MLB Baseball Handicapping
MLB Baseball Power Rankings Week 12
The New York Mets salvaged the final game in their interleague series with the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, and in the process salvaged their spot atop the Power Rankings for at least one more week. However, the strong play of both the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox has made it a virtual tie at the top of the list, with each team's results in the next seven days likely deciding next week's rankings leader. Another possible contender for the top spot? The St. Louis Cardinals, who have been playing well without Albert Pujols in the lineup, and are over .600 too. The Cards sit at No. 4 in the rankings this week, up three spots from their previous position. The streaking Oakland Athletics jump six spots, from No. 11 to No. 5, while the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees slip to No. 6 and No. 7 this week. The Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, and Toronto Blue Jays round out the Top 10, while the Los Angeles Dodgers fall out of the Top 10 to No. 11. Threatening to break into the upper tier are the Houston Astros, who currently reside at spot No. 12 but will have Roger Clemens back in their starting rotation by the end of the week. Here is the Week 12 edition of the MLB Power Rankings. 01 - New York Mets (Last Week 01)Swept away the Phillies in their series last week to increase their division lead, but stumbled versus the Orioles. 02 - Detroit Tigers (Last Week 02)Swatted eight home runs on Sunday versus the Cubs, a team record. Won six of their seven games last week. 03 - Chicago White Sox (Last Week 03)Won six of seven games last week versus the Rangers and Reds, and next will take on the Cardinals in what . . . 04 - St. Louis Cardinals (Last Week 07). . . could be a World Series preview. The Cards are also hot, having won five of their six contests last week. 05 - Oakland Athletics (Last Week 11)Won all six of their games last week to move into first place in the AL West. On the road in Colorado, San Francisco. 06 - Boston Red Sox (Last Week 04)The leading teams in the AL East division are losing media attention to the Tigers and White Sox, along with the . . . 07 - New York Yankees (Last Week 05). . . streaking Athletics. What's worse is the idea that at least one of them is very likely to miss the postseason. 08 - Cincinnati Reds (Last Week 06)Handily swept by the White Sox on the weekend, and now face a tough four-game series with the red-hot Mets. 09 - Texas Rangers (Last Week 10)Swept the D-Backs on the weekend, but losing three of four to the White Sox cost them their lead in the division. 10 - Toronto Blue Jays (Last Week 09)Had an opening to take over the AL East division lead, but couldn't pick up a win over the Marlins on the weekend. 11 - Los Angeles Dodgers (Last Week 08)Not a great stretch for the Dodgers, who lost two to the Padres and three to the A's, and lost their hold on first place. 12 - Houston Astros (Last Week 16)All eyes will be on the Astros on Thursday as Roger Clemens makes his 2006 major-league debut against the Twins. 13 - San Diego Padres (Last Week 14)Made some headway in the NL West last week, picking up four wins in six contests versus the teams from L.A.. 14 - Minnesota Twins (Last Week 23)Seven straight wins has them back at the .500 mark, but they're still double-digits behind the Tigers in the AL Central. 15 - Milwaukee Brewers (Last Week 21)Their win over the Indians on Sunday boosted them back to the .500 mark. Get the Tigers and Royals this week. 16 - Philadelphia Phillies (Last Week 12)Ryan Howard continues to power the Phillies' attack, but they're now getting farther and farther behind the Mets 17 - Seattle Mariners (Last Week 17)Fell victim to the A's juggernaut last week, but bounced back with a sweep of the Giants. Dodgers coming next. 18 - Arizona Diamondbacks (Last Week 13)With the Devil Rays and Angels coming up it's a great time for the D-Backs to make a big move in the NL West. 19 - Colorado Rockies (Last Week 22)Stopped the bleeding by sweeping the Nationals in a four-game series last week. Play the A's, Rangers this week. 20 - San Francisco Giants (Last Week 15)Lost all three games to the Mariners on the weekend. Could the M's grab Barry Bonds as their DH for next year? 21 - Washington Nationals (Last Week 18)After beating the Yankees twice on the weekend they'll travel to Boston and Baltimore for six games this week. 22 - Florida Marlins (Last Week 28)Swept the Braves and the Blue Jays last week to run their streak to eight games. Is the rebuilding already done? 23 - Cleveland Indians (Last Week 20)They're now looking up at three other teams in the AL Central: The Tigers, the White Sox, and the Twins as well. 24 - Baltimore Orioles (Last Week 24)Tagged Pedro Martinez with a loss on the weekend, but are still slipping closer to the cellar of the AL East division. 25 - Los Angeles Angels (Last Week 25)Bartolo Colon allowed only two earned runs over seven innings in his return from the disabled list on Sunday. 26 - Atlanta Braves (Last Week 19)The losing streak hit seven games on Sunday, and the Braves now find themselves in the cellar of the NL East. 27 - Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Last Week 27)Classic baseball matchup on the schedule this week: the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. 28 - Chicago Cubs (Last Week 26)Mark Prior was destroyed by the Tigers in his season debut on Sunday. He'll next pitch against the hot Twins. 29 - Pittsburgh Pirates (Last Week 29)After a makeup game on Monday, travel to Kansas City for a three-game set with the Royals. Set your TIVOs. 30 - Kansas City Royals (Last Week 30)Why did the Astros need to get Roger Clemens back so badly? Well, they did just lose two of three versus K.C.
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Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
Sports Betting
Sports Betting
Stanley Cup - Game 7 PreviewWho would've thought we'd be in this position a mere 12 days ago, when the Carolina Hurricanes were up 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals and the Edmonton Oilers had lost their starting goaltender? Certainly not a well-known hockey collectibles magazine, who have an issue hitting the streets this week proclaiming that the Canes are the champs. Well not so fast Beckett Hockey, because the Oilers have now come back from both 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits, and they can pick up the sixth Cup in franchise history with a win in Game 7 at the RBC Center in Raleigh on Monday. Dewey defeats Truman indeed. The Oilers got into this position by handily winning Game 6 at home on Saturday night by a 4-0 score. Although Edmonton goaltender Jussi Markkanen picked up a shutout in the victory, the story of the game was a smothering Oilers defense that allowed only 16 shots on goal in the contest, and only seven shots on goal through the first two periods. Fernando Pisani, the overtime hero from Game 5, opened the scoring in Game 6 with a power-play marker in the second minute of the second period. Pisani then set up Raffi Torres later in the frame to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead in front of a raucous home crowd. And an Edmonton power play that served as the team's Achilles heel through the first part of the series continued to break through late in Game 6, as Ryan Smyth and Shawn Horcoff each scored with the man advantage in the third period to seal the win. Overall, the Oilers were 3-9 on the power play in Game 6, compared to the Canes' 0-6. Carolina goaltender Cam Ward was peppered with 34 shots in the game, over double that of his Oilers counterpart. Ward stopped all 10 shots he faced in the first period, but then allowed two goals in each of the final frames as the power-play chances mounted. Not even the return of winger Erik Cole could spark the Canes' offense in Game 6. Cole was a surprise participant in the warm-up, and found himself in the lineup when the game got underway despite not having played since he suffered two fractured vertebrae on March 4. Cole played over 18 minutes in the defeat, and recorded two shots on goal. Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward was also back in the lineup for Game 6, after being listed as questionable for the contest. Center Doug Weight, however, was scratched from the lineup with a left arm injury and remains questionable to play on Monday night. The oddsmakers had been a bit on the fence in Game 6, despite the fact that the Oilers were coming off an emotional, series-saving win in Game 5 and playing in front of their own fans. Edmonton had been listed as only a -115 home favorite. The game's score fell UNDER the posted total, and was the fourth UNDER play in the series' six games. Clearly the momentum of the series has shifted to Edmonton's favor, although Carolina has still been pegged as the -175 favorite on the oddsmakers' opening line for Game 7. Watch for books to start moving that line in the Oilers' favor over the course of the day should bettors start jumping on the bandwagon. The game's total opened at 5.5 goals. And while the merits of Cam Ward, Rod Brind'Amour, Eric Staal, and Cory Stillman's candidacies for the Conn Smythe Trophy were being bandied about a week ago, the rally by the Oilers has put their players into the playoff MVP talk as well. Chris Pronger is the leading Oilers contender for the award, with Fernando Pisani the second choice. Puck drop for Monday night in the final NHL game of the season is set for 8:00 pm ET.
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Stanley Cup - Game 7 PreviewWho would've thought we'd be in this position a mere 12 days ago, when the Carolina Hurricanes were up 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals and the Edmonton Oilers had lost their starting goaltender? Certainly not a well-known hockey collectibles magazine, who have an issue hitting the streets this week proclaiming that the Canes are the champs. Well not so fast Beckett Hockey, because the Oilers have now come back from both 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits, and they can pick up the sixth Cup in franchise history with a win in Game 7 at the RBC Center in Raleigh on Monday. Dewey defeats Truman indeed. The Oilers got into this position by handily winning Game 6 at home on Saturday night by a 4-0 score. Although Edmonton goaltender Jussi Markkanen picked up a shutout in the victory, the story of the game was a smothering Oilers defense that allowed only 16 shots on goal in the contest, and only seven shots on goal through the first two periods. Fernando Pisani, the overtime hero from Game 5, opened the scoring in Game 6 with a power-play marker in the second minute of the second period. Pisani then set up Raffi Torres later in the frame to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead in front of a raucous home crowd. And an Edmonton power play that served as the team's Achilles heel through the first part of the series continued to break through late in Game 6, as Ryan Smyth and Shawn Horcoff each scored with the man advantage in the third period to seal the win. Overall, the Oilers were 3-9 on the power play in Game 6, compared to the Canes' 0-6. Carolina goaltender Cam Ward was peppered with 34 shots in the game, over double that of his Oilers counterpart. Ward stopped all 10 shots he faced in the first period, but then allowed two goals in each of the final frames as the power-play chances mounted. Not even the return of winger Erik Cole could spark the Canes' offense in Game 6. Cole was a surprise participant in the warm-up, and found himself in the lineup when the game got underway despite not having played since he suffered two fractured vertebrae on March 4. Cole played over 18 minutes in the defeat, and recorded two shots on goal. Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward was also back in the lineup for Game 6, after being listed as questionable for the contest. Center Doug Weight, however, was scratched from the lineup with a left arm injury and remains questionable to play on Monday night. The oddsmakers had been a bit on the fence in Game 6, despite the fact that the Oilers were coming off an emotional, series-saving win in Game 5 and playing in front of their own fans. Edmonton had been listed as only a -115 home favorite. The game's score fell UNDER the posted total, and was the fourth UNDER play in the series' six games. Clearly the momentum of the series has shifted to Edmonton's favor, although Carolina has still been pegged as the -175 favorite on the oddsmakers' opening line for Game 7. Watch for books to start moving that line in the Oilers' favor over the course of the day should bettors start jumping on the bandwagon. The game's total opened at 5.5 goals. And while the merits of Cam Ward, Rod Brind'Amour, Eric Staal, and Cory Stillman's candidacies for the Conn Smythe Trophy were being bandied about a week ago, the rally by the Oilers has put their players into the playoff MVP talk as well. Chris Pronger is the leading Oilers contender for the award, with Fernando Pisani the second choice. Puck drop for Monday night in the final NHL game of the season is set for 8:00 pm ET.
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Friday, June 16, 2006
Sports Betting
Weekend Sports PreviewThe NBA and the NHL continue to wind down their respective playoffs this weekend. Those series highlight a sports weekend that also includes the U.S. Open, the World Cup of Soccer, interleague action in baseball, a NASCAR event, and a slate of WNBA. The Miami Heat will host the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday after coming back from the dead with two straight victories including Thursday's easy point spread cover. Over in the NHL, meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes will get a second chance to wrap up the Stanley Cup Finals when they play the Oilers on the road in Edmonton in Game 6 on Saturday night. The Oilers staved off elimination in Game 5 thanks to Fernando Pisani's shorthanded goal in overtime, which reduced the Hurricanes' series lead to 3-2. Should Edmonton pull out another win at home on Saturday, the seventh and deciding game of the series will take place back at the RBC Center in Raleigh on Monday night. Meanwhile, the 106th U.S. Open golf tournament continues at Winged Foot on Friday. Colin Montgomerie shot 1-under 69 on Thursday to lead a group of five golfers at even par (including Phil Mickelson) by a single stroke. Tiger Woods had a rough day at Winged Foot in the first round, shooting 6-over 76 to trail Montgomerie by seven shots. Overseas, the World Cup has nine games on tap over the next three days. On Friday it's Serbia & Montenegro vs. Argentina, Ivory Coast vs. Netherlands, and Angola vs. Mexico. Saturday features Iran vs. Portugal, Ghana vs. Czech Republic, and USA vs. Italy. Then on Sunday it's Croatia vs. Japan, Australia vs. Brazil, and Korea vs. France. And getting overshadowed by all that marquee action is baseball's second weekend of interleague play. With no rivalry games over the next few days baseball fans will have to settle for watching unusual matchups like the Yankees at Washington, Detroit at the Cubs, Baltimore at the Mets, and of course highly-anticipated Minnesota at Pittsburgh. The rest of the interleague series this weekend include Tampa Bay at Philadelphia, the White Sox at Cincinnati, Boston at Atlanta, Toronto at Florida, Cleveland at Milwaukee, Kansas City at Houston, Arizona at Texas, San Francisco at Seattle, the Dodgers at Oakland, and San Diego at the Angels. Colorado and St. Louis play in NL-only action. On the race track, the drivers of the Nextel Cup Series head to Michigan International Speedway this weekend for Sunday's 3M Performance 400. Greg Biffle won both events at Michigan last season, and he'll be looking for a big performance this weekend to get back into contention for the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Biffle is back in 12th place. However, it's points leader Jimmie Johnson that's the Vegas favorite for this weekend's event, at 5/1 odds. Biffle currently sits at 6/1 odds, followed by Tony Stewart (7/1), Mark Martin (8/1), Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards (both 10/1). Johnson has a 48-point lead on Matt Kenseth (12/1 at Michigan) in the driver standings after 14 races so far this year. With the Arena Football League's season complete, it's time for the Canadian Football League to fill the large void called the NFL offseason. Opening day for the CFL is Friday, with Winnipeg at Montreal (-9) and Saskatchewan at B.C. (-4). On Saturday Hamilton plays Toronto (-4) and RB Ricky Williams, while Edmonton is in Calgary (-3). And the WNBA only has to wait at most a week to finally have the basketball spotlight all to itself for the summer. The big game on the WNBA schedule this weekend sees the Connecticut Sun, the top team in the Eastern Conference, heading west to take on the Sparks at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. That contest goes late Saturday night. Other games this weekend include Houston at New York, Indiana at Detroit, Minnesota at San Antonio, and Connecticut at Phoenix on Friday, Seattle at Sacramento, New York at Washington, Houston at Detroit, and San Antonio at Chicago on Saturday, and Phoenix at Minnesota, Charlotte at Indiana, and Sacramento at Los Angeles on
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Saturday, June 10, 2006
Sports Betting
Get ready for a wacky Belmont Stakes, which should be a great betting race!
There are no standouts in the 138th running of the Belmont and none of this year’s runners appear to be as good as the last 20 winners of this race. On the plus side, the field appears to be relatively well matched, which means good betting odds on your selection and an even better shot of hitting a whopper trifecta or superfecta. An excellent exacta payoff is also very possible in this wide open race.
We’ve already made our selection based on a particular trainer, but we’ll go down the list in post position order giving you a complete analysis before selecting our top four.
1. Platinum Couple (30-1) – Sixth beaten 22 ½ lengths in the Preakness, his last good race came on March 22 at Aqueduct in a one-mile optional claiming/allowance race. Has enough seasoning but doesn’t appear to want the distance on form or pedigree. His Beyer Figures are low and his running style says he will be coming from well back. Only positives really are the fact hat he won a stake race at 2 and has capable jockey Espinoza in the saddle. Could slip into the superfecta but that’s about it.
2. Sunriver (4-1) – Will be overbet as the hot, fresh wise guy horse coming into the race off a determined win in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont on May 20. He does have a lot of positives going for him however. Trainer Pletcher is having a good year, jockey Bejarano has been hot and this horse can sit close, which is the running style generally required to win the Belmont. He’s also one of only five horses in the field to have cracked the 100 Beyer barrier. He’s in solid form and would not be a surprise winner, but 4-1 seems awful low. Must use in exotics.
3. Hemingway’s Key (15-1) – Another superfecta player we can’t see winning. He’ll be coming from further back in here than some and his third-place finish in the Preakness gave us nothing to get excited about. We’re also concerned about his seasoning, given the fact that he only raced twice as a 2-year-old. On the plus side, trainer nick Zito has won the Belmont before and this horse does appear to have enough stamina in his pedigree to get the distance.
4. Bob And John (5-1) – Comes into the Belmont off a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby and does have the right kind of running style to win the Belmont. He’s also won of five horses in here that have cracked the 100 Beyer barrier. He appears to have recovered from his Derby debacle and has three bullet works at Santa Anita coming into the race for proven Triple Crown trainer top Bob Baffert. We also think he has both the seasoning and the stamina to get the distance. The only thing we don’t like about him is the fact that in the Wood Memorial he wore down a horse that was done at the eighth pole, Keyed Entry. He’s never really beaten anyone great, but then, there is no one great in here. Must use in the exotics top and bottom. If you like his odds, he’s also a win play. We’d like to see 7-1 or better to play him in the win spot.
5. High Finance (12-1) – Only one horse in the last 20 years has wired the Belmont field. This could be the second. He looks like the lone speed, although anything can happen in a race like this. And he will be long odds. He might just get out front early and forget to stop. And he may have some hidden class, having run second to Bernardini on March 4 at Gulfstream Park in a one-mile allowance race. He’s short on seasoning, having had only five starts, but he was impressive in his last allowance win at Belmont going a mile. His Dosage is on the edge at 4.0 but his grandsires Deputy Minister and Conquistador Cielo say he’s got a decent shot at getting the distance. We’ll just have to call this guy a longshot with a better chance than the other longshots, and because he has speed he has to be used on all your exotics. What the heck, make a small win-place bet on him to, just in case he gets loose and widens at 20-1 or better.
6 Oh So Awesome (20-1) – This is our pick, mainly because of trainer Jimmy Jerkens. This future Hall of Famer and son of “The Giant Killer� H. Allen Jerkens learned his trade well working for his famous father and this horse has a lot going for him. His last race, his first start in North America was a rallying third place finish over a sloppy track going a mile and a sixteenth at Belmont. He recorded a 91 Beyer Figure in that race and now gets Lasix for the first time. You just know he’ll have the seasoning and stamina, having trained in France for most of his life, and now we’ll have to hope trainer Jerkens can get him to the next level as far as class goes. We’re playing him to win and using him in all spots in the exotics at what should be a nice price.
7 Deputy Glitters (15-1) – Jockey Edgar Prado and trainer Tom Albertrani give this horse a chance. Albertrani was an assistant for Billy Mott during Cigar’s 16-race winning streak and he is also the trainer of Preakness winner Bernardini. He’s coming off a troubled trip in the Derby and did beat fellow short-priced entrant Bluegrass Cat in the Tampa Bay Derby three starts ago. He’s broken the 100 Beyer barrier, his running style is suited to winning the Belmont and he could be the first to take over from High Finance if that one stops. He also appears to have enough seasoning and the stamina to go with it in his pedigree. Must use in exotics.
8 Jazil (10-1) – We kind of think this is a sucker horse in this year’s Belmont. He’ll probably be overbet but we think his late running style is only going to get him a small piece of the exotics. His dead-heat fourth place finish in the Derby with Brother Derek indicates he does have some class but deep closers rarely win this race. He should get the distance, but doesn’t appear to be fast enough to win, having never cracked the 100 Beyer mark. Use in the lower spots in the exotics.
9 Bluegrass Cat (3-1) – Has the right kind of running style to win this race, a good jockey- trainer combo in John Velazquez and Todd Pletcher and looked decent running second in the Kentucky Derby at 30-1. He may be the most seasoned runner in the field and he rarely runs a bad race. He’s also cracked the 100 Beyer mark and may have a class edge on most of these. With Sunriver likely to take the wiseguy money this guy could also be a nice price. If it wasn’t for Jerkens training Oh So Awesome, this would be our pick to win. Use in first and second in the exotics.
10 Double Galore (30-1) – Who is trainer Myung Kwon Cho? And what is this horse doing in this race. He just broke his maiden at Hollywood Park on May 19 with a Beyer Figure of 89. So not only does he have to improve at least 11 points on the Beyer scale, he’s jumping up in class three or more levels. As a presser, he might be the horse that screws up High Finance’s chance of wiring the field. Can’t see him finishing in the top four.
11 Steppenwolfer (9/2) – This horse always tries but seems to lack the acceleration required to win. Sure he’ll rally but like Jazil he just gets too far back to make his late rally effective, especially in the Belmont Stakes, where winners come from within five lengths. His third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby will cause him to be overbet in the win spot. Has enough pedigree and seasoning, but we’ll be using him only underneath in the exotics, not to win.
12 Sacred Light (15-1) – Jockey Victor Espinoza is good enough, but we don’t think the horse is. That being said, his second place finish three back in the Santa Catalina behind Brother Derek would put him in the money with this bunch. His pedigree is lacking in stamina and he’s borderline on seasoning, but his last race showed that he will give his best, despite the fact that he did finish second in a mile and sixteenth allowance race at Churchill. Longshot chance to finish in the exotics.
Our Picks for the 2006 Belmont Stakes
Oh So Awesome Bluegrass Cat Sunriver Bob and John
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There are no standouts in the 138th running of the Belmont and none of this year’s runners appear to be as good as the last 20 winners of this race. On the plus side, the field appears to be relatively well matched, which means good betting odds on your selection and an even better shot of hitting a whopper trifecta or superfecta. An excellent exacta payoff is also very possible in this wide open race.
We’ve already made our selection based on a particular trainer, but we’ll go down the list in post position order giving you a complete analysis before selecting our top four.
1. Platinum Couple (30-1) – Sixth beaten 22 ½ lengths in the Preakness, his last good race came on March 22 at Aqueduct in a one-mile optional claiming/allowance race. Has enough seasoning but doesn’t appear to want the distance on form or pedigree. His Beyer Figures are low and his running style says he will be coming from well back. Only positives really are the fact hat he won a stake race at 2 and has capable jockey Espinoza in the saddle. Could slip into the superfecta but that’s about it.
2. Sunriver (4-1) – Will be overbet as the hot, fresh wise guy horse coming into the race off a determined win in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont on May 20. He does have a lot of positives going for him however. Trainer Pletcher is having a good year, jockey Bejarano has been hot and this horse can sit close, which is the running style generally required to win the Belmont. He’s also one of only five horses in the field to have cracked the 100 Beyer barrier. He’s in solid form and would not be a surprise winner, but 4-1 seems awful low. Must use in exotics.
3. Hemingway’s Key (15-1) – Another superfecta player we can’t see winning. He’ll be coming from further back in here than some and his third-place finish in the Preakness gave us nothing to get excited about. We’re also concerned about his seasoning, given the fact that he only raced twice as a 2-year-old. On the plus side, trainer nick Zito has won the Belmont before and this horse does appear to have enough stamina in his pedigree to get the distance.
4. Bob And John (5-1) – Comes into the Belmont off a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby and does have the right kind of running style to win the Belmont. He’s also won of five horses in here that have cracked the 100 Beyer barrier. He appears to have recovered from his Derby debacle and has three bullet works at Santa Anita coming into the race for proven Triple Crown trainer top Bob Baffert. We also think he has both the seasoning and the stamina to get the distance. The only thing we don’t like about him is the fact that in the Wood Memorial he wore down a horse that was done at the eighth pole, Keyed Entry. He’s never really beaten anyone great, but then, there is no one great in here. Must use in the exotics top and bottom. If you like his odds, he’s also a win play. We’d like to see 7-1 or better to play him in the win spot.
5. High Finance (12-1) – Only one horse in the last 20 years has wired the Belmont field. This could be the second. He looks like the lone speed, although anything can happen in a race like this. And he will be long odds. He might just get out front early and forget to stop. And he may have some hidden class, having run second to Bernardini on March 4 at Gulfstream Park in a one-mile allowance race. He’s short on seasoning, having had only five starts, but he was impressive in his last allowance win at Belmont going a mile. His Dosage is on the edge at 4.0 but his grandsires Deputy Minister and Conquistador Cielo say he’s got a decent shot at getting the distance. We’ll just have to call this guy a longshot with a better chance than the other longshots, and because he has speed he has to be used on all your exotics. What the heck, make a small win-place bet on him to, just in case he gets loose and widens at 20-1 or better.
6 Oh So Awesome (20-1) – This is our pick, mainly because of trainer Jimmy Jerkens. This future Hall of Famer and son of “The Giant Killer� H. Allen Jerkens learned his trade well working for his famous father and this horse has a lot going for him. His last race, his first start in North America was a rallying third place finish over a sloppy track going a mile and a sixteenth at Belmont. He recorded a 91 Beyer Figure in that race and now gets Lasix for the first time. You just know he’ll have the seasoning and stamina, having trained in France for most of his life, and now we’ll have to hope trainer Jerkens can get him to the next level as far as class goes. We’re playing him to win and using him in all spots in the exotics at what should be a nice price.
7 Deputy Glitters (15-1) – Jockey Edgar Prado and trainer Tom Albertrani give this horse a chance. Albertrani was an assistant for Billy Mott during Cigar’s 16-race winning streak and he is also the trainer of Preakness winner Bernardini. He’s coming off a troubled trip in the Derby and did beat fellow short-priced entrant Bluegrass Cat in the Tampa Bay Derby three starts ago. He’s broken the 100 Beyer barrier, his running style is suited to winning the Belmont and he could be the first to take over from High Finance if that one stops. He also appears to have enough seasoning and the stamina to go with it in his pedigree. Must use in exotics.
8 Jazil (10-1) – We kind of think this is a sucker horse in this year’s Belmont. He’ll probably be overbet but we think his late running style is only going to get him a small piece of the exotics. His dead-heat fourth place finish in the Derby with Brother Derek indicates he does have some class but deep closers rarely win this race. He should get the distance, but doesn’t appear to be fast enough to win, having never cracked the 100 Beyer mark. Use in the lower spots in the exotics.
9 Bluegrass Cat (3-1) – Has the right kind of running style to win this race, a good jockey- trainer combo in John Velazquez and Todd Pletcher and looked decent running second in the Kentucky Derby at 30-1. He may be the most seasoned runner in the field and he rarely runs a bad race. He’s also cracked the 100 Beyer mark and may have a class edge on most of these. With Sunriver likely to take the wiseguy money this guy could also be a nice price. If it wasn’t for Jerkens training Oh So Awesome, this would be our pick to win. Use in first and second in the exotics.
10 Double Galore (30-1) – Who is trainer Myung Kwon Cho? And what is this horse doing in this race. He just broke his maiden at Hollywood Park on May 19 with a Beyer Figure of 89. So not only does he have to improve at least 11 points on the Beyer scale, he’s jumping up in class three or more levels. As a presser, he might be the horse that screws up High Finance’s chance of wiring the field. Can’t see him finishing in the top four.
11 Steppenwolfer (9/2) – This horse always tries but seems to lack the acceleration required to win. Sure he’ll rally but like Jazil he just gets too far back to make his late rally effective, especially in the Belmont Stakes, where winners come from within five lengths. His third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby will cause him to be overbet in the win spot. Has enough pedigree and seasoning, but we’ll be using him only underneath in the exotics, not to win.
12 Sacred Light (15-1) – Jockey Victor Espinoza is good enough, but we don’t think the horse is. That being said, his second place finish three back in the Santa Catalina behind Brother Derek would put him in the money with this bunch. His pedigree is lacking in stamina and he’s borderline on seasoning, but his last race showed that he will give his best, despite the fact that he did finish second in a mile and sixteenth allowance race at Churchill. Longshot chance to finish in the exotics.
Our Picks for the 2006 Belmont Stakes
Oh So Awesome Bluegrass Cat Sunriver Bob and John
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Friday, June 09, 2006
Sports Betting
Soccer Betting
Weekend Sports Wagering PreviewThere's sports everywhere you look this weekend, from the court to the ice to the pitch to the diamond to the track to the, uh, arena football surface. And with playoffs and tourney games on tap in many of the leagues the stakes will be high in the days ahead. Game 2 of the NBA Finals will be played down in Dallas on Sunday night, with the Mavs coming off a win in Game 1 on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The spaced-out series will then shift over to South Florida for Game 3 on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes travel up to Alberta for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night. The Oilers desperately need a victory in this contest, as they're down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series after losing their second straight game Wednesday. Game 4 will also be in Edmonton, and is slated for Monday. And the third league featuring a playoff contest this weekend is Arena Football, with the Chicago Rush and Orlando Predators set to meet in ArenaBowl XX at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday. The Rush got past the San Jose SaberCats 59-56 last week, while the Preds are coming off a 45-28 win over the Dallas Desperados. Oddsmakers like the Predators' chances to come away from Sin City as Arena Football champions, setting them as 2.5-point favorites. The game's total is pegged at 98 points. Across the Atlantic Ocean, however, it's the opening of the 2006 World Cup in Germany that will be getting all the attention. The host Germans will take on Costa Rica in the tournament's first game on Friday, with Ecuador and Poland meeting later on in the day. On Saturday a three-game slate features Paraguay vs. England, Sweden vs. Trinidad and Tobago, and Ivory Coast vs. Argentina. There are three games on the pitch Sunday as well, with Netherlands vs. Serbia and Montenegro, Iran vs. Mexico, and Portugal vs. Angola. The schedule then continues Monday and runs through the rest of the month. It's just the plain-old regular season in baseball, but there are still several series of note on the weekend. In the National League the division-leading New York Mets will travel down to Arizona for a set with the Diamondbacks, who are trying to stay in the thick of things atop the NL West division. Their chief competition at this point, the Los Angeles Dodgers, will be playing a series against the rival Rockies in the thin air up in Colorado. Other National League series on tap over the next few days include Philadelphia at Washington, the Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, Atlanta at Houston, Florida at San Diego, Pittsburgh at San Francisco, and St. Louis (minus slugger Albert Pujols) at Milwaukee. Over in the American League, fresh off a series against each other the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will go their separate ways and play weekend sets against some AL West opponents. New York will host the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium, while the Red Sox will prepare for a visit from the Texas Rangers at Fenway. In the other five series it's Detroit at Toronto, Baltimore at Minnesota, Cleveland at the Chicago White Sox, Seattle at the Los Angeles Angels, and Tampa Bay at Kansas City. Horse racing fans will be treated to the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday; an event that would've had more buzz if it weren't for the serious injury suffered by favored Barbaro at the Preakness Stakes in the season's second Triple-Crown event. Bluegrass Cat highlights the field for the 138th Belmont Stakes, and is favored at 3/1 odds. Other top contenders include Sunriver (4/1), Steppenwolfer (9/2), Bob and John (5/1), Jazil (10/1), and High Finance (12/1). Hemingway's Key, Deputy Glitters, and Sacred Light are all listed at 15/1 odds, Oh So Awesome sits at 20/1 odds, and both Platinum Couple and Double Galore are considered the race's longshots at 30/1 odds. The Nextel Cup Series stages the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania on Sunday. Matt Kenseth won last week's race, the Neighborhood Excellence 400, and firmed up his hold on second place in the driver standings. Jimmie Johnson continues to lead the points race, sitting 74 points up on Kenseth and 216 points up on Mark Martin. The Formula 1 schedule resumes overseas with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit on Sunday. Juan Pablo Montoya won the F1 race in Britain last season, but Fernando Alonso is coming off a victory in the Monaco Grand Prix and leads the drivers championship by 21 points over Michael Schumacher. Montoya is fifth in the standings. And finally, fans of the WNBA will have plenty of games to follow on Friday night, with Seattle at Connecticut, Indiana at Charlotte, Minnesota at San Antonio, New York at Houston, Detroit at Phoenix, and Chicago at Los Angeles. On Saturday it's New York at San Antonio and Chicago at Sacramento, while Sunday features Washington at Connecticut, Seattle at Indiana, and Houston at Minnesota to finish the week's games.
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Weekend Sports Wagering PreviewThere's sports everywhere you look this weekend, from the court to the ice to the pitch to the diamond to the track to the, uh, arena football surface. And with playoffs and tourney games on tap in many of the leagues the stakes will be high in the days ahead. Game 2 of the NBA Finals will be played down in Dallas on Sunday night, with the Mavs coming off a win in Game 1 on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The spaced-out series will then shift over to South Florida for Game 3 on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes travel up to Alberta for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night. The Oilers desperately need a victory in this contest, as they're down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series after losing their second straight game Wednesday. Game 4 will also be in Edmonton, and is slated for Monday. And the third league featuring a playoff contest this weekend is Arena Football, with the Chicago Rush and Orlando Predators set to meet in ArenaBowl XX at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday. The Rush got past the San Jose SaberCats 59-56 last week, while the Preds are coming off a 45-28 win over the Dallas Desperados. Oddsmakers like the Predators' chances to come away from Sin City as Arena Football champions, setting them as 2.5-point favorites. The game's total is pegged at 98 points. Across the Atlantic Ocean, however, it's the opening of the 2006 World Cup in Germany that will be getting all the attention. The host Germans will take on Costa Rica in the tournament's first game on Friday, with Ecuador and Poland meeting later on in the day. On Saturday a three-game slate features Paraguay vs. England, Sweden vs. Trinidad and Tobago, and Ivory Coast vs. Argentina. There are three games on the pitch Sunday as well, with Netherlands vs. Serbia and Montenegro, Iran vs. Mexico, and Portugal vs. Angola. The schedule then continues Monday and runs through the rest of the month. It's just the plain-old regular season in baseball, but there are still several series of note on the weekend. In the National League the division-leading New York Mets will travel down to Arizona for a set with the Diamondbacks, who are trying to stay in the thick of things atop the NL West division. Their chief competition at this point, the Los Angeles Dodgers, will be playing a series against the rival Rockies in the thin air up in Colorado. Other National League series on tap over the next few days include Philadelphia at Washington, the Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, Atlanta at Houston, Florida at San Diego, Pittsburgh at San Francisco, and St. Louis (minus slugger Albert Pujols) at Milwaukee. Over in the American League, fresh off a series against each other the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will go their separate ways and play weekend sets against some AL West opponents. New York will host the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium, while the Red Sox will prepare for a visit from the Texas Rangers at Fenway. In the other five series it's Detroit at Toronto, Baltimore at Minnesota, Cleveland at the Chicago White Sox, Seattle at the Los Angeles Angels, and Tampa Bay at Kansas City. Horse racing fans will be treated to the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday; an event that would've had more buzz if it weren't for the serious injury suffered by favored Barbaro at the Preakness Stakes in the season's second Triple-Crown event. Bluegrass Cat highlights the field for the 138th Belmont Stakes, and is favored at 3/1 odds. Other top contenders include Sunriver (4/1), Steppenwolfer (9/2), Bob and John (5/1), Jazil (10/1), and High Finance (12/1). Hemingway's Key, Deputy Glitters, and Sacred Light are all listed at 15/1 odds, Oh So Awesome sits at 20/1 odds, and both Platinum Couple and Double Galore are considered the race's longshots at 30/1 odds. The Nextel Cup Series stages the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania on Sunday. Matt Kenseth won last week's race, the Neighborhood Excellence 400, and firmed up his hold on second place in the driver standings. Jimmie Johnson continues to lead the points race, sitting 74 points up on Kenseth and 216 points up on Mark Martin. The Formula 1 schedule resumes overseas with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit on Sunday. Juan Pablo Montoya won the F1 race in Britain last season, but Fernando Alonso is coming off a victory in the Monaco Grand Prix and leads the drivers championship by 21 points over Michael Schumacher. Montoya is fifth in the standings. And finally, fans of the WNBA will have plenty of games to follow on Friday night, with Seattle at Connecticut, Indiana at Charlotte, Minnesota at San Antonio, New York at Houston, Detroit at Phoenix, and Chicago at Los Angeles. On Saturday it's New York at San Antonio and Chicago at Sacramento, while Sunday features Washington at Connecticut, Seattle at Indiana, and Houston at Minnesota to finish the week's games.
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Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Sports Betting
The Boston Red Sox look to get on the board as they take on the New York Yankees in the 3rd game of a four-game set Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
New York took over first place in the American League East by winning the first two games of this series, 13-5 Monday night and 2-1 Tuesday. The Yanks now lead the division by a game and a half over the Sox.
Boston is 17-15 on the road this season, and 25-15 as favorites.
New York is 18-9 at home this year, and 5-5 as underdogs.
The Red Sox are 3-5 on their current road trip, while the Yankees have won nine of their last 11 games, mostly with a jumbled line-up.
New York now leads the season series with Boston this year 5 games to 4, with the over/under going 6-3.
Boston’s Schilling (8-2, 3.86) has allowed 7 ER and 20 hits in his last 21 IP, and has not issued a base on balls over that span. On the season, Schilling owns a 73/9 strikeout/walk ratio.
In two starts vs. the Yankees this season, Schilling has given up 7 ER and 15 H+W in 13 IP.
The Red Sox are 10-2 in Schilling’s start this year, the o/u 7-5.
New York’s Wright (3-3, 4.12) has allowed 5 ER and 25 H+W in his last 16 1/3 IP. In three starts vs. Boston this year and last, Wright has given up 5 ER and 24 H+W in 13 1/3 innings of work.
The Yanks are 5-3 in Wright’s starts this year, the o/u 3-4.
New York leads the majors with its .375 team OBP, and averages 6.0 runs per game.
Boston owns a .364 team OBP, 3rd-best in the majors, and averages 5.4 RPG.
The Red Sox bullpen has allowed 8 ER and 21 H+W in its last 15 IP.
The Yankees pen has given up 7 ER and 21 H+W in its last 16 IP.
New York SS Derek Jeter has missed the last two games with a bum thumb, and he probably won’t play Wednesday. The Yanks are already without Ofs Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui, and 1B Jason Giambi and 3B Alex Rodriguez have both missed games recently due to various ailments.
The o/u is 32-23 in Red Sox games this year, 31-25 in Yankees games, but only 12-14 at Yankee Stadium.
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New York took over first place in the American League East by winning the first two games of this series, 13-5 Monday night and 2-1 Tuesday. The Yanks now lead the division by a game and a half over the Sox.
Boston is 17-15 on the road this season, and 25-15 as favorites.
New York is 18-9 at home this year, and 5-5 as underdogs.
The Red Sox are 3-5 on their current road trip, while the Yankees have won nine of their last 11 games, mostly with a jumbled line-up.
New York now leads the season series with Boston this year 5 games to 4, with the over/under going 6-3.
Boston’s Schilling (8-2, 3.86) has allowed 7 ER and 20 hits in his last 21 IP, and has not issued a base on balls over that span. On the season, Schilling owns a 73/9 strikeout/walk ratio.
In two starts vs. the Yankees this season, Schilling has given up 7 ER and 15 H+W in 13 IP.
The Red Sox are 10-2 in Schilling’s start this year, the o/u 7-5.
New York’s Wright (3-3, 4.12) has allowed 5 ER and 25 H+W in his last 16 1/3 IP. In three starts vs. Boston this year and last, Wright has given up 5 ER and 24 H+W in 13 1/3 innings of work.
The Yanks are 5-3 in Wright’s starts this year, the o/u 3-4.
New York leads the majors with its .375 team OBP, and averages 6.0 runs per game.
Boston owns a .364 team OBP, 3rd-best in the majors, and averages 5.4 RPG.
The Red Sox bullpen has allowed 8 ER and 21 H+W in its last 15 IP.
The Yankees pen has given up 7 ER and 21 H+W in its last 16 IP.
New York SS Derek Jeter has missed the last two games with a bum thumb, and he probably won’t play Wednesday. The Yanks are already without Ofs Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui, and 1B Jason Giambi and 3B Alex Rodriguez have both missed games recently due to various ailments.
The o/u is 32-23 in Red Sox games this year, 31-25 in Yankees games, but only 12-14 at Yankee Stadium.
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Monday, June 05, 2006
Sports Betting
They’re at it again; the Beasts of the East collide Monday night when the first-place Boston Red Sox take on the 2nd-place New York Yankees in the opener of a four-game set at Yankee Stadium.
Boston sits atop the American League East, a half-game ahead of the 2nd-place Yankees.
Both teams have won seven of their last 10 games. The Red Sox just took two of three games from Detroit over the weekend, while the Yankees just took two of three in Baltimore to cap off a 5-2 road trip.
Boston is 17-13 on the road this season, 6-6 as underdogs. New York is 16-9 at home this year, 28-17 as favorites.
Boston’s Beckett (7-2, 4.46) had four decent starts in a row before being slapped around for 7 runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 IP vs. Toronto last Tuesday. In his only start against the Yankees since the 2003 World Series, Beckett gave up 3 runs in 7 innings May 9.
New York’s Mussina (7-1, 2.42) tossed a complete game his last time out vs. Detroit last Thursday, holding the Tigers without an ER. Mussina held the Red Sox to 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings in a start three weeks ago, but in five starts total vs. Boston this year and last, Mussina has allowed 19 ER and 49 H+W in 26 2/3 IP.
The Red Sox are 7-4 in Beckett’s starts this year, the o/u also 7-4. The Yanks are 8-4 in Mussina’s starts this year, the o/u 6-6.
Boston owns a healthy .366 team OBP, 2nd-best in the AL, and averages 5.5 runs per game.
New York leads the league with a .373 team OBP, and averages 6.0 RPG.
The Red Sox bullpen has allowed 4 ER and 14 H+W in its last 15 IP.
The Yankees pen has given up 11 ER and 31 H+W in its last 21 1/3 IP, covering just the last five games.
For New York, OFs Matsui and Sheffield are already on the DL, and ARod and Derek Jeter have both missed games recently. ARod played Sunday, but Jeter had to leave the game with that bad thumb. Also, 1B Jason Giambi is listed as questionable for Monday with a bit of the flu, and closer Mariano Rivera is also a question mark. Have we missed anyone?
The Yanks won the season series with the Sox 10-9 last year, the over/under going 10-7-2. Boston has taken 4 of 7 games from New York this year, the o/u going 5-2.
The o/u is 31-22 in Red Sox games this year, 30-24 in Yanks games, but 11-13 at Yankee Stadium.
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Boston sits atop the American League East, a half-game ahead of the 2nd-place Yankees.
Both teams have won seven of their last 10 games. The Red Sox just took two of three games from Detroit over the weekend, while the Yankees just took two of three in Baltimore to cap off a 5-2 road trip.
Boston is 17-13 on the road this season, 6-6 as underdogs. New York is 16-9 at home this year, 28-17 as favorites.
Boston’s Beckett (7-2, 4.46) had four decent starts in a row before being slapped around for 7 runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 IP vs. Toronto last Tuesday. In his only start against the Yankees since the 2003 World Series, Beckett gave up 3 runs in 7 innings May 9.
New York’s Mussina (7-1, 2.42) tossed a complete game his last time out vs. Detroit last Thursday, holding the Tigers without an ER. Mussina held the Red Sox to 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings in a start three weeks ago, but in five starts total vs. Boston this year and last, Mussina has allowed 19 ER and 49 H+W in 26 2/3 IP.
The Red Sox are 7-4 in Beckett’s starts this year, the o/u also 7-4. The Yanks are 8-4 in Mussina’s starts this year, the o/u 6-6.
Boston owns a healthy .366 team OBP, 2nd-best in the AL, and averages 5.5 runs per game.
New York leads the league with a .373 team OBP, and averages 6.0 RPG.
The Red Sox bullpen has allowed 4 ER and 14 H+W in its last 15 IP.
The Yankees pen has given up 11 ER and 31 H+W in its last 21 1/3 IP, covering just the last five games.
For New York, OFs Matsui and Sheffield are already on the DL, and ARod and Derek Jeter have both missed games recently. ARod played Sunday, but Jeter had to leave the game with that bad thumb. Also, 1B Jason Giambi is listed as questionable for Monday with a bit of the flu, and closer Mariano Rivera is also a question mark. Have we missed anyone?
The Yanks won the season series with the Sox 10-9 last year, the over/under going 10-7-2. Boston has taken 4 of 7 games from New York this year, the o/u going 5-2.
The o/u is 31-22 in Red Sox games this year, 30-24 in Yanks games, but 11-13 at Yankee Stadium.
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Friday, June 02, 2006
Sports Betting
Sports Betting
Weekend Sports Preview: June 2Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat will be trying to eliminate the Detroit Pistons on Friday night and advance to the NBA Finals. That playoff matchup highlights a weekend in sports that also includes the Arena Football League's conference championships, full slates of baseball and WNBA, and a NASCAR event at Dover International Speedway. Tayshaun Prince scored a game-high 29 points for Detroit on Wednesday night in a 91-78 home win over the Heat. That win cut Miami's series lead to 3-2 in the seven-game set, with Game 6 taking place in South Florida on Friday. The Heat opened as 3-point favorites to eliminate the Pistons in Game 6, with the contest's opening total set at 181. Chauncey Billups picked up 17 points and 10 assists for Detroit on Wednesday, and Richard Hamilton chipped in with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Wade scored a team-high 23 points for Miami, while Shaquille O'Neal had 19 points and pulled down six boards. Should the Pistons win on Friday Game 7 would take place back in Detroit on Sunday. Out west the Mavericks and the Suns will play Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals in Phoenix on Saturday night. The Mavs picked up a 95-88 win in Game 3 in Phoenix, but the Suns bounced back with a 106-86 home victory over Dallas in Game 4. If necessary, Game 7 of this western set will take place back in Dallas on Monday night. Two of the American League's best teams will take to the field this weekend in Detroit, as the Red Sox hit the road for a series with the Tigers. Detroit struggled over the past week, and has had a much harder time winning at home than on the road this season. The Red Sox continue to battle the New York Yankees for the top spot in the AL East. Other AL action includes the Angels at Cleveland, the Yankees at Baltimore, Toronto at Tampa Bay, Texas at the White Sox, Kansas City at Seattle, and Minnesota at Oakland. Over in the National League the Houston Astros won't have Roger Clemens in their lineup yet, so they'll have to make due when they play a series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Astros and Reds are currently battling for second place in the NL Central, with both teams watching the St. Louis Cardinals get farther ahead atop the division. The Cards host another NL Central team, the Cubs, in weekend action. Other NL series taking place include San Diego at Pittsburgh, San Francisco at the Mets, Arizona at Atlanta, Florida at Colorado, Washington at Milwaukee, and Philly at the L.A. Dodgers. Conference championships go this weekend in the AFL. In the American Conference the San Jose SaberCats (-3.5) play host to the Chicago Rush on Saturday, while the National Conference matchup sees the Orlando Predators playing on the road against the Dallas Desperados (-9.5) on Sunday. ArenaBowl XX goes June 11 in Las Vegas. Ten games are on tap in the WNBA this weekend. Friday has Indiana at Minnesota, Chicago at Houston, Phoenix at Seattle, and San Antonio at Sacramento. Saturday features Charlotte at Connecticut, Detroit at Washington, and Los Angeles at New York. On Sunday it's Minnesota at Houston, Detroit at Chicago, and San Antonio at Seattle. And finally, on the track, the Nextel Cup Series follows up its two-week stint at Lowe's Motor Speedway by staging the Neighborhood Excellence 400 at Dover International Speedway. Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle won the races held on the Delaware track last season, while Kasey Kahne is coming off a win in last weekend's Coca-Cola 600.
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Weekend Sports Preview: June 2Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat will be trying to eliminate the Detroit Pistons on Friday night and advance to the NBA Finals. That playoff matchup highlights a weekend in sports that also includes the Arena Football League's conference championships, full slates of baseball and WNBA, and a NASCAR event at Dover International Speedway. Tayshaun Prince scored a game-high 29 points for Detroit on Wednesday night in a 91-78 home win over the Heat. That win cut Miami's series lead to 3-2 in the seven-game set, with Game 6 taking place in South Florida on Friday. The Heat opened as 3-point favorites to eliminate the Pistons in Game 6, with the contest's opening total set at 181. Chauncey Billups picked up 17 points and 10 assists for Detroit on Wednesday, and Richard Hamilton chipped in with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Wade scored a team-high 23 points for Miami, while Shaquille O'Neal had 19 points and pulled down six boards. Should the Pistons win on Friday Game 7 would take place back in Detroit on Sunday. Out west the Mavericks and the Suns will play Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals in Phoenix on Saturday night. The Mavs picked up a 95-88 win in Game 3 in Phoenix, but the Suns bounced back with a 106-86 home victory over Dallas in Game 4. If necessary, Game 7 of this western set will take place back in Dallas on Monday night. Two of the American League's best teams will take to the field this weekend in Detroit, as the Red Sox hit the road for a series with the Tigers. Detroit struggled over the past week, and has had a much harder time winning at home than on the road this season. The Red Sox continue to battle the New York Yankees for the top spot in the AL East. Other AL action includes the Angels at Cleveland, the Yankees at Baltimore, Toronto at Tampa Bay, Texas at the White Sox, Kansas City at Seattle, and Minnesota at Oakland. Over in the National League the Houston Astros won't have Roger Clemens in their lineup yet, so they'll have to make due when they play a series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Astros and Reds are currently battling for second place in the NL Central, with both teams watching the St. Louis Cardinals get farther ahead atop the division. The Cards host another NL Central team, the Cubs, in weekend action. Other NL series taking place include San Diego at Pittsburgh, San Francisco at the Mets, Arizona at Atlanta, Florida at Colorado, Washington at Milwaukee, and Philly at the L.A. Dodgers. Conference championships go this weekend in the AFL. In the American Conference the San Jose SaberCats (-3.5) play host to the Chicago Rush on Saturday, while the National Conference matchup sees the Orlando Predators playing on the road against the Dallas Desperados (-9.5) on Sunday. ArenaBowl XX goes June 11 in Las Vegas. Ten games are on tap in the WNBA this weekend. Friday has Indiana at Minnesota, Chicago at Houston, Phoenix at Seattle, and San Antonio at Sacramento. Saturday features Charlotte at Connecticut, Detroit at Washington, and Los Angeles at New York. On Sunday it's Minnesota at Houston, Detroit at Chicago, and San Antonio at Seattle. And finally, on the track, the Nextel Cup Series follows up its two-week stint at Lowe's Motor Speedway by staging the Neighborhood Excellence 400 at Dover International Speedway. Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle won the races held on the Delaware track last season, while Kasey Kahne is coming off a win in last weekend's Coca-Cola 600.
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