Texas +1.38 over PHILADELPHIA <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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The Rangers lead the majors with 87 homers and 311 runs. They have won 11 of their last 14 games, batted .317 and averaged 7.4 runs during that span. Ryan Drese is not nearly as bad as his numbers suggest. He’s had a rough time at the Ballpark in Arlington but on the road he’s a decent 3-2 with a 3.41 ERA. Jon Lieber started the year 5-1 with a 2.57 ERA. Well, he’s now 7-4 with a 4.54 ERA. He has a 6.35 ERA over his past three games and at home, his ERA this season is 5.59. The Phillies winning streak was busted yesterday and now they’re back to just being an average team. The tag here is sweet and the Rangers should literally have a blast at this venue. Giant overlay. Play: Texas +1.38 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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Anaheim +1.00 over ATLANTA<o></o>
The Braves are on a serious major league slide and it’s never a bad idea to play against teams that aren’t winning and aren’t hitting. Atlanta broke out for two runs last night and has now scored six times in its past four games. They’ve dropped eight of 11 games and Hector Ramirez might not be the guy to pull them out. He’s been torched to the tune of 25 hits and 14 earned runs in his last 17 innings for an ERA of 7.13 over that stretch. Ramirez walks too many batters and he’s also struggled to stay ahead in the count. His ERA on the year is 5.43 and his ERA at Fulton County Stadium is 5.24. He’s been consistently horrible all season long and when you combine that with the Braves offensive woes than this choice becomes and obvious one. Play: Anaheim +1.00 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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MILWAUKEE +1.05 over NY Yankees<o></o>
Sooner or later the linesmakers are going to wake up to the fact that the Yankees struggles these days is not an aberration. This is just a slightly above average team that has a ton of pressure on them to be a great team and it’s not working. The starting pitching has been brutal and the relief has been worse. Incredibly enough, the Yanks are 0-20 when they score less than five runs a game. Yes, that’s right, 0-20 when scoring less than five runs, absolutely amazing. Anyway, Ben Sheets and his 2.19 home ERAand this rock solid pen of the Brewers aren’t likely to give up five runs and should that come to pass than the Yanks chances of winning are almost zilch. The Yanks are 1-6 on their current road trip, they’ve dropped eight of their past nine, they’re 12-16 on the road and they’re the chalk here because why? Play: Milwaukee +1.05 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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Chicago –1½ +1.05 over COLORADO
Byung-Hyun Kim and Coors Field is not a match. This guy is a reliever turned starter and that works out about once every decade. In fact, as a reliever, it hasn’t worked out well for Kim either. He’s appeared in 318 major league games and this will only be his nineteenth as a starter. Now, here’s where it gets stupid. Kim has a record of 0-4 and an ERA of 7.04. Over his last three appearances his ERA is 7.88. He’s given up 31 hits and 25 walks in 30 innings of work. Furthermore, there isn’t a worse pitcher in the game less adept at holding runners close to first and the White Sox have stolen the most bases in the league. After spring training, in which Kim was absolutely buried he was quoted as saying, It doesn’t get any worse than this, I should just retire.” Perhaps the six million he’s making this year had something to do with his decision not to. Acquiring Kim was the worst mistake the Rockies ever made and to think that he and the Rockies are going to beat or stay close to Jose Contreras and the White Sox is ludicrous. Mark this ticket paid. Play: Chicago –1½ +1.05 (Risking 1.5 units).
fficeffice" /><o></o>The Rangers lead the majors with 87 homers and 311 runs. They have won 11 of their last 14 games, batted .317 and averaged 7.4 runs during that span. Ryan Drese is not nearly as bad as his numbers suggest. He’s had a rough time at the Ballpark in Arlington but on the road he’s a decent 3-2 with a 3.41 ERA. Jon Lieber started the year 5-1 with a 2.57 ERA. Well, he’s now 7-4 with a 4.54 ERA. He has a 6.35 ERA over his past three games and at home, his ERA this season is 5.59. The Phillies winning streak was busted yesterday and now they’re back to just being an average team. The tag here is sweet and the Rangers should literally have a blast at this venue. Giant overlay. Play: Texas +1.38 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>Anaheim +1.00 over ATLANTA<o
></o>The Braves are on a serious major league slide and it’s never a bad idea to play against teams that aren’t winning and aren’t hitting. Atlanta broke out for two runs last night and has now scored six times in its past four games. They’ve dropped eight of 11 games and Hector Ramirez might not be the guy to pull them out. He’s been torched to the tune of 25 hits and 14 earned runs in his last 17 innings for an ERA of 7.13 over that stretch. Ramirez walks too many batters and he’s also struggled to stay ahead in the count. His ERA on the year is 5.43 and his ERA at Fulton County Stadium is 5.24. He’s been consistently horrible all season long and when you combine that with the Braves offensive woes than this choice becomes and obvious one. Play: Anaheim +1.00 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>MILWAUKEE +1.05 over NY Yankees<o
></o>Sooner or later the linesmakers are going to wake up to the fact that the Yankees struggles these days is not an aberration. This is just a slightly above average team that has a ton of pressure on them to be a great team and it’s not working. The starting pitching has been brutal and the relief has been worse. Incredibly enough, the Yanks are 0-20 when they score less than five runs a game. Yes, that’s right, 0-20 when scoring less than five runs, absolutely amazing. Anyway, Ben Sheets and his 2.19 home ERAand this rock solid pen of the Brewers aren’t likely to give up five runs and should that come to pass than the Yanks chances of winning are almost zilch. The Yanks are 1-6 on their current road trip, they’ve dropped eight of their past nine, they’re 12-16 on the road and they’re the chalk here because why? Play: Milwaukee +1.05 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>Chicago –1½ +1.05 over COLORADO
Byung-Hyun Kim and Coors Field is not a match. This guy is a reliever turned starter and that works out about once every decade. In fact, as a reliever, it hasn’t worked out well for Kim either. He’s appeared in 318 major league games and this will only be his nineteenth as a starter. Now, here’s where it gets stupid. Kim has a record of 0-4 and an ERA of 7.04. Over his last three appearances his ERA is 7.88. He’s given up 31 hits and 25 walks in 30 innings of work. Furthermore, there isn’t a worse pitcher in the game less adept at holding runners close to first and the White Sox have stolen the most bases in the league. After spring training, in which Kim was absolutely buried he was quoted as saying, It doesn’t get any worse than this, I should just retire.” Perhaps the six million he’s making this year had something to do with his decision not to. Acquiring Kim was the worst mistake the Rockies ever made and to think that he and the Rockies are going to beat or stay close to Jose Contreras and the White Sox is ludicrous. Mark this ticket paid. Play: Chicago –1½ +1.05 (Risking 1.5 units).
