Friday's Trends and Indexes - 4/6 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel

Friday, April 6

Phoenix at St. Louis
The Coyotes look to build on their 7-0 record in their last 7 games when playing with 2 days of rest. Phoenix is the pick (+150) according to Dunkel, which has the Coyotes favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+150). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, APRIL 6

Game 51-52: Phoenix at St. Louis (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 12.346; St. Louis 10.839
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-170); 5
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+150); Over




NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, April 6

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PHOENIX (40-27-0-13, 93 pts.) at ST LOUIS (48-21-0-11, 107 pts.) - 4/6/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 135-119 ATS (+12.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 45-32 ATS (+84.2 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1996.
PHOENIX is 12-4 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
PHOENIX is 31-23 ATS (+56.9 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 27-17 ATS (+47.5 Units) in road games after shutting out their opponent in their previous game since 1996.
PHOENIX is 9-2 ATS (+11.2 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games this season.
PHOENIX is 17-7 ATS (+9.8 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 24-20 ATS (+45.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 6-5 (+0.4 Units) against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 6-5-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.0 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, April 6

Hot teams
-- Phoenix won its last three games, not allowing a goal.

Cold teams
-- Blues lost seven of their last ten games.

Totals
-- Last four Phoenix games stayed under the total.

Series records
-- Blues are 3-0 vs Phoenix this year: 3-2/4-1/4-0.

Back-to-Back
-- None.




NHL

Friday, April 6

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. ST. LOUIS
Phoenix is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games
St. Louis is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
St. Louis is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games at home


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NHL

Friday, April 6

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Ice picks: Friday's best NHL bets
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Phoenix Coyotes at St. Louis Blues (-165, 5)

Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith is playing out of his mind as he guides his club into the playoffs.

Smith has recorded three straight shutouts and turned aside 54 shots in the Coyotes’ 2-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday.

"As an athlete, I think we want to contribute and help the team win in times like this in the season," Smith told reporters. "I wouldn't think it's any different for anyone else than just me. It's an important time of the year to play well, and I'm fortunate that I'm doing it at this time of the season. It's exciting and fun to be a part of games like this."

With Smith boarding up the net, Phoenix held down seventh place in the Western Conference heading into Thursday’s action, one point ahead of San Jose.

Meanwhile, even though St. Louis remains in the hunt for the President’s Trophy, the Blues have stumbled a bit. They have won just two of their last seven games (although they have earned at least a point in five of those games).

These two teams won’t want to give too much away with a possible first-round meeting on the horizon, so expect a tight-checking affair.

Pick: Under


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[Udog]

MLB

Friday, April 6

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MLB Opening Day: Friday's baseball betting cheat sheet
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Opening day continues to roll with plenty of teams making their season debuts on Good Friday. Check out our quick-hitting notes for all nine of Friday’s MLB contests:

Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers (-185, 9.5)

After coming within an out of the World Series title in 2011, the Texas Rangers will take the first step toward getting back to baseball's grand stage on Friday when they open their season against the visiting the Chicago White Sox. Slugger Josh Hamilton has been in the news this offseason due to his struggles with alcohol, but the 2010 American League MVP is as solid as they come at the plate.

Faced with a stern test in his managerial debut, Chicago's Robin Ventura will look to get Adam Dunn and Gordon Beckham untracked after disappointing 2011 seasons. Ironically, Ventura will make his debut against a team owned by Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, with whom he had a memorable - and painful - exchange on the diamond 19 years ago.

TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, CSN (Chicago), FSH (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH John Danks (2011: 8-12, 4.33 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Colby Lewis (2011: 14-10, 4.40 ERA)

Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles (-133, 9)

Every season seems like a rebuilding one for the Orioles, who head into the 2012 schedule with plenty of promising prospects in their lineup. Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds make up the heart of the order but don’t pack a real punch at the plate. Minnesota has the pop but needs it to stay healthy. Joe Mauer, Denard Span and Justin Morneau all missed time with injury, especially Morneau who will start as the Twins designated hitter after a long recovery from a concussion.

Minnesota is coming off a 63-99 record in 2011 – its second-worst season since moving to the Twin Cities in 1961. The Twins lost outfielder Michael Cuddyer to free agency this offseason but replaced him with Josh Willingham, who hit .246 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs with Oakland last year. The Orioles celebrate the 20th anniversary of Camden Yards in 2012 and are hoping to post their first winning season since 1997.

TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, MASN HD, WJZ (Baltimore)/ FS-N (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Carl Pavano (2011: 9-13, 4.30 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Jake Arrieta (2011: 10-8, 5.05 ERA)

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays (+120, 7)

As two members of the powerhouse American League East, the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays each have expectations of World Series greatness in 2012. Last season ended in disappointment, as both the Rays and Yankees made the playoffs but failed to advance past the first round. Each team has improved in the offseason, with New York upgrading its rotation through trades and free agency and Tampa Bay doing what it does best by graduating young talent.

The Yankees’ offense is a year older but is still stacked from top to bottom with MVP candidates like Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira taking over as anchors. The Rays have their own star in Evan Longoria but will always rely more on their pitching, which looks like the best in the league as top prospect Matt Moore joins the rotation. Tampa Bay took 10 of the 18 meetings last season, including a three-game sweep in the final series that got it to the playoffs.

TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2011: 19-8, 3.00 ERA) vs. Rays RH James Shields (2011: 16-12, 2.98 ERA)

St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers (-120, 7.5)

The World Series champion Cardinals won their season opener against Miami and will try to continue their momentum against the Brewers, who they defeated 4-2 in the NL Championship Series last season. Former manager Tony La Russa retired in the offseason and Albert Pujols signed with the Angels in free agency, leaving St. Louis without two of its most recognizable faces. Still, there’s plenty of talent left over from last year’s team, which finished 90-72 en route to its second championship since 2006. Milwaukee, which won the NL Central in 2011, also lost a star to free agency when Prince Fielder signed with Detroit. Fielder hit 38 home runs and 120 RBI last year. The Brewers’ biggest offseason signing was Aramis Ramirez, a 33-year-old third baseman who hit 26 home runs and 93 RBI with the Cubs.

St. Louis won 23 of its final 31 games last year before breezing through the playoffs. The Cardinals went 4-5 at Miller Park, but were the only team in the league to sweep the Brewers at their home stadium. Milwaukee ace Yovani Gallardo has struggled historically against the Cardinals, posting a 1-7 record and 5.66 ERA in 11 outings.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), FSN (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (2011: 13-7, ERA 3.56) vs. Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (2011: 17-10, ERA 3.52)

Colorado Rockies at Houston Astros (+113, 8)

New owner Jim Crane will receive his first look at his $610 million investment when the Houston Astros host the Colorado Rockies in the teams' season opener on Friday. With a move to the American League awaiting them in 2013, the Astros have plenty of room for an improvement following a league-worst 106-loss season.

While Houston is in a rebuilding mode, Colorado could make a run at contending in the NL West should a few breaks go its way. With a weak schedule and 13 of their first 22 games at home, the Rockies can make some noise early in 2012.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSH (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jeremy Guthrie (2011: 9-17, 4.33 ERA) vs. Astros LH Wandy Rodriguez (2011: 11-11, 3.49 ERA)

San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks (-113, 7)

The Giants and Diamondbacks open the schedule against each other and could very well be battling all season long for dominance in the National League West. San Francisco boosted its lineup with the additions of Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera but will be without second baseman Freddy Sanchez to start the year. Arizona won’t be catching the majors off guard after winning the NL West last season. The Diamondbacks won’t have shortstop Stephen Drew to begin 2012, but have a promising lineup with Justin Upton and Miguel Montero coming off career seasons.

The Giants' strength remains their pitching staff, which was solidified this offseason with contract extensions to Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. San Francisco finished with a 3.20 ERA last season – second best in the NL. The Diamondbacks hit .246 and averaged just over four runs per game against the Giants last year.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS-A (Arizona)/ CSN-BA HD (San Francisco)/ESPN2

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (2011: 13-14, 2.74 ERA) vs. Diamondback RH Ian Kennedy (2011: 21-4, 2.88 ERA)

Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics (-142, 7)

The opening series that began in the Far East moves to the Pacific Coast as the Oakland Athletics host the Seattle Mariners on Friday. The two American League West rivals teams split two games in Tokyo last week and follow up with a two-game series. Surprisingly, Seattle ace Felix Hernandez won’t be starting as the club moved him back a day in the rotation so he can start against Oakland in the home opener on April 13.

Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes plays his first regular-season game in front of the Oakland fans after making a splash in Japan with a booming two-run blast in the Athletics’ victory on March 29. Cespedes signed a four-year, $36 million deal with the typically frugal franchise. Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki isn’t batting in his customary leadoff spot and has been moved to third by second-year manager Eric Wedge. Chone Figgins is the Mariners’ leadoff man.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), Comcast SportsNet California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Jason Vargas (0-0, 1.42 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Brandon McCarthy (0-0, 1.29 ERA)

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (-130, 6)

After using five relievers in their season-opening win, the Dodgers hope Chad Billingsley delivers a quality outing against host San Diego. Los Angeles won the opener despite an early exit by Clayton Kershaw, who tossed three shutout innings before leaving with the stomach flu.

The Dodgers continued their dominance against San Diego after going 13-5 against the Padres last season, including 6-3 at Petco Park. The Padres committed three errors in the opener and managed just five hits, although one was a 445-foot home run by Cameron Maybin.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, KCAL (Los Angeles), Fox Sports San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Chad Billingsley (2011: 11-11, 4.21 ERA) at Padres LH Cory Luebke (2011: 6-10, 3.29 ERA)

Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels (-214, 7)

The Angels unveil their big offseason signing when Albert Pujols makes his American League debut. Pujols, who signed with Los Angeles for $240 million, instantly makes the Halos a contender in the American League West – and beyond. His presence overshadows the return of Kendrys Morales, who hasn't played since breaking his ankle celebrating a walk-off home run on May 29, 2010. The Royals have an unfamiliar aura of positivity around them this spring. Kansas City, which finished 2011 on a 11-5 run, is a dark horse to win the American League Central.

The Angels are hoping to get a better season from Vernon Wells, who hit just .218 in his first year in Los Angeles. Sophomore stud Mark Trumbo adds to that depth and is moving from first to third base. The Royals would love to play spoiler to L.A.’s big night. Kansas City is hoping Alex Gordon can make good on his new extension and pick up on his .303 average and 87 RBIs from last season.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSKC (Kansas City)/FS-W, FSW-ESP (Los Angeles)/ESPN2

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Bruce Chen (2011: 12-8, 3.77 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jered Weaver (2011: 18-8, 2.41 ERA)


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[Kaptain]

thanks U Dog

[Udog]

thanks U Dog

NP, Kapt.! Here's the rest of it. Good luck today!

[Udog]

MLB
Short Sheet

Friday, April 6

National League

St. Louis at Milwaukee, 4:10 ET
Garcia: 13-4 Over in road games
Gallardo: Milwaukee 25-7 SU at home in day games

San Francisco at Arizona, 7:10 ET(TC) ESPN2
Lincecum: 7-2 Over in April
Kennedy: 14-1 TSR vs. division opponents

Colorado at Houston, 7:05 ET
Guthrie: 2-8 TSR in April
Rodriguez: 14-4 Under as an underdog of +150 or less

LA Dodgers at San Diego, 10:05 ET
Billingsley: Dodgers 5-15 SU away with a total of 6 to 6.5 runs
Luebke: 5-1 Over as a home favorite


American League

Chicago White Sox at Texas, 2:05 ET
Danks: 3-14 TSR on Fridays
Lewis: 12-3 Over in home games

Minnesota at Baltimore, 3:05 ET
Pavano: 3-12 TSR vs. AL East opponents
Arrieta: 6-1 Over as a home favorite of -150 or less

NY Yankees at Tampa Bay, 3:10 ET
Sabathia: 5-1 Under playing on artifical turf
Shields: 12-3 TSR as a home underdog of +125 or less

Kansas City at LA Angels, 10:05 ET ESPN2
Chen: 5-1 TSR in April
Weaver: 22-5 Under in home games

Seattle at Oakland, 10:05 ET
Vargas: Seattle 4-27 SU after blowing a save
McCarthy: 10-3 Under pitching on 7+ days rest

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NBA
Short Sheet

Friday, April 6

Oklahoma City at Indiana, 7:05 ET
Oklahoma City: 16-5 ATS off BB losses
Indiana: 6-20 ATS off BB ATS wins

Washington at New Jersey, 7:35 ET
Washington: 14-3 ATS off BB games allowing 50%+ shooting
New Jersey: 1-7 ATS off ATS wins in 4 or 4 of their last 6 games

Detroit at Atlanta, 7:35 ET NBA TV
Detroit: 10-0 Over after winning 3 of their last 4 games
Atlanta: 5-18 ATS at home after playing as a home favorite

Memphis at Miami, 7:35 ET
Memphis: 21-10 ATS off a division game
Miami: 14-5 Under at home off a win

Cleveland at Toronto, 7:35 ET
Cleveland: 17-6 Over off 8+ losses
Toronto: 0-8 ATS at home off BB games committing 11 or less turnovers

New Orleans at San Antonio, 8:35 ET
New Orleans: 10-2 ATS away after playing 5+ games as an underdog
San Antonio: 14-4 Over off 3+ wins

Charlotte at Milwaukee, 8:35 ET
Charlotte: 2-12 ATS off a division loss by 10+ points
Milwaukee: 8-1 Over after winning 3 of their last 4 games

Portland at Dallas, 8:35 ET
Portland: 0-7 ATS away off a home win by 10+ points
Dallas: 11-2 ATS at home off a division game

Phoenix at Denver, 9:05 ET
Phoenix: 8-19 ATS revenging a loss by 10+ points
Denver: 8-1 ATS after playing as a road favorite

Golden State at Utah, 9:05 ET
Golden State: 17-8 ATS as a road underdog
Utah: 1-9 ATS at home with a total of 200 to 204.5 points

Houston at LA Lakers, 10:35 ET NBA TV
Houston: 20-7 Under as a road underdog of 7 points or less
LA Lakers: 3-13 ATS at home on Fridays

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NHL
Short Sheet

Friday, April 6

Phoenix at St. Louis, 7:35 ET
Phoenix: 9-2 SU off 3+ home games
St. Louis: 3-13 SU off a divison home loss