MLB Picks: Milwaukee Brewers @ Boston Red Sox

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Jun 182011

MLB Picks previews the finale of a three-game interleague series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Boston Red Sox on Sunday at Fenway Park (1:35 pm ET, TBS).

MLB Odds have the Red Sox as a -115 moneyline favorite and the over/under total at 9.5.

The Brewers will start Yovani Gallardo, who has an ERA of 3.76 and an 8-3 record, and last pitched on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, going seven innings in a 5-4 loss. The Red Sox will have Tim Wakefield on the mound. The righthander is 3-2 with a 4.29 ERA, and last started Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, when he went seven innings in a 4-0 loss.

Both the Brewers (39-32 SU) and the Red Sox (42-27 SU) are leading their respective divisions, Milwaukee sitting atop the National League Central division, one game ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals, and Boston leading the second-place New York Yankees by 2.5 games in the AL East.

The Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball, going 9-1 SU in their past 10 games. They had reeled off nine straight wins before having their streak snapped by the Tampa Bay Rays last week. Boston has won three straight since that setback. Milwaukee is 5-5 SU in its past 10.

Boston beat the Brewers 10-4 in the series opener on Friday, covering as a -128 home favorite. The teams had not squared off since May, 2008, when Boston swept a three-game set. The Red Sox have won six straight against Milwaukee.

Posted by Jack Clark at 6:47 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

Sports Picks: New York Yankees @ Chicago Cubs

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Jun 172011

Sports Picks previews the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs clashing in the second game of a three-game interleague series on Saturday at Wrigley Field (1:10 pm ET, FOX).

MLB Odds have the Yankees as a -135 moneyline favorite while the Cubs are a +155 underdog.

The pitchers in this matchup are righthander AJ Burnett for the Yankees and righthander Ryan Dempster for the Cubs.

So far this season, Burnett is 6-5 with a 4.09 ERA this season. His last start was Monday against the Cleveland Indians, when he went seven and two-thirds innings in a 1-0 loss. Dempster sports a 5-5 record with a 5.48 ERA, and he last pitched Monday when he went seven innings in a 1-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

New York is 39-28 SU and sits second in the AL East. The Yankees entered play Friday 1.5 games back of the first-place Boston Red Sox, and are 6-4 SU in the past 10 games. Chicago is 28-40 SU this season and is fifth in the six-team NL Central division, 10 games behind the co-leading St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs are 5-5 SU in their past 10.

Head-to-head, the teams have not met since 2005, when New York swept a three-game set at home. The Yankees are 4-2 SU in the past six meetings.

In their last action, the Yankees swept the Texas Rangers in a three-game series, winning the finale 3-2 as a +103 underdog on Thursday. Chicago is coming off a 3-1 series win against the Brewers.

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New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels open interleague series Friday

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Jun 162011

The New York Mets and the Los Angeles Angels kick off a three-game interleague series on Friday night at Citi Field (7:10 pm ET, FOX).

The Angels will give the ball to Joel Pineiro. The righthander is 2-3 with a 4.03 ERA this season, and his last start was Saturday when he went five and one-third innings in a 7-5 win over the Kansas City Royals. The Mets will counter with lefty Chris Capuano, who is 5-6 with a 4.34 ERA. He last pitched on Sunday, when he went seven innings in a 7-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Los Angeles (33-37 SU) has won just three of its past 10 games and is third in the American League West division, 3.5 games back of the first-place Texas Rangers and 2.5 games behind the second-place Seattle Mariners.

New York (34-34 SU) has a polar opposite record over the past 10 games, going 7-3 SU, and is third in the National League East division, 8.5 games back of the first place Philadelphia Phillies and 3.5 behind the Atlanta Braves.

Head-to-head, the Mets and Angels are 5-5 SU in the past 10 meetings. This is the first meeting between the teams in three years, since a three-game set June 16 to 18. The Mets won that series 2-1.

LA is coming off a 2-1 series win over the Seattle Mariners. New York was to finish a three-game set with the Atlanta Braves Thursday, after winning the first two games.

Posted by Jack Clark at 3:15 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

MLB Picks: Cleveland Indians @ Detroit Tigers

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Jun 152011

MLB Picks sets up a key divisional battle when the Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Tigers finish off a three-game series Thursday at the Comerica Park (1:05 pm ET, FOX).

MLB Odds have the Tigers as a -165 moneyline favorite and the over/under total at 8.5.

The AL Central rivals are fighting for first place in the division, with Cleveland just one game back of first-place Detroit entering the second games of the series on Wednesday. But the teams have been headed in opposite directions in recent weeks, the Indians (35-30 SU) losing eight of their past 10 games and the Tigers (37-30 SU) winning seven of their last 10.

The Tigers took over sole possession of top spot in the AL Central with a 4-0 win in the opener of the series on Tuesday. Detroit cashed as a -175 home favorite and the score stayed under the total of 7.5.

Head-to-head, the Indians had dominated the eight meetings, going 6-2 SU, which included sweeping a three-game series April 29 to May 1 in the previous meeting between the teams this season. Cleveland won the last meeting of that series 5-4 as a -140 moneyline favorite.

Cleveland will have righthander Mitch Talbot on the mound. Talbot is 2-3 with a 4.01 ERA this season, and he last pitched Saturday when he went five and two-thirds innings in a 4-0 loss to the New York Yankees. Detroit will counter with righthander Max Scherzer, who is 8-2 with a 4.39 ERA. Scherzer’s last start also was Saturday, when he went seven innings in an 8-1 rout of the Seattle Mariners.

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Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks clash in Game 7 of Stanley Cup Final

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Jun 142011

Sports Picks sets up the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks meeting in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday at Rogers Arena (8 pm ET, NBC).

NHL odds have the Canucks as a -150 moneyline favorite and the over/under total at 5.

The winner will hoist the Stanley Cup, the Holy Grail of pro hockey. The Canucks have never won the Cup in their 40-year existence, while the Bruins last won the NHL title in 1972.

Boston evened the series at 3-3 with a 5-2 win in Game 6 on Monday at the TD Garden in Boston. The Bruins cashed as a -145 favorite and the score went over the total of 5.

Both teams have picked up a lot of injuries, throughout the playoffs and in the final. Boston forward Nathan Horton (head injury) was injured in Game 3 and is out for Game 7, while Vancouver defenseman Alexander Edler (Day-to-Day, undisclosed) and forward Mason Raymond (Out For Season, back injury) were both injured in Game 6 on Monday. Vancouver defenseman Dan Hamhuis (Day-to-Day, undisclosed) was injured in Game 2 and defenseman Aaron Rome (Out For Season, suspension) was handed a four-game suspension for his hit on Horton.

Boston is 6-2-0-2 in the past 10 head-to-head meetings but is 2-4 SU in the last six meetings in Vancouver.  

Boston is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games overall, but is 0-5 SU in its last five games on the road. Vancouver is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games overall, and 5-0 SU in its last five games at home.

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MLB Picks: Boston Red Sox @ Tampa Bay Rays

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Jun 132011

MLB Picks previews the opening of a three-game set between AL East division rivals the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday at Tropicana Field (7:10 pm ET, FOX, NESN).

MLB Odds will have the Red Sox as favorites for the opener.

Boston (39-26 SU) is the best team in baseball right now, having won nine straight games. The Red Sox have a 2-game lead atop the AL East over the second-place New York Yankees, and a 4-game lead over the Rays. Tampa Bay (35-30 SU) is 6-4 SU in its past 10 and has won two in a row.

The Red Sox will give the ball to righthander Tim Wakefield, who is 3-1 with a 4.89 ERA this season. His last start was Wednesday against the New York Yankees, when he went five and one-third innings in an 11-6 win. The Rays will counter with righthander James Shields, who is 5-4 with a 2.85 ERA. His last start was against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, when he went seven innings in a 4-3 victory.

Boston swept the AL East rival Toronto Blue Jays on the weekend, destroying the Blue Jays by a combined 30-5 score in the final two games. Tampa Bay beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 in their three-game set.

Boston will be looking for payback after the Rays swept a two-game series April 11-12 in which the Red Sox were pounded 19-7 in the two games, including a 16-5 loss in the first game.

Posted by Jack Clark at 5:26 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins clash in Game 6 of Stanley Cup Final

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Jun 122011

The Vancouver Canucks will be looking to capture the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history when they face the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday at the TD Garden (8 pm ET, NBC).

NHL Odds have the Bruins as a -145 moneyline favorite and the over/under total at 5.

Vancouver took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 1-0 win in Game 5 on Friday in Vancouver. The Canucks covered as a -160 home favorite and the score stayed below the total of 5. There has been just one “over” so far in the series, when the Bruins routed the Canucks 8-1 in Game 3 last Monday.

The teams are 5-5 straight up in the past 10 head-to-head meetings. Vancouver is 1-4 SU in the last five meetings in Boston.

The Canucks are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games overall, and 15-6 SU in their last 21 games on the road. The total has gone over in four of Vancouver’s last six games on the road, but has stayed under in four of Vancouver’s last six games overall.

Boston is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games overall, and 5-0 SU in its last five games at home. The total has gone over in six of Boston’s last nine games at home.

If the Bruins win, the Stanley Cup winner will be decided in Game 7 on Wednesday back in Vancouver.

Posted by Jack Clark at 11:57 pm Tagged with: , , , , , ,

NBA Picks: Dallas Mavericks look to lock up NBA title against Miami Heat

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Jun 112011

NBA Picks previews Game 6 of the NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Miami Heat on Sunday at the American Airlines Arena (8 pm ET, ABC).

NBA Odds have the Heat as a 5-point, -240 moneyline favorite and the over/under total at 187. The Mavericks are a +200 moneyline underdog.

The Mavericks have a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and a win in Game 6 will give the franchise its first-ever NBA championship.

In the pivotal Game 5 on Thursday, the Mavs beat the Heat 112-103 in Dallas, covering the spread as a 1-point home favorite. The score went over the total of 184.5.

Once again, Dirk Nowitzki was a standout for the Mavericks, and out-performed the Heat’s Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, netting a game-high 29 points, including the go-ahead dunk with 2:45 remaining. Nowitzki is averaging 27.0 points per game in the Finals and has been dominant in the fourth quarter.

Head-to-head, Dallas is now 8-2 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in the past 10 meetings, and is a dominant 6-1 SU in the last seven meetings in Miami.

The Mavs are 13-3 SU in their last 16 games overall, and 6-1 SU in their last seven games on the road. The Heat are 18-6 SU in its last 24 games overall, and 11-1 SU in their last 12 games at home.

If the Heat win Sunday, Game 7 will be played Tuesday at the American Airlines Arena in Miami.

Posted by Jack Clark at 4:47 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Baseball Picks: Chicago Cubs @ Philadelphia Phillies

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Jun 102011

Baseball Picks previews the third game of a four-game set between the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park (4:10 pm ET, FOX).

MLB Odds have the Phillies as a -200 moneyline favorite, with the Cubs a +170 underdog, and the over/under total at 7.5.

This game pits two teams at opposite ends of the National League standings against each other.

Chicago is 25-36 SU this season, and sit 4th in the NL Central division, 11.5 games behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs possess the second-worst record in the NL and are 2-8 SU in their past 10 games.

Conversely, Philadelphia is 30-19 SU and has the second-best record in the NL. The Phillies are on top of the NL East division and hold a two-game lead over the second-place Atlanta Braves.

The Cubs will start righthander Matt Garza, who is 2-5 with a 4.07 ERA this season. Garza’s last start was Monday against the Cincinnati Reds, when he went four innings in an 8-2 loss. The Phillies will go with southpaw Cliff Lee, who is 5-5 with a 3.62 ERA. His last start was June 6 when he went seven innings in a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chicago won the opener 4-3 on Thursday, as Philadelphia failed to cash as a -138 home favorite. This is the first series between the teams since July 15 to 18 last year, won 3-1 by the Cubs. Chicago outscored the Phillies 28-19 in that series.

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MLB Picks: Cleveland Indians @ New York Yankees

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Jun 092011

MLB Picks previews the opener of a three-game series between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees on Friday at Yankee Stadium (7 pm ET, FOX).

While both teams are near the top of the American League standings, both have had some struggles recently, particularly the Indians.

Cleveland (34-26) is in first place in the AL Central division, but could find itself dropping down the standings if its poor play continues, and the second-place Detroit Tigers keep rolling. The Indians are 3-7 in their past 10 games and their lead atop the division has shrunk to just 1.5 games over the Tigers, who are 8-2 SU in their past 10.

New York (33-26) is second in the AL East, having been overtaken for first place with a pair of losses to the surging Boston Red Sox this week. The teams were to square off in the finale of a three-game set Thursday.

The Indians will have righthander Fausto Carmona, who is 3-7 with a 5.33 ERA, on the mound. He last pitched Saturday against the Texas Rangers, when he went six and one-third innings in a 4-0 loss. The Yankees will counter with righthander Ivan Nova, who is 4-3 with a 4.40 ERA. He last pitched Friday in a 3-2 loss against the Los Angeles Angels, going six innings.

The teams have not faced each other since a four-game series July 26 to 29 last season, won 3-1 by New York.

Cleveland is coming off a 2-1 series loss to the Minnesota Twins, while New York is coming off an 11-6 loss to the Red Sox in the middle game of a three-game set Wednesday.

Posted by Jack Clark at 8:07 pm Tagged with: , , , , , ,
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