GINA
Washington Nationals at Cincinnati Reds
The sorry Washington Nationals have dropped eight of their last 9 road games and 11 of its last 15 in Cincinnati. Go with the Reds to take a four-game sweep against the Nationals. Cincinnati is 6-2 in their last 8 games and have won six of Volquez's last 8 starts at Great American Ball Park.
Cincinnati Reds -210
Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels -135
NSA
20* St. Louis
10* Detroit
10* Philly
10* LA Angels
10* Oakland
10* Boston/NY Yanks "OVER"
Louie Mayo
(5*) Phillies -128
(3*) Pirates +142
(1*) Braves -132
WNBA
(50*) Phoenix +5½
AFL
(50*) Chicago -9
BIG AL McMORDIE
SUNDAY BASEBALL RIVALRY B-L-O-W-O-U-T
San Francisco Giants
At 4:05pm our selection is on the San Francisco Giants over the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's been a frustrating season so far for some very talented young fireball-throwing starters who play on this Giants team. This team has the Major League strikeouts leader in 24-year-old righthander Tim Lincecum and one of the best young southpaw strikeout artists in the National League in 25-year-old Jonathan O. Sanchez. Almost lost in the spotlight of these two exciting young pitchers is today's starter, 24-year-old right hander Matt Cain, who has been starting for this team since 2005, which is longer than either Lincecum or Sanchez. The problem with Cain is that he continues to be very inconsistent, something that has hounded him since he came into the league and this season has certainly been no different. Going back six starts for example, the Giants have alternated wins and losses in Cain's outings. Still, Cain is coming off perhaps his best start of the season, as he threw eight shutout innings and struck out 10 in SF's 2-1 victory over the Cubs on Tuesday. Los Angeles left hander Eric Stults is a 28-year-old who has only been in the league since 2006, and has only appeared in 21 Major League Games in his career, most of those as a reliever. Stults has very good stats in limited action this season, but there is no reason to think that, at his age, he has all of a sudden become an effective starter, when in the last two seasons, Stults had gone 2-4 with an ERA around five and a half runs. He's also coming off his worst start of the season, and has a 6.75 career ERA vs. the Giants. Finally, despite an ERA of about four-and-a-half runs, Giants' closer Brian Wilson continues to be one of the most effective stoppers in the league, with 23 saves from 25 opportunities. Take San Francisco.
Ben Burns
*GAME OF YEAR ALERT* Divisional GOY *7-2 L9
ARIZONA DIAMONBACKS
I'm laying the price with ARIZONA. While they're still clinging to a very slight lead in the West, things are beginning to get rather urgent for the Diamondbacks. While I won't call it a "must win" game, this is about as close as it comes to being so, when facing a last place team in the first week of July. That's because the Diamondbacks are 6-14 their last 20 and after losing again yesterday are in danger of being swept at home by a division rival.
Yesterday's pitching matchup favored the Padres. That's because it was right-handed Jake Peavy for the Padres vs. left-handed Dale Davis for Arizona. Today, however, it's the Padres which send a former Cy Young award winning southpaw (Johnson has won the award 5 times) to the mound, as Randy Johnson goes against right-hander Josh Banks for the Padres. Banks has fairly solid stats on the season. However, he hasn't been that that sharp lately. Last time out, he allowed nine baserunners and four runs in five innings. That was almost identical to his performance in his previous start, when he allowed nine baesrunners in 5 1/3 innings. In fact, he hasn't pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his last four starts and San Diego lost all four of those games. Banks will face an Arizona lineup which is desperate for a breakout game and which entered the weekend averaging 5.1 runs per game in this park, hitting a healthy .279.
Johnson is admittedly not the same pitcher that he once was (the line would be significantly higher if he was) and he's coming off a bad game vs. Milwaukee. However, he was solid in his previous outing, holding the defending world champs to two runs through six complete innings. Before writing the veteran lefthander off, keep in mind that he's got an impressive 41 Ks to just 11 walks in 42 innings here this season. Additionally, this is a very favorable matchup for the "Big Unit." For starters, the Padres only average 3.8 runs per game vs. southpaws, hitting .244. Not surprisingly, they're just 9-18 (-9.7) against left-handers for the season, including a 3-7 mark their last 10. Additionally, Johnson has always dominated the Padres. He faced them in his second start this season and got roughed up. However, that was the exception rather than the norm. Indeed, five days later, Johnson bounced back and beat the same Padres, holding them to a mere three hits and one run through seven complete innings, striking out seven while walking two. Johnson earned the victory in 5-1 Arizona win. That marked the 16th time in his last 20 starts against the Padres that Johnson had allowed three earned runs or less and the 13th time during that stretch that he allowed two or less.
Even with the recent results, the Diamondbacks are still a respectable 26-19 at home. They're also still an excellent 20-10 against divisional opponents. The Padres are below 500 vs. division foes and just 14-27 on the road. That includes a dismal 1-10 record when listed as road underdogs from +125 to +150, a range they currently fall into. Look for the highly-motivated Diamondbacks to bounce back with a much-needed victory, avoiding the sweep and improving to 28-18 against teams with a losing record. *NL West GOY
Players of America
Cleveland Indians vs. Minnesota Twins
The Play: Cleveland Indians -115.0
Star Value: 3* (30 Units)
Washington Nationals vs. Cincinnati Reds
The Play: Over 8.0
Star Value: 1* (10 Units)
Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves
The Play: Atlanta Braves -115.0
Star Value: 1* (10 Units)
San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
The Play: Arizona Diamondbacks -140.0
Star Value: 1* (10 Units)
EZWINNERS
3 STAR: (954) PHILADELPHIA (-$120) over NY Mets
(Listing Kendrick and Perez)
(Risking $360 to win $300)
2 STAR: (967) TEXAS (+$105) over Baltimore
(Listing Millwood only)
(Risking $200 to win $210)
2 STAR: (963) LA DODGERS (+$112) over San Francisco
(Action)
(Risking $200 to win $224)
2 STAR: (974) MINNESOTA (+$106) over Cleveland
(Action)
(Risking $200 to win $212)
1 STAR: (972) CHICAGO WHITE SOX (-$117) over Oakland
(Listing Danks only)
(Risking $117 to win $100)
1 STAR: (959) FLORIDA MARLINS (+1.5)(-$120) over Colorado
(Action)
(Risking $120 to win $100)
Beat your Bookie
100 Cinn
50 Tampa Bay
50 Col
Arena
100 Chic-9
PlusLineSports Daily Baseball Selection
GAME 1
Washington Nationals(Balester) vs Cincinnati Reds(Volquez)
Cincinnati -1.5 Runline (+106) , Moneyline(-199)
GAME 2
Kansas City Royals(Hochever) vs Tampa Bay Rays(Shields)
Tampa Bay -1.5 Runline
KELSO
High Rollers Baseball 15 unit - Padres
WILD BILL
Astros +120 (5 units)
Royals +195 (5 units)
Indians -120 (5 units)
Cubs +115 (5 units)
Dodgers +110 (5 units)
Padres +145 (5 units)
Maddux Sports
Yankees -160
Armvin Sports
Phillies
Pirates
James Patrick Sports
Texas Rangers
Jimmy Moore
Detroit -120
JerseySteveWins
Milwaukee
Frank Patron
Red Sox +140
Paul Leiner
10* Tigers -115
Global Sports
PIRATES +140
Jeff Saad
Tigers
Totals4u
Bos/Nyy Over
Bob Donahue
Rangers
Mike Wynn
Rockies
Glen Mcgrew
Phillies
Vegas Steamline
Brewers
Bob Balfe
Yankees
Cappers Access
Cubs
White Sox
Matty O'Shea
Cardinals
TONY MATHEWS
Cardinals -125
HOT LOCK SPORTS
Nationals/Reds Over 8.5
DONALD TRAN
Reds Run Line
Jennifer Barry
Marlins +165
Chad Jordan
Twins +120
Insider Sports Report
Dodgers/Giants UNDER 8
JOHN FINA
Orioles -115
#1 SPORTS
RED SOX + 145
PLATINUM PLAYS
Rockies -180
COMPUTER SPORTS
ANGELS-130
ARTHUR RALPH
Phillies
NEVADA SHARPSHOOTER
RANGERS +105
BIG TIME SPORTS
DETROIT/SEATTLE OVER 9
DR VEGAS
Seattle +105
Nick " Bookie Killer" Parsons
SD / Ariz Over
Alex Smart
Cleveland Indians @ Minnesota Twins Under 8.0
The Cleveland Indians will try to halt a 7 game losing streak, as they send stopper Cliff Lee (11-1,2,22 ERA) to hill against the Minnesota Twins. Lee has been in out standing from this season, and the last time he faced this same Twins squad, back in April, he dominated them allowing just two hits in eight innings of work for a easy 4-0 victory at the Metrodome. The all star southpaw is 6-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 13 career starts against Minnesota. Im expecting , another out standing effort again today.
Meanwhile, his pitching opponent from the Twins , Glen Perkins (4-2,4.31 ERA) is also in impressive form, and has not lost since late May. The Twinkie hurler , rarely makes mistakes, and should once again be tough on a Cleveland batting order that has hits lefties like himself, for a lowly .230 BA this season. If for some reason he falters he is backed by a bullpen that owns a minuscule 2.01 ERA in home tilts.
I know the Twins bats have been lighting up just about everybody they have faced, of late, but Cliff Lee is in a league by himself right now, and is a dangerous opponent for the best of hitters. I am also aware of how inconsistent, the Tribes bats have been this season,and their lack of run support they have supplied their pitching staff. Considering these factors, backing the under makes for a viable wagering opportunity.
Final notes & Key Trends: Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 games vs. a left-handed starter. Under is 5-0 in Twins last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15 .
Play Under
LT Profits
Minnesota Twins +110
The Minnesota Twins could seemingly do no wrong right now, and they are almost an automatic play as a home underdog vs. the Cleveland Indians today, even going up against Cliff Lee.
The Twins rallied from a early deficit to beat the Indians 9-6 here last night, making them 18-4 in their last 22 games overall and 13-3 in their last 16 at home. Remarkably, they are now third in the American League in runs scored despite the fact that they do not hot home runs like the top two scoring teams, the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox.
Minnesota starter Glen Perkins may have a high 4.31 ERA overall, but he has pitched very well lately, allowing three runs or less in five straight starts and in eight of his last 10 outings. He should be able to take advantage of a Cleveland lineup that is hitting a terrible .212 vs. left-handed pitching on the road for the entire season and has never faced him before.
Now Lee is pitching as good as his 11-1 record, as he has a 2.26 ERA and 1.03 WHIP for the season and a 1.16 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in his last three starts. The problem here though is that he does not figure to get much run support and he is facing a scorching Minnesota lineup that is averaging 6.40 runs per game the last 10 games.
Finally, the Twins clearly have the superior bullpen here, as they rank ninth in the majors with a 3.54 pen ERA while the Indians rank dead last at 5.16!
Pick: Twins +110
Toronto Blue Jays +120
The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels as underdogs here last night with ace Roy Halladay on the hill, and we look for the Jays to post their second straight upset at an even better price today.
Jesse Litsch has done a fine job in 12 starts for Toronto this season, going 8-4 with a very nice 3.69 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 102.1 innings. Litsch has allowed exactly one earned run in each of his last two starts, and he has seven Quality Starts in his last 10 outings. He also posted a Quality Start in his only career start vs. the Angels last season, allowing two earned runs on six hits in 6.1 innings, and the Angels offense was much stronger then than it is right now.
Now John Garland is also have a fine year for the Halos, but his decent 3.99 ERA and bad 1.44 WHIP actually pale when compared to Litsch this season. Oddly, Garland actually has worse numbers here at home, where he is 2-4 with a generous 4.70 ERA and 1.57 WHIP.
In fact, that performance by Garland actually mirrors the Angels as a team, as they are a mediocre 25-20 here at home compared to an outstanding 27-15 on the road.
Pick: Blue Jays +120