Dave Price
Detroit Tigers -155
The Rockies finally won a game yesterday, but they're still fade material in my book. They are 1-8 in their last 9 overall, 1-10 in their last 11 interleague games, 0-5 in their last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter, 0-7 in their last 7 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter and 0-8 in their last 8 Saturday games. The right hander they'll be up against Saturday is Doug Fister, and the Tigers are 7-1 in his last 8 home starts. The Tigers are also 24-5 in their last 29 interleague home games vs. a team with a losing record and 22-6 in their last 28 interleague games as a favorite of -151 to -200. We'll take the Tigers.
Jeff Alexander
Tampa Bay Rays -130
The Rays get the call as our free play with Shields on the mound. They are an impressive 11-2 in his last 13 home starts. Shields has won each of his last 3 starts versus the Marlins, including a dominant performance Sunday. He has only allowed 1 earned run in 24 1-3 innings while striking out 28 and walking only 4 in those 3 wins. The Marlins are 1-6 in Sanchez's last 7 starts and 0-5 in his last 5 interleague starts. They have lost 22 of their last 30 versus the Rays, including 4 in a row in Tampa Bay. We'll bet the Rays.
Jimmy Boyd
Seattle Mariners +110
The Mariners have lost 6 in a row but will have an excellent opportunity to end the skid against the struggling Tim Lincecum. The Giants have lost 11 of Lincecum's 13 starts this season, during which he has posted an ERA of 6.00. The Giants enter this contest having lost each of his last 8 starts. It is also worth noting that he has an ERA of 7.98 in 6 road starts and an 8.38 ERA in 2 interleague starts. Kevin Millwood has been considerably better for Seattle, as evidenced by his 3.57 ERA. He has given up 1 earned run of less in 5 of his last 6 starts with the Mariners winning 4 of those. The Giants have lost 9 of the last 12 meetings with the Mariners, including 6 of the last 8 in Seattle. We'll bet the Mariners.
Easy Baseball Betting
SF Giants -110
We are a bit slow on the picks this weekend because of the interleague matchups. We were rocking the interleague games a few years ago but the past couple of years we'd been horrible at it. So we really want to let this season run its course and see how interleague games are going before we commit to betting on them again. I am sure by next year, we'll have a whole new slew of systems that are applicable in the post-steroids era of interleague baseball.. And where teams are familiar enough with the other stadiums that home field advantage doesn't rule the day. With that said, we're taking the Giants. The Giants are 1-11 in Lincecum's starts this season! But if he is going to get a win, today would be the day. First of all, he'd be going up against an interleague foe that probably has weak scouting reports on him. Second, these Giants are 6-4L10 and 13-7L20 .. The Mariners are 3-7L10 and 6-14L20. Not great. The Mariners are averaging 2 runs a game L5 and 3.1 runs a game L10. You see Lincecum would have had a few days to prepare for today's game. Why wouldn't he be ready? So the Giants have a pitching advantage. Onto hitting. They are 22-11, +11 units when the pitcher's orientation changes. 15-16, -1 units if it stays the same. That is at odds with the norm but who cares. It is their angle. They also hit righties better than lefties so today they get a righty in Millwood who happens to be the Mariners' best units pitcher which really doesn't say much. The Mariners are a 7 game below 500 home team so they don't have much of a home field advantage. With all of this we only have to lay -110. It is a stronger play than most NFL and NBA games you're gonna get at that -110 price.
DOM CHAMBERS
For my free selection, let’s take a look at the Cleveland Indians to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates.
For the Indians, Ubaldo Jimenez gets the start. Overall, he is 6-4 with a 4.91 ERA. But at home, he gets better as he has a 3.37 ERA and has gone 3-1
In his last two outings, he has given up only two runs over 13 2/3 innings. He has improved his game lately.
For the Pirates, A.J. Burnett gets the start. Overall, he is 6-2 with a 3.61 ERA.
On the road, life not not great for Burnett. In four games, he is 2-2 with a 8.69 ERA.
The Pirates are having their offensive woes, averaging only 3.2 runs a game.
The Pirates have lost four straight.
The Indians are on the brink of overtaking the White Sox for the top spot in the A.L. Central.
They have the pitching and the hitting edge in this game.
2♦ INDIANS
JEFF BENTON
Your Saturday freebie is the Giants to hand the Mariners another loss.
Last night I gave you San Francisco as a 20 dime winner over Seattle, and the Giants held on for the 4-2 win over the M's, as Seattle's losing streak is now at six in a row.
As you can see by the line in this game, the oddsmakers don't have much faith in Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum to outduel Kevin Millwood, but if with Millwood the starter last week in the Mariners six-pitcher, no-hitter contest, I will take my chances with Lincecum to get his act together this Saturday night.
Seattle's offense has come up with just 14 runs total in their last seven games, so it is not surprising they are riding this six game slide as they take to the field this Saturday night.
The Giants have won six of their last nine games, and it is high time (no pun intended) that Lincecum - who last won on April 28th - gets a win. Of course this is Lincecum's home state, being from Bellevue and all.
Intangible play on Lincecum to get it right - at least for the night tonight.
Giants your winner.
2♦ SAN FRANCISCO
CRAIG DAVIS
As for today's free play... I like the San Francisco Giants to take care of business against the Seattle Mariners. I'm banking on Tim Lincecum to continue pitching much better as opposed to what he did in the beginning of the year.
Freaky Franchise is winless in eight starts with an ERA over 6. His biggest problem is the free passes. Ten walks in his last three starts isn't anything to get excited about. Teams aren't really hitting him anymore, but they are getting on base via the free pass.
As long as Lincecum can keep his walk total under control, the Giants should have no problem with Kevin Millwood and Seattle.
The Mariners have now lost 6 straight games, and all of them have come against the National League West. In their last 7 games, Seattle has been limited to just 14 total runs.
Take San Francisco as your free play of the day.
3♦ SAN FRANCISCO
MATT RIVERS
Now on to your FREE play for Saturday, and I will continue to ride the Yankees as they are just way too hot to handle right now.
Both New York and Washington were on six game winning streaks coming into Friday's play, and the Yankees promptly went out and picked up the 7-2 win over the Nats to make it a seven games winning streak. It also puts the Yanks at 10-1 their last 11 games, and 17-4 overall their last 21 games.
Andy Pettitte faces Jordan Zimmerman in the middle game of this three game set, and Pettitte has impressed in his comeback bid, going 3-2 thus far with a 2.81 ERA. New York has picked up the "W" in four of his six starts this season.
As for Zimmerman, he has tailed off a little, going 0-1 over his last three starts with an ERA of 4.26. Zimmerman also happens to be looking for his first home win of the season, as the righty is 0-3 in his starts in D.C. this season.
All systems go right now for the Yankees, so take them again on Saturday.
1♦ N.Y. YANKEES
WUNDERDOG
Chicago at Indiana
Pick: Indiana -4.5
The Indiana Fever have to be coming home with a bit of an edge right now. They were completely out-hustled by a team that has had to scrape for everything they can get, have limited depth and talent, but caught the Fever taking them for granted. When Indiana decided to play it was too late. Despite a 17-8 last quarter, they fell a point short. It does show what this team is capable of when they play with emotion, and after coughing one up, and a 7-1 Chicago team in the house, look for the "A" game. Chicago is no doubt an improved team, but at 7-1 they are highly suspect and have needed OT to best Tulsa and Atlanta, and a 10-point late rally vs. Washington. This is a team that is 1-6 ATS after an ATS win and have dropped four straight vs. a winning team. The Fever always kicks it up at notch at home where they are 15-6 ATS in their last 21. Play Indiana.
MLB Predictions
Arizona Diamondbacks +125
The Diamondbacks took the first of this series by a score of 5-0 behind Trevor Cahill. Arizona is 32-32 on the season and 17-16 on the road. Los Angeles is now 34-31 on the year and 16-15 at home. Last night's win was the 7th in 9 games for Arizona who are playing good baseball right now. Arizona has scored over 7.5 runs per game over those 7 victories. Joe Saunders will make his first start against his former team. Saunders is 4-4 with a 3.48 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and .280 opponents batting average on the season. Over his last three starts he has a 2.50 ERA and is 1-1. Ervin Santana will pitch for Los Angeles and he is 3-7 on the season with a 5.74 ERA< 1.46 WHIP, and .262 opponents batting average. He hasn't pitched into the 6th inning in his last 4 starts, and he has allowed 4, 5, 7, and 7 earned runs over those starts. The Angels are just 4-9 in games that Santana has started, and 1-7 in his last 8 home starts. The Diamondbacks are 6-2 in their last 8 interleague games, and 5-1 in their last 6 games following a win. The D'backs are also 4-1 in Saunders' last 5 interleague starts. With the D'backs hitting well right now and Santana struggling on the mound I like Arizona as very live underdogs tonight.
Los Angeles Dodgers -127
The Dodgers won an exciting game last night 7-6 as they came from behind to win on a wild pitch in the 8th. The Dodgers are now 41-24 on the year, and 23-11 at home. Chicago is 34-30 on the season and 18-12 on the road. The loss was Chicago's 3rd straight and they have now lost 7 of their last 10 games. Tonight Phillip Humber will take the mound for Chicago, and despite throwing a perfect game this year he is just 2-4 with a 5.92 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and .248 opponents batting average. He has allowed 5 earned runs against in 3 of his last 4 starts lasting just 4.1, 5, and 5.1 innings over those three starts. Chad Billingsley is 4-4 with a 3.57 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and .248 opponents batting average. In his last two starts he has gone 7 innings and allowed just 1 earned run in each, which included allowing just 2 hits in his most recent start in Seattle. Take note that the White Sox are just 6-16 in Humber's last 22 starts, and 2-9 in his last 11 starts as an underdog. An extra days rest doesn't help Humber much as the White Sox are just 1-6 in his last 7 starts with 5 days of rest. Los Angeles is 8-3 in their last 11 games, 9-2 in their last 11 home games vs a team with a winning record, and 42-15 in their last 57 games as a favorite. The Dodgers are also 4-1 in Billingsley's last 5 starts overall, and 6-2 in his last 8 home starts. Take the one of the leagues best home teams to get things done tonight.