Wednesday 4/4/2012 Free Service Plays ( Premiums & Comps )

[Gman1]

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS AND GUESTS

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If you need any help or assistance. PM one of the mods. And once again,



WELCOME TO FBZ!

[Gman1]

Ice pick$:
Wednesday's best NHL bet$

Detroit Red Wings
at St. Louis Blues (-150, 5)
The Blues will start Brian Elliott in goal on Wednesday, posing a daunting challenge to the Red Wings. Elliott has not allowed a regulation goal in his last three starts. He leads the league in save percentage (.943), goals-against average (1.48) and is second in shutouts (nine).After a sloppy 5-2 loss to Columbus on Saturday, coach Ken Hitchcock intensified practice with two separate sessions on Monday. “It was much longer than usual, but for good reason and to jump-start us back on track,” said Blues captain David Backes, who leads the team with 54 points. “I think it was good work by everyone and hopefully it has its effect.”St. Louis is an incredible 30-5-4 at home, while the Red Wings are 16-21-3 on the road. The Blues need to win to keep their hopes alive for the Presidents’ Trophy.Pick: Blues

Tampa Bay Lightning
at Montreal Canadiens (NA)
Steven Stamkos and 42-year old goalie Dwayne Roloson are making the Lightning’s final stretch of the season interesting.Stamkos is two goals away from becoming the second player in 16 years to reach 60 in a season. Roloson has won four of six, including triumphs over the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals. He’s averaging 32.5 saves in those six starts, with a .907 save percentage.Montreal has dropped four straight and seven of eight.Goalie Carey Price reportedly is suffering from headaches and is likely to miss the final three games. The Canadiens have mustered just six goals in their last four games, and are a pathetic 3 of 34 on the power play over the last 10 games.The Canadiens are 3-7 in their last 10 home games, while the Lightning is 5-2 in its last seven overall.Pick: Lightning

[Gman1]

Wednesday's betting tip$:

Who’s HOT
MLB: The Cardinals have won their last five games vs. the Marlins, and 20 of 27 overall.
NBA: Charlotte is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 meetings with Atlanta.
NBA: The under is 10-3 in the last 13 Nuggets-Hornets games.
NHL: The home team is 5-0 in the last five Red Wings-Blues games. St. Louis is 30-5-4 at home this season.

Who’s NOT
MLB: The over is 4-11-1 in Florida pitcher Josh Johnson’s last 16 home starts.
NBA: The Heat is 0-7 ATS in its last seven home games vs. the Thunder.
NBA: Cleveland is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games vs. losing teams.
NHL: The over is 5-11 in the last 16 Lightning-Canadiens meetings.

Key stat .188 –
That was World Series hero David Freese’s batting average in the Grapefruit League. The Cardinals’ third baseman struck out 16 times in 48 at-bats, or one in every three. But he did club three homers and drive in 10 runs, prompting manager Mike Matheny to say: “We’ve seen some production, too. He has that knack of being able to drive in runs.”

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Hornets guard Eric Gordon, who has not played since Jan. 4 due to a knee injury, could return Wednesday against the Nuggets. Gordon has only played in two games this season, but shined with a 21-point scoring average. He averaged 22.3 points for the Clippers last season.

Games of the day
St. Louis Cardinals at Miami Marlins (-167, 7)
Detroit Red Wings at St. Louis Blues (-150, 5)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat (-3, 197)
Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers (NA)

Notable quotable
“I want to thank my knee for not hurting me too bad [Monday]. It felt way better [Monday] than it did [Sunday]. It’s just one of those things you have to manage.” – Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison, who missed most of the spring with swelling in his left knee but made a sparkling over-the-shoulder catch in Monday’s exhibition loss to the Yankees.

Notes and tips

Lakers center Andrew Bynum did not play Tuesday against the Warriors due to a sprained left ankle, and his status is uncertain for Wednesday's clash with the Clippers. Bynum, who was fined recently by the Lakers for multiple infractions of team rules, is averaging a career-high 17.9 points and 11.9 rebounds. He made his first All-Star appearance in February.

Kings leading scorer Marcus Thornton (18.7 ppg) missed Tuesday’s game against Phoenix with a calf injury, and his status is uncertain for Thursday’s game against the Clippers. Sacramento’s 6-4 guard was in serious pain after suffering the injury Monday, saying “it feels like my leg is about to explode.”

Red Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey is suspended for Wednesday’s showdown in St. Louis. Quincey’s skates left the ice as he went to hit Florida’s Tomas Kopecky on Sunday, and he made “excessive” contact with Kopecky’s head. Quincey was given a five-minute elbowing major and a game misconduct.

The T-Wolves likely won’t have guard Luke Ridnour (ankle) when they host Golden State on Wednesday. Ridnour was playing terrific basketball, having averaged 13.5 points, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals in March. The good news for Minnesota is that J.J. Barea is expected to return from his thigh injury on Wednesday.

[Gman1]

St. Louis Cardinals Vs Miami Marlins

Marlins Park
With a new name, new uniforms, new stadium and a number of new high-priced acquisitions, the Miami Marlins feel that now is the time to contend for the NL East title.
Yet, only time will tell if new manager Ozzie Guillen will be leading a contender or the same old Marlins.Miami opens Marlins Park on Wednesday night when the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals begin their first season since 2000 without both Albert Pujols and Tony La Russa.After playing 19 seasons at Sun Life Stadium and sharing that facility with the NFL's Miami Dolphins and the University of Miami, the Marlins have a new, $515 million home to call their own. The 37,000-seat park just west of downtown Miami is one of the smallest stadiums in the majors, but owner Jeffrey Loria is expecting upwards of 3 million to pass through the turnstiles in 2012. That would be a significant increase from the major league-low 1.53 million that watched in Miami last year when the Florida Marlins finished 30 games back of East champion Philadelphia at a division-worst 72-90.If the product on the field can generate the same excitement as the many bells and whistles at Marlins Park, Miami should have a successful 2012. The new ballpark has a retractable roof - the sixth in MLB - two aquariums behind home plate and a 73-foot-tall kaleidoscopic sculpture beyond the center-field wall that will launch into animation when the home team hits a home run."Anything your stadium can do, ours can do better," left fielder Logan Morrison wrote on his Twitter account Tuesday.But with all this excitement leading into the franchise's 20th season, Guillen is taking a cautious approach as he returns to Miami - he was a coach on the Marlins' 2003 World Series winner - following eight seasons managing the Chicago White Sox."You can have a beautiful house with a beautiful view," Guillen said, "but if the people living in the house stink, it ain't going to be so beautiful."The Marlins are hoping their offseason spending spree will prevent that from happening and lead to their first playoff appearance since the 2003 club won a championship.Wearing the team's new rainbow logo will include shortstop Jose Reyes, the reigning NL batting champ, starters Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano, and All-Star closer Heath Bell.Add a healthy Hanley Ramirez, who will shift to third base after missing the final two months of last season with a left shoulder injury, along with slugger Giancarlo (no longer Mike) Stanton, and Miami could challenge the Phillies' five-year run atop the division."When you go position by position, we're going to be able to compete with any team in the league," first baseman Gaby Sanchez said.The Cardinals are taking that same approach into the season opener, yet expectations for the defending champs have changed due to their big-name departures. La Russa's 16-year run with the club ended soon after the Game 7 World Series victory over Texas, and Pujols, their three-time MVP, joined the Los Angeles Angels in January with a 10-year, $240 million deal.New St. Louis manager Mike Matheny also will be without staff ace Chris Carpenter for the time being due to nerve irritation in his pitching shoulder."Last year, everybody pretty much discounted us after (Adam Wainwright) went down (with an elbow injury)," Wednesday's starter Kyle Lohse told the Cardinals' official website. "We had a lot of guys step up. It just shows what kind of character we have in here."It's hard to argue with that after the Cardinals won 23 of their final 32 regular-season games in 2011 to overtake Atlanta for the wild card with a 90-72 record. St. Louis also was down to its last strike two times in Game 6 of the World Series before rallying for a 10-9, 11-inning victory and forcing a decisive game.A big 2012 from reigning NLCS and World Series MVP David Freese could help the Cardinals get over the loss of Pujols, but he's going to need help from Matt Holliday - the team's new No. 3 hitter - and Lance Berkman, who takes over for Pujols at first base."You can't replace 40 home runs in the middle like Albert gives you, but despite that we still have a tough offense top to bottom," said Berkman, last season's NL comeback player of the year."We definitely have a chance to win more than 90 games. I would be disappointed if we didn't."A solid April from new right fielder Carlos Beltran, Berkman's teammate in Houston in 2004, would be more than welcomed as St. Louis will be without Skip Schumaker (torn right oblique) and Allen Craig (knee) to open the season.The Cardinals, who open a stretch of 27 straight NL Central matchups Friday in Milwaukee in a rematch of last season's NLCS, will face 2010 NL ERA leader Josh Johnson on Wednesday.Johnson, limited to nine appearances last season due to right shoulder inflammation, will make his third consecutive opening day start for the Marlins."Hopefully, it's going to be loud and awesome," he told the Marlins' official website. "Opening day is opening day, but this is a little more special."
Following Wednesday's game, Miami will visit Cincinnati and the Phillies before returning home April 13 against the Astros.St. Louis swept a four-game set Aug. 4-7 in its only trip to Miami in 2011.

All Trends used are 80 % or Better

St. Louis Cardinals Trends :
Cardinals are 5-0 in their last 5 games following an off day.
Cardinals are 8-0 in their last 8 Wednesday games.
Cardinals are 5-1 in their last 6 games as a road underdog of +151 to +200.
Cardinals are 5-1 in their last 6 games as an underdog of +151 to +200.

St. Louis Cardinals Over / Under Trends :
Over is 6-1 in Cardinals last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 5-1-1 in Cardinals last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 4-1-1 in Cardinals last 6 games following an off day.
Over is 5-1 in Lohses last 6 road starts.
Over is 4-1 in Lohses last 5 road starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

Miami Marlins Trends :
Marlins are 5-1 in their last 6 games as a favorite.
Marlins are 11-1 in Johnsons last 12 Wednesday starts.

Miami Marlins Over / Under Trends :
Under is 4-0 in Marlins last 4 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 6-0 in Marlins last 6 Wednesday games.
Under is 8-1 in Marlins last 9 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 8-2 in Marlins last 10 on grass.
Under is 4-1 in Marlins last 5 home games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 4-1 in Marlins last 5 home games.
Under is 4-1 in Marlins last 5 games as a favorite.
Under is 9-2-1 in Johnsons last 12 home starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 4-1 in Johnsons last 5 Wednesday starts.

Head to Head Competition
Cardinals are 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.

Umpire Name Unavailable


Pinnacle Sports Book
St. Louis Cardinals + $ 1.59
Miami Marlins Johnson - $ 1.69

Over / Under 7 Runs

Public Money
Minneapolis Time 12:25 AM
1661 Bets
Marlins 57.87%
Cardinals 42.13%

[Gman1]

Oklahoma City Thunder
at Miami Heat (-3, 197)

American Airlines Arena
A little more than a week ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder had their way with the Miami Heat.Looking to bounce back from a rare home defeat, the Western Conference-leading Thunder try to snap the Heat's 16-game home winning streak with a second victory in 11 days over one of the East's best teams Wednesday night.Even with All-Star guard Russell Westbrook saddled with some early foul trouble, Oklahoma City (40-13) shot 52.7 percent and forced 21 Miami turnovers en route to a 103-87 home win March 25. Kevin Durant had 28 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder, who have won two in row against the Heat."They beat us in all facets of the game - from the beginning to the end," said Heat star LeBron James, who had 17 points and seven assists in that contest.The Thunder have won four of five versus Miami (38-14) by an average margin of 10.6 points. Oklahoma City also has won the last two meetings in Miami by a combined 24 points.Last month's win over the Heat was part of Oklahoma City's six-game winning streak that included a 92-78 blowout of East-leading Chicago on Sunday. However, that winning stretch ended one day later with a 94-88 home loss to Memphis.Durant scored 21 points and Westbrook added 19 as the Thunder shot 45.2 percent and committed 18 turnovers in their lowest scoring home game of the season.
"We can't get discouraged by this loss," Durant told the Thunder's official website. "Of course we want to win every game, but I think we have to get past it and get ready for the next one."Durant has averaged 31.5 points on 53.3 percent shooting in the last six games versus Miami. Westbrook, meanwhile, is averaging 24.0 and shooting 51.1 percent in three career road contests against the Heat.Oklahoma City, which last lost two in a row Jan. 2-3, could catch a break Wednesday if Miami All-Star Dwyane Wade misses a second consecutive contest with a sore left knee. Wade banged his knee during Sunday's 91-72 loss at Boston, and his status for this game remains uncertain.
"We want to be very smart about it right now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It's nothing serious. It's just a bruise. But he is sore and hopefully he is able to make some progress."Wade has averaged 27.8 points in the last eight games versus Oklahoma City.Miami improved to 9-1 without Wade this season after Tuesday's 99-93 win over Philadelphia. In the midst of their longest home winning stretch since an 18-game run Jan. 23-April 5, 2005, the Heat are 22-2 at American Airlines Arena where they last lost 91-82 to Milwaukee on Jan. 22.James scored 14 straight Miami points in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 41 on Tuesday as the Heat rebounded from the defeat at Boston to move within 2 1/2 games of the Bulls in the East."It was a grind," Spoelstra said of his team's latest performance. "No question, it was a grind."An MVP candidate along with Durant, James is averaging 26.7 points for the season but 19.7 on 43.4 percent shooting in three games against the Thunder while a member of the Heat.

All Trends Listed are 80% or Better

Miami Heat Trends :
NO 80 % TRENDS APPLY

Miami Heat Over / Under Trends :
Under is 5-0 in Heat last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 5-1 in Heat last 6 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 4-1 in Heat last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Heat last 5 games as a favorite.

Oklahoma City Thunder Trends :
Thunder are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Wednesday games.
Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

Oklahoma City Thunder Over / Under Trends :
Under is 4-1 in Thunder last 5 overall.
Under is 4-1 in Thunder last 5 road games.
Under is 4-1 in Thunder last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Head to Head Competition
Thunder are 7-0 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Miami.
Thunder are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Minneapolis Time 1:20 AM
Pinnacle Sports Book
710 # Miami Heat - 3
709 # Oklahoma City Thunder Over / Under Under 197

Public Money
152 Bets
Heat 33.33%
Thunder 66.67%

[Gman1]

Phoenix Suns (27-26)
at Utah Jazz (28-26)

EnergySolutions Arena
The Phoenix Suns are doing their best to make a push into playoff position in the Western Conference.One team standing directly in their way is the Utah Jazz.The visiting Suns have a chance to move ahead of the Jazz in the conference standings with a seventh consecutive victory in the series Wednesday night.After losing four of six games to end March, Phoenix (27-26) beat New Orleans 92-75 on Sunday then followed that with a 109-100 victory at Sacramento on Tuesday to surpass the .500 mark for the third time this season."We needed this bad," said veteran Michael Redd, who scored 16 points off the bench against the Kings. "This league is all about having rhythm and we got it, and got the win."Though Phoenix has won 15 of 22, it currently sits 10th in the West. However, the Suns are one-half game behind ninth-place Utah (28-26) and 1 1/2 back of Houston, which owns the eighth and final playoff spot.Phoenix has missed the postseason two of the last three seasons."We know every game is critical," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "You have to treat every game like a playoff game. This group understands that urgency."
The Suns have a chance to move ahead of the Jazz in the standings if they can run their series winning streak to seven games over Utah. Phoenix has won three of four on the road overall, and three in a row at Utah by an average margin of 14 points.Phoenix continued to build momentum Tuesday as Marcin Gortat had 20 points with 10 rebounds and Steve Nash added 18 with 12 assists as the Suns used a 12-2 run in the fourth quarter to pull away in Sacramento.Despite the victory, Phoenix players agreed that the club needs to show some improvement after blowing a 17-point first-half lead and allowing Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins to score a career-high 41 points and rookie Isaiah Thomas to finish with 25."It was definitely a tough game," Gortat said. "We still need to work our defense. We've got to play smarter, play harder. Don't let this happen."
The Suns allowed Utah to shoot 52.2 percent and outrebound them 42-34, but pulled out a 120-111 home victory March 14 by shooting a season-high 56.4 percent in the teams' only previous meeting this season. Channing Frye scored 26 points, Gortat had 25, Jared Dudley finished with 21 and Steve Nash added 12 with 16 assists to help Phoenix overcome a 13-point deficit in that contest.Nash, who bounced back Tuesday after back problems limited him to four or fewer points in three of the previous four games, has totaled 36 points on 12-of-21 shooting in the Suns' last two trips to Utah.The Jazz snapped a three-game skid with a 102-97 win at Portland on Monday. Paul Millsap had 31 points, including the go-ahead dunk with 1:11 remaining, and pulled down 11 rebounds while Gordon Hayward scored 20."We needed this win bad, and it showed how we played out there," Millsap said. "The will not to lose, the will to make it to that next level to get in the playoffs, it came out."Millsap had 18 points and 10 rebounds at Phoenix last month.
Hayward has averaged 18.0 points in the last four games overall.

All Trends Listed are 80% or Better

Phoenix Suns Trends :
Suns are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Suns are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Suns are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
Suns are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when their starting 5 players combine for more than 160 minutes of the previous day.

Phoenix Suns Over / Under Trends :
Under is 5-0 in Suns last 5 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Under is 7-1 in Suns last 8 games when their starting 5 players combine for more than 160 minutes on the previous day.
Over is 6-1 in Suns last 7 Wednesday games.
Under is 5-1 in Suns last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Suns last 5 overall.
Under is 4-1 in Suns last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Under is 12-3 in Suns last 15 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

Utah Jazz Trends :
NO 80 % TRENDS APPLY

Utah Jazz Over / Under Trends :
NO 80 % TRENDS APPLY

Head to Head Competition
Suns are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Utah.
Suns are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Utah.

Minneapolis Time 3:00 AM
Pinnacle Sports Book
Utah Jazz - 6.5
Utah Jazz Over / Under Under 201

Public Money
190 Bets
Jazz 60.00%
Suns 40.00%

[Gman1]

MLB Top 5:
Best potential money pitchers in baseball

Mike Minor
Atlanta Braves
Batters hit .175 BA this spring against the 24-year-old lefty, who is slated to start the third game of the season versus the Mets. The general public might not expect much from Minor, who lost the No. 5 starter job last season to Brandon Beachy.But Fangraphs.com notes Minor has a good strikeout rate and that his career 4.74 ERA is misleading. His career SIERA – a complicated stat that measures a pitcher’s underlying skill level more accurately than ERA – is 3.63.In 24 spring innings, Minor allowed 14 hits while fanning 19 and walking 14. He had a fine WHIP of 1.17.Minor was very vocal in Florida, saying he’d like a trade if he wasn’t in the rotation. He backed it up and could be a nice sleeper for bettors.

Max Scherzer
Detroit Tigers
The 27-year-old right-hander posted the highest ERA, 4.43, in his four-year career last season yet still finished 19th in the money standings ($657). He was an underdog nine times.Sabermetricians expect Scherzer’s ERA to drop this season, noting his ERA spike was due to two stats partly out of his control. He allowed a lofty .314 BA on balls in play, which doesn’t include home runs. And a whopping 12.6 percent of the fly balls he gave up went over the fence.Because of those outliers, expect Scherzer to cut his ERA and keep cashing for bettors even if he doesn’t get the same run support he got last year (7.89, sixth in MLB).

Vance Worley
Philadelphia Phillies
As a rookie Worley went 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA in 132 innings. He was the sixth-most profitable starter in MLB, bringing in $1,013 for $100 players, as the Phils won 16 of his 21 starts.From a betting perspective, the highlight came when Worley cashed as a +161 dog against the Braves on Sept. 28. With Worley on the mound, the Philliess never laid more than -195.Worley benefits from all the attention showered on Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. His most recent spring start also should help limit his buzz. He gave up 11 runs, five earned, in four innings against Minnesota last Wednesday as the Phillies simply wanted him to get his work in.

Anibal Sanchez
Florida Marlins
Sanchez will certainly be motivated, as he becomes a free agent at season’s end.Did you know that only Brandon Morrow, Zach Greinke and Clayton Kershaw struck out more batters per inning last year than Sanchez? Sanchez appears to have put his shoulder concerns behind him. The 28-year-old right-hander suffered from a lack of run support last year, ranking 82nd in the majors. The retooled Marlins should provide more support. Newly-signed shortstop Jose Reyes is the reigning NL batting champ and improves the team’s defense up the middle.

Henderson Alvarez
Toronto Blue Jays
He won’t turn 22 until April 18, but this 6-foot-1 right-hander could pitch like a No. 2 starter this season. Alvarez throws in the mid-90s and has a power sinker with sharp downward movement. He can fool batters with his changeup as well. After a rapid rise through the farm system, Alvarez went 1-3 with a 3.53 ERA in 10 starts for Toronto last season. He pitched at least six innings in each of his final eight outings.Alvarez, who spent the offseason refining his slider, walked just eight batters in 63 2-3 innings last year. Ride him early while he’s still under the radar.

[Gman1]

Five MLB Teams
That Could Surprise in 2012

To surprise, one has to seemingly arise from a bottom feeder to league leader seemingly out of nowhere. Every year in the MLB teams who lost more games than they won the year before turn into contenders the next. While there are still several constants year in and year out like the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies, others like the Rays and Diamondbacks have turned around otherwise dismal situations into winning ball clubs.In 2012, there are five squads who, despite losing at least half of their games in 2011, appear poised to jump into the pennant race this season. Although some of these teams made otherwise outrageously aggressive transactions this winter, others still figure to improve based on the maturation of younger players, or in most cases, some combination between the two.

1. Cincinnati Reds (Last season: 79-83)
Combined with several bold moves and key losses by divisional foes, the Reds are the team to beat in the Central in 2012 after performing below expectations a year ago. Naturally, with the departures of the likes of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder from division heavyweights St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers, respectively, the division’s ripe for the taking and GM Walt Jocketty saw that the window of opportunity was now with the acquisition of ace Mat Latos from the beleaguered San Diego Padres, trade of stud set-up man Sean Marshall from divisional foe Chicago Cubs, and signing of closer Ryan Madson from the Phillies. Likewise, the club has top catching prospect Devin Mesoraco ready to fill the void left by veteran Ramon Hernandez, who signed with the Rockies. Expect a double digit hike in wins for Cincinnati and a playoff berth by season’s end.

2. Colorado Rockies (73-89)
After having picked the Rockies to run away with the NL West last year, I was shocked to see their fall from grace epitomized by the midseason trade of ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the Cleveland Indians for a quartet of prospects. This offseason however, GM Dan O’Dowd aggressively pursued the addition of several key veterans to complement a suddenly juvenile pitching staff. The club acquired 31-year-old Jeremy Guthrie from the Orioles to serve as guru to a rotation with only one other starter with over 30 career starts in the Bigs.Across the rest of the diamond, O’Dowd’s biggest acquisition was the signing of outfielder Michael Cuddyer from the Twins, who should provide at least 20 home runs and a solid average to complement stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. The Rocks also nabbed veteran backstop Ramon Hernandez and shipped off disappointment Chris Iannetta to the Angels, while also employing Casey Blake to man the hot corner instead of incumbent Ian Stewart. To be honest, I thought Blake’s career ended (or at least should have) five years ago so I hope Colorado doesn’t expect much of anything from him. Regardless, the Rocks will be an interesting squad to watch in 2012 that will have its destiny in the hands of a young yet immensely talented quartet of hurlers in their rotation – Jhoulys Chacin, Juan Nicasio, Drew Pomeranz, and either Alex White or Guillermo Moscoso.

3. Miami Marlins (72-90)
Before the Angels stole their thunder, the Marlins were the talk of the league in early December. With a new ballpark, owner Jeffrey Loria committed to finally spending a little cash on his club — splurging to sign superstar shortstop Jose Reyes, left-hander Mark Buerhle, and closer Heath Bell, while reportedly offering the largest deal to Albert Pujols who instead signed with the Angels.Regardless, the fish figured to improve without major acquisitions with the healthy return of ace Josh Johnson, continued development of budding superstar Mike Stanton, and rebound by star Hanley Ramirez. With the moves, the team figures to improve significantly, but just how much will likely be curbed by a contentious NL East division with four viable contenders.

4. Toronto Blue Jays (81-81)
Like the Marlins, the Blue Jays face an uphill battle as part of arguably the most competitive division in the entire league. While the Yankees and Red Sox are perennial contenders, the Jays also have to contend with the Rays who may just be the best team in the entire league with phenomenal rotation depth with the arrival of top prospect Matt Moore.But on the face of it, Toronto will be a better club on the diamond in 2012 than 2011, and will figure to get even better in the future with a cluster of excellent prospects waiting in the wings. With MVP candidate Jose Bautista manning the outfield, the Jays will be turning to perhaps the best player the public knows, Brett Lawrie, to handle the hot corner, who figures to be a prime candidate for rookie of the year. Likewise, GM Alex Anthopolous plucked closer Sergio Santos from the White Sox who will lead an improved bullpen. Although the club lost out on Japanese product Yu Darvish and first baseman Prince Fielder, the club is still in a strong position to surprise in 2012.

5. Washington Nationals (80-81)
Often the laughing stock of the league, DC’s boys of summer appear on the precipice of becoming a perennial contender. 2012 might not be the year the club is ready to compete for championships with the legendary Bryce Harper still being groomed in the minors (but not for long) and young hurlers Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann being stretched out and monitored after past elbow injuries. The squad’s young players continue to improve in conjunction with prime production from franchise player Ryan Zimmerman along with Jayson Werth and Michael Morse. The club’s boldest move includes the trade for budding ace Gio Gonzalez from the Athletics, who combined with Strasburg and Zimmermann, suddenly gives the Nats arguably the league’s most dynamic rotation outside of Philadelphia. Going to school in the nation’s capital, there is a new buzz and excitement in the air that’s palpable surrounding this club. Although they will be in an uphill battle all year long as part of the National League’s most difficult division, the future is so bright in DC, you just might want to wear shades.

[Gman1]

2012 MLB Projected Win Totals

2012 MLB Regular Season Win Totals

Arizona Diamondbacks – UNDER 86.5 (-115)
The Diamondbacks came out of nowhere to win the NL West with an impressive 94-win season. This year they won’t surprise anyone, which has me picking them to take a step back in 2012.

Atlanta Braves – OVER 86.5 (-115)
The Braves went 89-73 despite a horrific September that kept them out of the playoffs. I look for Atlanta to come in extremely motivated this year, which has me pegging them for a 90+ win season.

Baltimore Orioles – UNDER 69.5 (-135)
First off, the large amount of juice on this bet is a pretty good indicator that oddsmakers believe the Orioles won’t be a factor in the AL East. They are the worst team in arguably the best division in baseball. They won just 69 games a season ago, and have done little in the offseason to make me believe they will top that mark this year.

Boston Red Sox – OVER 90.5 (-105)
The Red Sox were doomed by a poor April and awful September, but still finished with a 90-72 record. Look for Boston to live up to expectations under new manager Bobby Valentine and return to the postseason.

Chicago Cubs – UNDER 73.5 (-125)
I think the Cubs are headed in the right direction, but this team lost more than it added over the offseason. There’s an outside chance Chicago could contend in the NL Central, but my money is on another poor finish.

Chicago White Sox – UNDER 75.5 (-115)
The White Sox were suppose to contend for the AL Central title last year, but instead finished up the year with a losing record (79-83). I personally think the White Sox are going to fall to the bottom of the division in 2012, which makes the under an easy play.

Cincinnati Reds – OVER 87.5 (-115)
The Reds failed to defend their 2010 NL Central title, but with Albert Pujols leaving St Louis and Prince Fielder no longer in Milwaukee, Cincinnati is primed to make another run at a division crown.

Colorado Rockies – UNDER 80.5 (-105)
Colorado finished up 2011 with just 73-wins. I have a hard time seeing this team win eight more games with the starting rotation they have put together this offseason.

Detroit Tigers – OVER 91.5 (-125)
The addition of Prince Fielder makes the Tigers the clear-cut favorites to once again win the AL Central. Detroit should feast off the other four teams in their division. They won 95 games without Fielder in the lineup last year. No reason they don’t reach 92 wins in 2012.

Houston Astros – UNDER 63.5 (-130)
The Astros won just 56 games in 2011 and have no desire to contend in 2012. If I had to pick one team to finish with the worst record in baseball, it would be the Houston Astros.

Kansas City Royals – OVER 78.5 (-125)
The Royals have really put together a solid nucleus for the future. With the AL Central down this year, I expect the Royals finished second in the division. This is one win total you don’t want to pass up.

Los Angeles Angels – OVER 91.5 (-130)
The Angels went out and added in one of the best hitters in the game in Albert Pujols and a rising star in starter C.J. Wilson. The Angels are for real. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they finished with the best record in baseball in 2012, making the over a no-brainer.

Los Angeles Dodgers – OVER 80.5 (-115)
A lot of people are writing off the Dodgers in the NL West this year, but I don’t think that is a very smart move. While San Francisco and Arizona are the teams to beat, you can’t overlook a team that has one of the best young hitters, Matt Kemp, and starters, Clayton Kershaw.

Miami Marlins – UNDER 85.5 (-125)
The expectations in Miami are very high going into the season, which likely has this total a little higher than what it should be. The Phillies and Braves are still the two best teams in the NL East, leaving me to think the Marlins will come up just short of 86 wins.

Milwaukee Brewers – OVER 85.5 (-120)
Even with the loss of Fielder the Brewers still have enough offense and pitching to win the NL Central. Milwaukee should be able to win at least 86 games this year.

Minnesota Twins – OVER 72.5 (-135)
I don’t think the Twins have enough to win their division, but this total is simply too low. Minnesota was crushed by injuries in 2011, which has me calling for them to get back on track and pass the posted total here.

New York Mets – UNDER 73.5 (-125)
The Mets are the only team in the NL East that I don’t think has a chance at winning the division. The loss of Jose Reyes will have a bigger impact than one might think. Look for the Mets to finish with less than 70 wins in 2012.

New York Yankees – UNDER 93.5 (-125)
The OVER is always a popular choice when it comes to the Yankees win total, but I think this team is a bit overrated heading into 2012. New York not only fails to win 94 games, but they finish third in the AL East and out of the playoffs.

Oakland Athletics – UNDER 72.5 (-135)
The A’s are in the middle of a major rebuilding phase, and I don’t expect this team to win more than 72 games. It will be hard enough to win games within in their own division with the Angels and Rangers both looking like World Series contenders.

Philadelphia Phillies – OVER 93.5 (-110)
The Phillies finished with the best record in baseball last year, finishing the season 102-60. Their unbelievable starting rotation makes them a threat to win every time they take the field. I don’t think they get back to a 100 wins, but I think 94 wins is well within reach.

Pittsburgh Pirates – OVER 72.5 (-125)
The Pirates were right in the thick of things in the NL Central before falling apart in the second half of the season. I look for Pittsburgh to put together a more complete season and easily pass the 73-win mark in 2012.

San Diego Padres – UNDER 73.5 (-105)
The Padres are a hard team to figure out. They surpassed expectations in 2010, only to falter in 2011. I have them as the worst team in the NL West, which has me siding with the UNDER in this bet.

San Francisco Giants – OVER 87.5 (+105)
The Giants are another team that had their 2011 season ruined by injuries, especially on the offensive side of the ball. They are one of the few teams that can rival the starting rotation of the Phillies, which has me pegging San Francisco winning the NL West with at least 90-wins.

Seattle Mariners – OVER 71.5 (-125)
The Marines have no shot at competing with the Angels and Rangers in the AL West, but they are team that I think could surprise in 2012. The offense should be drastically improved this year, and they still have one of the best starters in the game in Felix Hernandez.

St Louis Cardinals – UNDER 85.5 (-115)
The loss of Pujols and manager Tony La Russa will be too much for the Cardinals to overcome in 2012. I think they are still one of the top three teams in the NL Central, but I believe they will fall just short of 86 wins this season.

Tampa Bay Rays – OVER 86.5 (-130)
I am really big on the Rays chances of winning the AL East this season, which makes the OVER 86.5 an easy play. Tampa Bay has one of the best starting staffs in the American League and should be better than they were a year ago offensively.

Texas Rangers – UNDER 91.5 (+100) – There’s no question the Rangers will be one of the best offensive teams in all of baseball, but I don’t think they have the starting pitching to duplicate their success from the last two years.

Toronto Blue Jays – UNDER 82.5 (-115)
Toronto is one of the most underrated teams in baseball. However, playing in the same division as the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays doesn’t leave a whole lot of opportunities to rack up wins. I would take the Blue Jays over 82.5 in just about every other division outside of the AL East.

Washington Nationals – UNDER 83.5 (-120)
The Nationals enter the 2012 season with some lofty expectations for a team that hasn’t really done a whole lot. Washington is still a year or two away from competing for a division title, which has me rolling the UNDER 84 wins this season.

[Gman1]

HOCKEY CRUSHER
11-4 RUN (73%)
20 MAR 1-0
21 MAR 1-0
22 MAR 1-0
23 MAR 1-0
24 MAR 1-0
25 MAR 0-1
26 MAR 1-0
27 MAR 1-0
28 MAR 1-0
29 MAR 1-0
30 MAR 1-0
31 MAR 0-1
01 APR 0-1
02 APR 1-0
03 APR 0-1
04 APR
St. Louis Blues -140 over Detroit Red Wings



CRUSHER PLAYS + RECORDS
Baseball Crusher
Miami Marlins -160 over St. Louis Cardinals
(System Record: 0-0)
Overall Record: 0-0

Hockey Crusher
St. Louis Blues -140 over Detroit Red Wings
Philadelphia Flyers -125 over NewYork Rangers (pending)
(System Record: 86-5, won last game)
Overall Record: 86-76-9

Basketball Crusher
Boston Celtics (PICK) over San Antonio Spurs
New York Knicks +5.5 over IndianaPacers (pending)
(System Record: 72-5, won last game)
Overall Record 72-66-5

Soccer Crusher
Santos Laguna + Toronto FC UNDER 3
This match is happening in CONCACAF
(System Record: 206-10, lost last 2 games)
Overall Record: 206-187-17

[Gman1]

San Antonio Spurs (37-14)
at Boston Celtics (30-22)

TD Garden
After building an increasingly impressive winning streak entirely without Ray Allen, the Boston Celtics could gain even more momentum with the veteran sharpshooter back in the lineup.Then again, the San Antonio Spurs are riding an even bigger surge.The visiting Spurs will be looking for a ninth straight win Wednesday night in their only meeting of the season with the Celtics, who are trying to bolster their Atlantic Division lead with a ninth consecutive home victory.Even though Allen has missed the last six games with a sore right ankle, Boston (30-22) has won five in a row overall to leapfrog Philadelphia for first place. The obvious highlight of that run was Sunday's 91-72 win over Miami, which shot a season-worst 34.8 percent in its most lopsided defeat of 2011-12.
The Celtics made a defensive statement while beginning a three-game stretch against elite competition. They visit Chicago on Thursday."We know we can play with the best," said Paul Pierce, who had 23 points - his seventh straight game with at least 20. "It feels great. The crowd is behind you. You're executing. You're not turning the ball over. You're rebounding. That's the type of game we have to play."They'll have to do it again with the Spurs (37-14) in town. San Antonio won for the 25th time in 30 games Tuesday, cruising past Cleveland 125-90.It was also the Spurs' 14th win in 16 road games and 13th victory in their last 14 against Eastern Conference opponents. Coach Gregg Popovich's team moved within two games of West-leading Oklahoma City with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili each playing less than half the game."Obviously, we're on a back-to-back and we got a little rest for the second game," Duncan said. "Perfect scenario? Pretty close."Parker logged just 23 minutes and had 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting - his best percentage this season and the fourth time in five games he's made more than half his shots.He'll form an enticing point guard matchup with Rajon Rondo, who compiled 16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds Sunday for his fifth triple-double of the season. He's the only player in the league with more than one, and he's notched double figures in assists in 13 straight contests.Backcourt mate Avery Bradley's production has been more surprising. Starting the last five games in place of Allen, the second-year guard has averaged 14.6 points on 52.8 percent shooting.Allen practiced fully Tuesday and, barring a setback, is expected to return against the Spurs. But Bradley's solid play - especially on the defensive end - has sparked a debate about how the minutes should be split up down the stretch.Coach Doc Rivers, though, confirmed Allen will regain his starting spot, and he's not worried about Bradley's transition back to a reserve role."I think he'll be great," Rivers told the Celtics' official website about Bradley. "We're going to try to sub guys a little differently to keep the combinations the same."A seemingly rejuvenated Kevin Garnett has also been a big reason Boston is 8-0 at home and 15-5 overall since the All-Star break. Garnett is averaging 17.3 points and 8.6 rebounds in that stretch.The Celtics have gone 6-2 against San Antonio since acquiring Allen and Garnett in 2007, including two wins last season. Rondo had a triple-double - including 23 assists, not to mention six steals - in a 105-103 win Jan. 5, 2011, the last time the Spurs visited Boston.

All Trends Listed are 80% or Better ( except One )


San Antonio Spurs Trends :
Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Wednesday games.
Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite of 0.5-4.5.
Spurs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.
Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Spurs are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
Spurs are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Atlantic.
Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a road favorite of 0.5-4.5.
Spurs are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Spurs are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a road favorite.
Spurs are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Spurs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU win of more than 10 points.
Spurs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

San Antonio Spurs Over / Under Trends :
Over is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 overall.
Over is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 Wednesday games.
Over is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 games as a road favorite of 0.5-4.5.
Over is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 games as a favorite.
Over is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 games following a ATS win.
Over is 7-1 in Spurs last 8 games as a road favorite.
Over is 5-1 in Spurs last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.
Over is 8-2 in Spurs last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

Boston Celtics Trends :
Celtics are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a S.U. win.
Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.
Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5.
Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Boston Celtics Over / Under Trends :
Under is 4-0 in Celtics last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 3-0-1 in Celtics last 4 games after allowing less than 75 points in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 games as an underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 overall.

Head to Head Competition
No 80 % Trends Apply
( 78 % Trend )
Spurs are 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings in Boston.

Minneapolis Time 5:20 AM
Pinnacle Sports Book
San Antonio Spurs - 1
San Antonio Spurs Over / Under Under 192

Public Money
1688 Bets
San Antonio Spurs 90%
Boston Celtics 10%

[Gman1]

NBA TRENDS

Hot Teams
-- Pacers won three of last four games;
they're 4-7-1 as road favorites.
-- Raptors won three of last four games.
are 13-7 as an underdog of 4+ points.
-- Boston won its last eight home games, covered last seven.
Spurs won their last eight games (6-2 vs spread).
-- Miami won its last five home games,
but is 7-9 vs spread in its last 16 at home.
Thunder won/covered five of last seven road games.
-- Nuggets won three of last four games, all on the road.
-- Warriors covered eight of their last nine road games.
-- Grizzlies won five of their last six games.
-- Suns won three of their last four road games.
-- Nets covered five of their last six games (4-2 SU).
-- Clippers won their last six home games (5-1 vs spread).

Cold Teams
-- Wizards lost seven of their last eight games.
-- 76ers lost seven of their last eleven games.
-- Atlanta is 5-10 as home favorite of 4+ points.
Bobcats lost last eight games, but covered three of last four.
-- New Orleans lost six of its last seven home games.
-- Minnesota lost its last three games, by 21-13-8 points.
-- Milwaukee lost three of its last four home games.
Cavaliers lost last eight games, failed to cover last seven.
-- Mavericks are 3-7 vs spread in their last ten home games.
-- Jazz lost five of their last six games.
-- Portland covered only three of last ten home games.
-- Lakers are 0-9 vs spread in last nine games at Staples Center.

Wear-and-Tear
-- Pacers: 6th game/8 nites. Wizards: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Raptors: 3rd game/4 nites. 76ers: 2nd nite in row, after two off.
-- Spurs: 2nd nite in row, after two off. Celtics: Last 2 nites off.
-- Bobcats: 2nd nite in row, after two off. Hawks: Last 3 nites off.
-- Thunder: 3rd game/4 nites. Heat: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Nuggets: Last 2 nites off. Hornets: Last 2 nites off.
-- Warriors: 3rd game/4 nites. T'wolves: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Cavaliers: 2nd nite in row, after two off. Bucks: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Grizzlies: 3rd nite in row, 5th/6 nites. Mavericks: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Suns: 3rd game/4 nites. Jazz: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Nets: 2nd nite in row, after two off. Trailblazers: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Lakers: 4th game/5 nites. Clippers: 4th game/6 nites.

Totals
-- Last three Indiana games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Toronto road games went over the total.
-- 11 of Spurs' last 12 road games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Atlanta games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Thunder games stayed under the total; four of last five Miami games went over.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in Denver's last eight games.
-- Six of Warriors' last eight road games stayed under total.
-- Over is 7-2 in Milwaukee's last nine home games.
-- Seven of last eight Memphis games stayed under total.
-- Six of last nine Phoenix road games went over the total.
-- Last five Portland games went over the total. Five of last seven New Jersey road games stayed under.
-- Three of Lakers' last four games stayed under the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Pacers are 5-4 vs spread if they won the night before.
-- Raptors are 1-4 vs spread on road if they played at home night before. 76ers are 3-4 vs spread if they lost the night before.
-- Spurs are 2-7-1 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Charlotte is 4-7 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Miami is 5-10 against spread when it played the night before.
-- Warriors are 6-2 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Cavaliers are 3-5 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Memphis is 6-1 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Suns are 9-6-1 vs spread if they played the night before.
-- Nets are 4-3 vs spread on road if they played the night before.
-- Lakers are 2-3 vs spread at Staples if they played night before.

[Gman1]

NHL TRENDS

Hot teams
-- Lightning won five of their last seven games.

Cold teams
-- Montreal lost six of its last seven games.
-- St Louis lost six of its last nine games.
Red Wings lost their last seven road games.

Totals
-- Five of last six Tampa Bay games went over the total.
-- Last five Detroit-St Louis games stayed under the total.

Series records
-- Lightning lost three of last four visits to Montreal.
-- Red Wings won last three games vs St Louis: 3-2/3-0/3-1.

Back-to-Back
-- None.

[Gman1]

Marc Lawrence
3* Jazz

[Gman1]

Fantasy Sports Gametime
Baseball Wednesday
100* Play Miami (-170) over St. Louis (MLB TOP PLAY)
Starts at 7:10 PM EST
Josh Johnson has won 13 of the last 17 games when pitching on a Wednesday and he has also won 14 of the last 18 games when pitching as a home favorite of -110 or higher. Josh Johnson has won 13 of the last 17 home games when the total posted is between 7 and 8.5 runs and he was 3-1 last season with an ERA of 1.64