THE WINNING ADDICT
DAY TIME SPECIAL #1
Atlanta Braves -155 (Risk 7.75 units to win 5 units) 1:05 P.M. EST
I am the guy who always rants and raves about how dumb it is to make square plays, but this one is a solid bet this afternoon, as are the games that follow. Brandon Beachy has been lights out since his rough stretch in July with his low to mid 90s fastball and good hard curveball. This Braves tea has not lost 4 straight all season, and I don’t expect it to happen for the first time today. Chin-Ming Wang is making his 2nd start off the DL after a long layoff that saw surgeries and lots of rehab. In his first start against the Mets he gave up 4 1st inning runs and struggled mightily. He is a groundball pitcher, but it has been a very long time since he was producing groundball double plays with the Yankees. His lack control has crippled him. While he only walked one in his first start, he was consistently behind in the count. Beachy was stellar in his last outing at home vs the hot Marlins going 7 1/3 and giving up only 2 hits and no runs. This kid has plus stuff, and against a Nationals team that has not hit well at home during daytime games this year—I love his chances. Atlanta is 19-15 during the day this year, while Washington is 19-23. (Those stats don’t mean that much—but it makes a lot of people feel better, you would be surprised) Take the Braves, lay the juice, and pick up 5% of your bankroll before you leave the office (or before lunchtime if you roll West Coast style)
DAY TIME SPECIAL #2
Oakland Athletics -142 (Risk 7.1 units to win 5 units) 3:40 P.M. EST
Are we backing a team that has won 5 of its last 27 road games? Seriously? Yes we are. I love finding special situations that look terrible and hammering them the other way. Just look at the Reds last night when we took Homer Bailey—possibly the most inconsistent pitcher in Major League Baseball history, and he goes 8 innings and gives up only 1 run in an easy 5-1 victory. Yes, we picked that after he came off of a 9 runs in 4 innings performance at home vs the lowly Mets. And that’s why this is my job—I can feed my family better than Latrell Spreewell. Anyway, Geo Gonzalez has not been sharp in his last 2 outings, but many pitchers have gotten healthy when facing Seattle this year, and I expect that to continue today. Seattle has not had much success vs lefties, and Gonzalez has perfect stuff to keep the ball in roomy Safeco Field and throw a nice 8 inning gem today. On the other side, Charlie Furbush makes his first start for Seattle after coming over in the Doug Fister trade at the trade deadline. Furbush has been a reliever his entire career, but Seattle wants to stretch him out and make him a starter. His last outing lasted 1 inning, and he has not pitched more than 2.2 innings since July 4th. His longest outing of the year was 5 innings, and he will certainly be on a pitch count today. What does all this mean? It means we will be into the Seattle bullpen early, which we like. Take the A’s to avoid the sweep in Seattle, a place where they have played good baseball the past couple of seasons, and increase your bankroll by 5%.
DAY TIME SPECIAL #3
Philadelphia Phillies -195 (Risk 9.75 units to win 5 units) 3:40 P.M. EST
Roy Halladay is pretty good. Jason Hammel isn’t. Hammel has struggled mightily at home this season, and even when he is pitching well, it is about 6 levels below that of Roy Halladay. The Doctor is coming off a very easy outing in which the Phils took a huge 8-0 lead right away against the Pirates, and he coasted from there. He pitched 7 innings and gave up only 1 hit. Halladay wants to win the Cy Young, I don’t care what he says about not caring. Clayton Kershaw just threw another complete game and is getting up there in wins, while Ian Kennedy just threw another 8 inning gem in San Francisco to pull his D’Backs closer to the AL West lead (they share it now after Daniel Hudson was awesome last night). The Phillies have dominated Colorado since losing to them in the 2007 ALCS, and I expect them to finish off the sweep today. The Rockies have played terrible baseball since opening the season with the best record in the bigs, mostly because there pitching has been terrible. The bullpen has been inconsistent, and their lineup hasn’t produced much, especially on the road. Halladay would love to win for the first time in his hometown, and the Phillies look game to back him, as the addition of Hunter Pence has made Ryan Howard so much more comfortable now that he has a little protection behind him. Howard hit 2 more homers last night, because he is finally seeing pitches around the strike zone—because teams don’t want to put him on ahead of Hunter Pence. Pence is an astronomical upgrade from Rauuuuuuul Ibanez. I don’t care how much Phillies fans enjoy saying his name, he stinks. Take the Phillies and lay that heavy juice, and pick up 5 units.
DAY TIME SPECIAL #1
Atlanta Braves -155 (Risk 7.75 units to win 5 units) 1:05 P.M. EST
I am the guy who always rants and raves about how dumb it is to make square plays, but this one is a solid bet this afternoon, as are the games that follow. Brandon Beachy has been lights out since his rough stretch in July with his low to mid 90s fastball and good hard curveball. This Braves tea has not lost 4 straight all season, and I don’t expect it to happen for the first time today. Chin-Ming Wang is making his 2nd start off the DL after a long layoff that saw surgeries and lots of rehab. In his first start against the Mets he gave up 4 1st inning runs and struggled mightily. He is a groundball pitcher, but it has been a very long time since he was producing groundball double plays with the Yankees. His lack control has crippled him. While he only walked one in his first start, he was consistently behind in the count. Beachy was stellar in his last outing at home vs the hot Marlins going 7 1/3 and giving up only 2 hits and no runs. This kid has plus stuff, and against a Nationals team that has not hit well at home during daytime games this year—I love his chances. Atlanta is 19-15 during the day this year, while Washington is 19-23. (Those stats don’t mean that much—but it makes a lot of people feel better, you would be surprised) Take the Braves, lay the juice, and pick up 5% of your bankroll before you leave the office (or before lunchtime if you roll West Coast style)
DAY TIME SPECIAL #2
Oakland Athletics -142 (Risk 7.1 units to win 5 units) 3:40 P.M. EST
Are we backing a team that has won 5 of its last 27 road games? Seriously? Yes we are. I love finding special situations that look terrible and hammering them the other way. Just look at the Reds last night when we took Homer Bailey—possibly the most inconsistent pitcher in Major League Baseball history, and he goes 8 innings and gives up only 1 run in an easy 5-1 victory. Yes, we picked that after he came off of a 9 runs in 4 innings performance at home vs the lowly Mets. And that’s why this is my job—I can feed my family better than Latrell Spreewell. Anyway, Geo Gonzalez has not been sharp in his last 2 outings, but many pitchers have gotten healthy when facing Seattle this year, and I expect that to continue today. Seattle has not had much success vs lefties, and Gonzalez has perfect stuff to keep the ball in roomy Safeco Field and throw a nice 8 inning gem today. On the other side, Charlie Furbush makes his first start for Seattle after coming over in the Doug Fister trade at the trade deadline. Furbush has been a reliever his entire career, but Seattle wants to stretch him out and make him a starter. His last outing lasted 1 inning, and he has not pitched more than 2.2 innings since July 4th. His longest outing of the year was 5 innings, and he will certainly be on a pitch count today. What does all this mean? It means we will be into the Seattle bullpen early, which we like. Take the A’s to avoid the sweep in Seattle, a place where they have played good baseball the past couple of seasons, and increase your bankroll by 5%.
DAY TIME SPECIAL #3
Philadelphia Phillies -195 (Risk 9.75 units to win 5 units) 3:40 P.M. EST
Roy Halladay is pretty good. Jason Hammel isn’t. Hammel has struggled mightily at home this season, and even when he is pitching well, it is about 6 levels below that of Roy Halladay. The Doctor is coming off a very easy outing in which the Phils took a huge 8-0 lead right away against the Pirates, and he coasted from there. He pitched 7 innings and gave up only 1 hit. Halladay wants to win the Cy Young, I don’t care what he says about not caring. Clayton Kershaw just threw another complete game and is getting up there in wins, while Ian Kennedy just threw another 8 inning gem in San Francisco to pull his D’Backs closer to the AL West lead (they share it now after Daniel Hudson was awesome last night). The Phillies have dominated Colorado since losing to them in the 2007 ALCS, and I expect them to finish off the sweep today. The Rockies have played terrible baseball since opening the season with the best record in the bigs, mostly because there pitching has been terrible. The bullpen has been inconsistent, and their lineup hasn’t produced much, especially on the road. Halladay would love to win for the first time in his hometown, and the Phillies look game to back him, as the addition of Hunter Pence has made Ryan Howard so much more comfortable now that he has a little protection behind him. Howard hit 2 more homers last night, because he is finally seeing pitches around the strike zone—because teams don’t want to put him on ahead of Hunter Pence. Pence is an astronomical upgrade from Rauuuuuuul Ibanez. I don’t care how much Phillies fans enjoy saying his name, he stinks. Take the Phillies and lay that heavy juice, and pick up 5 units.
CHIP CHIRIMBES
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Play: Tampa Bay Rays
With the trade deadline having passed All-Star James Shields can relax now that he's a Ray the rest of the season at least. In his last start Shields game up a season high 10 runs in a loss to Oakland. Tampa has fallen to the pressure put on them to win by the Red Sox and Yankees but still have enough to win here.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Play: Tampa Bay Rays
With the trade deadline having passed All-Star James Shields can relax now that he's a Ray the rest of the season at least. In his last start Shields game up a season high 10 runs in a loss to Oakland. Tampa has fallen to the pressure put on them to win by the Red Sox and Yankees but still have enough to win here.
WUNDERDOG (MLB)
MLB 5-4 last 9 picks +$120
1 OF 4
Game: Oakland at Seattle (3:40 PM Eastern)
Pick: Seattle +1.5 runs -130 (runline)
MLB 5-4 last 9 picks +$120
1 OF 4
Game: Oakland at Seattle (3:40 PM Eastern)
Pick: Seattle +1.5 runs -130 (runline)
These teams have both had difficulty manufacturing runs this season, but Seattle has been streaking and better on offense of late. The Mariners went 41 straight games without scoring 8 or more runs and, over the last nine games, they have touched eight or more in three of the nine. That makes them inviting on the runline here in a division game at home. The A's are a tale of two teams, one that can more than hold their own at home and one that can't get out of their own way on the road, where they are 5-23 in their last 28. To much for even a pitcher of Gio Gonzalez' caliber to overcome as the A's have dropped six straight on the road behind him on the mound. Seattle on the runline.
JLB (JLB4422 On Twitter)
Y-DAY'S PICKS RECAP
1-1 -4.95Units : 11-3 +55.86Units L14 MLB Picks)(299-256-9 +166.65Units YTD)
3:45 PM-PICK #1:
FREE PICK:**MLB** GOLD DIGGER (4 Units)
*FREE PREVIEW* ARIZONA D'BACKS -RL +1.5 (-155)
8:10PM PICK #2:
**MLB** GOLD DIGGER (4 Units)
*MEMBERS PICK* ORIOLES @ ROYALS (Updated when i get it)
10:05PM PICK #3: *GAME OF THE DAY*
**MLB** HAMMER (8 Units)
*MEMBERS PICK* LA DODGERS @ SD PADRES (Updated when i get it)
Y-DAY'S PICKS RECAP
1-1 -4.95Units : 11-3 +55.86Units L14 MLB Picks)(299-256-9 +166.65Units YTD) 3:45 PM-PICK #1:
FREE PICK:**MLB** GOLD DIGGER (4 Units)
*FREE PREVIEW* ARIZONA D'BACKS -RL +1.5 (-155)
8:10PM PICK #2:
**MLB** GOLD DIGGER (4 Units)
*MEMBERS PICK* ORIOLES @ ROYALS (Updated when i get it)
10:05PM PICK #3: *GAME OF THE DAY*
**MLB** HAMMER (8 Units)
*MEMBERS PICK* LA DODGERS @ SD PADRES (Updated when i get it)
