Tom Stryker
Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds
Play: Houston Astros -1.5/
Off yesterday's 8-5 loss at Cincinnati, look for Houston to rebound nicely with Reds killer Roy Oswalt on the mound.
Since a loss at Cincy back on April 28th, 2006, Oswalt has ripped of a brilliant 8-0 overall record in his last 10 starts against the Reds. In his career against Cincinnati, Roy carries a stunning 23-1 lifetime record with a ridiculous 2.35 ERA!
Even though Houston has dropped a pair of one-run decisions in Oswalt's last two starts, Roy has been solid allowing just six earned runs and 16 hits in 12.1 frames. Overall, at night, No. 44 has been at his best surrendering just 11 earned runs and 36 hits in 32.1 frames. That adds up to a solid 3.06 ERA!
Cincy will counter with former Arizona Diamondbacks righty Micah Owings. In his last start at home against Philadelphia, No. 33 was rocked for five earned runs and six hits in just 3.0 frames. Cincinnati dropped that ball game 12-5 to the Phillies. Overall at home, Owings has struggled allowing 10 earned runs and 19 hits in 16.0 innings of work. That adds up to a miserable 5.62 ERA!
With Oswalt on the mound and Houston favored, the Astros have connected on 88 of their last 130 games. It's hard to fade Roy in this situation and with the price so cheap! Take Houston with listed pitcher Oswalt.
MTi Sports
Tampa Bay Rays at Cleveland Indians
Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays
The Indians are 0-11 after a win in which they left 18+ men on base and the Rays are 8-0 after allowing 6+ runs and losing. Both of these trends are from THIS season only. Consider the Rays.
Wunderdog
New York Yankees at Texas
Pick: UNDER 10.5
The Rangers' offense was scoring runs at an alarming rate to opponents, but they have really cooled off as they have produced just 27 runs in their last eight games, or just over three per contest. They will have to face Joba Chamberlain who, outside of a bad start vs. Cleveland, has pitched to an ERA under three. The Yankees will have to face Kevin Millwood, who has gone at least seven innings in eight of his nine starts, and pitching to a 3.12 ERA. The Yankees have played 5-1 to the UNDER in their last six games against a team with a winning record, while the Rangers are 13-3-2 to the UNDER in Millwood's last 18 starts. I'll go with the UNDER in this one.
Jrtips
LA DODGERS vs. COLORADO
The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off their best offensive game of the year after recording a season-high run total and matching their highest hit count of the year. They will face Rockie starting pitcher Cook tonight who is 3-1 with a 4.68 ERA. Cook gave up four runs in 1 2/3 innings May 16 before bouncing back and holding Atlanta to four hits in a 9-0 victory Thursday. Cook is 5-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 20 career games against the Dodgers. Eric Milton (0-0, 4.50) will make his second start for the Dodgers on tonight. The left-hander allowed two runs and two hits while walking four in four innings of Los Angeles' 6-3 loss at Florida last Saturday. Milton is 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA in five starts against Colorado.The Dodgers (31-15) have to feel confident about their chances against anyone after their 16-6 rout of the Rockies on Monday.James Loney, Russell Martin, Juan Castro and Matt Kemp had three hits apiece and Juan Pierre had a bases-loaded triple as Los Angeles reached 19 hits for the second time this season. The Dodgers also recorded 19 hits in a 14-2 home win over the Rockies (18-26) on April 19. The Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier is 9 for 19 (.474) with two home runs and two doubles in his career against Cook and second baseman Orlando Hudson, who's batting .364 during a 15-game hitting streak, is 15 for 38 (.395) against him. The Dodgers bats are too hot for any one right now and they have had guys in their lineup who have had a history of success against Cook. The Dodgers give you great value tonight.
TAKE LA DODGERS+138
Rocketman
Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds
Play: Houston Astros
Houston has lost 5 in a row coming into tonight's game against Cincinnati. The Cure and solution? Roy Oswalt!! Roy Oswalt is an AMAZING 22-1 with a 2.42 ERA overall vs Cincinnati since 1996. Oswalt is 1-0 his last 3 starts overall this year. Owings has a 5.62 ERA at home this year and his last 3 starts overall. Houston is 26-12 overall vs Cincinnati the past 3 years including a super 16-3 at Cincinnati the past 3 seasons. We'll recommend a small play on Houston tonight!
Stephen Nover
Tampa Bay Rays @ Cleveland Indians
PICK: Cleveland Indians
The oddsmaker has to make Tampa Bay a favorite with a pitching matchup of Matt Garza against Carl Pavano.On paper it does look like a mismatch. But this is another perfect example of why games aren't won on paper.The Indians are way underpriced here. Pavano actually hasn't been bad. He has a fat 6.10 ERA because his first couple of starts weren't good.But in his last eight starts, he's pitched 47 2/3 innings and given up just three homers with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 39-to-eight. Since his opening game, Pavano is 4-3 with a 4.53 ERA. That includes pitching on the road against the Yankees, Red Sox and Tigers. Cleveland has won four of Pavano's last five starts.By contrast, Garza has struggled when facing the Indians. He's 0-3 against them with a 6.12 ERA in five career starts.There's a strong intangible at play here, too, in that Tampa Bay suffered its greatest collapse in franchise history last night blowing a 10-0 lead in an 11-10 loss to the Indians. Cleveland rallied for seven runs in the ninth.It could take a day or two for the mentally fragile Rays to get past that searing loss. The Rays also could be psyched out playing in Cleveland where they have lost 14 straight times.Keep in mind, too, the Rays are without one of their best players with second baseman Akinori Iwamura out for the season.
Scott Rickenbach
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Carolina Hurricanes
PICK: Over 5.5 Belmont
We don't expect the Hurricanes to go down without a fight here but the problem for Carolina is that they simply can not contain the Penguins. That's why we're taking a look at the over in this match-up! Pittsburgh has already scored 16 goals in the first three games of this series and the Canes have averaged 3 goals per game in the last two games. Even though the Canes have come up short in every game in this series there has been no shortage of resolve. The Canes, despite ugly final scores in the last two games, have been in every single game so far in this series. They've been tied or at least within one goal in each of the three games in this series. So, they certainly have confidence they can play with Pittsburgh and they certainly won't "pack it in" on their home ice.
However, the issue is that the Canes just can't stop the Pens from scoring. Especially the top guys like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Those are the guys that are simply pounding the Canes in this series. That continues tonight but the Canes will absolutely be doing everything they can to stay alive in this series. That means, once they're down - as they have been for most of the games in this series - they know they're going to have to open things up offensively and take some chances to have a shot at staying alive in this series. That's why this game has the makings of a high-scoring affair. Consider a small play on OVER the total in Carolina on Tuesday night.
Dennis Macklin
Houston Astros at Cincinnati Reds
Prediction: Houston Astros
Who am I to step in front of the Roy Oswalt over Cincinnati ATM visit. The Astro ace transforms into something super human when he sees a Reds uniform, to the tune of 22-1 with a 2.42 ERA in 28 career starts vs the Queen City. Houston's 26-12 L38 in the series and 16-3 in L19 visits here. Reds P Micah Owings swings a mean bat but he has to since his home ERA is 7.07 in three home starts. At less than a quarter, give me some. Take the Astros.
King Creole
MIL (+110) vs STL
WRONG team is favored in this game. Call it what you want.... a 'hex'.... 'mojo'... whatever. But the BREWERS have had the Cardinal's number for the last year and a half. MILWAUKEE is already 3-0 vs the Redbirds in this 2009 season, and 13-2 dating back to last season. That includes 5-1 at home. Last night, it was a 1-0 thriller in extra innings.
When it comes to tonight's opponent, starter JEFF SUPPAN of the Brewers will be facing his personal 'Whippin Boys'. Suppan is "only" a PERFECT 8-0 vs St Louis in his last 8 starts dating back to the 2003 season. His ERA vs the Redbirds in those 8 starts is a microscopic 1.32. He has allowed 3 or less earned runs in ALL 8 of those starts... and 1 or less earned runs in FIVE of em! And at home 'In this Park;, the numbers are even better at 1.12. Back on May 16th (10 days ago), Suppan went seven SHUTOUT innings vs the Cardinals in another win.
In addition to his 6-1 record in his last 7 overall starts, Suppan is also a PERFECT 5--0 in his last 5 as an underdog... 26-10 vs fellow NL Central opponents... 16-5 in Game Two of a series... and 5-1 when his team allowed 2 < runs in their previous game.
ST LOUIS is a piss-poor ROAD FAVORITE, going an extremely unprofitable 3-14 in this last 17 situations. If there's one area that Adam Wainwright has struggled in this season, it's on the ROAD where his YTD ERA is 5.00... with just as many WALKS as STRIKEOUTS... and an opponent team batting average of .361. His numbers "In this Park"? An ERA of 6.00 in three starts dating back to the 2007 season.
VEGAS EXPERTS
Tampa Bay Rays at Cleveland Indians
For some reason, the Cleveland Indians have the Tampa Bay Rays number. They have won fourteen straight at home against the Rays. The last time Tampa Bay won in Cleveland was the 2005 season. Cleveland has won 15 of the last 22 overall in the past three seasons. Rays starter Matt Garza has had trouble against the AL Central as he has a 1-7 Team Start Record. As a road favorite, he has a 2-9 TSR. Indians starter Carl Pavano won his last start going head-to-head with Royals star Zach Greinke who was nearly unhittable before that start. Go with Cleveland here.
Play on: Cleveland
Jack Jones
Detroit Tigers over Kansas City Royals at +145
Nobody can like going against Zack Greinke the way he's pitched this year, but I see value here with the Tigers who are throwing Edwin Jackson, a guy who has given up just 4 runs in his last 22 innings and only 4 ER in 27 innings on the road this year. The Royals have lost five of their last six games while Detroit has won eight of their last 10. Kansas City is scoring just 2.6 runs per gae over their last 7 and 4 runs per game against right-handed starters. Detroit is scoring 5.5 runs per game against right-handers so with two solid arms on the hill tonight, take the better offense at the underdog price
Game Time Sports Advisors
Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds
Play: Cincinnati Reds
We will buck the Oswalt monster trend, and go with how he has done recently. A mid 4 era versus a good hitting Reds team that will suprise some teams this seaon. We will ride the 2 game win streak of Cincy and fade the 5 straight losers coming out of Houston.
Lenny Del Genio
San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks
Prediction: San Diego Padres
The Padres have won 10 straight games, yet find themselves as a significant underdog tonight in Arizona. Why? Because of D'backs starter Max Scherzer's one career victory. Sick of hearing about this guy's potential. We fell for it last year, but Scherzer has an ERA of 6.75 in three home start this season. Arizona is just 6-12 in the home favorite role, meaning that the red hot visitors are impossible not to back at this price. Take San Diego.
Dave Price
1 Unit on Chicago White Sox +173
The White Sox crushed LA 17-3 Monday and I'll back the more talented offensive team again tonight. There's no question the Angels send the better starter to the hill, but he does not deserve this much respect from odds makers against a team that has owned the Halos. The White Sox are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings and 13-4 in the last 17 meetings in Los Angeles. I expect the former AL Cy Young Award winner Colon to have one of his best starts of the season tonight against his former mates. Bet the Sox showing great value.
Jeff Alexander
1 Unit on Houston Astros -128
The Reds picked up a win over Houston yesterday, but it was just their 3rd home win over Houston in 19 games over the last 3 seasons. Astros ace Roy Oswalt takes the hill tonight and I'll back him here as he is an incredible 22-1 when starting against Cincy with an ERA of 2.42 and a WHIP of 1.102 in his career. The Astros bats are nothing to write home about, but they should have the edge against Owings today, who enters with an ERA of 5.16 in his starts this season. The Astros are 10-1 in Oswalt's last 11 road starts vs. the Reds and I expect to see this dominant trend continue tonight.