UPDATE:
Recap:
Last Night:2-2 -0.01
Consensus Pick 9-8 -5.14----*gonna start tracking
YTD: 69-51 +23.08
MLB Wed, Aug 31, 2005
MLB hot lines: Wednesday`s best bets
Covers.com staff
Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Boston Red Sox – Over 10.5
Apparently, Tampa Bay is now a good baseball team. Who knew?
But Tampa Bay can hit; so can Boston. And the pitching matchup isn’t exactly Cy Young versus Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown.
Although the under is 6-3-1 in Casey Fossum’s last 10 starts, three of those games snuck under by one run or less.
Never mind that he is facing the Boston Red Sox, a team with the top statistical offense in baseball. A position they have solidified by hitting the over in their last 12 home games – not to mention five stright when starter Tim Wakefield takes the mound.
Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants – Rockies +130
If the NL West is the embarrassing uncle of Major League baseball, these two teams are its ugly offspring.
If it was possible, and you could pick both teams to lose this game, they would probably find a way to do it.
But a winner must be chosen and why not Colorado? Jeff Francis has been the solitary bright spot for the Rockies this year. The Rockies are 5-2 in the rookie’s last five starts and 13-14 overall.
The Rockies have also become road warriors, piling up nine wins in their last 13 away games after starting the season 10-41.
"It’s good old-school baseball," manager Clint Hurdle told the Rocky Mountain News, "We have played defense. We get a home run, scratch out a run, and let the pitchers shut them down."
Don’t expect things to change with Kevin Correia starting tonight for San Fran.
Correia shouldn’t be a –150 fave in the Little League World Series, let alone big boy baseball. The Giants are 3-7 in his last 10 starts and the 25-year-old only has two wins since July 1.
Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets – Mets –169
The next time Mike Piazza holds a press conference, he might actually have something meaningful to say.
The Mets catcher, who once held a press conference to confirm his sexuality, broke his left hand on a foul tip in a game against Pittsburgh on Aug. 16 and reports now indicate that the catcher is done for at least the rest of the regular season.
"I was actually kind of praying that there would be some sort of miraculous recovery," Piazza told the Newark Star-Ledger, "But basically, the three or four doctors that I`ve talked to say broken bones take six to eight weeks to heal.”
This should not deter Mets backers. Ramon Castro has filled in admirably for Piazza, batting .250 and hitting the decisive three-run homer in last night 6-4 win over Philly.
New York has a 25-15 record in games Castro has started this season.
Piazza’s absence behind the plate shouldn’t affect starter Pedro Martinez, either. With Castro catching his last two starts, Pedro has not allowed a run in 12.1 innings – both Mets wins.
Martinez is 6-1 at home this season and the –169 price marks his lowest home line since the Yanks visited Shea on May 22.
New York Yankees at Seattle Mariners – Over 7
Felix Hernandez versus Randy Johnson. The wunderkind versus the Big Unit. It could go 18 scoreless innings. But it won’t.
Johnson has not been himself this year, finally starting to show signs of being in his forties. Johnson, who will be 42 years old in a week, has struggled this year away from Yankee Stadium. The lefty is just 3-6 with a 5.26 ERA on the road.
In his five starts this year, Hernandez has helped the over take the total three times. This includes overs in his last three starts despite run lines creeping lower every time the young gun takes the mound.
Most importantly, these are the Yankees. Hernandez has made his mark so far against KC, Minnesota, Detroit and Chicago - none of which are known for their proficiency at the plate.
Felix Hernandez? It might as well be Horacio Hernandez the way the Yanks are starting to rake. Despite totals that rarely come in under nine, the Yanks have gone over in their last four games and in six of Johnson’s last 10 starts.
Recap:
Last Night:2-2 -0.01
Consensus Pick 9-8 -5.14----*gonna start tracking
YTD: 69-51 +23.08
MLB Wed, Aug 31, 2005
MLB hot lines: Wednesday`s best bets
Covers.com staff
Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Boston Red Sox – Over 10.5
Apparently, Tampa Bay is now a good baseball team. Who knew?
But Tampa Bay can hit; so can Boston. And the pitching matchup isn’t exactly Cy Young versus Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown.
Although the under is 6-3-1 in Casey Fossum’s last 10 starts, three of those games snuck under by one run or less.
Never mind that he is facing the Boston Red Sox, a team with the top statistical offense in baseball. A position they have solidified by hitting the over in their last 12 home games – not to mention five stright when starter Tim Wakefield takes the mound.
Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants – Rockies +130
If the NL West is the embarrassing uncle of Major League baseball, these two teams are its ugly offspring.
If it was possible, and you could pick both teams to lose this game, they would probably find a way to do it.
But a winner must be chosen and why not Colorado? Jeff Francis has been the solitary bright spot for the Rockies this year. The Rockies are 5-2 in the rookie’s last five starts and 13-14 overall.
The Rockies have also become road warriors, piling up nine wins in their last 13 away games after starting the season 10-41.
"It’s good old-school baseball," manager Clint Hurdle told the Rocky Mountain News, "We have played defense. We get a home run, scratch out a run, and let the pitchers shut them down."
Don’t expect things to change with Kevin Correia starting tonight for San Fran.
Correia shouldn’t be a –150 fave in the Little League World Series, let alone big boy baseball. The Giants are 3-7 in his last 10 starts and the 25-year-old only has two wins since July 1.
Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets – Mets –169
The next time Mike Piazza holds a press conference, he might actually have something meaningful to say.
The Mets catcher, who once held a press conference to confirm his sexuality, broke his left hand on a foul tip in a game against Pittsburgh on Aug. 16 and reports now indicate that the catcher is done for at least the rest of the regular season.
"I was actually kind of praying that there would be some sort of miraculous recovery," Piazza told the Newark Star-Ledger, "But basically, the three or four doctors that I`ve talked to say broken bones take six to eight weeks to heal.”
This should not deter Mets backers. Ramon Castro has filled in admirably for Piazza, batting .250 and hitting the decisive three-run homer in last night 6-4 win over Philly.
New York has a 25-15 record in games Castro has started this season.
Piazza’s absence behind the plate shouldn’t affect starter Pedro Martinez, either. With Castro catching his last two starts, Pedro has not allowed a run in 12.1 innings – both Mets wins.
Martinez is 6-1 at home this season and the –169 price marks his lowest home line since the Yanks visited Shea on May 22.
New York Yankees at Seattle Mariners – Over 7
Felix Hernandez versus Randy Johnson. The wunderkind versus the Big Unit. It could go 18 scoreless innings. But it won’t.
Johnson has not been himself this year, finally starting to show signs of being in his forties. Johnson, who will be 42 years old in a week, has struggled this year away from Yankee Stadium. The lefty is just 3-6 with a 5.26 ERA on the road.
In his five starts this year, Hernandez has helped the over take the total three times. This includes overs in his last three starts despite run lines creeping lower every time the young gun takes the mound.
Most importantly, these are the Yankees. Hernandez has made his mark so far against KC, Minnesota, Detroit and Chicago - none of which are known for their proficiency at the plate.
Felix Hernandez? It might as well be Horacio Hernandez the way the Yanks are starting to rake. Despite totals that rarely come in under nine, the Yanks have gone over in their last four games and in six of Johnson’s last 10 starts.
