<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=500 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Yesterday</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">3</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">1</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">+3.98 Units</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Last 30 Days</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">+1.62 Units</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Season To Date (Since April 2005)</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">+1.62 Units</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
ST. LOUIS –1½ +1.20 over Philadelphia<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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It won’t be often this year that you see us playing the home side laying runs simply because if they have a one run lead going to the ninth they do not bat and one less at bat is a disadvantage when laying 1½ runs. However, we don’t think it’s going to matter, as this is not only a mismatch on the mound, it’s a mismatch at the plate too. The Cardinals will open their season at home and that means an enthusiastic crowd to see ex-A’s pitcher, Mark Mulder. Mulder works with a delivery that is so smooth it’s next to impossible for the hitters to pick-up his 93 MPH moving fastball. Mulder also has a curve, slider and changeup. Add in his height and a deceptive delivery that keeps hitters guessing until the last minute, and the result is success. Now, throw Mulder into the NL, where batters haven’t seen him, and it’s going to be a nightmare for the hitters the first time around and then some. Cory Lidle became a free agent at the end of the season and the Phillies, after they picked him up from the Reds in Late August, kept him with a two-year, $6.3 million contract. This is Lidle’s sixth team in seven seasons and when the Devil Rays, Reds, and Blue Jays want no part of you that’s telling sign. Cincinnati hasn’t had a good pitcher in about 10 years and the Blue Jays and Devil Rays are in no position to give away anything. Lidle is a stiff who gets hit hard far more often than not and will face a potent line-up on the road, in the Cardinals home opener. This one gets ugly. Play St. Louis –1½ +1.20 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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Colorado +1.50 over SAN FRANCISCO<o></o>
The oddsmakers are going to have to adjust these numbers before we’ll lay off wagering against the Giants. A take-back of 3-2 against the Giants, as long as Schmidt isn’t pitching, is value at its best. San Fran will send Noah Lowry to the hill and this kid is very decent indeed. He’s likely going to pitch in this league for a number of years. He has a wicked change that kept hitters off balance in his first full year at this level. Still, it’s only one year and the second time around has proven to be much more difficult for pitchers with a style like Lowry. Furthermore, the Giants are seeing BB’s and in fact, have only managed a total of three runs in the first six innings of their first three games. They managed only five hits in Thursday's 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants are the oldest team in major league history and should not be favored by this much over anyone. Young phenom, Jeff Francis will make his season debut after being a late call-up last year. It was a good experience for Francis and trust us, this guy has serious major league stuff. Francis has dominated every level he’s played in and didn’t look a bit out of place in six starts last September. He struck out 32 batters in 36 innings and striking out 45 year olds should not be difficult. Play: Colorado +1.50 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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Cincinnati +1.40 over HOUSTON
Why not the Reds? They just swept the Mets and things couldn’t be better. Ex-Royal Joe Randa is off to a great start and the rest of the cast is not far behind. The Reds scored 22 runs in the three game set and it came against some pretty good starters, Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine and Kaz Ishii. This Reds team fields a rock solid line-up daily that includes D’Angelo Jiminez, Sean Casey, Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns, Griffey Jr., Jason LaRue, and Rich Aurelia at SS. They’ll face Rocket Roger tonight and that’s just fine with us. As Clemens’ career winds down so will his effectiveness. He had plenty to prove last year but don’t expect the same results this year. When he joined the Astros a World Series ring appeared attainable, however, this year it’s impossible. Clemens took a line drive off his wrist in the final game of spring training and it’s been nagging ever since. The Reds will score some runs tonight and we just can’t say the dame thing about the Astros. We get a nice tag on the Reds tonight with Ramon Ortiz on the mound, who’ll be making his debut with the Reds. This wager is not about Ortiz over Clemens, it’s about playing on a team that opened 3-0 against a very good Mets team and they did it in very impressive fashion. They’ll take a step down in class tonight against another aging bunch of veterans that is having trouble scoring runs and will do so all year long. That works for us. Play: Cincinnati +1.40 (Risking 1.5 units).
ST. LOUIS –1½ +1.20 over Philadelphia<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o>It won’t be often this year that you see us playing the home side laying runs simply because if they have a one run lead going to the ninth they do not bat and one less at bat is a disadvantage when laying 1½ runs. However, we don’t think it’s going to matter, as this is not only a mismatch on the mound, it’s a mismatch at the plate too. The Cardinals will open their season at home and that means an enthusiastic crowd to see ex-A’s pitcher, Mark Mulder. Mulder works with a delivery that is so smooth it’s next to impossible for the hitters to pick-up his 93 MPH moving fastball. Mulder also has a curve, slider and changeup. Add in his height and a deceptive delivery that keeps hitters guessing until the last minute, and the result is success. Now, throw Mulder into the NL, where batters haven’t seen him, and it’s going to be a nightmare for the hitters the first time around and then some. Cory Lidle became a free agent at the end of the season and the Phillies, after they picked him up from the Reds in Late August, kept him with a two-year, $6.3 million contract. This is Lidle’s sixth team in seven seasons and when the Devil Rays, Reds, and Blue Jays want no part of you that’s telling sign. Cincinnati hasn’t had a good pitcher in about 10 years and the Blue Jays and Devil Rays are in no position to give away anything. Lidle is a stiff who gets hit hard far more often than not and will face a potent line-up on the road, in the Cardinals home opener. This one gets ugly. Play St. Louis –1½ +1.20 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>Colorado +1.50 over SAN FRANCISCO<o
></o>The oddsmakers are going to have to adjust these numbers before we’ll lay off wagering against the Giants. A take-back of 3-2 against the Giants, as long as Schmidt isn’t pitching, is value at its best. San Fran will send Noah Lowry to the hill and this kid is very decent indeed. He’s likely going to pitch in this league for a number of years. He has a wicked change that kept hitters off balance in his first full year at this level. Still, it’s only one year and the second time around has proven to be much more difficult for pitchers with a style like Lowry. Furthermore, the Giants are seeing BB’s and in fact, have only managed a total of three runs in the first six innings of their first three games. They managed only five hits in Thursday's 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants are the oldest team in major league history and should not be favored by this much over anyone. Young phenom, Jeff Francis will make his season debut after being a late call-up last year. It was a good experience for Francis and trust us, this guy has serious major league stuff. Francis has dominated every level he’s played in and didn’t look a bit out of place in six starts last September. He struck out 32 batters in 36 innings and striking out 45 year olds should not be difficult. Play: Colorado +1.50 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>Cincinnati +1.40 over HOUSTON
Why not the Reds? They just swept the Mets and things couldn’t be better. Ex-Royal Joe Randa is off to a great start and the rest of the cast is not far behind. The Reds scored 22 runs in the three game set and it came against some pretty good starters, Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine and Kaz Ishii. This Reds team fields a rock solid line-up daily that includes D’Angelo Jiminez, Sean Casey, Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns, Griffey Jr., Jason LaRue, and Rich Aurelia at SS. They’ll face Rocket Roger tonight and that’s just fine with us. As Clemens’ career winds down so will his effectiveness. He had plenty to prove last year but don’t expect the same results this year. When he joined the Astros a World Series ring appeared attainable, however, this year it’s impossible. Clemens took a line drive off his wrist in the final game of spring training and it’s been nagging ever since. The Reds will score some runs tonight and we just can’t say the dame thing about the Astros. We get a nice tag on the Reds tonight with Ramon Ortiz on the mound, who’ll be making his debut with the Reds. This wager is not about Ortiz over Clemens, it’s about playing on a team that opened 3-0 against a very good Mets team and they did it in very impressive fashion. They’ll take a step down in class tonight against another aging bunch of veterans that is having trouble scoring runs and will do so all year long. That works for us. Play: Cincinnati +1.40 (Risking 1.5 units).
