Scott Rickenbach
Marlins at Red Sox
Pick: Over 9.5
The Marlins bring a lot of confidence with them for this trip to Boston. That’s what happens when you earn a three-game road sweep and average eight runs per game in your prior series. Yes, Florida has won three straight games entering this match-up and they all came against the Blue Jays at Toronto. The Marlins are a power hitting team and they’ve been hitting the long ball well recently. Florida has homered in eight straight games. Three of the games were multi-homer games and another game featured a huge grand slam! This has helped the Marlins sustain a solid 13-8 run since late May. Florida’s last five games have all tallied at least ten runs and the 12.6 average total for those five games has been a direct result of some hot hitting but also some questionable Marlins pitching. We absolutely look for more of the same here.
Even though the Red Sox Tim Wakefield has only allowed six homers this season, they’ve all come in his last eight starts. This includes one each in each of his last three home outings. In his last four home outings, Wakefield has 13 walks against just 11 strikeouts. Also, in his last six starts Wakefield has fired one gem (against the Blue Jays – a team he always dominates). Look at his other five starts that have spanned this stretch since mid-May and you’ll see why we’re expecting continued success for a hot Marlins lineup! In those five outings, Wakefield has allowed 24 earned runs on 43 hits in 28 innings of work! So, although Wakefield may give the overall appearance of a pitcher whose been “on” he really hasn’t been at his best of late. Wakefield is 8-2 in his last ten decisions but the Red Sox have averaged nearly 8.5 runs of offense per game in his eight wins! Look for him to get plenty of run support again tonight.
The Red Sox are on a 10-3 run and they’ve averaged over six runs per game during this hot streak. They’re coming off of back to back games with the Phillies that totaled 17 runs apiece and a similar result could be on tap tonight. The Red Sox will be “teeing off” against Chris Volstad of the Marlins. The 22 year-old right-hander will quickly find out how unfriendly Fenway Park can be to a visiting pitcher. Volstad is currently mired in a 2-6 slump and he’s been hit hard in many of those eight starts. He’s allowed eight homers in his last eight starts and Volstad has given up 56 hits in his last 49.1 innings. Even though Volstad is in his second MLB season, this will be his first venture into inter-league waters and there’s probably no ballpark – other than the new Yankee Stadium – that would have been a worse spot for Volstad to make his first ever start against an American League club. The Red Sox .505 slugging percentage at home is tops in the majors! With the hot Marlins lineup matching the Red Sox run for run tonight, it’s a slugfest at Fenway Park. Play OVER the total in Boston as a regular selection.
Marlins at Red Sox
Pick: Over 9.5
The Marlins bring a lot of confidence with them for this trip to Boston. That’s what happens when you earn a three-game road sweep and average eight runs per game in your prior series. Yes, Florida has won three straight games entering this match-up and they all came against the Blue Jays at Toronto. The Marlins are a power hitting team and they’ve been hitting the long ball well recently. Florida has homered in eight straight games. Three of the games were multi-homer games and another game featured a huge grand slam! This has helped the Marlins sustain a solid 13-8 run since late May. Florida’s last five games have all tallied at least ten runs and the 12.6 average total for those five games has been a direct result of some hot hitting but also some questionable Marlins pitching. We absolutely look for more of the same here.
Even though the Red Sox Tim Wakefield has only allowed six homers this season, they’ve all come in his last eight starts. This includes one each in each of his last three home outings. In his last four home outings, Wakefield has 13 walks against just 11 strikeouts. Also, in his last six starts Wakefield has fired one gem (against the Blue Jays – a team he always dominates). Look at his other five starts that have spanned this stretch since mid-May and you’ll see why we’re expecting continued success for a hot Marlins lineup! In those five outings, Wakefield has allowed 24 earned runs on 43 hits in 28 innings of work! So, although Wakefield may give the overall appearance of a pitcher whose been “on” he really hasn’t been at his best of late. Wakefield is 8-2 in his last ten decisions but the Red Sox have averaged nearly 8.5 runs of offense per game in his eight wins! Look for him to get plenty of run support again tonight.
The Red Sox are on a 10-3 run and they’ve averaged over six runs per game during this hot streak. They’re coming off of back to back games with the Phillies that totaled 17 runs apiece and a similar result could be on tap tonight. The Red Sox will be “teeing off” against Chris Volstad of the Marlins. The 22 year-old right-hander will quickly find out how unfriendly Fenway Park can be to a visiting pitcher. Volstad is currently mired in a 2-6 slump and he’s been hit hard in many of those eight starts. He’s allowed eight homers in his last eight starts and Volstad has given up 56 hits in his last 49.1 innings. Even though Volstad is in his second MLB season, this will be his first venture into inter-league waters and there’s probably no ballpark – other than the new Yankee Stadium – that would have been a worse spot for Volstad to make his first ever start against an American League club. The Red Sox .505 slugging percentage at home is tops in the majors! With the hot Marlins lineup matching the Red Sox run for run tonight, it’s a slugfest at Fenway Park. Play OVER the total in Boston as a regular selection.
INDIAN COWBOY
PLAY OF THE DAY:
TAMPA BAY RAYS vs COLORADO
ROCKIES
Play: Take Tampa Bay Rays +110 over Colorado Rockies (8:40pm est).
(POD)
Comments: INDIAN COWBOY'S PLAY OF THE DAY: 4 Unit Play. Take Tampa Bay
Rays +110 over Colorado Rockies (8:40pm est). Let's take a dog today
in the Rays as they have won 5 straight games and they look to face
the hot Rockies. Yes, I know the Rockies are rolling right now having
won 11 in a row (sweeping the cards, brewers, and mariners). Having
said that, the Rays come off taking 2 of 3 from the Angels and most
recently sweeping the Nats. Niemann comes off a tough start where he
gave up 4 runs in less than 4 innings to the Angels and although the
Rays won 9-5, I expect him to pitch better today. Prior to that,
Niemann essentially had 5 good outings and the Houston native has
really come a long way. De La Rosa (the ex-royal) now with the Rockies
has pitched well against the Brewers and Cards on the road but he has
not had that much luck at home of late giving up 11 runs in a little
over 8 innings in Coors field. Plus, the Rays are familiar with De La
Rosa from the AL and I look for them to have some success today in a
hitter's ballpark such as Coors. The Rays are 5-0 when they face a
pitcher with a WHIP greater than 1.3 and the Rockies are 0-5 when De
La Rossa is a favorite of this margin at home.
PLAY OF THE DAY:
TAMPA BAY RAYS vs COLORADO
ROCKIES
Play: Take Tampa Bay Rays +110 over Colorado Rockies (8:40pm est).
(POD)
Comments: INDIAN COWBOY'S PLAY OF THE DAY: 4 Unit Play. Take Tampa Bay
Rays +110 over Colorado Rockies (8:40pm est). Let's take a dog today
in the Rays as they have won 5 straight games and they look to face
the hot Rockies. Yes, I know the Rockies are rolling right now having
won 11 in a row (sweeping the cards, brewers, and mariners). Having
said that, the Rays come off taking 2 of 3 from the Angels and most
recently sweeping the Nats. Niemann comes off a tough start where he
gave up 4 runs in less than 4 innings to the Angels and although the
Rays won 9-5, I expect him to pitch better today. Prior to that,
Niemann essentially had 5 good outings and the Houston native has
really come a long way. De La Rosa (the ex-royal) now with the Rockies
has pitched well against the Brewers and Cards on the road but he has
not had that much luck at home of late giving up 11 runs in a little
over 8 innings in Coors field. Plus, the Rays are familiar with De La
Rosa from the AL and I look for them to have some success today in a
hitter's ballpark such as Coors. The Rays are 5-0 when they face a
pitcher with a WHIP greater than 1.3 and the Rockies are 0-5 when De
La Rossa is a favorite of this margin at home.
