Comps
James Patrick Sports
Royals vs. Red Sox 7:05 p.m. est.
In Major League Baseball action on Tuesday we note that the World Champion Boston Red Sox have won 7 of 8 Tuesday games and their opponent in tonight’s game Gil Meche of the Royals is 1-10 vs. the American League East Division and the Royals have dropped 15 of the past 22 Meche starts. Our Tuesday complimentary selection is #922 Boston Red Sox.
Nelly
UNDER' Tampa Bay (Kazmir) at Oakland (Smith)
Both Tampa Bay and Oakland dramatically skew towards the ‘under’ in games this season and this should be another low scoring game with two successful pitchers on the mound. The ‘under’ is 26-17 in Rays games and 26-15 in A’s games this season. The A’s are averaging less than two runs scored per game in the last six games and Oakland is hitting just .242 against lefthander pitching on the season. Scott Kazmir has only pitched in three games since his return from injury but he has delivered two gems in his last starts, allowing six hits and no runs over 12 innings. He is also backed up by a Ray bullpen that has posted exceptional numbers this season. Rookie Greg Smith has delivered great results for Oakland this season with 42 strikeouts and just 18 walks and the ‘under’ has hit in each of his last four starts. Oakland’s bullpen has been one of the best in baseball this as there are likely to be few runs after these starters exit. Given the match-up and the ballpark this should be a very low scoring game and neither offense is likely to break out in the lefty-lefty match-up.
Great Lakes Sports
Texas at Minnesota 8:10PM EST
Play on: Texas Rangers with Mathis
The Texas Rangers are heating up going 9-3 their last 12 games, and are 12-5 when playing in the month of May this year. The Texas Rangers are also 18-12 when playing in night games this year while the Minnesota Twins have struggled going 1-5 their last six games. We look for the Texas Rangers to grab the road win tonight.
Jim Feist
(921) KC Royals and (922) BOS Red Sox. Take "Under". You may not be familiar with Boston starter Justin Masterson, but the young righty has outstanding, hard sinking stuff. He's made one start allowing 2 hits in 6 innings with a 1.50 ERA. Kansas City has never faced him and the Royals have the worst offense in the American League. At least the Royals have a good starter going in Gil Meche, a guy who is 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA against the Red Sox. Don't look for a lot of offense in this one. Play the Royals/Red Sox under the total.
Dave Cokin Game 2
(905) NY Mets and (906) ATL Braves. Take "(905) NY Mets". . "It like the looks of the back end of the Mets-Braves twinbill with Vargas opposing Campillo. Claudio Vargas deserved a better fate in his '08 debut, but he threw the ball well and he's got some nice numbers in his dealings with the Braves. Jorge Campillo has been doing some nice work out of the Atlanta pen. But it's been in mostly soft situations, and I just don't see anything in Campillo's lengthy minor and occasional major league ledger that stamps him as one to watch. With the Mets coming off a huge momentum building sweep of the Yankees, I think they're worth following here, and make them a good choice at the price in this contest with the Braves."
Tony Weston
Looking at the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals I’m loving the under between the Pistons and Celtics tonight. The early number is set at about 174 and could move a little, but it won’t matter because tonight’s total is coming in way under that.
Over their last 10 meetings the under is 8-2. In their three meetings this season the under is 3-0 as the teams have averaged 172.3 points per game. In fact, in the two games the teams played in Boston this season they averaged 170 points a game.
Also consider that in the Pistons’ last nine games the under is 6-3 and in the Celtics’ last eight games the under is 5-3.
It’ll be an easy winner as the under comes in tonight.
Take the under.
3? PISTONS-CELTICS UNDER (1? to 5? Scale)
Jeff Benton
I know the standings suggest that Arizona (28-16) and Florida (24-19) are two fairly even teams. But I know differently. The Diamondbacks own better statistics across the board, including at the plate (.267 vs. .264) and on the mound (3.50 ERA vs. 4.36 ERA). And on the road, Arizona’s pitching has been especially stout, posting a 2.93 overall ERA and a 2.75 ERA by the starters. Compare that with the Marlins, who have 4.73 ERA at home, including a 5.52 ERA by starters at home.
Speaking of starters, even though tonight’s pitchers – Arizona’s Micah Owings and Florida’s Mark Hendrickson – both have similar stats, Owings (a young right-hander) has MUCH more upside thank Hendrickson (a journeyman lefty). And in the all-important category of baserunners allowed, Owings (1.17 WHIP overall; 0.96 WHIP on the road) shines big-time over Hendrickson (1.38 WHIP overall; 1.56 WHIP at home). What’s more, the DBacks have destroyed southpaws this season, batting .292 against them.
Throw in the fact these teams are headed in opposite directions (Florida has lost five of six; Arizona has won five of six), and the DBacks at this price are too good to pass up.
(Based on a 1? to 10? rating system)
8? ARIZONA DBACKS
Bobby Maxwell
Cleveland (-120) at CHICAGO WHITE SOX
OK, C.C. Sabathia, we're going to give you another chance here after your recent performances on the hill you seem to have straightened things out.
Sabathia (3-5, 5.47 ERA) is 2-1 in his last three starts with a 2.01 ERA and he hasn't been shabby on the road this season with a 1-1 mark and 3.18 ERA.
He's given up just six earned runs in his last five outings and is coming off a complete-game shutout of Oakland in his last outing, giving up five hits and striking out 11. And against the White Sox, the Indians are 7-2 the last nine times he's faced them and they beat the Sox after Sabathia gave up five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings on opening day, using the offens to win 10-8.
Jose Contreras (4-3, 3.35 ERA) has been on top of his game lately, but he's just 1-2 at home with a 4.12 ERA. Since 2006 Contreras and the Sox have beaten the Indians just once in five tries and in two of those games the Tribe just lit Contreras up.
The Indians took two of three in the first round between these two this season and we're banking on them winning this one and ending the modest five-game Chicago winning streak. Play Sabathia
and the Indians.
3? CLEVELAND
Robert Ross
Game: Arizona Diamondbacks at Florida Marlins May 20 2008 7:10PM
Arizona Diamondbacks
Reason: Cheap price on the better team. Owings gives them an added bat in the lineup. ARIZONA is 52-38 against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons. FLORIDA is 22-44 against the money line after allowing 8 runs or more over the last 3 seasons. Take Arizona!
Jimmy The Moose
Game: Seattle Mariners at Detroit Tigers May 20 2008 7:05PM
Prediction: over
Reason: The over is 4-1 in the Mariners last 5 games following a win. Seattle has played the over in 4 of their last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter. The over is 38-18-4 in their last 60 games vs. AL Central opponents. Silva's ERA over his last 3 starts is 7.71. The over is 5-1-1 in Detroit's last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing record. In their last 14 games overall vs. a team with a losing record the over is 9-4-1. The over is 17-6-1 in Verlander's last 24 home starts. The over is 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings between the clubs and the over is 6-1 in Seattle's last 7 trips to Detroit. Play the over
Tony Mathews
Selection:Cincinnati/Los Angeles Over 8.5 (-110)
Explanation: We expect a high-scoring game as the Cincinnati Reds face-off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tuesday's MLB contest.
The Cincinnati Reds will use starting pitcher Matt Belisle. Matt Belisle has struggled this season. In fact, Matt Belisle has a 7.45 ERA on the season. We see Matt Belisle giving up many runs today.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will use starting pitcher Chad Billingsley. Chad Billingsley has also struggled this season. In fact, Chad Billingsley has a 4.34 ERA on the season. We see Chad Billingsley giving up many runs today.
The "Over" has been a smart investment in Los Angeles Dodgers home games. In fact, the "Over" is 11-4 in the Los Angeles Dodgers last 15 home games.
Take the Cincinnati Reds/Los Angeles Dodgers Over 8.5!
Big Al Mcmordie
At 10:05pm our complimentary selection is on the Oakland Athetics over the Tampa Bay Rays. Now that the short interleague schedule is complete (there will be more interleague games, but not until the middle of June), it's back to intraleague contests for a while. This is a very intriguing one with two teams that so far have surprising winning records and that are generally considered to be playing a bit over their heads. Both Tampa and Oakland can point to some young, talented starting pitching as the reason why they are doing better than expected almost 1/3 of the way into the season. And tonight's pitching matchup is proof of that with righthanders James Shields and Joe Blanton facing off against one another. And although Blanton is the elder at 27 years (vs. Shields at 26), he is still developing as a starter and we probably have not yet seen the best of him. Shields is a low-ERA starter with very good strikeout numbers, but he has been having some major problems when he pitches away from his home park, which is strange as Tropicana Field is thought to be one of the most hitter-friendly venues in the Majors. Nonetheless, Shields' numbers on the roard are abysmal at 1-2 with 6.10 ERA in 20 2/3 innings. Blanton has pitched very well but has been victimized by poor run support in most of his starts this season. But that is beginning to change a bit when Oakland plays at home, and they have been very dominant there lately, taking nine of their last twelve games at McAfee Coliseum. Tampa Bay is 5-24 in its last 29 games in Oakland. Take the A's.
Brian Marshall
Game: Cleveland Indians vs. Chicago White Sox
Plays On: Cleveland/Chicago Under 8 (-110)
Game Analyses: Tuesday's MLB game between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox will feature two starting pitchers who have been pitching very well as of late. With that said, we see very little scoring in tonight's game.
The Cleveland Indians will be lead by starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia. C.C. Sabathia has been pitching well as of late. In fact, C.C. Sabathia has a 2.01 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see C.C. Sabathia pitching another great game tonight.
The Chicago White Sox will be lead by starting pitcher Jose Contreras. Jose Contreras has also been pitching well as of late. In fact, Jose Contreras has a 2.45 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see Jose Contreras also pitching another great game tonight.
The Under is 22-6 in the Cleveland Indians last 28 games, while the Under is 8-2 in the Chicago White Sox last 10 games as an underdog.
Take the Cleveland Indians/Chicago White Sox Under 8
Vernon Croy
Seattle Mariners vs. Detroit Tigers (MLB) - May 20, 2008 7:05 PM EDT
Play: Money Line: -157 Detroit Tigers Pick
20 Units, Take Detroit ML, Seattle is just 5-12 over their last 17 games and Seattle is just 7-14 on the road this season. Detroit has struggled overall so far this season but this is a team with a lot of talent and they will start to put together some win streaks very soon. Justin Verlander (1-7, 6.05) has owned the Mariners over his career with a 4-0 record and an ERA of just 2.63 and he pitched well in his last outing allowing just 2 runs over 6 innings. Carlos Silva (3-2, 4.17 ERA) has struggled over his last 3 starts with an ERA of 7.72 and I look for the Tigers to hit him hard tonight at home. Take Detroit as my MLB Bonus Play for Tuesday night and make sure you get on my Massive MLB Run as it continues.
