JIM FEIST
DETROIT TIGERS / KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Take DETROIT TIGERS
The top two teams in the AL Central meet today in Kansas City as the Tigers take on the Royals. The second place Royals look to close their three game gap tonight as they send Gil Meche to the mound. Meche hasn't found the success this season as he's just 2-4 on the year with a 4.42 ERA. Meche has had success against the Tigers with a lifetime 8-4 record and 3.71 ERA. The first place Tigers, winners of seven of their last 10 games, send Justin Verlander to the hill. Verlander is having a fine season with a 4-2 record and 3.99 ERA. Verlander has also had great success against the Royals with a 7-1 record and 2.43 lifetime ERA. The Royals have the best ERA in the AL and the Tigers have the fourth best, so expect a close, hard fought pitching duel here on Monday. However, Verlander's career success against the Royals coupled with his fine season is too much to pass on. We'll take the visitors here on Monday.
DAVE COKIN
TAMPA BAY RAYS / CLEVELAND INDIANS
Take TAMPA BAY RAYS
David Price is back up from the minors to start for Tampa Bay. Price has not been all that great at Durham, but I have to think his not wanting to be there has been a contributing factor. Price will want to make a statement here and he's got the right opponent to do so against. Fausto Carmona continues to be mediocre for the Tribe and the team just isn't any good. I can't go big on this play as Price likely goes only five or six innings, and the Rays will be without their starting middle infield. Bartlett is scheduled to have a day off and Iwamura is heading to the DL with what looked like a significant knee injury suffered on Sunday. But I'm still siding with the Rays to win the game.
DUNKEL
LA Lakers at Denver
After losing Game Three at home, Denver looks to bounce back and take advantage of LA's 1-5 ATS record in its last 6 games following an ATS win. The Nuggets are the pick (-4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has Denver favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Denver (-4 1/2).
Game 513-514: LA Lakers at Denver
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 126.149; Denver 131.732
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 5 1/2; 215
Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 4 1/2; 208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Denver (-4 1/2); Over
MLB DUNKEL
Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs
The Cubs look to snap a seven-game slide and take advantage of Pittsburgh's 2-8 record in their last 10 during game one of a series. Chicago is the pick (-165) according to Dunkel, which has the Cubs favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-165).
Game 951-952: Houston at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Rodriguez) 14.967; Cincinnati (Harang) 16.112
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Houston (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+110); Under
Game 953-954: St. Louis at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Carpenter) 16.243; Milwaukee (Gallardo) 15.064
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+105); Over
Game 955-956: LA Dodgers at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Stults) 16.695; Colorado (De La Rosa) 15.385
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-130); 10
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+120); Over
Game 957-958: Atlanta at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Vazquez) 16.061; San Francisco (Sanchez) 14.918
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-145); 8
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-145); Over
Game 959-960: Florida at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Volstad) 15.041; Philadelphia (Moyer) 15.568
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-125); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-125); Under
Game 961-962: Washington at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Lannan) 15.264; NY Mets (Maine) 14.317
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 8
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-180); 9
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+170); Under
Game 963-964: Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Maholm) 13.110; Cubs (Dempster) 14.704
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-165); No Run Line
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-165); N/A
Game 965-966: San Diego at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Gaudin) 14.677; Arizona (Davis) 15.585
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Arizona (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-125); Under
Game 967-968: Toronto at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Tallet) 14.905; Baltimore (Guthrie) 13.755
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-115); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+105); Over
Game 969-970: NY Yankees at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Hughes) 17.195; Texas (Harrison) 16.036
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 12
Vegas Line: Texas (-125); 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (+115); Over
Game 971-972: Boston at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Penny) 17.481; Minnesota (Liriano) 16.477
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-130); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+120); Over
Game 973-974: Detroit at Kansas City
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Verlander) 14.774; Kansas City (Meche) 15.056
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Detroit (-140); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+130); Under
Game 975-976: Seattle at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Jakubauskas) 15.431; Oakland (Anderson) 14.307
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Oakland (-130); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+120); Under
Game 977-978: Tampa Bay at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Price) 16.628; Cleveland (Carmona) 15.302
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-110); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+100); Under
Game 979-980: Chicago White Sox at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago White Sox (Danks) 14.347; LA Angels (Santana) 16.479
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-170); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-170); Over
Mr. A
Boston Red Sox +105
Tampa Bay Rays -105
Los Angeles Lakers +4½
MLB Computer Picks
Toronto Blue Jays -110
New York Mets -175
Chicago Cubs -170
Once basketball is over I will have Joe Wiz late phone service for baseball.
32-38 NBA run
Premium Nuggets
Pay after Over
Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports
268 - 172 run 60 %
13 wins - 2 losses last 14 free picks 😮 😮 😮
Memorial Day (monday) pick - Baltimore
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Free Selection from Totals4U
Monday's free selection: Washington/NY Mets under 9
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EZWINNER'S FREE SELECTION
Game: St. Louis Cardinals @ Milwaukee Brewers
(953) St. Louis Cardinals +$102
(Listing Carpenter and Gallardo)
The Brewers are struggling and their starting pitcher Yovani
Gallardo has an ERA of almost six in his last three starts. Chris
Carpenter looked fantastic in his first start and I look for another
solid outing by him today. Look for the Cards to pick up the win.
2009 Free Selections Record 77-64 (54.6%)
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8)
Big Al
At 2:10pm our member selection is on the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins 'over' the total. The short set of inter-league games is over and the Twins probably aren't too happy about it. Last season the Twins had the best inter-league record in baseball at 14-4 and they swept a very good Milwaukee Brewer team in their three inter-league games so far in 2009. But fear not, there's something else the Twins do exceedingly well which is win games at home. Besides the recently completed Milwaukee sweep, Minnesota is 16-9 this season at the Metrodome and it seems to have little problem scoring runs there. In fact, the Twins have scored more runs at home than any other team in the Majors (the Red Sox happen to be second in that category). Adding to the potential for run-scoring fireworks this afternoon is the fact that both starters, Francisco Liriano and Brad Penny have struggled this season, with Penny pitching better of late having just beaten the division-leading Blue Jays, but still with an ERA over six runs. Joe Mauer is pretty much the hottest hitter in baseball. He hit his 10th homer Sunday night and while that number is five short of league leader Carlos Pena, what is truly amazing is that Mauer missed almost a full month of the season due to a back injury coming out of spring training. Four of Liriano's last seven starts have gone over the total as have six of Penny's last nine. Take the 'over'.