thursday
- Thread starter RAYMOND
- Start date
BEGINNING FRIDAY MAY 14
Atlanta at Milwaukee (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
Both teams are hovering near the .500 level, but what that means to each is quite different. The slumping Braves (3-6, -$320 last 10 days) appear to have finally fallen from their unchallenged perch atop the NL East, and their rather mediocre statistics (4.22 team ERA, .257 BA) suggest this is more than a slow start. The Brewers on the other hand, are delighted to be where they are (+$375 overall), after another last pace finish in 2003. Ben Sheets has emerged as the Milwaukee staff ace (+$220, 3.43 ERA) and will be making a trip to the hill over the weekend. He should be able to handle an Atlanta team that has lost money on the road (-$220). BEST BET: Sheets.
N.Y. Mets at Houston (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Mets somehow managed to take 4 out of 6 from the Astros in head to head pay last year (+$360) and they?ve been getting excellent pitching (3.72 team ERA, 4th best in the NL). Houston has pitched equally well (3.7 ERA) and their hitting is first rate (.284 BA), but high prices have kept them from turning a profit in their home ballpark (-$250). Leiter and Trachsel have followed up solid 2003 campaigns with fine performances to date (1.53 and 3.48 ERA respectively). Both are likely to see action here and both will no doubt be available at inflated prices. BEST BET: Leiter/Trachsel.
Florida at St. Louis (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
St. Louis backers have been getting clobbered at Busch Stadium (only 6-11, -$1055) and the Cardinals? hitting has begun to slip after a strong run (only 3.4 runs per game last 10 days). The Marlins haven?t been dominating the opposition the way they did in April, but they?ve looked very sharp on the road vs. righthanders (8-4, +$330) and there is no one in the Cardinals? rotation that gives us very much cause for concern (St. Louis 4.41 team ERA, 11th in the NL). BEST BET: Marlins vs. righthanders.
Philadelphia at Colorado (4) 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th
The Rockies haven?t done very well against righthanders thus far in 2004, but they?ve been killing lefties (6-1, +$660 with 6.7 runs per game) which makes plays against Wolf and Milton automatic if they are available. Another opportunity we don?t want to miss is taking Joe Kennedy (+$325), regardless of opponent. He matches up well against the Phillies, who haven?t been able to handle southpaws at all (-$290 with only 3.8 runs per game), and his ERA (2.40) is even more remarkable when you consider that Coors Field always inflates a pitcher?s numbers. BEST BET: Kennedy/Rockies vs. lefthanders.
Montreal at Arizona (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Expos are still dead last in run production in all of baseball, but the pitching has been excellent (3.70 team ERA, 3rd best in the league), so the worst may be behind them. Nevertheless, their rotation lacks the lefthanders who could match up favorably vs. the D?backs (Arizona averages 5.5 runs per game vs. righthanders) and we can?t see using the home team with their top two hurlers (Johnson & Webb) likely to miss the series. BEST BET: None.
Chicago Cubs at San Diego (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Padres look like the real deal (3.60 team ERA, 2nd best in the NL, .275 team BA, 3rd best) and they should dominate in this series given their strong showing vs. righthanders (14-9, +$465). The Cubs
have been posting significant losses vs. righties (-$635) and their winning percentage is not high enough to justify the high prices we?re seeing. We?ll stick with a pair of hurlers who have looked sharp and should take turns in this series. BEST BET: Valdez/Eaton.
Cincinnati at Los Angeles (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Reds have been making things interesting, and their numbers vs. righthanders are impressive, but this team is near the bottom in both hitting (.245 team BA) and pitching (5.03 ERA) so it?s hard to see them faring well against the first place Dodgers. Their exclusively righthanded rotation is tailor made for LA (16-6, +$1025 vs. righties so far) and they?ve got a pair of tough lefties in Ishii (3.76 ERA) and Odalis Perez (3.63), at least one of whom should see action here. Bad news for a Reds team that checks in with a 1-5 (-$375) record vs. southpaws. BEST BET: Ishii/Perez.
Pittsburgh at San Francisco (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The PIrates may be stuck in last place, but they still rank higher than the Giants both offensively (.262 team BA vs. .254 for SF) and on the mound (4.26 ERA vs. 5.10 for SF). They?ve managed to parlay an 8-7 road record into a very tidy profit (+$350) and the Giants have proved to be uncharacteristically ineffective at Pac Bell vs. righthanders (only 3-8, -$750). We still have faith in the Pirates? starting rotation and will play this series according;y. BEST BET: Righthanders vs. the Giants.
Boston at Toronto (3) 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th
Remarkably, this is the third meeting between these teams since the beginning of the season and the Sox have already copped four of six. Those four wins, however, took place when the Sox were on fire. Roy Halladay (3.62 ERA) becomes our top play for Toronto. He?s already lost twice to Boston, but pitched well enough to win each start, has allowed just 11 earned runs over his last 46 innings and is 21-10 at home over the last two plus years. Pedro Martinez (1.23 ERA vs. Toronto this year) beat Halladay twice this year, is 4-0 vs. the Blue Jays since 2002 and 9-2 lifetime with a 2.73 ERA. BEST BET: Halladay/Martinez.
Seattle at NY Yankees (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
In Seattle last week, the Yankees took the series, 2-1. Kevin Brown (4-0, 2.89 ERA, .242 BAA) missed that series but he?s scheduled for the last game in the Bronx. He has already more than justified the big bucks the Yankees gave him last winter and has easily been their most consistent pitcher. Given that Seattle is just 3-8 (-$655) on the road vs. righties we?ll step up and recommend any New Yorker who tosses from the right side now that the dreaded Jose Contreras is not currently in the mix. BEST BET: Brown. PREFERRED: Righthanders vs. the Mariners.
Anaheim at Baltimore (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The O?s hammered the Angels last year (8-1, +$905), but the Angels aren?t doing much wrong these days: 11-5 away (+$580), 9-1 in the day (+$845), 20-9 on grass, 14-6 vs. righties (+$690) averaging 5.8 RPG and 7-4 (+$265) vs. portsiders. Toss in the third highest BA and the third lowest ERA in the AL and you won?t see us going against them, especially when Oriole killer, Kelvim Escobar (10-2 lifetime vs. Baltimore with a 3.77 ERA, 3-1 last year with a .229 BAA), takes the mound. And don?t overlook Washburn (+$520), since the O?s average two RPG less vs. lefties. BEST BET: Escobar/Washburn
Texas at Detroit (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
Last week in Arlington, these teams combined for 56 runs for an incredible 18.7 RPG, so there aren?t too many pitchers from that series that we?re about to recommend other than Kenny Rogers or Nate Robertson who, unfortunately, are scheduled to face each other on Friday. The battling Tigers (+$560 overall) took two of three from previously red hot Texas and are more than capable of doing it again. PREFERRED: Tigers in all games.
Tampa Bay at Cleveland (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Indians took five of seven (+$250) from the Devil Rays last year with an offense not nearly as good as this one. Tampa Bay plays so poorly on the road (3-13, -$885) that it?s hard to justify a play on them unless Victor Zambrano (+$240) takes the mound. The Devil Rays are 2-10 (-$715) on the road vs. righties averaging a mere 2.2 RPG. PREFERRED: Zambrano/Righthnders vs. the Devil Rays in all other games.
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
These teams played to a virtual standstill (Twins were 10-9, +$210) a year ago and now square off for the first time in this early battle for AL Central supremacy. With neither team putting its best foot forward lately (Sox have lost three straight and four of five, Twins have lost six of eight), we?ll take a pass on this series for now and wait to see what develops. BEST BET: None.
Oakland at Kansas City (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
Barry Zito (6.17 ERA) and Mark Mulder (4.12 ERA) have not lived up to their press clippings and have clipped their backers to the tune of -$655. The Royals (5.60 ERA, 3rd highest in MLB) wish they had three pitchers capable of going more than four innings. Tim Hudson (3-1, 3.27 ERA) has been his usual tough self so, in light of the Royals? 5-18 (-$1265) record vs. righthanders, we?ll give him the nod as the top series play. Grab the Royals (4-0 at home vs. lefties averaging 6 RPG) against any Oakland southpaw. BEST BET: Hudson. PREFERRED: Royals vs. lefthanders.
Atlanta at Milwaukee (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
Both teams are hovering near the .500 level, but what that means to each is quite different. The slumping Braves (3-6, -$320 last 10 days) appear to have finally fallen from their unchallenged perch atop the NL East, and their rather mediocre statistics (4.22 team ERA, .257 BA) suggest this is more than a slow start. The Brewers on the other hand, are delighted to be where they are (+$375 overall), after another last pace finish in 2003. Ben Sheets has emerged as the Milwaukee staff ace (+$220, 3.43 ERA) and will be making a trip to the hill over the weekend. He should be able to handle an Atlanta team that has lost money on the road (-$220). BEST BET: Sheets.
N.Y. Mets at Houston (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Mets somehow managed to take 4 out of 6 from the Astros in head to head pay last year (+$360) and they?ve been getting excellent pitching (3.72 team ERA, 4th best in the NL). Houston has pitched equally well (3.7 ERA) and their hitting is first rate (.284 BA), but high prices have kept them from turning a profit in their home ballpark (-$250). Leiter and Trachsel have followed up solid 2003 campaigns with fine performances to date (1.53 and 3.48 ERA respectively). Both are likely to see action here and both will no doubt be available at inflated prices. BEST BET: Leiter/Trachsel.
Florida at St. Louis (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
St. Louis backers have been getting clobbered at Busch Stadium (only 6-11, -$1055) and the Cardinals? hitting has begun to slip after a strong run (only 3.4 runs per game last 10 days). The Marlins haven?t been dominating the opposition the way they did in April, but they?ve looked very sharp on the road vs. righthanders (8-4, +$330) and there is no one in the Cardinals? rotation that gives us very much cause for concern (St. Louis 4.41 team ERA, 11th in the NL). BEST BET: Marlins vs. righthanders.
Philadelphia at Colorado (4) 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th
The Rockies haven?t done very well against righthanders thus far in 2004, but they?ve been killing lefties (6-1, +$660 with 6.7 runs per game) which makes plays against Wolf and Milton automatic if they are available. Another opportunity we don?t want to miss is taking Joe Kennedy (+$325), regardless of opponent. He matches up well against the Phillies, who haven?t been able to handle southpaws at all (-$290 with only 3.8 runs per game), and his ERA (2.40) is even more remarkable when you consider that Coors Field always inflates a pitcher?s numbers. BEST BET: Kennedy/Rockies vs. lefthanders.
Montreal at Arizona (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Expos are still dead last in run production in all of baseball, but the pitching has been excellent (3.70 team ERA, 3rd best in the league), so the worst may be behind them. Nevertheless, their rotation lacks the lefthanders who could match up favorably vs. the D?backs (Arizona averages 5.5 runs per game vs. righthanders) and we can?t see using the home team with their top two hurlers (Johnson & Webb) likely to miss the series. BEST BET: None.
Chicago Cubs at San Diego (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Padres look like the real deal (3.60 team ERA, 2nd best in the NL, .275 team BA, 3rd best) and they should dominate in this series given their strong showing vs. righthanders (14-9, +$465). The Cubs
have been posting significant losses vs. righties (-$635) and their winning percentage is not high enough to justify the high prices we?re seeing. We?ll stick with a pair of hurlers who have looked sharp and should take turns in this series. BEST BET: Valdez/Eaton.
Cincinnati at Los Angeles (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Reds have been making things interesting, and their numbers vs. righthanders are impressive, but this team is near the bottom in both hitting (.245 team BA) and pitching (5.03 ERA) so it?s hard to see them faring well against the first place Dodgers. Their exclusively righthanded rotation is tailor made for LA (16-6, +$1025 vs. righties so far) and they?ve got a pair of tough lefties in Ishii (3.76 ERA) and Odalis Perez (3.63), at least one of whom should see action here. Bad news for a Reds team that checks in with a 1-5 (-$375) record vs. southpaws. BEST BET: Ishii/Perez.
Pittsburgh at San Francisco (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The PIrates may be stuck in last place, but they still rank higher than the Giants both offensively (.262 team BA vs. .254 for SF) and on the mound (4.26 ERA vs. 5.10 for SF). They?ve managed to parlay an 8-7 road record into a very tidy profit (+$350) and the Giants have proved to be uncharacteristically ineffective at Pac Bell vs. righthanders (only 3-8, -$750). We still have faith in the Pirates? starting rotation and will play this series according;y. BEST BET: Righthanders vs. the Giants.
Boston at Toronto (3) 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th
Remarkably, this is the third meeting between these teams since the beginning of the season and the Sox have already copped four of six. Those four wins, however, took place when the Sox were on fire. Roy Halladay (3.62 ERA) becomes our top play for Toronto. He?s already lost twice to Boston, but pitched well enough to win each start, has allowed just 11 earned runs over his last 46 innings and is 21-10 at home over the last two plus years. Pedro Martinez (1.23 ERA vs. Toronto this year) beat Halladay twice this year, is 4-0 vs. the Blue Jays since 2002 and 9-2 lifetime with a 2.73 ERA. BEST BET: Halladay/Martinez.
Seattle at NY Yankees (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
In Seattle last week, the Yankees took the series, 2-1. Kevin Brown (4-0, 2.89 ERA, .242 BAA) missed that series but he?s scheduled for the last game in the Bronx. He has already more than justified the big bucks the Yankees gave him last winter and has easily been their most consistent pitcher. Given that Seattle is just 3-8 (-$655) on the road vs. righties we?ll step up and recommend any New Yorker who tosses from the right side now that the dreaded Jose Contreras is not currently in the mix. BEST BET: Brown. PREFERRED: Righthanders vs. the Mariners.
Anaheim at Baltimore (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The O?s hammered the Angels last year (8-1, +$905), but the Angels aren?t doing much wrong these days: 11-5 away (+$580), 9-1 in the day (+$845), 20-9 on grass, 14-6 vs. righties (+$690) averaging 5.8 RPG and 7-4 (+$265) vs. portsiders. Toss in the third highest BA and the third lowest ERA in the AL and you won?t see us going against them, especially when Oriole killer, Kelvim Escobar (10-2 lifetime vs. Baltimore with a 3.77 ERA, 3-1 last year with a .229 BAA), takes the mound. And don?t overlook Washburn (+$520), since the O?s average two RPG less vs. lefties. BEST BET: Escobar/Washburn
Texas at Detroit (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
Last week in Arlington, these teams combined for 56 runs for an incredible 18.7 RPG, so there aren?t too many pitchers from that series that we?re about to recommend other than Kenny Rogers or Nate Robertson who, unfortunately, are scheduled to face each other on Friday. The battling Tigers (+$560 overall) took two of three from previously red hot Texas and are more than capable of doing it again. PREFERRED: Tigers in all games.
Tampa Bay at Cleveland (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
The Indians took five of seven (+$250) from the Devil Rays last year with an offense not nearly as good as this one. Tampa Bay plays so poorly on the road (3-13, -$885) that it?s hard to justify a play on them unless Victor Zambrano (+$240) takes the mound. The Devil Rays are 2-10 (-$715) on the road vs. righties averaging a mere 2.2 RPG. PREFERRED: Zambrano/Righthnders vs. the Devil Rays in all other games.
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
These teams played to a virtual standstill (Twins were 10-9, +$210) a year ago and now square off for the first time in this early battle for AL Central supremacy. With neither team putting its best foot forward lately (Sox have lost three straight and four of five, Twins have lost six of eight), we?ll take a pass on this series for now and wait to see what develops. BEST BET: None.
Oakland at Kansas City (3) 14th, 15th, 16th
Barry Zito (6.17 ERA) and Mark Mulder (4.12 ERA) have not lived up to their press clippings and have clipped their backers to the tune of -$655. The Royals (5.60 ERA, 3rd highest in MLB) wish they had three pitchers capable of going more than four innings. Tim Hudson (3-1, 3.27 ERA) has been his usual tough self so, in light of the Royals? 5-18 (-$1265) record vs. righthanders, we?ll give him the nod as the top series play. Grab the Royals (4-0 at home vs. lefties averaging 6 RPG) against any Oakland southpaw. BEST BET: Hudson. PREFERRED: Royals vs. lefthanders.
hey ray, since you're the man with the #'s. a couple of years ago, some one put up #'s on teams on getaway days. the teams that have to travel from that game. it proved to be a pretty good trend. thanks dave.
Very Nice Dirt
Very Nice Dirt
Nice Thursday Raymond. Very, very nice.:walk:
Thanks for the weekend info, looking forward to it!:spotting:
Very Nice Dirt
Nice Thursday Raymond. Very, very nice.:walk:
Thanks for the weekend info, looking forward to it!:spotting:
