NEWS BULLETIN:  Crank up the volume.  THE HOTBOX ROCKS!!!!  "I'm ULDA, the world's only dancing and surfing flame--and I approve of this message."  (Check out surfer Ulda's latest video filmed on location at Redondo Beach, Calif).

 

Sports Watch uses DON BEST,  THE VEGAS INSIDER and what we believe is the leading off-shore sports book (and certainly the world leader for football and basketball teasers) BETMANIA for complete line information in the monitoring of all documented handicappers.

 

Here's an IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT regarding our HOTBOX website:  We are now updating our SPORTS-WATCH.com handicapper TOP FIVE records at www.the-hotbox.com  every night.  Check it out after the games are over and find out how the TOP FIVE did including the winning and losing picks for the day. 

 

Please visit www.sports-watch.com  for the latest documented handicapper standings in football, basketball and baseball.  Click HERE for complete information on all handicappers including web addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. 

 

Check out our HOTBOX page each day at  www.buzzdaly.com  (click on FREE PICKS).

 

We begin the 2008 BASEBALLHOTBOX contest where each contestant will turn in one play a week and you can expect to see those plays up at this site each Friday at approximately 4:30 p.m. Eastern time.  Any contestant that misses turning in a play can make up for it by turning in two plays the following week.  The regular season BASEBALL HOTBOX will end July 27.  At that time the TOP FOUR contestants will proceed with the HOTBOX playoffs which will pair the #1 vs. #4 and #2 vs. #3 in opening round playoff matchups.  Stay tuned.  The 2008 BASEBALL HOTBOX should be exciting.

 

 

And Sports Watch congratulates our 2007 PIGSKIN HOTBOX champ,  Bruce B. of 4TH N' GOAL SPORTS and 2008 HOOP HOTBOX champ,  OCDOOLEY.COM

. HOTBOX CONTEST PLAYS;

 

FRIDAY, APRIL 18

H. F. SYDEIN  AG SPORTS   New York over BALTIMORE / CABRERA  "Dem walks, dey kill you" should be the motto of Daniel Cabrera, the wildman of the Orioles staff.  Geat stuff--no control.  Look for the Yankees with Hughes to resume their winning ways at Camden Yards, their home away from home.  PLAY ON THE YANKEES.

MIKE MERLET,   LEE KOSTROSKI    AMERICAN SPORTS ANALYSTS   HOUSTON / SAMPSON over Colorado / Morales.

OCDOOLEY.COM   MINNESOTA / LIRIANO over Cleveland / Lee.  Minnesota actually opened as the favorite, so this is one of those rare situations in baseball where the line has moved significantly.  It is easy to see why since struggling Cleveland who had lost 6 of 7 games while getting outscored 49-24 in those setbacks, finally broke loose yesterday in an 11-1 romp against a Detroit team that also has been a major dissapointment at the outset.  Both the Indians and Tigers were slated to battle it out for the divisional crown, but the early script in the AL Central race has pointed towards upsets.  I want all of you to be aware that Cleveland in this series has beaten Minnesota SEVEN consecutive times, so the bottom line is that tonight the Twins have the perfect shot at revenge as they are getting the Tribe while they are down. 
 
One of the first things that I look at when handicapping a near pick-em baseball situation such as this is who has the BULLPEN edge, and clearly Minnesota has the advantage.  The Twins actually got some flack from opposing General Managers when they signed elite closer Joe Nathan recently to a long term contract extension.  On the other side of the ledger Cleveland just lost their closer Joe Borowski to the disabled list, thus thrusting Rafael Bentancourt into the closers job.  I am fully aware that Cliff Lee has been lights out in his initial Cleveland starts, as he has recovered from an injury-marred campaign which saw his ERA soar to above the SIX mark.  But the fact of the matter is that Cleveland is ranked dead LAST in American League hitting (.232), second-to-last in runs scored (63) and second-to-last in team ERA (5.62).  No matter who much talent they have on their roster, there is no way the Tribe right now should be a road favorite. 
 
I mentioned earlier that Cleveland is on a massive 7-0 run in this series, but note that most of the damage was done by the combination of C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Caromona who went 7-2 overall a year ago against Minnesota.  The interesting thing is that both Sabathia and Caromona will NOT be pitching this weekend, so the Twins are getting a huge break.  Sunday's scheduled Tribe starter is Paul Byrd who cleaned up (4-0) a year ago against the Twins, but he is not on the mound tonight. 
 
The main reason why Minnesota has reached BEST BET status is because tonight is the first time in 19 MONTHS that Francisco Liriano is starting a game inside the Metrodome.  Liriano took baseball by storm as a rookie (2.16 ERA in 28 appearances) where he struck out 144 batters in 121 total innings.  But Liriano did not pitch at all a year ago after undergoing Tommy John surgery.  I will admit that last Sunday Liriano looked very rusty in his initial start, but that was in the COLD outdoor conditions of Kansas City.  This evening Liriano pitches indoors with the HOME fans cheering him on.  Of course Minnesota was wiped off the nation's collective mindset as soon as they traded Cy Young award winner Johan Santana to the Mets.  But I can tell you that young Francisco Liriano is actually more important to this small-market team as his nickname is "the FRANCHISE". 
 
My database research indicates that in the past five years, teams like Cleveland starting a pitcher who issued ZERO walks in his last outing, and with a struggling bullpen who has an ERA of at least SIX in a 10-game span, has actually LOST 66% of the time (53-112) in the past five years.  Cleveland's Cliff Lee just happens to be a dismal 6-15 the past two years against Divisional opponents like the Twins.  The big news is that in the six years that Ron Gardenhire has been manager, Minnesota has won 76-PERCENT of the time (50-16) in front of their HOME fans, when facing an opponent who averages less than 2.76 extra-base hits per game.  It will not be very often that Francisco Liriano will be cast as a home underdog, and I am taking full advantage of some serious value tonight   PLAY ON MINNESOTA.

 

STEVE MERRIL  PRO SPORTS INFO  No pick this week.

 

RED BEARD'S TREASURE TROVE    New York Yankees / Hughes over BALTIMORE / CABRERA.  The Yankees have started off the 2008 season as they have started many of the their recent seasons.  They are currently 9-8 and 1 game back of division leading Boston and a half game back of Baltimore in the AL East. They will be sending out righty Phil Hughes, who has been rocky at best to start the year.  He will be matched up with Orioles righty Daniel Cabrera who hasn't been quite as bad as Hughes but is still winless with an era of nearly 6.00.

The Yankees had a much needed home stand, albeit a short one, as they head back out on the road for a 10 game stretch starting today in Charm City. The Orioles took 5 of 9 from the Yanks at home but lost all three when Cabrera took the mound.  PLAY ON NEW YORK WITH HUGHES.

 

ROCKY ATKINSON    ROCKETMAN SPORTS    ARIZONA / HAREN over San Diego / Maddux.  Arizona is 10-2 this year against division opponents. Arizona is 8-2 this year after a win. San Diego is scoring only 3.1 runs per game overall this year, 3.2 runs per game on the road this year and 3.2 runs per game against right handed starters this season. San Diego bullpen has a 6.02 ERA overall this year. Arizona is scoring runs in bunches averaging 6.2 runs per game overall this year, 7.7 runs per game at home this year and 5.7 runs per game against right handed starters this year. Haren is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA overall this year including 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA at home this season. We'll play Arizona for 3 units tonight! Thanks and good luck, Rocky.  PLAY ON ARIZONA.

 

 

SATURDAY, APRIL 19

 

BRAD DIAMOND SPORTS  No pick this week.

 

JON STARZ SPORTS EXCHANGE    No pick this week.