Jeff Alexander
1 Unit on Kansas City Royals +107
After 4 straight losses, I expect the Royals to finally get back in the win column tonight behind Brian Bannister, who enter the game at 3-0 with an ERA of 1.48. He has the decisive edge against winless southpaw Josh Outman, especially when you consider that the Royals are 8-3 in their last 11 road games vs. a left-handed starter. The Royals are 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in this series, 5-0 in Bannister's last 5 starts, and 4-0 in Bannister's last 4 starts as an underdog. I'm on the Royals tonight.
Vegas Experts
Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets
Roy Halladay will get a chance to face former rotation mate AJ Burnett as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Yankees. Halladay is off to another great start this year as he has a 6-1 TSR and a 3.29 ERA. He has had his way with the Yankees as he has a 15-5 record with a 2.83 ERA. He has also been outstanding in the month of May as he has a 33-12 TSR in his career. Burnett has been roughed up in his last three starts as he has allowed 15 earned runs in 18 innings. The Blue Jays are 11-4 at home this year and are a safe bet here.
Play on: Denver
EZWINNER'S FREE SELECTION
(739) Dallas Mavericks +8.5
With the Mavericks facing elimination tonight,
I expect an all out effort by Dallas. I expect the
Nuggets to close out the series tonight, but I
see this as being a close game all the way.
Take the points.
2009 Free Selections Record 70-59 (54.3%) 😮
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Free Selection from Totals4U
Wednesday's free selection: Kansas City/Oakland under 8 1/2 😮
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Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports
260 - 171 run 60 % 4-1 last 5
WED Houston Astro's 😮
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Free Selection from Razor Sharp
FREE PICK FOR WEDNESDAY:
Take TAMPA BAY (Niemann) -135 over Baltimore 😮
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8)
Ben Burns
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians
Prediction: Under
This is an excellent pitching matchup. Buehrle has quietly ranked among the league's most consistent starters for several years now and he's off to a great start. Lee is the reigning Cy Young Award winner (22-3 record, 2.54 ERA last season!) and he's currently looking just like he did last year.Indeed, while the wins have yet to come, over his last three starts Lee has an outstanding 1.57 ERA. Not surprisingly, all three games stayed below the totao. In four home starts, he has a 2.17 ERA and a 1.217 WHIP. Like Lee, Beurhle has seen the UNDER go 4-2 overall. Consider the Under
Dennis Macklin
Kansas City Royals at Oakland Athletics
Prediction: Kansas City Royals
If anyone is going to shake the Royals out of current four game funk, it's be tonight's starter Brian Bannister. The Royal righty is 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA since being called up from the minors. He comes off six shutout five-hit innings against Seattle and looks to be razor sharp. The A's are 3-6 over L9 and tonight's starter Josh Outman 0-0 ((5.31, 6.34 home, 4 starts) doesn't look like he can get out of the fifth. Not really sure why the A's are small favorites here. Take Kansas City.
Big Al McMordie
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Play: Philadelphia Phillies
At 7:05 pm our complimentary selection is on the Philadelphia Phillies over the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a pretty solid start to the season, lefthanded veteran Jamie Moyer has suffered back-to-back poor starts against the New York Mets (one home and one away) with the latter start being by far Moyer's worst of the season when he surrendered seven earned runs on seven hits in just 2 1/3 innings at Citi Field on May 7. This would seem like the perfect situation for Moyer to bounce back. For one, he will be facing a team that the Phillies have owned over the last nine meetings going into this series, with Philadelphia taking eight of those nine head-to-head games in 2008 while sweeping them in six games at Citizens Bank Ballpark. Secondly, former Phillie southpaw veteran Randy Wolf will take the mound for the Dodgers, and despite a string of strong starts, Wolf now has five no-decisions in a row and the Dodgers have lost three of Wolf's last four outings. Despite a league's best 14-3 record at home, the Dodgers are only a .500 team on the road, and the loss of their biggest offensive player (Manny Ramirez) for 50 games due to a league drug violation has to have them concerned even if they are still clearly the best team in their division. Wolf's only career start against the Phils resulted in -- what else -- a no-decision. Philadelphia is tied for third in the NL in runs scored vs. lefties at 43 while the Dodgers are ninth in that category. Take the Phillies.
Dave Price
1 Unit on Cincinnati Reds -130
The D-backs are really struggling, having lost 8 of their last 10, and they send fresh meat to the mound in Brian Augenstein. That gives the big advantage to the Reds' bats. The Reds counter with young gun Johnny Cueto, who has been brilliant at 3-1 with an ERA of 1.59. And he has been even better on the road at 2-0 with an ERA of 0.46. The Reds are an outstanding 12-5 on the road this season and I look for them to pull off the road sweep in the desert tonight.
Michael Alexander
Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants
Play: San Francisco Giants
San Francisto send Barry Zito (1-2, 3.57 ERA)to the hill today, who is 1-0 with a 1.37 ERA in his last four starts. Zito struggled in his first two seasons going 21-30 with a 4.83 ERA in 66 games but has since helped the Giants to wins in each of his last four outings. Zito is 2-1 with a 4.03 ERA in five starts against Washington.
The Nationals counter with Shairon Martis (4-0, 4.67) who will be looking to win his third consecutive start in his first appearance against San Francisco however on the road he has a sky high 8.78 ERA compared to a 2.11 ERA in three home starts.
Look for San Francico to complete the sweep today
Dwayne Bryant
NYM (-135) vs TL
The Mets give rookie Jonathon Niese (0-0, 3.00) a second turn in the rotation in place of Oliver Perez, who is on the disabled list with right patellar tendinitis. Niese, one of New York's top pitching prospects, was solid in his season debut Friday, yielding two runs and seven hits with five strikeouts in six innings while not getting a decision in a 7-3 win over Pittsburgh. Niese got his first career win in his only meeting against Atlanta on Sept. 13, scattering six hits with seven strikeouts in eight innings of a 5-0 win.The Braves' Jo-Jo Reyes (0-2, 5.48) is 0-9 with a 6.61 ERA in his last 18 games - 17 starts. Over that stretch, he's started three games against the Mets and is 0-1 with an 8.74 ERA. He's allowed Carlos Beltran to go 3 for 6 against him. More bad news for Reyes is that the Mets are hitting a ridiculous .345 against lefty starters this season.The Mets are hot, having won 9 of their last 10, so I see no reason why they won't light up yet another lefty and get another W today.Take the Mets and Niese over the Braves and Reyes for a half-unit.
Ron Raymond
PIT (+115) vs WAS
Keys to selection: We?ve been handicapping these two teams for the last 10 days, when you get to Game #7 of a series, there?s really no edge or advantage, because there?s a reason why they are going to a 7th and deciding game, because they are two even teams.
Basically, how do you handicap a coin flip at this stage?
When you look at both teams, they all have the advantage of the veteran and leadership, Federov in one room and Guerin in the other. Both coaches have never been in this spot early in their NHL careers and from a defensive point of view, Gonchar could make a difference if he can dress this evening, because Mike Green has been average the last few games.
However, the difference maker can be Marc-Andre Fleury for the Penguins, as this is his second year in the playoffs and he?s faced adversity the last 2 years. Especially when he won Game #6 in the Flyers series in Philly when they were behind! If Fleury can stand on his head this evening, that?s the difference. Plus, betting +115 is good value on a team with Crosby and Malkin backing your selection.
Enjoy Game #7, but keep in mind, there?s really no edge or advantage in this game from a betting perspective, so don?t bet the farm is what I?m trying to say.
John Ryan
New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Play: Toronto
Ai Simulator 5* graded play on Toronto as they host the NYY slated to start at 7:07 EST. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 34-13 making 19.8 units since 2003. Play on any AL team with a starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.300 or better on the season and with a well rested bullpen that threw 1 inning or less over last 2 games. Toronto has been a solid 11-3 (+9.0 Units) against the money line versus teams outscored by opposition by 0.5 or more runs/game on the season this season; 12-4 (+9.9 Units) against the money line with a well rested bullpen that threw 4 innings or less over last 3 games over the last 2 seasons. NYY are just 15-27 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in road games versus a good bullpen whose ERA is 3.75 or better over the last 2 seasons; 10-20 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in road games after 2 straight games without giving up a stolen base over the last 2 seasons; 5-12 (-10.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season. NYY starter Pettitte is just 7-12 (-10.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. Well rested bullpen and the fact they already have been dominating posting a 3.66 ERA on the season and a 3.24 ERA in home games spanning 50 innings allowing just 2 HR, 10 BB and recording 42 K’s. Take Toronto.
Wunderdog
Kansas City at Oakland
Pick: Oakland -120
This is a young Kansas City team with a fragile ego. When they get on a roll and play with confidence, they seem to over-achieve. When they get in a rut and begin to pile up the losses, they seem to struggle mentally. They had five streaks last year winning five or more games, but they also had losing streaks of seven, seven and 12 games. They are looking similar here this year as they won six in a row, and have now hit the rut losing four straight. The Royals have pitched well along with Bannister, but he is still a career 4.61 ERA pitcher with a team that is in a rut right now. The Royals seem to feel the pressure against the poor teams on the road as they have been 22-51 on the road in their last 73 vs a team with a losing record. Royals floundering and Oakland gets the call.
Sports Gambling Hotline
Los Angeles at PHILADELPHIA -125
Tonight we back Jamie Moyer over Randy Wolf in a battle of soft-throwing southpaws.
Moyer sports an over 7 ERA this season, but is on the verge of a milestone, as the lefty is trying for career win # 250 tonight in front of the home crowd. With the Dodgers having lost their last pair of games, and 4 of 5 since Manny Ramirez' suspension, we will look for Moyer and the Phils to notch the historic win for the aged-vet.
Philadelphia's win last night puts the Phillies at a perfect 5-0 the last 5 regular season meetings at the Bank against Los Angeles.
Randy Wolf has pitched OK for the Dodgers, but with Phillies now having won 5 of their last 9, we will look for Philly to handle business tonight against the slumping Dodgers as Jamie Moyer collects win # 250.
Play on the Fightin' Phils.
3♦ PHILADELPHIA
Chris Jordan
Tampa Bay at BALTIMORE
We have two rather high ERAs with the two pitchers going tonight, and with a pair of explosive lineups on the receiving ends of their pitching mistakes, this total will soar. Right-hander Jeff Niemann is 2-3 on the year with a 5.65 ERA and comes in off two lackluster performances against the Yankees and Red Sox, giving up seven earned runs over six innings of work.
And since Baltimore tagged him for six earned runs over five frames on April 11, nothing should change here. On the flipside, the Orioles ‘ Brad Bergesen might be 1-0 this season, but two of his three home starts have soared and he has a 5.17 ERA at Camden.
And while he’s fit in well with this young rotation, the rookie is taking on the defending AL champs for the first time ever. The Rays will have their way with him as well. The winner will be whichever team out-hits and out-slugs the other, and I don’t know which team that will be … but the total will soar.
1♦ OVER
Karl Garrett
Kansas City -110 at OAKLAND
Late night baseball tonight, and I feel the time is right for Kansas City to end a 4-game losing streak.
Oakland roughed up KC last night, but the Royals have been able to hold their own in Oakland of late, going 8-6 the last 14 series meetings on the A's turf.
The Royals do have the undefeated Brian Bannister on the hill this evening, as BB is 3-0 with an ERA of 1.48. Bannister is coming off 6 scoreless frames against Seattle, and he will oppose Josh Outman who still does not have a decision this season in 4 starts, but does sport an over 5 season ERA.
Oakland isn't exactly tearing things up right now either, as last night's victory was just their 3rd in their last 9 games.
G-Man going with Kansas City as the cheap road chalk.
4♦ KANSAS CITY