Thursday's Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers
Streakers
Mat Latos (9-4, 2.62) San Diego Padres
The 6-foot-6 Latos is 4-0 in his last five starts and has allowed only one earned run in his past three outings for a total of 20 2/3 innings and an ERA of 0.44.
His last start was an eight-inning, four-hit shutout against Astros ace Roy Oswalt in which Latos did not allow a runner to advance past first base.
The key for Latos has been fastball location. He uses it to get ahead of hitters, which opens the door to his other pitches.
"Latos had his fastball moving pretty good," said Houston's Hunter Pence. "I think that late movement, I felt like I was right on it and pounded it into the ground."
Tommy Hunter (5-0, 1.98) Texas Rangers
Hunter is 5-0 in his six starts this season and seems to be getting better with age.
He threw seven-plus innings of one-run ball against the White Sox in his last outing on July 3, his 24th birthday.
"He's pounding the strike zone, not making mistakes in the middle of the plate and executing his pitches," Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Hunter. "When you do that, you get the results he's getting. Right now he's executing very well. He's throwing strikes, keeping the ball in play. He's doing everything we'd like to see a pitcher do."
Helping Hunter's winning streak and shrinking ERA is the fact that he has not allowed a home run all season.
Slumpers
Brett Cecil (7-5, 4.19) Toronto Blue Jays
Cecil is 0-3 in his last four starts and has been shelled for 29 hits and 17 earned runs in those 21 2/3 innings.
Cecil, who has a 9.20 ERA over his past three starts, held the Mets to only four hits in his last outing but issued six walks to settle for a no-decision.
"The ball just keeps drifting up a little bit," said Cecil. "I'm unbelievably frustrated, obviously. The great thing about it is you've just got to keep pitching."
Roy Oswalt (10-5, 3.72) Houston Astros
Even though he's 0-2 in his last three starts, it might not be fair to call Oswalt a slumper.
The Astros gave their ace only two runs over that stretch so he would have had to pitch shutouts to get a W.
In fact, Oswalt did throw seven scoreless innings in his last outing against the Padres but settled for a no-decision when his team failed to score a run.
"I haven't seen [Oswalt] that good in a while," said San Diego's Tony Gwynn Jr. "He threw the ball lights-out today. Sometimes you've got to tip your cap to the guy on the bump -- he was throwing the ball very well. He had all four of his pitches working."
However, Oswalt's previous two starts were less than stellar, allowing 13 hits and nine earned runs in only 11.2 innings. Maybe he's saving his best stuff for his new team after the All-Star break.
Thursday's Afternoon Tips
By Judd Hall
It’s a busy Thursday in Major League Baseball with 12 games on the schedule, including four afternoon battles. We’ll get to see a pair of hurlers in a series finale in Denver that could start in next Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Let’s take a look at the businessman specials on the diamond.
Pirates (30-53, -696) at Astros (33-51, -529) – 2:05 p.m. EDT
Not much has gone right in Pittsburgh when it comes to baseball. Yet they do have some reason to be happy at the moment as the Pirates have won four of their last six contests. Houston hasn’t had much luck either, having dropped six of its past 10 tests.
The Pirates will task Ross Ohlendorf (1-6, 4.39) to close out this series on a high note. You can look at the right-hander’s record and think he’s garbage, but the numbers are misleading. In the nine losses the Bucs have had with Ohlendorf on the hill, he allowed three or fewer earned runs in five of those games. Adding insult to injury is a total lack of run support for him as Pittsburgh has crossed the plate three times or fewer in seven of those defeats.
Houston counters with Roy Oswalt (5-10, 3.32) on Thursday afternoon. Oswalt can’t catch a break is seems right now as he’s lost his last three starts, which were all setbacks for the Astros. He pitched well enough to win a pair of those games but his offense mustered a total of two runs in his last three appearances.
The ‘under’ was the smart wager to take on with the Pirates when on the road, evidenced by a 6-3-1 mark. Houston has watched the ‘over’ post a 4-2-1 record in its past seven games at Minute Maid Park. However, the ‘Stros have seen the ‘under’ go 8-4-1 when listed as home faves this season.
Angels (46-40, +339) at White Sox (44-38, +448) – 2:05 p.m. EDT
There are plenty of series for any team during the season that can potentially make or break their playoff hopes. This is indeed one of those battles with the White Sox sitting only a game behind Detroit for first place in the AL Central and the Halos 3 ½-games in back of Texas in the American League West.
Ervin Santana (8-6, 3.95) gets the starting nod from the Angels for the final match of this four-game set. Santana hasn’t pitched on the road since early June, but he’s made the most of it by winning three of his last four starts outside of the O.C.
Chicago will give the ball over to John Danks (7-7, 3.58) for this contest. The White Sox have failed to capture victory in his last two starts, which makes sense as he’s been a bit streaky this season. The ChiSox went 4-1 to start the year with Danks on the hill. Since then, they’ve seen him go into a 1-5 slump to along with his recent struggles. It also doesn’t help that Danks is 1-3 with a 3.16 earned run average in seven career starts against Los Angeles.
What the White Sox do have for bettors to back up their wagers is that they’ve won nine of their last 10 games at U.S. Cellular Field. The ‘under’ cashed in six of those fixtures. Los Angeles has dropped five of its past seven games this year. The Halos have watched the ‘over’ has hit in six of their past eight road contests.
Giants (43-40, -195) at Brewers (37-47, -1,087) – 2:10 p.m. EDT
Could the Giants actually be swinging big bats again? It looks like that is a possibility after scoring 26 runs in their last four games. Bettors have taken note that San Francisco has won three of those four tests.
San Fran will look to Barry Zito (7-4, 3.75) to keep the good feelings going. Zito didn’t get the win against the Rockies, but he did enough to help the Giants to win 11-8 last Saturday in Denver. It was their first victory with the southpaw on the mound since a 5-4 triumph at home against Oakland on June 12. Zito has been a bit more of a risk on the road this season (2-3, 4.86) for gamblers over his outings at AT&T Park (5-1, 2.83).
Manny Parra (3-5, 4.45) is coming off of a 12-5 win for the Brewers in St. Louis on July 3. At Miller Park, however, Parra has been forgettable with a 1-3 record and an ERA of 4.36.
Milwaukee has won its last three games as a home underdog. San Francisco has lost six of its last nine as a road favorite against left-handed pitching.
Cardinals (45-38, -834) at Rockies (45-38, +64) – 3:10 p.m. EDT
As if a battle between two possible playoff teams isn’t enough, we’re getting a pair of the better pitchers facing off in the Senior Circuit. The only problem is that they are both coming off of shaky performances.
St. Louis’s Chris Carpenter (9-2, 3.16) has been one of the most reliable pitchers in the game with his team winning 13 of his 18 starts. But you’re only as good as your last start for some, which isn’t good for Carpenter. He lasted just three innings after allowing seven earned runs on nine hits as the Brew Crew rolled to a 12-5 road win last Saturday.
Ubaldo Jimenez (14-1, 2.27) has been on another planet when taking the mound for the Rockies this year. Colorado has won all but two of his 17 starts in 2010. But Jimenez has been vulnerable as of late by giving up 17 earned runs in his last three starts. To give you an idea how big a drop-off that is for the Rockies’ ace, he gave up 13 earned runs in his first 14 starts of the year. Gamblers can take heart in the fact that he is 5-0 with a 3.94 ERA at Coors Field this season.
Colorado has dropped four of its last six games this year as a home “chalk” against teams from the National League Central this year. The ‘under’ is 4-2 in those games.
Carpenter has only been a road ‘dog 10 times since joining the Cardinals in 2004. St. Louis has gone 7-3 in this situation.
vegasinsider.com
Thursday Late Tips
By Kevin Rogers
The Thursday night baseball card wraps up with three games out west, as these clubs begin their final series before the All-Star Break. The Yankees, Cubs, Marlins all continue West Coast swings against non-division opponents, as we'll start in the desert with the Fish trying to swim past the Snakes.
Marlins at Diamondbacks - 9:40 PM EST
Two struggling teams get together at Chase Field for a four-game series as both clubs try to end the first half on a solid note. The D-Backs are just 1-4 since the firing of manager A.J. Hinch last Thursday, while scoring only 10 runs in the four losses. The Marlins picked up a series opening victory over the Dodgers, but were trounced on Tuesday at Los Angeles, 7-3.
Rodrigo Lopez (4-7, 4.43 ERA) looks to rebound after getting knocked around by the Dodgers his last time out, allowing nine runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings of a 14-1 drubbing. The veteran beat the Yankees and Rays in his two previous outings as healthy underdogs, but Lopez owns a 2-4 mark at Chase Field with an ERA of 5.08. Lopez has never faced the Marlins in his career, while Arizona is 2-5 in his seven home starts as a 'dog.
The Marlins send out Anibal Sanchez (7-5, 3.35 ERA), who tries to turn around his luck following consecutive losses to the Braves and Padres. Florida is 2-4 the previous six times Sanchez has started, but the righty has put together quality outings in seven of his last 10 trips to the hill. The Marlins have struggled in Sanchez's career as a road favorite, putting together a 2-6 mark, with the two wins coming this season at Baltimore and Houston.
Florida and Arizona split a two-game series at Sun Life Stadium in mid-May, as that series was dominated by the Hanley Ramirez controversy in which the All-Star shortstop was reprimanded for not hustling after a flyball. The Marlins and D-Backs split a four-game set in Phoenix last July, which included a 14-7 Florida victory as the Fish rallied from a 7-0 deficit to stun Arizona.
Cubs at Dodgers - 10:10 PM EST
Going out west was the cure to Chicago's ills, as the Cubs grabbed a series over the lowly D-Backs. Lou Piniella's team tries to keep its winning ways alive on the road at Chavez Ravine, taking on a Dodgers' club that has captured six of their past eight games.
Clayton Kershaw (8-4, 3.02 ERA) cruised to an easy win over Arizona in his last start, but went only 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts. The last time the southpaw took the mound at Dodger Stadium, Kershaw left with a 5-2 lead over the Yankees, as the Los Angeles bullpen blew the game and Dodgers lost in extras. The 'over' has cashed in five of Kershaw's last six starts, while the Dodgers are 6-3 in his nine home outings.
The inconsistent Randy Wells (4-6, 4.67 ERA) looks for his third straight quality start, coming off a solid victory over the NL Central-leading Reds last Saturday. Wells has allowed one earned run in each of his last two outings, but both those starts came at Wrigley Field. Pitching on the highway has been a different story for Wells, as the Cubs are 0-3 in his last three starts away from the North Side.
The Cubs took two of three games at Wrigley Field over the Dodgers back in late May, as both Chicago victories came via the shutout. The Dodgers are 6-2 the last eight home contests in this series, including a 3-1 mark last season.
Yankees at Mariners - 10:10 PM EST
New York is looking to avenge a home series loss to Seattle last week as the venue shifts to Safeco Field for this weekend set. The M's were led by aces Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez in underdog victories in the Bronx, but Seattle couldn't pull off the sweep when CC Sabathia shut down the Mariners in the series finale.
The Yankees started this West Coast swing with a series victory at Oakland, as veteran Andy Pettitte (10-2, 2.82 ERA) takes the mound. The All-Star lefty has pitched his best on the road, winning all three decisions, while the Yanks are 5-1 in his six away starts. The 'over' is 3-0 in each of Pettitte's last three starts, as New York averaged 9.3 runs/game in each of those victories.
Jason Vargas (6-4, 3.22 ERA) should be happy to be pitching back at Safeco Field following consecutive road losses to Detroit and Milwaukee. Vargas didn't receive any run support in the defeats, with the Mariners plating one run in those games. At home, the M's are 7-2 in Vargas' nine starts, including victories over the Angels, Twins, and Cubs.
The Yankees won four of seven games at Safeco Field last season, but the M's have held their own by splitting the last 14 meetings in this series. New York is 6-1 in its previous seven games on the road, while Seattle has dropped three straight at home following a five-game hot streak at Safeco.
vegasinsider.com
MLB RoundUp For 7/8
By Dan Bebe
National League
Pirates @ Astros (-205) with a total of 7
Ronny Cedeno is 3-for-8 off Oswalt;
Andy LaRoche 3-for-5 off Oswalt;
Lance Berkman is 6-for-13 with a HR and 5 RBI off Ohlendorf.
This price is just out of control, and while I realize Oswalt is 14-7 with a 2.62 ERA lifetime against the Pirates, and Ohlendorf is 0-5 with a 7.57 ERA against the Astros, I am still not even remotely tempted to play a home RL. Just won't do it. Leans: None
Giants (-115) @ Brewers with a total of 9
Aaron Rowand is 3-for-7 with 3 RBI off Parra;
Ryan Braun is 4-for-10 with 2 HR and 4 RBI off Zito;
Corey Hart is 4-for-10 with 1 HR and 2 RBI off Zito.
Considering the ass-whoopin' the Giants put on the Brewers, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Milwaukee come storming back in this one. Manny Parra is 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA lifetime against the Giants, though he's coming off a pair of rough outings. Zito is coming off a poor start of his own, and he's just 1-3 with a 6.19 ERA against the Brewers. The Over might be in play, though off yesterday's insane game, not sure there's a ton of value left in that selection. Leans: Brewers, Over
Cardinals @ Rockies (-150) with a total of 7.5
I'm short on the player numbers, but I do know that Carpenter is 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA lifetime against the Rockies. I also know Ubaldo Jimenez is on a run of 3 straight subpar starts, so tough to really back him in this one. On the same note, the Cardinals are blowing leads left and right, so unless Carpenter goes 9, who knows what might happen? Carpenter is coming off a poor start, too getting shelled by Milwaukee, a team that he suddenly can't solve. That history with the Rox, though, makes this a potential live dog despite coming off his worst start of 2010 by a large margin. Leans: Cardinals
Reds (-115) @ Phillies with a total of 9
Brandon Phillips is 4-for-8 off Kendrick;
Shane Victorino is 2-for-4 with a HR and 2 RBI.
REMATCH ALERT! Johnny Cueto is 1-2 with an 8.04 ERA against the Phillies in his career, but it was a heck of a lot worse than that before he went 8 innings of 1-run baseball against them 2 starts back. Meanwhile, Kendrick got spanked in that one, allowing 6 runs, 5 earned in a little over 6 innings. Yes, it's a rematch, but Cueto was just a -125 favorite at home, and now he's -115 on the road? I find it hard to believe that's a fair line. There's definitely some value on the team that got shellacked last time, but with Kendrick's 6.75 ERA against the Reds lifetime, this isn't going to be a big play. Leans: Phillies
Padres (-150) @ Nationals with a total of 7.5
Tough to really make a play on the side in this one, considering the way the first couple games in this series have gone, with the Nats squeaking out a couple wins. I'd be very surprised to see the Padres lose 3 straight in Washington to a lesser team, but I suppose the pen could be a getting a little road-weary as we approach the All Star break. Latos is one of the best young pitchers in baseball, and he's likely to go 6-7 strong innings. Atilano is very hit-or-miss, coming off a poor outing, and has never faced the Padres. I suppose this line is probably a tiny bit of value on the Nats, but with the Padres on the brink of a disastrous series, I would think they play a little harder in this one. Leans: Padres
Marlins (-130) @ D'backs with a total of 9.5
Jorge Cantu is 7-for-14 with a HR and 4 RBI off Lopez.
Rodrigo Lopez has an ERA of 81.00 against the Marlins, somehow, but we'll go ahead and dump that as mostly irrelevant. Sanchez is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA against the D'backs, who continue to flounder despite bringing on a new Manager. They won the first game under Gibson, and haven't won another since. Sanchez is the Marlins 2nd best starter, and Florida comes to town off a productive series in LA against the Dodgers. I think this line is a little pricey, though I also believe the Marlins win the game. Sort of puts us in a tough little bind. Leans: Marlins
Cubs @ Dodgers (-200) with a total of 7
Don't even need to get into the player numbers or the real thick of the handicapping here in the blog. This isn't a game I would touch with a 10 foot pole. The Cubbies fans come out of the woodwork for this series every year, minimizing the home field edge the Dodgers normally rely on. Kershaw could go 8 dominant innings, or the Cubs could come up with a strong road showing. No thanks. Leans: None
American League
Angels @ White Sox (-155) with a total of 8.5
Bobby Abreu is 4-for-9 with 2 HR off Danks before 2010;
Andruw Jones is 2-for-4 with 2 HR and 3 RBI off Santana;
Mark Kotsay is a career .391 batter against Santana.
This is too pricey for me on Danks, and I find it tough to believe that the Angels take this severe a beating in Chicago. But man, those Halos are having a very tough time getting hits in key spots. Ervin Santana is 4-2 with a 4.30 ERA against the White Sox, though he went 7 strong innings in a win against them earlier this year. Danks gave up 3 runs 2 earned, in a nice start of his own against the Angels, but lost a low-scoring tough game, and that phenomenon probably explains his 1-3, 3.16 ERA pairing of low-ERA, poor record. Leans: Angels
Twins @ Blue Jays (-135) with a total of 9
Aaron Hill is 5-for-10 with a HR and 2 RBI off Baker;
Vernon Wells is just 3-for-11 off Baker, but 2 homers mixed in.
Scott Baker is 0-3 with a 5.10 ERA against the Blue Jays, and you have to think that if Toronto had some better starting pitching in this series, they'd have easily won the first two games. As it stands, they won a tight one last night (thank goodness, game of the week), and lost a tight one in the opener. Baker has a 6.55 ERA on the road, where he is just a mess, and he's absolutely not a guy I'd back in a road game barring some wild circumstances. Cecil has been almost that bad at home, strangely, though he's 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA against the Twinkies, and I like that the Jays just keep pulling lefties out of the hat. Leans: Blue Jays, Over
Indians @ Rays (-210) with a total of 9
Carlos Pena is 5-for-11 with 2 HR and 4 RBI off Westbrook.
Nope. In the immortal words of Dana Carvey and his GW Sr. impersonation, "Not gonna do it." We've made back most of our early-season losses sticking to a very simple gameplan of not trying too many fancy plays, grabbing at the value plays that have a very nice shot of not only winning long term, but winning short term, as well, and this game has all the makings of a match-up where a lot of folks are going to reach out and grab the Indians. And if they have the bankroll, I don't blame 'em. Westbrook is 6-2 with a 3.66 ERA lifetime against the Rays, but Tampa is a much better offensive club now than they were 3 years ago, and Westbrook is very likely to give up at least a small chunk of runs. Wade Davis might, too, but that pen is solid, and the Rays are playing better, again. Leans: None
Orioles @ Rangers (-290) with a total of 9.5
Ian Kinsler is 4-for-11 with an RBI off Guthrie.
Interestingly, Jeremy Guthrie is 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA lifetime against the Rangers, so this might be one of those times where we make a slight exception to our rule of 300, and just drop a quarter unit on the dog, since a line this high is rarely warranted. Leans: N/A
Yankees (-165) @ Mariners with a total of 7.5
Robinson Cano is a perfect 3-for-3 off Vargas;
Franklin Gutierrez is 5-for-12 with a HR off Pettitte;
Ichiro is 6-for-17 off Pettitte since '05;
Josh Wilson is 5-for-10 off Pettitte with 3 RBI.
If Vargas weren't pitching like a turd in his last couple starts, and didn't have a 7.50 ERA against the Yankees, and Pettitte wasn't having his best season in a decade, well, I might consider the Mariners. Seattle played well in New York a week ago, but you can attribute a lot of that to the starting pitchers that got the job done. Vargas is not one of them. Probably a pass, but I'd lean to the Yanks, with the way they're playing on this road trip. Leans: Yankees
Tips and Trends
San Francisco Giants at Milwaukee Brewers
Giants (-115, O/U 9): San Francisco has been the listed underdog in each of their past 4 games, yet that hasn't stopped the team from winning 3 of those games. San Francisco is currently swinging hot bats, as they've scored at least 6 runs in 3 of their past 4 games overall. The Giants are 43-40 SU this season, placing them 6 games behind San Diego. San Francisco would love to get a few games closer to the Padres as they head into the All-Star break. The Giants are -1.95 and -5.42 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. P Barry Zito will look to get back on track tonight, as he's had a few poor starts of late. Zito is 7-4 with an ERA of 3.75 and a WHIP of 1.25. The Giants are 18-7 in their last 25 games against the National League Central. San Francisco is 2-9 in their last 11 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Giants are 5-1 in Zito's last 6 starts against the National League Central.
Giants are 10-4 last 14 games against a team with a losing record.
Over is 9-4 last 13 games against a team with a losing record.
Key Injuries - 3B Juan Uribe (finger) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (Side of the Day)
Brewers: It's been 11 games since Milwaukee last won consecutive games. Milwaukee has really fallen in the standings over the past few weeks, as they are now only 37-47 SU for the season. Shockingly, Milwaukee has a losing record at home, 17-24 SU. The Brewers are -10.87 and -9.90 units both SU and on the RL overall this season. Offensively, the Brewers have scored 1 run or less in 4 of their past 5 games overall. Lefty P Manny Parra 3-5 this season, with an ERA of 4.45 and a WHIP of 1.65. The Brewers are 0-4 in their last 4 games against a left-handed starter. Milwaukee is 0-4 in their last 4 during game 4 of a series. The Brewers are 2-6 in Parra's last 8 starts against the National League West.
Brewers are 1-4 last 5 home games.
Over is 11-2 last 13 starts against the National League West.
Key Injuries - CF Jody Gerut (heel) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 4
St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado Rockies
Cardinals: St. Louis certainly isn't playing their best baseball currently, as they keep losing games despite being the listed favorite. St. Louis has lost 4 of their last 6 games, with 5 of those games coming as the listed favorite. As a result, the Cardinals are looking up at the Reds in the National League Central. St. Louis is 45-38 SU this year, 2 games behind Cincinnati. St. Louis is -8.34 and -14.19 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. P Chris Carpenter will take the mound today, as he is 9-2 with an ERA of 3.16 and a WHIP of 1.21 this season. The Cardinals are 3-7 in their last 10 games against the National League West. The Cardinals are 1-4 in their last 5 road games against a right-handed starter. St. Louis is 5-0 in Carpenter's last 5 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance. The Cardinals are 21-8 in Carpenter's last 29 starts against the National League West. St. Louis is 19-7 in Carpenter's last 26 starts with 4 days of rest.
Cardinals are 0-9 last 9 during game 3 of a series.
Over is 5-1 last 6 road games against a team with a home winning percentage greater than .600%.
Key Injuries - RF Ryan Ludwick (leg) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 2
Rockies (-150, O/U 7.5): Colorado has won 4 of their past 5 games, as they seem poised to start their typical summer push to the top of the standings. Colorado will send Jhoulys Chacin to the mound today, so they are certainly confident another win is in order. The Rockies are 45-38 SU this season, 4 games behind the Padres in the National League West standings. Colorado is +0.64 and +1.45 units both SU and on the RL this season. Chacin is 5-7 overall this year, with an ERA of 3.93 and a WHIP of 1.32. The Rockies are 4-0 in their last 4 games against a right-handed starter. The Rockies are 35-17 in their last 52 home games against a right-handed starter. Colorado is 35-17 in their last 52 games against the National League Central. Colorado is 2-5 in Chacin's last 7 starts overall.
Rockies are 9-2 last 11 home games against a team with a winning record.
Over is 8-1 last 9 games against a team with a winning record.
Key Injuries - 1B Todd Helton (back) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 3 (UNDER - Total of the Day)
Diamond Trends - Thursday
By Vince Akins
Pirates at Astros – The Pirates are 0-11 since May 28, 2010 as a 140+ dog after allowing 6+ runs loss for a net profit of $1100 when playing against. The Pirates are 0-6 since June 09, 2009 when Ross Ohlendorf starts vs a team that lost their starters last two starts for a net profit of $600 when playing against. The Astros are 0-6 since April 17, 2009 as a 140+ favorite when they scored two or fewer runs for their starter in his last start for a net profit of $835 when playing against.
Giants at Brewers – The Giants are 5-0 since April 22, 2009 when Barry Zito starts as a dog vs a team that has lost at least their last two games for a net profit of $590. The Brewers are 0-7 since May 12, 2010 when they are off two losses in which they never led for a net profit of $760 when playing against. The Brewers are 5-0 since August 13, 2009 when Manny Parra starts at home after his team lost the last time he started vs this opponent for a net profit of $580.
Marlins at Diamondbacks – The Marlins are 0-9 since May 02, 2009 when Anibal Sanchez starts within 20 cents of pickem vs a team that has hit more grounders than fly balls season-to-date for a net profit of $915 when playing against. The Marlins are 7-0 since May 02, 2010 after a win in which they allowed 1 or fewer walks for a net profit of $770.
Cubs at Dodgers – The Cubs are 0-8 since April 10, 2009 on the road after a 5+ run win and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $885 when playing against. The Dodgers are 0-6 since July 24, 2009 as a favorite vs a team that has won at least their last three games and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $955 when playing against. The Dodgers are 0-6 since July 24, 2009 when Clayton Kershaw starts vs a team that has won at least their last two games and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $935 when playing against.
Yankees at Mariners – The Yankees are 8-0 since April 10, 2009 as a 140+ favorite after a win in which they had 12+ hits and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $800. The Mariners are 0-8 since June 14, 2009 when Jason Vargas starts when the bullpen allowed at least three runs yesterday for a net profit of $830 when playing against.
Padres at Nationals – The Padres are 6-0 since April 10, 2010 when Mat Latos starts when the bullpen has allowed at least one run for two straight games for a net profit of $700. The Nationals are 0-8 since May 16, 2010 as a dog and it is the last game of the series for a net profit of $800 when playing against.
Reds at Phillies – The Reds are 5-0 since August 07, 2009 on the road after a win in which they allowed 1 or fewer walks and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $715.
Orioles at Rangers – The Orioles are 0-8 since September 04, 2009 as a dog when they are off a loss in which they had at least three times as many hits as runs and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $800 when playing against. The Orioles are 0-8 since July 25, 2009 when Jeremy Guthrie starts after the team lost their last three games for a net profit of $800 when playing against. The Rangers are 9-0 since July 27, 2009 when Tommy Hunter starts as a favorite after his team won the last time he started for a net profit of $900.
Indians at Rays – The Rays are 0-6 since April 10, 2009 when they are off two wins in which they never trailed and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $765 when playing against. The Rays are 0-6 since September 12, 2009 when Wade Davis starts vs a team that has averaged 7+ strikeouts per game for a net profit of $825 when playing against.
Cardinals at Rockies – The Cardinals are 8-0 since May 20, 2009 when their starter went less than four innings in his last start for a net profit of $860. The Cardinals are 0-5 since April 14, 2009 when Chris Carpenter starts on the road after his team lost the last time he started vs this opponent for a net profit of $555 when playing against. The Rockies are 7-0 since August 12, 2009 when Ubaldo Jimenez starts as a favorite after throwing more than 100 pitches at home for a net profit of $700
Angels at White Sox – The Angels are 0-7 since August 25, 2009 when they are off two losses in which they never led and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $860 when playing against. The Angels are 5-0 since April 23, 2010 when Ervin Santana starts after facing 30 or more hitters for a net profit of $530. The White Sox are 0-9 since May 10, 2009 at home when they are off a win in which they never trailed and it is the last game of a series for a net profit of $1105 when playing against.