<table width="500" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="50%" align="left">Yesterday</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">2</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">1</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">0</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="20%" align="right">+3.32 Units</td></tr> <tr> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="50%" align="left">Last 30 Days</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">11</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">5</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">0</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="20%" align="right">+18.76 Units</td></tr> <tr> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="50%" align="left">Season To Date (Since March 2010)</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">11</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">5</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="10%" align="right">0</td> <td class="rs_value" valign="top" width="20%" align="right">+18.76 Units</td></tr></tbody></table>
All games are listed pitchers unless stated otherwise.
Toronto +1.10 over BALTIMORE http://www.pinnaclesports.com/?refer=xspwagers<o
></o>Which team do you think is feeling better this afternoon? The Jays, a team everyone predicted to lose a 100 games or the Orioles, a team that was predicted to have a breakout year. It’s only five games and five games is a fraction of the season but the Jays are 4-1 and the Orioles are 1-4 and the Jays will be playing with house money here. Furthermore, Shaun Marcum is not nearly getting the credit he deserves in that he’s a true ace and could be in for a huge campaign. Marcum was terrific in the spring and subsequently opened the year in Texas. In his season debut he threw a no-hitter through the first six innings and ended up throwing a seven inning, two-hitter. Marcum missed all of last year but in ’08 he went through a stretch where he took a shutout into the seventh inning in 14 of 17 starts. He’s a great pitcher that in no way should be a pooch to the struggling Orioles. The Orioles have to be feeling the pressure of a 1-4 start, especially after being shutout by a career minor-leaguer yesterday in Dana Eveland. Nothing is going right for the Orioles and that includes a pen that has not been able to hold up a lead. Kevin Millwood was very shaky in his O’s debut. He allowed nine hits and a walk in five frames and was extremely lucky to get away allowing just two runs. That could have easily been tripled, as the Rays hit .391 off him and it’s worth noting that he recorded just five groundball outs against 13 flyball outs. That’s a troubling sign indeed. Play: Toronto +1.10 (Risking 2 units). <o
></o><o
></o>Seattle +1.38 over TEXAS http://www.pinnaclesports.com/?refer=xspwagers<o
></o>Scott Feldman won 17 games a year ago and the Rangers won his season debut this year but damn, this guy has been living a very charmed and at this level pitching at this park it simply cannot last. Feldman won’t fool too many batters, as he does not strike out many and will put the ball in play. That wouldn’t be a problem if he induced a lot of ground balls but he doesn’t and in fact, he gave up more flyouts last season than groundouts. In his season debut against the Jays, Toronto went yard on him twice and he recorded 16 flyball outs against just seven groundouts. In other words he was lucky to escape with a decent looking pitching line. Scott Feldman is a very average pitcher and that’s all there is to it. Incidentally, Feldman’s ERA in April over the last three years was 7.71. By contrast, Ian Snell induced 10 groundouts against eight flyouts in his season debut. He went a full six and allowed just four hits and one earned run. After the all-star break last season Snell went 5-2 with a BAA of just .247 and as it turns out, Snell could be a guy that is coming on in his sixth season. Furthermore, the Rangers are hitting a measly .216 after five home games and that, too, is a concern. So, when you break it down there are at least three unappealing things about the Rangers here; Scott Feldman, the Rangers offense and the price you have to pay to play them. Play: Seattle +1.38 (Risking 2 units). <o
></o><o
></o>Oakland +1.21 over L.A. Angels http://www.pinnaclesports.com/?refer=xspwagers<o
></o>Dallas Braden is a guy to keep your eye on, as he could be headed for a big year. This is a guy that gets very little recognition but a close look reveals a ton of quality starts last season and he began this season with an absolute gem. In fact, in his season debut, Braden struck out 10 batters in seven full innings while allowing just four hits and one earned run. Incidentally, that one run scored on a wild pitch. Last year he whiffed 187 batters and pitched over 200 innings. His biggest problem last season was control but in his season debut he walked just one hitter and this past spring he walked just four in 21 frames. Braden is an impressive lefty that keeps getting better and seems to have worked on his control problems. The A’s are off to a decent 4-2 start and that, too, makes them appealing as a pooch. Joe Saunders was crushed in his season debut against the Twins. He surrendered eight hits, three jacks and five runs in five innings and took the loss. Saunders has always been a very hittable pitcher, as his .273 career BAA will attest to. He’s really not a good pitcher at all and is very often working from behind in the count and at this level that will destroy anyone. The Angels are not the same team they’ve been in the past. Chone Figgins is gone, amongst others, and he’s the guy that got the offense going almost daily. The Angels are 2-4 and do not warrant being a –1.30 favorite in this spot against Braden. Play: Oakland +1.21 (Risking 2 units).
