Hawkeye Sports
Baltimore w/Hill +165 over Yankees
High Stakes Syndicate
Los Angeles Angels - 145
Totals4U
Minnesota/Oakland over 8
Easy Money Sports
LA ANGELS w/Santana -145
Razor Sharp
TAMPA BAY (Niemann) -130 over Wsox
Nevada Sharpshooter
Giants +170 over Braves MLB
#1 Sports
Florida Marlins - 130
Dominic Fazzini
Complimentary Selection
Josh Beckett (11-3 3.35 ERA) has been on fire since the beginning of May, going 9-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 13 starts.
The Red Sox ace also has been sharp in two career starts at Texas, winning both and giving up one run in 12 innings.
Rangers rookie Tommy Hunter (1-1, 2.35) is coming off the best of his seven major-league starts. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed four hits in six scoreless innings July 9 at Seattle, but received a no-decision in Texas’ 3-1 loss.
Hunter has been outstanding in two July outings, giving up one run and seven hits in 11 1/3 innings. He made his third big-league start last year against Boston and was hammered, allowing nine runs and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings.
The Rangers are 30-19 at home this season, and have won seven of their last nine in Arlington. They also have won three of four against the Red Sox this year after losing 15 of their previous 18 meetings.
The way Beckett has been throwing over his last 13 starts, however, I really don’t care what Texas has been doing lately. Take the Red Sox on the run line today.
(Based on a 1♦ to 5♦ scale)
3♦ BOSTON -1 1/2 RUNS
RatedPicks Free Play(s) for 7/21
Reds/Dodgers OVER 8
St Louis Cardinals ML
Tony Weston
Just before my vacation I gave you the Under on the All-Star game and of course I delivered that winner.
I’m giving you another winner tonight as I’m taking the Marlins on the road at the Padres.
These two hooked up last night in Game 1 of this series with Florida edging the host team 3-2. Tonight, they’ll take Game 2.
Including last night’s loss, the Padres have lost 4 of their last 5 games and 14 of their last 17 overall. Over their last 10 home games, San Diego is just 2-8, including a 1-5 mark its last six.
Things won’t get any better tonight as the Pads have to turn to Chad Gaudin. Over his last eight starts San Diego is just 2-6 and has lost each of his last three starts.
The Padres will drop another one at home tonight as the Marlins take Game 2 of this series.
3♦ MARLINS (on a 1♦ - 5♦ Scale)
Matt Rivers
Complimentary Selection
For Tuesday take the Mets in the nation's capital.
John Lannan is a very good pitcher and the Mets may be the most banged up and incapable team in all of baseball right now but with that said and on principal alone the Nats, who are 40 games under .500 cannot be such a big chalk to anybody anywhere and at anytime.
I am the first to say that Washington has more talent than their record indicates and without a doubt is the superior team on the field today but I still cannot buy Jim Riggelman's team as such a hefty favorite. There's a reason why Manny Acta was just fired as Zimmerman, Dunn, Guzman and others just do not win games, it's incredible.
Oliver Perez has not overachieved and that can be the understatement of the century. The lefty has all the tools and every now and then we see him dazzle but all in all this kid just has not put it together and is not on the level of Lannan right now. Again though with that said Washington cannot be laying such a price.
I don't know how the Mets will muster offense but at this quality takeback against the team with by far the worst record in the game I will take my chances on David Wright and the garbage Mets.
Washington has found ways to lose game in and game out. I don't think it's too unreasonable to expect this to occur one more time.
1♦ Mets (out of 5♦)
Jeff Benton
Complimentary Selection
What a real tough loss with the Orioles last night, who suffered a 2-1 walk-off defeat in the Bronx and just missed cashing as a +185 underdog. I’ll bounce back Tuesday by riding the scorching hot Phillies against the Cubs.
How do you not get behind Philadelphia right now? After Monday’s 10-1 rout of Chicago, the Phillies have now won 13 of their last 14 games, including nine in a row. During the 13-1 run, Philadelphia is 10-1 at Citizens Bank Park, and the only blemish was a 4-3 loss to Cincinnati. And not only are the defending champs scalding the baseball (38 runs in the last six games), but their pitching has been equally as strong, giving up eight runs in the last five contests and allowing two runs or fewer in 10 of the last 14.
Tonight, it’s Joe Blanton’s turn to hold up his end of the pitching bargain. Many of you know I’m hardly a Blanton fan. But I can’t knock him for what he’s done recently, going 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three starts, including giving up just one run and eight total hits in his last two outings, going 7 1/3 innings in each contest.
Going back to May 26, Blanton has made nine starts, and not only have seven of them been quality, but he’s held six of the nine foes to two runs or fewer. Also of note: Philadelphia is 11-4 in Blanton’s last 15 home starts.
Granted, the Cubs have a solid pitcher on the hill tonight in Rich Harden, but the right-hander is just 6-6 with a beefy 5.06 ERA this year. Besides, Chicago put a quality starter on the hill last night in Ted Lilly, and the southpaw got destroyed by the Phillies’ powerful offense. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same thing happen to Harden, especially considering Philadelphia is batting .307 against right-handers over the last 10 games and batting nearly 35 points higher at home against righties than lefties. Lay the reasonable price as Philly runs its winning streak to a perfect 10.
(based on a 1♦ to a 10♦ Rating)
5♦ PHILADELPHIA
Big Al McMordie
FREE PLAY
The Over is the play on Tuesday night in the Bronx when Rich Hill and the Baltimore Orioles take on Sergio Mitre and the New York Yankees at the new launching pad.
Our Tuesday night MLB selection is on the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees going over the total at the new stadium in the Bronx.
Former Cubs and Marlins righthander Sergio Mitre will be the latest experiment to plug the hole in the Yankees rotation as he will be called up from Triple-A to start this game in the Bronx tonight. Of course, this might only be a stop-gap measure until the Yankees make a run to acquire Roy Halladay before the upcoming trade deadline.
Mitre earned this start by going 3-1 with a 2.40 ERA during his Triple-A campaign and even if the Yankees land Halladay, should Mitre pitch well he could certainly end up with a bullpen spot on this team as the New York pen could definitely use some help as well.
It's anyone's guess as to how the inconsistent lefthander Rich Hill will pitch tonight for the Orioles. Hill has been one of the most up-and-down starters in baseball, but it's been mostly on the down side for this five-year veteran. And the prospect of him getting his first start at the new launching pad called Yankee Stadium is scary to say the least.
Lately when these two teams get together, runs are plentiful. Heading into this series, the O's and Yanks have met nine times in '09 with seven of those going over the total and six of the contests going into double-digits. Take the Over.
Free Pick: Orioles-Yankees Over 10½ (-110)
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
Free Pick
TEX (+140) vs BOS
Analysis: Member Play: It?s been more than two months since the Boston Red Sox needed to stop a losing streak, but they?ll be happy to have ace Josh Beckett on the mound Tuesday as they try to avoid their longest skid of the season. The Texas Rangers, meanwhile, will be looking for their third straight victory as the teams continue their three-game series in Arlington, with both trying to gain ground in their tightening division races. Despite Beckett on the mound, I believe the value is on the home side here. He'll have a tough matchup against Texas rookie Tommy Hunter (1-1, 2.35). The right-hander turned in the best start of his major league career in his last outing, allowing four hits and three walks in six shutout innings at Seattle on July 9, although the Rangers lost 3-1. Look for Boston to fall to 3-4 (-1.8 units) as a road favorite of -150 to -175.
Play on TEXAS!
We Cover Spreads
FREE PLAY
Sean O'Sullivan gives the Angels the edge on the mound against Royals lefty Bruce Chen in the second game this evening at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Royals pitcher Bruce Chen has yet to win a start this season, going 0-4 with a 6.86 ERA. He is also showing control issuels with a 13/9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Facing the talented Angels lineup that is batting .275 vs. lefthanded pitchers is going to be an uphill battle for the veteran southpaw tonight.
The Angels have dominated this series, going 43-18 in the last 61 meetings. Even without Torii Hunter and Big Vlad Guerrero in the lineup they still have more talent than the Royals offense.
The Angels send young pitcher Sean O'Sullivan to the mound and he has been solid since being called up from the minors, especially on the highway with a 2.08 ERA in road games. Look for LA, the far better team, to grab the win at this bargain price tonight at Kauffman Stadium in KC.
Free Pick: Angels -140