Bobby Maxwell
It's time for Jered Weaver to start pitching like everyone knows he's capable of. The Angels' starter is just 2-5 with a 5.59 ERA this season after two stellar years in the rotation, he's struggled a bit, especially of late.
Already this season Weaver has allowed five earned runs in a game and in his last start at Kansas City he gave up eight runs on 10 hits in 3.1 innings of a 9-4 loss. The guy just crushed the White Sox in two starts last season, allowing a combined one run on 10 hits in 11.2 innings as the Angels scored 3-0 and 2-1 victories.
On the other side, John Danks (3-3, 3.18) has never faced the Angels and he's been consistent on the hill for the White Sox. He's given up two runs in each of his last three starts after shutting out two straight opponents.
But Chicago is just 6-16 on the road against teams with a winning home mark, 5-15 against A.L. West competition, 4-10 in Danks' last 14 starts, 1-6 on the road as a 'dog and 1-8 on the road agaisnt right-handed starters.
The Angels are 11-4 against the A.L. Central, 5-2 at home against southpaws, 5-2 at home with Weaver against a team with a losing road mark and 58-28 overall at home against teams with a losing road record.
Expect the Angels' offense to do enough to get the win and look for Weaver to deliver a strong performance and hold Chicago to two of three runs. Lay the chalk and play Los Angeles in this one.
4* L.A. ANGELS
Brandon Lang
15 Dime - Hornets
10 Dime - Cubs (Run Line)
5 Dime - Diamondbacks
Jeff Alexander Sports
1 Unit on Cincinnati Reds -150
The Marlins have been stellar on the road this season, but it will be all Reds in this one tonight. First of all, the Marlins are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings in Cincinnati and 0-4 in the last 4 meetings overall. The Reds are an unstoppable 20-6 in their last 26 games as a home favorite of -110 to -150, 4-0 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600, and 23-11 in their last 34 games as a home favorite period. They are also 4-1 in Volquez's last 5 starts. Cincy took care of the Fish in game 1 and I like them to do it again tonight.
VEGASSI
Pittsburgh @ St Louis Over 9.5
GAMEDAY SPORTS NETWORK
LA Dodgers @ Milwaukee Over 8.5
SportsAction365
Boston @ Baltimore Over 8.5
NATIONAL SPORTS ADVISORS
Boston @ Baltimore Over 8.5
Josh Dean
Phi/Pit UNDER 5.5
Sea/Tex UNDER 9
Bryan Leonard
Washington over NY Mets
John Lannan has been terrific for the Nationals this season especially on the road. He brings a 1.40 road ERA in 25.2 innings of work. What is probably more impressive is the offenses he has shut down. Lannan faced the Astros, Braves and these Mets on the road, three pretty good offensive clubs. In his previous start at Shea Stadium he held the Mets to a single earned run in 6.0 innings of work. What was even more impressive was his 11 strikeouts without allowing a walk.
John Maine has been very consistent after his first start of the season when Atlanta hit him hard. He has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any other start. He faced Washington earlier and the Mets were victorious 5-2 in this park.
The Mets swept the Nationals here earlier this season but in 2007 Washington took 5 of 7 in Shea Stadium. The Nationals have hit right-handers on the road better than the Mets have hit lefties at home. In what looks to be a low scoring affair the line is just too high to not back the underdog. This should be a coin flip game in which we are getting a nice plus money price.
PLAY WASHINGTON
Tom Freese
Colorado at Arizona
Colorado is 19-7 as underdogs with Jeff Francis on the mound and they are and they are 20-8 with Francis vs. a team that vs. an opponent that allowed 5 or more runs in in their last game Francis has been on the winning side in 5 of his last 7 starts at Arizona with a 2.49 ERA. The Diamondbacks are 0-6 vs. a team that allowed 5 or more runs in their last game and they are 3-7 their last 10 home games vs. Colorado.
PLAY ON COLORADO
Karl Garrett
Orlando at DETROIT -6'
Tonight I have the feeling the Orlando-Detroit game is going to find its way OVER the posted total.
Saturday's game was a rare UNDER the total in this series, as 9 of the last 13 meetings between the teams have gone OVER the posted total, and better still for us is the fact that 10 of the last 12 games played in Detroit between these rivals have also slipped OVER the posted price!
With Orlando standing on the brink of elimination, you can expect the Magic to foul if they are behind, and start firing up the trifectas to try and make up ground.
On the flip side, if Orlando is playing with the lead, it will be because their offense has been making shots from behind the arc.
Either way, chances seem solid to the G-Man that we get the OVER tonight.
2* OVER
Matt Rivers
The result was certainly not what Orlando was looking for in that game four at home but this team is still extremely talented and with their backs to the wall should be in this thing until the final whistle.
Dwight Howard is a beast and Hedo Tukoglu has really blommosed beautifully. Throw in Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis and I really see Stan Van Gundy's team able to rebound against the still banged up Pistons.
Chauncey Billups missed the entire last game and that shows me that even if he plays here will not be close to 100%. It's one thing to be without him as the five point dog but it's another thing to be without him or with him for a few minutes and be laying a half a dozen or so. Sure Flip Saunders' gang was able to muster that huge second half and come back to seize control of the series and take the 3-1 lead but Orlando is a 50 plus win team that will not just lay down tonight.
Detroit may end the series tonight as the home court is monstrous but I see this thing tight for the bulk of the game and I'll take my chances from there.
Orlando Magic
Chris Jordan
Seattle -120 at TEXAS
Off the Cubbies on the Run Line last night, we're taking the Mariners tonight, listing Hernandez and Gabbard as the pitchers on this game.
We side with the road team in this pitching rematch, as Felix the Cat will get revenge for a loss to Gabbard and the Rangers just five days ago, when the benches were cleared thanks to Mariners' first baseman Richie Sexson's mound charge toward Gabbard.
I realize the M's have dropped 11 of their last 13 games, and has three more losses than any other team on the junior circuit, but the team's offensive struggles have appeared to disolve with 18 runs in the last two games.
Seattle is 6-2 in Hernandez's last eight road starts, while it is 11-5 in his last 16 against the A.L. West.
2* MARINERS
Jeff Benton
This ones all about line value that exists for two reasons: 1) the Dodgers have cooled off big time lately, losing four straight games, all at home, including getting swept over the weekend by the Astros and 2) L.A. starter Brad Penny is coming off one of the worst starts of his career, as he got tagged for 10 runs (all earned) on 10 hits in just 4 2/3 innings of work, losing 12-1 to the Mets on Thursday. But prior to that particular game, the Dodgers had won 10 of their previous 11 games. Also, in his four previous starts, Penny had gone 4-0 with a 2.66 ERA. What's more, Penny flat dominated the Brewers in his one start against them last year, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits and two walks in a 5-1 win. In fact, the Dodgers are 3-0 in Penny's three starts against Milwaukee since he arrived in L.A. As for Milwaukee starter Carlos Villanueva, here's all you need to know: The Brewers are 1-5 in his last six trips to the mound, including blowout losses to the Astros (7-4) and Marlins (7-2) in Villanuevas last two contests. In those two, the righthander yielded 13 runs (all earned) on 19 hits (including SIX home runs) in just 10 innings of work! Finally, Villanueva is 0-3 with a 7.16 ERA in four night games this year; Penny is 4-1 with a 3.34 ERA under the lights. Pretty easy call, here: The Dodgers, who are on a 39-19 run against the Brewers, get back on the winning track in this one.
3* LA DODGERS
Strike Point Sports
The Cubbies put a beatdown on Randy Wolf in the series opener, and look for another one-sided affair at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. Shawn Estes, yes I said Shawn Estes, is pitching for the Padres, so that gives you an idea of how desperate this team is right now. Chicago continues to produce as one of baseball's best offenses. We'll see that them put together another winning effort at home.
CHICAGO CUBS -150
Tony Weston
I mean who wouldve figured that at this point in the season the New York Yankees would be looking up to the Tampa Bay Rays in the standings Very few people outside the Rays organization wouldve guessed that much, but thats where were at. The Yankees are a game under .500, while the Rays are six games over and 3 1/2 games ahead of New York in the AL East. These teams have played seven times this season and though New York holds a 4-3 advantage, four of those games were played in the first week of the season when both teams were playing more like their old selves. But after hammering the Yankees 7-1 last night, the Rays will get over again tonight and hand Chien-Ming Wang his second loss of the year. Including last nights loss the Yankees are 2-4 their last six games and are 7-10 their last 17 games, including a 3-5 mark on the road in that stretch. Over that six-game stretch the Yankees have averaged just a little more than three runs a game (3.1), while allowing more than four (4.3). The Rays, on the other hand, have won five straight games and are 6-1 their last seven, outscoring their opponents 34-19. Tampa is also 14-7 at home where their pitchers have a 2.97 ERA. Tampa will add to the Yankees recent woes and widen that gap in the standings. Take the Rays at home.
2* TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Michael Cannon
NY Yankees -140 at TAMPA BAY
Take the Yankees as the road chalk tonight over the Rays.
I acknowledge how well the Rays are doing right now, but this pitching matchup is not to their benefit.
Chien-Ming Wang will start for the Yankees and he?s been lights out this year. The right-hander is 6-1 with a 3.12 ERA. The Yankees have also fared very well when their ace takes the hill, going 20-6 in Wang?s last 26 road starts and 41-15 in his last 56 outings overall.
Tampa Bay will start Edwin Jackson, who is 2-3 with a 4.04 ERA on the season. The Rays are only 12-27 in the right-hander?s last 39 starts and 7-15 in his last 22 starts as an underdog.
For the Yankees, Wang is 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA in three road starts this year and 7-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 12 career starts against Tampa Bay.
Take the Yankees as they deliver the road win.
3* NY YANKEES
William Kidd Guaranteed Selections
QUADRUPLE BASEBALL AL GAME OF THE MONTH
Kansas City w/Greinke -115