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Larry Ness' 20* AL Game of the Month (167-85 TY!) $35.00 View
Guaranteed Pick: Larry Ness
Game: Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians Jul 27 2007 7:05PM
Prediction: Cleveland Indians
Reason: The Twins returned from the break and won four straight but enter this important three-game series at Cleveland having lost SEVEN of their last nine, including four-in-a-row! Confidence can't be high, as the Twins are 0-5 vs the Tribe in 2007, getting outscored 36-14. Cleveland is an outstanding home team, with a 35-18 mark despite losing three of four to the Red Sox this week. Boof Bonser goes for Minnesota and the right-hander last won a game on June 10. From June 16 through the All Star break he made five starts, going 0-4 (team was 0-5) with a 5.87 ERA. He's pitched better in two no-decisions since the break (Minny did win both) with a 3.21 ERA but Cleveland's been great vs right-handers at home this season, going 26-11 (plus-$860), while averaging 5.8 RPG. Paul Byrd starts for the Indians and he's 8-4 with a 4.43 ERA in 18 starts in '07 (team is 11-7). However, he's pitching his best ball of the season lately, as he's posted a 3.76 ERA over his last six starts, with the Indians winning FIVE of the six games. Byrd has also pitched well vs the Twins in his career, posting a 7-3 mark with a 3.95 ERA in 13 starts. The Indians are well-rid of the Red Sox and open the weekend with an easy win over Boof and the stumbling Twins. AL Game of the Month 20* Cle Indians.
7/27/2007 Larry Ness' 15* Bailout of the Week (now 78-26 TY) $35.00 View
Guaranteed Pick: Larry Ness
Game: Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles Angels Jul 27 2007 10:05PM
Prediction: Los Angeles Angels
Reason: The Tigers are undoubtedly MLB's best road team (they were in '06 as well), going 34-20 (plus-$1,478) in '07. However, this is a very tough spot for them. Detroit has already played FIVE games in four days this week in Chicago, dropping three. After blowing a 3-2 eighth-inning lead yesterday afternoon, the Tigers are off the sunny California to open this three-game set with the first-place Angels (before heading to Oakland). The Angels (No. 3 at .283) hit almost as well as the Tigers (No. 1 at .290) and tonight, will have the better pitcher on the mound (Weaver over Robertson), as well as being the better rested team. Nate Robertson has pitched better since coming off the DL in June, posting a 3.64 ERA in five starts (team is just 2-3). Prior to that, he had a 5.21 ERA in 12 starts, with the Tigers going 4-8. Overall, Detroit is 6-11 in his starts (minus-$876), leaving him 244th among 250 starters in 2007. In six career starts vs the Angels, he's 0-3 (team is 1-5) with an 8.13 ERA (13.50 ERA in two starts at Angel Stadium). The Angels got off to an 8-4 in Jered Weaver's first 12 starts this year (3.80 ERA) but despite a 2.08 ERA in his last four starts, the team is 0-4, as the Angels have been able to score a total of just eight runs in those four games. That being said, runs should come much easier tonight off Robertson and I like the way Weaver is pitching. This is a GREAT spot for the Angels vs the travel-weary Tigers. Don't forget, the Angels are a splendid 32-16 at home! Bailout of the Week 15* LA Angels.
7/27/2007 Larry Ness' Las Vegas Insider (65% s/May 21!) $35.00 View
Guaranteed Pick: Larry Ness
Game: Atlanta Braves at Arizona Diamondbacks Jul 27 2007 9:40PM
Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks
Reason: The D'backs made it a four-game sweep of the Marlins with a 7-4 win Thursday night. Arizona won on a two-out, three-run HR in the 9th, giving the team a six-game winning streak. The six-game run is their fourth of the season of at least that many games and leaves them two wins shy of their longest win streak this year. Arizona moved into second place in the West, 1 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Diamondbacks were in first place in the division after games of June 27 but then dropped 14 of their next 19. The Braves come in losers of seven of their last 11 and will send rookie Jo-Jo Reyes to the mound. The lefty is winless in three starts (team is 0-3), allowing 16 hits, nine walks (just four Ks) and 10 ERs in 14.2 innings (6.14 ERA). He'll face an Arizona team that's 17-12 (plus-$660) vs left-handers this year, including averaging 5.1 RPG in 12 home games vs lefties. Yusmeiro Petit, also a rookie, makes his sixth career start for the D'backs. Petit has allowed two ERs or less in FOUR of his previous five starts (he's filling in for the Big Unit), posting an overall ERA of 2.54 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 23-9. His first five starts have all come on the road (impressive) and I expect him to be comfortable here in his first home start, especially with the D'backs playing so well. Las Vegas Insider on the Az D'backs.