MLB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians
Have to admire Cleveland Indians. Storming back with a 10th inning victory on Sunday to sweep a four-game set vs. Mariners, Terry Francona's club was won 18 of the last 22 games vaulting into first atop the A.L. Central. Tribe plating 5.7 runs/game over the span should have a boat load of optimism when the host Detroit in a mini two-game set. Today, they hand the ball to Corey Kluber (3-2, 5.40 ERA). The hurler was solid in his last start tossing six innings of 3 run ball in a win at Philadelphia. However, the right-hander was tagged for a loss surrendering 11 hits, 8 runs the previous start against these same Tigers. On the other bump, Detroit counters with Max Scherzer (5-0, 3.98 ERA). Tigers will be in good hands, Scherzer is 2-0 with a 3.98 ERA in three starts, has a smart 8-2 team start stretch during the month of May along with a sparkling 6-1 TSR last seven vs Indians. Detroit 5-2 on the road vs a division opponent, 10-4 overall opening a series, 12-5 off a loss w/Scherzer including 7-2 in road games sportsbooks have opened Tigers -$1.35 favorites to take game-one.
MLB Odds and Picks
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
The opportunity to take plus-money on a pitcher of Stephen Strasburg’s caliber doesn’t present itself often. When it does, we take a hard look at it.
Sure, Strasburg hasn’t won a lot of games this season. He’s just 2-5, and his win last week at San Diego was his first since beating the Marlins on Opening Day. But he still boasts a 2.83 ERA, and his record is largely the function of a lack of run support. The Nationals bats finally woke up for him vs. the Padres five days ago, and Washington won the game, 6-2.
Tonight, they’ll face Matt Cain, who hasn’t exactly been mowing down opponents. He’s won three games in a row, but he’s fortunate that has happened. With an ERA of 5.43 on the season, it’s almost the opposite dynamic of what’s happening with Strasburg in DC: plenty of run support to overcome shoddy pitching. In Cain’s last outing, May 16 in Colorado, Cain allowed six earned runs and served up three homers, but he walked away with the win in the Giants’ 8-6 victory.
These things tend to even themselves out, so we’ll take our shot on the underdog Nationals tonight.
The Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, meanwhile, takes his 2.51 ERA and MLB-best 12.60 K/BB ratio to San Diego to face the Padres, who rank in the bottom half of the majors in all the key offensive categories.
Edinson Volquez, who’s on the hill for the Padres tonight, seems to have taken another step back. He got walloped in his first three outings of the season, then put together a string of four solid starts, but is 0-2 in his last two. Most recently, he took the loss in a five-earned run, four-walk effort at home vs. Washington.
Wainwright can be had at under our threshold of -140.
Tuesday’s selections:
Nationals (Strasburg) +105 vs. Giants
Cardinals (Wainwright) -137 vs. Padres
Season-to-date record: 84-75-1 (+1,085)