Off Saturday's 2-0 whitewash at Tampa Bay, look for Los Angeles to bounce back nicely with Ervin Santana on the mound.

Santana has made seven starts this season and looked fabulous in them all. Currently, No. 54 owns a 6-0 record and has been touched for only 11 earned runs and 34 hits in 49 innings of work. That breaks down to a sensational 2.02 ERA. Ervin's work on foreign soil is noteworthy too. Against the likes of Minnesota, Texas, Detroit and Kansas City, Santana has cruised to a 4-0 mark and surrendered only eight earned runs and 21 hits in 28.1 frames. That adds up to a strong 2.54 ERA!

Tampa Bay will counter with Andy Sonnanstine. In his last start at Toronto, Sonnanstine got roughed up a bit allowing four earned runs and 10 hits in six frames. His work at home has been shaky too. In four starts, No. 21 has been clocked for 14 earned runs and 25 hits in 24.2 innings of work. That adds up to a lofty 5.11 ERA. Andy has allowed six free passes and four long balls at home as well.

Off a dismal offensive performance in which they scored two runs or less, the Angels have responded by winning 27 of their last 40 games. Meanwhile, the Devil Rays have dropped 50 of their last 72 off a strong defensive effort in which they allowed two runs or less previously. It's hard to pass up a solid arm in great form at this price. Take Los Angeles with Santana. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.

Utah stands 40-5 SU and 28-13-4 ATS in the friendly confines of EnergySolutions Arena this year. That record is certainly respected. Unfortunately, it won't be enough to keep me off Los Angeles in this Western Conference Semi-Final battle.

On the road this season, the Lakers have been a cash cow posting a strong 29-15 SU and 29-13-2 ATS record. In this role matched up against an opponent that carries a won/loss percentage of .660 or worse, Kobe and Company improve to a sizzling 25-7 SU and 24-7-1 ATS including a spotless 7-0 SU and ATS in this set provided the Lakers enter off a straight up loss!

There is a solid game four system that favors Phil Jackson's troops too. Since the 1990-91 season, game four conference underdogs (or pick) are a respectable 29-15 ATS provided they won the first two games of the series but fell in game three. If our "play on" side carries a won/loss percentage greater than .680 and is battling an opponent that owns a won/loss percentage less than .655, this situation tightens up to a sensational 15-2 ATS! The Lakers apply!

LA Coach Jackson is one of the best at making post-season adjustments and he'll have the Western Conference's No. 1 seed prepared to pull of this upset. Take Los Angeles. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.