KELSO
High Rollers Club
10 units - St. Louis -1.5
JB Sports
6* Colts -5.5
Mr A
Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have won 11 of the last 14 meetings versus the Red Sox, including Saturday's 11-0 victory.
Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-2, 2.77 ERA) is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his last three starts. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 4.02 ERA in five starts against the Blue Jays and the Red Sox are 9-2 in Matsuzaka's last 11 road starts.
Toronto's A.J. Burnett (16-9, 4.51) is 3-0 with a 4.05 ERA in his last three starts. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA in five starts versus Boston and the Blue Jays are 8-0 in Burnett's last 8 starts at home.
Should be a great game with two outstanding pitchers squaring off this afternoon in Toronto. However, the Jays have overpowered the Red Sox at home, 7-1 in the last 8 games versus Boston at Rogers Centre. Take the Blue Jays in their house. A.J. Burnett has won eight straight starts at home.
Toronto Blue Jays +125
Matt Foust
Florida Marlins +109
The Marlins and Diamondbacks will finish off their three game series today with both clubs desperately needing a win. Arizona is fighting to stay ahead of the Dodgers in the West and the Marlins are hoping to some how get back in the race in the NL East.
The Marlins are a great value play in this situation today and they should pull out the win against a gritty Arizona squad. Why you ask?
Florida starter Ricky Nolasco has been dominant most of the season, but he has been especially deadly on the road. The Marlins are 4-1 in his last five away starts and he has allowed just nine earned runs in those five games (1.8 per game). Florida opponents have averaged just 2.2 runs per game in that stretch as Nolasco has recorded 31 strikeouts and just 4 walks. In his last five starts at any location, Ricky has struck out 41 batters and walked two. To top things off, the Marlins are 3-0 against Arizona when Nolasco pitches and he sports a 2.02 ERA and a microscopic 0.851 WHIP in those games.
Arizona lefty Doug Davis cannot tell the same story about his recent outings. Davis has been bombed of late (7.05 ERA and a 1.957 WHIP in his last three starts) and the Diamondbacks are just 1-4 in his last five home starts, where he yielded an average of four earned runs per game. Making matters worse has been his inability to consistently work deep into ball games. This should bode well for Florida as the D-backs bullpen has a 4.58 ERA at home.
Things to consider: Florida is 39-25 after a loss this season and they are 17-10 when facing a left hander after having faced a right handed starter. The Marlins also respond well in game three of a series, going 22-16 on the season. Arizona has not been able to consistently back up a win with another win this year; they are just 33-34 after hanging a W in 2008.
Take the Marlins +109
Nelly
Minnesota + over Los Angeles
The Twins have been the superior team in this series, winning the first two games and losing 7-5 last night in a game that featured several defensive mistakes that proved costly for Minnesota. Kevin Slowey has been pitching incredibly well with just one run allowed in each of his last three starts. Minnesota is 10-2 in his last twelve starts and he has allowed just 17 walks in 121 innings this season. The Twins are hitting .315 over the past ten games compared with just .239 from the Angels as Minnesota continues to be one of the most productive and efficient offensive teams in baseball. Los Angeles is just 3-7 in the past ten games although few are noticing as the lead is still so huge in the AL West. The Twins have one of the best records in baseball over the past two months and this is a much bigger series for Minnesota. The Angels are just 2-4 in the last six Ervin Santana starts and contrary to the rest of his career he has been a better road pitcher this season with mediocre results at home.
Frank Rosenthal
MLB
953 DODGERS+110 SB
OVER 9 SB+
955 PIRATES UNDER 7.5 SB+
962 ROCKIES-190 SB
965 FISH+110 SB+
UNDER 9 SB+
968 JAYS+130 SB
970 COOKIES OVER 11 SB+
980 RANGERS-130 SB
NFL PRESEASON - WEEK 3
270 COLTS-5.5 SB
271 SEAHAWKS+6.5 SB+
LEE KOSTROSKI
Cincinnati Reds @ Colorado Rockies
PICK: Cincinnati Reds
Ubaldo Jimenez had a great month of July but the extended workload appears to be catching up to him with poor numbers in August. Jimenez is just 24 and only pitched half the season last year and this will be his 28th start on the year. Walks are a major concern with Jimenez on the mound as he owns a 1.48 season WHIP and he has allowed 13 runs in his past three starts. Two of those poor outings came at home as well.
Johnny Cueto is another young pitcher that has faced a heavy workload but he appears to be figuring it all out after a rough stretch in the middle of the season. Cueto’s past two starts have been excellent and he owns nearly a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio on the season as his control has been very good despite the high velocity and inexperience. Cincinnati also owns one of the best bullpens in the National League and in a game at Coor’s Field the bullpen could make a huge difference with two young starters on the mound.
The Reds are over their recent losing streak and have split the last six games despite playing on the road the past two series against last year’s NL Champion and this year’s NL favorite. The road team has won four of the five meetings between these teams in 2008 and Cincinnati is a much better hitting team against right-handed pitching. Cincinnati’s pitching has been superior and the Rockies have not been as productive on offense as you might expect. With great underdog value in a game that should be pretty even on the mound the Reds are worth a shot on Sunday.
Priceless Picks
1 Unit on Toronto Blue Jays +130
The Jays are showing great value in the home dog role behind Burnett today. The Red Sox have really struggled north of the border at 1-7 in the last 8 meetings in Toronto . The Jays have won 8 of their last 11 and have absolutely been cruising behind Burnett. The Blue Jays are 6-0 in Burnett's last 6 starts, 8-0 in Burnett's last 8 home starts, 5-1 in Burnett's last 6 starts vs. American League East, and 13-3 in Burnett's last 16 home starts vs. a team with a winning record. Bet the Jays.
WUNDERDOG
Minnesota at Los Angeles Angels
Pick: Angels -1.5 +132
The Angels have been about the best team in baseball all season long. Ervin Santana has had a great year for the Angels and has been at his best over his last four starts where he has put together a 2.28 ERA. The Twins took the first two games in this series as the Angels look for the equalizer today, coming off of last night's win over the Twins. The Angels have not lost a series to an AL team all season as they have really protected their home turf better than any team in baseball. The Twins have a losing record when Slowey starts against a team with a winning record, and we like the Angels to win this one on the runline.
Northcoast Sports
Marquee play on Indianapolis -5½
PlayByPlayInc
NEW YORK METS -244
MILWAUKEE BREWERS -330
BUFFALO / INDIANAPOLIS Over 37½
Charlies Sports
Bills +5½ (500*)
Bills / Colts Under 37½ (30*)
Yankees -125 (20*)
San Francisco -120 (20*)
Cleveland +130 (10*)
Arizona -120 (10*) free play
AJ Apollo
3* Toronto Blue Jays
3* Minnesota Twins
NSA
20* NFL Buffalo +5.5
10* NFL Buffalo under 37.5
10* MLB Boston
10* MLB Angels
10* MLB Yankees
10* MLB Tampa Bay
Anthony Capone
Red Sox / Blue Jays
Play 2* Under 8
Dice K meets AJ Burnett in the rubber match of this 3 game set with the Blue Jays on Sunday . They split the previous two game with both being overs . Well today we finally get and Under .The Red Sox Matsuzaka has been dominant all season long , especially on the Road where he has gone a perfect (7-0) with 6 of those games going Under the posted Total .His ERA in those 7 starts is 2.17 .AJ Burnett on the other hand is (7-7) O/U at home but the Jays are a very nice (11-17) O/U In games in which he has started .Burnett is (3-0) this season vs. the Sox with 2 of those being of the Under variety .He is coming off a complete shutdown performance over the Yankees earlier this week in which he went 8 Innings giving up only 1 Run .He has given up only 9 Runs in his last 3 with 25 SO and only 4 Walks .Today my money is on the Under .