Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* I'm no fan of taking an 'over' at PetCo Park in San Diego, but this number is definitely set too low based on the trends and data. Mat Latos was terrific last year, but he has been bad this year. Latos has an ERA of 4.98 this year, and he has allowed at least three runs in every outing this year. Jeff Karstens is pitching for the Pirates, and the over is 5-1 in his last 6 starts. Karstens doesn't have overpowering stuff, and I think the Padres will be able to score some runs off him. With a number set this low, a 3-3 game will result in a win. I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Terrific Total* I've written about it before, and I've not changed my mind about Chase Field when the roof is open. Chase Field with the roof open is a hitters paradise, especially when the weather is hot and dry like it is expected to be today. A temperature of around 90 with almost no humidity should mean the ball will be coming off the bat extremely quickly tonight. Joe Saunders has struggled in the past with the roof open, and De La Rosa gives up too many fly balls to be good in these conditions. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATIION* The Florida Marlins have Anibal Sanchez on the hill in this one. Sanchez has been brilliant of late, and historically he has been very good on the road. The under is 27-11-2 in Sanchez's last 40 starts on the road. Kyle McClellan has been solid this year for the Cardinals, and I think he'll fare well in this one. Jerry Layne is the home plate umpire, and the under is 17-8-1 in his last 26 games behind the plate. I think this total is set a little too high. I like the value on the under in this one.

*3 Star NBA Celtics/Heat Bookie BEATDOWN* I unsuccessfully played the under in Game One of this series. The two teams combined to make 21 three-pointers and shoot 50 free throws in that game. I highly doubt they'll make 21 three's again. Boston knows if they wish to win this series they must play better defense than they did in the first game. Neither team really wants to push the pace here, so I expect a slow grind it out type of game. During the season, the under was 3-1. Playoff action generally lowers the scoring even more. I think this one stays below 180. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* John Hirschbeck is the umpire in this game, and he is one of the best 'under' umpires in the business. Hirschbeck has a wide strike zone, and that should be perfect for both Dan Haren and Jon Lester. Dan Haren has allowed a total of six earned runs in his seven starts this year. Jon Lester allowed five earned runs in his first start of the year, but he has allowed just six earned runs in his last five starts overall. I think both starting pitchers will pitch deep into the game here. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* Both of these teams are at their best when they are controlling the tempo and playing solid defense. Two of the three meetings between these teams stayed well under this posted total. The three referrees for this game had a combined record of 115-93 to the 'under' during the year. The under is 13-3 in the Hawks last 16 games. The under is 8-3 in the Bulls last 11 games. The playoffs overall have been very low scoring this year, and I think this game is likely to stay in the 80's. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TAKEDOWN* The San Diego Padres may have the worst offense in all of baseball. They managed to score five runs last night, but I don't think they'll be able to repeat that against a solid sinker-ball pitcher in Jon Garland. On the other side, Dustin Mosely has been terrific for the Padres. The Dodgers are short-handed without Furcal and Blake right now. The under is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings between these two. I expect both starters to pitch well in this one. Take under 7.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Doug Eddings is the home plate umpire in this one and he is probably the single biggest 'under' umpire in all of baseball. Eddings has a big strike zone, and historically he has been an under bettors dream. The under is 12-4-2 in Eddings last 18 games. The under is also 38-16-5 in his last 59 Sunday games. Gio Gonzalez is a very good lefty who can work the corners, and I think the Rangers will have a difficult time against him. Matt Harrison has been much improved this year, and this Oakland offense is very bad. Take the under.

*3 Star Celtics/Heat Total DOMINATION* This has all the makings of a very hard fought series. These teams don't like each other one bit, and I think it will be evident. Three of the four regular season meetings stayed under this posted total, and I tend to think the playoff games will be even lower. In general, this postseason has shown that the game slows down quite a bit in a playoff series. The Celtics defense will pack in the paint and force LeBron and Wade to hit outside shots. I don't think either team will force the pace. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Chris Narveson hasn't looked good in his last couple outings, and the Houston Astros are scoring about 5 runs per game on lefties this year. Bud Norris is solid at home, but this Brewers lineup is very good now with Weeks, Braun, Fielder, McGhee, and Hart back and healthy. The wind is projected to be blowing out at about 15 mph. The home plate umpire is Adrian Johnson who tends to have a small strike zone. This one sets up nicely for an 'over' play. Take over 8.5 in this matchup.

*3 Star MLB Tasty Total* Chase Field is a hitter's paradise when the roof is open, and the roof should be open for this one. Last night I lost on the 'over' play, but there were still four home runs. In two games in this series there have been eight home runs. I expect several more in this game. Matt Garza hasn't pitched in Arizona before, and Ian Kennedy has a 5.24 ERA in April in his career. The line has been adjusted slightly lower than yesterday's total, which is plenty for me to jump on the over again here. The over is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings between these two in Arizona. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Oakland Athletics have one of the worst offenses in all of baseball, and Colby Lewis is a much better pitcher on the road. The under is 21-6 in Lewis' last 27 road starts. Brett Anderson is one of my favorite pitchers in the American League. He has tremendous stuff and he is absolutely dominant at home. Anderson has a tremendous ERA of 0.64 in two starts at home so far this year. Paul Nauert is behind the dish here and he is a solid under umpire. The under is 5-1 in Lewis' last 6 road starts against Oakland. I expect a well pitched game on both sides. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chase Field is a completely different park when the roof is open, and it is expected to be open tonight. The ball carries in a huge way, especially when it is hot with low humidity. Today's weather report shows a lot of heat and almost no humidity. Carlos Zambrano certainly allows plenty of home runs, and I think Arizona will get to him tonight. The Cubs should have no problem scoring quite a few on Armando Galarraga, who is a fly ball pitcher in what will be a hitter's paradise. The over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings in Arizona. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals Takedown* It would be easy to look at the pitching matchup in this one and think the 'under' should be an automatic play. A longer look at the statistics tells me that the 'over' is the better way to go. Chris Carpenter and Tim Hudson are both very good pitchers, but their opponent in this game have hit them very well in the past. The over is 7-0 in Carpenter's last 7 starts against the Braves. The over is 5-1-2 in Hudson's last 8 starts against the Cardinals. Both teams have seen their offense come to life over the last few days. I think the over is a solid play here.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Mavericks and Blazers have been playing some hard fought games over the last week. Dallas is up 3-2, and I think Portland will come out playing with desparation in this one. Nate McMillan's team can lock you down defensively, and I think they'll do that tonight. Portland's leading scorer during the year, LaMarcus Aldridge, is slumping at the wrong time for the Blazers offense. The pace has slowed down as the series moves farther along, and I think that will continue in tonight's game. This should be halfcourt battle between two of the better defensive teams in the league. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Seattle Mariners have scored 17 runs in the last two days. I have played against Seattle in both of those games, and they have definitely hurt me. I still am going to stick with the fact that this Seattle offense is absolutely terrible. Ichiro is very good, but after that no one on this team is scary. Miguel Olivo is hitting cleanup for them right now. Pineda is a great young pitcher for the Mariners, and the Tigers lineup is struggling quite a bit without Victor Martinez. I think the best way to play this one is the under. This is an instance where I believe recent trends (the Mariners hitting very well) give us a very generous line on the under. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Toronto Blue Jays have been smashing the baseball in a big way in this series so far, and I expect them to keep it going on Wednesday. At the same time, Texas should be able to put up several runs with JoJo Reyes on the hill for the Blue Jays. Reyes is a not dominant pitcher, and I don't think he'll fare well in a hitter's park like Texas. Derek Holland is on the mound for Texas, and his career ERA at home is 5.68. Holland gives up too many fly balls, and I think the Blue Jays will take him deep a couple times. The over is 6-2 in Holland's last 8 home starts. The over is 4-1 in Toronto's last five games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The New York Mets offense has been much better since Jason Bay came back into the lineup. The Washington Nationals are a decent hitting team now with Jayson Werth in the middle of the lineup. R.A. Dickey and Tom Gorzelanny are two pitchers that I fade fairly often. The wind is expected to be blowing out at about 15 mph during the game tonight. The over is 4-1 in the Mets last 5. The over is 5-2 in the Nationals last 7. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. I think the 'over' is a good value here.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Oakland A's have a very good pitching staff, but they don't have a good lineup at all this year. The Angels lineup has been scuffling badly of late, and I think that is likely to continue against Brandon McCarthy. McCarthy was a top prospect a few years ago, and he is finally realizing his potential after years of arm problems. Chatwood has a solid start to his career as well. Chatwood sometimes has trouble with walks, but Carlson is the umpire behind the dish here and he has a large strike zone. Two bad offenses and a nice 'under' umpire equals a play on the under for me.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Mike Leake has struggled in his short major league career on the road, and I think the Brewers are the type of team that can make him pay for his mistakes. The Brewers are hungry to payback the Reds for Cincinnati's 4-0 record against them already this year. At the same time, the Reds have a solid lineup and Estrada is not a proven pitcher at this point. Tim Tschida is behind the dish and he has typically been a decent 'over' umpire. I think the total is set too low here. Take the over!

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The last three games between these two have all gone under the posted total, but the shooting percentages have been atrocious. For example, last game the total finished at 173. The Magic shot 2 for 23 on three-pointers in that game. If Orlando had made 4 out of 23 three-pointers, the game would have gone over the posted total. Orlando has several guys (Redick, Anderson, Richardson) capable of getting hot from beyond the arc. I think the Hawks are playing with a lot of confidence right now as well. The referee crew here has some pretty good 'over' stats as well. Take the over at this low level.

*3 Star NBA Late Night BAILOUT* The Thunder are up 3-0 in this series, but I do expect the Nuggets to fight hard in Game Four. Arron Afflalo is back in the Denver lineup, and he is the Nuggets best defender. In Game Three, the total finished at 191 despite a ridiculous 88 free throw attempts. These two teams are both much better on the defensive end than most people give them credit for. Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka are strong on the frontline for Oklahoma City, and the Nuggets play pretty good team defense. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two. I like the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* It might seem strange to play an 'over' with Cliff Lee on the mound, but I feel this is a strong play. Chase Field is a hitter's paradise with the roof open, and the roof is expected to be open tonight. Hot weather with low humidity makes the ball fly much farther, and multiple home runs are likely tonight. Ian Kennedy is a solid pitcher, but he has struggled mightily when the roof is open in Arizona. In his last outing with the roof open in Arizona he allowed nine runs in three innings against St. Louis. Both of these offenses are good, and I think this is a great value on the over.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The San Antonio Spurs are down 2-1 to the Memphis Grizzlies and it hasn't just been a fluke. These Grizzlies are very athletic and their defense has been impressive in this series. The single biggest key on defense has been Mike Conley's ability to keep Tony Parker out of the paint. The Spurs are heavily reliant on Parker getting to the paint, and it just isn't happening. Memphis has seen that they are at their best against the Spurs when they control the tempo and play a halfcourt game. I expect the Grizzlies to keep this game in the halfcourt. The under is 5-1 in the Grizzlies last 6 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Texas Rangers are without Josh Hamilton, but they can definitely still hit the baseball. Kyle Drabek has solid numbers this year, but Texas is no pitchers ballpark, and I think he'll struggle there. The weather conditions are good for an 'over' tonight, with a wind tunnel effect pushing the ball out. The over is 46-22-3 in Toronto's last 71 opening games of a series. The over is 5-2-2 in Colby Lewis' last 9 home starts. I expect both teams to put up several runs in this one. I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Total KNOCKOUT* The New York Yankees come home to host an ice cold White Sox team. Humber is the starter for Chicago, and though his numbers look decent this year, I'm not convinced it will stay that way. Humber has three starts this year, two against the Rays and one against the Angels. Obviously the Rays and the Angels don't have the lineup that the Yankees have. I think New York will hit him hard in this one. Burnett is on the hill for New York, and in his last two games against the White Sox, Chicago has teed off on him. The over is 6-1 in Burnett's last 7 home games. Take the over here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Freddy Garcia has pitched well so far this year, but I still don't think he can be trusted too much. Jake Arrieta has the potential to be very good in the future, but right now he is definitely hittable. Angel Campos is the home plate umpire in this one, and he is one of the biggest 'over' umpires in the league. The over is 8-3-1 in his last 12 games behind the plate. The wind is expected to be blowing out to center at about 10 miles per hour in this one. The over is 7-3 in the Orioles last 10. The over is 20-9-1 in the Yankees last 30. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Knockout* I think John Danks is an underrated pitcher. Danks is one of those rare pitchers who actually has a better ERA (3.64) on the road in his career. On the other side, Max Scherzer has been tremendous in Detroit. At home, Scherzer has an ERA of just 2.92 as a Tiger. The under is 9-3 in Scherzer's last 12 home starts. The under is 7-3 in Danks' last 10 starts against Detroit. Detroit's lineup isn't nearly as good without Victor Martinez in the middle of the lineup. I think both pitchers will fare well in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Top Total* Anytime I see a game that Joe Blanton is pitching in lined at seven runs for the over/under, I'm going to take a long look at the over. I know the Padres are terrible offensively, but Blanton is a much different pitcher than Oswalt or Hamels. The Phillies are very good offensively, and I expect them to get to Tim Stauffer some as well. We've got the best 'over' umpire in the business behind the plate here. The over is 11-5-1 in Jim Reynolds' last 17 behind the dish, and he has a nice track record of overs in past years. The over is 21-6 in Blanton's last 27 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jason Hammel has an ERA of above 6 in Florida, and Javier Vazquez has an ERA above 8 this year. The Rockies should be fired up to get back on track offensively after getting one hit by Sanchez on Friday. At the same time, Hammel doesn't have the kind of stuff to shut down the Marlins on the road. This is the type of game where I think both bullpens will be used for quite a while. I expect this one to be a high scoring affair. Take the over in this game.

*3 Star NBA Play of the Day* The Dallas Mavericks played a solid game in Game Three, but the Portland fans carried the Blazers to a victory. Expect another great atmosphere in Game Four on Saturday. In Game Two and Game Three the total finished at 190 and 189, but both teams have been shooting a higher percentage from the floor than they did for the year. I expect both teams to show up with a stronger defensive effort. Also, last game there were 53 free throws, and I think there will probably be less today. Portland is a good defensive team, and Andre Miller is good at keeping the tempo slow. The Blazers know they must win this game to have a real shot in the series, and I expect their best defensive effort of the series. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Jon Lester vs. Dan Haren is a terrific pitching matchup. I think both pitchers will pitch extremely well on Friday night. Lester has shut down the Angels in the past. Vernon Wells is just 5 for 28 against Lester, and Bobby Abreu is just 4 for 17. Dan Haren has consistently been one of the best pitchers in the league before the All-Star break. Haren rarely gets run support from the Angels, but he generally eats up innings and shuts down the opposition. How about some impressive 100% winning angles here? The under is 5-0 in Lester's last 5 starts against the Angels. The under is 7-0 in Haren's last 7 games with a total set between 7 and 8.5. Overall, the under is 13-2-2 in Haren's last 17 outings. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star TGIF NBA Total Takedown* The Magic and Hawks finished at 170 points in Game Two, which dropped the total by 3.5 points on this line. At 180, I like the value on the over. Dwight Howard is going to get fouled a lot, and take a lot of free throws in this one. The Magic won Game Two despite shooting 5 for 23 from beyond the arc. Orlando is one of the better three-point shooting teams in the league, and I think they'll knock down more threes tonight. The Hawks should be playing inpsired basketball in front of their home crowd in this one. Though the total only reached 170 last time, the teams shot 34% and 39% from the floor. An average shooting night should put this game over the posted total quite easily. These are two teams I usually play the 'under' on, but at just 180 I think the value goes to the over. Take the over in this one!

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Mike Pelfrey has gotten off to a very rocky start this year. I don't think it will help him to pitch against the Diamondbacks. Pelfrey has an ERA of 7.09 in his career against Arizona. Last year in Pelfrey's two starts against Arizona, the Mets lost 9-6 and 13-2. Joe Saunders is the type of pitcher who pitches to contact, and I think this Mets lineup can get to him. With Wright, Beltran, and now Bay in the middle of the lineup, the Mets should improve offensively. Both teams have a bad bullpen, so if it gets to the pen early that is a great sign for the over. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins offense has been terrible this year. Minnesota has yet to put up more than 5 runs in a single game all year. It looks as if they'll be without Morneau and Young again on Thursday and Mauer is still on the DL. Jeremy Guthrie is a solid pitcher, especially at home. Scott Baker has been great against the Orioles in his career. Baker is 5-0 with an ERA under 3 against Baltimore. The under is 10-3 in the Twins last 13 games. The under is 7-3 in Guthrie's last 10 home starts. I expect a good performance from both pitchers here. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Bulls have had a rough time in the first couple games against the Pacers, but they did end up winning both games. Now the Pacers go home and they should have a great home crowd advantage here. Indiana is at their best when they are pushing the tempo, and I think they will do that even more at home. Derrick Rose is a matchup nightmare for the Pacers, as he has proven all year. Rose has 55 free throw attempts in the last three games against Indiana. I expect Rose to keep getting to the basket and getting to the line. Last game the total stayed under, and finished at 186. The two teams both shot about 40% in that game, and I would expect those numbers to be higher tonight. I think the value is on the over in this one.

*3 Star Late Night BAILOUT* It's no secret that Dodger Stadium isn't exactly a hitter's park, especially at night. Derek Lowe is a solid sinker ball pitcher, and he should keep the ball in the park against an ordinary Dodgers lineup. Jon Garland was poor in his first start this year, but I think he should have a pretty good year in a pitcher's ballpark like Dodger Stadium. John Hirschbeck is the umpire behind the dish in this one, and he is one of the best 'under' umpires in the game today. The under 18-7-1 in Lowe's last 26 starts. Take the under here.

*3 Star NBA Bookie SMASHER* The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder both have plenty of offensive firepower, but a big reason both teams have improved at the end of the season has been their defense. Kendrick Perkins has made the Thunder defense much better, and the Nuggets have improved defensively since Carmelo was traded. In Game One the total finished at 210, but that was with both teams shooting 50% and a total of 61 free throws. I expect fewer trips to the line and a little lower shooting numbers here. Go against the public and take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* R.A. Dickey hasn't been pitching very well so far this year. Knuckleballers tend to run in streaks, and I think he is having trouble locating his pitches right now. On the other side, Bud Norris has been terrible on the road over his career. Norris has an ERA of 5.42 on the road in his career. Norris also usually doesn't get very deep into the game and this Astros bullpen is bad. The Mets bullpen is equally bad. If the bullpens are in this game much at all, I like the chances for the over here. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals Takedown* Neither of these team's is hitting the baseball well at all right now, and I think the value is on the under in this game once again. The under is 16-5 in the Twins last 21 games. The under is 7-3 in the Orioles last 10 home games. Carl Pavano has been solid in his last couple outings, and Jake Arrieta is a solid young pitcher. Justin Morneau is questionable for this game with the flu, and Mauer is still out of the lineup. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 15 mph, which should help. Take the under here.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The fact that Game One was such a low scoring game has made the books adjust this total lower by 4.5 points. I think this adjustment gives us a solid value on the over. Chauncey Billups is likely out tonight, but that might actually help the over. The Knicks will probably push the tempo more without Billups in the lineup. Carmelo Anthony is unlikely to go 5/18 again, and I think we'll see far more free throw attempts than we did in the first game. Three of the four regular season meetings went over 200, and I think getting the over at just 192.5 is a great value. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Tampa Bay Rays don't have a good lineup at all this year, and their key hitter, Johnny Damon, is out right now. John Danks is a pretty good pitcher, and I don't expect the Rays to be able to put up many runs against Danks. James Shields is on the hill for the Rays, and he is a much better pitcher at home. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 home starts. The under is 4-0-1 in Danks' last 5 road starts. The under is 4-0 in Vic Carapazza's last 4 games as the umpire as well, so that doesn't hurt. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Bulls fell behind early in Game One, but they pulled it out thanks to a great effort from Derrick Rose. Chicago also has a big advantage on the boards in this matchup. The Pacers like to push the tempo, and the Bulls seem to be ok with that. The Pacers have made it clear they are looking to knock down Rose at every opportunity, but he has been knocking down free throws and making them pay. Rose has 21 free throw attempts in both of the last two games (42 total) against the Pacers. I think we'll see plenty of free throws again Monday. I like the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals will actually be battling for first place in the AL Central in this series. Both teams are certainly exceeding expectations by a huge margin. I expect both to come down to earth over the season, but they do seem to be improving. Kyle Davies is one of my favorite pitchers to fade, but Carlos Carrasco hasn't been good on the road either. I think this total is too low. Davies has an ERA of 5.80 against Cleveland in his career, and his ERA at home as a Royal is 5.87. Carrasco and Davies squared off last year and the final was 11-4. While I'm not sure the total will reach 15 this time, I do think the over is the play here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Francisco Lirano actually pitched well most of the game in his last outing. He had one bad inning where the Royals strung together a bunch of bloop hits, but overall he looked better. The Orioles aren't hitting well right now, but they are definitely playing some very good defense. Justin Morneau missed Sunday's game with the flu, and he may well miss Monday's game as well. The Twins lineup is already without Joe Mauer. The under is 14-3 in the Twins last 17 games overall. The under is 34-16-1 in the Orioles last 51 against a left-handed pitcher. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Chase Field is a hitters paradise when the roof is open, especially when the weather is hot with low humidity. The roof is expected to be open tomorrow with 90 degree heat and almost no humidity. Expect the ball to travel extremely well in this game. Bumgarner is struggling badly with his control this year and he can give up the long ball. Enright has struggled at home, especially with the roof open. While Saturday's game stayed under the total, I think this game will be a very high scoring game. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Seattle Mariners are a terrible hitting team. Other than Ichiro, they really don't have anyone on their team who scares the opposition much at all. Kansas City isn't better than average at the plate, and Michael Pineda has shown to be a very good young pitcher for the Mariners. Pineda should have the upper hand facing the Mariners for the first time. Jeff Francis has his command working very well so far this year, and the Royals may have gotten a good value when they picked him up. The under is 35-17-5 in Brian Runge's last 47 games behind the plate, and he is the umpire in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Twins lineup simply isn't the same without Mauer in the middle of it. Jeremy Hellickson is a very good young pitcher for the Rays. Hellickson has an ERA of just 3.00 at home in his young career. Brian Duensing is a decent pitcher, and we all know the Rays offense has been terrible this year without Longoria. The under is 22-4 in the Rays last 26 games overall. Both teams are missing their best hitter, and I think this is the type of game where both starter's take control early. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Early Bird* Doug Eddings is behind the dish in this one, and there isn't a better umpire to have behind the plate if you want an 'under'. The Red Sox are still struggling to hit the ball well, and Eddings will have a wide strike zone. The under is 15-5-1 in Eddings last 21 games behind the plate. Jon Lester is pitching the Sox, and he has looked much better in his last couple outings. Lester is great at home, and the under is 4-1 in his last 5 starts against Toronto. I expect this one to stay under the total.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Chase Field becomes a hitter's paradise with the roof open. The Chase Field website says the roof is expected to be open in this one. We have two pitchers who are extremely capable of getting hit around in this matchup as well. Barry Zito is struggling in a big way with his control right now, and I think he'll get punished by this DBack offense if that continues on Saturday. Joe Saunders was lit up by the Cincinnati Reds in his last start with the roof open at home, and I think that is likely again here. The over is 4-1-1 in Zito's last 6 starts against Arizona. I expect a high scoring affair here. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Playoff Total Domination* The Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic are very familiar with each other. They met in first round of the playoffs last year, when the Magic swept away the Hawks in four straight games. Then this year they met four times in the regular season, with the Hawks winning three of the four games. Both teams have improved defensively from a year ago. The Hawks have decided to slow down the game quite a bit this year. Atlanta's inefficiency on offense has been their undoing in their losses this year. The Hawks are averaging just 95 points per game. The trends here strongly support a play on the under. The under is 20-6 in Orlando's last 26 home games. The under is 11-4 in Atlanta's last 15 road games. The under is also 6-0 in their last six meetings against each other. I like the under in this game.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Boston Red Sox are slumping in a big way right now, but JoJo Reyes is the type of pitcher that they should be able to hit. Reyes is a youngster who doesn't have any overpowering pitch to put away hitters. Josh Beckett has pitched well so far this year, but the Jays have been a thorn in his side in the past. Beckett's ERA against the Jays in his career is 7.03. This is a day game and Reyes has a terribly 7.07 ERA in his day starts. These Boston bats are too good to stay silenced forever, and I think they'll bust out here. At the same time, the Jays should score quite a few as well. I like the over.

*3 Star TGIF Bookie SMASHER* Zach Britton is the top pitching prospect in the Orioles organization, and he is one of the best in the majors. In his first two starts in the major leagues he has given up a total of just one run. He shut down the mighty Texas Rangers lineup in his last start. Justin Masterson has been very good at home over the years. His ERA at home is 3.83 in his career. The Indians don't have a very good lineup, but they are playing great defense. The Orioles defense has been tremendous this year. The under is 13-5 in the Orioles last 18 games overall. The under is 6-1 in Masterson's last 7 starts overall. The under is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings between these two. I like this one to stay under the posted total.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Phil Hughes has not been good at all this year. Hughes hasn't been able to put anyone away. In fact, Hughes has just one strikeout through two starts. This Baltimore lineup has struggled a bit so far this year, but they have a ton of talent and I think they could bust out at any point. On the other side, Arrieta is a pretty decent young pitcher, but I don't expect him to shut down this very good Yankees lineup. The wind is expected to be blowing out at about 10 mph. Phil Hughes has trouble with the long ball, and he hasn't fared well at Yankee Stadium. The over is 14-5 in his last 19 starts at home. The over is also 4-0-1 in his last 5 starts against Baltimore. Take the over.

*3 Star Late Night BAILOUT* Chase Field once again showed how friendly it is to hitters when the roof is open last night. The DBacks won 13-8 in a game with Chris Carpenter as the starter for the Cardinals. I've cashed in twice with the over in this series, and I'm going to try for a sweep here. The dry heat causes the ball to carry in the desert air and it is a huge boost to the over. Jake Westbrook hasn't pitched well on the road. The over is 4-1 in his lats 5 road starts. The over is 5-2-1 in Kennedy's last 8 home starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Wandy Rodriguez is absolutely terrific at home, and Carlos Zambrano is a much better pitcher on the road. The umpire in this one, Paul Emmel, has a wide strike zone, and typically calls quite a few 'under' games. The trends in this one are extremely impressive. The under is 6-0 in Rodriguez's last 6 home starts against the Cubs. The under is 12-2 in Zambrano's last 14 road starts against the Astros. The under is 32-14-2 in the last 48 meetings between these two teams in Houston. I expect a pitcher's duel in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Play of the Day* This is a game that means very little to either team. What does a meaningless game in the NBA usually mean? I think it means very little defense and a lot of points. Denver has been piling up the points in their last couple games. They scored 130 against Minnesota and 134 against Golden State. The Jazz defense won't scare anyone. I think the pace to this game will be quick. The referee crew here is a nice crew for the over, especially Pat Fraher (41 games over 26 games under this year). Look for a high scoring affair in this regular season finale.

*3 Star Early Bird Total* I unsuccessfully played the under in this matchup last night, but I think Thursday afternoon's game is likely to be lower scoring. Both teams have struggled against left-handers, and both pitchers in this game are high quality left-handed starters. The Athletics are hitting less than .200 against lefties this year, and the White Sox are only scoring 3 runs per game against lefties. The under is 4-1 in Danks' last 5 starts against Oakland. The under is 9-4 in Anderson's last 13 road starts. The under is 25-10-1 in these two teams last 36 meetings in Chicago. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The Los Angeles Angels have a very poor offense this year. Fausto Carmona has fared extremely well in the past against the Angels. Torii Hunter is just 5 for 28 in his career against Carmona. Dan Haren has been one of the best first-half starters in the league for the last few years. The Angels have made it a habit to not give Haren much run support at all. The under is 8-0-1 in Haren's last 9 starts overall. The under is 24-9 in the last 33 meetings between these two. Barrett is the umpire in this one, and he leans slightly toward the under. I like the under in this game.

*3 Star Weather Factors Over Play* Chase Field is a whole different ballpark when the roof is open. On a warm day with low humidity the ball travels extremely well in the desert. Last night it was a little cooler than it will be tonight, and there were three home runs last night. Don't be surprised if there are three or more home runs in this one. Chris Carpenter is a very good pitcher, but he has the tendency to get frustrated easily, and I could see these young DBacks getting to him a bit. On the other side, Galarraga makes his first home start, and I don't think he will be well-suited to this park. He was in a pitcher's park in Detroit the last few years, and he will find this ballpark a whole different story. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Trevor Cahill is one of the better pitchers in the American League. Cahill has great command and he is a bulldog on the mound. Edwin Jackson is a streaky pitcher, and he has started the season red hot. Neither of these teams has a terrific lineup. The under is 5-0 in Oakland's last 5 games overall. The under is 4-1 in Cahill's last 5 starts against the White Sox. The under is also 33-16-2 in the last 51 meetings between these teams. I expect a game with some very good starting pitching here. Take the under.

*3 Star Late Night Bailout* The Cincinnati Reds have one of the better offenses in all of baseball. With Phillips, Votto, Rolen, Gomes, and Bruce they have plenty of guys in the middle of the order who can make you pay with one swing of the bat. Mat Latos has been injured and will make his first start in this one. Latos is very good, but he could be a little rusty in his first start back. Edinson Volquez is on the hill for Cincinnati, and he has been very erratic this year. Volquez often struggles to find the strike zone. Petco is definitely a pitcher's park, but with two starting pitcher's who have significant question marks in this one I am taking the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Oklahoma City Thunder put on an offensive clinic on Sunday night in Los Angeles. The Thunder have a fighter's chance at taking either the #2 or #3 seed in the Western Conference, but they need to win both of their last two games. The Kings have been playing hard of late, but they don't play much defense. Sacramento is allowing 105.2 points per game in their last five. Oklahoma City is averaging 105.8 points per game in their last five. The Thunder put up 126 points againts the Kings in their last meeting. I think this game will be closer, but the pace will be quick. Both teams shoot it very well from the free throw line, which should help the 'over' quite a bit. The over is 12-5-1 in their last 18 meetings in Sacramento. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chase Field becomes a hitter's dream when the roof is open. The low humidity helps the ball carry extremely well. One would think the roof will be on Monday night with a forecast of 75 degrees and sunny. Kyle McClellan and Barry Enright are both inconsistent pitchers, and I think they will get hit around pretty good in this one. It is quite normal for games to finish 10-8 like the DBacks game against the Reds did on Sunday when the roof is open. The Cardinals hitters have struggled this year, but with Matt Holiday back in the lineup they should improve quite a bit. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Play of the Day* The Oklahoma City Thunder aren't far from catching the Lakers for the #2 seed in the Western Conference, and you can bet they would love to steal that spot. The biggest change in this Oklahoma City team since they acquired Kendrick Perkins is their ability to play much better defense. The Lakers have been horrible offensive of late. In fact, the Lakers are averaging just 88.8 points per game in their last five contests. At the same time, the Lakers defense is much improved this year. The defensive intensity of the Lakers has been on display for much of the season. The under is 46-22 in the Lakers last 68 games overall. The under is 6-1 in the Thunder's last 7 road games. The under is 38-11-2 in the Lakers last 51 Sunday games. I like the under in what should be a hotly contested game.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Oakland A's have a poor offense that struggles to manufacture runs. They also lack a real power hitter. Minnesota can score some runs at times, but Brandon McCarthy has the stuff to shut them down. A big reason I like this play so much is the home plate umpire in this one. Bill Miller is behind the dish here and he has been an under machine in the last couple years. The under is 54-24-6 in his last 84 games behind home plate. Both pitchers should be getting the corners in this one. I expect this one to stay under the posted total.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Washington Nationals don't have a lineup that will be able to put up a ton of runs all that often. New York is a decent offense, but I think Jason Marquis has a solid chance to shut them down. Marquis is a very streaky pitcher, and he looked good in Spring Training and in his first start. He is keeping the ball down and getting a lot of ground balls. Brian Gorman is the umpire in this one and he generally has a pretty large strike zone. Chris Young has pretty good stuff and I think he could do well in New York this year. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The San Antonio Spurs are just about to clinch the first seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs are playing with much less pressure than any of the other teams in the West right now, which I think means they'll have some high scoring games to end the season. We should see the Spurs keep the pace moving pretty quickly and not work too hard on the defensive end. Utah hasn't been putting up many points of late, but with a healthy Devin Harris back in the lineup they should improve offensively. The Utah defense has been very poor of late and I think the Spurs will get plenty of open looks in this game. The over is 22-8 in the Spurs last 30 games. The over is 12-2 in the last 14 meetings in San Antonio between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Value* The Washington Wizards have been running and gunning with the best of them of late. John Wall is leading the fastbreak and Andray Blatche is now healthy on the inside. The Wizards have plenty of guys who can score, but they don't play much defense at all. The Hawks have been a defensive oriented team all year, but right now they seem to be slacking off defensively. The team appears to be resting a bit heading into the playoffs. I tend to think that these type of games that don't really matter to either team will end up higher scoring than average. Josh Smith is out in this game, and that might mean the Hawks will play faster on offense and they'll have one less solid defender in the back of their defense. I like the over here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* I bet on the 'over' yesterday when these two met and lost despite a four run first inning from the Tigers. Both teams left the bases loaded and there were several base running blunders that prevented a score from occurring. I think the over will cash on Saturday. Phil Coke is starting for Detroit, and I'm really not sure he is a starter. Kansas City isn't a very good offense, but I don't think Coke will be able to shut them down. Bruce Chen starts for the Royals, and in his last four starts against Detroit the final total has been 10, 15, 10, and 15 runs. Obviously, he hasn't fared well against the Tigers. I expect both starters to have a short day. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Yankees have hit Clay Buchholz well in their past meetings. Buchholz has an ERA of over 5.50 against the Yankees. Ivan Nova has pitched against Boston in Fenway just once, but he didn't last long at all in that outing (2 and 1/3 innings). These two have arguably the top two offenses in the major leagues, so when the Yanks and Red Sox get together there should be a bunch of runs this year. We saw that come to fruition in Friday's game where the Red Sox won 9-6. The over is 8-3 in the Red Sox last 11. The over is 18-7-1 in the Yankees last 26. The over is 4-0 in the last four meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Los Angeles Lakers have lost three games in a row, and I expect them to play better tonight. Portland is a tough team to beat at home, and Portland slows the tempo down nicely. The single biggest strength of the Lakers this year has been their intensity on the defensive end. The under is 45-22 in the Lakers last 67 games. The last two times these teams have met it has been a low scoring affair. In February, the game went into overtime, but in regulation it was just 87-87. In March, the final was 84-80. I think both teams will bring a solid defensive effort tonight. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* The Tampa Bay Rays simply cannot score right now. It really is amazing, but the Rays have only scored one run in five of their six games this year. John Danks has a good history against the Rays, and this is not nearly as good of a Tampa Bay lineup. James Shields is on the hill for the Rays, and I expect a solid campaign from him this year. He pitched twice against the White Sox last year, and gave up just two runs in both outings. The under is 22-6-1 in the Rays lats 29 games. The under is 6-2 in Danks' last 8 starts against the Rays. The under is 24-11 in the last 35 meetings between these two.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Florida Marlins don't have a very good lineup, and the Houston Astros lineup is even worse. Ricky Nolasco and Wandy Rodriguez will be pitching in this one, and both of them are solid pitchers. Rodriguez is often dominating at home, and I think he'll fare very well in this one. Nolasco has actually had better numbers on the road than home in the last year or so. The under is 6-0 in the Marlins last six road games. The under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings between these two in Houston. I think eight is a generous number when we have two poor offenses against two very good pitchers. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Max Scherzer has struggled mightily this year, starting with Spring Training. It seems he hasn't been able to locate his pitches at all. Kyle Davies is a very inconsistent pitcher, and the Tigers have a nice history of hitting him well. Martinez, Peralta, and Ordonez are all hitting over .300 against Davies in their careers. These two teams have a nice history of playing high scoring against one another. The over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Detroit. I think both pitchers are fully capable of imploding, and it wouldn't surprise me to see a very high scoring game. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* I think this game sets up nicely to be a low scoring affair. Josh Johnson is a terrific pitcher, and he has been brilliant at home over the last couple years. The under is 9-2-1 in his last 12 home starts. The under has been a good play with John Lannan pitching on the road as well. The under is 17-8-1 in Lannan's last 26 starts as a road underdog. The umpire in this game has a solid lean to the under with a pretty large strike zone. Both pitchers should be able to pound the zone here. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 12 mph, which should help fly balls stay in the park. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds are 5-0 to start the season. The Astros are 0-5. Cincinnati is hitting the ball very well right now, and the Astros are having a terrible time with errors. Houston committed five errors on Wednesday night. The over is 6-0 in Houston's last 6 road games. The over is 4-1 in the Reds five games this year. Jim Reynolds is the umpire in this game, and the over is 65-32-4 in his last 101 games behind the plate. Don't expect either pitcher to get a ton of help in this one. I like the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Oklahoma City Thunder are a team I've had my eyes on over the last few games. Kendrick Perkins is getting healthy and he is changing the way they play of late. Perkins gives this team a great defensive presence in the paint. It seems he also slows the team down just a tad since he doesn't run the floor too well. The under is 11-3 in the Thunder's last 14 games overall. These two met just last week and the final was 98-92, but now we are getting a much higher line. I think this line is set too high, and I like this one to finish well under the posted total.

*3 Star NBA Totals Takedown* The Detroit Pistons have been a terrific 'over' play all year on their home court. The over is 26-12 in their 38 home games this year. Detroit picks up the pace at home, and the Nets are playing at a much quicker pace since Deron Williams has come over in the trade from Utah. The over is 4-0 in the Nets last four games. The over is 4-0 in the Pistons last 4 games. The over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings between these teams. I think the pace will be there and I like the over to cash in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Justin Verlander has a history of shutting down the Baltimore Orioles. Brad Bergesen showed some marked improvement over the last few months last year, and he has a solid sinker. The Orioles are playing extremely good defense right now. The under is 4-0 in the Orioles four games this year. The under is 4-1 in Bergesen's last five starts. The under is 5-2 in Verlander's last 7 starts against the Orioles. The under is 4-0 in the last four meetings between these two teams. All the trends point to the under, and I think this one will stay under the posted total.

*3 Star NBA Total Value* The Washington Wizards are on a three-game winning streak for the first time this year. John Wall and Andray Blatche are both playing very well for Washington. Indiana is still fighting for playoff positioning, and I expect them to give a solid effort here. These two played several weeks ago and the final total was 209. There were a bunch of free throws taken in that one, but the shooting percentages were very low. I think the teams will shoot better here, and I think the pace will be quick. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Tampa Bay Rays just don't have a very good lineup right now. Longoria is out and this team doesn't really have many guys that can get on base consistently. Dan Haren is pithcing for the Angels, and he has been a great first half pitcher for the last few years. Haren has the ability to shut teams down, and I think he could do that Wednesday to the Rays. Jeremy Hellickson is a very good young pitcher for Tampa Bay, and I think he'll continue his trend from last year of dominating the opposition at home. I think this one will be a low scoring affair. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Milwaukee Bucks know how to keep a game very low scoring. The Bucks play at the slowest pace of any team in the NBA, and they aren't good offensively either. Orlando has been struggling to find their offense of late, and the Magic are in the top five in the NBA in defense. The last time these two met I was on the losing side when picking the under, but only because the game went into overtime. I think we are getting a great value once again on the under. The under is 21-9 in the Bucks last 30 games. The under is 19-8 in Orlando's last 27 games overall. I think this one stays safely under the posted total.

*3 Star NBA Total TKO* The Charlotte Bobcats and the Cleveland Cavaliers met last week and I played the under. I lost that play, but it only lost because both teams shot the ball extremely well. The Bobcats shot 56% from the floor and the Cavs shot 52% from the floor. Even with that great shooting performance, the total only finished 4.5 points higher than this number. The Cavs have been playing better defense at home of late, as evidenced by the 'under' going 8-1 in their last 9 home games. The under is also 16-5 in Charlotte's last 21 road games. I like the under in a big way here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Angels and the Rays used to have a couple of the best offenses in the league, but now both teams are short on hitting talent. Tampa Bay scored just one run in each of their three games against Baltimore in the first series of the year. The Angels are without Kendry Morales, one of their best hitters. Jeff Niemann is on the hill for Tampa Bay, and he has shut down most of the Angels hitters in the past. Vernon Wells is just 2 for 21 in his career against Niemann. Abreu is just 2 for 13. In the same manner, Jered Weaver has been great against the Rays. The under is 4-1 in Weaver's last 5 against the Rays. The under is 35-15-2 in the Rays last 52 home games. The under is 28-10-5 in Weaver's last 43 starts overall. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Detroit Tigers have a very good lineup this year. Martinez and Cabrera in the middle of the order should help this team put up a lot of runs. Baltimore has started 3-0, and this Orioles team is very good offensively. There really isn't a weak spot in the Baltimore lineup. Porcello and Arrieta are both young pitchers who have been inconsistent in the majors. The weather is a major reason I am playing this game. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 15-25 mph during the game. Both of these pitchers (especially Porcello) have been prone to giving up the long ball. The over is 6-2 in Porcello's last 8 starts. The over is 5-1-2 in Arrieta's last 8 starts. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Atlanta Braves will send Brandon Beachy to the mound on Monday afternoon. Beachy is a solid young prospect, but I think he'll have a tough time shutting down this Brewers team that will be hungry for a win after getting swept by Cincinnati. Chris Narveson is on the hill for the Brewers, and I like to play the 'over' when he pitches. He had an ERA of 4.99 last year. The over is 6-2 in his last 8 home starts. The over is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two teams. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The New Orleans have been a great 'under' team all year. The under is 49-27 in the Hornets games this season. The Pacers haven't been bad to under bettors either, as the under has gone 43-34 in their games. Indiana has sped up a bit at times lately, but I expect the Hornets to control the tempo here. I think this is a game that stays in the halfcourt and I wouldn't be surprised to see it stay at about 180. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Value* The Houston Rockets have a way of making their opposition play their style of basketball. Houston is getting up and down the court more than anyone in the league right now. Atlanta typically slows the game down quite a bit, but they ran with Houston in their last meeting in January. Only 21 free throws were attempted in that game and the total still got up to 218 points. The over is 9-4 in Houston's last 13 home games. Take the over in this game.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* This will be the third straight day I've played the Twins/Jays over. The first day it worked, while Saturday it didn't because the Twins offense was non-existent. The Twins lineup is actually pretty good, and I think they are bound to breakout at some point. Brett Cecil is an inconsistent starter for Toronto, and Nick Blackburn has been roughed up quite a few times in the last couple years. Paul Schrieber is the umpire behind the dish here, and he is one of the bigger 'over' umpires in the league. Take the over in this game.

*3 Star Final Four Total DOMINATION* The Butler Bulldogs are back in the Final Four for a second straight year. Brad Stevens has proven to be one of the the best game day coaches in all of basketball. I fully expect Stevens to have Butler ready to play after a week of preparation. VCU is the darling of the tournament, and they are a tough team. VCU has been draining three's in this tournament, but I'm not sure they'll get open looks against Butler's solid defense. The Bulldogs have been slowing the game down quite a bit in the tournament, and I think they'll do the same in this one. The under is 3-2 in VCU's 5 tournament games (one over was because of overtime) and the under is 3-2 in Butler's 5 tournament games (one over was because of overtime). I think the solid play here is on the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Yankees are going to score a lot of runs this year, but the pitching staff is nothing special. Burnett has been hot and cold for the last couple years, and this Tigers lineup is pretty decent now with Martinez and Cabrera in the middle. The conditions set up well for a play on the over. The wind is expected to be blowing straight out at 15 mph or so. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. Look for a high scoring affair here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Minnesota Twins lineup is much stronger with Justin Morneau in the middle of the order. Toronto has a very good lineup, and I think they are a team that will score quite a few runs this year. Liriano is still a pretty good pitcher, but the over has been a good play in his starts. The over is 6-0 in his last 6 starts. Kyle Drabek starts for the Jays, and while he is talented, I don't expect him to be able to shut down a lineup with Morneau and Mauer in the middle. I like the over here.

*3 Star NBA Late Night BAILOUT* The Utah Jazz are a shell of their former team. Deron Williams is gone, and just about everyone is injured right now. Devin Harris, AK47, Raja Bell, Ronnie Price, and Mehmet Okur are all out for tonight's game. The Lakers defense doesn't get enough credit. The Lakers have the fifth best field goal percentage defense in the league. The Jazz will be very short-handed tonight, and I don't think they'll be able to score consistently at all. The referees are also huge under refs. The under is 110-65 combined in the games that these three referees have called this year. The under is 5-1 in the Lakers last 6 road games. The under is 4-1 in the Jazz's last 5 overall. Take the under here.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* This is not the same San Antonio Spurs team from a few years ago. The Spurs push the tempo more now, and they don't play much defense at all. The Spurs have actually lost five straight games, but they will have all their players back tonight. Houston is one of the best teams in the league at pushing the pace and scoring. The Rockets are averaging 114 points per game in their last five. They are also giving up 108 per game during that span. These teams met just a few weeks ago and the final was 115-107. I expect a similar result in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Carl Pavano generally doesn't start the season very well, and he doesn't like to pitch against the Jays. In his career Pavano's ERA is 4.70 in the first month of the year. Pavano's ERA against Toronto is 5.91. Ricky Romero is on the hill for Toronto, and he is a solid young pitcher, but he is coming back from an injury. The Twins get a big boost to their lineup when Justin Morneau goes back into the cleanup spot for Opening Day. Both teams have a solid lineup and neither pitcher has a favorable matchup. The over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Roy Halladay was the best pitcher in baseball last year, and I expect a lot from him again in 2011. The Houston Astros may have the worst lineup in all of baseball. Houston will struggle to score runs all year, and Halladay should absolutely shut them down. The Phillies lineup is good, but without Utley they aren't tremendous. Brett Myers has turned into a very solid pitcher, and he should be motivated to face his former team. The under is 11-4-1 in Myers' last 16 road starts. The under is 9-4-1 in Halladay's last 14 home starts. The under is also 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 15 mph on a cool damp day in Philly. I like the under here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Both Yovani Gallardo and Edinson Volquez are talented young pitchers, but both struggle to find the zone at times. Gallardo has struggled badly against the Reds in the past couple years, and Volquez has struggled against the Brewers. This is the type of game where it wouldn't surprise me if the pitchers don't give up too many hits, but because of control problems they give up several runs. The over is 4-1-1 Volquez's last six starts against the Brewers. The over is 3-0-1 in Gallardo's last four starts against the Reds. Neither pitcher has been consistent, and I think this number is too low. Take the over.

*3 Star College Hoops Total DOMINATION* The smaller postseason tournaments have been full of overs this year and I think this one sets up well to be another over. Santa Clara and Iona both push the tempo, so I expect a quick game with a lot of shot attempts. Iona is averaging 82 points per game in the CIT Tournament. Santa Clara is averaging 81 points per game in the CIT Tournament. Both teams are terrible on the defensive end of the floor, and their should be plenty of wide open looks from all over the floor in this game. While Iona is favored by a decent margin, Santa Clara is a good road team, which means this one could be close. In a close game free throws at the end can really push the score up. I think this game ends in the upper 150's. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off a huge win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. The Cavs are likely to be a little less fired up about a game in Charlotte than a game against LeBron and the Heat. Cleveland has slowed the pace down quite a bit in the last few weeks. The under is 11-1 in their last 12 games overall. Without Antawn Jamison, this team really struggles to score. Charlotte has a lot of injury concerns. D.J. Augustin is expected to play, but he is less than 100%. Tyrus Thomas ia game-time decision, and Shaun Livingston is doubtful for this game. Last time these two met the teams scored 193, but both teams were healthier, and they also got 63 free throws in that game. I expect this one to end under the posted total.