Earl Morgan
St Louis +112 - 3 units
Philadelphia/NY Mets UNDER 9 - 2 units
Toronto -137 - 1 unit
Washington +124 - 1 unit
Vernon Croy Afternoon Bookie Buster of the Month
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles
Pick: Toronto Blue Jays
We are getting solid value here tonight with the Jays who have their ace on the mound since Roy Halladay (11-7, 2.89 ERA) is the superior pitcher in this match-up. Halladay has an ERA of just 2.85 on the road this season and Daniel Cabrera (6-5, 4.57 ERA) has struggled at home this season with an ERA of 5.22 over 8 starts. Cabrera has also struggled to find the strike zone over his last 3 starts with an ERA of 6.32 while walking 15 batters over just 15.7 innings. Halladay has owned the Orioles with a 16-4 record over 23 starts while Cabrera has struggled against the Jays with a 4-7 record over 15 starts with an ERA of 4.48. The Orioles are just 3-8 over Cabrera's last 11 starts and I look for the Jays to hit him hard Thursday afternoon. The Orioles are just 9-22 in day games this season while the Jays have thrived in day games with a 20-12 record. Take Toronto as my MLB Afternoon Bookie Buster of the Month
Robert Ferringo
1-Unit Play. Take Under 9.0 Philadelphia at New York Mets
1-Unit Play. Take Philadelphia (+125) over New York Mets
2-Unit Play. Take Over 8.0 Toronto at Baltimore
1.5-Unit Play. Take Toronto (-140) over Baltimore
1.5-Unit Play. Take Over 8.0 Milwaukee at St. Louis
1.5-Unit Play. Take Tampa Bay (-120) over Kansas City
1-Unit Play. Take Washington (+130) over San Francisco
1-Unit Play. Take Pittsburgh (-110) over San Diego
I also have solid leans on the Over in the Florida game and the Cardinals today.
Matt Rivers
For Thursday take the Pirates at home.
Yoslan Herrera has been an absolute joke. The guy can't get any outs and proabbly is not ready to be in the Big Leagues. But with that said the Padres are horrific with the bats and probably will not be able to capitalize on Herrera's lack of experience or ability.
The Pirates continue to bash the ball around with one of the better lineups in the National league and at PNC have been great this season, relatively speaking of course. Bay, Nady, Sanchez, McClouth and the Bucos should continue to bomb away here against a guy in Clay Hensley who is not terrible and did have some success a few seasons ago but since then not much has happened except a sterois suspension.
I certainly do not expect a complete game gem by Herrera but the righty will be a lot better than in his first two starts and with the far superior offense and being at home the Pirates are cheaper than cheap right here and will take care of business against the offensively challenged Padres.
Jake Timlin
Thursday selection is the Kansas City Royals.
In what is a tough situation for the Rays look for the Royals to seal one away from Tampa Bay. You see after playing yesterday it is Tampa Bay who is rolling in Kansas City having lost their last 6 games on the highway and do so tonight against the Royals who had a day to rest up. Even more it will be the Rays who will be pitching Garza who while good at home this year is just 2-4 on the highway as the righty is also 0-3 in four career starts against Kansas City. Meanwhile for the Royals they have won 6 of the last 7 games started by Meche, including a 7-4 win against Garza in Tampa Bay earlier this month. Flat out rolling with trend numbers look for the Royals to steal game 1 of this series tonight. All Kansas City!
Dwayne Bryant
Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals
Pick: St. Louis Cardinals
We have to take a serious look at the Cards in this spot and at a very nice price. The Brewers have won the first three games of this series and are looking for their first-ever four-game sweep in St. Louis.
The Cards have not lost four in a row this season.
Ben Sheets has been solid again this season, but St. Louis is the one team that has Sheets' number.
Milwaukee is 1-8 in Sheets' last nine starts vs. the Cards. Wellemeyer doesn't have the numbers that Sheets has, but he pitched well in his first start against the Brewers, which came on May 9th.Wellemeyer went six innings and did not allow an earned run.
I have to take the value with the home dog, St. Louis.
Greg Shaker "Platinum Pick"
CHC -1.5 (+105) vs FLA
Play: Cubs -1.5 +105
Note: There are a lot things that have to come together before I will play a runline and they are doing it for this one tonight. Carlos Zambrano is one of those reasons as he tries to bounce back from his last outing at Houston, where he allowed four runs, six hits and walked a season-high six in 6 1/3 innings of a 4-1 loss on Saturday. Quality Throwers like Zamby do not sleep well following a game like he had and he will very prepared tonight at Wrigley. Certainly this field has been very kind to the Cubbies as they are an amazing 37-12 here. In compling that record, they have done another thing very well at this park. They have punished lefties, batting right at the .325 mark. After 6 not so good road games for Chicago, they will be very pleased with this situation tonight. Carlos has thrown well career-wise verses these Marlins, he is a perfect 5-0 here at Wrigley with an ERA of 2.25 and Super Duper Pitching Ratios. We get the added benefit of Zamby being a pretty good hitter as well. The most amazing thing about tonight's contest is the fact that Florida has won the last 10 meetings. They have no played this year yet, and I do believe that Florida's Luck has run out verses this Cubs Crew.
King Creole
SFG / 903 WAS Over 7.5
2* Play on: OVER
Both teams are on BIG-time 'OVER' streaks and each of the first two games in this series have gone 'OVER'. With favorable weather/wind conditions and an accomadating home plate Umpire, we have no problem climbing back aboard the Totals-Train for a "HIGH"-scoring result.
WASHINGTON has gone 8-2 O/U in their last 10 games (10.8 RPG) and a PERFECT 5-0 O/U in their last 5 (12.6 RPG). Meanwhile, the host GIANTS are 7-2-1 O/U in their last 10 games (9.9 RPG) and a PERFECT 5-0 O/U in their last 5 (10.6 RPG).... just like the Nats.
ANGEL CAMPOS gets the call 'behind the dish' this afternoon. He's only been umping 1.5 seasons. His 2008 numbers are pretty solid. 8-4 O/U on the year (10.6 RPG).... 8-2 O/U in his last 10 games (11.2 RPG).... 7-1 O/U in all NATIONAL LEAGUE games (10.9 RPG)... and 6-2 O/U in Righty vs Righty pitching matchups (11.5 RPG). He also has very favorable numbers in regards to BOTH of today's opponents. He's 1-0 O/U in career Washington National games (11.0 RG)... and 3-0 O/U in career SF Giant games (12.0 RPG). And ALL three of those SF Giant results were from THIS season.
MATT CAIN has a 2008 ERA that is a full 2 runs HIGHER (5.40) in DAYTIME starts compared to night time starts (3.32). A good sign for a high-scoring outcome. In fact, Cain is 7-1 O/U in those DAYTIME starts. He's also 6-1 O/U in Game Three of a series...8-2 O/U Off a Quality Start.. and 6-2 O/U in his last 8 HOME starts. On the flip side, TIM REDDING just got hammered in his last outing, allowing 6 earned runs in 4 innings in a 7-6 loss to the Braves. He's 7-3 o/U in his last 10 starts (10.6 combined RPG) and 4-1 O/U in his last 5 starts. His numbers "In THIS Park" include 2 starts totaling only 10 innings pitched. His ERA here is 7.83
3Daily Winners
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Kansas City Royals
Play: Tampa Bay Rays
Here is a solid system to consider, Play Against all underdogs with a money line of +100 or higher, (like it is on Kansas City) after five straight games where they stranded seven or less runners on base, with a struggling bullpen whose ERA is over 8.00 the last five games. The Royals are not hitting with regularity and the starting pitching and bullpen is getting pounded. This system is 24-8, 75 percent the last three years, including 2-0 this season. Play Tampa Bay
Stan Sharp
STL (+120) vs MIL
Stan notes that ST. LOUIS has been pure money when they are coming off a Shutout Loss. Over the last 2 years St. Louis is 11-2 the following game after being shutout. TAKE ST. LOUIS as STAN'S TEAM MISMATCH BIG BET OF THE WEEK and make them a DOUBLE DIME PLAY
Mr A
Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants
Both, the Nationals and Giants are struggling teams. Washington has dropped 12 of their last 16 games, 38-63 this season and San Francisco has lost nine of its last 12 contests, 42-58 this year. But the Giants have won the last six meetings against the Nationals and five of the last 7 in San Francisco.
Washington's Tim Redding (7-4, 4.17), is 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA in his last three starts. The right-hander is 0-4 with a 6.49 ERA in seven career outings, including five starts against the Giants. San Francisco's Matt Cain (5-8, 4.08 ERA), is 0-2 with a 3.79 ERA in his last three starts. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA in five career starts against the Nationals.
Take the Giants this afternoon at AT&T Park to continue outscoring the Nationals and seize a rare sweep.
San Francisco Giants -140
Ron Raymond 5* CFL GAME OF THE WEEK
5* Calgary/Winnipeg Under 51
Steve Merril Daytime OVER/UNDER Grand Slam
Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants
Pick: UNDER
Yankee Capper
2 Units - Giants/Nationals Under 8
BRIAN MARSHALL
Florida Marlins vs. Chicago Cubs
Play On: Chicago Cubs -1.5 Runs
The Florida Marlins will be lead by starting pitcher Scott Olsen. Scott Olsen has been having huge pitching problems as of late which is shown by his 6.00 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see Scott Olsen giving up many runs once again today.
The Chicago Cubs will be lead by starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano. Carlos Zambrano has been pitching very well as of late which is shown by his 2.21 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see Carlos Zambrano giving up very few hits and runs today.
The Chicago Cubs have played very good baseball at home this season. In fact, the Chicago Cubs are 41-13 in their last 54 home games.
Take the Chicago Cubs -1.5 Runs