Bruce MarshallFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles DodgersSERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
Pick: St. Louis CardinalsFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Another listless performance on Friday night by the Dodgers, who barely made a peep in a 7-0 loss at Chavez Ravine vs. the Cardinals. Hardly the sort of effort that was expected from the Blue after displaying a rare pulse while winning two of three in a midweek series at Milwaukee that might have earned under-fire skipper Don Mattingly a stay of execution. But Mattingly's status remains shaky at best after some very lukewarm endorsements from team prexy Stan Kasten, and LA continues to hint at real dysfunction, noting Mattingly's recent benching of RF Andre Ethier. Now the Dodgers have to rely upon just-activated lefty Ted Lilly, who hasn't pitched since April 29 and with a 5.63 ERA in limited work earlier this season. Meanwhile, the Cards are 2-0 in starts made by young John Gast, who hasn't allowed a run in the first five innings of either start before running out of gas in the sixth inning. At the moment, however, St. Louis looks much more likely to fire the deciding scoring shots, considering its .291 BA during an uplifting 17-5 current streak. Expect Gast to have some run support in this late afternoon tilt.
Don Best ConsensusFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Colorado Rockies at San Francisco GiantsSERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
Pick: San Francisco GiantsFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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The Giants suffered their first loss to the Rockies in 10 straight meetings last night. They'll look to bounce back with LHP Barry Zito on the mound on Saturday. The Giants are 7-1 in Zito's last 8 home starts vs. the Rockies. The Giants are 21-6 in Zito's last 27 starts on grass, and they are 22-9 in their last 30 homes games. The Rockies are 14-27 in their last 40 road games and 4-9 in Nicasio's last 13 road starts. Play the Giants.
Dave CokinFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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San Diego Padres at Arizona DiamondbacksSERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
Pick: San Diego PadresFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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The San Diego Padres have gotten cooled off the last few nights following a major surge that brought them within a whisker of reaching the .500 plateau. But I like the Friars chances of snapping their 0-3 run with a win tonight at Arizona.
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Andrew Cashner will be doing the pitching for the Padres, and the big righty is really starting to put things together. This is a guy with good enough stuff to be a legit #2 starter, and could even approach ace level as time goes on. Command is the key for Cashner. When he's working ahead in the count, Cashner can be downright nasty. Lately, that has been the case more often than not and not surprisingly, he's generating some very positive results.
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Things have not been going as well for Wade Miley. The lefty enjoyed a breakout 2012 campaign, racking up 16 wins in the process. Miley gave up an inordinate number of hits per inning, but hitters had to beat him, as he simply would not beat himself with walks and consistently unfavorable counts. But 2013 has been a different story for the southpaw. Control has been a nagging issue for Miley, and while he's been a little sharper lately, I don't see him as a go with guy right now. Miley, it should be noted, has also had some real problems with some of the Padres he'll be facing tonight.
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Things are going pretty well for the Diamondbacks right now. Despite a bullpen that's not exactly lights out, this team is winning games and will enter Saturday's action now tied for first place in the NL West with the surprising Rockies. On run differential, Arizona is 45 to the good against San Diego, and they're hosting a Padres team that is not exactly the nuts on the road. But I prefer Cashner to Miley enough to look at the Padres as a live dog tonight, and I'll therefore side with San Diego to pick up the victory this time.
Stephen NoverFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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San Diego +123FOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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San Diego is a better offensive team on the road. The Padres have the hotter pitcher going and have a good recent history when playing in the desert. So I'll take this 'dog price.
Andrew Cashner has proven he can make the transition from reliever to starter. Cashner's fastball averages 94 mph, which is the sixth fastest among starters. The talent always was there with him. Injuries and stamina had held back. But lately he's been putting it all together while staying under-the-radar pitching for the Padres.
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Cashner is 3-2 with a 2.80 ERA since breaking into the rotation on April 20. He's been at his best during his last three starts going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA. He proved his ability away from Petco Park two starts ago when he held the Orioles at hitter-friendly Camden Yards to one earned run on five hits and one walk in 7 1/3 innings during a 3-2 Padres win. The Orioles rank in the top three in runs scored, batting average and homers.
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Arizona is going with Wade Miley, who is enduring a sophomore slump after an excellent rookie season. The Padres beat him, 7-6, in San Diego on May 3. The Padres got to the lefty for four runs on nine hits and three walks in five innings.
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Miley catches a bad break as right-handed Carlos Quentin, the Padres' most dangerous power hitter, is back in the lineup after being out for two games with a knee injury. The streaky Quentin was 3-for-3 on Friday.
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Miley has a 4.50 home ERA. He's not in good form either. In his last four starts, Miley has given up 14 earned runs on 27 hits and six walks in 23 2/3 innings.
The Padres are 8-3 the past 11 times they've met the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
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Minnesota vs. DetroitFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
Pick: Detroit -1.5FOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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It's two teams going different ways when Minnesota and Detroit play Saturday afternoon and with the price being where it is, I'll be selecting the Tigers on the Run Line (-1.5). Detroit has taken the first two games of this series, 7-6 and 6-0. I envision the game today playing out like yesterday's where Anibal Sanchez took a no-hitter into the 9th inning. Minnesota has now lost 10 in a row.
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Here are my keys to the game:FOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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1. Recent Results - While the Twins have been losing, the Tigers have been winning - four straight, in fact. Detroit is averaging over seven runs per game during this time frame. Meanwhile, Minnesota is struggling badly. Four players in yesterday's lineup came in batting .212 or worse on the season. Any time a team has lost 10 games in a row, there's a multitude of things going wrong. Such is the case with the Twins right now.
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2. Homefield Advantage - The Tigers continue to get the job done at Comerica Park this season. They are 15-7 at home and averaging more than six runs per game there. Obviously, it's going to be tough for Minnesota to match that kind of production.
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3. X-Factor - The Tigers have a deep rotation and after having to deal with Sanchez yesterday, the Twins face Doug Fister Saturday afternoon. Fister threw his own complete game shutout against Minnesota the last time he faced them, which was last September. He's a perfect 4-0 at home this season with a 3.00 ERA.
Jesse SchuleFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Atlanta vs. NY MetsFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
Pick: AtlantaFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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The Braves came into Game 1 of this series with the Mets off consecutive sweeps over the Dodgers and the Twins. Last night's result was affected by rain, but the offensive surge continued with home runs from Dan Uggla and Freddie Freeman.
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Atlanta will turn to Mike Minor Saturday night, and he's been pitching well of late. Minor (5-2, 2.78 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on just three hits, striking out nine in a 5-2 win over the Dodgers in his last start. He's allowed just four runs in his last three starts, and the Braves have won all three of those games.
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He has been successful against the Mets, with a record of 3-1 in seven career starts versus New York.
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The Mets hand the ball to Dillon Gee, and he hasn't been sharp at all this season. Gee (2-5, 6.04 ERA) allowed three runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs over five innings, not factoring in the decision in a 4-3 win over the Cubs in his last start.
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Jason Heyward is back in the lineup for the Braves, after recovering from having his appendix removed. Prior to his stint on the DL, he had more than one hit just once in 17 games. Since his return, he has multiple hits in 3-of-6 games. He's 6-for-12 with a home run versus Gee in his career.
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The Braves are the better team, with a superior pitcher on the mound, and the price is fairly reasonable.
Bryan PowerFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Chi. Cubs vs. CincinnatiFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
Pick: CincinnatiFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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I won my free play yesterday on the Reds. Given what I've seen lately from both clubs involved here, I see no reason why I shouldn't come right back with them Saturday afternoon.
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With Friday's 7-4 win, Cincinnati has now won 11 of 13, including four in a row. The Cubs, on the other hand, have dropped five straight. They are also 1-6 head to head w/ the Reds this season. Going back even further, Cincy has dominated the Cubs to the tune of 18 wins in 23 games the last two seasons. That includes 15-2 L17. Now even ahead of last year's pace when they won 97 games and the NL Central, the Reds are at their high point of the season (12 games over .500). The Cubs, meanwhile, are at their low point; 11 games under the Mendoza Line.
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The Cubs have been getting good starting pitching lately, but it hasn't mattered. Thus, I'll side with Homer Bailey over Travis Wood today. Bailey has a 4-0 TSR and 2.16 ERA at Great American Ballpark this season and will be facing a Cubs lineup averaging less than three runs per game at home this season. Reds continue to get it done.
Jeff Alexander
Cincinnati Reds -166
The Cubs are 0-5 in their last 5 while the Reds are 4-0 in their last 4. The Reds are also 17-5 in their last 22 at home while the Cubs are 15-38 in their last 53 on the road. The Reds are 4-0 in Bailey's home starts on the season and 6-0 in his last 6 starts versus the Cubs. Wood is 0-3 on the money line in 3 cracks against his former team. The Cubs are 14-39 in the last 53 meetings, including 7-19 in the last 26 meetings in Cincinnati.
Jeff Scott SportsFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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3 UNIT PLAYFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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San Antonio/ Memphis Under 178: This game just screams ugly and low scoring. Memphis at home has allowed just 87.8 ppg on the year, while in the playoffs at home they have allowed just 89.6 ppg. Not only do they play great defense at home, but they also pay it at a very slow pace and i see them getting that pace in this one. It's their only shot of winning. The Spurs do like an uptempo game, but they will get down and dirty and play that slow game as well. Usually overlooked is the Spurs defense and they come in hot, having allowed just 88.4 ppg in their last 5 games, while allowing just 86 ppg to Memphis in the first two games of the series. Both teams will come out with allot of defensive intensity and that will make for an ugly, low scoring game.
Big Kat SportsFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Bayern Munich / Broussia Dortmund Over 2.5FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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These two teams played twice during the regular season in the German League with both games ending in a 1-1 draw. Bayern has been an offensive machine here in the Champions League, scoring 29 goals in their 6 group stage and 6 knockout round games. Dortmund has also been an offensive team throughout the tournament, scoring 23 times in their 12 games. Bayern is coming in off the best season in German League history with 91 points, besting the previous record that was set last season by Dortmund with 81. These two teams are very familiar with each other which should lead to more of a wide open game without the “feeling out” period that sometimes happens in these games that usually pair teams from different leagues. We expect a wide open, up and down game with final score easily going over the posted total of 2½ Goals this afternoon at Wembley Stadium in London.
Greg ShakerFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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St Louis Cardinals -105FOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Ted Lilly is going to try it again. But is Ted Lilly ready to try it again? There is plenty of speculation that he just is not in the kind of shape that he needs to be to be a Major League Starter again. He is off the DL with a strained rib cage injury and that's the kind of hurt that requires no throwing while on the DL. He certainly has not been sharp this year to date in just 8 innings thrown over his 2 games and the liklihood of him going deep into this one is not good. There is a lot of talk about how poorly the Cardinals hit lefties but they certainly did last night and this team has scored 4.5 Per 9 verses these Southpaws over their last 10 played. I have seen the Cardinal Pitcher in action and he can be wicked good. He has made a few mistakes in his 2 starts but an Overall solid WHIP of 1.15 for the lefty. The Cardinal Relief core is doing the job of late. The Cardinals are winning games. The Dodgers are not. Lilly's last 8 starts have produced a 6-0-2 OVER Mark. That tells us something. He's just not ready to perform.
Jimmy BoydFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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San Francisco Giants -123FOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Barry Zito has been unstoppable at home for the Giants this season. In his 5 home starts he has posted a 0.55 ERA and a perfect 3-0 record. The Giants have a .278 team batting average when playing at home so run support should not be an issue today. They are facing a Colorado team that has a losing record on the road at 11-12 this season.
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Zito has had a very successful career against Colorado going 8-3 with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.181 WHIP. His team’s record is 14-6 against Colorado when Zito is on the mound. For Colorado’s Juan Nicasio the numbers are nowhere near that good. Nicasio’s team is 1-2 in his 3 career starts against San Francisco. Zito did not have a great outing in his last start at Colorado and I expect him to rebound with a solid game today.
Bob Balfe
San Francisco Giants -130
The Giants are a great home team. Colorado hits the ball well but their starter gives up a lot of walks which I think is the difference today. You can't walk people in this league and get away with it. Take the Giants.
NellyFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Marlins / White Sox UnderFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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This game features a very low total but Jake Peavy has been one of the best pitchers in the American League and he will be ready to go after a frustrating loss in his last start. Against a tight strike zone Peavy allowed four runs with five walks playing a big role last week, snapping a run of five consecutive quality starts. Peavy owns a 2.29 ERA at home with a 1.07 WHIP and even with a few recent tough outings the Chicago bullpen has mostly been excellent this season. U.S. Cellular Field has been one of the lowest scoring ballparks in baseball this season, averaging only 7.24 runs per game and featuring the second lowest ballpark OPS in MLB. U.S. Cellular Field has shown a decline in scoring of almost 2.6 runs per game vs. the average from last season yet this total has to be kept at a reasonable number even with the worst hitting team in baseball in town. The 'under' is 12-6 in Chicago home games this season and these have been two of the best 'under' teams in baseball this season. Miami is batting .217 on the season with just 2.6 runs scored per game. In 48 games Miami has hit just 24 home runs and this lineup is filled with unproven players that likely would not make most rosters as injuries are still keeping out the few veterans in the organization, notably Giancarlo Stanton, Logan Morrison, and Austin Kearns. Miami is getting mostly strong performances from Ricky Nolasco on the mound however as he has allowed four or fewer runs in all but one start this season. Nolasco has allowed just 14 walks in over 61 innings and he has actually pitched better on the road than at home.
WunderdogFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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Detroit at ChicagoFOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
Pick: Detroit +175FOR FREE SERVICE PLAYS VISIT THESPREAD.COM
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The Detroit Red Wings were not supposed to be here, but they closed the season with four straight wins, and clinched a playoffs berth with a win on the last day of the season. Then they went on to shock Anaheim in their opening round playoffs series, and now have an unthinkable 3-1 lead against Chicago. The Red Wings are in their 19th straight playoffs series, and are playing like a playoffs savvy team. They were beaten soundly in Game One by Chicago 4-1, and could have easily folded up shop and moved on, but this team has responded with three straight wins. The three straight losses by Chicago is a first this season, and the last time they dropped three straight was February of last year. The three losses haven't been squeakers either, as they have been outscored 9-2. Chicago simply has not played well, having gone 7-7 in their last 14 games. The Red Wings are 9-2 in their last 11 on one day of rest, and have it all going now. Take Detroit.