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**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:24 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: June 10

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The PGA Tour hits the links in Memphis, while the O's host the Yankees, and the Lakers and Celtics match up in Game 4 of their Finals.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The Lakers will be looking to take a 3-1 stranglehold on the NBA Finals on Thursday night when they play on the road against the Celtics again in Game 4 of the set. Los Angeles took a 2-1 series lead with a 91-84 victory in Boston in Game 3 on Tuesday night. Kobe Bryant was good for a game-high 29 points for the Lakers in that contest, while Pau Gasol picked up 13 points and 10 rebounds. Derek Fisher added 16 points for Los Angeles in that win. Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 25 points in Tuesday's losing cause, while Paul Pierce chipped in with 15 points. Oddsmakers had pegged the Celtics as the 2.5-point home fave for Game 3, which ended up an UNDER result.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

On the American League schedule for Thursday it'll be Detroit at the White Sox, the Angels at Oakland, Boston at Cleveland, Toronto at Tampa Bay, Seattle at Texas, Kansas City at Minnesota, and the Yankees at Baltimore. New York's A.J. Burnett (6-3, 3.72 ERA) is slated to take on the Orioles' Jake Arrieta (0-0, 0.00 ERA) in that last matchup. Righthander Burnett was knocked around by the Blue Jays in his last trip to the mound, giving up six earned runs over his six innings of work. Burnett, though, has beaten the O's twice this season. Righthander Arrieta will be making his big-league debut Thursday night after going 6-2 with a 1.85 ERA for Triple-A Norfolk this season.

The National League on Thursday offers up San Francisco at Cincinnati, San Diego at the Mets (in a doubleheader), the Cubs at Milwaukee, Atlanta at Arizona, Florida at Philadelphia, Pittsburgh at Washington, and Houston at Colorado. The Astros' Roy Oswalt (3-8, 3.22 ERA) will take on the Rockies' Jhoulys Chacin (3-4, 3.77 ERA). Righthander Oswalt had a rough outing in his last start, giving up six earned runs on nine hits over seven innings vs. the Cubs. Righthander Chacin fell to the Diamondbacks in his last start, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits over 5 2-3 innings despite striking out nine batters in the loss.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

The PGA Tour tunes up for the U.S. Open with the St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind in Memphis starting on Thursday. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be skipping this week's tournament, leaving Lee Westwood as the 12/1 Vegas favorite to pick up the victory. Rory McIlroy is next on that odds list at 15/1, followed by both Robert Allenby and Padraig Harrington at 18/1. Zach Johnson is back at 22/1 to win this week, with defending champion Brian Gay getting 25/1 odds to score the repeat.

Finally, there's just one game on the WNBA schedule for Thursday, with Minnesota (2-7 straight-up, 3-6 against-the-spread) at Phoenix (3-5 SU, 2-6 ATS). The Lynx were blasted 89-51 at home by Indiana in their last game, with Candice Wiggins scoring a team-high 11 points for Minnesota in that defeat. Seimone Augustus (abdominal surgery) and Lindsay Whalen (illness) both sat out for the Lynx. The Mercury fell 92-91 on the road to Los Angeles in their last game, with Diana Taurasi pouring in 21 points.

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:25 AM

Bettors' best friend: Thursday's wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

Lakers-Celtics: Boston opened as a 3-point favorite but that number has climbed to 3.5. The total opened at 191 and has been bet down to 190.

Lynx-Mercury: The total opened at 183 and has fallen to as low as 180.5 at some books.

Weather to watch

Mariners-Rangers: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Padres-Mets: 20 percent chance of rain.

Tigers-White Sox: 20 percent chance of showers.

Giants-Reds: 20 percent chance of rain.

Who's hot

Celtics are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 at home.

Red Sox have won nine of their last 10 on the road.

Angels have won 11 of their last 14.

Who's not

Lakers are 4-10-1 ATS in last 15.

Orioles have lost 18 of their last 22.

Indians have lost 16 of last 22.

Key stat

0-for-5 - The Celtics' record in the 2010 playoffs when they allow 100 points or more. They are 13-2 when they hold an opponent under triple digits.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum re-injured his ailing right knee in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday. Bynum, who has a torn meniscus in the knee that will require surgery after the season, had a slight limp as he asked out of the game and was attended to by trainers. Bynum returned to the game in the fourth quarter but played just four minutes and finished with nine points and 10 rebounds. He hopes to play tonight but may not be effective.

Game of the day

Lakers at Celtics (-3.5, 190)

Notable quotable

"I don't know what I can ... do. I'm a little girl and he's a big boy."

The alleged victim of a sexual assault by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roehtlisberger told police in one of the case's 56 DVDs released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations on Wednesday. She told police she is 5-foot-4 and weighs 145 pounds. Roethlisberger is 6-5 and 241 pounds.

Tips and notes

Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is having problems with his new contact lenses and the team is struggling to score runs with their traditional top RBI guy experiencing vision problems. Helton was fitted for soft contacts last week and had trouble putting them in. His vision appears to be hindering his hitting as well. The career .326 hitter is just 3-for-33 with three RBIs during that span. The UNDER is 8-1 in the Rockies' last nine games.

Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta is doubtful for the World Cup opener vs. Switzerland with a muscle injury in his right leg. Iniesta left in the 39th minute of Tuesday's 6-0 friendly win over Poland after having a hand in the team's first two goals. He underwent tests Tuesday night and is scheduled for further examination in five days but is expected to miss at least the June 16 opener. Spain is currently the favorite to win the World Cup at 5.00.

French Open champion Rafael Nadal won his first match on grass in almost two years by beating Marcos Daniel in straight sets at the Queen's Club on Wednesday. It was Nadal's first match on grass since defeating Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbldon final in London. Nadal missed the grass-court season last year with knee problems but has put in additional practice time on the surface and could be a contender to win in London. Federer is the current favorite to win the Wimbledon title at 11/8 while Nadal is second best at 5/2.

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:25 AM

Thursday's six-pack

-- Congrats to Chicago Blackhawks and their fans-- they win Stanley Cup for first time in 49 years. Enjoy the party........

-- Looks like USC is going to get a two-year postseason ban, giving us the real reason why Pete Carroll is now coaching the Seahawks.

-- Blue Jays were outscored 19-1 by Tampa Bay the last two nights.

-- Four of CC Sabathia's last nine starts came against Baltimore; his last win against someone other than the Orioles? April 16 (Texas).

-- Looks like today (Thursday) is the day when all hell breaks loose as far as college sports realignment. Looks like the Big 12 is going to cease to exist, with six teams going to Pac-10, two to Big 11.

-- Cubs won 9-4, White Sox 15-3; quite a night for the Windy City

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Thursday's List of 13: Things I would do if I was worth $4.6B.......

One thing I know I couldn't do with $4.6B is buy a championship, which is why the Blackhawks will be celebrating like madmen for the foreseeable future. What a great feeling for them and their fans.......here are things I would do, though, if I was worth $4.6B, like the dude who wants to buy the Clippers and sign Lebron James as a free agent.......

13) First thing I would do is change my cell number, to keep parasites and leeches away. Money seems to attract those kind of individuals.

12) Buy my dad a condo in Florida and a car to drive when he is there.

11) Buy my cousin a new pair of skis and a ski chalet in Vail. Only time I would visit there is in summer, though. Can't stand snow.

10) I'd have three homes; a condo in Las Vegas, a home here in beautiful upstate NY and a beach house somewhere. All three would have a very big screening room, with lot of TVs and very comfortable chairs.

9) I'd split March between my Vegas condo and spring training watching the A's in Arizona. Thats going to be my retirement present to myself in real life in a few years-- A's spring training in the desert.

8) I would never, ever, ever get married (see Woods, E. or Rodriguez, A).

7) Hank Haney would teach me how to play golf.

6) Every once on a while, I'd go to a car dealership and when someone is about to buy a car, if I thought they needed it, I'd buy it for them, just to see their reaction. I'm guessing that would be a lot of fun.

5) I'd buy a movie theater and cut all the prices in half; if we still turned a profit, every so often the popcorn would be free.

4) We'd build a playground where kids came to play pickup basketball, not organized AAU ball, just pickup games, winner stays on the court. Losing teams would go to another court, where counselors would coach them and help them with drills, until it was their turn to play again. Kids don't practice basketball enough. Practice makes you better.

3) I'd campaign to the local high school to teach every kid three things he or she will need in life: a) How to cook b) How to balance a checkbook and c) Learn the divorce laws. Not because I think they'll get divorced, but just because everyone who gets married should know the laws before they get involved. It just makes sense.

2) I would still never wear shoes. Just tennis shoes/sneakers.

1) I'd find a small college that was struggling financially and I'd fund their basketball team, with my friends coaching the team. They would take a fun road trip every year, and they would eat well on road trips. College ball is just so much more fun than the pros. Lot less drama.

Saturday: Part 2 of things I would do if I was worth $4.6B.

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:28 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, 6/10/2010

NBA Finals
Game Four (Lakers lead 2-1)
LA LAKERS AT BOSTON, 9:05 PM ET ABC
LA LAKERS: 9-1 Under after allowing 85 or less
BOSTON: 10-22 ATS in non-conference games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:29 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Thursday, June 10

NBA Finals

Road team is 3-2 in Laker-Celtic games this season; key in the last two games is whose bench prevails; LA was +14 with Odom (5-5 from floor in Game 3) on floor last game, +13 with Walton. Wallace was -10 in his 18:40 on court for Celtics. After making NBA-record eight treys in the Game 2, Allen went 0-13 from floor in Game 3. Bryant was 10-29 last game, take numerous hideous shots in second half. If Lakers get ball to Gasol/Odom more, they'll be more successful. Since 1985, when Finals series was 1-1, ten teams that won Game 3 all won that series. Rondo's assist number is the key; Celtics rarely lose when he gets 10+ assists; he's had eight assists in both Laker wins in this series.

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:30 AM

NBA

Thursday, June 10

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. BOSTON
LA Lakers are 2-4-1 ATS in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Boston
LA Lakers are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games when playing Boston
Boston is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

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**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:34 AM

NBA

Thursday, June 10

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics (-3.5, 190)

If someone had told you before the NBA Finals that one coach would be complaining about the physicality of the series, Phil Jackson would have been the prime suspect.

But after the Lakers' 91-84 victory over the Celtics on Tuesday night's Game 3 in Boston, Doc Rivers is the one crying foul about the officials' failure to do the same.

"I think it was a ton of moving screens they got away with," Rivers said Wednesday after sending video evidence to the league office. "As far as off-the-ball action ... you are not allowed to hold, you are not allowed to bump, and you are not allowed to impede progress. I read that this morning, and I'm positive of it. So, you know, when that happens it has to be called."

In reality, the Lakers were merely beating the Celtics at their own game. Boston was supposed to be the border-line rugby squad in this matchup, so it's funny hearing Doc "Cry Me A" Rivers whine when the Celtics get a taste of their own medicine.

Now Rivers is taking a page from the playbook of Jackson, who is the master at using the media to manipulate officials. There's a good reason he does it - because it works. Look for the Celtics to get more physical - and get more breaks - in this one.

Pick: Celtics

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Game of the day: Lakers at Celtics
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Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics (-3, 191)

Los Angeles leads the series 2-1.

The numbers

The Celtics are at -3.5 for Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Game 3’s closing line was Boston -2.5 and this game opened at -3, so it is right in line of where it should be. The total is at 190.5, which is a point less than the Game 3 closing total. Through three games the total is 1-1-1 or 2-1 to the under depending on where and when Game 1 was bet.

Schizo-Allen

He giveth and he taketh away.

After Ray Allen broke the NBA Finals record with eight 3-pointers in Game 2, including seven straight makes, he nearly broke another record in Game 3. And it was not his own. He went 0-for-13 from the floor, including 0-for-8 from behind the arc, which came close to the 0-14 mark set by Dennis Johnson in 1979 and Chick Reiser in 1948.

How does this happen? Allen is one of the best shooters in the history of the league, so his record performance last Sunday was not a total surprise. His dubious game Tuesday was, however. Had he even been a little below average and the Celtics probably would have won Game 3.

Despite being 0-for-12, Allen showed he still had confidence as he put up a long ball with under a minute remaining and Boston trailing by four points. It clanged off the rim and that was it.

“It's a hell of a swing, I'll tell you that,” Boston head coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “It's basketball. That's why you can't worry about it. He'll be back in the gym [Wednesday] and getting ready for the next game. I thought he was pressing early on some of them, and, honestly, I thought all of his shots looked flat tonight.”

47-0? Who cares

By now everyone has heard about Phil Jackson and his remarkable record when winning the first game of a playoff series. Including the Lakers in their three prior series this year, Jackson-coached teams have never lost a playoff series after winning the first game as they are a perfect 47-0 between the Bulls and Lakers.

As gaudy as that sounds, while some may be impressed, some are not 100 percent sold on it and here is why. When looking at the other 252 series that Jackson was not part of, the team that won Game 1 went on to win the series 199 times or 79 percent. Take that 79 percent and apply it to Jackson and his record in those series should be 38-9.

That is an additional nine series that were won over the rest of the league but you also have to take note of the teams that he was coaching and how great they were. None of his teams that won the NBA Championship dropped a single playoff series whether or not they won Game 1.

While many are concluding the Celtics are done, I say they are not. The series price right now is Boston +270 to +310 most everywhere and that is tremendous value with two games still coming up at home.

Kobe or Fisher

Kobe Bryant was more himself in Game 3. He made some big shots in leading the Lakers with 29 points. He was almost a non-factor in Game 2, so because of the results on Tuesday, he is hailed as once again being a clutch player. Well, he isn’t and there is proof of it.

He went 10-for-29 from the floor in Game 3 and that is the furthest thing from clutch. Any player is going to score that many points and lead the team in scoring by putting it up way more than twice as many shots as the next closest player in attempts. The real proof is what player is the best when the game is on the line.

According to 82 Games, Bryant is fourth in the league in total game-winners hit but he holds the top spot in a less glamorous category - the most game-winning opportunity missed shots. In total, he has made only 25 percent (14-for-56) of his game-winning shots. He certainly has an overblown reputation when it comes to the clutch shot.

There are four players in this series with better game-winning percentages that should be looked at first - Ray Allen (15-for-39 for 38.5 percent), Paul Pierce (11-for-32 for 34.4 percent), Pau Gasol (9-for-18 for 50 percent) and Derek Fisher (8-for-20 for 40 percent).

Fisher is known for his clutch performances in tight situations. From his shot with 0.4 seconds left to beat San Antonio in the 2004 playoffs to his Game 4 performance in last season’s finals, Fisher has seen and done it all. In Game 3, 11 of his 16 points came in the fourth quarter including some real clutch shots.

Must-win time

While the Celtics are far from dead, this is a very important time. The value is still in their corner but the time is dwindling. A loss in Game 4 means they would have to win out the series to win the championship and that means two final games in Los Angeles. It can be done but it is something Boston does not want to go through.

Recent history is on the Celtics' side as they trailed the Cavaliers 2-1 in the second round but came back to win the next three games. Past history is not on their side, however. Since the finals went to a 2-3-2 format in 1985, there have been 10 previous instances of a series being tied 1-1. In all 10 cases, the Game 3 winner went on to win the title.

Boston is well aware of this fact but like the Jackson streak, the Celtics could care less. As Tony Allen said, this Celtics team is about living in the present, not the past.

“Let me tell you this,” Allen told the media. “This team is in the present right now; we're not worrying about what went on previously, not worried about the stats about who wins the third game and all that. We're worried about the next game, and that's our focus.”

Game 4 is then a must-win spot for the Celtics but bettors need to take the line into consideration. With it being close to the Game 3 line, the linesmakers have not made the over-adjustment for the must-win team. The thinking is relatively simple because the higher that line gets, the more action will come in on the publicly-loved Lakers.

Trends

The Celtics are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a straight-up loss.
The Lakers are 5-1 ATS in their last six playoff games as an underdog of fewer than five points.
The over is 7-1-2 in Lakers’ last 10 games following a straight-up win.
The over is 35-16 in Celtics’ last 51 games following a straight-up loss.
The Celtics are 10-4-1 ATS in the last 15 meetings.

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**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:37 AM

MLB
Write-Up

Thursday, June 10

Hot pitchers
-- Leake is 5-0, 3.26 in his last nine starts.
-- Halladay is 2-0, 1.13 in his last couple starts; he is 2-0, 1.06 against the Marlins this year, throwing a perfect game against them 11 days ago. JJohnson is 3-1, 0.79 in his last five starts.
-- JSantana is 1-0, 0.98 in his last five starts. Niese is 2-0, 3.63 in his last four home starts. Latos is 4-1, 1.80 in his last six outings. Garland is 6-1, 2.44 in his last nine starts.
-- Chacin is 1-4, 6.18 in his last five starts.
-- LHernandez has 2.33 RA in his last three home starts.
-- Hanson is 3-0, 2.41 in his last three starts. Willis threw six shutout innings in winning his first start for Arizona.

-- ESantana is 5-0, 2.31 in his last five starts. Cahill is 3-0, 2.16 in his last four starts.
-- Lester is 7-0, 1.43 in his last nine starts. Talbot is 2-1, 2.66 in his last three outings.
-- Burnett is 2-0, 0.59 against the Orioles this season.
-- Cecil is 4-0, 1.52 in his last four starts.
-- Hunter beat Rays 6-1 in first '10 start, throwing 117-pitch CG.
-- Chen is 1-0, 3.00 in two starts for the Royals.

Cold pitchers
-- Wellemeyer is 0-4, 10.62 in five road starts.
-- Duke is 1-3, 6.14 in his last five starts.
-- Dempster is 2-3, 4.61 in his last six starts. Bush is 0-5, 7.62 in his last eight starts.
-- Oswalt is 1-4, 4.45 in his last five starts.

-- Danks is 1-4, 6.21 in his last five starts. Scherzer is 1-4, 9.08 in his last seven starts.
-- Arietta was
-- Davis is 1-2, 10.80 in his last three starts.
-- Rowland-Smith is 0-5, 7.57 in nine starts this season.
-- Baker is 1-2, 4.45 in his last five starts.

Totals
-- Four of last five Pirate games went over the total.
-- Under is 14-4-1 in last 19 Philadelphia games.
-- Eight of last eleven San Francisco road games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1 in last six games at Citi Field.
-- Under is 7-4 in Cubs' last eleven games.
-- Under is 7-3-1 in last eleven games at Coors Field.
-- Seven of last ten Arizona home games went over the total.

-- Over is 14-3-1 in last eighteen Cleveland games.
-- Under is 11-1-2 in last 14 Bronx road contests.
-- Under is 12-4 in last sixteen games at Tropicana Field.
-- Six of last nine Texas games went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine White Sox games went over the total.
-- Under is 12-5-1 in Minnesota's last 18 home games.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in last ten Oakland home games.

Hot teams
-- Mets won their last nine home games. Padres are 12-6 in their last 18 road games.
-- Nationals won five of their last seven home games.
-- Reds are 12-5 in their last 17 home games. Giants won nine of their last thirteen games overall.
-- Astros won seven of their last nine games. Rockies won eight of their last twelve home games.
-- Braves won 11 of their last 15 games. Arizona won eight of its last eleven home games.

-- Red Sox won 13 of their last 18 games.
-- Bronx won eight of its last ten games.
-- Rays outscored Toronto 19-1 in first two games of this series.
-- Rangers are 17-6 in their last 23 home games.
-- Minnesota won its last six home games, outscoring foes 37-14.
-- Angels won ten of their last twelve games.

Cold teams
-- Pirates lost ten of their last twelve road games.
-- Cubs lost seven of their last eleven games. Brewers lost seven of 10.
-- Phillies lost 10 of their last 15 games. Marlins lost five of their last six games.

-- Indians lost 13 of their last 17 home games.
-- Orioles lost 12 of their last 13 games.
-- Blue Jays lost seven of their last nine road games.
-- White Sox lost six of their last nine home games. Detroit lost seven of last ten away games.
-- Royals lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Mariners lost 10 of their last 13 road games.
-- Oakland is 3-6 in its last nine games.

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:44 AM

MLB

Thursday, June 10

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Trend Report
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12:35 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. CINCINNATI
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games at home
Cincinnati is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Francisco

1:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. NY METS
San Diego is 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games ,when playing NY Mets
San Diego is 5-11-1 SU in its last 17 games ,when playing on the road against NY Mets
NY Mets4-0-1 SU in its last 5 games
NY Mets9-0-1 SU in its last 10 games at home

2:05 PM
DETROIT vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Detroit is 6-13 SU in their last 19 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Detroit is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games at home
Chi White Sox are 13-6 SU in their last 19 games when playing at home against Detroit

2:10 PM
CHI CUBS vs. MILWAUKEE
Chi Cubs are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games
Chi Cubs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games at home
Milwaukee is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games

3:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. COLORADO
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Houston is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Colorado is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Colorado is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Houston

3:35 PM
LA ANGELS vs. OAKLAND
LA Angels are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games on the road
LA Angels are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Oakland is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Oakland is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Angels

3:40 PM
ATLANTA vs. ARIZONA
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
Arizona is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games
Arizona is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home

7:05 PM
FLORIDA vs. PHILADELPHIA
Florida is 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games ,when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Florida11-4-1 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 3-8-1 SU in its last 12 games ,when playing at home against Florida
Philadelphia is 5-11-1 SU in its last 17 games ,

7:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. BALTIMORE
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Baltimore
NY Yankees are 8-1 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Baltimore is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:05 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Washington is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh

7:05 PM
BOSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Boston is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Boston is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Cleveland is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games at home
Cleveland is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Boston

7:10 PM
TORONTO vs. TAMPA BAY
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Toronto

8:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. TEXAS
Seattle is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Seattle is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Texas
Texas is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games at home
Texas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

8:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. MINNESOTA
Kansas City is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Minnesota is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games when playing Kansas City
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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Boston Red Sox at Cleveland Indians (175, 9)

The Indians haven't been able to hit a lefty all year and the Red Sox send one of the best in the business to the mound tonight in Jon Lester, who hasn't lost to the Tribe over his last four meetings.

Lester opened the season 0-2 and allowed 15 earned runs in his first three starts. He's been on fire ever since, allowing only nine earned runs in his last nine starts.

Lester has won seven straight starts with only one no-decision in between to keep it from being a pure streak. He's been especially hot in his last four outings, allowing only two earned runs in 28 1/3 innings.

"It was a combination of everything," catcher Jason Varitek said of Lester's dramatic turnaround. "He located his cutter, located his fastball, probably doesn't throw as many changeups."

The Red Sox have won nine of their last 10 on the road, the Indians have lost 13 of their last 16 at home and Boston has taken seven out of eight from the Tribe. If that's not enough evidence that Beantown has Cleveland's number, remember what the Celtics did to the Cavs.

Pick: Red Sox

Atlanta Braves at Arizona Diamondbacks (145, 10)

The Braves and Diamondbacks have gone over the total in seven straight meetings. But all trends have to end and tonight looks like the night.

The D-backs send Detroit castaway Dontrelle Willis to the mound. He made a big splash in his NL return last week by throwing six scoreless innings and only longtime Brave Chipper Jones has ever faced the lefty regularly.

Willis might be a good fit in Arizona, which has used only one other lefthanded pitcher this season. The D-Train felt right at home with the D-backs, calling it "a good team gathering. They believe in me, and I believe in them, so it's a good thing."

Atlanta sends red-hot Tommy Hanson to the hill. He has won his last three starts with a 2.41 ERA over that stretch. The Braves are playing their seventh straight road game so their bats may be beginning to wear a bit thin.

Pick: Under

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds

It's inaccurate to call Leake a hard-luck loser since he's 5-0 on the season, but the Reds' righty has been a hard-luck non-winner over the past three weeks.

Leake has allowed a total of two earned runs over his last four starts but is only 1-0 during that span, including seven shutout innings against the Astros on May 30 in which the Reds suffered a 2-0 loss.

Leake snapped his three-game no-decision streak last week with a 5-1 win over the Nationals in which he scattered seven hits over as many innings and went 2-for-3 at the plate, assuring himself the victory by scoring the winning run.

"The young man helped himself on the field pitching, hitting and base running. He's a ball player," Reds manager Dusty Baker said of the 22-year-old rookie. "The thing about him is he pitches to the situation. If he needs a double play, he throws his best double-play pitch. If he needs a strikeout, he'll go for the strikeout. That's tough to teach. Most guys don't learn that until far into their careers."

Leake has a microscopic 0.44 ERA over his last three starts, lowering his season tally to 2.22. He faces the Giants for the first time today.

Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels

Santana has been smoking hot over the past month of the season, winning five consecutive starts and allowing only seven runs over his past 35 innings.

Santana had a complete game, 10-strikeout performance in a May 20 win over the Blue Jays in which he allowed three earned runs, so he has only given up a total of only four in his other four starts. He's also getting plenty of run support, winning his last outing 11-2.

"My slider wasn't great, but it was good enough," Santana said aftr improving to 6-3 on the season. "It makes it nice when we score runs like that. We're getting better."

Santana has a 2.05 ERA over his last three starts, moving his season average to 3.29.

Slumping

Wade Davis, Tampa Bay Rays

Davis has finally come back to reality after getting off to a 3-1 start. He has lost four of his last six starts and hasn't gotten past the fourth inning in two of his last three outings.

His last start was the shortest for the Rays all season without an injury being involved. Davis entered the game holding opponents to a league-low .174 batting average with runners on base but got bombed by a seven-run fourth inning to blow an early 4-0 lead.

"It's really frustrating when the offense gives you an early lead like that," said Davis. "Most of the time you go out there and shut them down. Today wasn't that day."

Davis has now allowed 16 runs in his last 13.1 innings to double his ERA to 5.03.

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This Day in Baseball
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On June 10 in Baseball History...

1944 - Pitcher Joe Nuxhall of the Cincinnati Reds is the youngest player in major-league history. Nuxhall, only 15 years, ten months old, pitches one-third of an inning in an 18-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He manages to give up five walks and two hits before Bill McKechnie takes him out.

1959 - Rocky Colavito hits four consecutive home runs in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium to lead the Indians to an 11-8 win. Colavito joins Lou Gehrig and Bobby Lowe as the only major-league players to hit four consecutive four-baggers.

1966 - Sonny Siebert pitches a no-hitter against the Senators. Leon Wagner homers off loser Phil Ortega as first-place Cleveland wins 2-0.

1968 - A.L. games at Baltimore and Chicago are postponed as mourning for Robert Kennedy continues. Astros Rusty Staub and Bob Aspromonte are fined for not playing. Pittsburgh's Maury Wills also refuses to play and is reportedly punished.

1972 - Hank Aaron hits his 14th career grand slam, tying Gil Hodges's N.L. record, as the Braves defeat the Phillies 15-3. It is career home run 649 for Aaron, enabling him to pass Willie Mays for second place on the all-time list.

1974 - During a 12-0 win over the Astros, Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt hits a ball off the public address speaker hanging from the Astrodome roof, 117 feet up and 300 feet from the plate. Schmidt must settle for a titanic single.

1975 - The Yankees sponsor Army Day at their temporary home, Shea Stadium (Yankee Stadium is being refurbished). During a ceremonial 21-gun salute, glass is splintered, the park is filled with smoke, part of the fence is blown away, and another part is set afire.

1981 - Phillies first baseman Pete Rose singles off Nolan Ryan in the first inning to tie Stan Musial as the N.L.'s all-time hit leader with 3,630, then strikes out in his next three at-bats. Rose's single is the only hit off Ryan until the eighth inning, when Philadelphia scores five times for a 5-4 win over Houston.

1986 - The N.L. announces that Yale University president A. Bartlett Giamatti will be its next President after Chub Feeney's retirement in December.

1995 - Orioles third baseman Jeff Manto, who had four home runs in his first three years in the major leagues, homers in his fourth consecutive at-bat. In all, he homers five times in six at-bats in three games.

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**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:46 AM

WNBA

Thursday, June 10

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Trend Report
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PHOENIX
Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Minnesota is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
Phoenix is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Phoenix is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Minnesota

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury (-7.5, 181)

The Phoenix Mercury look like the farthest thing from WNBA champs.

The Mercury have dropped back-to-back games and four of their last five outings, most recently falling 92-91 to the Los Angeles Sparks on a Candice Parker jumper this Tuesday.

Phoenix’s defense has been the big issue during this skid, allowing over 93 points per game over the last five. The Mercury are the most explosive offensive club in the league, scoring a WNBA-high 88.4 points a night. But that inability to stop opponents has led to a 3-1-1 over/under mark during that span.

Minnesota, who upset Phoenix at the beginning of the month, has found its offensive touch after a slow start to the schedule. The Lynx are averaging almost 88 point a game since beating the Mercury 92-82.

Pick: Over

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**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:49 AM

NBA
Dunkel

LA Lakers at Boston
The Celtics look to bounce back from their Game 3 loss and build on their 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 games following a SU loss. Boston is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Celtics favored by 9 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 10

Game 707-708: LA Lakers at Boston (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 123.728; Boston 133.318
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 9 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 3 1/2; 190
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-3 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:52 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Detroit at Chicago White Sox
The Tigers look to take advantage of a Chicago team that is 2-8 in John Danks' last 10 starts versus the AL Central. Detroit is the pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Tigers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+115). Here are all of today's picks..

THURSDAY, JUNE 10

Game 901-902: San Francisco at Cincinnati (12:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Wellemeyer) 16.087; Cincinnati (Leake) 15.159
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-180); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+160); Under

Game 903-904: San Diego at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Garland) 15.289; NY Mets (Niese) 16.460
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 7
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-115); 8
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (-115); Under

Game 905-906: Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Dempster) 14.638; Milwaukee (Bush) 15.520
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-130); 9
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+110); Over

Game 907-908: Houston at Colorado (3:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Oswalt) 15.015; Colorado (Chacin) 15.944
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Colorado (-130); 9
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-130); Under

Game 909-910: Atlanta at Arizona (3:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hanson) 14.780; Arizona (Willis) 16.204
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-165); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+145); Under

Game 911-912: Pittsburgh at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 14.463; Washington (Hernandez) 14.523
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington (-155); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-155); Under

Game 913-914: Florida at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Johnson) 14.999; Philadelphia (Halladay) 14.604
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-155); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+135); Under

Game 915-916: Detroit at Chicago White Sox (2:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Scherzer) 15.259; White Sox (Danks) 14.073
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-135); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+115); Over

Game 917-918: LA Angels at Oakland (3:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Santana) 16.581; Oakland (Cahill) 16.867
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Oakland (-110); 8
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-110); Under

Game 919-920: Boston at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 14.760; Cleveland (Talbot) 15.884
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-215); 9
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+185); Under

Game 921-922: NY Yankees at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Burnett) 14.512; Baltimore (Arrieta) 14.042
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-250); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-250); Over

Game 923-924: Toronto at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Cecil) 14.713; Tampa Bay (Davis) 16.689
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2; 10
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-135); Over

Game 925-926: Seattle at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Rowland-Smith) 15.335; Texas (Hunter) 16.041
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Texas (-200); 10
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-200); Under

Game 927-928: Kansas City at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Chen) 15.880; Minnesota (Baker) 16.414
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-200); Over

Game 929-930: San Diego at NY Mets (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Latos) 15.996; NY Mets (Santana) 15.753
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-150); 7
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+130); Under

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 08:53 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Minnesota at Phoenix
The Mercury look to take advantage of a Minnesota team that is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games overall. Phoenix is the pick (-7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 9. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-7 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 10

Game 601-602: Minnesota at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 104.709; Phoenix 113.519
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 9; 185
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 7 1/2; 180 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-7 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 06-10-2010, 04:04 PM

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, 6/10/2010

SAN FRANCISCO at CINCINNATI, 12:35 PM ET
WELLEMEYER: SAN FRANCISCO 14-3 against NL Central opponents
LEAKE: CINCINNATI 309-276 as a home favorite of -110 or higher

SAN DIEGO at NY METS, 1:10 PM ET
GARLAND: 14-4 UNDER as a road underdog of +100 or higher
NIESE: NY METS 9-1 in home games after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6 games

CHICAGO CUBS at MILWAUKEE, 2:10 PM ET
DEMPSTER: 1-7 TSR when the total is 7 to 8.5
BUSH: 14-4 OVER in day games

HOUSTON at COLORADO, 3:10 PM ET
OSWALT: 15-5 TSR against NL West opponents
CHACIN: COLORADO 7-16 when the money line is +125 to -125

ATLANTA at ARIZONA, 3:40 PM ET
HANSON: ATLANTA 29-12 as a favorite of -110 or higher
WILLIS: ARIZONA 7-19 as an underdog of +100 to +150

PITTSBURGH at WASHINGTON, 7:05 PM ET
DUKE: PITTSBURGH 21-61 on the road when the total is 8.5 to 10
HERNANDEZ: 10-0 UNDER in the first half of the season

FLORIDA at PHILADELPHIA, 7:05 PM ET
SANCHEZ: FLORIDA 12-3 in road games after having lost 5 or 6 of their last 7 games
MOYER: PHILADELPHIA 4-10 in home games in June games

DETROIT at CHI WHITE SOX, 2:05 PM ET
SCHERZER: 13-24 TSR when the total is 8.5 to 10
DANKS: 22-9 UNDER when the money line is -100 to -150

LA ANGELS at OAKLAND, 3:35 PM ET
SANTANA: LA ANGELS 18-8 OVER after having won 8 or more of their last 10 games
CAHILL: 13-3 TSR when the total is 8 to 8.5

BOSTON at CLEVELAND, 7:05 PM ET
LESTER: 15-0 TSR as a favorite of -200 or more
TALBOT: CLEVELAND 19-39 after batting .250 or worse over a 20 game span

NY YANKEES at BALTIMORE, 7:05 PM ET
BURNETT: NY YANKEES 82-39 when the total is 9 to 9.5
ARRIETA: BALTIMORE 6-22 after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 games

TORONTO at TAMPA BAY, 7:10 PM ET
CECIL: TORONTO 13-33 in road games against division opponents
DAVIS: TAMPA BAY 23-9 in June games

SEATTLE at TEXAS, 8:05 PM ET
ROWLAND-SMITH: SEATTLE 2-14 as a road underdog of +100 or higher
HUNTER: TEXAS 28-11 at home when the total is 10 to 10.5

KANSAS CITY at MINNESOTA, 8:10 PM ET
CHEN: KANSAS CITY 89-132 in all games
BAKER: MINNESOTA 45-18 in home games against left-handed starters

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes 6/10 (NBA, MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes 6/10 (NBA, MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

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