Bryan Power
Dodgers vs. Rockies
Pick: Rockies
Typically, it has not been a wise investment to fade the Dodgers, at least over the last two-plus months. With Tuesday's win in Colorado, their second straight here at Coors Field, LA has now won 53 of its last 66 games. That includes a 36-8 mark since the All-Star Break. However, I see them dropping a game today......
Much of the rationale for selecting the Rockies here has to do with starter Jorge De La Rosa. He is 9-1 at home this season (11-2 TSR) w/ a 2.74 ERA. Overall, it's been a very good season w/ a 3.33 ERA in 28 starts as Colorado has gone 19-9 in those games. That includes a 5-0 record his last five starts as De La Rosa has allowed 3 ER or less in all of those outings. He earned his first career win against the Dodgers the last time he faced them, tossing seven strong innings and allowing just two runs in six hits. Over the last three seasons, De La Rosa has a perfect 11-0 team start record at home vs. NL West teams.
The Dodgers' pitching has carried the team much of this historic run, but I don't see them being able to count on the latest addition to the starting rotation, Edinson Volquez, Wednesday night. Volquez, who comes over from San Diego, has a 6.01 ERA this season and was a disaster in his final three starts w/ the Padres. His ERA over that time was 13.50 and his WHIP 2.800. His last time out saw him last just 2/3 of an inning, giving up six runs on five hits. The Dodgers can't win every day.
Wunderdog
Texas at Oakland
Pick: Oakland
When you look at these teams, it would be hard to decide that Oakland is the better team, but the A's continue to keep on, keeping on. Last season they needed a sweep of Texas to win the AL West in the last series of the season and got it done. Texas, prior to this series, had faced 24 straight games against teams below .500. The A's are one game out after last night's loss, but they have rebounded convincingly in this situation, and I like their chances to do so here today at home. Yu Darvish has shown some vulnerabilities of late, and the Rangers are just 3-9 in his last 12 when following a quality start in his last outing. The A's are winning the big ones as they are now 50-24 in their last 74 at home vs. a winning team. Take Oakland.
Wunderdog
Los Angeles at Minnesota
Pick: Los Angeles +7.5
The Los Angeles Sparks need a win here to close to within a half a game of the Lynx. Minnesota has been just 5-4 in their last nine games, and despite winning their last four, those wins all came at the expense of losing teams. The fact is that Minnesota has only faced two winning teams in their last 17 contests - losing both. LA has been playing at the higher level at 9-2 over their last 11, and certainly have the personnel to hang tough or win here. Minnesota is also just 1-4 ATS in their last five vs. a winning team. Take the points and play on Los Angeles.
Larry Ness
Nationals at Phillies
Prediction: Over
Jordan Zimmermann (15-8, 3.33 ERA) takes the mound tonight in Philadelphia for Washington against the Phillies, as one of three 15-game winners pitching on Wednesday (Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano and Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa are the other two). Roy Halladay (3-4, 7.94 ERA) will go to the hill for the Phillies. Zimmermann has a 2.89 ERA in his last six starts against the Phillies but only a 2-4 record to show for it, as he's received one run or less in support in each of those losses. As for Halladay, he’s 12-1 with a 2.42 ERA in his last 15 starts against the Nationals franchise.
So why am I going over in this game? Zimmermann has seen the Nats go 12-4 in his home starts this year (2.84 ERA) but just 6-5 in his road starts, where his ERA is more than a run higher at 4.03. As for Halladay, in season that’s been interrupted by a long stay on the DL due to shoulder surgery. he’s just a shell of his former self. He’s made just nine starts in 2013 and EIGHT of the nine have gone over, with those nine games averaging 10.89 RPG, including a 5-0 mark to the over in his five home starts (those games have averaged 11.40 runs per).
It’s not too hard to say “over” in this one.
Sam Martin
St Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds
Prediction: St Louis Cardinals
Reds have looked good the first two games of this series, winning with offense on Monday in a 7-2 victory and then with pitching last night in a 1-0 pitcher's duel. Cardinals finally have a decent pitching edge tonight and we'll back them to salvage this third game tonight. Shelby Miller has won both of his career team starts against the Reds allowing three earned runs over a combined 11 innings (2.45 ERA), while Bronson Arroyo has struggled against the Cardinals with an 8-16 career record and high 4.65 ERA. He's faced St. Louis four times this year with Cincinnati losing all four times, and he's lost five straight team starts against the Cards going back to last year.
Jeff Alexander
NY Yankees -1.5 (+110)
Look for the Yankees to cover the run line behind a strong performance from Sabathia, who is 18-4 with an ERA of 3.63 in 32 career starts against the White Sox. His clubs are 7-0 in his last 7 home starts against the White Sox and have won these by an average of 4.0 runs. Chicago has lost 5 straight by an average of 3.4 runs. The Yankees have won 7 in a row at home against right-handed starters by an average of 3.0 runs. Bet New York on the run line.
Jeff Benton
Wednesday freebie is the Jays to complete their sweep in the desert over the Diamondbacks.
Arizona's playoff pulse is pretty much done, as the D-Backs enter today's interleague finale having dropped 5 of their last 6 games, and they have been held to a grand total of just 12 runs in those 6 games.
Things don't figure to get any easier today when the face southpaw Mark Buehrle who has a 6-0 mark with a lowly 1.93 ERA the last 8 times his name has been called to make the start.
Toronto is playing the role of spoiler these days, as the Blue Jays have won 7 of their past 9 games, and those wins have come at the expense of the playoff-seeking Royals, Yankees and Diamondbacks.
Randall Delgado will make the start for Arizona, and Delgado is just 1-3 in his home starts this season.
Arizona lost by a 10-4 count last night, and appear to be on their last legs with less than 30 games left in the season.
Toronto to complete the sweep.
4♦ TORONTO
Brad Wilton
My comp play for Wednesday is the Pirates on the Run Line to wrap up their series with the Brewers.
Pittsburgh has been putting the hammer down on Milwaukee this season, as last night's win was their 8th in their past 10 meetings this year against the Brewers.
The Bucs won by just one run last night, but I trust them to extend the margin tonight behind their ace Francisco Liriano.
Pittsburgh has won 10 of Liriano's last 13 starts, and Liriano is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA this season when facing Milwaukee.
Liriano has gone 8-3 with a 1.68 ERA in his last 11 starts against division opponents.
You throw those stats in with the fact Milwaukee is a lowly 12-26 this season when facing southpaws, and this game will get away from the Brewers quickly tonight.
Wily Peralta will start for Milwaukee, and his ERA of 5.12 at home is among the worst home ERA for any starter in baseball this season.
Get the brooms out Pirate fans, Pittsburgh takes this one by at least 3 runs.
4♦ PITTSBURGH -1.5
Brett Atkins
My free play for tonight - for a second straight night - is on the Angels against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. Last night I had no problem going against Matt Moore, and proved to be wrong. Tonight I want you listing Jared Weaver ONLY in this game, as I think he'll be the major factor in the Halos getting it done and this time me being right.
Weaver has looked good in rebounding from a couple of rough starts, in allowing just one run over 14 innings in back-to-back road victories over Seattle and Milwaukee. The staff-ace scattered three hits over six scoreless frames against the Brewers last Friday and now comes in with a 4-2 record and 3.93 ERA in eight career starts against Tampa Bay.
The Angels came home to Anaheim after an 8-1 road trip, and that included the Halos winning two of three at Tampa Bay last week. Despite beating the Angels last night, the Rays have still lost eight of their last 10 games.
The Rays are in on additional losing streaks of 1-6 on the road , 0-6 when installed as a road pup and 1-5 overall. The Halos, meanwhile, are in on win streaks of 5-0 against a right-hander and 39-12 when Weaver starts at home.
Take the Angels tonight, with Weaver.
4♦ ANGELS
Chris Jordan
My free winner for Wednesday night is on the Chicago White Sox over the New York Yankees, and I want you listing Erik Johnson ONLY in this game, as I think the kid making his MLB debut will stymie the Jekyll and Hyde Yankees.
Talk about a jump from Triple-A Charlotte, this kid's 'Welcome to the Bigs' moment will take place on 161st Street in the Bronx, against the majors' most historic franchise. So be it.
Johnson, a second round pick in a deep class of college pitchers in 2011, sports four pitches and is a prototypical pitcher with plenty of potential. He leads with a fastball that hits the plate in the low 90s, and complements things with a good slider, a steady change and a work-in-progress curve.
I'm always game to play a kid in his first start, especially against a strange team like the Bombers. So one night after winning with the Yankees on the Run Line as a 500♦ play, I think the Sox get it done with this right-hander going.
2♦ CHICAGO
Scott Delaney
My free winner is on the Los Angeles Dodgers, over the Colorado Rockies, simply on value alone. I really don't even plan on getting into this too long, as it's a simple matter of the hottest team in baseball in more than two months - since June 22, to be exact - getting a plus-price.
I know it's baseball, and I know any team can win on any given night. But when you have a chance to play a team that is normally laying a relatively high price with big juice, catching a plus-number, you have to take advantage.
Thus, I'm on the Dodgers.
2♦ LOS ANGELES
Ray Monohan
Colorado Rockies -119
Sometimes good teams do weird things like with the Dodgers acquiring Edinson Volquez from San Diego. They are starting him today to give rest to others but they are doing so against Colorado, a team that has roughed him up big time in the past.
In the same game the Rox have their ace, Jorge De La Rosa on the hill, who has been dynamite on the hill. The best part is that since it is the Dodgers you can get pretty good odds on the fade even though I think it is likely L.A. probably doesn’t field its A lineup for this one either.
Bob Balfe
LA Angels -125
Is there any team in baseball as bad as the Rays right now? What happened? This team was winning almost every single night and now the pressure is on them by the Yankees to overtake that last AL Wild Card spot. Weaver is the better pitcher in this game and the Angels are playing better right now. Take the Angels..