WASHINGTON +1.04 over Pittsburgh (Pinnacle)
In 19 road games thus far the Pirates have won three of them. Collectively, on the road, they’re hitting a puny .219. The fact that they’re favored today is simply ludicrous and we’re calling this contest one of our strongest plays of the year. If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching Nats pitcher today, Mike O’Connor, than you’ve missed out. This young southpaw is without doubt the straight goods and by years end everybody will have heard of him. O’Connor makes his third start of the year after two dazzling performances in which he’s allowed just five hits and one earned run in 12 innings against two potent offenses in the Mets and the Cardinals. Against St. Louis he didn’t allow a single run and against the Mets he allowed one. O’Connor comes in with a 0.75 ERA and will face a Pirates team that’s 1-11 against lefties. This kid changes speeds like a 15-year vet and is reminiscent of a young Greg Maddux. Zach Duke is a keeper too, make no mistake about that, in six starts thus far, five of them have been of the quality variety. However, although they haven’t shown it so far the Nationals possess a far better offense with guys like Soriano, Vidro, Nick Johnson, Marlon Byrd, and Jose Guillen, who is a career .290 hitter that hasn’t got off the floor yet. Lastly, the Nationals have the better bullpen too, and in fact, that’s been their best asset thus far, as the bullpen comes in with a rock solid 2.74 ERA over its last three games and a 3.22 ERA over its last 10 games. Pirates are favored here because nobody’s heard of Mike O’Connor and that’s all about to change. Wrong side favored. Play: Washington +1.04 (Risking 1.5 units). <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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SAN DIEGO –1 +1.06 over Chicago (Pinnacle)
Let’s see, the Padres have won seven in a row and will send out the ever-reliable Woody Williams while the Cubbies have dropped five in a row and seven of eight. It gets worse; the Cubs have failed to score more than two runs in a game in eight straight and have been shutout in four of those eight games. With runners in scoring position they have two hits in their last 42 opportunities. Now let’s talk about the Cubs starter today Angel Guzman, a call-up from Triple-A Iowa on April 23 to fill the rotation while Prior and Wood get healthy. Guzman has made two starts, both at Wrigley, and both days the wind was blowing in, which could make the worst pitcher in the league look like Bob Gibson. Anyway, Guzman lost to both Florida and Pittsburgh, giving up 12 hits in 10 innings, walking seven, hitting two batters and uncorking two wild pitches. Asking San Diego to just win this game appears to be a very reasonable request. Play: San Diego –1 +1.06 (Risking 1.5 units). \
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Tampa Bay/OAKLAND under 9 +1.04 (Pinnacle) <o></o>
If you don’t have the luxury of a Pinnacle account than you’ll have to go under 9½ here and lay 20 cents, which is still a pretty fair bet. We’ll play it at Pinnacle under 9 and take back four cents. Lefty/lefty match-up has Mark Hendrickson going up against Brad Halsey and both these pitchers have been money this year. Halsey comes in with a 2.50 ERA and at home his ERA is 1.50. Hendrickson, in three starts, comes in with a 2.66 overall ERA and on the road, in two starts he has yet to give up an earned run. Furthermore, combined these two teams are 3-11 against southpaws with the Devil Rays being 2-8 and the A’s being 1-3 and at home Oakland is 0-3 against lefties. Lastly, Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland is one of the friendliest pitcher’s park in the majors because of all the foul ground it possesses and as a result balls that would have found the seats everywhere else are routine pop-ups in Oakland. Asking these two to score 10 times in this park seems like an extremely difficult task and we’ll believe it if we see it. Play: Tampa Bay/Oakland under 9 +1.04 (Risking 1.5 units).
In 19 road games thus far the Pirates have won three of them. Collectively, on the road, they’re hitting a puny .219. The fact that they’re favored today is simply ludicrous and we’re calling this contest one of our strongest plays of the year. If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching Nats pitcher today, Mike O’Connor, than you’ve missed out. This young southpaw is without doubt the straight goods and by years end everybody will have heard of him. O’Connor makes his third start of the year after two dazzling performances in which he’s allowed just five hits and one earned run in 12 innings against two potent offenses in the Mets and the Cardinals. Against St. Louis he didn’t allow a single run and against the Mets he allowed one. O’Connor comes in with a 0.75 ERA and will face a Pirates team that’s 1-11 against lefties. This kid changes speeds like a 15-year vet and is reminiscent of a young Greg Maddux. Zach Duke is a keeper too, make no mistake about that, in six starts thus far, five of them have been of the quality variety. However, although they haven’t shown it so far the Nationals possess a far better offense with guys like Soriano, Vidro, Nick Johnson, Marlon Byrd, and Jose Guillen, who is a career .290 hitter that hasn’t got off the floor yet. Lastly, the Nationals have the better bullpen too, and in fact, that’s been their best asset thus far, as the bullpen comes in with a rock solid 2.74 ERA over its last three games and a 3.22 ERA over its last 10 games. Pirates are favored here because nobody’s heard of Mike O’Connor and that’s all about to change. Wrong side favored. Play: Washington +1.04 (Risking 1.5 units). <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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></o>SAN DIEGO –1 +1.06 over Chicago (Pinnacle)
Let’s see, the Padres have won seven in a row and will send out the ever-reliable Woody Williams while the Cubbies have dropped five in a row and seven of eight. It gets worse; the Cubs have failed to score more than two runs in a game in eight straight and have been shutout in four of those eight games. With runners in scoring position they have two hits in their last 42 opportunities. Now let’s talk about the Cubs starter today Angel Guzman, a call-up from Triple-A Iowa on April 23 to fill the rotation while Prior and Wood get healthy. Guzman has made two starts, both at Wrigley, and both days the wind was blowing in, which could make the worst pitcher in the league look like Bob Gibson. Anyway, Guzman lost to both Florida and Pittsburgh, giving up 12 hits in 10 innings, walking seven, hitting two batters and uncorking two wild pitches. Asking San Diego to just win this game appears to be a very reasonable request. Play: San Diego –1 +1.06 (Risking 1.5 units). \
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></o>Tampa Bay/OAKLAND under 9 +1.04 (Pinnacle) <o
></o>If you don’t have the luxury of a Pinnacle account than you’ll have to go under 9½ here and lay 20 cents, which is still a pretty fair bet. We’ll play it at Pinnacle under 9 and take back four cents. Lefty/lefty match-up has Mark Hendrickson going up against Brad Halsey and both these pitchers have been money this year. Halsey comes in with a 2.50 ERA and at home his ERA is 1.50. Hendrickson, in three starts, comes in with a 2.66 overall ERA and on the road, in two starts he has yet to give up an earned run. Furthermore, combined these two teams are 3-11 against southpaws with the Devil Rays being 2-8 and the A’s being 1-3 and at home Oakland is 0-3 against lefties. Lastly, Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland is one of the friendliest pitcher’s park in the majors because of all the foul ground it possesses and as a result balls that would have found the seats everywhere else are routine pop-ups in Oakland. Asking these two to score 10 times in this park seems like an extremely difficult task and we’ll believe it if we see it. Play: Tampa Bay/Oakland under 9 +1.04 (Risking 1.5 units).
