Dave Cokin
Bonus Play Wednesday
RAYS (Snell) at BLUE JAYS (Happ) 7:05 PM
Take: RAYS F5 (will update with the line in the morning)
The more I see of Blake Snell, the more I’m convinced the Rays have themselves a potential top of the rotation starting pitcher. Snell still has to improve his command, which can get a bit sketchy at times. But this kid has some lethal stuff, and he’s getting a very nice share of ugly swings and misses with what he’s throwing.
Snell draws tough tonight as JA Happ continues to be outstanding for Toronto. Metrics fanciers can certainly find fault with some of the peripherals. But at some point the reality just has to be accepted that Happ has turned into a winning pitcher, and in a pretty amazing way.
I think we’ve got an early inning pitching duel here between these two lefties. Both Snell and Happ are on nice rolls right now and it would be surprising to see either southpaw get blown up.
But while that sounds like a case for an Under play, I think the real value here is on the side. Based on the way Snell is bringing it over his last several starts, this game is overpriced. Normally, I’d just go Rays full game at a such a generous price, currently better than +170.
But let’s call it straight, I can’t buy a save right now and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let another late lead get away. I won’t get as attractive a price on the F5 wager, but I definitely want to back Snell and I don’t want to sweat Kevin Cash bringing in the wrong reliever, which has become an unfortunate constant with the Tampa Bay skipper. So make it a first half only play for me on the Rays and Snell.
Bonus Play Wednesday
RAYS (Snell) at BLUE JAYS (Happ) 7:05 PM
Take: RAYS F5 (will update with the line in the morning)
The more I see of Blake Snell, the more I’m convinced the Rays have themselves a potential top of the rotation starting pitcher. Snell still has to improve his command, which can get a bit sketchy at times. But this kid has some lethal stuff, and he’s getting a very nice share of ugly swings and misses with what he’s throwing.
Snell draws tough tonight as JA Happ continues to be outstanding for Toronto. Metrics fanciers can certainly find fault with some of the peripherals. But at some point the reality just has to be accepted that Happ has turned into a winning pitcher, and in a pretty amazing way.
I think we’ve got an early inning pitching duel here between these two lefties. Both Snell and Happ are on nice rolls right now and it would be surprising to see either southpaw get blown up.
But while that sounds like a case for an Under play, I think the real value here is on the side. Based on the way Snell is bringing it over his last several starts, this game is overpriced. Normally, I’d just go Rays full game at a such a generous price, currently better than +170.
But let’s call it straight, I can’t buy a save right now and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let another late lead get away. I won’t get as attractive a price on the F5 wager, but I definitely want to back Snell and I don’t want to sweat Kevin Cash bringing in the wrong reliever, which has become an unfortunate constant with the Tampa Bay skipper. So make it a first half only play for me on the Rays and Snell.
Jim Feist
Jim Feist's Comp Pick, Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Your Bonus Play for Wednesday, August 10, 2016 is in the baseball contest between the New York Yankees and the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston. Fenway is a great hitter's park and the NY Yankees are on a 15-5-1 run over the total on the road. Nathan Eovaldi (4.80 ERA) goes here, with a losing road record and a 5.23 ERA away from home. Boston is hitting .310 off him this season, the top offense in baseball. The Over is 4-1 in Eovaldi's last 5 starts vs. the Red Sox. Boston goes with Drew Pomeranz, whom they got fleeced with before the trade deadline. He can't throw strikes and now rumors are there were undisclosed medical records by the Padres. Regardless, he has walked 12 in 18 innings with Boston while allowing 22 hits and 14 runs.
Play the Yankees/Red Sox Over the total.
Jim Feist's Comp Pick, Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Your Bonus Play for Wednesday, August 10, 2016 is in the baseball contest between the New York Yankees and the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston. Fenway is a great hitter's park and the NY Yankees are on a 15-5-1 run over the total on the road. Nathan Eovaldi (4.80 ERA) goes here, with a losing road record and a 5.23 ERA away from home. Boston is hitting .310 off him this season, the top offense in baseball. The Over is 4-1 in Eovaldi's last 5 starts vs. the Red Sox. Boston goes with Drew Pomeranz, whom they got fleeced with before the trade deadline. He can't throw strikes and now rumors are there were undisclosed medical records by the Padres. Regardless, he has walked 12 in 18 innings with Boston while allowing 22 hits and 14 runs.
Play the Yankees/Red Sox Over the total.
Matt Josephs
Rays vs Blue Jays
Bonus Play Tampa Bay Rays
Blake Snell continues to improve as a starter for Rays. He has allowed just five runs in his last three outings and has a 1.85 ERA on the road. Snell is also starting to strike batters out with 16 K's in his last two starts. The southpaw has never faced Toronto so that helps especially since the Jays offense isn't exactly in great form right now. They entered Tuesday night hitting just .229 in their last seven games. JA Happ is 15-3 with a 3.09 ERA in 22 starts with the Blue Jays. He has struggled with the Rays posting a 5.12 ERA in 11 starts against them. Already this season the southpaw has allowed 11 runs and 13 hits in just over eight innings against Tampa. Tim Beckham (4-10), Logan Forsythe (5-19), Evan Longoria (10-26) and Steven Souza Jr. (5-11) have had their success against Happ. The Rays are hitting .262 against left-handed starters averaging nearly five runs per game. Tampa has scored five runs or more in three of their last four and four of their last seven. They have taken four of the five games in Toronto. I think this is a ridiculous price.
Rays vs Blue Jays
Bonus Play Tampa Bay Rays
Blake Snell continues to improve as a starter for Rays. He has allowed just five runs in his last three outings and has a 1.85 ERA on the road. Snell is also starting to strike batters out with 16 K's in his last two starts. The southpaw has never faced Toronto so that helps especially since the Jays offense isn't exactly in great form right now. They entered Tuesday night hitting just .229 in their last seven games. JA Happ is 15-3 with a 3.09 ERA in 22 starts with the Blue Jays. He has struggled with the Rays posting a 5.12 ERA in 11 starts against them. Already this season the southpaw has allowed 11 runs and 13 hits in just over eight innings against Tampa. Tim Beckham (4-10), Logan Forsythe (5-19), Evan Longoria (10-26) and Steven Souza Jr. (5-11) have had their success against Happ. The Rays are hitting .262 against left-handed starters averaging nearly five runs per game. Tampa has scored five runs or more in three of their last four and four of their last seven. They have taken four of the five games in Toronto. I think this is a ridiculous price.
Mike Lundin
Giants vs Marlins
5* MLB Free Pick Miami Marlins
The San Francisco Giants have not fared well since the All Star break and they're 4-11 in their last 15 road games. They've lost six of Jeff Samardzija's last seven outings, and I think they're in for a defeat at Marlins Park Wednesday afternoon.
Samardzija (9-8, 4.40 ERA) is 0-3 with a 6.85 ERA through his last four starts, and he's allowed at least four runs in seven of his last eight starts.
Miami turns to David Phelps (5-5, 2.45) who has worked most of the season out of the bullpen. He made the most of a spot start on Friday when he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings at Coors Field, and he'll be looking to become a mainstay in the rotation again. Phelps has a 1.20 ERA in two appearances totaling seven innings in his career against the Giants.
Giancarlo Stanton is expected to sit out and Ichiro Suzuki will take his spot in the lineup. Stanton is just 3-for-19 with six strikeouts in previous meetings with Samardzija so that's not something I'm overly concerned with.
Giants vs Marlins
5* MLB Free Pick Miami Marlins
The San Francisco Giants have not fared well since the All Star break and they're 4-11 in their last 15 road games. They've lost six of Jeff Samardzija's last seven outings, and I think they're in for a defeat at Marlins Park Wednesday afternoon.
Samardzija (9-8, 4.40 ERA) is 0-3 with a 6.85 ERA through his last four starts, and he's allowed at least four runs in seven of his last eight starts.
Miami turns to David Phelps (5-5, 2.45) who has worked most of the season out of the bullpen. He made the most of a spot start on Friday when he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings at Coors Field, and he'll be looking to become a mainstay in the rotation again. Phelps has a 1.20 ERA in two appearances totaling seven innings in his career against the Giants.
Giancarlo Stanton is expected to sit out and Ichiro Suzuki will take his spot in the lineup. Stanton is just 3-for-19 with six strikeouts in previous meetings with Samardzija so that's not something I'm overly concerned with.
