Playing the Numbers Game

Numbers are vital to every sports bettor and handicapper; they are the lifeblood of formulating strong fundamentals. There are various ways to use numbers and interpret information, those with the keen eye of dissecting figures and understanding true meanings, are usually those who take the larger portions of wagering pie. Here are numbers to consider current running sports.

NBA

With the Conference Finals in action, since 2002 between #1 & #3 seeds, the road teams have fared well against the spread, going 14-13 SU & 20-6-1 ATS.

Road teams have gone just 18-23 SU; however are 27-12-2 ATS in Games 1 & 2 of the Conference Finals over the last 10 years and since 1999, the road teams hold the ATS edge in EVERY Game Series number of the Conference Finals.

Since 1997, home favorites of six-points or more are a scintillating 41-7 SU, but just 21-26-1 ATS.

At this time, Orlando looks they will be the only home dog and if so, home underdogs are 9-8 SU & 9-7-1 ATS since '97 in the Conference Finals. The UNDER is 12-5 in those games. This postseason, road favorites are 11-2 UNDER and 7-0 UNDER in the East.

Overall, in the last three years of Conference Finals action, the UNDER has been the total of choice, going 24-11.

MLB

Philadelphia has yet to hit its stride as World Series champs; however they look very potent on the road with 13-4 record picking up +9.7 units. Contrast with San Diego who is 5-16 (-9) as visitors, being outscored by 2.2 runs per game. If you remember, the Padres started 4-1 on the road and they are 1-15 since.

Coming into the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitching was supposed to be a real question. Well thanks to favorable schedule, tremendous hitting and better than expected results from starters L.A. has the best record in the National League. One negative that stands out like Manny Ramirez drug test is bullpen. In 24 save situations, the Dodgers relievers have already blown 11 save opportunities and been saved by bats scoring runs.

The Seattle Mariners are slowly fading back to obscurity after fast start in April, nonetheless are enjoying facing that left-handed pitching with 8-3 record.

Keep a close eye on Colorado Rockies when they are in hitting slump, since they are 0-13 in road games after batting .225 or worse over a five-game span over the last two seasons.

Trusting Washington to do about anything is bad these days, be it the Senate, House or the Nationals. The Nats are third, that’s right third in runs scored in the National League at 5.1 per game. However, the pitching staff and bullpen in particular smells worse than another scandal on Capital Hill. Washington’s bullpen ERA is 6.64 and they have blown 10 of 16 save opportunities and are 1-14 for the season. The Nationals problems are further exacerbated by kicking the ball around, being the worst fielding team in baseball.

Nice to see Dontrelle Willis have a sharp outing allowing only one hit in 6 1/3 innings to earn the victory in the Tigers 4-0 win over the Rangers. Willis had allowed one it or less through six innings five times in five seasons with Florida and might be returning to form. Of course it helps Texas is spooked at Comerica Park, having lost nine in a row there. The Rangers are batting .289 as team against everybody but Detroit, coming in at paltry .111 against Tigers hurlers in MoTown.

If you had Kansas City on the money line Tuesday, you received an extremely rare treat. Cleveland’s Kerry Wood continues to be unreliable closer, blowing three run lead in the ninth after Cliff Lee pitched a superb ball game. The Royals four run outburst in the bottom of the ninth was the first time in 322 games they had come from behind by three or more runs in the last of the ninth, according to Elias Sports Bureau.