Monday Trends and Indexes 05/14

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Monday, May 14

Good Luck on day #134 of 2007!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.

[pm530]

Six-pack for Monday

The Jack Cust edition..........

-- "Acquired OF Jack Cust from the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later or cash considerations." This was May 3, 2007; Cust got to the A's three days later, after Mike Piazza went out with a injured shoulder.

-- Piazza was hitting .282 in 112 plate appearances this year, with one HR, 8 RBI. In his first week back with the A's, Cust is hitting .346, with six homers and 14 RBI, in seven games.

-- Cust is leading the American League in homers in May; he spent the first five days of this month in the minors.

-- Cust was a 1st round pick of the Diamondbacks in '97, but is already playing for his fifth big league team, despite his hitting 11 home runs in only 170 major league at-bats.

-- In his brief career, Cust is 3-6 with two walks against this trio of future Hall of Famers: Clemens/Rivera/Schilling.

-- Is Piazza the A's version of Wally Pipp?

[pm530]

Monday's list of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend........

13) The week ahead: Interleague play starts Friday night.

12) Brian Roberts of Baltimore has stolen third base six times this season, the most of anyone in the major leagues.

11) Florida-Washington game Saturday started at 7, but had rain delays totalling 3.5 hours; game ended after 1:30am, with a walk-off grand slam by Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals.

10) Why do only ten major league ballparks have the Questec system for evaluating umpires? Shouldn't all thirty have it? If it is that important, shouldn't every game be monitored?

9) Josh Beckett cut middle finger of his right hand, tearing a big piece of skin off, and will probably miss his next start.

8) After that happened, Orioles blew a 5-0 lead in 9th inning, with first baserunner in rally reaching on dropped popup in the infield. Maybe the worst loss by any team this season.

7) Lewis kid on the Giants, who just got to the majors Friday, hit for the cycle Sunday, as SF scored 15 runs with Bonds on the bench, resting.

6) Angels are now 0-6 in Santana road starts this season.

5) NBA needs either Nets or Suns to win Monday, or else it is entirely possible that all the second round series could end in five games, which would not be good for TV ratings.

4) Utah handed Warriors their first home court playoff loss; Jazz is more mature team, they play with great poise, even if their name recognition might not be the same as other teams.

3) Long Island is simply too crowded; why would anyone live there? Nassau County, the one closest to NYC, is especially bad; you can't drive anywhere without hideous traffic.

2) Restaurant/bar recommendation: If you're ever in Malverne on Long Island, Connolly Station, as Irish pub/bar with many flat screen TVs, is highly recommended. Excellent fish/chips.

1) Pitchers had rough weekend; in the 30 games Saturday and Sunday, teams scored 314 runs, an average of 10.4/game.

[pm530]

Pro Basketball – Write up

NBA
Write-up


Monday, May 14

Home side is 3-0 in Net-Cavalier series; Cleveland shot 41.4% from floor, was -13 on boards in Game 3, while Nets continued their good shooting outside arc (8-18 in Game 3, 16-32 last two games). Jersey had three guys with 23 points each, balanced attack, and Kidd dominated game with triple double. Cavaliers need to get Ilgauskus more than seven shots.

Nash assists are key stat for Phoenix-- he had 16 in Game 2, 11 in Game 3-- when he is distributing ball for easy looks, Phoenix very hard to beat. Phoenix just 1-2 on road in playoffs; they are 19-41 from arc in series, good percentage, but they took 17 3's in Game 3, after taking 14,10 in first two- they need to attack the hoop more in this game. Spurs averaged 24.5 FTs a game in the two games in Phoenix; they took 36 free throws in Game 3.

[pm530]

Hockey – Write up

NHL
Write-up


Monday, May 14

Senators grabbed control of series by sweeping first couple of games in western NY; Buffalo is now 3-7 vs Ottawa this year, losing three of other meetings in Ottawa (4-3/1-4/3-6/5-6) but in order for them to get back in series, they need to split this pair, at very least. Sabres outshot Ottawa 15-8 in first period of the game Saturday, but managed only 22 shots over last 64:58.

[pm530]

Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB
Tips and Trends


Monday, May 14

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Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers (2:05 PM ET)
Los Angeles second-year starter Jered Weaver has yet to tally a run against Texas in three starts while posting a 3.66 ERA. SLIGHT EDGE: RANGERS
Weaver is 7-3 with a 2.33 ERA in 11 career starts before the All-Star break in his career. BIG EDGE: ANGELS
Rangers starter Kevin Milwood has allowed five earned runs in his last three starts and will be coming back from a 15-day stint on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. EDGE: OVER
The UNDER is 4-1 in Weaver's last five road starts.


Florida Marlins at Pittsburgh Pirates (7:05 PM ET)
Florida starter Dontrelle Willis is a perfect 3-0 this season on the road with a 3.72 ERA. EDGE: MARLINS
Willis is 2-2 with a 2.79 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh. He's struck out 30 Phillies' batters in 38 2/3 innings. EDGE: UNDER
Pittsburgh left-hander Tom Gorzelanny has just one career start against Florida, picking up a no-decision after allowing two runs and five hits over six innings of work. SLIGHT EDGE: PIRATES & UNDER
The Marlins are 5-0 in Willis' last five road starts.
The Pirates are 1-4 in Gorzelanny's last five home starts.


Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox (7:05 PM ET)
Detroit Tigers starter Nate Robertson is 1-1 on the road this season, with a sparkling 1.26 ERA in two starts. EDGE: UNDER
Robertson hasn't fared well against Boston in five career starts, posting a 1-2 record with a 6.75 ERA. EDGE: RED SOX
Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka has given up 16 runs and 21 hits in 19 innings of work at home this season. EDGE: OVER
The UNDER is 7-0 in Red Sox last seven games versus the AL Central.


Milwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies (7:05 PM ET)
Milwaukee starter Dave Bush has struggled mightily on the road this season with an ERA of 6.61. The right-hander has surrendered 13 runs and 26 hits in just 16 1/3 innings. EDGE: PHILLIES & OVER
Philadelphia has knocked Bush around in his career, scoring eight runs on 14 hits in 11 1/3 innings. EDGE: PHILLIES & OVER
Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer is 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two home starts this season. Philadelphia has won both starts outscoring opponents 12-4. EDGE: PHILLIES
Moyer is 8-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 19 career appearances (14 starts) against Milwaukee in his career. EDGE: PHILLIES
The Brewers are 1-7 in Bush's last eight road starts.


Chicago Cubs at New York Mets (7:10 PM ET)
Chicago's Jason Marquis is 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA in three starts away from Wrigley Field. EDGE: CUBS
Marquis is coming off his best start of the season, a 1-0 shutout victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chicago has won five straight games with Marquis on the mound. EDGE: CUBS
New York has won six of pitcher Tom Glavine's eight starts this season, including three in a row. He allowed just one run over seven innings of work in a 4-1 victory over San Francisco last time out. EDGE: METS
Glavine is 14-13 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 career starts against Chicago. SLIGHT EDGE: METS
The UNDER is 21-7-2 in the last 30 meetings.


Kansas City Royals at Oakland Athletics (10:05 PM ET)
Kansas City right-hander Gil Meche hasn't allowed a earned run on the road this season through 20 innings of work. EDGE: ROYALS & UNDER
Meche has tallied seven quality starts out of eight so far in 2007, as the Royals have picked up three straight victories with him on the hill. EDGE: ROYALS
Oakland's Dan Haren is a perfect 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA in three home starts this season. The Athletics have won all three home starts by him, by outscoring opponents 20-14. EDGE: ATHLETICS
The UNDER is 7-1 in the last eight meetings.


Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres (10:05 PM ET)
Cincinnati starter Matt Belisle is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts away from home this season. In his last road start, he threw a complete game against Pittsburgh - allowing one run and five hits. EDGE: REDS
San Diego's Greg Maddux is 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA in three starts this season at Petco Park. EDGE: PADRES
Maddux has a 22-16 career record against Cincinnati with a 3.54 ERA. EDGE: PADRES
The UNDER is 6-1 in Maddux's last seven starts overall.

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[pm530]

Pro Basketball – Tips and Trends

NBA
Tips and trends


Monday, May 14

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#2 Cleveland Cavaliers at #6 New Jersey Nets

Game 3 - Saturday, May 12th, 5 p.m. Eastern (ESPN)

The Cavs remained unbeaten in the postseason by playing outstanding defense and taking advantage of their size advantage to rebound the ball with reckless abandon for the second straight game in this series. Cleveland again dominated the glass in Game 2 with a monster 19-3 edge in offensive rebounds. The Nets may choose to start rookie Josh Boone at center in Game 3 over the ineffective Jason Collins (five rebounds in 58 minutes so far in the series), but until they do, Cleveland still has a clear edge. EDGE: CAVS

The Nets need to push the tempo if they want to even this series - or even win a game. Cleveland held opponents to 92.9 points per game during the regular season, and the Nets fell to 8-30 SU when scoring 93 points or less after Tuesday's Game 2 loss. New Jersey averaged nearly 101 points in three home wins vs. Toronto in the first round, and experts expect a similar effort in Game 3. BIG EDGE: NETS

New Jersey's Vince Carter definitely plays better at home and also struggled mightily in the first two games of the playoffs at Toronto. Carter rebounded to average 32 points on 63 percent shooting in the next two games at home in the first round. Look for him to follow a similar pattern and go off in Game 3 here after shooting just 35 percent and averaging 23.5 points in the first two games of this series. EDGE: NETS

The Cavs have never been up 2-0 in the conference semfinals, winning 10 straight games going back to the regular season.

Cleveland star LeBron James has scored at least 20 points in all 19 of his playoff games, the second-longest streak to begin a career in NBA history - only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has more with 27.

New Jersey is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games overall.
New Jersey is 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings overall.
Cleveland is 8-0 ATS in its last 8 Saturday games.
Cleveland is 16-5-1 ATS in its last 22 road games.
Cleveland is 30-13-1 ATS in its last 44 games overall.
OVER is 7-3 in New Jersey's last 10 vs. Central Division opponents.
OVER is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings.


Head-to-Head Recaps

SECOND-ROUND RESULTS (HOME team in CAPS)

Cleveland leads 2-0 SU (1-1 ATS)
OVER/UNDER 1-1

5/8/07 - Game 2: CLEVELAND 102, New Jersey 92 (ATS winner: Cleve -4.5 | OVER 180.5)

SUMMARY: Similar to their first-round series with the Wizards, the Cavs turned it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring New Jersey 28-19 to earn the victory and a cover for their backers. Cleveland's LeBron James scored 25 of his 36 points after halftime and totaled 12 assists to help put the Nets away and push the pace for an easy OVER.

5/6/07 - Game 1: CLEVELAND 81, New Jersey 77 (ATS winner: NJ +6 | UNDER 184.5)

SUMMARY: Both teams struggled offensively in the lowest-scoring game of the playoffs so far, cashing an easy UNDER. The Nets managed to stay close despite shooting just 37 percent from the field, pulling within 79-77 with 19.5 seconds left on two free throws by Vince Carter. LeBron James answered for Cleveland with the final basket of the game on a driving lineup, and the Cavs held on the win but not the cover.


REMAINING SCHEDULE

5/12/07 - Game 3 - Cleveland at NEW JERSEY (ESPN | 5 PM ET)
5/14/07 - Game 4 - Cleveland at NEW JERSEY (TNT | 7 PM ET)
5/16/07 - Game 5 - New Jersey at CLEVELAND (TNT | TBD)
5/18/07 - Game 6 - Cleveland at NEW JERSEY (ESPN | TBD)
5/20/07 - Game 7 - New Jersey at CLEVELAND (TNT | TBD)


REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

Cleveland wins 2-1 SU (New Jersey 2-1 ATS)
OVER 2-1

4/12/07 - CLEVELAND 94, New Jersey 76 (ATS winner: Cleve -6 | UNDER 186)
1/6/06 - CLEVELAND 96, New Jersey 91 (ATS winner: NJ +6.5 | OVER 186.5)
12/20/06 - NEW JERSEY 113, Cleveland 111 (ATS winner: NJ -1 | OVER 186)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES RECAP: The Cavs have turned things around against the Nets over the last two years, winning four of the last five meetings, including two of three this season. New Jersey had won the previous five meetings and is still 12-2 ATS in the last 14 games between the teams, including 7-1 in Cleveland. All eyes will be on Cavs star LeBron James, who averaged 30.3 points in the last three games against the Nets, going for 35 or more twice. James poses a huge matchup problem for New Jersey since Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson were not at a size disadvantage in the first round against Toronto. They will be here, and it could very well be the difference as James will likely look to take over this series on his own.

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#2 Phoenix Suns at #3 San Antonio Spurs

Game 3 - Saturday, May 12th, 8 p.m. Eastern (ABC)


San Antonio's Tony Parker was held in check in Game 2 thanks to Phoenix forward Shawn Marion, who made it much more difficult for Parker to get his shot off after he burned the Suns with 32 points and eight assists in Game 1. Parker had just 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting in Game 2 with only three assists, and It's clear the best way to disrupt him is to be physical. EDGE: SUNS

The Suns nearly held their own on the boards in Game 2, getting outrebounded by the slimmest of margins, 40-39. This after getting outrebounded 49-35 in Game 1. Phoenix now needs to keep up the good work on the glass away from home in order to have a chance at re-gaining home-court advantage. Inserting Kurt Thomas into the starting lineup definitely helped get better shots for Amare Stoudemire as well, as he improved his shooting from 6-of-19 in Game 1 to 10-of-16 in Game 2. The Suns are 8-0 all-time with Thomas as a starter. EDGE: SUNS

Each team has won playing the other's style in the first two games, a sign this could very well go the distance. Insiders expect another gritty defensive-minded tempo in Game 3, which definitely would benefit San Antonio playing on its home court. EDGE: SPURS

Stoudemire has publicly criticized the Spurs as being a "dirty team" and said San Antonio's Bruce Bowen "purposely kicked him in the back of his Achilles" during Game 2. This is not the first time Bowen or Manu Ginobili have been called out by the opposition, so it will be interesting to see if the officials pay extra attention to them at home. SLIGHT EDGE: SUNS

San Antonio is 13-6 ATS in the last 19 meetings overall.
UNDER is 9-1 in San Antonio's last 10 games.

Head-to-Head Recaps

SECOND-ROUND RESULTS (HOME team in CAPS)

Series tied 1-1 SU & ATS
OVER/UNDER 1-1

5/8/07 - Game 2: PHOENIX 101, San Antonio 81 (ATS winner: Pho -5 | UNDER 205)
SUMMARY: The Suns rebounded from a slow start, outscoring the Spurs 30-17 in the second quarter after totaling just 19 in the first to take a 49-42 halftime lead. Phoenix then duplicated its second-quarter magic in the fourth to turn a close game into a rout and showed much-improved defense to push the total way UNDER.

5/6/07 - Game 1: San Antonio 111, PHOENIX 106 (ATS winner: SA +4.5 | UNDER 199.5)
SUMMARY: This was a classic playoff battle throughout, leading up to a violent collision between Phoenix point guard Steve Nash and San Antonio's Tony Parker with 2:53 remaining. Nash got the worst of it and had to leave the game in the final minute with a bloody nose that required six stitches at the end of the game. His absence led to two failed offensive possessions, and a return with 9.1 seconds left was too late. The Spurs won despite the pace being far more high-scoring than they like, as they made a couple more big shots and held a 49-35 rebounding edge.

REMAINING SCHEDULE

5/12/07 - Game 3: Phoenix at SAN ANTONIO (ABC | 8 PM ET)
5/14/07 - Game 4: Phoenix at SAN ANTONIO (TNT | 9:30 PM ET)
5/16/07 - Game 5: San Antonio at PHOENIX (TNT | TBD)
5/18/07 - Game 6: Phoenix at SAN ANTONIO (ESPN | TBD)
5/20/07 - Game 7: San Antonio at PHOENIX ( TBD)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

San Antonio wins 2-1 SU (Phoenix 2-1 ATS)
UNDER 2-1

4/5/07 - SAN ANTONIO 92, Phoenix 85 (ATS winner: SA -4 | UNDER 205.5)
2/1/07 - PHOENIX 103, San Antonio 87 (ATS winner: Pho -6.5 | UNDER 206)
11/8/06 - SAN ANTONIO 111, Phoenix 106 (ATS winner: Pho +5.5 | OVER 206)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES RECAP: Home court was the deciding factor in all three meetings this season, with the first going OVER in overtime. San Antonio's Tony Parker was the top overall player in the season series, getting the best of Phoenix's Steve Nash by averaging 28 points per game. The Suns obviously love to run, and the Spurs are better at adapting to this style of play with Parker and Manu Ginobili, who scored 32 points off the bench in the second meeting. Phoenix has a much more difficult time when it becomes a more defensive-minded game, proven by the last meeting. Whichever team can dictate the tempo more will likely win this series and become the favorite to represent the Western Conference in the 2007 NBA Finals.

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[pm530]

Pro Basketball – Hot Lines

NBA
Hot Lines


Monday, May 14

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Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs (-3 ½, 202)

Have the Suns awoken the Argentine playoff assassin? Manu Ginobili was sleepwalking through the playoffs until he was on the wrong end of a rake to the eyes that would have made Ric Flair proud.

The Spurs shooting guard scored only 14 points in Games 1 and 2, but erupted for 24 points in the third game of the series. Afterwards Ginobili – who was sporting a nice shiner – told reporters the poke to the eye helped elevate his play.

“It really helped because I got upset and I started attacking the rim harder,” he said. “Then I made a shot from the corner and a 3-pointer and from that point everything changed for me.”

Tim Duncan is already having his way with the Suns defense and if Ginobili continues to play well, Phoenix may not be able to come away with enough defensive stops to win this contest.

Also of note, the Suns have won only one of their last 10 games in San Antonio.

Pick: Spurs -3 ½


Cleveland Cavaliers at New Jersey Nets (-3 ½, 184 ½)

The Nets won Game 3 and stayed alive in this series on the strength of their frontcourt. Cleveland won the first two games thanks in large part to a 100-69 rebounding edge. But the Nets bounced back in a big way on Sunday outrebounding the Cavs 43-30.

“I have to credit our bigs,” New Jersey small forward Richard Jefferson told the Newark Star-Ledger. “They did a great job of keeping them off the glass. They took advantage tonight and really came through.”

Don’t count on Mikki Moore and Jason Collins getting the better of the Cavs' big men for the rest of this series. Cleveland is one of the league’s best rebounding teams, while Jason Kidd is the only New Jersey player willing to get nasty in the paint.

LeBron James will have a better performance than Game 3 (18 points on 5-for-16 shooting) and the Cavaliers will steal a win on the road.

Pick: Cavs +3 ½

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[pm530]

Hockey – Hot Lines

NHL
Hot Lines


Monday, May 14

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Buffalo Sabres at Ottawa Senators (-146, 5 ½)

The Sabres threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Sens and still lost 3-4 in double-overtime. They now find themselves down 0-2 with the series moving to Ottawa for the next two games.

“We’re down 0-2, and that’s frustrating,” Buffalo co-captain Daniel Briere said after the loss. “We have to move on, try to get over it.”

Don’t bet on it. Buffalo has not looked sharp for some time now and will struggle to avoid getting swept out of the playoffs.

Pick: Senators -146

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[pm530]

Pro Basketball – Long Sheet

NBA
Long Sheet


Monday, May 14

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CLEVELAND (56 - 33) at NEW JERSEY (46 - 45) - 5/14/2007, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) after scoring 85 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 29-20 ATS (+7.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
NEW JERSEY is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points this season.
CLEVELAND is 97-82 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 11-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 7-7 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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PHOENIX (66 - 24) at SAN ANTONIO (64 - 26) - 5/14/2007, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 49-41 ATS (+3.9 Units) in all games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 184-145 ATS (+24.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
PHOENIX is 102-87 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 53-40 ATS (+9.0 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PHOENIX is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 12-6 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 13-5 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
11 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[pm530]

Hockey – Long Sheet

NHL
Long Sheet


Monday, May 14

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BUFFALO (61-25-0-9, 131 pts.) at OTTAWA (58-26-0-10, 126 pts.) - 5/14/2007, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 13-10-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
12 of 23 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.0 Units)

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[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Chicago Cubs at NY Mets
The hottest pitcher in baseball also happens to be the biggest surprise in Chicago's Jason Marquis. Marquis struggled all last season with St. Louis, but has been a pillar of stability for Lou Piniella's club so far. The right-hander is 5-0 with a sterling 1.24 ERA in his last five starts and is coming off a complete-game, three-hit shutout over the Pirates on May 9. Marquis will have his work cut out for him against the Mets and Tom Glavine, who shows no signs of slowing down after a 4-1 start and 2.99 ERA. But Marquis' numbers (just 5 earned runs over his last 36 2/3 innings) make the Cubs an attractive underdog (+152) according to Dunkel, which has Chicago favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+152). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, MAY 14

Game 951-952: Atlanta at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Smoltz) 19.368; Washington (Bergmann) 14.315
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 5; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-200); 7
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-200); Over

Game 953-954: Florida at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Willis) 16.791; Pittsburgh (Gorzelanny) 14.465
Dunkel Line: Florida by 2 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-115); 8
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+115); Over

Game 955-956: Milwaukee at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Bush) 16.934; Philadelphia (Moyer) 18.425
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-130); 10
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-130); Under

Game 957-958: Chicago Cubs at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago Cubs (Marquis) 19.048; NY Mets (Glavine) 18.046
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 9
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-152); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+152); Over

Game 959-960: Cincinnati at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Belisle) 14.933; San Diego (Maddux) 16.660
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego (-140); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-140); Over

Game 961-962: St. Louis at LA Dodgers
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Thompson) 16.355; LA Dodgers (Tomko) 16.818
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-145); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-145); Under

Game 963-964: LA Angels at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Weaver) 16.315; Texas (Millwood) 15.893
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-130); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-130); Under

Game 965-966: Detroit at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Robertson) 17.442; Boston (Matsuzaka) 18.077
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 11
Vegas Line: Boston (-148); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-148); Over

Game 967-968: Baltimore at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Bedard) 17.027; Toronto (Ohka) 14.677
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 2 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-144); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-144); Under

Game 969-970: Kansas City at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Meche) 17.150; Oakland (Haren) 17.634
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Oakland (-175); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-175); Over

[Udog]

MLB
Long Sheet


Monday, May 14


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ATLANTA (24 - 13) at WASHINGTON (12 - 25) - 7:05 PM
JOHN SMOLTZ (R) vs. JASON BERGMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 11-1 (+10.1 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SMOLTZ is 17-1 (+15.2 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -175 or more since 1997. (Team's Record)
SMOLTZ is 30-10 (+17.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-3 (+1.2 Units) against ATLANTA this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

JOHN SMOLTZ vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
SMOLTZ is 9-3 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.55 and a WHIP of 0.949.
His team's record is 14-5 (+4.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-10. (-1.7 units)

JASON BERGMANN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
BERGMANN is 0-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.143.
His team's record is 1-2 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)




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FLORIDA (16 - 21) at PITTSBURGH (16 - 20) - 7:05 PM
DONTRELLE WILLIS (L) vs. TOM GORZELANNY (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 37-26 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 19-39 (-17.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

DONTRELLE WILLIS vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
WILLIS is 2-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.79 and a WHIP of 1.345.
His team's record is 4-2 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.4 units)

TOM GORZELANNY vs. FLORIDA since 1997
GORZELANNY is 0-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)




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MILWAUKEE (25 - 12) at PHILADELPHIA (17 - 20) - 7:05 PM
DAVE BUSH (R) vs. JAMIE MOYER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 12-26 (-12.9 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 36-61 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 44-54 (-16.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BUSH is 5-15 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUSH is 5-15 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MOYER is 28-9 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MOYER is 28-9 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MOYER is 16-5 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 25-12 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 25-12 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 10-2 (+8.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 49-48 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 49-48 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 60-61 (-22.4 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-24 (-13.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

DAVE BUSH vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
BUSH is 0-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 6.35 and a WHIP of 1.677.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

JAMIE MOYER vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
MOYER is 2-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 1.19 and a WHIP of 0.750.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.6 units)




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CHICAGO CUBS (17 - 18) at NY METS (23 - 13) - 7:10 PM
JASON MARQUIS (R) vs. TOM GLAVINE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 84-114 (-30.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 14-26 (-15.7 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 84-111 (-27.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 32-49 (-18.5 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
MARQUIS is 70-77 (-33.4 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MARQUIS is 67-72 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
MARQUIS is 37-51 (-34.4 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MARQUIS is 19-25 (-15.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 126-82 (+23.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 47-23 (+19.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 124-81 (+22.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 94-58 (+22.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
GLAVINE is 32-11 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GLAVINE is 31-11 (+18.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GLAVINE is 22-7 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JASON MARQUIS vs. NY METS since 1997
MARQUIS is 5-4 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.92 and a WHIP of 1.383.
His team's record is 5-6 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-2. (+5.7 units)

TOM GLAVINE vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
GLAVINE is 3-7 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.86 and a WHIP of 1.368.
His team's record is 5-8 (-7.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-9. (-6.0 units)




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CINCINNATI (15 - 23) at SAN DIEGO (20 - 18) - 10:05 PM
MATT BELISLE (R) vs. GREG MADDUX (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 15-25 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 3-12 (-9.9 Units) against the money line in May games this season.
CINCINNATI is 15-25 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 7-20 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 28-15 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 115-126 (+30.0 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 392-436 (+59.7 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 296-327 (+46.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
MADDUX is 3-11 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MATT BELISLE vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
No recent starts.

GREG MADDUX vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
MADDUX is 13-5 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 3.63 and a WHIP of 1.065.
His team's record is 13-9 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 14-8. (+5.5 units)




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ST LOUIS (15 - 20) at LA DODGERS (23 - 15) - 10:10 PM
BRADLEY THOMPSON (R) vs. BRETT TOMKO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 109-103 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 47-59 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 109-103 (-19.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 60-76 (-34.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 13-28 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 28-14 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 27-12 (+14.3 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 68-34 (+26.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

BRADLEY THOMPSON vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
No recent starts.

BRETT TOMKO vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
TOMKO is 2-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.58 and a WHIP of 1.102.
His team's record is 5-7 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-8. (-4.5 units)




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LA ANGELS (21 - 17) at TEXAS (15 - 22) - 2:05 PM
JERED WEAVER (R) vs. KEVIN MILLWOOD (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 99-85 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 150-141 (+31.3 Units) against the money line in road games in day games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 88-70 (+25.0 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 3-15 (-11.9 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 5-1 (+4.0 Units) against TEXAS this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.7 Units)

JERED WEAVER vs. TEXAS since 1997
WEAVER is 0-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 3.66 and a WHIP of 1.271.
His team's record is 2-1 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

KEVIN MILLWOOD vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
MILLWOOD is 1-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.46 and a WHIP of 1.038.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)




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DETROIT (23 - 13) at BOSTON (25 - 11) - 7:05 PM
NATE ROBERTSON (L) vs. DAISUKE MATSUZAKA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ROBERTSON is 6-16 (-12.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 12-2 (+10.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DETROIT is 127-85 (+24.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 66-42 (+26.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 21-10 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in road games in May games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 115-73 (+24.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 84-49 (+25.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 43-30 (+14.8 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 242-230 (-50.2 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.
BOSTON is 274-216 (-52.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

NATE ROBERTSON vs. BOSTON since 1997
ROBERTSON is 1-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 1.636.
His team's record is 1-4 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-4. (-3.5 units)

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.




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BALTIMORE (18 - 20) at TORONTO (15 - 22) - 7:05 PM
ERIK BEDARD (L) vs. TOMO OHKA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 55-31 (+19.5 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 31-11 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BEDARD is 16-7 (+10.9 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TORONTO is 52-91 (-33.4 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
TORONTO is 2-10 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in May games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 3-0 (+3.1 Units) against TORONTO this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.8 Units)

ERIK BEDARD vs. TORONTO since 1997
BEDARD is 2-4 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.14 and a WHIP of 1.518.
His team's record is 2-8 (-8.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-5. (-0.2 units)

TOMO OHKA vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
OHKA is 1-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 2.03 and a WHIP of 0.975.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)




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KANSAS CITY (12 - 26) at OAKLAND (19 - 17) - 10:05 PM
GIL MECHE (R) vs. DAN HAREN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 5-26 (-17.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 115-90 (+20.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 105-80 (+20.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 119-86 (+26.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 58-83 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 61-81 (+23.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MECHE is 12-5 (+8.7 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MECHE is 46-34 (+21.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 2-1 (+0.8 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

GIL MECHE vs. OAKLAND since 1997
MECHE is 2-7 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.37 and a WHIP of 1.579.
His team's record is 5-10 (-4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-8. (-1.8 units)

DAN HAREN vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
HAREN is 2-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 2.60 and a WHIP of 1.156.
His team's record is 2-2 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)




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[Udog]

MLB
Streaking Pitchers


Monday, May 14


Hot Pitchers

Daisuke Matsuzaka (Boston Red Sox) - Dice-K has allowed 18 runs in his last four outings and over bettors have cashed in during all of those appearances. The good news for BoSox backers is that the team has bailed the rookie out and won the last four times he has taken the mound. Boston's listed as -148 favorites for tonight's home game against Detroit.

John Smoltz (Atlanta Braves) - This will be the last time the veteran pitches in his 30s. He turns 40 on Tuesday and is just two wins away from 200 for his career. He has been as dominant as ever helping Atlanta to a 7-1 record in his eight outings this year. The Braves are -175 road faves in the Nation's Capital tonight.

Jason Marquis (Chicago Cubs) - The righty has given up just a single run in his last 17 innings of work and opponents have managed just five total runs against him total in his last five outings - all Cubs victories. Chicago is a game under the .500 mark and are +134 road dogs against the Mets.

Cold Pitchers

Nate Robertson (Detroit Tigers) - Robertson finished last season with an unlucky 13-13 record and the Tigers have just one victory in his last four appearances. His career ERA at Fenway Park is above 8.00.

[Udog]

NBA
Dunkel


Cleveland at New Jersey
New Jersey's strategy in Game Three seemed pretty simple: double- and triple-team LeBron James and make the other Cavaliers beat them. The strategy worked to perfection as the rest of the Cavs were unable to pick up the slack for a relatively contained James (18 points on 5-of-16 shooting) in a 96-85 win for the Nets. New Jersey also did a much better job of hitting the boards, especially on the defensive end where they limited Cleveland to just five offensive rebounds after giving up 39 in the first two games. And Jason Kidd seems to be back in sync after a 23-point, 14-assist and 13-rebound performance (his 11th career postseason triple-double). With New Jersey needing a win tonight to tie up the series, the Nets look like a good pick to cover the Vegas line (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has New Jersey favored straight up by 7. Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, MAY 14

Game 505-506: Cleveland at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 120.539; New Jersey 127.427
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 7; 179 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey by 3 1/2; 184
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-3 1/2); Under

Game 507-508: Phoenix at San Antonio
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 123.974; San Antonio 130.055
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 6; 204 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 3 1/2; 202
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-3 1/2); Over