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UFC Fight Night Main Event Preview

by Ben Burns

Friday, Jun 24, 2022

The UFC continues to deliver exciting fights. Fans have been treated to a number of recent thrillers. The action returns to the APEX Center this weekend. Though the really big bouts are generally reserved for other arenas, this week's UFC main event is an intriguing matchup. It features a pair of lightweights both making their 5-round debuts. Both are hungry to make the most of this opportunity. Could it also result in another "thriller?" Let's take a closer look. The FavoriteArman Tsarukyan, a 25-year old Russian-Armenian, has won five straight fights. He's 18-2 for his professional career. While we haven't seen many kicks from him previously, Tsarukyan is calling his shot: “I have been doing this kick since two years or three years, but I never throw during a fight. This is gonna be the first time when I throw that kick. It’s gonna be surprising… More better than Chandler’s KO of Ferguson..."The UnderdogMateusz "Gamer" Gamrot is a 31-year old fighter who hails from Poland. Off three straight wins, he's got a 20-1 record. He's a former Polish flyweight and lightweight champion. With this being a 5-round fight, Gamrot noted: "...We have changed the game plan, we have to be more patient during the fight. It's a different game."The OddsAs of this writing, Tsarukyan is up to -269 at Pinnacle. The take back on Gamrot is +222.Tale Of The TapeAt 5-foot-10, Gamrot is considerably taller than the 5-foot-7 Tsarukyan. Yet, the shorter fighter has a 72 to 70 reach advantage. Both have similar striking stats. Gamrot lands 3.79 strikes per minute, an accuracy of 47%. Tsarukyan has a 48% striking accuracy while landing 3.78 strikes per minute.Bottom LineWhile I do expect Tsarukyan to get the victory, the price seems a little steep. I won't be betting the side. Hopefully "Gamer" lives up to his nickname and gives his younger opponent all that he can handle. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 06/24/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jun 24, 2022

The Friday sports card features NHL, MLB, and CFL action.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals, with the Tampa Bay Lighting traveling to Colorado to play the Avalanche on ABC at 8:15 PM ET. The Avalanche took a 3-1 lead in this series with their 3-2 victory in overtime. Nazem Kadri had the game-winning goal just over 12 minutes in the first extra period. The Aves won for the eighth time in their last nine games. Colorado is a -180 money line favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings). Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Miami Marlins host the New York Mets at 6:40 PM ET. Sandy Alcantara pitches for the Marlins against Taijuan Walker of the Mets. Miami is a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Yankees are at home against the Houston Astros at 7:05 PM ET. The Yankees give the ball to Luis Severino to face off against the Astros Justin Verlander. Houston is a -125 money line favorite with a total of 8. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 PM ET. Boston visits Cleveland with Nick Pivetta pitching for the Red Sox against Cal Quantrill of the Guardians. Boston is a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Tampa Bay is at home against Pittsburgh, with the Rays pitching Jeffrey Springs against the Pirates Mitch Keller. Tampa Bay is a -210 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Atlanta to play the Braves at 7:20 PM ET. The Dodgers send out Julio Urias against the Braves Ian Anderson. Los Angeles is a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Washington Nationals at 8:05 PM ET. Dane Dunning pitches for the Rangers against Paulo Espino of the Nationals. Texas is a -175 money line favorite with a total of 9. Four MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. Kansas City hosts Oakland with the Royals turning to Zack Greinke in their starting rotation against the A’s Cole Irvin. Kansas City is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota plays at home against Colorado with Dylan Bundy pitching for the Twins against German Marquez of the Rockies. Minnesota is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Toronto travels to Milwaukee with the Blue Jays pitching Alek Manoah against the Brewers Adrian Houser. Toronto is a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Chicago is at home against Baltimore, with Michael Kopech pitching for the White Sox against Kyle Bradish of the Orioles. Chicago is a -170 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Chicago Cubs on Apple TV at 8:15 PM ET. The Cardinals turn to Andre Pallante in their starting rotation against the Cubs Kyle Hendricks. St. Louis is a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Seattle Mariners at 9:38 PM ET. Michael Lorenzen pitches for the Angels against Chris Flexen of the Mariners. Los Angeles is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games begin at 9:40 PM ET. Philadelphia visits San Diego with the Phillies pitching Aaron Nola against the Padres MacKenzie Gore. Philadelphia is a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7. Arizona is at home against Detroit on Apple TV, with Merrill Kelly the starting pitcher for the Diamondbacks against Rony Garcia against the Tigers. Arizona is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants host the Cincinnati Bengals at 10:15 PM ET. The Giants pitch Alex Cobb against the Reds Graham Ashcraft. San Francisco is a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.Week 3 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a rematch of the 2021 Grey Cup on ESPN2 at 8:30 PM ET. The Blue Bombers won that game, 33-25, as a 2.5-point road favorite on December 12th. Winnipeg is 2-0 this season after winning at Ottawa, 19-12, as a 1-point road favorite on Friday. The Tiger-Cats are winless this year after getting upset at home to Calgary, 33-30 in overtime, as a 1.5-point favorite last Saturday. Winnipeg is a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 42.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 06/23/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jun 23, 2022

The Thursday sports card features MLB and CFL action.Major League Baseball has ten games on its schedule. The Miami Marlins host the Colorado Rockies at 12:10 PM ET. The Marlins won their third game in their last four in a 7-4 victory against the Rockies on Wednesday. They raised their record to 31-36 with the victory. Colorado has lost two in a row to fall to 30-39 with the setback. Braxton Garrett pitches for Miami against Kyle Freeland for the Rockies. Miami is a -140 money line favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Atlanta Braves host the San Francisco Giants at 12:20 PM ET. The Braves won for the third time in their last four games with their 4-3 victory against the Giants on Wednesday. They improved to 40-30 with the win. San Francisco fell to 38-29 with the loss. Atlanta pitches Kyle Wright against the Giants Alex Wood. The Braves are a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 12:35 PM ET. Los Angeles plays at Cincinnati after the Dodgers beat them, 8-4, on Wednesday. The Dodgers have a 42-25 record. The Reds fell to 23-45. Clayton Kershaw takes the ball for Los Angeles against Hunter Greene of the Reds. The Dodgers are a -230 money line road favorite with a total of 9. Chicago plays at Pittsburgh after the Cubs beat them yesterday, 14-5. The Cubs improved to 26-43 with the victory, while the Pirates dropped to 28-40 with the setback. Justin Steele pitches for Chicago against Jose Quintana for the Pirates. The Cubs are a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins host the Cleveland Guardians at 1:10 PM ET. The Twins ended a two-game losing streak with their 10-7 victory against the Guardians last night. They raised their record to 39-31 with the win. The Guardians record fell to 35-29 with the loss. Minnesota gives the ball to Delvin Smeltzer to pitch against Cleveland’s Zack Plesac. The Twins are a -135 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. The St. Louis Cardinals visit Milwaukee to play the Brewers at 2:10 PM ET. The Cardinals have a 41-31 record after their 5-4 victory against the Brewers on Wednesday. Milwaukee fell to 39-32 on the season. Dakota Hudson pitches for St. Louis against Jason Alexander for the Brewers. The Cardinals are a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners travel to Oakland to play the A’s at 3:37 PM ET. The Mariners shut out the A’s yesterday, 4-0, to improve their record to 31-39. Oakland’s record fell to 23-47. Seattle pitches Robbie Ray against the A’s Frankie Montas. The Mariners are a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 7. The New York Yankees play at home against the Houston Astros at 7:05 PM ET. The Yankees won their second game in their last three with a 5-4 victory at Tampa Bay on Wednesday. They raised their record to 51-18. The Astros won for the sixth time in their last seven games in a 5-3 win at New York against the Mets. Houston has a 43-25 record. New York turns to Jameson Taillon in their starting rotation against Houston’s Framber Valdez. The Yankees are a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox host the Baltimore Orioles at 8:10 PM ET. The White Sox were on a two-game winning streak before their 9-5 loss at home against Toronto yesterday. They have a 33-34 record. The Orioles won for the fourth time in their last six games with their 7-0 victory against Washington. Baltimore has a 31-39 record. Johnny Cueto pitches for Chicago against Dean Kremer for Baltimore. The White Sox are a -165 money line favorite with a total of 7. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Philadelphia Phillies at 9:40 PM ET. The Padres won their third straight game with a 10-4 victory against Arizona on Wednesday. They improved their record to 44-27. The Phillies lost their third game in a row in a 4-2 loss at Texas yesterday to drop their record to 36-34. San Diego pitches Joe Musgrove against Philadelphia’s Ranger Suarez. The Padres are a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.Week 3 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Montreal Alouettes are at home against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 7:30 PM ET. The Alouettes lost their second straight game to start the season with a 20-19 loss at Toronto as a 3-point underdog last Thursday. The Roughriders improved to 2-0 this season with a 26-16 victory at Edmonton as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Saskatchewan is a 3-point road favorite with a total of 46.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/22/2022

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jun 22, 2022

The Wednesday sports card features NHL and MLB action.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals, with the Colorado Avalanche traveling to Tampa Bay to play the Lightning on ABC at 8:07 PM ET. The Lightning won their first game in this series with their 6-2 victory on Monday. The Avalanche hold a 2-1 series lead. Both teams are a -110 money line favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings). Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Two games throw out the first pitch at 2:10 PM ET. Houston hosts New York with Luis Garcia pitching for the Astros against Carlos Carrasco of the Mets. Houston is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Toronto plays at Chicago  with the Blue Jays pitching Ross Stripling against the White Sox’s Lucas Giolito. Toronto is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 9.The Philadelphia Phillies travel to Texas to play the Rangers at 4:05 PM ET. Zack Wheeler pitches for the Phillies against Jon Gray of the Rangers. Philadelphia is a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at San Diego against the Padres at 4:10 PM ET. The Diamondbacks turn to Madison Bumgarner in their starting rotation against the Padres Mike Clevinger. Two MLB games start at 6:40 PM ET. Miami is at home against Colorado, with Pablo Lopez pitching for the Marlins against Chad Kuhl of the Rockies. Miami is a -195 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Los Angeles visits Cincinnati with the Dodgers pitching Tyler Anderson against the Reds Luis Castillo. Los Angeles is a -175 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:05 PM ET. Chicago plays at Pittsburgh with Keegan Thompson pitching for the Cubs against Jared Eickhoff of the Pirates. Baltimore hosts Washington with the Orioles pitching Tyler Wells against the Nationals Patrick Corbin. Baltimore is a -155 money line favorite with a total of 9.Two MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. Boston is at home against Detroit, with Michael Wacha taking the ball for the Red Sox against Tarik Skubal for the Tigers. Boston is a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. New York travels to Tampa Bay with the Yankees pitching Jordan Montgomery against the Rays Shane Baz. New York is a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 7. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the San Francisco Giants at 7:20 PM ET. Charlie Morton pitches for the Braves against Carlos Rodon of the Giants. Atlanta is a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Cleveland Guardians at 7:40 PM ET. The Twins pitch Sonny Gray against the Guardians Triston McKenzie. Minnesota is a -150 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals visit the Milwaukee Brewers at 8:10 PM ET. Adam Wainwright takes the ball for the Cardinals against Eric Lauer of the Brewers. Both teams are priced as a -110 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners travel to Oakland to play the A’s at 9:40 PM ET. The Mariners send out George Kirby to face the A’s Paul Blackburn. Seattle is a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Angels host the Kansas City Royals at 9:49 PM ET. Shohei Ohtani pitches for the Angels against Daniel Lynch of the Royals. Los Angeles is a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 06/21/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jun 21, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Two games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Miami hosts Colorado with Daniel Castrano pitching for the Marlins against Ryan Feltner of the Rockies. Miami is a -125 money line favorite, with the total set at 8. Los Angeles visits Cincinnati with the Dodgers pitching Tony Gonsolin against the Reds Tyler Mahle. Los Angeles is a -190 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. Washington plays at Baltimore with Erick Fedde pitching for the Nationals against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Orioles. Pittsburgh plays at home against Chicago, with the Pirates pitching Roansy Contreras against the Cubs Matt Swarmer. Pittsburgh is a -150 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. Boston is at home against Detroit with Rich Hill pitching for the Red Sox against the Tigers Beau Brisk. Boston is a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. New York visits Tampa Bay with Nestor Cortes pitching for the Yankees against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Rays. The San Francisco Giants travel to Atlanta to play the Braves on TBS at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves won their 16th game in their last 18 contests with a 2-1 victory against the Giants on Monday. Atlanta pitches Spencer Strider against the San Francisco’s Anthony DeSclafani. The Cleveland Guardians play at Minnesota against the Twins at 7:40 PM ET. Aaron Civale pitches for the Guardians against Joe Ryan of the Twins. The Texas Rangers host the Philadelphia Phillies at 8:05 PM ET. The Rangers pitch Martin Perez against the Phillies Kyle Gibson. Texas is a -120 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. Toronto plays at Chicago with Kevin Gausman pitching for the Blue Jays against Dylan Cease for the White Sox. Toronto is a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Toronto is a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Milwaukee is at home against St. Louis on FS1 ,with the Brewers pitching Chi Chi Gonzalez against the Cardinals Jack Flaherty. The Brewers won their fourth straight game with a 2-0 victory against the Cardinals in the opening game of this series. Milwaukee is a -120 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Houston hosts New York with Jose Urquidy pitching for the Astros against the Mets Trevor Williams. Houston is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Angels are at home against the Kansas City Royals at 9:38 PM ET. The Angels pitch Reid Detmers against the Royals Jonathan Heasley. Los Angeles is a -175 money line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games conclude the Monday card. Arizona plays at San Diego with Zac Gallen pitching for the Diamondbacks against Sean Manaea of the Padres. Seattle travels to Oakland with the Mariners pitching Marco Gonzales against the A’s James Kaprielian. Seattle is a -150 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.

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2022 Auburn Tigers Preview

by Matt Fargo

Monday, Jun 20, 2022

Auburn Tigers2021-22 Season Record 6-7 (3-5 SEC West) - 6-7-0 ATS - 5-8-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 6Defense - 7OverviewAuburn is coming off its first overall losing season since 2012 and just its third since 2000 and second year head coach Bryan Harsin is already under pressure. The Tigers have gone to nine straight bowls games but the last four being the Birmingham, Citrus, Outback and Music City Bowls does not exactly inject a lot of enthusiasm in the fan base. Playing in the SEC makes it more of a challenge to get back to prominence and it will not be easy once again. The offense scored 122 points in its first two games but averaged only 22.4 ppg in its last 11 contests and in the offensively potent SEC West, this has to get better. The defense held its own and kept some of the games within reach but the unit was not good in clutch situations, finishing No. 58 in red zone defense, allowing 40 scores in 49 opponent attempts. Ending on a five-game losing streak only adds to the pressure. OffenseThe offense was average across the board last season finishing between No. 58 and No. 62 in yards, points, passing and rushing but should be better in all areas this season. In one of the bigger offseason transfers, quarterback Bo Nix left for Oregon but he was just average as a starter with 37 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in three seasons. Three transfers from big name schools will be vying for the starting job led by T.J. Finley who came over from LSU and was 70-128 for 827 yards, six touchdowns and one interception last season. He will be pushed by Zach Calzada from Texas A&M and Robby Ashford from Oregon. Whoever wins long-term job will be protected behind a veteran offensive line led by five-year senior starting center Nick Brahms. 1,000-yard rusher Tank Bigsby is back and while top receiver Kobe Hudson transferred, five experienced wideouts are back to fill in. DefenseThe defense has good experience coming back but it is pretty young with only three senior starters. The Tigers finished No. 34 in points allowed per game and No. 35 against the run but they were torched through the air. Only two starters are back in the secondary and they are led by junior safety Zion Puckett and junior transfer corner D.J James to build a more resistant unit. The rushing defense will be better if healthy as three starters are back along the defensive line buoyed by senior edge Derick Hall and fellow end Colby Wooden while getting immediate help from Oregon transfer Jayson Jones at nose tackle. The linebackers are experienced and deep with five juniors or seniors on the three-deep chart. The defense will have to lead, at least early on, until the offense finds its rhythm and one important factor is getting more takeaways than the 12 generated last season. 2022 Season OutlookLosing the final five games and some on and off field allegations nearly cost Harsin his job after one season so expect a buyout if there is not significant improvement. The schedule opens with five home games, three of which should result in easy wins against Mercer, San Jose St. and Missouri while the other two are against Penn St. and LSU which can go either way but a 5-0 start is not out of the question. Then the fun begins. Three of the next four games are on the road against Georgia, Mississippi and Mississippi St. with a home game against an improved Arkansas team sandwiched in. The final SEC home game is against Texas A&M and the Tigers close at Alabama after a home game against Western Kentucky. The 6.5 O/U win total is spot on and if Auburn does not get to that 5-0 start, it will take a few upsets to get to a winning record and a tenth straight bowl game. 

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2022 Army Black Knights Preview

by Matt Fargo

Monday, Jun 20, 2022

Army Black Knights2021-22 Season Record 9-4 (N/A) - 6-7-0 ATS - 5-8-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 6Defense - 8OverviewHead coach Jeff Monken took over in 2014 after Army had one winning record in its previous 16 seasons and following  two rebuilding years, the Black Knights have had winning seasons in five of the last six years including four bowl wins after having three in the history of the program before this. Army went 9-4 last season and it could have been better as the Black Knights lost focus in a loss at Ball St., lost by just six points to Wisconsin, fell in a shootout against Wake Forest and dropped its rivalry game against Navy by four points. Six of the nine wins were by double-digits and more of that can be expected against a fairly soft slate. Over the last three years, Army has improved in the final rankings, finishing No. 89 in 2019, No. 66 in 2020 and No. 43 in 2021 and the 2022 version is an all-around better team that should keep the program moving forward even more. OffenseThe Black Knights have been one of the most successful running teams over recent years and that is not going to change. They finished No. 2 in the country in rushing offense with 280.6 ypg on 4.8 ypc which was only No. 32 overall so they will look to improve that average. Army loses starting quarterback Christian Anderson, who was second on the team in rushing, but Tyhier Tyler takes over with plenty of experience and he led the team in rushing in 2020 with 502 yards. His backfield is fully intact led by slotback Tyrell Robinson and fullback Jakobi Buchanan. The offensive line brings back their left tackle and center but have to replace the other three positions which is not a big deal for a team that rotated in and out. The passing game is pretty much non-existent as it threw the ball only 110 times but averaged 20.6 yards per completion which was second highest in the nation. DefenseAfter finishing No. 2 in total defense in 2020, Army took a slight step back last season, allowing 320.8 ypg which was good for No. 15 in the country which is still outstanding. The Black Knights bring back eight starters on defense including both ends, three linebackers and three from the secondary. Defensive end Andre Carter is the anchor of the unit and is a legitimate top NFL draft pick and the linebackers bring back a ton of experience and hard hitting tacklers. The weakness is in the secondary as Army finished No. 72 in pass efficiency defense and will be vulnerable against strong passing attacks but those will be few and far between in 2022. The biggest issue the Black Knights have to shore up is the red zone defense as they allowed 29 scores, including 22 touchdowns in 31 opponent trips and that 94 percent clip was No. 125 in the nation after finishing No. 2 in 2020. 2022 Season OutlookOnce a punching back as an Independent, Army has turned the corner under Monken as he develops players the right way and any gaps moving forward are usually replaced with players with at least some experience. Getting notoriety as an Independent is tough if you are not named Notre Dame but Army is now a noteworthy challenger on most opposing schedules. The slate this season has the potential for a double-digit win season as it is loaded with games Army will be favored in. It faces two FCS teams, Villanova will be a challenge, two poor Independents in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and of course Air Force and Navy, both on a neutral field. Four of the remaining six games are against the Sun Belt with UTSA and Wake Forest mixed in. As long as the Black Knights take care of what they should, the O/U win total of 8 -115 should be surpassed once again. 

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Using Run Differential To Predict The National League

by Power Sports

Monday, Jun 20, 2022

Anyone who has followed my handicapping through the years is well aware that I’m a big believer in using a team’s scoring differential as a solid indicator of future outcomes. This goes for all sports.My rationale is pretty simple. Teams that outscore the opposition by the biggest margin tend to be the “best” teams while those outscored by the widest margin tend to be the “worst.”Looking at the National League, I think it’s quite easy to separate the contenders from the pretenders this year, using run differential.“There’s Always Next Year”Though we’re just a little over one-third of the way through the regular season, I feel quite confident in saying the following NL teams will NOT be making the playoffs this season: Arizona, Colorado, Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Washington. In terms of run differential, there already exists a substantial gap between these six and the other nine clubs in the Senior Circuit. In fact, five of the six teams on the list above already have a run differential of -57 or worse (as of 6/20).  The nine NL teams still to be mentioned all have positive YTD run differentials.One non-contender to “keep an eye on” is Pittsburgh. The Pirates have the second worst run differential in all of baseball, but are somehow still third in their own division (ahead of both the Cubs and Reds). I expect the Bucs to start losing games at an even higher rate than they already are. Since its disastrous 3-22 start to the 2022 season, the Reds have actually been a .500 team. Yet they join the Nationals and Cubs in the bottom five of net units earned. (That means we are talking about three of the five worst teams to bet on).  The Pirates, D’backs and Rockies have all been middle of the road when it comes to net units. The ContendersSo we have nine teams to consider when it comes to this year’s NL Playoff picture. Remember that there’s been an extra Wild Card added, so six will ultimately make it.The Dodgers and Mets should be considered playoff locks. I know that the Mets blew a large lead in the division last season and the NL East is pretty tough. Plus, a 5-0 record in extra inning games is due to regress. But I’m still more confident in this Mets team than I was last year’s.The Dodgers have the best run differential in the NL, by a lot (+114). They are actually 0-5 in extra inning games and only have a half game lead in the West. But you’re crazy if you don’t think this is the NL’s best team, moving forward.Someone will have to win the Central and that will obviously be either the Cardinals or Brewers, who coincidentally will play each other this week in Milwaukee. The two teams both come in with identical 38-30 records. But St. Louis has the much better run differential, +61 vs. +16. We’ve got a bevy of possible Wild Card contenders, besides whichever team doesn’t win the Central. San Diego and San Francisco both look strong out West. Coming into 2022, we knew the Giants couldn’t possibly be as profitable as they were last year (when they were a historically great +45.8 units). Therefore, I have less confidence in them making the playoffs than I do the Padres and not just because of SD’s superior run differential at the moment.The East is very interesting as both the Braves and Phillies got hot in June. But also keep an eye out for the Marlins, who ought to have a winning record. They’ve outscored their opponents by 19 runs, yet find themselves six games below .500. I cashed a winning ticket on Miami Sunday (as an underdog). You can point to a MLB-high 17 one-run losses as the reason the Marlins face the current dichotomy. Only one other team in the NL has more than 10 one-run losses right now and that’s the Cubs. Be back to focus on the American League next week. 

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2022 Arkansas St. Red Wolves Preview

by Matt Fargo

Monday, Jun 20, 2022

Arkansas St. Red Wolves2021-22 Season Record 2-10 (1-7 SBC West) - 6-6-0 ATS - 3-9-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 5Defense - 6OverviewArkansas St. went to one bowl game in its first 10 seasons in the Sun Belt Conference and then went to the postseason nine straight years but the Red Wolves are coming off two straight losing seasons. This includes a 2-10 record last season under first year head coach Butch Davis so it is time to get this program back on track but it might not happen overnight. One of the football adages is success, or lack thereof, comes with being able to run the ball and stop the run and Arkansas St. was awful at both last season. That has to change quickly and the ask goes to a lot of newcomers on both ends which really may not be a bad thing. The conference schedule is on their side for the most part and with the coaching staff and systems going into a second straight season, things will get better and the Red Wolves might have a shot in the average Sun Belt Conference West Division. OffenseThe Red Wolves could not run the ball last season as they rushed for 100 or more yards only three times and they averaged 82.4 ypg on 2.83 ypc, both of which were No. 128 in the country while their four rushing touchdowns were the fewest in the nation. Leading rusher Lincoln Pare, who accounted for 448 of the total 989 rushing yards, transferred out but that is not a huge deal as there are two very capable runners coming back in Johnnie Lang, Jr. and Alan Lamar. The issue is up front as the offensive line got no push and while the Red Wolves are led by tackle Robert Holmes, there are new faces along the front that will dictate how much they will improve. The passing game was solid as they used two quarterbacks after James Blackman was injured but he is back and ready to lead the attack that has to replace leading receiver Corey Rucker but No. 2 and No. 3 are back. DefenseWhile the offense scored on the ground just four times, opposing offenses rushed for 32 touchdowns and that was the biggest disparity in the conference. Overall, the Red Wolves were dead last in the nation, allowing 261.2 ypg on the ground and they look to tackle John Mincey, a former Tennessee player, and linebackers Jaden Harris and Melique Straker to shore up the rushing defense that will be very young in other spots. A repeat of last season will be a disaster. The passing defense was not great either as Arkansas St. finished No. 94 in yards allowed and gave up a whopping 14.26 yards per completion, seventh highest in the country. The prementioned linebackers will play a big role as the secondary needs help after starting safeties and leading tacklers Elery Alexander and Jarius Reimonenq have moved on. The cornerbacks have experience but are unproven. 2022 Season OutlookIt starts and ends with the running game on both sides plain and simple. The Red Wolves have nowhere to go but up and how far they can ascend will be the difference. The three toughest games on the schedule are against Ohio St., Memphis and Louisiana and they are all on the road so those can be chalked up as losses. Two other road games are at former C-USA programs Old Dominion and Southern Mississippi and those are both swing games. The home portion of the schedule looks tame on paper as the Red Wolves open with Grambling St. of the FSC and get new FBS member James Madison to go along with four other games against teams that has losing records last season. The Red Wolves have a 5 -120 O/U win total so sweeping the home slate, which is very possible, or pulling off a road win in those swing games can vault them to a .500 record and a return to a bowl game. 

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2022 CFL: Week 2 Recap

by Sean Murphy

Monday, Jun 20, 2022

We're two weeks into the 2022 CFL season with the West proving superior to the East with four of five teams in that division having posted flawless records. Here's a quick look at some key takeaways from the second week of action.Argos 20, Alouettes 19Toronto was fortunate to come away victorious thanks to a late missed field goal by Montreal. The Argos underrated defense controlled proceedings most of the way before the Als got loose for 10 points in the fourth quarter. The absence of Als standout RB William Stanback was key as no Montreal back was able to gain more than 20 yards on the ground. RB Andrew Harris was the Argos big offseason pick-up and he paid immediate dividends, running for 87 yards while adding three catches. The Als will get to play their home opener against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday as they continue to search for their first victory of the season. Toronto travels to Vancouver to face the 1-0 B.C. Lions this coming Saturday.Blue Bombers 19, RedBlacks 12In a rematch of Winnipeg's Week 1 victory, the Blue Bombers proved superior to the RedBlacks once again, securing a seven-point road victory. The two-time defending Grey Cup champion Bombers entered the season with high expectations and haven't disappointed through two games with their defense not surprisingly leading the charge. Offseason acquisition WR Greg Ellingson has been terrific for Winnipeg, hauling in 10 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown in each of its first two contests. Ottawa is left scratching its head after racking up plenty of yardage but only 29 points in the home-and-home set with Winnipeg. QB Jeremiah Masoli has looked comfortable running the offense, completing 51-of-82 passes for 711 yards, a touchdown and an interception through two games. Stampeders 33, Tiger-Cats 30 (OT)In the week's wildest, most entertaining contest, the Stamps pulled out an improbable overtime victory in Hamilton. Calgary trailed 17-0 at the end of the end of the first quarter before QB Bo Levi Mitchell was able to turn back the clock, throwing for more than 300 yards and two touchdowns in the come-from-behind victory. The Stamps will enter Saturday's showdown with the provincial rival Elks sporting a perfect 2-0 record. Hamilton has dropped consecutive games to open the season, fading late in both contests. QB Dane Evans has quite simply been asked to do too much due to a non-existent ground attack. In Saturday's loss, Evans led the team in rushing with 22 yards. Now comes a difficult road date with the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on Friday.Roughriders 26, Elks 16Most pegged the Edmonton Elks as the league's worst team entering the new season and that's precisely what we've seen through two games as Edmonton has been outscored by a whopping 85-31 margin. The Elks defense hasn't proven capable of slowing opposing attacks, whether through the air or on the ground. Saskatchewan RB Jamal Morrow torched Edmonton for 126 rushing yards on 17 carries while adding a touchdown in Saturday's victory. Edmonton QB Nick Arbuckle might have a tough time keeping his starting job after tossing five interceptions compared to only one touchdown so far this season. The Elks employed a QB carousel during training camp and preseason action. Saskatchewan's defense has been dominant, recording a ridiculous 13 sacks and four interceptions on its way to a perfect 2-0 start.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/20/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jun 20, 2022

The Monday sports card features NHL and MLB action.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, with the Colorado Avalanche traveling to Tampa Bay to play the Lightning on ABC at 8:15 PM ET. The Avalanche are on a seven-game winning streak after beating the Lightning in Game 2, 7-0, on Saturday. Tampa Bay returns home for the next two games trailing 0-2 in this series. Both teams are priced as a -110 money line favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings).Major League Baseball has nine games on its schedule. The New York Mets host the Miami Marlins at 1:10 PM ET. The Mets’ record fell to 44-24 after a 6-2 loss to the Marlins on Sunday. Miami improved their record to 29-35. David Peterson takes the ball for New York against Trevor Rogers of the Marlins. New York is a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs visit Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 7:05 PM ET. The Cubs lost to Atlanta yesterday, 6-0, which lowered their record to 25-41. The Pirates improved to 26-39 after their 4-3 victory against the Giants on Sunday. Both teams are priced as a -110 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 PM ET. Boston is at home against Detroit with Josh Winckowski pitching for the Red Sox against Alex Faedo of the Tigers. Boston beat St. Louis on Sunday, 6-4, to raise their record to 36-31. Detroit defeated Texas yesterday, 7-3, to improve to 26-40 this season. The Red Sox are a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. New York plays at Tampa Bay with the Yankees pitching Gerrit Cole against the Rays’ Shane McClanahan. The Yankees dropped to 49-17 on the season with their 10-9 loss at Toronto yesterday. The Rays fell to 36-30 after a 2-1 loss at Baltimore on Sunday. New York is a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the San Francisco Giants at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves raised their record to 38-29 after their 6-0 victory on the road against the Cubs yesterday. The Giants dropped to 37-28 with their 4-3 loss to the Pirates. Max Fried pitches for Atlanta against Logan Webb of the Giants. The Braves are a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. Toronto travels to Chicago with the Blue Jays pitching Jose Berrios against the White Sox’s Lance Lynn. The Blue Jays have a 38-28 record after their victory against the Yankees on Sunday. The White Sox fell to 31-32 after their 4-3 loss to the Astros last night. Toronto is a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 9.Milwaukee plays at home against St. Louis on FS1 with Corbin Burnes pitching for the Brewers against Miles Mikolas of the Cardinals. The Brewers  beat Cincinnati, 6-3, on Sunday to raise their record to 38-30. The Cardinals have a 38-30 record, too, after their loss to the Red Sox yesterday. Milwaukee is a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.The Los Angeles Angels host the Kansas City Royals at 9:38 PM ET. The Angels have a 33-36 record after beating Seattle on the road yesterday, 4-0. The Royals lost on the road at Oakland on Sunday, 4-0, to drop their record to 23-42. Los Angeles pitches Noah Syndergaard against Kansas City starting pitcher Kris Bubic. The Angels are a -175 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 9:40 PM ET. The Padres fell to 41-27 this season with their 8-3 loss at Colorado yesterday. The Diamondbacks improved to 39-29 after their 7-1 victory against Minnesota on Sunday. Yu Darvish pitches for the Padres against Zach Davies. San Diego is a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 06/19/2022

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jun 19, 2022

The Sunday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Philadelphia Phillies visit Washington to play the Nationals on Peacock at 12:05 PM ET. Zach Eflin takes the ball for the Phillies against Jackson Tetreault of the Nationals. Philadelphia is a -180 money line road favorite, with the total set at 9.5. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. San Francisco plays at Pittsburgh with the Giants pitching Alex Cobb against the Pirates Mitch Keller. San Francisco is a -180 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Boston hosts St. Louis with Nick Pivetta pitching for the Red Sox against Andre Palate of the Cardinals. Boston is a -145 money line favorite with a total of 9. Tampa Bay travels to Baltimore with the Rays pitching Corey Kluber against the Orioles' Jordan Lyles. Tampa Bay is a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees are at Toronto to play the Blue Jays at 1:37 PM ET. Luis Severino pitches for the Yankees against the Blue Jays Yusei Kikuchi. New York is a -165 money line road favorite with a total of 9.Three MLB games play at 1:40 PM ET. Milwaukee visits Cincinnati with the Brewers pitching Adrian Houser against the Reds Mike Minor. Milwaukee is a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. New York is at home against Miami with Chris Bassitt pitching for the Mets against Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins. New York is a -135 money line favorite with a total of 7. Texas plays at Detroit with Dane Dunning the starting pitcher for the Rangers against Drew Hutchison of the Tigers. Texas is a -150 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.The Atlanta Braves travel to Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET. Ian Anderson pitches for the Braves against Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs. Atlanta is a -165 money line road favorite. The San Diego Padres play at Colorado against the Rockies at 3:10 PM ET. The Padres send out Blake Snell to pitch against the Rockies Antonio Senzatela. San Diego is a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 12.5. The Kansas City Royals are at Oakland to play the A’s at 4:07 PM ET. Brad Singer pitches for the Royals against Jared Koenig of the A’s. Kansas City is a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Three MLB games begin at 4:10 PM ET. Seattle host Los Angeles with Logan Gilbert pitching for the Mariners against Kenny Rosenberg of the Angels. Seattle is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Minnesota visits Arizona with the Twins pitching Chris Archer against the Diamondbacks Merrill Kelly. Minnesota is a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Los Angeles plays at home against Cleveland, with Andrew Heaney pitching for the Dodgers against Shane Bieber of the Guardians. Los Angeles is a -155 money line favorite at PlayMGM with a total of 7.5. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN at 7:08 PM ET has the Houston Astros hosting the Chicago White Sox. The Astros turn to Cristian Javier in their starting rotation against the White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech. Houston is a -175 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.

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