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Houston +1.08 over FLORIDA<o></o>
For a team that was supposed to lose 120 games this year the Marlins have surmised everyone and deserve all the credit in the world. However, they’re laboring at the moment and perhaps this was a club that played way over its head in the first half. Florida has now dropped four of five and has scored three or fewer runs in five of their last six games. They’ve also been outscored 18-4 in the first three games of this series and things don’t figure to be easier against Taylor Buchholz. Buchholz got off to a phenomenal start but than things got a little rough for him. However, he’s back to the form that has seen him dominate on more than a few occasions. He’s 3-0 in his last four starts and has allowed just eight runs in 25.1 innings during his win streak and the best part is the Marlins have never seen him. Scott Olsen has pitched well for the Marlins but he’s also a head-case that can lose his composure in a heartbeat. The Marlins are not going good right now and isn’t this the time of year that the Astros go on their annual tear? Play: Houston +1.08 (Risking 1.5 units).
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Cleveland –1.04 over MINNESOTA<o></o>
Among all the starters in the league you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that’s been as consistently miserable as Minnesota’s Carlos Silva. He’s started 15 games this season and his 4-9 record could easily be 1-12 or worse. Silva has surrendered 19 bombs in 90 innings and he’s also given up 132 hits with the opposition hitting a whopping .343 off him. He comes into this one with an ERA of 7.00 and has been absolutely torched in his last two games against Milwaukee and Texas. Furthermore, the Twins will be without Torii Hunter and Shannon Stewart in this one and that can’t hurt our chances. The Twins are four games under .500 at 14-18 against lefties and will face one here that they’ve never seen before, Jeremy Sowers. That, too, can’t hurt our chances. Sowers has made just three starts and was effective in two of them versus the Yanks and Reds. He was hit hard in his last start against the Orioles but this isn’t about him. This is about laying a very cheap price against Carlos Silva and anytime we can do that you can pencil us in. Play: Cleveland –1.04 (Risking 1.56 units to win 1.5). <o></o>
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Seattle +1.32 over TORONTO<o></o>
Man, 55 million dollars sure doesn’t buy what it used to. A.J. Burnett is this year’s version of Eric Milton, a guy with a big contract and very little to show for it. Burnett was battered in his last two starts against Philly and Kansas City and has just one lousy win this year. That lone win came against the light-hitting Nationals and all we can say about that is big deal. Burnett has pitched just 35 innings this season and has allowed 42 hits with seven of those being of the home-run variety. He always seems to be trying to pitch out of a jam and the Rogers Center, with the roof open, is not a friendly place at all to pitchers that are prone to giving up the long ball like Burnett. In addition, the Jays are not playing well at all with just four wins in their last 10 and struggling against the Royals and Rangers, not to mention being very fortunate to win yesterday’s marathon. Jays not a very attractive favorite here and it’s also worth noting that Felix Hernandez has eight wins and 98 strikeouts in 103 innings and threw a two-hit shutout in his only career outing vs Toronto. Play: Seattle +1.32 (Risking 1.5 units).
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ARIZONA –1.02 over Milwaukee<o></o>
The Brewers favored in this spot, albeit a small one, is utterly ridiculous and we’ll gladly step in. Dave Bush is average at best and his second half will not come close to the success he had in the first half. Bush is 1-4 away from home with an ERA of 5.80 and it’s not like the D-Backs are laboring. They hung an eight on Milwaukee last night against all-star Chris Capuano and there’s no reason to believe they can’t do the same here. The Diamondbacks have now won five in a row while the Brewers have dropped five in a row and that includes getting swept by the lowly Cubs. Claudio Vargas is certainly capable of pitching as well or better than Bush, however, this choice has very little to do with the pitching match-up and more to do with playing a very warm Snakes squad at home as a small pup versus a cold Brewer team that is wrongly favored here. Play: Arizona –1.02 (Risking 1.53 units to win 1.5).
fficeffice" /><o></o>Houston +1.08 over FLORIDA<o
></o>For a team that was supposed to lose 120 games this year the Marlins have surmised everyone and deserve all the credit in the world. However, they’re laboring at the moment and perhaps this was a club that played way over its head in the first half. Florida has now dropped four of five and has scored three or fewer runs in five of their last six games. They’ve also been outscored 18-4 in the first three games of this series and things don’t figure to be easier against Taylor Buchholz. Buchholz got off to a phenomenal start but than things got a little rough for him. However, he’s back to the form that has seen him dominate on more than a few occasions. He’s 3-0 in his last four starts and has allowed just eight runs in 25.1 innings during his win streak and the best part is the Marlins have never seen him. Scott Olsen has pitched well for the Marlins but he’s also a head-case that can lose his composure in a heartbeat. The Marlins are not going good right now and isn’t this the time of year that the Astros go on their annual tear? Play: Houston +1.08 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>Cleveland –1.04 over MINNESOTA<o
></o>Among all the starters in the league you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that’s been as consistently miserable as Minnesota’s Carlos Silva. He’s started 15 games this season and his 4-9 record could easily be 1-12 or worse. Silva has surrendered 19 bombs in 90 innings and he’s also given up 132 hits with the opposition hitting a whopping .343 off him. He comes into this one with an ERA of 7.00 and has been absolutely torched in his last two games against Milwaukee and Texas. Furthermore, the Twins will be without Torii Hunter and Shannon Stewart in this one and that can’t hurt our chances. The Twins are four games under .500 at 14-18 against lefties and will face one here that they’ve never seen before, Jeremy Sowers. That, too, can’t hurt our chances. Sowers has made just three starts and was effective in two of them versus the Yanks and Reds. He was hit hard in his last start against the Orioles but this isn’t about him. This is about laying a very cheap price against Carlos Silva and anytime we can do that you can pencil us in. Play: Cleveland –1.04 (Risking 1.56 units to win 1.5). <o
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></o>Seattle +1.32 over TORONTO<o
></o>Man, 55 million dollars sure doesn’t buy what it used to. A.J. Burnett is this year’s version of Eric Milton, a guy with a big contract and very little to show for it. Burnett was battered in his last two starts against Philly and Kansas City and has just one lousy win this year. That lone win came against the light-hitting Nationals and all we can say about that is big deal. Burnett has pitched just 35 innings this season and has allowed 42 hits with seven of those being of the home-run variety. He always seems to be trying to pitch out of a jam and the Rogers Center, with the roof open, is not a friendly place at all to pitchers that are prone to giving up the long ball like Burnett. In addition, the Jays are not playing well at all with just four wins in their last 10 and struggling against the Royals and Rangers, not to mention being very fortunate to win yesterday’s marathon. Jays not a very attractive favorite here and it’s also worth noting that Felix Hernandez has eight wins and 98 strikeouts in 103 innings and threw a two-hit shutout in his only career outing vs Toronto. Play: Seattle +1.32 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>ARIZONA –1.02 over Milwaukee<o
></o>The Brewers favored in this spot, albeit a small one, is utterly ridiculous and we’ll gladly step in. Dave Bush is average at best and his second half will not come close to the success he had in the first half. Bush is 1-4 away from home with an ERA of 5.80 and it’s not like the D-Backs are laboring. They hung an eight on Milwaukee last night against all-star Chris Capuano and there’s no reason to believe they can’t do the same here. The Diamondbacks have now won five in a row while the Brewers have dropped five in a row and that includes getting swept by the lowly Cubs. Claudio Vargas is certainly capable of pitching as well or better than Bush, however, this choice has very little to do with the pitching match-up and more to do with playing a very warm Snakes squad at home as a small pup versus a cold Brewer team that is wrongly favored here. Play: Arizona –1.02 (Risking 1.53 units to win 1.5).
