Matt Fargo
Game: San Francisco Giants at Houston Astros
Prediction: Houston Astros
The Astros remain red hot as they have won six straight games to move over .500 on the season. This is a team that obviously has not tossed in the towel despite being 11.5 games out in the National League Central. If anything, they still do have a shot at the Wild Card as they trail St. Louis by just 4.5 games and are behind only three teams total which makes the climb that much easier. The offense is killing the ball right now as Houston has averaged 6.4 rpg over its last 16 games.
The Giants have dropped the first two games in this series and despite being better on the road than at home, they are still six games under .500 in their roadies. The offense has done nothing, scoring four runs or fewer in 12 of its last 13 games and 16 of their last 18, plating an average of only 2.7 rpg over that span. The bullpen is even worse as the relievers have posted a putrid 8.39 ERA over their last 10 games. San Francisco has dropped five of its six meetings with Houston this year.
It has been a season to forget for Barry Zito as he is in the midst of his worst year ever. He is 6-14 with a 5.55 ERA in 23 starts with the Giants going 7-16 in those games. Surprisingly, he has been a much better pitcher on the road than at home but this is his first ever assignment in Houston and he is facing a red hot offense. Randy Wolf has been decent since coming over from the Padres. In his line home start, he did not allow a run in five innings against the Mets. Houston continues its surge. Play Houston Astros 1.5 Units
Ben Burns
Game: Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates
Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates dropped yesterday's opener. They should have the advantage on the mound this evening though, offering them a great chance to even up the series. Maholm has been extremely solid at home all season long. He was the victim of poor run support in his last start here, as he allowed only one run through seven innings but didn't factor in the decision. Despite the tough luck in that 7/27 outing, which came vs. Jake Peavy, he's still managed to go 5-1 (Pirates are 8-3) in 11 starts here, recording a stellar 3.14 ERA and 1.177 WHIP during those starts, while averaging a whopping seven innings each time out. His last start came on the road, vs. a powerful Phillies team. Once again, he didn't manage to get a decision. However, the Pirates won 2-0 and Maholm was dominant. Indeed, he tossed seven shutout innings, allowing only five hits while adding 10 K's. Note that Maholm has a 1.46 ERA in two starts vs. the Reds this season. He should finally get some run support today, as Fogg is going for the visitors. In 10 starts this season, Fogg has a brutal 8.67 ERA and 1.747 WHIP, averaging less than five innings per outing. The Reds are 0-3 his last three starts, losing by a combined score of 28-10. Fogg has a terrible 11.08 ERA and 2.231 in those games. Note that Fogg, a former Pirate, also has an awful 11.30 ERA and 1.884 WHIP in three career starts against the Pirates. Consider PITTSBURGH
Wild Bill
Reds-Pirates Over 9 (5 units)
Mets -135 (5 units)
Giants +135 (5 units)
Arizona +135 (5 units)
Phils-Dodgers Over 8 (5 units)
Rangers-Red Sox Over 10 1/2 (5 units)
Royals +185 (5 units)
Royals-White Sox Over 9 (5 units)
Mariners-Angels Under 8 (5 units)
Chris James Sports
Pittsburgh Pirates
Tonight is game two of the series between the Reds and the Pirates and the Reds are looking for rare back-to-back wins. The Reds won last night's game by a score of 5-1 but don't expect the same outcome tonight. Tonight the Reds will send Josh Fogg to the mound who is 2-4 with a 7.98 ERA on the year. The Reds are 5-5 in his starts this year and he is 1-1 lifetime against the Pirates. Fogg has really been struggling recently going 0-2 in his last 3 starts with an ERA of 11.08. He is giving up on average 20 hits/walks per nine innings pitched which means alot of base runners tonight for the Pirates and they are a better hitting team against right-handed pitchers. In Fogg's last 3 starts he has pitched only 13 innings giving up 22 hits, 16 earned runs, 7 walks, and 3 home runs. WOW! Add on top of that the fact that the Reds are 2-6 in their last 8 road games, 18-38 in their last 56 games as a road underdog and 5-16 in their last 21 overall! The Pirates counter tonight with Paul Maholm who is 7-7 on the year with a 3.76 ERA. He has a 2.70 ERA in his last 3 starts. In his one start against the Reds this year he pitched 7 innings giving up 2 earned runs. The Pirates are 22-7 in their last 29 as a home favorite which is pretty impressive for a bad team. They are 7-1 in Maholm's last 8 starts as a home favorite and 11-3 in his last 14 home starts overall. Add with that the fact that the Pirates are 4-1 in Maholm's last 5 starts vs. the Reds and I think we have a pretty easy winner here tonight! Free Play Selection is on the Pittsburgh Pirates.
TONY STEVENS
CHICAGO CUBS GM1 -109
CHICAGO CUBS GM2 +120
NEW YORK METS -1.5 +115
COLORADO ROCKIES -123
The Bookie Pays You:
========================================================
After the Angels get it done last night, we're now 30-6 in our last 36 releases!
That's 83 FREAKIN PERCENT!! I'll take that ALL YEAR LONG!! Tonight it's
very simple... Take the Angels once again. The Angels are now 4-0 in Santanas
last 4 home starts against the Mariners, and 5-1 in their last six at home versus
the M's. But the stats really don't even matter in this one. The Angels are hands
down, the best team in the MLB... While the Mariners are possibly the worst.
Angels all the way tonight! **** Thanks.
=========================================================
Lenny Del Genio
Afternoon Delight **21-14 Run**
Twins
Erin Rynning
Playmaker: Cardinals/Marlins Under 8.5
Washington Nationals
Minnesota Twins
Nelly
Minnesota over New York
The Twins nearly beat the Yankees last night with the ‘B’ team lineup in as Mike Redmond batted third and Nick Punto batted second. Injuries have weakened Minnesota a bit but the Twins are still one of the top hitting teams in baseball. New York starter Darrell Rasner has stayed in the rotation out of desperation as the Yankees are 2-6 in his road starts and his season ERA is 5.28. The home team has won six of the past seven meetings in this series and Minnesota is 20-6 as a favorite. Kevin Slowey has excellent numbers at home this season and he pitched well against the Yankees in New York earlier this season. Look for the Twins to deliver in this early match-up.
Tom Freese
St. Louis at Florida
Florida is 12-3 their last 15 home games vs. a team with a winning road record and they are 12-4 in the last 16 starts made by Ricky Nolasco. The righthander is in awesome KW form with 24 strikeouts and just 1 walk in his last 3 starts. St. Louis is 3-7 their last 10 road games vs. winning teams and they are 1-5 their last 6 games when playing Game 3 of a series. The Cardinals are 2-12 with Braden Looper vs. winning teams. 10* PLAY ON FLORIDA
Karl Garrett
Milwaukee at SAN DIEGO
I hate to state the obvious, but this CC Sabathia has been a monster since putting on a Milwaukee uniform.
All Sabathia has done is go 6-0 in 7 starts with the Brew Crew, 4 by complete game victory. CC has won all 3 of his Milwaukee road starts, sporting an ERA just over 1.
To think that San Diego is going to be able to scratch more than a run off this guy is not reality, so the G-Man is going to lay the smaller road wood, and play Milwaukee on the RUN LINE.
The Brewers have a 7 game winning streak, and they are 12-2 on the road since the All-Star break, which is the best in the majors.
San Diego counters with a woeful 4-17 mark their last 21 at home, and starter Josh Banks is not likely to be able to hold the hot-hitting Brewers at bay for very long in this start.
RUN LINE play on the Brewers tonight.
5♦ MILWAUKEE -1.5
Michael Cannon
Philadelphia +105 at LA DODGERS
Take the Phillies for the road win over the Dodgers.
Joe Blanton will start for Philly and he’s looked good in his first few games with his new club. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last three starts, including seven scoreless innings his last time out in a no-decision.
The Dodgers will counter with Brad Penny, who just hasn’t been himself this year, even before he was injured.
The right-hander is just 6-9 with a 5.66 ERA in 16 games. As his ERA has ballooned this year, that’s how far his strikeouts have dropped. Penny has just 47 punchouts in 90 2-3 innings this year.
The Philadelphia lineup is more than capable of catching up to Penny’s heat and putting the runs up tonight.
Take the Phillies as your free winner.
3♦ PHILADELPHIA
Sports Gambling Hotline
Baltimore -120 at CLEVELAND
Tonight we like Baltimore to end Cleveland's 5 game winning streak, as the Orioles do send out Jeremy Guthrie who has been in the zone lately.
Guthrie has won his last 3 assignments, and he has done so by firing 22 innings of 3 run ball!
Cleveland goes with Anthony Reyes who they picked up from the Cardinals. Reyes was impressive in his first Cleveland start, tossing 6 innings of 1 run ball in a win at Toronto, but we expect his to struggle tonight.
Baltimore's bats have been able to get it going through the first 2 games, as they have scored 13 runs, but it has been the pitching that has let them down.
That won't be the case tonight with Guthrie continuing his impressive run.
Play on the O's.
5♦ BALTIMORE
Sports Advisors
NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis (66-56) at Florida (63-57)
Braden Looper (10-9, 4.20 ERA) takes the ball for the Cardinals against Ricky Nolasco (11-7, 3.92) and the Marlins in the third game of a four-game series between two playoff hopefuls at Dolphin Stadium.
Florida held on for a 4-3 victory Tuesday to even the series. However, both teams have been inconsistent, with the Cards 5-7 in their last 12 games and the Marlins 11-11 in their last 22 outings. St. Louis has struggled against winning teams, dropping 13 of its last 18 and going 2-12 in Looper’s last 14 starts against squads playing above .500 ball. On the flip side, Florida is on an 18-8 run at home against winning teams and is 12-4 in Nolasco’s last 16 starts overall.
These teams are seeing each other for the first time in 2008. However, the Cardinals have owned this rivalry in recent years, winning 11 of the last 15 meetings overall and seven of the last nine in South Beach.
The Cardinals are 2-5 in Looper’s last seven starts, with the right-hander going 1-4 with two no-decisions in that span. On Friday against the Cubs, he threw a solid seven innings, allowing two runs (both solo homers) on six hits, but he got a no-decision in a 3-2 road loss.
The Marlins were on a 9-2 tear behind Nolasco before his outing Friday against the Mets. The right-hander gave up three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings and got no offensive support in a 3-0 loss in New York.
Looper is 6-3 with a 3.89 ERA in 11 road starts this season and 3-2 with a 5.53 ERA in 18 appearances (two starts) against Florida. Nolasco is 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA in 12 home starts this year, and he’s 0-1 with an 8.53 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against St. Louis.
For St. Louis, the over is on streaks of 11-5-1 overall, 10-3-1 on the road and 7-3-1 versus the N.L. East. On the other hand, the under is 8-3 in Florida’s last 11 overall, 9-3 in Nolasco’s last 12 home starts and 7-2 in the last nine Cardinals-Marlins clashes.
ATS ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA
Philadelphia (64-55) at L.A. Dodgers 60-59)
The Dodgers, who have already won the first two games of this four-game home set, send Brad Penny (6-9, 5.66 ERA) to the hill against Joe Blanton (6-12, 4.71) and the Phillies.
On Tuesday night, Los Angeles rallied from a 3-1 deficit, scoring once in the eighth and once in the ninth to steal a 4-3 victory. The Dodgers are on runs of 10-3 at home and 6-0 against the N.L. East. On the flip side, Philly has lost four of its last six overall and is 1-4 in its last five as a road underdog.
In this rivalry, the Dodgers have won four in a row overall and are 4-1 in the last five clashes in L.A.
On Friday, Penny returned from a nearly two-month stint on the disabled list and snapped his five-game losing skid in a 6-2 victory at San Francisco. The right-hander, who was out with a shoulder injury, allowed one run on one hit in five innings, getting his first win since May 2.
Blanton has three no-decisions in four starts since being traded to Philadelphia, the latest coming on Friday against Pittsburgh when the burly right-hander three seven shutout innings of one-hit ball, but the Phillies lost 2-0 at home to the Pirates in 12 innings. Prior to that defeat, the Phillies had won three straight games behind Blanton.
Penny, making his first home start since June 8, is 3-5 with a 5.07 ERA in nine outings at Dodger Stadium this season, and he’s 8-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 19 career starts against Philadelphia. Blanton is 4-3 with a 5.33 ERA in eight starts on the highway this year, and he’s 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his lone career start against Los Angeles, an interleague contest when he was with Oakland.
For Los Angeles, the under is on streaks of 8-3-1 overall, 27-12-1 at Dodger Stadium and 10-1 in Wednesday outings. The under is also 5-1-1 in Philadelphia’s last seven games. However, the over is still 8-2-2 in the last 12 meetings between these teams and 7-0-2 in the past nine battles at Dodger Stadium.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. DODGERS
HITMAN
EARLY PLAY
Minnesota Twins