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2023 MLB Futures: National League

by Nelly's Sports

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

2023 MLB Futures: National LeagueWritten by Nelly’s Sportsline contributor Forrest AllenLike baseball teams in spring training, hope springs eternal for bettors at the beginning of a baseball season for futures bets.  While futures can be a difficult market because there isn’t another side to offset the risk, the allure and fun of picking a team a riding with it all season is incomparable. Futures also help insulate you from the randomness associated with a single game in a 162-game season. We have highlighted 2 teams below we believe to have a bright future (yep, it was intentional, but no more) with respect to the 2023 season. Atlanta Braves:  Braves general manager, Alex Anthopolous, either knows Jedi-level mind control, has dirt on all of his players, or created a magnetic clubhouse culture. Irrespective of what superpowers he may or may not have, the core of players he’s locked up (well below market value no less) is the envy of every team. The Braves enter 2023 off the heels of a 101-win season and a 5th straight division title in the unquestioned toughest division in baseball. They accomplished this despite losing their best player and team leader in Freddie Freeman the year before, and will look to repeat the feat again after Dansby Swanson signed with the Chicago Cubs.  This success came with 2x All-Star Ozzie Albies on playing 64 games and Ronald Acuna Jr. missing over 40 games and clearly still recovering from ACL surgery performed in July 2021.  Their reemergence could realistically result in the Braves having the best offense. Austin Riley and Matt Olson finished in the top-10 in MVP voting in 2022 and 2021 respectively. Michael Harris is the reigning rookie of year, and Sean Murphy put up 5.1 WAR last year; a total good for second in baseball.   The rotation will be led by Max Fried who finished second in Cy Young voting last year and Spencer Strider who broke the rookie record for strikeouts in a single season with 202 despite just 131.2 IP. Charlie Morton will provide proven veteran leadership to go with a projected ERA under 4, and Kyle Wright looks to be fulfilling his potential as a top-5 overall draft pick after a top-10 finish in Cy Young voting. The battle for the 5th spot will likely go to another first round draft pick in Jared Shuster or Ian Anderson whose 35.2 postseason IP resulting in a 1.26 ERA and an average of more than a strikeout per inning. Proven relievers AJ Minter, Joe Jimenez, and Colin McHugh will serve as the bridge to closer Raisel Iglesais, who allowed just 2 runs in 26.1 innings after coming over from the Angels in a trade.  Lefties Dylan Lee and Lucas Luetge can get hitters from both sides of the plate out. The biggest question marks will be two former stars who’ve battled injuries, Nick Anderson and Kirby Yates.  If either can regain a fraction of their greatness from 2019 (both averaged over 15 K/9 and Yates had 41 saves and 1.19 ERA), the Braves would be thrilled.  Fangraphs gives the Braves a 15.5 % to win it all this year; the highest odds of any team and 25% higher than the next highest team (San Diego).  At +900, there’s real value here as the Fangraph’s odds suggest the number should be closer to +545.  Pick: Braves to win World Series +900, Braves to win NL East +140 San Diego Padres: The Padres will win the NL West in 2023.  I’m not sure if that is a “hot take” as the kids today say, but it’d be the first time in 17 years that has happened. It would be the first time in 9 years someone other than the Dodgers won it. Last year, the Dodgers finished 22 games ahead of the Padres.  So what has changed such to cause such a seismic shift in what will be one of baseball’s most watched division races?  The Padres have an expected payroll that that now exceeds the Dodgers for the first time in history (probably…I didn’t source 75 years’ worth of payroll data).  Peter Seidler, the Padres’ owner, has given GM AJ Preller the directive to assemble a roster than can win the World Series, and he’s done exactly that. The Padres brought in Xander Bogarts on an 11-year, $280 million deal to play shortstop and lead off for a lineup whose 1-4 may be the best in baseball with Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr. when he’s eligible to return from his PED suspension on April 20th. The rest of the lineup features 2-time All-Star Jake Cronenworth, former KBO star Ha-Seong Kim, and Gold Glover Trent Grisham.  A resurgent Matt Carpenter will start out in RF and replace Nelson Cruz at DH when Tatis returns.  While not as deep as other rotations, the star power at the top is real. I can assure you no lineup would be excited to see Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and Blake Snell in a playoff series.  After a a few bumps in the road after being traded, Josh Hader righted the ship late in the year returning to his status as one of the most feared pitchers in baseball.  He will lead a bullpen that should be able to close out any game the Padres lead after 5 or 6 innings.  Robert Suarez, Luis Garcia and Drew Pomeranz are all strikeout artists projected to average 11 K/9; a key trait for any good bullpen. The Padres’ ascent pairs nicely with the Dodgers taking a step back. Trea Turner left for the Phillies, and his intended replacement, Gavin Lux, tore his ACL in spring training and will miss all of 2023. Despite Turners departure, the Dodgers still have star power in Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Will Smith. However, the team’s depth will be tested in a real way.  Roster Resource projects 4 (JD Martinez, Trayce Thompson, Miguel Rojas, and David Peralta) of the 9 batters to have a WAR less than 2, the threshold for what is considered league average. One of the players not included in this group is rookie 2B Miguel Vargas who fractured his pinky finger in early in spring and was still playing but instructed not to swing at any pitches until medically cleared.  The pitching staff will miss starter Walker Buehler who had Tommy John surgery last August and relivers JP Feyereisen and Blake Treinen who had shoulder surgery and Daniel Hudson who had knee surgery.  Pick: Padres to win NL West +120Forrest Allen has a Masters of Science in Business Analytics from NYU specializing in the development of machine learning models for sports application. 

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2023 MLB: Division Winner Predictions

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

The 2023 MLB season is upon us as plenty of new faces in new places not to mention a number of new rules draw the attention of even the most casual baseball fans on Opening Day. Even if you're not interested in betting MLB futures, it's a good time to take stock of each division, even in a year where divisional play will be less of a factor (teams will play fewer games against divisional opponents than in previous years). Here's my take on which team is the best bet (not necessarily the most likely) to win each division crown. All odds taken from Bet365.American League EastTampa Bay Rays +380I'll skip past the supposed top two A.L. East contenders in the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays as I feel both teams have their flaws, not to mention are overpriced in my opinion. That's not to say the Tampa Bay Rays don't have their own warts, most notably offensively, but I really like the way they're set up from a pitching perspective.  I also favor them at these odds with the new scheduling system that will see them play far fewer games against their own division. Tampa Bay has a number of young players that figure to be entering their prime, most notably Wander Franco and Brandon Lowe. Third baseman Isaac Parades is a less talked about player that will also be one to watch this season. Keep in mind, this is a Rays club that is just one year removed from winning the division in 2021. American League CentralChicago White Sox +150I'm higher on the Chicago White Sox than some as I feel they get an immediate boost with the departure of Tony Larussa. Consider the impact similar to what we saw in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars following the Urban Meyer debacle. There's a potential 'sling-shot' effect that I don't believe is being properly factored into the division odds. The Cleveland Guardians are perennial favorites in the division and they'll be difficult to contend with again this season. However, I think the ceiling is extremely high for the White Sox as they figure to stay healthier than they did during a disastrous 2022 campaign. Like the Rays, the White Sox have significant young talent that projects to hit its stride. Pitching may be a touchy subject but I'm confident the White Sox can slug their way to plenty of victories in games that just didn't go their way a year ago.American League WestSeattle Mariners +300While there's no question I'm in the minority, I do think there's a path for the Seattle Mariners to not only win the A.L. West but finish with the best record in the American League and dare I say the entire Majors. Everything is breaking right for the M's as they enter the campaign loaded with optimism but perhaps not the same pressure or expectation level as say the Yankees, Astros or Blue Jays. This is a Mariners club that is built for the ballpark it plays in. Don't sleep on the Seattle pitching staff either, with an underrated starting rotation led by last year's big pre-trade deadline acquisition Luis Castillo and book-ended by a pair of shutdown arms that could arguably hold down the closing job for any team in baseball. National League EastAtlanta Braves +135I think the Atlanta Braves are a steal at the price quoted but you'll need to shop around as you can find them as generous as +135 but as unfavorable as -110. Regardless of the price, I think the potential is there for the Braves to run away with the division. All of the pieces are there for the Braves to take another run at a World Series title after ascending to that peak in 2021. Health issues plagued the club last year but that's not something that can be properly projected or assessed moving forward. We can assume we'll get a bounce-back year from Ronald Acuna Jr. among others and we know what we're going to get from a loaded Atlanta pitching staff that will only get stronger as its younger arms come into their own. Neither the Mets or Phillies scare me all that much in this division and certainly won't intimidate the Braves.National League CentralMilwaukee Brewers +160I simply feel it's 'one of those years' for the Milwaukee Brewers - in a good way. The Brew Crew have few flaws and should be able to front-run in a ho-hum Central Division where I only consider the St. Louis Cardinals to be a serious threat (sorry Cubs fans). That's not to say I'm all that high on the Brewers - I don't anticipate them going on a deep playoff run, for instance. This prediction has perhaps more to do with my dislike for the Cardinals long-term prospects heading into the campaign. I have them as one of the more overrated and overvalued teams in baseball with a pitching staff that will need additional help as the season progresses. The N.L. Central as a whole doesn't pique much interest for me. National League WestArizona Diamondbacks +4000I know this one sounds crazy but hear me out. The Los Angeles Dodgers aren't going to get any of my money at -120. Nor are the San Diego Padres at +110. I don't think the San Francisco Giants have a high enough ceiling to go in on them with a futures bet while the Colorado Rockies figure to challenge for the worst record in baseball. That leaves the Arizona Diamondbacks, a young club with a ton of upside but very low expectations entering the 2023 campaign. I think folks are going to be surprised by the offense the Snakes are going to put up early in the season. I mentioned the potential 'sling-shot' effect with the White Sox earlier. I think the D'Backs are set up to enjoy the same, albeit for different reasons. They boast a number of young players that are in line for breakout campaigns, with catcher Gabriel Moreno being one of my favorites of the bunch (he's not talked about nearly enough in my opinion). With a Cy Young candidate in Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly at the front of the rotation and what I consider to be an underrated bullpen, the Snakes could surprise and at such a generous price, I'm biting. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 03/29/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA and NHL.The National Basketball Association has ten games on its docket. The Milwaukee Bucks travel to Indiana to play the Pacers at 7:10 PM ET. The Bucks won for the fourth time in their last five games with their 126-117 victory as a 13-point favorite on Monday. Milwaukee is an 11.5-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings). Three NBA games tip off at 7:40 PM ET. The New York Knicks host the Miami Heat. The Knicks ended a three-game losing streak with a 137-115 victory against Houston as a 13.5-point favorite on Monday. The Heat have lost two games in a row after their 106-92 loss at Toronto as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. New York is a 4-point favorite. The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Dallas Mavericks. The 76ers are on a three-game losing streak after their 116-111 loss at Denver as a 7-point underdog on Monday. The Mavericks ended a four-game losing streak with a 127-104 victory at Indiana as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. Philadelphia is a 5-point favorite. The Brooklyn Nets are at home against the Houston Rockets. The Nets lost for the sixth time in their last seven games with their 119-106 loss to Orlando as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. The Rockets are on a six-game losing streak after a 137-115 loss at New York as a 13.5-point underdog on Monday. Brooklyn is a 12-point favorite with the total set at 230. Four NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Memphis Grizzlies host the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies are on a seven-game winning streak after a 113-108 victory against Orlando as a 6-point favorite on Tuesday. The Clippers won for the second time in their last three games in a 124-112 victory against Chicago as a 4.5-point favorite on Monday. Memphis is a 4.5-point favorite. The Los Angeles Lakers visit Chicago to play the Bulls. The Lakers were on a three-game winning streak before a 118-108 upset loss to Chicago as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. The Bulls were on a two-game winning streak before a 124-112 loss in Los Angeles to the Clippers as a 4.5-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles is a 2-point road favorite. The Oklahoma City Thunder play the Detroit Pistons. The Thunder lost for the third time in their last four games with their 137-134 loss to Charlotte as a 10-point favorite on Tuesday. The Pistons are on a three-game losing streak after their 126-117 loss to Milwaukee as a 13-point underdog on Monday. Oklahoma City is an 11-point favorite. The Utah Jazz are in San Antonio against the Spurs. The Jazz are on a four-game losing streak after a 117-103 loss to Phoenix as an 8-point underdog on Monday. The Spurs are on a four-game losing streak after a 132-93 loss at Boston as a 16.5-point underdog on Sunday.  Utah is a 4-point road favorite. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Phoenix Suns host the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Suns have won two games in a row after their 117-103 victory at Utah as an 8-point favorite on Monday. The Timberwolves are on a four-game winning streak after a 119-115 victory at Sacramento as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. Phoenix is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 235.The Sacramento Kings play in Portland against the Trail Blazers. The Kings’ two-game winning streak ended with a 119-115 loss to Minnesota as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. The Trail Blazers are on a three-game losing streak after their 124-90 loss to New Orleans as an 11.5-point underdog on Monday. Sacramento is a 12.5-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:37 PM ET. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Florida Panthers. The Maple Leafs won for the second time in their last three games with a 3-2 win at Nashville on Sunday. The Panthers are on a four-game losing streak after a 5-2 loss at Ottawa on Monday. Toronto is a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The New York Islanders play in Washington against the Capitals on TNT. The Islanders won for the fourth time in their last six games with their 5-1 victory against New Jersey on Monday. The Capitals lost for the fourth time in their last five games after a 4-3 loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday. Both teams are priced at -110 with an over/under of 6.The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the Minnesota Wild on TNT at 10:07 PM ET. The Avalanche are on a three-game winning streak with nine victories in their last ten games after a 5-1 victory at Anaheim on Monday. The Wild won for the fourth time in their last five games with a 5-1 victory against Seattle on Monday. Colorado is a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 6.

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MLB 2023: NL East Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

NL East Division Preview for MLB 2023 Atlanta Braves – Looking very strong again and already their division title possibilities increased with Mets losing closer Edwin Diaz to injury and Phillies losing star first basemen Rhys Hoskins to injury. The Braves have great pitching including Strider and Fried and Wright as starters and a superb bullpen. Very solid lineup too and just such a solid organization from top to bottom and some extra motivation coming into this season after last season’s surprising post-season exit.  Miami Marlins – Couple of good starting pitchers but weak lineup and a bullpen that I really can’t trust. The lineup is the biggest concern again in Miami. They do have some great starting pitching and that is what allows them to be as competitive as they are but only a very bad Washington team is insuring they stay out of the basement in this division this year.  New York Mets – Tough loss with top reliever Edwin Diaz lost to a season-ending injury. But still this team was already strong and then made some huge offseason acquisitions. You still have to like the Mets chances of challenging the Braves for the top spot in the division. Other bullpen arms can step up and this New York team was different was Showalter was brought in. Can aging arms in the rotation hold u? Definitely a very dangerous lineup that opposing team do not relish facing.  Philadelphia Phillies – Another team dealing with a tough injury loss with star first baseman Rhys Hoskins lost to a season-ending injury. The fact Phillies made it to World Series last year was no fluke. However, Bryce Harper also going to miss time to start the season. This Phillies team could struggle until Harper comes back but at least Trea Turner is a huge addition to the lineup. Still plenty of pop on this team and really like the speed of Turner at the top of the lineup also. Plus solid rotation and strong bullpen here in Philly. Definitely should be an intriguing battle between the Phillies, Mets, and Braves for the top spot in the division.  Washington Nationals – Going to be a long season in DC. The Nationals have fallen dramatically in the last 3 seasons and have question marks everywhere. Starting pitching, bullpen, lineup, all have concerns. The rebuild is on in DC. They have added some young arms to the pitching staff and look to build for the future but this season when you look at what they have and this rebuilt lineup, this looks like a team that is going to again lose the majority of its games. Will look to fade this team often with run line plays or when we get solid money line value. 

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NCAA Final Four Breakdown

by ASA, Inc.

Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

CONNECTICUT – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 3rd / Defensive Efficiency – 11th Strength of Schedule – 25thOverall Record – 29-8 SU / 25-11-1 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 17-8 SUOver/Under Record – 20-17 UCONN BREAKDOWN - Most balanced team remaining ranking into the top 11 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency.  No other team remaining ranks in the top 25 in each.  Defense has been outstanding in the tourney allowing just 59 PPG thus far.  The Huskies have held their 4 NCAA tournament opponents (Iona, St Mary’s, Arkansas, & Gonzaga), a combined 74 points below their season scoring average which equates to 18.5 PPG below their average per team.  That includes holding the nation’s top scoring offense, Gonzaga, to just 54 points which is 34 points below their average.  The UConn offense has done their part as well scoring at least 82 points in 3 of their 4 tourney games.  They are shooting 49.5% in the Big Dance and they have out rebounded their opponents by 49 or +12.25 boards per game.  The Huskies do have a few weaknesses to note.  They foul too much with 24% of their opponent’s points coming from the FT line (7th most nationally) and they turn the ball over quite a bit (almost 19% TO rate).  They have won each of their NCAA tournament games by at least 15 points and their average scoring margin in the Dance is +22.5.     FAU – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 24th / Defensive Efficiency – 29th  Strength of Schedule – 114th Overall Record – 35-3 SU / 24-11-1 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 9-1 SUOver/Under Record – 18-17-1 FAU BREAKDOWN – The Owls are quite balanced as one of only 2 teams remaining that rank in the top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency (UConn is the other).  They have had 4 tight games in the tourney with all of their wins coming by single digits.  The Owls average scoring margin in the Big Dance is +4.75 and they trailed with under 10 minutes remaining in all 4 of their games.  They rely very heavily on shooting the 3 with 37% of their points coming from deep (25th most nationally) and they shoot it well at 36.5% from beyond the arc.  FAU is a deep team with 9 players averaging double digit minutes on the season and they have only 1 senior in their regular rotation.  Their weaknesses would include not getting to the FT line very often (302nd nationally in points from the charity stripe) and the Owls don’t create many turnovers defensively (181st).  Their strength of schedule is the lowest remaining, however Conference USA has proven to be better than most anticipated.  As of Monday, CUSA is 15-1 SU and 13-3 ATS in post-season tournament play with FAU, Charlotte, UNT, and UAB all playing in the NCAA, NIT, or CBI.    MIAMI FL – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 5th / Defensive Efficiency – 104th  Strength of Schedule – 65th Overall Record – 29-7 SU / 22-14 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 17-5 SUOver/Under Record – 17-18-1 MIAMI BREAKDOWN – This is a veteran team that made it to the Elite 8 last season so they know what a deep run in the tourney is all about.  Their guard play is among the best in the country with Isaiah Wong (16 PPG) and Nigel Pack (14 PPG) both able to score from deep each hitting over 38% from 3 point land.  The Canes had the toughest run through the Sweet 16 / Elite 8 having to take out both Houston (the #2 overall seed in the tournament) and Texas (the #6 overall seed in the tournament).  This is a high level offensive team averaging 80 PPG on the season along with being one of the most efficient teams in the country (5th).  They have scored at least 85 points in each of their last 3 games vs Indiana, Houston, and Texas with the last 2 opponents each ranking inside the top 15 in defensive efficiency.  The obvious weakness for the Canes is on the defensive end.  They are the only team remaining that does not rank inside the top 30 in defensive efficiency and the actually fall outside the top 100 in that statistic.  Miami isn’t a big team with no starter taller than 6’7 and opponents have been able to score both midrange (277th)  and at the rim (96th) on this team.  They have been a bit unlucky with opponents making nearly 75% of their FT’s this season.  The Hurricanes have been a fantastic underdog going 20-5 ATS in that role the last 2 seasons.    SAN DIEGO STATE – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 75th / Defensive Efficiency – 4th   Strength of Schedule – 35thOverall Record – 31-6 SU / 19-15-2 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 17-6 SUOver/Under Record – 14-22 SAN DIEGO STATE BREAKDOWN – The Aztecs live and die with their defense which is one of the best in the country ranking 4th in efficiency while allowing 64 PPG.  Because of that defense this team has been an Under machine down the stretch with each of their last 12 games going Under the total.  The strength of their outstanding defense is at the 3 point line where they hold opponents to just 27% shooting on the season (2nd nationally).  SDSU has allowed only 57 PPG in the Big Dance with 3 of their 4 opponents failing to reach 60 points.  Their 4 opponents in the NCAA tournament have attempted a combined 94 three pointers and made only 16 of those shots (17%).  They’ve held their opponents to just 34% shooting overall in the Big Dance.  The Aztecs defense needs to be very good because their offense isn’t great.  They rank outside the top 200 nationally in eFG% and they are making less than 42% of their shots in the tourney thus far.  SDSU is a deep, veteran team with 9 players averaging more than 10 minutes per game and all are upperclassmen.  They play at a slow tempo and really make teams work for good shots with opponents averaging nearly 19 s 

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MLB 2023: AL East Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

AL East Division Preview for MLB 2023Baltimore Orioles – A lot of people are down on the Orioles and really expecting them to drop this season. While I do have concerns about this pitching staff, if they surprise then the Orioles can again surprise because they have some good young players and also added some veteran pieces. This team strong up the middle including behind the plate which is so important and helps pitchers too. Boston Red Sox – This is a team continuing to trend the wrong direction and it looks like it could get worse before it gets better. For starters, this is a tough division. But then the loss of Bogaerts and the overall roster turnover and it really feels like the Red Sox organization is entering a transitional period. If they get miracle health with their pitching staff they might surprise but I doubt that. Too many question marks with position players and with the pitching staff. This team likely to finish in the cellar and struggle. New York Yankees – The Yankees look stacked. New York looks so strong and there is just not much more to say here. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they have used their resources to build quite the formidable team now and seem to be set in all the key facets of the game. Their farm system has been pillaged due to trades, etc. but that will affect them a little further down the line. Right now it is a “win now” mentality and that should continue to pay dividends this season. Tampa Bay Rays – The opposite of the Yankees, the small-market Rays continue to get it done and could challenge for the #2 spot in the division behind New York. Tampa Bay has a solid pitching staff and, if healthy, they could be a key catalyst for a rather strong season again more similar to the 2021 and 2020 results than the 2022 season. I am not crazy about their batting lineup but pitching, including bullpen, is a real strength in Tampa with the all-important health factor being a key of course. Glasnow is a top pitcher that is going to be out until sometime in May it appears. That is a key injury issue for sure but as long as it does not go far beyond the current early May projection things should be fine overall for Tampa. Toronto Blue Jays – Blue Jays continue to be so close. Solid club that is just not quite elite yet and you wonder if they can push over the top this season. Maybe is a veteran leadership issue as this team has some young stars but I do expect another solid season for them but just don’t think they are going to be able to unseat the Yankees this season. Pretty solid pitching staff though and a lineup with dangerous sticks again means they challenge the Rays for playing 2nd fiddle to Yankees this season. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/28/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Boston Celtics travel to play the Washington Wizards at 7:10 PM ET as an 11-point road favorite, with the total set at 227 (all odds from DraftKings). Two more NBA games tip off at 7:40 PM ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers play in Atlanta against the Hawks as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 234. The Toronto Raptors host the Miami Heat on TNT as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 219. The NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Memphis Grizzlies play at home against the Orlando Magic as a 7.5-point favorite. The Oklahoma City Thunder are at home against the Charlotte Hornets as a 9-point favorite. The Golden State Warriors host the New Orleans Pelicans on TNT at 10:10 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The New York Rangers play at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -280 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Philadelphia Flyers are at home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Boston Bruins host the Nashville Predators as a -300 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Pittsburgh Penguins are in Detroit to play the Red Wings as a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The St. Louis Blues host the Vancouver Canucks at 8:07 PM ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars visit the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:37 PM ET as a -275 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Calgary Flames play at home against the Los Angeles Kings at 9:07 PM ET as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers battle the Vegas Golden Knights on the road at 10:07 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Winnipeg Jets are in San Jose to play the Sharks at 10:37 PM ET as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has two games in the semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. North Texas faces Wisconsin on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Mean Green won for the sixth time in their last seven games with their 65-59 upset victory at Oklahoma State as a 4.5-point underdog last Tuesday. The Badgers are on a three-game winning streak after their 61-58 upset win at Oregon as a 1.5-point underdog on Tuesday. North Texas is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 115.5. UAB goes against Utah Valley State on ESPN2 at 9:30 PM ET. The Blazers won for the 11th time in their last 12 games with their 67-59 victory at Vanderbilt as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Wolverines are on a three-game winning streak after their 74-68 victory against Cincinnati as a 2-point favorite on Wednesday. UAB is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 151.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 03/27/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Mar 27, 2023

The Monday sports card features action in the NBA and the NHL.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Milwaukee Bucks travel to Detroit to play the Pistons. The Bucks were on a three-game winning streak before a 129-106 loss at Denver as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Pistons are on a five-game losing streak with 16 losses in their last 17 games after a 118-97 loss at Toronto as a 14-point underdog on Friday. Milwaukee is a 15.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 232.The Dallas Mavericks play in Indiana against the Pacers. The Mavericks are on a four-game losing streak with seven losses in their last nine games after a 110-104 upset loss to Charlotte as a 12-point road favorite on Sunday. The Pacers lost for the fourth time in their last five games in a 143-130 loss at Atlanta as a 10-point underdog on Saturday. Dallas is a 1-point road favorite. The New York Knicks host the Houston Rockets at 7:40 PM ET. The Knicks are on a three-game losing streak after their 111-106 upset loss at Orlando as a 1-point underdog on Thursday. The Rockets are on a five-game losing streak after a 108-91 loss in Cleveland as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. New York is a 12.5-point favorite. The Phoenix Suns are in Utah to play the Jazz at 9:10 PM ET. The Suns ended a three-game losing streak with a 125-105 victory against Philadelphia as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Jazz have lost three games in a row, with a 121-113 loss at Sacramento on Saturday. Phoenix is a 6.5-point road favorite. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Philadelphia 76ers at 9:40 PM ET. The Nuggets are on a three-game winning streak after their victory against Milwaukee on Saturday. The 76ers lost their second-straight game in their loss to Phoenix on Saturday. Denver is a 5-point favorite. Two NBA games start at 10:10 PM ET. The Sacramento Kings are at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Kings won for the fifth time in their last seven games with their 121-113 victory against Utah as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Timberwolves are on a three-game winning streak after their 99-96 upset victory at Golden State as a 5-point underdog on Sunday. Sacramento is a 5.5-point favorite. The New Orleans Pelicans visit the Portland Trail Blazers. The Pelicans are on a four-game winning streak with their 131-110 upset victory in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Trail Blazers lost for the eighth time in their last nine games in a 118-112 loss to Oklahoma City as a 9.5-point underdog on Sunday. New Orleans is an 8.5-point road favorite.The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against the Chicago Bulls at 10:40 PM ET. The Clippers lost for the second time in their last three games in a 131-110 upset loss to New Orleans as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday.  The Bulls are on a two-game winning streak after their 118-108 upset win in Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 5-point underdog on Sunday. Los Angeles is a 5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Florida Panthers travel to Ottawa to play the Senators as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens as a -215 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The  New Jersey Devils play in New York against the Islanders at 7:37 PM ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Minnesota Wild are at home against the Seattle Kraken at 8:07 PM ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two more games complete the NHL card at 10:07 PM ET. The Colorado Avalanche play in Anaheim against the Ducks as a -260 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers are in Arizona to play the Coyotes as a -315 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/26/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Mar 26, 2023

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. The Dallas Mavericks travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets at 1:10 PM ET as a 9.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 228 (all odds from DraftKings). The Los Angeles Lakers host the Chicago Bulls at 3:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite. Five NBA games top off at 6:10 PM ET. The Memphis Grizzlies visit Atlanta as a 2-point road favorite. The Boston Celtics host the San Antonio Spurs as a 16-point favorite. The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Houston Rockets as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223.5. The Orlando Magic are at home against the Brooklyn Nets as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 225.5. The Toronto Raptors host the Washington Wizards as a 6-point favorite. The Oklahoma City Thunder play in Portland against the Trail Blazers at 7:10 PM ET. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8:40 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Colorado Avalanche visits Arizona to play the Coyotes at 3:07 PM ET as a -285 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Boston Bruins play in Carolina to play the Hurricanes at 5:07 PM ET, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 6. Two NHL games drop the puck at 6:07 PM ET. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in Nashville to play the Predators as a -170 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Vancouver Canucks play in Chicago against the Blackhawks as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against the St. Louis Blues at 10:37 PM ET as a -200 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has the final two games in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament on CBS. Creighton battles San Diego State at 2:20 PM ET. The Bluejays won for the sixth time in their last seven games with their 86-75 victory against Princeton as a 10-point favorite on Friday. They began the NCAA tournament with a 72-63 win against North Carolina State before beating Princeton, 86-75, to reach the Sweet 16 last week. They have a 24-12 record. The Aztecs are on a seven-game winning streak with their 71-64 upset win against Alabama as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday. They opened the NCAA tournament with a 63-67 victory against the College of Charleston before a 75-52 win against Furman to reach the Sweet 16. Creighton is a 2-point favorite with a total of 135.Texas faces Miami (FL) at 5:05 PM ET. The Longhorns are on a seven-game winning streak after their 83-71 victory against Xavier as a 4-point favorite on Friday. Texas began the NCAA tournament with an 81-61 win against Colgate before beating Penn State, 71-66, to reach the Sweet 16. The Hurricanes have won five of their last six games with an 89-75 upset victory against Houston as an 8-point underdog on Friday. They beat Drake, 63-56, in the first round of the NCAA tournament before outlasting Indiana, 85-69, to reach the Sweet 16. Texas is a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 149.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/25/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Mar 25, 2023

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Atlanta Hawks host the Indiana Pacers at 5:10 PM ET. The Miami Heat play at home against the Brooklyn Nets as a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 222 (all odds from DraftKings). The Denver Nuggets are at home against the Milwaukee Bucks at 9:10 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite. Two NBA games tip off at 10:10 PM ET. The Philadelphia 76ers travel to Phoenix to play the Suns as a 1-point road favorite. The Sacramento Kings host the Utah Jazz as a 9.5-point favorite. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home against the New Orleans Pelicans at 10:40 PM ET as a 5-point favorite with a total of 224.5.The National Hockey League has 15 games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 1:07 PM ET. The Philadelphia Flyers are at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Boston Bruins host the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Seattle Kraken visit Nashville to play the Predators at 2:07 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two NHL games start at 4:07 PM ET. The Los Angeles Kings play at home against the Winnipeg Jets as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Calgary Flames are at home against the San Jose Sharks as a -300 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Three more NHL games begin at 5:07 PM ET. The Minnesota Wild host the Chicago Blackhawks as a -345 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Florida Panthers play at home against the New York Rangers as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Islanders are at home against the Buffalo Sabres as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Dallas Stars host the Vancouver Canucks as a -195 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Montreal Canadiens play at home against the Columbus Bluejackets as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 6.  The New Jersey Devils are at home against the Ottawa Senators as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes host the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at home against the Washington Capitals on ABC at 8:07 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers are at home against the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:07 PM ET as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The St. Louis Blues travel to Anaheim to play the Ducks at 10:37 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has the first two games in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament on TBS. Kansas State plays Florida Atlantic at 6:09 PM ET at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Wildcats are a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 144.5. Connecticut battles Gonzaga at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at 8:49 PM ET. The Huskies are a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/24/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Mar 24, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has ten games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Boston Celtics host the Indiana Pacers as an 11.5-point favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Washington Wizards play at home against the Sacramento Kings as a 7-point favorite. The Toronto Raptors are at home against the Detroit Pistons at 7:40 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite. The Memphis Grizzlies host the Houston Rockets at 8:10 PM ET as a -12.5-point favorite. The Charlotte Hornets play in Dallas against the Mavericks at 8:40 PM ET.The Milwaukee Bucks travel to Utah to play the Jazz at 9:10 PM ET as an 8.5-point road favorite. Three more NBA games tip off at 10:10 PM ET. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Philadelphia 76ers as a 5-point favorite. The Chicago Bulls are in Portland to play the Trail Blazers as a 2-point road favorite. The Sacramento Kings host the Phoenix Suns as a 4.5-point favorite. The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 10:40 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite at BetMGM.The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The New York Islanders visit Columbus to play the Bluejackets as a -200 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The New Jersey Devils play in Buffalo against the Sabres as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the Arizona Coyotes at 9:07 PM ET as a -405 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has the final four games in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Alabama goes against San Diego State on TBS at 6:30 PM ET at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The Crimson Tide are on a five-game winning streak after their 73-51 victory against Maryland as an 8.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Aztecs won their sixth straight game with its 75-52 victory against Furman as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. Alabama is a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137. Houston battles Miami (FL) on CBS at 7:15 PM ET at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Cougars won for the 15th time in their last 16 games with their 81-64 victory against Auburn as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Hurricanes won for the fourth time in their last five games with an 85-69 upset victory against Indiana as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. Houston is a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 138.Creighton plays Princeton at 9 PM ET on TBS in Louisville. The Bluejays won for the fifth time in their last six games with an 85-76 victory against Baylor as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. The Tigers are on a six-game winning streak after their 78-63 upset win against Missouri as a 6.5-pint underdog on Saturday. Creighton is a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 140. Texas faces Xavier on CBS at 9:45 PM ET in Kansas City. The Longhorns are on a six-game winning streak after their 71-66 victory against Penn State as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. The Musketeers won for the seventh time in their last nine games with an 84-73 victory against Pittsburgh as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. Texas is a 4.5-point favorite, with a total of 149.

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MLB 2023: AL Central Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Thursday, Mar 23, 2023

AL Central Division Preview for MLB 2023Chicago White Sox – When you look at this roster it looks like one of the strongest ones in the league but yet these team seems to have some internal issues. Clubhouse issues can be tough over the long course of an MLB season and this could ultimately be the downfall of Chicago again this season. Something just seems a bit off with team atmosphere. But decent lineup and solid starting pitching should insure at least a shot at a wild card berth for this team. Cleveland Guardians –This team should top the division and, unlike the White Sox, solid clubhouse atmosphere here overall and that is a difference maker. Cleveland also made a couple of solid off-season adds with Bell and Zunino. The latter is not much of a hitter at all but is solid behind the plate and that can help and already strong pitching rotation be even stronger this season. Detroit Tigers – Two seasons ago in 2021 it looked like the Tigers might be turning things around but then they regressed again. Looking at their lineup and the fact they have some question marks in the starting rotation too, just very hard to trust this team to bounce back this season. They have made some front office changes that should breath new life into the organization but it is still a rebuild project here that is going on this season. Kansas City Royals – Similar to Tigers, Royals had a more respectable season the year before last but, also similar to Detroit, they then regressed again last season. Kansas City just does not quite have enough to make much of a move yet. You look at their lineup and they have too many holes and too few guys like Bobby Witt who they could use more of for sure. Then you look at the rotation and there is just not a lot there to get excited about. They will battle the Tigers to stay out of the division basement. Minnesota Twins – Catcher is a more important position than many realize and the fact is that the addition of Vazquez is significant for this team. To me this is the one team that is a bit of an unknown in this division. If things fall well enough into place and Vazquez helps get the best out of this pitching rotation from his spot behind the plate, this could be big for this team and they could challenge the Guardians and also move in front of the White Sox. Solid rotation, decent lineup, this team will be interesting to watch this season as they could surprise. 

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