BEGINNING MONDAY AUGUST 15
Washington at Philadelphia (4) 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th
The Nationals were having there problems with the Phillies (4-5) long before they started to wilt in the summer heat. It?s hard to have much faith in a team that is next to last (3.9) in the NL in RPG on the road. PREFERRED: Phillies vs. all but Hernandez.
San Francisco at Cincinnati (4) 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th
The Giants and the Reds have the 14th and 16th worst ERAs in the NL, so it looks like plenty of runs will be scored in the second easiest park in the NL to produce them. The Reds are averaging a healthy 5.9 RPG at home vs. righties, so you?ll want to play on them in that situation, especially if the Reds put a righty in the box as the Giants are just 27-43 (-$1420) against them. PREFERRED: Reds when righthander meets righthander.
Chicago Cubs at Houston (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
Chicago comes into this series playing .500 ball over the last three weeks and, outside of Mark Prior and Carlos Zambrano, have been getting inconsistent starting pitching. We like those two as well as Andy Pettitte, ageless Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt as long as they are not crossing swords. PREFERRED: Prior/Zambrano/Oswalt, Pettitte & Clemens vs. Maddux, Williams & Hill.
Milwaukee at Colorado (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The Rockies maybe a bust on the road, but they?re an even proposition at home (20-20, -$60) while the Brewers haven?t been much of a road investment (-$245). We?ll take the Rockies in a lefty vs. lefty situation as they are 12-4 (+$845) against them at home averaging 6.9 RPG while Milwaukee is 5-9 (-$395) on the road against portsiders. PREFERRED: Rockies when lefthander meets lefthander.
Boston at Detroit (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The Red Sox have dominated the Tigers lately, winning six of seven (+$480) this year and 9 of 11 (+$685) the last year plus including five of seven in Comerica Park. And, the way that they?re currently playing, it makes sense to back them on the road at favorable prices. PREFERRED: Red Sox in all games.
N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The continued questionable status of the Yankees? starting corps combined with their awful middle relief pitching, makes them a dubious road investment regardless of the competition. New York has been a nightmare vs. righties on the road (19-22, -$1340) while the Devil Rays have produced a decent profit (+$300) against them at home. Go with the flow. PREFERRED: Devil Rays when righthander meets righthander.
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
Part of the reason for the White Sox? surprising success has been their ability to dominate their own division. Chicago is 32-9 (+$2070) in the Central, including 4-1 (+$360) vs. the Twins. It?s tough to argue with that type of success especially when you consider that Pale Hose leads MLB in ERA at home for both starters (3.58) and relievers (2.53). PREFERRED: White Sox in all games.
Baltimore at Oakland (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
We?re combing our stats and doing our homework but, try as we might, we?re having a difficult time making a case for the ice cold Orioles against the streaking Athletics (won 10 of their last11). But, oh those prices! PREFERRED: None.
Kansas City at Seattle (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
Only two starters on these two teams? rotations have an ERA under 3.38 in their last three starts and, one of them, Ryan Franklin, is suspended for 10 games while he tries to find out who injected steroids into his BLT on whole wheat toast. Go over or pass. PREFERRED: OVER in all games.
Toronto at L.A. Angels (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The Angels played the Blue Jays in Toronto in the middle of a Yankees? sandwich (won four of seven) and lost all three games by a combined score of, 13-3. This is too good a team to take a brooming lying down. Try the Halos in any game that Toronto starts a righty, except for Roy Halladay, in the three night games as they are 23-12 at home in that situation to date. PREFERRED:: Angels vs. all righthanders except Halladay.
BEGINNING TUESDAY AUGUST 16
San Diego at Florida (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
It?s make up time for the Marlins who lost all three games to the Padres (-$335) in California way back in mid May when the Padres looked like a major league baseball team. And, the way San Diego has been playing there is no reason to expect a turnaround 3,000 miles from home. PREFERRED: Marlins vs. all but Peavy.
Pittsburgh at N.Y. Mets (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
The Mets will want to load up on righthanded starters as the Pirates are just 14-26 (-$490) on the road against them, averaging a puny 3.4 RPG. The Mets? record with their current crop of righty starters (Pedro Martinez, Kris Benson, Victor Zambrano and Jae Seo) at home is 22-14, so the Mets? choices are obvious and should the Pirates start a southpaw (Mets are 12-6, +$470 at Shea against them), move your play up a notch. PREFERRED: Mets? righthanders vs. Pirates? lefthanders.
L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
The way to go in this series is statistically sound, but we must caution you to watch those huge numbers Vegas will make you lay with the home team. The Dodgers are only 17-29 (-$995) on the road against righties while the Braves are 75% of the time at home against them, a profitable percentage to be sure. PREFERRED: Braves? righthanders vs. Dodgers? righthanders.
Arizona at St. Louis (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
The Cardinals have won eight of ten games but only are $320 in the black in the last year plus against the Diamondbacks which tells us that if you want to back the home team in every game you had better hope that they sweep the Diamondbacks. With Arizona in contention for a division title and St. Louis coasting in the NL Central, that might not be as easy as it looks. Take a shot with the dog when St. Louis sends a righty starter not named Chris Carpenter to the hill as ?Zona is an impressive +$965 in the black in that situation. PREFERRED: Diamondbacks vs. all righthanders except Carpenter.
Texas at Cleveland (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
This series will come down to a test of strengths: The Rangers? offense (189 home runs, tops in the majors) against the Indians? pitching (3.86 overall ERA). We?ll back the home team as Texas has been fading faster than disappearing ink and has demonstrated little ability to hit southpaws (8-17, -$1090), especially on the road (3.5 RPG). PREFERRED: Indians? lefthanders.
Washington at Philadelphia (4) 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th
The Nationals were having there problems with the Phillies (4-5) long before they started to wilt in the summer heat. It?s hard to have much faith in a team that is next to last (3.9) in the NL in RPG on the road. PREFERRED: Phillies vs. all but Hernandez.
San Francisco at Cincinnati (4) 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th
The Giants and the Reds have the 14th and 16th worst ERAs in the NL, so it looks like plenty of runs will be scored in the second easiest park in the NL to produce them. The Reds are averaging a healthy 5.9 RPG at home vs. righties, so you?ll want to play on them in that situation, especially if the Reds put a righty in the box as the Giants are just 27-43 (-$1420) against them. PREFERRED: Reds when righthander meets righthander.
Chicago Cubs at Houston (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
Chicago comes into this series playing .500 ball over the last three weeks and, outside of Mark Prior and Carlos Zambrano, have been getting inconsistent starting pitching. We like those two as well as Andy Pettitte, ageless Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt as long as they are not crossing swords. PREFERRED: Prior/Zambrano/Oswalt, Pettitte & Clemens vs. Maddux, Williams & Hill.
Milwaukee at Colorado (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The Rockies maybe a bust on the road, but they?re an even proposition at home (20-20, -$60) while the Brewers haven?t been much of a road investment (-$245). We?ll take the Rockies in a lefty vs. lefty situation as they are 12-4 (+$845) against them at home averaging 6.9 RPG while Milwaukee is 5-9 (-$395) on the road against portsiders. PREFERRED: Rockies when lefthander meets lefthander.
Boston at Detroit (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The Red Sox have dominated the Tigers lately, winning six of seven (+$480) this year and 9 of 11 (+$685) the last year plus including five of seven in Comerica Park. And, the way that they?re currently playing, it makes sense to back them on the road at favorable prices. PREFERRED: Red Sox in all games.
N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The continued questionable status of the Yankees? starting corps combined with their awful middle relief pitching, makes them a dubious road investment regardless of the competition. New York has been a nightmare vs. righties on the road (19-22, -$1340) while the Devil Rays have produced a decent profit (+$300) against them at home. Go with the flow. PREFERRED: Devil Rays when righthander meets righthander.
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
Part of the reason for the White Sox? surprising success has been their ability to dominate their own division. Chicago is 32-9 (+$2070) in the Central, including 4-1 (+$360) vs. the Twins. It?s tough to argue with that type of success especially when you consider that Pale Hose leads MLB in ERA at home for both starters (3.58) and relievers (2.53). PREFERRED: White Sox in all games.
Baltimore at Oakland (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
We?re combing our stats and doing our homework but, try as we might, we?re having a difficult time making a case for the ice cold Orioles against the streaking Athletics (won 10 of their last11). But, oh those prices! PREFERRED: None.
Kansas City at Seattle (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
Only two starters on these two teams? rotations have an ERA under 3.38 in their last three starts and, one of them, Ryan Franklin, is suspended for 10 games while he tries to find out who injected steroids into his BLT on whole wheat toast. Go over or pass. PREFERRED: OVER in all games.
Toronto at L.A. Angels (3) 15th, 16th, 17th
The Angels played the Blue Jays in Toronto in the middle of a Yankees? sandwich (won four of seven) and lost all three games by a combined score of, 13-3. This is too good a team to take a brooming lying down. Try the Halos in any game that Toronto starts a righty, except for Roy Halladay, in the three night games as they are 23-12 at home in that situation to date. PREFERRED:: Angels vs. all righthanders except Halladay.
BEGINNING TUESDAY AUGUST 16
San Diego at Florida (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
It?s make up time for the Marlins who lost all three games to the Padres (-$335) in California way back in mid May when the Padres looked like a major league baseball team. And, the way San Diego has been playing there is no reason to expect a turnaround 3,000 miles from home. PREFERRED: Marlins vs. all but Peavy.
Pittsburgh at N.Y. Mets (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
The Mets will want to load up on righthanded starters as the Pirates are just 14-26 (-$490) on the road against them, averaging a puny 3.4 RPG. The Mets? record with their current crop of righty starters (Pedro Martinez, Kris Benson, Victor Zambrano and Jae Seo) at home is 22-14, so the Mets? choices are obvious and should the Pirates start a southpaw (Mets are 12-6, +$470 at Shea against them), move your play up a notch. PREFERRED: Mets? righthanders vs. Pirates? lefthanders.
L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
The way to go in this series is statistically sound, but we must caution you to watch those huge numbers Vegas will make you lay with the home team. The Dodgers are only 17-29 (-$995) on the road against righties while the Braves are 75% of the time at home against them, a profitable percentage to be sure. PREFERRED: Braves? righthanders vs. Dodgers? righthanders.
Arizona at St. Louis (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
The Cardinals have won eight of ten games but only are $320 in the black in the last year plus against the Diamondbacks which tells us that if you want to back the home team in every game you had better hope that they sweep the Diamondbacks. With Arizona in contention for a division title and St. Louis coasting in the NL Central, that might not be as easy as it looks. Take a shot with the dog when St. Louis sends a righty starter not named Chris Carpenter to the hill as ?Zona is an impressive +$965 in the black in that situation. PREFERRED: Diamondbacks vs. all righthanders except Carpenter.
Texas at Cleveland (3) 16th, 17th, 18th
This series will come down to a test of strengths: The Rangers? offense (189 home runs, tops in the majors) against the Indians? pitching (3.86 overall ERA). We?ll back the home team as Texas has been fading faster than disappearing ink and has demonstrated little ability to hit southpaws (8-17, -$1090), especially on the road (3.5 RPG). PREFERRED: Indians? lefthanders.
