Articles

2022 Alabama Crimson Tide Preview

by Matt Fargo

Wednesday, Jun 15, 2022

Alabama Crimson Tide2021-22 Season Record 13-2 (7-1 SEC West) - 7-6-0 ATS - 7-6-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 5Defense - 8OverviewThe rich continue to get richer. Alabama lost to Georgia in the CFP Championship and like most every year, it will retool and is currently the favorite to win the championship this year at +200. The Crimson Tide not only have one of the most talented and deep rosters in the country, but they also have the best player in the nation on each side of the ball coming back. Quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy last season and linebacker Will Anderson, Jr.  took home a lot of big defensive hardware and finished No. 5 in the Heisman voting. Alabama lost seven players to the NFL draft, tied for fifth most overall, but this has been commonplace so there will be little, if any, drop off from its 13-2 season, only its second two-loss season since 2015. The Crimson Tide went 7-6 in 2007, the first year under Nick Saban, and since then it has been an historical run of 14 consecutive double-digit win seasons. OffenseLast season, the offense had to replace eight offensive starters and did not miss a beat and this season, Alabama brings back five starters. It all starts with Young after setting school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns but he loses his top three wide receivers and top running back. The Crimson Tide will rely on transfers to lead at these positions as wide receiver Jermaine Burton comes over from Georgia and has a great skill set while running back Jahmyr Gibbs left Georgia Tech where he led the Yellow Jackets with 746 yards rushing on 5.2 ypc. The offensive line returns three starters but has to replace left tackle Evan Neal who was the No. 7 overall draft pick. Alabama finished No. 7 in the country in total offense and No. 6 in scoring offense last season and despite the lack of proven playmakers around Young, the offense will again put up huge numbers. DefenseAlabama also finished No. 7 in total defense and it might have to rely on this unit early on if the offense does take some time to come together. Anderson simply cannot be left one-on-one as he finished with 17.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss and on the other side, Dallas Turner is also back after recording 8.5 sacks and both will again cause havoc. The Crimson Tide lost defensive end Phidarian Mathis who anchored the front line the last two seasons but fellow end Byron Young, who has not missed a game in three years, returns along with three-year starting nose guard DJ Dale. The secondary was the weakest unit last season as it finished No. 50 in passing defense but it is not all on them as teams were down and forced to pass. Starting safeties Jordan Battle and Demarco Hellams both return but both corners need to be replaced with three strong candidates. 2022 Season OutlookThe schedule is in the favor of Alabama but it is still never a cakewalk in the SEC. The Crimson Tide miss Florida and Georgia from the SEC East and they get Texas A&M, Mississippi St. and Auburn at home. The challenges will come at Texas and Tennessee with Mississippi being potentially dangerous, but all said and done, Alabama could not have gotten a better slate. A ton of key players have to be replaced but this is not like many other programs as the additions are not raw and come in with plenty of experience. The Crimson Tide are expected to make their seventh CFP Championship in eight years and it is hard to go against that with plenty of five-star players and one of the best coaching staffs in the nation. Alabama has a 10.5 regular season win total O/U so it can afford only one loss to surpass the over and we can see this one cashing but it is at a -230 price. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/15/2022

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jun 15, 2022

The Wednesday sports card features NHL and MLB action.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals with the Colorado Avalanche hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning on ABC at 8 PM ET. The Avalanche are on a five-game winning streak after completing their four-game sweep of the Oilers with their 6-5 victory at Edmonton on June 6th. The Lightning are on a four-game winning streak after rallying from losing the first two games against the Rangers to beat New York in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals by  a 2-1 score on Saturday. Colorado is a -155 money line favorite, with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings).The Wednesday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the Miami Marlins at 1:05 PM ET. Kyle Gibson pitches for the Phillies against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Marlins. Philadelphia is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox visit Detroit to play the Tigers at 1:10 PM ET. The White Sox pitch Vincent Velasquez against the Tigers Alex Faedo. The Houston Astros play at Texas against the Rangers at 2:05 PM ET. The Astros send out Luis Garcia against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Rangers. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 3:40 PM ET. Zac Gallen takes the ball for the Diamondbacks against Luis Castillo of the Reds. Arizona is a -125 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Kansas City Royals travel to San Francisco to play the Giants at 3:45 PM ET. The Royals turn to Jonathan Heasley in their starting rotation against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Giants. The Minnesota Twins play at Seattle against the Mariners at 4:10 PM ET. Sonny Gray pitches for the Twins against Marco Gonzales of the Mariners. Minnesota is a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 PM ET. The New York Yankees host Tampa Bay, with the Yankees pitching Nelson Cortes against the Rays Shane McClanahan. New York is a -130 money line favorite with a total of 7. Atlanta visits Washington with Spencer Strider pitching for the Braves against Erick Fedde of the Nationals. The Braves are a -180 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays turn to Jose Berrios in their starting rotation against the Orioles Bruce Zimmermann. Toronto is a -305 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Two MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. Oakland plays at Boston with James Kaprielian pitching for the A’s against Josh Winckowski of the Red Sox. Milwaukee travels to New York on FS1 with the Brewers pitching Corbin Burnes against David Peterson of the Mets. The Brewers are a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:45 PM ET. Jack Flaherty pitches for the Cardinals against Roansy Contreras of the Pirates. St. Louis is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres travel to Chicago to play the Cubs at 8:05 PM ET. The Padres pitch Ryan Weathers against the Cubs Caleb Kilian. The Cleveland Guardians visit Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET. Konnor Pilkington pitches for the Guardians against Austin Gomber of the Rockies. Cleveland is a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 11.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Los Angeles Angels at 10:10 PM ET. The Dodgers turn to Tyler Anderson as their starting pitcher against the Angels Reid Detmers. The Dodgers are a -195 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 06/14/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jun 14, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action.The Tuesday card in Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:15 PM ET in the opening game of their doubleheader. The Cardinals pitch Matthew Liberatore against the Pirates J.T. Brubaker. St. Louis is a -165 money line favorite with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Miami Marlins, with the Phillies pitching Zach Eflin against the Marlins Trevor Rogers. Philadelphia is a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees play at home against Tampa Bay with Gerrit Cole pitching for the Yankees against the Rays Corey Kluber. New York is a -220 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves visit the Washington Nationals with the Braves pitching Max Fried against the Nationals Jackson Tetreault. Atlanta is a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles at 7:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays pitch Yusei Kikuchi against the Orioles Jordan Lyles. Toronto is a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Three MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox visit the Detroit Tigers, with the White Sox pitching Dylan Cease against the Tigers’ Dylan Hutchison. Chicago is a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The New York Mets are at home against the Milwaukee Brewers, with Chris Bassitt pitching for the Mets against Adrian Houser of the Brewers. New York is a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Boston Red Sox are at home against the Oakland A’s with the Red Sox pitching Nick Pivetta against the A’s Jared Koenig. Boston is a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The second game of the Pirates/Cardinals doubleheader has Miles Mikolas pitching for St. Louis against Bryce Wilson of the Pirates. The Cardinals are a -165 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Two games start at 8:05 PM ET. The Houston Astros visit the Texas Rangers with Jose Urquidy pitching for the Astros against the Rangers Dane Dunning. Houston is a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The San Diego Padres travel to Chicago to play the Cubs with the Astros pitching Sean Manaea against the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks. San Diego is a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Cleveland Guardians play at Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET. Cleveland pitches Shane Bieber against the Rockies Antonio Senzatela. Cleveland is a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 11. The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Cincinnati Reds at 9:40 PM ET. Zach Davies pitches for the Diamondbacks against Tyler Mahle of the Reds. Arizona is a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the Kansas City Royals at 9:45 PM ET. The Giants pitch Logan Webb against the Royals Kris Bubic. San Francisco is a -255 money line favorite with a total of 8. Two MLB games begin at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the Los Angeles Angels, with Tony Gonsolin pitching for the Dodgers against Noah Syndergaard of the Angels. The Dodgers are a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners host the Minnesota Twins with Logan Gilbert taking the ball for the Mariners against Joe Ryan of the Twins. Seattle is a -115 money line favorite with a total of 7.5.

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2022 Akron Zips Preview

by Matt Fargo

Monday, Jun 13, 2022

Akron Zips 2021-22 Season Record 2-10 (1-7 MAC) - 5-7-0 ATS - 6-5-1 O/U Returning Starters Offense - 6Defense - 6 Overview Akron has been a fledging program for years as it is coming off another losing season and since 2006, the Zips have produced only one winning record which was in 2015. New head coach Joe Moorhead took over the program in December, replacing Tom Arth who went 3-24 in three seasons and his first goal is to make the Zips competitive for the first time in years. Two of those wins came against Bowling Green and the other against non-FBS Bryant and last season, eight of the 10 losses came by double-digits. Akron is in the middle of the FBS in returning production with the defense ranked No. 19 but this is not necessarily a good thing. The MAC is weak as only two teams finished last season with more than seven wins but it will take a gigantic effort for the Zips to come close to a .500 record as they have a tough schedule that is frontloaded to expect a rough start. Offense Moorhead will try and turn around an unproductive offense that finished No. 106 overall and while he has the pedigree to do so, it will take more than one year. The strength of the offense will be the running game as Akron returns leading rusher Jonzell Norrils and also gets a solid transfer in Cam Wiley who comes over from Minnesota. It had only eight rushing touchdowns last season so there is nowhere to go but up. The passing game could be in trouble as the Zips have to replace their starting quarterback and their two leading receivers and this is where Moorhead will have to work wonders. DJ Irons, Jr. is capable as he completed 65 percent of his passes after taking over for Zach Gibson, who has left the program, and he is behind an offensive line that allowed the most sacks in the country last season. Three starters return up front which is a good building block.  Defense While the offense was bad, the defense was even worse. Akron allowed 474 points last season which was the most in the MAC and it was ranked No. 122 in total defense, No. 128 in rushing defense and No. 55 in passing defense. While that last ranking looks ok, it is skewed as Zips opponents did not have to pass and when they did, Akron allowed 8.77 yards per attempt which was tied for fifth worst in the nation. The strength, if you can call it that, is a veteran secondary but they were put on an island as the Zips lacked a productive pass rush. Four of their top five tacklers are back but this will matter little if they cannot stop opposing offenses when it counts as Akron finished tied for last in the country in third down defense, allowing opponents to convert 54.2 percent of their opportunities. There are solid pieces in place but not enough for a big upward turnaround.  2022 Season Outlook The good news for the Zips is that they will start the season 1-0 as they open with St. Francis but it is an uphill battle after that with five of their next six games taking place on the road. It has been a rebuild for a few years and Arth did nothing to make it better so while Moorhead was one of the better new hires, it will not happen overnight. While the running game will be the focal point, the Zips are going to try and play faster with a system similar to that of Oregon and it will be up to Irons, Jr. to make quick decisions on the fly. Akron has just three wins in the last three years so its regular season O/U of 2.5 wins is justified and all it should take is one upset along the way as the other likely victory is a home game against Bowling Green. The Zips enter the campaign ranked No. 127 in the preseason power ratings so clearly not much is expected but we should at least see a more competitive team. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/13/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jun 13, 2022

The Monday sports card features NBA and MLB action.The finals in the National Basketball Association continue with the fifth game in the series between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors on ABC at 9:10 PM ET. The Warriors evened things at 2-2 with their 107-97 upset victory as a 4-point underdog on Friday. Both teams have split their two opportunties at home, with this now a best-of -three series. Golden State hosts Game 5 as a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 212 (all odds from DraftKings).The Monday card in Major League Baseball has ten games on its schedule. Two games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 PM ET. The Atlanta Braves visit Washington to play the Nationals with Ian Anderson pitching for the Braves against Josiah Gray of the Nationals. Atlanta is a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the Miami Marlins, with the Phillies pitching Aaron Nola against the Marlins Sandy Alcantara. Philadelphia is a -155 money line favorite with a total of 7.5.The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:07 PM ET. Alek Manoah is the starting pitcher for the Blue Jays against Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins. Toronto is a -305 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox visit Detroit to play the Tigers at 7:10 PM ET. The White Sox have not named their starting pitcher after planned starter Johnny Cueto was pressed into emergency duty on Sunday. The Tigers were planning to pitch Rony Garcia. Chicago is a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. St. Louis hosts Pittsburgh at 7:45 PM ET. Zack Thompson gets his first career MLB start for the Cardinals after getting called up to the big leagues on Friday. He faces the Pirates Mitch Keller. St. Louis is a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games start at 8:05 PM ET. The Houston Astros visit Texas to play the Rangers, with the Astros pitching Cristian Javier against the Rangers Justin Steele. Houston is a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 9. The San Diego Padres play at Chicago against the Cubs with Yu Darvish pitching for the Padres against the Cubs Justin Steele. San Diego is a -135 money line road favorite. The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Cincinnati Reds at 9:40 PM ET. The Diamondbacks pitch Merrill Kelly against the Reds Mike Minor. Arizona is a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Kansas City Royals travel to San Francisco to play the Giants at 9:45 PM ET. Brad Singer pitches for the Royals against Alex Wood of the Giants. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the Minnesota Twins at 10:10 PM ET. The Mariners turn to Chris Flexen in their starting rotation against the Twins Chris Archer. Seattle is a -120 money line favorite with a total of 8.5.

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2022 Air Force Falcons Preview

by Matt Fargo

Sunday, Jun 12, 2022

Air Force Falcons2021-22 Season Record 10-3 (6-2 MWC) - 8-4-0 ATS - 5-7-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 6Defense - 5OverviewIt was a very successful season for Air Force and it finished tied for first in the Mountain West Conference Mountain Division and advanced to the First Responder Bowl where it defeated Louisville. The Falcons finished first in the nation in rushing with 341.6 ypg which has been the strength for years and will be once again. While the season was a success, it could have been even better as all three losses were by one possession while seven wins were by double-digits. Head coach Troy Calhoun is in his 15th season and 10 of his first 14 seasons have resulted in a winning record with one of the other four being the COVID-shortened season in 2020 where the Falcons went 3-3. The schedule this season is in their favor with seven home games and only two real road tests at Utah St. and San Diego St. and should be 5-0 before facing the Aggies in Week Six.OffenseThe running game will again be the focal point of the offense and there is plenty coming back. Quarterback Hazziq Daniels is back after finishing second on the team in rushing and while the passing game was limited as he completed only 45.7 percent of his passes, he led the country with 22.6 yards per completion. His top receiver is gone but that does not affect this team like it would most others so there will not be a downgrade there. Leading rusher Brad Roberts returns and there is a decent amount of depth behind him. The offensive line has three starters back with all five up front having solid experience but avoiding injuries will be big as the depth is limited. The opponents know what they are getting but stopping it will again be a challenge for those defenses as awareness and execution are two different things. We expect the offense to hum along once again. DefenseThe defense has five starters back from a unit that was very underrated last season as Air Force finished No. 5 in the country in total yards allowed at 287.4 ypg and No. 13 in scoring defense at 19.1 ppg. The Falcons did lose some key players on the stop unit however as all three levels have to replace a top defender. The core is back on those levels so there should not be a big drop off and they have the advantage of having an offense that kills the time of possession so taking the field fresh helps this defense in a big way. The defense was on the field for just over 23 minutes per game last season and anything close to that this year will let the defense do its thing again. The Falcons were susceptible to the pass and the secondary will not be much stronger but it did enough to limit big plays and that will be enormous again. As is always the case, discipline will determine the success. 2022 Season OutlookLast season could have been really special if those close losses turned into victories and a reversal of that tends to take place going forward but Air Force likely will not be blowing as many teams out like it did in 2021. The schedule as mentioned is not a bad one with a pair of tough road games but as is the case every season, the Boise St. game will play a big role in the outcome and getting the Broncos at home is important. While calling last season an aberration might be a bit harsh, the likelihood of a repeat will be tough against an improved conference so the other six home games, which they will be favored in all, have to be taken care of to have a shot at taking out the Broncos in the Mountain Division. Another double-digit win season is possible but staying healthy will be crucial as depth is the true weakness of the Falcons across the board. The win total is set at 8.5 which seems right where it should be as an eight or nine win season looks right. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 06/12/2022

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jun 12, 2022

The Sunday sports card features MLB action.The Sunday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians host the Oakland A’s on Peacock at 11:35 AM ET. Cal Quantrill takes the ball as the Guardians starting pitcher against Cole Irvin for the A’s. Cleveland is a -170 money line favorite, with the total set at 8.Four games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with the Phillies pitching Ranger Suarez against the Diamondbacks’ Kyle Nelson. Philadelphia is a -200 money line favorite at William Hill with an over/under of 9.5. The New York Yankees are at home against the Chicago Cubs, with Jameson Taillon pitching for the Yankees against Keegan Thompson of the Cubs. New York is a -250 money line favorite at William Hill with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves host the Pittsburgh Pirates with the Braves pitching Kyle Wright against the Pirates Jose Quintana. Atlanta is a -255 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers travel to Washington to play the Nationals with Jason Alexander pitching for the Brewers against Paolo Espino of the Nationals. Milwaukee is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays visit Detroit to play the Tigers, with the Blue Jays pitching Ross Stripling against the Tigers Tarik Skull. Toronto is a -150 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Four MLB games start at 2:10 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox play at home against the Texas Rangers with Michael Kopeck pitching for the White Sox against Jon Gray of the Rangers. Chicago is a -160 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Houston Astros are at home against the Miami Marlins with the Astros pitching Justin Verlander against the Marlins Edward Cabrera. Houston is a -240 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at Minnesota against the Twins, with Jeffrey Springs pitching for the Rays against Cole Sands of the Twins. Tampa Bay is a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals host the Baltimore Orioles, with the Royals sending Brad Keller to the mound against the Orioles Dean Kremer. Kansas City is a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 2:15 PM ET. Dakota Hudson pitches for the Cardinals against Graham Ashcraft for the Reds. St. Louis is a -180 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to San Francisco to play the Giants at 4:05 PM ET. The Dodgers tap Julio Urias to pitching against the Giants Carlos Rodon. Los Angeles is a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Two more MLB games begin at 4:10 PM ET. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Colorado Rockies, with Blake Snell pitching for the Padres against German Marquez of the Rockies. The Boston Red Sox visit Seattle to play the Mariners with Robbie Ray on the mound as the Mariners starting pitcher facing a Red Sox starting pitcher that has yet to be named. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN has the New York Mets playing at Los Angeles against the Angels at 7:08 PM ET. The Mets pitch Taijuan Walker against the Angels Patrick Sandoval. Both teams price at -110 with a total of 9.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB, and CFL Previews and Odds - 06/11/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jun 11, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NHL, MLB, and CFL action.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with Game 6 of the best-of-seven series in the Eastern Conference finals between the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning on ESPN at 8:07 PM ET. The Lightning took a 3-2 lead in this series with their 3-1 victory on the road against the Rangers on Thursday. Tampa Bay is a -180 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5. The Saturday card in Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. Two games throw out the first pitch at 2:10 PM ET. Tampa Bay plays at Minnesota with Shane Baz pitching for the Rays against Chi Chi Gonzalez of the Twins. The Chicago White Sox host Texas with the White Sox pitching Lucas Giolito facing the Rangers Martin Perez. Chicago is a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. St. Louis plays at home against Cincinnati at 2:15 PM ET. Adam Wainwright pitches for the Cardinals against Hunter Greene of the Reds. St. Louis is a -105 money line favorite with a total of 8. Two games start at 4:05 PM ET. Philadelphia is at home against Arizona with the Phillies pitching Zack Wheeler against the Diamondbacks Madison Bumgarner. Philadelphia is a -235 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee visits Washington with Eric Lauer pitching for the Brewers against Patrick Corbin of the Nationals. Milwaukee is a -165 money line road favorite with a total of 9. Six games MLB games begin at 4:10 PM ET. San Diego hosts Colorado in the first game of their doubleheader. The Padres pitch Mike Clevinger against the Rockies Ryan Feltner. San Diego is a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Houston plays at home against Miami with Framber Valdez pitching against the Astros against Braxton Garrett. Houston is a -265 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Atlanta is at home against Pittsburgh with Charlie Morton pitching for the Braves against Zach Thompson of the Pirates. Atlanta is a -240 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Toronto visits Detroit with Kevin Gausman pitching for the Blue Jays against Beau Brieske. Toronto is a -250 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Baltimore plays at Kansas City with the Orioles pitching Tyler Wells against the Royals Daniel Lynch. Baltimore is a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Cleveland is at home against Oakland on FS1 with Zach Plesac pitching for the Guardians against the A’s Frankie Montas. Cleveland is a -120 money line favorite with a total of 8.Two games are scheduled for regional coverage on Fox at 7:15 PM ET. The New York Yankees are at home against the Chicago Cubs, with the Yankees pitching Jordan Montgomery against the Cubs Matt Swarmer. New York is a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at San Francisco with Clayton Kershaw pitching for the Dodgers against Sam Long of the Giants. The New York Mets play at Los Angeles against the Angels at 10:07 PM ET. The Mets pitch Carlos Carrasco against the Angels Michael Lorenzen. New York is a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games conclude the card at 10:10 PM ET. San Diego is at home against Colorado in the night cap of their doubleheader. MacKenzie Gore pitches for the Padres against Kyle Freeman of the Rockies. San Diego is a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Seattle hosts Boston with the Mariners pitching George Kirby against the Red Sox’s Michael Wacha. Seattle is a -120 money line favorite with a total of 8. Week 1 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. Saskatchewan plays at home against Hamilton at 7 PM ET. The Roughriders are a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49. British Columbia is at home against Edmonton at 10 PM ET. The Lions are a 4-point favorite with a total of 48.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NBA and CFL Previews and Odds - 06/10/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jun 10, 2022

The Friday sports card features NBA, MLB, and CFL action.The finals in the National Basketball Association continue with the fourth game of the NBA finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics on ABC at 9 PM ET. The Celtics took a 2-1 lead in this series with their 116-100 victory against the Warriors as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston hosts Game 4 as a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 213 (all odds from DraftKings). The Friday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Three games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 PM ET. Philadelphia plays at home against Arizona, with Kyle Gibson pitching for the Phillies against Zac Gallen of the Diamondbacks. Philadelphia is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees are at home against the Chicago Cubs, with the Yankees pitching Luis Severino against the Cubs Wade Miley. New York is a -250 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Milwaukee visits Washington with Aaron Ashby pitching for the Brewers against Erick Fedde of the Nationals. Milwaukee is a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Two MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. Cleveland hosts Oakland with the Guardians pitching Triston McKenzie against the A’s Paul Blackburn. Cleveland is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 8. Toronto travels to Detroit with Jose Berrios on the mound for the Blue Jays against Elvin Rodriguez of the Tigers. Toronto is a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Atlanta plays at home against Pittsburgh at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves send out Spencer Strider to duel against the Pirates’ Roansy Contreras. Atlanta is a -220 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Four MLB games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox are at home against Texas, with Davis Martin pitching for the White Sox against Glenn Otto of the Rangers. Chicago is a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Houston hosts Miami with the Astros pitching Luis Garcia against the Marlins Pablo Lopez. Houston is a -150 money line favorite with a total of 8. Tampa Bay visits Minnesota with Drew Rasmussen going for the Rays against Delvin Smeltzer of the Twins. Tampa Bay is a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Baltimore plays at Kansas City with the Orioles pitching Bruce Zimmermann against the Royals Jonathan Heasley. Both teams are priced as a -110 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. St. Louis plays at home against Cincinnati at 8:15 PM ET. Andre Pallante is the starting pitcher for the Cardinals against Luis Castillo for the Reds. St. Louis is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Mets are at Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. The Mets pitch Tylor Megill against an Angels’ starting pitcher yet to be named. San Diego is at home against Colorado at 9:40 PM ET. Joe Musgrove pitches for the Padres against Chad Kohl of the Rockies. San Diego is a -260 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Boston travels to Seattle at 10:10 PM ET. The Red Sox turns to Rich Hill in their starting rotation against the Mariners’ Marco Gonzales. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at San Francisco at 10:15 PM ET. Walker Buehler pitches for the Dodgers against Jakob Junis of the Giants. Week 1 of the Canadian Football League continues with Winnipeg hosting Ottawa at 8:30 PM ET. The Blue Bombers are a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48.

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Early MLB MVP Value Plays

by ASA, Inc.

Thursday, Jun 09, 2022

National League  Pete Alonso (+1000) .277/14/48The Mets designated hitter is a major reason New York has jumped out to a sizable early season lead in the NL East. Alonso not only gets the attention playing in a premier market but he also has the stats to back him up. He currently leads the NL in RBIs and is second in home runs while batting .277. Having great stats in those three categories, playing in a premier market, and leading your team to first in the standings are a great formula for a MVP. CJ Cron (+2500) .298/14/40Betts, Machado, Goldschmidt, and Harper top the NL MVP odds, and for good reason. When strictly looking at their current stats, CJ Cron is the only other NL player who stacks up eerily similar in HRs (2nd), RBIs (5th), and BA (10th). Cron is a longshot and in order for a player like this to break through, he will need the Rockies to remain relevant in the stacked NL West. Colorado’s first baseman has implanted himself in the discussion with a hot start in the categories that matter for MVP.   American League Jose Ramirez (+1200) .295/13/52The AL MVP is not as top heavy as the NL, and could realistically have any of the top 20 candidates win. Both Ohtani and Trout share the spotlight, and if the Angels miss the playoffs yet again, the race for MVP opens even more. Ramirez currently leads all of MLB in RBIs. He is also right in the mix with HRs and BA. Maybe his most impressive stat is that he has only 15 strikeouts on the year which is a 7.3% strikeout rate. Only one player in the past seven years has had a lower SO rate (Tommy La Stella 2019, 5.8%). The average SO rate in MLB last season was 24%. This a testament to how well Ramirez is hitting this year, and we find great value in him at 4th best AL MVP odds currently. Rafael Devers (+2000) .338/11/27Boston’s 3rd baseman is off to a great start to his year as expected. He was the Red Sox best hitter last year while leading them with 38 HRs and 113 RBIs. Based on last season we expect Devers to continue to rake and even pick up the pace on his HR and RBI numbers. As one of the best young players in baseball, playing on one of the most notable franchises, he is firmly in the hunt to win. Boston's hitting is not the issue and Devers’ heavy lifting will hopefully be enough to keep them in contention. 

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2022 Belmont Stakes Preview

by Al McMordie

Thursday, Jun 09, 2022

The 154th running of the Belmont Stakes will take place this weekend at Belmont Park on the famously spacious 1 1/2 mile, oval dirt track. It will go as Race #11 at approximately 6:44 pm.  Although there is no chance of a Triple Crown this year and a relatively short field of just eight runners, there are some intriguing angles to pursue.  Here is a look at Contenders, Pretenders, and a Live Longshot.  And don't miss my Belmont Stakes Winner, as I look to cash each leg of the Triple Crown this season (after winning on Epicenter to place in the Kentucky Derby (paid $7.40), and Early Voting to win in the Preakness (paid $13.40)).Contenders: #6 - Mo Donegal.  Simply put, Todd Pletcher loves Belmont Park and loves the Belmont Stakes.  He has won this race three times, each with a very different type of horse.  His first win was with a filly (Rags to Riches) and Pletcher is trying that angle again today with Nest.  But the most talented and accomplished runner in the race is his 3YO colt by Uncle Mo, Mo Donegal.  Mo Donegal ran all but one of his Kentucky Derby tune-ups in New York, including two races here at Belmont.  His final tune-up for Kentucky was a victory at Aqueduct Park in the Wood Memorial.  But Mo Donegal lost all chance at being adorned with the blanket of roses when he drew the rail position (#1) for the Derby.  Still, despite that and a hellish trip in the race, Mo Donegal rallied to finish a very strong 5th out of 20 runners.  Another run like that could easily win this race.  Being a closer, the only question is whether he will have enough pace to run into.  But the 12-furlong distance should play right into his hands if the front runners are tiring turning for home.  His class alone could easily get Pletcher his fourth Belmont Stakes on Saturday. #1 - We the People.  Not a name familiar to those who have been following the Triple Crown series, We the People skipped both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (he didn't have enough qualifying points to run in Kentucky).  But the son of Constitution has been impressive in most of his races and his 10-length victory right here at Belmont Park in the Peter Pan Stakes a week before the Preakness indicated that he was ready to take this logical next step.  And We the People has one thing that almost none of the other runners have:  Controlling Speed.  We the People could find himself alone on the front end on Saturday and if that happens, he could be very hard to run down.  The fact that he drew the #1 post position is icing on the cake for that type of running style.  Rudolphe Brisset is not a household name like Todd Pletcher or Bob Baffert, but he is a talented trainer whose time finally might have come. Pretenders: #4 - Rich Strike.  Just about everyone other than the connections of the horses he beat loves the rags-to-riches story of Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby.  Like Mine That Bird, they will probably make a movie about his accomplishment on the first Saturday in May one day.  In a rare and calculated move, the owners and trainer Eric Reed decided to skip the Preakness and instead point to this race.  You would think that the way he closed at 10 furlongs at Churchill Downs, Rich Strike is going to LOVE the 12 furlongs here today.  But there were 19 other horses beating each other's brains out in the Derby and that's not going to be the case today.  Plus, we're still talking about a former $30,000 claimer which, if he came in here not having won the Derby, would be at least 20-1 in this spot.  So at 7-2, 4-1, or 5-1 even, Rich Strike is a horrible bet in the Belmont.  We wouldn't even bet him to hit the board or in the bottom of a trifecta against this group. # 3 - Nest.  As we said earlier, Todd Pletcher has won this race before with a filly.  That was 2007 with the brilliant Rags to Riches, and no filly has won the Belmont Stakes since.  Nest is a very nice horse, but she is no Rags to Riches or Rachel Alexandra.  She probably doesn't belong here, but you can't blame the connections for trying.  The daughter of Curlin was soundly beaten by Secret Oath in the Kentucky Oaks and that filly could finish no better than fourth in the Preakness.  She might be playable in the back end of the Trifecta, but that's about it Live Longshot: #7 - Golden Glider.  This Mark Casse-trained son of Ghostzapper offers bettors an intriguing alternative for their exactas and trifectas.  Golden Glider's last race was here at Belmont Park in the Peter Pan.  Nobody was going to catch We the People that day, but Golden Glider finished second and was the only horse making up ground at the end of the nine furlongs.  Another 3/8 mile might just be enough to narrow that gap to the point where Golden Glider is giving We the People all he can handle.  Golden Glider is 20-1 on the morning line and he just might go off at that price as nobody is talking about this horse or giving him any chance on Saturday.  Dylan Davis gets the mount on Golden Glider and there's no track in the country where having a local rider who's familiar with the oval is more critical than Belmont Park.  Keep an eye on his odds to see if any late money is coming in and wager accordingly.Good luck, as always...Al McMordie

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 06/09/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jun 09, 2022

The Thursday sports card features NHL, MLB, and CFL action.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with Game 5 of the best-of-seven series in the Eastern Conference finals between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET. The Lightning evened this series at 2-2 with their 4-1 victory at home on Tuesday. Both teams have won both their games on home ice with the series moving back to New York at Madison Square Garden for Game 5. Tampa Bay is a -125 money line road favorite with the total set at 5.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The Thursday card in Major League Baseball has 11 games on its schedule. Cincinnati plays at home against Arizona at 12:35 PM ET. Tyler Mahle pitches for the Reds against Zach Davies of the Diamondbacks. Cincinnati is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 10. Tampa Bay plays at home against St. Louis at 1:10 PM ET. The Rays pitch Shane McClanahan against the Cardinals Miles Mikolas. Tampa Bay is a -180 money line favorite with a total of 7. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 2:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Chicago to play the White Sox with Tyler Anderson pitching for the Dodgers against Dylan Cease of the White Sox. Los Angeles is a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee is at home against Philadelphia, with the Brewers pitching Corbin Burnes against the Phillies Zach Eflin. Milwaukee is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Colorado plays at San Francisco at 3:45 PM ET. Austin Gomber pitches for the Rockies against Logan Webb of the Giants. Miami is at home against Washington at 6:40 PM ET. The Marlins pitch Trevor Rogers against the Nationals Stephen Strasburg. Miami is a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Oakland travels to Cleveland at 7:10 PM ET. James Kaprielian pitches for the A’s against the Guardians Konnor Pilkington. Atlanta hosts Pittsburgh at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves pitch Max Fried against the Pirates J.T. Brubaker. Atlanta is a -275 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The New York Yankees visit Minnesota at 7:40 PM ET. Gerrit Cole pitches for the Yankees against Dylan Bundy of the Twins. New York is a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Baltimore travels to Kansas City at 8:10 PM ET. Jordan Lyles pitches for the Orioles against the Royals Kris Bubic. Both teams are priced at -110 with a total of 9.5. The Los Angeles Angels host Boston at 9:38 PM ET. The Angels pitch Shohei Ohtani against the Red Sox Nick Pivetta. Los Angeles is a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.The Canadian Football League kicks off their 2022 season, with Calgary hosting Montreal at 9 PM ET. The Stampeders lost in overtime, 33-30, in the West Division semifinals at Saskatchewan last season. The Alouettes lost in the East Division semifinals, 23-12, at Hamilton last year.Calgary is a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 48.

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