1-0 in posted plays this season, don't have much time but here is what I like today and here is my big play:
Chicago Cubs ML +116
It's been a while since the Cubs have won more than one game in a road series played against the Dodgers (they couldn't do it in 2010, 2009 or 2008 winning a total of one game here in each of those seasons) but having won Game 2 last night, the Cubs have a chance to get the job done. The difference for me is the Cubs ability to put the ball in play this season and the fact that they have been the better hitting team in 2011. Ted Lilly is on the mound for the Dodgers and although the Dodgers are 3-3 in his six starts, he has been disappointing to say the least. The Cubs love lefties and are batting .288 against left handed pitcher this season. Also consider that the Dodgers have one of the worst bullpens in MLB this season with their 5.53 ERA on the year while the Cubs bullpen is one of the best in MLB over the course of the last 10 games with an ERA of 1.02 in those games.
Both starting pitchers today got lit up in their one and only daytime start this season but no matter how the Carlos Zambrano seems to pitch on the road (he hasn't been anything special), the Cubs support him with 6.0+ runs of support per road start this season and they are 3-0 in his three road starts. Impressive. With such a touch bullpen you have to like the Cubs in the starting pitching matchup. Until he got rocked for 7 ER's in his last start here in Los Angeles (back in 2008), Zambrano had strung together four straight Quality Starts in LA and the Cubs were 3-1 in those games. Ted Lilly lasted 4.1 innings in his start against this same Cubs team at Wrigley earlier this year, allowing 5 earned runs in a 10-8 loss so again for me this comes down to the better hitting team and the better bullpen.
Chicago is now 13-3 in Zambrano's last 16 starts overall and they have won five straight games when Zambrano pitches as an underdog. Now that is something else. The Cubs are also 10-1 in Zambrano's last 11 starts versus a team with a losing record on the season and they get to face the Dodgers who are now 1-5 in their last six games versus a right handed starting pitcher. All the signs point to a Cubs win and I am riding some big money on this.
:toast:
Chicago Cubs ML +116
It's been a while since the Cubs have won more than one game in a road series played against the Dodgers (they couldn't do it in 2010, 2009 or 2008 winning a total of one game here in each of those seasons) but having won Game 2 last night, the Cubs have a chance to get the job done. The difference for me is the Cubs ability to put the ball in play this season and the fact that they have been the better hitting team in 2011. Ted Lilly is on the mound for the Dodgers and although the Dodgers are 3-3 in his six starts, he has been disappointing to say the least. The Cubs love lefties and are batting .288 against left handed pitcher this season. Also consider that the Dodgers have one of the worst bullpens in MLB this season with their 5.53 ERA on the year while the Cubs bullpen is one of the best in MLB over the course of the last 10 games with an ERA of 1.02 in those games.
Both starting pitchers today got lit up in their one and only daytime start this season but no matter how the Carlos Zambrano seems to pitch on the road (he hasn't been anything special), the Cubs support him with 6.0+ runs of support per road start this season and they are 3-0 in his three road starts. Impressive. With such a touch bullpen you have to like the Cubs in the starting pitching matchup. Until he got rocked for 7 ER's in his last start here in Los Angeles (back in 2008), Zambrano had strung together four straight Quality Starts in LA and the Cubs were 3-1 in those games. Ted Lilly lasted 4.1 innings in his start against this same Cubs team at Wrigley earlier this year, allowing 5 earned runs in a 10-8 loss so again for me this comes down to the better hitting team and the better bullpen.
Chicago is now 13-3 in Zambrano's last 16 starts overall and they have won five straight games when Zambrano pitches as an underdog. Now that is something else. The Cubs are also 10-1 in Zambrano's last 11 starts versus a team with a losing record on the season and they get to face the Dodgers who are now 1-5 in their last six games versus a right handed starting pitcher. All the signs point to a Cubs win and I am riding some big money on this.
:toast:
