Sports Picks & Predictions

7* AL 'BLOWOUT' Game of the Month on Oakland A's -147

The Key: I would argue that the Oakland A's are one of the best teams in the American League despite their 43-52 record.  They are actually +47 in run differential, and only four teams in the AL have been better.  Unfortunately, they are just 9-22 on one-run games, which is more of a poor luck factor than anything.  The A's send AL Cy Young contender Sonny Gray to the mound tonight.  The right-hander is 10-4 with a 2.29 ERA and 0.979 WHIP in 19 starts this season.  Gray has also gone 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.077 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus Toronto.  He'll be opposed by Felix Doubront, who is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.429 WHIP in 14 innings pitched this year.  Doubront is no more than a fill-in starter.  He has gone 1-2 with a 7.85 ERA and 1.636 WHIP in four lifetime starts versus Oakland.  Toronto is 0-8 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in road games after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6 games this season.  The Blue Jays are 1-9 in their last 10 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Take Oakland.

7* NL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Chicago Cubs -116

The Key: After dropping Game 1 of this series to the Cincinnati Reds, I look for the Chicago Cubs to get back in the win column in Game 2 thanks to the advantage they have on the mound.  Their motivation level is also higher in this series since the Reds know they are going to be sellers at the deadline coming up at the end of the month.  Jason Hammel has revived his career in Chicago.  The right-hander is 4-5 with a 2.86 ERA and 0.945 WHIP with 105 K's in 103 2/3 innings over 17 starts in 2015.  He'll be opposed by Raisel Iglesias, who is 1-2 with a 5.90 ERA and 1.517 WHIP over five starts and two relief appearances this year.  Iglesias is also 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA and 1.846 WHIP in his last three starts.  Cincinnati is 10-25 (-16.6 Units) against the money line after a one run win over the last 2 seasons.  The Cubs are 6-1 in Hammel's last 7 starts during game 2 of a series.  The Reds are 1-6 in their last 7 games following a win.  The Cubs are 10-3 in the last 13 meetings.  Take Chicago.

7* MLB Underdog GAME OF THE YEAR on Pittsburgh Pirates +117

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to be highly motivated following a 3-game sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend.  Look for them to come out with a sense of urgency in Game 1 of this series with the Kansas City Royals.  It will also help that they have a massive advantage on the mound.  A.J. Burnett is 7-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 18 starts this season as he's clearly an NL Cy Young contender.  He'll be opposed by Yordano Ventura, who is 4-6 with a 4.73 ERA in 13 starts on the year.  Ventura is also 3-3 with a 4.88 ERA in six home starts and 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA in his last three starts.  Burnett owns the Royals, going 5-3 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 lifetime starts against them.  Pittsburgh is 91-55 (+32.3 Units) against the money line after scoring 2 runs or less over the last 3 seasons.  Burnett is 9-1 (+8.1 Units) against the money line vs. poor power teams - averaging 0.9 or less HR's/game this season.  The Pirates are 37-13 (+20.7 Units) against the money line vs. teams whose hitters draw 3 walks or less/game this season.  The Pirates are 9-1 in their last 10 interleague games.  The Royals are 0-5 in Ventura's last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Oakland A's -125

The Key: The Oakland A's are only 42-51 on the season despite being +40 in run differential.  To compare, the Twins are 50-41 with a +27 run differential.  The difference is that the A's are 9-22 in one-run games, which is the worst mark in all of baseball and is a luck factor more than anything.  The A's are obviously better than their record, but they are undervalued because of that record.  Jesse Chavez sports a 3.40 ERA and 1.221 WHIP in 15 starts and four relief appearances this year, including 2-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.196 WHIP in seven home starts.  Chavez is 1-0 with a 0.63 ERA and 0.768 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus Minnesota, allowing just 1 earned run and 11 base runners over 14 1/3 innings with 16 strikeouts.  Minnesota is 10-33 (-17.8 Units) against the money line in road games vs. a starting pitcher with good control (less than 1.75 BB's/start) over the last 2 seasons.  The Twins are 1-4 in Milone's last 5 road starts.  The A's are 8-2 in their last 10 during Game 3 of a series.  The A's are 10-2 in their last 12 home meetings with Minnesota.  Take Oakland.

7* National League GAME OF THE MONTH on Chicago Cubs -145

The Key: The Chicago Cubs lost their first game back from the break to the Braves 4-2 last night.  I'll call for them to get back in the win column Saturday.  It was a rare win for the Braves, who are 1-5 in their last six games overall.  Jon Lester has gone 4-8 with a 3.59 ERA and 1.260 WHIP in 18 starts this season.  But he has shown his ace form in recent starts.  Indeed, Lester has posted a 1.71 ERA and 0.810 WHIP in his last three starts.  He has allowed one earned run or less in four of his last six starts as well.  Manny Banuelos has pitched well in limited action, but he is getting to much love from oddsmakers as a result.  The Cubs are 37-17 in their last 54 during game 2 of a series.  Chicago will be hungry to put an end to an 8-game losing streak in Atlanta as well.  Take Chicago.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Nationals -110

The Key: The Washington Nationals come out of the break looking to make a statement in this opening series with the Dodgers.  They clearly have the advantage on the mound in Game 1 behind Jordan Zimmerman.  The right-hander is 8-5 with a 3.22 ERA in 18 starts, 3-0 with a 2.29 ERA in his last three, and 4-3 with a 2.27 ERA in 10 home starts this year.  In his last two starts against the Dodgers, Zimmerman has only allowed 2 earned runs and 11 base runners in 10 1/3 innings.  Mike Bolsinger has struggled of late after a fast start to the year.  He has given up 6 earned runs and 16 base runners over 11 innings in his last two starts.  Zimmerman is 42-16 (+21.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.  The Dodgers are 2-8 in their last 10 games as a road underdog.  The Nationals are 6-0 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Washington is 62-22 in Zimmerman's last 84 starts as a favorite.  Take Washington.

7* NL "Blowout" Game of the Month on San Francisco Giants -1.5 (+102)

The Key: The San Francisco Giants' bats have come alive in this series with Philadelphia now that they are finally healthy.  They have scored a combined 23 runs over the past two days with 15-2 and 8-5 victories.  The Phillies' bullpen is completely taxed now. Look for the Giants' bats to stay red hot against Chad Billingsley, who is 1-2 with a 6.67 ERA and 1.704 WHIP in five starts this season.  Chris Heston has been brilliant this year, going 8-5 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.210 WHIP in 17 starts, including 1-0 with a 2.21 ERA and 1.033 WHIP in his last three.  Philadelphia is 7-31 (-17.5 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +150 or more this season, losing by 2.5 runs/game.  Philadelphia is 2-15 (-11.8 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +150 to +200 this season, losing by 3.8 runs/game.  San Francisco is 12-1 (+12.0 Units) against the money line vs. a starting pitcher whose gives up 7 or more hits/start over the last 2 seasons, winning by 2.9 runs/game.  Take San Francisco on the Run Line.

7* Cardinals/Pirates NL Central GAME OF THE WEEK on Pittsburgh -117

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates are hungry to inch closer to the Cardinals for first place in the NL Central before the All-Star Break.  They find themselves just 4.5 games back after winning 9 of their last 11 games overall.  They are clearly playing their best baseball of the season right now.  A.J. Burnett has been brilliant this year, going 7-3 with a 1.99 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in 17 starts, including 2-2 with a 1.28 ERA and 1.118 WHIP in eight home starts.  Burnett is 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA in his last two starts against St. Louis, allowing 1 earned run in 15 innings.  John Lackey has been very good at home, but he's just 2-3 with a 4.60 ERA in eight road starts this season.  Lackey is 2-14 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in road games after giving up 1 or less earned runs last outing over the last 3 seasons.  The Pirates are 61-29 in their last 90 home games.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Tampa Bay Rays -103

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays will be more hungry for a win today than they have been at any other point in the season.  After losing four straight and 11 of their last 12, they clearly want to right the ship going into the All-Star Break.  I like their chances with Erasmo Ramirez on the mound.  He has gone 7-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.125 WHIP in 12 starts this season, 3-2 with a 2.56 ERA and 1.074 WHIP in six home starts, and 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 0.750 WHIP in his last three.  Ramirez is also 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.114 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus Houston.  Collin McHugh is 9-4 in spite of a 4.21 ERA this season for the Astros.  Houston has scored a combined three runs in losing three straight to the Indians in their last series.  Houston is 2-14 (-11.7 Units) against the money line after 2 straight losses by 2 runs or less over the last 2 seasons.  The Rays are 6-1 in Ramirez's last 7 starts.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* NL Run Line GAME OF THE MONTH on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-120)

The Key: Zach Greinke would be an excellent choice for NL Cy Young up to this point of the 2015 season.  He has gone 7-2 with a 1.48 ERA and 0.893 WHIP in 17 starts this season, including 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 0.677 WHIP in his last three outings.  He has pitched 20 2/3 scoreless innings in his last three starts.  Now, he faces the worst team in baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies tonight.  Greinke has gone 3-1 with a 2.62 ERA and 1.020 WHIP in five lifetime starts versus Philadelphia.  He'll be opposed by Severino Gonzalez, who is 3-2 in spite of an 8.28 ERA and 1.760 WHIP in six starts.  Gonzalez has allowed a ridiculous 23 earned runs and 44 base runners in 25 innings pitched this year.  Greinke is 21-2 (+16.6 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -200 or more since 1997.  His teams are winning by an average of 3.6 runs per game in this spot.  Philadelphia is 4-21 (-14.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 to 7.5 this season.  It is losing by 2.5 runs per game in this spot.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Tampa Bay Rays -128

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays are desperate for a victory today.  They have lost nine of their last 10 games overall to fall to .500 on the season at 43-43.  Adding fuel to the fire is that they were swept by the Kansas City Royals in a double-header yesterday.  They will clearly be out for revenge, and I expect them to get it.  Tampa Bay will throw its best starter in Chris Archer, an All-Star who has gone 9-5 with a 2.26 ERA and 0.960 WHIP in 18 starts, including 6-1 with a 1.54 ERA and 0.930 WHIP in eight road starts.  The right-hander has also posted a 2.13 ERA in two lifetime starts versus Kansas City.  The Royals throw their worst starter tonight in Jeremy Guthrie, who is 6-5 with a 5.42 ERA and 1.461 WHIP in 16 starts.  Archer is 10-1 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams averaging 2.75 or less extra base hits per game over the last 3 seasons.   The Rays are 14-3 in Archer's last 17 road starts.  The Royals are 2-8 in their last 10 games as a home underdog of +110 to +150.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* A's/Yankees AL *HEAVY HITTER* on Oakland -109

The Key: The Oakland A's are showing excellent value as small road favorites over the New York Yankees today.  They should be much heavier favorites with the advantage they have on the mound in this one.  Sonny Gray was selected to the All-Star team for good reason.  He is 9-3 with a 2.09 ERA and 0.994 WHIP in 16 starts, and 6-1 with a 1.88 ERA in nine road starts.  Gray is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus New York.  He'll be opposed by Nathan Eovaldi, who is 8-2 in spite of a 4.52 ERA and 1.540 WHIP in 16 starts this year.  Eovaldi is 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA and 1.811 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Oakland.  The A's are 6-0 in their last 6 road games.  Oakland is 4-0 in Gray's last 4 road starts.  The A's are 5-1 in the last six meetings.  Take Oakland.

7* MLB Monday Night "Bailout" on San Francisco Giants -130

The Key: The San Francisco Giants have lost six straight coming into this game.  They clearly won't be lacking any motivation as they open this three-game series with the New York Mets.  Chris Heston has been a pleasant surprise for the Giants this year, going 8-5 with a 3.78 ERA and 1.229 WHIP over 16 starts.  One of those starts came against the Mets on June 9th.  In that contest, Heston actually pitched a perfect game to go along with 11 strikeouts in a 5-0 San Francisco victory.  Jon Niese just hasn't been able to get on track this year.  The left-hander is 3-8 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.489 WHIP in 15 starts, including 1-5 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.511 WHIP in eight road starts.  Niese is 0-9 (-9.0 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +100 or higher this season.  The Mets are 8-22 in their last 30 road games.  New York is 5-24 in its last 29 games as an underdog.  Take San Francisco.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago Cubs -131

The Key: The Cubs have won four of their last five and are showing good value against the Marlins today at home.  The Marlins are overvalued due to winning four of their last five as well, but keep in mind that they are still without their best player in Giancarlo Stanton, so this success cannot be sustained.  The Cubs have the advantage on the mound with Kyle Hendricks, who is 3-4 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.181 WHIP in 15 starts.  Mat Latos is 3-5 with a 5.27 ERA and 1.405 WHIP in 13 starts for Miami.  Latos is 1-8 (-9.2 Units) against the money line after a game where he did not walk a batter over the last 2 seasons.  Hendricks is 9-1 (+8.9 Units) against the money line vs. teams whose hitters strike out 7 or more times/game in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  The Marlins are 2-8 in their last 10 road games.  The Cubs are 9-2 in Hendricks' last 11 home starts.  Take Chicago.

7* AL West GAME OF THE MONTH on Los Angeles Angels -115

The Key: The Angels are rolling right now having won five of their last six games overall.  They should continue to roll with one of the most underrated starters in the league in Hector Santiago on the mound.  The left-hander has gone 4-4 with a 2.58 ERA and 1.135 WHIP over 15 starts and one relief appearance.  He has allowed just 2 earned runs and 8 base runners over 13 innings in his last two starts as well.  Plus, Santiago has given up just 2 earned runs over 12 1/3 innings in two starts against Texas this season already.  Wandy Rodriquez is 0-3 with a 7.10 ERA and 1.894 WHIP in five home starts this season.  He's also 2-1 with a 7.54 ERA and 2.442 WHIP in his last three starts overall.  Texas is 6-22 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in home games vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.20 or better over the last 2 seasons.  The Rangers are 0-9 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in home games vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.200 or better this season.  Texas is 0-6 in its last six vs. AL West foes.  The Rangers are 22-50 in their last 72 games as a home underdog.  The Angels are 12-2 in their last 14 visits to Texas.  Take Los Angeles.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles Angels -126

The Key: The Los Angeles Angels should be bigger favorites today against the Texas Rangers.  Garrett Richards is one of the best starters in baseball, going 8-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.239 WHIP in 14 starts.  Chi Chi Gonzalez has pitched well in limited action this year, but he's overvalued as a result.  Gonzalez has come back down to reality of late, going 0-2 with a 4.95 ERA in his last three starts.  Meanwhile, Richards is 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA in his last three.  Richards is 6-1 with a 3.05 ERA in 11 lifetime starts versus Texas as well.  The Angels are 21-8 in Richards' last 29 starts.  The Angels are 11-2 in their last 13 meetings in Texas.  The Angels are 5-0 in Richards' last 5 starts versus Texas.  Take Los Angeles.

7* American League "Total" Annihilator on Red Sox/Blue Jays OVER 9

The Key: I'll back the over tonight in a battle between two of the most potent offenses in baseball in Boston and Toronto.  The Blue Jays have had the league's best offense this season, while the Red Sox haven't quite lived up to their potential, though it's only a matter of time.  Both lineups should feast on today's starting pitchers.  Wade Miley is 7-7 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.364 WHIP in 15 starts, including 3-5 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.576 WHIP in nine road starts.  Miley is 0-2 with a 10.56 ERA and 2.477 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus Toronto.  Matt Boyd will be making just his second start of the season.  The rookie gave up 4 runs, 9 hits and 3 homers over 6 2/3 innings in his major league debut against Texas on June 27.  The OVER is 3-0-1 in Red Sox last 4 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  Take the OVER.

7* Interleague GAME OF THE MONTH on Detroit Tigers -107

The Key: The Detroit Tigers lost Game 1 of this series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in extra innings.  I expect them to get revenge in Game 2.  It's rare that you get the opportunity to back the Tigers at this kind of price at home, and we'll take advantage.  Alfredo Simon has proven to be an excellent addition to the rotation this year.  The right-hander is 7-4 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.272 WHIP in 14 starts, including 4-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.058 WHIP in seven home starts.  Simon is 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA and 0.970 WHIP in five lifetime starters versus Pittsburgh.  He pitched 8 shutout innings in a 1-0 victory over the Pirates on April 15th of this year.  A.J. Burnett is having a career year to this point, but he's overvalued as a result.  Burnett sports a 4.56 ERA and 1.438 WHIP in 13 lifetime starts versus Detroit.  Detroit is 13-2 (+11.8 Units) against the money line after a game where they had 17 or more hits over the last 2 seasons.  The Tigers are 68-26 in their last 94 interleague home games.  The Pirates are 26-60 in their last 86 interleague road games.  Take Detroit.

7* AL Non-Divisional GAME OF THE WEEK on Baltimore Orioles -140

The Key: The Baltimore Orioles have won seven of their last nine games overall to climb into first place in the AL East.  After dropping Game 1 of this series to the Rangers, I look for them to bounce back with a blowout victory in Game 2.  The Orioles clearly have the edge on the mound behind Miguel Gonzalez, who is 6-4 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in 13 starts this season.  Gonzalez has been at his best at home, going 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 0.860 WHIP in seven home starts.  Colby Lewis, meanwhile, has been at his worst on the road, going 4-3 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.387 WHIP in eight road starts.  Lewis is 1-3 with a 5.97 ERA in six lifetime starts versus Baltimore.  In his last two starts against the Orioles, he has allowed 11 earned runs and a ridiculous 6 homers in 12 innings pitched.  Gonzalez is 2-1 with a 2.94 ERA in three lifetime starts versus Texas.  The Orioles are 60-27 in thier last 87 home games.  Baltimore is 26-10 in Gonzalez's last 36 home starts.  The Orioles are 6-0 in their last 6 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Take Baltimore.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Astros -130

The Key: The Houston Astros send out underrated starter Lance McCullers to take on the Kansas City Royals today for Game 1 of this series.  McCullers has been brilliant in eight starts this year, going 3-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.036 WHIP with 52 K's in 46 1/3 innings.  He has been at his best at home, going 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 0.913 WHIP in four home starts.  He'll face a Kansas City team that is primed for a letdown tonight.  The Royals just swept the A's over the weekend, which is a team they brawled with earlier this year.  Joe Blanton has put up good numbers this season, but it has come in very limited action, and he's made just two starts this year.  He had no success coming into the season, so I believe his start is a bit fluky.  The Astros are 13-3 in their last 16 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  Take Houston.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Oakland A's -139

The Key: After losing the first two games of this series to the Kansas City Royals, I fully expect the Oakland A's to be motivated to avoid getting swept Sunday.  I anticipate they'll get the job done due to the edge they have on the mound in this one.  Jesse Chavez has been solid all season, going 4-6 with a 2.90 ERA and 1.147 WHIP in 12 starts and four relief outings in 2015.  He has been dominant at home, going 2-2 with a 1.85 ERA and 1.118 WHIP in five home starts.  He'll be opposed by Jeremy Guthrie, who is easily the Royals' worst starter.  Guthrie has gone 5-5 with a 5.90 ERA and 1.533 WHIP in 14 starts, including 3-3 with an 8.15 ERA and 1.840 WHIP in seven road starts.  He is also 4-5 with a 4.62 ERA and 1.414 WHIP in 12 lifetime starts versus Oakland.  The Royals are 0-4 in Guthrie's last 4 starts as an underdog.  The A's are 5-0 in their last 5 during Game 3 of a series. Take Oakland.

7* NL West GAME OF THE YEAR on San Diego Padres -129

The Key: The San Diego Padres represent my strongest play of the 2015 season in the NL West tonight when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.  I firmly believe they have the edge on the mound in this one and should be much heavier favorites.  Andrew Cashner sports a 4.35 ERA on the year, but his 2-9 record with poor run support has him undervalued.  Cashner sports a 3.19 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 11 lifetime starts against Arizona, so he clearly enjoys facing this team.  Jeremy Hellickson is one of the worst starters in baseball, going 5-4 in spite of a 4.94 ERA and 1.378 WHIP in 14 starts.  Hellickson is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in four lifetime starts against San Diego.  He has given up 18 earned runs over 24 innings to the Padres in those four starts.  The Diamondbacks are 12-26 in their last 38 road games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.  The Padres are 36-16 in their last 52 games as a home favorite.  Take San Diego.

7* MLB BLOWOUT GAME OF THE MONTH on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-113)

The Key: The Washington Nationals are absolutely rolling right now.  They have won six straight games while winning five of those contests by two or more runs.  I look for them to win this game against the Philadelphia Phillies, who have the worst record in baseball at 26-48, by multiple runs once again tonight.  Ace Max Scherzer gets the ball and looks to build off of two straight complete game shutouts.  He threw a no-hitter last time out and has allowed just two base runners over the past 18 innings while striking out 26.  It's safe to say he's in a groove right now.  He's the clear NL Cy Young favorite at 8-5 with a 1.76 REA and 0.801 WHIP in 14 starts this year.  Aaron Harang has been beaten up in his last three starts, going 0-3 with a 7.50 ERA while allowing 15 earned runs and 6 homers in 18 innings.  Scherzer is 3-1 with a 1.41 ERA and 0.844 WHIP in five lifetime starts versus Philadelphia.  The Phillies are 7-25 (-16.3 Units) against the money line after 2 or more consecutive road games this season, losing by an average of 2.5 runs/game.  Take Washington the Run Line.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami Marlins +108

The Key: The Miami Marlins have lost three straight and six of their last seven.  They will be hungry for a win tonight to avoid getting swept by the St. Louis Cardinals.  They give the ball to Dan Haren, who has been their best starter this season.  Haren has gone 6-4 with a 3.19 ERA and 0.997 WHIP in 14 starts this year, including 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA and 0.984 WHIP in seven home starts.  Haren will be opposed by Lance Lynn, who is making his first start since June 7th due to injury.  He'll likely be on a pitch count and won't be able to go very deep into this game.  Plus, Lynn is 1-3 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.427 WHIP in six road starts this season.  In his last start at Miami, Lynn allowed 7 earned runs and 12 base runners in 5 innings.  St. Louis is 24-40 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.  Lynn is 4-15 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 3 seasons.  The Cardinals are 1-6 in Lynn's last 7 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Take Miami.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles Dodgers -106

The Key: After losing the first two games of this series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to be highly motivated for a victory in Game 3 tonight against the Chicago Cubs.  They have lost seven of their last nine games overall and will be hungry to turn things around.  I like their chances of getting back in the win column today behind Mike Bolsinger, who is 4-2 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in nine starts this year.  He has faced the Cubs before, pitching 6 2/3 innings without allowing a single earned run to get the 5-2 win in 2014.  Kyle Hendricks is now 2-3 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.235 WHIP in 13 starts for Chicago.  He gave up 6 earned runs and 12 base runners over 5 innings of a 2-7 loss at Minnesota last time out.  The Dodgers are 12-2 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in road games after a game where they had 4 or less hits over the last 3 seasons.  The Cubs are 4-20 (-18.4 Units) against the money line after having won 4 of their last 5 games over the last 2 seasons.  The Dodgers are 11-4 in their last 15 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.  Take Los Angeles.

7* Royals/Mariners American League 'Bailout' on Seattle +108

The Key: After losing two straight coming in, including Game 1 of this series to the Royals, the Seattle Mariners will be motivated for a victory Tuesday.  There's no way they should be underdogs in this game with the advantage they have on the mound.  Mike Montgomery has pitched very well for the Mariners this season, going 1-2 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.139 WHIP in four starts.  He'll be opposed by Jeremy Guthrie, who is 5-4 with a 5.55 ERA and 1.486 WHIP in 13 starts for Kansas City.  Guthrie has really been beaten up on the road, going 3-2 with a 7.72 ERA and 1.780 WHIP in six road starts this year.  Guthrie is 2-7 with a 5.40 ERA in 13 lifetime starts versus Seattle.  In his last three starts against the Mariners, he has allowed 18 earned runs, 28 base runners and 6 homers over 16 innings for a 10.13 ERA.  The Royals are 0-6 in their last six games against a left-handed starter.  The Mariners are 6-1 in their last 7 games as an underdog.  Take Seattle.

7* American League Game of the Month on Seattle Mariners -151

The Key: The Seattle Mariners send out AL Cy Young contender Felix Hernandez tonight to take care of business against the Kansas City Royals.  Hernandez has gone 10-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.015 WHIP In 14 starts this season, including 6-2 with a 2.59 ERA and 0.916 WHIP in eight home starts.  The right-hander is 4-4 with a 2.80 ERA and 1.068 WHIP in 11 lifetime starts versus Kansas City.  Joe Blanton will be making his his second start of the season for the Royals.  Blanton is 86-89 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.356 WHIP in his career in the big leagues.  He has posted a 4.71 ERA or worse in each of his last four seasons in the big leagues.  Blanton is 5-16 (-15.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last two seasons.  The Mariners are 14-3 in their last 17 games with the total set at 6.5 or lower.  Seattle is 30-11 in Hernandez's last 41 starts.  Take Seattle.

7* NL West GAME OF THE MONTH on San Diego Padres -103

The Key: This is like stealing.  The oddsmakers have given us the San Diego Padres at a tremendous price Sunday and we'll take advantage.  They have the clear advantage on the mound behind Andrew Cashner, who has gone 2-8 with a 4.24 ERA in 14 starts and one relief appearance.  Cashner is 2-4 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.084 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts versus Arizona.  He'll be opposed by Jeremy Hellickson, who is one of the worst starters in baseball.  Hellickson is 4-4 with a 5.10 ERA and 1.410 WHIP in 13 starts this year, including 2-2 with a 5.90 ERA and 1.624 WHIP in six home starts.  The right-hander is 0-1 with an 8.00 ERA in three lifetime starts versus San Diego.  Hellickson is 2-12 (-10.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.  Take San Diego.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Colorado Rockies -126

The Key: The Colorado Rockies will be hungry to put an end to their five-game losing streak.  I like their chances of doing so Saturday considering the massive advantage they have on the mound.  Chad Bettis has been arguably their best starter this season, going 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA and 1.246 WHIP in seven starts, including 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA in four home starts.  He'll be opposed by Kyle Lohse, who is 3-8 with a 6.44 ERA and 1.406 WHIP in 14 starts this season.  Lohse faced Colorado once this season back on April 6th, giving up 8 earned runs and 10 hits in only 3 1/3 innings of a 10-0 loss.  The Brewers are 16-38 in their last 54 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Brewers are 1-5 in Lohse's last 6 starts.  The Rockies are 5-2 in Bettis' last 7 starts.  Take Colorado.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on New York Mets -135

The Key: Off back-to-back losses to the Blue Jays the past two days, I look for the New York Mets to come into this series with the Atlanta Braves motivated for a win.  I believe they get that win thanks to the massive advantage they have on the mound.  Jacob DeGrom won the NL Rookie of the Year award last year, and he has carried that success over into 2015.  DeGrom is 7-4 with a 2.33 ERA and 0.988 WHIP in 13 starts, including 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 0.727 WHIP in his last three.  DeGrom is 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 1.080 WHIP in four lifetime starts versus Atlanta.  Matt Wisler will be making his major league debut tonight for Atlanta.  He allowed seven runs and 10 base runners in 3 2/3 innings last Friday and is now 3-4 with a 4.29 ERA in 12 starts at Triple-A Gwinnett.  The Mets are 38-13 in their last 51 games as a favorite.  New York is 7-1 in DeGrom's last eight starts as a favorite.  The Mets are 6-1 in the last seven meetings.  Take New York.

7* MLB 'Blowout' Game of the Week on Pittsburgh Pirates -128

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates are absolutely rolling right now.  They have won seven straight games behind dominant pitching, allowing a total of just five runs during their winning streak, including five shutout victories.  That dominant pitching will continue Thursday behind who I believe is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young in Gerrit Cole.  The right-hander has gone 10-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 1.083 WHIP over 13 starts this season, including 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA and 1.050 WHIP in his last three.  He'll be opposed by Jeff Samardzija, who is 4-4 with a 4.84 ERA and 1.328 WHIP in 13 starts.  Samardzija has really struggled of late, going 0-2 with an 8.38 ERA and 1.604 WHIP in his last three outings.  Cole is 13-1 (+11.5 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.  The Pirates are 21-6 in Cole's last 27 starts as a favorite.  The White Sox are 0-6 in their last 6 games overall.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* Interleague *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Louis Cardinals -122

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals should be bigger favorites today over the Minnesota Twins with the advantage they have on the mound.  Carlos Martinez has been brilliant, going 7-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 79 K's in 73 2/3 innings.  He has been untouchable here of late, going 4-0 with a 0.80 ERA in his last five starts.  He'll be opposed by Tom Milone, who is 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.356 WHIP in six starts.  Milone is 1-1 with a 7.72 ERA and 2.144 WHIP in two home starts as well.  The Cardinals are 12-1 in Martinez's last 13 starts as a favorite.  St. Louis is 40-18 in its last 58 games overall.  The Twins are 1-7 in their last eight games overall.  Take St. Louis.

7* Warriors/Cavs Game 6 *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland +4.5

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers will be playing desperate basketball tonight in this elimination game.  I look for Lebron James and company to show up in a big way at home tonight.  There is clearly some value here with the Cavs considering they are bigger home dogs in Game 6 than at any other point in this series.  David Blatt made a mistake by going small ball against the Warriors in Game 5, and I look for him to make the proper adjustments and give Timofey Mozgov more minutes tonight.  The Cavs' only chance of winning is to grind it out like they did in the first three games.  They cannot get in a shootout with the Warriors.  So, look for them to have their best defensive lineup on the court for the majority of this contest, which will work to their advantage.  Plays against favorites when leading in a playoff series who win 75% or more of their games against a good team that wins 60% to 75% are 41-14 (74.5%) ATS since 1996.  Cleveland is 15-3 ATS when playing four consecutive games as an underdog over the last two seasons.  Golden State is 3-12 ATS in road games after having won two of its last three games this season.  The Cavs are 11-3 ATS in home games revenging a loss to an opponent of 10 points or more this season.  Take Cleveland.

6* MLB Never Lost *CA$H COW* on Kansas City Royals -105

The Key: The Kansas City Royals (35-25) are a much better team than the Milwaukee Brewers (24-41), and they have a massive advantage on the mound today, thus they should be much heavier favorites tonight.  Chris Young has been dominant this season in going 5-2 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.942 WHIP in seven starts and six relief appearances.  Young has been at his best on the road, going 1-1 with a 1.96 ERA and 0.873 WHIP in three road starts.  He'll be opposed by Matt Garza, who is 3-7 with a 5.27 ERA and 1.486 WHIP in 12 starts this year.  Young is 1-1 with a 2.49 ERA and 0.738 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Milwaukee.  Young is 10-1 (+10.6 Units) against the money line vs. teams whose hitters draw 3 walks or less/game over the last 2 seasons.   Young is 9-0 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams outscored by opp by 1 or more runs/game on the season in his career, having never lost in this situation.  Take Kansas City.

7* MLB Underdog GAME OF THE WEEK on Toronto Blue Jays +102

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays have won 11 straight games and should not be underdogs to the New York Mets tonight with the way they are playing right now.  They have scored a combined 31 runs in their last three games, and they have scored at least four runs in every game during their 11-game streak.  They now have the best run differential in the entire American League.  Mark Buehrle continues to provide quality innings for the Blue Jays, going 7-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 12 starts this season.  He has been dominant in his last two starts, allowing just 2 runs in 15 innings in beating both the Nationals and Marlins.  Noah Syndergaard has struggled as a rookie this season, going 2-4 with a 4.67 ERA and 1.385 WHIP in six starts.  Syndergaard has allowed a combined 11 runs and 21 base runners in 10 innings over his last two starts.  Buehrle is 17-3 (+14.1 Units) against the money line after 5 or more consecutive wins in his career.  Buehrle is 12-0 (+12.3 Units) against the money line against NL East opponents in his career.  Take Toronto.

7* Cavaliers/Warriors Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -8

The Key: This series has a familiar feel to the Memphis series for Golden State.  The Warriors were down 2-1 to the Grizzlies and needing a win on the road to square the series.  They won Game 4 by 17 points and went on to win by 20 at home and by 13 on the road to end the series 4-2.  The Warriors were down 2-1 to the Cavs needing a win on the road, and they came through with a 21-point win in Game 4.  This series is now over in my opinion.  The Cavs just don't have enough ammo without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, and the Warriors will exploit them the rest of the way, including in a Game 5 blowout victory tonight.  Golden State is 24-9 ATS off a blowout win by 15 points or more this season.  The Cavs are 1-4 ATS in their last five following a double-digit home loss.  The Warriors are 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 games when playing with two days of rest.  Take Golden State.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Oakland A's -110

The Key: After losing the first two games of this series to the Los Angeles Angels by exactly one run each, the Oakland A's are clearly motivated for a win in Game 3 to avoid the sweep.  I like their chances of picking up that win today due to the massive advantage they have on the mound.  Sonny Gray is the clear ace of Oakland's staff, going 7-3 with a 1.74 ERA and 0.955 WHIP while putting up Cy Young-caliber numbers through 13 starts.  Gray is 4-1 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in seven lifetime starts versus Los Angeles.  Matt Shoemaker is 4-4 with a 4.86 ERA in 11 starts for the Angels, including 0-3 with a 5.26 ERA in five home starts.  Shoemaker is 0-1 with an 8.30 ERA in two starts against the A's in 2015, giving up 8 earned runs and 17 base runners in 8 2/3 innings.  The A's are 10-1 in Gray's last 11 Sunday starts.  The Angels are 2-11 in their last 13 Sunday games.  Los Angeles is 1-5 in Shoemaker's last six home starts.  Take Oakland.

7* MLB "Blowout" Game of the Month on Pittsburgh Pirates -1.5 (-110)

The Key: I expect the Pittsburgh Pirates to win this game going away today against the lowly Philadelphia Phillies.  They send Cy Young contender Gerrit Cole to the mound today.  Cole has gone 9-2 with a 1.73 ERA and 1.103 WHIP in 12 starts this season, including 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA and 1.095 WHIP in his last three.  Cole is also 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA and 1.096 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Philadelphia.  He'll be opposed by Sean O'Sullivan, who is 1-4 with a 4.96 ERA and 1.390 WHIP in eight starts this season.  O'Sullivan is 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in three road starts as well.  Cole is 12-1 (+10.5 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.  The Pirates are winning by 2.0 runs per game in this spot.  The Phillies are 3-19 (-14.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 to 8.5 this season.  They are losing by 3.1 runs per game in this spot.  Take Pittsburgh on the Run Line.

7* A's/Angels AL West "Bailout" on Los Angeles -110

The Key: The Los Angeles Angels have lost six of their last eight and are now determined for a win heading into Game 1 of this series with the Oakland A's.  They send Hector Santiago to the mound, who has been one of the most underrated starters in baseball this year.  Santiago is 4-3 with a 2.55 ERA and 1.160 WHIP in 12 starts this year, including 2-1 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.162 WHIP in seven home starts.  While those numbers are great, they are nothing compared to his career stats against Oakland.  Indeed, Santiago is 3-0 with a 1.01 ERA and 1.038 WHIP in six lifetime starts against the A's.  Oakland is 1-10 (-14.2 Units) against the money line after a game where they had at least 10 more hits than their opponent over the last 2 seasons.  The A's are 5-21 in their last 26 games against a left-handed starter.  Oakland is 1-7 in Chavez's last 8 road starts, and 0-6 in his last six starts as an underdog.  The Angels are 39-15 in their last 54 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Los Angeles.

7* Warriors/Cavs Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -2.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors just haven't played like themselves these first three games.  The same thing happened against Memphis in the Western Conference Semifinals.  They were forced to slow it down and play at Memphis' pace and found themselves down 2-1 facing a crucial Game 4 on the road.  The Warriors would win the next three games of that series while scoring 101, 98 and 108 points and winning all three by 13 points or more as they got back to playing their brand of basketball.  I look for the same thing to happen in Game 4 of this series with their backs against the wall.  Cleveland shot 15 more free throws than Golden State in Game 2 and 12 more in Game 3.  They aren't going to have that kind of an advantage again in Game 4 as the Warriors get much more aggressive.  Plus, Golden State is 10-0 ATS off two straight games where it was called for 25 or more fouls over the past two seasons.  Take Golden State.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Washington Nationals -114

The Key: The Washington Nationals should be much heavier favorites against the lowly Milwaukee Brewers tonight with the advantage they have on the mound.  Tanner Roark was the odd man out this season because Washington's staff was so loaded to start the year.  But with Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister out due to injury, he has gotten a chance to start, and he has shown once again that he belongs in the rotation.  Roark is 2-2 with a 3.16 ERA and 1.189 WHIP over 37 innings this year.  He is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in one lifetime start against Milwaukee as well.  He'll be opposed by Matt Garza, who is 4-7 with a 5.09 ERA and 1.464 WHIP in 11 starts this year.  Garza has never beaten Washington, going 0-3 with a 7.33 ERA and 1.778 WHIP in six lifetime starts against the Nationals.  Washington is 5-1 in Roark's last 6 starts.  Milwaukee is 1-7 in its last 8 home games.  The Brewers are 1-4 in Garza's last 5 home starts.  Take Washington.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on San Diego Padres -108

The Key: The San Diego Padres have won five of their last seven games to get back to .500 on the season.  After losing yesterday, I fully expect them to bounce back Wednesday due to their advantage on the mound.  Tyson Ross has gone 3-5 with a 3.75 ERA in 12 starts with 78 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings.  Ross is 1-2 with a 3.32 ERA in seven road starts this year, and 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in his last three starts overall.  Williams Perez is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.581 WHIP in 25 1/3 innings pitched this season.  He walks way too many batters as he has walked 15 on the season and 10 in his last 18 innings pitched.  The Padres are 6-0 in their last 6 games following a loss.  The Braves are 7-16 in their last 23 games following a win.  Take San Diego.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on St. Louis Cardinals -114

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals will be hungry to bounce back from their 11-3 loss to the Rockies in Game 1 of this series last night.  They should be much bigger favorites here considering the huge advantage they have on the mound.  Michael Wacha is a legitimate Cy Young contender.  He has gone 8-1 with a 2.18 ERA and 1.038 WHIP in 11 starts this year, including 6-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 1.015 WHIP in seven road starts.  The Cardinals are 10-1 in his 11 starts, and 7-0 in his seven road starts.  Jorge De La Rosa is 2-2 with a 6.15 ERA and 1.575 WHIP in seven starts, including 1-1 with an 8.44 ERA and 2.016 WHIP in five home starts for the Rockies.  The Rockies are 36-83 in their last 119 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Take St. Louis.

7* NBA Finals GAME OF THE YEAR on Golden State Warriors -1.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors have seen their offense take a step back through the first two games of this series.  They were held to less than 100 points by the end of regulation in both contests.  Simply put, they have not been playing the brand of basketball that got them to this point.  I expect Steve Kerr to get his team back to playing the free-flowing offense that made them the top offensive team in the NBA this year.  Cleveland's defense has been good, but its offense is just too predictable now without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.  That's a huge advantage for the Warriors, and one I expect them to not only exploit tonight, but throughout the rest of the series.  Golden State is 24-11 ATS in its last 35 games following a loss.  The Warriors are 15-7 ATS revenging a loss against an opponent this season.  Take Golden State.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago White Sox -135

The Key: The Chicago White Sox send ace Chris Sale to the mound Monday night to try and get back on track after losing two in a row coming in.  They play a Houston Astros team that has come back down to earth here of late with four straight losses.  Sale has been virtually untouchable in his last two starts at Baltimore and at Texas.  He has pitched 14 2/3 shutout innings while allowing only nine base runners and striking out a whopping 23 batters.  He is clearly on top of his game right now.  Lance McCullers has pitched very well in limited action for the Astros as a rookie, but he's clearly overvalued as a result.  Sale is 2-1 with a 0.38 ERA and 0.708 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Houston, giving up just one earned run in 24 innings.  Chicago is 8-0 (+11.0 Units) against the money line after 4 straight games where they had 7 or less hits over the last 3 seasons.  Take Chicago.

7* Cavaliers/Warriors Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland +8

The Key: Almost everyone is counting out the Cleveland Cavaliers now that they lost starting point guard Kyrie Irving for the rest of the series.  Well, Lebron James isn't going to let his teammates believe that they are finished.  They have been through plenty of adversity to get to this point, and they aren't going to just fold now.  I look for them to easily cover this 8-point spread in Game 2, and to likely pull off the upset.  Cleveland is 13-3 ATS against Western Conference opponents in its last 16.  Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 Sunday games.  Take Cleveland.

6* Cardinals/Dodgers ESPN Sunday Night "Bailout" on St. Louis +142

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals (37-19) are the best team in baseball, period.  That's why when you get the opportunity to back them at this kind of price, you should almost always take advantage.  I'll back them as +138 underdogs to the Los Angeles Dodgers on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.  Lance Lynn is having yet another dominant season as the ace of this staff.  He has gone 4-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 11 starts and has 72 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings.  Lynn is 4-1 with a 4.10 ERA in seven career starts against Los Angeles.  He has allowed exactly two earned runs in each of his last two starts against the Dodgers.  The Cardinals are 26-6 in their last 32 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.  The Dodgers are 0-6 in their last 6 games as a favorite of -110 to -150.  Take St. Louis.

7* American League GAME OF THE MONTH on Seattle Mariners -162

The Key: The Seattle Mariners are desperate for a victory today after losing seven straight coming in.  They couldn't possibly have a better starter on the mound to get back in the win column tonight.  Felix Hernandez is 8-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 0.982 WHIP in 11 starts this year and well on his way to winning the AL Cy Young like he should have last year. Hernandez is 6-2 with a 1.94 ERA in 14 career starts against Tampa Bay.  He'll be opposed by Alex Colome, who is 3-2 with a 5.05 ERA and 1.402 WHIP in seven starts this year.  The Rays are 1-8 in their last 9 road games with the total set at 6.5 or lower. The Mariners are 28-10 in Hernandez's last 38 starts. Take Seattle.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami Marlins +105

The Key: The Miami Marlins have won two straight and four of their last six.  They have finally turned it around after a slow start, and I now feel good about backing them at an excellent price against the lowly Colorado Rockies tonight.  Tom Koehler has gone 3-3 with a 4.01 ERA in 10 starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Eddie Butler, who has gone 3-5 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.755 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  Koehler has dominated the Rockies in the past, going 1-0 with a 2.14 ERA and 1.143 WHIP in three career starts against them despite pitching twice at hitter-friendly Coors Field.  The Marlins are 6-0 in Koehler's last 6 starts when working on 5 days of rest.  The Rockies are 16-37 in their last 53 during game 1 of a series.  Take Miami.

7* Cavs/Warriors Game 1 "Total" Annihilator on OVER 203.5

The Key: This NBA Finals figures to be a high-scoring affair between two of the best offensive teams in the league.  I believe this 203.5-point total for Game 1 will be the lowest of the series as they combine to sail way over the total, which will have oddsmakers adjusting future games to have higher totals.  The Warriors put up 109.1 points per game overall and 111.2 points per game at home.  I look for them to approach their season averages against a Cleveland defense that is giving up 99.3 points per game on the road.  Cleveland is scoring 102.9 points per game overall, but it's offense has been much more efficient when Lebron James has been healthy.  The Cavs scored a combined 116.0 points per game in their final two games against Atlanta last series.  The two regular season meetings between these teams averaged 206.5 combined points per game, and Lebron James didn't play in one of them.  Golden State is 23-6 OVER off a game with 70 or more rebounds.  Take the OVER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Boston Red Sox -143

The Key: After losing seven of their last 10 games overall, the Boston Red Sox will be hungry for a win today against the Minnesota Twins to win this series and get some confidence moving forward.  They will be extra motivated after getting shut out yesterday.  They have a massive advantage on the mound tonight behind Stevan Wright, who is 2-2 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.264 WHIP in three starts and two relief outings.  Wright has posted a 3.71 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in three starts.  Minnesota starter Tom Milone is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.456 WHIP in four starts this season, including 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA and 1.933 WHIP in his last three.  Milone is 0-2 with an 11.85 ERA and 2.048 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Boston, giving up 18 runs, 8 homers and 28 base runners in 13 2/3 innings.  He has never beaten the Red Sox, and he's not about to pick up his first win against them tonight, either.  Take Boston.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles Angels -121

The Key: Hector Santiago has been one of the most underrated starters in baseball this season.  He has gone 4-3 with a 2.18 ERA and 1.178 WHIP in 10 starts, including 2-1 with a 1.49 ERA and 1.129 WHIP in six home starts.  Yet, he's still not getting the respect he deserves as only a -121 favorite over the Tampa Bay Rays at home today.  Los Angeles is 12-1 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in home games in June games over the last 2 seasons.  The Angels are 6-0 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Los Angeles.

7* MLB *Mound Mismatch* GAME OF THE WEEK on Atlanta Braves -105

The Key: The Atlanta Braves are red hot right now having won three in a row coming in.  They have outscored the opposition 23-6 in the process as they are hitting the cover off the ball.  Shelby Miller, a serious candidate for the NL Cy Young Award to this point, won't need a ton of run support tonight, but he may get it anyway.  Miller has gone 5-2 with a 1.48 ERA and 0.881 WHIP in 10 starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Josh Collmenter, who is 3-5 with a 5.05 ERA and 1.386 WHIP in 10 starts, including 1-4 with a 6.30 ERA and 1.600 WHIP in six home starts.  Miller is 10-0 (+10.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.  Arizona is 1-11 (-12.4 Units) against the money line in home games vs. excellent fielding teams - averaging 0.5 or fewer errors/game over the last 2 seasons.  The Diamondbacks are 1-7 in Collmenter's last 8 starts as a home underdog.  Take Atlanta.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on San Diego Padres -111

The Key: The San Diego Padres get the nod Monday as small home favorites over the New York Mets.  This is a classic case of a starting pitcher being undervalued because of his record.  Andrew Cashner has posted a very nice 3.00 ERA and 1.270 WHIP in 10 starts this season, including a 2.42 ERA in four home starts, but he has just a 2-7 record to show for it.  He'll receive much better fortune going forward if he continues to pitch like this.  Jacob DeGrom has been dominant at home, but it has been a completely different story on the road.  DeGrom is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.687 WHIP In three road starts this year.  The Mets are just 7-15 on the road in 2015.  New York is 2-12 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.  The Mets are 14-32 (-16.1 Units) against the money line vs. an NL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.00 or better over the last 2 seasons.  New York is 0-8 in its last 8 games as a road underdog.  The Padres are 35-16 in their last 51 games as a home favorite.  Take San Diego.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Louis Cardinals -107

The Key: Any time you can get the NL-leading St. Louis Cardinals (32-17) at this kind of price at home, it's certainly worth a look.  After all, the Cardinals are a ridiculous 41-12 in their last 53 home games.  Carlos Martinez is having a solid year for the Cardinals, going 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA in nine starts and one relief appearance.  Martinez has been untouchable in his last three starts, going 1-1 with a 0.98 ERA and 1.200 WHIP.  I'll fade Brett Anderson of the Dodgers, who is 1-2 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.453 WHIP in four road starts this year.  The Cardinals are 10-1 in Martinez's last 11 starts as a favorite.  The Dodgers are 1-6 in their last 7 games as road underdogs.  Take St. Louis.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Oakland A's -117

The Key: The Oakland A's are on a roll right now.  They have quietly won five of their last seven games overall to turn their season around.  Since they got off to such a slow start this season, they are flying under the radar right now.  We are getting them at a very generous price at home against the New York Yankees today.  Nathan Eovaldi has been terrible for the Yankees, posting a 4.27 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in nine starts.  He'll be opposed by Jesse Hahn, who is 2-4 with a 3.69 ERA and 1.137 WHIP in nine starts, including 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA and 0.906 WHIP in five home starts.  Eovaldi is 0-1 with a 5.54 ERA and 1.615 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus Oakland.  The Yankees are 1-11 in their last 12 visits to Oakland.  Take Oakland.

7* American League GAME OF THE MONTH on Oakland A's -130

The Key: The Oakland A's have finally shown some signs of life here of late.  They have gone 4-2 in their last six games overall behind dominant pitching.  They have only allowed 10 runs in those six games.  I look for that dominance to continue on the mound tonight behind ace Sonny Gray.  Perhaps the most underrated starter in baseball, Gray has gone 5-2 with a 1.77 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 10 starts this season, including 2-1 with a 1.19 ERA and 0.626 WHIP in four home starts.  Gray will be opposed by the washed-up Chris Capuano, who has gone 0-2 with a 7.37 ERA and 1.910 WHIP in two starts for the Yankees this year.  The Yankees are 4-11 in their last 15 games overall.  The Yankees are 2-10 in their last 12 games vs. a right-handed starter.  New York is 0-7 in its last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starts.  New York is 1-4 in Capuano's last 5 starts.  The Yankees are 1-10 in their last 11 meetings in Oakland.  Take Oakland.

7* Indians/Mariners AL *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland -117

The Key: Corey Kluber did not get off to the kind of start that you would expect from a reigning AL Cy Young winner.  However, he has returned to that Cy Young form over the last couple weeks.  Kluber has gone 2-0 with a 0.72 ERA and 0.640 WHIP with 37 strikeouts in 25 innings in his last three starts.  In his only lifetime start against Seattle in 2014, Kluber pitched a complete game shutout while allowing only three base runners in 9 innings of a 2-0 victory.  Seattle is 2-10 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent over the last 3 seasons.  The Indians are 7-1 in their last 8 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.  Take Cleveland.

7* Rockets/Warriors Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -10

The Key: After getting thoroughly embarrassed in Game 4, and knowing that the Cavs already clinched a trip to the NBA Finals, I look for the Golden State Warriors to close out this series with a blowout home victory in Game 5.  The Warriors allowed the Rockets to shoot 56.6% in Game 4, which is simply unacceptable.  Look for them to come out with more of a sense of urgency in Game 5 tonight on both ends of the floor.  Golden State is 8-0 ATS off two straight games where it was called for 25 or more fouls over the last two seasons.  The Rockets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.  The Warriors are 23-11 ATS in their last 34 games following a S.U. loss.  Take Golden State.

6* Nationals/Cubs NL *CA$H COW* on Chicago +105

The Key: Getting the surging Chicago Cubs (25-20) as home underdogs is a very generous offer from oddsmakers.  I'll take advantage and back the Cubs at this excellent price Wednesday against the Washington Nationals.  Sure, they'll be up against Max Scherzer, but they have their ace on the mound as well.  Jon Lester has rebounded very nicely from a slow start this season.  The left-hander has gone 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last three starts to improve to 4-2 with a 3.56 ERA on the season.  Lester is 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.105 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Washington.  Scherzer is 3-12 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in road games vs. NL teams scoring 4.3 or less runs/game on the season in his career.  Chicago is 5-1 in Lester's last 6 starts.  The Cubs are 7-2 in their last 9 home games.  Take Chicago.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Chicago Cubs -107

The Key: After back-to-back losses, I look for the Chicago Cubs to get back in the win column at home today against the Washington Nationals.  Kyle Hendricks has gone 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.050 WHIP in his last three starts.  He pitched a complete game shutout in his last outing against the Padres.  He'll be opposed by Jordan Zimmerman, who is 2-1 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in four road starts this season.  Zimmerman is 1-4 with a 4.81 ERA in seven lifetime starts versus Chicago.  He gave up 8 earned runs and three homers in 5 innings of a 1-11 loss to the Cubs in his last start at Chicago.  The Nationals are 23-48 in their last 71 games as a road underdog.  Washington is 1-5 in Zimmerman's last 6 starts as a road dog.  The Cubs are 7-1 in Hendricks' last 8 home starts.  Take Chicago.

7* Hawks/Cavaliers Game 4 "Total" Annihilator on UNDER 194

The Key: After an extremely high-scoring Game 3 in this series, I feel that the oddsmakers have set the total too high for Game 4.  They have raised the total up from 190 in Game 3 to 194 for Game 4 based on the last contest alone.  The Cavaliers are short-handed offensively right now as they are likely without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love again.  The Hawks are without Kyle Korver for the rest of the postseason, which really hurts their floor spacing.  Lebron James is also hurt right now, but playing through it.  Atlanta is 16-3 UNDER in its last 19 when facing elimination in a playoff series.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Hawks' last five games overall.  The UNDER is 36-16-1 in Cavaliers last 53 when playing on one days' rest.  Take the UNDER.

7* Warriors/Rockets Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -4.5

The Key: I just cannot foresee the Houston Rockets even showing up tonight in Game 4.  They would have to show some pride to do so, but after losing Game 3 by 35 points, they obviously have no pride.  The Warriors will end this series with yet another blowout victory in Game 4 tonight.  They have been playing lights out for a couple weeks now with six straight wins, four of which have come by double-digits.  Golden State has gone 24-8 ATS in its last 32 games following a win by 15 points or more as well.  Take Golden State.

6* Interleague *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Angels -133

The Key: I like the price we are getting with the Angels at home today, especially considering they won't be lacking motivation after two straight road losses to the Red Sox.  They return home where they are a much better team.  They also give the ball to Jered Weaver, who has been virtually unhittable here of late.  Indeed, Weaver is 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA and 0.729 WHIP in his last two starts.  He'll be opposed by Tyson Ross, who has gone 2-4 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.462 WHIP in nine starts for the Padres this season.  Weaver is 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 0.750 WHIP in two starts against San Diego in his lifetime.  The Angels are 43-15 in Weaver's last 58 home starts.  Take Los Angeles.

7* Hawks/Cavaliers Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta +9.5

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks have not even looked good in losing their first two games of this series to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  As a result, the oddsmakers have overreacted in listing the Cavaliers as big favorites in Game 3.  The Hawks know that their season is at stake today, so they'll be laying it all on the line to get a win.  I believe their effort will be good enough to cover this inflated 9.5-point spread today.  The Hawks are 14-3 ATS when playing with double revenge (2 straight losses against an opponent) this season.  They are a great bet in this situation today.  Take Atlanta.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Chicago Cubs -131

The Key: The Chicago Cubs are reasonably priced as small road favorites over the Arizona Diamondbacks today.  Jason Hammel is coming off the best year of his career in Chicago/Oakland in 2014.  He has picked up right where he left off in 2015.  Hammel is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 0.919 WHIP in eight starts this year, including 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 0.773 WHIP in his last three.  He'll be up against Jeremy Hellickson, sho is 1-3 with a 5.52 ERA and 1.568 WHIP in eight starts this year, including 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA and 1.965 WHIP in four home starts.  Hellickson hasn't been right in three years now and doesn't deserve to be in a starting rotation.  Arizona is 6-26 (-22.0 Units) against the money line after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7 games over the last 3 seasons.   Hellickson is 2-14 (-13.0 Units) against the money line when the money line is +125 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.  Take Chicago.

7* Warriors/Rockets Game 3 "Total" Annihilator on OVER 214

The Key: This is strictly a value play.  The oddsmakers set the Warriors/Rockets total at 220 for Game 1 and 219 for Game 2.  Now, they have lowered the total all the way down to 214 for Game 3.  They have been forced to do so because the first two games went under the total.  Now, the clear value is with the over in Game 3.  Te OVER is 11-3 in Rockets last 14 home games.  The OVER is 14-6 in Rockets last 20 games overall.  The OVER is 37-18 in Rockets last 55 games following a loss.  Take the OVER.

6* MLB *NEVER LOST* CA$H COW on Atlanta Braves -110

The Key: Shelby Miller has been lights out in 2015.  He has gone 5-1 with a 1.33 ERA and 0.833 WHIP in eight starts.  He'll be opposed by Mike Fiers, who is 1-4 with a 4.75 ERA and 1.536 WHIP in eight starts.  If those numbers don't show you that the Braves are the right play today, then this certainly will.  Miller has never lost to the Brewers, going 5-0 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.102 WHIP in eight lifetime starts against them.  His teams have gone 8-0 in those eight games.  Take Atlanta.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Chicago Cubs -134

The Key: The Cubs are clearly back at 23-17 on the season.  They are real contenders, especially after winning eight of their last 10 games overall.  They have one of the best lineups in baseball, and they have two aces in Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta to carry the pitching staff.  Lester gets the ball tonight against Josh Collmenter and the Diamondbacks.  The left-hander has gone 4-2 with a 3.70 ERA in eight starts this season.  He has been at his best on the road with a 1-0 record and 2.77 ERA in two starts.  Collmenter has been one of the worst starters in baseball this season at 3-5 with a 5.36 ERA.  He has really faltered of late, going 1-2 with an 11.30 ERA and 1.884 WHIP in his last three starts.  Collmenter is 1-4 with a 6.84 ERA and 1.640 WHIP in five home starts this year.  Lester is 15-3 (+10.6 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -125 to -175 over the last 2 seasons.  The Cubs are 5-0 in Lester's last five starts.  The Diamondbacks are 4-24 in their last 28 games as a home underdog of +110 to +150.  Arizona is 0-7 in Collmenter's last 7 starts as a home underdog.  Take Chicago.

7* NBA Eastern Conference Finals GAME OF THE YEAR on Atlanta Hawks -1

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers are already playing without Kevin Love.  Now, both Lebron James and Kyrie Irving are hobbled.  James suffered an ankle injury in Game 1, while Irving was non-existent in the opener as he's clearly still nursing his knee injury.  J.R. Smith was there to save the day as he scored 28 points, including 8-of-12 from 3-point range.  That was a once-a-playoffs game for Smith, who can't keep this up.  It's clear that James and Irving are going to need some more help in Game 2, and I just don't believe they'll get it.  The Hawks will be playing with an edge tonight as they look to avoid falling down 0-2 in this series.  After all, they are 40-8 at home this season and rarely lose here.  The Hawks are a perfect 8-0 ATS in home games when revenging a loss against an opponent as a home favorite over the last three years.  Take Atlanta.

6* Rockets/Warriors Game 2 *CA$H COW* on Golden State -10

The Key: The Houston Rockets played great in Game 1 and still lost.  James Harden could not have had a better game as he did everything in his power to keep the Rockets in the game, but it still wasn't enough.  Don't expect the Rockets to get that kind of game from Harden again.  Now, Dwight Howard is injured and may not play for them in Game 2.  Meanwhile, Golden State got a big game from Stephon Curry, but the rest of the starting lineup was ho-hum, and Klay Thompson has his worst game of the playoffs.  Look for the Warriors to get more help for Curry in Game 2, which will help them cover this 10-point spread.  The Warriors are 20-9 ATS in their last 29 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Warriors are 19-7-2 ATS in their last 28 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The Rockets are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Golden State.

7* American League GAME OF THE WEEK on Oakland A's +102

The Key: The Oakland A's could not possibly be more undervalued than they are right now due to their 14-28 start to the season.  This team isn't as bad as its record would indicate when you consider that it has so many one-run losses in 2015.  The A's should not be underdogs tonight with the edge they have on the mound.  Jesse Chavez has gone 1-3 in spite of a 2.63 ERA and 1.114 WHIP over five starts and four relief appearances this year.  He'll be opposed by Alex Colome, who is 2-1 with a 6.05 ERA and 1.345 WHIP in four starts for the Rays, including 1-1 with an 8.16 ERA and 1.605 WHIP in his last three.  Oakland is 14-5 in its last 19 vs. AL East foes.  The A's are 7-2 in their last nine meetings with Tampa Bay.  Take Oakland.

6* Dodgers/Giants NL West *Bailout* on OVER 7

The Key: The books have set the number too low in this contest between the rival Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.  They played a 2-0 game yesterday, which probably had something to do with it, but I expect plenty of runs in Game 2 tonight.  Both Brett Anderson and Tim Lincecum are getting too much respect here for the numbers they have posted in limited action this season.  Well, when facing their respective teams, they haven't been good at all.  Anderson has allowed 7 earned runs over 8 2/3 innings in two starts against San Francisco this season.  Lincecum has given up 11 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings in his last three starts against Los Angeles, failing to make it through the 5th inning in two of those starts.  The OVER is 41-18-4 in Dodgers last 63 games overall.  The OVER is 5-1-2 in Lincecum's last eight starts as a home underdog.  Take the OVER.

7* Cavaliers/Hawks Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta PK

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks have gone 40-7 at home this season.  Yet, the oddsmakers aren't giving them any respect here as they aren't even favored against the Cavaliers.  That's the same Cavaliers team that they have gone 3-1 against this season with all three wins coming by 8-plus points.  Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team has gone 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Atlanta has owned Cleveland at home here of late, going 4-0 ATS in its last four home meetings.  Take Atlanta.

7* Rockets/Warriors Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -10

The Key: The Golden State Warriors have a huge edge in the rest department in Game 1 tonight.  They come in on three days' rest since taking out the Grizzlies in six games.  The Rockets only come in on one days' rest after storming back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Clippers.  There's no question that this will be an advantage for the Warriors, who catch the Rockets emotionally and physically drained.  Golden State beat Memphis 101-86 at home in Game 1 last series, and I look for a similar result in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.  The Warriors are 6-1 ATS in their last seven when playing on three or more days of rest.  The Warriors are 9-1 ATS in home games when playing 6 or less games in 14 days this season.  Take Golden State.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Baltimore Orioles -125

The Key: This is the ultimate Mound Mismatch tonight when the Baltimore Orioles host the Seattle Mariners.  Yet, we are getting the Orioles at a very generous -125 price tonight.  Miguel Gonzalez has been one of the best starters in the AL this season.  He has gone 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.139 WHIP in seven starts, including 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 0.882 WHIP in four home starts.  Taijuan Walker somehow has held on to a spot in Seattle's rotation despite being awful.  Walker is 1-4 with a 7.22 ERA and 1.723 WHIP in seven starts, including 1-3 with a 10.91 ERA and 2.193 WHIP in four road starts.  Baltimore is 9-1 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in home games after scoring 3 runs or less 3 straight games over the last 3 seasons.  Seattle is 1-9 (-9.9 Units) against the money line vs. good power teams - averaging 1.25 or more HR's/game this season.  Take Baltimore.

7* National League GAME OF THE WEEK on Miami Marlins -121

The Key: I like to back teams that make managerial or coaching changes in that first game.  These changes usually provide a spark for teams, which is exactly what the Marlins need after losing six of their last seven to drop to 16-22 on the season.  They do at least get to face a struggling Arizona Diamondbacks team that has lost four straight and seven of nine overall.  General manager Dan Jennings will be taking over for the fired Mike Redmond.  He'll watch Dan Haren take the mound tonight and continue his solid season up to this point.  Haren is 4-2 with a 3.79 ERA and 1.089 WHIP in seven starts, including 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 0.824 WHIP in three home starts.  He'll be opposed by Rubby De La Rosa, who is 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA on the season, but only 1-2 with a 5.60 ERA in three road starts.  Haren is 5-2 with a 3.63 ERA in seven lifetime starts versus Arizona.  Miami is 11-2 (+10.3 Units) against the money line after a game without an extra base hit over the last 2 seasons.  The Diamondbacks are 12-40 in their last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Take Miami.

7* Clippers/Rockets Game 7 *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles -2

The Key: The Los Angeles Clippers showed their resiliency in the opening round.  They had the toughest opening round opponent in the San Antonio Spurs, and found themselves down 3-2 facing a road game in Game 6.  They went into San Antonio and won, and then they finished off the series with an exciting home win in Game 7.  While they let Game 6 slip away in this series, I fully expect them to respond in Game 7 with a road win at Houston.  Plays on road favorites playing with double revenge after a road game where both teams scored 100 or more points are 57-24 ATS since 1996.  Plays on road favorites who give up 99 or more points per game after allowing 55 or more points in the first half of two straight games are 45-14 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Los Angeles.

6* National League *NEVER LOST* CA$H COW on Chicago Cubs -125

The Key: The Chicago Cubs are absolutely rolling right now having won six straight games entering this contest Sunday.  Yet, the oddsmakers continue to undervalue them in listing them as mere -125 home favorites over the Pittsburgh Pirates.  I'll take advantage and back them with the steady Jake Arrieta on the mound.  Arrieta is coming off a career year in 2014, and he has started 2015 brilliantly as well.  The right-hander is 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.067 WHIP in seven starts this year, including 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.012 WHIP in four home starts.  Arrieta has never lost to the Pirates, going 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in five career starts against them.  His teams are 5-0 in those contests.  Take Chicago.

7* MLB *BLOWOUT* GAME OF THE MONTH on Oakland A's -157

The Key: The Oakland A's have been struggling, having lost eight of their last nine games overall.  However, they have been pretty unlucky this season with so many close losses.  In fact, eight of their last 11 losses have come by exactly one run.  They clearly aren't as bad as their record would indicate, and they certainly will be motivated for a win tonight.  Chicago has won 5 of its last 6, but that run comes to an end tonight.  John Danks is 1-3 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.484 WHIP in six starts for Chicago, including 0-3 with a 7.10 ERA and 1.894 WHIP in three road starts.  He'll be opposed by Jesse Chavez, who has posted a 2.56 ERA and 1.009 WHIP in four starts and four relief appearances for the A's.  Chicago is 1-11 (-10.7 Units) against the money line after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7 games over the last 2 seasons.  The White Sox are 1-7 in Danks' last 8 road starts.  The A's are 9-1 in Chavez's last 10 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Take Oakland.

7* Warriors/Grizzlies Game 6 "Total" Annihilator on UNDER 194

The Key: The UNDER is a perfect 5-0 in this series, yet the oddsmakers have failed to adjust enough for it.  The first total of this series was 196 points, and the total for Game 6 is only 194 points.  I still believe there's a ton of value here on the UNDER considering these teams haven't combined for more than 188 points in any game yet.  They have averaged just 184.6 combined points per game in the series, which is still nearly 10 points less than tonight's posted total of 194.  Plus, this game will be played in Memphis, and that means the Grizzlies will likely control the tempo as they love to play a half-court game.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Warriors L6 games overall.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Grizzlies last 6 Conference Semifinals games.  The UNDER is 24-2 in Grizzllies last 26 home games.  Take this combined 36-2 system backing the UNDER straight to the bank tonight.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *Mound Mismatch* on Texas Rangers -118

The Key: Wandy Rodriquez appears to have revived his career in Texas this season.  He has been nothing short of spectacular up to this point, going 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.072 WHIP in four starts.  He'll be opposed by Bruce Chen, who sports a 13.50 ERA and 2.750 WHIP in just one start.  Chen doesn't even belong in the big leagues.  He gave up 6 earned runs and 11 base runners in 4 innings of a 4-7 loss to Minnesota in his first start of 2015.  Plus, Chen is 2-3 with a 7.84 ERA and 1.774 WHIP in six lifetime starts versus Texas.  The Indians are 1-10 in their last 11 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Cleveland is 0-7 in its last 7 after allowing 2 runs or less in its previous game.  Take Texas.

7* NBA 2nd Round TOTAL OF THE YEAR on Cavaliers/Bulls UNDER 192

The Key: The over has gone 3-1 in the last four games in this series.  That has provided us with ample value on the UNDER tonight.  Games in Chicago have been much lower-scoring than games in Cleveland, simply because Chicago controls the tempo when playing at home, and it likes to play at a slower pace.  These teams have averaged 182.5 combined points per game in the two meetings in Chicago this series.  In an elimination game, the intensity will be high for both teams, especially on the defensive end of the floor.  The Bulls are 33-23 UNDER when the total is between 190 and 199.5 points this season.  Chicago is 11-3 UNDER after covering 5 or 6 of its last 7 games this season.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Cavs last 5 road games.  The UNDER is 34-16-1 in Cavs last 51 games when playing on 1 days' rest.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on New York Yankees -120

The Key: After losing the past two games to the Rays over the last two days by a combined 3 runs, I look for the New York Yankees to come out motivated for a victory tonight.  I like them to get the win due to their huge advantage on the mound.  Chase Whitley has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees this season, going 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.188 WHIP in three starts.  That includes a start against Tampa Bay on April 28th in which he allowed just one earned run over 5 innings in a 4-2 victory.  He'll be opposed by Erasmo Ramirez, who is 0-1 with an 8.38 ERA and 1.554 WHIP in 2015.  Ramirez has allowed 18 earned runs in 19 1/3 innings of work this season.  The Yankees are 9-1 in their last 10 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  New York is 7-1 in its last 8 games following a loss.  The Yankees are 6-0 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Take this combined 22-2 angle backing the Yankees straight to the bank tonight.  Take New York.

7* Grizzlies/Warriors Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis +9.5

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies are showing great value as nearly double-digit underdogs to the Golden State Warriors tonight in Game 5.  This line is clearly an overreaction from Golden State winning Game 4 by 17 points in Memphis.  The Grizzlies had their worst shooting game of the series at 37.5% in that contest to essentially give it away.  I look for them to get back up into the 45% range in Game 5, where they have been most of the series.  The Grizzlies are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. loss.  Memphis is 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 games overall.  Golden State is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games overall.  The Warriors are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a S.U. win.  Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 home games.  Take Memphis.

6* American League *Mound Mismatch* on Baltimore Orioles -120

The Key: This play certainly lives up to its title as the Baltimore Orioles have a big advantage on the mound tonight.  They will give the ball to Miguel Gonzalez, who is 3-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.217 WHIP in six starts, including 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA and 0.919 WHIP in three home starts.  What I really like is the fact that Gonzalez is 6-2 with a 2.64 ERA and 0.978 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts versus Toronto.  Rookie Aaron Sanchez is 3-2 with a 3.62 ERA and 1.547 WHIP in six starts this year, including 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA and 1.772 WHIP in three road starts.  Sanchez has faced the Orioles twice already in 2015, coming away with a 5.20 ERA and 2.079 WHIP.  The Orioles are 12-1 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss by 4 runs or more over the last 2 seasons.  Take Baltimore.

7* Clippers/Rockets Game 5 "Total" Annihilator on UNDER 219

The Key: With the OVER being 4-0 through the first four games of this series, I believe there is a ton of value in backing the UNDER in Game 5.  It's clear that the hack-a-Jordan has not worked for the Rockets, and I expect them to go away from it tonight, which will aid the under.  They just cannot afford to have so many guys in foul trouble as it has continued to haunt them in the second half of most of these games.  This 219-point total is seven points higher than Game 1's 212-point total, which alone shows that there is value with the UNDER.  Plays on the UNDER on teams where the total is greater than 210 (Clippers) - after a win by 10 pints or more against opponent after a combined score of 215 or more in two straight games are 41-10 (80.4%) over the last five seasons.  Take the UNDER.

6* AL *NEVER LOST* CA$H COW on Tampa Bay Rays -125

The Key: After getting embarrassed 5-11 by the Yankees last night and losing their second straight game, I look for the Tampa Bay Rays to be motivated for a win tonight.  They should have an excellent chance of getting one with ace Chris Archer on the mound.  Archer has been one of the best pitchers in the AL this season.  He has gone 3-4 with a 2.49 ERA and 1.008 WHIP with 50 strikeouts over 41 2/3 innings.  What I really love is the fact that Archer has never lost to the Yankees.  He is 5-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 0.762 WHIP in six lifetime starts, and the Rays are 6-0 in those outings.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* Warriors/Grizzlies Game 4 "Total" Annihilator on UNDER 196

The Key: The reason the Memphis Grizzlies have a 2-1 series lead is because they have forced the Golden State Warriors to play at their pace both home and away.  They have combined for 187, 187 and 188 points as the UNDER is 3-0 in the first three games in this series.  I look for more of the same in Game 4 with the Grizzlies controlling the tempo playing at home.  Memphis is 25-8 UNDER versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.  The Grizzlies are 11-1 UNDER off an upset win as an underdog this season.  The UNDER is 23-3 in Grizzlies last 26 home games.  Take the UNDER.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh Pirates -1.5 (+100)

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates are feeling good about themselves after taking two out of three from the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend.  I look for that series to springboard them going forward as they now take on arguably the worst team in baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies (11-21).  The Phillies are only hitting .228 and scoring 2.8 runs per game this season, and it won't get any easier against Pittsburgh ace Gerrit Cole.  The right-hander has gone 4-1 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.149 WHIP in six starts, including 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 1.071 WHIP in three road starts.  Cole is 1-1 with a 2.61 ERA in two career starts against Philadelphia.  He'll be opposed by Jerome Williams, who is 2-2 with a 5.18 ERA and 1.606 WHIP in six starts.  Williams is 1-4 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.486 WHIP in six career starts against Pittsburgh.  Take Pittsburgh on the Run Line.

6* MLB Run Line GAME OF THE WEEK on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-108)

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers have a massive advantage on the mound today.  They'll give the ball to 2014 NL Cy Young and MVP winner, Clayton Kershaw.  The left-hander is 1-2 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.138 WHIP in 2015 over six starts.  Kershaw is 14-5 with a 3.11 ERA and 1.149 WHIP in 27 lifetime starts versus Colorado.  The Dodgers have won each of Kershaw's last 6 starts against the Rockies all by 2 runs or more with finals of 7-3, 9-0, 8-0, 6-1, 11-0, and 10-8.  He has allowed just 2 earned runs over 34 innings in his last 5 starts against the Rockies for a minuscule 0.53 ERA.  Jorge De La Rosa is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA and 2.000 WHIP through three starts this season, and 5-10 with a 5.54 ERA and 1.511 WHIP in 17 lifetime starts versus Los Angeles.  Kershaw is 20-3 (+17.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38% to 46%) since 1997, winning by an average of 3.2 runs per game.  Take Los Angeles.

7* Cavaliers/Bulls Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland -2.5

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a must-win situation tonight in Chicago.  Lebron James tends to play his best games with his back against the wall, and I look for him to lead the Cavs to victory in Game 4 tonight to avoid falling to 1-3 in this series.  The Cavs caught a break when Pau Gasol injured his hamstring in Game 3, putting his status for Game 4 in question.  Chicago is 23-43 ATS in its last 66 home games off a close win by 3 points or less.  The Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss.  Following a Game 1 loss, they responded with a 15-point victory in Game 2.  Expect more of the same today.  Take Cleveland.

7* Hawks/Wizards Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta -3.5

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks smell blood in the water.  They took advantage of John Wall being out in Game 2 and ran away with a 106-90 victory.  I believe another blowout victory is in store in Game 3 with the Wizards expected to be without Wall again.  There may not be one player more important to their team than Wall, who runs the show offensively while putting up huge assists numbers up to this point in the playoffs.  The Wizards are 4-21-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a ATS loss.  Washington is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Take Atlanta.

7* Cavs/Bulls Game 3 "Total" Annihilator on UNDER 195.5

The Key: This is the highest total set yet in this series between the Cavs and Bulls.  That's because they are coming off and OVER in Game 2 where they combined for 197 points as the Cavs put up 106 and shot 12 of 26 from 3-point range.  I look for Game 3 to be much lower scoring, and the fact that this is the highest total yet in the series signifies some line value here with the UNDER.  Chicago doesn't want to get in a track meet, and it will control the tempo playing at home this time around.  Chicago is 16-5 UNDER when playing 4 or less games in 10 days this season.  The UNDER is 21-9 in Cavs last 30 Conference Semifinals games.  The UNDER is 41-19-1 in Cavs last 61 games when playing on one days' rest.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Bulls last eight games following an ATS loss.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Bulls last seven games off a S.U. loss.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Cleveland Indians -132

The Key: The Minnesota Twins are playing well right now having won seven of their last eight games overall.  However, this recent stretch of solid play has all come at home, and it also has them overvalued here as they hit the road for the first time since April 26th.  I'll back the Indians at home, who are hungry for a win after a slow 10-17 start to the season.  I'll also back them because of starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, who is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings in 2015.  He is quickly cementing himself as a reliable starter on this staff.  Minnesota is 15-42 (-23.0 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.50 or better over the last 2 seasons.  The Twins are 4-11 in Pelfrey's last 15 road starts.  Cleveland is 11-5 in Bauer's last 16 home starts.  The Indians are 52-23 in their last 75 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.  Take Cleveland.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Baltimore Orioles +122

The Key: I'll back the Baltimore Orioles against the New York Yankees tonight at a generous price.  The Orioles will be motivated following two straight losses.  They will turn to their ace in Chris Tillman to get back on track tonight.  Tillman is coming off a great year, but he hasn't been up to par early, which has him undervalued.  He had one bad start against Toronto that has inflated his numbers, otherwise he's been solid.  Nathan Eovaldi sports a 3.81 ERA and 1.553 WHIP in five starts for the Yankees.  He simply allows too many base runners to be effective.  Eovaldi has really struggled in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, posting a 6.52 ERA and 1.656 WHIP in two starts there.  Tillman s 2-1 with a 2.10 ERA in his last five starts against New York, giving up 8 earned runs in 34 1/3 innings.  The Orioles are 24-6 in Tillman's last 30 starts following a team loss in their previous game.  Tillman is 8-0 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in road games vs. an AL team with an on base percentage .320 or worse over the last 2 seasons.  The Orioles are 21-7 in Tillman's last 28 starts during Game 1 of a series.  Take Baltimore.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Houston Rockets -6.5

The Key: The Houston Rockets know they let a golden opportunity slip away in Game 1 by not showing up with the effort they needed to beat the Clippers without Chris Paul.  The Clippers are expected to be without Paul again, so don't expect the same lackluster effort from the Rockets as they look to avoid dropping to 0-2.  The Rockets have been tremendous in this situation all season where they are coming off a bad performance and time and time again bounce back.  Houston is 12-1 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite, winning by 10.7 points per game.  Houston is 7-0 ATS off an upset by 10 points or more as a favorite, winning by 12.7 points per game.  The Rockets are also 10-1 ATS off a home loss this season.  Take this combined 29-2 system backing Houston straight to the bank tonight.  Take Houston.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on San Diego Padres +129

The Key: After getting shut out the past two days against the Giants by a combined 0-8 score, there's no question that the San Diego Padres are going to come out with an inspired effort Wednesday to avoid the sweep and to put some runs on the board.  We are getting them at an excellent price here as big road underdogs.  Ian Kennedy owns San Francisco, going 9-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 1.087 WHIP in 21 career starts against the Giants.  Chris Heston has performed well in the early going in 2015, but he's being overvalued because of it.  The Padres are 12-4 in their last 16 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.  Take San Diego.

7* NBA 2nd Round GAME OF THE YEAR on Atlanta Hawks -6

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks shot a measly 37.8% in Game 1 against the Washington Wizards and still had a chance to win in the end.  They shoot 46.3% as a team and 47.0% at home, so that was clearly a down game for them offensively.  I expect them to make those open shots tonight in a crucial Game 2.  I also expect the Wizards to suffer a letdown after taking Game 1 to gain home-court advantage in this series.  The Wizards aren't at full strength right now, either, as stud guards John Wall and Bradley Beal are both banged up.  Atlanta is 38-7 at home this season, winning by 8.1 points per game.  The Hawks are 10-0 ATS when revenging two straight losses where their opponent scored 100 points or more this season.  Take Atlanta.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Boston Red Sox -115

The Key: Off four straight losses, the Boston Red Sox clearly won't be lacking any motivation tonight when they take on the Tampa Bay Rays.  Rick Porcello got off to a rough start this season, but he's coming off his best start of 2015.  He allowed just one earned run and four base runners over 7 innings of a 4-1 home victory over the potent Toronto Blue Jays on April 29th.  Porcello is 3-3 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.049 WHIP in seven career starts against Tampa Bay.  The Rays are 10-22 in their last 32 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.  Drew Smyly is 3-10 (-9.6 Units) against the money line vs. an AL team with a team batting average of .255 or worse over the last 2 seasons.  Take Boston.