Labor Day Plays
The Labor Day card around Major League Baseball involves a handful of aces, especially in the American League, taking the mound. Several of the daytime matchups feature teams in playoff contention that are trying to either sure up their position, or make up ground on other teams. In the Bronx, two division rivals get together for a long day of baseball.
Rays at Yankees (1:05 PM EST)
Tampa Bay and New York play a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, with the Bronx Bombers firmly in control of the AL East. Meanwhile, the defending AL Champion Rays need this series in the worst way to make up ground on the Red Sox in the Wild Card race.
AL Cy Young nominee CC Sabathia (16-7, 3.48 ERA) is on fire, going 8-1 his last ten decisions. In this span, Sabathia has allowed five earned runs in his last four home outings, all Yankee victories. Interestingly with all the runs scored at the new Yankee Stadium this season, Sabathia's run support has been stronger on the road (6.29) than at home (5.08). The only down side to backing CC on Labor Day is his day numbers. The Yanks are just 4-7 in Sabathia's 11 starts under the sun, while the 'over' has hit eight times.
The Rays have had Sabathia's number this season, beating the lefty twice, scoring 11 runs off the ace in 13.2 innings.
Matt Garza's (7-9, 4.01 ERA) career numbers against New York are not pretty, as the Rays are 0-5 his last five starts versus the Bombers. Garza has been a solid 'under' play on the road, with Tampa Bay finishing 'under' the total in 11 of his 12 away starts. The Tampa Bay righty is just 1-3 in 11 starts since the beginning of July.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants has listed the Yankees as a $1.75 home favorites, with the total set at 9 (Bet $1.20 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
Red Sox at White Sox (2:05 PM EST)
Two aces that have struggled recently take the mound on the South Side of Chicago, as the White Sox and Red Sox conclude their four-game set.
Mark Buehrle (11-7, 3.86 ERA) tossed a quality start his last time out against Minnesota, but left the game trailing, 2-0. The Sox bailed out Buehrle with a shocking four-run rally in the ninth against Twins' closer Joe Nathan to win, 4-2. Since his perfect game against the Rays at the end of July, the Sox lefty is 0-4 his last eight decisions, while putting up just three quality outings. The 'under' has turned into a solid play for Buehrle during the day, nailing it in 10 of 14 matinees at U.S. Cellular Field.
Josh Beckett (14-5, 3.87 ERA) has not been on his typical "A" game the last four starts, allowing 24 earned runs, while hitting the 'over' in each outing. The long ball has also been a problem for Beckett, giving up 15 homers his last five trips to the hill. The tide could turn for the Boston ace on Monday, as Beckett is 4-0 in four career starts against Chicago, including three wins on the South Side.
LVSC has installed the Red Sox as a $1.30 road favorites, with the total set at 8 ? (Bet $1.25 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
Phillies at Astros (2:05 PM EST)
The Astros stumbled on their last road trip, going 2-7 against the Cardinals, Diamondbacks, and Cubs. Houston has bounced back at home, taking the first three games of a four-game set against the NL East-leading Phillies.
J.A. Happ (10-4, 2.77 ERA) continues to churn out 'unders' at a tremendous pace, now drilling it in 12 consecutive starts. The Philadelphia southpaw has hit the 'under' in nine of 11 away outings, with no more than five combined runs scored in five of his last six road starts. Happ is coming off back-to-back losses against the Pirates and Giants, but has tossed a quality start in ten of his 11 road contests.
Brian Moehler (8-10, 5.11 ERA) went through a nice stretch from May into mid-July, as the Astros won ten of his 13 starts. Since July 26, Houston is 2-6 his last eight outings. Moehler has thrown over 100 pitches just once during this span, while going 1-2 at home. The 'under' is on a nice run with Moehler lately, hitting in four straight starts.
The Phillies are a $1.65 road 'chalk' according to LVSC, with the total set at 9 (Bet $1.15 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
What else to watch for:
-- Cardinals' ace Chris Carpenter goes for his 16th win of the season, as St. Louis and Milwaukee open up a three-game set at Miller Park (2:05 PM EST). The Redbirds are 28-9 since July 27, while Carpenter is on track to win his second Cy Young Award.
-- Brad Penny makes his Giants' home debut against the Padres (4:05 PM EST). Penny was masterful in his initial start with San Francisco, shutting out Philadelphia, 4-0. The home team is 11-1 in the series this season, while the 'under' has been cashed in six of the last eight meetings.
-- In the second game of the doubleheader in the Bronx between the Rays and Yankees, Andy Sonnanstine and A.J. Burnett take the hill (7:05 PM EST). Tampa Bay is 2-7 is Sonnanstine's nine road starts, while Burnett has seen the 'under' been drilled in 10 of 13 home outings.
The Labor Day card around Major League Baseball involves a handful of aces, especially in the American League, taking the mound. Several of the daytime matchups feature teams in playoff contention that are trying to either sure up their position, or make up ground on other teams. In the Bronx, two division rivals get together for a long day of baseball.
Rays at Yankees (1:05 PM EST)
Tampa Bay and New York play a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, with the Bronx Bombers firmly in control of the AL East. Meanwhile, the defending AL Champion Rays need this series in the worst way to make up ground on the Red Sox in the Wild Card race.
AL Cy Young nominee CC Sabathia (16-7, 3.48 ERA) is on fire, going 8-1 his last ten decisions. In this span, Sabathia has allowed five earned runs in his last four home outings, all Yankee victories. Interestingly with all the runs scored at the new Yankee Stadium this season, Sabathia's run support has been stronger on the road (6.29) than at home (5.08). The only down side to backing CC on Labor Day is his day numbers. The Yanks are just 4-7 in Sabathia's 11 starts under the sun, while the 'over' has hit eight times.
The Rays have had Sabathia's number this season, beating the lefty twice, scoring 11 runs off the ace in 13.2 innings.
Matt Garza's (7-9, 4.01 ERA) career numbers against New York are not pretty, as the Rays are 0-5 his last five starts versus the Bombers. Garza has been a solid 'under' play on the road, with Tampa Bay finishing 'under' the total in 11 of his 12 away starts. The Tampa Bay righty is just 1-3 in 11 starts since the beginning of July.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants has listed the Yankees as a $1.75 home favorites, with the total set at 9 (Bet $1.20 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
Red Sox at White Sox (2:05 PM EST)
Two aces that have struggled recently take the mound on the South Side of Chicago, as the White Sox and Red Sox conclude their four-game set.
Mark Buehrle (11-7, 3.86 ERA) tossed a quality start his last time out against Minnesota, but left the game trailing, 2-0. The Sox bailed out Buehrle with a shocking four-run rally in the ninth against Twins' closer Joe Nathan to win, 4-2. Since his perfect game against the Rays at the end of July, the Sox lefty is 0-4 his last eight decisions, while putting up just three quality outings. The 'under' has turned into a solid play for Buehrle during the day, nailing it in 10 of 14 matinees at U.S. Cellular Field.
Josh Beckett (14-5, 3.87 ERA) has not been on his typical "A" game the last four starts, allowing 24 earned runs, while hitting the 'over' in each outing. The long ball has also been a problem for Beckett, giving up 15 homers his last five trips to the hill. The tide could turn for the Boston ace on Monday, as Beckett is 4-0 in four career starts against Chicago, including three wins on the South Side.
LVSC has installed the Red Sox as a $1.30 road favorites, with the total set at 8 ? (Bet $1.25 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
Phillies at Astros (2:05 PM EST)
The Astros stumbled on their last road trip, going 2-7 against the Cardinals, Diamondbacks, and Cubs. Houston has bounced back at home, taking the first three games of a four-game set against the NL East-leading Phillies.
J.A. Happ (10-4, 2.77 ERA) continues to churn out 'unders' at a tremendous pace, now drilling it in 12 consecutive starts. The Philadelphia southpaw has hit the 'under' in nine of 11 away outings, with no more than five combined runs scored in five of his last six road starts. Happ is coming off back-to-back losses against the Pirates and Giants, but has tossed a quality start in ten of his 11 road contests.
Brian Moehler (8-10, 5.11 ERA) went through a nice stretch from May into mid-July, as the Astros won ten of his 13 starts. Since July 26, Houston is 2-6 his last eight outings. Moehler has thrown over 100 pitches just once during this span, while going 1-2 at home. The 'under' is on a nice run with Moehler lately, hitting in four straight starts.
The Phillies are a $1.65 road 'chalk' according to LVSC, with the total set at 9 (Bet $1.15 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
What else to watch for:
-- Cardinals' ace Chris Carpenter goes for his 16th win of the season, as St. Louis and Milwaukee open up a three-game set at Miller Park (2:05 PM EST). The Redbirds are 28-9 since July 27, while Carpenter is on track to win his second Cy Young Award.
-- Brad Penny makes his Giants' home debut against the Padres (4:05 PM EST). Penny was masterful in his initial start with San Francisco, shutting out Philadelphia, 4-0. The home team is 11-1 in the series this season, while the 'under' has been cashed in six of the last eight meetings.
-- In the second game of the doubleheader in the Bronx between the Rays and Yankees, Andy Sonnanstine and A.J. Burnett take the hill (7:05 PM EST). Tampa Bay is 2-7 is Sonnanstine's nine road starts, while Burnett has seen the 'under' been drilled in 10 of 13 home outings.
