COMPS:
GREEK SPORTS PICKS
Free Pick for Thurs in the MLB is:
NY METS +164
Arthur Ralph Sports
Bonus Play Thurs Red Sox PK
Joe Wiz's Daily Free Pick
Under 9 runs bet. Seattle and the Angels
Dave Cokin Comp
(903) PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
(904) CHICAGO CUBS
Take "(903) PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES"
JIM FEIST COMP
(901) MILWAUKEE BREWERS
(902) ATLANTA BRAVES
Take "(902) ATLANTA BRAVES"
The Braves are one of the surprising teams this season. After floundering the last few years, the Braves finished the first half in first place in the NL East and winning seven of their last 10 games. The Braves have the best record in the NL at 52-36. If the Brewers didn't start so badly at home this season, they could be much closer than their 8 1/2 games back of the Reds in the NL Central. The Brewers lost 16 of their first 24 home games before turning that around in June and so far in July. Dave Bush gets the start for the Brewers. Bush is 4-6 with a 4.14 ERA this year. One problem with Bush is control. The right-hander has 40 BB's against just 52 KO's. Jair Jurrjens will oppose for the Braves. Jurrjens is 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA. In seven starts this season, Jurrjens has allowed more than three earned runs just one time. I'm sticking with the Braves here on Thursday, they are a very good team, at home and looking to hold onto first place.
Jack Clayton
Bonus Play
Sport: MLB
Game: Tigers at Indians
Date/Time: 7/15/2010 7:00PM EST
Pick: Under the total
BRAD DIAMOND
Bonus Play
Play on: Boston over Texas
The talented Rangers open the second-half knowing there franchise will auctioned off on August 4th. Can’t help but noting, that mindset is a difficult way to begin the American League West Division run, especially considering the Thursday opposition is the Boston Red Sox in Boston. We note, the Red Sox control this series at 38-13 at home, while going 24-10 versus right-handed hurlers. Further, the Sox field at 38-16 at home with veteran Wakefield on the hill. Granted hurler Tommy Hunter (5-0, 2.34) of Texas has looked strong this season, but he enters Fenway where the Sox crushed his spirits 10-0 in August 2008. I’ll take a ticket with Boston here.
Cajun Sports
Bonus Play
The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to St. Louis for a long weekend series against the host Cardinals with game one on Thursday night and the first pitch set for 8:15PM EST. The Cards will be seeking a little revenge for a three-game sweep earlier this season at the hands of the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. St. Louis will send out ace and former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter with his 9-3 record and ERA of 3.29. His last two starts have been awful allowing eleven earned runs against the Brewers and Rockies you can be certain he will be looking to rebound here. In his last outing versus the Dodgers back in June the Cards lost 1 to 0 but it was not Carpenter’s fault as he gave us just six hits over seven scoreless innings with the bullpen giving up the lone run in that game. He is 5-1 over his career against LA with a 2.38 ERA. St. Louis is 20-9 in series openers and Carpenter is 4-0 his last four starts with at least six days rest. We will back the host here as St. Louis avenges the sweep with a win in Busch Stadium on Thursday night.
PROJECTED FORECAST: 2* St. Louis Cardinals 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 2
Bobby Maxwell
Bonus Play
Left off with a FREE winner on Sunday as the Padres rallied to beat the Rockies in Colorado. Tonight, I have another comp winner for you as I play the Cardinals at home to get the best of the Dodgers.
Should be a good pitching matchup here to start the second half of the season, but I’m going with the Cardinals at home with veteran Chris Carpenter (9-3, 3.29 ERA) on the mound.
Carpenter is 6-2 at home this season and other than an ugly outing on July 3 at home against the Brewers, he’s been almost unhittable in front of the home fans. He has dominated the Dodgers over the last few years, limiting them to two runs or less in six of his last seven outings against them, including a June 8 start in Los Angeles.
Back on June 8, he blanked the Dodgers in Los Angeles for seven innings but his offense didn’t show up and the Cardinals fell 1-0. His last home start against the Dodgers was July 27 last year when he limited them to one run over seven innings of a 6-1 victory.
Clayton Kershaw goes for the Dodgers, and he’s been their only reliable starter this season. He’s got a solid ERA on the road and he will keep L.A. in this one for a few innings, but even one run might be too many tonight. The Dodgers are on slides of 2-5 in series openers and 2-10 when Kershaw opens a series.
St. Louis is on runs of 42-15 in series openers, 41-11 when Carpenter opens a series and 43-12 when Carpenter pitches at home. The Cardinals have taken 20 of the last 27 meetings against the Dodgers in St. Louis and they are 6-2 in Carpenter’s last eight starts against Los Angeles.
I’m going with the home team in this one and backing the Cardinals with Carpenter on the hill.
4? ST. LOUIS
Karl Garrett
Free play
Not sure how the Rangers wound up losing their series prior to the break against the Orioles, but it happened. Texas now enters the start of the second half of the season with losses in their last 4.
G-Man calling for that streak to be halted tonight against a Boston team that has dropped 5 of their last 7 heading into the second half. A Boston team that is still dealing with a bevy of inuries.
The Rangers will go with the undefeated Tommy Hunter who stands at 5-0 with a 2.34 ERA for the year. Hunter beat Boston in his last start against them, working 6 innings of 1 run ball.
His counterpart Tim Wakefield has been shelled by the Rangers, as Texas has reached him for 18 runs over his last 16 innings of work against them.
Texas has held the upperhand in the series as well, winning 8 of the last 12 series meetings.
G-Man going with the Rangers to snap their 4 game skid tonight at Fenway.
2? TEXAS
BRETT ATKINS
Free play
I scored my last Bonus Play for you on Sunday when the A's closed the second half of the season with a win over the Angels. Today, I'm delivering a winner on the Rangers as they will take down the Red Sox in Boston.
Texas will get to Boston starter Tim Wakefield (3-7, 5.22 ERA) quickly tonight in Boston. The Rangers have some serious offensive firepower and they are fired up to come out in the second half and build up their lead in the A.L. West.
The Rangers slumped at the end of the first half, but will be in form tonight against Wakefield. Tommy Hunter is 5-0 with a 2.34 ERA this season for the Rangers and they have won six of his last seven games as he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of those seven outings.
Last July, Hunter shut down the Red Sox, allowing just one run in six innings of a 4-2 Rangers’ win.
Wakefield has been ugly lately, giving up at least four runs in six of his last eight outings. And in his last three starts against Texas, he’s given up 18 runs in 15.2 innings. On April 20, he allowed six runs in six innings to these Rangers.
Play Texas to take this one on the road.
3? TEXAS (on a 1? to 5?)
TRACE ADAMS
THURSDAY'S Bonus Play - Philadelphia Phillies
POINTSPREAD LIGHTNING
Thursdays Bonus Play is the Dodgers-Cardinals under the 7.
CONSENSUS AMERICA
Thursdays Bonus Play is NY-SF staying under the number
GREEK SPORTS PICKS
Free Pick for Thurs in the MLB is:
NY METS +164
Arthur Ralph Sports
Bonus Play Thurs Red Sox PK
Joe Wiz's Daily Free Pick
Under 9 runs bet. Seattle and the Angels
Dave Cokin Comp
(903) PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
(904) CHICAGO CUBS
Take "(903) PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES"
JIM FEIST COMP
(901) MILWAUKEE BREWERS
(902) ATLANTA BRAVES
Take "(902) ATLANTA BRAVES"
The Braves are one of the surprising teams this season. After floundering the last few years, the Braves finished the first half in first place in the NL East and winning seven of their last 10 games. The Braves have the best record in the NL at 52-36. If the Brewers didn't start so badly at home this season, they could be much closer than their 8 1/2 games back of the Reds in the NL Central. The Brewers lost 16 of their first 24 home games before turning that around in June and so far in July. Dave Bush gets the start for the Brewers. Bush is 4-6 with a 4.14 ERA this year. One problem with Bush is control. The right-hander has 40 BB's against just 52 KO's. Jair Jurrjens will oppose for the Braves. Jurrjens is 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA. In seven starts this season, Jurrjens has allowed more than three earned runs just one time. I'm sticking with the Braves here on Thursday, they are a very good team, at home and looking to hold onto first place.
Jack Clayton
Bonus Play
Sport: MLB
Game: Tigers at Indians
Date/Time: 7/15/2010 7:00PM EST
Pick: Under the total
BRAD DIAMOND
Bonus Play
Play on: Boston over Texas
The talented Rangers open the second-half knowing there franchise will auctioned off on August 4th. Can’t help but noting, that mindset is a difficult way to begin the American League West Division run, especially considering the Thursday opposition is the Boston Red Sox in Boston. We note, the Red Sox control this series at 38-13 at home, while going 24-10 versus right-handed hurlers. Further, the Sox field at 38-16 at home with veteran Wakefield on the hill. Granted hurler Tommy Hunter (5-0, 2.34) of Texas has looked strong this season, but he enters Fenway where the Sox crushed his spirits 10-0 in August 2008. I’ll take a ticket with Boston here.
Cajun Sports
Bonus Play
The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to St. Louis for a long weekend series against the host Cardinals with game one on Thursday night and the first pitch set for 8:15PM EST. The Cards will be seeking a little revenge for a three-game sweep earlier this season at the hands of the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. St. Louis will send out ace and former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter with his 9-3 record and ERA of 3.29. His last two starts have been awful allowing eleven earned runs against the Brewers and Rockies you can be certain he will be looking to rebound here. In his last outing versus the Dodgers back in June the Cards lost 1 to 0 but it was not Carpenter’s fault as he gave us just six hits over seven scoreless innings with the bullpen giving up the lone run in that game. He is 5-1 over his career against LA with a 2.38 ERA. St. Louis is 20-9 in series openers and Carpenter is 4-0 his last four starts with at least six days rest. We will back the host here as St. Louis avenges the sweep with a win in Busch Stadium on Thursday night.
PROJECTED FORECAST: 2* St. Louis Cardinals 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 2
Bobby Maxwell
Bonus Play
Left off with a FREE winner on Sunday as the Padres rallied to beat the Rockies in Colorado. Tonight, I have another comp winner for you as I play the Cardinals at home to get the best of the Dodgers.
Should be a good pitching matchup here to start the second half of the season, but I’m going with the Cardinals at home with veteran Chris Carpenter (9-3, 3.29 ERA) on the mound.
Carpenter is 6-2 at home this season and other than an ugly outing on July 3 at home against the Brewers, he’s been almost unhittable in front of the home fans. He has dominated the Dodgers over the last few years, limiting them to two runs or less in six of his last seven outings against them, including a June 8 start in Los Angeles.
Back on June 8, he blanked the Dodgers in Los Angeles for seven innings but his offense didn’t show up and the Cardinals fell 1-0. His last home start against the Dodgers was July 27 last year when he limited them to one run over seven innings of a 6-1 victory.
Clayton Kershaw goes for the Dodgers, and he’s been their only reliable starter this season. He’s got a solid ERA on the road and he will keep L.A. in this one for a few innings, but even one run might be too many tonight. The Dodgers are on slides of 2-5 in series openers and 2-10 when Kershaw opens a series.
St. Louis is on runs of 42-15 in series openers, 41-11 when Carpenter opens a series and 43-12 when Carpenter pitches at home. The Cardinals have taken 20 of the last 27 meetings against the Dodgers in St. Louis and they are 6-2 in Carpenter’s last eight starts against Los Angeles.
I’m going with the home team in this one and backing the Cardinals with Carpenter on the hill.
4? ST. LOUIS
Karl Garrett
Free play
Not sure how the Rangers wound up losing their series prior to the break against the Orioles, but it happened. Texas now enters the start of the second half of the season with losses in their last 4.
G-Man calling for that streak to be halted tonight against a Boston team that has dropped 5 of their last 7 heading into the second half. A Boston team that is still dealing with a bevy of inuries.
The Rangers will go with the undefeated Tommy Hunter who stands at 5-0 with a 2.34 ERA for the year. Hunter beat Boston in his last start against them, working 6 innings of 1 run ball.
His counterpart Tim Wakefield has been shelled by the Rangers, as Texas has reached him for 18 runs over his last 16 innings of work against them.
Texas has held the upperhand in the series as well, winning 8 of the last 12 series meetings.
G-Man going with the Rangers to snap their 4 game skid tonight at Fenway.
2? TEXAS
BRETT ATKINS
Free play
I scored my last Bonus Play for you on Sunday when the A's closed the second half of the season with a win over the Angels. Today, I'm delivering a winner on the Rangers as they will take down the Red Sox in Boston.
Texas will get to Boston starter Tim Wakefield (3-7, 5.22 ERA) quickly tonight in Boston. The Rangers have some serious offensive firepower and they are fired up to come out in the second half and build up their lead in the A.L. West.
The Rangers slumped at the end of the first half, but will be in form tonight against Wakefield. Tommy Hunter is 5-0 with a 2.34 ERA this season for the Rangers and they have won six of his last seven games as he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of those seven outings.
Last July, Hunter shut down the Red Sox, allowing just one run in six innings of a 4-2 Rangers’ win.
Wakefield has been ugly lately, giving up at least four runs in six of his last eight outings. And in his last three starts against Texas, he’s given up 18 runs in 15.2 innings. On April 20, he allowed six runs in six innings to these Rangers.
Play Texas to take this one on the road.
3? TEXAS (on a 1? to 5?)
TRACE ADAMS
THURSDAY'S Bonus Play - Philadelphia Phillies
POINTSPREAD LIGHTNING
Thursdays Bonus Play is the Dodgers-Cardinals under the 7.
CONSENSUS AMERICA
Thursdays Bonus Play is NY-SF staying under the number
COMPS:
Frank Sawyer ( HOLLYWOOD SPORTS )
GAME: (908) SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS vs (907) NEW YORK METS
SPORT: MLB
PICKS: Over
REASON FOR PICK: Take the Over in the game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. A Total listed at seven is just too low for this situation. While Tim Lincecum sports a strong 9-4 record with a 3.16 ERA and 1.28 WHIP, he has been a bit off this season relative to his recent past. At home, he is actually underperforming with his 3.59 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and .237 opponent's batting average as compared to his 2.75 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and .228 opponent's batting average when on the road. Lincecum has also struggled against the Mets in his career given his 5.04 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and .296 opponent's batting average in 25 innings of work. He faces off against R.A. Dickey who is 6-2 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP for the season. Dickey also sports a 3.32 ERA on the road versus his sterling 2.00 ERA at home in Citi Field.
Additionally, there is an underlying sabermetric statistic that is troublesome regarding Dickey relative to his perceived value: Batting Average for line-drive Balls put Into Play (LD BABIP). Line-drives typically are the result of the batter winning the “hitter-versus-pitcher” battle since the typical goal for a batter is to produce line-drive contact with the baseball. Hitters also have the most control in placing their line-drives (as opposed to groundballs or flyballs) in areas where there is open space for base hits. The MLB average for line-drives that go for base hits is typically in the .720-.725 range. Dickey is allowing .742 of the line-drives hit off him to be base hits. We surmise that this statistic is indicative of the fact that Dickey is susceptible to losing this “hitter-versus-pitcher” battle more often than what is typical of a major league pitcher. The importance for sabermetric statistics like this is that it exposes a deeper picture regarding the expected future performances of starting pitchers. Most bettors evaluate pitchers based on a starters Won-Loss record and ERA. By analyzing statistics like LD BABIP, we get a better sense of why a pitcher has a certain W-L record or ERA which produces a more sophisticated perspective regarding evaluating this pitcher's future. Take the Over while listing both pitchers. Best of luck -- Frank.
Mike Wynn
Bonus Play: San Francisco w/Lincecum -170 Over Mets
Razor Sharp
FREE PICK FOR THURSDAY: Take CHICAGO WHITE SOX/MINNESOTA UNDER the total of 8½ runs
Totals4U
Thursday's free selection: Chicago Cubs - 125
Big Time
TEXAS / BOSTON OVER 9 1/2
#1 Sports
Thursday's free selection: Texas Rangers/Boston Red Sox over 9 1/2
Computer Sports
Minnesota -115 over White Sox
Platinum Plays
MLB: Wsox/Twins Over 8½ Runs
Nevada Sharpshooter
under 7 Dodgers/St Louis
Golden Dragon Sports
Bonus Play: Fister +145
Hawkeye Sports
TAKE: free winner with San Francisco & Mets under 7
Huddle Up Sports
Seattle/LA Angles under 8'
Dr. Vegas
Atlanta -145 over Milwaukee
TV Hotline
Minnesota -115 over White Sox
Teyas Sports
DODGERS OVER 7
The Vegas Steam Line
Take MILWAUKEE/ATLANTA UNDER the total of 8½ runs
High Stakes Syndicate
Free Selection for Thursday: New York Mets + 160
Frank Sawyer ( HOLLYWOOD SPORTS )
GAME: (908) SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS vs (907) NEW YORK METS
SPORT: MLB
PICKS: Over
REASON FOR PICK: Take the Over in the game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. A Total listed at seven is just too low for this situation. While Tim Lincecum sports a strong 9-4 record with a 3.16 ERA and 1.28 WHIP, he has been a bit off this season relative to his recent past. At home, he is actually underperforming with his 3.59 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and .237 opponent's batting average as compared to his 2.75 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and .228 opponent's batting average when on the road. Lincecum has also struggled against the Mets in his career given his 5.04 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and .296 opponent's batting average in 25 innings of work. He faces off against R.A. Dickey who is 6-2 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP for the season. Dickey also sports a 3.32 ERA on the road versus his sterling 2.00 ERA at home in Citi Field.
Additionally, there is an underlying sabermetric statistic that is troublesome regarding Dickey relative to his perceived value: Batting Average for line-drive Balls put Into Play (LD BABIP). Line-drives typically are the result of the batter winning the “hitter-versus-pitcher” battle since the typical goal for a batter is to produce line-drive contact with the baseball. Hitters also have the most control in placing their line-drives (as opposed to groundballs or flyballs) in areas where there is open space for base hits. The MLB average for line-drives that go for base hits is typically in the .720-.725 range. Dickey is allowing .742 of the line-drives hit off him to be base hits. We surmise that this statistic is indicative of the fact that Dickey is susceptible to losing this “hitter-versus-pitcher” battle more often than what is typical of a major league pitcher. The importance for sabermetric statistics like this is that it exposes a deeper picture regarding the expected future performances of starting pitchers. Most bettors evaluate pitchers based on a starters Won-Loss record and ERA. By analyzing statistics like LD BABIP, we get a better sense of why a pitcher has a certain W-L record or ERA which produces a more sophisticated perspective regarding evaluating this pitcher's future. Take the Over while listing both pitchers. Best of luck -- Frank.
Mike Wynn
Bonus Play: San Francisco w/Lincecum -170 Over Mets
Razor Sharp
FREE PICK FOR THURSDAY: Take CHICAGO WHITE SOX/MINNESOTA UNDER the total of 8½ runs
Totals4U
Thursday's free selection: Chicago Cubs - 125
Big Time
TEXAS / BOSTON OVER 9 1/2
#1 Sports
Thursday's free selection: Texas Rangers/Boston Red Sox over 9 1/2
Computer Sports
Minnesota -115 over White Sox
Platinum Plays
MLB: Wsox/Twins Over 8½ Runs
Nevada Sharpshooter
under 7 Dodgers/St Louis
Golden Dragon Sports
Bonus Play: Fister +145
Hawkeye Sports
TAKE: free winner with San Francisco & Mets under 7
Huddle Up Sports
Seattle/LA Angles under 8'
Dr. Vegas
Atlanta -145 over Milwaukee
TV Hotline
Minnesota -115 over White Sox
Teyas Sports
DODGERS OVER 7
The Vegas Steam Line
Take MILWAUKEE/ATLANTA UNDER the total of 8½ runs
High Stakes Syndicate
Free Selection for Thursday: New York Mets + 160
