Matt Fargo Sports Handicapper Picks

YESTERDAY'S PLAYS
Matchup	Selection	W/L
NHL \| May 23, 2013 San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings	San Jose Sharks +135 at 5 DIMES	Lost $100.0
Clearly the home team has not only has the edge in this series but it goes back to the regular season for both of these teams. Los Angeles and San Jose went a combined 36-6-6 on home ice during the regular season and it has not quit during the playoffs as the Kings are a perfect 5-0 at home while the Sharks are a perfect 4-0 at home. That includes the home team winning all four of their games during this series and while going a perfect 8-0 going back to the regular season. Blindly taking the home team again here will be the case for many but I am going against the grain and saying the road team finally breaks through. San Jose lost the first two games of this series here but it had a disadvantage in that is did not open Game One until a week after it had swept Vancouver in the first round so any momentum from that was lost. Now coming off two wins, the Sharks have had only one day off so that momentum can carry forward here. The Kings meanwhile defeated St. Louis in six games in the first round including wins in the final four games. The series clincher came at home and after three days off, they had the edge of remaining at home to take Game On e and eventually Game Two. Now having lost two straight games, the momentum has shifted. Because of the home domination on both sides, we are seeing some additional line value on the Sharks as the linesmakers had no choice but to adjust this number. Look for San Jose to steal a game and take control of this series. *9 (33) San Jose Sharks**
MLB \| May 23, 2013 Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals	Los Angeles Angels +120 at BETONLINE	Won $120
The Angels have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball with a 19-27 record and while people are now down on this team, this is an excellent time to be able to buy them at a low price. After opening its homestand with a 1-4 record, Los Angeles rattled off wins in its final four games as the offense exploded for 37 runs over that four-game stretch. It will be only a matter of time before the Angels get a big run going and we could be right in the middle of it now. They have been horrible on the road but the recent momentum can turn that around. Joe Blanton can shoulder some of the blame for the bad start as he has a 6.62 ERA and 1.97 WHIP through his first nine starts of the season while posting a 0-7 record. He has shown some good signs though as he posted three consecutive quality outings before getting roughed up in his last two starts. The good news is that after starting 0-8 in his first eight starts, the Angels broke through with a win in his last game as they scored a season high 12 runs. Blanton got roughed up at home against the royals in his first start against them and has a shot at redemption here. The Royals have cooled off considerably as they are just 4-12 over their last 16 games including losses in four straight at home and despite taking two of three against the Angels in Los Angeles to open their most recent roadtrip, they are catching them in this return series at the wrong time. Ervin Santana takes the hill and despite a 2.77 ERA, Kansas City is just 4-4 in his eight starts as it has averaged a mere 2.6 rpg behind him. He has been solid at home and while this is his first start against his former team, the offense has the edge based on knowledge and recent form. *9 (909) Los Angeles Angels**
MLB \| May 23, 2013 Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox	Cleveland Indians +135 at SIA	Won $135
The Indians remain a half-game ahead of the Tigers in the American League Central despite losing both games in the short two-game set to open the week. Cleveland was riding a five-game winning streak prior to that and it brings in a 5-2 run in its last seven road games. The Indians have scored five runs or more in six of their last seven games while averaging 6.4 rpg over that stretch and they look to keep that rolling behind Zach McAllister. He has been outstanding with a 2.65 ERA on the season as he has allowed three runs or fewer in all eight of his starts, six of which have been quality outings. He has allowed two runs or fewer in all six of those quality performances and he will be looking to grab his first road win of the season despite tossing two quality outings in three highway starts. After winning five straight games on the road, Boston dropped its first two games in Chicago before salvaging the series finale last night behind yet another strong performance from Clay Buchholz. The Red Sox have been extremely solid on the road with a 15-9 record but they have not been as good at home, going 13-10 and going back, the Red Sox are 5-14 in their last 19 home games against teams with a winning record. Ryan Dempster opened the season with a solid 2.93 ERA through his first seven starts but he has been lit up for 11 runs on 15 hits and seven walks covering 9.2 innings over his last two outings. He threw a season high 127 pitches last time out and that does not bode well here. He is just 1-3 at home with only two of four starts being quality outings. Cleveland is 12-5 in its last 17 games against right-handed starters and while Dempster has had success against the Indians in the past, Cleveland faces him in a very vulnerable situation. *9 (907) Cleveland Indians**
MLB \| May 23, 2013 Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers	Minnesota Twins +160 at BOOKMAKER	Lost $100.0
After losing three of four against Texas to open its roadtrip, Detroit took both games against the Indians to start the week to move to within a half-game of Cleveland in the American League Central. The Tigers return home where they are 13-7 on the season but they have struggled there of late, going just 3-4 over their last seven games at Comerica Park. Rick Porcello gets the call tonight for Detroit and he has been pretty below average despite some recent success. He has a 5.92 ERA on the season and while most of the damage can be attributed to one bad start against the Angels, he has not been very sharp overall. Part of the problem is that he is not pitching in a regular rotation as he has been getting extra days off which tossing some spot starts as well. The Tigers are 2-12 in his last 14 games when throwing on five days of rest while going 3-8 in his last 11 starts as a favorite. Minnesota started the season very well but it is now in a big slump with losses in eight straight games. The Twins had won three straight road games before getting swept in Atlanta in their three-game series to open the week. Scott Diamond opened the season with a 3.03 ERA through his first five starts but he has allowed six runs in each of his last two outings. Both of those were at home where he is 0-4 with an 8.27 ERA but in three road starts, he is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA, all being quality outings. He has had great success here, posting a 2.42 ERA in four starts in Detroit and the Twins are 4-0 in his last four road starts against teams with a winning record. The Twins fall into a great contrarian situation as we play on teams with a bullpen whose ERA is 3.75 or better on the season, starting a pitcher who allowed six or more runs in his last two outings. This situation is 55-26 (67.9 percent) over the last five seasons. *9 (903) Minnesota Twins**
MLB \| May 23, 2013 Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates	Chicago Cubs +127 at BETONLINE	Lost $100.0
The Cubs lost a tough one last night as they could get no run support for Jeff Samardzija who now has a 3.25 ERA through 10 starts but he has certainly been a tough luck pitcher with just 2.8 rpg of support behind him. Chicago has now lost three straight games, all of which have come by just one run and that has been the downfall all season as it is 6-12 in one run games this season. Edwin Jackson has not been the pitcher the Cubs had hoped for as he has a 5.76 ERA and 1.52 WHIP through nine starts but he has been hurt by just a couple bad starts. He has allowed four runs or fewer in seven of those games while allowing three runs or fewer five times. He has had issues at Wrigley Field with a 7.81 ERA and 1.88 WHIP but he has been much more effective on the road, posting a 3.22 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in four starts. The Pirates remain hot as they have won 10 of their last 12 games to maintain their pace in the National League Central behind St. Louis and Cincinnati. Even with the win last night, the offense continues to struggle as Pittsburgh is hitting just .214 over its last 10 games including .207 against right-handed pitching. The Pirates send Jeanmar Gomez to the hill for his fifth start of the season and so far things have gone very good since his addition to the rotation. He is not throwing a lot of pitches as he has gotten worn out nearing 70 pitches but Pittsburgh is a perfect 4-0 in his four starts. That is not a streak that will last as the bullpen can only do so much. It is tough to back a guy that posted a 5.96 ERA in 17 starts with the Indians last season which eventually led to his release. *9 (901) Chicago Cubs**