Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 4, 2023

Sunday, Jun 04, 2023

I went 4-2 on Saturday, including a 2-0 sweep with the Side and Total cashing in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. And lest we forget I hit the Nuggets in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Tonight we get back to the hardwood, where I've dominated all postseason. I'm on a 46-27-2 run in the NBA for $16,200 since April 17. And going back 60 Days, I'm No. 5 on the Moneyboard. Tonight we continue the series with both the SIDE and TOTAL, including NBA SIDE WINNER # 32 OF 50.The Stanley Cup Final got underway Saturday night, and it was the Vegas Golden Knights taking care of business with a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers.Vegas got goals from Jonathan Marchessault, Shea Theodore, Zach Whitecloud, Mark Stone and Reilly Smith, as the Knights cashed out as a -130 favorite while the total went over by 1 1/2 goals.Game 2 is scheduled for Monday night.Updating my NHL Notes: Road teams are 46-38 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-42 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1400. The Over is 44-39-1, but the Under has cashed 30 of the last 54 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 16 of their last 22 road games. Florida heads to Game 2 of the SCF on an 18-7 win streak. The Panthers check in at seventh in the postseason with 3.13 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 2.69, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has now won 14 of 18 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on a 19-6 roll at home. The Golden Knights rank third in the playoffs with 3.65 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.65. SERIES The home team has won the last six meetings. The Golden Knights have won six straight meetings in Vegas. Vegas is on a 6-2 roll in the overall series. Two WNBA games last night, and the underdogs split. I went 1-1, as I had both home favorites.The Minnesota Lynx nabbed their first win of the season with an 80-78 upset over the Washington Mystics, who were 8-point favorites. The total landed just shy of 160.The Los Angeles Sparks made it 2-for-2 in the second of back-to-back nights, as they beat the Seattle Storm, 92-85. The Sparks were -6 1/2-point favorites, while the total was 163.I'm passing in the WNBA. In MLB on Saturday, only three of the 10 underdogs covered, while I saw two games at a pick. The standout victory for me was the Colorado Rockies (+130 DraftKings) with a 6-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals. During the first six games of this current road trip, the Rockies snapped a four-game skid by winning the first two in Kansas City. The Rockies are hitting just .236 in the games, yet they're averaging 6.5 runs per game. They've gotten just 17 hits and only five have gone extra. The Rockies, who are 4-7 in Interleague play, finished their series in Kansas City on Sunday before heading home for three-game sets with the Giants and Padres.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/04/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jun 04, 2023

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA and MLB. The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the second game of the NBA Finals, with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Miami Heat on ABC at 8:00 PM ET. The Nuggets took a 1-0 lead in this series with their 104-93 victory at home against the Heat as a 9-point favorite on Thursday. Denver is an 8.5-point favorite, with the total set at 216.The Sunday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals visit Pittsburgh to play the Pirates on Peacock at 11:35 AM ET. Miles Mikolas takes the mound for the Cardinals to pitch against Rich Hill for the Pirates. St. Louis is a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play in Washington against the Nationals, with the Phillies turning to Ranger Suarez in their starting rotation to battle against the Nationals’ Trevor Williams. Philadelphia is a -165 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays are in Boston against the Red Sox, with Tax Bradley dueling for the Rays against Tanner Houck for the Red Sox. Tampa Bay is a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Three MLB games start at 1:40 PM ET. The New York Mets play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays, with the Mets' starting Kodai Senga against the Blue Jays’ Yusei Kikuchi. New York is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Cincinnati Reds are at home against the Milwaukee Brewers, with Ben Lively taking the hill for the Reds against Adrian Houser for the Brewers. Cincinnati is a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. The Miami Marlins host the Oakland A’s, with the Marlins tapping Sandy Alcantara battling against the A’s Paul Blackburn. Miami is a -215 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Three MLB games begin at 2:10 PM ET. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Cleveland Guardians, with Joe Ryan on the hill for the Twins to pitch against Triston McKenzie for the Guardians. Minnesota is a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Houston Astros are at home against the Los Angeles Angels, with the Astros turning to J.P. France pitching against the Angels’ Griffin Canning. Houston is a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Kansas City Royals host the Colorado Rockies, with Brady Singer pitching for the Royals against Kyle Freeland for the Rockies. Kansas City is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Chicago White Sox play at home against the Detroit Tigers, with the White Sox sending out Michael Kopeck to face the Tigers’ Matthew Boyd. Chicago is a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Seattle Marines at 2:35 PM ET. Nathan Eovaldi takes the ball for the Rangers to go against Bryce Miller for the Mariners. Texas is a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Baltimore Orioles visit San Francisco to play the Giants at 4:05 PM ET. The Orioles pitch Tyler Wells against the Giants’ Anthony DeSclafani. Both teams are priced at -110 with an over/under of 8. The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Atlanta Braves at 4:10 PM ET. Zac Gallen takes the mound for the Diamondbacks to battle against Michael Soroka for the Braves. Arizona is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs play in San Diego against the Padres at 5:10 PM ET. The Cubs tap Marcus Stroman to duel against the Padres' Ryan Weathers. Both teams are priced as a -110 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN has the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the New York Yankees at 7:10 PM ET. Bobby Miller takes the ball for the Dodgers to pitch against Domingo German for the Yankees. Los Angeles is a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 9.

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 3, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Saturday, Jun 03, 2023

Four WNBA games last night, and all four underdogs cashed in.The New York Liberty laid a whopping -10 points in Chicago last night, but the Sky hung tough before losing by one point, 77-76.The Washington Mystics laid -7 1/2 to the Dallas Wings, and again, we had a tight affair. The Mystics, at home, needed to come from behind to thwart Dallas' upset bid with a 75-74 win.The Atlanta Dream used a late 20-4 run to put the scare into the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, who were laying -12 on the road. The Aces escaped with a 92-87 win.And in the nightcap, the Los Angeles Sparks went into Phoenix and stole an overtime victory from the Mercury, 99-93. The Sparks were 3 1/2 point underdogs.Tonight there is plenty of action to keep us busy, and that includes WNBA action. Two games on the card and I love both games. Tonight we play BOTH SIDES for a WNBA 2-0 ALLEY OOP SWEEP.Speaking of underdogs, MLB pups came up with a 6-6 mark on Friday, with two games a pick and another being postponed.. The standout victory for me was the Washington Nationals (+160 DraftKings) with an 8-7 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies have now lost five in a row, and 19 of 29. Their pitching staff has done them no favors, as we saw last night. Since April 30, the Phils have a lofty 4.98 ERA and have been bombed for 34 home runs.My biggest play of the night on Friday - my N.L. Dog of the Month - cashed in on Arizona (+112) over Atlanta. Tonight there is plenty of action to keep us busy, and that includes two more MLB GAMES OF THE MONTH. Two games on the MLB card have caught my eye, and I'm ready to deliver with my Division Game of the Month and a Division Dog of the Month. MLB GAME OF THE MONTH DOUBLE PLAYThe NHL is finally back after being off since Monday, as we have Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. I went 91-82-2 this season for $12,430 net profit, including $2,030 in the playoffs. Tonight I have BOTH the SIDE and TOTAL for an NHL STANLEY CUP POWER PLAY.NHL Notes:Road teams are 46-37 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-41 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1500. The Over is 43-39-1, but the Under has cashed 30 of the last 53 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 16 of their last 21 road games. Florida enters the SCF on an 18-6 win streak. The Panthers check in at seventh in the postseason with 3.11 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 2.69, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has won 13 of 17 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on an 18-6 roll at home. The Golden Knights rank third in the playoffs with 3.65 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.65. SERIES The home team has won the last five meetings. The Golden Knights have won five straight meetings in Vegas. Vegas is on a 5-2 roll in the overall series.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/03/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jun 03, 2023

The Saturday sports card features an action in the NHL and MLB. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Vegas Golden Knights playing at home against the Florida Panthers on TNT, TBS, and truTV at 8:05 PM ET in the first game of the Stanley Cup finals. The Golden Knights won for the sixth time in their last eight games with a 6-0 victory at Dallas on Monday. They beat the Stars in six games in the Western Conference finals to advance to the finals. The Panthers have won five games in a row and 11 of their last 12 games after a 4-3 win at home against Carolina on May 24th. They swept the Hurricanes in four games to reach the finals. Vegas is a -130 money-line favorite, with the total set at 5.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Saturday card in Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:10 PM ET in the opening game of their doubleheader after Friday’s rainout. The Red Sox are a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox are at home against the Detroit Tigers at 2:10 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 PM ET. The Texas Rangers host the Seattle Mariners as a -150 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The St. Louis Cardinals travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates as a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies play in Washington against the Nationals as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Five MLB games start at 4:10 PM ET. The Miami Marlins play at home against the Oakland A’s as a -195 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Houston Astros are at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals host the Colorado Rockies as a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays are in New York to play the Mets, with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers play in Cincinnati against the Reds as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are in Boston to play the Red Sox in the second game of their doubleheader at 6:10 PM ET. Two MLB games begin at 7:15 PM ET for regional Fox television coverage. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Cleveland Guardians, with Sonny Gray taking the mound for the Twins to pitch against Logan Allen for the Guardians. Minnesota is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Yankees visit Los Angeles to play the Dodgers, with the Yankees turning to Gerrit Cole to pitch against the Dodgers’ Michael Grove. New York is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 10:05 PM ET, with the Giants a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games start at 10:10 PM ET. The Atlanta Braves are in Arizona to play the Diamondbacks as a -200 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres host the Chicago Cubs on FS1. Yu Darvish takes the ball for the Padres to duel against Drew Smiley for the Cubs. San Diego is a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.

Big Al's Belmont Stakes Preview

by Al McMordie

Saturday, Jun 03, 2023

The 155th running of the Belmont Stakes will take place next weekend at Belmont Park on the famously spacious 1 1/2 mile oval dirt track. Last year we saw the winner of the Kentucky Derby show up here (Rich Strike) and the winner of the Preakness stay away (Early Voting). This year will be the opposite as the popular Mage -- an emphatic winner on the first Saturday in May -- will set his sights on other summer races while Bob Baffert's National Treasure will try for the Baltimore-New York double. But there will be as many as eight other runners in Saturday's third jewel including the horse that was just about everyone's top 3-year-old going into the Derby. So with what should be a full and competitive field on Saturday, here is a preview: Contenders: National Treasure. The Preakness is Bob Baffert's race it seems almost every year. He won his record 8th second jewel almost three weeks ago at Pimlico with this son of Quality Road. But Baffert also has three Belmont Stakes wins on his resume, the last two of which were Triple Crown Champions. And while much of the "smart" money says that the Belmont's 12 furlongs is too long for National Treasure, you can bet that Baffert wouldn't be here with his horse if he didn't think he had a solid chance. Having veteran jockey John Velazquez -- a fixture on the New York racing circuit for years -- back on board sure doesn't hurt. And Johnny V has two Belmont wins to his credit as well Tapit Trice. If Bob Baffert owns the Preakness, the Belmont is Todd Pletcher's baby. He's won this race four times, most recently a year ago with Mo Donegal. Tapit Trice had a slow start in the Kentucky Derby and his late running strategy never fully materialized in that race. His stalking style should however be perfect for the Belmont as there is plenty of early speed in here for him to run at. I wouldn't over-emphasize Tapit Trice's Derby effort -- he won his last four races in a row before that. Luis Saez will be back on board for the son of Tapit, who has sired four previous Belmont Stakes winners. Most of the Pletcher attention in the Belmont will be on the return of Forte (see below) which should help Tapit Trice's odds, currently slated at around 3-1 Angel of Empire. If ever there was a horse that seemed destined for this race, it's Brad Cox's son of Classic Empire. The Derby unfolded almost exactly as you would expect for this horse as he was pretty far back throughout most of the 10 furlongs and then came running down the stretch chasing the leaders Mage and Two Phil's. He didn't catch them but one can only imagine what the outcome would have been had they run another 1/4 mile. We will find out today and Angel of Empire will have considerably less traffic to navigate than he did on the first Saturday in May so there are people who are salivating to bet him today at what should be decent odds (around 4-1 most likely) Pretenders/Over-bet Horses: Forte. Yes, we're going to start our discussion of Belmont Pretenders with the likely favorite in the race. Prior to the Derby, Forte was just about everyone's top 3YO in training. But there were rumors about his health in the week leading up to the big race and his workouts were not good. Then on the morning of the Derby, in consult with the track veterinarian, trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole decided to scratch the son of Violence. Can you think of a worse scenario for a favorite than not having a race in over two months and having known health issues on top of that? Yet Forte will likely have plenty of supporters along with probably the lowest odds at 2-1 or less. Proceed with caution. Arcangelo. The Peter Pan Stakes is viewed as the major non-Triple Crown prep race for the Belmont. It's run two weeks prior and on the same dirt track, albeit it at a lesser distance (nine furlongs). But ironically few horses in history have completed the Peter Pan/Belmont double. In fact, that feat has only been done once in the last 30 years (Tonalist 2014). But there will still be plenty of attention paid to this son of Arrogate who won the Peter Pan in impressive fashion, digging in down the stretch for Florida-based trainer Jena Antonucci. But it was a very weak field of runners that day and the speed figure of 97 would appear to be on the low side for competing in this race. Derby winning jockey Javier Castellano will get back on board Arcangelo which will only serve to hype him up more but he is likely in over his head here Live Longshots: Tapit Shoes. There are three horses entered for the Belmont that didn't run in either the Derby or Preakness (we already talked about Arcangelo). Of these, the most intriguing is the son of Tapit trained by Brad Cox named Tapit Shoes. Like Arcangelo, a first glance would suggest that his speed numbers don't match up to this field, however Tapit Shoes has been improving with every race and could turn in his biggest performance next Saturday at a big price. Top New York jockey Jose Ortiz will climb aboard Tapit Shoes for the ride. Along with Angel of Empire, and fifth-place Derby finisher Hit Show, Tapit Shoes offers a compelling one-two-three punch for leading trainer Cox who won this race two years ago with Essential Quality.Good luck, as always...Al McMordie

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 2, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Friday, Jun 02, 2023

Not sure what the Miami Heat will blame it on, but they were anything but hot in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and were blown off the court by the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.After going 3-0 in openers during the NBA Playoffs, the Heat couldn't keep up with the Western Conference top-seeded Denver Nuggets, who got a triple-double from the should-have-been MVP Nikola Jokic.Jokic finished with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Aaron Gordon added 16 points and Michael Porter Jr. scored 14 for Denver, which led by as many as 24.Game 2 is Sunday, and make note the Heat have failed to cover 13 of their last 17 when playing on two days of rest.Denver improved to 8-3 ATS at home and 5-2 ATS overall.Just one WNBA game last night, and the underdog cashed in with the Minnesota Lynx. Defending Eastern Conference champion Connecticut laid -6 1/2 points to the Lynx, and ended up winning 89-84, the final tally soaring past the 160-point total.The NHL and NBA are on break, so I will focus on another BASKETBALL WINNER, as the WNBA take center stage for Friday night. Love one game that is off by at least 3 points. Don't miss tonight's WNBA LINE MISTAKE LOCK.The MLB underdogs came up with a goose egg on Thursday, with all seven failing to win. The standout victory for me was the San Diego Padres, who were a slight favorite, blowing out the Miami Marlins 10-1 on the road. The Friars have won six of 10, despite a brutal .218 batting average. Though the hits may not be coming, the home runs are, as they've smacked 16 homers in the 10-game stretch since May 21, and they're averaging 5.9 runs per game.The NHL and NBA are on break, so I have three MLB Winners for you tonight, including my National League Dog of the Month. One of tonight's pups on the senior circuit carries an incredible DOG PRICE I cannot ignore. My NATIONAL LEAGUE DOG OF THE MONTH goes here, with two bonus winners.Though the NHL won't start until Saturday with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, I will keep these notes handy for you.NHL Notes: Road teams are 46-37 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-41 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1500. The Over is 43-39-1, but the Under has cashed 30 of the last 53 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 16 of their last 21 road games. Florida enters the SCF on an 18-6 win streak. The Panthers check in at seventh in the postseason with 3.11 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 2.69, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has won 13 of 17 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on an 18-6 roll at home. The Golden Knights rank third in the playoffs with 3.65 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.65. SERIES The home team has won the last five meetings. The Golden Knights have won five straight meetings in Vegas. Vegas is on a 5-2 roll in the overall series.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 06/02/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jun 02, 2023

The Friday sports card features action in MLB. The Friday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Milwaukee Brewers travel to Cincinnati to play the Reds on AppleTV+ at 5:10 PM ET. Corbin Burnes takes the ball for the Brewers to pitch against Brandon Williamson for the Reds. Milwaukee is a -180 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Miami Marlins host the Oakland A’s at 6:40 PM ET. The Marlins turn to Edward Cabrera to pitch against the A’s Hogan Harris. Miami is a -200 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 PM ET. The St. Louis Cardinals play in Pittsburgh against the Pirates, with Jack Flaherty pitching for the Cardinals against the Pirates’ Roansy Contreras. St. Louis is a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies are in Washington to play the Nationals, with Zack Wheeler taking the hill for the Phillies against Josiah Gray for the Nationals. Philadelphia is a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Two MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Rays visit Boston to play the Red Sox, with the Rays pitching Tyler Glasnow against the Red Sox’s Garrett Whitlock. Tampa Bay is a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The New York Mets play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays, with Justin Verlander taking the mound for the Mets against Chris Bassitt for the Blue Jays. New York is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners travel to Texas to play the Rangers at 8:05 PM ET. The Mariners tap Luis Castillo to battle against the Rangers’ Jon Gray. Seattle is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Four more MLB games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Houston Astros are at home against the Los Angeles Angels, with Framber Valdez pitching for the Astros against Shohei Ohtani for the Angels. Houston is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Kansas City Royals host the Colorado Rockies, with the Royals pitching Jordan Lyles against the Rockies’ Chase Anderson. Kansas City is a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Detroit Tigers play in Chicago against the White Sox, with Reese Olson taking the ball for the Tigers against a starting pitcher yet to be determined. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Cleveland Guardians on Apple TV+. The Twins send Bailey Ober to the mound to duel against the Guardians’ Aaron Civale. Minnesota is a -130 money-line favor with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games start at 9:40 PM ET. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Chicago Cubs, with Michael Wacha pitching for the Padres against Jameson Taillon for the Cubs. San Diego is a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves are in Arizona to play the Diamondbacks, with the Braves turning to Charlie Morton to go against the Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly. Atlanta is a -125 money-line road favor with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the New York Yankees at 10:10 PM ET. Clayton Kershaw takes the hill for the Dodgers to battle against Luis Severino for the Yankees. Los Angeles is a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants play at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 10:15 PM ET. The Giants give the ball to Logan Webb to pitch against the Orioles’ Dean Kremer. San Francisco is a -155 money-line favored with a total of 7.5.

CFL 2023 East Division Preview (Montreal/Ottawa)

by Scott Rickenbach

Thursday, Jun 01, 2023

Canadian Football League East Division Mtl/Ott Rivalry CFL 2023Montreal Alouettes – Projected win total is 7.5 and last season the Alouettes won 9 games. New head coach in Maas and new QB in Fajardo. This may payoff in the long run but, in the short-term, the team that made the East Division finals in 2022 could have some pains here during the first stages of transition with new QB under center and new coach patrolling the sidelines. What should help in the transition is that Maas was the offensive coordinator with Saskatchewan when Fajardo was there. This eases things for sure. However, Montreal did lose a few pieces from last season’s team and the key this season could be establishing that strong ground game. If the Als can do that and have a solid passing attack established early in the season, they could surprise. But remember, the East has the defending Grey Cup champs in Toronto plus a Hamilton team poised to respond off a tough season. Also, the Redblacks which appear to be on the way up. The point is, Montreal likely to struggle to get back to where they were last season for sure. Ottawa Redblacks – Projected win total is 7.5 and last season the Redblacks won 4 games. Of course one could argue the only way to go for Ottawa is up but really this team does look improved. I especially like the fact they have gotten stronger on defense and in the trenches. That part of football is so important even though it is the skill positions that get so much of the attention. That said, I also like the fact the Redblacks should get a boost and immediate energy from all the coaching changes including head coach and some assistants. This team is ready to go and will hit the ground running. But can they jell quickly? I think it can be rather quick but this is something to watch early on in the season as they are also working Jeremiah Masoli into the offense. He is certainly a talented QB but the key will be how quickly the chemistry is working well for these personnel units on each side of the ball. This team could challenge for a playoff spot. They also have the 2022 CFL sack leader in Lorenzo Mauldin.

CFL 2023 East Division Preview (Ham/Toronto)

by Scott Rickenbach

Thursday, Jun 01, 2023

Canadian Football League East Division Ham/Tor Rivalry CFL 2023Hamilton Tiger-Cats – Projected win total is 10.5 and last season the Tiger-Cats won 8 games. That may seem like a big jump but let’s not forget that this is a team that had been very strong in recent seasons – one of the best in the CFL – prior to suffering from inconsistent play last year at QB. This was part of what led to a disappointing campaign and a disappointing playoff exit but now they added QB Bo Levi Mitchell and other players on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Let’s not forget this team, prior to last season, was in each of the last two Grey Cups. They lost each time though and are still trying to bring the Championship back to Hamilton as it has been a long period without it. That said, another key here is that Toronto had a surprising run to the CFL Grey Cup Championship last year. It is hard to repeat such success. So look for the Argos to drop off some and Redblacks are improving but have a long way to go and Alouettes are unlikely to reach .500 again this season. The point is that Hamilton should have an easier path to being the top team in the East again as long as Mitchell produces as we expect him to. Toronto Argonauts – Projected win total is 9.5 and last season the Argonauts won 11 games. They won the Grey Cup last season but are likely to take a step back this season. Not only will all teams be gunning for them this season, the Argos also have a question mark at QB. Yes, Chad Kelly has all the tools but he has very little CFL experience and the guys behind him also lack in experience. Toronto is putting a lot of reliance on Kelly for sure. Remember it was Bethel-Thompson at QB that led this team to the Grey Cup game last season. The Argonauts did make some strong additions on both sides of the ball though and credit must be given for that. But the question will be how quickly the qb position will jell. If that takes some time or Kelly does not adjust well to the CFL game, the Argos are in trouble. Still a very strong team but lets see how the transition on offense is going early in the season. That will be a key.

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 1, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, Jun 01, 2023

Just MLB in action last night, Eight of the 12 underdogs won Tuesday on the MLB card, with two games a pick'em. The most notable underdog victory was undoubtedly the Washington Nationals (+195 DraftKings) in their 10-6 win at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Nationals are just 24-32 and in 5th place in the National League East, but this offense can sometimes be dangerous. In three of their last seven wins they plated double-digit runs. They're off tonight, but return home for a weekend set with the Philadelphia Phillies after splitting six road games and hitting .256 while averaging 5.3 runs per game and stroking eight home runs.With the NBA Finals getting underway, I'm taking the night off in MLB.Tonight we're back on the hardwood, where I've dominated the postseason. I'm on a 45-26-2 run in the NBA for $16,350 since April 17. And going back 60 Days, I'm No .4 on the Moneyboard. Tonight I have both the Side and Total for Game 1, and I love this Over/Under. My ONE-AND-ONLY NBA PLAYOFFS TOTAL OF THE YEAR goes tonight. I also open the series with NBA SIDE WINNER # 31 OF 49.Though the NHL won't start until Saturday with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, I will keep these notes handy for you.NHL Notes: Road teams are 46-37 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-41 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1500. The Over is 43-39-1, but the Under has cashed 30 of the last 53 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 16 of their last 21 road games. Florida enters the SCF on an 18-6 win streak. The Panthers check in at seventh in the postseason with 3.11 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 2.69, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has won 13 of 17 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on an 18-6 roll at home. The Golden Knights rank third in the playoffs with 3.65 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.65. SERIES The home team has won the last five meetings. The Golden Knights have won five straight meetings in Vegas. Vegas is on a 5-2 roll in the overall series.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/01/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jun 01, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA and MLB.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the opening game of the NBA Final,s with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Miami Heat on ABC at 8:30 PM ET. The Nuggets are on a six-game winning streak after beating the Los Angeles Lakers on the road, 113-111, as a 3.5-point underdog on May 22nd. The Heat come off a 103-84 upset victory on the road against Boston as a 7.5-point underdog in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday. These two teams played twice in the regular season. Denver won both contests with a 124-119 victory on December 30th followed up by a 112-108 upset win as a 1-point underdog on Februrary 13th. Denver is an 8.5-point favorite, with the total set at 219 (all odds from DraftKings). The Thursday card in Major League Baseball has seven games on its schedule. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Milwaukee Brewers at 1:07 PM ET. Kevin Gausman takes the mound to pitch against Freddy Peralta of the Brewers. Toronto is a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 PM ET. The New York Mets are at home against the Philadelphia Phillies, with the Mets turning to Max Scherzer to pitch against the Phillies Taijuan Walker. New York is a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres travel to Miami to play the Marlins, with Joe Musgrove pitching for the Padres against Jesus Luzardo for the Marlins. San Diego is a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Colorado Rockies at 3:40 PM ET. The Diamondbacks turn to Zach Davies to pitch against the Rockies’ Chase Anderson. Arizona is a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 7:10 PM ET. Chris Sale pitches for the Red Sox against Hunter Greene for the Reds. Boston is a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Minnesota Twins are at home against the Cleveland Guardians at 7:40 PM ET. The Twins tap Pablo Lopez to battle against the Guardians' Tyler Bibee. Minnesota is a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Houston Astros host the Los Angeles Angels on FS1 at 8:10 PM ET. The Astros have lost two of three games after their 8-2 defeat against the Twins on Wednesday. Their 32-23 record places them in second place in the AL West, three games behind the Texas Rangers, who are in first place. The Angels have won two of three games after their 12-5 win in Chicago against the White Sox on Wednesday. They are in third place in the AL West with a 30-27 record, six games behind the Rangers. Framber Valdez takes the ball for Houston to pitch against Reid Detmers for the Angels. The Astros are a -215 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5.

The Improving Baltimore Orioles

by Team Del Genio

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

The Baltimore Orioles are demonstrating themselves to be legitimate contenders in the loaded American League East division. The Orioles had revenge on their mind on Tuesday after getting shut out by Logan Allen in the opening game of their three-game series with the Guardians on Monday. The Orioles had won eighteen of their last twenty-seven games when playing with revenge from a shutout loss to their opponent. Baltimore has lost three of their last four games, yet they have still won twenty-six of their last thirty-eight games. Their 34-20 record had them in second place in the AL East behind Tampa Bay who have the best record in baseball. The Orioles' rise in the standing appeared legitimate at the time with them outscoring their opponents by 0.5 runs per game with them averaging 4.9 runs per game. Baltimore had won twenty-three of their last thirty-five games after losing three of four. The Orioles had won twelve of their last eighteen games at home when priced as a money line favorite priced by the oddsmakers at -110 or higher. Baltimore is getting great pitching out of their bullpen with the team leading MLB in holds before getting to their closer Felix Bautista. At home at Camden Yards, the Orioles had a 2.74 era and a 1.25 whip going into that game. The Orioles have been getting reliable pitching from some key members of their starting rotation. Kyle Gibson got the start on Tuesday for manager Brandon Hyde after only giving up one earned run in his previous two starts. He pitched seven shutout innings in his previous start in New York against the Yankees. For the season, he had a 6-3 record with a 3.82 era and a 1.30 whip in eleven starts. The right-hander does not induce many strikeouts yet he is inducing soft contact. His hard-hit rate of 27.0 for the batted balls he is allowing into play is his lowest since 2014. Gibson offered his team a solid outing with 5 2/3 innings of work while allowing three runs. Baltimore won the game by an 8-5 score, and the Team won the Major League Baseball Game of the Month. The vaunted Orioles bullpen continued to shine with Yennier Cano pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his 11th hold of the season before yielding to Bautista who pitched a scoreless ninth inning to register his 14th save. Gibson has seven wins on the season. Baltimore lost the final game of the series on Wednesday, 12-8, yet still entire June with many reasons for optimism. With a 35-21 record, they have the third-best record in the American League. They have one more loss than the Rangers having played one more game than Texas, and they are four games behind a Tampa Bay Rays team that has the best record in baseball. Led by the breakout season from the rookie Cano, the Orioles bullpen has 48 holds which were ten more than the next closest team going into the week. As we enter the summer months of the Major League Baseball season, despite their recent inexperience in the playoffs, the Orioles are a team that should not be treated lightly. Good luck - Team Del Genio.

Articles

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 4, 2023

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/04/2023

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 3, 2023

Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/03/2023

Big Al's Belmont Stakes Preview

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 2, 2023

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 06/02/2023

CFL 2023 East Division Preview (Montreal/Ottawa)

CFL 2023 East Division Preview (Ham/Toronto)

Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 1, 2023

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/01/2023

The Improving Baltimore Orioles

Home

Links

Picks

Big Al's Sports Picks Info