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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:05 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: April 4

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Celtics take on the Cavaliers, the Sharks meet the Avalanche, and the Red Sox and Yankees do battle at Fenway.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA regains the hoops spotlight on Sunday with eight games on the schedule, including San Antonio at the Lakers, Houston at Indiana, Memphis at Orlando, New Jersey at Washington, Golden State at Toronto, Minnesota at Oklahoma City, and New York at the Clippers. As well, the Cavaliers will be in Boston to take on the Celtics in an early-afternoon matchup. Those two teams last met on March 14 in Cleveland, with the home side winning 104-93 as a 7-point favorite. LeBron James was good for 30 points in that win for the Cavs, while Antawn Jamison grabbed 12 boards. Ray Allen led Boston with 20 points.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The Major League Baseball season gets underway on Sunday night with a rivalry matchup between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The defending champions from the Bronx will send ace lefthander CC Sabathia to the mound for Sunday's opener; Sabathia went 19-8 for the Yankees last season, with a 3.37 ERA and 197 strikeouts over his 230 innings of work. The Red Sox will counter with righthander Josh Beckett on Sunday; Beckett was 17-6 in 2009, posting a 3.86 ERA to go along with 199 strikeouts in 212.1 innings. The Red Sox are pegged as -115 home favorites for Sunday, with the total at 9 runs.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The National Hockey League offers up just four games on Sunday, with Detroit at Philadelphia, Calgary at Chicago, Minnesota at Vancouver, and San Jose at Colorado. The Sharks are looking to hold onto top spot in the Western Conference standings over the final week of the regular season, while the Avalanche are just trying not to blow their playoff spot. The Sharks and Avs last met on March 28 in San Jose, with the home side pulling out a 4-3 victory in that contest. Devin Setoguchi scored twice for the Sharks in that win, while Thomas Greiss had 42 saves. Craig Anderson gave up four goals on 32 shots in the loss.

Roaring around the track . . .

Finally, the Formula 1 circuit stages the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, with Jenson Button looking to pick up his second straight victory after winning the Australian Grand Prix last time out. Fernando Alonso is the only other F1 driver with a win on his resume so far this season, as he took the checkered flag in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Button won the Malaysian Grand Prix last season, with Nick Heidfeld, Timo Glock, Jarno Trulli, and Rubens Barrichello rounding out the Top 5 on the leaderboard. Alonso finished in 11 place at the '09 Malaysian Grand Prix, which was shortened to just 31 laps due to the heavy rain.

**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:06 AM

Bettor's best friend: Sunday's wagering tips

Lines off the board

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics – Anderson Varejao (hamstring) has missed the last three games but is expected to play. Antawn Jamison (shoulder) suffered a stinger in Friday’s game and is probable.

Golden State Warriors at Toronto Raptors – The Raptors played on Saturday. Monta Ellis (illness) will miss the Warriors four-game road trip.

Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers – Trevor Ariza (illness) missed Friday’s game and is questionable. Kevin Martin (shoulder) has missed the last four games and is questionable.

New York Knicks at Los Angeles Clippers – Baron Davis (back) has missed the last two games and was doubtful heading into Saturday’s game. Tracy McGrady (knee) left Friday’s game and is questionable.

Detroit Red Wings at Philadelphia Flyers – The Wings played on Saturday. Danny Cleary (groin) was questionable to return for that game but ended up being scratched.

San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche – Joe Thornton (lower body) has not played since March 27 and is questionable for Sunday.

Line to keep an eye on

An opening total of 188.5 has been bet up to 190.5 in the Nets-Wizards game. Washington has played to four straight unders.

Weather report

The wind is expected to kick back up again at the Shell Houston Open on Sunday. Gusts are projected to blow in the afternoon anywhere from 12-16 mph. The wind blew hard during Thursday’s opening round and the high scores reflected that if affected play.

Who’s hot

Indiana is 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 games.

Calgary has won three straight, earning 4.5 units on the moneyline.

Who’s not

The Timberwolves are 1-16 SU in their last 17 games.

Philadelphia is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games.

The Clippers are 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 outings.

Key stats

8 – Number of NCAA basketball national champions that won their conference tournament over the last 12 years. Butler, Duke and West Virginia all won their conference tournament. Also, 16 of the last 19 tourney champs have come from the ACC, Big 12, Big East or SEC.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol will miss the rest of the season with a partially torn muscle in his neck. Gasol aggravated the injury during Wednesday's game against Dallas. It was Gasol's second game back after sitting out the previous five contests with the neck ailment. The Grizz went 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS without Gasol in the lineup. The 25-year-old Spaniard averaged 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds this season and was replaced in the starting lineup by Hasheem Thabeet.

Games of the Day

San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers (-6, 194.5)

Detroit Red Wings at Philadelphia Flyers

Notable quotable

"There are no world champions in the NBA, so anybody that has the flag up that says world champions is not correct. It's not appropriate. The world champions, I believe, are the Spanish team right now. USA is the Olympic champion. The Lakers are the NBA champion. It doesn't make sense for an NBA team to call themselves world champions. I don't remember anybody playing anybody outside our borders to get that tag. There's a team in Canada. That's true. The world's bigger than North America. I know sometimes we as arrogant Americans don't respond to the rest of the world, but it's true. There's a big world out there."

-- Spurs coach Greg Popovich went off at the notion of the NBA champions labeling themselves as world champions.

Tips and notes

- After losing two straight games and 3-of-4, Kobe Bryant had to refocus himself and his team. Going into Friday’s game versus Utah Bryant said, "It is my responsibility to make sure that we improve and continue to move in the right direction.” He also mentioned the playoffs and keeping his “foot on the gas.” The Lakers have a comfortable conference lead but it doesn’t sound like Kobe will let his team slip or let up down the stretch.

- Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita said opposing teams do not “give 100 percent” when playing Real Madrid. Keita made this accusation after Real scored three goals in 13 minutes in a 3-2 win over Athletico Madrid and defeated Getafe 4-2 last Thursday. Apparently the day before the latter game, the Getafe head coach said he would like to see Real Madrid win the La Liga title. There has been much match-fixing scrutiny in soccer the past few months and this just adds to it. Real Madrid is a -330 favorite over Racing Santander on Sunday.

- Nolan Ryan predicted the Rangers will win 92 games this season. Texas finished 10 games behind the Angels in the West last season but still won 87 games. The ballclub added Vladimir Guerrero and Rich Harden in the offseason but sportsbooks have the Rangers wins total at either 83.5 or 84.5. So Texas added quality players but got worse? Of course injuries are a big risk when betting futures but the over for the Rangers looks like a wise play.

**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:15 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 4

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CLEVELAND (60 - 16) at BOSTON (47 - 28) - 4/4/2010, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 14-4 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-9 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
9 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (46 - 29) at LA LAKERS (55 - 21) - 4/4/2010, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 235-191 ATS (+24.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 32-42 ATS (-14.2 Units) in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 9-6 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 10-5 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
11 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MEMPHIS (39 - 36) at ORLANDO (53 - 23) - 4/4/2010, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 54-73 ATS (-26.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 100-77 ATS (+15.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 114-87 ATS (+18.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 53-36 ATS (+13.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 59-37 ATS (+18.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 64-44 ATS (+15.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 50-35 ATS (+11.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games in non-conference games this season.
MEMPHIS is 80-51 ATS (+23.9 Units) after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 4-1 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 3-2 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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HOUSTON (38 - 37) at INDIANA (28 - 48) - 4/4/2010, 6:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 4-1 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 3-2 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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GOLDEN STATE (22 - 53) at TORONTO (37 - 37) - 4/4/2010, 6:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 5-0 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW JERSEY (10 - 65) at WASHINGTON (22 - 53) - 4/4/2010, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 31-43 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all games this season.
NEW JERSEY is 30-39 ATS (-12.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
NEW JERSEY is 27-36 ATS (-12.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
NEW JERSEY is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
NEW JERSEY is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 32-42 ATS (-14.2 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
WASHINGTON is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) in home games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 7-3 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 6-4 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (15 - 60) at OKLAHOMA CITY (46 - 28) - 4/4/2010, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 44-30 ATS (+11.0 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
MINNESOTA is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) in road games on Sunday games since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-4 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (26 - 49) at LA CLIPPERS (27 - 48) - 4/4/2010, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 3-2 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 4-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:16 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 4

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What bettors need to know: Spurs at Lakers
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San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers (-6, 194.5)

Playoff positioning

Los Angeles will be the No. 1 seed in the West. The Lakers have a five-game lead over Dallas with six games to play so barring a total collapse; the West will have to go through LA.

San Antonio’s destination isn’t so clear cut. The Spurs are currently in the 7th spot with seven games to play but two other teams, Oklahoma City and Portland, also have 46 wins going into Saturday’s action. San Antonio will finish in either the 6th, 7th or 8th spot for the playoffs. The Spurs do not want to finish last because that means a first-round matchup with the Lakers and an early exit for San Antonio.

Current form

Before their easy win over the Jazz on Friday night, the Lakers were mired in a mini slump. Los Angeles had lost three of four going into that game because they played terrible defense in allowing three straight opponents to score 101 points or more.

One of the reasons for the Lakers' lackluster play on their trip was a lack of practice time, according to Derek Fisher. The team practiced only once in eight days on its cross-country trek and had little success adjusting on the fly.

"It's been tough for us to play at a high level," Fisher said.

San Antonio comes into this game hot having won and covered in four of their last five games. Three of their four wins came over playoff-bound teams in Cleveland, Boston and Orlando. Their lone loss came against the worst team in the league, the Nets, go figure.

No love in LA LA Land

Playing in the City of Angels has been no fun for the Spurs. San Antonio has lost their last four trips by an average of 16 points per game. Their offense has been dreadful in those games, scoring 92 points or less in all four behind a 40.5 percent (134-331) shooting mark from the field.

The opposite is true for the Lakers. Los Angeles has scored 99 points or more in their four most recent home games against San Antonio. The Lakers offense has been good from the floor in those games, connecting on 47.1 percent (147-312) of their shots.

Injury updates

Tony Parker remains out for San Antonio. The Spurs really haven’t missed him at all as George Hill has played terrific basketball in his place. San Antonio is cashing at a 73 percent clip (11-4 ATS) when Parker does not play so his absence has been a non-issue for Spurs bettors.

Andrew Bynum is out for Los Angeles and his absence has affected the Lakers. Bynum is LA’s true inside presence, and the Lakers can be scored upon in the paint without him on the court. The Lakers are just 3-4 ATS when the big man doesn’t suit up.

Series facts

Los Angeles is 2-1 SU and ATS against San Antonio this season. Kobe Bryant did not play in the second meeting which the Lakers won by 12 points (101-89).

The Lakers covered in their 106-92 win over Utah on Friday night. However, Los Angeles hasn’t covered the pointspread in back-to-back games since early February – a string of 22 games.

Despite San Antonio playing some high-scoring games recently (6-3-1 over/under in their last 10), the series history between these two has been low scoring. The under is 3-0 this season with scores of 190, 190 and 175.

Over the last ten meetings in this series, the under has cashed in eight of those games.

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:17 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 4

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Who to bet and who to fade in the NBA home stretch
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The NBA Draft Lottery has taken all the fun out of tanking.

The art of creatively losing games on purpose in the final month of the season to increase the chances of getting a stud college kid was one of the few constants in the league.

No more.

The erratic nature of ping pong balls has given long shots a chance at the No. 1 overall pick. In fact, the worst teams in the league over the last few decades have rarely even had a chance to draft first.

So what’s the sense in emptying the bench and playing Development League-quality players if you can’t even be assured of drafting ahead of the team you want desperately to beat you?

And even if that No. 1 pick falls in your lap, there are still no guarantees.

Ask the Trail Blazers, who have spent all season long trying to compensate for the loss of injured centerfold Greg Oden while Oklahoma City has built its franchise around the guy that fell to them at No. 2, Kevin Durant.

The top prize to the team lucky enough to get the No. 1 overall pick this year is expected to be John Wall, a one-and-doner at Kentucky. He is compared to Derrick Rose, but Wall’s numbers for the Wildcats don’t jump out at you – 16.6 ppg, 6.5 assists, 46 percent shooting and only 32 percent shooting from behind the 3-point line.

Where could Wall land?

The Nets already have their point guard in Devin Harris, the Timberwolves have a team full of PGs, Golden State might have room if it can dump Monta Ellis, the Wizards say Gilbert Arenas will be back, the Pistons are still developing Rodney Stuckey, the Kings are building around Tyreke Evans. Utah has the Knicks’ first-round pick and Deron Williams will direct traffic in Salt Lake for the next decade. New Orleans has the best point guard in the league (Chris Paul).

That leaves Philadelphia, Indiana, Houston, Memphis or Milwaukee as landing spots.

With all that in mind, handicapper Steve Merril says the final few weeks of the NBA regular season are a good time to keep an eye out for teams that have thrown in the towel. One team, he feels, is Washington.

“The Wizards are a team that comes to mind right now,” says Merril. “They will cover some games, but I would look to use them only in situations where their opponent is not focused and the line is high.”

Note: Merril’s comments were made before just before Washington broke a 16-game losing streak by beating New Orleans. The Wizards got 9.5 points in that one.

Teams to fade (besides Washington)

Los Angeles Clippers – Avoid these guys like yellow snow. Baron Davis, who has to stifle a laugh every time he cashes a paycheck, was supposed to be the team’s go-to guy but instead gave the team zero leadership when it went into a mid-season funk after a decent start. These guys lost by 18 at home to Golden State, which was thought to be against league by-laws.

Detroit Pistons – Try this on for size: Nine straight losses and 0-9 ATS in that stretch. Ben Gordon, who has been a huge disappointment and is now coming off the bench, will be paid $48 million over the next four years.

New Orleans Hornets – This is training camp all over again for Chris Paul as he returns from that nasty knee injury and the Hornets are still putting things back together in a season that started with high hopes. Next four games (at Memphis, at New Jersey, home vs. Charlotte and Utah) are against teams still playing hard.

Teams to back

Miami Heat – Doesn’t get much better than six wins a in a row and 4-1-1 ATS. But as Billy Mays used to say, there’s more. The road home for the Heat shows clear sailing – Indiana, Minnesota, Philadelphia (twice), Detroit, New York and New Jersey. And Michael Beasley is finally out of his funk.

Phoenix Suns – Does anyone really want to run with the Suns at this point of the season? Phoenix will win its 10th straight Friday night in Detroit and appears to be peaking. The Suns also are gunning for the No. 2 seed in the West. Amare Stoudemire, whose motivation has been questioned, is easily the best big in the Pacific Division.

New Jersey Nets – Funny thing happened to the Nets on the way to breaking the record for most losses in a season. They kept playing hard, won three of four and put the record in the rear view mirror. The public still isn’t buying, so big spreads may produce buying opportunities.

Teams to avoid altogether

Los Angeles Lakers – The Lakers are approaching the home stretch the way high school seniors treat the finals days of school after grades are turned in. Los Angeles did all the heavy lifting early in the season, locking up home-court edge in the West by the All-Star break. Andrew Bynum’s return from injury will give them a boost and the Lakers can win just about any game they set their mind to, but they look like they’d rather sit by the pool with a cold drink until the playoffs start.

Boston Celtics – Amazingly, the Celtics have not beaten a healthy, quality team at home this season. Kendrick Perkins says the team is bored with regular season games. Nice to hear if you’ve shelled out big bucks for tickets. Good team to avoid, although they might be worth a flyer Sunday vs. Cleveland if they stumble again at home against Houston Friday. Boston has played well when local media and talk show callers get on their case.

New York Knicks – The big lines are enticing, but the Knicks have shown zero consistency either way ATS. Since March 15 it’s been W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L ATS. And four of the next five games are on the road.

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:18 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 4

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers

With nothing left to play for, it doesn’t look like the Rockets will return their defensive stalwart and team leader Shane Battier this season.

"It's doubtful," Battier said of coming back. "Time is shorter than I'd like to think."

Kevin Martin has missed the last four games with a lingering shoulder injury and big men Jared Jeffries and David Anderson are both likely to be sidelined for Sunday’s game as well.

Houston pulled out a valiant overtime win in Boston on Friday but the injuries are still hurting the team, having lost six of their last 10 (3-7 ATS).

The Pacers are also out of the playoff picture but have been competing at a high level recently.

“Regardless of our situation, we're still competing. We're still competitors,” Danny Granger said.

Indiana lost its first home game on Friday after eight straight wins, but is still 7-3 SU and 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 games.

Pick: Pacers

Golden State Warriors at Toronto Raptors

One week ago, Toronto general manager Brian Colangelo said the team came back from the All-Star break with a “different approach” and “individual agendas”.

Since the GM called out his players, Toronto has gone 3-2 SU and 5-0 ATS, while holding onto the eighth and final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Raps got a playoff scare on Friday though after blowing a 17-point, third-quarter lead against the Sixers. Toronto eventually fought back in overtime to win the game.

"It was a real good win for us, but we blew a big lead," Chris Bosh said. "We got a little complacent out there."

That should have been a huge wakeup call for the Raptors so expect them to come out with intensity in Sunday’s matchup against Golden State.

Pick: Raptors

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:19 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 4

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CALGARY (40-29-0-9, 89 pts.) at CHICAGO (48-22-0-7, 103 pts.) - 4/4/2010, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 3-11 ATS (+14.2 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 73-56 ATS (-0.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 9-4 ATS (+13.4 Units) in road games revenging a home loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 13-4 (+9.9 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 13-4-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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DETROIT (41-23-0-13, 95 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (38-34-0-6, 82 pts.) - 4/4/2010, 3:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 1-0-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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SAN JOSE (48-20-0-10, 106 pts.) at COLORADO (41-29-0-7, 89 pts.) - 4/4/2010, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 8-3 (+3.4 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 8-3-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.9 Units)

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MINNESOTA (37-35-0-6, 80 pts.) at VANCOUVER (47-27-0-4, 98 pts.) - 4/4/2010, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 8-23 ATS (+39.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
VANCOUVER is 24-11 ATS (+5.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
VANCOUVER is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
MINNESOTA is 7-2 ATS (+9.2 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 21-18 ATS (+43.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
VANCOUVER is 20-32 ATS (-29.2 Units) in home games in April games since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 147-151 ATS (-68.2 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 77-91 ATS (-70.2 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 11-7 (+4.1 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 11-8-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.3 Units)

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:20 AM

NHL

Sunday, April 4

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NHL on NBC betting: Red Wings at Flyers
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Detroit Red Wings at Philadelphia Flyers

Two teams headed in opposite directions will collide in Philly as the Flyers host the Red Wings on NBC Sunday.

Philadelphia is fading down the stretch, winning just twice in its last 11 games to fall into eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Flyers were two points ahead of the Rangers and Thrashers for the East's final playoff spot, entering Saturday's action.

The Red Wings are red hot, winning 10 of their last 11 contests going into Saturday's game with the Predators. A month ago, the Red Wings were in danger of missing the playoffs. Detroit is now comfortably in the postseason picture in the West.

Injury report

The Flyers are still without leading scorer Jeff Carter, who broke his foot last month. Carter is likely out until at least next weekend. Detroit forward Dan Cleary (groin) was expected to sit out his fourth straight game Saturday, but might be back Sunday.

Signs of improvement

Philly is coming off a 1-0 loss at home to the Canadiens Thursday in a game that was crucial to both teams' playoff hopes.

Despite the loss, the Flyers were encouraged by the way they outplayed Montreal. The Flyers peppered Habs goalie Jaroslav Halak with 35 shots and outshot Montreal 14-3 in the third period.

"We have to play the exact same way the next four games," defenceman Chris Pronger said after Thursday's game. "Tonight was the blueprint. We've got to get it done."

Ozzie gets the call

With the Wings playing two games in less than 24 hours this weekend, Chris Osgood is expected to get the start in goal for Sunday's matinee with the Flyers.

Rookie goalie Jimmy Howard has become Detroit's main man, but he played Saturday afternoon against the Predators.

Osgood has not started a game since January 27. Coach Mike Babcock said he'll start the veteran again before the end of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs.

"I feel real good right now, in practice I feel like I'm in real good shape," said Osgood, who has won three Stanley Cups. "Just get some games in, get some rust off and get ready... I want to make sure I'm 100 per cent ready to go if I'm needed to play."

Goalie carousel

Playing net for the Flyers should come with danger pay.

Philly has dressed seven different goalies this season. Sebastien Caron is the latest, backing up Brian Boucher Thursday against Montreal. That means if Boucher gets hurt Sunday, he'll be replaced by a goaltender that has played the last three years in the Swiss National League.

Johan Backlund (groin), Michael Leighton (ankle) and Ray Emery (hip) have all been sidelined by injuries this season.

Trends to consider

Home ice has been a massive advantage in games between the Red Wings and Flyers in recent years. The home team has won the past 13 meetings in the series, including five straight wins by the Flyers in Philadelphia.

Despite their recent struggles, the Flyers have won 13 of their last 19 home games. Detroit is 5-1 in its last six on the road.

The under is 35-13-3 in Detroit's last 51 games against the Eastern Conference and 13-5 in the Wings' last 18 games on zero days rest.

Philadelphia has gone under the total in eight of its last 11 games at home.

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:21 AM

NHL

Sunday, April 4

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche

The Avs hope to avoid a five-game losing streak while clinging onto the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"The ball's in our court," goalie Craig Anderson said. "We've got to win our games, that's the bottom line."

With the conference-leading Sharks on tap for Sunday, this could be a potential first round playoff matchup.

"We're still in a good spot," T.J. Galiardi said. "It hasn't gone the way we planned the last month or so, but we're a resilient team and we're going to show it over the last (five)."

Joe Thornton will likely miss his fourth straight game for San Jose and that should benefit the desperate Avalanche.

Colorado won the only meeting at home between these two teams this season, 5-2, and should sneak away with another victory Sunday.

Pick: Avalanche

Minnesota Wild at Vancouver Canucks (-230, 5.5)

Canucks goaltender Robert Luongo is mired in a deep slump. Since Feb. 11, he’s 7-6-1 with a 3.58 goals-against average.

Luongo was tagged for eight goals in a loss Friday and coach Alain Vigneault had no intentions of pulling the star goalie after he surrendered five of those goals through two periods of play.

"It was [Luongo's] game, and that's what it was," Vigneault said. "I've got a plan, and I'm going to stick to the plan. You've got to be mentally tough, because you're going to have nights like that."

Backup goalie Andrew Raycroft gave up four goals in Friday’s win over Anaheim so it’s clear Vancouver has some puck-stopping problems heading into the playoffs.

The Canucks top point producer, right wing Mikael Samuelsson, is expected to return Saturday and his presence should help in the offensive department.

Luongo gave up five goals in each of his last two contests against the Wild and the Canucks have played to the over in three of their last four games.

Pick: Over

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:22 AM

MLB
LongSheet

Sunday, April 4

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NY YANKEES (114 - 63) at BOSTON (95 - 70) - 8:05 PM
C.C. SABATHIA (L) vs. JOSH BECKETT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 114-54 (+30.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 27-9 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 114-54 (+30.4 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 83-38 (+23.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
BECKETT is 18-3 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 59-27 (+19.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 78-39 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SABATHIA is 18-8 (+12.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 320-291 (-52.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.

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

C.C. SABATHIA vs. BOSTON since 1997
SABATHIA is 5-7 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.14 and a WHIP of 1.218.
His team's record is 5-8 (-3.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-3. (+5.7 units)

JOSH BECKETT vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
BECKETT is 10-6 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.77 and a WHIP of 1.353.
His team's record is 11-8 (+3.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 11-8. (+2.8 units)

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Monday, April 5

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PHILADELPHIA (102 - 75) at WASHINGTON (59 - 103) - 1:05 PM
ROY HALLADAY (R) vs. JOHN LANNAN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 35-37 (-23.1 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 52-36 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 46-26 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 49-33 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 118-205 (-50.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.

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

ROY HALLADAY vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HALLADAY is 5-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.54 and a WHIP of 0.953.
His team's record is 7-1 (+5.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.7 units)

JOHN LANNAN vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
LANNAN is 0-6 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 5.81 and a WHIP of 1.615.
His team's record is 1-7 (-5.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-3. (+1.9 units)

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FLORIDA (87 - 75) at NY METS (70 - 92) - 1:10 PM
JOSH JOHNSON (R) vs. JOHAN SANTANA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 171-152 (+28.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 44-36 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 24-12 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 41-34 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
JOHNSON is 33-14 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JOHNSON is 20-6 (+12.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JOHNSON is 32-13 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 12-23 (-16.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 219-217 (-60.4 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.

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

JOSH JOHNSON vs. NY METS since 1997
JOHNSON is 7-0 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.30 and a WHIP of 1.091.
His team's record is 8-1 (+9.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+0.7 units)

JOHAN SANTANA vs. FLORIDA since 1997
SANTANA is 5-1 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 1.68 and a WHIP of 0.931.
His team's record is 5-2 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.2 units)

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ST LOUIS (91 - 74) at CINCINNATI (78 - 84) - 1:10 PM
CHRIS CARPENTER (R) vs. AARON HARANG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 46-34 (+18.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 59-59 (+10.4 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.

CHRIS CARPENTER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
CARPENTER is 7-3 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 2.11 and a WHIP of 0.843.
His team's record is 9-4 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-9. (-5.9 units)

AARON HARANG vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
HARANG is 7-10 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.54 and a WHIP of 1.276.
His team's record is 9-11 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 12-7. (+4.2 units)

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LA DODGERS (99 - 71) at PITTSBURGH (62 - 99) - 1:35 PM
VICENTE PADILLA (R) vs. ZACH DUKE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 33-35 (-18.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PADILLA is 19-9 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 13-3 (+13.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 11-3 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 11-2 (+12.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 9-1 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PADILLA is 19-9 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field 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.

VICENTE PADILLA vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
PADILLA is 2-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 4.13 and a WHIP of 1.250.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.4 units)

ZACH DUKE vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
DUKE is 2-3 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 5.68 and a WHIP of 1.461.
His team's record is 4-4 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-1. (+5.2 units)

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COLORADO (93 - 73) at MILWAUKEE (80 - 82) - 2:10 PM
UBALDO JIMENEZ (R) vs. YOVANI GALLARDO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
JIMENEZ is 12-24 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JIMENEZ is 12-25 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLORADO is 33-24 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in road games 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.

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
JIMENEZ is 1-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.77 and a WHIP of 1.154.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. COLORADO since 1997
GALLARDO is 0-2 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 15.25 and a WHIP of 2.868.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.4 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (83 - 78) at ATLANTA (86 - 76) - 4:10 PM
CARLOS ZAMBRANO (R) vs. DEREK LOWE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 83-78 (-16.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 83-78 (-16.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 772-805 (-140.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
ZAMBRANO is 73-47 (+24.9 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 73-45 (+27.1 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 158-166 (-34.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 46-46 (-16.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 40-41 (-22.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 24-29 (-20.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 40-41 (-22.9 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 24-30 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in home games 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.

CARLOS ZAMBRANO vs. ATLANTA since 1997
ZAMBRANO is 2-3 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 4-8 (-4.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-5. (+0.9 units)

DEREK LOWE vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
LOWE is 3-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.15 and a WHIP of 1.218.
His team's record is 6-4 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-5. (-0.4 units)

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SAN DIEGO (75 - 87) at ARIZONA (70 - 92) - 5:10 PM
JON GARLAND (R) vs. DAN HAREN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 33-23 (+20.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
GARLAND is 30-19 (+15.1 Units) against the money line in road games in day games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 70-92 (-23.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 36-44 (-15.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 44-57 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 70-92 (-23.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 108-123 (-28.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.

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

JON GARLAND vs. ARIZONA since 1997
GARLAND is 2-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 7.04 and a WHIP of 1.522.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.3 units)

DAN HAREN vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
HAREN is 4-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.21 and a WHIP of 1.205.
His team's record is 8-3 (+3.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-4. (+1.7 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (88 - 74) at HOUSTON (74 - 88) - 7:05 PM
TIM LINCECUM (R) vs. ROY OSWALT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 30-18 (+15.3 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 88-74 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 135-82 (+53.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 88-74 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 716-605 (+86.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 65-53 (+11.5 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.

TIM LINCECUM vs. HOUSTON since 1997
LINCECUM is 2-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 1.67 and a WHIP of 0.773.
His team's record is 3-2 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+0.9 units)

ROY OSWALT vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
OSWALT is 5-5 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.70 and a WHIP of 1.355.
His team's record is 6-7 (-5.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-4. (+1.6 units)

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CLEVELAND (65 - 97) at CHI WHITE SOX (79 - 83) - 2:05 PM
JAKE WESTBROOK (R) vs. MARK BUEHRLE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 65-97 (-32.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 59-84 (-29.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 58-86 (-29.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WESTBROOK is 11-28 (-17.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 107-55 (+30.4 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 107-55 (+30.4 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 67-42 (+32.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Monday since 1997.

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

JAKE WESTBROOK vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
WESTBROOK is 8-10 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 4.73 and a WHIP of 1.353.
His team's record is 9-12 (-5.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-12. (-4.5 units)

MARK BUEHRLE vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
BUEHRLE is 10-14 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.73 and a WHIP of 1.360.
His team's record is 17-19 (-7.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 17-17. (-1.9 units)

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TORONTO (75 - 87) at TEXAS (87 - 75) - 2:05 PM
SHAUN MARCUM (R) vs. SCOTT FELDMAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 87-75 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 84-69 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 58-47 (+12.7 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.

SHAUN MARCUM vs. TEXAS since 1997
MARCUM is 1-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.70 and a WHIP of 1.239.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.1 units)

SCOTT FELDMAN vs. TORONTO since 1997
FELDMAN is 0-2 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.19 and a WHIP of 1.558.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-0. (+3.0 units)

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DETROIT (86 - 77) at KANSAS CITY (65 - 97) - 4:10 PM
JUSTIN VERLANDER (R) vs. ZACK GREINKE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 160-165 (-32.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 18-37 (-17.0 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 12-22 (-14.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 66-79 (-30.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 105-123 (-38.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
VERLANDER is 11-21 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 9-1 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 65-97 (-24.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 33-48 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 33-48 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 41-60 (-22.1 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.

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

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
VERLANDER is 9-2 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 2.32 and a WHIP of 1.119.
His team's record is 10-4 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-6. (-0.5 units)

ZACK GREINKE vs. DETROIT since 1997
GREINKE is 10-5 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 2.62 and a WHIP of 1.145.
His team's record is 12-7 (+7.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-12. (-5.9 units)

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MINNESOTA (87 - 79) at LA ANGELS (102 - 69) - 10:05 PM
SCOTT BAKER (R) vs. JERED WEAVER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 102-69 (+23.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 95-61 (+23.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 121-96 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.

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

SCOTT BAKER vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
BAKER is 0-4 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 5.59 and a WHIP of 1.629.
His team's record is 1-6 (-4.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-3. (+0.6 units)

JERED WEAVER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
WEAVER is 3-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.51 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.2 units)

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SEATTLE (85 - 77) at OAKLAND (75 - 87) - 10:05 PM
FELIX HERNANDEZ (R) vs. BEN SHEETS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 21-12 (+14.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 85-77 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 87-66 (+28.9 Units) against the money line in road games in April games since 1997.
SEATTLE is 80-69 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 57-47 (+13.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HERNANDEZ is 25-9 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HERNANDEZ is 23-8 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HERNANDEZ is 12-3 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SHEETS is 24-38 (-25.4 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)

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

FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. OAKLAND since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 8-4 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 2.88 and a WHIP of 1.206.
His team's record is 9-5 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-8. (-2.0 units)

BEN SHEETS vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:23 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 4

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Trend Report
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8:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Boston
NY Yankees are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games when playing Boston
Boston is 1-9 SU in their last 10 games when playing NY Yankees
Boston is 8-2 SU in their last 10 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:24 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 4

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Sunday Night Baseball: Yankees at Red Sox
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New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (-115, 9), 8:05 p.m. ET

The 2010 season of America’s pastime commences with one of sports’ most storied rivalries. The defending world champion New York Yankees visit fabled Fenway to face the Boston Red Sox on Sunday Night Baseball.

Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon may have summed up the marquee matchup best:

"Have you ever gone to watch a movie and thought, 'Man, this movie is so good, I wish it would never end.' That's like a Red Sox-Yankees game. Why would you want it to end?"

So we meet again

This game marks the 30th time these two teams have faced each other on the first day of the MLB season. The Yankees hold an 18-10-1 advantage in those games and have won the last two in the series, played in 2005 and 1992 in New York.

Weather or not

Both teams were stationed in Florida for spring training where a steady dose of warm, sunny days greeted them. Adjusting to the weather of the Northeast could take the hitters and pitchers a few games.

Temperatures in Boston Sunday night are expected to be in the upper 50s with a minor chance of precipitation. A light wind from 7-9 mph will blow out to left-center field.

The Red Sox hosted Tampa Bay last year on Opening Day and the game saw a first pitch temperature of 45 degrees which could have contributed to it going under the posted total.

Start me up

The clubs’ two aces, Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia, will take the mound Sunday.

Sabathia didn’t have an ideal spring, recording as many earned runs as he did strikeouts (15). In his final start, Sabathia allowed five runs in 4.2 innings of work against the Braves, but he isn’t concerned as most pitchers use spring training games to work on location and mechanics.

"I'm just trying to get out and feel good," Sabathia said after Tuesday’s game. "The changeup was up, and I was just kind of all over the place with the two-seamer. It was one of those days, but I got my work in. I'll go work in the bullpen and try to get it corrected before Sunday."

Sabathia got tagged for six earned runs in the Yankees opener last season – a 10-5 loss at Baltimore. The big southpaw started the 2008 campaign for Cleveland and was lit up for five runs in 5.1 innings of work.

Beckett ended his spring session on a high note after allowing two earned runs with eight strikeouts in six innings against Tampa Bay Monday.

"I think he feels good about himself," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He should. He's strong. He looks ready to go."

Beckett earned the opening start for Boston last season and defeated the Rays 5-3 after giving up two hits and one earned run in seven innings on the mound (10 Ks).

Last year, Sabathia went 3-1 in four starts against the BoSox, boasting a 2.22 ERA and a .172 opponent batting average. Beckett didn’t fare so well versus the Yanks, going 2-1 in five starts with a 5.34 ERA.

Three of Sabathia’s four starts against Boston last year went under the posted total. The game that went over was the head-to-head matchup against Beckett when the Bronx Bombers roughed up Boston’s righty for eight earned runs and five home runs in eight innings.

Acquired taste

The Red Sox bolstered their defense and pitching this offseason.

John Lackey was added to the rotation but three new starters will take the field Sunday with Adrian Beltre managing the hot corner, Marco Scutaro at shortstop and Mike Cameron roaming center field.

"A lot of talk has been centered on our offense last year and how to fix our offense," Boston general manager Theo Epstein said. "But lost in that mix is that our run prevention needs some improvement as well. We were one of the worst defensive clubs in baseball last year."

The Sox might have lost a little punch in the batting order after Jason Bay left for the Mets as a free agent, but a lineup that features a .282 and 60 RBI guy in Scutaro in the nine hole is still daunting to any opposing pitcher.

New York’s prized offseason acquisition was outfielder Curtis Granderson. The former Tiger will be hitting seventh in the Yankees lineup after normally batting leadoff or in the No. 2 spot in Detroit.

It will be interesting to see if journeyman Nick Johnson can hold down the two hole in the order behind Derek Jeter. Johnson is the quintessential contact hitter, but has been plagued by injuries throughout his career.

Big Poopi

Amid the admission of testing positive for steroids in 2003, David Ortiz had a forgetful 2009 season.

Big Papi posted a paltry .187 batting average with one homerun and 18 RBIs during the first two months of the year. He rebounded to save some face in June with a .320 average, but the season-ending totals of 28 HRs, 99 RBIs and a .238 average were not what Red Sox Nation had grown accustomed to.

Through Friday’s spring games, Ortiz was hitting .233 with three homers and eight RBIs in 60 at-bats.

"I've seen good signs from David all spring; I know the numbers don't show that,” Boston hitting coach Dave Magadan said.

Trendy solutions

- Boston and New York split their 18 meetings in 2009. However, the Red Sox have gone just 1-9 in the last 10 games. .

- The Red Sox were 7-2 versus New York at Fenway last season.

- The over/under was 8-8-2 in this series last year.

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:25 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 4

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MLB Opening Day betting trends
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Opening Day is the only day of the season where every team starts out even in the standings. Every team, yes even the Royals and Pirates, believes it has a shot at the postseason and is eager to prove it.

Does that mean some teams perform better than others on this special day?

Maybe.

Here’s a look at some of the more interesting Opening Day trends.

Road regulars

Normally the Pittsburgh Pirates open on the road, a tradition dating back to their home field of more than 100 years ago, Exposition Park, would often flood in April. The Pirates opened on the road every year from 1894-53.

This year marks the first season since 2005 the Bucs have opened at home, and just the 22nd time since 1954. The Pirates are 10-11 opening at home since then, and have lost the four of their last five and eight of their last 11 season openers at home dating back to 1979.

Meet your Mets

The Mets are 31-9 on opening day since 1970. They’ve also hold the longest current opening day winning streak (four in a row).

Good things come in four

Four teams have won more than 60 percent of their home openers historically- Toronto (75.7 percent), the Yankees (66 percent), Seattle (63.6) and the Mets (60.4).

Cin City

While Cincinnati has traditionally opened the baseball season, the Reds are only 52-56-1 historically in their home openers and have lost three of their last four.

More trends

-The Rays have lost eight of their last nine road openers.

-Barack Obama will throw out the first pitch at the Nationals’ opener against the Phillies. Home teams are 6-3 the last nine times the President has thrown out the first pitch, dating back to Bill Clinton christening Jacobs Field in Cleveland in 1994.

-The Athletics sport the longest opening day losing streak in the majors, five games (2005-09) while the Phillies hold the longest opening day losing streak in the National League, four games (2006-09)

Opening day starters

-CC Sabathia is mediocre at best on opening day- 1-1, 5.34 ERA lifetime in six opening day starts. He faces Boston’s Josh Beckett in the April 4 opener at Fenway Park. Beckett is 2-1 lifetime on opening day with a 1.59 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings pitched.

-Derek Lowe threw a two-hitter through eight innings last year in a 4-1 win against the Phillies for his first opening day victory. But lifetime he is 1-4 with a 5.33 ERA on opening day.

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**Udog** · 04-04-2010, 01:25 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 4

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Best and worst MLB pitchers to bet on
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Baseball begins this week and below is a list of play-on and play-against pitchers for the 2010 MLB season.

Five pitchers to back:

Wade Davis (Tampa Bay Rays)

This fifth starter made six starts last year for the Rays, going 2-2 with a 3.72 ERA on the season. Davis started his career giving up one run on three hits against the Tigers in seven innings of work last September. While he did struggle against the Red Sox in his next start, Davis gave up just six earned runs in his last four starts of the season against the likes of Baltimore, Seattle and the Yankees. It should be noted that Davis has an 8.80 ERA in spring training but he’s been tinkering with new pitches.

Brian Matusz (Baltimore Orioles)

The bandwagon is full for this tall left hander as a good spring training has backed a nice finish to his 2009 season. Matusz is 1-2 with a 3.10 ERA in five outings this spring striking out 19 while walking only three batters.

Homer Bailey (Cincinnati Reds)

This phenom’s career couldn’t be more helter-skelter. Bailey spent 2007 and 2008 getting smacked around going 4-8 in 17 games over those two seasons. Last year, he improved a bit going 8-5 with a 4.53 ERA. Bailey has made three outings this spring giving up just four runs in 11.2 innings pitched. While his strikeout numbers aren’t very gaudy (3), he seems to have fixed his walk problem that plagued him earlier in his career.

Ricky Nolasco (Florida Marlins)

Nolasco spent some time in the minors last season and it seemed to clear his head. While the 5.06 ERA last season is unsightly, he still managed to go 13-9 striking out 195 while walking only 44. This spring, Nolasco is 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA in five starts striking out 21 while walking only one batter. Ricky seems to be in midseason form already.

Luke Hochevar (Kansas City Royals)

Much like Homer Bailey, Hochevar has been inconsistent throughout his career. The right hander is 13-26 with a 5.88 ERA in 51 starts over his career. Still Luke has shown flashes of brilliance. He’s 0-1 with a 3.94 ERA in four starts this spring. This is purely a speculative play as I feel that the Royals will be a team on the rise and for that to happen, Luke will have to lead the charge.

Four pitchers to fade:

Cole Hamels (Philadelphia Phillies)

While we don’t like telling people to fade the Phillies at any time, this left hander’s inconsistency presents opportunities to jump on a juicy runline. Hamels is a Top-5 pitcher when he wants to be. The lefty went 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA last year allowing batters to hit .273 against him. This spring hasn’t been much better as he’s gone 1-1 with a 5.57 ERA over five starts. Hamels has given up 11 runs in 10.1 innings of work his last two outings and pitchers are supposed to improve instead of regress the closer the season comes.

Cliff Lee (Seattle Mariners)

Of course the injury helps us here, but I feel like even when he gets healthy, the left hander will be fade material. Lee expressed dismay at his trade from Philly to Seattle and has already been suspended once during spring training. In two starts, Lee has given up 11 hits and five runs during 5.2 innings of work. Lee’s move back to the American League could be a struggle this season. I feel like the Mariners may not live up to expectations.

Vicente Padilla (Los Angeles Dodgers)

The Dodgers named this right hander as their opening day starter and I’m not quite sure why. Seven months ago, this head case was released by a pitching starved Ranger team and went to L.A. where he experienced some success. Padilla’s been tattooed a bit during the spring giving up 19 hits and 10 runs in 14.1 innings of work as hitters are ringing him up to a tune of .306 BAA. I just don’t feel safe backing him in games where he will be pitted against other aces.

Jeremy Guthrie (Baltimore Orioles)

Guthrie had one of the worst seasons of his short career last year going 10-17 with a 5.04 ERA. The right hander hasn’t been much better during the spring giving up 19 runs and 28 hits in 20.2 innings of work. Not only that, the righty has walked 13 batters as well.

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Sunday Trends and Indexes 4/4 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

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