Tuesday 6/16/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Copa America TODAY 22:00

Paraguay

v

Jamaica

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		4/5	13/5	17/4	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
HWALADNLHDND​ Most recent​	0 - 2 0 - 3 3 - 1 3 - 0	HWHWHDHWHWNL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Jamaica have not kept a clean sheet in their last seven matches against South American teams

EXPERT VERDICT: Paraguay produced a tremendous second-half fightback to seal a 2-2 draw with Argentina in their opening match and can follow up with a victory over Group B minnows Jamaica in Antofagasta. A positive approach seemed to suit Paraguay against Argentina and the same attitude will be needed against Jamaica, who defended stoutly for large parts of their 1-0 loss to Uruguay.

RECOMMENDATION: Paraguay
1

 

[superbeets]

Copa America We 17Jun 00:30

Argentina

v

Uruguay

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		8/13	29/10	11/2	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
NWNLNWNWHWND​ Most recent​	2 - 3 3 - 0 1 - 1 1 - 0	AWHDAWAWHWNW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Argentina have scored two goals or more in six of their last seven fixtures

EXPERT VERDICT: Argentina paid the price for taking their foot off the pedal against Paraguay, dropping a precious two points in a 2-2 draw, but can take their frustration out on Uruguay in La Serena. Uruguay laboured to a 1-0 win over Jamaica, clearly missing the cutting edge of Luis Suarez, and could be taken apart by the best attack in the tournament.

RECOMMENDATION: Argentina
3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the Day: Warriors at Cavaliers

Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers (+4.5, 194.5)

The Golden State Warriors look to secure their first world title in 40 years when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Tuesday's Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Golden State has won the past two games, including Sunday's 104-91 victory, but Cleveland's LeBron James will be aiming for another stellar effort to force a Game 7 on Friday.

James had 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in Game 5 but his second triple-double of the series wasn't enough and now Cleveland's season lies on the brink. "You cope with it by understanding it's just one game and looking at the opportunity we have on Tuesday to force a Game 7," James said in his press conference. "Obviously, for myself, I want to do whatever it takes to help our team win, and I haven't been able to do that the last two games." Warriors guard Stephen Curry had a huge 37-point outing in Game 5 and is ready to close out the series. "We're confident. We're not getting ahead of ourselves," Curry said in his press conference. "In the locker room, if you walked in there was the exact same (feeling) after a regular-season win. But we know the sense of urgency of the moment."

LINE HISTORY: Books initially opened the Cavs as 4.5-point home dogs, but that's since dropped down to +4.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - S. Curry (probable). Cavaliers - K. Irving (out for season), K. Love (out for season), A. Varejao (out for season).

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: The regular-season MVP version of Curry was on display when he scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5 and was 7-of-13 from 3-point range for the contest. He struggled with his shooting early in the series -- the 5-for-23 effort in Game 2 was particularly distasteful -- and has made 18 3-pointers over the past three games while raising his series average to 26.2 points. "He had a tough first couple of games and he got going at the end of Game 3 in the fourth quarter and that's all it takes," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said in his press conference. "Steph makes a couple shots, he feels like he's got it rolling, and he's been great ever since."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: With Golden State playing a small lineup, Cleveland coach David Blatt opted to match it and turned center Timofey Mozgov into a spectator one game after Mozgov was sensational with 28 points and 10 rebounds. The Warriors are happy to play the faster pace and Blatt bristled when reporters repeatedly inferred he played into Golden State's hand by using Mozgov for just nine scoreless minutes. "Did I make a mistake?" Blatt said in his press conference. "Listen, when you're coaching a game, you've got to make decisions. I felt that the best chance for us to stay in the game and to have a chance to win was to play it the way that we played it. It's no disrespect to anyone, certainly not to Timo, who has done a great job for us."

TRENDS:

*Under is 13-3-1 in Warriors last 17 overall.
*Under is 3-0-1 in Cavaliers last 4 overall.
*Warriors are 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings.
*Home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 61 percent of bets are on the underdog Cavs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Confident James clear on objective
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

LeBron James owns titles and rings, and no shortage of confidence even with the Cleveland Cavaliers trailing 3-2 and facing elimination Tuesday in the NBA Finals.

“I feel confident because I’m the best player in the world,” James said. “It’s that simple.”

The close-out game will be the most challenging. It’s a situation James has survived – just two years ago, in fact – and he is playing in his fifth consecutive NBA Finals.

History might favor James in Game 6, with the Golden State Warriors needing another victory in either of the two remaining games in the best-of-seven series for their first title since 1975.

In 2013, the Miami Heat rallied from a 3-2 hole to stun the San Antonio Spurs.

James is averaging 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists in these finals. He took umbrage to the notion that the Warriors’ game plan is to let James score and stop everyone else. Even for the NBA’s highest-scoring team, the “us against him” notion doesn’t jibe with James.

“You don’t let me have 40, I go get 40,” James said.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he’s not ‘enjoying the marveling’ at James’ performance in these Finals, which is better statistically than any Michael Jordan put together in winning six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, four with Kerr as a teammate. James scored or assisted on 70 of the Cavaliers 91 points on Sunday.

“I know he’s going to come at us. I wonder how to stop him,” Kerr said. “But he’s going to attack. He’s going to have the ball in his hands almost every play, particularly with (point guard) Kyrie (Irving) out, and that’s the trick, right? How do you slow him down? How do you keep him from dominating the game? Scoring himself or finding 3 point shooters? And there is a balance in there somewhere that we’re trying to find, and it’s pretty hard.”

James said he isn’t trying to win games by himself. Cavaliers coach David Blatt, who called James better than tremendous in the past five games, said they need every bit of what James is bringing. That includes confidence, leadership and experience.

“We’ll worry about Tuesday first,” James said. “But if we protect home like we’re capable of doing, we force a Game 7. I feel confident.”

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five To Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

I can’t remember a season where so many top prospects have been called up this early. It happened Sunday with the Minnesota Twins as they promoted five-tool outfielder Byron Buxton. And all he did was score the winning run in the top of the ninth to give the Twins a 4-3 victory in Texas that ended a five-game losing streak. He started in center and batted ninth. To make room for Buxton on the roster, the Twins placed outfielder Aaron Hicks on the 15-day disabled list before Sunday’s game. Also debuting Sunday was Cleveland’s top prospect, shortstop Francisco Lindor. He was 1-for-2 with a strikeout against the Tigers.

Twins at Cardinals (-175, 7)

Possible World Series preview? Yeah, I don’t think the Twins have staying power. This is your first game of the day with a 1:45 p.m. ET first pitch. It’s getaway day for all these quick two-game interleague series — all the teams then play two at the opponent’s park starting Wednesday. Kyle Gibson (4-4, 3.24) has probably been Minnesota’s most consistent starter. Well, was. In two June starts he is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA. Gibson has never faced the Cardinals. It’s Michael Wacha (8-2, 2.45) for the Cardinals. He tied his season high by allowing four earned runs last time out in Colorado but did strike out 10. Wacha has never faced Minnesota, which loses the DH.

Key trends: The Twins are 2-6 in Gibson’s past eight on the road. They are 0-7 in his past seven on the road against teams with a winning record. The Cards are 13-3 in Wacha’s past 16 at home. The “over/under” has gone over in five of Gibson’s past five interleague games.

Early lean: Cardinals on runline and under.



Rockies at Astros (-155, 8.5)

Speaking of good rookies, Houston’s Vincent Velasquez (0-0, 1.40), one of the team ‘s top prospects, looked very good in his big-league debut last week, holding the White Sox scoreless on three hits over five innings, striking out five. He was No. 56 on ESPN’s Keith Law’s Top 100 list entering this season. It’s lefty Chris Rusin (2-1, 3.38) for the Rockies. He was roughed up last time out, allowing six runs and 11 hits in 5.1 innings in Miami. This will be his first career start against Houston — remember, the Rockies will add the designated hitter for this series.

Key trends: The Astros are 1-6 in their past seven against a lefty. The under is 6-1 in Houston’s past seven interleague games vs. a lefty.

Early lean: Astros and under.



Yankees at Marlins (-107, 8)

Presumably, the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez will have to take a seat for this interleague series because there’s no designated hitter, although he’s from Miami and I’m sure wants to play somewhere. Maybe Manager Joe Girardi plays him at first, but then what do you do with Mark Teixeira? The Marlins will be without third baseman Martin Prado for a while. He suffered a shoulder injury over the weekend, spraining his right shoulder while running out a play at first base. He’s batting .272 with 24 RBIs. Prado was acquired this offseason in a trade for Nathan Eovaldi (5-1, 4.13), and he’s on the mound Tuesday. He was solid last time out, holding the Nationals to three runs over seven innings. Another player in that trade was David Phelps (3-3, 4.11), and he starts for the Marlins. Phelps comes off his best start of the year, shutting out Colorado on four hits over eight innings.

Key trends: The Yanks are 4-0 in Eovaldi’s past four on five days of rest. The Marlins are 1-5 in Phelps’ past six. The under is 4-1 in his past five.

Early lean: Yankees and over.



Indians at Cubs (-135, TBA)

To make room for Lindor, the Indians put Nick Swisher on the disabled list. He has inflammation in his left knee and was hitting just .198 with two homers and eight RBIs in 30 games. Shaun Marcum (3-1, 4.09) gets the call here for Cleveland, and he comes off his best start of the year, shutting out the Mariners on two hits over seven innings, striking out five. It was his first start of the season not allowing a homer. Chicago’s Starlin Castro is just 2-for-19 off him. Anthony Rizzo is 3-for-5 with two doubles. Lefty Tsuyoshi Wada (0-1, 4.84) starts for the Cubs. He may not be long for the rotation, not lasting more than 3.2 innings in each of his past two starts. Wada has never faced the Indians — they lose the DH.

Key trends: The Indians are 6-2 in their past eight vs. lefties. The Cubs are 7-3 in their past 10 in Game 2 of a series. The under is 4-0 in the Tribe’s past four vs. lefties.

Early lean: Indians.



Braves at Red Sox (-150, 8.5)

How much is a World Series title worth? I ask because I believe the Boston Red Sox have to do something to shake things up, and that has to mean Manager John Farrell goes. Of course, the Sox won the World Series his first season but were last in 2014 and are currently in the AL East cellar. I’m not confident that things will get better with lefty Wade Miley (5-6, 5.07) on the mound for this one. He and Farrell had a dust-up in the dugout when Miley was pulled after allowing five runs (three homers) and nine hits in just four innings in Baltimore. Not sure why Miley thought he had any right to be angry. Farrell called the outburst “unacceptable” but didn’t fine his pitcher. Freddie Freeman is 3-for-12 with a homer off him. Atlanta’s Julio Teheran (4-2, 4.78) has been a disappointment this season and has allowed four runs in each of his past two outings. He has never faced Boston. Pablo Sandoval has seen him, though, going 3-for-9 with an RBI.

Key trends: Atlanta is 2-6 in Teheran’s past eight vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 11-1 in his past 12 starts overall. The under is 7-1 in Miley’s past eight.

Early lean: Braves and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

‘Interleague’ play has lost special place with MLB Bettors
By Jason Logan

Interleague action used to be one of the most exciting chunks of schedule during the long and grueling MLB season. After months of the same ol’ divisional rivalries and league showdowns, baseball bettors got a brief breath of fresh air when the American and National Leagues would collide.

But, much like the way the Star Wars franchise was watered down, interleague play was ruined by Major League Baseball wanting to capitalize on the popularity of these AL vs. NL battles.

Now, interleague play isn’t just reserved for a few weeks on the calendar – it’s happening almost every day. In fact, interleague became so diluted that MLB dot com stopped updating their historical records and stats section for these senior-versus-junior circuit clashes back in 2012.

As of Monday, which features MLB-wide interleague games, there have already been 89 interleague contests played this season, with the AL holding a slight 48-41 edge over its NL opponents.

“I think it’s a completely different animal now that we see interleague play on a daily basis,” says Expert Sean Murphy. “Teams don’t seem to be changing their approach as much when hopping leagues.”

Interleague games offered something different for the industry. It threw a bit of a curveball at books and bettors, who had to factor in how a starting pitcher would hit in limited plate appearance or what the impact would be if an NL squad suddenly had a designated hitter. There was an aura of the unknown, which leveled the playing field when it came to finding added value in those interleague moneyline and totals.

There are factors some handicappers still size up when breaking down the odds for American-National affairs, especially when it comes to sending an AL pitcher to the plate for one of their few career at-bats.

“This does make a huge difference and I try to typically avoid AL teams playing in NL parks unless they have a decided edge in starting pitching or if the NL team is just a bad one,” says Expert Bryan Power of Power Sports. “Weak-hitting American League teams can be a good Under bet in NL parks while strong-hitting NL teams can be a good Over bet in AL parks.”

However, due to the oversaturation of interleague action in the modern MLB era, some bettors are treating these games the same as any other divisional or league matchup.

“It has been occurring long enough now where the teams are getting comfortable with the different venues and format,” says Steve Merril. “I handicap the games the same as regular in-league play using matchups, momentum, and current form.”

Heading into this week, the most successful interleague squads this season have been:

Toronto Blue Jays (6-3)

Houston Astros (4-1)

Los Angeles Dodgers (3-0)

San Francisco Giants (4-1), while the b

Bottom of the interleague barrel features:

Pittsburgh Pirates (1-4)

Cincinnati Reds (1-7)

Seattle Mariners (1-4)

Baltimore Orioles (1-4)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB Betting Cheat Sheet: Twins call up Buxton in hopes of ending slump
By Doc Sports

Here’s a comprehensive look at betting notes for this week’s major-league schedule:

Buxton to the rescue?

The Minnesota Twins had lost five games in a row before beating the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Sunday. That coincided with the major-league debut of center fielder Byron Buxton, who went 0-for-4 but score the eventual winning run in the ninth inning. Buxton, the second overall pick in 2012, replaced Aaron Hicks on the roster. Hicks is on the 15-day disabled list with an elbow injury.

The ‘pen is not mightier

To say the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen is bad would be an overly generous statement. The truth is it is downright terrible. Atlanta is tied for first in the majors with 13 blown saves and its bullpen ERA is 4.64, highest in the National League and second highest overall (better than only the Oakland Athletics). The Braves are 4-8 in their last 12 overall and the over is 12-2-1 in their last 15.

Do the cha-cha for Chi Chi

Since being called up the majors, Chi Chi Gonzalez has astounded for the Texas Rangers. The 23-year-old right-hander is 2-1 with a 0.42 ERA with one complete game (June 5 at the Kansas City Royals). Gonzalez will hope to continue his run on Tuesday when Texas hosts the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pitching Notes

* What in the name of Carlos Martinez is going on out here?!?! Since giving up seven runs in consecutive starts at the beginning of May, the St. Louis Cardinals’ righty has suddenly caught fire. His ERA has shrunk from 4.89 to 2.93 in the span of six outings. He has allowed a mere three runs in his last 33.2 innings. Martinez will take the mound again on Tuesday against visiting Minnesota. The Cardinals are 5-0 in his last five starts and the under is 4-0 in his last four.

* The Detroit Tigers’ pitching staff appears to be in good hands at the moment. Justin Verlander returned with a solid start this past Saturday and David Price has regained his form after a relative rough stretch from late April through mid May. Price (6-2, 2.44 ERA) has tossed two straight complete games and has given up only three earned runs in his last 32.2 innings. The southpaw will be back in action at the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

Hitting Notes

* Miami Marlins’ slugger Giancarlo Stanton extended his hitting streak to seven games on Sunday. Stanton (.261, 23 HR, 59 RBI) homered five times and drove in 12 runs this past week. He has hit safely in 12 of 13 games this month and his June batting average stands at .391.

* The Royals watched four of their regulars hit .136 or worse last week. Second baseman Omar Infante and right fielder Alex Rios both went 1-for-19, designated hitter Kendrys Morales batted .125, and shortstop Alcides Escobar compiled a .136 average. Kansas City is on a two-game skid and the under is 10-1-1 in the team’s last 12 outings.

Totals Streak

New York Mets (34-25-5 O/U): A stellar over play throughout the season so far, the Mets have really picked it up of late. They are 5-0 O/U in their last five overall after coming back to win a 10-8 slugfest against Atlanta on Sunday. New York has crossed the plate 28 times in its last five games and has allowed 33 runs in its last six.

Injury Notes

* The Boston Red Sox are dealing with a whole host of physical problems (actually, they are struggling with a myriad of problems). Center fielder Mookie Betts was sidelined by a back injury on Saturday and Sunday. askthebookie Third baseman Pablo Sandoval is dealing with quad tightness but played on Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Hanley Ramirez is less than 100 percent because of knee and hamstring issues. At 10 games under .500, Boston—which has lost six in a row—is the only AL East team with a losing record.

* San Francisco Giants’ right fielder Hunter Pence has been placed on the 15-day disabled list—retroactive to June 3—because of wrist tendinitis. Pence (.282, 2 HR, 13 RBI) has not played since June 2, when he sustained an initial injury diving for a fly ball. The Giants have lost four in row and the under is 3-0 in their last three games.

Weather Notes

* Conditions could be windy at Wrigley Field Tuesday evening when the Cubs host the Indians. Wind is expected to blow in from left-center field at around 11 miles per hour during the game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Three MLB futures bets fit the World Series mold right now
By Jason Logan

The road to the World Series is a long and winding journey from April to October. And while every team gets to the Fall Classic in their own way, there are old spike marks on that trail from previous World Series winners, giving you an idea of just what it takes to bring home the championship.

Over the past 10 MLB seasons, the club that eventually went on to win the World Series had an average record of 40-27 at this point in the schedule (June 15) with a .597 winning percentage. Trying to find current clubs that fit that mold is tough, with very few teams breaking away from the pack in 2015.

In fact, if you were looking for a clear cut World Series favorite to put your money on, the St. Louis Cardinals stand head and shoulders above the rest of the major leagues with a 41-21 (.661) mark as of Monday.

But, as we’ve seen in past campaigns, it isn’t always the No. 1 team that ends up spraying the champagne come the fall. With those last 10 World Series winners as the parameters, here are three World Series bets worth making right now:

St. Louis Cardinals (41-21)

Odds: Opened 10/1, Current 7/1

The price is still right for the best team in baseball. St. Louis hasn’t come down too far from its opening number and is still behind clubs like the Dodgers and Nationals on the MLB futures board. Over the past 10 seasons, five World Series winners have had 41 or more wins at this point in the schedule and none have had fewer than 22 losses, putting the Cardinals in a league of their own. On top of that World Series futures value, St. Louis is also the top money team in baseball having earned 17.85 units heading into Monday.

Los Angeles Dodgers (37-24)

Odds: Opened 6/1, Current 6/1

The Dodgers’ World Series odds were as high as 7/1 before the season and as low as 9/2 a few weeks ago before climbing back to their original post. If you’re betting L.A. at a Las Vegas sportsbook, you will likely get some shorter World Series odds based on the amount of tickets written on the Dodgers (California tourist love to bet them), compared to some online shops which have Los Angeles as high as 8/1. While their current win total falls under the average for World Series champs at this juncture, their 24 losses are better than all but two of those past 10 winners.

Houston Astros (36-28)

Odds: Opened 100/1, Current 18/1

If you’re holding a World Series ticket on the Astros, especially one as big as 100/1, you have to be sweating the club’s current skid a little. Houston’s hot start to the 2015 season has it in the World Series conversation, but it has just two wins in its last 10 games heading into Monday. Yeah, the ‘Stros only have 36 wins but so did the 2010 Giants and 2009 Yankees as of June 15 in their respective championship campaigns. In fact, that ’10 San Francisco team had the exact same record as the ’15 Astros at this point in the season. That Giants squad had a 3.36 ERA (2.99 bullpen ERA) on the year. Houston is close to that this season with a 3.62 ERA (2.69 bullpen ERA).

Here’s a look at the latest World Series odds (courtesy of Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas):

DODGERS 6/1
NATIONALS 6/1
TIGERS 14/1
ANGELS 20/1
CARDINALS 7/1
ROYALS 7/1
GIANTS 12/1
A’S 80/1
BRAVES 100/1
ORIOLES 30/1
MARINERS 50/1
YANKEES 14/1
INDIANS 30/1
PIRATES 12/1
RED SOX 50/1
RANGERS 30/1
RAYS 20/1
BLUE JAYS 20/1
METS 20/1
REDS 300/1
BREWERS 500/1
PADRES 30/1
CUBS 16/1
WHITE SOX 50/1
MARLINS 100/1
PHILLIES 5000/1
DIAMONDBACKS 200/1
ROCKIES 200/1
TWINS 40/1
ASTROS 18/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cardinals’ pitching pacing Top 5 ‘Under’ plays
Andrew Caley

The St. Louis Cardinals lead the majors in team ERA by a fair margin at 2.43, which makes it no surprise the are pacing the bigs in unders at 38-22-2 this season.

Here are the Top 5 ‘Under’ plays to this point in 2015:

1. St. Louis Cardinals: 22-38-2 O/U

2. Tampa Bay Rays: 26-36-2 O/U

3. Chicago White Sox: 25-35-1 O/U

4. Seattle Mariners: 27-35-1 O/U

5. Baltimore Orioles: 26-33-3 O/U


Braves now lead the list of Top 5 ‘Over’ plays
Andrew Caley

The Atlanta Braves are a red-hot over play, going 12-2-1 over/under in their last 15 games, making them the top over play in the bigs at 40-20-3 O/U.

Here are the Top 5 ‘Over’ heading into another week of MLB action:

1. Atlanta Braves: 40-20-3 O/U

2. San Diego Padres: 39-24-2 O/U

3. Oakland A’s: 37-24-4 O/U

4. Washington Nationals: 36-25-2 O/U

5. New York Mets: 34-25-5 O/U

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

WNBA The basketball Betting Trend that keeps cashing
Andrew Avery

The under went 4-1-1 in six WNBA games on Sunday’s board, keeping alive one of the hottest betting trends you may not know about.

Season to date, the Over/Under mark in the WNBA is 7-15-2, good enough for the under to cash at a rate of just over 68 percent.

The Washington Mystics (0-4 O/U), Connecticut Sun (0-3-1), San Antonio Stars (0-3) and Los Angeles Sparks (0-1-1) have yet to record an Over.

There are no games Monday, but the league resumes with four games Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dunkel Index

NBA

Golden State at Cleveland - Tuesday June 16, 2015

The Cavaliers head home after a 104-91 loss in Game 5 and face a Warriors team that is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in the previous game. Cleveland is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has Golden State favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+4 1/2).

Tuesday June 16, 2015
Golden State @ Cleveland

Game 711-712
June 16, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
134.321
Cleveland
132.786
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 1 1/2
189
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 4 1/2
195
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(+4 1/2); Under

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CAPPERS ACCESS

(NBA)Cavaliers+3
(MLB)Cardinals(RL)-1.5(+129)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Today's games
Interleague-- Everything from Monday-Thursday this week is interleague. Remember, there is a DH used in AL parks, no DH in NL parks.

White Sox @ Pirates
Quintana is 1-1, 2.21 in his last three starts; eight of his last nine went under.

Morton is 4-0, 2.73 in his four '15 starts; his last five starts stayed under.

White Sox won eight of last ten games with Pittsburgh; last four games got over the total- tams are meeting for first time since 2010. Chicago lost last five road games, scoring 11 runs- four of their last seven games stayed under. Pirates won last five games, allowing three runs (four shutouts)- seven of their last eight games stayed under.

Reds @ Tigers
Lorenzen is 0-1, 4.56 in his last four starts; last three went over.

Ryan is 1-0, 1.38 in two MLB starts, both against the White Sox.

Detroit won five of last six games with Cincinnati; four of last seven series tilts went over total- teams are meeting for first time since 2012. Reds lost four of last five games- last three stayed under. Detroit won six of its last eight games, with five of the eight going over the total.

Phillies @ Orioles
Williams is 0-3, 6.84 in his last five starts; four of his last six went over.

Tillman is 2-2, 5.32 in his last four starts; four of his last six went over.

Phillies lost eight of last ten games with Baltimore; four of last six went over-- teams are meeting for first time since '12. Philly lost last seven games, scoring total of 11 runs- their last five games stayed under. Baltimore won seven of its last eight games; three of their last five went over.

Nationals @ Rays
Roark is 2-0, 4.63 in his four starts; his last three went over.

Colome is 1-1, 2.93 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over.

Home side won eight of last nine Washington-Tampa Bay games; under is 5-2-2 in those nine games. Nationals lost five of last eight games; over is 4-1-1 in their last six. Tampa Bay won five of its last six games; over is 3-1-1 in their last five games.

Braves @ Red Sox
Teheran is 0-1, 6.93 in his last four starts; his last seven went over.

Miley is 1-2, 7.63 in his last three starts; seven of his last eight went under.

Boston lost last seven games, allowing 47 runs; over is 3-1-1 in their last five. Red Sox won six of last seven games with Atlanta; four of those seven games went over. Braves lost three of last five games; six of last eight went over.

Blue Jays @ Mets
Copeland allowed one run in seven IP (92 PT) in his first MLB start.

Harvey is 1-3, 7.20 in his last four starts, three of which went over.

Toronto won 11 of last 12 games, scoring 41 runs in last five; over is 5-2-2 in their last nine. Mets won four of last five games; five of their last six went over. Jays lost seven of last ten games against the Mets, are 0-10 in franchise history in the borough of Queens (0-9 at Shea, 0-1 at Citi Field).

Bronx @ Marlins
Former Marlin Eovaldi is 2-0, 3.00 in his last four starts; his last five starts went over the total.

Former Bomber Phelps is 1-1, 3.24 in his last four home starts, three of which stayed under the total.

Bronx-Marlins are playing for first time since 2009; Miami won four of last five series games. Bronx lost four of last five games; three of the five went over total. Marlins won four of last five games; under is 6-0-1 in their last seven.

Indians @ Cubs
Bauer is 2-1, 1.61 in his last four road starts (under 3-0-1).

Arriera is 2-0, 3.00 in his last two starts; three of his last four went over.

Indians-Cubs haven't met since 2009; Cubs won last four in series, scoring a total of 29 runs. Chicago won six of their last eight games. Cleveland lost five of its last seven games- they scored 17 runs in last six games.

Dodgers @ Rangers
Anderson is 0-3, 3.66 in his last five starts; his last three road starts stayed under the total.

Gonzalez is 2-1, 0.42 in his first three starts; they all stayed under.

Dodgers won four of last six games v Texas, but teams haven't met 2009; last five series games stayed under. LA won five of its last seven games; seven of their last ten games stayed under. Rangers are 4-4 in their last eight games; nine of their last eleven stayed under.

Rockies @ Astros
Rusin is 1-1, 4.19 in his three starts (under 2-1) this year.

Velasquez shut White Sox out for five innings (89 PT) in his MLB debut.

Colorado lost four of last five games with Houston; three of the five games stayed under. Rockies lost five of last six games overall; six of their last seven stayed under total. Astros won three of last four games, all of which went over the total.

Royals @ Brewers
Young is 1-2, 5.19 in his last three starts; under is 4-1-1 in his last six.

Garza is 2-0, 3.00 in his last three outings; his last five starts went over.

Royals won last five games with Milwaukee; five of last six stayed under, but teams are meeting for first time since 2012. KC won five of last seven games, allowing 18 runs; under is 10-2-1 in its last 13 games. Brewers lost last three games, scoring seven runs; over is 4-1 in their last five games.

Twins @ Cardinals
Gibson is 0-1, 5.79 in his last three starts; four of his last five went over.

Wacha is 3-2, 3.05 in his last six starts (under 3-2-1).

Minnesota lost eight of last ten games; six of last nine stayed under total. Cardinals won nine of last 12 games; eight of last nine stayed under- they won five of last seven games with Minnesota- under is 10-0-1 in last 11 series games, but teams are meeting for first time since 2009.

Diamondbacks @ Angels
Hellickson is 3-0, 4.84 in his last four starts; over is 5-2-1 in his last eight.

Richards is 3-2, 7.18 in his last five starts, all of which went over; Angels scored 31 runs in the five games.

Angels won seven of last ten games with Arizona; four of last six stayed under- teams are meeting for first time since '12. LA lost last two games by a combined 15-4; four of their last five went over total. D'backs won last four games, allowing five runs- four of their last six stayed under.

A's @ Padres
Kazmir is 1-1, 2.30 in his last three starts, all of which stayed under.

Cashner is 0-1, 9.00 in his last three starts; his last four went over.

Oakland lost five of last seven road games; they won six of last eight games vs San Diego- seven of last nine series games went over. Padres lost five of their last seven games; they scored eight runs in last four games and fired their long-time (8.5 years) manager Monday.

Mariners @ Giants
Happ is 0-1, 9.37 in his last four road starts, three of which went over.

Lincecum is 2-1, 6.75 in his last four starts, all of which went over.

Giants lost their last nine home games, scored three runs in last four games; they're 2-9 in last 11 games with Seattle, ten of which were played in Seattle-- six of last eight stayed under. Mariners lost three of last five games; they've been shut out in four of last ten games, but four of last six went over.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
CWS-Pitt-- Quintana 5-7; Morton 4-0
Cin-Det-- Lorenzen 3-4; Ryan 0-1
Phil-Balt-- Williams 4-9; Tillman 5-7
Wsh-TB-- Roark 2-2; Colome 3-6
Atl-Bos-- Teheran 8-5; Miley 6-6
Tor-NYM-- Copeland 1-0; Harvey 7-5
NYY-Mia-- Eovaldi 7-5; Phelps 4-7

Clev-Cubs-- Bauer 6-6; Arrieta 7-5
LA-Tex-- Anderson 6-6; Gonzalez 2-1
Col-Hst-- Rusin 1-2; Velasquez 0-1
KC-Mil-- Young 5-2; Garza 5-7
Min-StL-- Gibson 6-6; Wacha 10-2
Az-LAA-- Hellickson 5-7; Richards 7-4
A's-SD-- Kazmir 4-8; Cashner 4-9
Sea-SF-- Happ 6-6; Lincecum 6-6

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
CWS-Pitt-- Quintana 5-12; Morton 3-4
Cin-Det-- Lorenzen 1-7; Ryan 1-1
Phil-Balt-- Williams 5-13; Tillman 2-12
Wsh-TB-- Roark 2-4; Colome 2-9
Atl-Bos-- Teheran 5-13; Miley 4-12
Tor-NYM-- Copeland 0-1; Harvey 4-12
NYY-Mia-- Eovaldi 5-12; Phelps 4-11

Clev-Cubs-- Bauer 6-6; Arrieta 7-5
LA-Tex-- Anderson 2-12; Gonzalez 1-3
Col-Hst-- Rusin 1-3; Velasquez 0-1
KC-Mil-- Young 0-7; Garza 5-12
Min-StL-- Gibson 3-12; Wacha 3-12
Az-LAA-- Hellickson 5-12; Richards 1-11
A's-SD-- Kazmir 2-12; Cashner 5-13
Sea-SF-- Happ 4-12; Lincecum 3-12

Umpires
Min-StL-- Five of last six Estabrook games went over.
Col-Hst-- Last five Wendelstedt games stayed under.
A's-SD-- Under is 6-4-1 in HGibson games this year.
Sea-SF-- Seven of last nine Hirschbeck games stayed under.
Atl-Bos-- Under is 8-2-1 in Carapazza games this year
Phil-Balt-- Three of last four Barksdale games went under.
Cin-Det-- Over is 6-3-1 in last ten Everitt games; underdogs won six of his last seven games.

CWS-Pitt-- Three of last four Dreckman games stayed under; underdogs won five of his last seven.
NYY-Mia-- Four of last five Morales games stayed under.
Tor-NYM-- Favorites won last five Muchlinski games.
Wsh-TB-- Underdogs are 5-4 in last nine Gonzalez games.
LA-Tex-- Three of last four GGibson games went over.
KC-Mil-- Three of last four Guccione games went over.
Az-LAA-- Visiting team won last six Eddings games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB Preview: Indians (29-33) at Cubs (34-27)

Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: June 16, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Starlin Castro's late-inning heroics and another extended hitting streak from Kris Bryant have the young Chicago Cubs on a roll.

The Cleveland Indians are prepared to see what their own top prospect has to offer.

After Francisco Lindor's first major league start was postponed by a downpour, he'll get another chance Tuesday night at Wrigley Field against a Cubs team still riding high after a pair of walk-off wins.

Monday's contest never got underway due to heavy storms in Chicago, which deprived the Cubs of a chance to immediately build on a pair of exciting victories over the weekend. Chicago (34-27) took three of four from Cincinnati, capped by game-ending RBI singles from Castro in Saturday's 4-3 victory and Sunday's 3-2 win in 11 innings.

Castro, who became the first Cubs player with back-to-back walk-off hits since Ron Santo in 1966, was 3 for 5 for his first three-hit game since April 28 against Pittsburgh.

"He's starting to really get his mojo back, which is good for us," manager Joe Maddon said.

The Cubs have won four of five to move seven games over .500 for the first time since they were 82-74 on Sept. 29, 2009.

Bryant is hitting .372 during an 11-game hitting streak after doubling in the first. The prized rookie had a 12-game run May 11-23 and has hit safely in 24 of his last 27, recording six homers, two triples and seven doubles in that stretch.

His .885 OPS is second among rookies to Joc Pederson's.

Lindor figures to make his first major league start Tuesday, and it's possible another big-name prospect will get an at-bat as this series opens before slotting into the starting lineup Wednesday in Cleveland. The Cubs announced Monday night that they were calling up catcher Kyle Schwarber - their 2014 first-round pick - to serve as a DH for the remainder of the week in AL parks.

While Chicago has hinged its success on young talents like Bryant and the 25-year-old Castro, the Indians (29-33) now hope Lindor can provide them a boost.

Lindor, who is considered one of baseball's best prospects, was called up from Triple-A over the weekend and entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh of Sunday's 8-1 loss to Detroit. He struck out in his first at-bat, then singled in the ninth.

The 21-year-old likely would've had a double had he not tripped rounding first base, providing a light moment in an otherwise dismal performance from the Indians, who have lost five of seven.

"It's a tough day for us, but you try to always (find) something (positive)," manager Terry Francona said. "In this case, getting (Lindor) in there and getting him a couple at_bats should help his nerves moving forward."

Taking the mound for the Cubs will be Jake Arrieta (6-4, 3.16 ERA), who has won back-to-back starts. He gave up one run in six innings of a 2-1 win over Washington on June 4 before allowing three runs in six innings of Wednesday's 12-3 victory over Detroit.

The right-hander, who struck out eight in both outings, opposes Trevor Bauer (5-3, 3.53) in his first start against the Indians since 2012 while with Baltimore.

Bauer went 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA over his previous five starts before giving up a career high-tying six earned runs while walking five in 3 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 9-3 loss to Seattle. The right-hander has walked 12 over his last three outings.

"If you look at my stats, every time I pitch, I tend to have one bad inning with walks," Bauer said. "(Wednesday), they cost me, and it sucked. If I knew what happened, I'd fix it."

Bauer has never faced the Cubs, who swept a three-game series at Wrigley Field from June 19-21, 2009, in the last meetings between the clubs.

Indians designated hitter Nick Swisher won't be available for this series after he was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with left knee inflammation.

Monday's game will be made up at Wrigley on Aug. 24.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Finals - Game 6
By Chris David

The NBA Finals heads back to Cleveland on Tuesday as Golden State will look to capture its first NBA championship since the franchise won the title in the 1974-75 season. After facing a 2-1 deficit, the Warriors have rebounded with back-to-back wins and covers against the Cavaliers for a 3-2 series lead.

In Game 5 on Sunday, Golden State pulled away from Cleveland for a 104-91 victory as a 9 ½-point home favorite. Even though it was the second consecutive double-digit win for the Warriors in this series, the game was much tighter than the final score.

The Warriors lead 51-50 at halftime and pushed the lead to six (73-67) after three quarters but the Cavaliers fought back and took an 80-79 lead with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth. Like other games in this series, LeBron James ran out of gas and the Warriors closed the game on a 25-11 run.

LeBron finished with 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in the loss but his incredible night was overshadowed by the reigning NBA regular season Most Valuable Player, Stephen Curry. After posting inconsistent numbers in the first four games of the series, Curry lived up to his billing with 37 points on 13-of-23 shots, with seven of his baskets coming from 3-point land.

Some pundits didn’t like Cleveland’s rotation in Game 5 and NBA expert Tony Mejia was confused by the moves.

“David Blatt is going to have to figure out a way to get Timofey Mozgov on the floor for more than nine minutes. Even though the Warriors smallball approach had been picking on him in the pick-and-roll, it’s terrible that the Cavs decided an agile 7-footer who just had 28 points the previous game could no longer help them in the series. He is so difficult to handle on the boards, often tying up multiple guys to allow teammates to attack the glass and provide second chances, so it wasn’t shocking that Golden State ended up winning the rebounding battle despite making the conscious decision to go small,” said Mejia.

He added, “Instead of playing to their strength and allowing LeBron’s brilliance to be the x-factor, Cleveland opted to match up and trust J.R. Smith more than Mozgov. I’d expect Blatt to find a better middle ground at home in Game 6, where it should be tougher for the Warriors to get to their spots and dictate pace. If Mozgov plays more than 20 minutes, look for a slower pace to prevail.”

After watching Golden State push Cleveland to the brink of elimination on Sunday, oddsmakers opened the Warriors as 4 ½-point road favorites for Game 6. As of Tuesday morning, most betting shops have dropped the number to four points.

Kevin Rogers doesn’t dismiss Golden State’s talent but the betting history and angles both lean to Cleveland on Tuesday.

He explained, “The Warriors can close things out in Cleveland on Tuesday, but recent history goes against them. Since 2010, road teams looking to win the title in a potential-clincher are just 1-4 straight-up in the Finals, with the lone club to emerge victorious being the 2011 Mavericks, who won Game 6 at Miami as an underdog. It’s also rare to see three straight blowouts in the NBA Finals, as Golden State is coming off back-to-back double-digit victories. Since 2005, only four times had teams won consecutive games in the Finals by 10 points or more (Spurs ’05, Pistons ’05, Mavs ’06, Spurs ’14). Last season’s San Antonio squad was the only one from this group that actually won three straight games by at least double-digits, with the final one coming in Game 5 to capture the championship. “

Bettors should make a note that prior to last year’s playoffs, the finals were a 2-3-2 format which was changed back to the 2-2-1-1-1. Most pundits would agree that the change gives the team with home-court in the series a bigger advantage, in this case the Warriors.

Golden State has gone 3-1 in close out games this postseason, the lone loss coming in Game 4 of the conference finals as the Rockets avoided getting swept at home before the Warriors took care of business in Game 5 at home. Despite failing to finish off Houston on the road, Golden State did eliminate both the Pelicans and Grizzlies as a visitor in the first two rounds of the playoffs and those wins came by 11 and 13 points respectively.

This will be the first time in this year’s playoffs that Cleveland is facing elimination and only the second time that it’s trailed in a series. According to Rogers, the Cavaliers should have confidence off back-to-back losses especially with LeBron in the lineup.

“Cleveland hasn’t lost three consecutive games with LeBron James all season long, with its last skid of at least three contests coming in early January of six games. James has avoided playoff elimination at home four straight times with the last loss coming in 2011 to Dallas, while being listed as an underdog in an elimination spot for the first time since his final game in Cleveland the first time around in the 2010 conference semifinals at Boston,” he said.

For those believing that LeBron and company can win two straight against Golden State then I suggest you take advantage of the updated series prices. Cleveland is now a 7/1 underdog (Bet $100 to win $700) to capture the NBA Finals while Golden State has been made a prohibitive betting favorite 1/11 (Bet $100 to win $9).

The total for Game 6 opened 195 and has been hovering right around that number. The ‘under’ has gone 3-1-1 in the series and it could arguably be 5-0. Cleveland has had trouble scoring against Golden State and only managed to put up triple digits once, which was helped with overtime. The Warriors have been held in check for their standards but the potential for an explosion could be coming. In close-out victories in the first three rounds of the playoffs, Golden State scored 109, 108 and 104 points.

Bettors weary of the side or total for Game 6 can take their chances with prop bets, which includes who will win the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals.

Stephen Curry is the 2/5 favorite (Bet $100 to win $40) while LeBron James offers up a nice return (8/5) and a lot of people are buying that he could win the award on a losing team.

If necessary, Game 7 will take place on Friday.

ABC will continue its coverage of the finals with Game 6 slated to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Win or lose, Cavaliers the favorites to win it all next year
By ANDREW CALEY

The final game of the 2014-15 NBA season could be played Tuesday night in Cleveland, with the Golden State Warriors trying to close out the Cavaliers and win their first title since 1975.

However, win or lose, at least one sportsbook think the Cavs will come back strong next year and have opened as the favorite to win next year's title.

According to the Westgate LV Superbook, the Cavs have opened as the 9/4 favorites, with the Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder as their top challengers at 5/1. The Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs round out the top five at 10/1 and 12/1 respectively.

Check out the complete list of title odds for 2015-16 below:

CAVALIERS 9-4
WARRIORS 5
THUNDER 5
CLIPPERS 10
SPURS 12
BULLS 12
HAWKS 20
PELICANS 20
ROCKETS 20
WIZARDS 30
PACERS 30
GRIZZLIES 30
RAPTORS 30
BLAZERS 40
MAVERICKS 40
HEAT 30
CELTICS 80
BUCKS 80
PISTONS 80
JAZZ 80
SUNS 80
LAKERS 80
NUGGETS 80
KNICKS 80
NETS 100
KINGS 100
76ERS 200
MAGIC 200
WOLVES 200
HORNETS 200

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Warriors' Curry treated for dehydration
The Sports Xchange

Steph Curry was treated for dehydration following the Golden State Warriors' win in Game 5 on Sunday night.

Curry, the regular-season league MVP, scored 37 points to guide Golden State to a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. He is expected to play in Game 6 at Cleveland on Tuesday.

Curry was treated for a head injury in the Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets but missed only the equivalent of one quarter after landing on his head, neck and wrist.

Since going 5 of 23 in Game 2, sparking national attention for hustling backup Matthew Dellavedova of the Cavaliers, Curry is 31 of 60 from the floor.

A win Tuesday would give the Warriors their first NBA championship since 1975.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Warriors' PG Stephen Curry, probable Tuesday

Curry was light-headed and dehydrated after Game 5 but is expected to be ready for Game 6 of the NBA Final against the Cavaliers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Let the Finals MVP debate continue
Andrew Caley

Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to within one game of an NBA title, behind 37 points, seven rebounds and four assists in Game 5 and the sharpshooting point guard is now the -180 favorite to win the Finals MVP award.

There is plenty of debate about whether or not Cleveland's LeBron James should win the award, win or lose thanks to his 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game during the Finals.

Sportsbooks, currently have James trailing Curry at +120.