Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres
The NL west will be the
featured game today. Got a couple of familiar pitchers taking the
mound, Josh Becket for the Dodgers and Clayton Richards for the Pads, in
a home opener for San Diego. Both of these clubs are showing up at the
bottom of MLB scoring and as the history goes pitchers control the game
at PetCo Park and both of these clubs are known for pitching, right?
Well, both pitchers did start a bit shaky and we do have a very low
total of 6.5 on the board. But the other factor here is maybe San Diego
is forcing some changes to this pitcher friendly confines. This park has
been reconfigured to make it a bit easier for the ball to get out. Like
the idea? let's see if the theory holds up in real game situation.
Richards is a home run pitcher and Josh is not going to over power
hitters. Taking advantage of the smaller park.
This is the new PetCo Park.
• The distance down the right-field line will remain the same at 322 feet.
•
From the right-field porch to the right-center field gap, the fence
will be moved in 11 feet and lowered to match the sub-eight-foot height
in left and center field.
• The out-of-town scoreboard will be relocated.
• At right-center field, the distance will decrease from 402 feet to 391 feet.
• The distance at straightaway center field will remain the same at 396 feet.
• The deepest portion of the left-center field gap will be decreased from 402 feet to 390 feet.
•
The home bullpen will be reconfigured to allow for the visitors'
bullpen to be relocated from the field to the area behind the home
bullpen.
• The dimensions from left-center field to the left-field foul line will remain the same.
• The distance at straightaway left field will remain the same at 357 feet.
• The distance down the left-field line will remain the same at 336 feet.
Going Over for the Opener in San Diego.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS at SAN DIEGO PADRES
Game Total OVER 6.5
Toronto Raptors at Charlotte Bobcats
5th
in Atlantic meets 5th in Southwest, that's where the similarity end.
The Raptors are 26-41 with .500 ATS and is a team moving up while the
Cats at 15-52, 22-41 ATS, is the worst team in NBA. But this is no news
and Toronto on the road has been weak except for their ATS record,
reflective of their underdog status. That's not the case here this is
9-24 SU road team giving -6.5 points to 11-22 ATS home record team.
But Toronto just blew them out, you say. At -12.5 or -13 that was a
narrow home cover. This one might tighten up in Charlotte, but than
again Cats coming off a SU win scoring 119 points might regress.
Anybody's game to lose tonight, but I do feel the offense will crank it
up a notch. The Bobcats did score 119 points in their last effort and
it's unlikely to be repeated today, but let's say the Cats play 20
points below that's still 99 points and Toronto played 3 games in a row
scoring below 99 points, but last 4 game road trip scored above 110
points in 3 out of 4 allowed over 118 points in 3 out of 4 very porous
on the road. The Total has been on a swing and it's moved up and down
within a point, point and a half of 195. Toronto overall O/U 33-34, but
20-13 on the road. Bobcats also a Under team, but slight Over at home
17-15, 8-4 when Total is in low to mid 190's and 17-9 against losing
teams. This game goes OVER.
TORONTO RAPTORS at CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Game Total OVER 194.5
Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers
Got a reverse line
movement on this game with -1 point spread opening with Cleveland is now
-1 Wizards. Washington had a nice run 2/02 to 2/25 for span of 10 games
going 7-3 SU & 8-2 ATS. 6 games since they are 2-4 SU &
1-5 ATS. Cleveland also had a run of 6 straight ATS wins 2/13 to 2/27
and now tapered a bit going 2-3 ATS in last 5 games. Maybe
Washington's win with the largest ATS -10.5 cover and offense breaking
over 100 points will carry over to this game. But that was the Bobcats
and the Wizards have struggled to score in other recent games. Good
thing their defense is not allowing much points. Rather than to tangle
with the short line that's reversed the Total looks poised to go UNDER.
Washington's 104 point scoring in last game against the Bobcats likely
to come down on the road. Cleveland has allowed 5 straight games of
triple digit points, longest 100+ points allowed, but that number too is
likely decline. Washington on the road O/U 6-23, 2nd half of season
4-13, after 10+ points win 1-6, against Central 1-11, against sub .500
teams 7-20, in 2nd half 1-8. Cleveland doesn't trend Under as well as
Washington, but Kyle Irving out of the line up to make it little harder
on Cavalier's offense. The points will come at a premium today. Go with
the UNDER.
WASHINGTON at CLEVELAND
Game Total UNDER 191 at -105 for 1 unit
L.A. dropped 3 in a row at home to their cross town rivals and they are looking for some relief. Relief in Great American Ballpark is not a bad thought. Dodgers have been kicking Reds around for some time and last time these two pitchers met back in April it ended 6-14 Dodgers blow out at Great American Ballpark. Harang has tough time with L.A. and Hiroki Kuroda is one of the Dodgers top money pitcher with Dodgers taking 8-4. All that and Dodgers are only -115, what do you say? A good bounce back spot after a three game loss by L.A a team with 36-27 record and with a day off. Both are bad situation with negative stats for L.A. and though L.A. does hold edge over past record Reds are very similar this season at 36-28 record, 22-15 at home, with excellent 0.8 win margin. I also think Dodgers are a risky proposition where single run games have turned against them over the course of last 10 games.
Take CINCINNATI REDS
First game of this series was a pitching duel with both starters going 8 strong innings. Tonight the match up will feature good pitching again with Derek Lowe for the visiting Braves, 8-5 with team record the same. He’s been getting good run support and has been money. You also need to understand the Braves road record of 16-21 is not reflective of Atlanta’s current state. Eliminating their early slump Braves are playing even away, splitting Arizona and L.A. series on the road before that sweeping the Phillies, Pittsburgh at home before that winning on the road and their winning ways started before that. Yes, Atlanta Braves are good team to back right now. Cutting to the chase, I like the Twins and Nick Blackburn. They are perfect at home. Yeah, Nick threw 2 forgettable starts out West, but back to the friendly fields in Twin city I expect different.
MINNESOTA TWINS at -113