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**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:00 AM

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

-- Detroit Tigers (4-0) are major league's last unbeaten team.

-- Ron Gardenhire won his 1,000th game as a manager, only 10th manager to do that with one team.

-- Clay Buchholz faced 25 Milwaukee batters Saturday night, allowed 13 hits.

-- Funny seeing some players/umpires wearing winter hoods with the faces cut out to protect them from the cold in games in northeast/midwest.

-- Dodger pitcher Paul Maholm has made 15 career starts west of the Rockies and is 0-11, not the best record for a guy living in Los Angeles now.

-- Ryan Williams, who was expected to be Miami Hurricanes' starting QB in the fall, tore his ACL this week and probably won't play this season.

*****

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: What if oddsmakers seeded the NCAAs?

13) 8-seed Kentucky was favored over a pair of 2-seeds in their last two wins, despite one of their best players (Cauley-Stein) getting hurt 4:00 into the regional seminfinal and not playing since. Las Vegas oddsmakers know damn well Kentucky shouldn't have been an 8-seed. What if they seeded the NCAAs by power ratings?

12) Favorites covered 11 of the last 14 national championship games; Kentucky opened as -2.5 over UConn, was quickly bet up to -3.

11) This is the first national title game since 1966 where neither team was in the NCAA tournament the year before.

10) A 7-seed, an 8-seed; only time since the field went to 64 in 1985 that neither one of the finalists is a top-3 seed.

9) There were 79,444 fans at the Final Four at Jerry World, which is why greedy lawyers try to get kids to unionize so they can cash in on the financial bonanza.

8) Ohio Bobcats hired Saul Phillips away from North Dakota State to be its new basketball coach.

7) CBS Sports came up with this interesting tidbit: Orlando 121, New Jersey 109 on April 17, 1998, the only time Kevin Ollie (player back then) has faced John Calipari (coach).

6) Since 1990, the favorite is 5-1 against the spread in national title games without a #1 seed in it.

5) Rockies' CF Charlie Blackmon followed up his 6-6 day with a 3-4 day, raising his batting average to an impressive .600.

4) In his first two 2014 starts, Stephen Strasburg has allowed 18 baserunners, 10 runs in 10.1 innings pitched.

3) Interleague play started in 1997: since then, AL teams have an 2,237-2,031 edge in interleague games.

2) Nick Martinez pitched for the Rangers Saturday; he was a shortstop in college at Fordham, pitching only 26 innings in relief. Some scout saw something in him and turned him into a full-time pitcher. Good job by them.

1) I like the instant replay system; there will be media nitwits who time every replay review; funny, they never timed it when managers ran out on the field and acted like jackasses arguing calls that had no chance of being changed. This will get more calls right, and wind up saving time in the long run.

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:00 AM

Tony Stewart knocks Brad Keselowski off Texas pole

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Saving his best effort for the last possible second, Tony Stewart won the pole for Sunday's Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

During the third round of knockout qualifying Saturday afternoon at the 1.5-mile track, Stewart began his money lap in the final half-minute of the session and completed it after the five-minute clock ticked down to zero, ending the session.

Stewart (195.454 mph) edged Brad Keselowski, who has made a habit of front-row starts under the qualifying format NASCAR introduced this year. Keselowski posted a lap at 195.419 mph, and the speed held up until Stewart's last-ditch run.

The Coors Light pole award was Stewart's first since 2012 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his second at Texas and the 15th of his career.

"It felt really fast right to the middle of (Turns) 3 and 4, and then it got really loose the last half of the corner,” Stewart said of his pole-winning lap. "We didn't know what we could run this third time, but I knew what (Greg) Biffle had run.

"The good thing is (crew chief) Chad Johnston made a really big change there to try and make it better. Like he said, 'I was either going to make you quick, or I was going to make you 12th.' I'm glad he made the change. He's got a lot of confidence, and I really like that."

Kevin Harvick made a NASCAR-record run in the first round, which narrowed the field eligible for the pole from 47 drivers to 24. In the final session, Harvick was third at 195.298 mph, ahead of Greg Biffle (194.700 mph) and Carl Edwards (194.637 mph).

The only Toyota driver to make the top 12, Denny Hamlin was sixth, followed by Trevor Bayne, Ryan Newman, Marcos Ambrose, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon.

Keselowski earned a front-row starting spot for the fifth time in six knockout qualifying sessions this season, but four of those landed him on the outside of the front row, not the pole.

"I thought we had it,” Keselowski said, "but that's why they do it this way. It's really exciting, and, I think, a lot of fun to watch. … We came up short, but we still have a lot to be proud of. We're starting on the front row, and (on Sunday we need) to make that count. Hopefully, we can pull that off.

"We did a lot of practice in race trim and not a lot in qualifying trim, so I guess that's a good omen.”

Stewart's pole makes it seven races with a different top qualifier in the Sprint Cup ranks, the first time that has happened to start a season since 1998.

The first two rounds, which narrowed the field to the top 12 drivers, also produced notable statistics. On his only run in the first round, Harvick posted the fastest lap ever run on an intermediate speedway -- 198.282 mph (27.234 seconds).

The second round was noteworthy for one driver who didn't make the final 12 -- six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who posted the 16th fastest time in the 10-minute second session.

It marked the first time in knockout qualifying this year that Johnson failed to make the top 12, leaving Logano as the only driver to have advanced to the final round in each of the six knockout time trials this far.

"We're really surprised not to have pace here in qualifying,” Johnson said. "We have a very fast race car, in race trim especially. Our car is blazing fast. Qualifying hasn't always been my strong suit, and today it showed up here for whatever reason. We'll get her cleaned up and get her ready for the race on Sunday.

"We felt like we had a very good understanding of things, and we spent a lot of time this afternoon working on old tire runs because we were so good in race trim and we just missed it (for qualifying). Everybody else picked up a lot more speed than we did, so we will have to dig in deep and try and understand why.”

Like Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. failed to advance to the second round and will start 19th Sunday. Danica Patrick was 11th fastest on fresh tires in the first session but was 24th in the second and will start from that spot on the grid.

David Stremme, Ryan Truex, Joe Nemechek and J.J. Yeley failed to make the 43-car field for the seventh race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule.

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:01 AM

NCAA Championship opening line report: Kentucky opens as 3-point fave

With a No. 8 seed facing a No. 7 seed for college basketball’s national championship Monday night, everybody’s office pool brackets are in tatters.

But therein lies the beauty of the NCAA Tournament: at least you can still bet on it.

No. 7 seed Connecticut knocked off overall No. 1 seed Florida 63-53 as a 7-point underdog Saturday to open the Final Four, and No. 8 seed Kentucky followed with a thrilling 74-73 win over No. 2 seed Wisconsin as a 1-point favorite.

Just as Kentucky pretty much had to be the favorite against Wisconsin – based on its huge run through the tournament on the backs of a bunch of freshman – the Wildcats will be favored against the Huskies. The opening line was set at -3, with the total between 132.5 and 133.5 for Monday’s finale at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

“The reason we are favoring the Wildcats is that, while UConn has the better backcourt, Kentucky has the much better frontcourt, even if Willey Cauley-Stein isn’t playing,” said Sportsbook.com oddsmaker Mike Perry, who posted a 132.5 total.

Cauley-Stein was hurt in the Wildcats’ Sweet 16 win over instate rival Louisville, but it hasn’t mattered – particularly with the insane late-game antics of guard Aaron Harrison, whose 3-pointer knocked out Michigan in the Elite Eight, and whose 3-pointer from nearly the same spot eliminated the Badgers on Saturday night.

Golden Nugget sports book director Tony Miller joined Perry in making Kentucky a 3-point chalk, though he pegged the total a point higher at 133.5. But Miller doesn’t think the public will follow the favorite.

“The way UConn has been playing, I think the public takes the dog,” Miller said. “How long can Kentucky rely on a 3-pointer at the buzzer?”

UConn guards Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright have impressed Perry, and against Florida, the duo combined for 25 points, nine assists, nine rebounds and five steals, with just three turnovers. But Perry is sold on Harrison, saying the clutch shooter makes the backcourt matchup much less of a mismatch.

“Napier and Boatright have been exceptional all tournament, but Harrison keeps hitting clutch shots for the ‘Cats, so the disparity in talent with the guards is much closer than it is for the big men, with UK having a decided advantage,” Perry said.

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:03 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Atlanta at Washington
The Braves look to complete the sweep of the Nationals this afternoon and come into the contest with a 4-1 record in Alex Wood's last 5 road starts. Atlanta is the pick (+105) according to Dunkel, which has the Braves favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+105). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6

Game 901-902: San Diego at Miami (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Kennedy) 16.046; Miami (Eovaldi) 15.002
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Miami (-125); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+105); Over

Game 903-904: Cincinnati at NY Mets (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Simon) 15.042; NY Mets (Niese) 13.662
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-120); Under

Game 905-906: St. Louis at Pittsburgh (1:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wainwright) 16.760; Pittsburgh (Volquez) 15.221
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-160); 7
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-160); Over

Game 907-908: Atlanta at Washington (1:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Wood) 16.220; Washington (Jordan) 15.236
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington (-125); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+105); Under

Game 909-910: Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Burnett) 15.183; Cubs (Villanueva) 13.443
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-130); No Total
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-130); N/A

Game 911-912: Arizona at Colorado (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Miley) 14.930; Colorado (Anderson) 13.892
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Colorado (-125); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+105); Under

Game 913-914: San Francisco at LA Dodgers (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Cain) 16.524; LA Dodgers (Greinke) 14.829
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-150); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+130); Under

Game 915-916: Minnesota at Cleveland (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Nolasco) 13.831; Cleveland (Masterson) 15.271
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-185); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-185); Over

Game 917-918: Baltimore at Detroit (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Tillman) 15.321; Detroit (Verlander) 16.968
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-175); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-175); Under

Game 919-920: NY Yankees at Toronto (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Sabathia) 15.240; Toronto (Hutchison) 14.190
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Toronto (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (+105); Over

Game 921-922: Texas at Tampa Bay (1:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Darvish) 17.043; Tampa Bay (Cobb) 15.562
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-110); 7
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-110); Under

Game 923-924: LA Angels at Houston (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Weaver) 14.912; Houston (Feldman) 12.586
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 2 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-160); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-160); Over

Game 925-926: Chicago White Sox at Kansas City (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Sale) 15.768; Kansas City (Shields) 14.621
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 6
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-135); 7
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (+115); Under

Game 927-928: Seattle at Oakland (4:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Ramirez) 15.467; Oakland (Gray) 16.921
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Oakland (-155); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-155); Over

Game 929-930: Milwaukee at Boston (1:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Gallardo) 17.112; Boston (Lester) 16.221
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Boston (-165); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+145); Under

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:08 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, April 6

Hot pitchers
-- Niese is 2-1, 3.08 in his last four starts.
-- Eovaldi is 2-0, 1.37 in his last three starts.
-- Wainwright is 4-3, 2.28 in his last seven starts.
-- Greinke is 2-0, 2.70 in his last three starts. Cain has a 2.73 RA in his last five starts, but no wins.

-- Masterson is 1-1, 1.74 in his last four starts.
-- Hutchison is 3-1, 2.05 in his last five starts.
-- Verlander is 1-1, 0.88 in his last six starts.
-- Darvish is 3-2, 2.40 in his last five starts. Cobb is 4-1, 2.25 in his last six.
-- Shields is 3-0, 1.78 in his last five starts.
-- Weaver is 4-2, 2.72 in his last seven starts.
-- Gray is 1-1, 1.13 in his last four starts.

-- Lester is 4-2, 1.73 in his last six starts. Gallardo is 2-1, 1.89 in his last three.

Cold pitchers
-- Simon hasn't started a game since 2011, when he was 4-9, 4.90 in 16 starts for the Orioles.
-- Kennedy is 1-2, 6.32 in his last three starts.
-- Volquez is 0-2, 4.67 in his last five starts.
-- Wood is 1-1, 6.75 in his last four starts. Jordan is 1-1, 4.80 in his last five.
-- Villanueva is 0-4, 5.67 in his last six starts; he was losing pitcher in the 16th inning Wednesday night. Burnett is 2-2, 3.94 in his last five starts.
-- Anderson is 0-4, 11.34 in his last four starts. Miley is 1-1, 4.26 in his last three starts.

-- Nolasco is 0-4, 11.05 in his last five starts.
-- Sabathia is 1-3, 5.47 in his last four starts.
-- Tillman is 0-2, 3.94 in his last five starts.
-- Sale is 1-2, 4.50 in his last four starts.
-- Feldman is 1-2, 5.14 in his last five starts.
-- Ramirez is 1-2, 6.38 in his last four starts.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Niese starts stayed under total.
-- Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Eovaldi starts.
-- Last four Volquez starts stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Jordan starts went over total.
-- Four of last five Burnett starts stayed under total.
-- Six of last seven Arizona games went over total.
-- Seven of last ten Greinke starts stayed under total.

-- Five of last seven Nolasco starts went over total.
-- Last four Sabathia starts stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last ten Tillman starts stayed under total.
-- Seven of last ten Darvish starts stayed under total.
-- Eight of last ten Sale starts went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Feldman starts.
-- Four of five Oakland games stayed under the total.

-- Five of last seven Gallardo starts stayed under total.

Hot teams
-- Braves won four of their first five games.
-- Marlins won five of their first six games.
-- Colorado won three of its last four games.
-- Giants won five of their first six games.

-- Tigers won their first four games.
-- Mariners won four of their first five games.

Cold teams
-- Reds lost four of their first five games.
-- Cubs lost four of their first five games.
-- San Diego lost its last four games.
-- Arizona lost seven of their first eight games.

-- Orioles lost four of their first five games.
-- White Sox lost three of their last four games.

Umpires
-- SD-Mia-- Underdogs won seven of last eight Cuzzi games.
-- Cin-NY-- Home side won ten of last thirteen Davidson games.
-- StL-Pitt-- Four of last five Rackley games went over total.
-- Atl-Wsh-- Favorites won ten of last thirteen Eddings games.
-- Phil-Chi-- Underdogs won ten of last twelve Iassogna games.
-- Az-Col-- Last four Wegner games stayed under the total.
-- SF-LA-- Underdogs won seven of last twelve Foster games.

-- Min-Clv-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Meals games.
-- Blt-Det-- 20 of last 23 Danley games stayed under.
-- NY-Tor-- Underdogs won seven of last ten Kulpa games.
-- Tex-TB-- Five of last six Dimuro games stayed under.
-- LA-Hst-- Under is 8-2-1 in last eleven Guccione games.
-- Chi-KC-- Last five Gibson games stayed under the total.
-- Sea-A's-- Under is 9-3-1 in last thirteen Gonzalez games.

-- Mil-Bos-- Favorites won seven of last eight Fagan games.

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:13 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 6

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Trend Report
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1:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CLEVELAND
Minnesota is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Minnesota's last 24 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games at home

1:07 PM
NY YANKEES vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of NY Yankees's last 11 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of NY Yankees's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games when playing NY Yankees
Toronto is 6-16 SU in their last 22 games when playing NY Yankees

1:08 PM
BALTIMORE vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Baltimore's last 10 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Baltimore's last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Detroit's last 10 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

1:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego's last 6 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Diego
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 7 games when playing at home against San Diego

1:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. NY METS
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of NY Mets's last 13 games when playing Cincinnati
NY Mets are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cincinnati

1:35 PM
ATLANTA vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games
Washington is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Washington's last 16 games when playing Atlanta

1:35 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 9 games on the road
Milwaukee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Boston is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home

1:35 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis's last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Pittsburgh is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against St. Louis

1:40 PM
TEXAS vs. TAMPA BAY
Texas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Texas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas
Tampa Bay is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games

2:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. HOUSTON
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 8 games
Houston is 1-8 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against LA Angels

2:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. KANSAS CITY
Chi White Sox are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 19 of Chi White Sox's last 25 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 19 of Kansas City's last 25 games when playing Chi White Sox

2:20 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. CHI CUBS
Philadelphia is 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games

4:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. OAKLAND
Seattle is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Seattle is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Oakland's last 12 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oakland's last 8 games at home

4:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Arizona's last 12 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Arizona is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 6 games

8:05 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. LA DODGERS
San Francisco is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
San Francisco is 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing at home against San Francisco

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**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:15 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 6

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Sunday's MLB American League betting cheat sheet
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Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians (-174, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Indians right-hander Justin Masterson threw seven shutout innings in his first start of the season.

Hot batting stat: Indians third baseman Carlos Santana hit four home runs against the Twins in 2013, more than he had against any other team.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-40s with sunny skies.

Key betting note: Indians are 13-3 in their last 16 Sunday games.

New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays (-105, 9)

Hot pitching stat: Yankees lefty CC Sabathia is 14-4 with a 3.00 ERA and two complete games in 19 career starts versus the Blue Jays.

Cold batting stat: Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is 2-for-23 with eight strikeouts lifetime against Sabathia.

Weather: N/A

Key betting note: Blue Jays are 5-0 in right-hander Drew Hutchison's last five home starts.

Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers (-169, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander surrendered four home runs in just 12 innings against Baltimore in 2013.

Hot/Cold batting stat: Detroit third baseman Miguel Cabrera is 4-for-9 with a homer against Orioles starter Chris Tillman.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-50s with clear skies and wind blowing in from right field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: Orioles are 17-8 in Tillman's past 25 starts.

Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays ()

Hot pitching stat: Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish went 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 38 2/3 April innings last season.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Tampa Bay roster are hitting 7-for-43 with 14 strikeouts versus Darvish.

Weather: N/A

Key betting note: Over is 5-0 in umpire Mike DiMuro's last five Tampa Bay games behind home plate.

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals (-127, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Royals right-hander James Shields was 2-1 with a 2.03 ERA in six starts against the White Sox a season ago.

Cold batting stat: Royals outfielder Alex Gordon batted .211 with one homer and 16 strikeouts in 71 at-bats versus the Royals in 2013.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing out to left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Royals are 7-1 in their last eight games versus a left-handed starter.

Los Angeles Angels at Houston Astros (149, 8)

Hot pitching stat: The Angels are 49-22 in right-hander Jered Weaver's last 71 starts.

Hot batting stat: Los Angeles shortstop Erick Aybar is 10-for-21 in his career against Houston starter Scott Feldman.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with a 67 percent chance of rain and wind blowing out to left field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: Angels are 8-2 in their last 10 Sunday games with umpire Chris Guccione behind home plate.

Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics (-150, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray tossed six shutout innings, striking out seven in his season debut.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Seattle roster have just four hits in 27 at-bats against Gray.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with sunny skies and wind blowing out to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Athletics are 19-7 in their last 26 Sunday games.

Interleague

Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Red Sox (-160, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Red Sox southpaw Jon Lester was 7-1 with a 3.09 ERA and just six home runs allowed in 13 home starts last season.

Hot/Cold batting stat: Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia batted .315 in 308 at-bats at Fenway Park in 2013.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-50s under clear skies with wind blowing from left to right field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: Red Sox are 13-3 in Lester's last 16 home starts.

** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday.

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**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:18 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 6

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Sunday's MLB National League betting cheat sheet
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Cincinnati Reds at New York Mets (103, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Left-handed hitters were held to a .239 average and two homers in 138 at-bats against Mets southpaw Jonathon Niese.

Hot/Cold batting stat: Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is 7-for-18 with a pair of homers lifetime versus Niese.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with clear skies and wind blowing from left to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Mets are 1-6 in Niese's last seven appearances during the third game of a series.

San Diego Padres at Miami Marlins (-121, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Marlins righty Nate Eovaldi earned the win in his first start of the year, allowing two runs over six innings while striking out six.

Cold batting stat: Miami shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria batted .200 with one walk in 26 plate appearances against the Padres in 2013.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s under sunny skies with wind blowing out to left-center field at 9 mph.

Key betting note: Under is 6-0-1 in Eovaldi's last seven starts on four days rest.

St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates (144, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright limited the Pirates to a .208 average in three starts last season.

Hot batting stat: Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen is 12-for-28 with a home run lifetime versus Wainwright.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with sunny skies.

Key betting note: Cardinals are 20-8 in Wainwright's last 28 Sunday starts.

Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals (-120, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Braves lefty Alex Wood allowed a run on three hits over seven effective innings to prevail in his season debut.

Hot batting stat: Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon has four hits - all singles - in four at-bats against Wood.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with clear skies.

Key betting note: Over is 5-0 in umpire Doug Eddings' last five games behind home plate involving Washington.

Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs (110, OFF)

Cold pitching stat: Phillies right-hander A.J. Burnett was 5-7 with a 4.22 ERA on the road last season, compared to a 5-4, 2.37 mark at home.

Cold batting stat: Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley is 0-for-9 with five strikeouts against Cubs starter Carlos Villanueva.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-40s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing out to left-center field at 9 mph.

Key betting note: Cubs are 1-6 in Villanueva's last seven home starts.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies (-120, 9.5)

Hot pitching stat: Diamondbacks lefty Wade Miley has held opponents to a .191 average through two starts.

Hot batting stat: Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario is 6-for-14 with a home run all-time against Miley.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-50s with cloudy skies and wind blowing in from left-center field at 9 mph.

Key betting note: Diamondbacks are 7-1 in Miley's last eight starts against the Rockies.

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers (-145, 6.5)

Cold pitching stat: Giants hurler Matt Cain is 5-10 with a 3.45 ERA in 28 career starts against the Dodgers.

Cold batting stat: Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp is hitting .222 with 15 strikeouts in 54 at-bats versus Cain.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s under sunny skies with wind blowing out to right-center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Giants are 3-13 in Cain's last 16 starts.

** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 3:00 p.m. ET Saturday.

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**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:20 AM

MLB

Sunday, April 6

Tigers hold on for 7-6 win, are lone unbeaten team

The Detroit Tigers used three relievers and gave up five runs in the top of the 9th, but were able to hold on for a 7-6 victory over the Baltimore Orioles to remain the lone unbeaten team in Major League baseball.

The Tigers are 4-0 with +400 units, but are struggling against the runline, putting up just a 1-3 mark so far.

The two teams close out the three-game series Sunday with Justin Verlander making his second start of the season for the Tigers, while Chirs Tillman will get the nod for the Orioles.

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:22 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Oklahoma City at Phoenix
The Suns host Oklahoma City tonight with the Thunder coming into the contest carrying an 0-4 ATS record in their last 4 road games. Phoenix is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Suns favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+2 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6

Game 501-502: New York at Miami (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 119.276; Miami 124.166
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 5; 184
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 7; 187 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New York (+7); Under

Game 503-504: LA Lakers at LA Clippers (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 109.094; LA Clippers 130.121
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 21; 230
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 16; 226
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (-16); Over

Game 505-506: Atlanta at Indiana (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 113.870; Indiana 116.552
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 2 1/2; 183
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 8; 187 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+8); Under

Game 507-508: Dallas at Sacramento (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 122.711; Sacramento 112.375
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 10 1/2; 209
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 509-510: Denver at Houston (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 116.400; Houston 126.198
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 10; 228
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 11 1/2; 221
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+11 1/2); Over

Game 511-512: Memphis at San Antonio (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 121.203; San Antonio 126.417
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 5; 188
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 7; 192
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (+7); Under

Game 513-514: Utah at Golden State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 109.203; Golden State 125.601
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 16 1/2; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 12; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-12); Over

Game 515-516: New Orleans at Portland (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 119.152; Portland 119.962
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 1; 187
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 517-518: Oklahoma City at Phoenix (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 124.619; Phoenix 126.022
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 2 1/2; 213 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+2 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:23 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, April 6

Hot teams
-- Miami won four of last five games, covered five of last six. Knicks won three of their last four games.
-- Clippers won six of last eight games, covered four of last five.
-- Mavericks won three of their last four games.
-- Spurs won 19 of last 20 games, covering eight of last ten.
-- Warriors won nine of their last twelve games.
-- Thunder/Suns both won seven of their last nine games.
-- Portland won four of its last five games.

Cold Teams
-- Lakers lost five of their last six games.
-- Sacramento lost four of its last six games.
-- Indiana lost six of its last eight games. Hawks lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Nuggets lost five of their last six games; Rockets lost three of four.
-- Grizzlies are 0-6 vs spread in their last six games.
-- Jazz lost five of their last six games.
-- Pelicans lost last four games, three by 16-5-30-4 points.

Series records
-- Knicks won four of last seven games with Miami.
-- Clippers won six of last seven games with the Lakers, winning last two by 36-48 points.
-- Kings lost 17 of last 20 games with Dallas.
-- Pacers won four of last five games with Atlanta.
-- Nuggets won seven of last eight games with Houston.
-- Spurs won eight of last ten games with Memphis.
-- Warriors are 3-0 vs Utah this year, winning by 14-11-5 points.
-- Thunder won 11 of last 12 games with Phoenix.
-- Trailblazers won seven of last ten games with New Orleans.

Totals
-- Last five New York games stayed under the total.
-- 11 of last 12 Laker-Clipper games went over total.
-- Seven of last nine Dallas games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Atlanta games stayed under total.
-- Five of last seven Denver games stayed under total.
-- Eight of last nine San Antonio games stayed under.
-- 18 of last 20 Golden State-Utah games stayed under.
-- 12 of last 16 Thunder-Phoenix games went over.
-- Eight of last ten Pelican games went over the total.

**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:25 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 6

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games at home

3:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. LA CLIPPERS
LA Lakers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of the LA Lakers last 12 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games at home
LA Clippers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

6:00 PM
DALLAS vs. SACRAMENTO
Dallas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Dallas is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Sacramento's last 15 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games

6:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Atlanta is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Indiana's last 8 games at home
Indiana is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games at home

7:00 PM
DENVER vs. HOUSTON
Denver is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 7 games
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Denver
Houston is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

7:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. SAN ANTONIO
Memphis is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Memphis is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Antonio's last 9 games
San Antonio is 19-1 SU in its last 20 games

9:00 PM
UTAH vs. GOLDEN STATE
Utah is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Golden State's last 23 games

9:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 10 of New Orleans's last 12 games
New Orleans is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games at home
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

9:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. PHOENIX
Oklahoma City is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing Oklahoma City
Phoenix is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

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**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:28 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 6

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Game of the Day: Knicks at Heat
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New York Knicks at Miami Heat (-7, 187)

Sitting on the periphery of the Eastern Conference playoff race, the New York Knicks can't afford another loss the rest of the way. They'll be in for one of the biggest challenges of the season Sunday afternoon as they face the conference-leading Heat in Miami. New York is coming off a 90-89 heartbreaker to the Washington Wizards on Friday night and enters Sunday's action one game behind the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony indicated that he will play against the Heat after suffering what was termed a "deep bruise" in his right shoulder in the contest against Washington. Miami is in a battle of its own, sitting mere percentage points ahead of the Indiana Pacers in the race for the No. 1 seed in the conference. The Heat lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-121 in double overtime on Friday night despite 34 points from LeBron James.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: The Heat opened as 6.5-point home faves and are currently at -7. The total opened at 189 and is down to 187.

INJURY WATCH: New York: F Carmelo Anthony - probable Sunday (shoulder). Miami: G Dwyane Wade Doubtful Sunday (hamstring), C Greg Oden questionable (back)

POWER RANKINGS: New York (-5.3) - Miami (-13.8) + home court (-3) = Miami -11.5

WHY BET THE KNICKS (34-43 ATS): New president of basketball operations Phil Jackson may clean house at the end of the season - and the first to depart may be head coach Mike Woodson. While Jackson goes on a "talent hunt," according to a report in the New York Post, he has apparently done little talking with Woodson, who is expected to take the fall for the team's struggles. "We haven't had any conversations," Woodson said. "My focus mainly has been on getting the team in the playoffs and when that time comes, it will happen."

WHY BET THE HEAT (35-38-2ATS): James has had to carry the bulk of the scoring load while swingman Dwyane Wade continues to recover from hamstring and Achilles injuries. Wade remains without a timetable to return, but James said his teammate is "looking better and better every day" and believes that "probably within the next week he should be back on the floor." Wade has been limited to 51 games this season but has been effective in limited action, averaging 19.2 points, 4.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Miami.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Under is 15-5-1 in the last 21 meetings.
* Knicks are 2-5 ATS in the last seven meetings in Miami.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-five percent of the wagers are on the Heat -6.5.

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**Udog** · 04-06-2014, 09:32 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 6

Pelicans' C Anthony Davis, questionable Sunday

Davis is dealing with a back injury and is questionable to play Saturday against the Magic.

Heat guard Dwyane Wade, doubtful Sunday

Wade is suffering from cramps in his left hamstring and has missed the last five games. He is not expected to play in Sunday's game against the Knicks.

Rockets' center Dwight Howard, doubtful Sunday

Howard has missed the last four games with an ankle injury and is not expected to play Sunday against the Nuggets.

Anthony plans to play with shoulder injury

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony plans to play at the Miami Heat on Sunday, despite having a right shoulder injury.

Anthony said Saturday that the injury is a deep bruise or light sprain and that he has trouble lifting the shoulder. He received treatment for the tight shoulder at the team's facility. He sustained the injury during Wednesday night's win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Anthony also played in Friday's 90-89 loss the Washington Wizards, but clearly struggled. He scored just 10 points on five-for-14 shooting with eight rebounds and five assists. However, he attempted no free throws and committed nine turnovers.

Announcement

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

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

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