 loss. While Hunter argued, he had to be restrained by crew chief Brian O'Nora and Twins manager Paul Molitor. Hunter ripped off his elbow pad, shin guard, batting gloves and jersey, and threw them toward the batter's box before exiting.

Hunter appealed the suspension and played in Friday's game in Texas, going 1-for-4 with a strikeout. The 39-year-old Hunter is batting .268 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs this season.

---Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval left Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays after six innings because of right quad tightness.

Sandoval, who hit a two-run home run on Friday night, singled home two runs in a three-run fourth inning that brought Boston back to within 4-3 on Saturday.

It wasn't clear when the problem arose, but Jeff Bianchi took Sandoval's spot at third base at the start of the seventh inning.

---Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts, who sustained a sprained lower back and facial cuts crashing into a fence Friday night, was out of the Boston lineup. Manager John Farrell called him day-to-day.

---Left-hander Jason Vargas of the Kansas City Royals was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left forearm, retroactive to June 9.

Vargas (5-2) could make only six pitches in as scheduled throwing session and who underwent an MRI exam on Friday that showed inflammation.

Right-hander Chris Young will move up a day in the Royals' rotation and start in Vargas' spot on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

---The Seattle Mariners recalled right-hander Danny Farquhar from Triple-A Tacoma to reinforce their strained bullpen.

To make room on the 25-man roster, outfielder Rickie Weeks was designated for assignment. The Mariners now have 10 days to trade, release or outright the contract of Weeks to the minor leagues.

---The New York Yankees signed right-handed relief pitcher Sergio Santos to a major league contract and selected him to the 25-man roster from Double-A Trenton.

Santos agreed to a minor league deal with the Yankees in early June after electing to become a free agent when the Los Angeles Dodgers designated him for assignment.

The Yankees also outrighted right-hander Esmil Rogers following Friday night's game. He was 1-1 with a 6.27 ERA in 33 innings.

In addition, the Yankees recalled right-hander Jose Ramirez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and optioned left-hander Jacob Lindgren to the same team.

---The Cleveland Indians activated right-hander Scott Atchison from the 15-day disabled list.

Atchison has been on the 15-day since May 28 with a sprained left ankle. He appeared in one rehab outing on Wednesday for Double-A Akron, throwing a scoreless inning with one hit and three strikeouts.

The club also optioned right-hander C.C. Lee to AAA Columbus.

---Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed starter Josh Collmenter is moving to the bullpen.

After Arizona's 1-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night, manager Chip Hale made the announcement.

The club called up right-hander Allen Webster from Triple-A Reno to pitch Saturday against the Giants. Collmenter originally was scheduled to start the game.

---The Baltimore Orioles released infielder Everth Cabrera after signing him as a free agent in the offseason, but he hit just .208 in 29 games filling in for injured infielders. The team designated him for assignment on June 5.

---The New York Mets claimed outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis on waivers from the Los Angeles Angels, only 17 days after the Angels acquired him from the Mets for cash considerations.

To make room for Nieuwenhuis on the 40-man roster, the Mets shifted left-hander Jerry Blevins to the 60-day disabled list.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Twins call up OF Buxton
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Byron Buxton, considered the top prospect in the Minnesota Twins' organization, will make his major league debut on Sunday against the Texas Rangers.

The outfielder, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft, was batting .283 with six home runs, 37 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 22 attempts in 59 games for Double-A Chattanooga this season. His 12 triples lead the Southern League

Buxton, who was hitting .370 in 46 at-bats this month at Chattanooga, said the call to the big leagues was out of the blue.

"I had none at all," Buxton said. "Definitely unexpected. Really caught me by surprise. I was shocked. When I heard my name, a lot of joy and happiness went through me. Just blessed and thankful that I got the opportunity to get called up to The Show."

The 21-year-old Buxton experienced an injury-filled 2014 season. In August, he suffered a concussion during a crash in the outfield playing in the minor leagues and then dislocated a finger while diving for a ball during the Arizona Fall League in October.

The Twins, currently in second place in the American League Central, will make a move before Sunday's game to clear roster space for Buxton.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Runs at a Premium'

Seattle Mariners' pitcher Roenis Elias has been an 'Under' gamblers dream. In nine starts this season the southpaw is 3-3 with an ERA of 2.79 and a WHIP of 1.24. The hurler's great form and Mariners scoring just 2.6 runs/game when he starts the 'Under' is a perfect 9-0 in his starts. Expect the Mariners to do what they typically do with Elias on the mound and that's play 'Under'. Additionally, Astros have played 'Under' in 18-of-24 home games facing a southpaw. Another positive for 'Under' gamblers has been the fact the Astros offense seems to have taken a back seat lately crossing just 2 or less runs in six of eight on the diamond posting 5 'Under', 3 'Over'. Finally, Astros have also shown a penchant for 'Under' when handing starting duties to Lance McCullers. In that case, the 'Under' has been the right decision in four of his five starts this year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five To Follow MLB Betting: Sunday, June 14, 2015 Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

White Sox ace Chris Sale was a bit inconsistent to start the season, and some wondered if perhaps it was because he was using his slider less -- presumably to relieve the strain on his valuable left arm. Well, worry no longer. Sale won a third straight start in dominant fashion on Monday vs. the Astros. Sale became the first pitcher in White Sox history to record at least 10 strikeouts in four straight starts, and he is the first pitcher in baseball's modern era (since 1900) to record at least 10 strikeouts in four straight starts and increase his strikeout total in each. He whiffed a season-high 14 against Houston. Sale looks to keep it going Sunday at the Rays.


White Sox at Rays (+130, 7)

Here's more on Sale (6-2, 3.04): He has joined Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, considered by many the greatest left-hander in baseball history (albeit in a career cut short), as the only pitchers in the modern era with three straight starts of 12 strikeouts and one run allowed or fewer. Koufax did it in 1965. Sale has 13 games of at least 10 strikeouts since the start of the past season. That is tied with the Tigers' David Price for second-most in the majors. Cleveland's Corey Kluber has the most (15). Sale hasn't faced Tampa this season. Evan Longoria is 1-for-8 with four strikeouts off him. Asbdurbal Cabrera is 8-for-32 with a homer and seven RBIs. Nate Karns (3-3, 3.86) starts for the Rays. His past two starts were against the Angels and he allowed four earned in each, not lasting six innings in either. Only a few White Sox have faced him. Jose Abreu is 0-for-3. Avisail Garcia is 2-for-3 with two solo homers.

Key trends: The Sox are 5-0 in Sale's past five on five days of rest. The Rays are 7-0 in their past seven against lefties. The "over/under" has gone over in six of Karns' past eight at home.

Early lean: White Sox and under.


Indians at Tigers (+112, 7.5)

Speaking of Kluber (3-7, 3.53), he gets the start in this series finale. He has lost two straight, to the Mariners and Royals, and struck out only 13 over 15 innings. He faced the Tigers in Cleveland on April 11 and got a no-decision, allowing two runs and seven hits over 6.1 innings, striking out 10. He has four double-digit strikeout games this season. Miguel Cabrera smashes Kluber, going 18-for-33 with four homers and nine RBIs. J.D. Martinez hits .417 with a homer off him. Detroit's Alfredo Simon (6-3, 2.76) is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts this season against the Tribe. Michael Brantley kills him, going 10-for-15 with four doubles and seven RBIs.

Key trends: The Indians are 0-7 in their Kluber's past seven against the AL Central. The Tigers are 4-1 in Simon's past five at home. The under is 14-3 in Kluber's past 17 on the road.

Early lean: Indians, under, Cabrera and Brantley hitting props.


Yankees at Orioles (-117, 8.5)

Baltimore has lost perhaps its best starting pitcher, Miguel Gonzalez, to the disabled list with a right groin strain. The injury occurred during Baltimore's game against Boston on Tuesday night. Gonzalez is 5-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 12 starts. To replace Gonzalez on the roster, the Orioles recalled right-hander Mike Wright from Triple-A Norfolk and he's set to start this one. He made four starts earlier this season and was 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA. Wright has never faced the Yankees. Might Alex Rodriguez become the third player in big-league history with 2,000 RBIs in this game? The Yankees' Adam Warren (4-4, 3.64) hasn't allowed more than two runs in his past four starts. He faced Baltimore on May 8 at Yankee Stadium and allowed two runs and seven hits over 5.2 innings. J.J. Hardy is 3-for-6 with three RBIs off him. Adam Jones 4-for-9 with a double.

Key trends: The Yanks are 4-1 in Warren's past five vs. the AL East. The under is 7-2 in Baltimore's past nine at home vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Orioles and over.


Blue Jays at Red Sox (-131, 9)

Boston's pitching staff has been a massive disappointment this season and everyone expects the Sox to make a deal. Maybe they don't need to if rookie Eduardo Rodriguez keeps this up. The lefty has allowed just eight hits and one run, striking out 21, over 20.2 innings in his first three big-league starts. The Orioles have to be kicking themselves right now for trading him last summer to the Sox. This will be his first look at Toronto, which has the best offense in baseball. The Jays' Marco Estrada (3-3, 3.78) has won back-to-back starts and solidified the back end of the rotation. He pitched three scoreless innings of relief against Boston in April and got the win. David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia are 1-for-5 each off him.

Key trends: Boston is 3-7 in its past 10 on a Sunday. The over is 5-2 in Toronto's past seven against a lefty.

Early lean: Jays and under.


Reds at Cubs (-172, TBA)

This is your Sunday night ESPN game and will have live betting at sportsbooks -- also final Sunday to parlay some baseball bet with an NBA game, sadly. The Cubs start who was supposed to be their ace in lefty Jon Lester (4-5, 4.25), but they have lost his past four. The first two of those Lester pitched well but over his past two he has allowed 11 runs and 18 hits over just 9.1 innings. He is 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts against the Reds. They are hitting .306 off him. Jay Bruce is 2-for-6 with a double and two RBIs off him. Joey Votto has a triple in six at-bats. Cincinnati's Anthony DeSclafani (5-4, 3.53) has won three straight starts. He loves facing the Cubs as he is 1-1 with a 0.75 ERA in two starts against them in 2015. Anthony Rizzo is 0-for-8 against him. Kris Bryant 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

Key trends: The Reds are 0-4 in their past four against a left-hander. The Cubs are 5-0 in Lester's past five against the NL Central. The under is 4-0-1 in Lester's past five at home.

Early lean: Cubs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's six-pack

ESPN's top six preseason college football teams.........

6) Baylor-- New QB, but whole offensive line is back.

5) USC-- Senior QB, seven starters back on defense.

4) Auburn-- How good a quarterback is Jeremy Johnson?

3) Oregon-- Transfer QB Vernon Adams plays his old team in the opener.

2) TCU-- Ten starters back on offense, all with chips on their shoulders.

1) Ohio State-- Their 3rd-string QB would start on most other teams.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Sunday

BLUE JAYS (Estrada) @ RED SOX (Rodriguez)

Take: BLUE JAYS +105

Three big league starts and three outstanding lines for Eduardo Rodriguez. The Red Sox rookie southpaw has been nothing short of sensational since getting brought up from Pawtucket. In what has been a thoroughly depressing Bosox season to date, there’s little question that ERod is the one beacon of hope for Boston faithful.

But Rodriguez draws by far his toughest assignment to date here as he has to face the scalding hot Blue Jays. Toronto is one a monster roll and they’ve been annihilating lefties all season. Rodriguez will have to be letter perfect to cool off this lineup.

Marco Estrada is pitching pretty good ball for the Jays. Estrada can be vulnerable to the long ball and Fenway can be a tough park to pitch in, but he’ll be facing a drastically underperforming Boston offense, so that should increase his chances of success today.

The team elements here are lopsided in favor of the Toronto side. They’re a team on an absolute rampage right now. The Red Sox are just the opposite. There was a brief window of optimism at the start of this week following the sweep of the Oakland A’s. That’s gone away in a hurry and one might actually make the case that all things considered, the Red Sox have played their worst baseball all season over the last few games. When they hit, they don’t pitch and vice versa, and the defense has been a constant ongoing issue.

Like everyone else, I really like what I’m seeing from Rodriguez. Yes, it’s his first time through the loop and the hitters don’t know him yet. But the kid has legit stuff and is already the best pitcher on this staff. If Rodriguez throws another gem today, this play probably goes down. But that won’t be easy against the surging visitors and there’s just nothing else about the Red Sox that looks good. I’ll have to grab any plus price here with the Blue Jays.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play Sun Texas w/ Martinez -120

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

James ready for whatever Cavs need

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - LeBron James casually swished a jumper from the corner, an otherwise ordinary shot with a higher degree of difficulty given the backpack hanging over his shoulders.

In the NBA Finals, James might have to carry something much heavier than a backpack.

He might have to put the Cleveland Cavaliers on his back.

''Well, I'm in a spot where I have to be very productive, and that's just the spot I've always been in,'' James said Saturday.

He's certainly been in this very spot in the finals, Game 5 of a tied series, the game that has historically foretold who would win the title. So it's all about the next game, with no reason to get hung up on what happened in the last one - no matter how bad things appeared.

''I think when you get to a championship-level type game with it being 2-2, I don't think anyone has the momentum,'' James said. ''Obviously, everyone would say them because they're coming back home, and then after the game they had the other night, but the momentum starts once the game starts.''

Golden State contained James and won big for the first time in Game 4. The Cavaliers don't have an obvious lineup adjustment like the Warriors made, so Cleveland's best chance - maybe only chance - could be for James to score Sunday the way he did in the first three games.

James appeared rested and relaxed before practicing at the Warriors' training center, surely helped by the extra day between games when the series moved west. He scored only 20 points on 7-of-22 shooting in Game 4 after averaging 41 through the first three.

Coach David Blatt believes the break will benefit not only James but his whole team, which after a quick start Thursday was a step behind the rest of the night trying to keep up with the deeper, quicker Warriors in a 103-82 loss.

''We've had a couple of days here to recover. I believe that's going to be helpful,'' Blatt said. ''This is a tough series for both teams, a lot of things happening. It's the best-of-three to win the NBA championship, the world championship. So I like the situation we're in. I like the challenge that's in front of us, and I can't wait to play tomorrow.''

Neither can the Warriors, who weren't particularly impressive while splitting a pair of overtime contests in Games 1 and 2. But now that they have regained home-court advantage, they will win the NBA title as long as they don't lose a second game in an arena where they lost only twice all season.

They did lose twice in the playoffs at home, against Memphis and Cleveland.

''I think if you look at the entire playoffs, the first two games at home have been a struggle,'' said coach Steve Kerr. ''Part of that is just trying to adapt to your opponent and get a feel for what they're doing. Easing into the series. Not easing in, but trying to get a grasp on what you're wanting to accomplishment. So I think we should be better tomorrow because we have a feel for our opponent, and I'm looking for a better game at home.''

He wouldn't say if he would stick with the small lineup the Warriors unveiled in Game 4, with swingman Andre Iguodala starting in place of center Andrew Bogut. But given Golden State's success in speeding up the tempo, there seems little reason to switch back.

James acknowledged after the game that the Cavaliers don't have many lineups they can go to, but Blatt isn't so sure a change is necessary given the way the first three games went.

''If you look at the one game, it makes you think, `OK, we've got to change this, that and the other thing,'' he said. ''If you look at the four games, in three out of four of those games we were pretty good doing the things that we did. So I think you'll see a combination of both of those possibilities.''

Teams that won Game 5 when the finals are tied have gone on to win 20 of 28 times, according to STATS, though not last time it happened. Miami fell behind San Antonio 3-2 in 2013, then James led the Heat to two wins.

So he knows not to overreact to anything this time of year.

''We're going to play our game,'' he said. ''We've gotten to this point by playing the way we play, and we're not going to change.''

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

LeBron's 'slight' headache a big deal


CLEVELAND (AP) - LeBron James called it a ''slight'' headache, though nothing involving the game's best player is ever minor.

So when James got a cut on his head after falling into a TV camera during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, it led to questions about everything from how the NBA treats head injuries to whether someone taking pictures should be close enough to cause one.

The league tried to deal with both issues long before Thursday night.

Baseline photography and TV positions were already reduced last summer, and a concussion protocol was previously in place. But according to the league's policy, a cut on the head alone is not a trigger for it.

The protocol requires concussion evaluation when a player is suspected of having a concussion or exhibits signs or symptoms of one. Based on the player's response, teams make the clinical judgment call whether to evaluate.

James was bleeding but not showing concussion symptoms. He was thinking clearly, saying he was aware he needed to stay in the game to shoot his free throws after being fouled by Andrew Bogut, or he wouldn't have been able to re-enter, according to league rules.

''No, I didn't have to go through any concussion protocol. I had a slight headache, which I think every last one of you guys would probably have if you ran into a camera. You might have a little bit more than that,'' James said during his postgame news conference.

''But I didn't go through any protocol. I'm fine. Like I said, I got a few stitches and I got a little slight headache right now, but I'll be fine with that.''

The Warriors dealt with the concussion questions in their last series. Both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson suffered head injuries in the Western Conference finals, with Thompson diagnosed with a concussion following their Game 5 victory over Houston and having to be cleared to play in the NBA Finals.

Commissioner Adam Silver said last week during his finals news conference that he was confident in the league's protocol and in the way it was followed with the Warriors.

''Right now we talked to the other leagues. We've talked to medical advisers everywhere about the best way to approach this,'' he said. ''As I said, we think the best way we're approaching it now is best in class in terms of medical and science information that's available to us. But we'll continue to look at it.''

The league had already been looking at player safety behind the baselines over the previous five years.

New rules last summer mandated an extra foot of open space on both sides of the basket stanchion. The ''escape lanes,'' the unoccupied area on either side of the stanchion to the closest photographer spot, increased from 3 to 4 feet, and only 20 camera positions, 10 on each baseline, remained, down from 24 in 2013-14 and 40 during the 2010-11 regular season.

Social media was already flooded with cries to move the photographers and TV cameramen further even before James' bleeding had stopped. But at least one person seems to believe enough space had already been created.

Bogut, adding insult to injury, indicated James' actions after the foul caused the injury.

''I think he jumped into the cameraman,'' Bogut said. ''I think he came down and took two steps and then fell on the cameraman.''

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Warriors believe title wait almost over


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Gary Liss still has the ticket from Game 2 of the 1975 NBA Finals in his wallet. The seat cost just $10, but watching the Golden State Warriors win the title remains a priceless memory.

''World champions? That's a hard thing to do,'' said Liss, who has been a season-ticket holder since the Warriors moved from Philadelphia in 1962.

For many loyal fans like Liss, it has been a long and grueling wait to experience that moment again.

The Warriors will play their biggest game in a generation when they host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece, and the anticipation is equally exciting and exhausting in Oakland.

It has been 40 years - the longest span between finals appearances in league history - since the franchise's long-suffering fans could feel such a rush. After decades of bad drafts, terrible trades and lots of losses, the most hardened Warriors supporters are soaking in every second of this run.

''It's just magical. There's never going to be another season like it,'' said Leslie Sosnick, a 61-year-old fan from Oakland. ''All I've ever wanted is to have a good product on the court.''

Sosnick first saw a good product when her father, Peter, took her to a Warriors game in San Francisco to celebrate her 9th birthday. She watched Wilt Chamberlain from the upper deck and thought the Big Dipper looked slow and small.

She eventually found her way behind the basket when the team warmed up before the second half and got an up-close look at the size and speed of NBA players. Sosnick has been hooked ever since.

Her father died in 1978 and her mother passed away about 15 years ago, but she has held on to a cherished family heirloom for more than 50 years: Warriors season-tickets.

''I just feel that I have each of my parents on my shoulders and we're going through this together and celebrating it with them. It's extremely emotional for me,'' she said, her voice cracking. ''But in the very best way.''

For Mark and Jan Wilson, the Warriors are a personal love affair.

One of their first dates was at a game on Valentine's Day in 2007. They sat in section 214 - a buy-one-get-one special on Feb. 14 - and watched the Warriors beat the New York Knicks.

The ''We Believe'' Warriors, as they became known, went on to upset the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs. The couple bought season-tickets the following year and continued to commute from their home in Santa Cruz, about a 90-minute drive without traffic.

''This is like our vacations coming out here,'' said Mark Wilson, now 65.

Liss, 72, went to his first game during the team's inaugural season in the Bay Area. He sat courtside and became friends with players and management over the years, and he sits in the first row behind the Warriors' bench now.

Every game he attended brought new memories, and that was enough to keep him coming back - even when the team was terrible.

''Each time that I went, the games always started zero-zero. They always had a chance,'' Liss said, chuckling.

While it's easy to root for the Warriors now, they have tested the faith and fortitude of fans.

The Warriors missed the playoffs nine straight years after the 1976-77 season. Chris Mullin led the franchise to the postseason five times between 1987 and 1994, including the brief but exciting Run TMC teams coached by Don Nelson, but the Warriors made the playoffs just once in the next 19 years.

''These fans have been through it,'' current Warriors owner Joe Lacob said. ''They've been through hell. I know it. I was a fan for a long time. I'm just extremely happy for them now.''

Oracle Arena, nicknamed ''Roaracle,'' has long been considered one of the league's loudest venues. The low roof and concrete surfaces send sound waves bouncing at ear-splitting decibels, giving the Warriors a home-court advantage few franchises can match.

The Warriors are a league-best 47-4 at home this season, including 8-2 in the playoffs, and players routinely credit the raucous crowds for willing them to wins.

''Every time I think it can't get louder, it does,'' forward Draymond Green said.

As the Warriors have improved the past three years, going to games has become a tough ticket in the basketball-united Bay Area, where fans of the 49ers, Giants, Raiders and Athletics come together to support the market's only NBA team.

The Warriors have sold-out 133 straight games entering Sunday's contest. The waitlist for season tickets surpassed 10,000 earlier this year. And despite an increase in price, that number is only expected to rise.

The Warriors are planning to move to a new arena in San Francisco as early as the start of the 2018-19 season. Fans have expressed concern that the team's famed home atmosphere and blue-collar culture could change in tech-savvy San Francisco.

Warriors President Rick Welts, who is spearheading the arena effort, has said the franchise needs a new facility to be financially viable long-term and is doing all it can to duplicate Oracle's electric environment.

And in the end, that's what keeps their legion of loyal fans coming back.

''Whenever the season is over, I always have this withdrawal,'' Sosnick said. ''And then we walk back into the arena at the end of October or early November, and it feels like I'm home.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Warriors believe they've found formula to beat James, Cavs


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The media crush that descended upon the Golden State Warriors' practice facility Saturday forced Stephen Curry to shoot on the far court, where a billboard that honors the 1974-75 championship team hangs on the wall.

As if Curry and the Warriors needed a reminder, the giant yellow sign served as a symbolic notice: Never has another title been so close.

Two wins from ending the franchise's 40-year championship drought, the Warriors are looking increasingly comfortable in front of all the cameras. They head into Sunday night's Game 5 of the knotted-up NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers confident that they have found the formula to win.

''You can't necessarily say you've gotten over the hurdle until you win the series, but I think we've adjusted to it and we're ready for it now,'' Warriors forward Draymond Green said. ''We're ready to take that jump.''

Golden State has gotten better every time it has been tested.

Dropping Games 2 and 3 to the Cavs was the sixth time the Warriors lost two straight this season. The previous five times they rolled off winning streaks of 16, eight, three, nine and six in a row, the latter coming after falling behind 2-1 to the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round.

''They get a little angry when they lose a couple in a row and they've responded all season long,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''Hopefully we can get on a nice little run here, too.''

Whether it's making adjustments, learning opponents or rediscovering rhythm, the Warriors have worn down teams as each series has progressed.

Kerr's decision to play small - suggested by 28-year-old assistant Nick U'Ren - made a big difference in Golden State's 103-82 win at Cleveland on Thursday night. Kerr likely will stick with the lineup full of 3-point shooters - starting swingman Andre Iguodala instead of Andrew Bogut and sliding the 6-foot-7 Green to center - that spread the floor and sped up the pace in Game 4.

Of course, Kerr's not revealing his next move. He even joked that he has ''established my penchant for lying'' about lineups so nobody should believe him.

What the Warriors believe is they have a well-established record of responding to adversity.

The change against the Cavs followed a pattern of problem solving that helped hamper Houston's James Harden, nullify Memphis' Tony Allen and negate New Orleans' Anthony Davis previously in these playoffs. The Warriors believe they're too deep, too talented and too smart to let anything negative linger.

''Every series is like a puzzle. You just try to figure it out,'' forward Harrison Barnes said.

''We usually get to that third game, for some reason, it lights a fire under us and we get pretty good stuff coming out,'' Bogut said. ''I'm not sure what it is, but we've got a resilient group that wants to win.''

Some adjustments, such as the lineup change, have been systematic. Others have been individual issues.

Curry thought he rushed shots early in the series. Klay Thompson said he wasn't setting his feet. Green admitted that the bright lights and swarming attention on the finals bothered him.

''I kind of just let the whole experience and everything kind of drag me down,'' Green said. ''And I didn't necessarily have that energy and couldn't find it with just all of this, everything that's going on. I let it affect me and it affected my play. I just had to get away from that, get all that stuff out my head and just play basketball and be who I am.''

Same goes for the rest of Golden State.

The Warriors are back at home - where they are 47-4, including 8-2 in the playoffs, though they never looked very sharp in splitting overtime games with the Cavs to start the series - and back in a better mind frame than when they left.

If they can follow through with another winning streak of at least three games, they'll have another banner to hang soon.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Some extra exposure for LeBron James

NEW YORK (AP) - His team getting clobbered in the NBA Finals and his head bloodied in a collision with a camera was bad enough for LeBron James. Now he's trapped in the endless online loop of the moment he got caught with his pants down on national television.

James' wardrobe adjustment - briefly lowering his compression pants in the moments before his Cleveland Cavaliers took on the Golden State Warriors Thursday - was another example of television not moving fast enough to stop a moment best left off the air.

The moment flashed by so quickly, with James' body partially obscured by an onscreen graphic, that many viewers probably missed it in real time.

''You needed to have a really good DVR and a microscope, I think,'' said Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council. His watchdog group frequently encourages its members to file complaints to the federal government for violations of indecency standards but in this case he advised followers to stand down, calling it ''much ado about nothing.''

The Federal Communications Commission would not comment Friday on whether anyone had formally complained about James' unexpected exposure.

Dating back to Janet Jackson's exposed breast on a Super Bowl halftime show and even before, directors of sports and entertainment events have long been on guard to stop such moments from slipping through. Often, telecast of live events are delayed several seconds to enable someone backstage to press a button to stop offensive language.

Success is mixed at best: A week earlier, bilingual jockey Victor Espinoza could be heard offering swear words in English and Spanish after guiding American Pharoah over the finish line for the Triple Crown.

A director is usually backstage watching several different camera feeds and ordering which one goes out over the air, and will head to another shot if something untoward is shown. Generally, there's not enough time to edit out something that happens so quickly, said Ross Greenburg, an independent sports producer and former president of HBO Sports.

''Something like this is very rare, is next to impossible to prevent, and to my knowledge there is no video delay in effect that could prevent it from going out live,'' said Marc Payton, a recently retired sports television director who was in charge for national baseball, football and boxing telecasts.

Don't just blame TV, Greenburg said. A star like James in a big event like the NBA Finals should be aware that a camera is going to be trained on him from the moment he walks out of the locker room.

ABC Sports would not comment on James' extra exposure, and the Cavaliers star was traveling West on Friday.

Twitter was alight with followers only too happy to fill in the breach, though.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cavs-Warriors NBA Finals sees historic adjustment in Over/Under betting

The 2015 NBA Finals has undergone the biggest adjustment in betting totals from Game 1 to Game 4 in any championship series over the last 24 years, with a 10.5-point difference between the opening game total and fourth installment of the series.

Going back to the 1991 NBA Finals (as far back as Covers’ NBA betting database allows), the most a total has jumped between Game 1 and Game 4 is 6.5 points. That adjustment occurred in the 1991 championship between Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls and Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers (Game 1: 201.5, Game 4: 195), and the 1998 finals featuring Chicago and the Utah Jazz (Game 1: 186, Game 4: 179.5).

Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals closed with a lofty total of 203.5 points, only playing Over due to an added overtime period that saw Golden State edge Cleveland 108-100 last Thursday. Game 2 closed with an Over/Under of 199 points, with the Cavaliers stealing a 95-93 OT win in Oracle Arena and playing Under despite the extra frame. That led to a 194.5-point closing total for Tuesday’s Game 3 in Cleveland, in which the home side won 96-91 for another easy Under winner.

That takes NBA bettors to the opening total for Thursday’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which sits at 193 points – a more than 10-point difference from the series opening number. With such a gap between the Over/Under for Game 1 and Game 4, were oddsmakers completely wrong when it came to this series?

Well, no. While scoring has been at a premium in this series, and all three games fell Under the total in regulation by a combined 40 points, sportsbooks make their adjustments based on two factors: 1. Game outcomes. 2. Betting patterns. And as far as the basketball betting public is concerned, every game should be going Over.

“We’d get Over money tomorrow if we set the total at 232,” Jimmy Vaccaro, veteran linesmaker for South Point Las Vegas, tells Covers.

According to books in Nevada and online, the Over has been the popular pick with the recreational bettors while the sharps have swooped in and taken the Under. That’s just fine by Bookmakers, who have not only been big winners with those Under results the past two games but also with plenty of Over plays parlayed to the Warriors.

“You just make adjustments, that’s all,” John Avello, director of race and sports at the Wynn Las Vegas, tells Covers. “Golden State isn’t shooting the ball well. So just like their coach has to make adjustments, the books have to make adjustments.”

The NBA Finals have been a breeding ground for Under paydays in recent seasons. Since the 2006 NBA Finals, championship games have gone 19-29-3 Over/Under (60.4 percent Under) and Game 4 situations have produced a 2-7 O/U mark in that span – the most profitable situation for Under bettors in the best-of-seven format for the finals.

That’s not to say the totals won’t climb back towards 200-plus points for the remaining games of the series, especially with a Game 5 in Golden State on the schedule. Cleveland’s defense is getting the bulk of the praise for this downtick in offensive production but the Cavs’ clock-sucking offense and just plain poor shooting from the Warriors – specifically Stephen Curry – is having a big impact on how the totals trickle down.

“I think the Cavs are making it difficult but the Warriors are just missing wide-open shots,” says Avello, pointing to Golden State's 41.4 percent shooting in the finals. “They’re just missing. (Matthew) Dellavedova is OK, but they’re (the media) making him out to be the next great defensive stopper. But it’s more about Curry missing open shots, going 2 for 15. You have no chance to go Over the total when he’s shooting that way.”

Looking back over the past nine NBA Finals, Game 4 has seen an average closing total of 189.72 points against an average total of 185 points scored. However, Game 5 totals jump to an average of 191.31 with 202 points scored, producing a 5-3 O/U record.

Game 3 winners

Game 3 is a pivotal matchup for any playoff series, with one team taking a 2-1 edge or putting a 3-0 chokehold on their opponent. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Game 3 winners - when the series is tied 1-1 - have gone on to win the NBA title in 31 of the past 37 situations. One of those six exceptions was LeBron James and the 2013 Miami Heat, who dropped Game 3 to San Antonio but rallied to win the series.

Looking back to the 1991 NBA Finals, the winner of Game 3 has gone on to a collective 13-11 SU and 13-10-1 ATS record in Game 4 of the series. As for LeBron, he’s 2-3 SU, ATS, and O/U in Game 4 of the NBA Finals for his career, averaging 24 points, 6.4 assists, and nine rebounds in those contests.

Finals home dogs

Cleveland was just the 18th finals home underdog since the 1991 NBA Finals, covering the spread as a 2-point pup in Game 3 Tuesday. In that span, home dogs have finished 6-12 SU, 8-10 ATS, and 11-9 Over/Under.

It was also just the fourth time all season the Cavaliers were getting the points at home, and the first time they’ve won and covered in that rare role. Cleveland is once against the underdog in Game 4, set at +3 Thursday.

LeBron MVP no matter what

Not since Jerry West in the 1969 NBA Finals has the Finals MVP award gone to a player on the losing team. In fact, that’s the only time it’s happened.

LeBron James is making a case for the now-labelled Bill Russell Award, averaging 41 points, 12 rebounds and more than eight assists in the 2015 finals, and entered the series priced at +180 to win Finals MVP. Despite pushing the Cavs to a 2-1 series lead, oddsmakers still have Golden State as a -115 favorite to win the NBA championship, with Cleveland coming back at -105.

Win or lose, James should get major MVP consideration, and has already won over one Las Vegas Bookmaker (even though you can’t wager on MVP odds in Nevada - yet).

“If you take LeBron off the court and you take that group of guys they have right now (no Kevin Love, no Kyrie Irving), they wouldn’t win five games all year,” says Avello.

The Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas has set James’ Game 4 scoring total at 35.5 points (-110 either side). Curry has a conservative scoring total prop of 28.5 points (-110 either way).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

BIG AL

Our complimentary selection for Sunday, June 14 is:

Kansas City Royals (Young) over St. Louis Cardinals (Lackey).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 14

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CLEVELAND (67 - 33) at GOLDEN STATE (81 - 20) - 6/14/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 132-178 ATS (-63.8 Units) after scoring 85 points or less since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 55-42 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 50-36 ATS (+10.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-21 ATS (+9.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 67-98 ATS (-40.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 5-5 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 6-4 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA
Short Sheet

Sunday, June 14


NBA Finals - Best of 7 - Game 5 - Series Tied- 2-2

Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers, 9:00 ET
Golden State: 13-3 UNDER when playing 5 or less games in 14 days,
Golden State: 67-98 ATS after 3 or more consecutive unders

Cleveland: 33-19 ATS revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more,
Cleveland: 15-2 ATS after playing 4 consecutive games as an underdog

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Sunday, June 14

Trend Report

8:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. GOLDEN STATE
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Cleveland is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Golden State's last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Golden State's last 16 games

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 14

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CHICAGO (1 - 2) at INDIANA (1 - 3) - 6/14/2015, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a road underdog of 3 points or less over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 10-5 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 9-6 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (3 - 0) at PHOENIX (1 - 2) - 6/14/2015, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) in May, June, or July games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 49-33 ATS (+12.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 25-9 ATS (+15.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 8-6 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 9-5 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
10 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (2 - 2) at CONNECTICUT (2 - 1) - 6/14/2015, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 34-18 ATS (+14.2 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent since 1997.
ATLANTA is 39-21 ATS (+15.9 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
ATLANTA is 28-13 ATS (+13.7 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CONNECTICUT is 7-2 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 5-5 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TULSA (2 - 1) at SAN ANTONIO (0 - 2) - 6/14/2015, 4:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 6-3 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 5-4 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SEATTLE (1 - 2) at LOS ANGELES (0 - 1) - 6/14/2015, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) in May, June, or July games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 64-92 ATS (-37.2 Units) in road games after a division game since 1997.
SEATTLE is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 29-45 ATS (-20.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 22-35 ATS (-16.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-4 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 7-3 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (2 - 1) at NEW YORK (3 - 1) - 6/14/2015, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 260-319 ATS (-90.9 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 163-206 ATS (-63.6 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 15-32 ATS (-20.2 Units) in road games on Sunday games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 164-210 ATS (-67.0 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 19-41 ATS (-26.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 6-4 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 5-5 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

WNBA

Sunday, June 14

Trend Report

1:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. INDIANA
Chicago is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Indiana
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 10 games at home
Indiana is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

3:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. CONNECTICUT
Atlanta is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Connecticut
Atlanta is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Connecticut's last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Connecticut's last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

3:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Phoenix's last 22 games

4:30 PM
TULSA vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tulsa's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tulsa's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
San Antonio is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Tulsa
San Antonio is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games when playing Tulsa

5:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. LOS ANGELES
Seattle is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Seattle is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Los Angeles's last 11 games when playing at home against Seattle

6:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games on the road
Washington is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New York's last 8 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing at home against Washington