Tony Karpinski
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Florida Marlins
Play: Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay at Florida (Baseball action) 7:10pm ET This is a battle of Florida and both teams are playing well this season as they are both over .500 and second in their division as they square off in South Beach. Tampa Bay will send James Shields to the mound, who has an ERA under 4, but is 4-5 on the year as he isn't getting the run support of late. Look for Shields to get back to .500 with a road win tonight. Play the Tampa Bay Rays
Big Al
At 7:10pm our selection is on the Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marlins 'over' the total. Injuries continue to devastate the young arms of the Florida Marlins pitching staff. Before this season even started, Josh Johnson, Sergio Mitre, and Anibel Sanchez were out of commission for the Marlins. One of the young guns picked to step in and fill the holes, righthander Burke Badenhop, just went on the DL with shoulder tendinitis. Enter 21-year-old righthander Ryan Tucker. Prior to this season, Tucker had never pitched above single A ball, and now he is being thrust into a starting role with the Major League club. And although Tucker is 2-1 in his first three starts, which certainly has to be considered a success, he also has given up sixteen hits and ten walks in sixteen innings so far with the Marlins. Tampa Bay's righthander James Shields has had a very eventful season so far in 2008. Shields has run the gamut from a complete game shutout to a suspension for a brawl, to some pretty ugly outings including a game in which he surrendered 10 hits and seven earned runs in less than four innings. And most importantly, Shields has some of the most one-sided home/away stats of any starter in baseball. This is an away game for the Rays and Shields and that is not a good situation for either of them. Shields is a disasterous 1-4 with a 6.99 ERA away from Tampa's Tropicana Field. The over is 14-3 (with 4 pushes) in the Marlins' last 21 interleague games, and 21-6-4 in their last 31 overall. Take the 'over'.
SPORTS KINGZ
TORONTO -170
COLORADO -120
HOUSTON -160
WHITE SOX -110
PHILLY +105
Jeff Alexander Sports
1 Unit on Angels -155
The Halos are on fire on the road and I don't see their run ending tonight with Santana on the hill. The Angels are 7-0 in their last 7 interleague road games, 5-0 in their last 5 games as a road favorite, 5-0 in their last 5 vs. the National League East, and 5-0 in their last 5 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Angels are 25-9 in their last 34 interleague games, 23-9 in their last 32 road games, and 19-7 in Santana's last 26 starts as a favorite. The Nationals are 5-17 in their last 22 home games, 8-20 in their last 28 overall, and 0-4 in their last 4 interleague home games. Bet the Angels.
Gavazzi Bases
3% St louis Cards
Ted Sevransky
Cincinnati Reds @ Toronto Blue Jays
PICK: Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a team poised for an uptick after struggling through the first half of June. The Blue Jays were awful offensively during their 4-15 cold streak, scoring three runs or less eleven different times during that span. But we’ve seen the Blue Jays offense come to life since John Gibbons was fired and Cito Gaston took over as the team’s manager. In their last two games, the Blue Jays have pounded out 22 runs on 33 hits, with struggling hitters like Alex Rios, Lyle Overbay, Vernon Wells and Scott Rolen all getting untracked at the same time.
That’s very bad news for Reds starter Aaron Harang, who appears to be wearing down after years of overuse. Remember, Harang threw 231 innings of work last year (third in the majors) and 234 innings in ’06 (also third in the majors). Harang is in the top ten in innings pitched again this year, but his results are noticeably declining. That decline has been more pronounced on the road, where Harang is 1-6 in seven starts so far this season with opponents hitting .309 against him. With the Reds offense struggling mightily (only 33 runs scored in their last 13 games, leading to a 4-9 record during that span), look for Roy Halladay to shut them down again tonight, leading to an easy Toronto victory. Take the Blue Jays.
Stephen Nover
New York Yankees @ Pittsburgh Pirates
PICK: Pittsburgh Pirates
At this whooping underdog price, you have to take a shot on the home Pirates.
Pittsburgh is pumped up for this series and received rare great crowd support in beating the Yankees last night. The Yankees are struggling offensively and have a cluster outfield injury situation.
New York is averaging only 2.6 runs in its last five games. Its outfield is hurting with Johnny Damon (foot) and Hideki Matsui (knee and neck) not expected to be in the starting lineup.
The price is so high because of the pitching matchup of Joba Charmberlain versus Zach Duke. The Yankees also are the most public of teams while the Pirates are among the least public teams.
Chamberlain is a future star. But right now he's still a young pitcher making the conversion to starting. He has yet to reach the seventh inning and can have command issues. He threw a career-high 100 pitches in his last start. The Yankees' middle relief remains extremely vulnerable.
Duke has had a big bounce back year. He has been Pittsburgh's most consistent starter. Duke is 4-2 at home this season with a 3.18 ERA. He can be tough on left-handed hitters. He's a groundball pitcher with good control. The Yankees are just 12-12 versus southpaws this season. They have never faced Duke before.
Having reliable fielding Jack Wilson back at shortstop is huge for Duke. Duke is exactly the type of pitcher the Yankees don't like to see.
John Ryan
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Oakland Athletics
Play: Philadelphia Phillies
Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Philadelphia – All championship teams go thorough rough spots and the Phillies are enduring theirs right now. Losing 11 of 14 games is about the right length, roughly speaking, where teams, like the Phillies, break out to their winning ways again. The Phils still have the BEST bullpen in baseball sporting a paltry 2.58 ERA and the best NL closer in Ledge and that will ALWAYS provide a firm foundation for this team when it goes through losing streaks. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 233-177 making 54.7 units since 1997. Play against home teams in the first half of the season that are poor AL hitting team batting <=.260 against a team with a very good bullpen posting an ERA <=3.33. Oakland starter Smith has done well based on his flash stats, but his control has become a big issue running his pitch count far too high and too early in the games. He has pitched just 5 innings in each of his last 2 starts. The SD bullpen is weak posting a 6.20 ERA and a 1.574 WHIP allowing 6 HR in just 20.3 IP over the past 7 games. Aside from the 3* Major grading for this play based on my Ai Simulator, there is just no way an offense like the Phils will continue to bat sub 200 as a team. I believe this could be a huge blowout. Take the Phils.
Yankee Capper
2 Units - Rangers/Astros Under 9½
Ben Burns
Today's Pick: NEW YORK METS
After winning Monday' series opener, the Mariners embarrassed the Mets by a score of 11-0 yesterday. The Mets, who are 11-6 the last 17 times they were coming off a shutout loss, should have a signficant advantage this evening though. Maine is 7-5 with a solid 3.78 ERA and 1.318 WHIP on the season. On the other hand, Batista is 3-7 and has a terrible 6.16 ERA and 1.943 WHIP in his 13 starts. Consider laying the price with the revenge-minded home team. Take the Mets.
Rocky Atkinson
Today's Pick: OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Philadelphia is 3-9 when playing on Wednesday this year. Philadelphia is 2-8 in Interleague play this year. Philadelphia is 1-6 this year when the total is 8 to 8 1/2. Oakland is 185-131 in June since 1997. Philadelphia has lost 6 in a row heading into tonight's game. Oakland bullpen has a 3.29 ERA overall this year and a 2.98 ERA at home this season. Kendrick has a 5.06 ERA overall this year, 5.06 ERA on the road this season and a 5.28 ERA his last 3 starts. Smith has a 3.51 ERA overall this year, 2.84 ERA at home this season adn a 3.31 ERA his last 3 starts. We'll recommend a small play on Oakland tonight!
KBHOOPS
4 units Milw/Atl UNDER 9
Brandon Lovell
10* Stl-Det under 9
PRICELESS PICKS
1 Unit on Houston Astros -158
We'll lay the juice to get Oswalt on the hill at home. The Astros are 47-17 in Oswalt's last 64 home starts, 25-8 in Oswalt's last 33 Wednesday starts, and 27-8 in Oswalts last 35 starts as a home favorite of -151 to -200. Here's the one that will shock you. The Astros are 78-37 in Oswalt's last 115 starts as a favorite. Now that's domination you can see in your bankroll. The Rangers are 1-6 in Feldman's last 7 starts and 0-4 in his last 4 road starts. Bet the Astros.
Oddswiz
St Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers
Play: St Louis Cardinals
We played the Cardinals on this page yesterday for a nice dog win and will come back with them again today. It's simply a matter of price here. You have to pitchers going today having fantastic years. Lohse for the Cards is 9-2 with a 3.63 and a WHIP OF 1.22. Armando Galarraga Goes for the Tigers at 7-2 with a 3.03 era and a WHIP of 1.07. Keep in mind Lohse has won six straight and shut down the Phillies and Bosox, two teams known for scoring runs. The Cards ripped the Tigers for 14 hits yesterday so the bats are popping for St Louis. But this isn't a play based on any clear cut edge for the Cards in this one. The Tigers have been playing great ball, having won 10 of their last 13 games. e just feel the price is too high here. -125, -135, maybe even -140 would be more like it here. It's the extra 30 cents or so, that presents us with the value here, so, we'll bite