Los Angeles +1.11 over SAN FRANCISCO
The Dodgers plus anything is a complete no-brainer and there’s not much more to it. Brad Penny can match Jason Schmidt pitch for pitch and in fact, these two pitchers have very similar numbers all around. They both throw strikes, they both have low ERA’s and they both can pitch deep into games. However, there are two things that differentiate. Penny plays for the Dodgers, a winning team on a tremendous run while Schmidt plays for the Giants, an old, run down team that is not capable of going on a major run. The other thing is the W/L record of these two. Penny is 13-5 while Schmidt is 9-7 and no matter how you look at it the Dodgers chances of winning again are better than the Giants. Despite the game being in San Fran, the Giants are wrongly favored in this one. Play: Los Angeles +1.11 (Risking 1.5 units).
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CHICAGO +1.04 over St. Louis (2:20 PM)
The Cardinals are in no position to be favored at Wrigley especially with Jason Marquis going and with the way they’re playing. First off, St. Louis is 0-7 in Chicago this year and they’ve also dropped six of their past nine overall. Jason Marquis is starting to show a pattern; that being this late in the year he really begins to labor. Last season he dropped seven consecutive starts from late mid-July to late August and this year he’s lost his last four games. In those four starts he’s given up 16 runs and 29 hits in 18.1 innings with three of those losses coming on the road and he’s never won at Wrigley, going 0-3 in three career starts with an ERA of 5.65. The Cubs are playing much better these days; they have a big psychological edge and the St. Louis Cardinals are just a popular, over-rated team with a horrible bullpen and a closer that makes every save opportunity an ordeal. Play: Chicago +1.04 (Risking 1.5 units).
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MINNESOTA +1.15 over Chicago
Alright, let’s see if we have this straight, shall we? The Twins have the major’s best road record with 42 wins and just 19 losses. Freddy Garcia has one win in the past six weeks and that came in his last start against Detroit. Prior to that, his last win came way back in early July when he beat the lowly Pirates. Garcia’s ERA on the road is 5.48 and he’s also been tagged for 26 jacks. The White Sox were tooth and nails to split a four-game set with the Royals this week and they’re just 14-12 since the all-star break after playing Baltimore and K.C a combined 10 times. However, after reading all that, one would have to be a complete idiot to think that the White Sox can’t win here. Of course they can but to make them road chalk against this hungry host that seldom loses in their own barn is simply incorrect. Play: Minnesota +1.11 (Risking 1.5 units).
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NY Yankees –1½ +1.18 over BOSTON (Game one) (1:05 PM)
Wang versus Johnson must go.
Jason Johnson has made five starts for the Red Sox since being acquired from the Tribe and he as three losses and two no-decisions. He would have five losses but the Red Sox bailed him out by scoring six and eight runs, respectively. He’s faced Tampa twice, Baltimore once, Florida once and Cleveland. All of those teams are well below .500, yet Johnson couldn’t get to the winner’s circle. He’s been tagged for 142 hits in 102 innings and comes in with an ERA of 6.26. Johnson has lost seven straight decisions and with Varitek still on the rack things don’t figure to improve against the Yanks. Chien Ming Wang has been a little shaky recently but the man can pitch and in fact has lasted into the seventh inning in 14 of his 25 starts this year, a remarkable number indeed in this day and age of quick hooks and over-used bullpens. Wang keeps his pitch count low because of his uncanny ability to induce the opposition into hitting ground balls and the result is plenty of double-play balls. The Yanks will put up some runs for sure this afternoon; that you can count on. We’re not so sure the Red Sox can keep pace. Play: NY Yankees –1½ +1.18 (Risking 1.5 units).
The Dodgers plus anything is a complete no-brainer and there’s not much more to it. Brad Penny can match Jason Schmidt pitch for pitch and in fact, these two pitchers have very similar numbers all around. They both throw strikes, they both have low ERA’s and they both can pitch deep into games. However, there are two things that differentiate. Penny plays for the Dodgers, a winning team on a tremendous run while Schmidt plays for the Giants, an old, run down team that is not capable of going on a major run. The other thing is the W/L record of these two. Penny is 13-5 while Schmidt is 9-7 and no matter how you look at it the Dodgers chances of winning again are better than the Giants. Despite the game being in San Fran, the Giants are wrongly favored in this one. Play: Los Angeles +1.11 (Risking 1.5 units).
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fficeffice" /><o></o>CHICAGO +1.04 over St. Louis (2:20 PM)
The Cardinals are in no position to be favored at Wrigley especially with Jason Marquis going and with the way they’re playing. First off, St. Louis is 0-7 in Chicago this year and they’ve also dropped six of their past nine overall. Jason Marquis is starting to show a pattern; that being this late in the year he really begins to labor. Last season he dropped seven consecutive starts from late mid-July to late August and this year he’s lost his last four games. In those four starts he’s given up 16 runs and 29 hits in 18.1 innings with three of those losses coming on the road and he’s never won at Wrigley, going 0-3 in three career starts with an ERA of 5.65. The Cubs are playing much better these days; they have a big psychological edge and the St. Louis Cardinals are just a popular, over-rated team with a horrible bullpen and a closer that makes every save opportunity an ordeal. Play: Chicago +1.04 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>MINNESOTA +1.15 over Chicago
Alright, let’s see if we have this straight, shall we? The Twins have the major’s best road record with 42 wins and just 19 losses. Freddy Garcia has one win in the past six weeks and that came in his last start against Detroit. Prior to that, his last win came way back in early July when he beat the lowly Pirates. Garcia’s ERA on the road is 5.48 and he’s also been tagged for 26 jacks. The White Sox were tooth and nails to split a four-game set with the Royals this week and they’re just 14-12 since the all-star break after playing Baltimore and K.C a combined 10 times. However, after reading all that, one would have to be a complete idiot to think that the White Sox can’t win here. Of course they can but to make them road chalk against this hungry host that seldom loses in their own barn is simply incorrect. Play: Minnesota +1.11 (Risking 1.5 units).
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></o>NY Yankees –1½ +1.18 over BOSTON (Game one) (1:05 PM)
Wang versus Johnson must go.
Jason Johnson has made five starts for the Red Sox since being acquired from the Tribe and he as three losses and two no-decisions. He would have five losses but the Red Sox bailed him out by scoring six and eight runs, respectively. He’s faced Tampa twice, Baltimore once, Florida once and Cleveland. All of those teams are well below .500, yet Johnson couldn’t get to the winner’s circle. He’s been tagged for 142 hits in 102 innings and comes in with an ERA of 6.26. Johnson has lost seven straight decisions and with Varitek still on the rack things don’t figure to improve against the Yanks. Chien Ming Wang has been a little shaky recently but the man can pitch and in fact has lasted into the seventh inning in 14 of his 25 starts this year, a remarkable number indeed in this day and age of quick hooks and over-used bullpens. Wang keeps his pitch count low because of his uncanny ability to induce the opposition into hitting ground balls and the result is plenty of double-play balls. The Yanks will put up some runs for sure this afternoon; that you can count on. We’re not so sure the Red Sox can keep pace. Play: NY Yankees –1½ +1.18 (Risking 1.5 units).
