WASHINGTON +1.01 over Philadelphia <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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The Nationals are steaming at the moment and the fact that the Phillies are favored here is a bit whacked. Washington has now won eight of nine and since May 18 they own the majors best record. They’ll also face Cory Lidle and who the f**k is Cory Lidle to be favored on the road against this sizzling host? The opposition is hitting .320 against Lidle in his last two starts and overall their hitting .292 against him. In eight major league seasons he’s pitched for six different teams, which pretty much tells us how appealing he’s been to his employers. Livan Hernandez is in good form right now but this wager really isn’t about him. It’s more about taking back a small tag on the leagues hottest team at home against one very average hurler. Wrong side favored. Play: Washington +1.01 (Risking 1.5 units).
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Oakland +2.16 over NY YANKEES<o></o>
Yeah, we know, Mike Mussina, Derek Jeter, NY Yankees, Pinstripes, Joe DiMaggio, the Bronx, George Steinbrenner, Alex Rodriguez, etc, etc, etc. It’s all very sexy indeed and baseball wouldn’t be the same without the Yanks but this line, like all Yankee games is an overlay. We don’t care that Mussina has won eight in a row and Kirk Saarloos has labored. If every winner was based on the starting pitchers than we’d all be rich. But it’s not and the Yanks are banged up and they’re vulnerable. Jeter played last night but he’s playing with a bum thumb and went 0-3 with a walk last night. Yanks pen is still a mess and the bottom line here is value. Yeah, we might lose this game but we also might win and prices like this cannot be ignored. Big time overlay. Play: Oakland +2.16 (Risking 1.5 units).
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Baltimore –1.07 over MINNESOTA<o></o>
Daniel Cabrera of the Orioles is one of the majors best kept secrets and if this guy ever stays healthy he’ll be recognized as one of the very best around. Cabrera has about the nastiest stuff in the business and in terms of difficult to hit he just might be the most difficult in the majors. He’s surrendered just 36 hits in 46 frames and has whiffed 52 over that same span. He was sharp as a whip in his last start coming off the DL against the Blue Jays and this is the biggest pitching mismatch of the day. Carlos Silva has surrendered 89 hits and 16 bombs in 58 innings of work to go along with his 7.76 ERA. Silva was dropped from the rotation in May but the Twins are out of options and he was inserted back last week against the A’s and allowed nine hits and four runs in five innings. Anyway, if Daniel Cabrera were wearing pinstripes today he’d be a –2.40 favorite. We’ll gladly take him as small chalk wearing Oriole gear. Play: Baltimore –1.07 (Risking 1.62 units to win 1.5).
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Pittsburgh +1.21 over SAN FRANCISCO<o></o>
Ballco is out, Ray Durham is out and that still leaves about five regulars over the age of 38 in the line-up. Steve Finley is 41, Alou is 40, Vizcaino is 38, Sweeney is 37, Todd Worrell is 39 and Omar Vizquel is 39. What we can’t figure out is why Ricky Henderson and Julio Franco aren’t on this team. Talk about taking the experience factor a little too far and one need not look further than this edition of the Giants. What we do know is that Ian Snell of the Pirates is on a roll and the Pirates are a dangerous pooch with Sean Casey back and Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay and Jack Wilson all having excellent years. We’ve said it before and it’s worth saying again that the Pirates are very under-rated and because of their bad start we can get some decent prices on them. They do just about everything better than the Giants and that includes hitting, power, and speed. Pirates are a team to keep an eye on for wagering purposes because they’ll play better than .500 the rest of the way. Play: Pittsburgh +1.21 (Risking 1.5 units).
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Chicago –1.07 over CINCINNATI<o></o>
Carlos Zambrano has been brilliant for the better part of the last three years and this year is no different. No pitcher in the majors has been as reliable as this guy and no pitcher has as much intensity. The man brings it every game and facing the strikeout prone Reds only increases our chances of getting to the cashier’s booth. Zambrano has allowed 57 its in 89 innings and has struck out 92 batters to go along with is 3.09 ERA. Zambrano has yet to lose away from Wrigley and in fact is 3-0 on the road with a 2.43 ERA. Over his last three starts his ERA is 1.75 over 21 innings. The Cubbies offense has finally woke up and Brandon Claussen has just one win in his last seven starts. Taking Zambrano laying less than a dime is always worth a look and we make no exception here. Play: Chicago –1.07 (Risking 1.62 units to win 1.5).
fficeffice" /><o></o>The Nationals are steaming at the moment and the fact that the Phillies are favored here is a bit whacked. Washington has now won eight of nine and since May 18 they own the majors best record. They’ll also face Cory Lidle and who the f**k is Cory Lidle to be favored on the road against this sizzling host? The opposition is hitting .320 against Lidle in his last two starts and overall their hitting .292 against him. In eight major league seasons he’s pitched for six different teams, which pretty much tells us how appealing he’s been to his employers. Livan Hernandez is in good form right now but this wager really isn’t about him. It’s more about taking back a small tag on the leagues hottest team at home against one very average hurler. Wrong side favored. Play: Washington +1.01 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>Oakland +2.16 over NY YANKEES<o
></o>Yeah, we know, Mike Mussina, Derek Jeter, NY Yankees, Pinstripes, Joe DiMaggio, the Bronx, George Steinbrenner, Alex Rodriguez, etc, etc, etc. It’s all very sexy indeed and baseball wouldn’t be the same without the Yanks but this line, like all Yankee games is an overlay. We don’t care that Mussina has won eight in a row and Kirk Saarloos has labored. If every winner was based on the starting pitchers than we’d all be rich. But it’s not and the Yanks are banged up and they’re vulnerable. Jeter played last night but he’s playing with a bum thumb and went 0-3 with a walk last night. Yanks pen is still a mess and the bottom line here is value. Yeah, we might lose this game but we also might win and prices like this cannot be ignored. Big time overlay. Play: Oakland +2.16 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>Baltimore –1.07 over MINNESOTA<o
></o>Daniel Cabrera of the Orioles is one of the majors best kept secrets and if this guy ever stays healthy he’ll be recognized as one of the very best around. Cabrera has about the nastiest stuff in the business and in terms of difficult to hit he just might be the most difficult in the majors. He’s surrendered just 36 hits in 46 frames and has whiffed 52 over that same span. He was sharp as a whip in his last start coming off the DL against the Blue Jays and this is the biggest pitching mismatch of the day. Carlos Silva has surrendered 89 hits and 16 bombs in 58 innings of work to go along with his 7.76 ERA. Silva was dropped from the rotation in May but the Twins are out of options and he was inserted back last week against the A’s and allowed nine hits and four runs in five innings. Anyway, if Daniel Cabrera were wearing pinstripes today he’d be a –2.40 favorite. We’ll gladly take him as small chalk wearing Oriole gear. Play: Baltimore –1.07 (Risking 1.62 units to win 1.5).
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></o>Pittsburgh +1.21 over SAN FRANCISCO<o
></o>Ballco is out, Ray Durham is out and that still leaves about five regulars over the age of 38 in the line-up. Steve Finley is 41, Alou is 40, Vizcaino is 38, Sweeney is 37, Todd Worrell is 39 and Omar Vizquel is 39. What we can’t figure out is why Ricky Henderson and Julio Franco aren’t on this team. Talk about taking the experience factor a little too far and one need not look further than this edition of the Giants. What we do know is that Ian Snell of the Pirates is on a roll and the Pirates are a dangerous pooch with Sean Casey back and Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay and Jack Wilson all having excellent years. We’ve said it before and it’s worth saying again that the Pirates are very under-rated and because of their bad start we can get some decent prices on them. They do just about everything better than the Giants and that includes hitting, power, and speed. Pirates are a team to keep an eye on for wagering purposes because they’ll play better than .500 the rest of the way. Play: Pittsburgh +1.21 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>Chicago –1.07 over CINCINNATI<o
></o>Carlos Zambrano has been brilliant for the better part of the last three years and this year is no different. No pitcher in the majors has been as reliable as this guy and no pitcher has as much intensity. The man brings it every game and facing the strikeout prone Reds only increases our chances of getting to the cashier’s booth. Zambrano has allowed 57 its in 89 innings and has struck out 92 batters to go along with is 3.09 ERA. Zambrano has yet to lose away from Wrigley and in fact is 3-0 on the road with a 2.43 ERA. Over his last three starts his ERA is 1.75 over 21 innings. The Cubbies offense has finally woke up and Brandon Claussen has just one win in his last seven starts. Taking Zambrano laying less than a dime is always worth a look and we make no exception here. Play: Chicago –1.07 (Risking 1.62 units to win 1.5).
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