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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:26 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Saturday, May 9

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Kyle Busch looks to visit victory lane in another Sprint Cup event, and the Cavaliers look to pound on the Hawks again.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

LeBron James and the Cavaliers will try to take a 3-0 lead in their second-round series with the Hawks on Saturday when the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3. Cleveland had no trouble in Game 2 on Thursday, getting 27 points from James in the 105-85 victory. Maurice Evans led the Hawks with 16 points, while Al Horford (ankle) and Marvin Williams (wrist) both sat out. Atlanta also lost guard Joe Johnson in the third quarter; he sprained his ankle and could miss Game 3.

The other Saturday matchup has Denver at Dallas, with the Nuggets up 2-0 in the series but pegged as a 4-point road underdog for Game 3. Denver grabbed a 117-105 win in Game 2 on Tuesday, with Nene and Carmelo Anthony both scoring 25 points. Chauncey Billups added 18 points and eight assists in the victory. Dirk Nowitzki had a game-high 35 points in a losing cause for the Mavericks, while Jason Terry was good for 21 points and six assists on the night.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

Unbeaten Paul Maholm will take the mound for the Pirates on Saturday afternoon in their road game against the Mets. Maholm sits at 3-0 with a 2.97 ERA on the season, although he's had to settle for back-to-back no-decisions in each of his last two outings (seven earned runs over 12 2-3 innings). The Mets will counter Maholm with righthander John Maine, who is 2-2 with a 5.20 ERA on the season.

Also on the National League slate for Saturday: Atlanta at Philadelphia, San Diego at Houston, the Cubs at Milwaukee, St. Louis at Cincinnati, Florida at Colorado, and Washington at Arizona. As well, the Dodgers will host rival San Francisco, as Manny Ramirez serves the third game of his 50-game suspension.

It'll be Scott Kazmir (3-3, 6.00 ERA) vs. Jon Lester (2-2, 5.11 ERA) as the Rays play at Fenway Park on Saturday to highlight the slate in the American League. Elsewhere in the AL it'll be Toronto at Oakland, the Yankees at Baltimore, Detroit at Cleveland, Texas at the White Sox, Seattle at Minnesota, and Kansas City at the Angels. Zack Greinke (6-0, 0.40 ERA) will take to the mound for the Royals.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Vancouver will host Chicago on Saturday night in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series. The Blackhawks came from behind to top the Canucks 2-1 in overtime on Thursday night and tie up the set at two games apiece. Andrew Ladd had the winner in the extra frame, while Martin Havlat had the other Chicago goal late in the third period. Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 14 of 15 Vancouver shots in the win, while Canucks counterpart Roberto Luongo had 26 saves in the contest.

Meanwhile, the Penguins and Capitals will meet for the second straight day on Saturday, with Pittsburgh tying up the series 2-2 with a 5-3 win on Friday night. Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for the Penguins in that win, while Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves. Nicklas Backstrom, Chris Clark, and Milan Jurcina tallied for Washington in a losing cause, and Simeon Varlamov stopped 23 shots.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Kyle Busch is the 3/1 Vegas favorite to take the checkered flag in Saturday's Sprint Cup Series event, the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Busch is coming off a win last weekend at Richmond, which moved him up to fifth place in the driver standings. Jimmie Johnson is next at 4/1 odds for the race, with standings leader Jeff Gordon at 6/1, and both Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin pegged at 8/1. Kurt Busch, who is second in the current Cup standings, is at 12/1.

**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:28 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

When Top Trends, for Atlanta/Cleveland, are added, we'll update.

Saturday, May 9

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DENVER (60 - 29) at DALLAS (54 - 35) - 5/9/2009, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 52-36 ATS (+12.4 Units) in all games this season.
DENVER is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) against Southwest division opponents this season.
DENVER is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
DENVER is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
DENVER is 27-17 ATS (+8.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 10-3 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 9-4 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CLEVELAND (72 - 16) at ATLANTA (51 - 40) - 5/9/2009, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 7-6 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 10-3 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:29 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Saturday, May 9th

Western Conference Playoffs - Round Two
Game Three
Denver Leads, 2-0
Denver at Dallas, 5:05 ET

Denver:
7-0 ATS in playoffs
10-3 ATS vs. Dallas

Dallas:
27-15 Under off an Over
18-7 Under playing with double revenge
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Eastern Conference Playoffs - Round Two
Game Three
Cleveland Leads, 2-0
Cleveland at Atlanta, 8:05 ET

Cleveland:
9-0 ATS off four straight DD wins
18-1 ATS after leading L3 games by 5+ at halftime

Atlanta:
19-4 Under revenging DD loss
16-28 ATS off DD loss

**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:31 AM

NBA

Saturday, May 9

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Trend Sheet
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5:00 PM
DENVER vs. DALLAS
Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Denver is 4-19 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
Dallas is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home

8:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. ATLANTA
Cleveland is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games when playing Atlanta
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 14-6-1 ATS in its last 21 games at home
Atlanta is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:32 AM

NBA

Saturday, May 9

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Pick 'n' Roll: Saturday's best NBA bets
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Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks (-4, 209)

Sure, the Dallas Mavericks have distractions.

Josh Howard sat out practice Thursday because of his sprained right ankle and the sore left one that has bothered him much of the season. Dirk Nowitzki faced questions about the arrest of a woman at his home.

There is also that little on-the-court issue against the Denver Nuggets - that whole one about losing both games at Denver to start the Western Conference semifinal series.

''Being down 2-0, we've definitely got a distraction in the sense we didn't play in the fourth quarter,'' Jason Kidd said following the Mavericks' first practice since losing Game 2 on Tuesday night. ''The game late gets a little bit out of hand.''

And so will the series if the Mavs aren't able to change that trend in Game 3 Saturday in Dallas.

''We've got to keep scoring, we've got to keep making baskets and not allow them to run out and get easy plays,'' Jason Terry said. ''You turn the ball over, they get a layup. You miss a shot, they get a layup. That has kind of been repetitive.''

The Nuggets have been physical and fast in this series, outscoring the Mavericks 54-13 in fastbreak points so far. And they have been best when it counts most.

Denver only led by three at the start of the fourth quarter in Game 2, then went on a 16-2 run before winning 117-105. That came after a 14-point Game 1 victory accomplished in similar fashion.

After five consecutive first-round exits for Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets, they are 6-1 this postseason with the wins by an average margin of 25 points - take out the 58-point rout at New Orleans and it is still a 15-point margin.

Pick: Denver +4

Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks (+8, 180)

If this was a heavyweight fight, the referee might have already stepped in to stop it.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are on a record roll and throwing nothing but haymakers. The Atlanta Hawks are all banged up and on the ropes.

Of course, it takes four wins to advance in the NBA playoffs, so the Cavaliers' work is only half done. But it's hard to see any way the team with the league's MVP and best record of anyone during the regular season could possibly let this one slip away, not after those first two games in Cleveland.

The Cavs took Game 1 by 27 points. Game 2 was a 20-point blowout (and not really that close).

Compounding Atlanta's problems: Three starters - leading scorer Joe Johnson, center Al Horford and forward Marvin Williams - are hurting. Horford (sprained ankle) and Williams (sprained wrist) sat out Game 2, while Johnson twisted his right ankle after the contest already had gotten out of hand and left the arena in a walking boot.

They're all questionable for Game 3 Saturday night. Even if they play, none will be at full strength.

''It's a little frustrating not to have a full deck,'' Hawks coach Mike Woodson said after practice Friday. ''No one wants to go through a playoff series all beat up. We've got some key guys on the sideline.''

Horford and Williams took part in the off-day practice at Philips Arena, though it really was more of a walkthrough. Johnson stayed in the back, getting treatment.

''Injuries happen. They're part of the game,'' said Zaza Pachulia, who would start at center if Horford can't go. ''Unfortunately, it's happened to us in the playoffs. That's not a good time. But we're still going to have five guys on the court.''

Don't expect any sympathy from the Cavaliers, who have won all six of their playoff games by double figures - matching the record streak set by the 2004 Indiana Pacers - and also became just the second team to win three straight postseason games by at least 20 points. The 1986 Los Angeles Lakers, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, were the first.

Pick: Cleveland -8

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:34 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Saturday, May 9

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PITTSBURGH (12 - 16) at NY METS (14 - 13) - 1:10 PM
PAUL MAHOLM (L) vs. JOHN MAINE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 35-45 (-25.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 20-28 (-24.8 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 18-23 (-17.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.

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

PAUL MAHOLM vs. NY METS since 1997
MAHOLM is 3-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 1.250.
His team's record is 4-1 (+5.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)

JOHN MAINE vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
MAINE is 2-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.93 and a WHIP of 1.265.
His team's record is 2-3 (-2.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.4 units)

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ATLANTA (13 - 15) at PHILADELPHIA (14 - 12) - 3:40 PM
JAVIER VAZQUEZ (R) vs. JOE BLANTON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 85-105 (-29.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 84-103 (-28.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
VAZQUEZ is 5-14 (-11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 42-17 (+21.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 32-14 (+19.4 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

JAVIER VAZQUEZ vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
VAZQUEZ is 10-7 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 4.55 and a WHIP of 1.314.
His team's record is 12-12 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-14. (-7.8 units)

JOE BLANTON vs. ATLANTA since 1997
BLANTON is 0-0 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 13.50 and a WHIP of 2.500.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.1 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (14 - 13) at LA DODGERS (21 - 9) - 3:40 PM
JONATHAN SANCHEZ (L) vs. ERIC STULTS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 13-1 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LA DODGERS are 19-6 (+12.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
LA DODGERS are 13-1 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 4-2 (+1.5 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.1 Units)

JONATHAN SANCHEZ vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
SANCHEZ is 0-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.29 and a WHIP of 1.476.
His team's record is 1-3 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.3 units)

ERIC STULTS vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
STULTS is 1-2 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 6.97 and a WHIP of 2.177.
His team's record is 3-2 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+1.9 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (16 - 12) at MILWAUKEE (16 - 13) - 7:05 PM
RYAN DEMPSTER (R) vs. YOVANI GALLARDO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 973-1021 (-184.8 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 916-937 (-162.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
DEMPSTER is 105-97 (+21.3 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 42-25 (+25.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 22-8 (+18.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday since 1997. (Team's Record)
DEMPSTER is 92-85 (+17.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 2-1 (+0.7 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

RYAN DEMPSTER vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
DEMPSTER is 9-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.12 and a WHIP of 1.256.
His team's record is 10-4 (+5.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-5. (+2.5 units)

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
GALLARDO is 0-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.75 and a WHIP of 1.417.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

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SAN DIEGO (13 - 16) at HOUSTON (11 - 17) - 7:05 PM
KEVIN CORREIA (R) vs. BRIAN MOEHLER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 76-114 (-37.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 33-63 (-22.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 76-114 (-37.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 53-83 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 50-73 (-21.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 97-92 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 95-91 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 164-183 (-47.9 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.

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

KEVIN CORREIA vs. HOUSTON since 1997
CORREIA is 0-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.05 and a WHIP of 1.199.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

BRIAN MOEHLER vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
MOEHLER is 1-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 4.42 and a WHIP of 1.582.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.0 units)

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ST LOUIS (19 - 10) at CINCINNATI (15 - 13) - 7:10 PM
KYLE LOHSE (R) vs. AARON HARANG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 51-47 (+9.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 105-86 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 105-86 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 70-55 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 71-54 (+17.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LOHSE is 22-11 (+11.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 19-27 (-15.1 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

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

KYLE LOHSE vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
LOHSE is 1-1 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.34 and a WHIP of 1.393.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-3. (-3.4 units)

AARON HARANG vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
HARANG is 6-9 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.75 and a WHIP of 1.287.
His team's record is 8-10 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 11-6. (+4.3 units)

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WASHINGTON (8 - 18) at ARIZONA (12 - 17) - 8:10 PM
JOHN LANNAN (L) vs. DOUG DAVIS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 67-120 (-32.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 28-67 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 7-23 (-14.7 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 67-117 (-29.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 46-85 (-25.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LANNAN is 10-27 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DAVIS is 18-6 (+12.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 95-88 (+37.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 72-72 (+21.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 95-97 (-20.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 95-94 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.

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

JOHN LANNAN vs. ARIZONA since 1997
LANNAN is 1-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 0.69 and a WHIP of 0.846.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

DOUG DAVIS vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
DAVIS is 1-4 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.09 and a WHIP of 1.093.
His team's record is 2-5 (-3.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-1. (+5.0 units)

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FLORIDA (15 - 14) at COLORADO (11 - 16) - 8:10 PM
JOSH JOHNSON (R) vs. JORGE DE LA ROSA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 108-90 (+28.2 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
COLORADO is 92-83 (+22.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 99-91 (+20.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 48-48 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 25-14 (+13.3 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 98-89 (+21.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
JOHNSON is 16-4 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JOHNSON is 16-4 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLORADO is 84-105 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 84-105 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 53-79 (-28.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

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

JOSH JOHNSON vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

JORGE DE LA ROSA vs. FLORIDA since 1997
DE LA ROSA is 1-3 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 11.57 and a WHIP of 2.448.
His team's record is 1-3 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-4. (-4.8 units)

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TAMPA BAY (14 - 16) at BOSTON (18 - 11) - 3:40 PM
SCOTT KAZMIR (L) vs. JOSH BECKETT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 69-31 (+20.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 42-14 (+19.2 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 110-62 (+28.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 51-24 (+21.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BECKETT is 30-8 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in home games in day games since 1997. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 119-89 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 57-39 (+21.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 89-53 (+31.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
KAZMIR is 11-1 (+9.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KAZMIR is 23-12 (+13.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 5-2 (+3.8 Units) against BOSTON this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

SCOTT KAZMIR vs. BOSTON since 1997
KAZMIR is 7-7 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.58 and a WHIP of 1.386.
His team's record is 13-11 (+8.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 13-11. (+1.6 units)

JOSH BECKETT vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
BECKETT is 7-4 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.21 and a WHIP of 1.198.
His team's record is 7-7 (-3.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-8. (-2.4 units)

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TORONTO (20 - 11) at OAKLAND (10 - 16) - 4:05 PM
BRIAN TALLET (L) vs. SEAN GALLAGHER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 16-28 (-15.7 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 25-12 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 41-23 (+18.5 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 80-61 (+14.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 155-181 (-51.6 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-1 (+0.6 Units) against OAKLAND this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

BRIAN TALLET vs. OAKLAND since 1997
TALLET is 0-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 1.69 and a WHIP of 0.938.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

SEAN GALLAGHER vs. TORONTO since 1997
GALLAGHER is 0-2 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 7.88 and a WHIP of 2.125.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

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NY YANKEES (13 - 15) at BALTIMORE (12 - 17) - 7:05 PM
PHIL HUGHES (R) vs. ADAM EATON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 197-159 (-29.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 15-21 (-18.4 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 3-12 (-10.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 10 to 10.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 28-32 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 3-10 (-9.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
NY YANKEES are 11-14 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 475-518 (-110.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 27-60 (-24.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 475-518 (-110.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 2-1 (+2.2 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.0 Units)

PHIL HUGHES vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
HUGHES is 1-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 5.06 and a WHIP of 1.688.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

ADAM EATON vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
EATON is 1-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.22 and a WHIP of 1.125.
His team's record is 1-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

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DETROIT (14 - 13) at CLEVELAND (11 - 18) - 7:05 PM
EDWIN JACKSON (R) vs. FAUSTO CARMONA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 88-101 (-30.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 84-134 (-40.7 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 33-50 (-29.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 82-87 (-23.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 55-66 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 56-75 (-31.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 9-19 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 7-16 (-10.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 2-1 (+0.4 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

EDWIN JACKSON vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
JACKSON is 1-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.42 and a WHIP of 1.732.
His team's record is 1-3 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.2 units)

FAUSTO CARMONA vs. DETROIT since 1997
CARMONA is 6-1 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 3.43 and a WHIP of 1.094.
His team's record is 8-1 (+7.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-3. (+1.8 units)

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TEXAS (15 - 13) at CHI WHITE SOX (13 - 14) - 7:05 PM
KEVIN MILLWOOD (R) vs. JOHN DANKS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 62-34 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 96-71 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 94-96 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 24-12 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 87-88 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 71-66 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

KEVIN MILLWOOD vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
MILLWOOD is 1-4 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.283.
His team's record is 2-7 (-6.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-3. (+2.7 units)

JOHN DANKS vs. TEXAS since 1997
DANKS is 1-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 5.30 and a WHIP of 1.393.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

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SEATTLE (15 - 14) at MINNESOTA (13 - 16) - 7:10 PM
FELIX HERNANDEZ (R) vs. FRANCISCO LIRIANO (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 76-115 (-37.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 10-25 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 49-78 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 19-7 (+11.1 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 62-36 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 17-4 (+14.8 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 64-38 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 72-59 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 64-41 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 27-13 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-2 (+0.6 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 3-2 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.23 and a WHIP of 0.970.
His team's record is 5-2 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.5 units)

FRANCISCO LIRIANO vs. SEATTLE since 1997
LIRIANO is 2-2 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.32 and a WHIP of 0.903.
His team's record is 2-3 (-2.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-1. (+2.9 units)

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KANSAS CITY (18 - 11) at LA ANGELS (13 - 14) - 9:05 PM
ZACK GREINKE (R) vs. JOE SAUNDERS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 114-79 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 108-69 (+25.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 152-106 (+25.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 51-37 (+12.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAUNDERS is 28-10 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 27-9 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 20-8 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 19-7 (+11.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 18-11 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 44-49 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 86-85 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 13-5 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 44-29 (+27.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
GREINKE is 23-13 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 17-7 (+9.7 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.

ZACK GREINKE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
GREINKE is 1-2 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 7.41 and a WHIP of 1.882.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

JOE SAUNDERS vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
SAUNDERS is 1-0 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 1.429.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:36 AM

MLB

Saturday, May 9

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Trend Sheet
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1:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NY METS
Pittsburgh is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
NY Mets are 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
NY Mets are 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

3:40 PM
ATLANTA vs. PHILADELPHIA
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Philadelphia is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games when playing Atlanta

3:40 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. LA DODGERS
San Francisco is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
San Francisco is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games
LA Dodgers are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games
LA Dodgers are 13-2 SU in their last 15 games at home

3:40 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BOSTON
Tampa Bay is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston
Tampa Bay is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

4:05 PM
TORONTO vs. OAKLAND
Toronto is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Oakland
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Oakland is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Toronto

7:00 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. HOUSTON
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
San Diego is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Diego

7:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. MILWAUKEE
Chi Cubs are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games
Chi Cubs are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
Milwaukee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

7:05 PM
DETROIT vs. CLEVELAND
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Detroit is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
Cleveland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games

7:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. BALTIMORE
NY Yankees are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games when playing Baltimore
NY Yankees are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Baltimore is 2-9 SU in their last 11 games when playing NY Yankees
Baltimore is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:05 PM
TEXAS vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Texas is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Texas is 9-4 SU in their last 13 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 4-9 SU in their last 13 games when playing Texas

7:10 PM
SEATTLE vs. MINNESOTA
Seattle is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games at home

7:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CINCINNATI
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis

8:10 PM
FLORIDA vs. COLORADO
Florida is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Florida is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Colorado is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Florida

8:10 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ARIZONA
Washington is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Arizona
Washington is 4-19 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Arizona is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Arizona is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing Washington

9:05 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. LA ANGELS
Kansas City is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Kansas City

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:38 AM

MLB

Saturday, May 9

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Hot Lines: Saturday's best MLB bets
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Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets (-172, 9.5)

Pittsburgh could use any bit of good news right now. The club has lost nine of its last 10 games heading into its weekend series with the Mets.

The good news is that closer Matt Capps should be back for Saturday’s game after a nagging elbow injury that kept him out most of the week. Or is that bad news? Capps has a 7.56 ERA this season.

The worse news is that the Bucs hit .211 BA over the 10-game slide. They also rank third-worst in the majors with just 18 home runs this season.

Pick: Under 9.5

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers (-152, 9)

Things were rolling along for the Dodgers. Top of the division. They’d won nine of their last 10 games. Their $25-million dollar slugger was lighting up scoreboards.

Things came to a screeching halt when news broke Thursday that Manny Rimirez had tested positive for a banned substance and would be suspended 50 games. No worries, he’s only hitting .348 BA.

To give you an idea where that left the Dodgers’ heads, they blew a 5-0 lead against the Nats Thursday to lose the game 11-9. This might be San Fran’s chance to get back in the season series with L.A. after falling behind 4-2.

Pick: Giants +144

Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels (+103, 7.5)

If you want to take Zack Greinke these days, you’re going to have to pay for him. Unless he’s on the road, that is.

The majors’ best pitcher this season is 6-0 with a 0.40 ERA and with Kansas City winning early on, there’s no hidden value here. But Grienke is getting better prices on the road this season and has two road wins already as an underdog.

The right-hander tossed shutouts in both road starts and racked up 17 strike outs in 15 innings.

Pick: Royals -111

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:39 AM

MLB

Saturday, May 9

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Roy Oswalt (Houston Astros)

Roy Oswalt could end up in Cooperstown someday, but the Houston Astros ace is focused only on the present.

The right-hander goes for his first victory of the season and first win against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon as the teams meet at Turner Field.

Oswalt (0-2, 3.94 ERA) allowed nine earned runs in dropping his first two starts this season, but he's yielded five runs in 19 innings over his last three outings.

He matched a season high with seven innings in Monday's 4-1 victory over Cincinnati, giving up one run and six hits.

Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants)

The San Francisco Giants' rotation boasts the reigning NL Cy Young award winner, but so far this season Matt Cain - not Tim Lincecum - has been the team's best pitcher.

Cain has delivered a quality start in each of his four outings, a trend he'll hope to keep up Saturday when the surging Giants continue their three-game set with the visiting Colorado Rockies.

Lincecum became a sensation for San Francisco last year, when he led the major leagues in strikeouts on his way to picking up the NL Cy Young in just his second season. He's begun to regain his form in his past three starts after a poor beginning.

The Giants (11-10), though, have some quality depth in their rotation, starting with Cain (2-0, 2.08 ERA). The burly right-hander has gone at least six innings in all four starts, and he hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of them.

Cain gave up one run and four hits in seven innings Sunday at Arizona, though he did walk four. He was in line for his third victory until the Diamondbacks scored three times in the ninth and won 5-4 in 12 innings.

"Cain did a great job," manager Bruce Bochy told the Giants' official Web site. "I thought we were going to win it for him, but then they stole it."

Cain has won both of his starts at AT&T Park after picking up only five wins in 18 outings there last season. He's faced the Rockies (8-13) eight times at home during his career, going 5-2 with a 1.95 ERA as Colorado hit just .180.

Tim Wakefield (Boston Red Sox)

Like his team, Wakefield has had little success against the Rays of late, going 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA in his last five regular-season starts versus Tampa Bay.

In his last two outings against the Rays - the second of which was a 13-4 loss in Game 4 of the ALCS - he totaled five innings and allowed six homers and 11 runs.

Wakefield (2-1, 1.86 ERA), though, has been dominant this season, limiting opponents to a .154 average. The 42-year-old knuckleballer gave up one hit in seven shutout innings of a 3-1 win at Cleveland on Monday night, although he didn't get the decision.

"I feel phenomenal," Wakefield told the Red Sox's official Web site. "I'm throwing a lot of strikes."

Slumping

Oliver Perez (New York Mets)

Oliver Perez is scheduled to take the mound for the New York Mets against the Philadelphia Phillies in his next two starts. If he doesn't show some signs of improvement in his first one, however, the second may never come.

The unpredictable Perez will essentially be pitching to keep his spot in New York's rotation on Saturday as the teams continue their three-game set in Philadelphia, but he'll do so with an excellent recent track record against the Phillies on his side.

Perez was excellent in his first full season with the Mets (10-12), going 15-10 with a 3.56 ERA in 2007 and looking like a top-of-the-line starter. His ERA rose to 4.22 last season and he won five fewer games, but was signed to a three-year, $36 million contract in the offseason.

So far, Perez (1-2, 9.31 ERA) is hardly living up to his end of the deal.

The left-hander has failed to make it out of the fifth inning in three of his four starts, and has 15 walks in 19 1-3 innings. After he allowed seven runs, nine hits and three walks in 4 1-3 innings in an 8-1 loss to woeful Washington on Sunday, manager Jerry Manuel voiced his displeasure.

"I'm really concerned about him at this point. I don't know what we do," he said. "The thing that concerns me is I don't see Ollie's stuff like I saw before. I don't know if he's going through a dead arm period or whatever, I don't know.

"If you see stuff and no command, that's one thing. If it's no stuff or command, that's a recipe for disaster."

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:41 AM

MLB

Saturday, May 9

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MLB Weekend Cheat Sheet
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In the MLB Cheat Sheet, a guide designed to help you isolate the best bets, we focus on two top series in both leagues on this weekend’s schedule. Keep in mind that all pitcher records are ‘team starts’ unless noted otherwise.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies

Most Recent Series Result: Phillies 14-5 last 19 games vs. Braves

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Braves 4-1 last five games away vs. Phillies

Key Day/Month Stat: Phillies 16-3 on Sundays; Braves 5-15 away on Sundays

Best Arm in the Series: Phillies’ Hamels 7-1, 3.32 ERA last eight starts vs. Braves

Worst Arm in the Series: Myers 0-6, 4.65 ERA last 6 home vs. Braves; Vazquez 0-4, 7.13 ERA last four away vs. Phillies

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers

Most Recent Series Result: Dodgers 4-2 last six games vs. Giants

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Dodgers 6-2 last eight home vs. Giants

Key Day/Month Stat: Dodgers 10-0 on Saturdays; Giants 1-5 on Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Dodgers’ Billingsley 4-0, 3.54 ERA home lifetime vs. Giants

Worst Arm in the Series: Giants’ Cain 1-4, 2.82 ERA last five away vs. Dodgers

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox

Most Recent Series Result: Rays 15-7 last 22 games vs. Red Sox

Most Recent Series Rays 6-2 last 8 away vs. Red Sox

Key Day/Month Stat: Red Sox 5-0 on Saturdays; Rays 0-6 on Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Rays’ Garza 9-1, 2.54 ERA lifetime vs. Red Sox

Worst Arm in the Series: Red Sox’ Penny 0-3, 6.35 ERA last three starts vs. Rays; Wakefield 1-5, 7.20 ERA last six starts vs Rays

Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians

Most Recent Series Result: Indians 8-2 last 10 games vs. Tigers

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Indians 10-3 last 13 games home vs. Tigers

Key Day/Month Stat: Tigers 5-0 on Saturdays; Indians 1-7 home on Saturday

Best Arm in the Series: Indians’ Carmona 8-1, 3.43 ERA lifetime vs. Tigers (5-0 home)

Worst Arm in the Series: Indians’ Lee 0-7, 8.28 last eight home vs. Tigers; Tigers’ Verlander 1-7, 10.24 ERA last eight away vs. Indians

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:47 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

When Washington/Pittsburgh is added, we'll update.

Saturday, May 9

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CHICAGO (52-29-0-11, 115 pts.) at VANCOUVER (51-28-0-11, 113 pts.) - 5/9/2009, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 36-18 ATS (+16.3 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 20-15 ATS (-3.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO is 20-14 ATS (+38.1 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 47-41 ATS (+102.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 135-146 ATS (-87.8 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 53-78 ATS (-38.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 10-6 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 10-6-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.8 Units)

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:48 AM

NHL

Saturday, May 9

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Sheet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
Pittsburgh is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Washington's last 13 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
Washington is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games when playing Pittsburgh

10:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. VANCOUVER
Chicago is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games on the road
Vancouver is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Chicago
Vancouver is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Chicago

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:51 AM

NHL

Saturday, May 9

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice picks: Saturday's best NHL bets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers (-140, 5.5)

Martin Biron is more concerned with the **** music than his contract situation. He can earn a bigger payday and keep the Philadelphia Flyers' season going with another standout performance.

Biron helped the Flyers avoid elimination by stopping 28 shots for his second career playoff shutout in Thursday night's 3-0 win at Pittsburgh. Game 6 is Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, where a hyped-up crowd surely will be ready for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the Penguins.

Desperate to extend the series, the Flyers turned to their often-criticized goaltender. Biron isn't considered among the elite goalies in the NHL, and he didn't even become the clear No. 1 for Philadelphia until late in the season. But he's been outstanding in the playoffs.

Before Game 5, coach John Stevens told Biron in front of the team that he needed to be great. Biron responded to the challenge by making 15 saves in the first period, keeping the Flyers in the game and quieting Pittsburgh's fans.

Then Philadelphia settled in and got a huge momentum boost when fourth-line forward Arron Asham scored the go-ahead goal in the second period. That was all Biron needed. He single-handedly made sure the Flyers would play another game.

''We're not looking at wining the series tomorrow,'' Biron said Friday. ''We're looking at pushing it to Game 7.''

Pick: Philadelphia -140

Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks (-220, 5)

Whether it's Marleau's single goal in the Anaheim series after scoring 38 during the season, Milan Michalek's scoreless vanishing act, or Joe Pavelski's shockingly poor performance on faceoffs, the Sharks have fallen apart offensively. Anaheim's defense on Joe Thornton also has been bitingly successful, with the Sharks' All-Star center rarely getting any spare moments with the puck to create plays.

''Not a lot of people probably believe we can come back,'' said defenseman Dan Boyle, who has been among the few solid Sharks in his first playoff series with the club. ''We've got to show up with a desperate attitude. We were missing that desperation (in Game 4), and in a do-or-die situation, that's not good. We just need more.''

The Ducks took a 3-1 series lead with a 4-0 victory in Game 4 on Thursday night, trouncing punchless San Jose for goalie Jonas Hiller's second shutout of the series. Although the Sharks make no excuses for their putrid play, Anaheim's superiority isn't the shock it might be in another series, given the Ducks' pedigree, their rivalry with the Sharks and their strong finish to the regular season.

''We're going to go in with the mentality that we want to get that win in San Jose,'' said Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf, who has outplayed Thornton, the player to whom he's often compared. ''We don't want to prolong it any longer. We know what we're up against. (The Shark Tank) hasn't been a friendly building for anybody this year. We know we're going to get their best effort.''

Pick: Under 5

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**Udog** · 05-09-2009, 08:59 AM

Oh, great! I just noticed I copied last Saturday's Ice Picks. Here's today's:

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Ice picks: Saturday's best NHL bets
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Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (N/A)

The feeling of a playoff series slipping away to the Pittsburgh Penguins is starting to feel awfully familiar to the Washington Capitals.

The Capitals will try to stop Pittsburgh's momentum on Saturday night at the Verizon Center in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series, less than 24 hours after the Penguins evened it at home.

The Penguins are coming off a 5-3 victory on Friday in Pittsburgh - and may have gotten into rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov's head at the same time. After trailing 1-0 just 36 seconds in, Sergei Gonchar, Bill Guerin and Ruslan Fedotenko scored in an 11 1/2-minute span to make it 3-1 at the end of one period.

Sidney Crosby added his team-high ninth playoff goal, and Max Talbot also found the back of the net in the third period.

"We're right back in it and we have momentum on our side and we'll try to keep it going,'' said the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury, who stopped 19 shots.

Nicklas Backstrom, Chris Clark and Milan Jurcina tallied the Capitals goals. Alex Ovechkin was held to an assist after scoring five goals in the first three games.

"Alex is only human, he can't be unbelievable every night. He's a great player, he just had one of those nights where he's not going to get three goals," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said.

This scenario has been played out before between these clubs. Pittsburgh was down 2-0 in a playoff series to Washington in 1992 before prevailing in seven games. The Penguins also lost the first two games to the Caps in 1996 before moving on in six.

Picks: Pittsburgh

Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks (-150, 5)

The Vancouver Canucks are looking forward to Game 5 against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.

And they insist they're over their Game 4 collapse in Chicago that left the Western Conference semifinal series tied at 2.

''It's already behind us,'' forward Alex Burrows said.

On Thursday night in Chicago, the Blackhawks' Martin Havlat tied it with 2:44 left, and Andrew Ladd scored early in overtime.

''We flew home last night and we're ready to go now,'' Burrows said. ''It's a best two out of three, and when we faced adversity before we've responded well.''

The Canucks say they also have to look forward on the ice, spending more time pushing into the Chicago end and less backing up into their own zone.

Vancouver has led in all four games, but blown leads three times.

The Canucks sat back and watched the talented young Blackhawks erase three- and two-goal leads while splitting the first two games in Vancouver. They continued to press and build on an early lead to win Game 3, but tried to nurse a one-goal cushion in Game 4, doing so until a late breakdown allowed Havlat to score.

''Losing that late was tough,'' Canucks forward Mats Sundin said. ''But that's what the playoffs are about, how you respond after a loss, how your next performance is. Every time you are knocked down you have to bounce back even higher.''

They can't get much lower on the shot clock. The Canucks managed 15 shots Thursday, a franchise playoff record for futility, as they retreated into the neutral zone to try to shut down Chicago.

''As a team, 15 shots is not good enough,'' top-line forward Daniel Sedin said. ''It's a fine line and last game we played too defensive. We've got to get better offensively, but at the same time we were 2 1/2 minutes from being up 3-1, so it has worked.''

Pick: Over 5

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Saturday Trends and Indexes 5/9 (NBA, MLB, NHL, Misc.)

Saturday Trends and Indexes 5/9 (NBA, MLB, NHL, Misc.)

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