The Swami
Michal Trapp GOM - Cubs
Doc Holiday GOY - Rockies
Maxwell ltd - Mets, under Seattle, Texas -1.5
The Play - Atlanta
70% Computer Club - Detroit game 1
Totals Unlimited - Under Cubs
5th Inning Sports (1st half of games) - Texas, under Seattle
Bob Balfe
Philadelphia Phillies -126
The Rockies are on a long road trip which is not going well for them and they seem to throwing in the towel. Philly destroyed them the last two games and should do so again today behind an extremely motivated J.A. Happ. Take the Phillies.
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
Philadelphia Phillies -122
For a number of different reasons I believe the value in this contest is on the home side:
Jeff Francis gets the nod for the visitors; Francis had a big outing in his last start; I’m expecting a letdown today though.
Prior to his last start, Francis was 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA, allowing 21 hits and 16 runs in 12 innings with eight walks, five strikeouts and two hit batters in three outings.
Not only is Philadelphia 5-0 its last five in front of the home town crowd, its also 5-1 its last six vs. Colorado.
Colorado is 1-5 its last six overall; 3-13 (-9.8 units) in road games as a +100 to +125 dog.
In the other dugout: J. A. Happ heads to the hill for the home side;
Happ went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two starts (10 1/3 innings) earlier this season for Philadelphia. He was 10-4 with a 2.99 ERA in 23 starts last season for the Phillies; he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two appearances (one start) in his career against Colorado.
Bottom line: Once considered the ace of the Rockies, Francis’ slide has been significant, and he’ll be in trouble tonight against a determined home side.
The Phillies are batting .321 and averaging six runs during a three-game win streak that includes Saturday’s 10-2 rout of the Rockies; I expect the hit parade to continue here.
10* “BIG EA$Y” on the PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES!
David Banks
Rockies
Twins
A's
Giants
LA Dodgers
Cardinals
The Duke's Sports
St. Louis (-119) for 2 Units
Cubs have shown signs of life after Piniella's retirement announcement; however, we'll look for the Cardinals to secure a win here with Carpenter. Carpenter, who's on a 3-0 run, sports a 3-0 mark with a 1.40 ERA in his last 4 games vs Chicago, and controls a 3-1 mark with a 2.77 ERA at Wrigley. And the Cardinals' bullpen has been solid over the last few weeks (1.53 ERA). On the other hand, Ryan Dempster, who is 0-4 in his last 4 team starts vs St. Louis, sports a sluggish 4.68 ERA in 16 starts vs St. Louis. With Dempster, the Cubs are a mere 5-12 as a dog, 1-4 on Sundays, and 2-9 in game 3 of a series. Chicago is also just 7-19 following a win. We'll look for the sluggish bats of St. Louis to awaken tonight.
Tony George
St. Louis Cardinals -125
Cannot imagine in this heated rivalry when all the numbers an d stats point towards the Cards who have dropped 2 straight, that they cannot get one win and avoid the sweep with Chris Carpenter on the hill. Maybe it is too easy here but bullpen with a 1.62 ERA their last 3 and the Cards should hit enough on Demptster to win a low scoring one here. Play 1 Unit on St. Louis
BRUCE MARSHALL
Mets at Dodgers
Pick: Mets +170
We're not impressed that the Dodgers have managed to win 3 of their past 4 games, especially since their offense has been contributing almost nothing, with only 8 runs to show for those last outings. R.A. Dickey's knuckleball could cause the Blue more problems this afternoon at the Ravine, and a little help from the New York offense (not exactly percolating at the moment) could get the Mets over the hump against Clayton Kershaw, back on the hill after being ejected in last Tuesday's loss to the Giants. Play Mets
5* SPORTS
4* Florida + 122
3* Milwaukee - 138
3* Cubs + 111
4* Cleveland + 134
3* LA Angels + 210
Anthony Redd
75 Dime Dodgers -1.5
Bob Akmens
San Fran
Boston
Detroit GM 2
Stephen Nover
100 Dime - Cardinals
Derek Mancini
60 Dime - Cubs
O.C. Dooley
2 Units Cardinals / Cubs Over 6.5
It was exactly one week ago in an ESPN primetime telecast that Philadelphia ace Roy Halladay was pounded in a loss at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. I am aware that St. Louis ace Chris Carpenter has a stirling 1.40 ERA in his last four starts against the Cubs, but this evening he will be attempting to slow down a sizzling hot offense. Ever since they moved rookies Tyler Colvin and Starlin Castro (.489 last eleven games) to the top of the lineup the Cubs have hit .321 as a team and have average more than SEVEN runs per contest. The following may come as a shock to some but Cubs actually lead the entire majors in HOMERUNS with 30 bombs so far in July. This month has seen a heatwave hit the entire country and the high temperatures have led to plenty of offense as Wrigley Field where totals are posted at the last second to gauge wind conditions. The winds this evening are slated to be blowing IN which is one of the reasons why we have a “deflated” spot. In the past two days we have seen enormous totals (12) posted at Wrigley but we have plenty of “value” with the over/under figure this evening. On Saturday the St. Louis offense finally put an end to a very long 21 consecutive inning scoreless streak as veteran outfielder Ryan Ludwick was activated from the disabled list. Ludwick just happens to have an incredible .429 career batting mark when facing Chicago’s Ryan Dempster, so he picked the perfect time to return to the lineup. The Cubs have actually won each of Dempster’s last pair of starts even though his ERA (4.86) was very high. What concerns me most about Dempster was his lack of control last time on the mound issuing 4 walks in just 5 innings of work. The Cubs have supported Dempster with 17 runs in his last two appearances while the Cardinals put “double digit” runs on the board this month in support of Chris Carpenter.
Stephen Nover
100 Dime - Cardinals
I easily cashed on my 100 Dime play on Saturday winning by six runs with San Francisco over Arizona.
Right now I'm in the zone and feel just as strong about the Cardinals, with Chris Carpenter on the mound, to beat the Cubs. It's just my third 100 Dime play of the season - my highist ranking - but the price and matchup are right to back St. Louis.
Carpenter is an ace, an "A" pitcher who is having another strong season and is in excellent form. His opponesnt, Ryan Dempster, is at least one level if not two levels behind him.
The Cardinals are the best team in the National League. The Cubs are eight games below .500, do not have a winning home mark and are playing for a lamedsck manager, Lou Piniella.
Yet the price doesn't reflect the disparity between the two teams, providing excellent value on the Cardinals.
In making the Cardinals a lesser favorite than they should be, the oddsmaker is factoring the Cubs winning the first two games of this series. Before this series began, though, the Cardinals had won eight of their last nine games. They were forced to start washed-up Jeff Suppan in Game 1 against the Cubs and then rookie No. 5 pitcher Blake Hawksworth during Saturday's loss.
So it's not shocking the Cubs won the first two games. The Cubs are going with young players. But these players aren't going to be facing bad pitching in this matchup. Carpenter is pitching well and ace closer Ryan Franklin is rested.
Carpenter is 11-3 with a 3.05 ERA. His road ERA is 3.07. He has yet to lose a decision when pitching at night going 8-0 with a 2.23 ERA in night games. Carpenter said he's happier with his delivery than he has been all season and it's shown in his last two starts - two earned runs in 16 innings against the Dodgers and Phillies with a 10-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and nine hits.
The Cubs have lost the past four times they've faced Carpenter. Carpenter is going on his normal four days rest. The Cardinals are 20-6 (77 percent) the past 26 times Carpenter has pitched on four days rest.
Let's contrast this with Dempster, who has a 4.30 ERA this month. Dempster's last two starts - both coming at home versus the Astros and Phillies - have resulted in six earned runs, 14 hits and seven walks in 11 2/3 innings. Cubs closer Carlos Marmol threw 20 pitches in getting a save in Saturday's game.
The Cubs have lost the last four times they've faced the Cardinals with Dempster. The Cubs have lost in 12 of the last 17 times when Dempster has been an underdog.
After this game, the Cardinals have an off-day on Monday before staying on the road to face the Mets, who have one of the best home marks in the National League going 30-16 at Citi Field. The Cardinals are going to see Johan Santana in that series.
Trailing the Reds by one-half game in the Central Division, this is a huge game for the Cardinals. So a strong effort should be expected. Look for the Cardinals to be on their game and for Carpenter to get the best of Dempster
Al DeMarco
5 Dime Phillies
5 Dime Giants
5 Dime Rangers RL