BOB BALFE
Uruguay pk
South Korea did a great job to get to the round of 16, but they do not have the defensive strength to advance. Uruguay is playing with great confidence and still has yet to allow a goal in the tournament. Take Uruguay as a pick.
United States pk
Team USA was seconds away from going home in this tournament due to several bad calls by the refs. Instead, they battled back in the 90th minute to win their group. Look for Team USA to live on for another day as they will face a Ghana team that barely survived a relatively weak group. Take USA as a pick.
Philadelphia Phillies -138
The Phillies dominated the Blue Jays last night and I do not see much changing tonight. Because this is considered a American League game, the Phillies have the luxury of having another hitter in their already dominant and powerful lineup behind Cole Hamels, who is beginning to get his groove back. Take the Phils.
KIKI SPORTS
2 Units Atlanta -130
1 Unit Colorado +120
2 Units Uruguay -110
1 Unit Ghana +201
Paul Leiner
50* AZ/TB Over 8.5
25* Nationals -115
Lenny Del Genio
IL Game of the Year
Atlanta -130
After getting swept in Chicago, the Braves returned home and beat the Tigers last night 3-1. It’s home sweet home for these Braves as they are a much different team here in Atlanta with a 24-7 record. This afternoon the Braves hand the ball to the hard luck starter Kawakami. The Braves young righty has an 0-9 record on the season (4-10 team start record). He can’t seem to get into a consistent grove as he’ll pitch one good game, then one or two so-so or bad outings. The one positive note is that he does have a 4-2 team start here in Atlanta. The Tigers are six games over .500 but they’re a bad road team posting a 14-22 record away from home. They give the ball to Scherzer and he’s been one of the reasons for Detroit’s road problems with a 6.20 road ERA and 1-6 team start record. The Braves have been money in the bank at home this season as favorites of $-110 or greater posting a 24-4 team start record. Also, the Braves are a perfect 10-0 this season at home in day games. We have a low line due to Kawakami’s 0-9 record, but look for him to record his first win of the season this afternoon. Play on Atlanta.
Larry Ness
8* Oddsmaker's Error - Philadelphia Phillies
The Blue Jays have the misfortune of playing in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox (plus now the Rays). They also knew they couldn't re-sign Roy Halladay ("the face of the franchise") and last off-season, traded him to the Phillies as to not lose him to free agency and get nothing. Toronto was anticipating Hallady's return to Toronto this weekend, as the Phillies were scheduled to visit Rogers Centre on this final weekend of IL play in 2010 but security concerns surrounding the G20 Summit forced MLB to move the series to Philadelphia. Can the Jays get a break? Yes, Toronto bats last and the DH is being used, but this is still a HOME game for the Phillies. Halladay blanked the Jays last night 9-0, bringing into focus two things. The Phillies were in a terrible batting slump from May 22 through June 15, hitting a woeful .218 as a team while averaging only 2.4 RPG. No wonder the team lost 15 of 21 in that span? However, the Phillies have scored 63 runs over their last nine games (7.0 per), winning SEVEN times while batting .283 as a group! Meanwhile, the Jays were shut out for the SIXTH time this year on Friday and have scored more than six runs just TWICE in their last 33 games. Toronto has scored only 67 runs in its 21 games during June, an average of only 3.19 per game! That sets the stage for this afternoon's contest, as Cole Hamels takes on Shaun Marcum. Hamels went 15-5 in 2007 and then 14-10 in 2008, plus 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the postseason (team was 5-0 in his starts). He would win MVP awards in both the NLCS and World Series and establish himself as the team's ace. He did not pitch like an ace in 2009, going 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA and then posted a 7.58 ERA in four postseason starts. However, he's looked pretty darn good since May 1, not allowing more than three ERs in any of his nine starts (six times, he's allowed two ERs or less). His ERA in that span is 2.91 and his record (4-3 / team is 5-4) would be much better in that stretch, except that those Philly bats were struggling so badly for a good portion of that time (se above). Again, the Phillies are playing in their home park and Hamels owns a 2.96 ERA at Citizens Bank Park in seven 2010 starts. Toronto's Shaun Marcum missed all of 2009 after Tommy John surgery but has recovered nicely to go 6-3 with a 3.24 ERA in 15 starts this season (team is just 8-7). However, while his home ERA is 2.52, his road ERA is more than 1 1/2 runs higher (4.12). The Phils were favored by more than 2-to-1 last night with Halladay and now it's at least 70-cents to as much as $1.00 less with Hamels. That's a bargain! Toronto loses again today, "at home!"
Tony George
Cubs / White Sox Under 9
Like Garcia and Silva to have a pitchers duel here. The last 7 Interleauge road games the Cubs have went under, and neither team hot at the plate, especially against right handers, and both these starters tonight are solid and will go 7 innings each unless the wheels come off. 3 out of the last 4 This Month have went under in this series. Silva lost a 2-1 decision back on the 12th of this month, and I think this game goes the same way, runs will be at premium. Play 1 Unit on the UNDER.
David Banks
Mets -134
Rangers -255
Tigers +112
Blue Jays +130
Brewers -133
A's -178
joe wiz pay after you win - dodgers
joe wiz executive service plan - braves (GOY)
asian executive - reds
Al DeMarco
5 Dime A's -1.5
5 Dime Brewers
5 Dime White Sox
BIG AL
100% INTERLEAGUE UNDERDOG OF THE YEAR!
DETROIT TIGERS
Larry Ness
8* Oddsmaker's Error - Philadelphia Phillies
10* IL Total of the Year
Rockies / Angels Over
NSA
20* Yanks +100
20* Angels -130
20* Red Sox -145
Andrew Bucciarelli
1* Boston -150
1* Reds -140
1* Cubs +113
James Reynolds
Phillies -135
Craig Davis
100 Dime Tampa Bay - 1.5
One and only play of the day on the Tampa Bay Rays to come back in a BIG way after getting no-hit by Edwin Jackson and the Diamondbacks last night. This couldn't set up for me any nicer. I was already eyeing this game as a big play before the no-hitter... but now I'm jumping all over it. Arizona flat out stinks on the road, they are one of the worst road teams in baseball, and if not for a masterpiece from Jackson last night they would have been beaten soundly. Only a solo home run from Adam LaRoche was the total scoring in last night's game.
The Diamondbacks just don't score a lot of runs on the road, as evidencad by last night's 1-0 game, scoring just 22 runs in their last 6-game road trip. In those six games, Arizona lost five of them and every single one was at least a two-run loss. Today will be no different.
Arizona is just 11-27 in road games this year and, even worse they're 6-15 in day games. Tampa, on the other hand, enjoys playing under the sun as they've won 12 of 20 in the daylight. This game sets up so nicely it's honestly scary. Tampa was "no-hit" last night, they clearly have a better offense than Arizona, they definitely have the pitching advantage today, and they get a team that strugglaes against lefties and can't win a road game to save their lives. Yeah, I'd say this one sets up nicely in our favor.
On one hand you have David Price... and absolute stud in the making that has dominated opponents all season --- but especially at home. He's 10-3 with a 2.45 ERA for the year and is 2-1 with a 3.01 ERA over his last three starts. At home he's even better, sporting a 4-1 record (12-4 for his career) in 6 starts with a 1.94 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, not to mention the fact batters are hitting just .181 against him. Price loves pitching on the artificial surface as well, possessing a 5-1 record and a 1.63 ERA on the fake stuff. During the day, Price has lost just once in six starts and owns a 2.52 ERA. His WHIP and BAA are both better in day games than night games.
He's 3-1 in the month of June (so far) with an ERA of 2.11... his best month thus far. Price will be pitching against Arizona for the first time in his career, but considering they hit below .250 against southpaws, I'm quite certain he'll have no trouble setting them down in order today. If his fastball continues to top 95 and he has solid control of his offspeed stuff, the Diamondbacks are in for a long afternoon.
The D-backs counter with Ian Kennedy who, although at times has had good stuff, struggles on the road and struggles in the sunshine. He's 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA away from Phoenix and the Diamondbacks have lost his last five road starts, includtng a 6-3 loss at Boston and a 3-1 loss at Detroit in his last two (9 ERs in 12 2/3 innings). His last road win was a 1-0 triumph over Houston back on May 4th... nearly two months ago. During day games Kennedy struggles as well, winning just once in 6 tries with a 4.14 ERA.
While with the Yankees last year, Kennedy saw the Rays three times... he was 1-2 with a 6.65 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP in 3 starts overall and 0-1 in two starts with a 6.65 ERA at Tropicana Field. Until last night, Arizona hadn't won in Tampa Bay either... getting swept in Interleague play back in 2006.
Arizona is 2-8 in their last 10 Interleague road games, 1-7 in their last 8 on field turf, 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a lefty, 6-16 in their last 22 Interleague games, 19-48 in their last 67 road games, and 15-36 in their last 51 road games vs. a team with a winning record. Tampa, meanwhile, has won 24 of their last 33 Saturday games, 21 of their last 30 games vs. a team with a winning percentage below .400, 20 of their last 29 as a home favorite of -200 or greater, 6 of their last 7 David Price starts when the opponent scores two or less the previous game, 14 of his last 18 starts overall, and 8 of his last 10 starts with the total set between 7 and 8 1/2.
It's right here for the taking boys, and I'm all over it. I like the Rays on the run line to absolutely dispose of the Diamondbacks in a major way today.