<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o
> Florida +1.50 over NY YANKEES
That Shawn Chacon has started nine games and has one loss is close to being illegal. Chacon hasn’t even come close to pitching effectively and even his 5.89 ERA is flattering. He’s always pitching from behind in the count and he’s walked more batters than he’s struck out. It’s also worth noting that Chacon has not won in his last four games and his ERA over that span is 9.98. He failed to get out of the fifth inning in is last start after the Yanks vaulted him into a seven run lead and that came against the offensively challenged Nationals. Chacon will not be in the starting rotation much longer or even in the pen; his days in Pinstripes are coming to an end real soon. For the Marlins, it’ll be Josh Johnson. Johnson began the year in the bullpen, but has gone 5-2 with a 1.63 ERA in nine starts this year. He won his second straight start on Sunday, giving up one run and eight hits over 5.2 innings in a 4-1 victory over Toronto. He's 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two inter-league starts this year and the opposition is hitting just .215 off him. Tag is most definitely inflated because it’s the Yankees but the bottom line is Shawn Chacon should not be favored over anyone. Play: Florida +1.50 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
<o></o>
Oakland –1 -1.03 over SAN FRANCISCO
A’s are one of baseball’s hottest teams at the moment with 11 wins in their last 13 games after taking the opener here last night with a rally in the ninth. That’s a momentum builder for sure, not that the A’s need it; they’re 17-4 in June. Nor do they need motivation here, as there’s plenty of it in this battle of the Bay area. The real difference is the A’s are a very good team while the Giants are not. In addition, the A’s will send their ace to the mound here in Danny Haren. All Haren has done is post a 1.40 ERA in his last four starts and he’s also whiffed 80 batters thus far while walking just 17 in 103 innings. This host, with their slew of 40 year-old players, or close to it, should go away rather quietly here because you can’t hit what you can’t see. Jamey Wright does not impress us either and he’s slowly but surely, with each start, getting back to pitching like Jamey Wright, a career fourth of fifth starter and mop up man. Wright has an ERA of 6.18 at Pac-Bell Park and things don’t figure to improve here. Play: Oakland –1 –1.01 (Risking 1.55 units to win 1.5). <o></o>
<o></o>
TAMPA BAY –1.09 over Atlanta
Let’s see if we have this straight, shall we? The Braves have four wins in their last 24 games and won for the first time in 11 games last night. The bullpen is a total mess and a total joke. Lance Cormier makes his second start only because the rotation is completely injury-depleted and Bobby Cox has nobody else to give the ball to. Cormier made 18 relief appearances this season, recording a 6.10 ERA and walking 17 batters in 20.2 innings, before being sent to Triple-A Richmond on May 30. In 2004, with Arizona, he made five starts and his ERA was 8.14. Last year he made 67 relief appearances and his ERA was 5.11. The Braves bullpen will see action here before the fifth inning and the last thing you want to see when you wager on the Braves is activity in said pen. Cormier is a big inning waiting to happen. The Rays will send Tim Corcoran to the hill to make his second career start. At AAA-Durham he went 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA and struck out 32 batters and issued just nine walks in 37 innings. The Devil Rays have won seven of nine and if the exact same players were wearing Yankee pinstripes they’d be –1.80 favorite here. However, they’re not and because they’re wearing Devil-Ray gear we get a huge underlay here and we’re on it. Play: Tampa Bay –1.09 (Risking 1.64 units to win 1.5). <o></o>
<o></o>
COLORADO/Texas over 10½ -1.04
Whatever happened to the days when totls in Colorado were almost always 13, 14 or even 15, especially when a couple of stiffs hook up like they will today. Robinson Tejeda was called up for this start after being sent down on May 24. Tejeda wasn’t called up because he was pitching well, he was called up because Kameron Loe went on the DL and the Rangers needed a starter here. Before being sent down, Tejeda walked 14 batters in 16 innings and posted and ERA of 7.71. Not sure if anyone has told him so yet but walking batters at Coors field is bad strategy, however, Tejeda can’t help it, the dish keeps moving around on him. The Rangers offense needs no introduction and Josh Fogg knows all about that. Fogg has lost both his starts against Texas and he’s posted an ERA of 12.00 against them. In addition, Fogg has one win in his last four starts and his ERA over that span is 6.08. This one goes hits by the sixth inning and maybe sooner. Play: Over 10½ -1.04 (Risking 1.56 units to win 1.5). </o>
fficeffice" /><o> Florida +1.50 over NY YANKEES That Shawn Chacon has started nine games and has one loss is close to being illegal. Chacon hasn’t even come close to pitching effectively and even his 5.89 ERA is flattering. He’s always pitching from behind in the count and he’s walked more batters than he’s struck out. It’s also worth noting that Chacon has not won in his last four games and his ERA over that span is 9.98. He failed to get out of the fifth inning in is last start after the Yanks vaulted him into a seven run lead and that came against the offensively challenged Nationals. Chacon will not be in the starting rotation much longer or even in the pen; his days in Pinstripes are coming to an end real soon. For the Marlins, it’ll be Josh Johnson. Johnson began the year in the bullpen, but has gone 5-2 with a 1.63 ERA in nine starts this year. He won his second straight start on Sunday, giving up one run and eight hits over 5.2 innings in a 4-1 victory over Toronto. He's 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two inter-league starts this year and the opposition is hitting just .215 off him. Tag is most definitely inflated because it’s the Yankees but the bottom line is Shawn Chacon should not be favored over anyone. Play: Florida +1.50 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
></o><o
></o>Oakland –1 -1.03 over SAN FRANCISCO
A’s are one of baseball’s hottest teams at the moment with 11 wins in their last 13 games after taking the opener here last night with a rally in the ninth. That’s a momentum builder for sure, not that the A’s need it; they’re 17-4 in June. Nor do they need motivation here, as there’s plenty of it in this battle of the Bay area. The real difference is the A’s are a very good team while the Giants are not. In addition, the A’s will send their ace to the mound here in Danny Haren. All Haren has done is post a 1.40 ERA in his last four starts and he’s also whiffed 80 batters thus far while walking just 17 in 103 innings. This host, with their slew of 40 year-old players, or close to it, should go away rather quietly here because you can’t hit what you can’t see. Jamey Wright does not impress us either and he’s slowly but surely, with each start, getting back to pitching like Jamey Wright, a career fourth of fifth starter and mop up man. Wright has an ERA of 6.18 at Pac-Bell Park and things don’t figure to improve here. Play: Oakland –1 –1.01 (Risking 1.55 units to win 1.5). <o
></o><o
></o>TAMPA BAY –1.09 over Atlanta
Let’s see if we have this straight, shall we? The Braves have four wins in their last 24 games and won for the first time in 11 games last night. The bullpen is a total mess and a total joke. Lance Cormier makes his second start only because the rotation is completely injury-depleted and Bobby Cox has nobody else to give the ball to. Cormier made 18 relief appearances this season, recording a 6.10 ERA and walking 17 batters in 20.2 innings, before being sent to Triple-A Richmond on May 30. In 2004, with Arizona, he made five starts and his ERA was 8.14. Last year he made 67 relief appearances and his ERA was 5.11. The Braves bullpen will see action here before the fifth inning and the last thing you want to see when you wager on the Braves is activity in said pen. Cormier is a big inning waiting to happen. The Rays will send Tim Corcoran to the hill to make his second career start. At AAA-Durham he went 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA and struck out 32 batters and issued just nine walks in 37 innings. The Devil Rays have won seven of nine and if the exact same players were wearing Yankee pinstripes they’d be –1.80 favorite here. However, they’re not and because they’re wearing Devil-Ray gear we get a huge underlay here and we’re on it. Play: Tampa Bay –1.09 (Risking 1.64 units to win 1.5). <o
></o><o
></o>COLORADO/Texas over 10½ -1.04
Whatever happened to the days when totls in Colorado were almost always 13, 14 or even 15, especially when a couple of stiffs hook up like they will today. Robinson Tejeda was called up for this start after being sent down on May 24. Tejeda wasn’t called up because he was pitching well, he was called up because Kameron Loe went on the DL and the Rangers needed a starter here. Before being sent down, Tejeda walked 14 batters in 16 innings and posted and ERA of 7.71. Not sure if anyone has told him so yet but walking batters at Coors field is bad strategy, however, Tejeda can’t help it, the dish keeps moving around on him. The Rangers offense needs no introduction and Josh Fogg knows all about that. Fogg has lost both his starts against Texas and he’s posted an ERA of 12.00 against them. In addition, Fogg has one win in his last four starts and his ERA over that span is 6.08. This one goes hits by the sixth inning and maybe sooner. Play: Over 10½ -1.04 (Risking 1.56 units to win 1.5). </o
>
