A Thursday of Action

Certainly have had run into some tough luck as Eddie’s pick losses by a point for 1-2 day. Let’s see if we can turn this jalopy around and have top notch college system for tonight that is 85.7 percent, with bonus information. The Top Trend is going against the hottest road team in the NHL, but hard to argue with 17-2. Good Luck

New Poll Question about announcers at the bottom of page.

What I thought yesterday – Though I was sort of rooting for the Phillies, I had no problem with the Yankees being champs. While some small-minded people will use the argument that they paid for the World Series, I say good for them. Answer me this, how would you like to work for an organization that has an incredible desire to succeed? (I will use the caveat of at the expense of hurting others for personal gain). The Yankees had a plan and executed it.

I feel a little bad about today’s system, since I have warm spot in my heart for NIU in DeKalb, IL. It was the city of my future (and still existing) bride’s and I first date.

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/3Dailywinners

Free Football System-1) PLAY Against favorites of 10.5 to 21 points like Northern Illinois off a home win, who has a win percentage of 60-80 percent, playing a terrible team with win percentage below 25 percent. Since 2005, this system is 24-4 ATS, 85.7 percent. (Bonus-The home team is also 0-8 ATS in this series)

Free Hockey Trend-2) I know the NHL angle lost the other day; however this one is awfully potent. The L.A. Kings are 17-2 ATS after playing a game where eight or more total goals were scored.

Free Basketball Pick -3) Randy of the LCC has San Antonio as a winner tonight.

Grab Paul Buck’s Thursday Thunder in Guaranteed College Football action. He’s on 11-3 run on side and totals.

The Platinum Sheet is stuffed with winning information and picks.

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World Series Game 6 Questions and Answers

Tonight either the New York Yankees win a 27th World Series or are pushed to a deciding Game 7. The beauty of a series is it evolves and takes on a life of its own, which is particularly true in baseball since every game involves two new starting pitchers that alter the dynamics from game to game. For the baseball bettor that means breaking the contest down into components in order to pick the right side or total. Here are Game 6’s most pressing questions.

Can Andy Pettitte pitch effectively on three days’ rest?

This is the leading mystery coming into this confrontation and even Pettitte admits he has no idea how his arm will react. When asked what it’s like to throw on short rest, Pettitte responded, “Man, I don't even remember the last time I went on three days' rest,"

In fact, it was September 30, 2006, when still a member of the Houston Astros. The left-hander is not an excitable type and will likely focus his attention on breaking pitches and off-speed stuff if the fastball isn’t up to typical standards. Pettitte is 4-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 14 career starts on three days' rest. With more adrenaline pumping in the playoffs, he is 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA on short rest. Sportsbook.com has New York as -200 money line favorites. With Pettitte on the mound, his record is 36-8 as a home favorite of -175 to -200 since 1997. (Team's Record)

Manager Joe Girardi better hope this works tonight, otherwise he will be facing the critics before tomorrow’s Game 7 with Burnett and Pettitte both failing in using this pitching strategy.

What’s that cool breeze?

Every year different player’s end up having struggles in the playoffs or World Series and right now two guys are in the heart of each team’s lineup. Mark Teixeira is batting below .200 in the Fall Classic and has been fanned 16 times since postseason action commenced. His body language suggests he’s pressing, swinging harder after each strike. New York could use his normally potent bat to wrap up this series, since he contributed to Yankees 60-23 record as a home favorite of -110 or higher this season.

Ryan Howard’s timing couldn’t be more off. His swing mechanics are a mess and he’s tied the World Series record for strikeouts with 13, with at least one more game to go. What makes hitting so intriguing is Howard could come up in the first inning and hit a soft liner the other way, just over Derek Jeter’s head and suddenly start sending rockets all around Yankee Stadium. Given Philadelphia is such a large underdog; his big bat could take the Phillies to 12-3 in road games after three or more consecutive home games this season.

How does manager Charley Manuel use Pedro Martinez?

Give Martinez credit, in two playoff starts he’s allowed three runs in 13 innings, striking out 11 and walking just two. Though the radar gun seldom sees 90 anymore, Pedro still struts around the mound like a peacock, acting like he owns the place. Look for Yankees hitters to be more patient this time and not be as inclined to swing at off-speed pitches out of the strike zone. It would be in Manuel’s best interest to start getting a pitcher ready once Martinez goes thru the batting order once, since he doesn’t have enough heat to keep New York batters honest and not sitting on off-speed tosses.

How cool is it right now to be Alex Rodriguez or Chase Utley?

For both these hitters, they are as ESPN’s Stewart Scott would say, “cool as the other side of the pillow”. They are working pitchers until they make the slightest mistake and rocketing shots like they are seeing batting practice speed beach balls. Each is capable of winning a game single-handily with the way they are swinging. Will Utley raise the Phillies playoff record to 21-8 the last two years and force a Game 7 or does A-Rod drop an “A-Bomb” (Yankees radio announcer John Sterling call) and New York is champion yet again and finishes the year 39-11 as a favorite of -175 to -250 this season.

What was learned from Game 5 that could determine winner for tonight?

The most important factor for the sports bettor is the OVER could well hit a fourth straight game. The first two contests of the World Series saw rested starting pitchers going deep in games, for a pair of Under’s. Since then, the two most power-laden team in the big leagues have hit homers in smallish parks against relief pitchers who have resembled an interleague matchup of the Orioles and Nationals.

If you take Mariano Rivera out of the equation, if either team trails buy almost any margin, they have to feel they can comeback against two bullpens short on getting outs quickly.

"Anybody seen Charley?"

Yankees manager Joe Girardi has been accused of micromanaging at different points throughout the postseason. Whether that point is true or not is debatable, but it is certainly more than what Charley Manuel has done for Philadelphia. Manuel is an old school-type, letting player’s work through difficult situations, so that next time they will be better prepared having experienced the rough parts.

The problem with that mentality is it’s the World Series, Charley. The time when you play for all the marbles, you remember, you brought home the trophy last season. Since Game 2, the Phillies haven’t looked like themselves. Errors in the field, mental blunders, lack of clutch hitting and bullpen issues that just won’t go away.

In Game 4, Manuel should have come out of the dugout, after Johnny Damon ran all the way to third base on a steal and Phillies fielding miscue in the top of the ninth of a 4-4 contest. Even if he was not inclined to do so initially, it would have absolutely necessary after Brad Lidge nailed Mark Teixeira. With Lidge having not pitched in 12 days, the game on the line, a calming influence of a manager to settle everything down, discuss how to pitch to Alex Rodriquez and play ball again.

Instead nothing. Catcher Carlos Ruiz became too conservative calling for fastballs, fearing Lidge’s slider might bounce in the dirt and get away and went after A-Rod with his second best pitch. As ESPN’s Bobby Valentine correctly pointed out after the game, if a catcher, pitcher and ultimately the manager are too afraid to let a pitcher throw his best pitch in fear of the catcher might have a passed ball, maybe the wrong catcher is in the game, since those are fundamental plays worked on March.

A-Rod ripped a single to left for the lead run and Jorge Posada crushed a double to left-center to build 7-4 lead and Manuel never left his dugout post.

Now Manuel has to turn to Cliff Lee and hope he can continue torrid postseason pitching streak. Philadelphia has won all four of Lee’s playoff starts as he’s allowed two earned runs in 33.3 innings. Since the left-hander put on a Phillies uniform, his team is 12-4.

DiamondSportsbook.com has Lee and Phillies as -149 money line favorites, with total of Un8.5. Philadelphia knows their margin for error is eliminated and they’ve won 34 of last 46 home games as favorites. Like all teams that have played the Yankees in the postseason, Philly players are commenting, they aren’t playing their best. Do you think the opponent has something to do with that?

New York is going to ride this three day pitching thing until they can no longer. A.J. Burnett has talked all season long about feeding off CC Sabathia and now is his chance. Burnett can be the pitcher that closes out opponent for the Yankees 27th World Series title. The Yankees are 51-22 after two or more consecutive wins this season and Burnett is 34-15 when the total is 8.5 to 10 over the last two seasons. (Team's record)

FOX will have Game 5 at 7:57 Eastern, with Burnett 4-20 (Team’s record) as a road underdog of +125 to +150 in his career, however he’s never had a group like this to support him.

Red Sox and Angels do battle

As if the postseason isn’t enough motivation, the Los Angeles Angels have a score to settle. The Angels had the second best record in the American League and that accomplishment means nothings to oddsmakers. The Halos are underdogs to Boston, since in the last five years; they have one win in 10 meetings with the Red Sox in the postseason. This can’t even be described as a rivalry since the outcomes have been so one-sided.

How will this year be any different than the last three times? Los Angeles feels better equipped offensively this time around. Only the Yankees scored more runs than the Angels in baseball this season. The 5.5 runs per game and boost in power (183 home runs) gives them the belief they are less likely to be stymied like in the past, since they have averaged 2.9 runs per game in last 10 postseason conflicts.

The Angels also believe their starting pitching is every bit as good as Boston’s, maybe better. John Lackey and Jered Weaver have experience and generally pitch well at home. When they travel to Boston, Scott Kazmir and Joe Saunders will try and make life tough on Red Sox hitters, as both are throwing extremely well of late.

In theory that all sound terrific, one problem, the Angels bullpen. Though Los Angeles has a higher save percentage than Boston (73 to 69 percent), nobody is going to take the Halos pen over the BoSox. Closer Brian Fuentes just recently went under four (3.93) for his ERA for the first time this season. The Angels are 11th in bullpen ERA compared to Boston’s second place finish in the American League. According to ESPN senior editor Dave Schoenfield, only three teams since 1969 have won the World Series with a closer who had ERA greater than three.

Boston has John Papelbon (1.85 ERA) as its closer and teams that have inferior closer, but better overall record are 26-28 in the division series. The lower scoring team is 32-22 in this round and the club with the better bullpen ERA wins 58.9 percent of the time (33-23) in divisional series.

Total the numbers and you can see why the Angels are underdogs in the ALDS. For Los Angeles to win they have to score runs and HOPE the bullpen can shutdown Boston bats. If the Red Sox starters once again limit L.A. in the run column, it will be like watching the TV Land; you’ve seen this show before.


Offensive – American League
Runs scored Boston 3rd Angels 2nd
Home Runs Boston 3rd Angels 8th
Slugging Ptc. Boston 2nd Angels 4th
Walks Boston 2nd Angels 7th
On base Ptc. Boston 2nd Angels 3rd

Pitching & Defense
ERA Boston 7th Angels 9th
Bullpen ERA Boston 2nd Angels 11th
Strikeouts Boston 2nd Angels 9th
Walks Boston 6th Angels 5th
On base Ptc. Boston 8th Angels 10th
Putouts Boston 8th Angels 5th
Errors Boston 3rd Angels 4th

Key Numbers- Los Angeles won the season series 5-4, including 4-2 at the Big A. The tone of the series is likely to be set in the series opener. John Lackey is living off history as big game pitcher, having last won in his rookie season of 2002, pitching in the postseason. Lester allowed one run in 14 innings last October against the Halos and the lefty and teammates are 35-12 in the second half of the season over the last two seasons. Though several factors are in the Red Sox favor, they are desultory 3-15 in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season.

Bookmaker.com Series Odds: Red Sox -135, Angels +115