Week 1 Free Picks 2013

The college football season is still about three months away, but it is never too early to start looking at how the season will get going. Alabama won the BCS Championship again last year. Changes are coming to the BCS in the year ahead, and it should be an exciting season.

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Let’s take a look at ten of the best games on the week one schedule! BetOnline has pointspreads listed for week one games, so all lines shown below are from BetOnline.

Thursday August 29, 2013

North Carolina vs. South Carolina (-9.5)

These teams haven’t met in a while, but Larry Fedora’s Tar Heels will take on the Gamecocks in game one this year. Steve Spurrier’s team did some special things last year, and much will be expected of them again this year. Watch out for Jadeveon Clowney!  Prediction: South Carolina 31 North Carolina 20

Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt (-2.5)

Two teams on the rise in the very difficult SEC will square off in week one. Mississippi found a great coach in Hugh Freeze, and the job James Franklin has done at Vanderbilt has been tremendous. Ole Miss has the edge on offense while Vanderbilt has a strong defense.  Prediction: Vanderbilt 27 Ole Miss 24

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USC (-23) vs. Hawaii

USC will have a new look this year without Matt Barkley under center. The Trojans have had some great recruiting classes, so they should be good, but there will be a lot of youth on the field. Hawaii was really down in the dumps last year. Can Norm Chow turn things around? Prediction: USC 45 Hawaii 20

Friday August 30, 2013

Texas Tech (-2) vs. SMU

It’s the start of a new era at Texas Tech. Kliff Kingsbury will be the new man in charge this year for the Red Raiders. The players seem to like his style, and the Red Raiders have quite a bit of talent. SMU is never a team to take lightly with June Jones at the helm. This should be a great game.  Prediction: SMU 24 Texas Tech 21

Saturday August 31, 2013

Temple vs. Notre Dame (-27)

Temple has had some pretty decent teams in the last few years, but this year’s team doesn’t look like they will be very good. Notre Dame lost a lot of key players, but Brian Kelly definitely has this team headed in the right direction. This should be a mismatch. Prediction: Notre Dame 38 Temple 10

Alabama (-17.5) vs. Virginia Tech

This is the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Can anyone in college football keep up with Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide? They are stacked once again. Frank Beamer’s Hokies should be good, but they definitely aren’t on the same level. I won’t be shocked if the Hokies keep it a little closer than expected. Prediction: Alabama 34 Virginia Tech 20

Georgia vs. Clemson (-1)

This is probably the best game of the first week. ABC will broadcast this one in primetime. This is the first of a two-game series between two schools that don’t like each other very much. Tajh Boyd is a special quarterback, but he won’t have the same weapons on the outside this year. Georgia is out to prove a point here.  Prediction: Georgia 28 Clemson 24

LSU (-5.5) vs. TCU

TCU has done some great things over the last few years. The Horned Frogs were solid in their first year in the Big 12 last season. The LSU Tigers defense should be amazing this year, and that makes them a favorite in this one. Prediction: LSU 24 TCU 17

Sunday September 1, 2013

Ohio vs. Louisville (-16)

No one made a bigger statement last January than the Louisville Cardinals. Behind star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the Cardinals walloped Florida in a BCS shocker. Ohio is one of the best teams in the MAC, so this may be a little closer than expected. Prediction: Louisville 34 Ohio 24

Florida State (-7) vs. Pittsburgh

Clint Trickett is the favorite to replace E.J. Manuel as the quarterback for the Seminoles, but it’s still a wide open competition for Florida State. Pittsburgh was up and down in 2012, but they have a good coach running the program. Prediction: Florida State 24 Pittsburgh 20

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Cleveland Indians (26-19) vs Boston Red Sox (28-19)

Cleveland has to be the biggest surprise team on the positive side in the American League so far this season, leading the A.L Central heading into Wednesday.

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Thursday May 23
Fenway Park
7:10PM
Probable Pitchers:
CLE: Zach McAllister
BOS: Ryan Dempster
Moneyline: Boston -146, Cleveland +136 at SBO
O/U: 9

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Cleveland

They beefed up their lineup in the offseason and the results have been there as they led the Majors in homers heading into yesterday, thanks to the likes of slugging 3B Mark Reynolds and his team leading 12 bombs.

The pitching has been improved too as the Indians have a team E.R.A under 4.00. Justin Masterson has been brilliant at times but mostly they are getting solid performances from throughout the staff.

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One of the primary reasons for the Indians surprising performance this year has been the high quality innings they are getting from second year starter Zach McAllister.

The righty sported a serviceable 4.24 ERA in his first full season in 2012 but has shaved that down to 2.65 this season so far.

He has been very consistent too having not given up more than 3 ERs in any start this season. The Indians have won his last 4 starts but they lost in an April start he had against Boston. His shortest outing of the season at just 5 innings.

Boston

It is dejavu with New York and Boston at the top of the American League East standings right now. This was supposed to be a season the other teams in the division might win out but Boston has been playing well thanks to the return to form of pitchers Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester.

In fact heading into Wednesday night’s games against the other Sox they had the third best record in the league. This series opener will be interesting too because it is the first game back at Fenway for Cleveland skipper Terry Francona.

The Red Sox signed righty Ryan Dempster in the offseason to mixed reviews. That is because Dempster was quite bad after joining the Rangers last year after dominating in the National League. This season he has been merely adequate (maybe) for a Boston team that has been playing well.

His strikeouts and batting average against are where you want them to be but he is walking too many batters. Case in point, his last outing where he walked 6 over 4.2 innings.

The only thing that saved him from taking the loss were the 12 runs the Red Sox put up.

It is not a great value spot but I think Boston is the play here. My instinct is telling me that McAllister is likely to regress while Dempster has room to improve. I think the return of Tito is a non factor and like Boston to win Thursday.

Probably better values on the board even though it is a strangely small card.

Over/Under: Over
Score Prediction: Boston 7 – Cleveland 5

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Los Angeles Angels (19-27) vs Kansas City Royals (21-22)

The Los Angeles Angels are on their best run of the season having won their last 4 games against the Chicago White Sox and Seattle.

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Thursday May 23
Kaufmann Stadium – Kansas City, MO
8:10PM
Probable Starters:
LAA: Joe Blanton (R)
KC: Ervin Santana (R)
Moneyline: Kansas City -140, Los Angeles +130 at Bookmaker
O/U: 9

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Los Angeles

The season thus far has been a huge disappointment but there is still time even though their poor performance combined with the strong play of Texas has created a huge hole.

The only way that is going to happen is if their stars start playing like them. Right now OF Josh Hamilton has fewer home runs and RBI than 2B Howie Kendrick. If that trend continues much longer this team is sunk.

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Joe Blanton’s stint as an Angel has been pretty disastrous…and ugly

He is 0-7 and the Angels win in his last start was their first in 9 tries so far.

He is plain not giving them a chance with an ERA close to 7 and a WHIP approaching 2. Blanton has never been considered an ace but in the past he has been a pretty decent 5th starter. The fact that he even has a role in the rotation is an indicator of how dire things are for the Angels in the pitching department right now.

Kansas City

Kansas City is limping right now, just 3-7 in their last 10 games, erasing a start that had them competing well with Detroit and Cleveland in the A.L. Central.

They also need some of their “stars” to wakeup as 1B Eric Hosmer has just one home run on the season and 3B Mike Moustakas is batting under .200. OF Alex Gordon is doing his best to make up the difference by hitting a fantastic .352 but he can’t do it all from the top of that Royals lineup.

The pitching remains solid which leads you to believe the Royals can escape their current funk.

While Blanton has been a disaster for L.A. Ervin Santana has been critical to the Royals early season success.

The former Angel is looking at a potential career year with an ERA of 2.77 and whip just over 1. His record is just 3-3 but if he keeps pitching like he has that could easily improve significantly.

Until this season he played his entire professional career for the Angels so hopefully he won’t be anxious on the mound Thursday night – the advantage is definitely with KC here.

Hard not to like the value in this one. If you have been fading Blanton this season you would already be up 8+ units, even with the win L.A. took in his last outing. K.C. is good value at home even though they have not been playing great lately. Santana is not walking anybody this year and the Royals are 3-1 in his home starts.

With a little more run support he might be 6-2 instead of 3-3 this season.

O/U Pick: Over
Score Prediction: Kansas City 7 – Los Angeles 3

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Boston vs New York Handicapping

It is hard to believe that it was just over a week ago that the New York Rangers were celebrating a convincing Game 7 win against Washington and the optimism was palpable in the Big Apple.

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Boston Bruins (35-17-3-3) at NY Rangers (30-21-3-4)
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, May 23, 2013
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Broadcast: RDS, TSN, CNBC
Bruins lead series 3-0
Bruins vs. Rangers Betting Lines from Bovada
Boston Bruins +1½ -310 +105 Ov 5 +129
New York Rangers -1½ +260 -116 Un 5 -142

Matchup | Preview

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Bruins Look For Sweep Against Seemingly Overmatched Rangers Thursday Night

The Rangers have hit the skids and look like beaten team already against a Boston Bruins team that can’t seem to do any wrong in their Eastern Conference semi-final series. Boston’s depth has been on display so far against the Rangers – the fourth line was responsible for both goals Tuesday night. Not a good sign for the offensively challenged Rangers in an elimination game.

The Boston Bruins are officially clicking on all cylinders! Not only is the Patrice Bergeron/Brad Marchand line catching up to the Krejci/Lucic/Horton line but now the fourth line is scoring as well. Daniel Paille, Shawn Thornton and Gregory Campbell were on the ice for both of Boston`s goals Tuesday night – further proof that Boston`s depth is almost unmatched in the playoffs. Tuukka Rask needed to make only 23 saves for the win against a seemingly energy sapped Rangers squad that is going to have to dig deep in order to stay alive Thursday night.

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However, there is history hanging over Boston, including a blown 3-0 lead to Philadelphia in a series loss in 2010 and a squandered 3-1 edge in this year’s first round to Toronto before the Bruins rallied to win Game 7. 11 players remain from the 2010 team that endured the historic meltdown in the Eastern semis, when they blew that 3-0 series lead and then a 3-0 lead in Game 7 only to lose to the Philadelphia Flyers, who went on to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Bruins are saying all the right things ahead of Thursday`s game, are not taking anything for granted and are ready to go in what could be New York`s last game of the year.

What is going on with the New York Rangers? After busting out in a 5-0 win in Game 7 against the Capitals, New York has been held to five total goals in three games against goalie Tuukka Rask and the rest of the Bruins. Not only are they failing to score goals but the compete level just doesn’t to be there for the Rangers. They look tired, they look defeated and frankly they look outclassed.

There were some concerns about Henrik Lundqvist and his shoulder ahead of Game 3 but those concerns were erased by Henrik`s play in Game 3. Lundqvist stopped 32 of 34 shots Tuesday and continues to be New York`s best player – BY FAR! But without a little offensive support the Rangers are dead!

Betting Prediction

A few trends to consider:

• BOS are 8-1 in their last 9 Thu. games.
• Under is 9-3-1 in BOS last 13 vs. Atlantic.
• NYR are 9-1 in their last 10 home games.
• NYR are 2-8 in their last 10 vs. Northeast.
• Under is 10-3-2 in NYR last 15 Thu. games.
• BOS are 4-12 in the last 16 meetings in New York.

The Boston Bruins looked like they could have played another game after Tuesday night’s win while the Rangers looked beat in the first period. There is definitely a difference in the talent level of the teams but what is surprising is the apparent apathy of the Rangers.

The Bruins are good, don’t get me wrong but the Rangers are offering virtually zero pushback at this point in time. The Bruins are absolutely rolling – I can’t see the underwhelming Rangers slowing them down.

Pick: Boston Bruins +105

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Hawks vs Red Wings Handicapping

A couple of weeks ago it seemed unimaginable that the Chicago Blackhawks could be outworked, outhustled and yes, even outclassed by any team in the NHL. But that’s precisely what is happening as the Detroit Red Wings prepare to take a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference semi-final series with the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Chicago Blackhawks (41-9-1-5) at Detroit Red Wings (30-19-4-5)
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, May 23, 2013
Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Broadcast: CBC, RDS2, NBCSN
Wings lead series 2-1
Hawks vs. Wings betting Lines from betonline.com
Chicago Blackhawks -1½ +220 -137 Ov 5 +106
Detroit Red Wings +1½ -260 +124 Un 5 -117

Matchup | Preview

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President’s Trophy Winning Hawks in Trouble Versus Wings?

The Wings are taking a page out of what has worked against them in the past – a gritty style and strong adherence to a defensive system. Chicago needs to find a way to crack the will of Detroit – the Wings game plan is working to perfection at this stage of the series.

The Chicago Blackhawks are in a bit of a funk! Monday night’s game marked only the ninth regulation loss in 56 games this season for the Blackhawks and only the third time they have dropped two straight in regulation. They have been outscored 7-2 combined in those two games and now face another test on the road just to get the series back to Chicago even. The goal scoring has dried up (thanks in large part to Jimmy Howard) and the reliable goaltending has been a tad suspect during their two game slide.

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Corey Crawford has been shaky of late – he hasn’t been able to minimize the effects of the mistakes being made in front of him like he did all season long. Crawford won five of his first six games in the playoffs, shutting out Minnesota once and allowing a total of eight goals during his strong start. But he has given up a combined seven goals over the last two games after allowing one goal in the series opener. He has to be better but his team also has to find a way to solve Jimmy Howard as well.

How good has Jimmy Howard been? He has won four of his last five starts and is averaging two goals against and 34-plus saves. He made 29 saves in Game 3 against the league`s best offense and just may be getting into the heads of the Chicago Blackhawks. Howard is certainly winning the anticipated goaltending duel so far.

On offense it has been the young and the old getting it done for the Wings. The Red Wings received highlight-reel goals from rookie Gustav Nyquist and veteran Pavel Datsyuk, some valiant hard work from Drew Miller on their way to a Game 3 win. Demian Brunner has been terrific for Detroit with four goals and eight points, second on the team in scoring to captain Henrik Zetterberg who has provided not only the leadership and the scoring but is also tasked with slowing down Jonathan Toews – a big job that is being done to perfection by the Wings Captain.

These aren`t your father`s free-wheeling Wings. They are patient, they play within a system and they have become the type of team that would have driven the 2005 Red Wings absolutely crazy!

Betting Prediction

A few trends to consider:

• Under is 8-0-1 in CHI last 9 road games.
• Under is 7-2-4 in CHI last 13 overall.
• CHI are 42-14 in their last 56 vs. Central.
• Under is 8-2-3 in DET last 13 vs. Central.
• Under is 6-2-2 in DET last 10 home games.
• Under is 14-5-8 in DET last 27 overall.
• CHI are 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in Detroit.
• CHI are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.

I can’t help but love the way the Wings are playing but I also can’t help but think that the Chicago Blackhawks needed a bit of a wake-up call. This is the first adversity this team has faced all year long. They are too fast, too deep and too prideful to not go down with a bigger fight.

Chicago responds and this becomes a very, very interesting series as it shifts back to the Windy City!

Pick: Chicago Blackhawks -137

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UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Silva 2

The Heavyweight Title will be on the line this Saturday when Antonio Silva tries to avenge a devastating loss to Cain Velasquez and in turn take his belt. Silva has emerged as maybe the best of the “B fighters” in the UFC after knocking out Alistair Overeem last time out.

Date: May 25, 2013
Time: 10pm ET/7pm PT
Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, FX and Facebook prelims
UFC Odds From Bovada

Main card (PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

Cain Velasquez (11-1-0): -750
Antonio Silva (18-4-0): +475

Without that third round knockout win, it is highly, highly unlikely that we would see Silva with another shot against a guy that pummeled him in their only meeting.

Velasquez is no Overeem – that’s for sure. He has THE BEST cardio in the Heavyweight division, superb takedowns, intense ground control, frightening ground and pound and a stand-up game that is ever-emerging. He is the total package! There are no holes in Velasquez’s game – there is no way he gasses like Overeem did against Silva.

Silva holds black belts in jiu-jitsu and judo and he will have a pretty good reach advantage so an argument can be made for him having a chance in this fight. But Velasquez is simply on a different level – Silva was a tad lucky against Overeem after being outmuscled for the majority of that fight. He won’t be so lucky against Cain. Velazquez uses his superior speed, athleticism and all-around game to get it done early against Bigfoot!

Pick: Cain Velasquez -750

Junior dos Santos (15-2-0): -400
Mark Hunt (9-7-0): +300

Mark Hunt has the displeasure of facing Junior dos Santos this Saturday in his first fight since losing the title to Cain – Junior will be motivated. Hunt however enters Saturday’s tilt on a four fight win streak and brings an iron jaw and a set of cinder block fists into the Octagon against one of the best boxers the UFC has ever seen. Needless to say – this should be a striker’s battle that doesn’t end well for one of these combatants.

dos Santos, despite his loss to Velasquez last time out is still in that elite category of Heavyweights – as well rounded and dangerous as anyone out there. Hunt on the other hand looks to have caught lightning in a bottle and still appears to be that one dimensional fighter that a guy like dos Santos feeds on.

Hunt is definitely a sentimental favorite but sentiment means nothing when the Octagon doors close. dos Santos brings a power that Hunt has never tasted and a gas tank that will prove to be the envy of the Super “Sized” Samoan. On paper this fight isn’t close and it shouldn’t be in the Octagon either.

Pick: Junior dos Santos -400

Glover Teixeira (20-2-0): -300
James Te-Huna (16-5-0): +220

A pair of fighters on impressive win streaks meet on Saturday night when Glover Teixeira puts his 18 fight streak on the line against James Te Huna who has won four straight ahead of this fight. Te Huna is coming off decision wins against Joey Beltran and Ryan Jimmo while Teixeira enters off a dominant win over Rampage Jackson last time out.

While both of these guys are certainly tough, Teixeira possesses the better all-around game – a black belt in jiu-jitsu to go along with some impressive stand-up chops. Teixeira has definitely been in the Octagon with some superior competition and I see him dictating where this fight goes. After mixing it up on the feet, Tex takes this fight to the mat and ends it with his patented and frightening ground and pound.

Pick: Glover Teixeira -300

Gray Maynard (11-1-1): -220
TJ Grant (20-5-0): +175

While Gray Maynard may not exactly be the most exciting fighter in the UFC, he is still viewed as one of the most dangerous in the stacked Lightweight Division. On Saturday he takes on an emerging TJ Grant who has won four straight since dropping a weight class. Both fighters rely on their wrestling chops, their top control and their stifling styles to get it done – a potential snooze-fest it is!

That said Maynard may look to shed his “boring fighter” reputation in this one and take a few risks in order to get back to “absolute elite” status in the UFC. Maynard can’t simply lull his way to victory if he hopes to get a title shot – he needs a little flash. That plays right into the underdog in this one. Grant is a Welterweight fighting at Lightweight – his size and power could be the determining factor. Gray is going to take some chances and he will pay the price as TJ Grant posts an enormous upset.

Pick: TJ Grant +175

Donald Cerrone (19-5-0): -300
KJ Noons (11-6-0): +220

Two of the most entertaining strikers in the Lightweight division will collide this Saturday night as Donald Cerrone takes on K.J. Noons in the opening bout of the UFC 160 main. Cerrone possesses intense Muay-Thai and Noons has some of the best boxing in the Lightweight division.

There seems to be a formula for defeating Cerrone – a high volume and a wide variety of strikes really seem to take him off his game. But that said Cerrone’s strength is his ability to land quality kicks on an opponent that relies on movement. That’s precisely what happens Saturday – Cerrone catches Noons with a kick to end his night early and provides a rather rude welcome to the UFC for Noons.

Pick: Donald Cerrone -300

Undercard (FX at 8 p.m. ET)

Mike Pyle (24-8-1): +125 vs. Rick Story (15-6-0): -155
Pick: Mike Pyle +125

Dennis Bermudez (10-3-0): -300 vs. Max Holloway (7-1-0): +220
Pick: Dennis Bermudez -300

Colton Smith (4-1-0): -220 vs. Robert Whittaker (10-2-0): +175
Pick: Robert Whittaker +175

Khabib Nurmagomedov (19-9-0): -300 vs. Abel Trujillo (10-4-0): +220
Pick: Khabib Nurmagomedov -300

Undercard (Facebook at 6:30 p.m. ET)

Stephen Thompson (6-1-0): -160 vs. Nah-Shon Burrell (9-2-0): +130
Pick: Nah-Shon Burrell +130

Brian Bowles (10-2-0): -300 vs. George Roop (19-9-1): +220
Pick: George Roop +220

Jeremy Stephens (20-9-0): -240 vs. Estevan Payan (14-3-0): +190
Pick: Jeremy Stephens -240

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Indiana vs Miami Handicapping

Is there any way on God’s green earth that that the Indiana Pacers can take out the Miami Heat in their Eastern Conference finals series that begins tonight?

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Eastern Conference
Indiana Pacers (0-0) at Miami Heat (0-0)
Wednesday, May 22
American Airlines Arena, Miami
8:30 p.m. EST
Spread – Heat -7.5 at SBO
O/U – 182.5

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Not much, but when the teams take the court in Game 1 we’ll get a sneak preview of how the Pacers will try to accomplish the near-impossible:

No doubt Indiana coach Frank Vogel has told his team that they will have to win most of the battles that occur within 10 feet of the hoop – both offensively and defensively.

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The Pacers have an advantage over the Heat on the glass, where Indiana led the NBA in rebounding margin and the Heat were dead last. How that plays out tonight will give at least some indication of whether the Pacers can make this a long and interesting series or will go quietly sometime next week before we tear the May page off the kitchen calendar.

Gobs of pressure will be on Indiana’s front line of David West, Roy Hibbert and Paul George to pile up a significant rebounding advantage over the likes over Chris Andersen, Udonis Haslem and the contact-averse Chris Bosh.

If the Heat hold their own on the glass tonight, the Pacers won’t be able to take this game deep into the second half.

Miami has lost one game in the playoffs thus far (to Chicago in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semis), and in that one the Heat were caught off guard when the Bulls crashed the boards and earned 46-32 rebounding edge.

The Heat quickly figured things out after that, though, and dominated over the next four games.

There is also pressure on Indiana point guard George Hill to both take care of the basketball and make a few shots to clear things out for Hibbert, George and West. Hill has been solid throughout the playoffs, and the Pacers feel that he gives them an edge at the one over Miami’s Mario Chalmers.

Comparisons are difficult, though, because Chalmers’s job is basically to stay out of the way of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade once the ball crosses halfcourt.

Of course, beating the Heat is easier said than done, and every plan can be tossed into a waste basket when your team turns the ball over and James has the ball in the open court.

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There is a school of thought that the Heat, who haven’t played since polishing off the Bulls a week ago, will show the same rust exhibited in Game 1 of the Chicago series after sweeping Milwaukee and sitting for 8 days.

Maybe.

Maybe the Heat will be in auto mode and wait to see if the Pacers will pack a punch in this series. Not looking for a rout in Game 1 as the teams feel out each other.

Indiana plus the points in this one.

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Crowne Plaza Invitational Predictions

The PGA Pros make the short trip to Fort Worth, Texas this week for the Crowne Plaza Invitational. Colonial Country Club hosts a pretty good field in a tournament in which distance off the tee is not essential. Zach Johnson’s win last year further proves this point – he is not exactly a bomber off the tee.

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2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Course: Colonial Country Club
Date: May 23-26, 2013
Total Purse: US $ 6,400,000
Winner’s Share: US $ 1,170,000 (18% of total purse)

Defending Champion: Zach Johnson ($1,152,000)
Odds from Bovada

Accuracy and putting will be the name of the game this week – Colonial ranked 13th in driving accuracy in 2012 at 55.63 percent and was 14th in greens hit at 60.69 percent. Good ball strikers with experience here have traditionally held the advantage going in.

So let’s take a look at some of the names to watch at the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

The Favorites:

Zach Johnson 14/1

Johnson has been quiet this year but returns to a track that he absolutely loves – 7-for-7 with no worse than a T9 (2009) in his last four visits and two wins (2010, 2012). He had a T19 at THE PLAYERS in his last start was his best finish since a T18 at Kapalua and enters in just average form. But his history here is absolutely magical – you can never count Johnson out at Colonial!

Charl Schwartzel 14/1

We finally saw the good in Charl Schwartzel last week – a third place finish at the HP Byron Nelson where he led last week’s field in greens hit, ranked T2 in par-4 scoring and was T4 in total driving. Those are all necessary traits for a good finish at Colonial

Matt Kuchar 18/1

Is coming off an unspectacular T33 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship but has a decent history here – making the cut in all six appearances. He was T26 here last year but seemed a tad out of sorts in all areas of his game last week. If his putter heats up, Kuch is certainly a threat this week.

The Contenders:

Jim Furyk 25/1

Finished fourth here last year when he shot in the 60s every round. That makes it 13/17 with seven top 10s, two runner-ups and a fourth-place finish at Colonial for Furyk. He is seventh in fairways hit, second in proximity to the hole and 29th in adjusted scoring on TOUR but has been average lately – his only top 25 in some time came at the Masters. It’s pretty hard to trust Furyk until we see him play like we know he is capable of.

Kevin Streelman 28/1

Quietly enters looking pretty good! He is 4-for-5 with a T3, T6 and co-runner-up in his last five starts and ranks inside the top 25 in GIR, SGP and proximity. It’s a shame that he sits at 28/1 – at 50/1 odds I would certainly throw a little down on him!

Martin Laird 28/1

Has played this event twice and has two top 10s to show for it – 2010 and 2011. He is coming off a nice T5 at TPC Sawgrass and he also had a win earlier this season. Laird is as confident as he ever has been and is another somewhat unfamiliar name that could do well this week.

Bo Van Pelt 28/1

Has nine starts at Colonial has hasn’t missed the cut yet including sixth top 25s, three top 10s and a third in 2011. He has been OK lately but looked good three weeks ago when he finished T6 at Quail Hollow. He is tough to pin down and hard to trust this week.

Henrik Stenson 33/1

Finished T5 at the PLAYERS in his last start in North America and currently leads the PGA TOUR in fairways hit and greens in regulation. He has all the tools to succeed this week – don’t take your eyes off Mr. Stenson!

Charley Hoffman 33/1

Has been consistently good the last couple of months – three top 10s in his last five starts overall. He is coming off a T7 at TPC Four Seasons and has had some success here – four starts with four cuts made and a career best T13 finish last year. Hoffman has been as solid as they come and has to be on the radar this week.

Marc Leishman 33/1

Is yet another in that list of players on hot streaks but is not necessarily a household name. He had a string of four top 10s snapped last week with an OK T12 at TPC Four Seasons. He has been very consistent over the last month+ and has made the cut both times at Colonial.

Chris Kirk 40/1

Hasn’t missed a cut since January and had a fifth here last year to follow a T16 in 2011. He is seventh in strokes gained-putting and 13th in adjusted scoring on TOUR this year and could be due for a breakthrough this week.

Freddie Jacobson 40/1

Finished T17 last week at TPC Four Seasons en route to a T17 for his eighth top 25 in nine starts this season. He is currently fourth on TOUR in adjusted scoring and has had just an OK history on this track.

Harris English 40/1

Finished T5 at this tournament last year and is coming off a T17 last week despite a final round +4. That makes a 6th, 33rd and 17th in his last 3 starts and three top 10s on the season. At the Byron Nelson he ranked T30 in driving accuracy, T35 in GIR and a really nice T6 in putting average. A lot of people have a feeling about this kid for a reason – he is peaking and has a good history on this track.

The Sleepers:

Sang-Moon Bae 50/1

Putted his way to victory last week and if the putter remains hot he could do some damage this week as well. He has the form and now some momentum on his side and although I usually stay away from repeats, at 50/1 he cat’s be ignored.

Angel Cabrera 66/1

Had a T12 at HP Byron Nelson Championship and who could forget his play at the PLAYERS? He has finished top 20 in three of his last five starts overall and is a very attractive 66/1 this week.

The Pick:

My pick this week is Henrik Stenson at 33/1. On a track that requires accuracy, patience and experience, he’s my man this week.

My Sleeper is Angel Cabrera at 66/1. I can’t resist Cabrera at this price especially a motivated, pissed off Angel.

2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational Championship Betting Lines & Future Odds

Charl Schwartzel 14/1
Zach Johnson 14/1
Jason Dufner 20/1
Matt Kuchar 20/1
Jim Furyk 25/1
Kevin Streelman 25/1
Rickie Fowler 25/1
Bo Van Pelt 28/1
Martin Laird 28/1
Charley Hoffman 33/1
Henrik Stenson 33/1
Hunter Mahan 33/1
Marc Leishman 33/1
Ben Crane 40/1
Chris Kirk 40/1
Fredrik Jacobson 40/1
Harris English 40/1
John Huh 40/1
Ryan Palmer 40/1
Tim Clark 40/1
Sang Moon Bae 50/1
Scott Piercy 50/1
Kyle Stanley 55/1
Ryan Moore 55/1
Angel Cabrera 66/1
Brendon De Jonge 66/1
Graham Delaet 66/1
Jeff Overton 66/1
Jordan Speith 66/1
Robert Karlsson 66/1
Stewart Cink 75/1
FIELD (all others) 2-1

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2013 Coca Cola 600 Predictions

This week the Sprint Cup series will remain at Charlotte Motor Speedway after last Saturday night’s All-Star Race for the running of the traditional Memorial Day Weekend Coca Cola 600. Sunday night’s race is set to get underway at 6 p.m. and it will be broadcast nationally on FOX.

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Coca Cola 600 Preview and Prediction
Race: Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date: Sunday, May 26, 2013
Time: 6 p.m. (ET)
Broadcast: FOX
Odds: Bovada

Jimmie Johnson’s hot streak continued with a victory in last week’s $1 million All-Star Race with Joey Logano finishing second and Kyle Busch taking third.

The following is a closer look at our favorite, contender, and longshot picks for this Sunday night’s race with odds provided by Sportsbook.

The Favorite (odd of less than 10/1)

Johnson has been opened as the favorite to win this race at +450, but we like the fact that Kyle Busch ran third in the All-Star after winning a Truck Series race at this track last Friday night. He comes in as a +600 second favorite to carry that success over to this race.

The No. 18 car is in eighth-place in the Sprint Cup standings with 325 points on the strength of checkered flags at Fontana and Texas along three other top-five finishes.

Busch has never posted a victory in a Sprint Cup point race at Charlotte, but given the fact that he has only finished out of the top 10 once in his last 11 races here, including five top-five finishes in his last six tries, we love his chances to finally break through with a win.

The Contender (odds from 10/1 to 19/1)

The list runs deeps with quality drivers in the contender category for this race, but we decided to put Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the top to win at +1500. While the No. 88 car is still searching for its first trip to victory lane this season, it has been in the running several times so far with seven top-10 finishes in the first 11 point races.

This performance has the team in fourth-place in the current standings with 359 points. The only deterrent to this pick is Junior’s overall record at Charlotte, but he did finish seventh in this race in 2011 and sixth in the second race here in 2012.

The Longshot (odds 20/1 or greater)

If you are looking for value in a longshot for this race then your best bet would be Tony Stewart at +3000. This pick is not really based on current form as the No. 14 car is mired in 21st-place in the point standings with just one top-10 finish this year.

It is also not based on recent performance at this track with just one top-10 finish at Charlotte in his last 10 races here.

The value in these odds is in the fact that Stewart remains a threat to win anytime he gets behind wheel as one of the fiercest competitors on the track.

Odds from Bovada

Jimmie Johnson 6/1
Kyle Busch 6/1
Matt Kenseth 6/1
Denny Hamlin 7/1
Kasey Kahne 8/1
Brad Keselowski 12/1
Carl Edwards 12/1
Jeff Gordon 12/1
Martin Truex Jr 15/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr 15/1
Clint Bowyer 15/1
Kevin Harvick 15/1
Greg Biffle 15/1
Tony Stewart 30/1
Joey Logano 35/1
Kurt Busch 35/1
Mark Martin 60/1
Ricky Stenhouse 60/1
Juan Montoya 75/1
Jamie McMurray 75/1
Trevor Bayne 100/1
Regan Smith 100/1
Danica Patrick 100/1
Jeff Burton 100/1
Aric Almirola 100/1
Paul Menard 100/1
Ryan Newman 100/1
David Ragan 100/1
Marcos Ambrose 100/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 50/1

*SPRINT Cup Odds provided by Bovada

Handicapping MLB Odds

The Major League Baseball season is a little more than 25 percent complete. We’re starting to get a good feel for what the strengths and weaknesses of the top teams are. It’s never too early to start looking at World Series Futures.

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Let’s take a look at some teams who are in the running for a World Series in 2013.

All odds listed are odds to win the 2013 World Series and these are from BetOnline.

Detroit Tigers (+600)

Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown last year, and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down this year. Cabrera is undoubtedly the best hitter in the game right now. By adding Torii Hunter and a healthy Victor Martinez this lineup is definitely better this year. The starting rotation is very deep. The one big question mark is the bullpen. Can they win it without a good bullpen?

Texas Rangers (+900)

Remember all those people who thought the Rangers would struggle without Josh Hamilton? This lineup ranks in the top five in most offensive categories once again this year. The depth of this lineup is impressive. Additionally, people need to remember that this is a Rangers team that wins with pitching first. When the entire rotation is healthy again, this team will be very dangerous.

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Atlanta Braves (+1,000)

The Braves burst out of the starting gates, but they have cooled off a bit lately. I’m still convinced that this team has one of the best lineups in baseball and their bullpen is the best in baseball. Injuries could be a concern here, but the Braves are a very dangerous team.

San Francisco Giants (+1,000)

Don’t overlook the 2010 and 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. Bruce Bochy’s team knows how to win games the right way and win when it counts most. This a great defensive team, and the lineup is quite a bit better than it was last season.

Washington Nationals (+1,000)

Washington was the favorite to win the NL Pennant before the season, but they have started a bit slowly. It’s hard to believe this team is only a game above .500 right now. The pitching staff isn’t dominating the way they did last year. Expect this team to get on a run sooner or later.

St. Louis Cardinals (+1,100)

St. Louis has the National League’s best record this year. So far in 2013, the Cardinals have had the best offense in the league as well as the best starting pitching. When a guy like David Freese bats seventh in your lineup, you must have a very good hitting team! Can the young pitchers keep pitching the way they have?

Cincinnati Reds (+1,200)

The Cincinnati Reds are a very well-balanced team. Unlike some of the other teams on this list, there is no glaring weakness on the Reds team. They do need Johnny Cueto to stay healthy though. Shin Soo-Choo makes this lineup much more dangerous with his ability to get on base at the top of the order.

New York Yankees (+1,250)

Joe Girardi’s team has done a fantastic job winning games despite being very short-handed this year. The Yankees offense has outperformed everyone’s expectations, and the rotation has been pretty good. Can this team go to the next level when some of their veterans get back in the lineup?

Boston Red Sox (+1,800)

Boston’s red hot start has cooled off quite a bit, but the team is still in a good position. The resurgence of Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester has this team in a much different place than last year. Still, it’s hard to imagine this team going very far if they do get into the postseason.

Free Pick for 2013 World Series: Cincinnati Reds (+1,200)

I think the Reds have as good of a chance as anyone this year, and at these odds I like them as a value play. Joey Votto is a hitting machine, and the Reds pitching depth is impressive.

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