PlusLineSports Daily Baseball Selection
Boston Red Sox Runline -1.5 (+125)
J. R. Miller
MARLINS +124 over Diamondbacks (Miller-Webb)
YANKEES +113 at Mets (Pettitte-Santana)
TIGERS -1.5 +125 over Rockies (Verlander-Francis) (OR -165)
CARDINALS +115 at Royals (Boggs-Davies)
RANGERS +120 over Phillies (Padilla-Hamels)
ATHLETICS -138 over Giants (Duchscherer-Lincecum)
Giants at Athletics OVER 7.0 +106 (any pitchers)
Ross Benjamin 15* Top Play of the Day.
Play: Cleveland -125 (15*)
The Indians starting pitcher Paul Byrd has struggled of late which dictates the cheap price we get here. However Byrd has pitched very well in 6 home starts posting a 2.97 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and a 6:1 strikeout to walk ratio. In 3 starts versus the Reds since 2008 Byrd has posted an outstanding 1.29 ERA. Contrarily the Reds starter Jonny Cueto has had his problems on the road going 1-6 in his team starts while posting a lofty 6.49 ERA, a 1.62 WHIP, and allowed 7 home runs in just 34.2 innings pitched. The Reds are a dismal 14-29 on the road this season and 8-27 in their last 35 overall versus a team with a win percentage of less than .500.
Play on the Cleveland Indians as my 15* Top Play of the Day.
Larry Ness
Milwaukee vs. Minnesota
Pick: MINNESOTA TWINS
After a surprisingly strong start to '08 (his first-ever season in the AL), Hernandez had gone 0-3 with a 9.38 ERA in his previous six starts (team was 2-4). However, Hernandez allowed five hits and only one run over seven innings against the Nats that day, getting a 2-1 win. The Twins haven't lost since, as last night's 7-6 win was the team's 10th in a row. The Twins have outscored opponents 65-25 during their winning streak and along with the Royals, own MLB's best interleague mark in '08 (13-3). Hernandez takes a two-game winning streak into tonight's game, as this past Sunday he bested Arizona's Brandon Webb 5-3, going seven innings while allowing nine hits but just one ER. While Hernandez has been "far from perfect" this season (5.23 ERA), the Twins are 12-5 (plus-$1,050) in his starts, which ranks him 4th-best among starters, in all of MLB. The Brewers come in 20-9 since May 26 but they have lost their last two games. Manny Parra (7-2 with a 4.29 ERA) gets the start and is looking for a sixth straight win but like so many of Milwaukee's pitchers, his road efforts pale in comparison to his performances at home. He's 5-0 with a 2.75 ERA in nine home starts (team is 7-2) but 2-2 with a 7.25 ERA in six road starts (team is 3-3). The Twins continue to win but some reason, we do not see their on-field successes reflected in the moneyline. Tonight's a perfect an example. Go with Minnesota.
Rocky Atkinson
Boston vs. Houston
Pick: BOSTON RED SOX
Boston is 43-13 the past 3 years in Inter-League play. Boston is 49-23 on grass this year. Boston is 29-9 this year when playing against a team with a losing record. Boston bullpen has a 3.77 ERA overall this year. Houston bullpen has a 5.15 ERA at home this season. Lester is 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA overall this year and 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA his last 3 starts. We'll recommend a small play on Boston tonight!
Dustin Hawkins
Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox
Pick: Chicago Cubs
The Cubs won the earlier series at Wrigley , but were shown up yesterday by the Sox. Galllagher is a better pitcher then everyone thinks. The White Sox will look to hit homeruns, but the ball will be dead today, Cubs win a close one. Take the Cubs to the Bank!!!
Steve Janus
St Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals
Pick: St Louis Cardinals
The Royals have won four in a row against the Cardinals, but it's time for that streak to come to an end. Since coming into the starting rotation, Cardinals starter, Kyle Davies, has compiled a 3-0 record and just a 3.12 ERA. I like his, and the Cardinals, odds against a team that is stuck right a .500 in their home stadium.
Oddswiz
Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros
Play: Boston Red Sox
The current price is right around our limit for getting involved which keeps this from being a premium play. Though if we were to see -125 or better we'd probably bite.
Lester goes to the hill today for the sox with an undefeted record in interleague play and an era in those games under 2 runs. He faces Brandon Backe who has won just once in his last 5 starts and has been lit up like an xmas tree.
Again, we have the better team with the better pitcher. It's the price that keeps us in check here and off this one as a premium play unless it drops.
Locksmith Sports
1 Unit on Red Sox -145
There's a lot of negative things going on with the Astros organization right now and it is showing up on the field. The Astros are just 7-20 in their last 27 overall, 0-7 in their last 7 games as a home underdog, 0-9 in their last 9 during game 2 of a series, and 2-11 in their last 13 vs. American League East. Things don't look to be getting better for Houston any time soon. The Red Sox are 42-9 in their last 51 interleague games as a favorite, 52-14 in their last 66 interleague games overall, 7-0 in Lester's last 7 interleague starts and 19-4 in Lester's last 23 starts vs. a team with a losing record. We'll lay a little juice here and the Red Sox continue their interleague dominance.
EZWINNERS
3 STAR: (956) CHICAGO WHITE SOX (-$134) over Chicago Cubs
(Listing Vazquez only) (Risking $402 tow in $300)
2 STAR: (958) NY METS (-$120) over NY Yankees
(Listing Santana only) (Risking $240 to win $200)
2 STAR: (969) MILWAUKEE (-$107) over Minnesota
(Listing Parra and Hernandez) (Risking $214 to win $200)
1 STAR: (952) FLORIDA (+$128) over Arizona
(Action) (Risking $100 to win $128)
1 STAR: (961) COLORADO (+$155) over Detroit
(Listing Francis and Verlander) (Risking $100 to win $155)
1 STAR: (967) ST. LOUIS (+$116) over Kansas City
(Action) (Risking $100 to win $116)
CFL
1 STAR: (408) SASKATCHEWAN (-4.5) over Edmonton
(Risking $110 to win $100)
KELSO
25 Unit High Rollers Play Of The Month - Boston Red Sox
5 Unit Yankees under
4 Unit Tampa Bay
3 Unit Kansas City
NSA
20* Tampa Bay -135
10* White Sox -150
10* Boston -135
10* Minnesota -110
10* Oakland -135
10* St Louis +120
Terron Chapman
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Minnesota Twins
Play: Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins continue to win while flying under the public radar and tonight as they host the Brewers for the second game of a three game set, there's no reason to hop off the wagon now.
The Minnesota Twins have won 10 straight games and find themselves in position tonight to gurantee their fifth straight series win with a win. Livian Hernandez will take the mound as he continues to pitch for respect. No one in baseball brings up Hernandez's name when talking about this year's top pitchers but Livian just continues to win. Maybe it's his 5.23 ERA on the season that scares people away, but like I said he continues to win to the tune of an 8-4 record. What's more important to us, is his team responds when he takes the mound. The Twins are 12-5 on the season in games Livian starts and 8-1 in his home starts. He like most pitchers, pitches better at home than on the road. He is 6-0 with a 3.86 ERA in nine home starts. Livian struggled in two starts against the Brewers last season while with the D-Backs but seems to be rejuvenated since joining the Twins at the start of this season. Look for Livian to put in another solid performance keeping his team in the game and giving them a chance to contiue their recent magic.
Young lefty Manny Parra will toe the slab for the Brewers and he has struggled on the road so far this season. Parra is just 2-2 on the road with a 7.24 ERA. His team has split his road starts to the tune of a 3-3 record. Seven of his nine home runs allowed on the season have come on the road. In fact the Brewers struggle on the road as a team and are 0-5 in their last 5 interleague road games. They are 1-7 in their last 8 road games against a team with a winning record and just 2-6 the last 8 in Minnesota.Play on the Minnesota Twins for 1 unit.
Matt Fargo
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Minnesota Twins
Play: Minnesota Twins
There is no reason to get off Minnesota now especially at this price. Minnesota has won 10 straight games and yet it is an underdog in this spot at some places. The streak includes seven straight wins at home where they swept both Washington and Arizona and then won in come from behind fashion last night. Pitching has been the story as the staff has allowed three runs or fewer in nine of the 10 games, allowing an average of just 2.5 rpg. The ERA at home for Minnesota is a spectacular 3.39 which is sixth best in baseball. Not to be outdone, the offense is hitting .280 at home which is eighth in the Majors. Milwaukee had a four-game winning streak snapped in Atlanta on Wednesday and after two straight losses, it is now five games under .500 on the road. In away games, the team ERA is 4.96 while the offense is hitting just .247, 24th and 21st respectively in the league. For the Brewers, Manny Parra is 2-2 on the road but it is impossible to overlook his 7.24 ERA and 2.01 WHIP he has accumulated in six road starts. After a horrid five-game stretch, Livan Hernandez is back in a groove. He has allowed just one run in each of his last two starts, both of which were Minnesota wins. His ERA is 1.29 over the two-game stretch and his home ERA is a solid 3.86 where he is also 6-0. The Twins are 8-1 in his nine home starts with the lone loss being just a one-run setback against Texas. Play Minnesota Twins 1.5 Units
Alex Smart Sports
Atlanta Braves vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Play: Atlanta Braves
The Braves starting pitcher today Tim Hudson(8-5,2.96 ERA) ended a long term drought , last time out, as he ended a 0-10 interleague losing run in 13 starts ,with an impressive win against the Seattle Mariners. I expect he puts out another top notch effort against a Blue Jays team that he has done very well against in his career as is evident by a 10-2 record and a stingy 2.61 ERA in 14 starts. Note: The Jays have lost 16 of their 23 games overall. Play on the Braves