Wednesday Winners
By Judd Hall
Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems like Interleague play is just dragging on in baseball. Maybe it’s because the novelty of the games has worn off or some of the matchups don’t exactly make for appointment television (Royals at Astros comes to mind for this one).
Regardless of your take on these contests, it’s something to bet on and that’s always a good thing. We’ve got a full slate of 15 tilts on the board for Wednesday. Let’s take a look at a couple of them.
Cubs at Tigers – 7:05 p.m. EDT
The Cubbies haven’t had the greatest start to their season, but they’re still within reach of the lead in the National League Central. Chicago got back into the discussion thanks to a four-game win streak. That streak was snapped by a 2-0 decision on Monday by the Braves.
One of the problems that Chicago has had this year is its offense. The bats haven’t been all that lively with a .247 batting average, but they’ve popped 72 homers as a club in 2009. During the past week, the Cubs have hit a little better (.257, 8 HR, 25 RBI). And things will no doubt improve in the near future with third baseman Aramis Ramirez set to return to the lineup sometime next week.
Something that is apparent for Cubs fans and bettors alike is that their bats need to work for Rich Harden (4-3, 5.27 ERA) to have a chance at winning. Harden won his “right back” spot on June 19 against the Tribe, 8-7, as a $1.15 home “chalk.”
That win is a little misleading as the North Siders needed Cleveland’s bullpen to implode for that victory. Harden gave up seven earned runs on seven hits in five innings of work. Harden is 0-1 with a 7.36 earned run average this month.
Nothing is guaranteed for Chicago’s batters with the Tigers putting Rick Porcello (8-4, 3.54 ERA) on the mound. Porcello has had a fantastic rookie effort in Detroit’s starting rotation as the team is 8-1 in his last nine starts. He’s been successful in interleague play as evidenced by a 3-0 record and an ERA of 1.48 in three starts against the NL...the last two appearances coming against teams from the NL Central.
Detroit’s right-handed hurler also has a potent lineup giving him some run support. The Motor City Kitties have outscored their opponents 54-25 in his last eight starts. It certainly doesn’t look like Porcello will hurt for offense as the Tigers have hit .302 with 13 home runs and 33 runs batted in over the last seven days.
Gamblers have no doubt noticed that the Cubs have won four straight games against AL Central squads. So does that make it worth while to back Harden in this spot? VegasInsider.com expert handicapper Brian Edwards isn’t so sure. “To me, Harden is a pitcher to ‘pass’ on right now. I’m just not sure what we’re going to get out of him in Detroit.”
Edwards might have something there when you look at the numbers, at least from a fade standpoint with the Cubbies. The Tigers have won four straight against Chicago dating back to 2006 and are 6-2 in the last eight head-to-head meetings.
This contest looks like a solid ‘over’ play as well with Harden’s problem with locating his pitches and the Tigers’ hot bats. It certainly lends credence to the fact that the ‘over’ is on a 5-1 run between these clubs.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants have installed the Tigers as $1.15 home favorites (risk $115 to win $100) for this contest with a total of 8 ½.
Rockies at Angels – 10:05 p.m. EDT
On May 29, the Rockies decided to relieve Clint Hurdle of his managerial duties after starting the season 18-28. It appeared that Colorado was ready to just play out the string at that point by promoting bench coach Jim Tracy to fill in for Hurdle. All the Rox have done since the switch is post a 19-5 mark in 24 games.
When you have a team that is running that hot, you start to wonder if you should back off of betting them at the window. “I think you keep playing on Colorado until you see signs of them slowing down, and there certainly haven’t been any recently,” says Edwards, who is up $14,120 for “dime players” since May 1.
“There is absolutely nothing fluky about this run. It started with sweeps of the Cards and Brewers on the road. Then they beat up on the Rays and Mariners at home, who are both over .500. And they just took the Halos to the woodshed in an 11-1 clubbing on Monday.”
What is most surprising about this run is that the Rockies are beating these clubs with their bats or on the mound. Over the last 30 days, Colorado is hitting .281, has a .464 slugging percentage, 33 four-baggers and big league best 146 RBI. The Rox have seen their starters go 13-1 with a 3.16 ERA in their last 15 starts; they only had 15 wins combined in the first 52 games of the 2009 campaign.
It’s going to be hard to go against Colorado on Wednesday with Jason Marquis (9-4, 3.71 ERA) getting the starting nod. Marquis is coming off of a gem of an outing vs. Pittsburgh. He gave up three earned runs on eight hits in 8.2 innings of work to win 7-3 as a $1.65 home favorite on June 19. This is nothing new for the right-hander from Manhasset, New York as he’s 5-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his last seven starts. If there is any knock on Marquis right now it’s that his strikeout-to-walk ratio for those games is 24:19.
The Rox are also getting solid setup work out of Joel Peralta. Since taking over for the injured Manny Corpas, Peralta has logged nine consecutive scoreless appearances to go along with five holds. His 1.54 ERA is tops amongst his bullpen mates. And that helps Huston Street in slamming the door shut. Colorado’s closer has saved 16 of his 17 opportunities…Street had 18 total saves last season in Oakland.
While Colorado is on a Rocky Mountain High (sorry, couldn’t resist it), the Angels are trying to find some consistency. It looked like Los Angeles was on its way after winning seven straight games from June 13 to June 19. Since then, the Halos have dropped three in a row.
A lot of what ails LA is the amount of injuries they’ve had to deal with over the season. They’ve had John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero, Torrii Hunter, Kelvim Escobar and Ervin Santana on the disabled list for some stretch of the season. It hasn’t affected the Angels’ offense for the year, hitting .278 with 63 homers and 316 RBI. In the last seven days, however, they’re batting .248 with six four-baggers and 24 RBI. Their pitching is 26th in the big leagues with a 4.75 ERA and teams are hitting a MLB best .261 against them.
The Halos are hoping that Joe Saunders (7-4, 3.80 ERA) will be able to get them back on track. Saunders’ chances are pretty good here as LA is 2-0 in his last starts…both of which were against teams from the Senior Circuit (Dodgers, Padres). Plus, he’s 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA at home this season.
LVSC is giving the edge to the Angels here by making them $1.25 home favorites with a total of nine. You can back Colorado to push through for a return of plus-115 (risk $100 to win $115).
The Rockies have won their last five games against AL West clubs, while Los Angeles is 8-3 in its past 11 tilts against NL West foes. The ‘over’ is 4-0-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings.
You should take a look at the Rox in this game a little closer as well because the road club has gone 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
vegasinsider
By Judd Hall
Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems like Interleague play is just dragging on in baseball. Maybe it’s because the novelty of the games has worn off or some of the matchups don’t exactly make for appointment television (Royals at Astros comes to mind for this one).
Regardless of your take on these contests, it’s something to bet on and that’s always a good thing. We’ve got a full slate of 15 tilts on the board for Wednesday. Let’s take a look at a couple of them.
Cubs at Tigers – 7:05 p.m. EDT
The Cubbies haven’t had the greatest start to their season, but they’re still within reach of the lead in the National League Central. Chicago got back into the discussion thanks to a four-game win streak. That streak was snapped by a 2-0 decision on Monday by the Braves.
One of the problems that Chicago has had this year is its offense. The bats haven’t been all that lively with a .247 batting average, but they’ve popped 72 homers as a club in 2009. During the past week, the Cubs have hit a little better (.257, 8 HR, 25 RBI). And things will no doubt improve in the near future with third baseman Aramis Ramirez set to return to the lineup sometime next week.
Something that is apparent for Cubs fans and bettors alike is that their bats need to work for Rich Harden (4-3, 5.27 ERA) to have a chance at winning. Harden won his “right back” spot on June 19 against the Tribe, 8-7, as a $1.15 home “chalk.”
That win is a little misleading as the North Siders needed Cleveland’s bullpen to implode for that victory. Harden gave up seven earned runs on seven hits in five innings of work. Harden is 0-1 with a 7.36 earned run average this month.
Nothing is guaranteed for Chicago’s batters with the Tigers putting Rick Porcello (8-4, 3.54 ERA) on the mound. Porcello has had a fantastic rookie effort in Detroit’s starting rotation as the team is 8-1 in his last nine starts. He’s been successful in interleague play as evidenced by a 3-0 record and an ERA of 1.48 in three starts against the NL...the last two appearances coming against teams from the NL Central.
Detroit’s right-handed hurler also has a potent lineup giving him some run support. The Motor City Kitties have outscored their opponents 54-25 in his last eight starts. It certainly doesn’t look like Porcello will hurt for offense as the Tigers have hit .302 with 13 home runs and 33 runs batted in over the last seven days.
Gamblers have no doubt noticed that the Cubs have won four straight games against AL Central squads. So does that make it worth while to back Harden in this spot? VegasInsider.com expert handicapper Brian Edwards isn’t so sure. “To me, Harden is a pitcher to ‘pass’ on right now. I’m just not sure what we’re going to get out of him in Detroit.”
Edwards might have something there when you look at the numbers, at least from a fade standpoint with the Cubbies. The Tigers have won four straight against Chicago dating back to 2006 and are 6-2 in the last eight head-to-head meetings.
This contest looks like a solid ‘over’ play as well with Harden’s problem with locating his pitches and the Tigers’ hot bats. It certainly lends credence to the fact that the ‘over’ is on a 5-1 run between these clubs.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants have installed the Tigers as $1.15 home favorites (risk $115 to win $100) for this contest with a total of 8 ½.
Rockies at Angels – 10:05 p.m. EDT
On May 29, the Rockies decided to relieve Clint Hurdle of his managerial duties after starting the season 18-28. It appeared that Colorado was ready to just play out the string at that point by promoting bench coach Jim Tracy to fill in for Hurdle. All the Rox have done since the switch is post a 19-5 mark in 24 games.
When you have a team that is running that hot, you start to wonder if you should back off of betting them at the window. “I think you keep playing on Colorado until you see signs of them slowing down, and there certainly haven’t been any recently,” says Edwards, who is up $14,120 for “dime players” since May 1.
“There is absolutely nothing fluky about this run. It started with sweeps of the Cards and Brewers on the road. Then they beat up on the Rays and Mariners at home, who are both over .500. And they just took the Halos to the woodshed in an 11-1 clubbing on Monday.”
What is most surprising about this run is that the Rockies are beating these clubs with their bats or on the mound. Over the last 30 days, Colorado is hitting .281, has a .464 slugging percentage, 33 four-baggers and big league best 146 RBI. The Rox have seen their starters go 13-1 with a 3.16 ERA in their last 15 starts; they only had 15 wins combined in the first 52 games of the 2009 campaign.
It’s going to be hard to go against Colorado on Wednesday with Jason Marquis (9-4, 3.71 ERA) getting the starting nod. Marquis is coming off of a gem of an outing vs. Pittsburgh. He gave up three earned runs on eight hits in 8.2 innings of work to win 7-3 as a $1.65 home favorite on June 19. This is nothing new for the right-hander from Manhasset, New York as he’s 5-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his last seven starts. If there is any knock on Marquis right now it’s that his strikeout-to-walk ratio for those games is 24:19.
The Rox are also getting solid setup work out of Joel Peralta. Since taking over for the injured Manny Corpas, Peralta has logged nine consecutive scoreless appearances to go along with five holds. His 1.54 ERA is tops amongst his bullpen mates. And that helps Huston Street in slamming the door shut. Colorado’s closer has saved 16 of his 17 opportunities…Street had 18 total saves last season in Oakland.
While Colorado is on a Rocky Mountain High (sorry, couldn’t resist it), the Angels are trying to find some consistency. It looked like Los Angeles was on its way after winning seven straight games from June 13 to June 19. Since then, the Halos have dropped three in a row.
A lot of what ails LA is the amount of injuries they’ve had to deal with over the season. They’ve had John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero, Torrii Hunter, Kelvim Escobar and Ervin Santana on the disabled list for some stretch of the season. It hasn’t affected the Angels’ offense for the year, hitting .278 with 63 homers and 316 RBI. In the last seven days, however, they’re batting .248 with six four-baggers and 24 RBI. Their pitching is 26th in the big leagues with a 4.75 ERA and teams are hitting a MLB best .261 against them.
The Halos are hoping that Joe Saunders (7-4, 3.80 ERA) will be able to get them back on track. Saunders’ chances are pretty good here as LA is 2-0 in his last starts…both of which were against teams from the Senior Circuit (Dodgers, Padres). Plus, he’s 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA at home this season.
LVSC is giving the edge to the Angels here by making them $1.25 home favorites with a total of nine. You can back Colorado to push through for a return of plus-115 (risk $100 to win $115).
The Rockies have won their last five games against AL West clubs, while Los Angeles is 8-3 in its past 11 tilts against NL West foes. The ‘over’ is 4-0-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings.
You should take a look at the Rox in this game a little closer as well because the road club has gone 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
vegasinsider
Baseball's best bets versus their division
By CHRIS BERNUCCA
Over the last three full seasons, 19 teams have had division records of at least 10 games over .500.
All but four of those 19 teams reached the postseason. Among those 15 playoff clubs, seven also were at least 10 games above .500 against teams outside their division.
Only two clubs - the Cubs in 2007 and the Chicago White White Sox in 2008 - were .500 or worse against teams not in their division.
In other words, dominating your division doesn't guarantee a postseason spot, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
Look at this season. There is still two weeks to the midway point and a handful of teams have used division dominance to boost their records and position themselves for postseason contention.
Four teams already are at least 10 games over .500 against their division and three of them lead their respective divisions.
As the season progresses, the gap between these teams and those at the bottom of their respective divisions will widen and generate potential trends. Some of those trends have already developed and are noted below.
The price is always higher with good teams, especially when they are at home. Keep in mind that in 2008, seven teams were at least 13 games over .500 against their division, which provides a return at any price.
Here are the top five teams on track to provide similar returns this year:
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies and fellow NL East resident Florida Marlins have virtually identical division records. Philadelphia is 19-12 while Florida is 16-10. The defending World Series champions are 17-19 outside the division.
Both teams have beat up on the woeful Washington Nationals, with the Phillies 10-2 and the Marlins a perfect 6-0. Florida has more games left against Washington, but Philadelphia gets the edge here because it is 4-2 vs. Florida.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are a sparkling 21-10 against NL Central foes, which is a good sign. Especially since they are 16-22 versus everyone else. The NL Central has six teams and each plays virtually half its games against the division.
A year ago, Milwaukee went 47-32 against the NL Central, which helped in snaring the Wild Card. As they were last year, the Brewers are chasing the Cubs and have a 3-3 mark versus them thus far.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox are 20-8 vs. the AL East. It’s arguably baseball's toughest division with the rival New York Yankees, defending division champion Tampa Bay, quick-starting Toronto and Baltimore, which has the best record of any current last-place club.
Boston is 42-27 overall and in first place primarily due to its division mark. It is 9-2 against New York and 3-0 vs. Baltimore, with 14 games left vs. the Orioles.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are running away with the NL West, partially because they are running it up against the NL West while playing slightly under .500 in their other games. Los Angeles is 26-10 against its division foes and is not picking on any one opponent. The Dodgers are 5-4 vs. the Giants, 6-2 vs. the Diamondbacks, 7-3 vs. the Padres and 8-1 vs. the Rockies.
No team has played more division games than the Dodgers, who have completed half their NL West schedule. So their ability to get fatter is limited.
Texas Rangers
With their .813 percentage, the Rangers have the best division record. With their 13-3 record against the AL West, they also have played the fewest division games of any team.
The Rangers are beating up on the Seattle Mariners, going 5-0 thus far. They are 3-0 against the L.A. Angels, whom they play six times in the next nine days beginning Monday. Those games may be a good indicator of who has the upper hand for the division title.
Keep in mind that AL West teams play the fewest intra-division games (57), so there's less opportunity for the Rangers to pile up wins against their rivals. Texas is just 24-28 outside the division.
By CHRIS BERNUCCA
Over the last three full seasons, 19 teams have had division records of at least 10 games over .500.
All but four of those 19 teams reached the postseason. Among those 15 playoff clubs, seven also were at least 10 games above .500 against teams outside their division.
Only two clubs - the Cubs in 2007 and the Chicago White White Sox in 2008 - were .500 or worse against teams not in their division.
In other words, dominating your division doesn't guarantee a postseason spot, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
Look at this season. There is still two weeks to the midway point and a handful of teams have used division dominance to boost their records and position themselves for postseason contention.
Four teams already are at least 10 games over .500 against their division and three of them lead their respective divisions.
As the season progresses, the gap between these teams and those at the bottom of their respective divisions will widen and generate potential trends. Some of those trends have already developed and are noted below.
The price is always higher with good teams, especially when they are at home. Keep in mind that in 2008, seven teams were at least 13 games over .500 against their division, which provides a return at any price.
Here are the top five teams on track to provide similar returns this year:
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies and fellow NL East resident Florida Marlins have virtually identical division records. Philadelphia is 19-12 while Florida is 16-10. The defending World Series champions are 17-19 outside the division.
Both teams have beat up on the woeful Washington Nationals, with the Phillies 10-2 and the Marlins a perfect 6-0. Florida has more games left against Washington, but Philadelphia gets the edge here because it is 4-2 vs. Florida.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are a sparkling 21-10 against NL Central foes, which is a good sign. Especially since they are 16-22 versus everyone else. The NL Central has six teams and each plays virtually half its games against the division.
A year ago, Milwaukee went 47-32 against the NL Central, which helped in snaring the Wild Card. As they were last year, the Brewers are chasing the Cubs and have a 3-3 mark versus them thus far.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox are 20-8 vs. the AL East. It’s arguably baseball's toughest division with the rival New York Yankees, defending division champion Tampa Bay, quick-starting Toronto and Baltimore, which has the best record of any current last-place club.
Boston is 42-27 overall and in first place primarily due to its division mark. It is 9-2 against New York and 3-0 vs. Baltimore, with 14 games left vs. the Orioles.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are running away with the NL West, partially because they are running it up against the NL West while playing slightly under .500 in their other games. Los Angeles is 26-10 against its division foes and is not picking on any one opponent. The Dodgers are 5-4 vs. the Giants, 6-2 vs. the Diamondbacks, 7-3 vs. the Padres and 8-1 vs. the Rockies.
No team has played more division games than the Dodgers, who have completed half their NL West schedule. So their ability to get fatter is limited.
Texas Rangers
With their .813 percentage, the Rangers have the best division record. With their 13-3 record against the AL West, they also have played the fewest division games of any team.
The Rangers are beating up on the Seattle Mariners, going 5-0 thus far. They are 3-0 against the L.A. Angels, whom they play six times in the next nine days beginning Monday. Those games may be a good indicator of who has the upper hand for the division title.
Keep in mind that AL West teams play the fewest intra-division games (57), so there's less opportunity for the Rangers to pile up wins against their rivals. Texas is just 24-28 outside the division.
Capping the four contenders for the AL East crown
By JON KUIPERIJ
Remember the good old days when the American League East could be decided by a coin flip?
Gone are the days when the New York Yankees were the closest possible thing to a lock, the Boston Red Sox were perennial bridesmaids and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays would spend more time in the basement than Uncle Fester.
Tampa shocked the world last year by winning the division, marking the first time since 1997 that the Yankees or Red Sox did not finish atop the division. It was also the first time New York missed the playoffs since Major League Baseball realigned its divisions in 1995.
Parity in the East is even more evident this season, with the Toronto Blue Jays also entering the race for top spot.
We quickly break down the chances of the teams vying for the crown of a division that has housed six World Series champions in the past 11 years.
Boston Red Sox (-200)
Why they'll win: After opening the season with losses in six of its first eight games, Boston has gone 40-21 since. That includes an 8-0 record against the Yankees. Even better, the Red Sox have built their four-game division lead without getting much hitting from DH David Ortiz or even defending AL MVP second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Just imagine what happens if those two start hitting.
Why they won't: Ortiz is hitting a measly .213 on the year with only six home runs and 30 RBI. Starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5, 8.23 ERA) is a mess and the back end of rotation features 42-year-olds Tim Wakefield and John Smoltz. Third baseman Mike Lowell (hip) is also showing signs of wear and tear.
New York Yankees (+180)
Why they'll win: Money can patch a lot of holes. Hefty lefty CC Sabathia can carry a team, much like he helped the Milwaukee Brewers into the playoffs last year. New York's big-name lineup can compensate for pitching deficiencies. Ninth-inning leads are safe with ageless closer Mariano Rivera.
Why they won't: Coming off hip surgery in the offseason, Alex Rodriguez is already complaining about fatigue and the Yanks plan to rest him once a week until the All-Star break. Former ace Chien-Ming Wang (0-5, 12.30 ERA) doesn't appear to have any answers. Joba Chamberlain doesn't consistently pitch deep into games, which means a sub-par long relief corps gets involved far too often.
Tampa Bay Rays (+800)
Why they'll win: They've surprised us before, winning the AL East last year and reaching the World Series. Tampa Bay appears to be turning it on again, winning eight of its last 11 contests. Carlos Pena leads AL in home runs (22) and Evan Longoria is second in RBIs (61), but offense isn't completely reliant on those two.
Why they won't: The hangover theory, where teams tend to struggle the season after losing in the World Series. Second baseman and offensive sparkplug Akinori Iwamura is out for the season. Starting pitcher Scott Kazmir (4-4, 7.69 ERA) and reliever Grant Balfour (0-3, 5.01) aren't providing anything close to what they did last year.
Toronto Blue Jays (+3000)
Why they'll win: They're due. The Blue Jays haven't made the playoffs since winning back-to-back World Series in 1992 and '93. The pitching staff is anchored by arguably the best in baseball, Roy Halladay (10-1, 2.53 ERA). Scott Rolen has surprised with a .329 batting average, while the production of Adam Lind and Aaron Hill (48 RBI each) has also exceeded expectations.
Why they won't: Beyond Halladay, the rotation is made up of smoke and mirrors, and that can only work for so long. Second half of schedule is much tougher, with 18 games against Tampa Bay, 15 against the Yankees and 12 against Boston. Jays are a combined 3-6 against those opponents this year. This team lacks a true lead-off man, a legitimate cleanup hitter and a reliable closer.
By JON KUIPERIJ
Remember the good old days when the American League East could be decided by a coin flip?
Gone are the days when the New York Yankees were the closest possible thing to a lock, the Boston Red Sox were perennial bridesmaids and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays would spend more time in the basement than Uncle Fester.
Tampa shocked the world last year by winning the division, marking the first time since 1997 that the Yankees or Red Sox did not finish atop the division. It was also the first time New York missed the playoffs since Major League Baseball realigned its divisions in 1995.
Parity in the East is even more evident this season, with the Toronto Blue Jays also entering the race for top spot.
We quickly break down the chances of the teams vying for the crown of a division that has housed six World Series champions in the past 11 years.
Boston Red Sox (-200)
Why they'll win: After opening the season with losses in six of its first eight games, Boston has gone 40-21 since. That includes an 8-0 record against the Yankees. Even better, the Red Sox have built their four-game division lead without getting much hitting from DH David Ortiz or even defending AL MVP second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Just imagine what happens if those two start hitting.
Why they won't: Ortiz is hitting a measly .213 on the year with only six home runs and 30 RBI. Starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5, 8.23 ERA) is a mess and the back end of rotation features 42-year-olds Tim Wakefield and John Smoltz. Third baseman Mike Lowell (hip) is also showing signs of wear and tear.
New York Yankees (+180)
Why they'll win: Money can patch a lot of holes. Hefty lefty CC Sabathia can carry a team, much like he helped the Milwaukee Brewers into the playoffs last year. New York's big-name lineup can compensate for pitching deficiencies. Ninth-inning leads are safe with ageless closer Mariano Rivera.
Why they won't: Coming off hip surgery in the offseason, Alex Rodriguez is already complaining about fatigue and the Yanks plan to rest him once a week until the All-Star break. Former ace Chien-Ming Wang (0-5, 12.30 ERA) doesn't appear to have any answers. Joba Chamberlain doesn't consistently pitch deep into games, which means a sub-par long relief corps gets involved far too often.
Tampa Bay Rays (+800)
Why they'll win: They've surprised us before, winning the AL East last year and reaching the World Series. Tampa Bay appears to be turning it on again, winning eight of its last 11 contests. Carlos Pena leads AL in home runs (22) and Evan Longoria is second in RBIs (61), but offense isn't completely reliant on those two.
Why they won't: The hangover theory, where teams tend to struggle the season after losing in the World Series. Second baseman and offensive sparkplug Akinori Iwamura is out for the season. Starting pitcher Scott Kazmir (4-4, 7.69 ERA) and reliever Grant Balfour (0-3, 5.01) aren't providing anything close to what they did last year.
Toronto Blue Jays (+3000)
Why they'll win: They're due. The Blue Jays haven't made the playoffs since winning back-to-back World Series in 1992 and '93. The pitching staff is anchored by arguably the best in baseball, Roy Halladay (10-1, 2.53 ERA). Scott Rolen has surprised with a .329 batting average, while the production of Adam Lind and Aaron Hill (48 RBI each) has also exceeded expectations.
Why they won't: Beyond Halladay, the rotation is made up of smoke and mirrors, and that can only work for so long. Second half of schedule is much tougher, with 18 games against Tampa Bay, 15 against the Yankees and 12 against Boston. Jays are a combined 3-6 against those opponents this year. This team lacks a true lead-off man, a legitimate cleanup hitter and a reliable closer.
Carlo Campanella
Bonus Play
Boston Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals:
Boston Red Sox -180
Washington had won 4 of their last 5 games heading into this series with Boston, but the Red Sox will put an end to that short winning streak, especially on Wednesday night as they start John Lester on the mound. Lester has allowed just 4 Earned Runs in his last 21 Innings Pitched and will make quick work of the Washington offense with a .258% team Batting Average. Lester will get plenty of run support from a Red Sox crew that's won 8 of their last 11 games, while scoring 5 Runs or more in 7 of those 11 games! Take the road Favorite as Lester handed them a 9-3 loss last time he faced them and went 6 innings with only 1 Earned Run scored.
7* Play On Boston
Bonus Play
Boston Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals:
Boston Red Sox -180
Washington had won 4 of their last 5 games heading into this series with Boston, but the Red Sox will put an end to that short winning streak, especially on Wednesday night as they start John Lester on the mound. Lester has allowed just 4 Earned Runs in his last 21 Innings Pitched and will make quick work of the Washington offense with a .258% team Batting Average. Lester will get plenty of run support from a Red Sox crew that's won 8 of their last 11 games, while scoring 5 Runs or more in 7 of those 11 games! Take the road Favorite as Lester handed them a 9-3 loss last time he faced them and went 6 innings with only 1 Earned Run scored.
7* Play On Boston
Craig Trapp
Bonus Play
Boston Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals:
Boston Red Sox -1½-120
Craig's Bonus Play is another top winner from his Bonus Play selections. Yesterday had hard luck loss in his Bonus Play. But today Craig gets back on track.
Records
Boston Red Sox 43-27, 18-17 away (Lester 5-6, 4.69 ERA)
Washington Nationals 20-48, 12-24 home (Stammen 1-2, 4.76 ERA)
Betting Trends
-Red Sox are 7-1 in their last 8 road games.
-Red Sox are 9-3 in their last 12 overall.
-Red Sox are 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
-Nationals are 2-6 in their last 8 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
This is a very easy matchup that will see WASH just get run out of the stadium. Lester has been downright unstoppable in his last 4 games only giving up an average of 1.5 runs a game. BOS has been tearing the cover off the ball and today will see them do the same. The Run Line is a great play with the hottest team in the AL verse the worst team in the league. Boston takes care of business with great pitching from Lester and timely hitting.
SCORE BOS 8 - WASH 1
Bonus Play
Boston Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals:
Boston Red Sox -1½-120
Craig's Bonus Play is another top winner from his Bonus Play selections. Yesterday had hard luck loss in his Bonus Play. But today Craig gets back on track.
Records
Boston Red Sox 43-27, 18-17 away (Lester 5-6, 4.69 ERA)
Washington Nationals 20-48, 12-24 home (Stammen 1-2, 4.76 ERA)
Betting Trends
-Red Sox are 7-1 in their last 8 road games.
-Red Sox are 9-3 in their last 12 overall.
-Red Sox are 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
-Nationals are 2-6 in their last 8 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
This is a very easy matchup that will see WASH just get run out of the stadium. Lester has been downright unstoppable in his last 4 games only giving up an average of 1.5 runs a game. BOS has been tearing the cover off the ball and today will see them do the same. The Run Line is a great play with the hottest team in the AL verse the worst team in the league. Boston takes care of business with great pitching from Lester and timely hitting.
SCORE BOS 8 - WASH 1
Marc Lawrence
Today’s Free Pick
GAME: Los Angeles Dodgers @ Chicago White Sox
PICK: under
REASON FOR PICK: Play On: Dodgers/White Sox UNDER with Wolf vs. Floyd
Note: The Dodgers and White Sox resume their three-game series in when Randy Wolf takes on Gavin Floyd in Chicago. The old grey Wolf has won 7 of his last 8 starts, including each of his last 3 road starts. Meanwhile, Floyd has never lost a team start at home in June in his MLB career, going 8-0. With Wolf 9-21 UNDER in his last thirty starts during the first half of the season the last two years and the White Sox 4-15 UNDER in June this season, look for this game to stay UNDER the total here tonight.
We recommend a 1-unit play on the UNDER in the Dodgers/White Sox game.
Today’s Free Pick
GAME: Los Angeles Dodgers @ Chicago White Sox
PICK: under
REASON FOR PICK: Play On: Dodgers/White Sox UNDER with Wolf vs. Floyd
Note: The Dodgers and White Sox resume their three-game series in when Randy Wolf takes on Gavin Floyd in Chicago. The old grey Wolf has won 7 of his last 8 starts, including each of his last 3 road starts. Meanwhile, Floyd has never lost a team start at home in June in his MLB career, going 8-0. With Wolf 9-21 UNDER in his last thirty starts during the first half of the season the last two years and the White Sox 4-15 UNDER in June this season, look for this game to stay UNDER the total here tonight.
We recommend a 1-unit play on the UNDER in the Dodgers/White Sox game.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
Back To Service Listing</TD><TD align=right>
Print This Page</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#dddddd><TD vAlign=top>Jack Clayton</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>Guaranteed Selections</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009
$25.00 Guaranteed: Get ready for TOTAL domination, on the baseball diamond, on the mound, and at the Wednesday wagering window. This is a game where one team holds HUGE edges on the hill and in the pen. Get set to strike gold with this 5-Star Major Mound Mismatch, then sit back and collect! </TD><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right>6/23/2009</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>5* (963) NY Yankees at Braves: Have to back the powerful visiting offense here. A reliable start goes for NY, which is a key with this team, because the offense is loaded, ranked 2nd in the AL in runs, first in slugging an even 5th in steals. The slumping Atlanta offense has never faced hard throwing Joba Chamberlain before (3-2, 3.89 ERA). Atlanta won a series Monday in a make-up game with the Cubs, but take a closer look: The Braves have gone 1-5-3 in their last nine series. And this is a tough stretch, facing the Yankees, Boston Red Sox and defending champion Philadelphia Phillies over the next 9 days. This Atlanta offense has struggled all season, ranked 11th in the NL in runs and 9th in OBP. Have to back the talented and balanced visitors. Play the NY Yankees. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
$25.00 Guaranteed: Get ready for TOTAL domination, on the baseball diamond, on the mound, and at the Wednesday wagering window. This is a game where one team holds HUGE edges on the hill and in the pen. Get set to strike gold with this 5-Star Major Mound Mismatch, then sit back and collect! </TD><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right>6/23/2009</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>5* (963) NY Yankees at Braves: Have to back the powerful visiting offense here. A reliable start goes for NY, which is a key with this team, because the offense is loaded, ranked 2nd in the AL in runs, first in slugging an even 5th in steals. The slumping Atlanta offense has never faced hard throwing Joba Chamberlain before (3-2, 3.89 ERA). Atlanta won a series Monday in a make-up game with the Cubs, but take a closer look: The Braves have gone 1-5-3 in their last nine series. And this is a tough stretch, facing the Yankees, Boston Red Sox and defending champion Philadelphia Phillies over the next 9 days. This Atlanta offense has struggled all season, ranked 11th in the NL in runs and 9th in OBP. Have to back the talented and balanced visitors. Play the NY Yankees. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Wednesday, June 24
With interleague play here, remember there are DHs in games played in the American League parks, no DHs in National League parks. Under is 51-36-3 in NL parks, 48-37-5 in AL, As far as wins/losses go, the AL leads the NL, 96-87.
Hot Pitchers
-- Thompson is 2-0, 3.42 in his last two starts. Nieve is 2-0, 2.13 in two starts for Mets this season.
-- Richmond has a 2.92 RA in his last four starts.
-- Blanton is 2-0, 2.78 in his last five starts.
-- Duke is 4-0, 2.70 in his last four home starts.
-- Lester is 2-1, 1.67 in his last four starts. Stammen is 1-0, 2.31 in his last two starts.
-- Porcello is 7-1, 3.20 in his last nine starts.
-- Braves won last three Kawakami home starts (1-0, 3.00).
-- Nolasco is 1-1, 3.00 in his last three starts.
-- Blackburn is 4-0, 1.99 in his last eight starts.
-- Dodgers won seven of last eight Wolf starts. White Sox won last five Floyd home starts (2-0, 2.02).
-- Haren is 3-0, 1.66 in his last five starts. Padilla is 2-0, 3.00 in his last three starts.
-- Marquis is 5-1, 2.60 in his last seven starts. Saunders is 2-1, 2.37 in his last four home starts.
-- Giants won four of last five Johnson starts.
Cold Pitchers
-- Arroyo is 0-3, 7.27 in his last three road starts.
-- Garza is 0-3, 4.71 in his last five starts.
-- Pavano is 0-1, 13.97 in his last couple starts.
-- Harden is 0-2, 6.88 in his last three starts.
-- Chamberlain is 0-1, 4.50 in his last three starts; Bronx has won six of his last eight outings.
-- Berken is 0-3, 7.59 in his last four starts.
-- Looper is 0-1, 7.97 in his last four starts.
-- Oswalt is 2-2, 4.52 in his last seven starts. Hochevar is 1-2, 8.40 in three road starts.
-- Gonzalez is 1-4, 7.59 in seven big league starts.
-- Geer is 0-2, 7.72 in his last four starts. Mariners lost both Morrow starts (0-1, 3.86, only seven IP).
Hot Teams
-- Cardinals won six of their last eight games.
-- Tampa Bay won eight of its last twelve games.
-- Red Sox won seven of their last eight road games. Nationals won four of their last six games.
-- Cubs won four of their last six games. Tigers won last five games, scoring 33 runs.
-- Marlins won four of their last five games. Orioles won five of their last six games.
-- Astros are 11-6 in their last seventeen home games.
-- Dodgers won seven of their last nine games.
-- Rockies won 17 of their last 19 games.
-- A's won nine of their last thirteen home games. Giants are 13-7 in last 20 games, 7-4 in last eleven on the road.
-- Mariners won seven of their last nine home games.
Cold Teams
-- Mets lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Phillies lost six of their last seven games, but they're 24-9 on road.
-- Pirates lost last five games, allowing 31 runs. Indians lost six of their last seven games.
-- Reds lost 13 of their last 17 road games. Blue Jays lost six of their last nine home games.
-- Braves are 5-8 in their last 13 games. Bronx Bombers lost six of their last seven road games.
-- Brewers lost six of their last seven home games. Minnesota is 8-16 in its last 24 road games.
-- Royals lost five of their last six games.
-- White Sox lost nine of their last twelve home games.
-- Arizona lost 14 of its last 20 home games. Rangers lost four of their last five games.
-- Angels lost three of their last four games.
-- Padres lost seven of their last ten games.
Totals
-- Over is 4-1-1 in Cardinals' last six games.
-- Four of last six Tampa Bay games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Washington home games stayed under total.
-- Five of last seven Cleveland games went over the total.
-- Under is 10-4-1 in last fifteen Cincinnati road games.
-- Seven of last nine Cub road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Atlanta games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Florida games went over the total.
-- Under is 16-7-1 in last 24 games at Miller Park.
-- Six of last seven Houston games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Dodger road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Arizona home games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Marquis starts.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in Giants' last ten games.
-- Five of last seven Geer starts went over the total.
Umpires
-- StL-NY-- Favorite won last five Dimuro games.
-- Cin-Tor-- Underdog won four of last seven Hallion games.
-- Phil-TB-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Culbreth games.
-- Clev-Pitt-- Home team won nine of last twelve Winters games.
-- Bos-Wsh-- Four of last five Davidson games went over the total.
-- Chi-Det-- Eight of last nine Fletcher games stayed under the total.
-- NY-Atl-- Under is 11-4-1 in last sixteen Hoye games.
-- Blt-Fla-- Favorite won nine of last eleven Fairchild games.
-- Min-Mil-- Underdog won seven of last eight Joyce games.
-- KC-Hst-- Underdog is 6-5 in Drake's eleven games behind plate.
-- LA-Chi-- Three of last four Rapuano games went over the total.
-- Tex-Az-- Under is 10-1-1 in last twelve Gorman games.
-- Col-LA-- Last four Cousins games stayed under the total.
-- SF-A's-- Seven of last eight Cooper games went over the total.
-- SD-Sea-- Five of last seven Marsh games went over the total.
With interleague play here, remember there are DHs in games played in the American League parks, no DHs in National League parks. Under is 51-36-3 in NL parks, 48-37-5 in AL, As far as wins/losses go, the AL leads the NL, 96-87.
Hot Pitchers
-- Thompson is 2-0, 3.42 in his last two starts. Nieve is 2-0, 2.13 in two starts for Mets this season.
-- Richmond has a 2.92 RA in his last four starts.
-- Blanton is 2-0, 2.78 in his last five starts.
-- Duke is 4-0, 2.70 in his last four home starts.
-- Lester is 2-1, 1.67 in his last four starts. Stammen is 1-0, 2.31 in his last two starts.
-- Porcello is 7-1, 3.20 in his last nine starts.
-- Braves won last three Kawakami home starts (1-0, 3.00).
-- Nolasco is 1-1, 3.00 in his last three starts.
-- Blackburn is 4-0, 1.99 in his last eight starts.
-- Dodgers won seven of last eight Wolf starts. White Sox won last five Floyd home starts (2-0, 2.02).
-- Haren is 3-0, 1.66 in his last five starts. Padilla is 2-0, 3.00 in his last three starts.
-- Marquis is 5-1, 2.60 in his last seven starts. Saunders is 2-1, 2.37 in his last four home starts.
-- Giants won four of last five Johnson starts.
Cold Pitchers
-- Arroyo is 0-3, 7.27 in his last three road starts.
-- Garza is 0-3, 4.71 in his last five starts.
-- Pavano is 0-1, 13.97 in his last couple starts.
-- Harden is 0-2, 6.88 in his last three starts.
-- Chamberlain is 0-1, 4.50 in his last three starts; Bronx has won six of his last eight outings.
-- Berken is 0-3, 7.59 in his last four starts.
-- Looper is 0-1, 7.97 in his last four starts.
-- Oswalt is 2-2, 4.52 in his last seven starts. Hochevar is 1-2, 8.40 in three road starts.
-- Gonzalez is 1-4, 7.59 in seven big league starts.
-- Geer is 0-2, 7.72 in his last four starts. Mariners lost both Morrow starts (0-1, 3.86, only seven IP).
Hot Teams
-- Cardinals won six of their last eight games.
-- Tampa Bay won eight of its last twelve games.
-- Red Sox won seven of their last eight road games. Nationals won four of their last six games.
-- Cubs won four of their last six games. Tigers won last five games, scoring 33 runs.
-- Marlins won four of their last five games. Orioles won five of their last six games.
-- Astros are 11-6 in their last seventeen home games.
-- Dodgers won seven of their last nine games.
-- Rockies won 17 of their last 19 games.
-- A's won nine of their last thirteen home games. Giants are 13-7 in last 20 games, 7-4 in last eleven on the road.
-- Mariners won seven of their last nine home games.
Cold Teams
-- Mets lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Phillies lost six of their last seven games, but they're 24-9 on road.
-- Pirates lost last five games, allowing 31 runs. Indians lost six of their last seven games.
-- Reds lost 13 of their last 17 road games. Blue Jays lost six of their last nine home games.
-- Braves are 5-8 in their last 13 games. Bronx Bombers lost six of their last seven road games.
-- Brewers lost six of their last seven home games. Minnesota is 8-16 in its last 24 road games.
-- Royals lost five of their last six games.
-- White Sox lost nine of their last twelve home games.
-- Arizona lost 14 of its last 20 home games. Rangers lost four of their last five games.
-- Angels lost three of their last four games.
-- Padres lost seven of their last ten games.
Totals
-- Over is 4-1-1 in Cardinals' last six games.
-- Four of last six Tampa Bay games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Washington home games stayed under total.
-- Five of last seven Cleveland games went over the total.
-- Under is 10-4-1 in last fifteen Cincinnati road games.
-- Seven of last nine Cub road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Atlanta games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Florida games went over the total.
-- Under is 16-7-1 in last 24 games at Miller Park.
-- Six of last seven Houston games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Dodger road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Arizona home games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Marquis starts.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in Giants' last ten games.
-- Five of last seven Geer starts went over the total.
Umpires
-- StL-NY-- Favorite won last five Dimuro games.
-- Cin-Tor-- Underdog won four of last seven Hallion games.
-- Phil-TB-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Culbreth games.
-- Clev-Pitt-- Home team won nine of last twelve Winters games.
-- Bos-Wsh-- Four of last five Davidson games went over the total.
-- Chi-Det-- Eight of last nine Fletcher games stayed under the total.
-- NY-Atl-- Under is 11-4-1 in last sixteen Hoye games.
-- Blt-Fla-- Favorite won nine of last eleven Fairchild games.
-- Min-Mil-- Underdog won seven of last eight Joyce games.
-- KC-Hst-- Underdog is 6-5 in Drake's eleven games behind plate.
-- LA-Chi-- Three of last four Rapuano games went over the total.
-- Tex-Az-- Under is 10-1-1 in last twelve Gorman games.
-- Col-LA-- Last four Cousins games stayed under the total.
-- SF-A's-- Seven of last eight Cooper games went over the total.
-- SD-Sea-- Five of last seven Marsh games went over the total.
Trend Report
7:05 PM
BOSTON vs. WASHINGTON
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Boston is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
Washington is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games at home
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
7:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. DETROIT
Chi Cubs are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
Chi Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
7:05 PM
CLEVELAND vs. PITTSBURGH
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Pittsburgh is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
7:07 PM
CINCINNATI vs. TORONTO
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Cincinnati is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
7:08 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. TAMPA BAY
Philadelphia is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Philadelphia is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Tampa Bay is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
7:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. FLORIDA
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Florida
Baltimore is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Florida
Florida is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Florida is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Baltimore
7:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. ATLANTA
NY Yankees are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
NY Yankees are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
7:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. NY METS
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
NY Mets are 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
NY Mets are 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
8:00 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. HOUSTON
Kansas City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Houston is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing Kansas City
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City
8:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. MILWAUKEE
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Milwaukee is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Milwaukee is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home
8:11 PM
LA DODGERS vs. CHI WHITE SOX
LA Dodgers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games at home
Chi White Sox are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Dodgers
9:40 PM
TEXAS vs. ARIZONA
Texas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Texas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas
Arizona is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
10:05 PM
COLORADO vs. LA ANGELS
Colorado is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Colorado is 3-8 SU in their last 11 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games
LA Angels are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games at home
10:05 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. OAKLAND
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Oakland
San Francisco is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Oakland
Oakland is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Francisco
10:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. SEATTLE
San Diego is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Seattle
San Diego is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Seattle is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Seattle is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
7:05 PM
BOSTON vs. WASHINGTON
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Boston is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
Washington is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games at home
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
7:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. DETROIT
Chi Cubs are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
Chi Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
7:05 PM
CLEVELAND vs. PITTSBURGH
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Pittsburgh is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
7:07 PM
CINCINNATI vs. TORONTO
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Cincinnati is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
7:08 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. TAMPA BAY
Philadelphia is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Philadelphia is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Tampa Bay is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
7:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. FLORIDA
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Florida
Baltimore is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Florida
Florida is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Florida is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Baltimore
7:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. ATLANTA
NY Yankees are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
NY Yankees are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
7:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. NY METS
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
NY Mets are 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
NY Mets are 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
8:00 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. HOUSTON
Kansas City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Houston is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing Kansas City
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City
8:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. MILWAUKEE
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Milwaukee is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Milwaukee is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home
8:11 PM
LA DODGERS vs. CHI WHITE SOX
LA Dodgers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games at home
Chi White Sox are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Dodgers
9:40 PM
TEXAS vs. ARIZONA
Texas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Texas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas
Arizona is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
10:05 PM
COLORADO vs. LA ANGELS
Colorado is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Colorado is 3-8 SU in their last 11 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games
LA Angels are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games at home
10:05 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. OAKLAND
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Oakland
San Francisco is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Oakland
Oakland is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Francisco
10:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. SEATTLE
San Diego is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Seattle
San Diego is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Seattle is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Seattle is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Dave Cokin
(957) CLEVELAND INDIANS
(958) PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Take "(958) PITTSBURGH PIRATES"
The Indians finally won a game Tuesday night, although they tried their best to give it away at the finish line. Carl Pavano has been lit up in his last two starts and may not be 100% physically, so that pathetic Tribe bullpen figures to be involved here. The Pirates are on a losing streak, which certainly makes laying a price dicey. But Duke has been very strong at home and I expect the Bucs to even up the series with the win this evening.
(957) CLEVELAND INDIANS
(958) PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Take "(958) PITTSBURGH PIRATES"
The Indians finally won a game Tuesday night, although they tried their best to give it away at the finish line. Carl Pavano has been lit up in his last two starts and may not be 100% physically, so that pathetic Tribe bullpen figures to be involved here. The Pirates are on a losing streak, which certainly makes laying a price dicey. But Duke has been very strong at home and I expect the Bucs to even up the series with the win this evening.
Jim Feist
(973) TEXAS RANGERS
(974) ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Take "(973) TEXAS RANGERS"
Bonus Play: The Rangers lost four straight to National League teams, but that's not cause for concern. This is still a strong all around team, one in first place in the AL West over Los Angeles. Vicente Padilla is throwing well, at 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA the last three starts. Now they face the last place Diamondbacks, a team that can't hit. And starter Dan Haren has not thrown well in his career against these Rangers, with a 4.50 ERA against them and a 3-4 record. Play the Rangers.
(973) TEXAS RANGERS
(974) ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Take "(973) TEXAS RANGERS"
Bonus Play: The Rangers lost four straight to National League teams, but that's not cause for concern. This is still a strong all around team, one in first place in the AL West over Los Angeles. Vicente Padilla is throwing well, at 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA the last three starts. Now they face the last place Diamondbacks, a team that can't hit. And starter Dan Haren has not thrown well in his career against these Rangers, with a 4.50 ERA against them and a 3-4 record. Play the Rangers.
