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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/23/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Aug 23, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NFL preseason, MLB, and the EPL. The second week of the NFL preseason concludes with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on ESPN at 8 PM ET. The Saints come off a 17-14 loss at Baltimore as a 2.5-point underdog in their first preseason game on August 14th. Jacksonville got upset at home against Cleveland, 23-13, as a 1.5-point favorite last Saturday. New Orleans is a 4-point favorite, with the total set at 39.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Seven games are on the MLB slate. Boston plays at home against Texas at 1:10 PM ET to make up for their rainout on Sunday. Nathan Eovaldi pitches for the Red Sox against Kolby Allard of the Rangers. Boston is a -350 money line favorite with an over/under of 10. Pittsburgh plays at home against Arizona at 7:05 PM ET. The Pirates ended their two-game winning streak with a 3-0 loss at St. Louis on Sunday. The Diamondbacks had lost two in a row before their 8-4 victory at Colorado yesterday. Pittsburgh pitches Will Crowe against Arizona’s Humberto Mejia. The Pirates are a -115 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox plays at Toronto at 7:07 PM ET. The White Sox have lost three of four after a 9-0 loss at Tampa Bay yesterday. The Blue Jays have lost four of five after a 5-3 loss in 11 innings against Detroit on Sunday. Lance Lynn pitches for Chicago against Alek Manoah for Toronto. The White Sox are a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Atlanta is at home against the New York Yankees at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves have won nine in a row with their 3-1 win at Baltimore yesterday. The Yankees have won nine in a row before their game with the Minnesota Twins was postponed on Sunday. Atlanta pitches Huascar Ynoa against New York’s Jordan Montgomery. The Braves are a -130 money line favorite with a total of 9. The Chicago Cubs host Colorado at 8:05 PM ET. The Cubs have lost three in a row and 15 of their last 16 after a 9-1 loss to Kansas City yesterday. The Rockies had won six in a row before their loss to the Diamondbacks yesterday. Kyle Hendricks pitches for Chicago against Antonio Senzatela of the Rockies. The Cubs are a -130 money line favorite. Houston is at home against Kansas City at 8:10 PM ET. The Astros have lost five of their last eight games after a 6-3 loss to Seattle yesterday. The Royals have six of seven after their win on the road against the Cubs yesterday. Houston pitches Zack Greinke against Kansas City’s Daniel Lynch. The Astros are a -235 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Oakland plays at home against Seattle at 9:40 PM ET. The A’s have lost six of their last eight after a 2-1 loss to San Francisco yesterday. The Mariners have won four of six with their win on the road against the Mariners on Sunday. Seattle pitches Paul Blackburn against the Mariners' Marco Gonzales. The Mariners are a -125 money line favorite with a total of 8.5.The second week of the English Premier League concludes with Leicester City visiting West Ham United on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET. The Foxes defeated Wolverhampton, 1-0, last Saturday. The Hammers won on the road at Newcastle United, 4-2, on Sunday. This game is a pick ‘em with an over/under of 2.75. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, WNBA, EPL and NFL Previews and Odds - 08/22/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Aug 22, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL preseason, MLB, WNBA, and the EPL. The second week of the NFL preseason continues with two games on the NFL Network. The Cleveland Browns host the New York Giants at 1 PM ET. The Browns upset Jacksonville on the road, 23-13, as a 1.5-point underdog last Saturday. The Giants lost in the Meadowlands to the New York Jets, 12-7, as a 2-point underdog last Saturday. Cleveland is a 4.5-point favorite with the total set at 35 (all odds from DraftKings). The San Francisco 49ers visit the Los Angeles Chargers at 7:30 PM ET. The 49ers were upset at home against Kansas City as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. The Chargers beat the Los Angeles Rams, 13-6, at SoFi Stadium as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday. San Francisco is a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 34. Fourteen games are on the MLB docket. The final game of the Twins/Yankees series has already been postponed because of Hurricane Henri. The card begins at 1:05 PM ET with Atlanta playing at Baltimore as a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 10. Toronto plays at home against Detroit at 1:07 PM ET as a -235 money line favorite with an over/under of 10. Three games begin at 1:10 PM ET. Boston hosts Texas as a -305 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Tampa Bay plays at home against the Chicago White Sox on TBS as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Cincinnati is at home against Miami as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 9. Two games start at 2:10 PM ET. Houston plays at home against Seattle as a -180 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Milwaukee hosts Washington as a -220 money line favorite with a total of 9. St. Louis is at home against Pittsburgh at 2:15 PM ET as a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Kansas City plays in Chicago against the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET with both teams -110 money line favorites. Colorado plays at home at 3:10 PM ET as a -180 money line favorite with an over/under of 11.5. San Diego hosts Philadelphia at 3:40 PM ET as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 11.5. San Francisco is at Oakland at 4:07 PM ET, with both teams priced as a -110 money line favorite with the total at 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the New York Mets as a -200 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Cleveland plays at home against the Los Angeles Angeles on ESPN and ESPN2 at 7:10 PM ET. Two games are on the WNBA slate. Los Angeles plays at New York at 2 PM ET. Seattle visits Washington on ESPN at 3 PM ET. Week 2 in the English Premier League continues with three matches. Manchester United plays at Southampton on Peacock at 9 AM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.75. Tottenham travels to Wolverhampton on the NBC Sports Network at 9 AM ET as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.75. Chelsea visits Arsenal on the NBC Sports Network at 11:30 AM ET.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, CFL, WNBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/21/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Aug 21, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in the NFL preseason, MLB, CFL, WNBA, and the EPL. The second week of the NFL preseason continues with ten games. Chicago hosts Buffalo on the NFL Network at 1 PM ET. The Bears are a 4.5-point favorite, with the total set at 38 (all odds from DraftKings). The New York Jets visit Green Bay on the NFL Network at 4:25 PM ET. The Jets are 2.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 31. Two games begin at 7 PM ET. Baltimore travels to Carolina as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 35.5. Miami plays at home against Atlanta as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 36. Two games start at 7:30 PM ET. Pittsburgh hosts Detroit on the NFL Network as a 6-point favorite with a total of 36.5. Tampa Bay is at home against Tennessee as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 35.5. Two games begin at 8 PM ET. Minnesota plays at home against Indianapolis as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 37. Dallas hosts Houston as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. Two games conclude the NFL preseason card at 10 PM ET. Denver visits Seattle as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 37.5. Las Vegas travels to Los Angeles to play the Rams on the NFL Network as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 35.Fifteen games are on the MLB docket. Nine games take place in the afternoon. The New York Yankees are at home against Minnesota on FS1 at 1:05 PM ET. The Yankees are a -225 money line favorite with a total of 9. Tampa Bay hosts the Chicago White Sox at 1:10 PM ET as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Chicago Cubs are at home against Kansas City at 2:20 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite. Toronto is at home against Detroit at 3:07 PM ET as a -265 money line favored with a total of 9.5. Two games begin at 4:05 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the New York Mets on FS1 as a -280 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Milwaukee hosts Washington as a -220 money line favorite with a total of 9. San Francisco is at Oakland at 4:07 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two games start at 4:10 PM ET. Cleveland plays at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 9. Houston is at home against Seattle as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Miami plays at Cincinnati at 6:40 PM ET. Atlanta visits Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -210 money line road favorite with a total of 10.5. Boston hosts Texas at 7:10 PM ET as a -335 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. St. Louis is at home against Pittsburgh at 7:15 PM ET as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 9. Colorado plays at home against Arizona at 8:10 PM ET as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 11.5. San Diego hosts Philadelphia at 8:40 PM ET as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 8. The third week in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. Winnipeg travels to Toronto on ESPN2 at 4 PM ET. The Blue Bombers are a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 46. Saskatchewan plays at home on ESPN+ at 7 PM ET. The Roughriders are a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 46.5. Two games are on the WNBA slate. Phoenix visits Atlanta on ESPN2 at noon. Minnesota plays at Chicago at 8 PM ET. The second week of the English Premier League season kicks off with six matches. Liverpool hosts Burnley at 7:30 PM ET on Peacock as a -2 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3. Four games start at 10 AM ET. Aston Villa plays at home against Newcastle United on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.75. Brentford visits Crystal Palace in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2.25. Leeds United is at home against Everton as a -0.25 goal line favorite with a total of 2.75. Manchester City hosts Norwich City on the USA Network as a -2.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Brighton and Hove Albion plays at home against Watford on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.75 goal line favorite with a total of 2.25. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, WNBA and NFL Previews and Odds - 08/20/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Aug 20, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in the NFL preseason, MLB, the CFL, and the WNBA. The second full week of the NFL preseason continues with two games. Kansas City visits Arizona on ESPN at 8 PM ET. The Chiefs upset the 49ers in San Francisco, 19-16, as a 2.5-point underdog last Saturday. The Cardinals beat Dallas, 19-16, as a 1.5-point favorite on Friday. Kansas City is a 3-point road favorite with the total set at 41 (all odds from DraftKings). Washington plays at home against Cincinnati on the NFL Network at 8 PM ET. The Football Team lost at New England, 22-13, as a 2-point underdog last Thursday. Washington is a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 35. Fifteen games are on the MLB slate. Kansas City visits the Chicago Cubs at 2:20 PM ET. The Royals are a -115 money line road favorite. Two games start at 7:05 PM ET. The New York Yankees host Minnesota as a -225 money line favorite with a total of 10.5. Atlanta visits Baltimore as a -250 money line road favorite with an over/under of 10. Toronto plays at home against Detroit at 7:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays are a -260 money line favorite with a total of 9. Four games begin at 7:10 PM ET. Boston is at home against Texas as a -335 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Cincinnati hosts Miami as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 9. Cleveland plays at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 10. The Chicago White Sox travel to Tampa Bay as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 9. Two games start at 8:10 PM ET. Houston plays at home against Seattle as a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee hosts Washington as a -210 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. St. Louis is at home against Pittsburgh at 8:15 PM ET. The Cardinals are a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Colorado plays at home against Arizona at 8:40 PM ET. The Rockies are a -180 money line favorite with a total of 11.5. San Francisco travels to Oakland at 9:40 PM ET. The Giants are a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two games conclude the card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the New York Mets as a -255 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. San Diego hosts Philadelphia as a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.Week 3 of the Canadian Football League continues with Montreal playing at Calgary on ESPN+ at 9:30 PM ET. The Alouettes upset Edmonton on the road, 30-13, as a 5-point underdog on Saturday. The Stampeders got beat at home against British Columbia as a 7-point favorite last Thursday. Montreal is a 6-point road favorite with a total of 45. Two games are on the WNBA schedule. Seattle plays at New York at 7 PM ET. Indiana travels to Dallas on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET.

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Premier League 2021 Season Week 1 Recap

by Scott Rickenbach

Thursday, Aug 19, 2021

English Premier League 2021 Season Week 1 Recap Quick Hitters Not a single draw in Week 1 of the season. This was very surprising to me as, out of 10 matches, not a single one ended with a splitting of the spoils. I personally prefer waging on totals and on teams to win rather than betting on the draw. However, for those of you that do like to make that wager you could be in luck this week. I would say the due factor is something to consider as it pertains to seeing some draws in Week 2 of the season! Arsenal’s loss to Brentford in Week 1 was definitely a shocker. Yet, is it not Arsenal that just seems to be one of the hardest clubs in the league to get a handle on recently. They sometimes rise up and play great against top competition and then other times they turn in a disappointing performance against a club they are supposed to beat. Brentford is solid for sure but still they just came up to the Premier League and then Arsenal not only did not win, they did not earn a share of the spoils and, in fact, lost the match by a 2-goal margin and allowed Brentford to deliver the clean sheet as Arsenal was shut out.  Chelsea dominated Crystal Palace 3-0 in Week 1 and one must be careful to evaluate Chelsea only on full season results in the table for last season. The fact is Chelsea was a different club once they made the managerial change and this is going to be a big season for them in my opinion. Quite a few goals scored in Week 1 as there were 34 total in the 10 matches. An average of nearly 3.5 goals per match is well ahead of say a typical 2.5 average. However, the key was some great performances from Manchester United, West Ham, the aforementioned Chelsea, and Liverpool to name a few. When strong clubs are matched up against each other, the goal-scoring can quickly drop depending on the strategies employed by the involved managers. That said, the goal-scoring mentioned above could drop some in Week 2 and take a look at the Manchester City – Tottenham match-up as a good example of what could transpire in bigger matches this week. The Spurs got the 1-0 upset win.  In summary, it is important to pay attention to what happens in Week 1 of a season but equally, if not more, important to not over-react to it. Keep this in mind as we head into Week 2 and beyond and as you are evaluating the clubs and the patterns as the season progresses. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB, CFL and WNBA Previews and Odds - 08/19/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Aug 19, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL preseason, MLB, the CFL, and the WNBA. The second full week of the NFL preseason kicks off with New England playing at Philadelphia on the NFL Network at 7:30 PM ET. The Patriots defeated Washington at home by a 22-13 score as a 2-point favorite last Thursday. The Eagles were upset, 24-16, at home against Pittsburgh as a 1-point favorite last Thursday. New England is a -1 point road favorite with an over/under of 38 (all odds from DraftKings).Ten games are on the MLB docket. Six games begin in the afternoon. Two games start the card at 1:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Angels conclude their three-game series at Detroit. The Angels pitch Jose Quintana against the Tigers' Matt Manning. Los Angeles is a -120 money line road favorite with the total set at 9.5. Tampa Bay plays at home against Baltimore in the final game of their four-game series. Shane McClanahan pitches for the Rays against the Orioles Jorge Lopez. Tampa Bay is a -335 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.Seattle plays at Texas at 2:05 PM ET in Game 3 of their three-game series. The Mariners pitch Chris Flexen against the Rangers Spencer Howard. Seattle is a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Two games begin at 2:10 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox host Oakland in the fourth game of their four-game series. Dylan Cease pitches for the White Sox against James Kaprielian of the A’s. Chicago is a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Houston completes their four-game series at Kansas City. The Astros pitch Luis Garcia against the Royals Mike Minor. Houston is a -190 money line road favorite with a total of 9. Philadelphia is at Arizona at 3:40 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. Zack Wheeler pitches for the Phillies against Madison Bumgarner of the Diamondbacks. Philadelphia is a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees host Minnesota at 7:05 PM ET in the opening game of their four-game series. The Yankees pitch Jameson Taillon against the Twins John Gant. New York is a -275 money line favorite with a total of 10.5. Cincinnati plays at home against Miami at 7:10 PM ET in Game 1 of their four-game series. Luis Castillo pitches for the Reds against Zach Thompson of the Marlins. Cincinnati is a -240 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Milwaukee concludes their three-game series at St. Louis at 7:45 PM ET. The Brewers pitch Brandon Woodruff against the Cardinals Jon Lester. Milwaukee is a -220 money line road favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the New York Mets at 10:10 PM ET in the opener of their four-game series. Walker Buehler pitches for the Dodgers against the Mets Taijuan Walker. Los Angeles is a -240 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.The third week of the Canadian Football League begins at 10 PM ET, with British Columbia hosting Edmonton on ESPN2. The Lions earned their first victory of the season with their 15-9 upset win at Calgary as a 7-point underdog last Thursday. The Elks remain winless after the first two weeks of the season after a 30-13 upset loss to Montreal as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. British Columbia is a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 47.Three games are on the WNBA docket. Minnesota visits Connecticut at 7 PM ET. Washington travels to Phoenix at 10 PM ET. Atlanta plays at Los Angeles at 10:30 PM ET.

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2021-22 NBA: Western Conference Season Win Totals

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Aug 18, 2021

Looking at the Over / Under totals for this coming (82-game) NBA season and what has to go right for each team to hit the Over number:DALLAS MAVERICKS (48.5) – We know what megastar Luka Doncic brings to the table, but any chance Over bettors have here lies in him getting along with pouting center Kristaps Porzingis. Will Porzingis get enough touches to feel like he’s a real part of the offense, or will Doncic do his thing and force the big guy to search for table scraps?DENVER NUGGETS (46.5) – The number would be higher were it not for the fact that Jamal Murray (ACL) won’t be ready for the start of the season. Can Denver rely on another MVP-type season from Nikola Jokic? A full season of Aaron Gordon will help, and big things are expected from Michael Porter Jr. after his breakout season in 2020-21.GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (48.5) – Back-to-back severe injuries to Klay Thompson sent the Warriors to the lottery two straight times, and now GS is in no-man’s land – desperate to take advantage of every year they can from Stephen Curry but wanting to play youngsters like James Wiseman. Quite a balancing act. Thompson needs to be Thompson for the Dubs to get near 50 wins and be a factor again in the West.HOUSTON ROCKETS (27.5) – Twenty-eight wins for a team in the infancy stages of a complete rebuild seems a heavy lift, but the Rockets have some talent, they play hard and they have added dynamo rookie Jalen Green to the mix. Green has to figure things out early, and other youngsters have to emerge for Houston to sniff the Play-In tournament.LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (45.5) – Even when he’s healthy, you never know when Kawhi Leonard is going to, you know, play. Now that he’s hurt, the Clips don’t expect him on the court at all this season. And Paul George just doesn’t have the chops to carry this team on his back. So look for a step backward. Whether that’s a fall-off-the-cliff situation or a low-lottery spot is anyone’s guess.LOS ANGELES LAKERS (53.5) – Lots of veterans, lots of load management, lots of depth. The Lakers add Russell Westbrook and banana boat buddy Carmelo Anthony to the rotation, but it once again all hinges on LeBron James holding off Father Time and Anthony Davis staying relatively healthy. A mid-50s win total seems reachable.MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (41.5) – Patient through the rebuild, Grizz fans figure that this will be a turn-the-corner season. Ja Morant should get better, and Memphis is crossing its fingers that talented big Jaren Jackson Jr. will be relatively healthy all year. The key players are all young, but new vets Steven Adams and Rajon Rondo will help settle things down when the waters get choppy.MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (34.5) – Over players might want to take a long look at the Wolves, who recently added Patrick Beverly to make sure the other players don’t fall asleep during games. Anthony Edwards is a star in the making, and Karl-Anthony Towns has not shown himself to be a flight risk (yet, anyway). So there’s hope in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (38.5) – All the franchise’s eggs are in the Zion Williamson basket, and if the Pelicans don’t crush the 38.5 number and get to the playoffs, he may be making trade demands that set back the organization. Again. With Lonzo Ball gone, second-year Kira Lewis should start at PG, though much of the offense will again run through Williamson. Still, this a team is on edge waiting for Zion to decide if he wants to be there long-term.OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (23.5) – Let’s see. There’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And not much else. OKC always seem to play everyone tough, but it’s a talent league – and there’s not much here besides a boatload of first-round draft choices. But that’s for later on, and right now the Thunder will be hard-pressed to win three games a month.PHOENIX SUNS (51.5) – The Suns managed to stay relatively healthy while other teams took turns losing key players to injury. Can the good fortune continue? Will the defending conference champions  downsize Chris Paul’s minutes (he turns 37 next May) to keep him fresh for the playoffs? Load management could keep them short of the 52-30 Over players would need to cash.PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (44.5) – Portland’s business model never seems to change: Get to the playoffs and hope Damian Lillard goes nuts for a month or two, and see what happens. That’s pretty much the plan again, unless management breaks up the Lillard-McCollum backcourt that has started together since 2015. As in New Orleans, there is intense pressure to win.SACRAMENTO KINGS (35.5) – Guard heavy and starving for wings, the Kings could be making a move or two between now and training camp. Buddy Hield is a prime trade candidate. They love newcomer Davion Mitchell, and to see him energizing a defense that last season was one of the worst in NBA history.SAN ANTONIO SPURS (28.5) – Having such a low O/U number seems weird for the Spurs, but they’ve been out of the playoffs for two seasons now, and heading into the season without an obvious All-Star to build around. Maybe Gregg Popovich should have pocketed the Olympic gold and called it quits. This season won’t be easy for him.UTAH JAZZ (51.5) – The Jazz laid it all on the line last season (52-20) but didn’t have another gear for the playoffs. Books see a moderate regression this season, with the same number of wins but over an 82-game slog. Can the Jazz even come close to winning 86 percent of their home games, as they did last season?

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and WNBA Previews and Odds - 08/18/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Aug 18, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in MLB and the WNBA. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket. Five games begin in the afternoon. Cincinnati hosts the Chicago Cubs at 12:35 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. The Reds pitch Tyler Mahle against the Cubs Adrian Sampson. Cincinnati is a -310 money line favorite with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Minnesota plays at home against Cleveland at 1:10 PM ET in the third game of their three-game series. Lewis Thorpe pitches for the Twins against Zach Plesac of the Indians. Minnesota is a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. San Diego is at Colorado at 3:10 PM ET to conclude their three-game series. The Padres pitch the recently acquired Jake Arrieta against the Rockies Austin Gomber. Both teams are -110 money line favorites with a total of 14. San Francisco hosts the New York Mets at 3:45 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. Anthony DeSclafani pitches for the Giants against the Mets Tylor Megill. San Francisco is a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Toronto concludes their two-game series at Washington at 4:05 PM ET. The Blue Jays pitch Jose Berrios against the Nationals Josiah Gray. Toronto is a -180 money line road favorite with a total of 9. The New York Yankees play at home against Boston on ESPN at 7:05 PM ET in the third game of their three-game series. Andrew Heaney pitches for the Yankees against Nick Pivetta of the Red Sox. New York is a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Three games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Angels play at Detroit at 7:10 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. The Angels pitch Shohei Ohtani against the Tigers Tarik Skubal. Los Angeles is a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Atlanta is at Miami to conclude their three-game series. Charlie Morton pitches for the Braves against Jesus Luzardo of the Marlins. Atlanta is a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Tampa Bay hosts Baltimore in Game 3 of their four-game series. The Rays pitch Louis Head as an opener against the Orioles Spenser Watkins. Tampa Bay is a -335 money line favorite with a total of 9. Milwaukee is at St. Louis at 7:45 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. Freddy Peralta pitches for the Brewers against Jack Flaherty of the Cardinals. Milwaukee is a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7. Seattle plays at Texas at 8:05 PM ET in Game 2 of their three-game series. The Mariners pitch Marco Gonzales against the Rangers Mike Foltynewicz. Seattle is a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 9. Two games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox are at home against Oakland in the third game of their four-game series. Lance Lynn pitches for the White Sox against Cole Irvin of the A’s. Chicago is a -190 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Houston plays at Kansas City in the third game of their four-game series. The Astros pitch Zach Greinke against the Royals Brad Singer. Houston is a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 9.5. Philadelphia is at Arizona at 9:40 PM ET in Game 2 of their three-game series. Ranger Suarez pitches for the Phillies against Humber Castellanos of the Diamondbacks. Philadelphia is a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against Pittsburgh at 10:10 PM ET to finish their three-game series. The Pirates pitch J.T. Brubaker against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Dodgers. Los Angeles is a -300 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. One game is on the WNBA slate. Seattle visits New York on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET.  

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National League MVP Odds and Arguments

by Nelly's Sports

Tuesday, Aug 17, 2021

National League MVP Odds and Arguments  The return of Fernando Tatis has caused his MVP odds to jump from around -110 early in August to -300 currently. He is the overwhelming favorite, but the current price shift has greatly increased the plus-money figures on everyone else to create a window of opportunity for those looking for a sizable score. In-and-out of the lineup much of the season, Tatis has a great risk to miss more time down the stretch to leave the door open in this vote, while the Padres now also look like they will be in danger of missing the playoffs. Here are the top candidates in the MVP race including a few that may be worth considering for a long shot wager in case Tatis falls back out of the lineup.  Fernando Tatis, San Diego, -300 Tatis remains the clear favorite in the NL MVP race as the NL home run leader. He has missed 31 games however and while he returned with two home runs last Sunday after sitting for two weeks, his shoulder issue is a lingering concern that could open the door for another candidate in the final seven weeks of the regular season. Tatis isn’t even a qualified hitter right and he is playing for a 3rd place team that may be losing its grip on a playoff position that was assumed most of the season. Those are things that could matter to some of the older block of BBWAA voters who may already begrudge Tatis for the flair he plays with. Priced at around -300 it is his award to lose but there a few candidates that could warrant a look, banking on Tatis missing time and the Padres continuing to slide in the coming weeks.  Bryce Harper, Philadelphia, +475 A past MVP and one of the most recognized players in the game Harper is fourth in the NL in wRC+ thanks to his high walk rate. His rather pedestrian home run and RBI counts will need to grow substantially in September and most importantly his candidacy will hinge entirely on the narrative that he carries the Phillies to the NL East title. While Atlanta leads the division currently and has looked like the much better team overall, the race is close and a rise to the top fueled by Harper is still in the realm of possibility. Unlike the other candidates on this list Harper won’t face a threat of losing votes to his teammates as he has been the clear top performer on the Phillies.  Max Muncy, Los Angeles, +900 Perhaps the best candidate to catch Tatis in home runs is Muncy who has 26 but also has the potential for a big closing run to reach close to 40 home runs as he often has been a streaky performer. Muncy also is a threat to hit conventional benchmarks of 100 runs and/or 100 RBI to bolster his case. His WAR is also currently the highest in the NL among qualified candidates. He doesn’t play a premium defensive position however and he has plenty of competition within his own locker room as emerging as the clear choice among several standouts for the Dodgers will be a challenge.  Trea Turner, Washington/Los Angeles, +1700 The best value on the board might be Turner, who like Muncy will face the challenge of splitting votes with his teammates. Turner also has not hit quite as well since joining the Dodgers as his season line over 96 games in Washington puts him on this list. Turner has been a valuable defender at an important position, and he has a chance to win a batting title while also a possibly a NL stolen base title with Starling Marte now in the AL. A 30/30 performance is not out of the question for Turner but the problem in that argument is that Tatis has a chance to do that as well. It would take quite a finish but hitting leadoff in a highly productive Los Angeles lineup will afford Turner an opportunity to compile great statistics down the stretch.  Freddie Freeman, Atlanta, +1700 The case for Freeman to take a second straight MVP crown does not currently have much traction but a big final month that clinches an NL East title for Atlanta in the absence of the early season MVP frontrunner Ronald Acuna does offer a compelling argument that could resonate with voters. In contrast to Tatis and Harper, Freeman is beloved by the press and his numbers are not too far off what will be the required pace. A subpar defensive performance is hurting his WAR while he also offers little on the basepaths. If he can match the September that he delivered in 2020, hitting .375 with 32 RBI in the final month, it is not an impossible outcome.  Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati, +5000 Joey Votto, Cincinnati, +5000 These Reds stars have matching odds as both continue to push Cincinnati closer to a playoff spot that seemed highly improbable just a few weeks ago. Jesse Winker is not much further down the list as well as Cincinnati has received great production from the lineup. Castellanos is a serious threat to win the NL batting title while Votto is charging in the home run leaderboard. Both have high strikeout counts with not enough walks to support their case, but both are still in the NL’s top seven in wRC+, while top 10 OPS performers, though neither is close enough on the WAR leaderboard for serious candidacy. If one stands head-and-shoulder over the other to carry the Reds past the Padres for the second NL wild card spot there is a chance, but it is not overly realistic as the pricing suggests.  Manny Machado, San Diego, +6000 While much of this article centers on the possibility of the Padres losing Tatis and crashing out of the playoffs, what if they lose Tatis and still finish strong? That scenario would boost Manny Machado’s case and he has rather quietly produced a great season line in the shadow of his teammate. He could reach the 100 run and 100 RBI benchmarks, and a big final month could get him to 30 home runs and close to a .300 batting average. Climbing into the top 10 for WAR and wRC+ would not take a herculean performance down the stretch and Machado has one of the stronger defensive ratings on this list at a valuable position. Winning the comparison case with his teammate will however require Tatis effectively shutting down for the rest of the season.  Juan Soto, Washington, +7000 Given that Washington has faded out of playoff contention Soto’s case will need to overcome a significant hurdle, but he has taken the most walks in all off baseball even in just 107 games and he could hit over .300 with 30 home runs while getting close to 100 runs and RBI for an MVP caliber traditional line. He is certainly one of the best players in baseball even if he is not a serious threat in this discussion barring significant setbacks for most of the other players on this list. Giancarlo Stanton won the 2017 NL MVP and Harper unanimously won the 2015 NL MVP on non-playoff teams as the playoffs may not be as much of a requirement as it is presumed. In 2017 Stanton only received 10 first place votes in a year where six different players received 1st place votes, a scenario that is possible this year.  Brandon Crawford, San Francisco, +7000 15th in the NL in wRC+ and 5th in WAR, Crawford’s case might be better than this pricing represents. The Giants after all have baseball’s best record and Crawford is a good story as a veteran having a career season. He is only two home runs away from a career high and has a chance to reach 100 RBI for the first time in his career. Crawford could also make a charge to the batting title currently only sitting about a dozen points back. His excellent defensive rating at a premium position adds to the intrigue of his candidacy but Crawford has missed 21 games to keep his counting statistics a notch below where they likely need to be. San Francisco has been the surprise story of the season and voters will be looking for someone to reward as he has a chance to garner some votes, though 1st place votes do not currently seem likely.  Justin Turner, Los Angeles, +9000 Turner’s season line could wind up looking somewhat like the lines of his two teammates on this list with a big final month. He hit .394 in September 2020 before the Dodgers went on to win the World Series and for his career, September has been his best hitting month in terms of batting average. Missing significant time in August has bumped his case down on this list but if he surpasses his teammates in the coming weeks as the Dodgers pass up the Giants for the top spot in the NL, the argument would be clear. Turner is a long shot, but the gap in his odds compared to Muncy and Trea Turner should perhaps not be quite so large as he is the face of the team in Clayton Kershaw’s absence. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and MLB Odds and Previews - 08/17/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Aug 17, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in MLB and the WNBA. Sixteen games are on the MLB docket. Boston plays at New York against the Yankees at 1:05 PM ET in the opening game of their seven-inning doubleheader. The Red Sox pitch Tanner Houck against the Yankees’ Luis Gil. Boston is a -145 money line road favorite with the total set at 7 (all odds from DraftKings).Two games begin at 7:05 PM ET. Toronto travels to Washington for a two-game series. Alek Manoah pitches for the Blue Jays against Erick Fedde of the Nationals. Toronto is a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Red Sox play at New York against the Yankees in the second game of their doubleheader. Boston pitches Nathan Eovaldi against the Yankees Jordan Montgomery. Four games begin at 7:10 PM ET. Atlanta continues their three-game series at Miami. Huscuar Ynoa pitches for the Braves against Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins. Atlanta is a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Tampa Bay hosts Baltimore in the second game of their four-game series. The Rays pitch Drew Rasmussen against the Orioles John Means. Tampa Bay is a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Detroit plays at home against the Los Angeles Angels in the opening game of their three-game series. Casey Mize pitches for the Tigers against the Angels Dylan Bundy. Detroit is a -125 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Cincinnati is at home against the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of their three-game series. The Reds pitch Vladimir Gutierrez against the Cubs Kyle Hendricks. Cincinnati is a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Milwaukee visits St. Louis at 7:45 PM ET in the opener of their three-game series. Corbin Burnes pitches for the Brewers against Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals. Milwaukee is a -160 money line road favorite with a total of 7. Seattle travels to Texas at 8:05 PM ET for Game 1 of their three-series. The Mariners pitch Tyler Anderson against the Rangers Spencer Howard. Seattle is a -160 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Three games start at 8:10 PM ET. Oakland plays at Chicago against the White Sox in the second game of their four-game series. Chris Bassitt pitches for the A’s against Reynaldo Lopez of the White Sox. Oakland is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Houston plays at Kansas City in Game 2 of their four-game series. The Astros pitch Framber Valdez against the Royals' Daniel Lynch. Houston is a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota is at home against Cleveland in the second game of their three-game series. Bailey Ober pitches for the Twins against Eli Morgan of the Indians. Cleveland is a -145 money line favorite with a total of 9.5.Colorado is at home against San Diego at 8:40 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. The Rockies pitch German Marquez against a Padres starting pitcher yet to be named. Colorado is a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 11. Philadelphia visits Arizona at 9:40 PM ET in the opener of their three-game series. Kyle Gibson pitches for the Phillies against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Diamondbacks. Philadelphia is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 9. San Francisco is at home against the New York Mets at 9:45 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. The Giants pitch Logan Webb against the Mets Marcus Stroman. San Francisco is a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers host Pittsburgh at 10:10 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. David Price pitches for the Dodgers against the Pirates Wil Crowe. Los Angeles is a -320 money line favorite with a total of 9.Five games are on the WNBA slate. Minnesota plays at Connecticut at 7 PM ET. Dallas visits Chicago on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET. Two games tip-off at 10 PM ET. Washington travels to Las Vegas in the second game on the CBS Sports Network. Indiana is at Phoenix. Atlanta plays at Los Angeles at 10:30 PM ET. 

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2021-22 NBA: Eastern Conference Season Win Totals

by Will Rogers

Monday, Aug 16, 2021

Looking at the Over / Under totals for this coming (82-game) NBA season and what has to go right for each team to hit the Over number:ATLANTA HAWKS (47.5) – The Hawks are all in, ponying up the cash to keep forward John Collins and keeping the ball in the hands of Trae Young. They came out of nowhere to make it to the EC finals last season, so opponents won’t be caught by surprise this time around.BOSTON CELTICS (47.5) – Oddsmakers appear to think that last year’s 36-36 season was an aberration. New coach Ime Udoka promises more ball movement and better defense (both were lacking in 2020-21). Can a boatload of above-average veterans (Schroder, Horford, Josh Richardson) lift the overall games of All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum?BROOKLYN NETS (55.5) – Steep hill to climb for a team whose 3-cylinder (Irving, Durant, Harden) engine needs constant repair. Do the stars take things easy, stay healthy and rest up for the playoffs, or do they put the pedal to the metal and lay waste to the league like everyone thinks they can? Answer that and you’ll know whether to play the Over or Under.CHARLOTTE HORNETS (36.5) – Every team dealt with injuries last season, Charlotte among them. But even with LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward apparently healthy again, books figure that the Hornets are a fringe playoffs contender at best. Lots of young talent that needs to take a step forward in the improved East.CHICAGO BULLS (39.5) – Bulls could take a step back (despite adding Lonzo Ball) if they have to cut bait with Laurie Markkanen and get nothing in return, but they still have lots of talent. How can a team with Ball, Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozen and Nikola Vucevic not get to at least .500?CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (28.5) – Are Jarrett Allen and rookie Evan Mobley the new Tim Duncan/David Robinson? And do the Cavs roll with the kids or bleed what they can out of Kevin Love to make a run at the Play-In tournament? Will Collin Sexton blow up team chemistry with crazy shot selection? Should be fun on and off the court with this group.DETROIT PISTONS (25.5) – Detroit hit paydirt with Jerami Grant and Saddiq Bey last season, then lucked out with the No. 1 pick and grabbed Cade Cunningham. Add in second-year burner Killian Hayes, and the pieces are in place. If the kids don’t freak out early, the Pistons could be trouble faster than anyone thinks.INDIANA PACERS (43.5) – The Pacers seem paralyzed by fear of falling to the bottom of the conference, so they don’t make big moves that could elevate the franchise. All their key players (Brogdon, Sabonis, LeVert) are in their prime ages (mid- to late-20s), but Indy is still a few stars short of a move up.MIAMI HEAT (48.5) – Pat Riley will worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. For today he has added 35-year-old Kyle Lowry to a starting five that was already more than decent. A rebound year from Victor Oladipo and improvement from coming-of-agers Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson would probably mean 50-plus wins in South Beach.MILWAUKEE BUCKS (54.5) – Would you rather have a trophy or a first-round draft pick? The Bucks figured it out, built around Giannis Antetokounmpo and let nature take its course. Covering 54.5 would mean two wins in every three games for an entire season – tough for a team that could be tempted to rest on its laurels pre-All Star break.NEW YORK KNICKS (40.5) – Oddsmakers apparently don’t like the off-season moves (Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier) all that much, and that should produce a slew over Over wagers from NY-area fans who figure that they at least have to get to .500. Don’t they?ORLANDO MAGIC (24) – If the Magic move Terrance Ross and make no new additions, the entire roster will be under the age of 30, and most will be in their early 20s. Thus the low O/U number. If there is one truism in the Association, it’s that young teams lose. A lot.PHILADELPHIA 76ers (51.5) – Lots of pessimism surrounding this team after yet another playoff flameout, and now management looks like it will have to lower its asking price for one-foot-out-the-door PG Ben Simmons. Philly is just one Joel Embiid injury away from the Play-In tournament.TORONTO RAPTORS (37.5) – Kyle Lowry is gone, Goran Dragic is on board but doesn’t want to be, and Toronto is rebuilding with a group of veterans. Got all that? Raptors aren’t even 100 percent sure they will play their home games in Canada this season.WASHINTON WIZARDS (34.5) – Management has plenty of incentive to win at all costs, since its only real All-Star, Bradley Beal, can walk away next summer. Roster has only spotty talent, however, and they need good health for Beal and a strong season from newcomer Spencer Dinwiddie to get to even 35 wins.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/16/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Aug 16, 2021

The Monday sports card features ten games in Major League Baseball.The New York Yankees host the Los Angeles Angels in a one-game series at 7:05 PM ET. The Yankees have won three of their last four games with their 5-3 victory at Chicago against the White Sox on Sunday. The Angels ended a two-game losing streak with a 3-1 win against Houston yesterday. Los Angeles pitches Jose Suarez against New York’s Gerrit Cole. The Yankees are a -260 money line favorite with the total set at 8.5. Three games start at 7:10 PM ET. Tampa Bay hosts Baltimore after dropping two in a row after a 5-4 loss at Minnesota on Sunday. The Orioles lost their eleventh game in a row after a 6-2 loss at Boston yesterday. Matt Harvey pitches for Baltimore against Collin McHugh of the Rays. Tampa Bay is a -260 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Atlanta plays at Miami after winning six of seven after their 6-5 win at Washington. The Marlins have won four in a row after a 4-1 win against the Chicago Cubs. Miami pitches Braxton Garrett against the Braves Touki Toussaint. Atlanta is a -150 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Cincinnati hosts the Chicago Cubs after winning their third game in their last four in a 7-4 win at Philadelphia yesterday. The Cubs lost their eleventh game in a row in their loss to Miami. They pitch Justin Steele against the Reds’ Wade Miley. Cincinnati is a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Three games start at 8:10 PM ET. Houston visits Kansas City after ending a four-game winning streak with a 3-1 loss in Los Angeles against the Angels. The Royals lost their fourth game in a row in a 7-2 setback against St. Louis. Kansas City pitches Carlos Hernandez against the Astros’ Jake Odorizzi. Houston is a -165 money line road favorite with the total of 10.5. The Chicago White Sox host Oakland on ESPN. The White Sox have lost four of five after a 5-3 loss at home to the New York Yankees on Sunday. The A’s have lost two of three after a 7-4 loss at Texas yesterday. Dallas Keuchel pitches for the White Sox against Oakland’s Frankie Montas. Chicago is a -110 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Minnesota is at home against Cleveland after winning their fourth game in their last five in a 5-4 win against Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Indians won two of three after an 11-0 win at Detroit yesterday. Cleveland pitches Cal Quantrill against the Twins’ Griffin Jax. Minnesota is a -125 money line favorite, with the total at 9.5. San Diego visits Colorado at 8:40 PM ET. The Padres ended a four-game losing streak with an 8-2 win at Arizona yesterday. The Rockies have lost four of five after a 5-2 setback at San Francisco. Ryan Weathers pitches for San Diego against Antonio Senzatela for Colorado. The Padres are a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 12. San Francisco plays at home against the New York Mets at 9:45 PM ET. The Giants have won seven of eight after their win against the Rockies yesterday. The Mets have lost three in a row after a 14-4 loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers last night. They pitch Rich Hill against San Francisco’s Kevin Gausman. The Giants are a -180 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers host Pittsburgh at 10:10 PM ET. The Dodgers won their seventh game in their last eight after their win last night against the Mets. The Pirates lost their 10th in 11 games after their 2-1 loss to Milwaukee yesterday. Pittsburgh pitches Steven Brault against a starter yet to be named for Los Angeles. The Dodgers are a -380 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.

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