BRAD DIAMOND SPORTS
Play on: Baltimore over LA Angeles
The fading Orioles get a chance to bounce back at home against the traveling Angels on Friday night in what should be an interesting set of games. The Birds hurler lefty Brian Burres has a nice life time mark of 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA against Los Angeles, whereas cagey lefty Joe Saunders throws a mark of 3-0, but a 5.62 ERA versus Baltimore. With the O’s a super 72% in game #1 of a series, I’ll back the Orioles to reverse form here.
Bobby Maxwell
Colorado at CINCINNATI -145
The Rockies kick off their 10-game road trip tonight in Cincinnati against one of the best young pitchers to come around in a while in Edinson Volquez (12-3, 2.49 ERA). The Reds' young sensation is tough to get to at home.
For the season, Volquez is 6-0 with a 2.82 ERA in 10 starts in front of the home fans and Sunday he gave up four runs in five innings against the Mets and Cincinnati lost in 10 innings, 7-5. Today he gets a much easier lineup to face in the Rockies who have lost nine of their last 11 on the road and are a major league worst 14-36 away from home.
Colorado has Aaron Cook (12-6, 3.58) on the mound tonight and he's coming off three runs in six innings against the Pirates on Sunday as the Rockies got an 11-3 win. In five appearances against the Reds, Cook has a 7.11 ERA and last time he saw the Reds he gave up five runs on 10 hits in 5.1 innings.
The Rockies are just 14-38 in their last 52 on the road while Cincinnati is 9-1 in their last 10 Friday games and 7-2 in their last nine as a favorite. The Reds are 4-2 in the last six between these two in Cincinnati and they'll get this one behind Volquez. Play the Reds.
4♦ CINCINNATI
James Patrick
Padres vs. Pirates
San Diego has captured 13 of 17 meetings in this series and has won 6 of 10 in the Steel City. The Bucs are just 3-15 in starter Duke’s Friday starts and we look for the Padres to continue their winning ways against the Pirates. Our selection in Major League Baseball is San Diego Padres.
Info Plays
3* on Houston Astros +150
Wandy Rodriquez takes a hungry Astros’ team into Milwaukee to take on a Brewers’ squad in a letdown spot. The Brewers are fresh off a 4-game sweep of the Cardinals where everything went their way. Milwaukee won’t be so fortunate tonight against the Astros’ best starter in Wandy Rodriquez. In 14 starts this season, Rodriquez is 5-3 with a 3.31 ERA. Rodriquez allowed just 1 earned run in his last start against Milwaukee in seven strong innings. Brewers’ starter Manny Parra has struggled against Houston, allowing 5 earned runs or more in two of his last 3 starts against them for a 6.46 ERA in his career. Houston is 52-32 in road games vs. good power teams - averaging 1.25 or more HR's/game in the second half of the season since 1997. Rodriquez has given up just 9 home runs in 82 innings this season so he won’t be the victim of the long ball tonight. Bet Houston on the road.
Black Magic Sports
1 Unit on Tampa Bay Rays -110
Tampa Bay will be looking to revenge last night’s loss to the Kansas City Royals. A poor performance at the dish was their downfall, but they won’t allow the Royals to steal two games in a row Friday. Edwin Jackson has revived his career in 2008. In eight road starts, Jackson has managed a 2-2 record and a 3.72 ERA. The biggest reason for his road domination has been the fact that Jackson has allowed a mere 2 home runs in over 48 innings of work. Brian Bannister has been awful as of late for the Royals, going 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA through his last three outings. The Royals are 3-13 vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 4.00 to 4.70 this season. K.C. is 22-40 vs. AL teams allowing 4.7 or less runs/game on the season this season. The Rays have won 9 of their last 11 Friday games and appear more focused than ever heading into the weekend. Cash in with Tampa Bay as the favorite.
Jason Lowry
Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Play: Philadelphia Phillies
We are taking the Phillies at home against one of the worst road teams in all of the MLB in the Atlanta Braves. On top of that the Phillies have a 71% system at their back, as you should play against - Road teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (ATLANTA) - average hitting team (AVG = .255 to .269) against an average starting pitcher (ERA=4.20 to 5.20) -NL, with a starting pitcher whose gives up 0.5 or less HR's/start. (45-18 over the last 5 seasons.) Plus starter Kyle Kendrick is 14-3 against the money line in night games this season. Take the Phillies!
Steve Janus
LAA Angels vs. Baltimore Orioles
Play: LAA Angels
You have to love following the Angels on the road this year because they have the best road record in baseball, yet you still get the benefit of a lower line on them simply because they are on the road. LA has won 7 of their last 8 overall and they've gone 13-6 with starter Joe Saunders pitching on the road. A pretty amazing stat is that, when Saunders starts a game for the Angels, their record is 35-16 in his last 51 starts. That's the kind of trend that works in our favor! The Orioles are just 1-7 in their last 8 games against the AL West and they've lost 5 in a row at home against a winning team when SP Brain Burres takes the mound.
Bob Harvey
LAA Angels vs. Baltimore Orioles
Play: LAA Angels
The Angels have a lot of plusses on their side heading into tonight’s game in Baltimore. Los Halos own the majors best road record at 31-18. They’ve won two straight and seven of their last eight. They lead second place Oakland by ten-games in the AL West, they’ve got the best closer in baseball and tonight’s starting pitcher, Joe Saunders, has never lost to the Orioles. How’s that for impressive? Saunders, who is 12-5 on the year with a 3.05 ERA, grew up in Springfield, Virginia about 60 miles from Camden Yards. He grew up as a huge Orioles fan and just happens to have a 3-0 record against them.
Baltimore scored just two runs in two losses to Toronto on Thursday and have lost three-in-a row. The Orioles will go Brian Burress against the Halo’s. He’s 7-6 this season with a 5.02 ERA. The lefty fared well last year against the Angels going 2-0 with an ERA under 3.00.
The Angels are the cream of the crop in baseball right now. They’ve been getting it done with pitching up to this point and now their offense is starting to show signs of life. That figures to be “double trouble” for the Birds.
Robert Ross
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Prediction: Boston Red Sox
Cheap price on the home side. Yanks step up in class after playing Oakland and Minnesota at home. A better than 70% winning angle says to Play On - All teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (BOSTON) - stranding 7.5 or more runners on base per game on the season, after 3 straight games where they stranded 10 or more runners on base (31-13 over the last 5 seasons). Take Boston!
Tom Freese
Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants
Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona is 7-2 in the last 9 starts made by Danny Haren and they are 10-4 with Haren when favored. The Diamonbcaks are 5-1 their last 6 games when playing off a loss. San Francisco is 8-20 vs. a pitcher with a WHIP of less than 1.15 and they are 5-21 their last 26 games as home dogs. The Giants are 1-4 in the last 4 home starts made by Jonathan Sanchez and they are 0-4 their last 4 Friday games. PLAY ON ARIZONA
JOHN FINA
Selection: San Diego Padres +105
Today the San Diego Padres will be on the road as they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates. We will side with the San Diego Padres! One reason why we will side with the San Diego Padres is because they will be sending to the mound the much superior starting pitcher. This says it all... The San Diego Padres Starting Pitcher (Cha Seung Baek) has a 2.08 ERA in his last 3 starts, while Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Pitcher (Zach Duke) has a 12.82 ERA in his last 3 starts. As you can see, the San Diego Padres have the much better starting pitcher on the mound. In addition, the San Diego Padres have proven they can beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. In fact, the San Diego Padres are 10-2 in their last 12 meetings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. We see the San Diego Padres getting another win today! Take the San Diego Padres!
TONY MATHEWS
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants
Selection: Arizona Diamondbacks -135
The Arizona Diamondbacks will use starting pitcher Dan Haren. Dan Haren has pitched well this season. In fact, Dan Haren has a 2.58 ERA on the season. In addition, Dan Haren has a 1.23 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see Dan Haren pitching another great game today.
The San Francisco Giants will use starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez. Jonathan Sanchez has struggled this season. In fact, Jonathan Sanchez has a 4.10 ERA on the season. In addition, Jonathan Sanchez has a 6.28 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see Jonathan Sanchez pitching another bad game today.
The San Francisco Giants have struggled when playing the role of the underdog. In fact, the San Francisco Giants are 1-7 in their last 8 games as an underdog.
Take the Arizona Diamondbacks
Oddswiz
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
Play: Boston Red Sox
Huge Series this weekend at Fenway as the Bronx Bombers come in for a 3 game set. Generally, when these two hook up we zero in on the dog but tonight, we're going to lean towards the favored Bosox. Great pitching matchup featuring Beckett and Chamberlain and two teams that everyone in baseball knew would be right in the thick of things come this time of year. The Sox are tied with the Rays for 1st places in the AL East while the surging Yanks sit 3 back. David Ortiz returns to the lineup after missing 47 games and while he's not 100% his return is sure to give the Bosox an emotional lift and will have the fans in a frenzy at Fenway. Adding to the Bosox edge is their performance at home, 36-11 and 7-1 their last 8 compared to the Yankees playing .500 ball on the road and having gone 1-4 their last 5 road games. I hate playing favorites, especially when these two hook up but it looks as though the Bosox ar the right side tonight.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Kansas City Royals
Play: Tampa Bay Rays
In a nutshell, if the Tampa Rays can't get their act together on the road, particularly against a team like the Royals, who are just 23-27 at home, then they can kiss their season good bye. You have to "make hay" at some point. It doesn't get any easier after this series as the Rays head to Toronto and these are the games and series you look back on at the end of a season when you finish just a few games out and realize it cost you the year. Can you say "must win"?. That's essentially what this game boils down to. The Rays get another crack at Brian Bannister who takes the mound for the Royals. They hammered him for 8 hits and 6 runs last time out (in Tampa). How's this......7, 7, 11, 9......that's the runs given up by the Royals in Bannister's last 4 starts where he is 0-2 with a 10.71 ERA. The Rays, a first place AL East team, one of the better teams in baseball over the first half, simply have to win games like this if they have any shot at all this year with the mighty Yanks and Bosox nipping at their heels. So, we'll use them one more time here. Take the Rays at the fair price.
Mike Anthony
LAA Angels vs. Baltimore Orioles
Play: LAA Angels
Joe Saunders has cashed in 13 of his last 19 road starts and pitches in Camden Yards tonight. He's also 5-1 in his career team starts and 8-2 in his career team starts on Fridays. On the flip side, Burres is just 2-4 during July and has dropped each of his last three home starts. With that, look for the Halos to improve to 13-4 in this series against the Birds here tonight as Burres cant wait for July to end
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