CHICAGO –1.08 over Pittsburgh <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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It’s always risky betting and laying anything on the Cubs but this situation is a good one for the home side. First, lefty Rich Hill is throwing and this guy has looked so sharp on so many occasions and as time goes on he just keeps looking sharper. Hill is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA in his last four starts at Wrigley after allowing one run and five hits in eight innings of a 6-2 win over San Francisco on Friday. Over his last three starts, covering 21 innings, Hill has an ERA of 1.71. The man can pitch, we saw it last year and again this year and because of some early season struggles and a couple of stints in the minors he’s pitching under the radar. It’s also worth noting that the Pirates are 4-19 on the road against southpaws and 9-34 overall. Zach Duke will go for the Buccos and he’s been dreadful on the road. Duke has dropped his last five on the road, and is 1-10 with a 5.28 ERA in 15 road starts. Pirates facing a lefty on the road is a horrible combination and although it’s the Cubbies, this appears to be a real underlay to us. Play: Chicago –1.08 (Risking 1.63 units to win 1.5). <o></o>
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WASHINGTON +2.00 over St. Louis (1:05)<o></o>
We mentioned a few days ago how lethargic the Cardinals look and things haven’t changed much. On Monday, Ramon Ortiz took a no-hitter to the ninth inning against them and that’s a sentence you’ll never ever see or read again. Yesterday it was Pedro Astacio’s turn to look good and although the Cardinals won, they looked brutal at the plate again. St. Louis is making a slew of below average pitchers look good and tonight they’ll face southpaw Mike O’Connor. Remember, O’Connor was up earlier in the year and went 3-3 with a 3.04 ERA in his first nine starts before running into some health problems. He was subsequently sent down to Triple-AAA New Orleans where he’s spent some time both on the DL and in the rotation. In six starts at New Orleans, O’Connor went 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA and allowed just 21 hits in 29 innings while striking out 28 hitters. Anyway, we find some huge value on this home pooch against a team that’s playing as bad as any team in the business and that’s 21-30 against lefties. Play: Washington +2.00 (Risking 1.5 units). <o></o>
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Baltimore +1.42 over L.A.ANGELS (3:30 PM)<o></o>
The Angels are winning games because of some outstanding pitching and they may just get another standout performance today by Earvin Santana. Santana is 8-2 at home with a 3.02 ERA, however, he is showing signs of a tiring arm. He’s lasted just a combined 17 innings over his last three and his ERA over that span is 5.71. Santana had a 3.88 ERA on July 15, but he has gone 2-4 with a 6.02 ERA in his last nine starts. Offensively, the Angels are tooth and nails to score runs and will face some of the nastiest stuff in the business from Daniel Cabrera. When Cabrera is on his game nobody hits this guy. He recently threw 16 straight scoreless innings before his last start vs Texas. Bottom line here is a take-back like this on Cabrera against a struggling offense is certainly worthy of some attention. Of course the Orioles can win here. Play: Baltimore +1.42 (Risking 1.5 units).
fficeffice" /><o></o>It’s always risky betting and laying anything on the Cubs but this situation is a good one for the home side. First, lefty Rich Hill is throwing and this guy has looked so sharp on so many occasions and as time goes on he just keeps looking sharper. Hill is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA in his last four starts at Wrigley after allowing one run and five hits in eight innings of a 6-2 win over San Francisco on Friday. Over his last three starts, covering 21 innings, Hill has an ERA of 1.71. The man can pitch, we saw it last year and again this year and because of some early season struggles and a couple of stints in the minors he’s pitching under the radar. It’s also worth noting that the Pirates are 4-19 on the road against southpaws and 9-34 overall. Zach Duke will go for the Buccos and he’s been dreadful on the road. Duke has dropped his last five on the road, and is 1-10 with a 5.28 ERA in 15 road starts. Pirates facing a lefty on the road is a horrible combination and although it’s the Cubbies, this appears to be a real underlay to us. Play: Chicago –1.08 (Risking 1.63 units to win 1.5). <o
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></o>WASHINGTON +2.00 over St. Louis (1:05)<o
></o>We mentioned a few days ago how lethargic the Cardinals look and things haven’t changed much. On Monday, Ramon Ortiz took a no-hitter to the ninth inning against them and that’s a sentence you’ll never ever see or read again. Yesterday it was Pedro Astacio’s turn to look good and although the Cardinals won, they looked brutal at the plate again. St. Louis is making a slew of below average pitchers look good and tonight they’ll face southpaw Mike O’Connor. Remember, O’Connor was up earlier in the year and went 3-3 with a 3.04 ERA in his first nine starts before running into some health problems. He was subsequently sent down to Triple-AAA New Orleans where he’s spent some time both on the DL and in the rotation. In six starts at New Orleans, O’Connor went 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA and allowed just 21 hits in 29 innings while striking out 28 hitters. Anyway, we find some huge value on this home pooch against a team that’s playing as bad as any team in the business and that’s 21-30 against lefties. Play: Washington +2.00 (Risking 1.5 units). <o
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></o>Baltimore +1.42 over L.A.ANGELS (3:30 PM)<o
></o>The Angels are winning games because of some outstanding pitching and they may just get another standout performance today by Earvin Santana. Santana is 8-2 at home with a 3.02 ERA, however, he is showing signs of a tiring arm. He’s lasted just a combined 17 innings over his last three and his ERA over that span is 5.71. Santana had a 3.88 ERA on July 15, but he has gone 2-4 with a 6.02 ERA in his last nine starts. Offensively, the Angels are tooth and nails to score runs and will face some of the nastiest stuff in the business from Daniel Cabrera. When Cabrera is on his game nobody hits this guy. He recently threw 16 straight scoreless innings before his last start vs Texas. Bottom line here is a take-back like this on Cabrera against a struggling offense is certainly worthy of some attention. Of course the Orioles can win here. Play: Baltimore +1.42 (Risking 1.5 units).
