Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

MLB 2024: NL West Division Preview

Friday, Mar 29, 2024

NL West Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season. Arizona Diamondbacks – 83.5 projected wins. Last season 84 wins. The Diamondbacks look as strong as last season but the defending NL Champs now have a bullseye on their backs after their surprising post-season run last year. Still this is a solid pitching staff and the bullpen really improved in the final couple months of last season. Quite a solid lineup too. Still could this be a .500 season at best? It sure seems to be heading that way considering the improvements others are making. Colorado Rockies – 60.5 projected wins. Last season 59 wins. Another 100+ loss season is likely for Colorado. The Rockies are still young and trying to build for the future. Rotation looks like a concern again and adding to that is a couple of hurlers that will be coming back at some point this season but each of them off of Tommy John surgery. This lineup can score well at home but always tend to be so road-adverse. The bullpen has a lot of lesser-known arms also. Los Angeles Dodgers – 103.5 projected wins. Last season 100 wins. Huge move with the signing of Ohtani of course. But will trying to move Betts from the outfield to the infield end up being a big mistake? The Dodgers have question marks in the rotation outside of Glasnow however. This LA team hit very well last season but also had a high ERA starting rotation last year as well. Looks like starter Tony Gonsolin will miss the season as well. The bullpen no longer has Shelby Miller but still looks to be a strength again. I personally don’t trust the rotation enough and think this team wins in the 90s this season! San Diego Padres – 83.5 projected wins. Last season 82 wins. This team lost too much in my opinion. Juan Soto and Josh Hader and plus losing some starting pitching. The rotation is much different. Can this year’s team, unlike last year, win more close games and extra-innings games? I am not counting on this as this team simply lost too much. Solid top 3 of the rotation but have to question the rest plus can they stay healthy? The bullpen lost too much as well. I feel this team lands in the 70s for their win total. Too many question marks and issues. San Francisco Giants – 83.5 projected wins. Last season 79 wins. The managerial change from Kapler to Melvin is going to trigger improvement from the Giants this season. Also, San Francisco added some solid bats to the lineup that should pay immediate dividends. One concern for the Giants is their starting pitching rotation is top heavy. That keeps this SF team from being stronger and the low to mid 80s sounds about right for a win total for the Giants. Keep an eye on this team as they could surprise as Melvin gets a strong new culture fully ingrained with this clubhouse as the season goes along. If they could get some pitching surprises (positive ones) from the rotation and the bullpen with new guys stepping up, this team could push for 90 wins.

NBA Late Season Buy Low Sell High

by Kyle Hunter

Friday, Mar 29, 2024

We’re entering the final weeks of the NBA regular season. Most teams have played 72 or 73 games. I wanted to take a look at how teams are being valued in the betting marketplace and see if there could be some good buy low or sell high opportunities coming to finish the regular season or even at the start of the playoffs in some cases.2 Teams To Buy Low Cleveland Cavs (35-38 ATS) The Cavs are a little below .500 against the spread for the season, and they are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games. Cleveland started the season well, but has been cold of late. Donovan Mitchell is getting healthy again and Evan Mobley is back in the lineup again too. Cleveland’s defense gives them great upside. They are still within reach for the second seed in the Eastern Conference. I like this team going to the finish of the regular season. Phoenix Suns (30-41 ATS) The Phoenix Suns just defeated the Denver Nuggets in Denver. Phoenix has been wildly inconsistent, but there is no denying their upside. Phoenix is in the seventh spot in the playoff standings right now. If they move up one more spot they could avoid the play-in tournament. Phoenix has been playing better defense of late, and we know they have a ton of scoring options. They play the Clippers twice and then Sacramento and Minnesota in the final games of the season. 2 Teams to Sell High Orlando Magic (47-25 ATS) The Orlando Magic have been a money making machine this season. I think they are starting to be a little overpriced in the market. Orlando’s home/road splits this season are drastic. The Magic play several key games on the road late in the regular season. I can’t trust them in those spots. Orlando has a three game road trip to Houston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia in April. This is a much improved team that has been fun to watch, but I don’t think betting them going forward will be a money making strategy. Boston Celtics (38-32 ATS) Boston will be the number one overall seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston is clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference now, but between now and the end of the regular season I think it could be dangerous to back the Celtics. They have plenty of reasons to sit key players and prepare for the playoffs rather than trying to cover numbers in late March and early April. Situational betting late in the NBA season is crucial. I also think that looking to grab teams out of favor and sell teams the market is too high on is a great exercise this time of the year.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and MLB Previews and Odds - 03/29/2024

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Mar 29, 2024

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and MLB action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Four NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Golden State Warriors travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 12-point road favorite, with the total set at 216.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Indiana Pacers host the Los Angeles Lakers as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 241. The Los Angeles Clippers play in Orlando against the Magic as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 210. The Washington Wizards play at home against the Detroit Pistons as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. Two NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Chicago Bulls are in Brooklyn to play the Nets as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 214.5. The Cleveland Cavaliers are at home against the Philadelphia 76ers as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 212.5. Three more NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Miami Heat host the Portland Trail Blazers as a 14-point favorite with a total of 208.5. The Phoenix Suns visit Oklahoma City to play the Thunder as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The New York Knicks play in San Antonio as a 10-point road favorite with a total of 212. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 212. The Houston Rockets play in Utah against the Jazz as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 230. The Sacramento Kings are at home against the Dallas Mavericks at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 230. The National Hockey League has one game on its slate. The New Jersey Devils are in Buffalo to play the Sabres as a -122 money-line road favor with a total of 6. The college basketball schedule has the first four games in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.The college basketball schedule has the final four games in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Marquette battles North Carolina State on CBS at 7:09 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 150. Purdue plays Gonzaga on TBS at 7:39 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 154.5. Houston challenges Duke on CBS at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Tennessee goes against Creighton on TBS at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 144. The Friday card in Major League Baseball has ten games on its schedule. The New York Mets host the Milwaukee Brewers at 1:40 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Atlanta Braves visit Philadelphia to play the Phillies at 3:05 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.The Miami Marlins are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -130 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Houston Astros host the New York Yankees at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Four more games throw out the first pitch at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Cleveland Guardians play at Oakland against the A’s as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Boston Red Sox as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The San Diego Padres host the San Francisco Giants as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals as a -238 money-line favorite with a total of 9.

Sneaky NBA Longshot to Win the West

by ASA, Inc.

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS +2500 to win the WEST We have been in the Sports Betting Industry since the late 1980’s and over that span of time we have come up with a few betting angles that are tried and true when it comes to predicting an NBA Champion. We will bring you that article and NBA Finals predictions as soon as the playoff field is set. In the meantime, we have a Western Conference prediction that offers a nice return on your investment if/when it hits. We will get into the metrics at a later date, but the core premise is you must rank top 11 in both offensive and defensive efficiency to be crowned NBA Champion. There are a few outliers but it’s a great starting point to forecast the future NBA Titleholder. We will use some of that logic in our assumption on who is a great longshot in the West. The New Orleans Pelicans are lurking in the middle of the pack at 5th in the Western Conference and only trail the Clippers by 1-game for the 4th seed and home court in the first round of the playoffs. Literally nobody is talking about the Pelicans who have the 10th best offensive efficiency rating at 1.178-points per possession and the 5th best defensive efficiency rating allowing 1.125PPP. Denver and Oklahoma City are the only other teams in the West that can boast being in the top 10 in both efficiency categories. The Pelicans are 26-19 SU against other Western Conference foes this season with an average scoring differential of +3.7PPG. They’ve also proven they can win on the road, which is critical in the playoffs, with a 24-13 SU road record with an average +/- of +6.3PPG. The top seeds in the West currently are Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and they could all face tough first round opponents as the Suns, Mavericks, Kings, Warriors and the Lakers are all sitting in the bottom half of the Conference standings as of this writing. New Orleans is 7-7 SU versus the other 4 teams currently ahead of them in the West and certainly capable of beating any of those contenders in a series. We feel this Pelicans team is currently undervalued at +2500 to win the West and will make a small investment on New Orleans.

MLB 2024: NL Central Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

NL Central Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Chicago Cubs – 84.5 projected wins. Last season 83 wins. The pickup of Shota Imanaga could be big for this rotation. I also like the managerial change to Craig Counsell. This team has some good experience on the roster too so they are built well to battle it out with the Reds and Cardinals, most likely, for the NL Central title. But this will be a tricky division with a lot of mediocrity throughout. Cincinnati Reds – 81.5 projected wins. Last season 82 wins. One of the differences between the Reds and Cubs is that Cincinnati is a younger team and perhaps that lack of experience will hold them back a little. They also already have some injury and suspension issues entering the new season and a slower start to the season could be tough to bounce back from. Some question marks in this rotation and they have some bullpen injuries opening the season up too. I think .500-type season is likely here. The lineup just does not have enough proven guys. Milwaukee Brewers – 77.5 projected wins. Last season 92 wins. As you can see by those numbers, big dropoff expected for Milwaukee this season. Counsell now managing the Cubs. Burnes is now pitching for the Orioles! Also Brandon Woodruff is out for the year after having surgery. He and Burnes are two key cogs now gone from this rotation. The Brewers also will be without their closer Devin Williams for the first half of the season most likely. All these pitching issues and playing in a competitive division where it seems any team could win it. This is going to be a tough year for Milwaukee. Pittsburgh Pirates – 75.5 projected wins. Last season 76 wins. Pirates are projected to have a season similar to last year. Pittsburgh could surprise though, at least in terms of this division. They have a decent looking lineup and could be a decent hitting team this season if healthy. I am concerned about this pitching rotation here and this could be a team to keep an eye on for overs. However, though the rotation is a concern, this is a solid bullpen including a top closer in David Bednar plus Arnoldis Chapman as the set-up man! St Louis Cardinals – 84.5 projected wins. Last season 71 wins. This lineup looks quite solid and there is a reason the books are forecasting improvement here. St Louis should have been better last season but had some strange metrics to their season and the ball should bounce their way more in 2024. Sonny Gray should be back in mid-April to lead this rotation and they have Mikolas but other guys are question marks including what do Lyles and Gibson still have left in the tank? The bullpen has a lot of changes too and overall the pitching struggled last season which is uncharacteristic for St Louis. But again it is a concern this season. This could be another team to keep an eye on for overs during this season.

MLB 2024: NL East Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

NL East Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Atlanta Braves – 101.5 projected wins. Last season 104 wins. How will Chris Sale hold up? How about Reynaldo Lopez transitioning back into the role of starting pitcher. No question this Braves team has a great lineup and is a solid hitting team but their rotation is not as strong as the Phillies. I would say this total is pegged a little high and the Braves get into the low to mid 90s. Miami Marlins – 78.5 projected wins. Last season 84 wins. The Marlins were 33-14 in one-run games last season which is crazy for a team that finished just a tick over .500 on the season. Give them credit for that but it also means a regression is likely. Simply put, this is a mediocre lineup that won a lot of games with pitching last season. I respect their bullpen and they have a decent rotation but now will miss Sandy Alcantara – out for season – due to Tommy John surgery. Will putting AJ Puk in the rotation pay off or it will hurt the bullpen more than it helps the rotation! It has been a few years since he was a starter! No miracle playoff berth again for this team like they had last season. New York Mets – 81.5 projected wins. Last season 75 wins. Sterling Marte struggled this spring and Mets are hoping his bat comes back now that he’s healthier. This remains to be seen. The Mets should improve some this season after underachieving last season. They still have a solid lineup. The concern with New York is the pitching. Their rotation has many question marks and now Senga is likely out until mid-May. The bullpen in much better shape this season with Edwin Diaz back but Mets not on par with Braves or Phillies and a .500-type season appears likely. Philadelphia Phillies – 89.5 projected wins. Last season 90 wins. The Phillies are projected by many to finish about a dozen wins behind the Braves in the NL East. However, this team arguably has the better rotation and bullpen and they certainly have a potent lineup just like Atlanta does. That said, this number seems to be a bit low in terms of their projected win total. The Phillies should challenge Atlanta for the division. The Phillies defense improved as the season went on last year. Also, Trea Turner got hot in early August and was a different player after that. He is part of a lineup that is loaded with power and many solid hitters. It is a dangerous lineup that goes deeper than most MLB teams. Washington Nationals – 65.5 projected wins. Last season 71 wins. The Nationals showed improvement last year but could regress some this season. This happens often when a team is going through a rebuild. Also, the Nationals just have so many question marks in the lineup and rotation and bullpen. So many unprovens and unknowns. Will be looking to fade this team quite a bit when the prices are low enough and in the right situations.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and MLB Previews and Odds - 03/28/2024

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and MLB action.The National Basketball Association has two games on its docket. The Boston Celtics travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 16-point road favorite, with the total set at 227.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Milwaukee Bucks play in New Orleans against the Pelicans at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The National Hockey League has 14 games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Florida Panthers host the New York Islanders as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Philadelphia Flyers are in Montreal to play the Canadiens as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Ottawa Senators play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins are at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Washington Capitals as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Detroit Red Wings at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. Three NHL games drop the puck at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild are at home against the San Jose Sharks as a -375 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The St. Louis Blues host the Calgary Flames as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Winnipeg Jets play at home against the Vegas Golden Knights as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two more NHL games start at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the New York Rangers as a -162 money-line favor with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Los Angeles Kings as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Nashville Predators visit Arizona to play the Coyotes as a -170 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Seattle Kraken play at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars play in Vancouver against the Canucks as a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The college basketball schedule has the first four games in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Arizona battles Clemson on CBS at 7:09 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 152.5. Connecticut faces San Diego State on TBS at 7:39 p.m. ET as an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 136.North Carolina challenges Alabama on CBS at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 173.5. Iowa State plays Illinois on TBS at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5. The domestic Opening Day card in Major League Baseball has 13 games on its schedule. The Baltimore Orioles are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 3:05 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Eight MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Cincinnati Reds host the Washington Nationals as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Miami Marlins are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins travel to Kansas City to play the Royals as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Detroit Tigers play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -185 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Houston Astros host the New York Yankees as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres play at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres are at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the St. Louis Cardinals as a -230 money-line favorite, with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Chicago Cubs on ESPN at 7:35 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cleveland Guardians are in Oakland against the A’s at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two more games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Boston Red Sox as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Arizona Cardinals host the Colorado Rockies as a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.

MLB 2024: AL West Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

AL West Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Houston Astros – 93.5 projected wins. Last season 90 wins. Astros looks so strong with the big acquisition of star closer Josh Hader. That means rock solid Ryan Pressly can be the setup man. One concern for the Astros is other injuries impacting the pitching staff heading into the season and some guys will be out multiple months. The Rangers have similar issues though so this division should be a 3-team race with the Mariners also in the mix. Los Angeles Angels – 72.5 projected wins. Last season 73 wins. Considering Trout having health issues last season and the fact that Ohtani is now in Dodger blue, I just can’t trust Trout to stay healthy all season and carry this team. Though the win totals in the marketplace are in the low 70s, just like last season’s final tally for LA, I just can not see them getting there. They have been struggling in recent seasons and now lost Ohtani. That also hurts their rotation too. This team has a respectable bullpen but I don’t trust their lineup and their pitching rotation seems top-heavy. The Angels struggle again this season. Oakland Athletics – 57.5 projected wins. Last season 50 wins. This organization is a mess and the move to Las Vegas has this team struggling bad in Oakland. It is such a bad situation and this will again be the worst team in the league this season. An unimpressive lineup, a bullpen that is also a weakness, and a starting rotation that has some talented arms but will those guys be traded away before the trade deadline? The A’s are truly just a mess right now and in for another long season. Seattle Mariners – 87.5 projected wins. Last season 88 wins. The Mariners have a solid pitching rotation and they did make some quieter pick-ups in the off-season but they are additions that could pay dividends quicker than people think. One of the keys is that they added some veteran guys with post-season experience and that can pay dividends for a team battling closely with the Astros and Rangers again this season in this division. Julio Rodriguez is a rising star in Seattle too! Texas Rangers – 88.5 projected wins. Last season 90 wins. Scherzer and Mahle and deGrom all have injury issues that are long-term. They are all expected back by mid-season but at varying times and, of course, nothing concrete when it comes to injuries. This team can hit so well however and coming off the huge post-season leading to the title and this team looks similar in strength to the last season with a solid lineup again.

MLB 2024: AL Central Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

AL Central Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Chicago White Sox – 61.5 projected wins. Last season 61 wins. There is just not much here with this team and they were near the bottom of the league across the board for most statistical team categories last season. They just do not have the talent in pitchers, relievers, or the lineup. They need to rebuild. Cleveland Guardians – 79.5 projected wins. Last season 76 wins. This team is so bad offensively and did not address that. For that reason I will be surprised if this team tops last season’s 76 wins. Keep in mind, the Tigers have been improving and the Royals look much improved this season. This Guardians club could struggle again. They are decent pitching-wise but will Triston McKenzie be back and pitching the way he use to?Detroit Tigers – 80.5 projected wins. Last season 78 wins. I like rooting for dogs and the Tigers have come a long way from a tougher period in recent seasons. That said, the Tigers could even challenge the Twins in this division. Detroit has a decent lineup. Not great but scrappy and should do enough here to keep them in most games. That’s because their pitching looks quite solid with decent starts and Casey Mize is back in the rotation and is showing glimpses of his 2022 self. Kansas City Royals – 74.5 projected wins. Last season 56 wins. Maybe expecting a 20-win improvement is too much but this team did improve the pitching quite a bit as they re-worked both the rotation and bullpen. Also, the fact the lineup looks mostly the same in terms of position players will at least lead to projected continuity for this group. KC was not a great hitting team last season but they were at least middle of the pack for batting average. In a weak division, they could surprise here. Minnesota Twins – 86.5 projected wins. Last season 87 wins. Not a great team but strong enough for this division! The Twins took advantage last season of playing in a division in which two of the other 4 teams averaged just 58.5 wins. They have a solid guy at the top of rotation in Pablo Lopez but I don’t trust their other guys too much outside of Joe Ryan. This team has a solid lineup at the top but again it really is questionable at the back. They are the top team in the Central but will not dominate.

MLB 2024: AL East Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

AL East Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Baltimore Orioles – 90.5 projected wins. Last season 101 wins. Many were down on the Orioles coming into 2023 and saying they overachieved in 2022. In my season preview last year I referenced this and also stated I did not agree at all. Baltimore went on to have a huge season again! Now again they are being projected to regress but this still looks like the team to beat in the East and they added a key starting pitcher in Corbin Burnes. Overall, this Orioles team remains quite loaded with youth and talent.Boston Red Sox – 77.5 projected wins. Last season 78 wins. Bad breaks continue for this once-proud Red Sox team. They signed Lucas Giolito this offseason and then found out their prized starting pitcher acquisition will end up missing this season due to injury. The Red Sox already have an injury issue in the bullpen too. Look for overs with this team in the right situations as Boston a decent lineup – particularly with some big sticks in the middle of the order. So with suspect pitching an issue again, this team could be involved in quite a few slugfest games. New York Yankees – 91.5 projected wins. Last season 82 wins. It is already starting. Another season possibly impacted by significant injury issues. LeMahieu may not be back very soon, but will he be 100% or could this work into a longer-term thing? Also, Cole is a longer-term thing for sure and losing a key starting pitcher like that for at least a couple months (most likely) can really hurt a team’s season! I know the Yankees are projected to contend for the AL East title but this team so often underachieves!Tampa Bay Rays – 84.5 projected wins. Last season 99 wins. As you can tell by their projected win total, this team has really regressed. They will likely struggle to reach a .500 season after winning nearly 100 games last season. Keep in mind, the Rays went only 48-41 their final 89 games of the season. Tyler Glasnow now is gone. Of course the team had the Wander Franco disaster last season and his huge production is now gone forever from MLB as he has huge legal problems in the Dominican Republic. The Rays still have a solid lineup but their pitching has taken massive long-term injury hits too in addition to losing Glasnow. McClanahan out for season and Springs and Rasmussen already set to miss significant time. This team, especially being in the tough AL East, looks like they will fall short of this projected win total this season. Toronto Blue Jays – 86.5 projected wins. Last season 89 wins. The loss of Matt Chapman hurts this lineup and, of course, the AL East is considered by most to be the toughest division in baseball. This is still a solid bullpen and their starting rotation helped carry the team last season. Though strong through the first 3 guys in the rotation they drop off toward the back, especially with Mahoah struggling again this spring. Both he and Gausman are dealing with shoulder issues. It is a concerning start to the season with more injury issues.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/27/2024

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 10.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 206.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Orlando Magic host the Golden State Warriors as a 6-point favorite, with an over/under of 218. The Brooklyn Nets play in Washington against the Wizards as a 3.5-point road favorite, with a total of 224. Three NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Hawks play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 215.55. The Los Angeles Clippers are in Philadelphia to play the 76ers on ESPN as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 218. The New York Knicks visit Toronto to play the Raptors as a 13-point road favorite with an over/under of 208.5. Four NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Indiana Pacers play in Chicago against the Bulls as a 2.5-point road favorite, with a total of 234. The Los Angeles Lakers are in Memphis to play the Grizzles as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 220.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves are at home against the Detroit Pistons as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 215. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Houston Rockets as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 230.5. The Utah Jazz play at home against the San Antonio Spurs at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 230.5. The Denver Nuggets are at home against the Phoenix Suns on ESPN at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 226.5. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The Buffalo Sabres host the Ottawa Senators at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning play at home against the Boston Bruins on TNT at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The college basketball schedule has four games on its schedule. The championship game of the College Basketball Invitational with Seattle University battling High Point on a neutral court at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. ET. The Redhawks won for the third straight time with their 75-58 victory against Fairfield as a 6.5-point favorite yesterday. The Panthers won for the third time in their last four games with their 81-80 victory against Arkansas State as a 1.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Seattle University is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 151. The College Insider Tournament championship game has IUPUI-Fort Wayne playing at Norfolk State at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Mastodons won for the fifth time in their last six games with their 73-72 upset win at Tarleton State as a 6-point underdog on Monday. The Spartans won for the fourth time in their previous five games with their 84-66 victory against Alabama A&M as a 9-point favorite on Saturday. Fort Wayne is a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.5. The quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament conclude with two games on ESPN2. Seton Hall is at home against UNLV at 7 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 141. Utah hosts VCU on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5.

The NBA's Home Stretch

by AAA Sports

Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024

There are still a few weeks to go in the NBA regular season and no one knows how things are going to shake down, but the league is starting to confront the possibility that one or two of its legacy franchises could be knocked out before even getting to a 7-game series or – horrors – not even qualify for the Play-In Tournament.At this writing, the Lakers and Warriors are squeezed into the Western Conference 9 and 10 spots, respectively, and if the playoffs started tonight they would play a one-and-done NCAA Tourney-type game in Los Angeles for the right to play another team and get to the actual first round.And as if contemplating the playoffs without LeBron James or Steph Curry isn’t stomach-turning enough for the league and its TV partners, a red-hot Houston Rockets team has come out of nowhere with nine wins in its last 10 games, and could replace the Lakers or Warriors before the post-season even gets rolling.For Warriors fans, who are not used to living on the verge of the lottery, the odds are a bit numbing. Basketball Reference’s Playoff Possibility Report gives GS a 25 percent chance of getting to the playoffs proper (88 percent to get to the Play-In).As for the Lakers, more than a few eyebrows were raised on Sunday night when LA lived at the free throw line (43 FTs) and put a 150 spot in a must-have win over the Pacers (16 FTs). James & Co. start a 6-game road trip Tuesday night and have only three more games at home, including an April 9 battle against Golden State that looks like it will have playoff implications.Houston, meanwhile, seems undervalued with just a 6.3 percent chance of getting to the Final 8 in the West.---Caleb Williams appears locked in as the overall No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, but there might be a curveball at No. 2. For a few months the Mocks have had Washington taking Jaden Daniels or Drake Maye, but there are reports that the Commanders came away impressed with J.J. McCarthy after his pro day. The Patriots, drafting at 3, were believed to be turning aside all trade offers, but new coach Jerrod Mayo was quoted as saying that they would consider moving down. If Washington does taking McCarthy second, that might allow the Pats to move down in the first round and STILL get Daniels or Maye. Or not. For the record, FanDuel still has Daniels at -180 going to Washington.---What did Shohei Ohtani know and when did he know it? That’s the big question in MLB these days. Was he ripped off by his interpreter or (yikes) was the interpreter laying bets for Ohtani? The player claims it’s the former and that he never bet on sports, and that his interpreter was taking money – which raises the question as to how his former BFF got access to Ohtani’s ample bank account. Seems like there’s more to this than is now public. But none of this seems to have affected Ohtani’s MVP odds, which opened at +1000 and now rest in the +750 range in most books.---Joe Biden is back on top – barely – in wagering at the Predictit.org website, with the numbers pretty much reflecting a rash of recent polls that show him narrowly ahead of Donald Trump. There has been minimal movement at Predictit, and the only interesting aspect is that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is even with gadfly candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. in a distant tie for third.

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