Fantasy Sports Gametime
Play New York Yankees (-235) over Baltimore (Top Play of the Day)
New York has won 21 of the last 22 home games as a favorite of -225 to -250 and they have also won 8 of the last 9 overall games. Phil Hughes has won 22 of the last 26 home games when playing as a favorite of -150 or higher and he has also won 6 of the last 8 games when playing in the month of September.
Play Boston (-185) over Toronto (Bonus)
Play Oakland (-175) over Kansas City (Bonus)
Jimmy Boyd
4* Phillies
3* Athletics
Paul Leiner
250* Rangers -120
100* Marlins -125
50* Indians -120
Today's Picks
Philadelphia Phillies -120
Milwaukee Brewers -110
Wunderdog
Detroit at Cleveland
Pick: Detroit +100
The Cleveland Indians were tremendously under-valued to start the season. They came out of the gate like gangbusters with a 30-15 record through their first 45 games. They have really tanked since then, going 40-53 playing themselves from a strong lead in the AL central, to out of contention. Fausto Carmona has proven to be a one-year wonder. He had a brilliant 2007 season, followed, and preceded by mediocrity at best. Carmona has taken his lumps again this season at just 6-13 with an ego bruising 4.84 ERA. He has just two home wins to show for the entire season. Detroit has a good luck charm in Ricky Porcello as they are 17-7 in his last 24 starts, and 8-2 in his last 10. The Tigers have been at their best vs. winning teams now 13-3 in their last 16, and have been a picture perfect 5-0 in the last five vs. Cleveland. Detroit gets the money in this one.
Larry Cook
7* White Sox -124
Micah Roberts
Braves at Phillies
Pick: Phillies+116
The Phillies don’t seem to lose when Vance Worley is on the mound, but on the other side of things, the Braves have beat the Phillies four straight games with Tim Hudson on the mound. The Braves have gone 4-1 in Hudson’s last four starts and getting plus-money with a pitcher of Hudson’s caliber here, coming off a loss last night, looks to be a great play.
DAVID MALINSKY
4* ARIZONA +103
Quite simply the wrong price range for two teams playing at entirely different levels right now, with the surging Diamondbacks establishing a lot of breathing room in the N.L. West, while the slumping Rockies go through the motions as September rolls on. In a 4-0 sweep of the head-to-head meetings the last two weeks the run count has been 28-14, and there are some key particulars that make this one fit right into that same mold.
Colorado turns back to Jason Hammel tonight, after he was demoted to the bullpen as his stuff fell of the table as the season went on – a 4.23 at the All Star break has collapsed into a 7.71 since. Hammel has only had three relief appearances since August 19, and last worked on August 29, before going on personal leave while his son was being born. In all outings since August 1 it has been 14 W’s vs. only 10 K’s, and when command is your issue (at least a 16.2 PPI in each of his last seven starts), that layoff can not help.
Meanwhile command is not an issue for Joshua Collmenter, who is blistering the strike zone as his confidence increases. He has only issued 24 W’s over 130 IP, and of the 122 pitchers that have worked at least 120 IP, that puts him at #7 in W's per 9. He gets an easier ride tonight because of the likely absence of Todd Helton again, and the latter innings also set up well, with Arizona winning on Monday without having to use either David Hernandez or J. J. Putz out of the bullpen.
Chip Chirimbes
Chicago White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins
Play: Chicago White Sox -135
Chicago's Jake Peavy (6-7, 5.21 ERA) has thrown better then his record would indicate as he has had a few bad outing off the disabled list and a few outstanding efforts. The Twins realize they are done on the year and are starting rookie Liam Hendriks who is making his first ever start. Minnesota has lost 22 of their last 29 overall and tonight will only add o their misery. Take the WHITE SOX
Super Sports Group
10* Phillies -1.5 +175
10* Nats -1.5 +140
8* Tigers ML +100
8* Angels -1.5 +165
8* Reds / Cubs Over 7.5
Dom Chambers
40 Dime Tigers / Indians Over
30 Dime Los Angeles Angels
Jeff Benton
20 Dime Rays
10 Dime Dodgers
Larry Ness
10* Brewers / Cardinals Over
BIG AL
Oakland Athletics
Oakland lefthanded ace Gio Gonzalez has had a bit of a roller-coaster 2011 campaign. Gonzalez started out the year as one of the hottest starters in the league, going 8-5 with a 2.31 ERA after his first start of July. But for about the next six weeks, Gonzalez hit quite a rough patch as he proceeded to go 1-6 in his next seven starts, with his ERA rising more than a full run to 3.36. But since then, Gonzalez seems to have returned to his early season form, as in his last three starts, the southpaw is 3-0 with an ERA of 2.18 and 21 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings and one of those three wins was a 15-5 blasting of the Red Sox in Fenway Park. So he comes into this home start against the Royals off of two road wins and having already beaten them twice this season (once in Kansas City and once at home) and he's no doubt looking forward to another start in Oakland where he's 8-4 with a sparkling 2.36 ERA in 14 outings vs. just 4-7 and 4.23 on the road this season. Heading into this game, the Royals are 8-16 in the last 24 meetings. But even worse for KC, it's a dreadful 6-28 vs. lefties on the road, while Gonzalez is a super 25-8 as a favorite! Take the A's.
Keith Glantz
100* Texas Rangers
100* LA Angels