Thursday's Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers
Streakers
Wade LeBlanc, San Diego Padres (4-4, 2.88), San Diego Padres
After losing four consecutive starts in May, LeBlanc has gone back to the basics in June - beginning with strike one.
The strategy has worked in his last three starts, going 2-0 and allowing just two earned runs over his last 19 2/3 innings. He has lasted at least six innings in each of those starts, something he failed to do during his losing skid.
"Getting ahead in the count, strike one ... I've been putting the priority on that in the bullpen sessions and really focusing on and trying to get better at," said LeBlanc. "The last two or three starts, it's starting to pay off."
Gavin Floyd (2-7, 5.20) Chicago White Sox
If this was a marriage, Floyd could sue the socks off the White Sox for non-support. Instead he takes the hill today in search of some justice.
After taking a 1-0 loss in a near-double no-hitter against the crosstown Cubs' Ted Lilly, Floyd settled a no-decision in a 2-1 win against the Nationals and Stephen Strasburg on Friday.
"I just try to focus on what I can do," Floyd said. "... You go out there and put up zeroes and give your team a chance to win."
Floyd is 0-1 in his last three starts despite allowing only 13 hits and three earned runs in 22 innings of work. He has 22 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA during that span.
Scott Kazmir (7-5, 5.08) Los Angeles Angels
After scuttling to a 3-5 record through May, Kazmir has caught fire in June with four consecutive victories in as many starts in June.
Kazmir has allowed two or fewer runs during that span of 28 1/3 innings, which he called "another step in the right direction."
With the Dodgers countering with winless knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, look for him to keep going in the same direction tonight.
Slumping
Wandy Rodriguez (3-10, 6.09) Houston Astros
In a season abuzz with surprise 10-game winners, Rodriguez serves as the only 10-game loser in the majors.
He's earned that distinction in his last three starts, serving up 20 hits and 17 earned runs in just 15 innings of work. There was talk of skipping his turn in the rotation but a shortage of arms allows only for a pep talk for the struggling lefty.
"There are some issues we talked about that we're going to address in the coming days," Astros manager Brad Mills said. "Mechanics is one of them, and some different scenarios, too."
Early Thursday Tips
By Judd Hall
There is no shortage of baseball for bettors to get down on this Thursday with a loaded afternoon schedule fill with interleague tilts. It all kicks off in St. Pete with a battle between serious playoff contenders.
Padres (41-29, +1,465) at Rays (41-28, +100) – 12:10 p.m. EDT
The Rays roared out of the gate like lions to have the best record in baseball. Now Tampa Bay is playing like lambs as they sit behind the Yankees in the American League East. Those things tend to happen when you drop 10 of your last 17 matches.
Matt Garza (7-5, 4.16) will be looking to for a bit of redemption when he takes the mound on Thursday afternoon. He was unceremoniously ousted in 1.1 innings of work on the road against the Marlins last Friday. But not before Garza was torched for seven earned runs in a 7-4 setback. The Fresno State product has been a reliable ‘over’ play recently as high scores have come in eight of his last 11 starts.
San Diego will send Wade LeBlanc (4-4, 2.88) out to start the series finale. Gamblers have enjoyed backing the Padres recently as they’ve won his last three starts. In those starts, LeBlanc has pitched 19.2 innings and gave up just two earned runs. Of course, two of those starts came against the Orioles and Mariners – two of the worst teams in baseball.
The Pads have gone 5-4 in the nine Game 3s they’ve played on the road in 2010. Not a great number, but you can play for a small scoring affair as the ‘under’ is 5-3-1 in those tilts.
One positive for Tampa Bay to win here is that they’ve won three of its four games at home against southpaw pitching.
Braves (42-29, +1,003) at White Sox (34-32, -34) – 2:05 p.m. EDT
The Braves might own the top spot in the Senior Circuit right now, but they’re doing it spite of play on the road. Atlanta has gone 18-22 for the year, but they have won 10 of its last 18 tests away from Turner Field. But they did lose the opener of this series.
Atlanta trots Derek Lowe (9-5, 4.77) out to the mound for the final game of this series. Lowe has been fantastic for the Bravos during June, going 2-1 with a 4.64 earned run average. Plus, the Braves have won three of his last four road starts.
Gavin Floyd (2-7, 5.20) will be get the ball for the White Sox. It hasn’t been the greatest of years for Floyd, but things are looking up for him. He’s lasted eight innings in each of his last two starts, yielding just one earned run in both appearances. And one of those outings had him matching Nationals’ wunderkind Stephen Strasburg pitch for pitch. Chicago hasn’t had too much luck with Floyd on the mound at home as of late, going 1-3 in his last four matches at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox have gone 6-2 in daytime home games against right-handed pitchers. Atlanta is 4-3 against righties in road matches in the afternoon.
Twins (39-29, +352) at Brewers (30-39, -859) – 2:10 p.m. EDT
The Brew Crew could be onto starting a nice little run after winning two straight contests. As good as they might feel right now, Milwaukee still has three teams ahead of them in the NL Central.
Milwaukee will send out is staff ace Yovani Gallardo (6-3, 2.59) for the final game of this three-game set. Gallardo has pitched well in his last two starts, but the Brewers still wound up dropping both of those starts. In his last outing on June 19, he allowed one earned run on four hits in six innings of work. The problem was their bullpen coughed up seven runs to lose 8-7 on the road to the Rockies.
Nick Blackburn (6-4, 5.80) will be aiming to bounce back after a lousy outing in Philly for the Twins on Thursday. That’s because Blackburn surrendered eight earned runs and two homers in less than two innings of work as Minnesota fell 9-5 on the road to the Phillies. The Twins’ young hurler has an 11.57 ERA in his only start against the Brewers back in 2008.
Minnesota has gone 4-7 in road series finales this seasons with the ‘under’ going 6-5. The Brewers are just 4-6 in the final game of series at Miller Park as the ‘over’ went 7-2-1 in those contests.
vegasinsider.com
Thursday Night Tips
By Kevin Rogers
The getaway night on the Thursday card involves plenty of matchups with intrigue as interleague comes down the stretch for the regular season. The Red Sox finish off a three-game set at Coors Field, while the Rangers try to stay hot against the dreadful Pirates. We'll start north of the border with a battle of birds at the Rogers Centre.
Cardinals at Blue Jays - 7:05 PM EST
St. Louis looks to stay atop the NL Central ahead of Cincinnati as the Cards and Jays wrap up a three-game series in Toronto. The Redbirds have claimed all three interleague sets this season, going for a fourth series victory against the American League. The Jays have had their ups and down versus NL foes, going 4-3 following a 1-5 start.
Adam Wainwright (10-4, 2.23 ERA) is coming off back-to-back interleague wins over the Mariners and A's as a substantial home favorite. Wainwright allowed one unearned run and five hits in eight innings of work in a 4-3 victory over Oakland, his seventh home win of the season. The Cardinals' right-hander has been on the losing side of three one-run setbacks on the road, including defeats at Los Angeles, San Diego, and Cincinnati. St. Louis is 5-1 in Wainwright's in his last six interleague starts, but only one of those has come on the highway (12-5 win at Kansas City last June).
The Jays counter with Brandon Morrow (4-5, 4.97 ERA), who has won one start over the last month. The ex-Mariners reliever received a no-decision in a pitcher's duel victory over Barry Zito and the Giants his last time out, 3-2. Morrow put together his fourth straight quality outing, while all four of his starts since May 31 have finished 'under' the total. The Toronto righty has seen his most success at home, as the Jays are 5-2 in his seven starts at Rogers Centre, with the 'under' cashing five times.
Both teams have struggling in Game 3 of a series this season as the Cards are 10-11 and the Blue Jays owning a 9-12 mark. St. Louis has hit the 'over' in seven of the last 11 games on the road, while Toronto is 5-3 the last eight games as a home underdog.
Tigers at Mets - 7:10 PM EST
New York has surged to 10 games above .500 with a 20-7 run since May 22, as the Mets look to creep closer to the Braves in the NL East. The Tigers are 9-2 the last 11 interleague contests, coming off Tuesday's 14-6 setback to the Mets.
The biggest surprise in the Mets' rotation has been R.A. Dickey (5-0, 2.82 ERA), who goes for his sixth victory of the season. The knuckleballer has stifled the opposition by delivering five of six quality starts, while beating the Phillies, Marlins, and Brewers in this stretch. Dickey is 2-0 in interleague starts this season with wins at Cleveland and Baltimore as short underdogs, allowing three earned runs in 13 innings.
Jeremy Bonderman (3-4, 4.06 ERA) bounced back from a horrendous start at Kansas City to beat Pittsburgh and Washington at home. Bonderman's line was nearly identical in each victory, going seven innings and yielding two earned runs. Seven of Bonderman's last eight starts have been quality outings, but the Tigers are just 4-4 in this span.
New York is 11-1 the last 12 home contests, while eight of their previous ten at Citi Field have finished 'under' the total. Six of Detroit's last seven interleague games have sailed 'over' the total.
Pirates at Rangers - 8:05 PM EST
Two teams going in opposite directions meet up in Arlington as the red-hot Rangers take on the ice-cold Pirates. Texas is riding a nine-game winning streak after Tuesday's 6-3 series opening victory over Pittsburgh. The Bucs have dropped 12 consecutive road contests, with only one away win coming since May 19.
The Rangers send out Scott Feldman (5-6, 5.16 ERA), who is steadily improving following a rough start to the season. A 17-game winner in 2009, Feldman has delivered back-to-back quality outings in wins over the Brewers and Astros on the road. Feldman began the season at 3-6, but has saved his best pitching for his last two times out. The Rangers are 6-2 in Feldman's last eight interleague starts, dating back to 2008.
Jeff Karstens (2-2, 4.72 ERA) has had his moments this season for the Pirates, getting bounced in and out of the Pittsburgh rotation. The ex-Yankees righty has three underdog victories to his credit against the Cardinals, Cubs, and Brewers, tossing at least six innings in each win. Karstens is coming off a win in his last trip to the mound over the Indians, allowing four earned runs in 5.1 innings. The Pirates are 1-3 in Karstens' four road starts this season.
Pittsburgh owns a 1-8 record in Game 3's this season off a loss, while Texas has captured 10 of 13 interleague contests.
Red Sox at Rockies - 8:40 PM EST
The two clubs from the 2007 World Series wrap up their series at Coors Field as Boston looks to close the gap in the AL East. Since losing three of four to the Astros, the Rockies have won seven of 10 to remain right in the mix inside the NL West race.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (5-2, 4.59 ERA) returns to the mound for Boston after a short stint on the DL due to a forearm strain. Dice-K's last start was a solid outing, scattering four hits in eight innings of work in a 4-1 victory at Cleveland. It's the second road win that Matsuzaka has pitched eight innings over the last month, including a 5-0 triumph at Philadelphia. Dice-K won at Coors Field during the '07 Fall Classic, beating the Rockies, 10-5, despite lasting just 5.1 innings.
Besides Ubaldo Jimenez, the Rockies' rotation has been boosted by the unheralded Jason Hammel (5-3, 4.03 ERA). The right-hander has not allowed a run in any of his last three starts, a span of 22 innings (3-0). All three wins went 'under' the total as Hammel shut down the Astros, Brewers, and Blue Jays. Hammel improved to 5-1 at home, with an ERA of 2.80 at Coors Field.
The Red Sox are 5-0 in their last five as a road underdog, while the Rockies have captured six of their previous seven home contests.
vegasinsider.com
MLB RoundUp For 6/24
By Dan Bebe
National League
Giants (-155) @ Astros with a total of 7
My goodness, how bad is Wandy Rodriguez this year? Maybe one of the hugest disappointments of the season, and only fails to get mocked because he's pitching for a team that's just as disappointing as he is. Wandy is 3-10 with a 6.09 ERA this year, and 0-2 with an 8.38 ERA lifetime against the Giants. Matt Cain finally gave up more than 1 run in his last start up in Toronto, but the Jays have that longball power that can create runs even when they're not getting many on base. Dare we explore the road run line on this afternoon tilt? Leans: Giants RL
Interleague Play
Padres @ Rays (-185) with a total of 8.5
This is awfully pricey, considering how poorly Garza's been throwing. The Rays, for all intents and purposes, are slumping pretty hard. Garza and Shields have been doing their part on the mound to ensure that those struggles continue. Matt hasn't had a legitimately strong start since May 21, and has seen his ERA rise up over 4 runs for the first time all season. LeBlanc, quietly, is still posting an ERA in the 2's, and has rebounded extremely well off his own little mini-slump that started with a road outing in Seattle a month back. San Diego plus 1.5 runs almost seems too easy, here, and that's truly the one thing keeping me off Padres - how on Earth this line could come out this high. Leans: Padres RL
Indians @ Phillies (-155) with a total of 9.5
Jhonny Peralta is 9-for-23 with 2 HR and 2 RBI off Blanton;
Mike Redmond is 3-for-6 off Blanton since '05.
This line is where it is because the Phillies are a huge public team; that's it. Joe Blanton's numbers this year are unbelievably bad, though, to his credit, he's coming off 6 innings of 3-run ball against the Twins. Is he turning a corner? Maybe, but he still hasn't allowed fewer than 3 runs in any start this year. Carmona, on the other hand, has been extremely consistent. I heard on some local LA radio two show-hosts that were talking about the Dodgers' interest in Carmona, and they didn't seem to care. That, to me, shows they're not paying attention. Carmona has movement on his pitches that won't go away over the next couple years, and he could dominate the NL. He'll have a chance today, though the Phils are really starting to hit, so this one is far from a lock. Leans: Indians
Braves @ White Sox (-110) with a total of 9
Melky Cabrera is 3-for-7 with a HR and 2 RBI off Floyd.
Derek Lowe is just 1-2 against the White Sox in his career, but has an ERA of 3.75. Not bad. Floyd is 1-1 against Atlanta, but posted an ERA of 9.95. Yikes. Yet, this line opens at basically a Pick. Floyd has been destroying in June, as has been his nature, giving up just 1 earned run in each of his last 3 starts, spanning 22 innings. Somehow, the White Sox only won 1 of those 3 games, even more odd considering they've been hot, as a team. Lowe's been pitching well lately, too, and the Braves tend to give him decent run support. So, we have some competing forces, here. Hot offensive clubs against solid, veteran pitchers. This line is just fishy enough to make me back the Sox, maybe... Leans: Under, White Sox
Twins @ Brewers (-180) with a total of 8.5
Interestingly, this isn't the first time these pitchers have seen this opponent from the other League. First time around, Blackburn went 7.1 innings and gave up 3 runs in a furious 15-3 Twins winner against Dave Bush. For Gallardo, he gave up 4 runs in 6 innings, though the damage was largely done early before he settled in. The Twins ended up giving up a huge lead in that game before winning in extras, but this time around I don't think they'll be so lucky. This line is high for a reason, and that reason is Blackburn's road issues. In his last 3 road starts, Blackburn has given up 18 runs in just 8 innings. You guys know I don't touch home run lines, but... Leans: Brewers
Cubs @ Mariners (-150) with a total of 6.5
Ted Lilly is just 2-6, and that is a damn travesty. I hope the Cubs unload Ted to a team with a shot to compete, because he is just pitching his butt off and has almost nothing to show for it. The 3.42 ERA is definitely reflective of how good he's been, but this line is accurate since Chicago just can't score reliably. Lilly is, however, coming off a rough start against the Angels, who always hit those 88mph fastballs hard. The Mariners can't score, either, but as long as they just keep throwing shutouts, it's going to be tough for someone to beat them. King Felix has looked like his old self in his last 2 starts, and I can't believe -150 is a value, but I lean Mariners. Leans: Mariners
Marlins (-120) @ Orioles with a total of 9.5
Jorge Cantu is 3-for-6 with 2 HR and 4 RBI off Millwood since '05;
Mike Lamb is 4-for-11 off Millwood since '05;
Julio Lugo is 5-for-11 with a HR off Robertson since '05;
Miguel Tejada is 8-for-19 with 2 HR and 3 RBI off Robertson since '05;
Luke Scott is 3-for-3 off Robertson.
I'm tempted to just write "See: every other O's game." Baltimore has shown signs that they might win 1 game every week or so, and do we want to bother trying to predict when that happens? Robertson never goes deep in games, so that means Florida is going to need to score 4-5 runs to win this one (that pen isn't going to pitch a shutout), and Millwood did finally get a win in his last start. Floodgates time? I wouldn't back Florida here, but few things are more nauseating than an Orioles bet. Leans: Orioles
Cardinals (-135) @ Blue Jays with a total of 7.5
Jose Bautista is 5-for-16 off Wainwright;
Fred Lewis is 4-for-8 off Wainwright.
Brandon Morrow has really turned his season around. He's still not going 7 or 8 innings, which brings that shaky Toronto pen into the picture, but getting 6 innings of 1-run baseball will generally put you in position to win on a nightly basis. We could potentially get a pretty nice home dog sale price on the Jays in this one, but do we really want to fade Adam Wainwright? The Cards big righthander is 10-4 on the season with a 2.23 ERA, but isn't making a ton of noise because people just expect him to dominate. There isn't really any value on Wainwright's side, and the total is probably accurate, so it's Jays or nothing for me. Leans: Blue Jays
Tigers @ Mets (-120) with a total of 8
I'm honestly a little surprised this line is as cheap as it is. I know the Tigers are teetering on "public team" status, thanks in large part to their strong home play, but the Mets are one of the hottest teams in baseball, and Takahashi is still sporting a nice 3.13 ERA. Galarraga's season numbers are still decent, but he's coming off an ugly start against the D'backs, and that "wall" is right around the corner. Fact of the matter is that Galarraga is just not a guy that should have come close to throwing a perfect game. It shows just how lucky pitchers have to get in baseball to really succeed. He has a nice slider that works well on righthanders, but look at his career numbers, and you'll see why this lean is the way it is. Leans: Mets
Pirates @ Rangers (-250) with a total of 10.5
Woah, -250 on Scott Feldman? I know our rule is generally to only put a 1/4-unit on the dog when it's over -300, but Scott Feldman probably shouldn't be a -250 guy against any team in the Majors. He probably shouldn't be -250 over most of Triple-A. I know the Pirates might be the worst team in the Majors (again), and Karstens' ugly mug isn't inspiring confidence, but Feldman gives up 3 runs, invariably, in about 90% of his starts, so that means that every opponent has a shot. Of course, Texas has been hitting the daylights out of that baseball, so they'll probably win 7-4, knowing the hotness of that team right now. Leans: None
Red Sox @ Rockies (-115) with a total of 9
Mike Lowell is 3-for-7 off Hammel with an RBI;
David Ortiz is 5-for-8 with a HR and 3 RBI off Hammel.
Remember, Boston has seen Hammel before. I know he's been lights out (Hammel hasn't allowed a run in any of his last 3 starts, spanning almost 23 scoreless innings), but if anyone can find a way to throw a man off his game, it's Boston. Daisuke is coming off 8 shutout innings of his own, though there does seem to be some slight stamina issues that Matsuzaka needs to sort through. He hasn't put together 3 straight strong outings all year, and it's tough to see him finally performing that feat in Coors Field. In fact, any time he's gone 7 innings this year, he's come back with a dud the next time out. Leans: Rockies
Dodgers @ Angels (-150) with a total of 9.5
A contrarian would certainly say that the Dodgers are going to win this one, but not sure that the numbers really bear that out. Kazmir has a 5.08 ERA on the season, but he's on a run of 4 straight solid outings, the Angels have won all 4 of those, and maybe the most important note of all, Manny Ramirez is batting under .200 lifetime against Kazmir. We don't know a ton about how the Angels are going to handle a knuckleballer, but Haeger was not good at all earlier this year, and I just don't know how you can make a legitimate argument that he's going to pitch well against a hot-hitting team like the Angels. Plus, the Dodgers are the ultimate Interleague victim, just getting trounced by everyone not from Motown. If this line was a little cheaper, I'd be on board with reckless abandon, but at 150, it does require a little more thought. Leans: Angels
Tips and Trends
Atlanta Braves at Chicago White Sox
Braves: After winning 5 straight games, the Braves have lost their previous 2 games against Chicago. Chicago has been unkind to the Braves, as they've lost both games as the listed favorite in each. Atlanta still leads the National League East division with a record of 42-30 SU. Only the San Diego Padres have a better record than Atlanta in the National League. Atlanta is +9.09 and +8.33 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. The Braves are 18-23 SU on the road this season, a record they are looking to improve. P Derek Lowe takes the mound tonight, as the Braves have won 10 of the 15 games Lowe has started this year. Lowe is 9-5 with an ERA of 4.77 and a WHIP of 1.42 this year. The Braves are 8-0 in their last 8 interleague games against a right-handed starter. The Braves are 23-6 in their last 29 games against a right-handed starter. Atlanta is 40-18 in their last 58 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Braves are 8-0 in Lowe's last 8 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. Atlanta is 11-4 in Lowe's last 15 starts against a team with a winning record.
Braves are 9-2 last 11 road games against a team with a losing home record.
Over is 4-0 last 4 interleague games as a favorite.
Key Injuries - CF Nate McLouth (head) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (Side of the Day)
White Sox (-110, O/U 9): Chicago is back over .500 for the season, courtesy of a current 8 game winning streak. The White Sox have dominated interleague play for quite some time now, and this year is no exception. After starting the season off terribly, the White Sox are now 36-34 SU, 3.5 games behind the Twins in the American League Central. Chicago is -0.28 and -6.79 units both SU and on the RL this year. P Gavin Floyd has been terrible this year, so he will be looking for improvement when he takes the mound this afternoon. Floyd is 2-7 with an ERA of 5.20 and a WHIP of 1.45 this season. The White Sox are 11-1 in their last 12 games overall. Chicago is 8-0 in their last 8 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The White Sox are 10-1 in their last 11 games against a right-handed starter. Chicago is 8-0 in Floyd's last 8 starts as a home underdog. The White Sox are 1-4 in Floyd's last 5 starts as a home favorite. The White Sox are 1-6 in Floyd's last 7 starts following a quality start in his last appearance.
White Sox are 7-0 last 7 games as a favorite of -110 to -150.
Over is 11-4-1 last 16 games as a favorite.
Key Injuries - 3B Mark Teahen (finger) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 4
Boston Red Sox at Colorado Rockies
Red Sox: Boston is looking to avoid being swept by Colorado. Boston had Ubaldo Jimenez figured out, yet they weren't quite able to pull off the underdog victory. Boston is now 43-30 SU this year, with a road record of 17-15 SU. 4 of the 5 teams in the American League East are in losing streaks, so Boston is only 2 games behind the division lead. The Red Sox are +3.54 and -4.33 units both SU and on the RL respectively this year. P Daisuke Matsuzaka will take the mound today, and he's 5-2 with an ERA of 4.59 and a WHIP of 1.31 this year. The Red Sox are 60-17 in their last 77 interleague games against a right-handed starter. Boston is 18-6 in their last 24 games against a right-handed starter. The Red Sox are 19-7 in their last 26 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Red Sox are 9-2 in Matsuzaka's last 11 road starts against a team with a winning record. Boston is 7-3 in Matsuzaka's last 10 starts as an underdog.
Red Sox are 17-4 last 21 games when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 6-2 last 8 interleague road games.
Key Injuries - RF J.D. Drew (hamstring) is doubtful.
PROJECTED SCORE: 7 (OVER - Total of the Day)
Rockies (-115, O/U 9): Colorado is making a push in the brutally difficult National League West standings, thanks to 7 wins in their past 10 games. The Rockies are 38-33 SU this season, with an impressive home record of 23-13 SU. Colorado is -0.75 and +2.40 units both SU and on the RL this year. P Jason Hammel has been nearly untouchable over his past 3 starts, with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.10. Overall this season, Hammel is 5-3 with an ERA of 4.03 and a WHIP of 1.34. The Rockies are 7-0 in their last 7 games against the American League East. The Rockies are 4-0 in their last 4 home games against a right-handed starter. Colorado is 22-4 in their last 26 interleague home games against a right-handed starter. The Rockies are 8-1 in Hammel's last 9 starts as a home favorite of -110 to -150. Colorado is 3-7 in Hammel's last 10 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Rockies are 7-0 last 7 home games against a team with a winning road record.
Under is 12-5 last 17 games against a team with a winning record.
Key Injuries - SS Troy Tulowitzki (wrist) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 6
Diamond Trends - Thursday
By Vince Akins
Dodgers at Angels – The Dodgers are 0-5 since April 11, 2010 when Charlie Haeger starts for a net profit of $515 when playing against. The Angels are 8-0 since June 14, 2009 as a home 140+ favorite when they won by one run in their starter's last start for a net profit of $800. The Angels are 0-6 since October 20, 2009 at home after a one run win for a net profit of $740 when playing against.
Giants at Astros – The Giants are 9-0 since July 29, 2009 as a 140+ favorite when they won the last time they faced this starting pitcher for a net profit of $900. The Giants are 0-5 since July 01, 2009 when Matt Cain starts on the road after going at least 6 innings and giving up 6 or fewer hits and they lost in his previous start for a net profit of $530 when playing against. The Astros are 7-0 since May 03, 2009 when Wandy Rodriguez starts the last game of a three game series when they split the first two for a net profit of $790.
Cardinals at Blue Jays – The Cardinals are 0-6 since July 30, 2009 as a favorite after scoring 3 runs or less and winning and it is the last game of a series for a net profit of $1065 when playing against. The Cardinals are 0-5 since April 24, 2010 when Adam Wainwright starts on the road after a quality start and they won in his previous start for a net profit of $610 when playing against. The Blue Jays are 0-7 since May 21, 2009 after a loss in which they were shut out in the first 6 innings and it is the last game of a series for a net profit of $810 when playing against.
Twins at Brewers - The Twins are 5-0 since July 26, 2009 on the road vs a team that has won at least their last three games for a net profit of $695. The Twins are 0-7 since June 06, 2009 when Nick Blackburn starts on the road in June for a net profit of $735 when playing against. The Brewers are 7-0 since September 06, 2009 as a favorite when they blew a lead in their starter's last start and lost for a net profit of $700.
Cubs at Mariners – The Cubs are 0-9 since May 09, 2009 as a dog after a loss in which they drew 1 or fewer walks for a net profit of $900 when playing against. The Cubs are 0-7 since April 27, 2009 when Ted Lilly starts on the road after his team lost the last time he started for a net profit of $775 when playing against. The Mariners are 10-0 since June 07, 2009 as a 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 $1000.
Tigers at Mets – The Tigers are 7-0 since June 19, 2009 when Armando Galarraga starts in June for a net profit of $715. The Mets are 8-0 since April 23, 2010 at home within 20 cents of pickem when they are off a win in which they never trailed for a net profit of $865. The Mets are 8-0 since April 25, 2010 within 20 cents of pick ‘em vs. a team that has lost at least their last two games and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $830
Indians at Phillies – The Phillies are 0-7 since April 16, 2009 as a favorite when they are off a game in which they scored in at least five separate innings and it is the last game of a series for a net profit of $1230 when playing against. The Phillies are 0-6 since April 15, 2010 as a 140+ favorite when they are off a win in which they came back from a deficit for a net profit of $1070 when playing against.
Pirates at Rangers – The Pirates are 5-0 since September 30, 2009 as a road dog after a 5+ run loss and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1040. The Rangers are 8-0 since July 31, 2009 as a favorite after a 5+ run win and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $800. The Rangers are 7-0 since May 07, 2010 at home after a win in which they had 12+ hits for a net profit of $715. The Rangers are 0-5 since July 18, 2009 when Scott Feldman starts at home after throwing more than 100 pitches and they won in his previous start for a net profit of $640 when playing against.
Padres at Rays – The Padres are 0-9 since April 19, 2009 on the road vs a team that has lost at least their last three games for a net profit of $900 when playing against. The Padres are 6-0 since September 09, 2009 when Wade LeBlanc starts after going at least 6 innings and giving up no home runs and they won in his previous start for a net profit of $710.
Red Sox at Rockies – The Rockies are 9-0 since June 04, 2009 when Jason Hammel starts in June for a net profit of $1025.
Braves at White Sox – The Braves are 7-0 since July 10, 2009 when Derek Lowe starts on the road when he is off a start in which he needed fewer than 3.5 pitches per batter for a net profit of $820. The Braves are 6-0 since July 26, 2009 when Derek Lowe starts when the start time is earlier than 4:00 PM local time for a net profit of $650. The White Sox are 9-0 since April 29, 2009 at home after a win in which they left fewer than 10 men on base and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $940.