Thursday Day Tips
By Kevin Rogers
Prior to the start of interleague this weekend, the Thursday baseball card features a handful of solid afternoon matchups. Three contests inside the National League showcase NL East versus NL Central showdowns, including red-hot Cincinnati battling Atlanta.
Reds at Braves - 1:05 PM EST
Cincinnati is turning the corner inside the NL Central by winning nine of ten to take the lead inside the division. The Reds send out prized rookie Mike Leake to the mound, while the Braves counter with fireballer Tommy Hanson.
Leake (4-0, 3.09) has been fantastic through his first seven starts of the season, compiling quality outings on seven occasions. The Reds are 6-1 when Leake takes the mound, including victories over the Cardinals and Cubs his last two outings. The ex-Arizona State righty has made just two starts on the road, but Leake went seven innings in each game at Houston and Pittsburgh.
The run support for Hanson (3-3, 2.88 ERA) is hit-or-miss with the Braves scoring one run or less in three of his starts, but tallying at least six runs in three other outings. Hanson's numbers are better on the road than at home, as the righty has compiled just one quality outings in four starts at Turner Field. Hanson managed to strike out 10 in seven innings of an 11-1 loss to Arizona, while allowing a season-high five earned runs. In his only career start against the Reds, Hanson scattered three hits in six scoreless innings of a 7-0 shutout at the Great American Ballpark last June.
The Reds are 6-0 the last six games against right-handed starting pitchers, while going 6-2 to the 'under' the previous eight road contests. The Braves have won five of their last six Game 2's, dating back to the start of May.
Cubs at Phillies - 1:05 PM EST
Philadelphia continues a seven-game homestand as the Phillies wrap up their series with the Cubs. Charlie Manuel's team is 8-3 the last 11 games at Citizens Bank Park, while Chicago is 1-5 in their previous six on the highway.
Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.49 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season, but the righty has allowed 12 earned runs and 21 hits so far. Blanton is coming off a victory over the Brewers in his last outing, giving up six hits and five earned runs in seven innings of work. The former Oakland A's hurler shut down the Cubs last season at home, 4-1, by delivering seven innings of five-hit ball, while striking out five.
Ryan Dempster (2-4, 3.49 ERA) continues to go deep into his starts, but the Cubs are 1-5 in his last six trips to the mound. Four of those losses came as a favorite of at least $1.50 against the Pirates twice, Nationals, Astros. However, the Cubs lost each of those games by one run apiece as Dempster delivered a quality start in all four defeats. Dempster's career numbers against the Phillies are not very solid, allowing ten earned runs in his last two outings versus Philadelphia dating back to 2008.
The Cubs are 2-8 in Dempster's last ten starts as a road underdog, while five of his six starts this season have finished 'under' the total. Each team is riding nice 'under' runs with the Phillies going on an 8-2 'under' run at home and the Cubs cashing the 'under' in six of the last eight overall.
Marlins at Cardinals - 1:40 PM EST
The Fish are trying to put the Hanley Ramirez situation behind them as the reigning NL batting champion played in Wednesday's game at St. Louis. The Cardinals send out their second ace to the mound with Adam Wainwright listed as a substantial favorite over Nate Robertson.
Wainwright (5-2, 2.48 ERA) is making his first home start since April 29, as the Cards have dropped two of his last three outings. The righty failed to turn in a quality start for the first time in eight outings this season in a 4-3 setback at Cincinnati his last time out. Wainwright allowed seven hits and four earned runs in six innings, while extending his streak to 38 consecutive starts in which he has struck out more batters than walked. The Cardinals are 3-1 in his four career starts against the Marlins, with the lone loss coming as a $2.15 home favorite last September in a 2-1 defeat.
Robertson (4-3, 4.35 ERA) has become a viable addition to the back end of the Marlins' rotation after getting acquired right before the season. The southpaw is coming off consecutive wins over the Cubs and Mets, while allowing two earned runs in each of his last three outings. The Marlins have won two of Robertson's three road starts despite Florida scoring just seven runs. Robertson has made only one start at Busch Stadium, but that came in the 2006 World Series as a member of the Tigers. The lefty was on the wrong side of a 5-0 defeat, lasting only five innings and allowing two earned runs, giving the Cards a 2-1 series advantage on their way to the title.
St. Louis owns a 25-6 record since 2007 when Wainwright starts following a loss in his last outing. Florida has sailed 'over' the total in eight of 12 games when facing a right-handed starter after a left-hander, as the Marlins battle rookie lefty Jamie Garcia in the series opener.
vegasinsider.com
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego (24-16) at L.A. Dodgers (22-18)
Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw (3-2, 3.55 ERA) looks to dominate the Padres for the second time in five days when he takes mound for against Kevin Correia (4-3, 4.35) in the finale of a brief two-game series between N.L. West rivals at Dodger Stadium.
The Padres put a halt to L.A.’s nine-game winning streak – which included three wins in San Diego last weekend – by rolling to a 10-5 victory on Wednesday, as first baseman Adrian Gonzalez snapped out of his slump by going 3-for-5 with a homer and six RBIs. Although the Padres are just 2-4 in their last six overall, they’ve won eight of nine on the highway. Additionally, Bud Black’s squad is on positive runs of 21-8 against winning teams, 21-6 in the second game of a series, 7-2 versus left-handed starters and 5-1 as an underdog.
Despite last night’s setback the Dodgers, are still 14-4 in their last 18 games, but they’re once again two games behind San Diego in the N.L. West race. Los Angeles is 12-7 at Dodger Stadium, including 5-2 in the last seven. Joe Torre’s troops are on additional surges of 56-27 versus the N.L. West, 11-2 against right-handed starters, 61-31 at home against righty starters, 20-9 in the second game of a series and 10-3 on Thursday.
The visitor has now taken all four meetings in this rivalry in 2010, as Los Angeles went to San Diego last weekend and scored victories of 4-3, 4-1 and 1-0, winning the latter contest on Sunday despite managing just two hits. The Dodgers are 11-7 in the last 18 head-to-head matchups with the Padres and 11-5 in the last 16 meetings in Hollywood.
Correia gave up four runs on five hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Kershaw and the Dodgers. It was the fifth time in the right-hander’s last six starts that he failed to get out of the sixth inning, and he’s lost back-to-back games following a four-game winning streak.
San Diego is 8-1 in Correia’s last nine starts on the road, where he’s 2-1 despite a 5.40 ERA this season. Also, behind the right-hander, the Padres are on upticks 9-4 as an underdog, 7-1 as a road ‘dog and 11-5 against winning teams, but they’ve dropped four of his last five starts against the N.L. West. With Saturday’s loss to L.A., Correia is now 4-2 with a 4.52 ERA in 22 career appearances (eight starts) against the Dodgers (3-1, 4.88 ERA in 11 games – four starts – at Dodger Stadium).
Kershaw dominated the Padres in Saturday’s 4-1 road win, yielding just one run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings. In two games since getting blasted by Milwaukee on May 4 (seven runs allowed in 1 1/3 innings), the 22-year-old left-hander has allowed one run on five hits and five walks while striking out 16 in 15 innings. Take out the start against the Brewers, and Kershaw has surrendered two runs or fewer in five straight starts, posting a 1.57 ERA.
The Dodgers are 5-2 in Kershaw’s last seven starts overall and 5-0 in his last five against the N.L. West, but they’ve lost four of his last five on Thursday. The lefty is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in five home starts and 3-2 with a stout 2.76 ERA against the Padres.
Despite clearing the posted total the last two nights, San Diego remains on “under” runs of 39-20-4 overall (9-2-1 last 12), 20-8-2 on the road, 34-17-2 against N.L. West foes, 20-8-1 versus winning teams and 4-1 versus southpaw starters. Also, the under is 7-2 in Correia’s last nine starts against the N.L. West.
L.A. carries “under” trends of 7-4 overall, 4-1 within the division, 6-3 against right-handed starters, 5-1 with Kershaw starting overall, 7-3 with Kershaw pitching at home and 8-1 when he faces N.L. West foes. However, the over is 10-3 in the Dodgers’ last 13 home games and 5-1 in their last six on Thursday.
Finally, the under had cashed in six straight Padres-Dodgers meetings prior to Wednesday’s slugfest, and Kershaw’s last four starts against the Padres have stayed low. However, the over is now 10-4 in the last 14 series clashes in L.A.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. DODGERS and UNDER
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay (29-11) at N.Y. Yankees (25-15)
Andy Pettitte (5-0, 1.79) tries to keep his perfect 2010 record intact when he pitches opposite the Rays’ James Shields (4-1, 3.00) as the top two teams in baseball conclude a two-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Tampa Bay jumped out to a 10-2 lead on Wednesday, then held off a ninth-inning Yankees rally to prevail 10-6 and move four games clear of New York in the A.L. East standings. Since suffering their first three-game losing streak of the season, the Rays have won five in a row and seven of eight, and they continue to own baseball’s best road record (16-4). Joe Maddon’s club is on additional surges of 40-16 overall, 22-6 against the A.L. East, 7-0 as an underdog (all on the road), 13-3 versus left-handed starters and 43-15 in the second game of a series.
New York has now lost seven of 11 overall, but it remains an MLB-best 13-5 at home. The defending champs are also on positive runs of 101-46 overall, 51-14 at Yankee Stadium, 45-17 against the A.L. East, 65-27 against right-handed starters and 45-13 at home versus righties.
These teams have now split four clashes this season, with the road team going 3-1. New York is still 11-5 in the last 16 meetings, including 6-1 at home. Going back several years, the Rays are just 25-59 in their last 84 trips to the Bronx (including old Yankee Stadium).
All four Yankees-Rays contests this season have been blowouts (9-3, 10-0, 7-3 and 10-6), and 16 of the last 18 meetings – including the last eight in a row – have been decided by multiple runs.
Shields has held five straight opponents to two earned runs or fewer, yielding a combined nine earned runs in 36 innings (2.25 ERA). In his most recent start on Saturday, he held the Mariners to two runs on six hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts in eight innings, but got a no-decision with the Rays pulling out a walk-off 3-2 victory. Over his last four trips to the mound, the right-hander has 38 strikeouts against just two walks.
Tampa Bay has won five of Shields’ last six starts overall and four of his last five against the A.L. East, and he’s 3-1 with a 3.25 ERA in four road contests this year. However, the Rays are 14-29 in his last 43 starts as an underdog and 7-21 in his last 28 as a road pup. Also, Tampa Bay has lost nine of Shields’ 10 career starts against the Yankees, with the California native going 1-7 with a 5.76 ERA. In New York, he’s 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in five starts (all at old Yankee Stadium).
Pettitte missed 10 days with elbow discomfort, but returned Saturday against Minnesota and tossed a gem, scattering two hits and three walks over 6 1/3 scoreless innings en route to a 7-1 home victory. The 37-year-old southpaw has now held five of his first seven opponents to two runs or fewer. Also, going back to last year’s postseason, New York has won 10 straight games started by Pettitte, including seven in a row at home, where he’s 4-0 with a 2.01 ERA in five games this season.
Not only are the Yankees unbeaten in Pettitte’s last 10 starts, but behind him they’re on further runs of 20-6 overall, 85-38 at home, 48-22 against the A.L. East and 27-8 as a favorite. Additionally, New York is 16-7 in Pettitte’s last 23 games versus Tampa Bay. For his career, he’s 16-5 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 starts against the Rays.
Tampa Bay is on “under” streaks of 13-3-2 overall, 4-2-2 on the road, 7-2 against right-handed starters and 14-4 when Shields goes off as an underdog, but the Rays have also topped the total in 10 of 14 against A.L. East foes and 12 of Shields’ last 16 Thursday outings. The under is 4-0 in the Yankees’ last four Thursday games and 59-29-3 in Pettitte’s last 91 starts overall, but otherwise they’re on “over” runs of 3-0 overall, 8-4 at home and 7-0 against the A.L. East.
The over has cashed in five straight in this rivalry, but the under is still 5-2 in the past seven series clashes at Yankee Stadium. Also, the under is 8-1 in Pettitte’s last nine starts against Tampa Bay (4-1 last five at home).
ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. YANKEES
MLB RoundUp For 5/20
By Dan Bebe
National League
Cubs @ Phillies (-110) with a total of 9
Alfonso Soriano is 5-for-14 with 2 RBI off Blanton since '05;
Chase Utley is 6-for-9 with 2 RBI off Dempster since '05;
Shane Victorino is 3-for-8 with 1 RBI off Dempster.
This is a pretty darn cheap price to get the Phils at, and it's largely because no one trusts Joe Blanton yet. But, as our good buddy Sac Lawson pointed out last week, Blanton has been nearly untouchable for 5 innings, then seems to get lit up in the 6th. And it's simple, the guy didn't have spring training, so he just can't seem to cool down and warm up 6 times in a game...yet. I would imagine he's getting a tiny bit stronger every time out, and the Phils' offense remains a scary proposition. Dempster has a 5.08 ERA against Philadelphia in his career, and while he's working a 3.49 this season, I would offer a very small lean to Philly in this day game.
Reds @ Braves (-170) with a total of 7.5
We're working on almost no historical data with this one, which, as you guys know, is not a game I usually like to bet on, but based on momentum alone, you have to at least think the Reds have a shot. They're coming up with clutch hits, they're winning games, and they're playing better fundamental baseball than their opponent here, the Braves. I know Hanson is one of the best young arms in the game, and his 2.88 ERA shows that, but this one could easily hit the 7th inning tied at 1 or 2 runs apiece, and suddenly, you can get a +160 dog in a 3-inning battle of the bullpens? If you're a volume guy, you have to look at the Reds. For us, because we're really trying to isolate a few affordable winners, this one is a bit of a longshot.
Marlins @ Cardinals (-230) with a total of 7.5
Jorge Cantu is 3-for-10 off Wainwright with 1 RBI;
Ronny Paulino is 5-for-16 off Wainwright;
Cody Ross is 3-for-10 off Wainwright;
Albert Pujols is a perfect 4-for-4 off Robertson.
This line is probably close to where it should be. The Marlins are a team in mild turmoil, so that's not really a clubhouse I want to back any time all that soon, since things could blow up at a moment's notice. Robertson can't get Pujols out, and that's a scary thought. On top of that, Wainwright is a career 2.61 ERA hurler against the Fish, so no reason to fade that number, either. Pass!
Brewers (-125) @ Pirates with a total of 9
Ryan Braun is batting .381 off Maholm with a HR and 8 RBI;
Craig Counsell was 3-for-7 off Maholm before this season;
Corey Hart is 11-for-34 off Maholm with a HR and 3 RBI.
Narveson gave up 3 runs in 5 innings to the Pirates in a game the Brewers eventually lost 6-5. And the opposing starter was, indeed, Paul Maholm. Maholm pitched alright in that game, giving up 4 runs in 7 innings, and managing to wiggle out of bigger trouble a few times, as well. The Brewers are a mess, and Narveson is coming off a start where he threw, I believe, over 120 pitches (we'll check this stat later), so he's in a bad spot, the Brewers are a frustrated ball about to burst, and the Pirates just keep cashing underdog tickets. My one concern, though, is that Milwaukee does seem to score against Pittsburgh - maybe the Over is a better idea?
Mets @ Nationals (-122) with a total of 9.5
No sense going into all the player data here, as the numbers aren't impressive for anyone, and we can probably learn more from the start these two guys made a couple weeks back. This is a rematch game of a contest the Nats won in New York, 3-2. Maine allowed just 2 runs in 6 innings, and at that point, it was his 4th solid start in a row. Then, his most recent outing, Maine got bopped in Florida. In that first meeting, Atilano went 5.1 shutout frames, so he has had some success against the Mets, but the fact that both guys threw the ball well, and the fact that this is a rematch game makes me very hesitant to get back on the Nats. The Mets aren't very good on the road, either, so just not enough good reasons to back either team.
Rockies (-170) @ Astros with a total of 6.5
Lance Berkman is 4-for-11 off Jimenez;
Geoff Blum is 6-for-15 with 2 RBI off Jimenez;
Michael Bourn is 3-for-10 off Jimenez;
Pedro Feliz is 3-for-4 with a HR and 3 RBI off Jimenez;
Hunter Pence is 3-for-10 off Jimenez.
See, this is interesting. Jimenez, 7-1 on the season with an ERA of 1.12, gets to tackle a team he's 2-0 against in his career, but a team that seemingly has a few guys that can hit off him, as seen above. Oswalt is 7-1 in his career against the Rockies with a 1.78 ERA. That is supreme ownage, and with runs potentially at a huge premium, you have to look at the big dog. I like Houston a little bit, here.
Giants (-180) @ D'backs with a total of 7.5
Aaron Rowand is 3-for-9 with 1 RBI off Lopez;
Pablo Sandoval is 2-for-2 with a HR and 4 RBI off Lopez;
Juan Uribe is 3-for-8 with a HR and 5 RBI off Lopez since '05;
Conor Jackson is 7-for-21 off Lincecum;
Justin Upton is 6-for-20 off Lincecum with 2 RBI.
Lincecum is 5-1 with a 1.76 ERA against the D'backs, and that's pretty good. Lopez is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA against San Francisco. The Giants aren't hitting right now, but I'm still not in the market to fade Lincecum against one of the teams he owns more than most others. Pass.
Padres @ Dodgers (-165) with a total of 7
This is another rematch game, so we'll forgo the player numbers since we already have a decent clue as to who does what against who. Most recently, all we really need to know is that Clayton Kershaw dominated, and I mean crushed the Padres. 7 innings, 1 early run, struck out 7 in a Dodgers 4-1 victory over Correia. I'm interested to see how Correia comes back, one start removed from the death of his brother. He didn't seem fully focused, and the Dodgers touched him up for more than what Kershaw needed. This line seems a little cheap for Clayton, but the Dodgers just keep strokin' it. Tough to find fault with a team that's not losing much.
American League
Royals @ Indians (-140) with a total of 9
Shin-Soo Choo is 5-for-9 with 2 HR and 4 RBI off Hochevar.
Hochevar seems to have made some strides this season, but those strides are just getting him to 3-2 with a 5.86 ERA. Mitch Talbot has been a pillar of consistency for the Indians, and I strongly believe this line is accurate. Neither pitcher is trending up or down, and that's always a nice time to fade or back a guy, so at this price, while I think the Indians win the game, it's not worth the cost of admission.
Tigers (-135) @ Athletics with a total of 8.5
Eric Chavez is 5-for-7 with 2 RBI off Bonderman since '05.
Tyson Ross? Yeah, you heard right. We'll need to do some more digging before first pitch tomorrow, but you have to love backing these youngsters that appear out of nowhere to make a start. The adrenaline tends to help get the job done, and while the current A's haven't seen much of Bonderman, so runs might be tough to come by, I still think the home team is the value. Tiny lean to A's.
Blue Jays (-125) @ Mariners with a total of 7
Franklin Gutierrez is 3-for-6 with a HR and 3 RBI off Romero;
Rob Johnson is a perfect 3-for-3 off Romero with 1 RBI;
Ichiro is 5-for-7 off Romero.
The Jays haven't seen any Vargas in the past, which gives him a slight leg up, but the issue with Seattle is always run support. The Mariners clanked their way to a 3-2 loss last night, pretty typical of late, despite a nice effort from Doug Fister. Can they give Vargas any help? He very well could hold the Jays to 2-3 runs like Fister before him, but the Jays are far superior offensively, and Ricky Romero is no slouch. He's 4-1 with a 2.88 ERA, and 1-0 against Seattle lifetime, though he hasn't really dominated the Mariners like you might expect. I think this could be low scoring, so I'm not too huge a fan of laying road chalk, but we shall see. Romero is coming off a complete game shutout where he struck out 12, so he's definitely on his game.
Rays @ Yankees (-155) with a total of 9
Jason Bartlett is 7-for-18 with a HR and 5 RBI off Pettitte;
Carlos Pena is 8-for-25 with 4 HR and 6 RBI off Pettitte since '05;
Ben Zobrist is 4-for-12 with a HR off Pettitte;
Robinson Cano is 11-for-23 with 2 HR and 6 RBI off Shields;
Derek Jeter is 12-for-30 with a HR and 5 RBI off Shields.
The Yankees have just beat the hell out of James Shields, leading the big righthander to a lifetime 1-7, 5.76 mark against New York. I hate to say that we sort of learned a lesson yesterday, but did we, really? Andy Pettitte is having one of his best seasons since who knows when, he's 15-4 lifetime against Tampa, and he's 5-0 this season against the League. The man is on his game, and the Yanks should give him some run support. I hate to lean Yankees again, but damnit, the numbers look awfully tempting for them.
Twins @ Red Sox (-135) with a total of 8.5
Brendan Harris is 8-for-18 with 4 RBI off Lester;
Justin Morneau is 4-for-9 off Lester with a HR and 4 RBI before 2010;
Victor Martinez is 5-for-12 off Liriano;
Dustin Pedroia was 4-for-5 off Liriano prior to 2010.
These pitchers have faced this opponent once already this year, and Liriano was masterful, going 7 shutout innings. Lester was less impressive, giving up 4 runs in 5 innings. The problem? Lester has been trending up, and Liriano down. Francisco has allowed 11 runs in his last 3 starts, after allowing only 3 total runs in his first 4 starts. And though Lester did give up 4 runs to the heavily righthanded Tigers, he struck out 10, and his season ERA is down in the 3's after starting off slowly. I know Lester's career mark against the Twins makes this a tough one, and though I do lean a tiny bit to the Sox, I think my stronger feelings are towards a pass.
Orioles @ Rangers (-135) with a total of 9.5
Miguel Tejada is 3-for-7 with a HR off Feldman;
Ty Wigginton is 4-for-7 with 3 RBI off Feldman;
David Murphy is 2-for-3 off Matusz with a HR and 2 RBI.
We saw what Matusz can do against a weak offense when he blanked the Indians in 7 innings his last time out. Unfortunately, Texas is a better offense than Cleveland, but not quite as dominant as some of the AL East teams Matusz seems to face every other time out. He's a decent value, here. Opposite Matusz is Scott Feldman, having a predictably bad follow-up to a very good 2009. He's 1-4 with a 5.89 ERA, and coming off 3 straight outings where he's allowed at least 4 runs. He was good against the O's in the past, and that makes this one a little dicey, but he's not the same pitcher this year, and if you're playing this game, you have to think about the road dog.
Angels @ White Sox (-133) with a total of 9
Bobby Abreu is 4-for-6 with 2 RBI off Buerhle;
Erick Aybar is 3-for-9 with 2 RBI off Buerhle;
Mark Kotsay is 9-for-23 with 3 RBI off Santana since '05;
Alex Rios is 4-for-11 off Santana.
There's some marginal offensive success on both sides of this one, so the best move is to look at recent starts to get an idea of how the first 5 innings will go, then we'll move from there. Buerhle's Sox have lost each of his last 6 starts, and he's now 2-5 on the season. Ouch. He gave up 5 runs to the Royals without a strikeout in his last apperance, so Buerhle is sinking quick. Santana has actually been decent this season, and to see him at this type of dog price against a bad team is a little surprising. We'll need to check into the line a bit, but this looks like a deal on the Angels, who are simply playing better baseball than the White Sox right now.
Diamond Trends - Thursday
By Vince Akins
Rockies at Astros – The Rockies are 8-0 since July 06, 2009 as a 140+ favorite when their starter went at least eight innings in his last start for a net profit of $800. The Astros are 0-8 since May 01, 2009 as a 140+ dog when they blew a lead in their starter's last start and lost for a net profit of $800 when playing against. The Rockies are 6-0 since June 12, 2009 when Ubaldo Jimenez starts as a favorite after he went at least eight innings in his previous start for a net profit of $600
Tigers at Athletics – The League is 7-0 since September 01, 2009 as a road favorite after a win in which they were shut out in the first 6 innings and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $700
Reds at Braves – The Reds are 0-8 since May 17, 2009 on the road after a one run loss for a net profit of $832 when playing against. The Braves are 0-4 since September 20, 2009 when Tommy Hanson starts as a home favorite vs a team that has averaged 7+ strikeouts per game for a net profit of $675 when playing against.
Marlins at Cardinals – The Marlins are 4-0 since May 27, 2009 as a 170+ dog and it is the last game of the series for a net profit of $690. The Cardinals are 9-0 since July 01, 2009 as a home favorite when they are off a loss in which they never led for a net profit of $900. The Cardinals are 5-0 since August 30, 2009 when Adam Wainwright starts as a favorite when the start time is earlier than 4:00 PM local time for a net profit of $500
Giants at Diamondbacks – The Giants are 7-0 since May 05, 2009 as a road favorite after a loss in which they allowed 5+ walks for a net profit of $700. The Diamondbacks are 0-8 since April 28, 2009 as a home dog after scoring 6+ runs win for a net profit of $800 when playing against.
Padres at Dodgers – The Padres are 8-0 since June 10, 2009 when Kevin Correia starts on the road vs a team that has hit more grounders than fly balls season-to-date for a net profit of $1030. The Dodgers are 11-0 since September 16, 2009 at home and it is the last game of the series for a net profit of $1115.
Royals at Indians – The Royals are 0-10 since July 19, 2009 when Luke Hochevar starts after throwing more than 100 pitches for a net profit of $1000 when playing against. The Royals are 0-9 since August 09, 2009 within 20 cents of pick ‘em when they blew a lead in their starter's last start and lost for a net profit of $910 when playing against. The Indians are 5-0 since April 15, 2010 after a loss in which they allowed 12+ hits and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $625.
Blue Jays at Mariners – The Blue Jays are 7-0 since September 26, 2009 after a win in which they drew 1 or fewer walks for a net profit of $880. The Mariners are 0-7 since May 12, 2009 when Jason Vargas starts as a dog vs a team that has averaged 7+ strikeouts per game for a net profit of $700 when playing against.
Mets at Nationals – The Mets are 0-5 since April 22, 2009 when John Maine starts on the road after his team lost the last time he started for a net profit of $500 when playing against. The Nationals are 7-0 since May 21, 2009 as a favorite and it is the last game of the series for a net profit of $700.
Cubs at Phillies – The Cubs are 0-5 since June 06, 2009 when Ryan Dempster starts after the team won their last two games for a net profit of $625 when playing against. The Phillies are 0-6 since May 01, 2009 within 20 cents of pick ‘em after a loss in which they left 18+ men on base for a net profit of $610 when playing against.
Brewers at Pirates – The Brewers are 0-7 since July 20, 2009 after a loss in which they were tied at the end of 6 innings for a net profit of $775 when playing against. The Pirates are 0-6 since August 26, 2009 when Paul Maholm starts after a quality start for a net profit of $600 when playing against.
Orioles at Rangers – The Rangers are 0-6 since May 31, 2009 as a 140+ favorite when they are off a win in which they came back from a deficit and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $890 when playing against. The Rangers are 6-0 since April 25, 2009 when Scott Feldman starts vs a team that lost their starters last two starts for a net profit of $645
Twins at Red Sox – The Twins are 6-0 since August 21, 2009 when they lost the last two games their starter started for a net profit of $670. The Red Sox are 9-0 since June 24, 2009 when Jon Lester starts vs a team that has lost at least their last two games for a net profit of $900
Angels at White Sox – The Angels are 0-8 since October 16, 2009 after a one run win for a net profit of $900 when playing against. The Angels are 7-0 since May 10, 2009 after a win in which they had fewer than five team-left-on-base as a dog for a net profit of $765.
Rays at Yankees – The Rays are 8-0 since May 06, 2009 as a dog vs a team that has lost at least their last two games for a net profit of $1085. The Yankees are 12-0 since July 26, 2009 after a loss and it is the last game of the series for a net profit of $1215. The Yankees are 9-0 since June 08, 2009 when Andy Pettitte starts as a favorite vs a team that has averaged 7+ strikeouts per game for a net profit of $900.