Articles

CFB 2021: American Athletic Conference Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Jul 14, 2021

CFB 2021 Season Preview – AAC – Quick Hitters by TeamCincinnati – Bearcats look strong again. Class of the conference. Amazing defense expected again.East Carolina – Pirates might be slightly improved. Likely to continue to run the ball more. Now have had more time with more of a normal off-season to work in new schemes on defense too. Houston – Cougars will be improved but some concerns at the skill positions on offense. Defense continuing to improve. Different style of Houston team than the high-scoring aerial attack years. Memphis – Poised for a drop-off. Lost a lot of players. Also, run game has struggled and now with question marks at quarterback the run game will be even more of a concern. Navy – Have had an up and down pattern in recent years but this truly looks like another down season is likely to follow last year’s disappointment. Tough schedule and just not the same talent level at quarterback. SMU – The Mustangs could be solid again. I like their defense and their coaching staff on that side of the ball. Question mark will be a new quarterback on offense and how he meshes with this team. Temple – The Owls have fallen to the bottom again. Problems are mounting with constant coaching changes and now player transfers and plus only about 5 starters expected back on each side of the ball. Tulane –New coordinators and so some growing pains but with time it should pay off. Key question is whether freshman quarterback will thrive in this system. Green Wave likely to be a .500 team. Tulsa – Strong defense. Off amazing 6-0 season in AAC action. However, lost some key assistants from the coaching staff. Most starters do return though so it should be a solid season in 2021. UCF – Central Florida has a new head coach and new coordinators plus lost a lot of starters on defense. But coach Malzahn has a talented quarterback to work with and there is still a lot of talent on this team. The one true challenger to the Bearcats in this conference. USF – South Florida should improve as they are in the 2nd year under coach Scott and now get more of a regular off-season to prepare. Last season was very tough on teams with new coaches as the off-season was so disjointed. This team still has quite a way to go though and will be in rebuild mode this year. Quarterback is a solid talent but, on other side of the ball, lost about half the starters on defense.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CONCACAF Gold Cup Previews and Odds - 07/13/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jul 13, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features the MLB All-Star Game and the CONCACAF Gold Cup.Coors Field is the site of the 91st MLB All-Star Game with the National League the home team with the Colorado Rockies hosting the event. The Fox broadcast begins at 7:30 PM ET. The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani is the star attraction this year. The breakout star is the starting pitcher for the American League, and Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash will have him bat leadoff. MLB has made an exception to their designated hitter rule to allow Ohtani to slide to the designated hitter slot to keep him in the game once he completes his pitching assignment. Cash’s starting lineup and batting order are as follows. After Ohtani, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. bats second as the starting first baseman. The Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts bats third at shortstop. The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judges hits cleanup as the starting right-fielder. The Red Sox’s Rafael Devers bats fifth at third bade. The Oakland A’s Marcus Semien bats sixth at second base. Starting catcher Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals’ bats seventh. The Blue Jays left fielder Teoscar Hernandez hits eighth. Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles bat ninth as the starting centerfielder.Mullins is one of many players for both teams that were late additions to the final rosters. He replaces the Angels’ injured Mike Trout, out with a calf injury. Four Houston Astros’ players opted out. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Michael Brantley all declined to play to recuperate from nagging injuries. Ryan Pressly is on paternity leave. The Royals’ Whit Merrifield replaces Altuve. The Chicago White Sox’s Tim Anderson takes Correa’s spot. The Tampa Bay Rays Joey Wendle replaces Brantley. The A’s Chris Bassitt takes Pressly's spot. The Cleveland Indians’ Shane Bieber was named to the team, but he will be inactive as he recovers from an injury that has kept him out for the last month. Cash will have eleven pitchers at his disposal after Ohtani. The starting pitchers who likely initially replace the Angels’ phenom include the New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, the Chicago White Sox’s Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodon, the Seattle Mariners’ Yusei Kikuchi (cleared from COVID quarantine on Monday), the Texas Rangers’ Kyle Gibson, the Red Sox’s Nathan Eovaldi, and Bassitt. Cash has four relievers at his disposal in Matt Barnes of the Red Sox, Aroldis Chapman of the Yankees, Liam Hendricks of the A’s, and the Detroit Tigers’ Gregory Soto.Max Scherzer will take the ball as the National League starting pitcher for the fourth time. The Washington Nationals hurler replaces Kevin Gausman, who made his most recent start for the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will have this initial starting lineup. The San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis, Jr. leads off as the starting shortstop. The Los Angeles Dodgers Max Muncy bats second as the designated hitter. Colorado Rockiers’ third baseman Nolan Arenado bats third. The Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman hits clean up as the starting first baseman. Nick Castellanos of the Cincinnati Reds bats fifth as the starting right-fielder. The Reds’ left-fielder, Jesse Winkler, hits sixth. The Philadelphia Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto bats seventh as the starting catcher. The Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Reynolds hits eighth as the starting centerfielder Reds’ second baseman Adam Frazier bats ninth.The Padres’ Manny Machado replaces the Braves’ Ronald Acuna, who is out the season with a torn ACL. The Milwaukee Brewers’ catcher Omar Narvaez takes the spots of the Giants’ Buster Posey, who is out with a thumb injury. The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, the St.Louis Cardinals’ Yadier Molina (the initial replacement for Posey at catcher), Yu Darvish of the Padres, and the New York Mets’ Jacob DeGrom have all opted out due to injuries. Brandon Woodruff will not be on the roster either after starting for the Brewers on Sunday. Starting pitchers Walker Buehler, Freddy Peralta, and Taijaun Walker are three late additions. Dodgers’ third baseman Justin Turner takes Betts’ spot on the team.Roberts has six starting pitchers at his disposal to replace Scherzer in the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler, and the Rockies’ German Marquez, plus late additions Buehler, Peralta, and Walker. Five relievers are on the roster: Craig Kimberly of the Chicago Cubs, the Brewers’ Josh Hader, the Giants’ Trevor Rogers, the Cardinals’ Alex Reyes, and the Padres’ Mark Melancon.An MLB record 40 players are making their All-Star Game debut. More than 30 players will be playing competing in their first All-Star Game for the third straight year. Since 2017, the winner of the All-Star Game does not determine home-field advantage in the World Series.The American League has won the last seven midseason classics. The AL won, 4-3, as the home team at Progressive Field in Cleveland in 2019. Last year’s All-Star Game got canceled due to the pandemic. The AL holds a 45-43-2 all-time edge.The National League is a -117 money line favorite with the total set at 11 (all odds from Draft Kings). The CONCACAF Gold Cup continues with the opening two matches in Group D in an FS1 doubleheader at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. Qatar plays Panama at 7 PM ET as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2. Honduras faces Grenada at 9 PM ET as a -2.25 goal line favorite with a total of 3.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CONCACAF Previews and Odds - 07/12/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 12, 2021

The Monday sports card features the MLB Home Run Derby and the CONCACAF Gold Cup.The MLB Home Run Derby takes place at Coors Field on ESPN at 8 PM ET. The money line favorite is Shohei Ohtani, who is listed as a +260 money line favorite (all odds from Draft Kings) to win this event. The Los Angeles Angels’ pitching/hitting superstar has clubbed 33 home runs this season. Fifteen of his home runs clocked at 110 or more miles per hour, tops in the MLB.Joey Gallo is a +450 money line favorite to win the Home Run Derby. The Texas Rangers’ slugger has clubbed 24 homers this season, with 13 of them occurring in his last 19 games.Pete Alonso is a +500 money line favorite to win this event. The Mets’ third baseman has 17 home runs this season. The reigning 2019 champion clubbed 57 homers in that event, including 20 and 23 in the semifinals and finals. Alonso earned bonus time with at least three home runs distancing at least 440 yards in all three rounds. Matt Olson is a +580 money line favorite to win the Home Run Derby. The A’s slugger has 23 home runs this season. Since his final call-up on August 8th, 2017, Olson has banged out 122 home runs, third-most in the Major Leagues during that span. Salvador Perez is s a +700 money line favorite to win the event. The Kansas City Royals catcher has clubbed 21 home runs. Perez aspires to be the first Royals player and the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby.Juan Soto is a +750 money line favorite. He has 11 homers this season. Soto is the 18th player in AL or NL history to reach at least 80 home runs at 22-years-old. Trevor Story is a +800 money line favorite with the Derby. The Rockies shortstop has hit 11 home runs this season. His 487-foot homer on September 5th, 2018, is the longest home run recorded at Coors Field. Three previous Home Run Derby winners were competing in their home park. Trey Mancini is a +1000 money line favorite to win the Home Run Derby. He has hammered 16 home runs for the Orioles. Mancini is a sentimental favorite returning to action this season after not playing last year as he recovered from stage 3 colon cancer. Coors Field is the sixth-most home-run friendly park in MLB. The left-field fence measures 347 feet, with left-center at 390 feet, center field at 415 feet, right-center measuring at 375 field, and the right-field fence at 350 feet. The CONCACAF Gold Cup continues with two matches in the opening round of the group stage on FS1 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Jamaica plays Suriname at 6:30 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. The second game of the FS1 doubleheader has Costa Rica facing Guadeloupe at 9 PM ET as a -2 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.

Read more

Euro 2020: Italy vs. England Preview and Odds - 07/11/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 11, 2021

Euro 2020 Finals Preview: Italy versus England.The finals of the Euro 2020 has Italy playing England on ESPN at 3 PM ET at Wembley Stadium in London. England earned the opportunity to play for the European championship with their 2-1 victory over Denmark at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday. The Three Lions got on the board first with Buyako Saka’s crossing pass to Raheem Sterling was intercepted by the Danes’ Simon Kjaer, who inadvertently scored on his own goal in the desperate effort. Mikkel Damsgaard leveled the score for the Red and Whites in the 30th minute. The match went into the 30-minute extra time session with the score knotted at 1-1 when Harry Kane scored the game-winner for England in the 104th minute. The Three Lions advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 victory against Ukraine in Rome last Saturday. Kane scored in the fourth minute of the match. Harry Maguire added a second goal in the first minute of the second half. Kane scored again for his brace to give his team a three-goal lead four minutes later. Jordan Henderson added the final goal in the 63rd minute.   England reached the quarterfinals with their 2-0 victory against Germany on Tuesday. After a scoreless first half, Sterling broke the deadlock at the 75th-minute mark. Kane added the second goal 11 minutes later. The Three Lions won Group D with their 1-0 victory against the Czech Republic. Sterling’s goal in the 12th minute proved to be all the Three Lions needed to defeat a Czech team that they could meet in a rematch in the semifinals. England opened their tournament with a 1-0 win against Croatia. They then settled for a scoreless draw with Scotland. Manager Garreth Southgate’s team has scored ten times in the event. They conceded their first goal of the tournament against Denmark in the semifinals. Since a loss to Belgium on November 15, England has won all their matches except for the draw with the Scots in the group stage. The Three Lions have never won the European championship, and they have not won a major international title since the 1966 World Cup. England won that World Cup at Wembley Stadium as the host nation of that event, so the English faithful hope that another championship is “coming home.”Italy advanced to the Euro final with a 4-2 victory via penalty kicks against Spain after that match remained tied at 1-1 after 120 minutes of play. Federico Chiesa scored the opening goal for Azzurri in the 60th minute. Alvaro Morata leveled the score for La Furia Roja 20 minutes later. La Nazionale reached the semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Belgium in Munich on Friday. The Azzurri scored first in the match, with Nicolo Barella’s goal in the 31st minute. Lorenzo Insigne added their section goal 13 minutes later. Belgium got on the board just before halftime when Romelu Lukaku converted a penalty kick two minutes into stoppage time. The second half would go scoreless to secure the win for the Italians against a Red Devils team ranked number one in the world by FIFA. Belgium was without Eden Hazard for the match due to a leg injury. Kevin DeBruyne did play despite being a doubt for the game after leaving early in the second half in their quarterfinals match against Portugal. The Italians advanced to the quarterfinals with their 2-1 victory against Austria. The match was scoreless after regulation time before the Azzurri scored twice in the first 15 minutes of the extra period. The Austrians pulled within one goal at the 114th mark but could not force a penalty kick shootout with a second goal. Austria’s score did end Italy’s 11-game streak of clean sheets that had lasted over 1000 minutes in international play. The Azzurri opened this event with a 2-0 victory against Turkey. They followed that up with a 3-0 victory against Switzerland. Manager Roberto Mancini’s side concluded the group stage with a 1-0 win against Wales using many of his bench players. They have scored 12 times in their six games. They have conceded three goals. The Italians are unbeaten in their last 33 matches across all competitions. Their most recent loss was in September 2018 to Portugal in a UEFA Nations League contest. They will be without Leonardo Spinazzola, who ruptured his Achilles’ tendon in the Belgium match that will sideline him for 12 months. The Azzurri last won the European title in 1968. Italy’s last major international championship came in 2006 when they won the World Cup.Draft Kings lists England as a -0.25 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, MLB, WNBA, Euro 2020 and CONCACAF Gold Cup Previews and Odds - 07/11/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 11, 2021

The Sunday sports card features games in the NBA, MLB, WNBA, Euro 2020, and CONCACAF Gold Cup.The NBA playoffs continue with Game 3 of the NBA Finals, with Milwaukee hosting Phoenix on ABC at 8:05 PM ET. The Suns took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 118-108 victory as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday. The Bucks are a 4-point favorite with the total set at 222 (all odds from Draft Kings).Fifteen games are on the MLB docket. The Chicago White Sox plays at Baltimore at 1:10 PM ET as a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Dylan Cease pitches for the White Sox against Spenser Watkins of the Orioles. Kansas City plays at Cleveland with Carlos Hernandez pitching for the Royals against Eli Morgan of the Indians. Pittsburgh visits the New York Mets with Chase De Jong facing a pitcher yet to be determined. Toronto visits Tampa Bay as a -124 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Robbie Ray pitches for the Blue Jays against Rich Hill of the Rays. Miami hosts Atlanta as a -122 money line favorite with an over/under of 7. Boston plays at home against Philadelphia as a -130 money line favorite with a total of 10. The Red Sox pitch Nick Pivetta against Aaron Nola of the Phillies. Minnesota plays at home against Detroit at 2:10 PM ET as a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Jose Berrios pitches for the Twins against the Tigers’ Wily Peralta. Milwaukee hosts Cincinnati as a -155 money line favorite with a total of 7. The Brewers pitch Brandon Woodruff against Luis Castillo of the Reds. Houston is at home against the New York Yankees on TBS at 2:10 PM ET as a -143 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. St. Louis travels to Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET as a -108 money line favorite. Adam Wainwright pitches for the Cardinals against Trevor Williams of the Cubs. Oakland visits Texas at 2:35 PM ET as a -143 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The A’s send out Chris Bassitt to pitch against Kolby Allard of the Rangers. San Francisco plays at home against Washington at 4:05 PM ET as a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Kevin Gausman pitches for the Giants against Erick Fedde of the Nationals. San Diego is at home against Colorado at 4:10 PM ET as a -185 money line favorite with a total of 9. The Padres pitch Ryan Weathers against the Rockies’ Jon Gray. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -220 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Tony Gonsolin pitches for the Dodgers against Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks. The Los Angeles Angels play at San Francisco with Jose Suarez of the Angels facing against Hector Santiago of the Giants. Five games are on the WNBA slate. Las Vegas plays at Dallas on ABC at 1 PM ET. Connecticut visits New York at 2 PM ET. Indiana travels to Atlanta at 5 PM ET. Phoenix plays at Atlanta on the CBS Sports Network at 6 PM ET. Minnesota is at Los Angeles at 9 PM ET. The Euro 2020 finals take place on ESPN at 3 PM ET at Wembley Stadium in London. Italy reached the finals with a 4-2 shootout win against Spain after their match was in a 1-1 deadlock after 120 minutes of play on Tuesday. England advanced to the finals with their 2-1 victory over Denmark on Wednesday. England is a -0.25 goal line favorite with a total of 2.The CONCACAF Gold Cup continues with three matches. Canada plays Martinique on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET at the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. The Canadiens are a -1.75 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.75. USA plays Haiti on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET in the second game at the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. The US Men’s National Team is a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. El Salvador plays Guatemala on FS2 at 10:30 PM ET at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The Salvadorians are a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.

Read more

New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros Preview and Odds - 07/11/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 11, 2021

Sunday MLB TBS Preview: New York York Yankees versus the Houston Astros.The New York Yankees conclude their six-game road trip this afternoon by aiming to sweep the Houston Astros. Gerrit Cole pitched a complete-game shutout last night in a 1-0 victory against the Astros. Cole scattered only three base hits while throwing a career-high 129 pitches. Aaron Judge’s third-inning home run provided the only run that Cole would need. The Yankees have won five of their last six games to improve their record to 46-42. They are in third place in the American League East, eight games behind the Boston Red Sox for first place. New York is averaging 4.1 runs per game this season. They have a team batting average of .236, an on-base percentage of .317, and an OPS of .711. Judge leads the team with 21 home runs, 47 runs batted in, and a .286 batting average. Giancarlo Stanton has added 15 home runs and 42 RBIs with a .266 batting average. Gary Sanchez has 14 home runs and 32 RBIs.Manager Aaron Boone gives the ball to Jameson Taillon this afternoon. The 29-year-old right-hander comes off one of his best efforts in the season on Tuesday when he allowed only one run in seven innings at Seattle. Taillon struck out nine batters with 11 swinging strikes. He has a 4-4 record this season with a 5.05 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He is supported by a bullpen that has a 3.44 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. The Yankees’ pen has accumulated 21 saves while blowing nine save opportunities.Houston had been on a six-game winning streak, but they play their last game before the All-Star break on a three-game losing streak. The Astros have scored only once during this span after being shut out in the opening game of this series, 4-0. Houston remains in first place in the AL West with a 54-36 record. They are 3 1/2 games ahead of the Oakland A’s. The Astros are scoring 5.4 runs per game this season with a .269 batting average, an on-base percentage of .340, and an OPS of .777. Jose Altuve leads the team with 19 home runs that accompany his .279 batting average and 52 RBIs. Yordan Alvarez has a team-leading 56 RBIs along with a .299 batting average and 16 homers. Michael Brantley leads the club with a .329 batting average. Dusty Baker turns to Framber Valdez with his 5-1 record. The left-hander hopes to rebound from his worst start of the season on Tuesday, where he allowed five runs in five innings of work against Oakland. Valdez had registered six straight quality starts before that subpar effort. The left-hander has a 2.86 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in eight starts in a season that he began on May 28th after opening the year on the shelf with a fractured finger. The Houston bullpen has a 3.98 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. The Astros’ pen has converted 21 saves while blowing 14 save opportunities. TBS broadcasts the game at 2:10 PM ET. Draft Kings lists Houston as a -129 money line favorite, with the total set at 8.5.

Read more

Saturday MLB FOX Television Previews and Odds - 07/10/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 10, 2021

Fox Television has three games for its regional coverage for its Saturday night national broadcast at 7:15 PM ET. The New York Yankees visit Houston as a -110 money line road favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Yankees have won four of their last five games after winning the opening game of this series last night, 4-0. New York’s 45-42 record places them tied for third place in the American League East division, nine games behind Boston. Gerrit Cole is their starting pitcher with his 8-4 record, 2.91 ERA, and 0.96 WHIP. The right-hander last pitched on Sunday when he allowed four runs in just 3 1/3 innings in a home start against the New York Mets. The Astros had been on a six-game winning streak before losing their last two games. They remain 4 1/2 games up in first place in the AL West with a 54-35 record. Zack Greinke starts for Houston with his 8-2 record, 3.64 ERA, and 1.12 WHIP. The right-hander scattered three runs in 7 2/3 innings of work at Cleveland in his last start on Sunday. Milwaukee hosts Cincinnati as a -200 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Brewers pitch Freddy Peralta against Vladimir Gutierrez of the Reds. Milwaukee has lost four of their last six games after dropping the second game of this series last night, 2-0. They remain in first place in the National League Central with a 53-37 record. Peralta has a 7-3 record, a 2.23 ERA, and 0.90 WHIP. The right-hander was issued a loss in his last start at Pittsburgh, where he allowed two runs in six innings of work last Sunday. The Reds have won seven of their last nine games to pull within six games behind Milwaukee in second place in the division. Gutierrez has a 4-3 record with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. The rookie right-hander got the win in his start on Monday after giving up two runs in six innings of work at Kansas City. The Chicago Cubs play at home against St. Louis as a -117 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Zack Davies pitches for the Cubs against Kwang Hyun Kim of the Cardinals. Chicago has won two of their last three games after winning Game 1 of this series, 10-5, last night. The Cubs are in third place in the NL Central with a 44-45 record, 8 1/2 games behind the Brewers. Davies has a 5-5 record with a 4.28 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. The right-hander pitched five innings and allowed two runs at home against Pittsburgh on Monday. The Cardinals have dropped two straight games and four of their last six. They are in fourth place in the NL Central with a 43-46 record, 9 1/2 games behind Milwaukee. Kim carries a 3-5 record, a 3.39 ERA, and a 1.28 WHIP. The right-hander earned a victory in his last start after holding the Giants scoreless in seven innings of work at San Francisco on Monday.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, WNBA, Copa America, and CONCACAF Gold Cup Previews and Odds - 07/10/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 10, 2021

The Saturday sports card features games in MLB, WNBA, Copa America, and CONCACAF Gold Cup. UFC 264 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Dustin Poirier fights Conor McGregor in the headlining match, tentatively scheduled for 12:45 AM ET. Poirier is a -134 money line favorite, with the total set at 2.5 for this five-round fight (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The MLB schedule has 16 games on the docket. Tampa Bay hosts Toronto at 1:10 PM ET as a -122 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Rays pitch Ryan Yarbrough against the Blue Jays' Ross Stripling. Detroit visits Minnesota at 2:10 PM ET with Kyle Funkhouser of the Tigers pitching against Bailey Ober of the Twins. Oakland travels to Texas on FS1-TV at 4:05 PM ET as a -143 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. James Kaprielian pitches for the A’s against Mike Foltynewicz of the Rangers. San Francisco hosts Washington as a -220 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Giants send out Anthony DeSclafani against the Nationals’ Jon Lester. The Chicago White Sox plays at Baltimore as a -200 money line road favorite with a total of 10. Lucas Giolito pitches for the White Sox against Thomas Eshelman of the Orioles. Atlanta visits Miami at 4:10 PM ET as a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The Braves’ Max Fried pitches against the Marlins’ Trevor Rogers. Boston is at home against Philadelphia as a -148 money line favorite with a total of 11. Martin Perez pitches for the Red Sox against Matt Moore of the Phillies. The New York Mets play at home against Pittsburgh in the opening game of their seven-inning doubleheader as a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Mets’ send out Marcus Stroman to face the Pirates Tyler Anderson. Cleveland hosts Kansas City at 6:10 PM ET as a -122 money line favorite with a total of 9. Cal Quantrill pitches for the Indians against Mike Minor of the Royals. Fox broadcasts three games with regional coverage at 7:15 PM ET. Houston plays at home against the New York Yankees as a -109 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Astros’ Zack Greinke pitches against the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole. The Chicago Cubs are at home against St. Louis as a -117 money line favorite. Zach Davies pitches for the Cubs against Kwang Hyun Kim. Milwaukee hosts Cincinnati as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Brewers pitch Freddy Peralta against Vladimir Gutierrez of the Reds. The Mets play at home against the Pirates in the second game of their seven-inning doubleheader as a -182 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Tylor Megill pitches for New York against a starter yet to be named for Pittsburgh.San Diego is at home against Colorado at 10:10 PM ET as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Padres pitch Joe Musgrove against the Rockies’ German Marquez. The Los Angeles Angels visit Seattle as a -118 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Patrick Sandoval pitches for the Angels against Chris Flexen of the Mariners. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against Arizona as a -286 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Dodgers pitch Walker Buehler against the Diamondbacks’ Caleb Smith. One game is on the WNBA slate. Washington visits Chicago at 8 PM ET.The finals of the Copa America take place on FS1 at 8 PM ET at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil plays Argentina as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2. The CONCACAF Gold Cup begins with two matches. El Salvador plays Curacao on FS2 at 5:20 PM ET at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. BetOnline lists El Salvador as a -0.25 goal line favorite with a total of 2. Mexico plays Trinidad and Tobago on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. El Tri is a -2.75 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.

Read more

Big Al's Friday Angle: MLB, WNBA, and Copa America Previews and Odds - 07/09/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 09, 2021

The Friday sports card features games in MLB, WNBA, and the Copa America.The MLB schedule has 15 games on the docket. One game is in the afternoon with St. Louis playing in Chicago against the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET. Wade LeBlanc pitches for the Cardinals against Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs. The Chicago White Sox play at Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -137 money line road favorite with the total set at 10.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless otherwise indicated). The White Sox sends out Dallas Keuchel to pitch against the Orioles’ Jorge Lopez. Atlanta visits Miami at 7:10 PM ET as a -136 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Charlie Morton pitches for the Braves against Zach Thompson of the Marlins. Toronto travels to Tampa Bay with Alek Manoah pitching for the Blue Jays against the Rays’ Shane McClanahan. Cleveland hosts Kansas City as a -141 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Pittsburgh is in New York to play the Mets with J.T. Brubaker pitching for the Pirates against the Mets’ Marcus Stroman. Boston plays at home against Philadelphia as a -139 money line favorite with the over/under at 11. Garrett Richards pitches for the Red Sox against Vince Velasquez of the Phillies. Oakland travels to Texas at 8:05 PM ET as a -137 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The A’s pitch Cole Irvin against Jordan Lyles of the Rangers. Minnesota hosts Detroit at 8:10 PM ET as a -220 money line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Yankees play at Houston with Nestor Cortes starting for the Yankees against Jake Odorizzi for the Astros. Cincinnati plays at Milwaukee, with both teams listed at -108 with an over/under of 8.5. Wade Miley pitches for the Reds against Eric Lauer of the Brewers. Washington visits San Francisco at 9:45 PM ET with Paolo Espino pitching for the Nationals against Logan Webb of the Giants. The Los Angeles Angels play at Seattle at 10:10 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Arizona travels to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers with the Diamondbacks pitching Taylor Widener against David Price for Los Angeles. San Diego hosts Colorado as a -240 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Padres’ send out Blake Snell to pitch against the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland. Four games are on the WNBA slate. Connecticut plays at home against Atlanta on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite with the total at 158 (all WNBA lines from BetOnline). New York plays at Indiana as a -1.5 point road favorite with an over/under of 159.5. Seattle visits Phoenix on ESPN at 9 PM ET as a 5-point road favorite with the total at 169. Minnesota travels to Las Vegas at 10:30 PM ET.The third-place consolation contest in the Copa America takes place on FS2 at 8 PM ET at the Estadio Nacional de Brasilia in Brasilia, Brazil. Colombia lost their semifinals match to Argentina by a 3-2 margin in the penalty kick shootout after that game remained tied 1-1 after regulation on Tuesday. Peru was beaten by Brazil, 1-0, in their semifinals contest on Monday. Columbia is a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.25.

Read more

MLB World Series Futures Picks

by Sean Murphy

Thursday, Jul 08, 2021

With the MLB All-Star break just days away, now is an ideal time to consider locking in some MLB World Series futures as we've had ample time to dissect the 2021 season. Here's a look at one longshot (relatively speaking) pick from each league as the dog days of Summer approach.(Odds courtesy BetOnline)American LeagueToronto Blue Jays +2500This is one of the most generous prices I've seen for the Blue Jays who despite all of their young talent, go largely overlooked by most in the futures market (perhaps apart from those of us that reside here in the Great White North). It's easy to forget that the young Jays actually gained some valuable postseason experience, albeit in a unique 2020 Covid-tinged format. We've already seen that the Jays are buyers leading up to the trade deadline and a couple of savvy moves could very well put this team over the top and back into serious contention in the A.L. East. While the management team is different, this is the same club that went 'all in' back in 2015 when it acquired the likes of David Price and Troy Tulowitzki prior to the trade deadline and fell just short of a World Series berth, succumbing to the eventual champion Royals that year. Having already made a couple of minor tweaks with the addition of Corey Dickerson and Trevor Richards, bigger moves could be on the way post-All Star break. Toronto's offense is without question among the best in baseball with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. putting it all together in his third season to anchor the lineup. If George Springer can stay healthy and perhaps with the addition of one more bat, the Jays order should strike fear in any American League pitching staff. It's on the mound where there are questions and the prime reason we're being offered such a healthy return to back the Birds to win it all. I believe it's all worth the risk right now.National LeagueSan Francisco Giants +1400The Giants of course have the pesky Dodgers to deal with in the N.L. West but they currently own a 1.5-game edge and should at the very least earn a Wild Card spot to punch their ticket to October. I like the make-up of this Giants club. I think there are actually a lot of similarities to the World Champion Giants teams from earlier this decade. There's not a lot of star-power but plenty of talent. In contrast to the Blue Jays, the Giants don't have the most potent lineup but do possess a rock solid pitching staff with an A+ starting rotation and bullpen. The emergence of Kevin Gausman and Anthony DeSclafani as true rotation anchors this season has been a real difference-maker in San Fran. Outside of the Dodgers, no other National League team really has much of an intimidation factor. For the Giants, it will likely come down to whether they can make a couple of key moves to perhaps bolster their offense and give them a real shot at hanging with the likes of L.A. in a seven-game series. Right now, that's a question mark as the Dodgers have taken six of nine meetings so far this season. Nevertheless, I don't see the Giants fading any time soon and this is likely as good as it gets price-wise. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 07/08/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 08, 2021

The Thursday sports card features games in the NBA and MLB.The NBA finals continue with Game 2 of the series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns on ABC at 9:05 PM ET. Phoenix took the opening game of this series with their 118-105 victory as a 5-point favorite on Tuesday. Milwaukee has still won four of their last six games. Phoenix is a -5.5-point favorite with a total set at 219.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The MLB schedule has 11 games on the docket. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at Miami at 12:10 PM ET as a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Julio Urias pitches for the Dodgers against Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins. Houston hosts the Oakland A’s at 2:10 PM ET as a -167 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Astros send out Lance McCullers against the A’s Frankie Montas. Arizona plays at home against Colorado at 3:40 PM ET as a -143 money line favorite with a total of 9. Jake Faria pitches for the Diamondbacks against the Rockies’ Chi Chi Gonzalez. The New York Yankees play at Seattle at 4:10 PM ET as a -143 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Yankees send out Jordan Montgomery pitches against Logan Gilbert of the Mariners. Toronto plays at Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -215 money line road favorite with a total of 11. Alec Manoah of the Blue Jays pitches against Keegan Akin of the Orioles. The New York Mets play at home against Pittsburgh at 7:10 PM ET as a -185 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Mets send out Taijuan Walker against the Pirates’ Steven Brault. Cleveland hosts Kansas City as a -141 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Zach Plesac pitches for the Indians against Danny Duffy of the Royals. The Chicago Cubs play at home against Philadelphia on ESPN at 8:05 PM ET. The Cubs ended their 11-game losing streak last night with their 8-3 victory in the third game of this National League series. Chicago sends out Adbert Alzlolay, with his 4-8 record with a  4.48 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Phillies have still won four of their last six games. Zach Eflin pitches for Philadelphia with a 3-6 record, along with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. The Cubs are a -113 money line favorite. Milwaukee hosts Cincinnati at 8:10 PM ET as a -117 money line favorite with a total of 8. Adrian Houser of the Brewers pitches against Tyler Mahle of the Reds. Minnesota is at home against Detroit as a -141 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Twins send out J.A. Happ against Takir Skubal of the Tigers. San Diego hosts Washington at 9:10 PM ET as a -143 money line favorite with a total of 7. Yu Darvish pitches for the Padres against Max Scherzer of the Nationals. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB, Euro 2020 and WNBA Previews and Odds - 07/07/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jul 07, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features games in the NHL, MLB, WNBA, and Euro 2020.The Stanley Cup finals continue with Game 5 on NBC with a puck drop at 8:08 PM ET. Montreal won their first game of the series with a 3-2 victory in overtime on Monday. The series moves to Tampa Bay with the Lightning holding a 3-1 lead. Tampa Bay is a -230 money lien favorite with the total set at 5 (all odds from DraftKings). Seventeen games are on the MLB docket. Cleveland plays at Tampa Bay at 12:10 PM ET in the first game of their seven-inning doubleheader after their game on Tuesday got postponed due to Hurricane Elsa. The Rays will pitch Michael Wacha while the Indians’ starting pitcher is undecided. Atlanta travels to Pittsburgh at 12:35 PM ET as a -162 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Drew Smyly pitches for the Braves against Wil Crowe of the Pirates. The Chicago White Sox plays at Minnesota at 1:10 PM ET. The White Sox pitch Lance Lynn against the Twins’ Michael Pineda. Texas is at home against Detroit at 2:05 PM ET as a -152 money line favorite with a total of 8. Kyle Gibson of the Rangers pitches against Casey Mize of the Tigers. Cincinnati visits Kansas City at 2:10 PM ET as a -148 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Reds pitch Sonny Gray against Brady Singer of the Royals. Milwaukee plays at New York against the Mets in the first game of their seven-inning doubleheader after their rainout from Tuesday. The Brewers’ Corbin Burnes was scheduled to start against the Mets’ Jacob DeGrom, but it has yet to be determined which game they will pitch. Cleveland plays at Tampa Bay at 3:10 PM ET in the second game of their seven-inning doubleheader. Boston plays at Los Angeles against the Angels at 4:07 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 9.5. Eduardo Rodriguez pitches for the Red Sox against Andrew Heaney of the Angels.Toronto visits Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -225 money line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. The Blue Jays pitch Hyun Jin Ryu against the Orioles’ Matt Harvey. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Miami on ESPN at 7:10 PM ET. Milwaukee plays at New York against the Mets in the second game of their doubleheader. Philadelphia travels to Chicago to play the Cubs at 8:05 PM ET as a -150 money line road favorite. Zack Wheeler pitches for the Phillies against Alec Mills of the Cubs. Houston hosts Oakland at 8:10 PM ET as a -148 money line favorite with a total of 9. The Astros pitch Luis Garcia against the A’s Sean Manaea. Colorado visits Arizona at 9:40 PM ET. Antonio Senzatela pitches for the Rockies against a Diamondbacks pitcher yet to be named. San Francisco is at home against St. Louis at 9:45 PM ET as a -182 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Alex Wood makes the start for the Giants against Johan Oviedo. The New York Yankees play at Seattle at 10:10 PM ET as a -121 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. San Diego hosts Washington as a -186 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Padres pitch Chris Paddack against Patrick Corbin of the Nationals. Three games are on the WNBA slate. Dallas plays at Minnesota on ESPN2 at 8 PM ET. Phoenix visits Las Vegas at 10 PM ET. Los Angeles travels to Seattle on the CBS Sports Network.The second semifinals match of the Euro 2020 is on ESPN at 3 PM ET at Wembley Stadium in London. England is a -0.75 goal line favorite against Denmark, with the total set at 2.25.

Read more

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2024 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.