Game: Los Angeles Dodgers @ San Francisco Giants
Sport: MLB
Pick:
Dodgers -1.5, 1.95Reason for Pick:
Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley starts today against the Giants, a team he has never lost to in his career. He currently holds a 4-0 record with a 3.33 ERA. In his only start against them last year, he pitched a 5 hit complete game shutout.
Opposing Billingsley is Jonathan Sanchez, who has not had the same success against Dodgers. In his career he is winless with a 5.30 ERA. In his two starts last year against the Dodgers, Sanchez is 0-1 in two starts with a 7.00 ERA.
The current Dodgers lineup has dominated Sanchez with several of them hitting well above .300 against him. This may turn out to be a blowout in the Dodgers favour.
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Game: Houston Astros @ Cincinnati Reds
Sport: MLB
Pick:
Astros ML, 2.05Reason for Pick:
The Reds have struggled all year against left handed pitching. This was evident in the last time Wandy Rodriguez (Astros) faced Aaron Harang (Reds) where the Astros beat up the Reds 7-0 on April 18.
Furthermore, Rodriguez has allowed only one run or fewer in three of four starts.
Look for the same trend to continue and the Astros to take this one handily.
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Game: New York Rangers @ Washington Capitals
Sport: NHL
Pick:
Capitals -1.5, 2.19Reason for Pick:
The biggest part of the reason the Rangers made it to the playoffs was superb goaltending. Henrik Lundqvist has seemed rather unspectacular so far in the playoffs and was actually benched in the last two games due to sub par performances.
It is actually rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov of the Capitals who is playing with poise, helping the Capitals to come back and force a game 7.
With hot goaltending, a Rangers team in disarray, and a Capitals team that has simply outplayed, outshot, and outskilled the Rangers, the Capitals will use the momentum they've built to take the series on their home ice.
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Game: Dallas Mavericks @ San Antonio Spurs
Sport: NBA
Pick:
Under 189.5, 1.91Reason for Pick:
The Spurs tried to keep up with the fast paced offense of the Dallas Mavericks in game 4 but were unsuccessful. Dallas simply has too many weapons to trade baskets with. The Spurs know that they will lose in another shootout so their focus will be to control the tempo, i.e. step up on defense.
Dallas themselves have not shot well on the road and with the Spurs focusing on tempo, this is not going to change here for game 5.
Also, each team has taken less field goal attempts as the series has gone on.
Game 4 exceeded the Vegas total by just one point but in this game, both teams combined 73 charity attempts and 55 total points. This means that both teams scored these points while the clock was stopped. When you consider that the other games averaged less than 37 free throw attempts, you can see that Game 4 was an outlier of the trends.
When you consider the trends, San Antonio's focus on defense and controlling the pace, lowering shot attempts, and Dallas' performance on the road you can win big on betting the under.
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Game: Los Angeles Angels @ Baltimore Orioles
Sport: MLB
Pick:
Angels ML, 1.85Reason for Pick:
The Angels usually provide Joe Saunders with plenty of run support each game.
This will be fairly easy tonight against Baltimore's Adam Eaton who has struggled so far this season. He is 2-2 with a 6.16 ERA in his career against the Angels and five players on the Angels are hitting above .300 against him (Aybar .500, figgins .400, Hunter .333, Napoli .33 and Izturis .308).
Eaton's pitches are always hanging around the plate and the Angels will be able to make him pay for any mistakes.
The rest of the starting rotation is struggling and so is the bullpen. Chris Ray and George Sherill are part of one of the worst bullpens in the A.L.
Saunders has had success against the Orioles as he is 4-0 with a 4.40 ERA lifetime against them. Only Aubrey Huff has had success against him who is 6 for 12 lifetime. The next highest average belongs to Brian Roberts who is hitting .154 against Saunders.
The Angels went 6-3 against the Orioles last season and have won each series against them for the past five years.
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Past 10 Picks:
WIN - April 27, Hockey (SJ @ ANA) - Pick-ANA
WIN - April 27, Baseball (CIN @ HOU) - Pick-HOU
LOSS - April 27, Basketball (UTA @ LAL) - Pick-LAL-11.5
WIN - April 26, Baseball (NYY @ BOS) - Pick-BOS
WIN - April 26, Baseball (TOR @ CHS) - Pick-Tor
LOSS - April 26, Basketball (POR @ HOU) - Pick-Hou-4.5
WIN - April 25, Basketball (SA @ DAL) - Pick Dal -4.5
LOSS - April 25, Baseball (ATL @ CIN) - Pick Under
LOSS - April 25, Baseball (TEX @ BAL) - Pick OVER
NHL 2009 Playoffs: 2-0-0
Year to Date All Sports: 17-17-2
