BEGINNING MONDAY MAY 17
Minnesota at Toronto (3) 17th, 18th, 19th
This is the third series on the road for the Twins in the last four played and it looks to us that they?ll be up against it against the suddenly revitalized Blue Jays (won five straight and six of eight). PREFERRED: Blue Jays in all games.
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (3) 17th, 18th, 19th
The Sox were having success on the road until they ran into the overdue Blue Jays, but their starters still have the second best ERA on the road in MLB. The Indians? starters, on the other hand, have posted a gaudy 5.16 ERA at home. The Sox took 11 of 19 from the Tribe last year, but wound up -$65 in the red. PREFERRED: None.
BEGINNING TUESDAY MAY 18
Los Angeles at Philadelphia (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Dodgers have been a huge moneymaker as a visitor in 2004 (11-4, +$945) and we like their chances against a Philly team still struggling to pull above the .500 mark. We?ll look to those sensational LA lefthanders to get the job done once again (Philly only 1-4, -$290 vs. southpaws with 3.8 runs per game). PREFERRED: Lefthanders vs. the Phillies.
Milwaukee vs. Montreal (at PR) (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
Playing in San Juan worked out well for the Expos in 2003, but they opened with a lackluster 1-5 (-$455) when they played the Mets and Marlins in early April. The Brewers are opening some eyes with some solid play through the first five weeks (+$375) and we like them when the price is right. PREFERRED: Brewers as underdogs.
San Diego at Pittsburgh (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Pirates don?t fare particularly well when they play here at Miller park (only 4-10, -$500) and they?ll have a tough time against a San Diego team with solid pitching (3.60 ERA, 2nd best in the league). We?ll go against a par of Pittsburgh hurlers who have struggled in the early going. PREFERRED: Fogg/Vogelsong.
Houston at Florida (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
Intriguing matchup of first place clubs with quality rotations. We?re not comfortable with the Marlins because they just don?t seem to score enough runs at vs. righthanders at Pro Players Park (only 2.9 per game) and the Astros have gone 8-2 (+$505) vs. righties on the road thus far. PREFERRED: Astros when righty meets righty.
St. Louis at N.Y. Mets (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
We?d like to take the visitor in this series (St. Louis 10-5, +$515 on the road in 2004) but the top Met pitchers continue to excel, so we?ll limit ourselves to playing against the second tier NY hurlers if any are available. PREFERRED: Cardinals vs. Seo & Yates.
Colorado at Cincinnati (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
At 5-10, the Rockies never were much of a road team and their numbers against righthanders this year are appalling (7-16, -$665) . The Reds on the other hand have cleaned up against righthanders in the first 5 weeks of 2004 (+$915), so we?ll play this one accordingly. PREFERRED: Reds when righty meets righty.
Arizona at Atlanta (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Diamondbacks have been simply awful vs. lefthanders (only 1-7, -$820 with 4.0 runs per game) and the Braves check in with a respectable 6-2 record in night games vs. righthanders at Turner Field (+$445 with 6.2 runs per game). Don?t tangle with Randy Johnson, but go with the Atlanta lefties if circumstances permit. PREFERRED: Ramirez & Hampton unless opposed by Johnson.
San Francisco at Chicago Cubs (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
We?d like to use the Cubs against a Giants? team that is nowhere near the club that won 100 games last year (only 14-18, -$495 so far). But despite a 10-6 record, the Cubs have had a very tough time Turning a profit at Wrigley Field (-$300) so a certain degree of caution is advised. PREFERRED: None.
Boston at Tampa Bay (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
If you?re looking to invest in the Red Sox in this series be prepared to put up megabucks in each game. The Devil Rays have been a .500 team at home this season (6-7, +$190), so risking so much to get back so little may not be the smartest of propositions. Boston took last year?s series, 12-7, but lost -$25 because they were priced so high in each game including the last six in Florida where they were just 2-4. PREFERRED: Devil Rays vs. Kim, Lowe & Wakefield.
Kansas City at Texas (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
Can?t imagine a team playing as poorly as the Royals (especially on the road, 3-14 -$985) having much success against a team playing as well as the Rangers.. When you throw into the mix that both the Royals? starters and relievers have ERAs on the road well over 6.00, it makes no sense to back them in that bandbox at Arlington. If the run totals posted by Vegas are reasonable (between 10 and 11), going over in all three games makes the most sense. PREFERRED: OVER on any total at 11 or less.
Baltimore at Seattle (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Birds took two of three (+$90) from Seattle in head to head play at Camden Yards, but the improving Mariners are might be tough at Safeco Field and the Orioles have played two thirds of their games at home. PREFERRED: None.
Detroit at Oakland (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
After a wildly successful beginning, the Tigers are beginning to resemble the mediocrity (lost seven of 10 with a 7.28 ERA among starters) that they were a year ago and that 1-4 (-$220) road record vs. lefties has us thinking that Oakland?s portsiders are due to turn it around soon. PREFERRED: Lefthanders vs. the Tigers.
NY Yankees at Anaheim (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Yankees took six of nine from the much improved Angels last year, but you lost -$5 if you played $100 per game on them, a great example of how cruel Vegas is to baseball chalk players. However, with the Yankees finally playing as advertised in March (won 9 of 11), playing against them even with a team as hot as Anaheim doesn?t make a lot of sense. PREFERRED: None.
use this as a guide only
Minnesota at Toronto (3) 17th, 18th, 19th
This is the third series on the road for the Twins in the last four played and it looks to us that they?ll be up against it against the suddenly revitalized Blue Jays (won five straight and six of eight). PREFERRED: Blue Jays in all games.
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (3) 17th, 18th, 19th
The Sox were having success on the road until they ran into the overdue Blue Jays, but their starters still have the second best ERA on the road in MLB. The Indians? starters, on the other hand, have posted a gaudy 5.16 ERA at home. The Sox took 11 of 19 from the Tribe last year, but wound up -$65 in the red. PREFERRED: None.
BEGINNING TUESDAY MAY 18
Los Angeles at Philadelphia (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Dodgers have been a huge moneymaker as a visitor in 2004 (11-4, +$945) and we like their chances against a Philly team still struggling to pull above the .500 mark. We?ll look to those sensational LA lefthanders to get the job done once again (Philly only 1-4, -$290 vs. southpaws with 3.8 runs per game). PREFERRED: Lefthanders vs. the Phillies.
Milwaukee vs. Montreal (at PR) (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
Playing in San Juan worked out well for the Expos in 2003, but they opened with a lackluster 1-5 (-$455) when they played the Mets and Marlins in early April. The Brewers are opening some eyes with some solid play through the first five weeks (+$375) and we like them when the price is right. PREFERRED: Brewers as underdogs.
San Diego at Pittsburgh (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Pirates don?t fare particularly well when they play here at Miller park (only 4-10, -$500) and they?ll have a tough time against a San Diego team with solid pitching (3.60 ERA, 2nd best in the league). We?ll go against a par of Pittsburgh hurlers who have struggled in the early going. PREFERRED: Fogg/Vogelsong.
Houston at Florida (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
Intriguing matchup of first place clubs with quality rotations. We?re not comfortable with the Marlins because they just don?t seem to score enough runs at vs. righthanders at Pro Players Park (only 2.9 per game) and the Astros have gone 8-2 (+$505) vs. righties on the road thus far. PREFERRED: Astros when righty meets righty.
St. Louis at N.Y. Mets (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
We?d like to take the visitor in this series (St. Louis 10-5, +$515 on the road in 2004) but the top Met pitchers continue to excel, so we?ll limit ourselves to playing against the second tier NY hurlers if any are available. PREFERRED: Cardinals vs. Seo & Yates.
Colorado at Cincinnati (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
At 5-10, the Rockies never were much of a road team and their numbers against righthanders this year are appalling (7-16, -$665) . The Reds on the other hand have cleaned up against righthanders in the first 5 weeks of 2004 (+$915), so we?ll play this one accordingly. PREFERRED: Reds when righty meets righty.
Arizona at Atlanta (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Diamondbacks have been simply awful vs. lefthanders (only 1-7, -$820 with 4.0 runs per game) and the Braves check in with a respectable 6-2 record in night games vs. righthanders at Turner Field (+$445 with 6.2 runs per game). Don?t tangle with Randy Johnson, but go with the Atlanta lefties if circumstances permit. PREFERRED: Ramirez & Hampton unless opposed by Johnson.
San Francisco at Chicago Cubs (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
We?d like to use the Cubs against a Giants? team that is nowhere near the club that won 100 games last year (only 14-18, -$495 so far). But despite a 10-6 record, the Cubs have had a very tough time Turning a profit at Wrigley Field (-$300) so a certain degree of caution is advised. PREFERRED: None.
Boston at Tampa Bay (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
If you?re looking to invest in the Red Sox in this series be prepared to put up megabucks in each game. The Devil Rays have been a .500 team at home this season (6-7, +$190), so risking so much to get back so little may not be the smartest of propositions. Boston took last year?s series, 12-7, but lost -$25 because they were priced so high in each game including the last six in Florida where they were just 2-4. PREFERRED: Devil Rays vs. Kim, Lowe & Wakefield.
Kansas City at Texas (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
Can?t imagine a team playing as poorly as the Royals (especially on the road, 3-14 -$985) having much success against a team playing as well as the Rangers.. When you throw into the mix that both the Royals? starters and relievers have ERAs on the road well over 6.00, it makes no sense to back them in that bandbox at Arlington. If the run totals posted by Vegas are reasonable (between 10 and 11), going over in all three games makes the most sense. PREFERRED: OVER on any total at 11 or less.
Baltimore at Seattle (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Birds took two of three (+$90) from Seattle in head to head play at Camden Yards, but the improving Mariners are might be tough at Safeco Field and the Orioles have played two thirds of their games at home. PREFERRED: None.
Detroit at Oakland (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
After a wildly successful beginning, the Tigers are beginning to resemble the mediocrity (lost seven of 10 with a 7.28 ERA among starters) that they were a year ago and that 1-4 (-$220) road record vs. lefties has us thinking that Oakland?s portsiders are due to turn it around soon. PREFERRED: Lefthanders vs. the Tigers.
NY Yankees at Anaheim (3) 18th, 19th, 20th
The Yankees took six of nine from the much improved Angels last year, but you lost -$5 if you played $100 per game on them, a great example of how cruel Vegas is to baseball chalk players. However, with the Yankees finally playing as advertised in March (won 9 of 11), playing against them even with a team as hot as Anaheim doesn?t make a lot of sense. PREFERRED: None.
use this as a guide only
