Houston –1.02 over LOS ANGELES
Taylor Buchholz will chuck for the Astros here and this guy has been nothing but money. His numbers are just so impressive that he cannot be ignored as tiny chalk in this one. Not only is he 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts, he’s allowed just 18 hits and three bombs over that span. It gets better; the opposition is hitting just .184 against him and of his four starts, two of them have been at home, one has been in Cincinnati and the last one was in Colorado. That’s three of the best hitters park in the majors and an argument could easily be made that the three venues Buchholz has started in is three of the top five hitting parks in the business. Pitching at Chavez Ravine, Buchholz should dazzle. So, as Vin Scully would say, “The Astros come in here with five guys in their line-up whose last name begins with the letter “B” and as we get ready to start this game a beehive of Astros are getting ready too.” Anyway, the Astros are a rock solid wager here. Buchholz is the straight goods and Brett Tomko will never be anything more than a third or fourth starter. Play: Houston –1.02 (Risking 1.53 units to win 1.5).
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Colorado +1.46 over ST. LOUIS (1:10 PM)<o></o>
Man, these Rockies are proving to be a rather feisty bunch and unlike years gone by, they’ve proven to be tough on the road too. In fact, Colorado is 11-6 away from Coors and they’ve been getting some excellent pitching from today’s starter Byung-Hyun Kim. Kim has struck out nine batters in each of his last two outings to give him 18 k’s in 13 innings to go along with a 1-0 record and a 3.29 ERA. He’s only walked two hitters all year. For the Cardinals it’ll be Jeff Suppan out there today. Suppan has made six starts and really hasn’t looked impressive in any of them. He’s definitely fighting it out there and his numbers look decent because his last three starts came against the Pirates, Nationals and Marlins and those three have been struggling miserably at the plate since the season began. In Suppan’s other three starts he allowed 16 runs and 21 hits over 13 innings and his ERA over that span was 9.00. We get a big overlay on the Rockies here and we’re on it. Play: Colorado +1.46 (Risking 1.5 units).<o></o>
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KANSAS CITY +1.53 over Cleveland (2:10 PM)<o></o>
Jake Westbrook has been anything but impressive, especially on the road and the same can also be said for the Tribe recently. Westbrook won his last outing by allowing three runs and six hits over six innings in a 9-4 victory at Seattle on Friday. However, he has a 6.65 ERA in four road starts this year and Safeco Field has a way of making a lot of pitchers look good. Cleveland has dropped four in a row and is in jeopardy of getting swept here. Don’t think it can’t happen because it can and likely will. The Royals have won four of six, they have momentum and they also have Scott Elarton throwing. Elarton, when he throws strikes is tough as shoe leather and has been for the past couple of years. Elarton has allowed just 30 hits in 39 innings and his 0-4 record does not reflect the way he’s pitched. He comes in here with a 3.86 ERA and really shut down the White Sox in his last start. Of course the Royals can win here, they’re playing so much better than they were at the beginning of the year and they’ve shown some real spark recently. Play: Kansas City +1.53 (Risking 1.5 units).
Taylor Buchholz will chuck for the Astros here and this guy has been nothing but money. His numbers are just so impressive that he cannot be ignored as tiny chalk in this one. Not only is he 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts, he’s allowed just 18 hits and three bombs over that span. It gets better; the opposition is hitting just .184 against him and of his four starts, two of them have been at home, one has been in Cincinnati and the last one was in Colorado. That’s three of the best hitters park in the majors and an argument could easily be made that the three venues Buchholz has started in is three of the top five hitting parks in the business. Pitching at Chavez Ravine, Buchholz should dazzle. So, as Vin Scully would say, “The Astros come in here with five guys in their line-up whose last name begins with the letter “B” and as we get ready to start this game a beehive of Astros are getting ready too.” Anyway, the Astros are a rock solid wager here. Buchholz is the straight goods and Brett Tomko will never be anything more than a third or fourth starter. Play: Houston –1.02 (Risking 1.53 units to win 1.5).
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o>Colorado +1.46 over ST. LOUIS (1:10 PM)<o
></o>Man, these Rockies are proving to be a rather feisty bunch and unlike years gone by, they’ve proven to be tough on the road too. In fact, Colorado is 11-6 away from Coors and they’ve been getting some excellent pitching from today’s starter Byung-Hyun Kim. Kim has struck out nine batters in each of his last two outings to give him 18 k’s in 13 innings to go along with a 1-0 record and a 3.29 ERA. He’s only walked two hitters all year. For the Cardinals it’ll be Jeff Suppan out there today. Suppan has made six starts and really hasn’t looked impressive in any of them. He’s definitely fighting it out there and his numbers look decent because his last three starts came against the Pirates, Nationals and Marlins and those three have been struggling miserably at the plate since the season began. In Suppan’s other three starts he allowed 16 runs and 21 hits over 13 innings and his ERA over that span was 9.00. We get a big overlay on the Rockies here and we’re on it. Play: Colorado +1.46 (Risking 1.5 units).<o
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></o>KANSAS CITY +1.53 over Cleveland (2:10 PM)<o
></o>Jake Westbrook has been anything but impressive, especially on the road and the same can also be said for the Tribe recently. Westbrook won his last outing by allowing three runs and six hits over six innings in a 9-4 victory at Seattle on Friday. However, he has a 6.65 ERA in four road starts this year and Safeco Field has a way of making a lot of pitchers look good. Cleveland has dropped four in a row and is in jeopardy of getting swept here. Don’t think it can’t happen because it can and likely will. The Royals have won four of six, they have momentum and they also have Scott Elarton throwing. Elarton, when he throws strikes is tough as shoe leather and has been for the past couple of years. Elarton has allowed just 30 hits in 39 innings and his 0-4 record does not reflect the way he’s pitched. He comes in here with a 3.86 ERA and really shut down the White Sox in his last start. Of course the Royals can win here, they’re playing so much better than they were at the beginning of the year and they’ve shown some real spark recently. Play: Kansas City +1.53 (Risking 1.5 units).
