On-Line Guaranteed Selections
5000* BASEBALL LATE STEAMER WINNER
Chicago White Sox w/Floyd -160
Bob Akmens
MLB 7* Arizona Diamondbacks
Alex Smart
Atlanta Braves
Reason: The Braves enter into this tilt in Texas against the Rangers with the worst away record in MLB with a 11-26 mark. But they have picked up the pace of late, and are in the process of turning things around by winning four of six road tilts. I think the Braves have a great chance to turn the trick again, against a struggling Texas team that has lost 4 of their L6 overall and 10 of their L11 when their starting pitcher (Scott Feldman) takes to the hill . Note: Feldman is 0-3 along with a ugly looking 9.35 ERA in 12 career interleague appearances. Play on Atlanta
LT Profits
Toronto Blue Jays -115
The Toronto Blue Jays have lost four straight games, but we look for them to stop that skid behind A.J. Burnett and salvage the last game of the series vs. David Bush and the Milwaukee Brewers.
Burnett has some of the best stuff in the league when he is on, but his numbers are skewed by his occasional awful outings like two starts back when he allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 4.1 innings vs. the Orioles. The fact of the matter though is that Burnett has allowed three runs or less in six of his last seven starts and he has 61 strikeouts in his last 42 innings pitched.
Besides, we are not very high on his counterpart Bush here tonight. He is 2-7 overall this season with a gaudy 5.73 ERA, and he has allowed at least four runs in six of his last nine starts. Even his official Quality Starts have been an adventure, as he was credited with a QS in last outing when only three of the four runs he allowed were earned in six innings of work (the minimum requirement for a Quality Start), yet he allowed 10 hits and a walk in those six innings.
Thus, this is actually a bigger pitching mismatch than the recent numbers of these starters would lead you to believe, and Toronto also has the far superior bullpen.
Pick: Blue Jays -115
Baltimore Orioles -125
The Baltimore Orioles have surprised many pre-season prognosticators by going 36-34 to this point, while the Houston Astros are reeling, going 4-17 in their last 21 games overall.
Now both starting pitchers are struggling lately, with Brian Burres having a 10.05 ERA in his last three starts and Shawn Chacon owning an 8.76 ERA and 1.95 WHIP over this same span. However, we feel that the Orioles have enough edges in other areas to merit this call at home.
Baltimore has done very well at Camden Yards this season, going 21-12 compared to a 16-23 road mark for Houston. The Orioles are also batting a very respectable .263 vs. right-handed pitching at home, while the Astros are struggling at just .233 vs. right-handers on the road. Finally, the O’s rank seventh in the Major Leagues with a 3.28 bullpen ERA, while the ‘Stros report home 23rd with a 4.23 pen ERA.
Baltimore has now won the last five head-to-head meetings with Houston in interleague play, so look for that to continue tonight.
Pick: Orioles -125
LARRY NESS
Chicago Cubs @ Tampa Bay Rays
PICK: Tampa Bay Rays
REASON FOR PICK: Lou Piniella is getting an "up close and personal" look at the "team he left behind" this week at Tropicana Field. So far, he can't like what's happened, as the Rays have beaten the Cubs two straight games by one run (3-2 and 5-4). The back-to-back wins have ensured the Rays will win their NINTH straight home series, giving this long suffering franchise its 24th win in its last of 28 home games (includes a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex). The Cubs have not been swept in a single series this season and in fact, are the only team in the majors that has not lost three straight games at any point during '08. Keeping that record intact tonight will be tough, as Tampa Bay sends James Shields to the mound. Shields has made 14 starts this season, seven at home and seven more on the road. While he's had all sorts of road woes (52 hits allowed in 37.1 innings with a 6.99 ERA), he's been terrific at home, allowing just 37 hits in 52.1 innings with a 1.72 ERA. The Rays are 2-5 in his road starts but 6-1 here at home. The Cubs counter with Sean Gallagher and the 22-year-old rookie (pitched 14.2 innings last year) has like Shields, struggled away from home, while pitching well at Wrigley. In "the friendly confines" he's posted a 3.52 ERA in four starts (Cubs are 4-0) but in three road starts has a 5.79 ERA (team is 0-3). Rays win, Rays win!
BEN BURNS
Chicago Cubs @ Tampa Bay Rays
PICK: Tampa Bay Rays
REASON FOR PICK: The fact that the Cubs haven't lost three in a row all season will have a lot of people calling for the 'upset' this evening. This, in turn, has kept the prices on the Rays relatively reasonable. The Cubs aren't going to avoid being swept all year though and I expect them to be at a disadvantage this evening. James Shields gets the call for the Rays and he's been downright dominant at home. In fact, he has a 1.72 ERA in seven starts here on the season. Not surprisingly, the Rays were 6-1 in those games. Looking back further and we find Tampa Bay is 10-1 the last 11 times that Shields started here at Tampa.
On the other hand, the Cubs are 0-3 in Sean Gallagher's road starts. While Shields has averaged better than seven innings per start at home, including two complete games, Gallagher has failed to pitch more than five innings in any of his road starts. He had a poor 6.13 ERA and 1.636 WHIP in those games. Overall, the Cubs are 16-19 on the road while the Rays are 28-11 at home. That includes an extremely impressive 24-4 record their last 28 here. Consider "getting out your broom" and laying the price with Shields and red hot Rays.
John Ryan
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds
Play: Cincinnati Reds
Ai Simulator 3* graded play on the Reds – Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 30-15 for 67% making 23.9 units in profits since 1997. Play on home teams that are poor NL hitting teams batting <=.250 and is now facing a team with a good bullpen sporting an ERA = 7.00 over his last 5 starts. Harang is a seasoned veteran and he is going against a potential journeyman type of starter in Stults. The Dodgers called up Stults (1-4, 5.82 ERA in 2007) from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday to take Penny's spot in the rotation. The left-hander was 5-6 with a 3.59 ERA in 14 starts for Las Vegas. He had three stints with the Dodgers last season. Harang has pitched well at home posting a 3.40 ERA allowing just 10 BB and recording 44 K’s in 8 starts spanning 53 IP. LAD are just 8-19 losing 13.6 units in games with a posted total of 9 or 9.5 this season; 5-14 losing 9.1 units when on the road with a posted total of 9 or 9.5. Take the Reds.
CASH & PROFIT EXPERTS
COLORADO ROCKIES -120
Mr. A's
Pittsburgh Pirates Chicago White Sox
The White Sox bats have come alive. They have pounded the Pirates in the first two games of this series, outscoring Pittsburgh, 24-7. Take Chicago to continue whipping Pittsburgh and snatch a three-game sweep against the Pirates tonight at Cellular Field. The White Sox have won seven of the last 10 meetings versus the Pirates and six of the last 7 at U.S Cellular Field. The Pirates are just 13-23 away from home this year.
Pirates' lefthander Phil Dumatrait (3-3, 3.84) is 1-1 with a 4.86 in his last three starts. The Pirates have lost his last three starts on the road
White Sox's right-hander Gavin Floyd (7-3, 3.30 ERA) is 2-0 with a 3.54 in his last three starts. The White Sox are 7-1 in Floyds last 8 home starts.
Chicago White Sox - 155
Computer Crushers Guaranteed Selections
VERY STRONG 5000 UNIT BASEBALL CRUSHER WINNER
Minnesota w/Perkins -145
VicMonte
100* Twins
DUSTIN HAWKINS
TORONTO
Like the Blue Jays in this spot sending one of there top pitchers to the mound to get the big Victory!!! The Brew Crew won a close one last night and look for them to reverse rolls!!!
Take The Blue Jays in this one!!
FRANK ROSENTHAL
906 TWINS-145
UNDER 9
908 RANGERS-105
910 CWS-160
911 JAYS-110
916 DBACKS-110
920 RAYS-150
922 ROCKIES-115
STEVE JANUS
BALTIMORE
Baltimore is a strong 21-12 at home on the season. They are hosting a struggling Houston Astros squad that has lost 17 of their last 21 games and has earned only a 16-23 overall road record on the year
INDIAN COWBOY
Texas Rangers (POD)