Al DeMarco
5 Dime Los Angeles
5 Dime San Francisco and Sanchez - 1.5
I've been watching the Angels-Brewers line all morning. I originally considered a Run Line release, but I just don't have that much faith in Saunders pitching at home where he has struggled all season. With this price dropptng from -160, which is my cap, down to -150, I instead opted to play LA straight-up because I think the small added risk (7.5 dimes on a 5 dime wager) is the more prudent financial strategy rather than taking the plus money but being forced to lay 1 1/2 runs.
The Angels return home after a Freeway Series sweep of the Dodgers that capped an 11-3 road trip. They've won 15 of their last 19 overaell and now play 15 of their next 18 at home where they've won seven of nine.
LA has won six of Saunders last seven starts and he's personally 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his last seven outings including a seven-hit, one-run, complete game effort at Oakland in his last start.
Milwaukee has dropped 10 of its last 14 on the road and the Brewers continue to flounder offensively. They managed just three hits in Sunday's 7-2 home loss to Texas and are batting .194 collectively in their last eight games and .239 in their last 39, a stredch in which they've lost 21 times.
Wolf has been roughed up in his last two starts against the Cubs and Cards allowing 15 hits and 13 earned runs in 11.1 innings. He's 2-4 in six road starts this season with a 5.66 ERA.
The Orioles hit the road after a 2-7 homestand in which they scored a total of 25 runs and hit just two homers. They're 1-5 in Interleague play after getting swept this weekend by the Mets. They've dropped eight in a row on the road and 15 of their last 17 overall.
The Giants, fresh off a sweep of the A's at home, have won 12 of 17, incuding eight of 10 in San Fran.
Sanchez sports a 2.31 ERA in six home starts this season.
The Orioles have lost all three of Tillman's starts so far as he's allowed 18 hits, walked seven, and yielded nine runs (seven earned) in 13 innings worked.
Dave Cokin
Matchup: Toronto at San Diego
Time: 10:05 PM EDT (Mon)
Listed pitchers must go: (R) MARCUM, S vs. (R) GARLAND, J
Play: San Diego (ML -116)
This is a very rough scheduling spot for Toronto. The Jays are embarking on their third straight road series, and they're off what for them is a very rare weekend in high altitude. The Jays are also not playing well as they head to San Diego. This ballpark does not set up well for the Blue Jays, as they're a power hitting team now up against a park that sets up better for teams that play small ball. On the pitching side, Toronto also could have some real issues with Jon Garland, who has surrendered just three homers in his last 70 innings of work. The Padres can no longer be considered a fluke. The pitching is outstanding, they get their hits when it matters most, and they are a team playing as though they believe they're going to win, and that's huge. Also, after missing all of last season, it could very well be that Shaun Marcum is experiencing a bit of a dead arm period, as the Jays hurler has slumped a bit of late and his K rate has dropped precipitously. I see this as a sold spot for the Padres and the price is right for a play on that side.
SPORTBOOK GURU
1 Unit Milwaukee +140
TIM TRUSHEL
Toronto Blue Jays
Teddy Covers
Brewers/Angels Over 10
The Duke's Sports
San Diego (-106) for 2 Units
The Blue Jays have gone dry at the plate scoring a combined 13 runs on a .163 BA over their 1-6 slide. Tonight, they face a good home pitcher in Garland. SD is 5-1 at home with Garland on the mound. He sports a 1.15 ERA at ETCO Park. Garland has struggled this month but controls a sweet 11-2 mark vs Toronto in 16 starts. Toronto will counter with Shaun Marcum who, like Garland, got off to a blazing start but now struggling in June. Marcum's ERA has expanded to 8.03 this month. Toronto has lost 7 of its last 8 road dog roles and in interleague play. We'll look for the Padres to deliver here.
Jeff Benton
15 Dime San Francisco Giants -1½
Giants -1½
The Baltimore Orioles are a complete and utter disaster. They have the worst overall record in baseball (17-46), and it’s the worst record by a full seven games. They have the worst road record in baseball (6-25). Despite being a healahy underdog almost every night, they are the worst money team in baseball (meaning they’ve cost their backers more than any team in the sports). And they arrive in San Francisco with just two wins in their last 17 games, and all 15 losses during this brutal slump have been by more than one run.
Just this past weekend, Baltimore got swept at home by the Mets, getting outsceored 19-6. These are the same Mets who entered the weekend with a 9-18 road record and hadn’t swept a three-game series on the highway since September 2008!
On the flip side, the Giants are coming off a three-game home sweep of the A’s, and they won all three games by more than one run. San Francisco is 22-11 at AT&T Park this season, including 11-3 in the last 14 (eight of 11 wins by multiple runs).
Not only are the Giants so much better than Baltimore overall, but they’ve got a big edge on the mound tonight. Despite a 4-5 record, San Francisco lefty Jonathan Sanchez has been outsoanding this season, posing a 2.82 ERA overall and a 2.31 ERA on the road. He’s held 10 of 12 opponents to three earned runs or fewer; he hasn’t given up more than four runs in any game this season; and in six of his 12 starts, Sanchez has yielded one or no earned runs. The Giants are 4-2 when Sanchez pitches at home, with the last three wins by final scores of 12-1, 5-1 and 6-0.
Meanwhile, Baltimore right-hander Chris Tillman is 0-2 with a 5.54 ERA in three starts this season, with the O’s getting outscored 20-4 in those three games. And going back to last August, Baltimore is 2-9 when Tillman starts (0-5 in the last five), with the last seven losses by scores of 4-2, 11-0, 5-2, 9-0, 9-2, 5-1 and 5-3. Tillman has made eight big-league starts in his career, and Baltimore is 1-7.
Throw in the fact that the Orioles are batting just .224 against left-handed pitching on the road this year and .213 against southpaws over the past 10 games, and this has blowout written all over it.
Erin Rynning
20* Brewers/Angels Over 9.5
KIKI SPORTS
2 Units Toronto/ San Diego OVER 6.5
1 Unit St. Louis -1.5 -145
1 Unit Milwaukee +140
Scott Rickenbach
10* LA Angels Over
8* SL Cards Over
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
10* Toronto / San Diego Over 6.5
For a number of different reasons I believe the value in this contest is on the "over"
Shaun Marcum goes for the visitors; Marcum allowed seven earned runs on ten hits in a season low four innings on Wednesday in Tampa Bay.
The loss dropped his record to 5-3 with a 3.38 ERA.
Keep in mind that Toronto has seen the total go "over" the number in 8 of its last 12 on the road.
In the other dugout: Jon Garland goes for the home side; Garland is 0-1 with a 10.38 ERA in two career starts on three days rest; he's 6-4 on the year with a 2.81 ERA.
Remember, San Diego has in fact seen the total go "over" the number in four of five inter-league contests this season.
Bottom line: Toronto is coming off a 10-3 loss in Colorado and will be looking to break out of a recent slump at the plate.
San Diego will also look to improve in front of the home town crowd as it is coming off a 4-2 loss to the Padres.
This number is a little low; play on the OVER!
John Ryan
25* Toronto Blue Jays