BASEBALL
BEGINNING THURSDAY JUNE 28
N.Y. Mets at L.A. Dodgers (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Mets have been getting some excellent pitching in the past 10 days (3.45 ERA) and they?ve been a big money-maker vs. righthanded pitching in 2012 (+$1540). But they face a tough assignment when they venture into Chavez Ravine for this four game set. The Dodgers hold the best record in the National League up to this point, with outstanding pitching (3.21 ERA, 2nd best in the league) and a terrific record at home (24-12, +$830). They have a pair of top notch lefthanded starters in Chris Capuano (2.60 ERA in 15 starts) and Clay Kershaw (2.73 in 15 starts), slated to appear against the Mets. New York is only 10-16 vs. southpaws so far (-$460) so we?ll back the home team when they go. BEST BET: Capuano/Kershaw.
Cincinnati at San Francisco (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Reds took 2 out of 3 from the Giants at Great American Ballpark, and they?ve risen to the top of the NL Central thanks to a strong performance from their underrated pitching staff. Their team ERA is almost identical to San Francisco?s (3.55 vs. 3.56 for the home team) and their all-righty starting rotation matches up well with the Giants. SF is only 11-14 vs. righties in night games this year (-$480) so we?ll back the visitor in the first two games of this four game set. BEST BET: Reds in night games.
L.A. Angels at Toronto (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Blue Jays are hanging tough in the AL east but their starting pitching has been dreadful (7.31 ERA in their last 10), and with injuries to Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek they?ve been forced to scramble. Top lefty Ricky Romero is not expected to appear, so this could be a good spot for the Angels. LA has made up considerable ground in the AL West following that disastrous start (6-3, +$185 last 10 days) and they currently own the lowest ERA in the league. With a realistic shot at catching Texas we look for the visitor to excel in this trip to Rogers Centre. BEST BET: Angels in all games.
Chicago W. Sox at N.Y. Yankees (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The White Sox have stumbled a bit in recent days (4-6, -$330 last 10 days) and they?ve been lousy against lefthanders (-$490 with only 3.5 runs per game), so we?ll stick with Yankee ace CC Sabathia (+$500, 3.45 ERA) when he takes his scheduled turn. But Chicago has excelled vs. righthanders on the road (15-8, +$945) while New York has lost money vs. righties here in the Bronx (-$295). Prices will of course be extremely high, so we?ll no doubt catch some bargains in game where we back the visitor. BEST BET: Sabathia/White Sox when righty meets righty.
Cleveland at Baltimore (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Orioles were not expected to do much this year, but they?ve been very strong, and the result has been huge profits for their backers (+$1760 overall). The Indians have been very competitive in the AL Central, and their numbers vs. righthanders are outstanding (32-19, +$1430). But they check in with a dreadful 5-15 record vs. lefties (-$1105 with only 3.5 runs per game) and it?s likely they?ll face a couple of them this weekend at Camden Yards. Wei-Yin Chen has been a welcome addition to the Orioles staff (+$625, 3.38 ERA) and we?ll happily take him to topple the Tribe. BEST BET: W. Chen.
Detroit at Tampa Bay (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Tigers took 2 out of 3 in the teams? first head to head showdown, but we don?t anticipate a similar outcome at Tropicana Field. The Tigers have been a huge money-burner in 2012 (-$1620 overall) and lefty Drew Smyly is out of the rotation while he nurses an injured finger. Tampa Bay has turned a nice profit vs. righties this season (29-18, +$765) and with the exception of Justin Verlander we don?t see anyone on the Detroit staff who gives us cause for concern. BEST BET: Rays vs. all righthanders except Verlander.
Oakland at Texas (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The A?s had a rough weekend hosting the Giants, but they?ve picked up some ground in June (7-3, +$420 last 10 days) and they could steal some nice underdog wins at Arlington. They?re already 4-2 in head to head play with the Rangers (+$370) and their pitching staff (3.63 ERA) has been just as good as Texas?s (3.57). The hitting is weak, but they?ve turned a profit on the road (+$385) and prices on Texas have been going through the roof. Oakland looks like a nice value if the price is right. BEST BET: Athletics at +150 or better.
Boston at Seattle (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Red Sox have picked up the pace considerably (7-2, +$380 last 10 days) as the fist their way back into AL East contention. The pitching is still shaky, but the offense has caught fire (averaging 6.3 runs per game in their last 10), and they should bludgeon the light hitters Mariners (.239 team BA) without difficulty. They?ve already beaten Seattle twice (+$200) and the Mariners have dropped a bundle at Safeco (12-19, -$900). Felix Hernandez is the only pitcher who concerns us (3.36), but the rest of the home team?s starters are fair game. BEST BET: Red Sox unless opposed by F. Hernandez.
BEGINNING FRIDAY JUNE 29
Houston at Chicago Cubs (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Cubs are the worst team we?ve seen this year (-$1900 overall), wallowing a full five games behind 5th place Houston in the NL Central. They?ve been astonishingly bad against lefthanders this year (3-16, -$1335, averaging 3.2 runs per game), so we?ll take a shot with Wandy Rodriguez (3.29 ERA in 15 starts), who?s having a solid year and is scheduled to take a turn. We?d like to find other opportunities to take the Astros, but that 9-25 (-$1130) record outside of Minute Maid Park is not encouraging. BEST BET: W. Rodriguez.
Philadelphia at Miami (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
It was assumed that these were the teams most likely to compete for the NL East title. Instead they find themselves battling one another to stay out of the cellar. The Phillies have been decimated by injuries, and their seemingly formidable pitching staff now ranks just 8th in team ERA (4.00). The Marlins have been in a cold spell in June (2-7, -$554 last 10 days, averaging 3.8 runs per game with a 6.91 ERA among starters) and they?ve lost a fortune playing in their brand new ballpark (18-20, -$955). They appear equally miserable right now, so we?ll stay away. BEST BET: None.
Washington at Atlanta (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Nationals have been the talk of baseball in the 1st half, leading in the NL East on the strength of MLB?s best pitching staff (2.96 team ERA). They?ve been excellent both at home and on the road (+$1035 overall) and they?ve already beaten Atlanta in 4 of 5 head to head meetings (+$320). The Braves suffered a blow with the loss of Brandon Beachy, who?s now slated for season ending surgery. They?ve not been profitable here at Turner Field (15-17, -$650) and their offense has been struggling in recent days (averaging 3.3 runs per game in their last 10). Washington can easily take 2 out of 3 under the circumstances. BEST BET: Nationals in all games.
San Diego at Colorado (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
Two pretty bad teams squaring off at Coors Field this weekend. The Padres are anemic offensively (.231 team BA, worst in the National League) and they are winless vs. lefthanders away from Petco Park (0-10, -$1000, averaging just 2.8 runs per game). If the Rockies send a southpaw to the mound we?ll take him, but not with that much enthusiasm. Colorado?s pitching staff is a complete train wreck (5.34 ERA, worst in MLB and worst in the NL by almost one full run. They?ve dropped a bundle at home (-$960) so we?ll back them somewhat reluctantly. BEST BET: Lefthanders vs. the Padres.
Arizona at Milwaukee (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Diamondbacks have made a nice comeback, climbing back over .500 and well within striking distance in the NL West (7-3, +$420 last 10 days, averaging 6.7 runs per game on offense). They?ve turned a nice profit on the road vs. righties (+$720) and we like their chances at Miller Park, where the Brewers haven?t been a winning proposition (-$555). Milwaukee?s pitching ranks a lowly 12th in the league (4.24 ERA), and their best hurler, Zack Greinke, is not slated to take a turn in this series. Arizona won 2 of 3 earlier, and we look for more here. BEST BET: Diamondbacks vs. righthanders.
Pittsburgh at St. Louis (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
Yes, their run production has been paltry, but the Pirates are a team that is looking very sharp (38-33, +$1215 overall) With some of the best pitching in MLB (3.35 team ERA), they?ll be a live underdog in situations like this, despite the fact that they are a sub .500 club outside of PNC Park. The Cardinals are not winning as many games as we would expect from a team with such strong stats (.278 BA, tops in the NL, 3.81 ERA, 6th in the league). They?ve dropped a bundle at Busch Stadium (-$650). James McDonald has been the Pittsburgh ace so far (+$490, 2.19 ERA In 14 starts) and we?ll gladly give in a try here. BEST BET: McDonald.
Kansas City at Minnesota (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Royals aren?t much of a team, but they have a healthy lead over Minnesota in the race to avoid the AL Central basement, and they look inviting here at Target Field. Minnesota has lost money at home this year (-$730) while KC has turned a huge profit outside of Kaufman Stadium (+$1355). The Twins have already burned through 10 different starters (5.05 team ERA, worst in the AL) and they?ve been losing ground again in recent days (4-6, -$85, averaging 2.5 runs per game with a 5.21 ERA among starters). We?ll give KC a shot throughout. BEST BET: Royals in all games.
BEGINNING MONDAY JULY 2
Houston at Pittsburgh (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
This is a bad spot for the Astros, who check in here with a 9-25 road record (-$1130) to take on a hungry, young Pittsburgh team that owns a 23-13 mark in this park (+$1065). The Pirates give up over one full run per game fewer than Houston, and we?ll be surprised if they don?t take 3 out of 4. PREFERRED: Pirates in all games.
Chicago Cubs at Atlanta (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
We can?t see taking the Cubs in any situation at the present time, especially on the road where they?ve produced a pathetic 10-29 record (-$1420). The Braves have made money vs. righties (+$465 overall), so take a shot. PREFERRED: Braves vs. righthanders.
Miami at Milwaukee (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
Very hard to get behind either of these clubs at the moment. Milwaukee is floundering below .500 in the NL Central (-$1325 overall), while Miami finds itself well off the pace in the NL East as July gets underway (-$1120). We?ll check back on game day to see if either is worth taking a close look at. PREFERRED: None.
Colorado at St. Louis (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Cardinals could be somewhat overpriced vs. the hapless Rockies, and their disappointing record at Busch Stadium does not give us much confidence. But they?ve averaged 5.6 runs per game vs. lefthanders, and none of the Colorado starters give us much to worry about. PREFERRED: Cardinals vs. lefthanders.
San Diego at Arizona (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The D?backs are 4-2 in head to head play (+$185) and we?d love to take them if they send a lefty (San Diego 0-10, -$1000 vs. southpaws). But Miley isn?t slated and Saunders is on the DL, so we may not get the chance. PREFERRED: Lefthanders vs. the Padres.
Cincinnati at L.A. Dodgers (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The Dodgers have been successful at home this year (+$830) and they?ve made plenty of money vs. righthanders (+$775). The Reds have an all-righty rotation that boasts one great pitcher, Johnny Cueto, and nothing else to get excited about. We?ll take a shot vs. all the rest. PREFERRED: Dodgers unless opposed by Cueto.
L.A. Angels at Cleveland (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
Taking on the Indians at Progressive Field when you send a righthander to the mound is a risky proposition (Tribe +$1430 vs. righties in 2012). It looks like CJ Wilson will miss this series and it?s a shame because Cleveland cannot hit lefties (-$1105 so far). We?ll stay on the sidelines for now. PREFERRED: None.
Kansas City at Toronto (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Royals are 0-4 vs. Toronto this year (-$405) but they are a successful road team (+$1355) and they?ll be a bargain as underdogs at Rogers Centre. Toronto has lost money in night games in this ballpark so far in 2012 (-$445). PREFERRED: Royals in all games.
Minnesota at Detroit (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Twins do not have much to boast about, but they have turned a profit on the road in night games (+$380) and they?ll be playing three evening games at Comerica this week. The Tigers are stumbling along (-$1160 at home) so the visiting underdog is tempting. PREFERRED: Twins in night games.
N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The Yankees have lost money vs. the Rays in 2012 (-$205) but they have a pair of top notch lefties in Andy Pettitte (3.29 ERA and CC Sabathia (3.45) who are expected to appear at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay is only 11-14 vs. southpaws so far (-$340), averaging just 4.1 runs per game. PREFERRED: Pettitte/Sabathia.
Boston at Oakland (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The A?s took 2 out of 3 from the Bosox at Fenway (+$200) and they stand a good chance in this series as well. Their pitching has been superior (3.63 ERA) and they?ve turned a profit vs. righties (+$550). Boston has lost money vs. righties (-$825) so play this series accordingly. PREFERRED: Athletics when righty meets righty.
Baltimore at Seattle (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The Orioles are having a fine season, including a very profitable showing on the road (+$1125). The Mariners are only 12-19 at Safeco Field (-$900) and they rank near the bottom of the league statistically (4.30 ERA, .239 BA). Look for the visitor to fatten up in this series. PREFERRED: Orioles in all games.
BEGINNING TUESDAY JULY 3
San Francisco at Washington (3) 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Giants have lost money vs. righthanders on the road this year (12-15, -$335) and they?ll be facing some of the best in baseball when they venture into Nationals Park. Zimmermann, Strasburg, and Jackson all have ERA?s under 3.00 and a couple of them are likely to see action. PREFERRED: Righthanders vs. the Giants.
Philadelphia at N.Y. Mets (3) 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Mets have taken 6 of 9 from the floundering Phillies in head to head play (+$640) and their numbers vs. righthanders have been sensational (+$1540). They are in the thick of the pennant chase, and without Roy Halladay the Philly rotation is lacking in quality righthanders. PREFERRED: Mets vs. righthanders.
Texas at Chicago W. Sox (3) 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Rangers hit a rough patch but they?ve picked up the pace in recent days (8-2, +$370 last 10 days). Matt Harrison has been a steady performer for Texas (+$520, 3.24 ERA in his 15 starts) and he should do well vs. a Chicago team that is only 8-12 (-$490) vs. southpaws, averaging just 3.5 runs per game. PREFERRED: Harrison.
BEGINNING THURSDAY JUNE 28
N.Y. Mets at L.A. Dodgers (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Mets have been getting some excellent pitching in the past 10 days (3.45 ERA) and they?ve been a big money-maker vs. righthanded pitching in 2012 (+$1540). But they face a tough assignment when they venture into Chavez Ravine for this four game set. The Dodgers hold the best record in the National League up to this point, with outstanding pitching (3.21 ERA, 2nd best in the league) and a terrific record at home (24-12, +$830). They have a pair of top notch lefthanded starters in Chris Capuano (2.60 ERA in 15 starts) and Clay Kershaw (2.73 in 15 starts), slated to appear against the Mets. New York is only 10-16 vs. southpaws so far (-$460) so we?ll back the home team when they go. BEST BET: Capuano/Kershaw.
Cincinnati at San Francisco (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Reds took 2 out of 3 from the Giants at Great American Ballpark, and they?ve risen to the top of the NL Central thanks to a strong performance from their underrated pitching staff. Their team ERA is almost identical to San Francisco?s (3.55 vs. 3.56 for the home team) and their all-righty starting rotation matches up well with the Giants. SF is only 11-14 vs. righties in night games this year (-$480) so we?ll back the visitor in the first two games of this four game set. BEST BET: Reds in night games.
L.A. Angels at Toronto (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Blue Jays are hanging tough in the AL east but their starting pitching has been dreadful (7.31 ERA in their last 10), and with injuries to Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek they?ve been forced to scramble. Top lefty Ricky Romero is not expected to appear, so this could be a good spot for the Angels. LA has made up considerable ground in the AL West following that disastrous start (6-3, +$185 last 10 days) and they currently own the lowest ERA in the league. With a realistic shot at catching Texas we look for the visitor to excel in this trip to Rogers Centre. BEST BET: Angels in all games.
Chicago W. Sox at N.Y. Yankees (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The White Sox have stumbled a bit in recent days (4-6, -$330 last 10 days) and they?ve been lousy against lefthanders (-$490 with only 3.5 runs per game), so we?ll stick with Yankee ace CC Sabathia (+$500, 3.45 ERA) when he takes his scheduled turn. But Chicago has excelled vs. righthanders on the road (15-8, +$945) while New York has lost money vs. righties here in the Bronx (-$295). Prices will of course be extremely high, so we?ll no doubt catch some bargains in game where we back the visitor. BEST BET: Sabathia/White Sox when righty meets righty.
Cleveland at Baltimore (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Orioles were not expected to do much this year, but they?ve been very strong, and the result has been huge profits for their backers (+$1760 overall). The Indians have been very competitive in the AL Central, and their numbers vs. righthanders are outstanding (32-19, +$1430). But they check in with a dreadful 5-15 record vs. lefties (-$1105 with only 3.5 runs per game) and it?s likely they?ll face a couple of them this weekend at Camden Yards. Wei-Yin Chen has been a welcome addition to the Orioles staff (+$625, 3.38 ERA) and we?ll happily take him to topple the Tribe. BEST BET: W. Chen.
Detroit at Tampa Bay (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Tigers took 2 out of 3 in the teams? first head to head showdown, but we don?t anticipate a similar outcome at Tropicana Field. The Tigers have been a huge money-burner in 2012 (-$1620 overall) and lefty Drew Smyly is out of the rotation while he nurses an injured finger. Tampa Bay has turned a nice profit vs. righties this season (29-18, +$765) and with the exception of Justin Verlander we don?t see anyone on the Detroit staff who gives us cause for concern. BEST BET: Rays vs. all righthanders except Verlander.
Oakland at Texas (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The A?s had a rough weekend hosting the Giants, but they?ve picked up some ground in June (7-3, +$420 last 10 days) and they could steal some nice underdog wins at Arlington. They?re already 4-2 in head to head play with the Rangers (+$370) and their pitching staff (3.63 ERA) has been just as good as Texas?s (3.57). The hitting is weak, but they?ve turned a profit on the road (+$385) and prices on Texas have been going through the roof. Oakland looks like a nice value if the price is right. BEST BET: Athletics at +150 or better.
Boston at Seattle (4) 28th, 29th, 30th, 1st
The Red Sox have picked up the pace considerably (7-2, +$380 last 10 days) as the fist their way back into AL East contention. The pitching is still shaky, but the offense has caught fire (averaging 6.3 runs per game in their last 10), and they should bludgeon the light hitters Mariners (.239 team BA) without difficulty. They?ve already beaten Seattle twice (+$200) and the Mariners have dropped a bundle at Safeco (12-19, -$900). Felix Hernandez is the only pitcher who concerns us (3.36), but the rest of the home team?s starters are fair game. BEST BET: Red Sox unless opposed by F. Hernandez.
BEGINNING FRIDAY JUNE 29
Houston at Chicago Cubs (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Cubs are the worst team we?ve seen this year (-$1900 overall), wallowing a full five games behind 5th place Houston in the NL Central. They?ve been astonishingly bad against lefthanders this year (3-16, -$1335, averaging 3.2 runs per game), so we?ll take a shot with Wandy Rodriguez (3.29 ERA in 15 starts), who?s having a solid year and is scheduled to take a turn. We?d like to find other opportunities to take the Astros, but that 9-25 (-$1130) record outside of Minute Maid Park is not encouraging. BEST BET: W. Rodriguez.
Philadelphia at Miami (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
It was assumed that these were the teams most likely to compete for the NL East title. Instead they find themselves battling one another to stay out of the cellar. The Phillies have been decimated by injuries, and their seemingly formidable pitching staff now ranks just 8th in team ERA (4.00). The Marlins have been in a cold spell in June (2-7, -$554 last 10 days, averaging 3.8 runs per game with a 6.91 ERA among starters) and they?ve lost a fortune playing in their brand new ballpark (18-20, -$955). They appear equally miserable right now, so we?ll stay away. BEST BET: None.
Washington at Atlanta (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Nationals have been the talk of baseball in the 1st half, leading in the NL East on the strength of MLB?s best pitching staff (2.96 team ERA). They?ve been excellent both at home and on the road (+$1035 overall) and they?ve already beaten Atlanta in 4 of 5 head to head meetings (+$320). The Braves suffered a blow with the loss of Brandon Beachy, who?s now slated for season ending surgery. They?ve not been profitable here at Turner Field (15-17, -$650) and their offense has been struggling in recent days (averaging 3.3 runs per game in their last 10). Washington can easily take 2 out of 3 under the circumstances. BEST BET: Nationals in all games.
San Diego at Colorado (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
Two pretty bad teams squaring off at Coors Field this weekend. The Padres are anemic offensively (.231 team BA, worst in the National League) and they are winless vs. lefthanders away from Petco Park (0-10, -$1000, averaging just 2.8 runs per game). If the Rockies send a southpaw to the mound we?ll take him, but not with that much enthusiasm. Colorado?s pitching staff is a complete train wreck (5.34 ERA, worst in MLB and worst in the NL by almost one full run. They?ve dropped a bundle at home (-$960) so we?ll back them somewhat reluctantly. BEST BET: Lefthanders vs. the Padres.
Arizona at Milwaukee (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Diamondbacks have made a nice comeback, climbing back over .500 and well within striking distance in the NL West (7-3, +$420 last 10 days, averaging 6.7 runs per game on offense). They?ve turned a nice profit on the road vs. righties (+$720) and we like their chances at Miller Park, where the Brewers haven?t been a winning proposition (-$555). Milwaukee?s pitching ranks a lowly 12th in the league (4.24 ERA), and their best hurler, Zack Greinke, is not slated to take a turn in this series. Arizona won 2 of 3 earlier, and we look for more here. BEST BET: Diamondbacks vs. righthanders.
Pittsburgh at St. Louis (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
Yes, their run production has been paltry, but the Pirates are a team that is looking very sharp (38-33, +$1215 overall) With some of the best pitching in MLB (3.35 team ERA), they?ll be a live underdog in situations like this, despite the fact that they are a sub .500 club outside of PNC Park. The Cardinals are not winning as many games as we would expect from a team with such strong stats (.278 BA, tops in the NL, 3.81 ERA, 6th in the league). They?ve dropped a bundle at Busch Stadium (-$650). James McDonald has been the Pittsburgh ace so far (+$490, 2.19 ERA In 14 starts) and we?ll gladly give in a try here. BEST BET: McDonald.
Kansas City at Minnesota (3) 29th, 30th, 1st
The Royals aren?t much of a team, but they have a healthy lead over Minnesota in the race to avoid the AL Central basement, and they look inviting here at Target Field. Minnesota has lost money at home this year (-$730) while KC has turned a huge profit outside of Kaufman Stadium (+$1355). The Twins have already burned through 10 different starters (5.05 team ERA, worst in the AL) and they?ve been losing ground again in recent days (4-6, -$85, averaging 2.5 runs per game with a 5.21 ERA among starters). We?ll give KC a shot throughout. BEST BET: Royals in all games.
BEGINNING MONDAY JULY 2
Houston at Pittsburgh (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
This is a bad spot for the Astros, who check in here with a 9-25 road record (-$1130) to take on a hungry, young Pittsburgh team that owns a 23-13 mark in this park (+$1065). The Pirates give up over one full run per game fewer than Houston, and we?ll be surprised if they don?t take 3 out of 4. PREFERRED: Pirates in all games.
Chicago Cubs at Atlanta (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
We can?t see taking the Cubs in any situation at the present time, especially on the road where they?ve produced a pathetic 10-29 record (-$1420). The Braves have made money vs. righties (+$465 overall), so take a shot. PREFERRED: Braves vs. righthanders.
Miami at Milwaukee (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
Very hard to get behind either of these clubs at the moment. Milwaukee is floundering below .500 in the NL Central (-$1325 overall), while Miami finds itself well off the pace in the NL East as July gets underway (-$1120). We?ll check back on game day to see if either is worth taking a close look at. PREFERRED: None.
Colorado at St. Louis (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Cardinals could be somewhat overpriced vs. the hapless Rockies, and their disappointing record at Busch Stadium does not give us much confidence. But they?ve averaged 5.6 runs per game vs. lefthanders, and none of the Colorado starters give us much to worry about. PREFERRED: Cardinals vs. lefthanders.
San Diego at Arizona (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The D?backs are 4-2 in head to head play (+$185) and we?d love to take them if they send a lefty (San Diego 0-10, -$1000 vs. southpaws). But Miley isn?t slated and Saunders is on the DL, so we may not get the chance. PREFERRED: Lefthanders vs. the Padres.
Cincinnati at L.A. Dodgers (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The Dodgers have been successful at home this year (+$830) and they?ve made plenty of money vs. righthanders (+$775). The Reds have an all-righty rotation that boasts one great pitcher, Johnny Cueto, and nothing else to get excited about. We?ll take a shot vs. all the rest. PREFERRED: Dodgers unless opposed by Cueto.
L.A. Angels at Cleveland (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
Taking on the Indians at Progressive Field when you send a righthander to the mound is a risky proposition (Tribe +$1430 vs. righties in 2012). It looks like CJ Wilson will miss this series and it?s a shame because Cleveland cannot hit lefties (-$1105 so far). We?ll stay on the sidelines for now. PREFERRED: None.
Kansas City at Toronto (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Royals are 0-4 vs. Toronto this year (-$405) but they are a successful road team (+$1355) and they?ll be a bargain as underdogs at Rogers Centre. Toronto has lost money in night games in this ballpark so far in 2012 (-$445). PREFERRED: Royals in all games.
Minnesota at Detroit (4) 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Twins do not have much to boast about, but they have turned a profit on the road in night games (+$380) and they?ll be playing three evening games at Comerica this week. The Tigers are stumbling along (-$1160 at home) so the visiting underdog is tempting. PREFERRED: Twins in night games.
N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The Yankees have lost money vs. the Rays in 2012 (-$205) but they have a pair of top notch lefties in Andy Pettitte (3.29 ERA and CC Sabathia (3.45) who are expected to appear at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay is only 11-14 vs. southpaws so far (-$340), averaging just 4.1 runs per game. PREFERRED: Pettitte/Sabathia.
Boston at Oakland (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The A?s took 2 out of 3 from the Bosox at Fenway (+$200) and they stand a good chance in this series as well. Their pitching has been superior (3.63 ERA) and they?ve turned a profit vs. righties (+$550). Boston has lost money vs. righties (-$825) so play this series accordingly. PREFERRED: Athletics when righty meets righty.
Baltimore at Seattle (3) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
The Orioles are having a fine season, including a very profitable showing on the road (+$1125). The Mariners are only 12-19 at Safeco Field (-$900) and they rank near the bottom of the league statistically (4.30 ERA, .239 BA). Look for the visitor to fatten up in this series. PREFERRED: Orioles in all games.
BEGINNING TUESDAY JULY 3
San Francisco at Washington (3) 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Giants have lost money vs. righthanders on the road this year (12-15, -$335) and they?ll be facing some of the best in baseball when they venture into Nationals Park. Zimmermann, Strasburg, and Jackson all have ERA?s under 3.00 and a couple of them are likely to see action. PREFERRED: Righthanders vs. the Giants.
Philadelphia at N.Y. Mets (3) 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Mets have taken 6 of 9 from the floundering Phillies in head to head play (+$640) and their numbers vs. righthanders have been sensational (+$1540). They are in the thick of the pennant chase, and without Roy Halladay the Philly rotation is lacking in quality righthanders. PREFERRED: Mets vs. righthanders.
Texas at Chicago W. Sox (3) 3rd, 4th, 5th
The Rangers hit a rough patch but they?ve picked up the pace in recent days (8-2, +$370 last 10 days). Matt Harrison has been a steady performer for Texas (+$520, 3.24 ERA in his 15 starts) and he should do well vs. a Chicago team that is only 8-12 (-$490) vs. southpaws, averaging just 3.5 runs per game. PREFERRED: Harrison.
