Jimmy The Moose
Game: Colorado Rockies at Arizona Diamondbacks
Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks
Reason: Colorado has dropped their last 2 games both to the red hot D'Backs who have now won 8 straight. Colorado has averaged 2.5 RPG over the last 2 games with Arizona. Cook is on the mound this afternoon and in his last 10 starts vs. Arizona the Rockies are 2-8. Arizona is getting very good pitching and excellent hitting so far this season. The team's have met 5 times this season and the Diamondbacks have scored 5 or more runs in each of those games resulting in a 5-0 record vs. Colorado this season. Play on the Arizona Diamondbacks -.
Chuck Franklin
Glavine has pitched well in his two starts this season, with a 0.79 ERA, yet has no wins to show for it.That will change today as the Braves will hand the Nationals thier 10th straight loss.Washington is hitting a mere .236 during their losing streak.
The Nationals are 1-4 the last five games at home against a southpaw starter.They are on a 2-6 run in the role of underdog at home and have only won six of the last 26 games played after a loss.
The Braves will win this just as easily as the 10-2 rout at Washington yesterday.It will be a weekend sweep!
3* ATLANTA
Sports Gambling Hotline
Granted we couldn't tell you who the hell is in the Miami starting lineup these days, but the way Cleveland has been closing the regular season, we want no parts of laying nearly 20-points to anybody right now.
Cleveland has 3 outright wins their last 9 games, and just 2 covers in their last 9 games.
Miami may sport just 1 win over their last 9 games, but the Heat have covered their last pair, 3 of their last 4, and 6 of their last 10 overall.
You can see that the linesmakers have been padding the price when it comes to going against Miami these days. We say, the way the Cavs have been struggling to get any straight up win, you would have to be crazy to lay this kind of an impost today.
Play on Miami to keep inside this huge impost.
1* MIAMI
ARMVIN SPORTS
NHL
SAN JOSE at CALGARY Over 4.5
MLB
CHICAGO CUBS +115
Bobby Maxwell
Matsuzaka is 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA this season but look at his numbers last year against the Bronx Bombers and you'll see why we're siding wtih the Yanks in this one. In four starts against New York, Matsuzaka gave up 17 runs on 23 hits in just 25 innings. That's just about a hit an inning and a run every inning and a half.
The Yankees beat the Sox in his August and September starts against them and so far in this series they have looked better than Boston. Even though the series is 1-1, New York had a shot Saturday, trailing 4-3 with two on in the ninth and Alex Rodriguez at the plate.
Philip Hughes (0-1, 5.00) starts for the Yankees and they are 5-1 in his last six outings and they are 7-2 in the last nine games played at Fenway.
Let's play New York in this one as the Red Sox offense is still in a bit of a funk and the Yankees will take advantage while they can. Get the plus-money with New York in this Sunday night matchup.
3* N.Y. YANKEES
Karl Garrett
I see no reason to buck what is going on in the Valley of the Sun right now, as Arizona enters play this Sunday having won 8 straight games, and the Diamondbacks have also won all 5 meetings against the Rockies in that stretch.
Looks to me like someone has someone's number early this season!
Go with the Snakes to complete the sweep at Chase Field today, as Gonzalez did work a solid 5 innings of 1 run ball against the Rockies his last time out in a no-decision.
Aaron Cook makes his first start of the year against an Arizona team that did reach him for 15 runs in 24 innings of work last year.
With it all humming right now for the D-Backs...hitting, pitching, and fielding, have to lay the home wood with Arizona to complete the sweep.
3* ARIZONA
Big Al Mcmordie
Game: Florida Marlins at Houston Astros
Prediction: Houston Astros
Reason: At 2:05pm ET our member selection is on the Houston Astros over the Florida Marlins. Just when you thought you'd seen every possible name for a baseball player, enter Marlins starting pitcher Burke Badenhop. The 25 year-old righthander who gets the call in this afternoon affair in Houston was part of the big deal that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers during the offseason. Badenhop has put in his first major league work already this season (a hitless inning in relief against the Nationals) but other than that he has never pitched above the AA level at the minors. Judging from his minor league stats, Badenhop is definitely a control pitcher and doesn't throw very hard. He surrendered just 94 walks in over 400 innings pitched since 2005 and his strikeout totals are certainly nothing to write home about, even though the vast majority of his innings pitched were at the single 'A' level. Houston's pitching has not been very good, but one of the bright spots on the mound has been left-handed starter Wandy Rodriguez. Rodriguez pitched very well and was on the mound in two of his team's victories (against two very good major league clubs in St. Louis and San Diego). The first three series this year for Houston have been against the Padres, Cubs, and Cards, all tough competition. Rodriguez and his team are no doubt looking forward to today's home game against a team like Florida and a young, inexperienced rookie, something that should help get their sleeping bats going.
Take the Astros.
Vegas Sports Pics
Philadelphia (Moyer) - 125** over Cubs (Marquis)
Marquis has allowed 17 runs in 13 innings over his last three starts. Philadelphia is 6-1 last seven home meetings off beating the Cubs 7-1 Saturday.
Arizona (Gonzalez) - 120** over Colorado (Cook)
Arizona on an eight game win streak won at Colorado 5-2 in Gonzalez' lone start this season, Gonzalez allowing one run over five innings.
N.Y.Yankees (Hughes) + 145* over (at) Boston (Matsuzaka)
Boston went 2-2 in four Matsuzaka starts vs. the Yankees last season, Matsuzaka allowing 17 runs over 25 innings. New York is 7-2 last nine meetings and 6-1 last seven Hughes starts.
Stephen Nover
Florida Marlins @ Houston Astros
PICK: Houston Astros
REASON FOR PICK: The Florida Marlins have some talented young hitters. What they don't have is good fielding, the ability to get key hits with men in scoring position and an experienced, good starting pitching staff.
The latest not-ready-for-prime-time pitcher the Marlins are trotting out is 25-year-old Burke Badenhop, a guy who has thrown more than 400 innings of minor league ball. This is his major league starting debut.
How good is Badenhop? I'll put it to you this way: The Marlins decided to keep recently demoted Rick VandenHurk in the starting rotation rather than break camp with Badenhop as a starter. VandenHurk may have been the worst starting pitcher in the National League.
The Marlins have dropped six of their last eight games in Houston. They are expected to start Wes Helms at first instead of Mike Jacobs. That's a dropoff.
The key question is if the favorite price on Houston is justified with Wandy Rodriguez on the hill? It sure wouldn't be if Rodriguez were pitching in any place but Houston. He's 3-10 with a 6.41 ERA away from Houston since the start of last season.
But at home, Rodriguez is 6-3 with a 2.73 ERA since the beginning of 2007. It's hard to figure this kind of home/road dichotomy. It's not hard to figure that the price is right to lay in this matchup with Rodriguez at home. The Astros are 13-4 (76 percent) at home the past two seasons when Rodriguez has been the starter.
MONEY LOCK OF THE DAY
JUNIOR'S PICK
Arizona Diamondbacks -130
DIGGER'S PICK
Toronto BlueJays -150
HAWKER'S PICK
New York Mets - 150
CAPPERSACCESS
Mets
Yankees
Pistons
Bob Balfe
NBA Basketball
Nuggets/Rockets Over 208
Major League Baseball
Mariners -135 over Angels
Bedard/Saunders
Trev Rogers
Brewers vs. Mets Over 8.5 runs
Cubs vs. Phillies Over 10.5 runs
Reds –115
Brandon Lang
10 Dime - Royals
10 Dime - Chisox
10 Dime - D'Backs
Free Pick - Reds and Rockets
Gold Medal Club
New Jersey @ New York Rangers
PLAY ON NEW JERSEY +145
The Rangers have played very well on home ice this season going 25-16 and have a 2-0 series lead. But does this warrant this kind of line?
Playing in New York will not be a problem for New Jersey, in fact it may help loosen up those tight sticks. New Jersey can win anywhere, and under the veteran leadership of Marty Brodeur, look for the Devil's to get the win tonight as they know, its now or never, a loss and they are all but done. A desperate team getting this kind of value is a gift