HOME TEAM IN CAPS
All games are listed pitchers unless stated otherwise.
NY METS –1½ +1.30 over Pittsburgh <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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If hitting is contagious then the Pirates have the flu. Here’s a team that has been held to two runs or less in six of its last 10 games and over that stretch their team batting average is .168. The Pirates have also lost nine of those games and seven in a row. Each loss is worse than the last and to make matters worse, the bullpen is completely gassed. Furthermore, Ian Snell has walked 23 batters in 34 innings and struck out 22. He’s looking for big trouble and with virtually no run support he’ll try and be too fine. Snell threw 94 pitches in five innings in his last start and 131 in the start before so his chances of pitching deep into this one are slim at best. Meanwhile, the Mets are loose, they’re the hottest team in the majors and they’re tearing the cover off the ball. In the first two games of this series they’ve hit .400 and outscored the Buccos 17-4. How in the world can the Pirates compete here with a damaged mind-set, with no bullpen and with seven straight losses hanging over them? They can’t. Play: NY Mets –1½ +1.30 (Risking 2 units). <o></o>
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Toronto +1.06 over OAKLAND
The Blue Jays come in as the dog here because they’ll put the ball in the hands of an unknown, rookie starter by the name of Brett Cecil. Cecil is a former first-round pick and pitched like it in his season debut against the Indians in which he went six full innings and allowed just six hits and one earned run. He’s maturing quickly and has some tremendous credentials. Last season at New Hampshire, in 11 starts between June 3 and July 27 he pitched 54 1/3 innings and allowed 10 earned runs on 44 hits while fanning 64 and posting a 1.66 ERA. He was then promoted to Triple-A in August and in his second start there he held Rochester to two hits and no runs in seven innings. He also pitched seven no-hit shutout innings against Buffalo on Aug. 23. Cecil has been moving up the ranks and when it comes to drafting pitchers and developing them, no team in the majors can compete with these Blue Jays. He’ll find this line-up a lot softer than the Indians and it’s also worth noting that he’s a southpaw and after yesterday’s loss, the A’s are now 3-10 against left-handed starters. Offensively, there’s no comparison between these two, as the Jays are the cream of the crop right now and any take-back on them here has to be considered great value. Play: Toronto +1.06 (Risking 2 units). <o></o>
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Detroit +1.10 over CLEVELAND
It’s not difficult to pull the trigger on the Tigers here against a Tribe team that’s lost three in a row, seven of its last 10 and owns the worst record in the AL. Cleveland has the second worst record in all of baseball and has just one more win than the Nationals. Anthony Reyes has made five starts and offers up very little value and even less at the Jake, where in three starts his ERA is 8.36. At home Reyes has allowed 16 hits and 13 earned runs in 14 innings and he's also walked eight while striking out the same. The Tigers Rick Porcello has had some very sweet outings thus far and seems to be getting better with each start. He’s coming off a seven-inning, four-hit shutout against the Twinkies and now the league is hitting just .257 off him. Porcello is gaining steam. One last note here is that Porcello is a righty and the Indians are 7-17 against righties this season. Play: Detroit +1.10 (Risking 2 units).
All games are listed pitchers unless stated otherwise.
NY METS –1½ +1.30 over Pittsburgh <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o>If hitting is contagious then the Pirates have the flu. Here’s a team that has been held to two runs or less in six of its last 10 games and over that stretch their team batting average is .168. The Pirates have also lost nine of those games and seven in a row. Each loss is worse than the last and to make matters worse, the bullpen is completely gassed. Furthermore, Ian Snell has walked 23 batters in 34 innings and struck out 22. He’s looking for big trouble and with virtually no run support he’ll try and be too fine. Snell threw 94 pitches in five innings in his last start and 131 in the start before so his chances of pitching deep into this one are slim at best. Meanwhile, the Mets are loose, they’re the hottest team in the majors and they’re tearing the cover off the ball. In the first two games of this series they’ve hit .400 and outscored the Buccos 17-4. How in the world can the Pirates compete here with a damaged mind-set, with no bullpen and with seven straight losses hanging over them? They can’t. Play: NY Mets –1½ +1.30 (Risking 2 units). <o
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></o>Toronto +1.06 over OAKLAND
The Blue Jays come in as the dog here because they’ll put the ball in the hands of an unknown, rookie starter by the name of Brett Cecil. Cecil is a former first-round pick and pitched like it in his season debut against the Indians in which he went six full innings and allowed just six hits and one earned run. He’s maturing quickly and has some tremendous credentials. Last season at New Hampshire, in 11 starts between June 3 and July 27 he pitched 54 1/3 innings and allowed 10 earned runs on 44 hits while fanning 64 and posting a 1.66 ERA. He was then promoted to Triple-A in August and in his second start there he held Rochester to two hits and no runs in seven innings. He also pitched seven no-hit shutout innings against Buffalo on Aug. 23. Cecil has been moving up the ranks and when it comes to drafting pitchers and developing them, no team in the majors can compete with these Blue Jays. He’ll find this line-up a lot softer than the Indians and it’s also worth noting that he’s a southpaw and after yesterday’s loss, the A’s are now 3-10 against left-handed starters. Offensively, there’s no comparison between these two, as the Jays are the cream of the crop right now and any take-back on them here has to be considered great value. Play: Toronto +1.06 (Risking 2 units). <o
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></o>Detroit +1.10 over CLEVELAND
It’s not difficult to pull the trigger on the Tigers here against a Tribe team that’s lost three in a row, seven of its last 10 and owns the worst record in the AL. Cleveland has the second worst record in all of baseball and has just one more win than the Nationals. Anthony Reyes has made five starts and offers up very little value and even less at the Jake, where in three starts his ERA is 8.36. At home Reyes has allowed 16 hits and 13 earned runs in 14 innings and he's also walked eight while striking out the same. The Tigers Rick Porcello has had some very sweet outings thus far and seems to be getting better with each start. He’s coming off a seven-inning, four-hit shutout against the Twinkies and now the league is hitting just .257 off him. Porcello is gaining steam. One last note here is that Porcello is a righty and the Indians are 7-17 against righties this season. Play: Detroit +1.10 (Risking 2 units).
