Friday Trends and Indexes 4/10 (NCAAB, MLB, NHL, Misc.)

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes

Friday, April 10

Good Luck on day #100 of 2009!

At this time the sports menu in this thread consists of the NBA, MLB, and the NHL until their seasons are played out. Also, general sports news and notes will be posted here.

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.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.
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[pm530]

Daily Sports Roundup

Friday, April 10

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Mavericks meet the rival Hornets on the hardwood, the Yankees face the Royals, and The Masters continues at Augusta.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The Mavericks are going to the playoffs in the Western Conference, and they can help themselves and move up the standings on Friday by knocking off the Hornets at home. Dallas pounded Utah 130-101 at home on Wednesday night, with Dirk Nowitzki scoring 31 points. New Orleans, meanwhile, is coming off a 105-100 loss to the Suns on Wednesday, as Chris Paul scored 29 points. The Hornets got past the Mavericks 104-88 as a 6.5-point favorite at home March 5.

The final Friday night of the NBA's regular season has 13 total games on tap, including a couple of notable Eastern Conference matchups in Cleveland at Philadelphia and Miami at Boston. As well, it'll be Indiana at Atlanta, Washington at Toronto, New York at Orlando, Charlotte at Oklahoma City, New Jersey at Detroit, Phoenix at Memphis, the Lakers at Portland, Sacramento at the Clippers, Houston at Golden State, and Utah at San Antonio. The Spurs lost to the Blazers 95-83 on Wednesday night, with Tim Duncan limited in the game with sore knees.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

Fresh off a series loss to the Orioles, the Yankees will try to bounce back on the weekend in a road set against the Royals. Veteran lefthander Andy Pettitte is scheduled to get things started for New York in Friday's opener; Pettitte went 14-14 last season with a 4.54 ERA for the Yankees. Hitting the mound for the Royals will be righthander Sidney Ponson, who pitched for the Dutch in the WBC before latching on with Kansas City; Ponson went 8-5 with a 5.04 ERA last year.

Baltimore will play host to Tampa Bay in other American League action on Friday, while it'll also be Texas at Detroit, Toronto at Cleveland, Minnesota at the White Sox, Boston at the Angels, and Seattle at Oakland. The NL slate: the Cubs at Milwaukee, the Mets at Florida, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Washington at Atlanta, Houston at St. Louis, the Dodgers at Arizona, San Francisco at San Diego, and Philadelphia at Colorado. Phillies ace Cole Hamels is scheduled to make his season debut Friday; the lefthander was 14-10 with a 3.09 ERA in '08.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The Blue Jackets clinched their first-ever playoff berth with a shootout win over the Blackhawks on Wednesday night, and they'll try to go into the postseason on a roll starting with their game in St. Louis on Friday. Rich Nash scored his 39th goal of the season for Columbus on Wednesday, while Steve Mason made 24 saves. The Blues beat the Coyotes 5-1 on Tuesday to stay in control of their own playoff fate; St. Louis swept Columbus in a home-and-home series in late March.

There are three other games on the National Hockey League's schedule for Friday, and they're all Western Conference clashes: Nashville at Minnesota, Calgary at Edmonton, and Dallas at Anaheim. The Stars have been eliminated from playoff contention, but they can still hurt their Pacific rival's playoff positioning - Dallas beat Anaheim 3-2 on the road when the teams met March 6.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

The second round of The Masters gets underway on Friday morning, with Chad Campbell holding down the lead at 7-under. Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan both shot a 6-under 66 in the opening round on Thursday, while Shingo Katayama and Larry Mize are two strokes back of the lead at 5-under. Tiger Woods sits in a tie for 21st place at 2-under after 18 holes, and Phil Mickelson opened at 1-over.

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[pm530]

Six-pack for Friday

-- Mets straightened out their bullpen, but now their starters might be suspect; Pelfrey/Perez allowed 12 runs in 9.1 IP in Cincinnati the last two days, and they're the #2-3 starters.

-- Giants reliever Joe Martinez got drilled in the head by batted ball off bat of Mike Cameron Thursday night, spent night in hospital. You wonder if pitchers should wear the soft shells under their hats that hitters used to wear before batting helmets became the norm.

-- Carl Pavano faced 12 batters in his Cleveland debut. Nine scored.

-- In three games in Chicago this week, Kansas City starters gave up one run in 20 innings. That's one run in 20 innings.

-- Russ Pennell, who led Arizona to 21-14 mark this season, is new hoop coach at D-II Grand Canyon, which is going to move up to Division I-- along those lines, they're building a 6,000-seat arena.

-- NFL schedule is being released Tuesday at 7pm, so Wednesday we'll have some first impressions of the 2009 NFL slate.

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Thought of the Day

Obviously, our thoughts, prayers are with the Adenhart family in wake of the tragic events of Wednesday night. We say this every so often, and its true-- life is short, enjoy it while you can.


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Friday's List of 13: Reasons we're glad its baseball season.......

13) The Extra Innings package is a great value; for less than a dollar a day, you get to see 90% of the games (you lose some Saturday day games because of the stupid FOX national telecasts). This week, we renewed acquaintances with "friends" we've been welcoming into our home for years-- veteran announcers Harry Kalas, Vin Scully, former players Ron Darling, Mark Grace, Mike Krukow. Late night baseball is great fun.

12) Have to see if Steve Stone's addition to White Sox telecasts helps make Hawk Harrelson more tolerable as a homer/announcer. Stone is really good, but we're not sure anyone is good enough to make Hawk into a tolerable listen. Time will tell.

11) Its always fun to see how the A's front office tries to stay ahead of its competition- this year's team looks to be more of small ball in its approach. If the young starting pitchers hold their own, A's have a good enough bullpen to contend. Oakland should score some runs- its that starting pitching that will be the x-factor.

10) Friday afternoon games from Wrigley Field; who will sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame? Love watching games from Wrigley.

9) One of the best things about baseball season here in the northeast is that once baseball season starts, I have to scrape my windshield a lot less in the morning before work. During basketball season, damn ice is always on my car. Its always a relief when spring comes.

8) Its always fun to hear Mets TV announcer Gary Cohen rip on the Florida Marlins every spring, tell us how deficient they are, then in September, have to listen to him describe the action when the Marlins knock the Mets out of contention. Florida overachieves almost every year, just leave them alone. Its dumb to rip on them.

7) Could the people who got Billy Packer fired from CBS turn their attention to getting Joe Morgan off ESPN? Please?

6) I love going over the river to Troy to see the Tri-City Valley Cats play in the NY-Penn League every summer. One of the Astros' farm clubs, going to a Valley Cats game is a fine night of entertainment.

5) Its fun to see how many charitable announcements get shoehorned into a Red Sox home broadcast on NESN; its like a telethon that gets interrupted by game action. That’s an observation, not a complaint.

4) Sausage races in Milwaukee. Presidents' races in Washington.

3) How long it will take Lou Piniella/Milton Bradley to melt down, either at an umpire or at each other?

2) Boxscores. Love going through boxscores.

1) The best part of baseball is watching Ryan Howard slug the ball, Jose Reyes steal bases, Carl Crawford run out a triple, Torii Hunter patrol centerfield, Tim Lincecum confound hitters with unique style. Players make the game what it is, a tremendous amount of fun.

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[pm530]

NBA
Write-up


Friday, April 10

Hot Teams
-- Magic won nine of their last eleven games.
-- Cleveland is 24-4 in last 28 games (1-4 vs spread in last five).
-- Pacers won six of their last eight games.
-- Celtics won five in row, nine of last ten games.
-- Pistons won their last two games, by 7-27 points.
-- Grizzlies covered their last six games. Suns won three of last four.
-- Mavericks won four of their last five games.
-- Lakers won last five games, covered three of last four. Blazers won six of their last seven games.
-- Warriors won three of their last four games. Rockets won, covered their last three games.

Cold Teams
-- Knicks lost 12 of their last 14 games.
-- 76ers lost last three games, by 29-3-14 points.
-- Hawks lost three of their last four home games.
-- Miami lost three of its last four games.
-- Nets lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Raptors lost last three games, by 9-8-29 points. Wizards lost five of their last six games.
-- Bobcats lost three of their last four games. Thunder lost four in a row and seven of last eight games.
-- Hornets lost three of their last four games.
-- Spurs lost four of their last six games. Utah lost four of last five.
-- Clippers lost their last six games (1-5 vs spread). Sacramento also lost its last six games, failing to cover last four.

Totals
-- Knicks last five games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Cleveland games.
-- Last four Atlanta games all went over the total.
-- Three of last four Boston games went over the total.
-- Over is 9-4 in Detroit's last thirteen games; under is 8-3 in Nets' last eleven contests.
-- Four of last five Toronto home games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Memphis home games went over the total.
-- Last four Charlotte games went over the total.
-- Mavericks' last three games all went over the total.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine San Antonio games.
-- Seven of last nine Laker games stayed under the total.
-- Last three Golden State games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Clipper games went over the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Magic covered three of last four if they play again the next night.
-- 76ers are 1-6 vs spread last seven times they played the nite before.
-- Pacers are 4-1-1 vs spread last six times they had game next night.
-- Pistons covered one of last eight if they play again the next night.
-- Suns covered six of last eight if they played again the next night.
-- Charlotte covered seven of last eight if they play again the next nite.
-- Jazz covered one of last four when they played again the next night.
-- Lakers covered seven of last ten when they played the night before.
-- Warriors covered four of last five if they play again the next night.
-- Kings are 3-6 vs spread last nine times they played the night before.

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[pm530]

NBA


Friday, April 10

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Trend Sheet
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7:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. PHILADELPHIA
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games
Philadelphia is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Philadelphia is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Cleveland

7:30 PM
INDIANA vs. ATLANTA
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Indiana is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 11-3-1 ATS in its last 15 games at home
Atlanta is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
MIAMI vs. BOSTON
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Boston
Miami is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Miami
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Miami

8:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Charlotte is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
Oklahoma City is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games

8:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. DETROIT
New Jersey is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
New Jersey is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 7-16 ATS in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MEMPHIS
Phoenix is 8-15-1 ATS in its last 24 games on the road
Phoenix is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
Memphis is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Toronto
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:05 PM
NEW YORK vs. ORLANDO
New York is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
New York is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Orlando is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 games when playing New York
Orlando is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing New York

8:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. DALLAS
New Orleans is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
New Orleans is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Dallas is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Dallas is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against New Orleans

8:30 PM
UTAH vs. SAN ANTONIO
Utah is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing San Antonio
Utah is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home
San Antonio is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home

10:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. PORTLAND
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
LA Lakers are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games when playing Portland
Portland is 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games when playing LA Lakers
Portland is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

10:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. GOLDEN STATE
Houston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Houston is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Golden State is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

10:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. LA CLIPPERS
Sacramento is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Sacramento's last 8 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games
LA Clippers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games

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[pm530]

NBA


We will update when added info and projected scores are available.

Friday, April 10

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Tips and Trends
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New York Knicks at Orlando Magic [ESPN2 | 8 PM ET]

Knicks:

Knicks are 3-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
The UNDER is 9-0 in New Yorks's last 9 games vs. Eastern Conference.

Key Injuries - C Eddy Curry (knee) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Magic (-10.5, O/U 210.5):

Magic are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 Friday games.
The UNDER is 6-2 in Orlando''s last 8 home games.

Key Injuries - PG Anthony Johnson (eye) is questionable.
G Mickael Pietrus (knee) is questionable.
G Jameer Nelson (shoulder) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

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[pm530]

NBA


Friday, April 10

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Pick ‘n’ Roll: NBA best bets
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Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks (-6.5, 211.5)

The Atlanta Hawks didn't panic while they were struggling through a brutal two-week stretch in their schedule. Perhaps that's because they were confident they'd respond positively once the opposition grew easier.

The Hawks look to clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs with their third straight win Friday night when they host the Indiana Pacers, who are on the verge of elimination from the postseason race.

Atlanta (45-34) went 2-6 from March 21-April 4 as it played two games against Boston and one apiece against Cleveland, San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia and Orlando. The Hawks managed to get wins over the Lakers and lowly Minnesota in that stretch before finishing it with three straight losses.

The Hawks, though, have rebounded with consecutive road wins over sub-.500 teams Toronto and Milwaukee to pull 3 1/2 games ahead of fifth-place Miami in the East. With one more win or one more Heat loss, Atlanta clinches the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the opening round.

"We're playing for something, man," coach Mike Woodson said. "These guys know what's at stake in terms of this fourth spot."

Hawks guard Joe Johnson scored 30 points and made two big shots in the final minute Wednesday night, stopping Milwaukee's late rally attempt and securing a 113-105 victory. He's averaged 27.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in Atlanta's back-to-back wins, shooting 6-for-10 from 3-point range.

"He was huge," Woodson said Wednesday. "Coming off 25 last night, he was solid last night and it was a carryover to tonight's game. He made two to three big shots coming down the stretch run. We expect that from Joe."

Johnson and the Hawks hope to continue their success by taking advantage of another team with a losing record.

Pick: Atlanta -6.5



Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs (-3.5, 193)

For teams fighting for playoff position in the tightly packed Western Conference race, every loss is a significant one.

Though the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs have both learned that lesson the hard way lately, the Spurs have to like their chances of getting back on track in their next game.

The Spurs go for their 20th straight home win over the Jazz on Friday night in a matchup of teams hoping to end their recent struggles and improve their standings for the postseason.

The playoff field in the West is set, and San Antonio (50-28) and Utah (47-31) have each clinched one of the eight spots. But there figures to be a lot of shuffling in the standings over the last six days of the regular season, and based on recent results, that doesn't bode well for either club.

The Spurs have dropped four of their last six to put themselves in danger of letting home-court advantage in the first round slip away after holding the second-best record in the West for most of the season.

With four games left, they're only three games ahead of eighth place and a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, who have clinched the No. 1 seed.

Maintaining their current position could be tough with Manu Ginobili out for the rest of the season - including playoffs - with an ankle injury and Tim Duncan also hobbling. Duncan, bothered by aching knees since the All-Star break, was pulled with nearly eight minutes remaining in a 95-83 home loss to Portland on Wednesday night after he appeared stiff while awkwardly reaching for a loose ball.

Pick: Utah +3.5

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[pm530]

MLB
Write-up


Friday, April 10

Hot Pitchers
-- Harden was 1-0, 1.50 in two starts vs Milwaukee LY.
-- Hamels is 4-0, 1.80 in his last five starts. Marquis is 3-2, 3.06 in his last five starts.
-- Maine has 0.63 RA in his last three road starts.
-- Lowe has a 1.43 RA in his last thirteen starts.
-- Giants are 8-3 in Zito's last eleven road starts.

-- Detroit was 9-4 in Galarraga home starts last season.
-- Indians were 4-0 in Lewis starts LY (4-0, 3.38) scoring 36 runs.
-- Weaver has 2.50 RA in his last three home starts.
-- Rowland-Smith has 2.75 RA in his last three starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Looper is 0-4, 5.95 in his last six starts.
-- Cueto is 1-2, 6.16 in his last four starts. Karstens is 0-6, 7.63 in his last seven starts.
-- Sanchez is 0-3, 7.85 in his last six starts.
-- Martis was 1-3, 6.38 in four starts last season.
-- Hampton is 1-3, 4.33 in his last eight starts. Pineiro is 1-2, 7.77 in his last four outings.
-- McDonald is making first big league start for the Dodgers; he was 7-4, 3.30 in 26 minor league starts LY, mostly in AA. Garland has a 7.46 RA in his last eight starts.
-- Hill is 1-5, 9.27 in his last seven starts.

-- Benson has made 196 big league starts, but this is his first since '06.
-- Richmond was 1-3, 4.00 in five starts LY.
-- Ponson is 1-3, 7.38 in his last eight starts; he pitched for Bronx in '08. Pettitte is 1-5, 7.02 in his last six starts.
-- Hendrickson is 0-5, 10.04 in his last eight starts. Sonnanstine has 6.14 RA in his last five starts.
-- Contreras is 0-0, 8.31 in his last four starts. Dickey is 2-4, 8.38 in his last seven starts.
-- Red Sox lost nine of last twelve Wakefield road starts.
-- Anderson is making big league debut; he was 2-1, 2.61 in six starts in AA Texas League last year.

Hot Teams
-- Cubs won two of their first three games, scoring 17 runs.
-- Colorado won its last two games, allowing total of two runs.
-- Marlins scored 26 runs in their 3-0 start. Mets won two of their first three gamrs, scoring 15 runs in last two.
-- Braves won two of first three games, scoring 19 runs.
-- Giants won two of their first three games.

-- Rangers won their first three games, scoring 29 runs.
-- Blue Jays won three of their first four games.
-- Orioles, Rays both won two of their first three games.
-- Royals won two of first three games, allowing five runs.
-- A's won two of their first three games- bullpen got both wins.

Cold Teams
-- Brewers lost two of their first three games.
-- Phillies lost two of first three games, allowing 19 runs.
-- Reds lost two of first three games, allowing 15 runs in last two.
-- Washington lost its first three games, outscored 26-13.
-- Astros lost two of their first three games.
-- Arizona lost two of first three games, allowing 20 runs.

-- Tigers lost three of their last four games.
-- Indians lost first three games, allowing 29 runs.
-- Bronx lost two of its first three games, allowing 19 runs.
-- White Sox lost two of first three games, scoring five runs.
-- Red Sox, Angels both lost two of first three games.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Harden starts stayed under the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Marquis starts.
-- Five of last seven Cueto starts stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Maine starts went over the total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in Lowe's last five home starts.
-- Over is 8-1-1 in last ten Pineiro starts. Seven of last eight Hampton starts stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last nine Garland starts went over the total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in Zito's last six starts.

-- Four of last five Galarraga home starts stayed under the total.
-- Three of four Lewis starts stayed under the total LY.
-- Five of last six Ponson starts went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Hendrickson starts went over the total.
-- Five of last six Contreras starts went over the total.
-- Last four Wakefield road starts went over the total.
-- Three of last four Rowland-Smith's starts stayed under the total.

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[pm530]

MLB
Trend Sheet


Friday, April 10

1:05 PM
TEXAS vs. DETROIT
Texas is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Texas is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Texas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing Texas

4:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. MILWAUKEE
Chi Cubs are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chi Cubs's last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Milwaukee's last 15 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

4:05 PM
TORONTO vs. CLEVELAND
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Toronto

4:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. KANSAS CITY
NY Yankees are 13-5 SU in their last 18 games
NY Yankees are 18-7 SU in their last 25 games when playing Kansas City
Kansas City is 7-18 SU in their last 25 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kansas City's last 11 games when playing NY Yankees

4:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. COLORADO
Philadelphia is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 9 games on the road
Colorado is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Colorado's last 10 games

7:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BALTIMORE
Tampa Bay is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Baltimore is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Baltimore's last 9 games when playing Tampa Bay

7:10 PM
NY METS vs. FLORIDA
NY Mets are 15-5 SU in its last 20 games when playing on the road against Florida
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing Florida
Florida is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Florida's last 9 games

7:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CINCINNATI
Pittsburgh is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:35 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:11 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Minnesota is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Minnesota's last 15 games on the road
Chi White Sox are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Chi White Sox's last 12 games when playing Minnesota

8:15 PM
HOUSTON vs. ST. LOUIS
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Houston's last 16 games when playing St. Louis
St. Louis is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
St. Louis is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home

9:40 PM
LA DODGERS vs. ARIZONA
LA Dodgers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
LA Dodgers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

10:05 PM
BOSTON vs. LA ANGELS
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games on the road
LA Angels are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of LA Angels's last 15 games when playing at home against Boston

10:05 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. SAN DIEGO
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
San Francisco is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego's last 5 games when playing San Francisco

10:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. OAKLAND
Seattle is 2-15 SU in its last 17 games on the road
Seattle is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Oakland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Seattle
Oakland is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games

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[pm530]

MLB
Tips and Trends


We will update when added info and projected scores are available.

Friday, April 10

Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers [WGN | 4:05 PM ET]

Cubs (-145, O/U 8):

Cubs are 8-2 in Harden's last 10 starts.
The OVER is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings.

Key Injuries - C Geovany Soto (shoulder) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

Brewers:

Brewers are 3-14 in their last 17 games as an underdog.
The UNDER is 9-3 in Milwaukee's last 12 games overall.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: TBD

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[pm530]

MLB


Friday, April 10

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Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers (-140, 9.5)

The Texas Rangers are off to their best start in 13 years, when they won the first of the only three division titles in franchise history.

They hope Kris Benson, who hasn't pitched in the majors for more than 2 1/2 years, can help them remain the AL's only unbeaten team Friday night when they open a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers.

The Rangers (3-0) are coming off Thursday's 12-8 win over Cleveland, completing a series sweep. Texas last opened with three consecutive wins in 1996 when it started 7-0 and went on to win the AL West, something it has not accomplished since 1999.

The Rangers, who join Florida as the only teams yet to lose in 2009, swept a series only once last season - at Kansas City in August.

"You couldn't be more excited right now coming off this first series, playing with energy and passion," Rangers right-hander Brandon McCarthy said after earning a win Thursday. "The team chemistry in here is second to none, and right now it's a special team to be part of."

Texas now gives the ball to Benson, who hasn't thrown a pitch in the majors since Sept. 27, 2006, with Baltimore.

The Rangers signed the oft-injured Benson to a minor-league contract in the hopes that he could add some depth to the rotation.

The right-hander, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft by Pittsburgh, missed 2007 after having surgery to repair a torn right rotator cuff. He went 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA in 11 starts last year for Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia's Triple-A affiliate, before the Phillies released him Aug. 30.

Benson has a career record of 68-73 with a 4.34 ERA in 195 games over eight seasons with the Pirates, Orioles and New York Mets.

"I paid my dues last year," Benson said. "I have nothing in the back of my mind that says I'm going to go to the minor leagues. I just want to get to the big leagues and back to the way I was before the surgery.

"It's been so long since my shoulder has been feeling this good. I've put in a lot of hard work the last two years just to get to this point, especially over the last three months leading up to spring training."

Benson proved his shoulder could hold up through five spring training games, going 2-0 with a 4.76 ERA to win a spot in the rotation.

Pick: Over 9.5



Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox (-143, 9)

A little more than six months ago, the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins met at U.S. Cellular Field for a one-game playoff to determine the AL Central champion.

With far less at stake, the teams open a three-game series Friday night in Chicago.

Minnesota (2-2) won the 2008 season series against Chicago 10-9, but the White Sox's 1-0 victory in a one-game playoff Sept. 30 at U.S. Cellular Field, a location determined by a coin flip, turned out to be the only meeting that mattered.

The teams combined for seven hits in the game, with Jim Thome hitting a home run in the seventh inning off Nick Blackburn.

"You never want to put 162 games into one game," Twins first baseman Justin Morneau told the team's official Web site after the loss. "But that's what ended up happening. ... It's going to hurt for a while."

The Twins come into Chicago (1-2) after losing 2-0 to Seattle on Thursday in the finale of their four-game series. Minnesota managed only five hits, failing to back up a solid start by Glen Perkins, who allowed one run in eight innings.

"We'll score some runs," Perkins said. "I don't think anyone's too worried about it."

Friday's game will be especially significant for Twins third baseman Joe Crede, who spent nine seasons in Chicago before leaving as a free agent. Crede hit .257 with 125 homers and 422 RBIs with the White Sox but struggled with back problems his last two seasons. He signed a one-year contract with Minnesota worth between $2.5 and $7 million depending on how much he's on the field.

Crede is 3-for-16 (.188) with six strikeouts in his first four games with the Twins.

"Hopefully, he has a really bad weekend here and then goes out there and plays better," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told the team's official Web site. "Joe is very special in this house."

Guillen is looking for more offense from his own team, which scored five runs and batted .198 in a three-game series with Kansas City.

After rallying for a 4-2 win in the opener, the White Sox managed seven hits and one run over the next two games. They lost 2-1 Thursday after closer Bobby Jenks gave up a two-run homer in the ninth to Coco Crisp. Carlos Quentin doubled and scored in the bottom of the inning, but after Paul Konerko walked to put the tying run on base, pinch-hitter Wilson Betemit struck out to end the game.

Pick: Under 9

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MLB
Baseball Today


SCOREBOARD

Friday, April 10

Philadelphia at Colorado (4:10 p.m. EDT). World Series MVP Cole Hamels makes his first start of the season. The lefty was supposed to pitch Philadelphia's opener, but was pushed back because of minor elbow trouble.

STARS

Thursday

-Matt Garza, Rays, pitched seven innings of four-hit ball to help Tampa Bay to a 4-3 win at Boston. Garza was the MVP of the ALCS last year after twice beating the Red Sox.

-Marlon Byrd, Rangers, homered and tied a career high with five RBIs as Texas beat Cleveland 12-8.

-Grady Sizemore, Indians, hit a pair of two-run homers in Cleveland's 12-8 loss at Texas.

-Nick Swisher, Yankees, homered, doubled, singled and matched a career best with five RBIs in New York's 11-2 win at Baltimore.

-Coco Crisp, Royals, hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to break a scoreless tie and lift Kansas City past the Chicago White Sox 2-1.

-Jarrod Washburn, Mariners, gave up five hits in eight sharp innings as Seattle beat Minnesota 2-0.

-Chris Carpenter, Cardinals, took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning during St. Louis' 2-1 win over Pittsburgh. Ramon Vazquez singled under the glove of second baseman Skip Schumaker with two outs in the seventh.

-Francisco Cordero, Reds, struck out the side in the ninth inning to close out Cincinnati's 8-6 win against the New York Mets.

SCARY

Giants rookie reliever Joe Martinez was hit in the head by Mike Cameron's line drive in the ninth inning of San Francisco's 7-1 win over Milwaukee. Martinez was able to walk off the mound, his forehead bleeding and his right eye swollen. He was taken to a hospital for a CT scan and evaluation. The 26-year-old Martinez made his major league debut Tuesday and wound up as the winning pitcher on opening day.

SAVING UP

Dennys Reyes earned his first save since Sept. 27, 1999, by closing out the Cardinals' 2-1 win over Pittsburgh on Thursday. That gap of nine years, 192 days between saves was the longest since Boston's Curt Schilling went 13 years, 77 days before getting one on July 19, 2005, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

THAT'S PITCHING!

Royals starters Gil Meche, Zack Greinke and Kyle Davies combined to hold the White Sox to one earned run in 20 innings while striking out 21 in the season-opening, three-game series.

REMEMBER, THOSE STATS DIDN'T COUNT

Orioles reliever Chris Ray gave up two runs in the ninth inning Thursday in an 11-2 loss to the Yankees. That left him with a 27.00 ERA this season - he had an 0.00 ERA in spring training.

GIVE AND TAKE

A day after Albert Pujols set a franchise record for Cardinals first basemen with seven assists, he made two poor throws in the third inning of Thursday's 2-1 win over Pittsburgh. He drew an error for bouncing a throw to second on a bunt, then threw wide to the plate on a play that was ruled a fielder's choice.

LUCKY LEFTY

Lefty hitter Joey Votto had a three-run homer and a run-scoring single off left-handed Oliver Perez in the Reds' 8-6 win over the Mets on Thursday. Last year, Perez led NL pitchers in holding lefty swingers to a .158 batting average.

SWINGS

Texas is 3-0 for the first time since 1996 after sweeping the Indians, dropping them to 0-3 for the first time since 1996. Funny thing about that season 13 years ago: Both the Rangers and Cleveland wound up winning division titles.

SPEAKING

"You just hope that the young man is all right, that everything is good and that he's safe first and foremost. I just hope that he gets a chance to go back on the field again. I couldn't stop shaking. It's kind of a helpless feeling. I was just trying to pray for him because I know how dangerous that can be.'' - Mike Cameron, who hit the line drive that struck Giants rookie pitcher Joe Martinez in the head.

SEASONS

April 10

1913 - President Wilson threw out the first ball as the Senators edged the New York Yankees 2-1 in Washington's home opener. Walter Johnson allowed an unearned run in the first inning, but did not yield another run for 56 consecutive innings.

1959 - Chicago's Nellie Fox, who went 5-for-7, hit a 14th-inning opening day home run off Don Mossi to beat Detroit, 9-7. The White Sox second baseman did not homer in 623 at-bats the previous season.

1962 - The Houston Colt .45s, in the first major league game played in Texas, beat the Chicago Cubs 11-2 before 25,000. Roman Mejias led Houston's offense with two three-run homers.

1969 - Tommy Agee of the New York Mets hit a home run into the upper deck in Shea Stadium's left field. It was the longest home run to reach the seats in the history of the stadium.

1982 - Under icy conditions, the Cleveland Indians opened the season at Municipal Stadium with an 8-3 loss to the Texas Rangers before 62,443 fans. Five hundred tons of snow had to be removed from the field; the game-time temperature was 38 degrees, with a wind chill of 17.

1990 - Boston's Wade Boggs tied a major league record for a nine-inning game by drawing three intentional walks.

2000 - Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. became the youngest player to hit 400 career home runs when he connected in the Reds' 7-5 loss to Colorado. At 30 years, 141 days, Griffey beat the previous mark set by Jimmie Foxx, who was 30 years, 248 days old.

2001 - The Dodgers-Diamondbacks game concluded in 1 hour, 55 minutes, the fastest home game in Arizona history. The Diamondbacks' Curt Schilling earned his 16th career shutout and 66th complete game in the 2-0 victory. Schilling gave up two hits and struck out 10. Kevin Brown tossed a three-hitter and fanned eight for Los Angeles.

2003 - The Montreal Expos warmed to Puerto Rico real fast with a 10-0 rout of the New York Mets in the first of Montreal's 22 home games in San Juan.

Today's birthday: Andre Ethier 27.

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[pm530]

MLB
This day in Baseball History


On April 10 in Baseball History...

1913 - In their first official game as Yankees, New York loses to Walter Johnson and the Senators 2-1. After giving up an unearned run in the first, Johnson begins a string of shutout innings that will reach a record 56 before the St. Louis Browns score in the fourth on May 14.

1947 - Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American in the modern major leagues when the Dodgers purchase his contract from Montreal.

1961 - The new Washington team loses its first regular-season game 4-3 to the White Sox.

1962 - Dodger Stadium, the first major league arena privately financed since Yankee Stadium in 1922-23, opens in Chavez Ravine. With 52,564 fans on hand, the Dodgers inaugurate the $22 million facility with a 6-3 loss to the Reds.

1962 - The Houston Colt .45s, in the first major league game played in Texas, beat the Chicago Cubs 11-2 before 25,000 fans. Roman Mejias led Houston's offense with two home runs.

1964 - Demolition begins on the Polo Grounds to clear the way for a housing project.

1971 - The Phillies debut in new $49.5 million Veterans Stadium by beating Montreal 4-1. Don Money connects for the park's first home run.

1973 - Kansas City opens its new park, Royals Stadium, with a 12-1 rout of the Rangers. The game is attended by 39,464 fans braving 39-degree weather.

1976 - The Brewers trail 9-6 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning at packed County Stadium. Because of crowd noise, Yankee reliever Dave Pagan does not hear the time-out called by first baseman Chris Chambliss. Pagan pitches to Don Money, who hits a grand slam. Because of the time out, the home run is nullified. Money bats again, and hits a sacrifice fly. The final score is 9-7 and the Brewers protest the game.

1979 - J.R. Richard sets a major-league record with six wild pitches, but he strikes out 13 Dodgers and is a 2-1 winner.

1980 - In front of a crowd of 53,313, Sixto Lezcano hits a grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning to give Milwaukee a 9-5 win over Boston and Dick Drago. Lezcano also opened the 1978 season with a grand slam, the first player to do it twice on Opening Day.

1981 - In his first game for Chicago, Carlton Fisk belts a three-run home run in the eighth inning to lead the White Sox to a 5-3 win over his former Red Sox teammates at Fenway Park.

1982 - Under icy conditions, the Cleveland Indians opened the season at Municipal Stadium with an 8-3 loss to the Texas Rangers before 62,443 fans. Five hundred tons of snow had to be removed from the field; the game-time temperature was 38 degrees with a wind chill of 17.

1989 - Ken Griffey, Jr. hits his first major league home run in Seattle's 6-5 win over the White Sox. He and his father, a reserve outfielder on the Reds, are the first father-son duo to play in the major leagues at the same time.

1989 - Dave Stieb pitches a one-hitter against the Yankees, giving him three one hitters in his last four starts dating back to the previous September.

1997 - The Cubs fall to 0-8, the worst start in the club's 122-year history, following a 1-0 loss to the Marlins at frigid Wrigley Field. Florida pitcher Alex Fernandez, making his first appearance in Chicago since he left the White Sox over the winter as a free agent, is two outs away from a no-hitter when pinch-hitter Dave Hansen legs out an infield hit off the pitcher's glove. Fernandez settles for the one-hitter.

1998 - The Yankees draw the largest regular-season crowd ever at the new Yankee Stadium as 56,717 attend the home opener against the Oakland Athletics. Then the Yanks crush the club scoring mark by winning the 17-13 slugfest.

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[pm530]

NHL
Write-up


Friday, April 10

Hot teams
-- Blues won seven of their last nine games.
-- Calgary is 6-1 in game following its last seven losses.
-- Ducks won nine of their last eleven games.

Cold teams
-- Minnesota is 0-7 in game following its last seven wins. Nashville lost four of its last six road games.
-- Columbus lost four of last six games, but are in playoffs for 1st time.
-- Oilers lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Dallas is 2-8 in game following its last ten wins.

Totals
-- Under is 11-1-2 in last fourteen Minnesota games.
-- Last three Columbus road games went over the total.
-- Under is 9-1-1 in last eleven Calgary games.
-- Five of last seven Anaheim games went over the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Minnesota lost last five times they had game again the next night.
-- Blue Jackets are 8-4 last 12 times they played again the next night.
-- Flames won three of last four if they played again the next night.
-- Ducks won last three times they had a game again the next night.

Series Records
-- Nashville won last two games vs Minnesota, 2-0/1-0.
-- Bue Jackets lost their last six visits to St Louis.
-- Flames are 5-3 in last eight visits to Edmonton.
-- Stars won four of last five visits to Anaheim.

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[pm530]

NHL
Trend Sheet


Friday, April 10

8:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. MINNESOTA
Nashville is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Nashville is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Nashville
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Nashville

8:30 PM
COLUMBUS vs. ST. LOUIS
Columbus is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Columbus's last 8 games on the road
St. Louis is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis's last 7 games

9:00 PM
CALGARY vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games
Calgary is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Edmonton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing Calgary

10:00 PM
DALLAS vs. ANAHEIM
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Dallas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Anaheim
Anaheim is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Anaheim's last 7 games

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