HOME TEAM IN CAPS
All games are listed pitchers unless stated otherwise.
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></o>San Francisco +1.56 over PHILADELPHIA
So many heartbreaking losses for us to start the season has us a little gun shy but we’re throwing that all out the window today. Bottom line here is that Kyle Kendrick should never be favored by this much over anyone, even the Giants. Kendrick gives up lots of hits and lots of runs and he’s also walked more then he’s struck out and at this park that’s a disaster waiting to happen. The Giants are playing much better these days although it probably won’t last in a hitter’s park such as the one they’ll play in today. Patrick Misch makes his first start of the year here. Misch pitched the final six innings of Sunday's loss to the Reds, giving up two runs on solo homers by Brandon Phillips. He picked up a few starts at the end of last season and had some promising outings and he really looks like he could be a keeper. He’s also a southpaw and that can only increase our chances. Kendrick a -1.66 favorite? We don't think so. Overlay. Play: San Francisco +1.56 (Risking 2 units). <o
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></o>Seattle +1.32 over NY YANKEES
Even when Eric Bedard isn’t feeling well he’s tough as shoe leather. He started out the year with some hip inflammation and still pitched very well. He then missed a couple of starts and came back healthy and went onto pitch a total gem against the A’s. In three starts the league is hitting .159 against him and his ERA is 2.04. Since last June, and on the road, he has a 1.07 WHIP and .205 BAA in his past 24 starts. Bedard is one of the best in the league, bar none and only in New York against the Yankees will you ever see a price like this on him. The Yanks keep on losing ball games and they absolutely do not have an edge anywhere in this game. Chien-Ming Wang’s ERA at the Stadium in three starts is an unimpressive 5.29 and even if he pitches well and lasts deep into the game the Mariners still have a great chance to win. Play: Seattle +1.32 (Risking 2 units).<o
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></o>Detroit –1½ +1.16 over MINNESOTA
There are so many things working in the Tigers favor here, the least being that they’re the hottest club in the majors and they can’t wait to get to the park. The Tigers scored 18 runs during a two-game sweep of Minnesota at Comerica Park on April 14 and 15 after winning 12 of 18 meetings last year. Detroit was 8-1 at the Metrodome last season, winning six straight there. The Tigers have averaged 7.3 runs in the last 10 games, outscoring opponents 73-35 during that stretch. Then we have Armando Gallaraga. All he did was take a no-hitter into the sixth inning in is last start and in three starts his ERA is a splendid 1.50. He’s allowed an incredible seven hits in 18 frames for a BAA of just .113 and that was against three teams (Angels, Blue Jays and Indians) that are so much stronger then the Twins offensively. Livan Hernandez has lived a charmed life this season but against the Tigers his good fortune is about to change. He’s allowed 45 hits in 35 innings, his ERA is over five, his BAA against is .310, yet he has not lost a game. Oh, he’s also allowed six jacks already. This one is a mismatch right across the board. Play: Detroit –1½ +1.16 (Risking 2 units). <o
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></o>Los Angeles/COLORADO over 9 +1.08
Coors field cannot be trusted to stay under this number even when two quality starters are opposing one another. In fact, when Brett Myers opposed Jeff Francis recently at Coors the final score was 8-6. When Brandon Webb faced Jeff Francis earlier in the year the final score was 7-2. The last four games at Coors had scores of 9-5, 8-6, 7-6 and 4-2. In addition, the Dodgers bring to the table their best offensive team in years and years and years. They’re coming off a three game series in Florida in which they scored 25 times. At home against these same Rockies they scored 22 times in a three-game set. Against the ever-reliable Dan Haren they won 8-3. They just keep scoring a slew of runs and it’s not like Jeff Francis has been lights out either. Francis has an ERA at Coors of 6.08 and that doesn’t even factor in his first start of the year against the Cardinals, in which he didn’t last three innings but rain wiped out his stats. Brad Penny has some decent stats but they’re a little misleading too. Penny has been average with a .275 BAA and on the road that number rises to .327. This venue has a way of making average pitchers look brutal and good pitchers look bad and this my friends, looks like a very beatable number. Play: Los Angeles/Colorado over 9 +1.08 (Risking 2 units).
