Jimmy Boyd
Tampa Bay Rays -115
The Rays should be very focused at the plate today after getting no-hit yesterday. I like their chances of putting some runs on the board against Dan Haren, who has a 4.68 ERA on the season. The Angels are 4-9 in Haren's last 13 home starts.
The Rays are in better hands with ace David Price getting the ball. He is 15-4 with a 2.50 ERA. The Rays are 5-1 in Price's last 6 road starts and 17-4 in his last 21 starts as a road favorite of -110 to -150.
It is also worth noting that the Rays are 8-1 in their last 9 games against the Angels. Take Tampa Bay.
Dirty
D-Backs vs. Cardinals
Play: Under 8
The Diamondbacks will pin their hopes on the pitching of righthander Trevor Cahill in this game. Cahill has a 9-10 record and a 3.85 ERA this season. Starting this game for the Cardinals will be Kyle Lohse. The righthander has a 2.72 ERA to go along with a 12-2 record this season. The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing St. Louis The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Arizona's last 12 games when playing on the road against St. Louis The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games
Wunderdog
Phoenix at Seattle
Pick: Phoenix +8
The one team that stood to benefit the most from the Olympic break was Phoenix. They have played without their start player Diana Turasi for most of the season. Turasi was just about ready to come back when the Olympic Games started, which gave her a chance to take the two weeks and get in playing shape on the Olympic team, and come back to the WNBA ready. Seattle is not the same team we have seen in the past several seasons and come in at 8-10, despite having had a five-game winning streak. Phoenix should play with extra energy with their star and leader back on the court, and the line just doesn't reflect it. Look for Phoenix to amp the tempo back up here. Play on Phoenix
Joe Gavazzi
Atlanta -1½ +115
The recent San Diego run has begun its reversal. Following a 6-0 surge, they have now gone 1-3; that includes being outscored 12-1 the last two nights at this site. That two game dominance has turned around the momentum for Atlanta as they continue to trail Washington by 4½ games, but remain in the thick of the Playoff hunt. I acknowledge that Marquis has pitched a better brand of ball in recent outings; but it doesn't compare to the marks that Medlen has put up since his return to the rotation. In 3 starts he has gone 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA. Ride both this pitching and team momentum to a crushing Atlanta victory; knowing that 27/34 Atlanta home wins (79%) have come by 2 or more runs, and that 52/67 San Diego losses have come by 2 or more runs.
SPORTS WAGERS
BALTIMORE +118 over Boston
Boston’s woes continue and until the dissention between the players and manager Bobby Valentine subside, don’t expect much to change. When team leaders such as Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez are disenchanted with their controversial leader, it snowballs out of control. The Red Sox are 3-10 so far in August and things are going from bad to worse.
Meanwhile, the Orioles are 11 games over .500 and find themselves leading the Wild Card race. They’re playing meaningful games in August for the first time in a long time and they’ve responded with nine wins in their past 11 games. The Orioles want it more than the Red Sox and in most sports, desire to win is an intangible that can never be ignored.
Clay Buchholz has average skills right across the board. His ERA on the road is 4.42. Chris Tillman is 5-2 with an ERA of 3.40. Buchholz and the Red Sox are both overvalued as always and even if the Red Sox have a slight edge on the hill, and we’re not so sure they do, they still don’t deserve to be favored against this highly motivated host that is playing this well.