CHRIS CHIRIMBES
TAMPA BAY DEVILRAYS
It's been more than three months since the Tampa Bay Rays lost two in a row at home. The first-place Rays likely can't afford for that to change when they face the Oakland Athletics in the deciding game of their three-game series Wednesday afternoon. Tampa Bay (58-41) fell 8-1 to Oakland on Tuesday for its second loss in three games after winning two in a row against Toronto to open its six-game homestand. The Rays, who hold a slim lead over Boston in the AL East, are 39-16 at Tropicana Field, where they've won their last three series and haven't dropped two straight games since losing three in a row from April 14-18.
WINNERS EDGE
Pittsburgh Pirates +120 , 2 units
LA Angels RL + 120 , 1 unit
Nationals / Giants over 8.5 E , 1 unit
Sal Bansa
Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals
Pick: Total: Under
SAL'S A.L. TOTAL OF THE MONTH
Another Divisional game Wednesday with the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. The Tigers will go with Armando Galarraga. The Righthander Galarraga is 7-4 this season with a 3.24 ERA. The Tigers will be facing Greinke and he has allowed less than two runs per game in daytime action. In six daytime starts, Greinke ERA is only 3.16 and Greinke has a 3.39 ERA record in starts against the Tigers. The under has played a big roll the last few games with these two teams with combined scores of 14 runs. Today will have the same result. PLAY UNDER
EZ WINNERS
5 STAR: (974) KANSAS CITY (-$106) over Detroit
(Listing Greinke only)
(Risking $530 to win $500)
2 STAR: (980) BALTIMORE (-$105) over Toronto
(Listing Guthrie only)
(Risking $210 to win $200)
2 STAR: (958) FLORIDA (+$106) over Atlanta
(Listing Nolasco only)
(Risking $200 to win $212)
2 STAR: OVER 9.5 (-$105) Pittsburgh @ Houston
(Listing Snell and Moehler)
(Risking $210 to win $200)
2 STAR: OVER 9 (+$100) Philadelphia @ NY Mets
(Listing Myers and Maine)
(Risking $100 to win $100)
BRANDON LANG
10 Dime: Astros - Brewers - Cubs
5 Dime: Reds - Mariners
MICHAEL CANNON
LA Dodgers -110 at COLORADO
Theres no sugarcoating the fact that Colorado starter Glendon Rusch gets shelled by the Dodgers.
Thats putting it kindly.
Check these numbers out. In five career games, Rusch is 0-5 with a 14.21 ERA against the Dodgers. The left-hander has been lit up for 57 hits and 40 earned runs in just 25 1-3 innings.
The Dodgers will counter with Hiroki Kuroda, and if he can hold the Rockies to a touchdown you have to like our chances.
Actually the Los Angeles right-hander has been pretty good this year. Hes 5-6, but sports a nice 3.79 ERA in 18 games.
Kuroda has been the victim of poor run support at times this year, but that shouldnt be a problem this afternoon
Take the Dodgers as they grab the road win.
3♦ LA DODGERS
Larry Ness
20* Getaway Day GOM (5-1 run w/20*s)
Seattle Mariners
15* Pitching Mismatch GOW (173-87 run)
New York Mets
ROBERT FERRINGO
2-Unit Play. Take Over 9.0 San Diego at Cincinnati
Lots of reasons to like this play right here. First, Bronson Arroyo is a mess during the day, posting a healthy 6.75 ERA in his five early starts this year. On top of that, Greg Maddux has a 5.29 ERA in his last three games and a 6.27 ERA on the road this year. The wind is blowing out to right field today and is pretty strong (12 mph), which should be a boon to all of Cincy?s left-handed power hitters. James Hoye is behind the dish and has a hitter-friendly zone. He?s just 8-15 against the total this year but I think that his strike-to-ball ratio, and his past performance, are going to make him a solid regression candidate over baseball?s second half.
1.5-Unit Play. Take Minnesota (+150) over New York Yankees
1-Unit Play. Take Minnesota (+1.5, -135) over New York Yankees
This isn't a true chase because I don't want to "Let it ride" on the Twins. But if you're feeling frisky, or can't play run lines, I would suggest going with 3 Units on the moneyline here. I do think the Twins find a way to get one in this series, and I think they manufacture a W today.
Locksmith Sports
1 Unit on NY Mets -129
Myers was once thought to have ace-caliber stuff, but the Phillies can't get a win with him on the hill. The Phillies are 6-20 in Myers' last 26 starts, 3-15 in Myers' last 18 starts vs. the National League East, and 1-11 in Myers' last 12 road starts. The Mets are 7-1 in their last 8 home games and 11-3 in their last 14 overall. The Mets are also a dominant 21-5 in Maine 's last 26 starts vs. the National League East. Take the Mets to bounce back tonight.
Brian Hansen
Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees
Pick: New York Yankees
Member Pick: New York Yankees ? The Yankees have won five in a row overall and nine games in a row at home. Will they slow down this afternoon? Not with this pitching match-up! Yes, Glen Perkins of the Twins has some impressive stats this season but many may not be aware of the fact that opponents are hitting nearly .300 against him this season. This is not going to get the job done considering Perkins is matched up with Mike Mussina of the Yankees. The Yanks right-hander has done a fantastic job for the Yanks this season and he?s also a dominating 21-6 against Minnesota in his career. The Twin-Killer will be facing a Minnesota club that certainly is not fond of Yankee Stadium. After another ugly loss in the Bronx yesterday, the Twins are now 3-18 in their last 21 games at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees offense is clicking again while the Twins offense has been quieted down. That means more Yanks domination is on tap in the Bronx this afternoon!
Erin Rynning
Playmaker: Kansas City
Bob Akmens
4* Tampa Bay
4* Houston Astros
Sebastian
300* KC/Det Under 9
100* Clv/LAA under 8, if 7.5 make a 50*
50* NYY/Min Under 9
20* Mil
20* LAD
Comp Atl
Dave Malinsky
Texas Rangers @ Chicago White Sox
PICK: 4* Chicago White Sox -113
The major shift in pricing between last night?s matchup here on the South Side of Chicago and the one taking place this afternoon tells us that the marketplace is not giving a lot of credit to Clayton Richard. That works to our favor, and makes it easy to back the young left-hander in a most favorable setting for his Major League debut.
We often get behind left-handers in their first pass through the league, with opposing hitters lacking SCOUT ing reports and having to make difficult adjustments. That is even tougher for Texas than most teams, with the Rangers showing a major left/right imbalance this season that carries a significant degree of logic based on their lineup. And in games started by opposing left-handers they are just 11-20, off of last night?s feeble showing against Mark Buehrle. Now enter the 6-5/240 Richard, a good enough athlete to have been a scholarship QB at the University of Michigan, and a pitcher that brings great form to the table. He got called up to AAA after a solid 2.47 opening at AA this season, and promptly responded with a 6-0/2.37 showing that earned him a second elevation. Over those two Minor League stints he sported a solid ratio of 82 strikeouts vs. only 20 walks, an indication of his command. Having pitched in Yankee Stadium in the ?MLB Future?s? game last week this pressure is also not so significant, and note that before being added to the Chicago roster he was slated to pitch for the U.S. Olympic team. Obviously this is a bigger prize, and we expect him to respond well based on his current form and mental make-up.
The leaves it up to the Chicago offense to get to Kevin Millwood and that mediocre Texas bullpen, and that is an even easier equation. The White Sox have been mashing right-handers on this field all season, and Millwood?s 5.23 ERA is merely an accurate reflection of the ugly neighborhood at which his career currently resides. He has been rocked for 146 hits in 106.2 inning and there are no signs of it getting any better - he only has one quality start in his last night outings, and has not completed the 7th inning in a game since April. Against an offense that has keyed a 34-16 surge at home this season is is hardly the spot for him to turn things around, and the major edges held by the Chicago bullpen only means a growing margin in the latter stages.
Elite Sports Circle Guaranteed Selections
5000* ELITE STEAM BASEBALL WINNER
Detroit w/Galarraga +100