Saturday Trends and Indexes 05/12

[Udog]

MLB
Hot Lines


Saturday, May 12


Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers (+109, 9 ½)

Bartolo Colon allowed five runs in five innings in his only road start of the season – against Kansas City of all teams. That is as many runs as he’s allowed in three starts, and 21 innings, at home.

Colon is also backed by the worst road hitting team in baseball. The Angels have scored just 46 runs in 16 road games this season, and sport a major league-worst .614 OPS on the road.

Texas, on the other hand, is averaging more than five runs per game at home, and brings 6-foot-7 right-hander Kameron Loe to the mound tonight. Loe held the Toronto Blue Jays to just one run and three hits in his last home start.

Pick: Rangers +109




Florida Marlins at Washington Nationals (+123, 9 ½)

Florida’s bats are cold. The Marlins are hitting .224 over the last seven days and have scored just 25 runs during that time.

Things hit rock bottom last night when they were four-hit by the Nationals’ pitching staff. Washington pitcher Shawn Hill carried a no-hitter through five innings, but a sore right elbow forced him out of the game. The Nationals bullpen carried things the rest of the way to hand the Marlins their fifth loss in their last seven games.

The worst part about Florida’s skid is that the first six games came at home. Last night in Washington was the Marlins’ first road game in over a week.

Now the Marlins will face Nationals left-hander Matt Chico, who is 2-0 at home this year with wins over division rivals Atlanta and New York. Ricky Nolasco will start for the Marlins.

Pick: Nationals +123




St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres (-137, 7)

This one is all on Padres starter Chris Young, who has pitched very well overall this season, but has been especially effective at home.

Young is 2-0 and hasn't allowed an earned run in two home starts at pitcher-friendly Petco Park this season. He has allowed just seven hits and five walks in 15 innings during that time.

He’ll face a Cardinals team that ranks among the worst in hitting on the road. St. Louis ranks in the bottom four in the majors in road batting average (.232), on-base percentage (.300) and OPS (.639).

Those numbers include a pathetic performance against San Diego starter Jake Peavy last night that saw St. Louis muster just three hits in a 7-0 loss.

Braden Looper will start for St. Louis.

Pick: Padres -137

[pm530]

Hockey – Tips & Trends

NHL
Tips and trends


Saturday, May 12

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Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres (8 PM ET)
Buffalo co-captain Daniel Briere, who led the team with 95 points in the regular season, has been inconsistent in the playoffs. He has 11 points, but has yet to score an even-strength goal. SLIGHT EDGE: SENATORS
The Sabres are accustomed to dealing with adversity. They led the league with 53 regular-season wins despite at one point missing seven players to injuries. EDGE: SABRES
The home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

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[pm530]

More updates soon!

[Udog]

NBA
Dunkel


Phoenix at San Antonio
As if the Spurs needed any more incentive to bounce back from their 20-point pounding in Game Two, they now have Amare Stoudemire's accusation that San Antonio is a "dirty team." But that won't help Gregg Popovich's team nearly as much as the home court where the Spurs are 33-11 this season and have won six of the last seven against Phoenix. The Suns have shown they can have letdowns in the postseason, as they did in Game 3 against the Lakers on the road and then again in Game One against San Antonio at home. Mike D'Antoni's team has also not played very well as a Vegas underdog, coming in with just a 3-7 record on the season. The Spurs look like a decent pick to cover the spread (-4 1/2) in this one according to Dunkel, which has San Antonio favored straight up by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-4 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

SATURDAY, MAY 12

Game 707-708: Cleveland at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 121.015; New Jersey 127.169
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 6; 176
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey by 4 1/2; 184
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-4 1/2); Under

Game 709-710: Phoenix at San Antonio
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 124.230; San Antonio 129.936
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 5 1/2; 199 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 4 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-4 1/2); Under

[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel


Ottawa at Buffalo
Buffalo's inconsistent play in the first two rounds of the playoffs finally caught up with the Sabres in Game One. Buffalo gave up three third period goals and committed 19 turnovers while the offense managed just 20 shots in the 5-2 loss. As badly as Lindy Ruff's team played, there is no disputing that this Ottawa team is on a roll. The Senators are now 9-2 in the playoffs (5-1 on the road) and converted two of six pwr/plys in the opener while getting a short-handed goal from Mike Fisher at the start. Ottawa looks like a good underdog pick in Game Two according to Dunkel, which has the Senators favored straight up by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+1 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

SATURDAY, MAY 12

Game 55-56: Ottawa at Buffalo
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 14.474; Buffalo 12.972
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+1 1/2); Over

[Udog]

MLB
70% Situation


MLB (Saturday) Play Over MLB teams when the total is 9 to 9.5 with a bullpen whose ERA is 5.50 or worse on the season during the month of May.
(62-24 last 5 seasons.) (72.1%) PLAY: KC / CWS OVER 9 (-110)

[Udog]

NBA
Additional


Saturday, May 12


at New Jersey Nets by 4.5 Cleveland Cavaliers O/U 185.0
New Jersey Nets are 13-3-0 ATS vs. Cleveland (All Lines)
Cleveland Cavaliers are 3-13-0 ATS vs. New Jersey (All Lines)



at San Antonio Spurs by 4.5 Phoenix Suns O/U 202.0
San Antonio Spurs are 165-205-7 O/U All Games (All Lines)
San Antonio Spurs are 141-185-6 O/U As Favorite (All Lines)
San Antonio Spurs are 72-114-3 O/U As Home (All Lines)
San Antonio Spurs are 70-112-3 O/U As Home Favorite (All Lines)
Phoenix Suns are 66-25-0 O/U All Games (4 -> 5.5)
Phoenix Suns are 24-9-0 O/U As Dog (4 -> 5.5)
Phoenix Suns are 102-74-5 O/U As Away (All Lines)
Phoenix Suns are 40-17-0 O/U As Away (4 -> 5.5)
Phoenix Suns are 20-8-0 O/U As Away Dog (4 -> 5.5)
Phoenix Suns are 133-90-5 O/U After 1 Wins (All Lines)
Phoenix Suns are 41-15-0 O/U After 1 Wins (4 -> 5.5)
Phoenix Suns are 33-13-0 O/U After 1 ATS Wins (4 -> 5.5)
Phoenix Suns are 9-1-0 O/U After 3 Home (4 -> 5.5)
Phoenix Suns are 13-4-0 O/U Postseason Games (4 -> 5.5)

[Udog]

MLB
Short Sheet


Saturday, May 12th

National League

Milwaukee at NY Mets, 1:10 EST
Ben Sheets (R) vs. Mike Pelfrey (R)
Sheets: Milwaukee 6-15 SU as a road favorite
Pelfrey: Mets 34-13 SU off BB Unders

(TC) Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia, 3:45 EST FOX
Angel Guzman (R) vs. Freddy Garcia (R)
Guzman: Cubs 15-39 SU off BB Overs
Garcia: 15-5 Over as a home favorite of -125 to -175

Florida at Washington, 7:05 EST
Ricky Nolasco (R) vs. Matt Chico (L)
Nolasco: Florida 11-0 SU off 3+ Unders
Chico: Washington 5-18 SU off a division win as a home underdog

Atlanta at Pittsburgh, 7:05 EST
Chuck James (L) vs. Tony Armas (R)
James: 24-8 Over after having 6+ extra-base hits
Armas: 6-18 TSR in night games

Arizona at Houston, 7:05 EST
Livan Hernandez (R0 vs. Roy Oswalt (R)
Hernandez: Arizona 15-6 SU off a win
Oswalt: 9-0 Under at home pitching off BB team losses

San Francisco at Colorado, 8:05 EST
Barry Zito (L) vs. Jeff Francis (L)
Zito: 14-6 TSR in road games
Francis: Colorado 11-2 Under at home in May

St. Louis at San Diego, 10:05 EST
Braden Looper (R) vs. Chris Young (R)
Looper: St. Louis 3-16 SU as a road underdog of +125 to +175
Young: San Diego 27-14 SU in May

Cincinnati at LA Dodgers, 10:10 EST
Kyle Lohse (R) vs. Brad Penny (R)
Lohse: 10-29 TSR as an underdog
Penny: 14-3 TSR after allowing 1 or 0 runs last start


American League

Baltimore at Boston, 1:05 EST
Steve Trachsel (R) vs. Curt Schilling (R)
Trachsel: Baltimore 12-27 SU after winning 4 of their last 5 games
Schilling: Boston 21-7 SU with a total of 8.5 to 10 runs

Tampa Bay at Toronto, 1:05 EST
Edwin Jackson (R) vs. Dustin McGowan (R)
Jackson: Tampa Bay 18-46 SU as a road underdog of +150 or less
McGowan: Toronto 40-22 SU after losing 2 of their last 3 games

(TC) LA Angels at Texas, 3:45 EST FOX
Bartolo Colon (R) vs. Kameron Loe (R)
Colon: 17-5 TSR in road games
Loe: Texas 3-14 SU as a home underdog of +125 or less

(TC) Detroit at Minnesota, 3:45 EST FOX
Chad Durbin (R) vs. Sidney Ponson (R)
Durbin: Detroit 30-16 SU away vs. division opponents
Ponson: 15-33 SU at home vs. division opponents

Cleveland at Oakland, 4:05 EST
Fausto Carmona (R) vs. Dallas Braden (L)
Carmona: Cleveland 18-5 SU as a favorite
Braden: Oakland 12-3 Under off a win

Kansas City at Chicago White Sox, 7:05 EST WGN
Scott Elarton (R) vs. Mark Buehrle (L)
Elarton: Kansas City 13-45 SU vs. left-handed starters
Buehrle: 16-2 TSR at home in May

NY Yankees at Seattle, 10:05 EST
Matt DeSalvo (R) vs. Miguel Batista (R)
DeSalvo: Yankees 16-5 Over away off BB losses
Batista: 17-8 TSR as an underdog

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NHL
Short Sheet


Saturday, May 12th


Eastern Conference Playoffs
Finals, Game Two
Ottawa Leads, 1-0
TV: VER
Ottawa at Buffalo, 8:05 EST

Ottawa:
0-4 SU in Game Two of a playoff series
1-6 SU away off a road win by 3+ goals

Buffalo:
19-6 SU after allowing 5+ goals
34-12 SU off an Over

[Dennis14072]

Thanks Guys, good luck today!

[pm530]

Six-pack for Saturday

-- Roy Halladay didn't look right pitching Thursday against the Red Sox; he had an appendicitis attack Friday, and isn't going to be pitching for a month.

-- Why did Braves, Cardinals both give up on Jorge Sosa, a couple years after he went 13-3? It makes no sense.

-- Sosa finished last season with Cardinals, who send Kip Wells to the mound every fifth day to get hammered.

-- OK, I remember Tony Gwynn Sr playing college hoop at San Diego State, and now his son plays for Brewers, so I officially feel old today.

-- Warriors took out some frustration from close losses in Utah, pounding Jazz Friday night.

-- As I type this , just saw Brewers score two runs on a sac fly; check out Sports Center Saturday night for a replay of the Mets butchering the rundown play.

[pm530]

Saturday's list of 13: Zamboni knowledge on a spring day

13) Frank J. Zamboni of Paramount, CA is man who is father of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine, which is in hockey arenas all over the world.

12) Mr Zamboni, who had only a 9th-grade education, was awarded an honorary doctorate from Clarkson in 1987, just months before he passed away.

11) There were 48 references to the Zamboni in cartoon strip Peanuts.

10) David Letterman once had two Zambonis race down 53rd St in Manhattan, holding up rush hour traffic.

9) Each time a sheet of ice is resurfaced, 3/4 a ton of snow is gathered in the Zamboni's snow tank.

8) Seyferr's Potato Chips was first company to advertise on a Zamboni; today, it can cost as much as $25,000 to advertise on the side of a Zamboni.

7) A Zamboni lays a sheet of ice that is 1/16th of inch depth.

6) The average Zamboni resurfaces the ice 9.7 times per day.

5) The maximum speed of a Zamboni is nine miles an hour.

4) In 1999, Jimmy MacNeill of Brantford, Ontario, hometown of Wayne Gretzky, was named Zamboni Driver of the Year.

3) Students at Michigan Tech have a Zamboni Fan Club and an annual Zamboni Day.

2) A Zamboni once helped solve a crime on the TV show CSI and also ran over Carla's husband in an episode of Cheers.

1) Many hockey arenas now use two Zambonis to resurface the ice in between periods; first arena to do this was the old Met Center in Minnesota, where the North Stars used to play, all the way back in 1990.