Scott Delaney
I'm on a 12-4 run with my free selections, and tonight my money is on the Detroit Tigers Run Line, as I see them blowing things up tonight against the Kansas City Royals.
Still tied atop the American League Central division, I think the Tigers are playing much better than their co-leaders, the Chicago White Sox. And one night after Anibal Sanchez struck out 10 to pace his three-hitter last night in a 2-0 win over Kansas City, I think we're going to see a similar performance by Rick Porcello, and quite possibly a bigger performance by Detroit's lineup.
The Tigers, who have outscored the Royals 38-18 while going 6-1 against them at Comerica Park, come into this one having won 36 of their last 51 home games.
I know Kansas City's Jeremy Guthrie is 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA in nine starts ssince Aug. 3, but the Tigers have won 10 of the last 14 meetings overall. And this is a great spot for Porcello, who is 0-6 with a 4.42 ERA since Aug. 7. This is the perfect time for him to step up and nab a win for hit team, against a team he's done well against, going 5-3 in his career against the Royals.
Take Detroit on the Run Line.
3♦ DETROIT -1.5
Chuck O'Brien
I'm on a 111-81-3 run with my free picks, and tonight I want you playing the Colorado Rockies over the Chicago Cubs in a battle of also-rans who aren't going to be in the playoffs, but still offer value with this National League showdown in Denver, Colorado at Coors Field.
Make note this has nothing to ndo with the starting pitchers tonigt, so I don't wan you bother listing either one - Chicago's Jason Berken and Colorado's Drew Pomeranz. After all, the main thing that attracted me was the Cubs losing three straight, not to mention seven of their last eight.
It's not exactly a great time for the Cubbies, who opened up this road trip with last night's 10-5 thumping, which happened to be the Rockies' second-straight win after losing nine in a row. And here's what sad about that game, Mother Nature may have saved the Cubbies from further humiliation.
The game was shortened by rain, otherwise there's no telling how much more the Rockies would have put on the board. Matt McBride hit a three-run home run, Josh Rutledge and Tyler Colvin both had a pair of RBI and DJ LeMahieu finished a home run short of the cycle.
Chicago took two of three from the Rockies at home from Aug. 24-26, and I think the Mile High boys are looking to return the favor in this series. Shouldn't be too difficult, either, as the Rockies roll in on winning runs of 6-2 against National League Central teams and 9-4 when hosting a righty starter. On the other hand, the Cubbies are mired in skids of 3-10 versus N.L. West teams, 16-44 while ordering room service and 16-37 overall.
Lay the cheap chalk with Colorado.
2♦ COLORADO
Craig Davis
77-63 free play run.
For Wednesday, free play on the Seattle Mariners over the L.A. Angels.
The Angels have won four in a row and 23 of 32 following last night's 5-4 win over Seattle, but I'm looking for the Mariners to put a halt to their winning ways with Felix Hernandez on the hill tonight in Anaheim.
Hernandez, who has a 3.21 career ERA in 14 starts at LA, is coming off a strong eight-inning outing against Baltimore last Wednesday in which he allowed one run and fanned eight batters. And tonight I'm getting one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors as a +125 to +130 underdog.
LA's C.J. Wilson is coming off yet another dreadful start as he allowed three runs and walked three batters in 2.2 innings of a loss to the Rangers at home last week. His ERA over his last seven starts is 6.55.
Enough said!
2♦ SEATTLE
Jeff Benton
Your Wednesday freebie is the Under in the Marlins-Braves game.
4 straight free play winners after Tampa Bay and Boston stayed low last night, and after the Braves clinched a post season berth with a walk-off win last night, expect them to rest some starters tonight as the total of this game stays low.
These teams have gone 5-1-1 Under the total the last seven times they have played this season, and with Josh Johnson and Paul Maholm scheduled to go, that number could easily move to 6-1-1 after this one is in the books.
Johnson may not have the winning record the Marlins had hoped for, but it is hard to argue his 2.29 ERA in 19-plus innings of work against the Braves this season. He is just 1-6 his last eight starts, but the Marlins have averaged just 2.3 runs of offense for him in that stretch.
Maholm has gone 7-3 at home this season with an ERA just over three.
Based on the 5-1-1 series Under clip, and the fact the starters have been working the mound with minimal run damage, I say take the Under in this Marlins-Braves contest tonight at the Ted.
1♦ MIAMI-ATLANTA UNDER
Chris Jordan
I don't see a line yet, on the Miami Marlins-Atlanta Braves game, but I'm still going to follow up the National League Tribe's Tuesday night playoff-clinching win with another one over the slumping Marlins. I know tradition may say to lay off a team the night after it clinches, but I don't think the Braves are going to lay off tonight.
Atlanta has won three in a row, while the Marlins have lost five in a row. And with how contentious this last week is going to be, and the momentum that is easily gained with some of these teams, I can't see the Braves letting off the gas pedal.
Everything is working well right now for the Braves, who have won 15 of 21 thanks to a stellar staff ERA of 2.60 during that span. Even better for us in this game, the Braves have an uber stingy 2.19 ERA in 16 games this season against Miami, leading to 12 Atlanta wins.
Tonight we're going to see Miami's Josh Johnson versus Atlanta's Paul Maholm, and I like my chances with the Braves' left-hander, who is 7-3 with a 3.30 ERA at home.
Trust me, we have another Ozzie Guillen demise upon us, as there are players calling him out on radio, and him reportedly saying he has so many "problems in my life with the ballclub, to see why we failed." Looks like the marriage could be over after one year between Guillen and the Marlins, who many believed were going to be in the postseason.
Take the Braves big tonight. Again, I don't see a line on this contest as of 6 a.m., pacific. I suspect the line will be big enough we're going to need to play this one -1-1/2 runs.
3♦ ATLANTA
Matt Rivers
22-13 is my comp play run.
Wednesday's free play will be to back the underdog Athletics as they look for another key win over Texas.
The Rangers will send the relatively untested Martin Perez to the mound tonight to try and protect their four game division lead. Perez is making just his fifth start of the season, and is coming off a loss last Friday in Seattle in which he allowed four runs in four innings of work.
Jarrod Parker will counter, and Parker has been very tough his last few trips to the hill, going 2-0 his last three starts with a 1.64 ERA in those starts. Parker is making his second start versus Texas, and he hopes it is a replay of his first, as the rookie worked eight complete with just one hit allowed in a 12-1 Oakland win over Texas back on June 4th.
With the Angels and Tampa Bay now playing scorching baseball, there is no guarantee Oakland is even going to make the playoffs. Best for the A's to take care of business again tonight after winning in extra-innings last night against the division front-runner.
Backing the A's as the road underdog tonight.
3♦ OAKLAND