Tampa Bay +2.22 over NY YANKEES
Price here most definitely has influence on this choice but it’s not like the Devil Rays can’t win because they most certainly can. Pitchers like Chien Ming Wang do not warrant this tag and that’s all there is to it. Much ado has been made about the Yanks grabbing the wild card lead but it’s not like they took it, it’s more like they backed into it with the White Sox reeling. Sure, the Yanks swept the Rangers but it wasn’t pretty and prior to that they had dropped four out of five and that includes losing three out of four to the Jays. Anyway, back to Wang. He’s struck out a mere 44 batters in 139 innings meaning the ball gets put into play and he wasn’t sharp in his last start. It’s very common for these Japanese pitchers to really start to labor this time of year because they’re just not used to the grueling season at this level. The Rays will send Tim Corcoran to the hill and he’s made just five starts this year but hasn’t looked a bit out of place. Corcoran is 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA and on the road he’s 1-1 with a 2.76 ERA. In 32 innings, Corcoran has surrendered just one jack. Devil Rays may not win this game but at this price they’re a gamble that’s worth taking. Once again, the Yankees are way overpriced. Play: Tampa Bay +2.22 (Risking 1.5 units).
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Toronto –1.05 over OAKLAND
Don’t pay attention to Shaun Marcum’s stats because his 5.03 ERA doesn’t mean a thing. Instead, look at Marcum’s numbers since he was inserted into the rotation, a place he’s openly stated he’s so much more comfortable. In two starts covering 10 innings, Marcum allowed eight hits and four earned runs while striking out nine. He threw a one hitter in five innings against Texas and followed that up with a five-inning performance against the Yanks and got the win after allowing three runs in five frames. Even more important is that Esteban Loaiza will be chucking for the A’s and his time is running out real quick. Loaiza has been tagged for 93 hits and 12 jacks in just 67 innings of work. He’s also issued 29 walks making his total of base-runners in 67 innings a grand total of 122. His ERA is 6.75 and in is last three starts his ERA is 8.10. Laying a nickel against that stiff Loaiza seems very reasonable to us and we’re on it. Play: Toronto –1.05 (Risking 1.57 units to win 1.58).
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Seattle +1.07 over CLEVELAND
The Mariners are the forgotten team in the AL West but sit just three games out of the division lead. That’s right, three game back and a very good chance to win the division. The Mariners are sneaking up on everyone and have now won four of five and two series in a row. Felix Hernandez is just 20-years old and is going to be in this league for a long, long time. When he’s on he’s tough as shoe leather and lately he’s been on way more than off. Hernandez has allowed three runs or less in five of his last eight starts and the team’s he limited were the Jays, Red Sox, Twins, Angels and D-Backs. Fernandez has struck out 108 batters and has walked just 38 in 117 innings. Meanwhile, the opposition has gone yard on Jeremy Sowers seven times in 31.2 innings. His ERA is 5.12 and after throwing an absolute gem against the Twins in his last start the chances of Sowers coming back and getting rocked are great. The Indians have just five wins in their past 18 games and no way are we going with the worst of it here. Play: Seattle +1.07 (Risking 1.5 units).
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San Diego/COLORADO over 9½ -1.15
Not often are you going to find us laying 15 cents on a total, or a side for that matter but this one is just screaming for a play. Both pens were used heavily last night in a 9-8 Rockies win and chances are they’ll be called on early again. We mentioned earlier how Japanese pitchers really start to labor this time of year and Byun-Hyun Kim is a prime example. He was torched in his last start, really torched by the D-Backs and in fact, has been brutal in his last four starts, recording an ERA of 8.55 over that span. The Padres continue to pound the ball with at least seven runs in each of their last four games. Clay Hensley has been decent at home but away from that pitchers park in San Diego it’s been a different story. He’s 1-3 on the road with an ERA of 5.02 and was recently smoked in Washington, Texas and Philadelphia. As long as it doesn’t rain and not go nine innings we’ll be cashing this ticket. Play: Over 9½ -1.15 (Risking 1.73 units to win 1.5).
Price here most definitely has influence on this choice but it’s not like the Devil Rays can’t win because they most certainly can. Pitchers like Chien Ming Wang do not warrant this tag and that’s all there is to it. Much ado has been made about the Yanks grabbing the wild card lead but it’s not like they took it, it’s more like they backed into it with the White Sox reeling. Sure, the Yanks swept the Rangers but it wasn’t pretty and prior to that they had dropped four out of five and that includes losing three out of four to the Jays. Anyway, back to Wang. He’s struck out a mere 44 batters in 139 innings meaning the ball gets put into play and he wasn’t sharp in his last start. It’s very common for these Japanese pitchers to really start to labor this time of year because they’re just not used to the grueling season at this level. The Rays will send Tim Corcoran to the hill and he’s made just five starts this year but hasn’t looked a bit out of place. Corcoran is 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA and on the road he’s 1-1 with a 2.76 ERA. In 32 innings, Corcoran has surrendered just one jack. Devil Rays may not win this game but at this price they’re a gamble that’s worth taking. Once again, the Yankees are way overpriced. Play: Tampa Bay +2.22 (Risking 1.5 units).
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fficeffice" /><o></o>Toronto –1.05 over OAKLAND
Don’t pay attention to Shaun Marcum’s stats because his 5.03 ERA doesn’t mean a thing. Instead, look at Marcum’s numbers since he was inserted into the rotation, a place he’s openly stated he’s so much more comfortable. In two starts covering 10 innings, Marcum allowed eight hits and four earned runs while striking out nine. He threw a one hitter in five innings against Texas and followed that up with a five-inning performance against the Yanks and got the win after allowing three runs in five frames. Even more important is that Esteban Loaiza will be chucking for the A’s and his time is running out real quick. Loaiza has been tagged for 93 hits and 12 jacks in just 67 innings of work. He’s also issued 29 walks making his total of base-runners in 67 innings a grand total of 122. His ERA is 6.75 and in is last three starts his ERA is 8.10. Laying a nickel against that stiff Loaiza seems very reasonable to us and we’re on it. Play: Toronto –1.05 (Risking 1.57 units to win 1.58).
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></o>Seattle +1.07 over CLEVELAND
The Mariners are the forgotten team in the AL West but sit just three games out of the division lead. That’s right, three game back and a very good chance to win the division. The Mariners are sneaking up on everyone and have now won four of five and two series in a row. Felix Hernandez is just 20-years old and is going to be in this league for a long, long time. When he’s on he’s tough as shoe leather and lately he’s been on way more than off. Hernandez has allowed three runs or less in five of his last eight starts and the team’s he limited were the Jays, Red Sox, Twins, Angels and D-Backs. Fernandez has struck out 108 batters and has walked just 38 in 117 innings. Meanwhile, the opposition has gone yard on Jeremy Sowers seven times in 31.2 innings. His ERA is 5.12 and after throwing an absolute gem against the Twins in his last start the chances of Sowers coming back and getting rocked are great. The Indians have just five wins in their past 18 games and no way are we going with the worst of it here. Play: Seattle +1.07 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>San Diego/COLORADO over 9½ -1.15
Not often are you going to find us laying 15 cents on a total, or a side for that matter but this one is just screaming for a play. Both pens were used heavily last night in a 9-8 Rockies win and chances are they’ll be called on early again. We mentioned earlier how Japanese pitchers really start to labor this time of year and Byun-Hyun Kim is a prime example. He was torched in his last start, really torched by the D-Backs and in fact, has been brutal in his last four starts, recording an ERA of 8.55 over that span. The Padres continue to pound the ball with at least seven runs in each of their last four games. Clay Hensley has been decent at home but away from that pitchers park in San Diego it’s been a different story. He’s 1-3 on the road with an ERA of 5.02 and was recently smoked in Washington, Texas and Philadelphia. As long as it doesn’t rain and not go nine innings we’ll be cashing this ticket. Play: Over 9½ -1.15 (Risking 1.73 units to win 1.5).
