Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Bill Miller is the umpire behind the plate in this one, and that means the 'under' is certainly worth a long look. The stats that Miller has put up toward the under are quite amazing. No umpire has called a higher percentage of strikes than Miller in 2011. The under is 61-27-6 in his last 94 games behind home plate. Ian Kennedy has an ERA of less than two on the road, and the DBacks offense has been slumping a bit of late. The wind is expected to be blowing in at gametime. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Brian Runge will be the home plate umpire in this one, and that is usually good news for 'under' bettors. Runge has called more than 65% of pitches a strike this year. The under is 9-3 in his 12 games behind the plate this season. In fact, the under is 35-16-4 in his last 55 games behind home plate. Chacin is very good at home and against the Dodgers. Billingsley is facing a Rockies offense that is without their leadoff hitter in Dexter Fowler. Both lineups have been quite inconsistent this year. The under is 6-1 in Chacin's last 7 home games. The under is 6-1 in the Rockies last 7 games. The Dodgers are missing Furcal at the top of their lineup as well. I like this one to stay low scoring. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Lance Lynn will make his second start in his young MLB career. Lynn has good, but not terrific stuff. I think we'll continue to see some jitters from him in this one. JA Happ has struggled against the Cardinals this year. St. Louis was nearly no hit last night, but I think this top rated offense in the majors will bounce back in this game. The over is 20-8-1 in the Cardinals last 29 road games. The over is 11-5 in Happ's last 16 starts overall. I think this one will be a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Mike Pelfrey is an extremely inconsistent pitcher. Pelfrey has been terrible on the road in his career, and this Brewers offense is extremely good. Pelfrey has an ERA over 5 in his career away from home, and after a quiet night last night, I expect Milwaukee to hit the ball hard in this one. Randy Wolf is pitching for the Brewers, and he doesn't have dominating stuff. The over is 12-3-1 in the Mets last 16. The over is 18-6-2 in the last 26 meetings between these two in Milwaukee. Take the over in this game.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Johnathan Sanchez started the season a little slowly, but he has been solid overall this year. He has given up three earned runs or less in 9 of his last 10 starts. The Nationals hit just .210 against left-handers and I think they'll struggle against Sanchez. Jordan Zimmerman is much better than most people give him credit for. Zimmerman has six straight quality starts and four of those starts have come on the road. The Giants lineup is extremely weak right now without Posey or Sandoval. The under is 12-3 in the Giants last 15 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* I'll be the first to admit, I've had a difficult time in the NBA Finals getting a handle on the total, but I do like this play. The Dallas Mavericks bench has been tremendous all year long, but they have been absent in this series. Dallas is a team that typically shoots the ball well, and I expect guys like Terry and Barea to shoot better in front of a raucous home crowd on Tuesday night. The Heat should continue to attack the rim and get plenty of chances at the line. The oddsmakers have lowered the total by a couple points, and I think the value is on the over in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Rick Porcello has faced the Texas Rangers just one time in his career, but it didn't go well for Porcello. The Rangers bounced him after four innings and he allowed six runs. Matt Harrison is scheduled to start, but he is dealing with multiple injury issues and he won't be 100% if he does start. The temperature won't be far from 100 degrees when this game starts and I expect the ball to be traveling well as it did last night. There were six home runs last night. The over is 6-0-2 in the last 8 meetings in Texas between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star Hidden GEM Total* The Cincinnati Reds have been hitting the ball very well of late, but their bullpen is absolutely exhausted. Edinson Volquez has a history of being done after five innings or so because of his high pitch count, and that means we'll see a lot of an overworked bullpen. At the same time, the Reds will be facing Doug Davis. Davis is a soft tossing left-hander who doesn't have any overpowering pitches. The Reds are hitting .294 against left-handers this year, and Davis will be one of the worst lefties they have faced. It will be a hot day at GABP, and the ball should fly well. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* When I see a pitching matchup of Moscosco vs. Jakubauskas it is hard for me to not like the 'over'. Jakubauskas hasn't made a start this year, but he has been getting tagged out of the bullpen. He has an ERA of 6.39 and a WHIP of 1.89 this year. Moscoso wasn't very good in AAA and now they've brought him up to start in the majors, and I don't think it will work for long. The Orioles scored four runs in five innings off him a couple weeks ago, and I think they'll do at least that well here. Take the over!

*3 Star Hidden Gem Total* Colby Lewis has been pitching well of late, but that was on the road. Lewis has struggled quite a bit at the Ballpark in Arlington over his career. He has an ERA of 5.18 at his home park in his career. Detroit has a pretty good lineup with Cabrera and Martinez at the heart of the order. The Rangers have been scoring runs in bunches of late, and they have one of the best offenses in baseball. Max Scherzer is a streaky pitcher, and he has given up seven earned runs in each of his last two starts. The over is 5-0 in Scherzer's last 10 road starts. The over is 5-0 in Lewis' last 10 home starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Gio Gonzalez and Brian Matusz are two very good young left-handed pitchers. The Orioles have a decent lineup, but they average less than 3.5 runs per game against lefties so far this year. The Athletics have one of the weaker lineups in baseball. The books have never really caught up with how good Matusz is. The under is 20-8 in his last 28 starts overall. He looked great in his first start of the year last week and I expect him to fare well again. The under is also 9-4-1 in Gonzalez's last 14 road starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Josh Tomlin has been an underrated pitcher this year. Tomlin has had two subpar starts in a row prior to this game, but those were both on the road. For the year, Tomlin has an ERA of just 3.27. The Twins lineup is extremely weak right now with Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, Thome and others out with injuries. Cleveland's offense is slumping badly right now. Scott Baker is a pretty good pitcher and he has a solid record against the Tribe in the past. I think this number is too high. Take the under here.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* Game Two finished at 188 points, but I think Game Three will be a little higher scoring. Dallas is making a concerted effort to push the pace at every opportunity. If Miami gets their defense set, Dallas can't score effectively at all, but Dallas has been succesful in transition. Miami went away from their offense at the end of Game Two by shooting three after three, but I don't think they'll do that in this one. Expect a lot of free throws in this game as both teams try to take it to the rim early and often. I like both offenses to perform well in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals TKO* Sam Holbrook is the umpire behind the plate in this one. Holbrook is probably the best 'over' umpire in all of baseball right now. The over is 10-1 in his 11 games behind the plate so far this year. He calls only 61% of pitches a strike, which is two or three percent lower than many other umpires. Jordan Lyles is a good young pitcher, but he is bound to struggle at some point and Holbrook will squeeze the zone. Latos has been decent this year, but he has been far from dominating. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Washington Nationals have a very weak lineup and Ian Kennedy has proven he can be lights out this year. Kennedy has a 6-2 record and a 3.16 ERA this year. He also has a very impressive WHIP of 1.08. Jason Marquis has pitched well most of this year as well. Chase Field's roof will be closed Sunday and that should help Marquis keep his sinker ball in the park a little better. This is the type of total I would expect with the roof open, but with it closed it seems too high. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* Doug Eddings is the umpire behind the dish in this one and he is one of the best in the business for an 'under' bettor. Eddings has a wide strike zone and he likes to ring up the batter. Ricky Romero is one of the best young pitchers in the league and he has an ERA of just 1.7 in his last three starts. The Orioles have been terrible against lefties all year and I think Romero will be very hard on them. Jake Arrieta has been bad of late, but a lot of that has been due to walks. I think Eddings will give him the corners here and he'll fare well. The under is 23-7-1 in Eddings last 31 Saturday games behind the plate. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Fausto Carmona is an extremely streaky pitcher. He is either on or he isn't, and of late he has not been on his game. Carmona has an ERA of 10.06 over his last three starts. Carmona can't be happy to see the heavy-hitting Texas lineup on Saturday, and his career ERA against them is 5.55. Derek Holland hasn't been very good this year, and Cleveland has hit the ball extremely well at home this year. The over is 7-1 in the Rangers last 8. The over is 16-5 in the Indians last 21 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals TKO* Chase Field is expected to have the roof open tonight, and that generally means there will be a bunch of runs scored. This becomes the best hitters park in all of baseball with the roof open. Jordan Zimmerman is a pretty good pitcher, but this Diamondbacks lineup with Upton, Young, Johnson, etc. should be able to get to him. Zach Duke is not a very good starter and he gives up a lot of fly balls. Even though Washington isn't a good offensive team, I expect them to score some runs tonight. I like the over in this game.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Miami Heat have decided that the best way for them to win is to lock it down on defense with their amazing athleticism, and it is working very well. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade contest shots extremely well and the Heat have been keeping the pace under control offensively. Game One saw overall shooting percentages that were very low, but the teams did combine to make 20 three-pointers. I doubt 20 shots will be made from beyond the arc in Game Two. Dirk Nowitzki is liable to be slowed a bit by his left finger injury, and I'm not sure the Mavericks have anyone else who can dominate offensively. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* I realize Anthony Swarzak nearly pitched a no-hitter in his last outing, but the stats tell me it is unlikely he'll follow that up with a good outing. In his career Swarzak has an ERA of 5.72. Sean O'Sullivan has been dreadful of late, and this Minnesota lineup has been better in the last couple weeks. O'Sullivan has an astonishingly bad ERA of 13.80 in his last three starts. The wind in this one is expected to be blowing out at about 15 mph. The warm temperature at gametime should help as well. The over is 24-7 in the last 31 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Texas Rangers have one of the best lineups in baseball right now. With Andrus, Young, Hamilton, Cruz, and others this is a team that can pile up the runs. Carlos Carrasco is generally hittable and I think this Texas team can get to him. David Bush starts for Texas. He has never proven to be a particularly capable starter in the last few years. The Indians are absolutely pounding the baseball of late. The over is 12-4 in the Indians last 16 at home. The over is 4-0 in Carrasco's last 4 home starts. The over is 5-1 in Texas' last 6 games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Paul Maholm is pitching very well this year. The under is 9-1-1 in his last 11 games overall. The Mets don't hit left-handers well, and without Wright and Davis this lineup is short-handed. Mike Pelfrey has been inconsistent overall, but he has been very good at home. Pelfrey has allowed just five earned runs in his last four starts at home. On the year he has an ERA at home of just 2.08. The Pirates lineup is not daunting, and I think he'll quiet them nicely in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Ubaldo Jimenez continues to struggle in 2011. Jimenez is wild both inside and outside the strike zone this year. The Dodgers are slowly getting healthy and their lineup is certainly more formidable now with Furcal and Blake back. Jon Garland is an average pitcher, but many of the Rockies hitters have great stats against him. Carlos Gonzalez has 11 hits in 18 at bats against Garland. The over is 11-3-1 in Jimenez's last 15 starts against the Dodgers. Angel Campos is a very solid over umpire. The over is 19-9-1 in his last 29 games behind the plate. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Felipe Paulino will make his first start of the year for the Royals. Tyler Chatwood will start for the Angels. Neither pitcher has proven to be able to put up strong starts on a consistent basis in their past. Chatwood struggles with his control and Paulino gives up the big inning too often. The wind is expected to be blowing out at about 10 mph in this one. Kansas City is red hot offensively right now. The Royals have scored 6,7, and 7 runs in their last three games. Both pitchers are capable of giving up a lot of runs, and I think the value is on the over.

*5 Star TOP PLAY DOMINATOR* The Seattle Mariners are two games above .500 despite having one of the weakest lineups in baseball. Safeco Field is a pitcher's dream, and the two pitchers going on Wednesday afternoon are both great young pitchers. Michael Pineda has been amazing of late, and he is at his best at home. Brian Matusz is making his first start of the year in the majors, but he has been tremendous in his rehab starts. In three rehab starts he had an ERA of 1.20. Bill Miller is the home plate umpire here, and he is a huge 'under' umpire. The under is an amazing 60-26-6 in his last 92 games behind the plate. Take the under big in this one!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The White Sox have heated up in a big way of late. They held off Boston last night in a high-scoring affair, and I think we are in for another high scoring game on Wednesday. Tim Wakefield has a 4.92 career ERA against the White Sox. The Red Sox offense is firing on all cylinders right now, and they are a threat to score six or more runs every time out. Tim Tschida is the umpire in this one, which is a big boost for 'over' bettors. The over is 3-0-1 in his last 4 behind home plate. It is also 4-1 in last 5 behind the dish when Wakefield is starting, which shows he can be tough on the knuckle ball pitcher. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Erik Bedard was getting hit around in his first few starts of the season, but he has been terrific of late. Bedard has allowed just 4 runs in his last five starts. Seattle has been winning with solid defense and very good pitching. The Orioles can't hit left-handed pitching well at all. Baltimore averages just 3.33 runs per nine innings against lefties. Jeremy Guthrie is a solid pitcher and this Seattle offense is nothing special. The under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star Game One Bookie BEATDOWN* The Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks will kick off their best of seven game series Tuesday night in Miami. The Heat showed how effective they can be defensively against Chicago, but I think this series will be a little different. Dirk Nowitzki should be able to get his points for Dallas, because I don't see anyone for Miami that is capable of guarding him very well at all. Both teams get to the line very often, and I think free throws will come early and often in this one. All four of their regular season matchups went over this total. I think this one goes over. Take the over in Game One!

*3 Star MLB Best Bet* Both Joe Saunders and Chris Volstad are fly ball pitchers and that isn't a good thing for them at Chase Field with the roof open. Chase Field is the best hitters park in the majors when the roof is open. The roof is expected to be open Monday night. The Diamondbacks are playing very good baseball right now, and they have several people who can hit the ball out of the ballpark. The Marlins are a scrappy bunch who seem to manufacture runs and come up with clutch hits. I think both pitchers will struggle here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Kansas City Royals are one of the better hitting teams in the league. The Royals have quite a few solid professional hitters who make it tough on the opposing pitcher. Ervin Santana has a career road ERA of 4.97. Luke Hochevar has been terrible in the past against Los Angeles. He has an ERA of 8.27 against them. The wind is expected to be blowing out to center at nearly 25 miles per hour in this one. With a total set so low, I really like the value on the over in this game!

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Kyle Lohse has been pitching very well this year, but he typically isn't nearly as strong on the road. Coors Field is far from a pitchers ballpark, and Lohse has struggled mightily here in the past. Lohse is 0-3 with a 7.80 ERA in his three starts at Coors Field. Chacin is on the hill for Colorado and he is solid, but St. Louis has the best batting average in the majors. Chacin has been much better on the road than at home in his short career, and I expect St. Louis to be able to put some runs on the board. The wind is expected to be blowing out as well. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals TKO* Yovani Gallardo is a streaky pitcher, but when he is pitching well, he can be extremely dominant. In his last four starts he has allowed a total of five earned runs. The Giants lineup is very weak right now without Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval. I expect Gallardo to pitch very well. At the same time, Matt Cain is a very solid pitcher. I don't think Milwaukee will be able to put up too many since Cain has several overpowering pitches. The under is 20-9-1 in the Giants last 30. The under is 5-0 in Gallardo's last 5 starts against the Giants. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* This play is more about the two offenses than the pitching matchup. Maya struggled much of last year, but the Padres haven't scored more than three runs in their last 12 games. The Nationals aren't much better offensively. In fact, these are the 29th and 30th ranked offenses in baseball. Dustin Mosely has been underrated this year and as long as he keeps the ball down in the zone I expect him to have success against the Nationals. The under is 5-0 in San Diego's last 5. The under is 4-1 in Washington's last 5 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Kansas City Royals are a pretty good offensive team, especially against left-handed pitchers. Kansas City hits .268 against lefties and they score 5.14 runs per game against them. Matt Harrison has been pretty good this year for Texas, but he doesn't have a good track record at home, where the long ball has been a problem for him. Sean O'Sullivan has an ERA above nine in his last three starts, and the Rangers lineup is extremely tough now that they are healthy again. I expect both starters to get hit pretty hard in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Cole Hamels is a terrific pitcher, but he hasn't been very good against the Mets in his career. He is just 2-9 with a 4.35 ERA against New York in his career. Mike Pelfrey has an ERA above 5 this year, and while he has been solid at home, he is very inconsistent and the Phillies offense is improving. Scott Barry is the umpire in this one, and the over is 8-1-1 in his last 10 games behind the plate. The wind is expected to be blowing out at about 10 mph in this one. I think the total is set too low here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Jered Weaver has been great this year, but his production hasn't been quite as good the last few games. The Twins are starting to get healthy offensively, and they have been putting up some runs of late. At the same time, the Minnesota bullpen has proven to be among the worst in all of baseball this year. Jim Reynolds is a terrific 'over' umpire. The over is 108-82 in his last 190 games behind the plate, so that is a long-term trend worth backing. I like the value on the over in this matchup.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* David Price has owned the Cleveland Indians in the past. In fact, Price has an ERA of just 2.59 in four starts against Cleveland. Tampa Bay has struggled to hit the ball consistently, especially at home. Joel Tomlin is much better than the books give him credit for. How good has Tomlin been? He has a quality start in every single start this year. I expect this to be a pitcher's duel in Tampa Bay tonight. This is a good case of two solid pitchers with a good defense behind them. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Boston Red Sox have scored 14 runs in back-to-back games. Normally, I might say it is time for the team to cool off, but this Boston offense has been underachieving all year and now they are busting out in a big way. Rick Porcello has been very good of late, but he hasn't faced competition that is even close to the level of the Red Sox lineup. Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez are red hot right now, which is key for Boston. Detroit has a solid lineup as well, and Tim Wakefield is unlikely to shut them down. The wind is expected to be blowing out in this one. I like the over.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Oklahoma City Thunder absolutely collapsed at the end of Game Four and Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks took full advantage. Dirk was absolutely amazing and the Mavericks took a commanding 3-1 lead. I think Dallas will likely win this game, but I think Rick Carlisle is going to make sure his team remembers that they need to do it with defense. When Dallas won Game Three in Oklahoma City it was because of their terrific defense. Remember, when Dallas finished off the Lakers they played some terrific defense in Game Four. The line has moved up enough to where I believe the value lies on the under. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Ted Lilly has been pretty solid this year, but there are some alarming stats in this one for him. His road ERA in his career is 4.51. Jeff Nelson is the umpire in this one, and Lilly hasn't fared well at all with Nelson behind the dish. Lilly has a 7.71 ERA in 6 starts with him behind the plate. Aneury Rodriguez is a young pitcher for the Astros who simply doesn't get deep into games, which is a bad thing for the team when the Astros have what is probably the worst bullpen in baseball. I think we'll see a lot of both bullpens and I like the over here.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* I continue to believe Matt Cain is a better pitcher than the oddsmakers give him credit for. In Cain's career he has a 2.98 ERA against the Florida Marlins. Ricky Nolasco is one of those rare pitchers that is actually better on the road than at home. Nolasco has an impressive 1.91 ERA against the Giants in 28 innings in his career. Neither of these teams have a particularly strong offense, and this is a big ballpark that is tough to score runs in. The under is 7-1 in the Giants last 8 home games. I look for a pitcher's duel here. Take the under.

*3 Star Bulls/Heat Total DOMINATION* The Chicago Bulls must push the pace in this game if they want to have a chance to win. The Heat are too good in the halfcourt defensive sets for the Bulls to consistently score. When a team has a guy like Derrick Rose who is as fast with the basketball as you'll ever see, they should be able to push the ball effectively. At the same time, Miami likes to get out in transition with LeBron and Wade when possible as well. Chris Bosh is having a big series because Carlos Boozer isn't very good defensively. I think the oddsmakers have this one set too low. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Livan Hernandez has been underrated constantly for the last two years by oddsmakers. The under is 18-6-2 in his last 26 road starts overall. The Washington Nationals offense is absolutely terrible, especially against lefties. The Nationals are hitting a miserable .197 as a team against lefties. Chris Narveson is having a breakout year for the Brewers and the under is 7-2 in his last 9 starts. Lance Barksdale is behind the plate here and he is calling 65.5% of pitches a strike this year, which is a great sign for under bettors. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Ballpark in Arlington is notorious for a wind tunnel that pushes the ball out to center and left field in certain weather conditiions. It looks as if tomorrow the weather will provide that wind tunnel effect. Jake Peavy was great in his last start, but the Rangers offense is one of the best in the league when healthy and they are now healthy. Derek Holland starts for the Rangers and he has a career ERA over 5.5 at home. Tim McClelland may be the best 'over' umpire in the business right now because of his tiny strike zone. Take the over in this one!

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Chicago White Sox started the year out terribly on offense, but the lineup has finally got going of late. Chicago has scored 8 runs or more in three of their last four games. The Texas Rangers are expected to get Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz both back in the lineup on Monday, and that should make a huge difference for them. The Rangers have crushed lefties all year and I'll think they'll get to Danks in this one. The wind tunnel at Arlington should be pushing the ball out in this game. I think this is a good value on the over. Take over 8.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Total TKO* The New York Yankees offense appears to finally be waking up. The Yankees have scored 40 runs in their last six games. Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner, and Derek Jeter have all been swinging a hot bat of late. Bartolo Colon has been pretty good this year, but he is certainly capable of giving up the long ball. Toronto's offense, anchored by Jose Bautista, is no slouch. Carlos Villaneuva is pitching for the Blue Jays and he hasn't started a game since 2009. I don't expect him to last long here. I think this will be a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star Bulls/Heat Total Domination* The Bulls and Heat were both ineffective offensively in Game Three. I expect both defenses to play hard once again, but I think the offenses will convert enough to get over this low total. Last game the teams combined to go 6 for 33 from beyond the arc. There were just 34 made free throws last game, and I think that number will rise in Game Three as well. Derrick Rose is likely to have a bounce back game here, and I expect the Bulls to get second chance opportunities frequently. Dwyane Wade should get to the rim plenty here as well. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Gio Gonzalez and Johnathan Sanchez are two very talented left-handed starters. The Giants and Athletics both have a very weak offense. Gonzalez has the ability to shut down just about any team he faces, and the Giants just aren't good offensively right now. Sanchez has looked much better in his last couple starts, and I think he can tame the A's offense. The under is 9-3-1 in Gonzalez's last 13 road starts. The under is 7-0 in the Giants last 7 home games. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Ubaldo Jimenez has not looked like himself this year. He was shaky in his last start against the Giants, and the Brewers have a much stronger lineup. I expect Braun, Weeks, Fielder, Hart, etc. to get to Ubaldo in this one. Randy Wolf pitched well earlier this year, but his form has been poor of late. He has an 8.56 ERA in his last three starts overall. The Rockies lineup hasn't been hitting that well of late, but I think they'll burst out of their slump against a soft-throwing lefty like Wolf. Take the over big here.

*3 Star Under the Radar Total* Hiroki Kuroda is a very underrated pitcher at this stage in his career. Kuroda has an ERA of just 2.80 on the year, but the books continue to think of him as a mediocre starter based on their lines. Edwin Jackson is a bit inconsistent, but I think he'll have the upper hand against a short-handed Los Angeles Dodgers offense. The Dodgers gave up on Jackson a few years ago, and I think he'll be motivated to shut them down here. The under is 13-6 in the Dodgers last 19 games overall. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Value Play* Jaime Garcia is a terrific left-handed pitcher, but the Royals have a made a living off hitting lefties well this year. The Royals were shutout yesterday and I think they'll bounce back on Sunday. Sean O'Sullivan pitches for Kansas City, and he has been getting hit hard of late. The Cardinals won't have Berkman, but Pujols and Holliday in the middle of the order is very tough. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 15 mph during this one. Angel Campos is the umpire here, and he has one of the smallest strike zones in the majors. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Minnesota Twins offense has started to put it together as they slowly get healthy. Delmon Young is back in the lineup and Justin Morneau is hitting the ball well right now. Micah Owings is starting for Arizona, and I just don't think he is a good fit here. Owings gives up a lot of fly balls and Chase Field is a hitter's paradise when the roof is open (as I expect it will be Saturday). Scott Baker has been solid on the road this year, but this Arizona team can hit the ball well, and I think both teams will put up several runs Saturday. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* I rarely play an 'over' with Seattle or San Diego, but I feel this number is just set too low. Clayton Richard hasn't been in good form at all of late. Richard has an ERA of 7.17 in his last three starts. Pineda is very good, but he hasn't been as good on the road as he has been at home. The over is 8-3 in Richard's last 11 starts. The Padres offense has shown some signs of life in the last couple weeks, and the Mariners hit left-handers much better than right-handers. I like the value on the over in this one.

*3 Star Mavs/Thunder Total Domination* The Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder have had two very high scoring games in Game One and Game Two, which has given us a nice value on the under in this one. The shooting percentages have been extremely high in the first two games, and I think they are bound to come down. OKC shot 56% in Game Two, and Dallas shot 53% in Game One. Both games have seen a lot of free-throws as well. Rick Carlisle is preaching that Dallas must improve defensively in Game Three and I think we'll see a renewed effort on the defensive end here. I like the value on the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Homer Bailey has looked good in his starts so far this year. He had an ERA under one in his AAA rehab starts, and he has an ERA under 2 in his starts in the majors. Bailey is throwing strikes much more frequently than he has in the past. Everyone keeps waiting for Josh Tomlin to have a bad game, but he just continues to hit his spot and nibble at the corners. Tomlin has a 2.56 ERA for the year. Bill Miller is the home plate umpire in this game, and he is my single favorite 'under' umpire in the majors. Miller has a huge strike zone and I think both of these pitchers will benefit. Take the under here.

*3 Star Hidden GEM Total* Lance Barksdale is behind the dish here and he is a terrific 'under' umpire. He calls more than 64% of pitches a strike in the last year, which is much higher than the league average. Phillip Humber continues to be underrated and he should be able to work the corners against a poor Dodgers offense. Ted Lilly has fared well in the past with Barksdale and this White Sox team is hitting just .225 this year against lefties. The wind is blowing in from left field slightly here, so that should help as well. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star Yankees/Mets BEST Bet Winner* The Mets and Yankees will square off tonight in the Bronx. The Yankees offense burst out in a big way last night with 13 runs against Baltimore. New York has what may be the best lineup in all of baseball, and I think they'll finish the year near the top in runs scored. R.A. Dickey had a nice year in 2010, but he has regressed a lot this year. In two of his last three starts he has allowed six earned runs. Dickey has an ERA of 5.08 on the year. Garcia has been fairly good, but I don't think he'll pitch a shutout here against a Mets team with Beltran, Reyes, and Bay. The over is 5-1 in the Yankees last 6 interleague games. The over is 6-2 in Dickey's last 8 starts. This my BEST Bet play of the day. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals Terrorizer* Jason Marquis has been keeping the ball down this year and getting a lot of ground balls. Jake Arrieta has come along very nicely in his second year in the majors. Arrieta has a 4.03 ERA and Marquis a 3.54 ERA this year. I think both pitchers are underrated right now. The Orioles will miss Derrek Lee in this one, as he is the only Oriole with good career numbers against Marquis. The Nationals haven't scored a run in 21 innings! They'll likely score here, but I don't think they'll score much. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Aneury Rodriguez is not the type of pitcher that can pitch deep into a game. The Houston Astros have the worst bullpen in all of baseball. Rodriguez has gone no more than five innings in each of his starts this year, which spells trouble for the Astros. The Blue Jays are hitting the ball really well right now. JoJo Reyes doesn't have shutdown stuff, and the Astros should be able to put up a few runs against Reyes. Jose Bautista is a one-man wrecking crew right now, and the rest of the lineup for Toronto isn't bad either. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* The Chicago Cubs have the second best team batting average in baseball. They have struggled to hit in clutch situations, but Chris Volstad doesn't have overpowering stuff. On the other hand, the Cubs defense is dreadful, which means the other team often gets easy runs. Casey Coleman is on the hill for the Cubs, and he has a 7.22 ERA this year. The over is 7-1 in the Cubs last 8 games. The over is 8-3 in Volstad's last 11 home games. I think both teams will get quite a few hits in this one, and I think 11 or 12 runs is fairly likely. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Brian Runge is the home plate umpire in this one and you won't find many better 'under' umpires than than him. The under is 53-31 in his last 84 games behind the plate, and this year he has called nearly 65% of pitches a strike, which is the highest of any umpire in the majors. Nick Blackburn and Tyson Ross are both pitching extremely well of late, and neither team has a strong lineup at all right now. The under is 9-4 in Blackburn's last 13. The under is 5-1 in Ross' last 6 starts. The under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros on Wednesday night, but it was a costly win. Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday were both injured in the win. Neither of them are expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday afternoon. Colby Rasmus will miss this one as well. The Cardinals offense will be severely short-handed. Houston's offense is one one of the worst in the majors, and Kyle McClellan has been very good at home. On a get away day in the afternoon I think this will be a pitcher's duel. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Chase Field becomes a hitter's paradise with the roof open. This proved to be very true last night as the baseball was carrying extremely well in a 8-4 San Diego win. The Padres bats are scorching hot right now, and I expect them to score a few runs again. The Diamondbacks are solid offensively and Tim Stauffer will likely have trouble with the conditions here. The over is 12-3-3 in the Padres last 18. The books haven't caught up with the Padres hot bats of late, and the open roof makes this one a solid value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The New York Yankees have dropped six games in a row. The Tampa Bay Rays are in the lead in the AL East. Tampa Bay's offense is much improved with Evan Longoria in the middle of the order. BJ Upton is swinging a hot bat right now as well, which makes a big difference for the Rays. James Shields has been good this year, but his history against New York isn't good at all. In his career he has a 4.91 ERA against the Yankees. Ivan Nova is inconsistent and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Rays score several early against him. I think 8.5 is too low here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Ubaldo Jimenez was one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball last year. He hasn't been the same pitcher so far in 2011. He has just one quality start this year and his ERA is 6.67. Jonathan Sanchez has been struggling mightily with his control this year, and I think that will hurt him quite a bit at Coors Field. I think the books are lining this game more like it was last year. These pitchers are both struggling now, and this is definitely a hitter's ballpark. The wind will be blowing out in this one. The over is 6-0 in Jimenez's last 6 starts. The over is 3-0-1 in Sanchez's last 4 starts in Colorado. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Chase Field becomes a massive hitters ballpark when the roof is open, and I would expect it to be open on Monday night. The San Diego Padres were terribly offensively until the last four games, when they have stunningly starting hitting the cover off the ball. San Diego has scored 13, 7, 9, and 8 runs in their last four games. Armando Galarraga has given up six home runs in just 18 innings at Chase Field this year. The ball should be flying out again Monday night. Clayton Richard is a solid pitcher at home, but he struggles on the road because he allows a lot of home runs. The over is 7-1-3 in the Padres last 11. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star Under the Radar Total* Trevor Cahill continues to fly under the radar despite being one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. People talk more about Gio Gonzalez and Brett Anderson, but Cahill is the real ace of this staff. Cahill has allowed more than one run in a game only once this year, and that was on the road. At home his ERA is 1.03. The under is 17-5-1 in Cahill's last 23 home starts. The White Sox offense will likely struggle with this pitcher who keeps the ball down in the zone. Mark Buerhle hasn't fared well against Oakland, but it has usually been to due to a lack of run support. The under is 7-1-1 in his last 9 starts against Oakland. I like the under in this one today.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Both of these have terrible bullpens, and I don't either of the starting pitchers will make it very deep into this game. Aneury Rodriguez has been pulled after about 80 pitches in both of his first two starts. Chris Capuano was solid in his first start against Houston, but I think the Astros will get to him in this start. Capuano simply doesn't have overpowering stuff at this point. I think both pitchers are capable of giving up big innings here, and the bullpens will contribute to the total. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* The Tampa Bay Rays were held to four hits and no runs by Brad Bergesen on Saturday. With a healthy Evan Longoria in the middle of the lineup, the Rays don't have a bad offense. I think they'll bounce back against Jake Arrieta in this one. Andy Sonnanstine is pitching for the Rays, and he has never proven to be a very effective starter. The over is 4-0 in Sonnanstine's last 4 starts against Baltimore. Derryl Cousins is a nice 'over' umpire as well. The over is 9-3-2 in his last 14 games behind the dish. Expect a higher scoring affair here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* It's Roy Halladay vs. Tim Hudson is this amazing pitching matchup. I will come right out and say I generally hate to play an 'under' on a total set at 6.5. In this case I believe it is a solid value. Roy Halladay has amazing numbers just about everywhere, and he is the best pitcher in the game, but his numbers against Atlanta are amazing. In 16 innings at Turner Field he hasn't allowed a run. In 35 and 2/3 against the Braves overall he has allowed a total of five earned runs. Tim Hudson is a better pitcher during the daytime, and he has been great at home. Shane Victorino and Jason Heyward are both expected to miss this game, which is big for this bet as well. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Doug Eddings is one of the best 'under' umpires in baseball. Eddings has a very wide strike zone and he has been a solid umpire for several years. Anibal Sanchez has been pitching brilliantly of late, and he has dominated the Nationals in the past couple years. Livan Hernandez has been solid the past couple years because of his ability to keep the ball down in the zone. How about a couple big trends? The under is 27-12-2 in Sanchez's last 41 road starts. The under is 17-5-1 in Hernandez's last 23 home starts. Take the under here.

*3 Star NBA Play of the Day* I find that the later in the series you get, the lower scoring the games become. The tempo of the game slows down as both teams realize just how important every possession is. The Memphis Grizzlies have done a very good job defending Kevin Durant in this series, especially in their own building. Memphis will want to keep the pace fairly slow. Oklahoma City is better defensively than most people realize with Perkins, Ibaka, and Collison down low. I think this one has a solid chance at staying well under the number. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* Jeremy Guthrie has typically been tremendous against Tampa Bay. In his start against the Rays last weekend he was terrible, but I don't think that will happen twice in a row. The under is 6-2 in Guthrie's last 8 starts against Tampa, including 4-0 in his last 4 at Tampa Bay. Jeremy Hellickson is a very good young pitcher, and he typically pitches much better at home. The under is 4-0 in his last 4 home starts. The under is 37-13-1 in the Rays last 51 home games. I think this one stays low scoring. Take the under.

*3 Star Red Sox/Yankees Total DOMINATION* Both offenses have been struggling of late, so we actually get a bit of a bargain on the over in this case. Clay Buchholz has been terrible against the Yankees in the past. In his career he has started six games against them and his ERA is 6.26. Bartolo Colon has an ERA of just over 4 against the Red Sox. Colon was shelled in his last start, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the start of a slump for him. Both of these teams are stacked offensively. The trend has been strongly toward the over in recent meetings. The over is 18-7-2 in their last 27 meetings. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Matt Cain and Daniel Hudson are both very good pitchers and neither of these offenses is particularly strong. Bill Miller is a great umpire to have behind the plate if you are looking for an under. The under is 57-26-6 in Miller's last 89 games behind home plate! The under is 10-2 in Hudson's last 12 starts as oddsmakers continue to underestimate him as a pitcher. The under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two. The under is 8-2-1 in Arizona's last 11. The under is 4-0 in the Giants last 4. I really like the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* B.J. Upton has been hitting the ball well of late, but he will start serving a two-game suspension in this one. Grady Sizemore may well miss his second straight game with a minor knee injury. Justin Masterson has been one of the best pitchers in the majors this year. Masterson has been brilliant in day games in his career. In 40 games pitched during the day he has a 2.99 ERA. James Shields has an ERA of under one in his last three games, and he has also been terrific in day games in his career. The high humidity in Cleveland won't help the ball travel very much on Thursday afternoon. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Johnathan Sanchez has been struggling in a big way of late to find the strike zone, but I think he gets the perfect umpire here to help his cause. Phil Cuzzi has one of the biggest strike zones of any umpire, and he'll likely give Sanchez the corners. Galarraga is another pitcher who struggles with walks and he should benefit from having Cuzzi behind the plate. The under is 15-6-5 in Cuzzi's last 26 games behind the plate. The under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Play of the Day* The Memphis Grizzlies appear to have found a way to slow down the Oklahoma City offense. Tony Allen is doing a great job denying the basketball from Kevin Durant, which forces Russell Westbrook to have to do much more offensively. On the other end, Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka give the Thunder a couple very good defensive big men. Nick Collison also does a very good job against Zach Randolph. With the series tied at 2, I think the pace of this game will be slowed down a bit as everyone understands there is a whole lot at stake. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Boston Red Sox appear to be finally putting it together on offense. This team is simply too good to be struggling at the plate all year long. On the other hand, John Lackey has been bad this year, and he struggled mightily against Toronto last year as well. Litsch isn't an overpowering pitcher and Boston should be able to get to him. Lackey will likely give up some long balls against a Toronto team that has some power hitters. The over is 4-0 in Lackey's last 4 starts against Toronto. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* John Hirschbeck is one of the best 'under' umpires in the business. Hirschbeck consistently has a very wide strike zone, and I think both pitchers will benefit nicely in this one. Stauffer has been solid all year and Wolf is a pitcher who relies on getting the corners. Both teams exploded for 8 and 6 runs last night, but neither of these offenses have been very good at all this year. San Diego has the worst offense in the league. I think on a get away day with some players resting this total is set too high. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The San Diego Padres have an absolutely terrible offense. They rank last in all of baseball in runs per game at just 3.09. The team is also last in batting average at .216. The Milwaukee Brewers have struggled hitting lefties this year. Milwaukee averages just 2.4 runs per game against left-handed starters. Clayton Richard is a solid lefty, and Shawn Marcum is one of the most underrated starters in baseball. Both offenses have been struggling and I think these two pitchers will both pitch well tonight. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Trevor Cahill is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball.Cahill has a great sinker and he keeps the ball down well. The Rangers are missing Hamilton and Nelson Cruz, and Cahill has pitched extremely well against Texas in the past. A couple of weeks ago Cahill blanked the Rangers over seven innings. C.J. Wilson is turning into a legitimate ace, and I don't like this Oakland offense much at all. Expect both starting pitchers to put forth a solid effort here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Javier Vazquez just hasn't had his "A Game" at all this year. Vazquez has an ERA of 6.39 for the year. The Phillies may be without Utley, but they still have Rollins, Victorino, Howard, Polanco, Ibanez, and plenty of pop in the lineup. Joe Blanton is pitching for the Phillies. Blanton has a 5.92 ERA this year overall, and he is nursing a minor elbow injury as well. The over is 21-7 in Blanton's last 28 starts. The over is also 7-2-2 in the Marlins last 11 games overall. I expect a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* I was very surprised to see this number come out at 7.5. Dan Haren is one of baseball's best pitchers, especially in the first half of the year. Fausto Carmona has been a little inconsistent, but he has pitched well against the Angels in the past. Paul Nauert is the umpire here, and he is a solid under umpire. How about some impressive trends? The under is 9-1-1 in Haren's last 11 home starts. The under is 9-1-1 in the last 11 meetings between these two in LA. The under is 4-0 in Carmona's last 4 against the Angels. This is my play of the day. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Livan Hernandez has quietly been a very solid pitcher the last couple years. He has been an 'under' bettors best friend. The under is 34-15-2 in his last 51 starts overall. The under is 15-5-1 in his last 21 road starts. Anibal Sanchez has been in great form of late as well. The under is 5-1 in his last 6 home starts. The under is 5-1 in Hernandez's last 6 against the Marlins. The under is 5-1 in Sanchez's last 6 against the Nationals. I like the under a lot in this one!

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* The under is 9-1-3 in the Yankees last 13 games, and I actually think that is why we are getting this line at 10 instead of 11. Derek Holland has a 8.10 ERA in his four games against the Yankees. Bartolo Colon has pitched well so far this year, but the Texas heat and this ballpark should be tough on him. This park is notorius for a wind tunnel that pushes the ball out toward center with a south wind, and that is what is expected on Saturday night. Both pitchers are very capable of giving up the long ball, and I think the over is the way to go here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Oakland Athletics have one of the weakest offenses in all of baseball. Oakland does have a very good pitching staff though. Brandon McCarthy is largely flying under the radar, but he has been very good this year. Luke Hochevar hasn't been good so far this year, but history tells us he is generally solid at home. Bill Miller is the home plate umpire in this one, and he is a huge under umpire. Miller has a large strike zone and both of these pitchers should use that to their advantage. I expect a low scoring affair here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Jeremy Hellickson is one of the best young pitchers in the game right now in my opinion. He has good command and high quality stuff. The Rays are a great 'under' team, partially because they play terrific defense. Tampa Bay has committed the least errors in baseball. Jeremy Guthrie is on the mound for Baltimore, and he has been solid all year. Guthrie has a great track record against the Rays. The under is 6-1 in his last 7 starts against the Rays. The under is 5-2 in his last 7 starts. The under is 20-7-1 the last 28 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The Boston Red Sox continue to struggle, but I do believe their bats will wake up very soon. Boston is hitting left-handers better than righties so far this year, and I think Brian Duensing is the type of guy that Boston can hit. Clay Buchholz doesn't pitch well during the day (4.68 ERA in his career) and he hasn't fared well against the Twins (6.57 ERA). The over is 4-0 in Buchholz's last 4 games at home. I think the Red Sox are due for a breakout game, and the Twins offense is playing with some confidence in the last three contests. Paul Schrieber is behind the dish, and he has a very small strike zone. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals Terrorizer* James Shields has been pitching as well as anyone in baseball over the last few games. Britton is a tremendous young lefty for the Orioles. Both teams have proven to be nice 'under' teams thus far this year. The under is 38-15-1 in the Rays last 54. The under is 5-1 in Shields' last 6 starts against the Orioles. The under is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings between these two. Mark Carlson is an under umpire behind the dish as well. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Brandon Beachy is a very good young pitcher for the Braves, and he has pitched well in three straight games. The Brewers offense has been scuffling a bit of late. Marcum is pitching for the Brewers, and I think he is one of the most underrates pitchers in baseball today. Marcum has allowed 0 earned runs in three of his last four starts. Marcum allowed just one run earlier this year against the Braves. I think this one has the makings of a 3-2 type game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* A.J. Burnett has an ERA of over 9 in his starts at Comerica. The Tigers offense got a much needed boost when Victor Martinez returned to the lineup on Wednesday night. The Yankees were shutout by Scherzer on Wednesday, but they should have much better luck against Rick Porcello. The Yankees have hit Porcello hard in the past. The over is 6-2-1 in Burnett's last 9 starts. The over is 6-1 in Porcello's last 7 home starts. The over is 6-1-1 in the last 8 meetings. Tschida is behind the dish here, and he is a solid over umpire. I like the over in this Thursday afternoon game.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Homer Bailey will make his first start of the season on Thursday afternoon. In his three rehab starts he was tremendous. Bailey had an ERA of 0.54 in his three starts in AAA. Brett Myers has historically pithched well on the road and he has pitched well against the Reds as well. In his last two starts against the Reds he has allowed a total of two runs. Tom Hallion is behind the dish here and I consider him a bit of an under umpire. The cool temperatures in Cincinnati should keep the ball from flying out of GABP too often. I like the under.

*3 Star NBA Late Night Bailout* The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers have a history of playing high scoring games when they get together. The last seven times these teams have played the total has gone over this posted total of 186.5 points. A 7-0 winning angle is nothing to sneeze at, and if you look at stats from Game One, it looks like a very solid play. The first game saw 190 points scored. There were only 31 free throws in that game, and the Lakers wer just 5 of 19 from three-point range. I like the over in this game.

*3 Star Late Night Totals Winner* Josh Tomlin has been very good so far this year, and the Oakland offense is not very impressive. Trevor Cahill has been absolutely dominant at home over the last couple years. The under is 16-5-1 in his last 22 home starts. While the Indians do have the best record in baseball, I don't think this Cleveland offense is all that terrific either. Ron Kulpa is behind the dish here and he is a solid under umpire. I think both pitchers will pitch well here, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a 2-1 type of game. Take the under.

*3 Star Totals Terrorizer* The Colorado Rockies are a very good offensive team and Carlos Gonzalez is getting it going now. The Diamondbacks are solid offensively as well. Chase Field is expected to be open tonight and the temperature will be around 94 degrees. The humidity level is expected to be extremely low, which should mean the ball will be jumping off the bats tonight. Enright is pitching for the DBacks and the over is 5-0-1 in his last 6 home starts. I expect a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*5 Star Top Play Total* Kyle Davies is one of my favorite pitchers to fade or play an 'over' with, and Jake Arrieta hasn't been good on the road either. Arrieta has some hip pain that could give him some trouble during this game. The weather conditions should help a lot in this one. The wind is expected to be blowing out to center at about 20 mph during this game. Davies has given up five runs in three of his six starts, and he gave up eight earned runs in his last outing. The Orioles bats are slowly coming to life of late. The over is 4-1 in Arrieta's last 5 starts. The over is 4-1 in Davies' last 5 home starts. The over is 31-13 in the last 44 meetings in Kansas City between these two. I'm making this my first five star top play of the MLB season. Take the over in a big way.

*3 Star NBA Bookie SMASHER* The Chicago Bulls pride themselves on playing great defense. They didn't even come close to playing great defense in Game One against the Hawks. I expect Coach Thibodeau to stress defense like crazy in this one, and I think the Bulls will come out with a lot of passion here. Atlanta likes to slow the pace of the game down, and the Hawks generally aren't very good at all offensively. The Hawks shot 51% in Game One, but I wouldn't be surprised if they shoot 40% or lower in Game Two. I think the defenses will control this one. I like the under.

*3 Star Under the Radar Total* I don't normally like to bet the 'under' with the Yankees, but I think this is a good spot. Freddy Garcia has been surprisingly good this year, and the Tigers offense isn't that great. Max Scherzer is terrific at Comerica in his career. Scherzer has an ERA of 2.7 in Detroit. Garcia also has a solid 3.7 ERA in his starts at Detroit. The under is 5-0-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams at Detroit. I think the line gives us a solid value on the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Travis Wood has an ERA of 6.00 at home. Rodriguez will be making the first start of his career for Houston in this game. Both teams have been hitting the ball very well of late. The wind is expected to be pushing out at about 10 to 15 mph in this game. The over is 3-0-1 in the Reds last 4 home games. The over is 9-4 in the Astros last 13 road games. The pitching matchup points to an over and I think this number is a solid value on the over. Expect both starting pitchers to get knocked out fairly early in this one. Take the over.