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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB, NBA and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 05/07/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, May 07, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with two games on TNT/truTV/Max. The Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks at 7:05 p.m. ET in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series. The Celtics are a 10.5-point favorite with the total set at 210.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder play at home against the Denver Nuggets at 9:35 p.m. ET in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinals series. The Thunder are an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with two games on ESPN on its slate. The Florida Panthers travel to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs at 7:10 p.m. ET in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Panthers are a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars play in Winnipeg against the Jets at 9:40 p.m. ET in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series. The Stars are a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians are in Washington to take on the Nationals at 12:05 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Houston Astros visit Milwaukee to battle the Brewers at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:15 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Chicago Cubs host the San Francisco Giants at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite.The Seattle Mariners play on the road against the Athletics at 3:35 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The New York Mets are in Arizona to challenge the Athletics at 3:40 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Miami to go against the Marlins at 4:40 p.m. ET as a -230 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Texas Rangers at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play in Tampa Bay against the Rays as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees are home against the San Diego Padres as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cincinnati Reds are in Atlanta to play the Braves at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Twins host the Baltimore Orioles as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Detroit Tigers visit Colorado to face the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.The semifinals in the UEFA Champions League conclude with the final second-leg match. Paris Saint-Germain is home against Arsenal on CBS at 3:00 p.m. ET. Les Parisiens won the first leg at the Gunners’ Emirates Stadium by a 1-0 score last Tuesday. PSG is a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, MLB, NHL and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 05/06/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, May 06, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with two games on TNT/truTV/Max. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Cavaliers are a 9-point favorite, with the total set at 229.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series at 9:35 p.m. ET. The Timberwolves are a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 209.5.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with two games on ESPN on its slate. The Carolina Hurricanes travel to Washington to take on the Capitals in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Hurricanes are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are home against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Golden Knights are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians play in Washington against the Nationals in the opening game of their doubleheader at 3:35 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Guardians battle the Nationals in the second game of their doubleheader at 6:35 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers are in Miami to take on the Marlins at 6:40 a.m. ET as a -278 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Texas Rangers visit Boston to face the Red Sox at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play in Tampa Bay against the Rays as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The San Diego Padres are in New York to challenge the Yankees on TBS as a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves host the Cincinnati Reds at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Four MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Brewers play at home against the Houston Astros as a -118 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago Cubs are home against the San Francisco Giants as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Minnesota Twins host the Baltimore Orioles as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 7:45 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The Detroit Tigers play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays are in Los Angeles to go against the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET, with both teams priced as a money-line favorite at -110 with an over/under of 9. The Arizona Diamondbacks are home against the New York Mets at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Athletics host the Seattle Mariners at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The semifinals in the UEFA Champions League continue with the second leg, with Barcelona traveling to play Inter Milwan on CBS at 3:00 p.m. ET. After a 3-3 result in the first leg, Barca are a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/05/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, May 05, 2025

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with two games on TNT/truTV/Max. The Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks at 7:05 p.m. ET in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series. The Celtics are a 9-point favorite with the total set at 213 (all odds from DraftKings). The Oklahoma City Thunder play at home against the Denver Nuggets at 9:35 p.m. ET in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series. The Thunder are a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 225. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game on its slate. The Florida Panthers travel to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs on ESPN at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Panthers are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 10 games on its schedule. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in Miami against the Marlins at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Dodgers tap Ben Casparius to pitch against the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara. Los Angeles is a -185 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Cleveland Guardians are in Washington to play the Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET. Luis Ortiz gets the ball for the Guardians to face Jake Irvin for the Nationals. Cleveland is a -118 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5.The New York Yankees are home against the San Diego Padres at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Yankees send out Carlos Rodon to battle against the Padres’ Nick Pivetta. New York is a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Three more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:40 p.m. ET. Milwaukee hosts Houston with Tobias Myers taking the ball for the Brewers to face Ronel Blanco for the Astros. The Brewers are a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Chicago plays at home against San Francisco with the Cubs turning to Matthew Boyd to go against the Giants’ Landen Roupp. The Cubs are a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Kansas City is home against Chicago with Cole Ragans on the hill for the Royal to pitch against Shane Smith for the White Sox. The Royals are a -245 money-line favorite with a total of 8.The St. Louis Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:45 p.m. ET. The Cardinals turn to Miles Mikolas to face the Pirates’ Carmen Mlodzinski. St. Louis is a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets visit Arizona to play the Diamondbacks at 9:40 p.m. ET. Griffin Canning takes the mound for the Mets to battle Ryne Nelson for the Diamondbacks. Both teams are priced as a -110 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners play on the road against the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET. The Mariners tap Bryce Miller to take on the Athletics’ Luis Severino. Seattle is a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Crystal Palace is home against Nottingham Forest on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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UFC 315: Preview And Picks

by Will Rogers

Sunday, May 04, 2025

Fight fans are in for a treat this weekend. UFC 315 will be held at the Bell Center in Montreal. The main card is loaded. Both the main event and the co-main event are for titles. Valentina Shevchenko defends her flyweight belt against Manon Fiorot. After that, Jack Della Maddalena will challenge Belal Muhammad for the welterweight crown. Let's take a closer look.  Main Event This was originally supposed to feature Belal Muhammad defending his belt against Shavkak Rakhmonov. When Rakhmonov dropped out, we now get Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena. Muhammad, 36-years old, is 24-3. He's laying -225 at the betting window. Maddalena, 28-years old, has a 17-2 record. He's 7-0 in the UFC. Each standing 5-foot-11, both fighters have similar builds. Muhammad, has won six straight. Before that, he had a no-contest vs. Leon Edwards. Prior to the no-contest, "Remember The Name" had won four in a row. So, that's 10 wins with one no-contest in his last 11 fights. He hasn't lost since 2019. In his last fight, Muhammad dominated Leon Edwards in front of Edward's fans in Manchester. Maddalena's winning streak goes back even further than Belal's. As a matter of fact, he's won 17 straight. Naturally, both fighters are coming in extremely confident.  Gilbert Burns, a welterweight contender who’s fought both  Muhammad and Maddalena believes that Maddelena is being underestimated. Burns said this: “The fight is closer than people think. JDM (Maddalena) is super underrated, people have no idea. That guy hits so hard, and his jiu-jitsu is getting so much better training with Craig Jones.” The Verdict: Muhammad is the real deal but the value lies with the underdog. Off 17 straight wins, JDM has a real shot at seizing the moment and scoring a monumental upset.  Co-Main EventValentina Shevchenko (24-4-1) is the champion. She's had an outstanding career and has taken on the best of the best. She holds all kinds of records in the flyweight division and is widely recognized as being one of the top female fighters of all-time. However, challenger Manon Fiorot (12-1, 7-0 in the UFC) is the -162 betting favorite. That says a lot about how good the lesser known Fiorot is. We last saw Fiorot in 2024, earning a 5-round decision against Erin Blanchfield. That was Fiorot's first UFC Main Event. Prior to that, she defeated Rose Namajunas. Blanchfield was on a 9-fight winning streak and Namajunas was a former UFC champ. So, those were quality opponents. Fiorot, a high level striker, will be the first French female to fight for a belt. Shevchenko is off three consecutive fights against Alexa Grasso. (Grasso also fights on the UFC 315 card.) She lost the first, drew the second and won the third. Prior to the Grasso trilogy, Shevchenko had won nine straight. She's avenged two of her four career losses and the other two both came against Amanda Nunes, perhaps the best women's fighter in UFC history. It'd be easy to assume that her age (37) is the reason that Shevchenko is the underdog. However, Fiorot is 35-years old herself.  The Verdict: Once again, the value is on. the underdog. Fiorot is really tough but she's never fought someone as good as Shevchenko. Go with the champ. Other Notable FightsFormer champion Jose Aldo is a -230 favorite against Aiemann Zahabi, the only Canadian on the main card. Off her three fights against Shevchenko, Alexa Grasso takes on Brazil's Natalia Silva. Off 12 straight wins, Silva is a -225 favorite.  PoliticsCommentator Joe Rogan won't be making the trip to Montreal. Last month, he said that: "He'd rather go to Russia than Canada." Rogan still isn't going but did backtrack on his initial statement a little. "I just wanna say to the Canadian people, I said the other day that I don't go to Canada anymore, I'd rather go to Russia. I was joking around, first of all. I do not go to Canada anymore, but it's because of the government."

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/04/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, May 04, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with two games on TNT/truTV/Max. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers in the first game in their Eastern Conference semifinals series at 6:05 p.m. ET as an 8-point favorite with the total set at 229.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Houston Rockets play at home against the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of their Western Conference quarterfinals series at 8:35 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 203.5.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game on its slate. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the St. Louis Blues on TBS/Max in the seventh game of their Western Conference quarterfinals series as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The New York Mets travel to St. Louis to take on the Cardinals in the first game of their doubleheader at 1:15 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the San Diego Padres as a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Minnesota Twins as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees are home against the Tampa Bay Rays as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Baltimore Orioles host the Kansas City Royals as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5.The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Cleveland Guardians at 1:37 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Athletics play in Miami against the Marlins at 1:40 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against Arizona Diamondbacks at 2:05 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games start at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Astros are in Chicago to play the White Sox as a -218 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs visit Milwaukee to battle the Brewers as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Texas Rangers host the Seattle Mariners at 2:35 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Francisco Giants play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 4:05 p.m. ET as a -360 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Detroit Tigers play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Cincinnati Reds are home against the Washington Nationals at 4:10 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Mets are on the road to challenge the Cardinals in the second game of their doubleheader at 6:15 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN featured the Los Angeles Dodgers traveling to Atlanta to take on the Braves at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers are a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5.Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Three matches start at 9:00 a.m. ET. Brentford hosts Manchester United as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Newcastle United plays at Brighton and Hove Albion on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5. West Ham United plays at home against Tottenham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea is home against Liverpool at 11:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/03/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, May 03, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby headlines the sporting events of the day. The Run for the Roses is the 12th race at Churchill Downs and has a start time of 6:57 PM ET.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with one game. The Denver Nuggets host the Los Angeles Clippers in the seventh game of their best-of-seven series on TNT/truTV/Max at 7:35 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 206 (all odds from DraftKings).The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game on its slate. The Colorado Avalanche travel to Dallas to take on the Stars in Game 7 of their best-of-seven series on ABC at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The New York Yankees play at home against the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5.  The Houston Astros play in Chicago against the White Sox at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -250 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Mets are in St. Louis to face the Cardinals at 2:15 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Toronto Blue Jays are home against the Cleveland Guardians at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET. The San Francisco Giants host the Colorado Rockies as a -270 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The San Diego Padres visit Pittsburgh to battle the Pirates as a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two more MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Minnesota Twins on FS1 as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Miami Marlins are home against the Athletics as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Arizona Diamondbacks at 6:05 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Washington Nationals at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners play in Texas against the Rangers at 7:05 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs are in Milwaukee to challenge the Brewers at 7:10 p.m. ET with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Two MLB games are featured on Fox’s regional coverage at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Baltimore Orioles are home against the Kansas City Royals as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Atlanta to face the Braves as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Detroit Tigers play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Aston Villa hosts Fulham on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Two EPL matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Everton plays at home against Ipswich Town on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Leicester City is home against Southampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal hosts Bournemouth on NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/02/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, May 02, 2025

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with one game. The Golden State Warriors host the Houston Rockets on ESPN at 9:05 p.m. ET. The Warriors are up 3-2 heading into the sixth game of this best-of-seven series. Golden State is a 5-point favorite, with the total set at 203.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game on its slate. The St. Louis Blues play at home against the Winnipeg Jets on TBS/truTV/Max at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Jets hold a 3-2 series lead going into Game 6 of this best-of-seven series. Winning is a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cincinnati Reds are home against the Washington Nationals at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates on Apple TV+ at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 9.Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Baltimore Orioles host the Kansas Royals as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The New York Yankees play at home against the Tampa Bay Rays as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays are home against the Cleveland Guardians at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.  Two MLB games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox host the Minnesota Twins as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Athletics play in Miami against the Marlins. The Los Angeles Dodgers are in Atlanta to take on the Braves at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Houston Astros visit Chicago to play the White Sox at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -238 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners play in Texas against the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago Cubs are in Milwaukee to battle the Brewers on Apple TV+ as a -118 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The New York Mets travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 8:15 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Detroit Tigers play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Francisco Giants play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 10:15 p.m. ET as a -258 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League begins with one match. Manchester City is Wolverhampton at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.

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2025 Kentucky Derby Preview

by Al McMordie

Thursday, May 01, 2025

The 2025 Kentucky Derby will be very similar to the ones run in the last three years with one big exception:  Six-time winning trainer Bob Baffert will be back.  The 72-year-old Hall of Fame conditioner -- suspended after a doping violation in the 2021 Derby -- will have two horses in the big event, scheduled to go as race 12 on Saturday at approximately 6:57 pm.  But in addition to Baffert, there are some interesting story lines which we will discuss by previewing several of the favorites and longshots:   #8 Journalism - This Mike McCarthy-trained son of Curlin should be a deserving favorite come post time.  Journalism ships in from California where he beat a number of Bob Baffert Derby hopefuls, including the two Baffert runners that are in this race.  And although Journalism hasn't run outside of the Golden State, McCarthy has previously shown that he can ship across the country and still have his runners in peak form.  In addition, the speed in this race is almost all to the inside of his #8 post and that should also help him as he comes with his late kick after the speed has mostly collapsed.  There are three knocks against him however 1) he has been running against very small fields in California, so no telling how he'll do with 19 other horses to deal with, 2) Jockey Umberto Rispoli is a relative newcomer to North American dirt racing, and 3) Journalism won his last race and that hasn't bode well in the Derby in recent years.  His morning line is 3-1 but you probably won't get that come post time making him a win bet that you might want to avoid.   #17 Sandman - Here is a runner that seems to be improving at the right time and may fire his best shot on Saturday.  This son of leading sire Tapit won a major prep race last time out -- the Arkansas Derby -- with a strong late kick that could serve him well in the Derby.  He is trained by a leading conditioner in Mark Casse and will be piloted by one of the top jockeys in Jose Ortiz.  But other than that Ark Derby score, Sandman has run in four other Graded Stakes -- two as a 2YO and two this year -- and couldn't win any of them, and in fact was beaten by several of the horses he is running against today.  And since he won his last race, he could be due for a letdown as we've seen the pattern go in the last five runnings of this race.  One more reason to perhaps fade this one:  He is partly owned by a major social media influencer -- Griffin Johnson who has over 10 million followers on TikTok -- and this will, for no other reason, drive down his price from his 6-1 morning line.   #1 Citizen Bull and #4 Rodriguez - These are the two Baffert runners in the race and not only do they share the same trainer, but they are also owned by the exact same groups.  As is the case with most Baffert runners, both of these horses have a ton of early speed.  But since the ownership and trainer are the same, the connections of Citizen Bull and Rodriguez will likely not let their two horses get into a speed duel with one another.  Since Citizen Bull has the dreaded #1 post position (no horse has won the Derby from there since Ferdinand in 1986) he is the one that will likely gun it and go straight to the front.  Citizen Bull has won each of his four races with that tactic and when he doesn't get to the front early, he doesn't win.  He won the Breeders Cup Juvenile last November but that doesn't usually bode well in the Derby either.  It's highly unlikely that he can get to the front and stay there for the entire 1 1/4 miles.  Rodriguez perhaps offers a more compelling option.  If the son of Authentic can stalk the early runners from his #4 post position without getting into trouble, then he just might have the talent to get a jump on the closers as they turn for home.  And his rider, Mike Smith, is one of the best ever and can still get it done even though he is approaching 60 years in age.  At 12-1, Rodriguez looks like a live longshot.   #18 Sovereignty - This Bill Mott-trained son of Into Mischief seems to check a lot of boxes.  He was flying home late in the Florida Derby, finishing second to winner Tappan Street who had to pull out of the Derby after suffering a training injury.  The 18 post should suit this horse just fine as he should be able to stay out of trouble while all of the inside speed horses fight for position going into the first turn.  The faster the early fractions, the better it is for Sovereignty, whose owners are Godolphin Racing.  Godolphin has won just about everything in horse racing -- all over the world -- but the one big prize that has eluded them is the Kentucky Derby.  Mott's regular #1 dirt rider, Junior Alvarado, will be on board and although he is a veteran of many racing victories, he has never won any of the three "Classics" (KY Derby, Preakness, Belmont) and is considered a notch below the best riders in the country.  Sovereignty will likely be no worse than the third betting favorite.   #6 Admire Daytona and #7 Luxor Cafe - Japanese entrants in the Derby are becoming an annual occurrence, and this year the two runners from the land of the Rising Sun are right next to each other in the starting gate.  Try as they might, a Japanese horse has never won America's most famous race although last year an outstanding 3YO named Forever Young came very close, finishing 3rd by a head.  Both of these runners are talented, but not likely as good as Forever Young -- who has gone on to win eight of 11 career races -- so neither of these two will likely be among the favorites.  But if you must bet on a Japanese horse this Saturday, you're probably better off with #7, Luxor Cafe, as he has beaten Admire Daytona head-to-head on two occasions.  He's 15-1 morning line and you might just get that come post time.   #14 Tiztastic - This son of Tiz the Law would be considered a rank outsider in this race if it weren't for his performance in the Louisiana Derby last time out.  After some lackluster performances to begin 2025, often losing to other horses who are in here, Tiztastic exploded down the stretch in Louisiana in what was by far his most dominant race beating nine other runners.  The victory also resulted in what was by far his highest speed figure which could mean that Tiztastic is due for a bounce, or setback on Saturday.  Also, he is trained by Steve Asmussen which is good and bad.  Good because nobody has won more races in North America than the 59-year-old Hall of Fame conditioner but bad because no trainer has a worse record in the Kentucky Derby (0 for 36).

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, MLB, NHL and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/01/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, May 01, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with two Game 6s on TNT/truTV/Max. The Detroit Pistons, trailing 3-2 in the series, host the New York Knicks at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 212.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Los Angeles Clippers, trailing by a 3-2 margin, play at home against the Denver Nuggets at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 211.5.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with four Game 6s on its slate. The Ottawa Senators, trailing by a 3-2 margin, are home against the Toronto Maple Leafs on TBS/Max at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights travel to Minnesota to attempt to close out their series with the Wild on ESPN at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -166 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche, trailing 3-2 in the series, host the Dallas Stars on TBS/Max at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers play at home against the Los Angeles Kings as they attempt to close out this series on ESPN at 10:10 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.Major League Baseball has 11 games on its schedule. The Pittsburgh Pirates are home against the Chicago Cubs at 12:35 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Cincinnati Reds host the St. Louis Cardinals at 12:40 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Minnesota Twins as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets are home against the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Kansas City Royals as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers play in Chicago against the White Sox at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Athletics as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the Washington Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Detroit Tigers are in Los Angeles to take on the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Francisco Giants play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 9:45 p.m. ET as a -245 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.Matchweek 34 in the English Premier League concludes with one match on the USA Network at 2:30 p.m. ET. Nottingham Forest is home against Brentford as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo

by Will Rogers

Thursday, May 01, 2025

The UFC visits Des Moines on Saturday. Both the biggest bouts are expected to be lopsided but there are some other competitive fights on the card. I've taken a closer look at one of those and provided a pick. Every so often, its good to get caught up on the current champions in each division, as well as the pound-for-pound rankings. I've done so at the bottom of this article. I'll be back in a few days to preview UFC 315, which features Jack Della Maddalena and Belal Muhammad, fighting for the welterweight title in Montreal.  The Main Event The Main Event sees 33-year old Cory Sandhagen (17-5) laying -550 against 37-year old Deiveson Figueiredo (24-4). In addition to being the younger fighter, Sandhagen has a significant height and reach advantage. Sandhagen lost his last fight but that was against Umar Nurmagomedov, who was undefeated at the time. Prior to that, Sandhagen had won three straight. Likewise, Figueiredo also saw a 3-fight winning streak snapped in his last fight, a decision loss to Petr Yan. Sandhagen will likely be too much for his older opponent. However, I wouldn't want to be laying -550. Though getting a little long in the tooth, Figueiredo is still no slouch.  The Co-Main Event  The Co-Main features Bo Nickal (7-0) as a -340 favorite against Reinier de Ridder. An elite wrestler, Nickal has yet to be challenged. He could be up for a tougher than expected fight on Saturday. After three straight victories, two by submission and one by TKO, de Ridder is now 19-2. Having to lose more than 36 pounds in less than a week could potentially take a toll on the favorite. Nickal weighed in at 222.6 pounds on Tuesday - the middleweight non-champion fight limit is 186. The PickThe third last fight of the night pits Daniel Rodriguez (18-5) up against Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-8). The line is currently -110 each way. Both these guys are 38-years old. But that won't stop them from bringing it. Each will be aggressive and coming forward. Their styles suit each other well and it will make for an entertaining bout. Ponzinibbio, who owns three "Performance of the Night" awards in his UFC tenure, comes into this fight on the heels of a third-round TKO of Carlston Harris. Ponzinibbio said this of Saturday:  "It’s going to be a pretty fun fight. He’s a striker like me. … It’s going to be a fun fight for the fans for sure." My Pick: The "Argentine Dagger" is off a far more impressive win. I see him as a more-rounded fighter. Rodriguez also won his last fight but his victory came by split decision, against a fighter (Morono) who Ponzinibbio had previous knocked out. Rodriguez opened as a favorite but Ponzinibbio could easily close as one. Go with Santiago Ponzinibbio. Champions In Each DivisionFLYWEIGHT125 lb (56.82 kg)Alexandre Pantoja (29-5)"THE CANNIBAL"BANTAMWEIGHT134 lb (60.91 kg)Merab Dvalishvili (19-4)"THE MACHINE"FEATHERWEIGHT145 lb (65.91 kg)Alexander Volkanovski (27-4)"THE GREAT"LIGHTWEIGHT155 lb (70.45 kg)Islam Makhachev (27-1)WELTERWEIGHT169 lb (76.82 kg)Belal Muhammad (24-3)"REMEMBER THE NAME"MIDDLEWEIGHT185 lb (84.09 kg)Dricus Du Plessis (23-2)"STILLKNOCKS"LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT205 lb (93.18 kg)Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1)HEAVYWEIGHT238 lb (108.18 kg)Jon Jones (28-1)"BONES"WOMEN'S STRAWWEIGHT115 lb (52.27 kg)Zhang Weili (26-3)"MAGNUM"WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT125 lb (56.82 kg)Valentina Shevchenko (24-4-1)"BULLET"WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT135 lb (61.36 kg)Julianna Peña (13-5)"THE VENEZUELAN VIXEN"MEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS1.Islam Makhachev2 Jon Jones3 Ilia Topuria4 Merab Dvalishvili5 Dricus Du Plessis6 Magomed Ankalaev7 Belal Muhammad8 Alex Pereira9 Alexander Volkanovski10 Alexandre Pantoja11 Tom Aspinall12 Max Holloway13 Sean O'Malley14 Charles Oliveira15 Arman Tsarukyan WOMEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS1 Valentina Shevchenko2 Zhang Weili3 Alexa Grasso4 Julianna Peña5 Manon Fiorot6 Erin Blanchfield7 Kayla Harrison8 Virna Jandiroba9 Raquel Pennington10 Rose Namajunas11 Tatiana Suarez12 Yan Xiaonan13 Natalia Silva14 Jéssica Andrade15 Maycee Barber

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Is Nathan Eovaldi Poised for the Best Season in his Career?

by Hollywood Sports

Wednesday, Apr 30, 2025

Nathan Eovaldi closed out the month of April by getting the ball to make his seventh start of the season at home against the Athletics. He had a 2-2 record along with a 2.21 ERA and a .074 WHIP in his first six starts. The deeper sabermetrics confirmed his outstanding start as both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 2.59 and 2.62 moving forward. The right-hander is relying less on his four-seam fastball that has lost a bit of its oomph and instead uses his splitter and curveball more which are good swing-and-miss pitches for him. The 35-year-old is a crafty veteran who throws four different pitchers to left-handed hitters and five different pitchers to right-handed hitters. Giving up the long-ball has been a problem in the past but he has served up only three gopher balls this season. The 0.74 home runs per nine innings is his lowest since matching that mark in 2021 — and the last time he gave up fewer homer runs was back in 2015. Eovaldi had struck out 38 batters and only issued three walks. His 27.1% strikeout rate is a career-high — and the 2.1% walk-rate is a career-low. He is combining this efficiency with a ground rate of 49.5% of all the batted balls against him. Last season, he was more effective at home for the Rangers where he enjoyed a 3.63 ERA along with a 0.98 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .211 in 16 starts as opposed to his 4.01 ERA along with a 1.27 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .251.Eovaldi continued his strong start to the season by allowing only one run in six innings of work. He gave up only six base hits — and he continued to rack up strikeouts while being stingy in issuing bases on balls. He struck out eight batters and did not walk a batter. He now has 46 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings with a mere three bases-on-balls. Unfortunately, he left the game with the score tied at 1-1 before the Rangers’ bullpen let him down by giving up six runs in the top of the ninth inning in what was a 7-1 loss. Texas had been getting great pitching as they had not allowed more than three runs in five straight games. Their bullpen has been rock steady with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP before tonight’s game. After scoring 15 runs last night against the Athletics, the Rangers hitters could not support Eovaldi’s strong effort in this one. Eovaldi goes into May with a 2-2 record along with a 2.11 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP. He has enjoyed hot stretches throughout his career — but consistency has held him back from taking his game to the next level. His best season when it comes to ERA was in his rookie year in 2013 when he posted a 3.39 ERA in 106 1/3 innings. He registered his best WHIP last year for the Rangers with that 1.11 mark referenced above. There are still five months to go in the regular season, but Eovaldi has put himself in a position to post his best numbers in his 13-year career.Best of luck — Frank.

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Jameson Taillon is Pitching Better than his 4.01 ERA

by Team Del Genio

Wednesday, Apr 30, 2025

Jameson Taillon completed his sixth start of the season last Sunday at home against the Philadelphia Phillies for Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. He went into that start with a 1-1 record with a 4.73 era and a 1.20 whip in his previous five starts. The right-hander got hit hard in his opening start of the season at Arizona in March when he gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings. In his four starts since, he has posted a 3.23 era and a 1.03 whip. What was perhaps most encouraging is that opposing hitters are only producing a hard-hit rate of the batted balls in play against him in 27.2% of their batted balls which is a career-low for Taillon. He had a 12-8 record last season with the Cubs with a 3.27 era and a 1.13 whip, and his recent four starts are right in line with those numbers.We backed Taillon and the Chicago Cubs in our National League Game of the Month against the Phillies’ Aaron Nola. The Cubs lost the game although it is difficult to place much of the blame on Taillon. The 33-year-old gave up only one earned run in seven innings of work. He only struck out two batters yet he scattered just five base hits and did not walk a batter. He left the game with the score tied at 1-1 before the game went to extra innings. Philadelphia scored twice in the top of the tenth inning and won the game by a 3-1 score. Taillon ends the month with a 1-1 record with a 4.01 era and a 1.10 whip. Take away that subpar opening effort in March against the Diamondbacks and Taillon has a 2.76 era and a 0.96 whip in his previous five starts. The hard-hit rate for the balls put into play against him dropped to 26.0% after the start against the Phillies. In his three starts at home at Wrigley Field, Taillon has a 2.50 era and a 0.89 whip. Looking forward, the lack of strikeouts from Taillon in that start warrants further attention, although he has never been a dynamic strikeout pitcher. His best year for strikeout rate was in 2021 with the New York Yankees when he struck out 23.2% of opposing hitters. After striking out 18.5% of opposing hitters last year pitching for the Cubs, that clip has risen to 19.0% this year.  Another noteworthy aspect of that game was that Aaron Nola had his best outing of the season. He only allowed one run and three hits in seven innings of work. That was an encouraging way to end April after perhaps the worst start of his career given his 0-5 record with a 6.43 era and a 1.61 whip in his first five starts before then. One of the problems he was experiencing was that his fastball was down a mile or two from his miles-per-hour average last year. His command is off as well. He was walking 8.7% of the batters he has faced and averaging 3.54 bases-on-balls per nine innings which are both the second-worst marks in his eleven-year career. He walked only one Cubs batter last Sunday, and Nola said this about his command going into that effort: “I have to focus on the small things that I usually do, which is to get the leadoff hitter out, first-pitch strikes, and walks,” he continued. “I had two [walks] the other night, but the past two games before that, I had four each game, which is kind of unacceptable for me. I’m not a guy who usually walks a lot of guys in my career. That’s not really me.” Nola may have righted the ship regarding his command.Good luck - TDG.

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