Yesterday: 4-0 +4.32
Consensus Pick 2-0 ----*gonna start tracking
YTD: 40-19 +25.76
MLB Tue, Aug 9, 2005
MLB Hot Lines: Tuesday`s best bets
Josh Hansen
Cleveland as –167 faves over KC
How thoughtful of the Kansas City Royals.
Instead of forcing opposing batters to chase pitches in the strike zone and waste valuable energy running out a throw to first, the Royals are giving the opposition a free pass. During their season-high 10 game losing streak, the Royals have issued 48 base on balls, nearly half of which turned into runs.
“Hopefully, they will figure it out,” manager Buddy Bell said. “You don’t have to keep saying, ‘Throw strikes.’ How often do they have to hear that?”
Not often enough. Thanks to their charitable donations to opposing teams, K.C.’s bullpen and starting rotations sport enormous ERA’s of over eight runs apiece.
Devil Rays take down Orioles as +140 dogs
No it’s not a mistake. At 15-8, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays own the league’s second best record since the All-Star break behind the smoking Oakland Athletics. The reason? The Devil Rays are finally hitting the ball. Tampa Bay is the only MLB team batting over .300 since the Midsummer Classic while their OPS, the combination of slugging and on base percentage, also leads the majors.
"We`re playing with confidence,” said Tampa’s Toby Hall. “This is the time you want to be a Devil Ray."
It’s not a time you want to be Baltimore’s Erik Bedard. Tampa is dismantling left-handed pitchers of late, hitting a smooth .336 over its last 10 games.
Colorado rocks the Bucs at home as a -121 favorite
We all know the Rockies haven’t been their usual selves this season, but when a southpaw comes to town it’s like the Rockies are playing, well, the Rockies. Their .321 hitting off lefties at home has allowed Colorado to come away with 12 wins against southpaw starters in 16 games at Coors Field.
That’s bad news for Dave Williams. Tonight’s starter for the Pirates has allowed nine earned runs in just eight innings of work in the mile high, while his Bucs have just three wins in their past 13 trips away from PNC Park.
This is also Pittsburgh’s first trip to the high altitude in Denver this season.
Philly dodges one in L.A. as a +104 underdog
By the way things are going, it’s only a matter of time before this game’s a pick. The Dodgers, who opened as a –123 favorite behind Brad Penny, have been bet down to as low as –111 on some offshore sportsbooks, meaning the action is rolling in on the Phillies.
You can’t really blame the public for their outpouring on Philly. Once Penny leaves tonight’s game, probably midway through the sixth inning, L.A.’s banana peel bullpen will take over. Bordering the bottom fifth of the league’s worst reserve units, the Dodgers pen has amassed an 8.20 ERA over the last three games, with each reliever allowing at least one earned run during that span.
Consensus Pick 2-0 ----*gonna start tracking
YTD: 40-19 +25.76
MLB Tue, Aug 9, 2005
MLB Hot Lines: Tuesday`s best bets
Josh Hansen
Cleveland as –167 faves over KC
How thoughtful of the Kansas City Royals.
Instead of forcing opposing batters to chase pitches in the strike zone and waste valuable energy running out a throw to first, the Royals are giving the opposition a free pass. During their season-high 10 game losing streak, the Royals have issued 48 base on balls, nearly half of which turned into runs.
“Hopefully, they will figure it out,” manager Buddy Bell said. “You don’t have to keep saying, ‘Throw strikes.’ How often do they have to hear that?”
Not often enough. Thanks to their charitable donations to opposing teams, K.C.’s bullpen and starting rotations sport enormous ERA’s of over eight runs apiece.
Devil Rays take down Orioles as +140 dogs
No it’s not a mistake. At 15-8, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays own the league’s second best record since the All-Star break behind the smoking Oakland Athletics. The reason? The Devil Rays are finally hitting the ball. Tampa Bay is the only MLB team batting over .300 since the Midsummer Classic while their OPS, the combination of slugging and on base percentage, also leads the majors.
"We`re playing with confidence,” said Tampa’s Toby Hall. “This is the time you want to be a Devil Ray."
It’s not a time you want to be Baltimore’s Erik Bedard. Tampa is dismantling left-handed pitchers of late, hitting a smooth .336 over its last 10 games.
Colorado rocks the Bucs at home as a -121 favorite
We all know the Rockies haven’t been their usual selves this season, but when a southpaw comes to town it’s like the Rockies are playing, well, the Rockies. Their .321 hitting off lefties at home has allowed Colorado to come away with 12 wins against southpaw starters in 16 games at Coors Field.
That’s bad news for Dave Williams. Tonight’s starter for the Pirates has allowed nine earned runs in just eight innings of work in the mile high, while his Bucs have just three wins in their past 13 trips away from PNC Park.
This is also Pittsburgh’s first trip to the high altitude in Denver this season.
Philly dodges one in L.A. as a +104 underdog
By the way things are going, it’s only a matter of time before this game’s a pick. The Dodgers, who opened as a –123 favorite behind Brad Penny, have been bet down to as low as –111 on some offshore sportsbooks, meaning the action is rolling in on the Phillies.
You can’t really blame the public for their outpouring on Philly. Once Penny leaves tonight’s game, probably midway through the sixth inning, L.A.’s banana peel bullpen will take over. Bordering the bottom fifth of the league’s worst reserve units, the Dodgers pen has amassed an 8.20 ERA over the last three games, with each reliever allowing at least one earned run during that span.
