Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 7/26/2016

by Doc's Sports - 7/26/2016

NFL training camps open this week. And while we all know which teams are the top favorites to win this season's Super Bowl, we are going to pick Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza's brain to come up with one or two sleepers that could be poised to surprise everyone with a title run of their own.

Raphael honed his craft as an expert handicapper during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. At one point in this career, the former Vegas Sports Informer was the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement in 2013. These days he can still be found at his home base in Las Vegas or back east in the Big Easy of New Orleans running a successful and diverse sports investment service. The following is this week's Q&A with one of Doc's most interesting handicappers.

Doc's Sports: We have frequently talked about the importance of the Aug.1 MLB trade deadline in terms adding a few key pieces to the mix when it comes to making a run at a World Series title. Do you have any bold predictions for which teams might step up to the plate and make a big move between now and next Monday?

RE: As far as a NL team that could make a pretty big splash in the next few days, I would have to go with Washington. Boston is always a team to watch this time of the year when it is buying, but I also expect both Texas and Cleveland to try and fill a hole or two in their push for a MLB title this year.

Doc's Sports: You have been hot with your CFL picks the past few weeks, so we wanted to get your impression of the BC Lions as the early frontrunner in the West Division. They face Calgary on the road this Friday in the spotlight game of Week 6 after beating the Stampeders at home in Week 1 as slight underdogs.

RE: I have been very surprised with the high level of play by the Lions so far, especially on the defensive side of the ball where they are holding teams to fewer than 20 points a game. This week on the road against Calgary will be the true test after already beating their division rivals once this year. BC may not get the straight up win as an underdog, but things should remain very interesting all game long with the current five-point spread.

Doc's Sports : When you look at the top of the list of just about any sportsbook's NFL Super Bowl futures odds, you see the same familiar names such as New England and Pittsburgh in the AFC and Seattle and Green Bay in the NFC. Do you have your eye on any sleepers that can actually make a run at a Super Bowl title this year?

RE: Over in the AFC I would keep an eye on both Cincinnati and Kansas City as a pair of teams that might be finally ready to take that next step. Atlanta could be an interesting team in the NFC at much higher odds. To me, the best value on any futures list to win the Super Bowl this season would have to be with Green Bay. I see this team playing with something to prove this season after such a disappointing second half last year.

Doc's Sports : Professional golf's final Major of the year takes place this week with the PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey. Just a few weeks back you were pretty high on Dustin Johnson's chances to win the British Open. So, would he still be your favorite to win this tournament?

RE: I still think Johnson is the player to beat, especially in light of the value in his odds as a +800 favorite. This is the type of tournament where I see one of the Top 10 players on the futures list winning this week, which in turn adds some solid value to players such as Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott at odds of +2500 or higher.

Doc's Sports: Do you have any thoughts on how to bet this Thursday's MLS All-Stars vs. Arsenal FC soccer match at Avaya Stadium in San Jose in this season's MLS All-Star Game?

RE : The disparity in talent between one of the top teams in the English Premier League and the best players in MLS is still pretty wide, so this would be Arsenal's match to lose. Since it remains to be seen just how motivated they will be to win in what could be called a high-profile exhibition, I would stay away from betting on this match.

Click here to visit Raphael Esparza's Insider's Page at Doc's Sports for more information on his amazingly-profitable sports handicapping picks. Also, get $60 worth of Esparza's member's picks absolutely free - no obligation, no sales people - you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sport Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza .

Pick:	CHICAGO BEARS +3
Start:	November 24, 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #256 Chicago Bears +3 over Minnesota Vikings (1p.m., Sunday, November 24 FOX) We used the Bears as a free play winner last Sunday and easily covered the spread and should have been an underdog outright winner. Now we will ride them for a second straight week against another NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are 8-2 on the season, yet are only around a field goal favorite. I still do not trust Sam Donald to win consistently over the course of a 17 game regular season. Minnesota is not as good as their 8-2 record would indicate and playing outdoors in Chicago on Sunday will cause issues for them on both sides of the ball. Chicago has been hit or miss this season, but they will be up to play another divisional rival and we expect them to take this down to the wire as well. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend Card featuring top plays in college and NFL football. Read More Read Less

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