L.A. Angels +1.10 over CLEVELAND<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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Angels are suddenly looking a lot more appealing these days as they continue to score plenty of runs and they continue to win. The Angels have won 13 of their past 17 games and will face lefty Cliff Lee in this one. Lee has been brutal at the Jake with a 6.06 ERA after allowing at least five runs or more in each of his last four home starts. The Angels have scored 57 times in their last nine ball games including 10 last night in the opener. Kelvim Escobar has not caught fire yet although his numbers are very respectable. His ERA is 3.96 and with a little more run support he could easily be 8-2 instead of 5-5. Escobar has walked just 12 batters in 71 innings, while striking out 49 and on the road he’s 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA and the opposition is hitting just .237 on him. Angels always a live dog with Escobar going and you can times that by five against Lee. Play: Anaheim +1.10 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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Boston +1.05 over DETROIT<o></o>
Despite having the majors best record the Tigers are laboring at the moment with just one win in their past six games. Even more noteworthy, however, is the Tigers record against teams above .500, which now stands at 4-11. So yeah, the Tigers are beating up on the Baltimore Orioles of the world but can’t get out of their own way against the big guns. Jeremy Bonderman is 1-4 at Comerica Park with a hefty ERA of 6.83 and the Red Sox have owned him over the years, as Bonderman’s 6.25 ERA against Boston would attest to. Meanwhile, Tim Wakefield just goes out there and does his thing pitch after pitch, inning after inning and game after game. Wakefield is having a tremendous year and his knuckleball is dancing better than ever. Anyway, Boston with a tag is always worth a look and we see no reason to lay off them here. Play: Boston +1.05 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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Arizona +1.73 & +1.32 over ATLANTA (1:05)<o></o>
Going to play the D-Backs in both games of the DH because we like their chances of a sweep much more than the Braves chances. In Game one John Smoltz will face Enrique Gonzalez, who is making his second career start. Gonzalez allowed a leadoff home run to Cincinnati's Ryan Freel on Sunday, but didn't allow a runner past first base after that. He pitched a rock-solid six innings, allowing one run and three hits but did not factor in the decision. Smoltz needs no introduction, he’s crafty, he’s reliable and he’s very consistent. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t be beat because he’ll consistently allow three or four runs and we’ll gladly take that. In game two, it’ll be John Thompson v Claudio Vargas. Thomson has allowed 25 runs in 19 1-3 innings in his last four starts and didn’t make it out of the second inning in his last outing. Thompson is a fourth or fifth starter and that’s all he’ll ever be. In his nine years in the majors he’s been cast-off by both the Rockies and Rangers and that’s equivalent to being a bench player for the Royals. Vargas has won four of his last five decisions and the kicker in this DH is the inefficiency of the Braves bullpen, which has been atrocious at best. A Braves sweep here is highly unlikely. Play: Arizona +1.73 in game one and +1.32 in game two. (Risking 1.5 units in both games).
fficeffice" /><o></o>Angels are suddenly looking a lot more appealing these days as they continue to score plenty of runs and they continue to win. The Angels have won 13 of their past 17 games and will face lefty Cliff Lee in this one. Lee has been brutal at the Jake with a 6.06 ERA after allowing at least five runs or more in each of his last four home starts. The Angels have scored 57 times in their last nine ball games including 10 last night in the opener. Kelvim Escobar has not caught fire yet although his numbers are very respectable. His ERA is 3.96 and with a little more run support he could easily be 8-2 instead of 5-5. Escobar has walked just 12 batters in 71 innings, while striking out 49 and on the road he’s 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA and the opposition is hitting just .237 on him. Angels always a live dog with Escobar going and you can times that by five against Lee. Play: Anaheim +1.10 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>Boston +1.05 over DETROIT<o
></o>Despite having the majors best record the Tigers are laboring at the moment with just one win in their past six games. Even more noteworthy, however, is the Tigers record against teams above .500, which now stands at 4-11. So yeah, the Tigers are beating up on the Baltimore Orioles of the world but can’t get out of their own way against the big guns. Jeremy Bonderman is 1-4 at Comerica Park with a hefty ERA of 6.83 and the Red Sox have owned him over the years, as Bonderman’s 6.25 ERA against Boston would attest to. Meanwhile, Tim Wakefield just goes out there and does his thing pitch after pitch, inning after inning and game after game. Wakefield is having a tremendous year and his knuckleball is dancing better than ever. Anyway, Boston with a tag is always worth a look and we see no reason to lay off them here. Play: Boston +1.05 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>Arizona +1.73 & +1.32 over ATLANTA (1:05)<o
></o>Going to play the D-Backs in both games of the DH because we like their chances of a sweep much more than the Braves chances. In Game one John Smoltz will face Enrique Gonzalez, who is making his second career start. Gonzalez allowed a leadoff home run to Cincinnati's Ryan Freel on Sunday, but didn't allow a runner past first base after that. He pitched a rock-solid six innings, allowing one run and three hits but did not factor in the decision. Smoltz needs no introduction, he’s crafty, he’s reliable and he’s very consistent. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t be beat because he’ll consistently allow three or four runs and we’ll gladly take that. In game two, it’ll be John Thompson v Claudio Vargas. Thomson has allowed 25 runs in 19 1-3 innings in his last four starts and didn’t make it out of the second inning in his last outing. Thompson is a fourth or fifth starter and that’s all he’ll ever be. In his nine years in the majors he’s been cast-off by both the Rockies and Rangers and that’s equivalent to being a bench player for the Royals. Vargas has won four of his last five decisions and the kicker in this DH is the inefficiency of the Braves bullpen, which has been atrocious at best. A Braves sweep here is highly unlikely. Play: Arizona +1.73 in game one and +1.32 in game two. (Risking 1.5 units in both games).
