Chicago +1.66 over CINCINNATI
Eric Milton has only made seven starts this year and we’re going to have to see much more than that to be convinced that he’s worthy of this big tag. Remember, Milton was practically booed out of town last year in a Reds uniform and finished with an 8-15 record and 6.47 ERA after allowing 237 hits in 186 innings. The opposition went yard on him an alarming 40 times. This year his ERA at home is 5.59 and while he is pitching better he’s still way overpriced here. The Cubs have won the first two games of this series and there’s no reason they can’t win here. Carlos Marmol will make his first major league start after appearing in relief twice and pitching four innings. In those four innings he struck out six, didn’t give up a run and walked nobody. His minor league numbers are eye opening. Marmol went 3-2 with a 2.33 ERA in 11 starts for the Diamond Jaxx, striking out 76 and allowing just one homer in 58 innings. That should bode well here against the strikeout prone Reds and no matter how you break it down the price is too juicy to pass up on. Of course the Cubbies can win here. Big overlay. Play: Chicago +1.66 (Risking 1.5 units). <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o
></o>
<o></o>
WASHINGTON/Philadelphia under 9 –1.07
The first thing to note here is that RFK Stadium, in its short baseball history, has made more than a few average pitchers look great. This place is a pitchers park with plenty of foul ground and it doesn’t give up many jacks. Than we have Cole Hamels going for the Phillies and the highly touted youngster is living up to his billing. Hamels has thrown just 17 innings over three starts but has allowed just nine hits, one bomb, while striking out 14. The opposition is hitting a puny .158 against him and his ERA is 2.65. Furthermore, the Nationals have yet to face him and that’s always an advantage for the chucker. Shawn Hill is also a good-looking rookie that has not looked a bit out of place in the majors. He briefly pitched in ’04 but we’re going to completely ignore his 17 innings back than and focus on what he’s done this year. At RFK, against the Dodgers, he allowed just five hits and one earned run in seven full innings for an ERA of 1.29. Asking these two to put up 10 runs seems like a bit of a stretch. Play: Under 9 –1.07 (Risking 1.62 units to win 1.5).
<o></o>
Oakland +1.14 over NY YANKEES
The A’s have won eight of ten including the first two over the Yanks and Barry Zito has been lights out all year. Yeah, we know he’s struggled against the Yanks but Shaun Chacon favored over Zito and this hot invader is ludicrous. Zito has surrendered just 65 hits in 82 innings and has allowed just nine jacks all year; the man needs no introduction and the last time we looked the Yanks are still banged up badly. Matsui and Sheffield are still out, Jeter has a bad thumb, Giambi was dotted yesterday and had his hand wrapped in a bandage after the game and Johnny Damon is suffering serious elbow problems. The best pitch in baseball is still strike one and Shaun Chacon is always pitching from behind. It’s ball one, ball two, strike one and ball three when Chacon is on the hill. His 4-1 record and 5.21 ERA is about the most misleading and flattering numbers in the majors. Chacon has escaped jam after jam after jam and it’s also worth noting that he hasn’t pitched since May 16. Chacon looks more confused out there than Keith Richards at a “just say no rally”. Yanks continue to be overpriced and until they show us something different we’ll continue to play against them, especially when it’s Zito v Chacon. Play: Oakland +1.14 (Risking 1.5 units).
Eric Milton has only made seven starts this year and we’re going to have to see much more than that to be convinced that he’s worthy of this big tag. Remember, Milton was practically booed out of town last year in a Reds uniform and finished with an 8-15 record and 6.47 ERA after allowing 237 hits in 186 innings. The opposition went yard on him an alarming 40 times. This year his ERA at home is 5.59 and while he is pitching better he’s still way overpriced here. The Cubs have won the first two games of this series and there’s no reason they can’t win here. Carlos Marmol will make his first major league start after appearing in relief twice and pitching four innings. In those four innings he struck out six, didn’t give up a run and walked nobody. His minor league numbers are eye opening. Marmol went 3-2 with a 2.33 ERA in 11 starts for the Diamond Jaxx, striking out 76 and allowing just one homer in 58 innings. That should bode well here against the strikeout prone Reds and no matter how you break it down the price is too juicy to pass up on. Of course the Cubbies can win here. Big overlay. Play: Chicago +1.66 (Risking 1.5 units). <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o><o
></o>WASHINGTON/Philadelphia under 9 –1.07
The first thing to note here is that RFK Stadium, in its short baseball history, has made more than a few average pitchers look great. This place is a pitchers park with plenty of foul ground and it doesn’t give up many jacks. Than we have Cole Hamels going for the Phillies and the highly touted youngster is living up to his billing. Hamels has thrown just 17 innings over three starts but has allowed just nine hits, one bomb, while striking out 14. The opposition is hitting a puny .158 against him and his ERA is 2.65. Furthermore, the Nationals have yet to face him and that’s always an advantage for the chucker. Shawn Hill is also a good-looking rookie that has not looked a bit out of place in the majors. He briefly pitched in ’04 but we’re going to completely ignore his 17 innings back than and focus on what he’s done this year. At RFK, against the Dodgers, he allowed just five hits and one earned run in seven full innings for an ERA of 1.29. Asking these two to put up 10 runs seems like a bit of a stretch. Play: Under 9 –1.07 (Risking 1.62 units to win 1.5).
<o
></o>Oakland +1.14 over NY YANKEES
The A’s have won eight of ten including the first two over the Yanks and Barry Zito has been lights out all year. Yeah, we know he’s struggled against the Yanks but Shaun Chacon favored over Zito and this hot invader is ludicrous. Zito has surrendered just 65 hits in 82 innings and has allowed just nine jacks all year; the man needs no introduction and the last time we looked the Yanks are still banged up badly. Matsui and Sheffield are still out, Jeter has a bad thumb, Giambi was dotted yesterday and had his hand wrapped in a bandage after the game and Johnny Damon is suffering serious elbow problems. The best pitch in baseball is still strike one and Shaun Chacon is always pitching from behind. It’s ball one, ball two, strike one and ball three when Chacon is on the hill. His 4-1 record and 5.21 ERA is about the most misleading and flattering numbers in the majors. Chacon has escaped jam after jam after jam and it’s also worth noting that he hasn’t pitched since May 16. Chacon looks more confused out there than Keith Richards at a “just say no rally”. Yanks continue to be overpriced and until they show us something different we’ll continue to play against them, especially when it’s Zito v Chacon. Play: Oakland +1.14 (Risking 1.5 units).
