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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:28 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: May 6

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Sharks try to finish off the Red Wings, the Magic host the Hawks, and the PGA Tour takes to the links at TPC Sawgrass.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

There's just one contest on the NBA's playoff schedule for Thursday, with Atlanta at Orlando in the second game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Magic blew out the Hawks in Game 1 of the series on Tuesday night, getting 21 points and 12 rebounds from Dwight Howard in the 114-71 home win. Vince Carter was good for 20 points for Orlando in the lopsided decision, while Jameer Nelson poured in 19 points on the night. Josh Smith had a team-high 14 points in the loss for the Hawks, while Joe Johnson was held to just 10 points in the game.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

On the five-game American League schedule for Thursday it'll be Kansas City at Texas, Baltimore at Minnesota, Toronto at the White Sox, Tampa Bay at Seattle, and the Angels at Boston. Scott Kazmir (2-1, 5.57 ERA) will take on Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-1, 11.57 ERA) in that Angels/BoSox matchup. Lefthander Kazmir was stuck with a no-decision despite a strong start last time out, holding the Tigers to one earned run on five hits over his six innings of work. Righthander Matsuzaka took the loss in his season debut last time out, as he surrendered six earned runs on seven hits over just 4 2-3 innings versus the Orioles, fanning four.

In the National League on Thursday it'll be the Cubs at Pittsburgh, Atlanta at Washington, San Francisco at Florida, Arizona at Houston, Milwaukee at the Dodgers, and St. Louis at Philadelphia. The Cardinals' Kyle Lohse (0-1, 5.28 ERA) will take on the Phillies' Roy Halladay (5-1, 1.47 ERA). Righthander Lohse picked up a no-decision against the Reds last time out, allowing one earned run on five hits over his seven innings of work. Righthander Halladay blanked the Mets in his last trip to the mound, going the distance while giving up just three hits and fanning six. Halladay has allowed two or fewer runs in five of six starts.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

There are two more games on the NHL's playoff schedule for Thursday, with San Jose at Detroit and Pittsburgh at Montreal. The Sharks pushed the Red Wings to the brink of elimination with a 4-3 overtime road win in Game 3 on Tuesday night. Patrick Marleau scored the winner in the extra frame in that contest for the Sharks, who had been trailing 3-1 after two periods of play. The Penguins took a 2-1 lead in their conference semifinal series with the Canadiens by picking up a 2-0 road win in Game 3 on Tuesday night. Evgeni Malkin had the winner early in the third period in that game, while Pascal Dupuis provided an empty-net marker.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Finally, the PGA Tour begins one of its marquee events on Thursday as the world's top golfers tee off at THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Tiger Woods sits as the 5/1 Vegas favorite to get the win at TPC Sawgrass despite the fact that he missed the cut at last week's event, the Quail Hollow Championship. Phil Mickelson is next on the current odds list at 8/1, followed by both Jim Furyk and Rory McIlroy at 18/1 - McIlroy surged in the final round to win the Quail Hollow Championship. Lee Westwood and Ernie Els are both listed at 20/1, and defending champ Henrik Stenson is at 40/1.

**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:29 AM

Bettor's best friend: Thursday's wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

The Phillies surfaced as -255 home favorites against the Cardinals with Roy Halladay on the mound but that number can be found as low as -230 at some shops now.

An opening total of 9 for the Royals-Rangers game has jumped a half run and now most sportsbooks are working with 9.5.

Weather to watch

There is a small chance of rain for the Cubs-Pirates Sox game with wind expected to blow across the diamond from first to third right at 12 mph.

Who’s hot

St. Louis was 8-2 in its last 10 games heading into Wednesday.

The Sharks have won six straight and eight of their last 10 games.

Who’s not

The Angels had dropped five straight going into Wednesday night and are 3-7 SU in the last 10 games.

Atlanta is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games versus the Magic.

Key stat

209 – Number of double plays the Giants are on pace to hit into this season, which would shatter the MLB record. Talk about a rally killer.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Atlanta Braves right fielder Jason Heyward left Wednesday's game against Washington with an apparent injury. Heyward, one of the most highly touted rookies to enter the majors in years, was replaced by Melky Cabrera in right field in the bottom of the second inning. The 20-year-old Heyward entered Wednesday's game batting .289 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs.

Game of the Day

Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic (-9, 189.5)

Notable quotable

"Played on one leg, basically."

-- Kobe Bryant said of his play during the Lakers' two losses in Oklahoma City.

Tips and notes

- Tiger Woods is the favorite to win THE PLAYERS Championship this weekend but he’s having trouble getting focused. Woods hit five balls into the water during Tuesday’s practice round and said that this is one of the “low moments” in his career. He went on to say that “distractions” off the course have taken an emotional and physical toll on him. Woods is also experimenting with his driver shaft length, going with a different size that what he used at the Masters.

- The Hawks are a tormented playoff team outside of Atlanta. During the last three postseasons, the Hawks are 1-13 SU and 2-12 ATS in road playoff games and have been defeated by an average margin of 31.4 ppg. That large number has a lot to do with the 43-point beatdown the team suffered Tuesday but even if you take that out of the equation they are losing by 19.8 ppg on the road. In 2008, Atlanta was a 15-point dog in each of the first two games at Boston and lost by 23 and 19.

- Henrik Stenson is the defending champion at TPC Sawgrass and has three Top 10 finishes in four starts on the course. Stenson trailed by five going into the final round last year and ended up winning by four strokes. The Swede says that he “loves the course” and especially likes the “risk and reward” factor it holds which suits his game. Stenson hasn’t played all that well this season, but he is getting +3050 to win THE PLAYERS Championship.

**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:30 AM

NBA

Thursday, May 6

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. ORLANDO
Atlanta is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games on the road
Orlando is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Orlando is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:30 AM

NBA

Thursday, May 6

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic (-9, 189.5)

Instead of celebrating the Magic's 114-71 blowout win over the Atlanta Hawks in Tuesday's Game 1, Orlando coach Stand Van Gundy spent more time deflating his team's ego.

Well aware of the dangers of overconfidence, Van Gundy lectured his players about staying focused on playing up to their abilities every night regardless of the scoreboard or series tally.

"I think the most important thing is what coach said after the game," Rashard Lewis told the Orlando Sentinel. "A (43)-point win doesn’t make you win two games. It’s just one game. We’ve got to get ready for Game 2 and be prepared, because they’re going to come out and play."

Lewis wasn't the only member of the Magic adopting a cautious tone after the convincing win.

"We understand that it’s only one game and in order for us to win the series, we have to dominate every night like we did tonight and remain humble," center Dwight Howard said.

The Magic seem determined to get back to the Finals one step at a time, while the Hawks, who have lost 21 straight playoff series after dropping the opener, appear to lack the mental toughness it takes to win in the postseason. Going seven games against the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks exposed that weakness.

But now they're playing a team with superior talent and a stronger mental approach - a lethal 1-2 punch. It's hard to see the Hawks faring much better in Game 2, especially in Mouse Town.

Pick: Magic

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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:31 AM

NBA

Thursday, May 6

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Game of the day: Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic
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Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic (-9, 189.5)

By the numbers

Orlando opened as 9-point favorites with the total set at 189.5.

We tend to see a Game 2 line go down from the Game 1 line as the oddsmakers bring the number down to offset players taking advantage of a better line for the losing team. That is not the case here and any zig zag bettors have an advantageous number.

Zig or Zag

The Zig Zag Theory was once a very popular betting strategy in the NBA Playoffs but because of its popularity, the markets caught up and since 2000, it has been a losing situational method.

This theory basically used to say to bet the loser of the previous game in the next game but linesmakers have caught up to this rationale in recent years as you will see that the line in the second game is usually lower even if the home team won the previous game in the series.

Orlando is favored by the same number as it was in Game 1, which is uncommon, but it is largely in part due to the Magic winning the first game by 43 points.

The theory was based on betting the desperate team coming off a loss and it is safe to say that the Hawks will be pretty desperate come Thursday. We will see just how desperate sometime around 10:30 p.m. ET.

No rust for the rested

Orlando came into the playoffs riding a six-game winning streak and after sweeping Charlotte, stormed into the Atlanta series on a 10-game winning streak. The problem was that the Magic had to rest for eight days before the Conference Semifinals, but apparently that did not matter.

It took Orlando over a quarter to pull away but when it did, it did so in a big way. The Magic shot 52.4 percent while holding Atlanta to 34.6 percent from the field including 15.4 percent from long range.

The Magic have now won 25 of their last 28 games and could be considered the favorite to win it all right now after this recent run.

The Hawks won the final meeting of the regular season between these two but looking back, it may not have been a total Orlando effort put into that game. Going back to last season, the Magic have won seven of the last eight meetings with five of those coming by at least 17 points.

Blowout bounceback?

Egos are a big part of the NBA and for Atlanta to get absolutely embarrassed Tuesday, the players are going to be out for some revenge.

The last time we saw a beatdown like this, it was New Orleans getting hammered last season in the first round by 58 points. Two nights later, the Hornets lost the next game by 21 points so there was no bounceback there.

Bettors have to try and decipher what the mindset of the Hawks is following that loss.

“Honestly, it would be harder if we lost by one point on a buzzer beater,” Jamal Crawford said. “A game like this, you shake it off and move on.”

I think that is easier said than done and the Hawks history isn’t going to put a lot of confidence in Atlanta backers for Game 2.

The Hawks have played 13 road games the past three postseasons and have lost 11 of them, 10 of which have been by at least 19 points.

Magical confidence

While the Hawks have to try and rebound to avenge that Game 1 loss, Orlando has to be careful and not get over-confident for Game 2 and let the Hawks regain some of their own confidence.

All they had to do is go back to last season and see what the Hawks did.

After losing their first game in Miami in Round 1 by 31 points, the Hawks came back in Game 4 and won in Miami by 10 points two nights later. Head coach Stan Van Gundy shared that with his team and it was a perfect example showing how things can change from one game to the next.

“Every game in the playoffs is a new day, and you can’t get caught up in what’s happened before,” Van Gundy told the media Wednesday.

Even with the blowout win, Orlando cannot afford to hold back anything in Game 2.

Trendy solutions

- The Hawks are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a double-digit loss.

- The Over is 8-0 in the Hawks last eight games following a double-digit loss.

- Orlando is 20-5-1 ATS in its last 26 games as a favorite.

- The under is 15-5-1 in Orlando’s last 21 games when it is favored between 5.0 and 10.5 points.

- The under has come though in six straight meetings.

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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:32 AM

NHL

Thursday, May 6

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens (+160, 5.5)

Penguins’ goalie Marc-André Fleury took a page from Jaroslav Halak’s book and carried his team on his back en route to a 2-0 Game 3 win Tuesday night.

Fleury only had to make 18 saves in the shutout, but a handful of those were spectacular game-saving stops.

With this performance, Fleury finally proved that he can steal games for Pittsburgh even when the offense isn’t clicking.

“We haven’t had a game where we won 1-0 or 2-1 or something like that in a long time”, defenseman Brooks Orpik told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “And when your goalie is playing confident, it just gives everyone else in front of him the confidence that they can play to make plays rather than playing not to make mistakes.”

The Penguins might need Fleury to keep coming up big if they want to win this series. Pittsburgh’s typically high-powered offense has had trouble getting anything past the Canadiens defense since a 6-3 Game 1 blowout. And Sidney Crosby is still looking for his first goal in Montreal since his first game at the Bell Centre on Jan. 3, 2006. He only managed one shot on goal in Game 3.

“I’d love to create a chance every shift, I’d love to score every game and set up guys,” Crosby admitted to the Montreal Gazette. “But sometimes the game doesn’t dictate that as much as you want it to (when) you don’t get the bounces. You have to find other ways to be productive, whether it’s defensively or creating things for other guys or just being responsible.”

This series looks like it might come down to a tight defensive battle.

Pick: Under

San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings (-125, 5.5)

The San Jose Sharks put a dagger in the Red Wings’ hopes when they overcame a 3-1 third-period deficit in Tuesday’s Game 3 to earn a 4-3 overtime win and take a 3-0 lead in the series.

The Sharks are letting everyone know that this year’s version isn’t the same as the ones from playoffs past. Joe Thornton, who is notorious for pulling a disappearing act in the playoffs, scored San Jose’s second goal and set up Patrick Marleau's overtime netter with a beautiful pass Tuesday.

“At the end of the second, we still felt confident,” Thornton told reporters after the game. “We’re a confident group and we feel like we can come back. If we’re down in the third, we come out and play hard. We stuck with it.”

The Sharks also got some help from the officials, who disallowed Henrik Zetterberg's goal in the first period after determining he made a distinct kicking motion, and from Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, who failed to make key saves late in the game.

“It feels bad but it’s still not over,” Howard told reporters. “You can’t stop believing.”

The Red Wings haven’t been swept in the playoffs since losing in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks in 2003. Expect them to come out strong in Game 4 to save face in front of their hometown fans.

Pick: Red Wings

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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:33 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 6

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ST LOUIS (18 - 9) at PHILADELPHIA (15 - 11) - 1:05 PM
KYLE LOHSE (R) vs. ROY HALLADAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HALLADAY is 36-14 (+19.7 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 69-49 (+24.2 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
LOHSE is 2-2 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 3.73 and a WHIP of 1.244.
His team's record is 3-4 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-3. (+0.6 units)

ROY HALLADAY vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
HALLADAY is 1-0 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 1.00 and a WHIP of 0.556.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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ATLANTA (11 - 15) at WASHINGTON (14 - 12) - 7:05 PM
TIM HUDSON (R) vs. SCOTT OLSEN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 97-91 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 52-53 (-18.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 97-91 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 68-65 (-16.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 85-157 (-45.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 1-0 (+1.1 Units) against ATLANTA this season
0 of 0 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

TIM HUDSON vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HUDSON is 8-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.55 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 9-4 (+1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-8. (-3.8 units)

SCOTT OLSEN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
OLSEN is 3-5 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 6.25 and a WHIP of 1.626.
His team's record is 5-7 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.5 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (13 - 14) at PITTSBURGH (11 - 15) - 7:05 PM
RANDY WELLS (R) vs. BRIAN BURRES (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 531-500 (-115.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 96-92 (-21.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 318-354 (-90.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 159-220 (-65.0 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 7-17 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in road games in May games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 96-92 (-21.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 44-51 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 384-363 (+44.1 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 32-61 (-24.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 30-59 (-22.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 1-0 (+1.4 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

RANDY WELLS vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
WELLS is 2-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.08 and a WHIP of 1.231.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

BRIAN BURRES vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

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SAN FRANCISCO (15 - 10) at FLORIDA (13 - 13) - 7:10 PM
MATT CAIN (R) vs. RICKY NOLASCO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 184-165 (+27.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 180-160 (+26.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 133-119 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 53-46 (+15.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NOLASCO is 42-26 (+17.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 40-26 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 32-20 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 21-13 (+12.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 103-84 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 103-84 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 725-610 (+90.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 76-59 (+16.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against FLORIDA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

MATT CAIN vs. FLORIDA since 1997
CAIN is 2-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 2.88 and a WHIP of 1.107.
His team's record is 4-1 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.3 units)

RICKY NOLASCO vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
NOLASCO is 1-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.13 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

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ARIZONA (13 - 14) at HOUSTON (8 - 18) - 8:05 PM
DAN HAREN (R) vs. WANDY RODRIGUEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 83-106 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 83-106 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 20-34 (-16.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 31-21 (+13.3 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
RODRIGUEZ is 8-1 (+7.8 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
RODRIGUEZ is 14-4 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
RODRIGUEZ is 14-4 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 173-198 (-53.4 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-0 (+2.1 Units) against HOUSTON this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.0 Units)

DAN HAREN vs. HOUSTON since 1997
HAREN is 3-2 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.62 and a WHIP of 0.959.
His team's record is 3-2 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-4. (-3.3 units)

WANDY RODRIGUEZ vs. ARIZONA since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 2-4 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 5.64 and a WHIP of 1.517.
His team's record is 2-4 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+1.9 units)

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MILWAUKEE (11 - 15) at LA DODGERS (11 - 15) - 10:10 PM
DAVE BUSH (R) vs. JOHN ELY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 39-51 (-20.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BUSH is 7-24 (-15.9 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUSH is 25-53 (-25.2 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUSH is 23-48 (-22.5 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
LA DODGERS are 38-18 (+16.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 22-7 (+12.4 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 19-4 (+13.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 31-18 (+17.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 11-15 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 11-15 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 1-0 (+1.7 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

DAVE BUSH vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
BUSH is 1-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.98 and a WHIP of 1.181.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

JOHN ELY vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
No recent starts.

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LA ANGELS (12 - 16) at BOSTON (13 - 14) - 7:10 PM
SCOTT KAZMIR (L) vs. DAISUKE MATSUZAKA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 57-19 (+26.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 29-14 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 114-85 (+17.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 53-43 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 104-77 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-14 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

SCOTT KAZMIR vs. BOSTON since 1997
KAZMIR is 8-7 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.80 and a WHIP of 1.411.
His team's record is 15-11 (+11.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 15-11. (+3.6 units)

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
MATSUZAKA is 1-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 5.22 and a WHIP of 1.742.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (+0.0 units)

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KANSAS CITY (11 - 16) at TEXAS (14 - 13) - 8:05 PM
KYLE DAVIES (R) vs. MATT HARRISON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 76-113 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 67-96 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 21-40 (-16.6 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 68-54 (+16.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 101-88 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 23-10 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 98-82 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 132-121 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
DAVIES is 26-22 (+14.8 Units) against the money line in all 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.

KYLE DAVIES vs. TEXAS since 1997
DAVIES is 0-3 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 5.55 and a WHIP of 1.932.
His team's record is 0-5 (-5.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.4 units)

MATT HARRISON vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
HARRISON is 1-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.799.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

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BALTIMORE (7 - 20) at MINNESOTA (18 - 9) - 8:10 PM
BRADLEY BERGESEN (R) vs. CARL PAVANO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 15-43 (-20.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 71-118 (-32.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 28-68 (-25.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 110-65 (+25.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 29-13 (+15.5 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-3 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 71-52 (+12.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PAVANO is 120-96 (+26.6 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
PAVANO is 22-13 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

BRADLEY BERGESEN vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
BERGESEN is 0-0 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 2.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

CARL PAVANO vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
PAVANO is 4-2 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 1.422.
His team's record is 5-2 (+2.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-6. (-6.4 units)

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TORONTO (15 - 13) at CHI WHITE SOX (11 - 16) - 8:10 PM
DANA EVELAND (L) vs. JOHN DANKS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 7-1 (+7.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TORONTO is 8-3 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
EVELAND is 15-4 (+12.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 5-12 (-9.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 2-2 (+0.0 Units) against TORONTO this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

DANA EVELAND vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
EVELAND is 1-1 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 4.22 and a WHIP of 1.312.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

JOHN DANKS vs. TORONTO since 1997
DANKS is 1-2 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.03 and a WHIP of 1.525.
His team's record is 1-3 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)

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TAMPA BAY (19 - 7) at SEATTLE (11 - 15) - 10:10 PM
JEFF NIEMANN (R) vs. RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 65-57 (+11.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 96-92 (+7.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 91-84 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 10-1 (+10.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 10-1 (+10.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 10-1 (+10.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 19-41 (-25.4 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against SEATTLE this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

JEFF NIEMANN vs. SEATTLE since 1997
NIEMANN is 1-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 4.42 and a WHIP of 1.037.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
ROWLAND-SMITH is 1-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.67 and a WHIP of 1.672.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:34 AM

MLB

Thursday, May 6

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates (+135, 9)

Just over two weeks ago, Cubs manager Lou Piniella called out his lethargic left fielder, asking him to hustle out of the batter’s box.

"I talked to Alfonso (Soriano) and told him, 'When you hit the ball, even though you might think it's a home run, leave the box,'" Piniella said. “’And when you recognize it is a home run for sure, then you can go into your trot.'"

Sweet Lou’s request undoubtedly forced Soriano to pick up his step, but it may have jumpstarted his offense all together. The pathetic defense out in left will always be a work in progress.

Since April 19 when Soriano jogged to first because he thought he had hit a home run, the right-handed slugger has raised his average 35 points to .321 and has driven in 15 runs (11 games).

MLB.com reported on Wednesday that Piniella was considering moving Soriano up in the lineup due to his recent success. He has been in the 6-hole all season but with Aramis Ramirez continuing to struggle in the fifth spot in the lineup, Soriano could be placed there.

The Fonz had hit a homer in four straight games going into Wednesday and with Randy Wells on the mound, Chicago should close out the series against the swashbucklers with a win.

Pick: Cubs

Tampa Bay Rays at Seattle Mariners (+130, 8)

Milton Bradley and Don Wakamatsu probably didn’t make that scheduled trip to a local elementary school on Wednesday after the manager benched his outfielder Tuesday night.

Bradley was hitting cleanup in the Seattle lineup and when he struck out looking with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Wakamatsu yanked him off the field.

Teammates said that Bradley was furious with the coach’s decision and left the stadium before the conclusion of the game.

The Mariners have struggled mightily from an offensive standpoint this season and this recent Bradley tirade will only make matters worse. The Seattle front office continues to search for a bat to stick in the middle of its lineup.

"I've made a tremendous amount of phone calls. I continue to make phone calls,” said GM Jack Zduriencik on attempting to acquire a hitter. “But it's like hunting season. It's not hunting season right now. Nobody's selling."

There is no way a bettor should be backing a team this offensively inept right now (throw Houston into that category also).

Pick: Rays

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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:35 AM

MLB

Thursday, May 6

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This Day in Baseball
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On May 6 in Baseball History...

1915 - As a pitcher for Boston, Babe Ruth had three hits, including his first major league home run when he connected off Jack Warhop of the New York Yankees at the Polo Grounds.

1917 - Bob Groom of the Browns duplicated teammate Ernie Koob's feat of the previous day by pitching a 3-0 no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in the second game of a doubleheader in St. Louis.

1925 - Shortstop Everett Scott of the New York Yankees ended his streak of 1,307 consecutive games that he started while playing for the Boston Red Sox. Scott, who had owned the longest playing streak before Lou Gehrig, gave way to Pee-Wee Wanninger.

1953 - Bobo Holloman of the St. Louis Browns pitched a 6-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics in his first major league start. He never pitched another complete game in the majors.

1982 - Gaylord Perry of the Seattle Mariners became the 15th major league pitcher with 300 victories when he defeated the New York Yankees 7-3 at the Kingdome.

1994 - Anthony Young won as a starter for the first time in more than two years as the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-1. The win ended Young's 29-game losing streak as a starter.

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**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 01:35 AM

NOTE:
For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

**dss_pansat** · 05-06-2010, 02:57 AM

Nice write up, it helps my bet a lots

**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 10:52 AM

dss,

I'm glad it's helping! I can't take any credit, though. All I'm doing is copying it from the guys who are doing the work and then putting it all in one place.

Good luck today!

**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 10:57 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Atlanta at Orlando
The Magic look to follow up their Game 1 win and take advantage of an Atlanta team that is 0-6-1 ATS in its last 7 games as a playoff underdog. Orlando is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Magic favored by 16 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-9). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 6

Game 715-716: Atlanta at Orlando (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 117.679; Orlando 134.323
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 16 1/2; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 9; 189 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-9); Under

**Udog** · 05-06-2010, 10:59 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Pittsburgh at Montreal
The Canadiens look to bounce back from their Game 3 loss and take advantage of a Pittsburgh team that is 4-9 in its last 13 games following a win. Montreal is the pick (+160) according to Dunkel, which has the Canadiens favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Montreal (+160). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 6

Game 75-76: Pittsburgh at Montreal (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 11.847; Montreal 12.145
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-180); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (+160); Over

Game 77-78: San Jose at Detroit (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 12.825; Detroit 13.306
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-130); Under

Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 5/6 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 5/6 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

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