Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Cleveland Indians are severely short-handed on offense right now. They are without Sizemore and Choo, two of their best left-handed hitters. The Indians have scored 0,2,3,1,1, and 0 runs in their last six games. Paulino has solid stuff and I think he can quiet this scuffling Cleveland offense. Justin Masterson continues to have a great year. Masterson has a great 2.57 ERA this season. The under is 13-8 in his 21 starts this year. The under is 6-2 in Paulino's 8 starts this year. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Rodrigo Lopez has pitched well in limited action this year for the Cubs, but I think regression is due soon. Lopez is a fly ball pitcher and the heat in St. Louis won't be good for that. The Cardinals offense is one of the best in baseball. Kyle Lohse has been getting hit hard of late as well. Lohse has given up at least four runs in 6 of his last 9 starts. The over is 4-0 in Lohse last 4 starts against the Cubs. I think the number is set too low here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Gavin Floyd has been terrible at home this year, and the Boston Red Sox probably have the best offense in the majors. Floyd has an ERA of 6.26 at home this season. Tim Wakefield started the year pretty well, but he has been struggling of late. Wakefield has a 6.50 ERA in his last three starts. The White Sox beat the Red Sox 7-4 in a game where these two pitchers squared off earlier this year. The over is 5-1 in Wakefield's last 6 starts. The over is 5-0-1 in Floyd's last 6 starts at home. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Brett Cecil pitched a complete game shutout against the Texas Rangers on Sunday, but Cecil is an extremely inconsistent pitcher. Throughout his career he has been known to throw a shutout and then give up 6 or 7 runs in his next start quite often. The Rangers generally hit left-handers very well (5.57 runs per game) and they should be ready for Cecil this time around. Ogando is a solid starter, but the Jays can really pile up the runs at home. The over is 7-3 in Ogando's last 10 starts. The over is 5-1 in the Blue Jays last 6 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Both of these bullpens are absolutely spent right now after the 19 inning marathon game on Tuesday night. After a game like that, the offenses will generally have the upper hand. Both Derek Lowe and Kevin Correia have struggled of late. Lowe has an ERA over 6 in his last 3 starts and Correia's is over 9. The over is 6-0 in Corriea's last 6 starts. The over is 10-1 in Lowe's last 11 starts. The two starters have an amazing 16-1 run to the over in their last 17 starts combined. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Brad Bergesen is a sinker ball pitcher who often leaves pithces up in the zone. Toronto has been piling up the runs this year, especially at home. Baltimore's offense has been red hot of late as well. The over is 14-6 in the Orioles last 20 games. Carlos Villaneuva doesn't have overpowering stuff, and he has been worse at home this season. The over is 8-3 in his last 11 starts. Both offenses are hot right now, and both pitchers are capable of giving up quite a few runs. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Aaron Cook has been bad since coming off the disabled list. Cook has an ERA above 8 on the road so far this year. Kuroda has been having some control problems of late, and he has been significantly worse at home this year. The over is 4-0 in Cook's last 4 road starts. The over is 7-3-1 in Kuroda's last 11 home starts. Tony Randazzo is behind the plate and the over is 13-6 in his last 19 behind the dish. I think this one is set too low. I like the value on the over here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Bud Norris has always had the Cardinals number. In 9 career starts against the Cardinals, Norris has a stellar ERA of 2.45. Chris Carpenter has been rounding into form of late. Carpenter is a much better pitcher at home. The Astros lineup is quite weak right now. Andy Fletcher is the umpire here, and he is a solid 'under' umpire. The under is 6-2 in his last 8 games, and for the last three years he has been consistently an under umpire. The under is 5-1 in Carpenter's last 6 against the Astros. The under is 4-1 in Norris' last 5 road starts in St. Louis. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Minnesota Twins bounced back to beat the Texas Rangers 9-8 last night after losing 20-6 on Monday. The extreme heat in Texas has been making the ball fly in a big way lately. On Wednesday, the temperature is expected to be 103 degrees at gametime. Brian Duensing allowed 7 runs in two innings at home against the Rangers, now he gets to try to tame them in the Texas heat. Colby Lewis has an ERA of 5.64 at home this year. The over is 12-3-2 in Lewis' last 17 home starts. The over is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The New York Mets have the healthiest lineup they have had in quite some time. They now have a healthy Reyes, Wright, Beltran, and Bay all in the lineup at once. That lineup is no slouch at all, and Bronson Arroyo is struggling mightily this year. Arroyo has allowed more home runs than any other pitcher in the majors. Mike Pelfrey has been terrible on the road. The ball will be carrying very well in 90 degree temperatures in Cincinnati on Wednesday. Both teams could put up quite a few here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Ricky Nolasco had an awful start last time out, but I think he'll bounce back here. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 starts against the Nationals. Washington's lineup isn't very good, and Nolasco has an ERA under 2 at Washington in his career. Jordan Zimmerman is an underrated starter at this point in his career. Zimmerman has an ERA of just above 3 at home this year. The under is 5-1 in Nolasco's last 6. The under is 8-3 in Zimmerman's last 11. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Vance Worley just continues to go out and impress start after start. Worley has allowed a total of three runs in his last five starts overall. Tim Lincecum has been rounding into form of late as well. Lincecum has an ERA of just 1.42 in his last three starts. The Giants lineup is struggling to put up runs without Posey, Sanchez, and others. The Phillies are without Polanco, who is a key part of their offense. This one has the makings of a pitcher's duel. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Detroit Tigers have really been hitting the ball well of late. The Twins are finally starting to get healthy. The Twins now have a good middle of the order with Mauer, Kubel, Thome, and Young all back in the lineup. Liriano and Porcello have both struggled this year and both have struggled against their opposition in this one. The over is 11-2 in Liriano's last 13 home starts. The over is 7-0 in Porcello's last 7 starts. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 10 mph as well. I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Roy Halladay is coming off his worst start of the season at Chicago, but this is a great chance for him to bounce back nicely. Halladay is still the best pitcher in baseball, and the Padres have one of the worst lineups in baseball. On the other side, Tim Stauffer's 2.87 ERA is almost as good as Halladay's. Stauffer isn't getting the attention he deserves. He has been great during day games this year, and the Phillies have been struggling offensively. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* This total is set awfully high, but I think it this high for a good reason. Joel Piniero gave up eight runs in 1/3 of an inning against the light hitting Oakland A's in his last start. Brad Bergesen has never shown consistency as a starting pitcher. Bergesen's ERA at home this year is 8.05. The over is 5-1 in Piniero's last 6 road starts. The over is 12-5 in the Orioles last 17 games. The temperature should be in the upper 90's when this one starts, and the wind will be blowing out. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Best Bet* John Lannan is an underrated pitcher at this point in his career. In his last ten starts, Lannan hasn't allowed more than three runs in a single start. The Dodgers rank 27th in the majors in runs scored and Dodger Stadium is definitely a pitcher's park at night. Kuroda starts for the Dodgers, and he has been very good this year. The under is 8-2 in the Dodgers last 10 games. The under is 4-1 in Kuroda's last 5 starts. The under is 3-0-2 in Lannan's last 5 starts. Expect a low scoring game in this one as both offenses are poor and both pitchers are underrated by the books. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Texas Rangers are coming off a tough 1-0 loss to the Angels on Thursday. They had to deal with Jered Weaver in that game. This time out they'll face JoJo Reyes, who has an ERA of 4.94 this year. Reyes allowed six runs in 2 and 2/3 innings against Texas earlier this year. Colby Lewis has been terrible at home and very good on the road. He gives up home runs in Arlington, and the start time temperature is forecasted to be 101 degrees on Friday. The over is 8-1 in Lewis' last 9 home starts. The over is 4-0 in Reyes' last 4 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins are still without Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel. How have the Twins been winning? They have been winning largely because their pitching staff has been great. The under is 5-0-1 in the Twins last 6 games. Carl Pavano started slowly, but he has pitching very well lately. Justin Verlander had a poor outing last time out, but he has been amazing this year. I don't see the beat up Twins scoring many on him. The under is 8-2 in his last 10 starts. I think this one will stay low scoring. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* The Texas Rangers winning streak was snapped last night by the Angels. Both teams will send their ace to the mound on Thursday afternoon. C.J. Wilson has been great all year, especially on the road. Wilson has an impressive 2.59 ERA on the road in 2011. Jered Weaver has been superb everywhere this season. Weaver leads the majors with a stunning 1.90 ERA. The under is 40-14-8 in Weaver's last 62 starts. The under is 13-5-1 in Weaver's last 19 starts against Texas. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jake Westbrook has been extremely inconsistent all year. The Mets have actually hitting the ball pretty well of late. With Reyes and Beltran both healthy they have a couple very nice center pieces in the lineup. Jon Niese has been good overall, but the 'over' has been a great play when he is on the mound. The over is 19-6-1 in his last 26 starts. The over is 6-2-1 in Westbrook's last 9. Gerry Davis is behind the plate, and the over is 18-7-1 in his last 26 games as the home plate umpire. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The San Diego Padres have the worst offense in all of baseball by many offensive statistics. Florida is struggling pretty badly on offense right now as well. Aaron Harang and Ricky Nolasco have both been dealing of late. Harang has a 0.95 ERA in his last three starts and Nolasco has a 0.78 ERA in his last three starts. The under is 5-0 in Nolasco's last 5 starts. Mark Carlson is a solid under umpire behind the plate as well, which should help both pitchers on the corners of the zone. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Boston Red Sox bats were quieted on Tuesday night, but I don't think that will last long. Boston put up 15 runs on Monday, and I think they'll score several in this one. Jake Arrieta and Andrew Miller have both struggled with control this year and I expect several free passes. The temperature is expected to be about 96 degrees, whcih should help the ball really carry in Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon. The over is 4-1 in Miller's last 5 starts. The over is 20-7 in the Orioles last 27. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken the first two games of this key series from the Reds. The Pirates are now stunningly in first place in the NL Central. Both teams send their most consistent pitchers to the hill on Wednesday. Johnny Cueto has an ERA of 2.01 this year and Jeff Karstens has a 2.34 ERA. How about a great stat for this one? Cueto has thrown ten straight quality starts, and Karstens has thrown eight straight quality starts. The under is 8-1 in Karstens last 9 starts. The under is 4-1 in the Reds last 5. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Rubby De La Rosa has surprised quite a few people with his impressive pitching since being called up a couple months ago. De La Rosa has a solid 3.74 ERA, and he has thrown three straight quality starts. Madison Bumgarner has a 4-9 record, but his ERA is a respectable 3.74. The under is 13-6 in Bumgarner's last 19 home starts. The under is 6-1 in the Dodgers last 7 games. The under is 25-9-1 in the Giants last 35 home games. Bill Miller is behind the dish here, and he is my single favorite 'under' umpire in baseball. The under has cashed in 67% of the time in his last 106 games behind the plate. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Diego Padres offense ranks last in the majors in many major categories. Anibal Sanchez has been pretty inconsistent of late, but I think the Padres are just what the doctor ordered to get him back on track. Sancehez has a very good ERA of 3.3 at home this year. Tim Stauffer has quietly pitched very well this year for San Diego. Stauffer has an ERA of 2.97 this season. The under is 22-8-1 in Stauffer's last 31 starts. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Florida. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Rick Porcello has been extremely inconsistent this year, and he has been bad at home. Porcello has an ERA over 6 at home this year. The over is 6-0 in his last 6 starts overall. Guillermo Moscoso has been terrific so far this year, but I'm skeptical about his chances of keeping it going. He didn't fare that well in Triple A and I think he is bound to have some regression soon. The Tigers can hit the ball pretty well and it's nice and warm in Detroit right now. I think the total is set pretty low here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Shaun Marcum was cruising along and pitching great earlier this year, but ever since he was injured last month he hasn't been the same. Marcum has pitched just once at Coors Field, and he allowed two runs in one inning. The ball is really flying at Coors right now with 90 degree plus temperatures and the wind blowing out. Aaron Cook has been extremely inconsistent this year. The over is 4-1 in Marcum's last 5 starts. The over is 4-0 in Cook's last 4 starts. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Jair Jurrjens has been spectacular all year long. The Nationals lineup isn't very good, and no one in the Washington lineup has been particularly successful in their career against Jurrjens. Tom Gorzelanny is a decent lefty, and the Braves have been horrible against lefties this year. Atlanta is averaging just 2.99 runs per game against lefties. Without Chipper Jones in the lineup, they lose one of their best hitters. The under is 7-2-3 in Jurrjens last 12 starts. The under is 4-1 in Gorzelanny's last 5 road starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Zack Greinke has been very inconsistent this year. It is going to be a hot day with the wind blowing out at Coors Field on Saturday. I think the conditions will be difficult for the pitchers. Greinke has four appearances against Colorado in his career, and he has a terrible 7.56 ERA in those four games. Chacin is a solid pitcher, but he is young and he has been getting hit by good teams of late. The Brewers offense was shut out yesterday, but with guys like Braun, Fielder, Hart, Weeks, etc. I don't think they'll be silent for a second straight game. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Hidden Gem Total* The Reds came back and beat the Cardinals in dramatic fashion last night. These two NL Central rivals badly want to win this game, and both teams have shown they can hit the opposing starter. Chris Carpenter is a very good pitcher, but the over is 6-0 in his last 6 starts in Cincinnati. Bronson Arroyo hasn't been pitching that well of late, and this Cardinals team can really make a pitcher pay for leaving the ball up in the zone as he sometimes does. I think this one is set a little too low. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals TKO* Carlos Carrasco is a streaky pitcher, and he hasn't been pitching well at all lately. Carrasco has an ERA of 8.36 in his last three starts. Baltimore has dropped nine straight games, but it hasn't been because of their offense. The Orioles have scored four runs or more in six of those nine losses. Alfredo Simon starts for the Orioles. He is a former reliever and the Orioles are so short-handed in their rotation that they are trying him as a starter. I expect both starter's to get hit hard. The over is 5-1 in the Indians last 6. The over is 6-1 in the Orioles last 7. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Cole Hamels is pitching just as well as anyone in baseball over the last month or two. Hamels hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his last nine starts. Jon Niese has been good at home this year. Both these teams have a much weaker lineup than normal. The Phillies are without Victorino and Polanco. The Mets are without Reyes and Wright. The under is 14-5-1 in Hamels' last 20 starts. The under is 9-3 in the Mets last 12 games. I expect a pitcher's duel in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Colby Lewis has a good history against the Seattle Mariners, and this year's Mariners lineup is extremely weak. Derek Holland shut them out last night, and I think Lewis will continue his impressive starts against Seattle. Doug Fister is pitching for Seattle and he has quietly been very good all year. Fister has a great ERA of 1.96 in his last three starts. Bill Miller is the umpire here, and he is my single favorite 'under' umpire. The under is an amazing 65-30-6 in his last 101 games behind the plate. The under is 5-0 in Lewis' last 5 in Seattle. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Colorado Rockies bats are starting to heat up of late. The Rockies are a second half team, and they pounded out 12 runs last night. Chris Narveson has been shaky at Coors in the past (5.4 ERA), and the Rockies hit left-handers pretty well. Juan Nicasio is an inconsistent youngster at this point, and the Brewers lineup is very good. Ed Rapuano is behind the plate here. The 'over' is 15-4-2 in Rapuano's last 21 behind the plate. The over is also 18-7-1 in the Brewers last 26 games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Luke Hochevar and Nick Blackburn are both struggling mightily right now. Hochevar has an ERA of 9.22 in his last three starts, and Blackburn has a ridiculous 12.15 ERA in his last three starts. Sam Holbrook is the umpire behind the plate in this one, and he is one of the best 'over' umpires in the league. The over is 12-5 in his 17 games behind the dish this year. The over is 20-5-2 in Hochevar's last 27 road starts. The over is a stunning 26-9-1 in their last 36 meetings between these two. The over is 4-1-1 in Hochevar's last 6 against the Twins. The over is 4-0-1 in Blackburn's last 5 starts against the Royals. Expect both pitchers to fair poorly in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* A pitching matchup of Yovani Gallardo and Ubaldo Jimenez sounds like a pitcher's duel, but a closer look at the numbers tells you that is unlikely in this case. Gallardo has started three times in Colorado, and he has an ERA of 9.19 in those three starts. Jimenez has an ERA over 6 at home this year. The over is 6-2-1 in his last 9 home starts. The over is 11-4-1 in Gallardo's last 15 road starts. The over is also 4-0-1 in Gallardo's last 5 starts against the Rockies. The wind will be blowing out, and Coors Field is still a great hitters park. Take the over.

*3 Star Sunday Night Baseball Totals TKO* Matt Cain has been pitching very well of late, and the Giants struggle badly on offense. Mike Pelfrey is very inconsistent, but I think he'll be able to hold down this San Francisco offense. The under is 3-1-1 in Pelfrey's last 5 against the Giants. The under is 23-9-1 in the Giants last 33 home games. Bill Miller is the umpire here, and he may well be the best 'under' umpire in the game. The under is 12-2 in Miller's last 14 Sunday games behind the dish. I expect a pitcher's duel. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Dontrelle Willis makes his return to the big leagues as the Cincinnati Reds starter here. Willis has been good in the minors this year, but I have to think he'll be pretty nervous for this one. The Brewers have some very good bats and they should score plenty. Randy Wolf has an ERA of 6.00 in his last 3 starts. The Reds have a good history against Wolf, and Cincinnati absolutely crushes left-handed pitching. Both pitchers are capable of giving up a lot, so I'll take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Michael Pineda is just 22 years old, but he is already one of the best power arms in the majors. Pineda has a terrific fastball, and I just don't see this Angels team getting to him much. Piniero is a pretty good pitcher, and this Seattle team is very weak offensively. The under is 18-7-2 in Seattle's last 27 road games. The under is 38-16-10 in the Angels last 64 home games. The total is set low here, but it is set low for a very good reason. A 2-1 type of final score wouldn't surprise me. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Johnny Cueto has been the most consistent pitcher in the majors so far this year. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a single game this year. Shaun Marcum is getting healthy once again, and he is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball right now. The under is 4-0-1 in Cueto's last 5 road starts. Ryan Braun is expected to miss this game, and the Brewers offense isn't nearly as strong without him. I think both pitchers will bring their best stuff. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Rick Porcello has been hit very hard of late. Porcello has an ERA of 8.80 in his last three starts. Kyle Davies missed a couple months with an injury, but in his first start back he picked up right where he left off earlier this year. Davies allowed 7 runs (4 earned) in three innings in Colorado last week. For the year, Davies has a 7.77 ERA. The over is 5-2 in Davies' last 7 home starts. The over is 5-0 in Porcello's last 5 starts. I expect both offenses to put up several runs here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Rich Harden just came back from the DL, and I think this is a bad matchup for him. Harden has a career 5.48 ERA at Texas, and the ball is flying extremely well right now in Texdas because of the 100 degree heat without too much humidity. Derek Holland is starting for Texas, and he has a 6.8 ERA at home this year. The over is 5-0 in Holland's last 5 starts. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Expect a high scoring affair in the heat Thursday night. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Livan Hernandez has a 2.49 ERA at home this year. Matt Garza has pitched much better than his record indicates. Mike Muchlinkski is the umpire in this one and he is a solid 'under' umpire. The under is 6-1 in his last 7 games behind the dish, and he has a wide strike zone. The under is 6-1-1 in the Cubs last 8 games. The under is 19-8-1 in Hernandez's last 28 home starts. The wind is expected to be blowing in during this game. I expect a low scoring pitcher's duel in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Madison Bumgarner has had one bad start all year. Unfortunately for me it was the game I chose to take the under on a couple weeks ago. Bumgarner went one third of an inning and gave up eight runs. In the rest of his starts this year he has been stellar. In fact, he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs since May other than that one meltdown a couple weeks ago. I'm guessing he'll be good against a poor Padres lineup here. Moseley is underrated for San Diego, and the Giants lineup is very weak. The temperature is expected to be in the upper 50's, so the ball won't be carrying. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Zach Duke hasn't been very good so far this year, and he has been even worse at Miller Park in his career. Duke has a career ERA of 8.13 in his 11 starts at Miller Park. Randy Wolf doesn't have dominating stuff, and he relies on getting the corners. Tony Randazzo is the umpire here, and he is one of the better 'over' umpires in the league. Randazzo will likely squeeze the zone on both of these soft tossing lefties. Wolf has a career ERA of 6.49 when Randazzo is behind the plate. The over is 4-0 in the Brewers last 4 games. The over is 6-2 in Arizona's last 8. Take the over.

*5 Star Top Play Total* Chris Jakubauskas is slated to start for the Baltimore Orioles. I continue to believe that he won't last much longer in the Orioles rotation. He has never proven capable of keeping a starting role, and this is a terrible matchup for him. It is expected to be 95 degrees in this game and the wind will be pushing the ball out toward center and left field. Colby Lewis has been erratic this year and Jakubauskas is liable to get hit around pretty hard by this strong Rangers lineup. The over is 6-1 in Lewis' last 7 home starts. The over is 9-4 in the Orioles last 13. Expect a high scoring game. Take the over big here!

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Tim Lincecum is back on his game and the San Diego Padres are a team he has dominated in the past. Lincecum also has a 1.35 ERA in his last three starts overall. Clayton Richard started the season poorly, but he has been pitching well of late. San Francisco's offense isn't very good at all now with all the injury problems they have had. The under is a stunning 21-5-1 in the Giants last 27 home games. The under is 4-1-1 in Richard's last 6 starts against the Giants. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* This is a matchup between two of the best young starting pitchers in all of baseball. Ian Kennedy has a stellar 2.28 ERA on the road this year. The under is 5-1 in his last 6 road starts. Gio Gonzalez has a 2.17 ERA at home this year, and he has a 1.29 ERA in his last three starts. The under is 5-1 in his last 6 starts overall. D.J. Reyburn is behind home plate, and that is a good thing for under bettors. The under is 11-1 in Reyburn's last 12 Sunday games behind the dish. It is also 9-2 in his last 11 overall. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Coors Field is one of those parks where you absolutely have to know the weather forecast. On Sunday the conditions will be favorable for the ball to be flying out of this park in a big way. The temperature is expected to be about 93 or 94 degrees during this game, and with humidity levels expected to be at just 13% the ball will carry very well. Hochevar has been terrible on the road. The over is 19-5-2 in his last 26 road starts. The over is also 11-4 in Hammel's last 15 home starts. Jim Reynolds is behind the dish and he is known as one of the biggest over umpires in the game. The over is 37-17-2 in his last 56 Sunday games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Cory Luebke is a very good young pitcher who I believe has a solid future as a starting pitcher. Seattle and San Diego have two of the worst offenses in the majors. Doug Fister has pitched well all year, but he never gets much run support at all. The under is 12-3 in Seattle's last 15 games. The under is 6-1-1 in Fister's last 8 starts. Phil Cuzzi is the umpire behind the plate in this one, and he is a very solid under umpire. The under is 19-7-6 in his last 32 games behind home plate. I expect a pitcher's duel here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* You will rarely ever see a total set as low as 6, but this one is deservedly set extremely low. Here we have two poor offenses and two of the very best pitchers in the league. Jered Weaver has the AL's best ERA this year at 1.97, and Clayton Kershaw has a 2.93 ERA. Kershaw has gotten much more efficient with his pitches, which has allowed him to throw back to back complete games. These two faced off last week in a 3-2 Dodgers win, and I think this one will be just as low if not lower scoring. The under is 40-13-6 in Weaver's last 59 starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Doug Eddings will be behind the dish in this one, and many consider him to be the best 'under' umpire in baseball. Eddings has a very wide strike zone, and I expect both pitchers to take advantage of this. Niemann has been inconsistent, but in his only outing with Eddings in his career he threw a 7 inning shutout. McClellan continues to be underrated and he has a 3.53 ERA on the road this year. Tampa Bay has been an under machine at home. The under is 40-11-2 in the Rays last 53 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* Tim Hudson has been very good of late, but Interleague Play hasn't been kind to Hudson at all in the past. The Braves are 3-16 in Hudson's last 19 Interleague starts. In that 19 game span, Hudson has an ERA of 6.24. Jake Arrieta was removed from his last start with elbow issues, and I wonder if there won't be some residual problems on Saturday. Tim McClelland is the umpire here and he is a huge 'over' umpire. The over is 12-3 in his 15 games behind the plate this year, and he has called the lowest percentage of strikes of any umpire in the league. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Both of these pitchers are throwing the ball well of late, and neither offense is particularly good. John Lannan has a stellar 1.81 ERA at home this year. The under is 6-1 in Lannan's last 7 home starts. The under is 6-1 in the Pirates last 7 road games. This is the first game of a doubleheader, which means some regulars might be missing from the lineup here. With two weak lineups and two very capable starters, I think the under is a good value in this one. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The White Sox and Rockies have played to two 3-2 final scores in the first two games of the series. I expect a much higher scoring affair on Thursday afternoon. Jake Peavy has been inconsistent of late and his 4.59 career ERA at Coors Field is nothing to write home about. Aaron Cook has yet to put together a quality start this year. The other major factor here is the weather. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 15 to 20 mph, which is a big help at Coors Field. The low humidity and hot temperatures will also help the ball fly well. Expect a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Boston Red Sox definitely have a very strong lineup, but that lineup isn't as strong in this series as it normally is. I don't expect both Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez to start in this one, which means the Red Sox will be without one of their best bats. With Carl Crawford out the Sox are also without another big bat. The Phillies have struggled against top lefties this year. Jon Lester has a 2.45 ERA in his last three starts, while Cole Hamels has a 2.11 ERA in his last three. These two lefties should make life very difficult on the hitters. How about this stat? The under is 11-0 in the Phillies last 11 interleague games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chris Jakubauskas hasn't had a terrible game yet since getting moved into the Orioles starting rotation, but I believe he is capable of getting torched in any given start. Opponents are hitting .369 against him, and the Cardinals have a very good offense even without Pujols. Chris Carpenter hasn't been that good this year, especially on the road. Carpenter had a 5.57 ERA on the road this year. The over is 9-2-1 in the Cardinals last 12. The over is 6-1 in the Orioles last 7. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Both Dan Haren and Jordan Zimmerman have the ability to completely shutdown the opposition. Haren hasn't had his best stuff lately, but the Nationals lineup simply isn't very good. Zimmerman has been tremendous of late. Zimmerman has ten straight quality starts and he has an 0.89 ERA in his last three starts. Both pitchers are betting during the day, and this is a day game in LA. Zimmerman has a 2.51 ERA during the day. Haren has a 1.82 ERA during the day. The under is 6-1 in Zimmerman's last 7. The under is 7-1-2 in Haren's last 10 home starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Padres and the Royals are two of the weaker offenses in the majors. Tim Stauffer is one of the more underrated pitchers in the National League right now. Stauffer has been tremendous in San Diego. He has a 2.96 ERA at home this year, and the under is 11-4-1 in his last 16 home starts. Bruce Chen has pitched well for the Royals this year, and San Diego has struggled mightily to score runs at home this year. The under is 16-4-1 in the Padres last 21 home games against a lefty. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Coors Field can be the best hitters ballpark in the majors when the conditions are right. Low humidity on a summer day is great for an over, and that is what is expected on Tuesday. Gavin Floyd and Jason Hammel have both been getting hit hard of late. Floyd has an ERA of 6.16 in his last three starts and Hammel has a 6.23 ERA in that span. The over is 5-2 in Floyd's last 7 starts. The over is 11-3 in Hammel's last 14 home starts. I expect both teams to put up quite a few runs here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Jeff Francis hasn't been pitching well of late, especially on the road. Francis has a 5.94 ERA in his last three starts, and he has a 6.93 ERA on the road this year. Mat Latos hasn't had his 2010 form this year. Latos hasn't been bad, but he has been mediocre. The Royals actually hit for a decent average, and I think they'll loop in several hits in this big park. The over is 3-0-1 in the Royals last 4 road games. The over is 5-1 in the Padres last 6 games. The over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Ballpark at Arlington is a great hitters park when the "wind tunnel effect" is on, and tomorrow should be perfect conditions for that effect. A wind in from right center actually pushes fly balls out toward center and left, resulting in quite a few long balls. The same effect was there on Saturday and the finals was 14-5. Derek Holland has struggled at home (6.03 ERA) and Dillon Gee has never pitched in Texas. The 98 degree temperature with low humidity should help the ball fly. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Washington Nationals offense is not very good at all, but their pitching staff has been brilliant of late. Livan Hernandez has been underrated by the books for quite some time now. The under is 17-7-2 in his last 26 road games. Phillip Humber is another underrated pitcher by the books, and the under is 9-4 in his last 13 starts overall. Marty Foster is a nice under umpire behind the plate for this one as well. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 10 to 15 mph. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Cleveland Indians don't hit left-handers very well, and Johnathan Sanchez has been pitching fairly well this year. Sanchez has a 3.23 ERA at home this year. Carlos Carrasco is pitching brilliantly of late for the Indians. San Francisco's offense is severely short-handed right now, and the Giants simply don't have that much firepower. Carrasco has a stunning 0.42 ERA in his last three starts. The under is 19-7 in the Giants last 26 home games. The forecast calls for 55 degrees in this one, which means the ball shouldn't travel well at all. I like the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Wandy Rodriguez is one of the best pitchers in the National League, but he doesn't quite get the publicity he deserved. Rodriguez has thrown a quality start in seven straight games. In his last three starts he has an ERA of 1.00. The under is 7-1-1 in his last 9 starts. James Shields has an ERA of 2.40 in 2011, and at this point he is a leading contender for the Cy Young Award in the American League. The Astros offense isn't that great, and both of these pitchers often pitch deep into the game. The under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Both of these teams are 37-37, but neither team has an impressive offense. It has been the pitching of both the Mariners and Nationals that have helped them surprise many people. Michael Pineda is as good as any young pitcher in the big leagues. He has thrown a quality start in 10 of his 13 starts in the majors. Jason Marquis is a sinker ball pitcher, and when he is on he can be tough to hit. The under is 6-1 in the Mariners last 7 games. This is a getaway day and that usually means some top players getting a day of rest, which should help as well. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Total* Nick Blackburn and Ryan Vogelsong are both on a terrific run right now. Blackburn has only allowed more than two earned runs on one occasion in his last nine starts. Vogelsong has an ERA of 0.96 at home this year. Neither of these offenses are very good to start with, and both are dealing with a ton of injuries right now. The under is 25-12-3 in Blackburn's last 40 road starts. The under is 8-0 in Vogelsong's last 8 starts overall. Look for a pitcher's duel in San Francisco on Tuesday. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Brett Myers has made one start at Texas and he lasted just two innings while allowing five earned runs. Colby Lewis has been awful in the month of June in his career (6.30 ERA) and he has a 7.44 ERA at home this year. The hot weather generally helps the ball travel well here, and there should be a bit of a wind tunnel effect in this game. The over is 12-5-1 in Myers' last 18 starts. The over is 6-0 in Lewis' last 6 home starts. The over is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. I expect a high scoring affair here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* In this one we get two very good left-handed pitchers, and I like taking the under in those instances. Erik Bedard was giving up the long ball at the beginning of the year, but he has been great in his last ten starts. Bedard hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his last 10 starts. John Lannan has a stellar 1.77 ERA in his last three starts and he has a 1.84 ERA at home this year. Neither team's lineup is very good against lefties. I think both starting pitchers will pitch well. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Sam Holbrook is the umpire behind the plate in this one, which means the 'over' is worth a hard look. The over is 12-3 in his 15 games behind the dish this year. Holbrook has a tiny strike zone, and I think that will make a difference in this game. Both of these pitchers really try to work the edges (especially Tomlin) and without an umpire that will give them the corners they will likely struggle. Tomlin started out hot this year, but he has been bad of late. Hammel is very inconsistent. The total is set low here, and the wind will be blowing out. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Minnesota Twins and the San Francisco Giants have a lot in common right now. The Twins and Giants are both missing several key hitters from their lineup, and both teams are getting great efforts from their pitching staff of late. Carl Pavano has allowed just four runs in his last three starts, and he should do well against the Giants offense in this pitchers ballpark. Madison Bumgarner has a poor record this year, but he has pitched quite well. Bumgarner has a solid 3.21 ERA in 2011. The under is 18-7-1 in the Giants last 26. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Mike Minor has an ERA of 5.4 in his major league career so far. The Toronto Blue Jays bats have been cold of late, but they are terrific against lefties. I expect Bautista and company to snap out of their funk in this one. Zach Stewart is pitching in only his second major league game, and this will be his first on the road. The Braves offense hasn't been good of late, but once again I feel like this is a good spot for them. Heyward is healthy and McCann is crushing the ball right now. Angel Campos is behind the dish, and he is one of the best 'over' umpires in the business. The over is 9-2-2 in Minor's last 13 starts. Take the over.

*5 Star Top Play Total* The Texas Rangers have a dangerous lineup, and they absolutely thrive on hitting left-handed pitching. J.A. Happ is a flyball pitcher and that isn't a good thing on a hot Texas night in Arlington. This is a park that has a wind tunnel effect at times, which pushes the ball straight out toward center, and Monday's conditions appear ripe for that to happen. I expect a lot of home runs and some difficult conditions for the pitchers. Derek Holland has an ERA over 5 at home in his career, and the over is 6-1 in his last 7 at home. I expect a high scoring affair. Take the over big in this one.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Anibal Sanchez is a very good pitcher, who has proven he has no-hit stuff when he is on his game. Jered Weaver has a 2.06 ERA this year and he has been consistently very good. Neither of these teams has a strong offense. Mike Stanton is having eye issues and might miss the game. These are two lineups that struggle to put 3 or 4 runs on the board in a normal situation, and these pitchers are both certified aces. The under is an amazing 38-13-6 in Weaver's last 57 starts overall. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Boston Red Sox have been lighting up virtually every pitcher in sight of late. Wade LeBlanc will start Monday night for the Padres, and he has been terrible on the road in his short career in the majors. LeBlanc has an ERA of 6.24 on the road in his career. Andrew Miller will start for the Red Sox, and Miller has an overall career ERA of 5.84. The Padres offense isn't very good, but they have been better on the road. The wind will be blowing out and I could see Boston putting up 10 by themselves, so I like the over in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Minnesota Twins are slowly getting healthy, but they have quite a ways to go. Danny Valencia might miss Sunday's game, and they are still without Kubel, Morneau, Thome, and others. San Diego will likely be without Hawpe, and this Padres offense just isn't very good. Francisco Liriano can be dominating when he is on his game, and he has been on it of late. I don't see San Diego putting up many runs. Dustin Mosely has been underrated this year and he has an impressive 3.16 ERA. I like the value on the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Both of these pitchers have been underrated this year. Justin Masterson started out extremely hot. He has cooled off a bit of late, but he has still been pretty good. Jeff Karstens has flown under the radar, but he has a stellar 2.66 ERA this year. The wind is expected to be blowing in from center field at about 10 mph in this one. Ron Kulpa is behind the plate in this one, and he has been a solid 'under' umpire for quite some time. The under is 4-0 in Karstens last 4 starts. The under is 5-1 in Masterson's last 6 starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Ricky Nolasco has an 8.38 ERA against Tampa Bay in four career starts. The Rays offense is capable of breaking out, and I think this is the perfect opportunity. Alex Cobb won't shut anyone completely down, and the Marlins should be able to put up a few runs here. Tim McClelland is the home plate umpire, and he is one of the best 'over' umpires in the game. McClelland has the lowest called strike percentage of any umpire this year. The over is 8-2 in his last 10 games. Take the over here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Paul Maholm and Carlos Carrasco have both been throwing very well of late. Maholm hasn't gotten much run support all year, but he has an impressive 3.12 ERA in 2011. The under is 11-2 in his 13 starts this year. Carrasco is a young pitcher with a lot of potential, and he has had much better command of late. Neither of these offenses are very strong, and I think the number here is set generously high. I think this will be a low scoring pitchers duel. Take the under in this matchup.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* It would be tough to overstate just how good Jordan Zimmerman has been this year. He has eight straight quality starts, and his ERA in his last three starts is 0.86. Not surprisingly, the under is 5-0 in his last 5 starts. Brian Matusz has very good stuff and I think he is a future star. He pitched poorly last time out, but I think he'll bounce back against a weak Nationals offense. Washington is hitting just .215 against lefties. The under is 18-7-1 in Matusz's last 26 games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Chase Field should be a real hitters ballpark tonight as the roof is open with a temperature of about 100 degrees at first pitch. Daniel Hudson will likely be trying to prove a point to the White Sox tonight, but that is liable to make him wild. Edwin Jackson is a fly ball pitcher and that doesn't bode well for him with the conditions expected tonight. I think both offenses will have a solid output in this one. Look for a high scoring affair to start this series. Take the over!

*3 Star Total Knockout* Colby Lewis is an extremely streaky pitcher, and right now he is pitching horribly. How bad has he been of late? Lewis has allowed 15 earned runs in his last 4 and 2/3 innings pitched! The Braves lineup hasn't been good of late, but they are starting to get healthy and they should be able to score some runs on Lewis. Randall Delgado makes his Major League Debut for the Braves here. Delgado is a good prospect, but I'm not sure he's ready for a lineup like the Rangers have. Delgado has a decent 3.54 ERA in AA this year, but he hasn't even pitched at the AAA level. I think Texas gets to him here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Cincinnati Reds can really hit left-handed pitchers. The Reds average 6.13 runs per game against lefties. JoJo Reyes has pitched better of late, but he is still far from dominating. Reyes has a poor WHIP of 1.51 in 2011. Mike Leake has been pretty good of late for the Reds, but he'll face a very good Toronto lineup in this one. This is the time of the year where the ball starts traveling well at GABP in Cincinnati. The over is 18-7-3 in the Reds last 28 home games. The over is 7-2-1 in the Jays last 10 road games. Take the over.

A pitching matchup of Doug Davis and Freddy Garcia makes me want the over to start with, and the Yankees bats are red hot right now. The Cubs have also been hitting the ball extremely well of late. Both teams are capable of putting up a big number in this one and I think the value is with the over. The Yankees average about 6 runs per game against lefties, and Doug Davis just isn't a very good pitcher at this stage in his career. I expect a high scoring affair at Wrigley Field this afternoon. Take the over

*3 Star Late Night BAILOUT* Chase Field may well be the best hitters ballpark in the majors when the roof is open, especially when there is some dry heat. On Thursday night it is expected to be 100 degrees with almost no humidity in the desert. The roof is expected to be open. Ian Kennedy and Ryan Vogelsong will likely find the going tough with these conditions. Vogelsong has an ERA under one at home in San Francisco, but I expect him to get hit around more on Thursday. The Giants offense is slightly stronger with Sandoval, and the DBacks are strong offensely. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* This pitching matchup should be a very good one. Clay Buchholz has thrown 44 and 2/3 innings against the Rays in his career and his ERA is just 1.81. David Price has been dominating at home in his career. Price has a career ERA of over 4 on the road, but his ERA is 2.50 at home. The Red Sox have a terrific lineup, but Price has a very solid 3.18 ERA against them in his career. Buchholz has been better on the road, and Price has been great at home. The under is 10-1 in Buchholz's last 11 road starts. The under is 22-7-1 in Price's last 30 home starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Cliff Lee has an ERA of just above 4 against Florida, and several of the Marlins have hit him pretty well in the past. Javier Vazquez has been hit hard in Philadelphia and he has an ERA of 7.09 this year. I have to think that Vazquez's time in the majors will be coming to an end soon, and I don't think he can consistently get out guys like Utley, Rollins, Howard, etc. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phillies get to 8 by themselves, but I also think the Marlins will put up at least a couple runs in this one. Take the over.

*5 Star Top Play* Looking at the splits for Luke Hochevar is pretty amazing for this one. Hochevar has always struggled on the road, but he has been absolutely awful at Oakland. In three career starts at Oakland Hochevar has an ERA of 15.00. This Oakland offense isn't good, but they have all hit Hochevar well. Josh Outman pitches for the Athletics, and he is a soft-tossing left who tries to hit the corners. Tim Tschida is behind the plate here and he is a solid 'over' umpire. Tschida doesn't give pitchers the edges often, and the over is 6-2 in his last 8 games behind home plate. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Atlanta Braves are short-handed offensively right now. Jason Heyward, Martin Prado, and Nate McClouth are all injured. Freddie Freeman is questionable for this one with a hamstring injury. Tim Hudson will face Dillon Gee in this one. Hudson has been lights out against the Mets in the last few years. The under is 7-1 in his last 8 starts against the Mets. Gee has a 1.64 ERA in his last three starts overall. Bill Miller is behind the dish here, and Miller may be the best under umpire in all of baseball. The under is a stunning 61-28-6 in his last 95 games behind home plate. Take the under.

*3 Star Hidden Gem Total* Fausto Carmona and Brad Penny are both pitchers who are quite inconsistent. At times they have great stuff and at other times they get hit hard. Both Penny and Carmona need an umpire to give them the corners, and that should happen with Brian Runge behind the plate. Runge is calling 65.3% of pitches a strike in 2011, which is the highest percentage in all of baseball. The under is 35-17-4 in Runge's last 56 games behind home plate. The under is also 9-4 in the last 13 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* The Yankees have one of the best offenses in baseball, and they hit left-handers extremely well. Derek Holland has struggled against New York in the past, and I think that will continue Wednesday. Holland has an ERA of 8.61 in his three starts against the Yankees. Ivan Nova starts for the Yankees, and he is inconsistent. The Rangers lineup is a very good one, and I expect them to put up several runs as well. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two. I expect a high-scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds have one of the best offenses in the National League. With Phillips, Votto, and Bruce in the middle of the order the Reds are difficult to handle. Travis Wood gave up eight runs against the Dodgers last time out. Dodger Stadium is a pitchers park at night, but during the daytime the ball carries much better. Gerry Davis is behind the dish here, and Davis has a very small strike zone. The over is 5-0 in Davis' last 5 games behind the plate. The wind will be blowing out tomorrow afternoon. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* The San Francisco Giants are severely short-handed on offense right now. Pablo Sandoval will be in the lineup Tuesday, but I have to think he'll be a little rusty. The Giants are missing Posey, Sanchez, DeRosa, and possibly Rowand (questionable). Not surprisingly, the under is 5-1 in the Giants last 6. Josh Collmenter has been absolutely amazing this year. He has yet to allow more than two earned runs in a game, and he has pitched a shutout in four of his six starts. Matt Cain looked great last time out and he has an ERA of just about 3 against the DBacks in his career. The under is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jon Niese has turned into a solid left-handed pitcher. The Atlanta Braves are very short-handed on offense right now. The top and bottom of the Braves order are quite vulnerable. Jair Jurrjens has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year, and the under is 5-0-2 in his last 7 starts overall. The Braves are averaging just above 3 runs per game against lefties this year, and Niese has an ERA of just 1.25 in his last three games. The under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings at Atlanta between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Top Total* The Boston Red Sox have scored 54 runs in their last 5 games. James Shields started the year brilliantly, but he has an ERA above 6 in his last three starts. Tim Wakefield is hittable and this Tampa Bay team should be able to put up a few runs against him. I think there is a good chance both teams will put up at least 4 or 5 runs. The over is 9-1-2 in the Red Sox last 11 games. The over is 5-0 in Wakfield's last 5 starts against Tampa Bay. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Both of these starting pitchers are fully capable of giving up six or seven runs by themself so I really like the value on this over. Baltimore's offense has been slowly coming around as Hardy and Reynolds start producing. Toronto has one of the top five offenses in the league and against Jakabauskas I expect them to put up a lot of runs. The over is 7-1 in Toronto's last 8 home games. The over is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two. The over is 4-0 in Villaneuva's last 4 starts. Take the over!

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Both Jason Vargas and Dan Haren are fully capable of pitching a gem. Both of them have terrific numbers against the opponent in this matchup. Vargas has a career ERA of just 2.12 in eight games against the Angels. Haren has seven starts in Seattle in his career, and he has a spectacular ERA of just 1.99. Seattle and Los Angeles are both very weak offensive teams. The Angels were shutout for the ninth time this year yesterday, and Seattle has a team batting average of just .228. I really like the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Wandy Rodriguez is expected to come off the DL and start for the Astros in this one. When he is healthy, Rodriguez is definitely the Astros best pitcher. He is particularly great when pitching at home. Derek Lowe is a streaky pitcher and he pitched a gem in his last outing. Earlier this year these two had a great pitching duel, and I think a similarly well-pitched game is highly likely. Hunter Pence is questionable for this one and Heyward and McLouth are still out for Atlanta. The under is 12-5-1 in Lowe's last 18 starts. The under is 7-0 in Rodriguez's last 7 starts overall. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The Detroit Tigers have a pretty impressive lineup. With Miguel Caberera, Brennan Boesch, and Victor Martinez they have a strong middle of the order. Monday night they'll add a healthy Magglio Ordonez to the lineup. Tampa Bay's bats have heated up of late as well. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 10-15 mph in this game. Phil Coke is inconsistent on the mound for Detroit, and Alex Cobb is a youngster with just one start on the road in his short MLB career. The over is 7-1 in Coke's last 8 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Seattle Mariners have been a big surprise this year, but there is no doubt they have a weak offense. Rick Porcello has been very good of late, and he has shut down the Mariners in the past. In four career starts, Porcello has a 2.96 ERA against Seattle. Felix Hernandez is dominating just about wherever he pitches, and he has a stellar 2.71 ERA in 10 starts against Detroit. The under is 25-11-2 in Hernandez's last 38 starts. I think this is a good value on the under at 7.5. Take the under.