<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=500 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Yesterday</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">1</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">-2.00 Units</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Last 30 Days</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">+2.00 Units</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Season To Date (Since April 2007)</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">6</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">+2.00 Units</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
All games are listed pitchers unless stated otherwise.
FLORIDA +1.04 over Philadelphia
Same old underachieving Phillies. Some things never change, do they? It is early but the Phillies really don’t have any excuses for getting swept at home by the Braves to open the year. Now they’ll have to rely on the arm of 44-year old Jamie Moyer. That’s right, the man is 44-years old. Hell, I’m 46 and I get tendonitis in my elbow from tying this. In any case, let’s see if we have this straight. Moyer is 44, the Phillies are 0-3, the Phil’s bullpen has shown signs of serious ineffectiveness and the offense scored a total of nine runs in three games in one of the best hitter’s park in the majors. Meanwhile, the Marlins are 2-1 (should be 3-0) and they scored 24 runs in three games in one of the better pitcher’s park in the majors. Sergio Mitre has major league stuff and had a tremendous spring, allowing just one earned run in 14 innings. Oh, did we mention that we’re getting a take-back here? Wrong side favored. Play: Florida +1.04 (Risking 2 units). <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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></o>Pittsburgh +1.06 over CINCINNATI
Paul Maholm of the Pirates has lots of upside and may just surprise a few folks this year. For one, he’s a lefty and for two, he can strike people out. Maholm has thrown 217 innings in his two years of service, including 176 last season and comes in with a respectable career ERA of 4.27. Last season he struck out 117 batters and this past spring he started four games and threw 18 more frames, striking out 13 to go along with a 3.38 ERA. Wagering against the Reds with a left-handed, strikeout pitcher going against them is seldom a bad idea. The Pirates are also 3-0 to open the season and they’ll face Matt Belisle. Belisle has been up and down from the minors the past three years but has done most of his pitching in the minors for the past seven years. He sat out ’01 with an injury and basically he’s just a fill-in until that other stud, Eric Milton returns. Nonetheless, if you can’t crack the Reds starting rotation it might be time to get another gig lined up. Play: Pittsburgh +1.06 (Risking 2 units). <o
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></o>Colorado +1.40 over SAN DIEGO
Maybe we should just play against all pitchers over the age of 40 all season long, as there seems to be a slew of them and it’s very likely we’ll come out big winners. Greg Maddux has been deteriorating for the past three years and comes in as a big favorite on pedigree only. After his first five starts with the Cubbies last year, Maddux went 9-11 the rest of the way with a 4.69 ERA. He was traded to the Dodgers and was smoked in the playoffs by the Mets. The Rockies possess an explosive offense and should be able to put a few runs on the board here. Jason Hirsch went 13-2 with a 2.10 ERA in 23 starts and 137.1 Triple-A innings last year. He’s a potential Rookie-of-the-Year award winner and has all the tools to go along with his 6’8” frame to be a big time success in this league. Padres opened the year winning two out of three against the Geritol consuming Giants but things are about to get much tougher here. Rockies could be this year’s surprise team and this one is a definite overlay. Play: Colorado +1.40 (Risking 2 units).
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>Arizona –1.06 over WASHINGTON This equation is a rather simple one and it goes something like this: The Nats + its fifth starter = about two or three wins all season long. Now, we’re no mathematicians by any stretch but when we can lay such a short price against the Nationals fifth starter you can pencil us in. Jerome Williams had some decent starts in the majors but last year he spent the first moth of the season with the Cubbies and the rest of the year in the minors. In two starts in late April he threw 12 innings, walked 11 and gave up 15 hits. Williams is always pitching from behind in the count and with men on base because of his propensity for wildness. Micah Owings makes his major league debut after being named the D-Backs minor league pitcher of the year. Owings went 16-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 27 minor league starts this past spring he made six appearances, throwing 18 innings and striking out 15 while walking just six to go along with a 3.50 ERA. Again, playing against the Nationals is highly recommended and you can triple that sentiment when its going against their #5 starter. Play: Arizona –1.06 (Risking 2.12 units to win 2).
Baltimore +2.20 over NY YANKEES
The Yankees are always overpriced and with that brutal pitching staff they possess it only makes sense to play against them. Sure, the Yanks will score plenty of runs but they’ll have to do it almost daily to overcome their pitching handicap and we’re about to start playing against the Yanks almost daily. Mike Mussina is another one of those over-the hill, way past their prime pitchers that the Yanks just love to throw money at (See Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Andy Pettitte, Esteban Loaiza, Jeff Weaver, Al Leiter, etc, etc, etc). The Yanks are the worst run franchise in the majors but they have the most money. Adam Loewen will throw for the Orioles and he looks like a keeper. He’s had plenty of success against the Yanks and in fact, went 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts against them last season and struck out 2 and struck out 23 Yanks in 24 innings. The price is a good one and again, playing against 40-year-olds with a take-back of better then 2-1 comes highly recommended. Play: Baltimore +2.20 (Risking 2 units).
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