O.C. DOOLEY
“1 UNIT" BASEBALL INTANGIBLE SIDE (Cubs -110 at home versus Brewers in a 8:05 eastern start-------Narverson versus Zambrano):
At the bottom of this analysis you will see this pick (weather permitting) is a very high percentage wager. But the key to the Cubs tonight actually has to do with what I like to call an "intangible" as this troubled franchise has actually put together a 2-game WINNING streak. One of the reasons for the recent outburst is that the team is taking head-on the infamous "billy goat curse" as players are actually wearing t-shirts that deal with the age old subject that many locals feel is the reason why Chicago's north side has gone without a World Series championship for more than a full century. It is actually amazing that the injuy-riddled Cubs are on a mini 2-game winning streak considering that the offense just lost one of its better players. Infielder Darwin Barney (knee) has just gone on the disabled list which is a big negative since he actually leads all National League rookies in batting average (.294), hits (73) and multi-hit games (25). One thing for certain is that Chicago will have plenty of emotion on the mound with Carlos Zambrano who already has ripped his team in public once this campaign. In his most recent mound appearance the veteran allowed 7 runs while issuing a hefty 7 walks, so it is "put up or shut up" time for Zambrano. Turning to the database here is a 73-PERCENT SYSTEM (40-15 past five years with a money line between +125/-125) which plays ON struggling home teams like the Cubs who are batting less than .241 in a fifteen game span, starting a pitcher who issued 5+ walks in the prior outing. That system plays against Milwaukee who are a disastrous "0-7" so far this season on the ROAD when revenging a slim one-run loss against an opponent. Calling the balls-and-strikes tonight is UMPIRE Ed Hickox and HOME teams in his games (10-4) have been profitable this campaign