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 Time 2008-05-11 15:30:00 |
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I pick "
(511) LA Lakers
".
Utah stands 40-5 SU and 28-13-4 ATS in the friendly confines of EnergySolutions Arena this year. That record is certainly respected. Unfortunately, it won't be enough to keep me off Los Angeles in this Western Conference Semi-Final battle.
On the road this season, the Lakers have been a cash cow posting a strong 29-15 SU and 29-13-2 ATS record. In this role matched up against an opponent that carries a won/loss percentage of .660 or worse, Kobe and Company improve to a sizzling 25-7 SU and 24-7-1 ATS including a spotless 7-0 SU and ATS in this set provided the Lakers enter off a straight up loss!
There is a solid game four system that favors Phil Jackson's troops too. Since the 1990-91 season, game four conference underdogs (or pick) are a respectable 29-15 ATS provided they won the first two games of the series but fell in game three. If our "play on" side carries a won/loss percentage greater than .680 and is battling an opponent that owns a won/loss percentage less than .655, this situation tightens up to a sensational 15-2 ATS! The Lakers apply!
LA Coach Jackson is one of the best at making post-season adjustments and he'll have the Western Conference's No. 1 seed prepared to pull of this upset. Take Los Angeles. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-11 13:40:00 |
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I pick "
(971) LA Angels
".
Off Saturday's 2-0 whitewash at Tampa Bay, look for Los Angeles to bounce back nicely with Ervin Santana on the mound.
Santana has made seven starts this season and looked fabulous in them all. Currently, No. 54 owns a 6-0 record and has been touched for only 11 earned runs and 34 hits in 49 innings of work. That breaks down to a sensational 2.02 ERA. Ervin's work on foreign soil is noteworthy too. Against the likes of Minnesota, Texas, Detroit and Kansas City, Santana has cruised to a 4-0 mark and surrendered only eight earned runs and 21 hits in 28.1 frames. That adds up to a strong 2.54 ERA!
Tampa Bay will counter with Andy Sonnanstine. In his last start at Toronto, Sonnanstine got roughed up a bit allowing four earned runs and 10 hits in six frames. His work at home has been shaky too. In four starts, No. 21 has been clocked for 14 earned runs and 25 hits in 24.2 innings of work. That adds up to a lofty 5.11 ERA. Andy has allowed six free passes and four long balls at home as well.
Off a dismal offensive performance in which they scored two runs or less, the Angels have responded by winning 27 of their last 40 games. Meanwhile, the Devil Rays have dropped 50 of their last 72 off a strong defensive effort in which they allowed two runs or less previously. It's hard to pass up a solid arm in great form at this price. Take Los Angeles with Santana. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-10 20:05:00 |
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I pick "
(927) OAK Athletics
".
Off last night's 4-0 loss at Texas, Oakland will bounce back nicely matched up against struggling Rangers right-hander Kevin Millwood.
In his last three starts against Seattle, Kansas City and Minnesota, Millwood was tagged for 17 earned runs and 24 hits in 15.1 innings of work. That adds up to a lofty 9.98 ERA! Kevin also surrendered four long balls and issued six free passes which is a sure sign that his control has issues!
Oakland will counter with left-hander Dana Eveland. In his last start against Baltimore, the southpaw tossed a gem and was touched for only three hits and no earned runs in seven innings of work.
Quietly, the A's have cashed 10 of their last 14 as a road pup and 15 of their last 21 facing right-handed pitching. Take Oakland with flamethrower Eveland. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-10 20:00:00 |
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I pick "
(510) CLE Cavaliers
".
Boston's defense has given LeBron James fits in the first two games of this series and I fully expect this young NBA star to make a statement at home against the Celtics this evening.
Technically speaking, the Cavaliers are locked into one of my best NBA Playoff situations. Since 1990, sub. 680 post-season non-division hosts are a respectable 43-19-2 ATS provided this is game three of any playoff round and our host enters off exactly two straight up losses. Provided our home team is priced as a favorite or an underdog of +4' or less, this situation jumps to a profitable 41-14-2 ATS. Cleveland fits this awesome angle.
At home matched up against an opponent that carries a won/loss percentage of .750 or better, the Cavaliers have cruised to a sensational 15-5 ATS record. LeBron and company know their playoff life is on the line tonight and they'll respond. Take Cleveland. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-10 17:05:00 |
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I pick "
under
".
With or without the services of point guard Chauncey Billups, Detroit knows that if they let Orlando score 111 points like they did in Thursday's loss they won't have a shot at the "W". Rest assured, the Pistons will return to their defensive ways in order to have a shot at this victory. That will help with this total investment.
Quietly, as a post-season guest, Detroit has recorded an under mark of 48-25-2 ATS. The best part of that technical situation has occurred when the Pistons faced a foe that carried a won/loss percentage of .520 or better. In this specific tightener, the under record improves to 41-16-2 ATS!
When coming off a straight up playoff loss, Detroit has tightened up its "D" too. In fact, off a SU post-season blemish, the Pistons have stayed under the total in 35 of their last 54 games with one tie. With the posted total 174 or higher, the under mark improves to a sizzling 26-9-1 ATS!
Points were plentiful for the Magic in game three of this series. Rest assured, Orlando won't reach the century mark in this contest. Take the UNDER. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-09 21:05:00 |
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I pick "
(506) UTH Jazz
".
Like San Antonio yesterday, this is a similar "must-win" situation for Utah.
Los Angeles has quietly won 10 consecutive games (9-1 ATS) and that run is certainly respected. However, Jerry Sloan's troops have played extremely well at home this season - 39-5 SU and 28-13-3 ATS including perfect 9-0 SU and ATS in this spot matched up against an opponent that enters off a blowout victory of nine points or more - and the Jazz will defend their homecourt.
In playoff action, Utah has been tough to beat in its own backyard posting a remarkable 65-21 SU and 52-33-1 ATS record including 38-21-1 ATS in this set matched up against a non-division opponent. With those two parameters applied and the Jazz battling a foe that enters off back-to-back straight up wins, this team trend explodes to a money-making 16-1 SU and 15-2 ATS!
This is really a tough spot for the Lakers too. Since the 1990-91 season, non-division playoff guests are a soft 45-65 ATS provided they enter off three or more ATS wins. Wait, that's not the worst part. If our "play against" road team is matched up against an opponent that enters off back-to-back straight up and ATS losses, this system crashes to a wallet-breaking 13-36-1 ATS! Kobe and company are locked into this nasty set.
The Jazz have danced well all season long at home and they'll be primed for this double-revenge matchup. Take Utah. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-09 19:05:00 |
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I pick "
(968) DET Tigers
".
Earlier this season, Detroit pulled off its first three-game sweep in the Bronx since 1966! That fact alone would be enough for some handicapper's to jump on the New York revenge bandwagon. Let it be noted that I am NOT one of them.
The Yankees are still missing two important parts of their lineup in Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada and tonight they'll send a young southpaw to the mound that is far from a proven commodity. Fresh from Triple-A, Kei Igawa will make his first start of the season for the Pinstripes. Last year as a rookie, Igawa struggled to a 2-3 record and a lofty 6.25 ERA. Kei was ripped for 47 earned runs and 76 hits in 67.2 frames and had all kinds of control problems (37 walks). Those numbers aren't good enough matched up against a Detroit offense that is champing at the bit to break out of its funk.
Detroit will counter with lefty veteran Kenny Rogers. In his last two starts against the Twins and Yanks, Rogers has pitched well allowing only five earned runs and 12 hits in 12.2 innings (10 K's). Equally impressive, Detroit has cashed 24 of its last 33 as chalk with No. 37 on the hill and 35 of his last 52 starts!
Off last night's 5-1 home loss to the Red Sox, look for the Tigers to bounce back nicely against Igawa and the Yankees. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-08 21:35:00 |
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I pick "
(504) SAN Spurs
".
Without question, this is a spot where you have to take a shot with the defending NBA Champions.
The media is making a big deal about how New Orleans has dominated San Antonio in the last two meetings. I won't argue that fact. The Spurs did get whipped pretty badly. But, the only thing the Hornets did in my mind is hold homecourt. Now it's the Spurs turn to do the same.
Technically speaking, this is a marvelous spot to back "Pop's" soldiers. According to my NBA database, sub .719 NBA Playoff home favorites priced at -4.5 or more are a nearly perfect 15-1 ATS provided they enter off a straight up road loss of nine points or more and their opponent carries a won/loss percentage of .680 or better. San Antonio fits this situation perfectly.
The Spurs have been tough to beat as a playoff host as well. In fact, in its own backyard matched up against a post-season foe that arrives off back-to-back straight up wins, San Antonio is a tremendous 28-7 SU and 23-11-1 ATS including a stunning 19-3-1 ATS in this set priced as chalk of -5.5 or more. With those two parameters applied and the Spurs facing a foe that carries a won/loss percentage of .580 or better, this team trend zips to a stunning 15-0 SU and ATS!
The Spurs know they can't go down 3-0 to the Hornets and they'll play this game with a sense of urgency. Take San Antonio. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-08 19:05:00 |
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I pick "
(917) BOS Red Sox
".
Anytime I can get Boston with its ace on the mound at this price I'm going to take it.
Red Sox flamethrower Josh Beckett got rocked in his first start of the season at Toronto. Since then, No. 19 has made four trips to the mound and looked fantastic. Against New York (twice) and Tampa Bay (twice), Josh has tossed 29.2 innings and been touched for only 11 earned runs and 22 hits. He has fanned 28 and walked only four batters.
The same can't be said for Detroit's Justin Verlander. The big right-hander from Manakin-Sabot, Virginia has toed the rubber seven times this season and only has one good start to show for it. Overall, No. 35 has tossed 43 frames and been clocked for 42 hits and 30 earned runs. That breaks down to a miserable 6.28 ERA! With Verlander on the hill, the Tigers have dropped seven of their last eight games.
With Beckett on the hill and Boston favored, the Red Sox have cashed 26 of their last 34 games. Equally impressive, with Josh on the mound and the BoSox playing on a grass surface, the team has nailed 41 of their last 60. That's enough power for this 'capper. Take Boston with listed pitcher Beckett. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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Time 2008-05-08 19:05:00 |
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I pick "
(501) CLE Cavaliers
".
Boston is locked into one of my worst NBA Playoff situations and I'm going to fade the Celtics on Thursday night.
Since May 8th, 1991, Round 2 Game 2 post-season hosts are a jaw-dropping 0-18 ATS provided they own a won/loss percentage of .745 or better and enter off a straight up home win. That doesn't bode well for KG and company!
This series between the Cavaliers and Celtics has been competitive too. In the last nine meetings, the average margin of victory for either team has been 4.0 points per game!
With LeBron on board, Cleveland has been a sound investment on the post-season road. Since 2006, the Cavs have cashed 14 of their last 21 as a playoff guest including eight of their last 10 coming off a straight up loss.
Dating back to the 1991 playoffs, game two favorites priced at -7 or more in any round are a miserable 34-53 ATS. Boston held King James to a baker's dozen in Tuesday's 76-72 victory. Rest assured, LeBron will be out to make a statement. Take Cleveland. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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