Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:15 PM

Tigers go for 7th straight series win over White Sox

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (8-11)

at DETROIT TIGERS (9-10)

First pitch: Friday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Detroit -155, Chicago +145, Total: 8

Two top-notch hurlers with five-decision win streaks against their respective AL Central rivals take the mound Friday night when the White Sox and Tigers begin a three-game series at Comerica Park. Detroit’s Justin Verlander looks to win his sixth straight start against the White Sox, while Mark Buehrle hasn’t lost to Detroit since July 2007. The Tigers have won six straight meetings between these teams, outscoring Chicago by a whopping 44-17 margin.

In this eight-start stretch against the Tigers, Buerhle is 5-0 with a 2.47 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. He has also loved pitching at Comerica Park, going 5-1 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in eight starts since 2005. Buerhle has also dominated Detroit’s best hitter, Miguel Cabrera, who is a paltry 1-for-18 when facing the lefty in his career. The same cannot be said for Magglio Ordonez however, as the former White Sox has owned his former teammate, going 15-for-32 with a 1.219 OPS when facing Buerhle in his career.

Unce upon a time, Verlander couldn’t figure out Detroit hitters. In his first 14 career starts against the Tigers, he was 2-9 with a 5.90 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. But over the past two seasons, Verlander is a stellar 5-0 with a 1.73 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Part of that success is due to his lifetime ownership of Paul Konerko (4-for-38, 12 K), Mark Teahen (6-for-35, 14 K) and Alexei Ramirez (5-for-28).

Chicago ended a seven-game losing skid on Thursday night with a nine-run explosion against Tampa Bay, and I expect these bats to stay hot enough to scratch a few runs off Verlander. I’m taking underdog Chicago behind the arm of Buehrle to come away with the victory on Friday, and this FoxSheets trend also backs the White Sox.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX are 38-29 (56.7%, +14.9 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams whose hitters strike out 7 or more times/game over the last 3 seasons. The average score was CHICAGO WHITE SOX 4.6, OPPONENT 4.0 - (Rating = 1*).

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:16 PM

Sabathia tries to retain dominance of Orioles Friday

NEW YORK YANKEES (10-6)

at BALTIMORE ORIOLES (8-10)

First pitch: Friday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
Line: New York -175, Baltimore +165, Total: 8.5

The Yankees and CC Sabathia look to continue their mastery against the Orioles when the AL East rivals open a three-game series Friday in Baltimore. New York is 15-4 in the past 19 meetings between these clubs, and Sabathia is 9-2 against the O’s in a Yankees uniform.

Sabathia is winless in four starts this year (0-1 record) despite a stellar 2.52 ERA, but he has had no trouble beating Baltimore in his career. In 20 lifetime starts against the Orioles, Sabathia is 12-2 with a 2.86 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. His team is 16-4 in these starts. He has also thrived at Camden Yards, going 8-1 with a 2.97 ERA, but the Orioles have batted .293 against Sabathia in the past three seasons at home. New York beat the Blue Jays 6-2 on Wednesday for its fifth win in the past seven games. Curtis Granderson homered for the third straight game and is 10-for-23 with six RBI and seven runs in his past six games.

Baltimore is just 2-9 since starting the season 6-1. Despite their revamped lineup, the Orioles enter Friday with a .235 team batting average with just two games of scoring more than five runs. But they do have 69 hits in their past eight games (8.6 per game), and two players in particular are heating up at the plate. Vladimir Guerrero has two homers and five RBI in his past three games and Matt Wieters is 7-for-16 with 2 HR and 7 RBI in his past five contests. However, the two players have combined to go 5-for-32 (.156) with nine strikeouts when facing Sabathia.

Baltimore will certainly need its bats to come alive to support right-hander Brad Bergesen, who is 8-14 with a 4.98 ERA in 30 starts since 2010. Like most pitchers, Bergesen has struggled against the Yankees with a 6.60 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in three career starts against the Pinstripes. He did throw two scoreless relief innings against them earlier this year. In two starts this season, Bergesen is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .306.

It’s always tempting to take a home team tabbed as such a huge underdog, but the money line is certainly justified here, as this is one of the bigger pitching mismatches you will find. I fully expect the Yankees to shellack Bergesen and for Sabathia to keep the Orioles lineup in check like he always does. This highly-rated FoxSheets trend also supports taking New York to win.

Play On - All favorites with a money line of -110 or higher (NY YANKEES) - with a starting pitcher whose strikes out 5 or more batters per start, excellent power team - averaging 1.5 or more HR's/game on the season. (74-20 over the last 5 seasons.) (78.7%, +42.5 units. Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:22 PM

New York Yankees at Orioles for MLB odds fight

American League East rivals New York and Baltimore begin a three-game series with this Friday night matchup.

The Yankees currently reside atop the divisional standings at 10-6, while the Orioles had won back-to-back outings heading into Thursday's series finale with the Twins. Baltimore's modest two-game win streak was preceded by an eight-game losing stretch.

New York ace CC Sabathia (0-1, 2.52 ERA) heads to the hill searching for his first victory of the season. The portly left-hander picked up a no-decision in Sunday’s effort against Texas, tossing 6 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on eight hits (one home run) with two walks and six strikeouts on 112 pitches.

The Yankees eventually won that contest as 162 home ‘chalk,’ 6-5, while the combined 11 runs eclipsed the 8 ½-run closing total. The ‘over’ is now 3-1 in his four starts this season.

New York went 5-1 against the Orioles last season when Sabathia was pitching. The 10-year veteran went a combined 43 innings, surrendering 18 runs (17 earned) on 45 hits (six home runs) with 10 walks and 31 strikeouts.

The ‘under’ went a nondescript 3-2-1 during those six outings.

The Yankees are a solid 9-1 in Sabathia’s previous 10 starts versus Baltimore, and the team is 10-3 the past 13 trips to Camden Yards. New York has seen the ‘over’ go 9-4-1 its last 14 road games, while the ‘over’ is 19-9-1 the previous 29 outings overall.

Baltimore right-hander Bradley Bergesen (0-2, 3.38 ERA) is also winless on the young season despite pitching well during his latest effort. The 25-year-old fell to Cleveland Sunday as a 127 road underdog, 4-2, while the combined six runs went ‘under’ the 8 ½-run closing total.

Bergesen was reached for three runs (two earned) on six hits (two home runs) with no walks and three strikeouts over five innings and 88 pitches. The two-year veteran did appear in a two-inning relief stint versus the Yankees April 13, yielding no runs while striking out two batters.

Bergesen suffered his first setback of the season April 6 against Detroit as a 131 home underdog, 7-3. The California native lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits (one home run) with two walks and two strikeouts. The combined 10 runs went ‘over’ the 8 ½-run closing total.

Baltimore has dropped all three games that Bergesen has started against the Yankees. The 6-foot-2 hurler threw a combined 15 innings, yielding 11 runs on 14 hits (one home run) with eight walks and eight strikeouts. The ‘over’ went 2-1 during those three matchups.

This contest is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. PT from Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Friday’s forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of rain, with the high listed at 51 degrees and a low of 47.

New York concludes a brief five-game AL East road trip with this series before returning home for seven games against the Chicago White Sox and Toronto. Baltimore continues a lengthy 10-game homestand after this series with three games against Boston.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:22 PM

MLB Odds: LA Dodgers drag scandal to Chicago

Major League Baseball is finally paying the price for getting in bed with both Frank and Jamie McCourt. How's that for irony?

A road trip has rarely been such a welcome sight as the Los Angeles Dodgers view their impending excursion. The mess that is that club's front office and ownership is now in control of MLB, according to its czar Bud Selig.

The cameras and questions will no doubt follow the Dodgers into Chicago this weekend and Miami next week. Still, it's got to be a good thing for Don Mattingly and his bunch to get away from the Hollywood scene for a few days while the initial firestorm burns on the LA airwaves.

Los Angeles begins the trek Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field when the Dodgers meet the Cubs to begin a three-game series (11:20 a.m. PT). The Dodgers send right-hander Chad Billingsley to the North Side bump against Casey Coleman for Chicago.

Overnight odds listed the Dodgers as slight 110 chalk. Friday's game total had yet to be posted.

The series is the middle set of a nine-game homestand for the Cubs, all against NL West squads. Chicago enters Friday's tilt even-Steven at 9-9 on the year, down 1.5 units against the MLB odds and favoring the 'over' at 11-7.

Coleman (1-1, 4.22) is in rotation for Randy Wells who is rehabbing a strained right forearm. Both of his starts have been on the road, the most recent assignment helping the Cubs to an 8-3 victory at Colorado last Saturday. The righty pitched into the sixth inning allowing just a single run while striking out and walking three Rockies hitters.

This will be his first career appearance against the Dodgers after splitting his time between the Chicago bullpen and rotation at the end of 2010. The bulk of his work last season came on the road, with Coleman owning a 6.75 ERA in five games at Wrigley, three of them starts.

The Dodgers were still embroiled in Thursday's extra-inning getaway game with the Braves at press. They entered that contest 8-9 in the standings, off about 1.4 units against the money line and 10-6-3 'over' on the campaign.

It's the fifth start of the season for Billingsley (2-2, 4.91), and his third on the road. Los Angeles dropped his previous two assignments away from home with Billingsley recording a no-decision in one of the defeats. He's allowed nine earned runs in eight innings away from LA.

Billingsley is coming off a dandy performance this past Sunday at home tossing eight shutout frames and striking out 11 Cardinals. He left the game in a scoreless tie before the Dodgers pulled out a 2-1 win on Matt Kemp's walk-off clout.

He saw the Cubs twice in 2010, both Los Angeles wins including an 8-5 final in Chicago. Billingsley and the Dodgers have split his four career starts at Wrigley Field where he has a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings. The 2-2 record includes a triumph in Game 2 of the 2008 NLDS.

Mattingly should see his roster expand during this road trip, avoiding any new injuries obviously. Vicente Padilla (elbow) could be activated and in the Dodgers bullpen for Friday's game, and southpaw reliever Hong-Chih Kuo (back) is only a few more days away.

Chicago's weather forecast calls for at least a 20 percent chance of showers the entire weekend, with Friday the wettest day at 60 percent. This is the only trip to the Windy City the Dodgers will make this year, so expect the umpires to do all they can to get this one in to avoid a doubleheader one of the next two days.

Saturday's second game (9:05 a.m. PT) currently lists LA's Ted Lilly and Chicago's Ryan Dempster as the mound combatants.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:23 PM

NHL Betting Preview: Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators

The Ducks will be waddling back to Anaheim with their beaks held high for Friday’s Game 5 against the Nashville Predators after registering a 6-3 victory in Game 4. The win tied this best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series at two games apiece.

Anaheim closed as a 135 road underdog, with the combined nine goals catapulting ‘over’ the NHL odds. The ‘over’ is now 3-0-1 in the first four games of this series.

Most sports books monitored by Don Best Sports’ Real-Time Odds have opened the Ducks as 145 home favorites for Friday’s Game 5, which will be televised by the Versus network beginning at 7 p.m. (PT). The total has been set at five ‘under’ (minus 150).

Corey Perry's shorthanded goal early in the third period, which gave the Ducks a 4-3 lead, turned out to be the winning marker. Perry received a drop pass from Brandon McMillan and beat Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne with a backhand shot after making an inside move on Ryan Suter.

Ryan Getzlaf then made it 5-3 with his second goal of the series and Brandon McMillan made it 6-3 with his first playoff marker. The sixth goal was enough for the Predators to pull Rinne and replace him with Anders Lindback with 13 minutes remaining in the third period.

Rinne, who allowed the six goals on 29 shots, saw his overall record slip to 35-24-5-4 with a 2.21 GAA and .926 save percentage. He is still scheduled to start Friday’s Game 5 despite an .860 save percentage and a 3.73 GAA in this playoff series against the Ducks.

Ducks goalie Ray Emery stopped 19-of-22 Nashville shots to collect the victory. Emery began the playoffs as a backup to Dan Ellis, but entered with six minutes remaining in Game 1 when Ellis was pulled after allowing his fourth goal. Emery then started the next three playoff matches.

Cam Fowler and Saku Koivu got the Ducks off to a great start in Wednesday’s Game 4 win with goals and Selanne added his series-high fifth to put pressure on the Predators.

Nashville received even-strength goals from Patric Hornqvist and Matt Halischuk, and a power play marker from Joel Ward.

The Predators, 1-for-5 on the power play, are now 5-for-22 with the man advantage in this series. The Ducks were 2-for-6, and are now 6-for-18 in the series.

While the Ducks outshot Nashville 38-22 in Game 4, they are getting outshot 123-110 in the series so far.

This is one of the more physical quarterfinal series because of some dicey hits and some ill intentions.

The Predators lost right winger Martin Erat for the balance of Game 4 because of an upper-body injury suffered when Ducks winger Jarkko Ruutu hit him from the side in the neutral ice early in the second period.

Referees Dan O'Halloran and Brian Pochmara initially didn't call a penalty on Ruutu, but ultimately whistled him for interference after Erat was lying on the ice for a period of time. The Don Best Sports injury report lists Erat as “questionable.”

There is the possibility that Ruutu could be the latest to come before the NHL for possible supplementary discipline in these playoffs. Therefore, he is also listed as “questionable.”

Late in the game, Nashville forward Jordin Tootoo was whistled for roughing when he appeared to go high on a fore-check against Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman. Tootoo later was whistled for a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct on a different play.

The Ducks are looking forward to the return of top-line left wing Bobby Ryan, who had to sit out Games 3 and 4 because of a suspension for stomping on the foot of Nashville defenseman Jonathon Blum in Game 2.

Ryan's 34 regular-season goals were second on the team behind Corey Perry.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:25 PM

Friday Tips

April 21, 2011

The Friday baseball card includes less than half of the games involving division rivals. The AL East race is tightening up with the improved play of the Red Sox and Rays, as the Yankees and Orioles start a crucial series at Camden Yards. Elsewhere, the surprising Royals head to Arlington to battle the suddenly slumping Rangers. We'll start with another struggling squad as the White Sox continue their road swing in the Motor City against the Tigers.

White Sox at Tigers - 7:05 PM EST

These two AL Central rivals were thought to challenge the Twins for the division title this season. However, all three squads are lagging behind the surprising Indians and Royals inside the division, while Chicago and Detroit just try to climb back to .500. Both the White Sox and Tigers send their respective aces to the mound for the series opener at Comerica Park looking to get back on track.

Justin Verlander (1-2, 3.41 ERA) has delivered four quality starts this season, but only one win to show for it. Verlander dropped his last two outings as favorites against the Rangers and A's, while giving up three consecutive doubles in a three-run fourth inning of a 6-2 loss at Oakland. The right-hander tossed a complete-game in his only start at Comerica Park, a 2-0 setback to Texas, his second loss in his 12 home starts since last season.

The Sox send out Mark Buehrle (1-1, 4.50 ERA), who is winless in his last two trips to the mound. The southpaw was knocked around by the hot Angels in his last start, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs in seven innings of a 4-2 setback. Buehrle turned in a pair of solid starts against the Tigers last season with a pair of blowout victories, including a 12-2 rout last August at Comerica Park as a short favorite.

After Chicago won seven of the first nine meetings in 2010, Detroit bounced back with victories in eight of the final nine matchups. The 'over' cashed in six of the nine meetings in the Motor City, while Verlander beat the Sox twice in two outings last season.

Yankees at Orioles - 7:05 PM EST

Baltimore began the season as a house on fire with a 6-1 start, but the O's have cooled off with just two wins in their last 10 games. The Orioles battle their AL East nemesis on Friday as the Bronx Bombers invade Camden Yards with Joe Girardi's club going for their sixth win in eight games.

The Yankees bounced back from Tuesday's extra-inning meltdown at Toronto to beat the Blue Jays on Wednesday, 6-2. New York has played only five road contests so far this season (2-3), as CC Sabathia (0-1, 2.52 ERA) takes the mound in the series opener. Sabathia is winless in his first four starts of the season for just the second time in his career, as he captured a victory in his fifth go-around back in 2008 as a member of the Indians. The former AL Cy Young Award winner failed to turn in a quality start against the Red Sox and Rangers in his last two trips to the hill, but things should be different on Friday. The Yankees are 9-1 in Sabathia's last 10 starts against the O's, including a perfect 5-0 mark to the run-line at Baltimore.

Brad Bergesen (0-2, 3.38 ERA) also searches for his first win of the season, as the right-hander has been less than sharp in two losses to the Tigers and Indians. Bergesen delivered quality outings in four of his final five starts of 2010, but allowed seven runs in 8.2 innings in his first two starts of this season. The Orioles went 0-3 in Bergesen's three career outings against the Yankees, but all three of those losses came in the Bronx.

New York claimed the first two meetings of the season one week ago, improving to 15-4 the last 19 matchups in the series since last April. The Yankees are 5-2 the last seven series openers against the O's, while four of those wins came on the run-line.

Royals at Rangers - 8:05 PM EST

The defending AL Champions have been knocked down a few notches after a pair of losses to the Angels over the last couple of days. Texas looks to bounce back when the Rangers entertain the surprising Royals at Ameriquest Field as Ron Washington's squad is 2-6 since a 9-1 start.

Derek Holland (2-1, 3.66 ERA) put together a pair of solid outings in victories over the Mariners and Orioles to start the season, followed by a 5-2 defeat to the Yankees. Holland lasted 7.2 innings, but allowed five earned runs to suffer only his second loss in his previous seven starts dating back to last September.

The Royals send out southpaw Jeff Francis (0-1, 3.00 ERA), who has put together four quality starts in four outings this season. The former Rockies' starter has been involved in three one-run decisions, while losing both games when listed as a favorite. Francis has made just one road start, a 4-3 setback at Minnesota as the lefty gave up eight hits and three earned runs in seven innings, but Kansas City lost in 10 innings.

The Rangers took seven of nine meetings from the Royals last season, while Texas claimed all four matchups at home. Texas has turned into a solid 'under' look recently with an 8-2-1 run the last 11 contests.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:26 PM

Diamond Trends - Friday

April 22, 2011

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Phillies are 10-0 since August 29, 2010 as a favorite when they are off a win in which they scored in at most two separate innings and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1000

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Nationals are 0-9 OU since July 27, 2010 as a dog after a 5+ run loss for a net profit of $900 when playing the under.

STARTER TREND OF THE DAY:

The Reds are 8-0 since April 17, 2008 when Edinson Volquez starts as a dog after his team lost the last time he started for a net profit of $1005.

MLB BIBLE TREND OF THE DAY:

The Giants are 18-0 (+3.4 rpg) since June 2008 in the first game of a home series when they are off a loss as a dog.

TODAY’S TRENDS:

The Royals are 0-8 since July 09, 2010 on the road after a win and it is the first game of the series for a net profit of $800 when playing against.
The Tigers are 7-0 since May 02, 2010 at home after a one run win for a net profit of $790
The Rockies are 6-0 since August 23, 2010 after a win in which their opponent left fewer than 10 men on base for a net profit of $650

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:27 PM

NL Fade Alert

April 22, 2011

With 162 games in the Major League Baseball season, there are lots of opportunities for teams to go back and forth, alternating winning and losing streaks. Over the years, however, once the campaign has a few weeks under its belt, trends can become more pronounced...especially for teams in trouble. By this point, some of the novelty of the early surprise package sides has worn off, with those squads often coming back to earth after quick starts. Injuries can begin to pile up. And often the result is an easier-to-identify group of teams to "fade" each week.

After three weeks of the 2011 season, we're beginning to get a better idea of teams and pitchers to look against until further notice. Following is a brief National League "fade" alert as we get ready to enter the final week of April. All stat numbers through games of April 21.

Pittsburgh Pirates...Yes, yes, we know the Pirates have been a bit of a surprise, winning their first three road series and already posting nearly half as many wins away from home (7) as they did the entire 2010 campaign (17!). But at the moment the Bucs look to be prime candidates to hit an extended slump after suffering a three-game sweep at Florida when outscored 21-5 by the Marlins. The Bucs are striking out at a Gorman Thomas-like clip, with an MLB-high 169 Ks thus far, and rank 23rd in BA (.238) and 28th in runs scored (67). But it's the meltdown of the staff that everyone has been waiting for, and there's evidence it has begun after the staff took a shellacking in Florida. The likes of Charlie Morton, James McDonald, and Paul Maholm are beginning to dhow signs of buckling after encouraging early outings, and remember that this staff posted a 5.60 ERA last season. TRENDS TO NOTE: Despite getting swept at Florida, the Bucs are still +510 on the road this season, although we suspect that number will begin to fall as it did earlier this week in Miami. Pittsburgh is also just 1-5 at home (-386). Starting pitchers Maholm (-400) and McDonald (-408) rank among the bottom money pitchers in the bigs.

New York Mets...At least the Mets temporarily stopped the bleeding in Thursday's win vs. Houston, salvaging the final game of a midweek set vs. the low-flying Astros. Previously, the Mets had lost 7 straight at Citi Field, evoking memories of their 1962 predecessors. But at 6-13, New York still has the worst record in baseball. The hope in Queens is that the return of OF Jason Bay to the lineup will be a harbinger of things to come; Bay, out of action since last July, participated in his first game in almost nine months on Thursday. With no help likely to be on its way from Class AAA anytime soon, new manager Terry Collins (who was ejected in Thursday's win over Houston) doesn't have many options other than Bay to inject some life into his sluggish lineup. The headaches have been numerous, from terrible relief pitching to Johan Santana's ongoing absence to Carlos Beltran's slow start, not to mention blowing two-run leads in four straight losses earlier this week to the Rockies. The staff ERA of 4.95 ranks 28th in MLB. And there are new questions about what Bud Selig might do about Fred Wilpon's shaky ownership situation after MLB's recent takeover of the Dodgers. If only the Mets could blame Bernie Madoff for their personnel blunders over the past five years. TRENDS TO NOTE: Although the Mets have more or less held their own on the road, winning 4 of 9 and +81 in the process, they've been murder on their backers at home, dropping 8 of 10 and a staggering -820 at Citi Field. The bullpen woes have contributed to a 13-5 "over" mark as well. Starters Jon Niese (-229), R.A. Dickey (-304), and Mike Pelfrey (-400) have been poisonous in the early going.

Atlanta Braves...Many NL East observers warned that manager Fredi Gonzalez was no John McGraw, or, more appropriately, a Bobby Cox. Fredi's inability to handle the pitching staff marked his tenure as Marlins manager, and his decision-making is under scrutiny again with the Braves, especially after deciding to pitch to the red-hot Dodger Matt Kemp with an empty base to fill in the 12th inning on Sunday at Chavez Ravine. Kemp turned on the pitch from reliever Cristhian Martinez to give the Blue a 5-3 win. But the Braves' issues go deeper, with run production on the wane as both OF Jason Heyward and 2B Dan Uggla toil beneath the Mendoza Line, and rookie 1B Freddie Freeman struggles. Like a year ago, when the team had to go on the market and rent Derrek Lee to add some pop to the offense, Braves' GM Frank Wren might be looking to do the same in the near future of the offense (which ranks 27th in both BA and runs scored) continues to sputter. TRENDS TO NOTE: Among NL teams, only the Mets have offered worse money value than Atlanta, now -648 this season. Starters Tommy Hanson (-320) and Derek Lowe (-149) have not been providing much value.

San Diego Padres...Many NL observers worried that the Padre offense was not going to be able to survive the departure of 1B Adrian Gonzalez, who moved to the Red Sox in the offseason. So far, they might be right, as the popgun Padre attack continues to misfire; San Diego ranks last or nearly last in MLB in several relevant offensive categories (30th in BA, 30th in shutouts suffered with five, 29th in runs scored and OPS, 25th in homers). Meanwhile, parts of the staff are also laboring, especially last year's revelation Mat Latos, who has now lost a team record (shared with Andy Benes) eight starts in a row after Thursday's setback vs. the Phillies. If not for starter Aaron Harang, who became the NL's first 4-game winner this season when beating the Cubs on Wednesday, we shudder to think where the Padres might be right now. TRENDS TO NOTE: No home edge yet for San Diego, now 3-6 with a -313 money mark at Petco Park. Starting pitchers Latos (-360) and Dustin Mosely (-400) have been principle money burners.

NL PITCHERS IN TROUBLE (W-L record and money mark included): Chris Carpenter, St. Louis (0-4, -$637); Daniel Hudson, Arizona (0-4, -413); Paul Maholm, Pittsburgh (0-4, -408); Mike Pelfrey, NY Mets (0-4, -400); Dustin Moseley, San Diego (0-4, -400); James McDonald, Pittsburgh (0-4, -400); Mat Latos, San Diego (0-3, -360); Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado (0-2, -344); Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco (0-3, -344); Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs (1-3, -334); Tommy Hanson, Atlanta (1-3, -320); R.A. Dickey, NY Mets (1-3, -304); Travis Wood, Cincinnati (1-3, -299); Matt Garza, Chicago Cubs (1-3, -265); Jake Westbrook, St. Louis (1-3, -254); Jon Niese, NY Mets (1-3, -229); Chris Narveson, Milwaukee (1-3, -225); J.A. Happ, Houston (1-3, -204); James Russell, Chicago Cubs (0-2, -200).

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:29 PM

Game 5 Showdowns

April 21, 2011

We’re light on ice time for Friday night with just two games on the schedule in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But the quality of the contests certainly makes up for quantity. Both battles feature squads that are deadlocked with two wins apiece, making Game 5 very pivotal.

The action kicks off in Philadelphia, where the Flyers go for the advantage on home ice against the Sabres. The Predators then head out west for a date against the Ducks at the Honda Center.

Sabres at Flyers – 7:35 p.m. EDT, Versus

If there was one series that was going to be as good as it was billed, it has easily been the Sabres and Flyers.

The fact that Buffalo enters this game with two wins in the series is a bit of a miracle. The Sabres have not put together a complete game in any of the first four matches. They’ve needed Ryan Miller to be perfect (stopped all 67 shots on goal in Games 1 and 4) to get their wins because the offense is not showing up. And when Miller isn’t in top form, they offense has flourished with six goals.

The Sabres’ biggest issue is that nobody outside of Thomas Vanek is finding ways to get quality shots on goal. Vanek leads the team just two lamp lighters in the postseason, while Drew Stafford seemingly just hoping something will stick out of his 16 SOG (just one goal scored).

All has not been roses for the Flyers, who are no doubt cursing to themselves about how their offense has disappeared in the losses. But you can’t fault the full strength attack for Philly’s setbacks. Philadelphia had no success on the power play in those losses (0-for-8). That could change for the better on Friday night with the possibility of Chris Pronger returning to the lineup.

Pronger had 11 power play assists during the regular season, and is one of the best one-on-one defenders in the game. That will help Brian Boucher out a lot more, who has been fantastic in goal for Philadelphia in the last two games (63-of-66 SOG).

The oddsmakers are siding big with the Flyers for this game by installing them as $1.60 home favorites with a total of 5 ½. While one would think that Philly is the play here, bettors should note a little history. The Flyers are 1-3 straight up and on the puck line when posted as home favorites after getting shut out as road pups in the previous matchup. The ‘over’ is 3-1 in those tests.

Predators at Ducks – 10:05 p.m. EDT, Versus

What do you bet the Predators are kicking themselves in the butt right about now?

Nobody could blame Nashville for that after losing to the Ducks 6-3 on home ice in Game 4 of its Western Conference Quarterfinal. The Preds went into the third period 3-3, but gave up three goals in the first six minutes of the final act. While that defensive lapse was bade, the fact that Nashville was hampered by 32 penalty minutes that led to two power play goals for the Ducks. The Predators were second only to the Panthers in fewest penalty minutes during the regular season with 720.

Anaheim enters this game with almost no pressure. That’s how they have to look at it after going 1-1 during the two-game suspension that Bobby Ryan had for the skate stomp on Jonathon Blum. They haven’t really needed Ryan’s handiwork with Teemu Selanne drinking from the fountain of youth. Selanne has been ripped the Predators up for five goals in the series. The Quack Attack will need to get Ray Emery to play a little better in goal as he’s allowed 10 goals in his three starts. As bad as that is, Emery is still way better than Dan Ellis, who couldn’t finish Game 1 of the series.

The Ducks have been posted as $1.45 home faves to take Game 5 with the total coming in at five. Anaheim has been a tough team to beat after putting on an offensive display, evidenced by a 4-1 SU mark when posted as a home “chalk” after scoring six goals in its previous match. The Preds could be a look on the puck line in those games since Anaheim is 1-4 PL.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 02:32 PM

Playoff Results - First Round

April 22, 2011

Home teams have gone 14-19
Favorites have gone 19-14
Favorites that won have gone 8-11 on the puck line
The 'under' has gone 10-17-6

First Round Results

Visitor Home Final Score ATS OVER/UNDER

Wednesday Apr. 13, 2011
Lightning Penguins 3-0 FAVORITE (-145) UNDER 5.5
Coyotes Red Wings 4-2 FAVORITE (-170) OVER 5.5
Rangers Capitals 2-1 (OT) FAVORITE (-165) UNDER 5
Blackhawks Canucks 2-0 FAVORITE (-180) UNDER 5
Predators Ducks 4-1 UNDERDOG (+120) PUSH 5

Thursday Apr. 14, 2011
Canadiens Bruins 2-0 UNDERDOG (+160) UNDER 5
Sabres Flyers 1-0 UNDERDOG (+135) UNDER 5.5
Kings Sharks 3-2 (OT) FAVORITE (-220) PUSH 5

Friday Apr. 15, 2011
Lightning Penguins 5-1 UNDERDOG (+110) OVER 5
Rangers Capitals 2-0 FAVORITE (-170) UNDER 5
Blackhawks Canucks 4-3 FAVORITE (-180) OVER 5
Predators Ducks 5-3 FAVORITE (-150) OVER 5

Saturday Apr. 16, 2011
Coyotes Red Wings 4-3 FAVORITE (-165) OVER 5
Sabres Flyers 5-4 FAVORITE (-175) OVER 5
Canadiens Bruins 3-1 UNDERDOG (+170) UNDER 5
Kings Sharks 4-0 UNDERDOG (+175) UNDER 5

Sunday Apr. 17, 2011
Capitals Rangers 3-2 FAVORITE (-120) PUSH 5
Ducks Predators 4-3 FAVORITE (-145) OVER 5
Canucks Blackhawks 3-2 UNDERDOG (+100) PUSH 5

Monday Apr. 18, 2011
Flyers Sabres 4-2 UNDERDOG (+105) OVER 5.5
Bruins Canadiens 4-2 FAVORITE (-115) OVER 5
Penguins Lightning 3-2 UNDERDOG (+135) PUSH 5
Red Wings Coyotes 4-2 UNDERDOG (+105) OVER 5.5

Tuesday Apr. 19, 2011
Canucks Blackhawks 7-2 UNDERDOG (+105) OVER 5
Sharks Kings 6-5 (OT) FAVORITE (-120) OVER 5

Wednesday Apr. 20, 2011
Capitals Rangers 4-3 (2OT) FAVORITE (-110) OVER 5
Penguins Lightning 3-2 (2OT) UNDERDOG (+125) PUSH 5
Flyers Sabres 1-0 FAVORITE (-115) UNDER 5.5
Ducks Predators 6-3 UNDERDOG (+130) OVER 5
Red Wings Coyotes 6-3 FAVORITE (-125) OVER 5.5

Thursday Apr. 21, 2011
Bruins Canadiens 5-4 (OT) FAVORITE (-115) OVER 5
Blackhawks Canucks 5-0 UNDERDOG (+170) UNDER 5.5
Sharks Kings 6-3 FAVORITE (-130) OVER 5

Friday Apr. 22, 2011
Sabres Flyers
Predators Ducks

Saturday Apr. 23, 2011
Lightning Penguins
Rangers Capitals
Canadiens Bruins
Kings Sharks

Sunday Apr. 24, 2011
Ducks Predators
Flyers Sabres
Canucks Blackhawks

Monday Apr. 25, 2011
Capitals Rangers
Penguins Lightning
Sharks Kings

Tuesday Apr. 26, 2011
Sabres Flyers
Bruins Canadiens
Blackhawks Canucks
Predators Ducks

Wednesday Apr. 27, 2011
Rangers Capitals
Canadiens Bruins
Lightning Penguins
Kings Sharks

Winners in BOLD

**StarDust Bum** · 04-22-2011, 05:43 PM

MLB

Friday, April 22

Game Score Status Pick Amount

LA Dodgers 6 Top 3 Chi. Cubs +102 500
Chi. Cubs 0 Under 8 500

NY Yankees - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore +165 500
Baltimore - Over 8.5 500

Chi. White Sox - 7:05 PM ET Detroit -160 500
Detroit - Under 7.5 500

Washington - 7:05 PM ET Washington +107 500
Pittsburgh - Under 8 500

Tampa Bay - 7:07 PM ET Toronto +101 500
Toronto - Under 9 500

Colorado - 7:10 PM ET Florida +102 500
Florida - Over 8.5 500

Arizona - 7:10 PM ET NY Mets -119 500
NY Mets - Over 8.5 500

Kansas City - 8:05 PM ET Texas -168 500
Texas - Over 9 500

Cleveland - 8:10 PM ET Cleveland +108 500
Minnesota - Over 7.5 500

Houston - 8:10 PM ET Houston +189 500
Milwaukee - Over 8.5 500

Cincinnati - 8:15 PM ET Cincinnati +122 500
St. Louis - Over 8 500

Boston - 10:05 PM ET LA Angels -106 500
LA Angels - Under 7 500

Philadelphia - 10:05 PM ET Philadelphia -130 500
San Diego - Over 6.5 500

Oakland - 10:10 PM ET Seattle -127 500
Seattle - Under 7 500

Atlanta - 10:15 PM ET Atlanta -107 500
San Francisco - Under 7.5 500

------------------------------------------------------------

NHL

Friday, April 22

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Buffalo - 7:30 PM ET Philadelphia -155 500
Philadelphia - Over 5.5 500

Nashville - 10:00 PM ET Nashville +129 500
Anaheim - Under 5 500

Announcement

The Bum's Friday's Best Bets MLB-NHL !

The Bum's Friday's Best Bets MLB-NHL !

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment