EZWINNERS
MLB
5 STAR: OVER 9.5 (+$100) Cleveland @ Seattle
(Listing Sowers and Batista) (Risking $500 to win $500)
3 STAR: (972) LA ANGELS (+$106) over Boston
(Listing Saunders only) (Risking $300 to win $318)
3 STAR: (956) HOUSTON (+$104) over Chicago
(Listing Rodriguez only) (Risking $300 to win $312)
2 STAR: (980) MINNESOTA (-$110) over Texas
(Action) (Risking $220 to win $200)
CFL
3 STAR: (415) MONTREAL (+5) over Saskatchewan
(Risking $330 to win $300)
1 STAR: UNDER 50.5 Montreal @ Saskatchewan
(Risking $110 to win $100)
BobbyClarkeSports
RedSox (Beckett) wager $240 to win $200
BlueJays vs Rays Over 7.5 wager $200 to win $200
Phillies (Kendrick) wager $200 to win $200
Dwayne Bryant
Milwaukee Brewers at San Francisco Giants
Pick: Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee's Ben Sheets will try to best his new teammate, CC Sabathia, when he takes the mound this afternoon. Sheets has been a consistent performer this season, but his road numbers are slightly better than his numbers at home. Sheets owns a 2.78 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a .262 opponents' OBP on the road, where he is 6-1 (team is 8-3). Sheets has faced the Giants four times since 2005. He pitched complete games in three of those four starts and went eight innings in the other start. His stat line in those four starts vs. the Giants: 35 innings, 22 hits, 5 earned runs, 26 strikeouts, 1 walk. That equates to a 1.29 ERA and a 0.66 WHIP. Very impressive.
Jonathan Sanchez has been a pleasant surprise in the Giants starting rotation. With a 3.97 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 111 innings, Sanchez has exceeded expectations. However, he does struggle in his starts under the sun. Sanchez owns a 5.31 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and .357 opponents' OBP in his eight day starts this season. Sanchez has also made two career starts vs. Milwaukee (one this season). His stat line from those two starts: 6 innings, 15 hits, 15 earned runs and 4 walks. That equates to a 22.50 ERA and 3.17 WHIP. Ouch!
The Brewers are 13-3 in their last 16 games vs. a left-handed starter and 25-9 in their last 34 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Brewers are also 12-3 in Sheets' last 15 starts when their opponent allowed 5 runs or more in their previous game and 11-3 in Sheets' last 14 road starts.
Take Milwaukee
Kansas City Royals at Chicago White Sox
Pick: Chicago White Sox RUN LINE
The White Sox have won six of seven meetings with KC this season, including all four at U.S. Cellular Field. In fact, KC is just 14-43 in the last 57 meetings in Chicago. The Royals lost the opener last night, 9-5, and they're 3-13 in game 2 of a series off a loss this season. At 33-13, the ChiSox are one of baseball's best home teams.
Gavin Floyd is 7-1 with a 2.57 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and .258 opponents' OBP in 10 home starts this season (team is 9-1). Floyd owns a 3.46 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in two career starts vs. KC, one of which was a home win this season. Floyd also gets great run support. He gets 5.56 runs per game overall, but that rises to a very impressive 7.6 runs per game at home.
Gil Meche does not get great run support. Meche gets 3.8 runs per game overall and just 3.5 runs per game on the road. Meche has been mediocre at best this season and he has struggled in his last three starts, walking 7 and striking out just 6 with a 5.00 ERA. Meche has also struggled at night, posting a 5.19 ERA and 1.47 WHIP (team is 4-8, scoring 3.25 runs per game). The Royals are 1-15 in Meche's last 16 starts as an underdog of +110 to +150.
Dating back to last season, Chicago's last seven home wins in this series have come by at least two runs. And given the difference in run support for today's starters, I feel comfortable taking the run line in this one.
Take Chicago on the run line
THE FAT JACK
SAN FRAN +120
CHICAGO CUBS -120
ARIZONA -130
Tom Stryker
Mets - Game of the week
Cubbies - Power pitching blowout
VEGAS RUNNER
NYM (-122) vs CIN 2*ML WAGER (UPGRADED)
BOS (-117) vs ANA 1* ML WAGER
ANA / BOS Over 8 1* TOTAL
BAL (-119) vs DET 3* (AL) BEST BET of the MONTH
CWS (-145) vs KAN 2* ML WAGER
TAM (-101) vs TOR 1* ML WAGER
ARI / LOS Over 7 2* TOTAL
WNBA for SATURDAY
INDIANA +7 (1*)
MINNESOTA +7 (1*)
HOUSTON -1 (1*)
OVER 185.5 ATL/PHO (1*)
Charlies
500* Astros/Cubs un 8.5
30* Mets -124
20* Diamondbacks -129
10* Orioles -118
10* Twins -110
Scott Spreitzer's MLB BLOCKBUSTER BLOWOUT! *11-1 L5 days!
I'm laying the price with the White Sox on Saturday night. The "Southsiders" are almost automatic at home when Gavin Floyd toes the rubber. They're 9-1 in his 10 starts at U.S. Cellular. Floyd has allowed just 20 earned runs and 68 base runners in those outings, covering 70 innings of action. That's a white-hot, 2.57 ERA and 0.97 WHIP to go along with an outstanding .172 BAA! I expect more of the same tonight, facing a Royals' squad that's 5-12 in road night games against righties, scoring just 3.1 runs per game. Meanwhile, KC starter Gil Meche will have to deal with a ChiSox team that's in one of their best in-season situations. Chicago pounds righties for 6.2 runs per game in home night outings, cashing 11 of 17 tickets. The Royals are 2-4 in Meche's last six road starts, and he was pounded for five runs and 12 base runners in 5 2/3 IP in a loss to Chicago last month. It's a serious mismatch at the plate and on the mound. Look for Chicago to extend their lead in the AL Central with a "Blockbuster Blowout" win on Saturday night.
Lenny Del Genio's 15* Pitching Mismatch GOW **5-0 Run**
Play on Chicago Cubs at 7:05 ET. The Cubs remain the most profitable team in baseball in the role of favorite (47-22) despite last night's setback, so with their ace on the hill, how can you not take a second look at the Senior Circuit's best team? Tonight, they face Wandy Rodriguez, which is good news as Chicago has been crushing southpaws all season long to the tune of a 17-10 record with 6.3 runs/game scored. Cubbies counter with Carlos Zambrano, who has been great all season (2.84 ERA), but has really been shining as of late (0.64 ERA L2 starts). Compare that to Rodriguez's 6.90 ERA his last three starts. Remember, the Cubs are coming in off back-to-back losses and have only had a losing streak of 3+ games TWICE all season long. Back to Zambrano. On July 9th, he retired the last 20 Cincinnati hitters he faced en route to a 5-1 victory. July has always been his month as the fiery Venezuelan boasts a 13-1 July TSR. Not only do are the Cubs seemingly immune to long losing skids (11-3 this season off BB losses), but the offense knows just when to pick it up as they are 14-2 if they scored three runs or less in BB games. Three times this season Zambrano has started when his team is off BB losses. All three times the Cubs won. With the NL Central race tightening up, this one is a "must win" for Lou Pinella's squad. Chicago Cubs are our 15* Pitching Mismatch Game of the Week.
Lenny Del Genio's Major Mismatch **67% TY**
Play on Chicago White Sox at 7:05 ET. This head to head series has been very one sided all year long and we don't see that changing Saturday night. Following last night's 9-5 win, Chicago has taken 6 of 7 this year from KC, including all four games at home. That leads us perfectly into tonight's matchup as the White Sox are a very strong 11-1 if they scored 8 runs or more in their previous game. Also, starter Gavin Floyd has been excellent all year at home, leading his team to 9 wins in 10 starts. His ERA here at US Cellular Field is a strong 2.57. His last outing was poor, but that came on the road. Look for him to bounce back as he hasn't lost BB outings even once this season. He did face KC once here at home and it resulted in yet another 9-5 victory for the "good guys." His last home start on 7/5 saw this youngster throw 7+ innings of shutout ball in a 6-1 win over Oakland (gave up just three hits). Offensively, the White Sox continue to be an explosive team at home, now averaging nearly six runs/game here. The Royals know this better than anybody as Chicago hitters have pounded them for a .300 average and 30 runs in the four meetings here in the Windy City. Did we mention that the Pale Hose have won six straight at home? How about KC's 19-34 record if coming off a loss? How about the fact that the Royals average just 3.9 runs per contest vs. righties this season? Chicago White Sox are our MLB Major Mismatch.
Fairway Jay
MLB 5* Dodgers/Diamondbacks Under 7.5
Frank Rosenthal
956 ASTROS+115 SB
UNDER 8.5 SB+
961 NYM-120 SB
UNDER 11 SB+
963 PIRATES OVER 10.5 SB+
965 DODGERS+120 SB
UNDER 7.5 SB+
973 JAYS+105 SB
UNDER 7.5 SB+
975 TIGERS OVER 10 SB
977 KC+135 SB
UNDER 9 SB+
980 TWINS-110 SB
OVER 10.5 SB+
Alex Smart
MLB 2* Nats/Braves Under 8.5
LT Profits
MLB 2* Baltimore Orioles
MLB 2* LA Dodgers
Bob Akmens
MLB 7* Atlanta Braves
NSA
7:10 EST 20* Minnesota -120
7:05 PM EST 10* OVER 10 Det/O's
8:05 PM EST 10* UNDER 10.5 Pitt/Colo