1-2 for -2.20 units yesterday. Ouch! Why did I have to open my big mouth about winning??!?!? Of course I lose two 1-run ballgames. Record dips to 113-89/+14.04 units. For today:
Anaheim +145 over Oakland
Zito has been pitching very well of late. Been almost unhittable. Still this one shapes up for a nice dog play to me. I'm not afraid to take Anaheim at home against any AL lefthander. This team will make the play-offs. The fact I'm getting +145 and that Appier has already beaten them twice this year is a bonus. Besides his 2-0 record this year against the A's, for his career he's 13-7 with a 2.79 ERA against them. Anaheim is 31-18 at home and has won their last 3 in a row. In that time they have averaged 7.7 runs per game and I firmly believe they will put some runs up against Zito. Which leads me to play #2....
Oakland/Anaheim OVER 8 -120 Skybook
At 8.5 in a lot of places but you can find 8 in some outs. The Angels won't have any problems scoring some runs. Zito is due to wake up and the Angels hit lefthanders better than anyone else in the AL. Always near .300 or better it seems. While Appier is a wily old vet truth be known he has come to be very hittable. May be what the A's need to start scoring some runs. I think the Angels will win this one with a surprisingly high total involved so I like the OVER. Maybe another 10-4 type of ballgame like last week.
Minnesota +122 over White Sox
I like playing hot teams in baseball. When I start checking games I have a tendency to start with teams playing good ball and work backwards. Was that way earlier this year on Anaheim, just recently with KC and the Braves. It's even better when the teams don't go off as heavy chalk like the Yankees have a habit of doing. While this kid for the Twins has been in and out of the bullpen if he keeps it up may be hard to send him back there. He's been throwing great as a starter. He's 4-1 overall and 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA on the road. And while I respect Buehrle the Twins have been hitting lefthanders at a .318 clip in their last 10 games. It's my pleasure taking a team that has won 6 straight and 8 of their last 10 here as an underdog.
Minnesota/CWS UNDER 9 -107 Pinnacle
These teams have been throwing up some runs of late when they play each other. By my count 8 of their last 9 meetings have gone OVER and that one UNDER only made it by a 1/2 run. Today we will have two solid pitchers in the circle. Both lefties have good stuff and the teams have only hit southpaws to the tune of .250/.260 for the year. I mentioned above the Twins have hit lefthanders better of late but think the starters are a little better than what they have been facing. Like the Twins side more than the total but both could come home easily.
Toronto +101 over Baltimore
Interestingly enough (at least to me) just a week ago these same teams with the same pitchers in Toronto the line was -135 for the Jays. Today they are +101 in Baltimore. I know there's a "home court advantage" but didn't know it was that much. Oh and since then the Jays have been on fire. They are 9-2 in their last 11 games overall and have owned the O's, going 13-2 against them in their last 15 meetings. I consider starting pitching pretty much a wash though Carpenter has thrown much better against the O's than vice versa. Driskill does not have a decision but in his only start against the Jays he lasted 4 innings, gave up 8 hits and 5 earned runs thus his ERA is over 11 against them. Even though on the road I'll take the team that has been hitting really well of late and playing good baseball.
Next time I talk about always winning someone kick me!!
Anaheim +145 over Oakland
Zito has been pitching very well of late. Been almost unhittable. Still this one shapes up for a nice dog play to me. I'm not afraid to take Anaheim at home against any AL lefthander. This team will make the play-offs. The fact I'm getting +145 and that Appier has already beaten them twice this year is a bonus. Besides his 2-0 record this year against the A's, for his career he's 13-7 with a 2.79 ERA against them. Anaheim is 31-18 at home and has won their last 3 in a row. In that time they have averaged 7.7 runs per game and I firmly believe they will put some runs up against Zito. Which leads me to play #2....
Oakland/Anaheim OVER 8 -120 Skybook
At 8.5 in a lot of places but you can find 8 in some outs. The Angels won't have any problems scoring some runs. Zito is due to wake up and the Angels hit lefthanders better than anyone else in the AL. Always near .300 or better it seems. While Appier is a wily old vet truth be known he has come to be very hittable. May be what the A's need to start scoring some runs. I think the Angels will win this one with a surprisingly high total involved so I like the OVER. Maybe another 10-4 type of ballgame like last week.
Minnesota +122 over White Sox
I like playing hot teams in baseball. When I start checking games I have a tendency to start with teams playing good ball and work backwards. Was that way earlier this year on Anaheim, just recently with KC and the Braves. It's even better when the teams don't go off as heavy chalk like the Yankees have a habit of doing. While this kid for the Twins has been in and out of the bullpen if he keeps it up may be hard to send him back there. He's been throwing great as a starter. He's 4-1 overall and 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA on the road. And while I respect Buehrle the Twins have been hitting lefthanders at a .318 clip in their last 10 games. It's my pleasure taking a team that has won 6 straight and 8 of their last 10 here as an underdog.
Minnesota/CWS UNDER 9 -107 Pinnacle
These teams have been throwing up some runs of late when they play each other. By my count 8 of their last 9 meetings have gone OVER and that one UNDER only made it by a 1/2 run. Today we will have two solid pitchers in the circle. Both lefties have good stuff and the teams have only hit southpaws to the tune of .250/.260 for the year. I mentioned above the Twins have hit lefthanders better of late but think the starters are a little better than what they have been facing. Like the Twins side more than the total but both could come home easily.
Toronto +101 over Baltimore
Interestingly enough (at least to me) just a week ago these same teams with the same pitchers in Toronto the line was -135 for the Jays. Today they are +101 in Baltimore. I know there's a "home court advantage" but didn't know it was that much. Oh and since then the Jays have been on fire. They are 9-2 in their last 11 games overall and have owned the O's, going 13-2 against them in their last 15 meetings. I consider starting pitching pretty much a wash though Carpenter has thrown much better against the O's than vice versa. Driskill does not have a decision but in his only start against the Jays he lasted 4 innings, gave up 8 hits and 5 earned runs thus his ERA is over 11 against them. Even though on the road I'll take the team that has been hitting really well of late and playing good baseball.
Next time I talk about always winning someone kick me!!
