BSNblog

Philadelphia Phillies @ Toronto Blue Jays

Saturday July 2, 2011 – 1:07 PM ET

Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada

Online Sports Betting Odds: Philadelphia Phillies – 130

Halladay has been outstanding since making the move to the National League last season, earning Cy Young award honors in his first year with the Phillies and now following that up on pace for another. Toronto will send young arm Carlos Villanueva to the mound to counter the Doc in Saturday’s matinee game.

MLB Betting Preview: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are absolutely loaded on the mound, with Halladay and Cole Hamels leading the way for a staff that potentially owns four aces. They key to Philadelphia making an extended postseason run now is the play of the offense, which has ranked in the bottom-half of the league but has shown flashes of strong play. Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco have done well to get on base, while Ryan Howard continues to be the force that drives in runs, but the Phillies are looking for more from players such as Raul Ibanez and to an extent Chase Utley. Halladay is 10-3 with an incredible 2.40 ERA, and he should have no problem against a Toronto offense that has struggled with consistency all sports betting bonus year.

MLB Betting Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have shown flashes of being a team that could one day compete in the talented American League East, but there are still a few missing pieces on both sides of the ball that the team will need to acquire to get there. The offense has gone stale behind home run and All Star voting leader Jose Bautista, and Toronto will need key players such as Aaron Hill and Juan Rivera to do better from the batter’s box. Carlos Villanueva is 5-1 with a 3.15 ERA and has looked very good at times this MLB season, but he is simply outmatched against Halladay in this one.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

Despite their success, the Phillies have struggled on the road this season and will look to turn things around beginning with their trip to Toronto. Halladay will look to put on a show in the stadium in which he became one of the best in baseball, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the reigning NL Cy Young award winner go the distance.

BSN Sports Pick: Philadelphia Phillies - 130

Reds vs. Rays Betting –Tuesday, 7:10 PM ET

Johnny Cueto (5-2, 1.63) allowed a run for the first time in three starts in a 10-2 romp over the Yankees at home, but that was about it as he scattered a run on two hits over seven innings, with six strikeouts and three walks. Some baseball betting players didn’t know what to think after Cueto started the season on the disabled list, but he has been fantastic as of late and there is no reason to believe he’ll slow down, even on the road. The 25-year-old righty is making his first start against the Rays, and he is 3-1 in five starts away from home with a 1.32 ERA, which is an absolutely ridiculous number.

The Rays will counter with David Price (8-6, 3.51), who reached double figures in strikeouts for the third time this season, whiffing 10 batters in a 6-3 win in Milwaukee. Price allowed a pair of runs on five hits over eight innings, and he registered a walk as well, which is encouraging as he had walked five in his previous start against Boston. Price tossed a season-high 120 pitches against the Brewers, and he just needs to get a little consistency in his game to find the form that made him a Cy Young candidate last season. The 25-year-old lefty has never faced the Reds before, and he’s 3-4 in eight home starts in 2011, posting a 3.40 ERA.

Look for the Rays to be favored at home, where they were swept in three straight by the Reds in 2003, with two games falling under the posted total. However, we all know that the “Devil Rays” of 2003 aren’t even close to the “Rays” of 2011. Even though Cueto may be remembered for his WWE Monday Night Raw-style flying kick in a brawl last year against the Cardinals, he is quickly gaining credit for his performances this season, and he’s been remarkably steady for a player who missed the first part of the season. Price has been up and down this season, and it seems like a five-run outing is just around the corner, which is why the nod has to go to Cincinnati. Cueto has been almost perfect as of late, and if he can keep his walks down on Tuesday, the Reds should be able to cool off the Rays. Wager on the Cincinnati Reds in your best online sportsbook.

Rafa Nadal

The No. 1 ranked player in the world proved his merit once again at Roland Garros, but Nadal has constantly complained about how the long season has been tough on his legs and fatigue may start to take its toll on him at Wimbledon. Nadal faces one of the toughest roads to the finals with potential matchups against Marin Cilic and Robin Soderling before any showdown with his nemesis Federer, and if he makes it the distance it will take an incredible amount of determination for him to close out his second grand slam win of the season.

Roger Federer

Even those in the MLB world seem to pay attention whenever Roger competes in the finals at a grand slams tournament, mainly because that elusive 17th grand slam win has eluded him over the past couple of years. Not since he took the Australian Open in 2010 has Federer been at the top of his game, but he looked very good in pushing the clay court king Nadal in the finals of the French Open and it may have been a sign that he is ready to get the job done on his own turf at Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic conceded his 41-win streak to Federer in the semi finals at Roland Garros, but there is every reason to think that he will bounce back as determined as ever at this year’s Wimbledon. It may have been a blessing in disguise for the Joker to avoid Nadal at the French Open, as he now sets out on a new sports betting bonus goal with the chance at his second grand slam title of 2011.

Andy Murray

England’s greatest hope will once again look to break through with his first Grand Slam title, but he has never reached the finals at Wimbledon. Semi final appearances the past two seasons have been quite the tease for the home fans, and with one of the tougher roads to the finals once again it appears as though he will have to wait at least one more year before his streak of futility ends.

Robin Soderling

Soderling has one of the easier roads to the Wimbledon final, but the problem is doing something if he gets there. Soderling has never beaten Federer or Nadal in a major, and with both playing at such an incredible level heading into this tournament it is unlikely that online casino trend will end anytime soon.

The St. Louis Cardinals are just happy to still be in the playoff hunt in the NL Central after the rash of significant injuries they had to start the season. But now that some of the key Cardinals are coming back, the MLB betting world if the Cardinals will be able to stand with the Milwaukee Brewers and compete for the NL Central pennant. Even with most of their major parts back in place, the Cardinals are still struggling and their spot in the MLB standings atop the NL Central is in jeopardy.

For a little while there, it looked like the Phillies would actually have to deal with the Atlanta Braves as Philadelphia marched towards another NL East pennant. But as the MLB scores roll in on the way to July, the Philadelphia Phillies are opening up a lead on the Atlanta Braves and the Braves do not seem able to respond. There is still more than half the season left to go, but the Phillies look like they have hit their groove and are in command of their game.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have lost seven of its last 10 games and are currently tied with Milwaukee for the top spot in the NL Central. The Cardinals managed to pull out wins in the last two games of their series with the Kansas City Royals, otherwise St. Louis would be looking up at Milwaukee by a few games.

Kyle McClellan takes the mound for St. Louis in this game with his 6-3 record and 3.96 ERA. McClellan just finished a rehab stint in the minors and this will be only his second start since coming back up to the Cardinals. He had gotten off to a good start to the season, but his injury really put him off track. He did not seem to have much control in his last outing, but the Cardinals attribute that to rust from the injury. In this game, McClellan needs to start getting his stuff back.

Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels had the chance to be the first pitcher in the majors to get 10 wins this season, but he blew it against Seattle. In this game, it will be Roy Halladay’s turn to try and win his 10th game of the season. Halladay is 9-3 with a 2.56 ERA on the year. Halladay has not played the Cardinals yet this year, and he is coming off a bad outing against the struggling Marlins. St. Louis is a good hitting team, and that may give Halladay problems.

The Bottom Line

Something is going on with the super-hyped starting rotation for the Philadelphia Phillies. This is actually Halladay’s second shot at getting his 10th win of the season. His first try was the Florida game where he gave up four runs in seven innings. This would be a good time for the Phillies’ starting rotation to snap out of whatever funk they are in.

BSNblog Pick: Philadelphia Phillies

New York Yankees @ Chicago Cubs

Sunday June 19, 2011 – 8:05 PM ET

Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

MLB Betting Odds: New York Yankees – 130

The Cubs have been absolutely awful this season regardless of where they play, and will be hard-pressed to avoid the sweep at the hands of the powerful Yankees. New York comes into this game in the midst of an intense battle for the American League East division with the rival Boston Red Sox, and can’t afford to lose games against opponents that they are this heavily favored to beat.

MLB Betting Preview: New York Yankees

New York will have ace CC Sabathia on the mound on Sunday for the series finale, and the hope is that the former Cy Young winner can bring his best stuff and close out the series on a winning note. Sabathia has been excellent this season with an ERA of just 3.28, and will look to bring his best stuff under the bright lights of Sunday night baseball on the national broadcast. With the drive for 3,000 on hold the Yankees offense will have the MLB chance to show just how strong they are, and if they get to Cubs’ starter Randy Wells early on this one could get ugly in a hurry as New York pulls away.

MLB Betting Preview: Chicago Cubs

Wells is just 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA on the year, and has allowed 10 runs in his last 13 innings of work without making it past six innings in any of his starts this season. Pitching has been a sore spot for Chicago all season with 331 runs allowed through their first 66 games, and it is unlikely that one of the NL’s worst defenses will fare any better against the powerful pinstripes. The Cubs’ offense hasn’t been much better with little to rally around beyond Starlin Castro’s incredible sports betting play, and runs will be tough against Sabathia.

MLB Betting: Outlook & Pick

The Yankees will add to their league-leading home run total by roughing up Wells at Wrigley, while Sabathia continues to pace New York’s pitching staff as the pinstripes keep pace with the Red Sox in the tough AL East. The Cubs have been in tough to produce on both sides of the ball all season, and with another unfavorable pitching matchup they could be in big trouble on Sunday in the series finale.

MLB Betting Pick: New York Yankees - 130

Indians vs. Tigers Betting – Tuesday, 7:05 PM ET

Justin Masterson (5-4, 3.18) has lost four of his last eight starts and hasn’t won since April 26th after a 3-2 extra-inning loss at home to Minnesota, allowing a pair of runs on nine hits over eight innings, striking out three without any walks. This was an improvement over his previous two starts in which he gave up 10 runs in 11.1 innings, and even those who check out the NHL standings will tell you that the cream usually rises to the top at some point, which is why the Indians are slowing down. The 26-year-old righty is 0-2 in seven games (four starts) against the Tigers with a 5.20 ERA, and he is 0-1 in two appearances at Comerica Park with a 6.75 ERA.

Justin Verlander (7-3, 2.89) has won three starts in a row after a 4-1 victory at home against Seattle, scattering a run on five hits over eight innings, striking out 10 with a single walk. Verlander is now 6-1 in his last 10 starts and has allowed more than three runs only once in a start, and the Detroit ace is looking like he’s in midseason form. The Tigers will need him to be, because their starting rotation leaves a lot to be desired. The 28-year-old flamethrower is 10-11 in 24 starts against the Indians with an ERA of 5.11, and he is 4-2 in eight starts at home with a 2.97 ERA.

The Tigers should be the MLB betting favorites in your sports bookie software, and they’ve dominated the Indians in Cleveland, winning nine of the last 10 meetings between the two at Comerica Park, with seven of those games falling under the posted total. The Indians are in a freefall right now, and the Tigers look to pounce. Having Verlander start off the series is a stroke of luck when it comes to the rotation, as the Tigers would like to put their best foot forward and put even more doubt in the heads of the Indians. Masterson is a microcosm of Cleveland’s team: he isn’t awful, but he definitely isn’t as good as their start had people thinking. Go with Detroit in your online sportsbook.

If the Preakness had been run on the mile-and-a-half length at Belmont Park then online sports betting fans could very well be anticipating the chance for Animal Kingdom to be chasing the Triple Crown this upcoming weekend. The Derby winner narrowly missed out on catching Shackleford by less than a length at the final line, and if it can avoid another tough break out of the sports betting bonus gate there is nothing that will stand in its way in the final leg, even if Shackleford is running in New York.

There are 17 horses in the history of the Triple Crown that have managed to capture the final two legs, but Shackleford will not join that list after drawing the No. 12 position. There were question marks about whether or not trainer Dale Romans would even have the horse entered following a couple of big races, noting that Shackleford also placed fourth at the Run for the Roses back at the beginning of May. Animal Kingdom had to deal with a tough break that included getting caught up with several horses early on and failing to gain any online sports betting separation, but he will have a much better run after drawing post nine for the Belmont Stakes.

The horse with the best chance to challenge Animal Kingdom will be Nehro, the horse that finished second at the Kentucky Derby but didn’t run at the Preakness Stakes so that it can get more rest. That should mean that it has fresher legs than Animal Kingdom at the big race this pay per head weekend, but after finishing second in each of its last three starts it could be a case where the delay will keep it from reaching its potential in another anti-climactic ending. There is nothing that can be put against Animal Kingdom to win this race, especially considering how it has fared so far this season and the fact that it drew excellent post position. 11 other horses have completed the double win at the Derby and then the Belmont, and Animal Kingdom will be next in line to join that illustrious list and have its day on a sunny day at Belmont Park in New York this weekend.

Vancouver Canucks @ Boston Bruins

Wednesday June 8, 2011 – 8:00 PM ET

TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

Online Sports Betting Odds: Boston Bruins – 120

The Canucks will try not to let off the gas and lose any momentum in the series, but that is something that may be easier said than done. Vancouver has been the better team through the first week of the series, but with the Belmont Stakes betting race right around the corner, they will be tested by a determined Bruins’ team that will have to play with much more urgency.

NHL Betting Preview: Vancouver Canucks

The Sedin twins have been dominant this postseason, but they will face their toughest task against Zdeno Chara and company on the road. The Bruins have the second change on home ice and will get to match lines, and that will make life harder for the Canucks’ top offensive players. Netminder Roberto Luongo has proved this postseason that he can handle the pressure of the playoffs, and he will need to continue to prove that on the road. Vancouver’s special teams have been among the biggest keys to their success, and their powerplay could be the decisive pay per head factor in game three.

NHL Betting Preview: Boston Bruins

The Bruins have gotten all that they can get out of goaltender Tim Thomas, and it will now come down to their offense solving Luongo at the other end if they are going to work their way back in this series. Boston’s special teams have been awful this postseason, and it is absolutely unacceptable that a team good enough to win the Eastern conference championship cannot get a goal on the powerplay. The addition of defenseman Thomas Kaberle has largely been a bust, and players like him are running out of time to prove their merit at the highest level. Michael Ryder and Mark Recchi are among the key goal scorers that Boston has relied on, and if they can’t break through the Bruins will be in trouble.

NHL Betting: Matchup & Pick

It is hard to imagine the Bruins just rolling over in what could be their final game on home ice, and even though Vancouver had looked dominant at points in this series, we will give them the sports betting bonus benefit of the doubt to take game four. Boston knows what it takes to win this game and has the talent, and it will now come down to execution.

BSNblog Pick: Boston Bruins - 120

Use Speed To Zip Around Bigger Bruins

The Canucks won’t be able to hit Boston and win the physical game, so they will need to play smart and use their speed to control the tempo of the game. The biggest problem that the Bruins have faced this postseason was against the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round, and that was because their original six rivals knew how to beat them with their quick puck movement. Vancouver has a ton of talent beyond the Sedins, and they will need to come together to get the job done.

Luongo Will Need To Perform At Same Level As Thomas

The way that Vancouver is built, Roberto Luongo won’t need to be relied on to be better than Bruins’ goaltender Tim Thomas, but he will need to be able to perform at the same level. Luongo has been criticized in the past for not being able to raise his level of play when it matters the most, but after winning a gold medal with team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in the same city he will now have a chance to exorcise those sports betting demons.

Special Teams Will Make The Difference

Boston was the league’s best team five-on-five this postseason, and that will make Vancouver’s top-ranked powerplay units that much more important to the team’s success. The Canucks have hit at close to 30-percent in these playoffs ahead of the 2011 Belmont Stakes betting race, and will need to continue to hit.

The Sedin Twins Need To Shine

The Sedin twins have broken through after struggling in past pay per head postseasons, with Daniel leading the league in points through the first three rounds with 21, and Henrik third on the team behind Ryan Kesler. Both will be tested with Chara and company at the other end of the ice, and they will need to continue to lead the offense both five-on-five and on special teams.

Deadline Deals Will Need To Prove Their Worth

The Canucks turned heads when they brought in Max Lapierre and Chris Higgins at the trade deadline, but as they head to their first finals since 1994 those two additions are having a huge impact on the club. Higgins has found his offense while Lapierre continues to outwork opponents and serve as a pest. Both will need to live up to their sports betting bonus billing again to lead Vancouver to a championship.