SEATTLE MARINERS -120 - After a bit of a dead stretch, I have now won 3 straight Free Plays after yesterday?s Arizona/Minnesota game went Over. As for this game, if you had told me before the season that I would be laying odds with Gil Meche over Greg Maddux, I would have thought that you had a reserved seat at the Insane Asylum! However, I now feel that Meche deserves to be favored here. Less than 2 years removed from Tommy John surgery, all that he has done is go 8-3 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.21 ratio. By comparison, Maddux is 5-5 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.33 ratio. However, if you look at each pitcher?s home/away splits, Meche would appear to hold a huge advantage. He now has a 2.75 ERA with an outstanding 1.09 ratio here at Safeco, where opponents are hitting just .229 against him. Furthermore, 5 of his 6 home starts have been Quality Starts, and he only allowed 4 runs in the other outing. Conversely, Maddux has an abnormally high 5.21 ERA and 1.46 ratio on the road, where opponents are hitting an unbelievable .298 against him! Also, as with the vast majority of these Interleague matchups, he is facing a much stronger lineup tonight than he is used to facing in the National League. I look for the Mariners to make a statement and take the rubber match at home in what just might be a World Series preview.
