Yesterday 1 1 0 +0.34 Units
Last 30 Days 32 33 0 +11.68 Units
Season To Date (Since March 2012) 61 73 0 -4.36 Units
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
All games are listed pitchers unless stated otherwise
Pittsburgh +136 over CINCINNATI
Not many people look at the daily standings in MLB so it might surprise you to learn that the Pirates are 27-26 and in second place in the NL Central, just three games back of these first-place Reds. The Bucs have managed to get above .500 despite an awful team batting average of .222. The Pirates are very likely to boost that batting average and when they do, more victories should follow. A.J. Burnett is out of the spotlight in New York and he’s responded rather well. Burnett has flashed a new profile in his first stint in the NL, as he’s now a command artist with just 14 walks in 50 innings to go along with 42 K’s. He also owns an elite 58% groundball rate and that’s more significant at this park than most others. Burnett’s 3.09 xERA suggests that his 3.60 ERA and 1.24 WHIP are no flukes. Homer Bailey went the distance against the Pirates in his last start and needed just 104 pitches to do so. He’s now won three straight and has posted a 2.53 ERA over that span. How many times have we seen a pitcher of Bailey’s caliber dominate a team and then blow up a week later when facing the same team? It seems to happen quite a bit and Bailey has never showed any prolonged consistency. The table is set nicely here and we’ll take our seat.Play: Pittsburgh +136 (Risking 2 units).
Los Angeles +169 over PHILADELPHIA
The Dodgers took the best record in the NL into Philadelphia last night and proceeded to take the opener in this series. The Phillies have now dropped three in a row at home while scoring just eight runs over that span. Cliff Lee needs no introduction. He’s a model of consistency and his 3.00 ERA is backed by full skills support. However, he’s winless in eight starts and that first win gets more difficult with each passing start, knowing that it’ll be another five day wait if he doesn’t get a win here. With the Phillies struggling at the plate and with the ongoing absence of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, laying a tag like this is too risky when the game could very well be decided by the pens. Chad Billingsley has been wildly inconsistent this season but we’ve come to expect that from him. What is evident is that he’s capable of throwing a gem, as evidenced by a 55%/27% dominant start/disaster start split. Billingsley’s skills are above average with 60 K’s in 62 frames, a groundball bias profile and a 3.72 xERA. Phillies are overpriced here. Play: Los Angeles +169 (Risking 2 units).
Last 30 Days 32 33 0 +11.68 Units
Season To Date (Since March 2012) 61 73 0 -4.36 Units
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
All games are listed pitchers unless stated otherwise
Pittsburgh +136 over CINCINNATI
Not many people look at the daily standings in MLB so it might surprise you to learn that the Pirates are 27-26 and in second place in the NL Central, just three games back of these first-place Reds. The Bucs have managed to get above .500 despite an awful team batting average of .222. The Pirates are very likely to boost that batting average and when they do, more victories should follow. A.J. Burnett is out of the spotlight in New York and he’s responded rather well. Burnett has flashed a new profile in his first stint in the NL, as he’s now a command artist with just 14 walks in 50 innings to go along with 42 K’s. He also owns an elite 58% groundball rate and that’s more significant at this park than most others. Burnett’s 3.09 xERA suggests that his 3.60 ERA and 1.24 WHIP are no flukes. Homer Bailey went the distance against the Pirates in his last start and needed just 104 pitches to do so. He’s now won three straight and has posted a 2.53 ERA over that span. How many times have we seen a pitcher of Bailey’s caliber dominate a team and then blow up a week later when facing the same team? It seems to happen quite a bit and Bailey has never showed any prolonged consistency. The table is set nicely here and we’ll take our seat.Play: Pittsburgh +136 (Risking 2 units).
Los Angeles +169 over PHILADELPHIA
The Dodgers took the best record in the NL into Philadelphia last night and proceeded to take the opener in this series. The Phillies have now dropped three in a row at home while scoring just eight runs over that span. Cliff Lee needs no introduction. He’s a model of consistency and his 3.00 ERA is backed by full skills support. However, he’s winless in eight starts and that first win gets more difficult with each passing start, knowing that it’ll be another five day wait if he doesn’t get a win here. With the Phillies struggling at the plate and with the ongoing absence of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, laying a tag like this is too risky when the game could very well be decided by the pens. Chad Billingsley has been wildly inconsistent this season but we’ve come to expect that from him. What is evident is that he’s capable of throwing a gem, as evidenced by a 55%/27% dominant start/disaster start split. Billingsley’s skills are above average with 60 K’s in 62 frames, a groundball bias profile and a 3.72 xERA. Phillies are overpriced here. Play: Los Angeles +169 (Risking 2 units).
