Cashing In

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

White Sox (under 9) at Texas.

I'm looking for any and all comments so if you are reading this, my 300th ever blog, please feel free to add a comment below.

A weak day for Bad Beats. But the under players here in Arlington are still not very happy as both starters Gavin Floyd and Scott Feldman did their part allowing only a combined two earned runs in 13 innings.

But then...

The score was 3-1 Texas heading into the seventh inning. It would take 7 runs in probably only 2 1/2 innings as the home team was winning for this game to go over which is asking a lot, even with these offenses and even in a hitters' ballpark.

I guess not...

Ozzie Guillen's offense heated up a bit led by Paul Konerko belting two more home runs in the game and now leading the league with 10. Chicago would score three times in the seventh but they were also helped out by two Texas errors along with a wild pitch, yikes, now that is unlucky! The Sox wound up scoring six runs in the final three frames for the 7-5 victory and an over.



Your winners for Friday are on:

5* Jazz (minus 4 1/2) vs. Denver.

3* Bucks (plus 2) vs. Atlanta.

2* Nationals (plus 190) at Florida.

One Thursday play and another easy 4* winner on the Suns!



I am all about the home Jazz on Friday as Denver is not a team that will just be able to go on the road and man up in a huge spot like this, no way!

Utah is great at home and even without Kirilenko and Okur proved in both home games this series how they will just get out on the break and beat Denver at their own game. The Nugs have talent with Anthony and Billups and others but Nene is now done for the series and after seeing how bad they were in games three and four in Mormon Country I see no reason how they can respond here.

Losing George Karl was a big blow and all in all Denver away from the Mile High City has issues and those issues won't be resolved today as they face a raucous crowd and a team led by studs in Williams and Boozer.



The Hawks have even more issues than the Nuggets and those also will not just be resolved here. Atlanta blew that game in horrific fashion as they led by 13 fairly late. To lose at home and fall behind 3-2 in the series is a total total crushing blow and one they will not come back from.

Over the last three seasons Atlanta has won literally one road playoff game. Mike Woodson's squad just does not travel well and even with the talent advantage as Johnson and Smith and Horford make up the clear better team that will not equate to a season saving victory here.

Despite not having Andrew Bogut the Bucks have done what it takes. Jennings and Salmons have continued to play at a high level and being a home dog here is a joke!



Ricky Nolasco is very good and clearly the best starter here but the Marlins are really not all that much better right now than the Nationals.

Washington has been very good early on and has talent with Dunn and Zimmerman and Pudge and a few others. In the end the Marlins are the better team with a superstar in Hanley Ramirez leading the way but to get around $2 here is just a must play.

Zimmerman has been banged up and with or without him I'll take my chances on these visitors. Nolasco has the potential to get smacked around as he is still far from a superstar and I have nothing to lose here in backing this big dog.