Ben Burns
Friday BLOWOUT
COLORADO ROCKIES
Game: Washington Nationals vs. Colorado Rockies Game Time: 8/24/2007 9:05:00 PM Prediction: Colorado Rockies Reason: I'm laying the price with COLORADO. Hill has pitched well in his 10 starts. However, the light-hitting Nationals are still just 4-6 in those games. On the other hand, the Rockies are 17-9 when Francis takes the mound, including 9-4 at home. Despite disappointing losses vs. Pittsburgh the past two days, the Rockies remain an excellent 36-26 at home for the year. They're also a perfect 4-0 the last four times they hosted the Nationals. They absolutely cannot afford to keep losing to the league's weaker teams and I look for a highly motivated effort. Francis, the team ace, was quoted as saying: "I think every game's a must-win for us. We didn't do a good job this (past) series. We've got to put it behind us and get ready to play."" Look for Francis, 6-0 his last nine starts at Coors Field, and the Rockies to get back on track with a much needed victory.
Ben Burns
Personal Favorite
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Game: Oakland Athletics vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays Game Time: 8/24/2007 7:10:00 PM Prediction: Tampa Bay Devil Rays Reason: I'm playing on TAMPA BAY. The A's took yesterday's opener in convincing fashion but I expect the Devil Rays to return the favor this evening. Both starters come off excellent starts. However, Shields' outing was arguably more impressive as it came vs. Cleveland while DiNardo's came vs. Kansas City. Despite that strong start, Dinardo, who has a 7.20 ERA vs. Tampa Bay, still has a mediocre 4.24 ERA and a poor 1.588 WHIP his last three starts. During that stretch, he has eight walks and just seven strikeouts. On the other hand, Shields now has a terrific 1.89 ERA and 0.895 WHIP his last three starts. During that stretch he has an impressive 20 K's and just one walk. Shields has faced the A's once this season and he held them to a mere four hits and one run through eight complete innings, recording 9 K's to just one walk. Its true that the Devil Rays don't have much of a bullpen. However, their relievers are significantly better at home and Shields averages seven complete innings per start here. The A's average only 4.2 runs per game vs. right-handers while hitting a poor .247. The Rays average 4.7 runs vs. southpaws while hitting .266. Behind another quality effort from Shields, look for the Rays to bounce back from yesterday's embarrassing defeat, improving to 9-6 the last 15 times they were a host in this series. *Personal Favorite
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Ben Burns "Blue Chip" TOTAL Blitz
(12-3 L15)
UNDER Oakland Raiders/St.Louis Rams
Game: St. Louis Rams vs. Oakland Raiders Game Time: 8/24/2007 10:00:00 PM Prediction: under Reason: I'm playing on the Rams and Raiders to finish UNDER the total. Both these teams gave up a lot of points last week and saw their games finish above the number. Those results have helped us in a couple of ways. For starters, they have helped to keep tonight's over/under line reasonably high. Additionally, they should help ensure that both coaches place a greater emphasis on defense for tonight's game. Note that the Rams allowed 27 points vs. Houston in Week 2 of last year's preseason. They bounced back with a better defensive effort in Week 3, holding the Chiefs to 16 points, while scoring only 12 themselves. Meanwhile, the Raiders allowed only three points in their Week 3 game (vs. last season. Both these teams will be featuring a heavy dose of the run this season and I expect both teams to run the ball regularly this evening. As you know, this typically helps to chew up the clock. Despite playing a high-scoring game against Arizona here in Week 1, the Raiders have still seen the UNDER go 4-1 their last five preseason home games. They've also seen the UNDER go 13-7 their last 20 preseason games against teams from the NFC West. Look for more of the same this evening as this defensive affair stays below the number and the UNDER improves to 12-5-1 the last 18 times that the Rams played a preseason game on a Friday
Ben Burns
Friday Night FEAST
(8-2 L10 Feasts!)
Carolina Panthers
Game: New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers Game Time: 8/24/2007 8:00:00 PM Prediction: Carolina Panthers Reason: I'm playing on the CAROLINA PANTHERS. I successfully played against the Panthers when they traveled to Philadelphia last week. I had several reasons for making that selection with one of them being that I thought they may get caught "looking ahead" to tonight's big home game vs. the Patriots. As you'll remember, these teams faced each other in the Super Bowl not long ago. The Patriots have plenty of bigger "rivals" than Carolina but there is no team that the Panthers would prefer to beat than the Patriots. New England has received plenty of hype this offseason. While the Patriots are certainly a top tier team, much of the extra hype was due to the signing of Moss and Stallworth. However, Brady hasn't even thrown a pass to either one of them yet. Brady has struggled in the first two games and his status (birth of child) for tonight is currently up in the air. I am assuming that he will play but regardless of whether or not that proves to be the case, I really like the Panthers, who are getting back a star of their own. Dan Morgan, who hasn't played in nearly a year, will be back on the field tonight and his return should provide even more emotion to an already motivated Panther team. Fox always likes to win and it's safe to say that he'll want this game more than a "regular" preseason contest, particularly after last week. The Panthers are no slouches. Don't forget that only a year ago, at this time, they were a popular pick to win the Super Bowl. They're arguably
BURNS on fire yesterday 3-0-1 , two day ago 3-0, Good luck today guys
Friday BLOWOUT
COLORADO ROCKIES
Game: Washington Nationals vs. Colorado Rockies Game Time: 8/24/2007 9:05:00 PM Prediction: Colorado Rockies Reason: I'm laying the price with COLORADO. Hill has pitched well in his 10 starts. However, the light-hitting Nationals are still just 4-6 in those games. On the other hand, the Rockies are 17-9 when Francis takes the mound, including 9-4 at home. Despite disappointing losses vs. Pittsburgh the past two days, the Rockies remain an excellent 36-26 at home for the year. They're also a perfect 4-0 the last four times they hosted the Nationals. They absolutely cannot afford to keep losing to the league's weaker teams and I look for a highly motivated effort. Francis, the team ace, was quoted as saying: "I think every game's a must-win for us. We didn't do a good job this (past) series. We've got to put it behind us and get ready to play."" Look for Francis, 6-0 his last nine starts at Coors Field, and the Rockies to get back on track with a much needed victory.
Ben Burns
Personal Favorite
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Game: Oakland Athletics vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays Game Time: 8/24/2007 7:10:00 PM Prediction: Tampa Bay Devil Rays Reason: I'm playing on TAMPA BAY. The A's took yesterday's opener in convincing fashion but I expect the Devil Rays to return the favor this evening. Both starters come off excellent starts. However, Shields' outing was arguably more impressive as it came vs. Cleveland while DiNardo's came vs. Kansas City. Despite that strong start, Dinardo, who has a 7.20 ERA vs. Tampa Bay, still has a mediocre 4.24 ERA and a poor 1.588 WHIP his last three starts. During that stretch, he has eight walks and just seven strikeouts. On the other hand, Shields now has a terrific 1.89 ERA and 0.895 WHIP his last three starts. During that stretch he has an impressive 20 K's and just one walk. Shields has faced the A's once this season and he held them to a mere four hits and one run through eight complete innings, recording 9 K's to just one walk. Its true that the Devil Rays don't have much of a bullpen. However, their relievers are significantly better at home and Shields averages seven complete innings per start here. The A's average only 4.2 runs per game vs. right-handers while hitting a poor .247. The Rays average 4.7 runs vs. southpaws while hitting .266. Behind another quality effort from Shields, look for the Rays to bounce back from yesterday's embarrassing defeat, improving to 9-6 the last 15 times they were a host in this series. *Personal Favorite
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Ben Burns "Blue Chip" TOTAL Blitz
(12-3 L15)
UNDER Oakland Raiders/St.Louis Rams
Game: St. Louis Rams vs. Oakland Raiders Game Time: 8/24/2007 10:00:00 PM Prediction: under Reason: I'm playing on the Rams and Raiders to finish UNDER the total. Both these teams gave up a lot of points last week and saw their games finish above the number. Those results have helped us in a couple of ways. For starters, they have helped to keep tonight's over/under line reasonably high. Additionally, they should help ensure that both coaches place a greater emphasis on defense for tonight's game. Note that the Rams allowed 27 points vs. Houston in Week 2 of last year's preseason. They bounced back with a better defensive effort in Week 3, holding the Chiefs to 16 points, while scoring only 12 themselves. Meanwhile, the Raiders allowed only three points in their Week 3 game (vs. last season. Both these teams will be featuring a heavy dose of the run this season and I expect both teams to run the ball regularly this evening. As you know, this typically helps to chew up the clock. Despite playing a high-scoring game against Arizona here in Week 1, the Raiders have still seen the UNDER go 4-1 their last five preseason home games. They've also seen the UNDER go 13-7 their last 20 preseason games against teams from the NFC West. Look for more of the same this evening as this defensive affair stays below the number and the UNDER improves to 12-5-1 the last 18 times that the Rams played a preseason game on a Friday
Ben Burns
Friday Night FEAST
(8-2 L10 Feasts!)
Carolina Panthers
Game: New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers Game Time: 8/24/2007 8:00:00 PM Prediction: Carolina Panthers Reason: I'm playing on the CAROLINA PANTHERS. I successfully played against the Panthers when they traveled to Philadelphia last week. I had several reasons for making that selection with one of them being that I thought they may get caught "looking ahead" to tonight's big home game vs. the Patriots. As you'll remember, these teams faced each other in the Super Bowl not long ago. The Patriots have plenty of bigger "rivals" than Carolina but there is no team that the Panthers would prefer to beat than the Patriots. New England has received plenty of hype this offseason. While the Patriots are certainly a top tier team, much of the extra hype was due to the signing of Moss and Stallworth. However, Brady hasn't even thrown a pass to either one of them yet. Brady has struggled in the first two games and his status (birth of child) for tonight is currently up in the air. I am assuming that he will play but regardless of whether or not that proves to be the case, I really like the Panthers, who are getting back a star of their own. Dan Morgan, who hasn't played in nearly a year, will be back on the field tonight and his return should provide even more emotion to an already motivated Panther team. Fox always likes to win and it's safe to say that he'll want this game more than a "regular" preseason contest, particularly after last week. The Panthers are no slouches. Don't forget that only a year ago, at this time, they were a popular pick to win the Super Bowl. They're arguably
BURNS on fire yesterday 3-0-1 , two day ago 3-0, Good luck today guys
