Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Washington Nationals and Cleveland Indians have very similar records heading into this game. If we assume that both lineups are pretty similar at this point (and I do), then we can break down the game based on starting pitching and the bullpens. There is absolutely no doubt that Washington has a huge edge here with Zimmerman starting. Zimmerman is one of the most consistent starters in baseball. Kazmir has an ERA over 5 this year. The Nats bullpen is solid while the Indians are in the bottom 5 of the majors. Take Washington.

*3 Star MLB Dog of Day* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies as a decent underdog last night, and I love the value here again. Tyler Chatwood isn't the kind of pitcher that should be -150 against anyone, especially when his offense will be without Troy Tulowitzki (their best hitter in my opinion), and probably Dexter Fowler as well. The Phillies aren't great, but they are too good to be this big of an underdog against Chatwood and a short-handed Rockies team. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Revenge* I picked the St. Louis Cardinals last night in Game One of this series. They would have won the game if it weren't for key error that scored two runs, but I expect them to bounce back big in this one. Koehler hasn't faced a lineup this good so far this year. Lance Lynn has been a money maker for Cardinals bettors for quite some time. The Cardinals are 21-7 in Lynn's last 28 starts. The Marlins are 17-40 in their last 57 against a righty. It's the best team in the league against the worst here. Take St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle Total* The Kansas City Royals pitching staff has shocked a lot of people this year (myself included). The Royals rank first in the American League in team ERA. Kansas City has gotten great work from Jeremy Guthrie all year, and he has been great in Tampa Bay in the past. Alex Cobb is one of the most underrated young pitchers in the league. The under is 5-0 in Guthrie's last 5 on 4 days of rest. The under is 4-0 in Guthrie's last 4 starts. The under is 4-0 in Cobb's last 4 starts when his team scored 2 runs or less in the previous game. The under is 4-0 in the Royals last 4 against a starter with a WHIP of 1.15 or less. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The Yankees are a much bigger underdog here than they would have been because of their 18 inning loss in Oakland yesterday. Even though the Yankees had a long day yesterday, this is too large of a price for me to pass up. The Angels may be the better team on paper, but they haven't been the better team on the field this year. Los Angeles has struggled against lefties all year, and Andy Pettitte is still a solid lefty. C.J. Wilson isn't the pitcher he once was, and the Angels are 1-6 in his last 7 starts. The Angels are also 1-6 in their last 7 as a favorite. Take the Yankees.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Value* Scott Diamond is a talented but inconsistent young pitcher for the Twins. Interestingly Diamond has been great against the Tigers in his career. He has a 2.98 ERA in 7 starts in his career against Detroit. The Tigers are a very good team, but they aren't very good on the road. They are just 14-18 on the road so far this year, and the Tigers are 6-21 in their last 27 road games against a left-handed pitcher. Rick Porcello is extremely inconsistent especially on the road. I like the home underdog here. Take Minnesota +1.5.

*5 Star MLB Top Play Value* The Colorado Rockies took a huge hit yesterday when their best three players all went down due to injury. Troy Tulowitzki is out several weeks with a broken rib. Dexter Fowler is doubtful for this game due to a hand injury. Carlos Gonzalez is questionable due to foot and ankle swelling after being hit by a batted ball while in the on-deck circle. The Rockies lineup is normally great, but subtracting these three guys leaves a huge void. The Phillies aren't great, but they aren't a bad team either. Kyle Kendrick is having his best season as a pro, and he has a solid ERA of just about 4 in his career at Coors Field. The Phillies are 13-3 in their last 16 in Colorado. Take Philadelphia big.

*5 Star Top Play Moneyline CASH* Jose Fernandez is an extremely talented young pitcher, but I think he may be over his head in this match up. Fernandez is only 20 years old, and he has thrown the ball well against subpar lineups, but he has struggled against the best offenses he has faced. The Cardinals have the best record in baseball at 43-23, and they have the best lineup in the National League. A pitcher just doesn't get a break when trying to get through this Cardinals batting order. Jake Westbrook is coming back from an injury, which is probably why this line isn't any steeper. Still, the Cardinals are the best team in baseball right now and the Marlins are the worst. The Cardinals are 6-0 in their last 6 Friday games. The Marlins are 0-5 in Fernandez's last 5 starts against a team with a winning record. The Cardinals are 10-2 in their last 12 meetings with Miami. Take St. Louis big.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Justin Masterson has had a couple hiccups this year, but for the most part, he has pitched like an Ace. Masterson has been brilliant at home this season, and the Nationals lineup isn't the same without Bryce Harper. Gio Gonzalez has been rounding into form of late, and he has been spectacular in his career when pitching in Cleveland. In four career starts at Cleveland, Gonzalez has an amazing 0.68 ERA. Neither of these offenses are terrific right now, and I expect a great game from both starting pitchers. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Francisco Giants have a much better offense than they did a year ago. Charlie Morton hasn't pitched in more than a year and he'll make his return in this one after Tommy John surgery. Matt Cain hasn't been himself this year. He has an ERA above 6 on the road this year. Tim McClelland may well be the best 'over' umpire in the business, and he'll be behind the dish in this one. He has had one of the smallest strike zones for many years, and he'll squeeze both pitchers in this one. I like the value here. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle Total* The New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics offenses have both been struggling of late. Hiroki Kuroda has been the Yankees best pitcher all year. Jarrod Parker started the year slowly, but he has six straight quality starts. The A's offense was on fire earlier this year, which made oddsmakers overadjust their totals for this team. Now, the under is a nice value with Oakland playing more like the team from last year. The under is 6-0-1 in the Yankees last 7 Thursday games. The under is 4-0-1 in Kuroda's last 5 against a team with a winning record. The under is 6-0 in Oakland's last 6 home games against a righty. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Coors Field is still the best park in the majors for hitters when the conditions are right, and they'll be great on Thursday afternoon. The ball really flies well in the afternoon here, and temperatures are expected to be in the upper 80's for this one. Ross Detwiler and Jeff Francis are two lefties who have been struggling of late. Francis has an ERA over 6 this year. Detwiler will have trouble getting through a Rockies lineup that is stacked from top to bottom. The over is 17-7-1 in Francis' last 25 starts at home. The over is 5-1-1 in the Rockies last 7. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Major Mismatch* Ross Ohlendorf is making his Washington Nationals debut in this one. Ohlendorf has had some terrible seasons of late. In fact, his ERA was 7 or higher in each of his last two seasons. It's hard to imagine him having any luck at Coors Field against a very good Rockies lineup. The Nationals are very short handed offensively right now, and Jorge De La Rosa is an underrated pitcher for Colorado. The Rockies are 29-4 in De La Rosa's last 33 home starts as a favorite. I'll take the better pitcher and a much better lineup in a mismatch here. Take the Rockies -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Mike Pelfery has an ERA of 6.3 so far this year. It's very rare that he can get through a start without giving up a big inning. The Phillies offense has been much better of late thanks to a surge in production from Domonic Brown. Brown has turned into the star hitting outfielder that many thought he would be a couple years ago. Tyler Cloyd is very inconsistent, and the Twins offense has been good at home this season. The wind will be blowing out center field and with these two pitchers, I think this number is too low. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Top Play of the Week* The Texas Rangers dropped a game last night to Cleveland, but that loss only makes me feel better about their chances in this game. In the past 2 years the Rangers are winning at a 70% clip when coming off of a loss. Nick Tepesch has been a good young starter for the Rangers. He has an ERA of just 2.89 at home this year. Ubaldo Jimenez is among the most inconsistent pitchers in baseball. The Rangers have had a ton of success against him at home. Laz Diaz will be behind home plate in this one, and Jimenez has a 10.1 ERA with Diaz behind home plate. Cleveland is 1-11 in their last 12 road games against a team with a winning record. Cleveland is 0-5 in their last 5 games verses a right handed pitcher. Take Texas big!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Justin Verlander went through a brief period where he struggled a few weeks ago, but he is still the most dominating pitcher in the American League. Verlander has a 2.49 ERA in 14 career starts in Kansas City. James Shields is a quality pitcher as well, but the Royals haven't given him much run support all year, and I don't see it starting in this game. This is the rubber match of this three game set, and I believe the Tigers are the much better team. Look for them to win with their Ace on the mound. The Tigers are 5-1 in Verlander's last 6 starts at Kansas City. Detroit is 55-23 in Verlander's last 78 starts overall. Take Detroit.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Los Angeles Angels offense has shown signs of life lately. I still believe the Angels are going to score a ton of runs at some point this year. Jason Hammel has an ERA above 7 at home this year, and he is a guy that the Angels should be able to put up a bunch of runs against. Jerome Williams has been good so far this year, but he has struggled during the day time in his career. This Orioles lineup is much better than most people realize. It'll be a hot day in Baltimore which should help the ball carry well in this contest. The over is 7-0 in Hammel's last 7 starts against a team with a losing record. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Colorado Rockies have one of the best offenses in baseball, and they also have a poor pitching staff. Dan Haren is one of the weak links on the Nationals staff at this point. Coors Field is still the best hitters ballpark when the conditions are right. They can't be more right than they are on Tuesday. A temperature in the upper 80's and a wind blowing straight out to center at 20 miles per hour will really make it rough on these pitchers. Chacin has an ERA above 5 at home. Expect lots of runs in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Detroit Tigers have the best offense in baseball. Detroit averages 5.15 runs per game, and they'll get to face Wade Davis in this one. Davis is a very inconsistent pitcher who gives up big innings quite often. Against such a strong offense, I don't expect him to pitch well. The wind is expected to be blowing out 15-20 mph in this one and the temperature will be in the upper 80's. This is perfect conditions for the ball to really travel well here. I like the value here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Cleveland Indians are 0-11 in their last 11 road games against a team with a winning record. Texas may be the best team in the American League, and Derek Holland is a very underrated starting pitcher. The Rangers are 39-16 in Holland's last 53 starts. Holland has a stellar 2.31 ERA in his career against Cleveland. Kluber starts for Cleveland and I suspect he'll struggle in this hitter-friendly ballpark. The Indians are sliding fast right now. I like Texas to win big. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Diego Padres have been playing pretty well lately, but they aren't in the same class at the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta is much better than San Diego in every aspect of the game. The Braves have the better starting pitcher here, a better lineup, and a much better bullpen. Julio Teheran is turning into the dominant starter that many scouts thought he could be. He nearly pitched a no hitter in his last game, and he should shut down this weak Padres lineup. Jason Marquis is past his prime, and the Braves lineup should be able to do some damage against him. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* The Cincinnati Reds are coming off a very tough home loss against the St. Louis Cardinals last night. I think they found the perfect opponent to bounce back with a win on Monday night. The Reds are 40-15 in their last 55 games against the Cubs. They are 19-7 in their last 26 games at Wrigley Field. Scott Feldman has pitched well this year, but he doesn't have a good track record against the Reds. Homer Bailey is a much better pitcher than he was a couple years ago, and he's had great success against the Cubs. The Reds are 7-0 in Bailey's last 7 starts against he Cubs. Take the Reds.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Tampa Bay Rays started the season slowly, but this is a team that just knows how to win. They consistently end up near or at the top of the AL East standings. Alex Cobb has been the Rays most consistent pitcher this season, and most people don't realize just how good Cobb really is. He has great command of all of his pitches, and that allows him to stay out of big innings. John Lackey has pitched well at home this year, but his numbers on the road aren't impressive. I expect the Red Sox to come back down to earth a little bit, and the Rays are always a very tough team to beat at home. The Rays are 6-1 in Cobb's last 7 home starts. The Rays are 8-1 in Cobb's last 9 starts as a favorite. The Red Sox are 1-4 in Lackey's last 5 road starts. Take Tampa Bay.

*5 Star MLB TOP PLAY Crusher* The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to be a massive moneymaker for bettors this year. Pittsburgh is 37-25 on the year, and they have been surprisingly great on the road. The Chicago Cubs simply aren't a very good team this year, and they aren't playing well of late. Jeff Locke is a nice young lefty for the Pirates, and the Cubs hit just .232 against lefties. Edwin Jackson has a career ERA of a little over 7 at Wrigley Field. The Pirates are 4-0 in their last 4 road games against a team with a losing record. The Pirates are 4-0 in Locke's last 4 against the NL Central. The Cubs are 0-6 in Jackson's last 6 home starts. The Cubs are 0-4 in their last 4 home games. The Pirates are 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Take Pittsburgh big!

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Oakland Athletics are much better against lefties than righties, and Hector Santiago isn't exactly a top notch lefty. Santiago walks far too many people, and the A's have the type of team that can manufacture runs off of those walks. They will make him pay for the free passes. A.J. Griffin has been great since coming to the majors for Oakland, and I think he is still underrated by the oddsmakers. Oakland is 41-10 in their last 51 against a team with a losing record. The White Sox are 2-10 in their last 12. Take Oakland.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Miami Marlins and New York Mets just played a ridiculous 20 inning game on Saturday. Generally, the thought is a long game like this would help the over in the following game because of the worn down bullpen. In this case, both Jon Niese and Tom Kohler have a good chance of going deep into the game and saving the bullpen because of their strong pitching. The Marlins average 2.34 runs per game against lefties, which is worst in the majors. The Mets offense isn't good, and Kohler is an underrated youngster. The under is the play here. Take the under.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks have two of the best pitching staffs in the National League, and they don't have particularly good offenses. Madison Bumgarner doesn't have good numbers of late, but his starts have been against very good offenses. Trevor Cahill has a 2.66 ERA at home this year, and his career numbers against the Giants are very good. Last night's game finished at 3-1 and I see a similar type of game here. The starters should go deep into the game as both lineups struggle to string hits together. The under is 5-0 in Cahill's last 5 starts as a home favorite. The under is 6-1 in his last 7 home starts. The under is 6-1 in Bumgarner's last 7 starts as an underdog. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Philadelphia Phillies sit at .500 coming into this game. The Phillies have been playing much better baseball of late. Domonic Brown's emergence as a real offensive threat has been huge for this lineup. Milwaukee has been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball all year. The Brewers haven't been able to win as favorites. Milwaukee is 1-12 in their last 13 games as a home favorite. The Brewers are favorites again here despite Tom Gorzelanny being thrown in as a spot starter here. Gorzelanny has never had much success as a starter. Kyle Kendrick is having his best season as a major leaguer. Kendrick is 6-3 with a 3.12 ERA so far this year. The Phillies are 10-3 in their last 13 games in Milwaukee. Take Philadelphia.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Detroit Tigers haven't ran away with the AL Central division just yet, but I think they will. Detroit is clearly far more talented from top to bottom than any other team in this division. Rick Porcello has been up and down this year, but he has been pretty good at home. Justin Masterson has a career ERA above 6 against the Tigers in Comerica Park. Detroit has a much better lineup from top to bottom than the Indians, and the Tigers have been heating up of late. Cleveland started the season well, but the Indians have been slumping of late. The Indians are 0-9 in their last 9 road games against a team with a winning record. Cleveland is 0-5 in their last 5 overall. Take Detroit.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Patrick Corbin is one of the best young pitchers in baseball. Corbin has had a couple shaky games of late, but he pitches very well at home, and I expect him to bounce back big in this one. Matt Cain has been an elite pitcher in the past, but it seems like something is wrong with Cain this year. His ERA on the road is 6.27, and his overall ERA is well above 5. The Diamondbacks are 7-0 in Corbin's last 7 home starts. Cain has struggled at Chase Field in the past, and I don't expect him to turn it around here. Take the Diamondbacks.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* Jarrod Parker and Chris Sale are both pitching extremely well right now. These two squared off against each other just 5 days a go, and the score was 2-0. Parker started the season slowly, but he has been pitching much like he did last year lately. Parker has a brilliant 0.93 ERA in his career against the White Sox. Sale had one bad start this year, but he has been completely dominant of late. Oakland's offense is overrated at this point, and the White Sox lineup is very weak. The under is 3-0-1 in Sale's last 4 starts. The under is 4-0-2 in the White Sox last 6 games as a home favorite. The under is 5-0-1 in Sale's last 6 starts following a quality start. The under is 4-1 in Parker's last 5 starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle Total* Chris Archer is a highly touted prospect for the Rays, but he seems to be struggle to make the transition to the major leagues. The Orioles have a much better lineup than most people realize, and I think the over is a great value in many of their games right now. Jason Hammel has been winning games of late, but only because he has been getting great run support. Hammel has really struggled in his last 4 games, and the Rays offense is red hot right now. The over is 5-0 in Hammel's last 5 road starts. The over 4-0-1 in Hammel's last 5 starts as an underdog. The over is 7-0 in the Orioles last 7 games as a road underdog. The over is 7-0 in the Rays last 7 Friday games. The over is 7-0-1 in the Rays last 8 home games verses a righty. In all, a 30-0 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Bookie CRUSHER* The Philadelphia Phillies sit at 30-30 on the season. With a win here the Phillies could go above .500 in the first time in months. Domonic Brown has been hotter than anyone else in baseball over the past week and a half, and it has really made a difference for this Phillies offense. Milwaukee is struggling badly right now. Ryan Braun is dealing with a minor injury and may miss this game. The Brewers lineup hasn't produced up to expectations this season. Peralta starts for the Brewers here, and his ERA at home is slightly above 7. The Brewers are 1-11 in their last 12 games as as home favorite. Milwaukee is 1-4 in Peralta's last 5 starts. The Phillies are 4-0 in their last 4 games overall. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Kansas City Royals have been playing some terrible baseball lately. How they could be such a huge favorite in this game is a real mystery to me. Kansas City is 0-11 in their last 11 home games, and yet the oddsmakers install them as a big favorite. The Twins have been playing surprisingly well of late. Minnesota's bullpen is one the best in baseball so far this year. Wade Davis is a pitcher I like to fade, because he simply allows too many base runners. Several Twins have great career numbers against Davis. The Twins are 7-1 in their last 8 games. Minnesota is 5-1 in their last 6 games as an underdog. The Royals are 0-8 in their last 8 games as a home favorite. Kansas City is 0-7 in their last 7 home games against a right-handed pitcher. In all, a 38-2 angle backs this play. Take Minnesota.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Chicago White Sox broke an 8 game losing streak with a ridiculous 7-5 win in 16 innings at Seattle yesterday. The White Sox bullpen is used up so they need Quintana to go deep into the game in this contest. Oakland has been great against lefties all year, and I don't see Quintana getting past the 6th inning. Dan Straily is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Staily has thrown three brilliant games in a row coming into this one. The Athletics are 6-0 in their last 6 against the AL Central. Oakland is 7-0 in their last 7 during game 1 of a series. The White Sox are 0-7 in their last 7 against the AL West. Chicago is 0-6 in their last 6 games verses a right-handed pitcher. The White Sox are 0-4 in their last 4 verses a team with a winning record. Take Oakland.

*3 Star Rangers/Red Sox CASH* Derek Holland is an underrated starter for Texas. Holland has improved his control a great deal in the past couple seasons. His history against the Red Sox is strong. The Rangers are 5-0 in Holland's last 5 starts against Boston. The Red Sox have a good offense, but they aren't nearly as dominant against left-handed pitching. Jon Lester started the season well, but he has given up 6, 4, 4 runs in his last 3 starts. I believe Texas is the best team in the American League right now. So getting them at this price is something I can't pass up. Take Texas.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Texas Rangers were embarrassed last night by the Boston Red Sox. That actually makes me like this play quite a bit more. Texas is a resilient bunch. Ron Washington's team is 75-30 in their last 105 games following a loss. Alexi Ogando will be back from an injury for them in this one, and Ogando is a guy I like quite a bit. He has the stuff to pile up the strikeouts. John Lackey starts for the Red Sox. While he has had success at home this year, he hasn't faced a team like the Rangers yet. Texas has a good and very deep lineup. I like the price on the underdog here. Take Texas.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Detroit Tigers are a totally different team on their home field. The Tigers are 55-22 in their last 77 home games. Doug Fister is on the mound for this one and the Tigers are 20-5 in his last 25 home games. Fister has a stellar 2.77 ERA in his career against Tampa Bay. Alex Cobb is a good young starter for the Rays, but he isn't completely over a finger injury and I think that could hurt him in this game. The Tigers lineup is much better than the Rays lineup. Tampa Bay's offense has been overperforming of late. The Rays are 1-7 in their last 8 at Detroit. Take Detroit here.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners both have extremely weak lineups. These are teams that can score one or two runs in a game and no one will bat an eyelash. Dylan Axelrod is still developing as a pitcher, but he has good stuff. Hisashi Iwakuma is dominating for the Mariners so far this year. Iwakuma has actually been even better than King Felix for most of the year. Iwakuma has given up more than 3 runs only once in last 15 starts. The under is 4-1-1 in the White Sox last 6. The under is 5-1 in Iwakuma's last 6 against the AL Central. DJ Reyburn is the umpire here and he has a big strike zone. The under is 6-0 in Reyburn's last 6 Wednesday games. Take the under.

*5 Star MLB TOP Play Total* Josh Johnson is coming back form an injury for the Blue Jays in this one. Johnson has been bad so far this year, and he was bad in his minor league rehab starts as well. He pitched 4 and 2/3 and gave up 6 runs in his most recent minor league tuneup. Tim Lincecum hasn't been himself again this year. Lincecum has given up at least 4 runs in 7 of his 10 starts this year. He has allowed 6 runs in two of his last 3 outings. Both of these offenses are pretty good this year, and neither of these pitchers have proven themselves at all this season. This is too low of a number. The over is 13-3 in the Blue Jays last 16 following a win. The over is 12-4-1 in Lincecum's last 17 starts. The over is 7-1 in the Blue Jays last 8 against a team with a winning record. Take the over big.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Matt Moore is having a break out season for the Tampa Bay Rays. Moore has an ERA just above 2, and the Rays are 12-1 in his last 13 starts this year. Moore pitched well in his only outing against Detroit last season. Anibal Sanchez has been spectacular at home this year with an ERA under 2. Even though both offenses are solid, I think the value is with the under because of the two elite pitchers. The under is 4-0 in Detroit's last 4 Tuesday games. The under is 19-6-2 in the last 27 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jordan Zimmerman in one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. Zimmerman has a 1.50 ERA at home so far this year. He is coming off a rare poor start at Baltimore, and I expect him to bounce back with a great start against a bad Mets lineup. Jeremy Hefner isn't a terrific pitcher, but he generally keeps his team in the game. The Nationals offense is hurting right now without Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth. Don't expect the Nationals to put up as many runs without Harper in the middle of the lineup. Take the under.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Chicago White Sox haven't been very good this season, and they are in an awful slump right now. John Danks starts for the White Sox in this one, and he looked very shaky in his last outing. Joe Saunders is a completely different pitcher at home. He seems to know how to pitch in SafeCo Field's pitcher-friendly atmosphere. Seattle isn't a particularly good team, but they do have a winning record at home this year. The White Sox have struggled against lefties for the past couple seasons. White Sox stars Paul Konerko will probably miss this game due to an injury. The White Sox are 0-7 in their last 7 road games. The White Sox are 0-5 in their last 5 as an underdog. Take Seattle.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Oakland Athletics have been an over machine on the road this year. The over is 19-11 in their 30 road games this season. The Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff isn't very good, but they have a pretty strong lineup. Milwaukee is particularly strong against lefties. The Brewers hit .272 as a team against lefties. Tom Milone has a 5.55 ERA away from home this year, and he is a guy that the Brewers should be able to get to. Marco Estrada has an ERA above 7 at home this year. Estrada isn't a shut down type of pitcher at this point in his career. The over is 10-1 in the A's last 11 road games against a team with a losing record. The over is 9-1-2 in the Brewers last 12 Interleague home games. The over is 4-0 in the Brewers last 4 against a lefty. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The New York Yankees had a late night last night as they lost 3-0 to the Red Sox in a rain-delayed game. Cleveland continues to get less respect than they deserve from the oddsmakers. Justin Masterson has been very good so far this year, and he has a 2.47 ERA in his career against the Yankees. Andy Pettitte will make his first start in several weeks, and I'm not sure he's 100% yet. Cleveland ranks first in the majors in team batting average against lefties. The Yankees' lineup has really been slumping as of late. I like the underdog here. Take Cleveland.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* Jorge DeLarosa has been one of the biggest surprises in baseball so far this year. He is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA at Coors Field so far in 2013. The Dodgers have hit him well in the past, but this Dodgers' lineup is extremely short handed right now. The Dodgers will be without Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, and A.J. Ellis. Ryu has been excellent for the Dodgers so far this season. He has an ERA under 3, and his past couple games have been his best of the year. This total is too high with two quality pitchers on the hill and so many injuries in the Dodgers' lineup. The under is 8-2 in the Rockies last 10 games as a favorite. The under is 5-2-1 in the Dodgers last 8 games verses a lefty. The under is 5-1 in the Rockies last 6 games following a win. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Bookie CRUSHER* Ervin Santana has pitched well so far this year, but past history tells us he is unlikely to pitch well in Texas. Santana has a career ERA above 7 when pitching in Arlington. On the other side, Yu Darvish is one of baseball's best pitchers. Darvish is a strike out pitcher, and the Royals have lots of guys who are prone to striking out often. The Royals won in ten innings yesterday against Texas, which makes this play much stronger for me. Texas has been amazing coming off of a loss in the last 2 seasons. The Royals are 0-5 in their last 5 following a win. They are also 0-5 in Santana last 5 starts. The Rangers are 16-4 in Darvish's last 20 starts as a home favorite. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Betting an over 10 certainly isn't something I like to do on a normal basis, but this number is justified in this particular case. Gausman is a top pitching prospect for the Orioles, but it seems that they've rushed him to the majors. He has given up 11 earned runs in this first 2 starts. Detroit has scored more runs than anyone in baseball so far this year, and this Tigers' lineup is extremely dangerous. Rick Porcello is one of the most inconsistent pitchers in baseball, and his ERA is almost 7 on the road. Baltimore has the second highest scoring team in baseball. The over is 4-0 in Detroit's last 4 road games against a righty. The over is 2-0 in Gausman's first two starts for the Orioles. The over is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings in Baltimore. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline TOP RATED Play* The Detroit Tigers have been struggling a bit of late, but they'll have Justin Verlander on the mound Saturday. Verlander is the perfect guy to stop the Tigers slump. He hasn't pitched great of late, but Verlander is still the best in the game. Verlander has an amazing track record against Baltimore. In 6 starts at Camden, Verlander has a 2.02 ERA. On the other side, Jason Hammel starts for the Orioles. In his career, he has an ERA above 6 against the Detroit Tigers. I like what the Orioles are doing, but this is a definite pitching mismatch. No one has a stronger lineup than the Tigers, and I expect them to get back on track here. Detroit is 6-0 in Verlander's last 6 starts in Baltimore. The Tigers are 10-1 in Verlander's last 11 starts overall against the Orioles. Detroit is 11-2 in their last 13 against the AL East. Take Detroit big here!

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Petco Park isn't quite the pitcher friendly park it was a year ago. The fences have been moved in quite a bit here, and it is making a difference. The over is 14-11 in the Padres home games this year. In the past, it has been an easy under bet for Padres home games. Toronto's offense is good and I don't trust Jason Marquis. Jenkins is a youngster who couldn't dominate at the Double A level, and the Padres should be able to do some work against him. Expect a higher scoring game here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Dallas Keuchel is one of the worst pitchers in the major league at this time. Keuchel isn't very good at home, and he is horrible on the road. He has a career ERA over 5, and this Angels lineup should be licking their chops to face him on Friday night. Tommy Hanson isn't all that impressive, and the Astros beat him up pretty good earlier this year. The Astros have been a good over team this year because their bullpen is so horrific. The over is 7-0 in Keuchel's last 7 road games. The over is 19-9 in the Angels last 28 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Bookie SMASHER* Hisashi Iwakuma has actually been even more reliable than King Felix so far this year for the Mariners. While Iwakuma doesn't have quite the dominating stuff Hernandez has, he is an excellent pitcher who has allowed more than 3 runs in a game only once in his last 14 starts. Mike Pelfrey has just two quality starts in his last 9 starts overall. The Twins are 0-4 in Pelfrey's last 4 starts. Seattle is 16-5 in Iwakuma's last 21 starts. Both lineups are bad, but Seattle has a big pitching edge here. Take the Mariners.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Kansas City Royals are going to be in a really difficult spot here. As of 3 am EST the Royals were still in a rain delay in the series finale in St. Louis so you can bet that they will arrive in Texas VERY late. This Royals team that has been constantly losing game after game will be exhausted. Wade Davis starts for KC here, and Davis has a poor 5.71 ERA. The Rangers still have one of the best offenses in baseball. Derek Holland is one of the most underrated pitchers in the bigs right now. The Royals are 0-8 in their last 8 against a lefty. They are 0-6 in their last 6 against a team with a winning record. Texas is 21-5 in Holland's last 26 on 5 days of rest. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Stephen Strasburg is a very good pitcher, but I believe he gets a little bit too much credit from oddsmakers at this point in his career. Strasburg hasn't had much luck in the past against Atlanta, and for the Nationals to be favored on the road here is pretty surprising. Atlanta is one of baseball's top teams, and they clearly have the much better lineup in this contest. Julio Teheran has thrown four straight quality games, and he is a rising star. The Nationals are 2-9 in their last 11 against Atlanta. Atlanta is 5-0 in their last 5 as a home underdog. Take Atlanta.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Colorado Rockies have lost 2 out of 3 against the Houston Astros. The Rockies are trying to hang in the NL West race, but they won't do it losing to lowly teams like the Astros. I like the spot here for Colorado to bounce back big. Juan Nicasio has actually pitched better at home than on the road. Nicasio has a 3.5 ERA at Coors Field this year. Lucas Harrell has struggled this year, and in his only start at Coors Field he allowed 9 runs in five innings. The Astros are 15-64 in their last 79 games against teams with a winning record. The Astros are 1-7 in their last 8 games in Colorado. Expect the Rockies to win comfortably here. Take Colorado -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Cincinnati Reds are one of the most complete teams in baseball. The Reds have a very good rotation, a good bullpen, and one of the best lineups in the National League. Joey Votto is a hitting machine and the rest of the lineup is heating up. Homer Bailey has been superb this year against everyone except the Cardinals. Bailey is developing into the pitcher everyone thought he would be. Scott Kazmir has been a nice story, but he is too inconsistent and the Reds hit lefties very well. Cincinnati is 23-10 in their last 33 road games against lefties. The Reds are 20-8 in their last 28 games. Take the Reds.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics are bitter rivals, and this game will be hard fought. Barry Zito used to pitch for Oakland, but now he starts for the Giants and he pitches great at home. Zito has a 1.38 ERA at home this year. The A's offense isn't nearly as good as they looked earlier this year. San Francisco's offense is better than last year by quite a bit. With Zito on the mound at home, I expected the Giants to be a bigger favorite here. The Giants are 6-0 in Zito's last 6 home starts against a team with a winning record. They are 10-1 in Zito's last 11 starts on 4 days rest. The Giants are 11-2 in their last 13 home games against Oakland. Take San Francisco.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Los Angeles Dodgers just took two straight against the Angels, but I think this is a great spot for some Angels revenge here. The Dodgers had a big pitching advantage in the last two games, but they definitely won't here. Jered Weaver will start for the Angels. Chris Capuano starts for the Dodgers, and the Angels lineup has a combined average of better than .400 against him in his career. The Angels are definitely hitting the ball better now. The Dodgers lineup is struggling a lot. Mismatch here all around. Take the Angels -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Houston Astros don't have a good offense, but they have a way of pushing games over the posted total. Houston's pitching staff is the worst in baseball, and their bullpen is atrocious. Erik Bedard has an ERA above 8 on the road this year, and it won't get any easier at Coors Field. Tyler Chatwood has a WHIP of 1.62 in his career at Coors Field, which tells me he allows far too many baserunners to be trusted. Marvin Hudson has a small strike zone and will help the over quite a bit. The over is 8-0 in the last 8 meetings between these two in Colorado. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Washington Nationals will start Jordan Zimmerman in this one, and Zimmerman is a pitcher I really like. He gives his team a quality start every time out, and he does it without a ton of flash. He just gets the job done by getting ahead in the count and using his great control. Chris Tillman has been great at home this year, and the Nationals lineup is really hurting without Harper or Espinosa right now. The under is 4-0 in Zimmerman's last 4 against a team with a winning record. The under is 5-0 in Tillman's last 5 home starts against a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in Zimmerman's last 4 starts against the Orioles. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two in Baltimore. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Los Angeles Angels got off to a horrible start again this year, but their offense is heating up in a big way of late. When you have guys like Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton, and Albert Pujols your team is going to score a lot of runs. The Dodgers' offense isn't very good, but they'll have a favorable matchup in Angels' starter Joe Blanton. Blanton has a 6.19 ERA this year, and it would be a surprise if they Dodgers didn't put up several runs here. Ryu has been solid for the Dodgers, but I don't think he can completely shut down the Angels' lineup. The over is 37-16 in the Angels' last 53 games following a loss. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The St. Louis Cardinals have what I believe is the best offense in the National League. St. Louis has a ton of depth in their lineup, which makes them extremely tough to shut down for an entire game. Ervin Santana has pitched well so far this year, but his past tells us that he's a very inconsistent pitcher. Tyler Lyons will make his second Major League start for the Cardinals in this one. Lyons pitched well in his first start, but his 4.4 ERA in AAA tells me he's unlikely to continue to pitch well in the majors. The Royals hit lefties very well, and I expect them to get to Lyons. The over is 4-0 in the Cardinals' last 4 interleague games. The over is 4-0 in the Royals last 4 interleague games. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Kansas City. The over is 4-0 in the last 5 meetings overall. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Bookie CRUSHER* The Milwaukee Brewers are in the middle of a serious tailspin right now. To say that the Brewers have been a streaky team this year is a serious understatement. Right now, the Brewers are in a major downtrend. Starting pitching injuries have left the team with no pitching depth. Alfredo Figaro will make his first major league start since 2010 for Milwaukee in this one. Scott Diamond is a talented young lefty for the Twins, and he gives the Twins a pitching edge in this matchup. The Twins are 5-2 in Diamond's last 7 starts as an underdog. Milwaukee is 1-10 in their last 11 as a favorite. Milwaukee is 0-6 in their last 6 home games against a left-handed pitcher. Take Minnesota.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Cliff Lee has been one of baseball's best pitchers for several years now. Lee was good last year, but the Phillies offense didn't support him with hardily any runs. This season with only mediocre run support, Lee has been a good guy for bettors to back as an underdog. Though the Red Sox do have the better lineup, they are at a big disadvantage when it comes to starting pitching in this matchup. Ryan Dempster has been a very streaky pitcher his entire career, and he has an ERA above 10 in his last 3 starts. I'll take the better pitcher at plus money. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Play of Day* The St. Louis Cardinals have the best record in baseball. St. Louis has the single best team ERA of any team in baseball. Adam Wainwright is pitching like he did a couple years ago when he won the NL Cy Young award. Wainwright has good numbers against Kansas City, and the Cardinals as a whole have been very good against KC in the recent past. The Royals have a very good pitcher going here in James Shields, but the Royals offense is struggling in a big way right now. The Royals are 0-4 in Shields last 4 starts. The Royals are 0-8 in their last 8 home games. The Royals are 0-4 in their last 4 as an underdog. The Cardinals are 6-0 in Wainwright's last 6 as a road favorite. The starting pitchers might be even here, but the Cardinals have a much better lineup. Take St. Louis.

*4 Star Braves/Mets Cash* The New York Mets started the season well, but the Mets are far from a good team. There are just too many weaknesses for this team to win a lot of games. David Wright is generally the only consistent hitter that the Mets have, but even he is slumping right now. Atlanta arguably has one of the top two or three lineups in the National League. The Braves have a lot of different guys who can hurt you on any given day. Julio Teheran has been one of the best prospects in baseball the last couple years, and he seems to be putting it together in his last few starts. The Braves are 6-0 in their last 6 games overall. The Braves are 6-0 in their last 6 as a favorite. Atlanta is 5-1 in Teheran's last 6 starts. The Mets are 3-23 in their last 26 as a home underdog. Take the Braves.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle* The Los Angeles Angels have under performed this year, but they appear to be hitting their stride in their last few games.Mike Trout was the catalyst for the Angels' offensive explosion in the past week. Now it seems the whole line up is hitting the ball the way everyone had expected them to. Josh Hamilton has looked much better in the last couple games, and Hamilton has torched Royals' starter Wade Davis in his career. The Royals are slumping badly right now, and Davis is the team's worst pitcher. Look for the Angels' offense to keep swinging the bats well. The Angels are 7-0 in their last 7 games. The Angels are 6-0 in their last 6 as a favorite. The Angels are 6-0 in their last 6 games against a right-handed pitcher. The Royals are 0-6 in their last 6 home games. The Royals are 0-6 in their last 6 after losing the first 3 games of a series. In all, a 31-0 angle backs this play! Take the Angels.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Yankees stole a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon. The Rays entered the ninth with a 3-1 lead before the Yankees ended up winning 4-3 in extra innings. Tampa Bay is 13-4 in their last 17 home games against the Yankees, and I like their chances of bouncing back in this one. C.C. Sabathia is a very good pitcher, but he hasn't have any luck when pitching at Tampa Bay. Alex Cobb is turning into a reliable starter for the Rays. Cobb has a 2.22 ERA in his career against the Yankees. The Yankees are 0-4 in Sabathia's last 4 against the Rays. The Yankees are 0-6 in Sabathia's last 6 starts at Tampa Bay. The Rays are 7-1 in Cobb's last 8 home starts. Take Tampa Bay.

*5 Star MLB TOP Play Moneyline CASH* The San Francisco Giants have had the Colorado Rockies number over the last few years. The Giants are 36-16 in their last 52 against the Rockies and 20-6 in their last 26 at home against Colorado. Barry Zito will pitch on Saturday for the Giants. Zito has some of the strangest splits you will ever see from a pitcher. Zito has a brilliant 0.55 ERA in 33 innings at home this year, but a horrible 10.19 ERA on the road. Fortunately, he'll be pitching at home in this one. The Rockies don't hit lefties as well as righties. The Giants lost 5-0 last night, and I think this is a great spot for them to bounce back big.

The Giants are 8-0 in Zito's last 8 starts as a home favorite. They are 4-0 in his last 4 as a favorite of -110 to -150. The Giants are 9-1 in Zito's last 10 starts against a team with a winning record. San Francisco is 7-1 in Zito's last 8 home starts against Colorado. Take San Francisco big.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Colorado Rockies have gotten to Tim Lincecum twice this year. Lincecum has allowed 12 runs in just two starts against the Rockies in 2013. Colorado's lineup has been scoring runs wherever they go this year. Lincecum isn't the same pitcher he was a few years ago. Tyler Chatwood will pitch for the Rockies, and he isn't someone I like to back. Chatwood allows a ton of baserunners and is constantly trying to work out of a jam. The Giants offense is much better than it was a year ago, and they have been a solid over team of late. The over is 4-0 in Lincecum's last 4 starts against Colorado. The over is 6-0 in Colorado's last 6 as an underdog. The over is 4-0 in the Rockies last 4 road games. Take the over.

*4 MLB Play of Day* The St. Louis Cardinals have the best record in the National League for good reason. St. Louis has the best lineup in the NL, and they also have the best team ERA in the majors. This team doesn't have many weaknesses. They have guys like Molina and Freese batting sixth and seventh in the order, so you know this is a lineup that can put up the runs in bunches. Chris Capuano isn't a dominating pitcher, and I like the Cardinals chances against him. The Dodgers lineup hasn't been good against top pitchers. Lance Lynn has been consistently very good for the Cardinals in the past year. The Cardinals are 13-4 in Lynn's last 17 starts. The Dodgers are 1-7 in their last 8 as a dog. Take the Cardinals.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The Los Angeles Angels offense appears to have woken up. It was a sleeping giant, and Mike Trout has once again been the main man behind waking this lineup up. He did it last year around this time, and he is doing it again this year. The Angels are very dangerous offensively, but they still have weaknesses in the pitching department. The Royals hit lefties very well and Jason Vargas is bad on the road. In his career he has a 5.22 road ERA. He has an ERA of 6.93 in KC in his career. Look for these offenses to duke it out in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The St. Louis Cardinals have the best offense in the National League right now. Burch Smith has looked like he is over his head in his first two starts in the majors. It won't get any easier here. The Cardinals are giving the ball to Tyler Lyons. Lyons had an ERA over 4 in AAA and I can't imagine him coming to the majors and having much success at the beginning of his career. This number is set far too low given the pitchers who are starting this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The New York Yankees are in first place in the AL East, but the oddsmakers still aren't respecting them all that much. It is strange to see a team like the Yankees not getting respect, because they are usually overvalued. New York has a second Ace in Kuroda right now. He has a stellar 1.99 ERA and the Yankees are 7-1 in his last 8 starts. The Orioles are slumping of late. Baltimore is 1-7 in their last 8 home games. Look for Kuroda to be the difference here. Take the Yankees.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* Jorge De La Rosa has been a major moneymaker at home for quite some time. I've backed him a lot at Coors Field, and he almost always cashes in. Arizona has been playing pretty well of late, but the DBacks offense just isn't very good. The Rockies can really put up the runs, and afternoon games at Coors Field can yield some high run totals. The Rockies are a perfect 8-0 in De La Rosa's last 8 home starts against the DBacks. The Rockies are 27-4 in De La Rosa's last 31 home starts overall. Take Colorado here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds are probably one of the top four teams in baseball right now. The Mets are in my bottom five or six. Matt Harvey is a tremendous pitcher, but if I can get the Reds with Mat Latos pitching against the Mets at even money, I'm not going to pass that price up. Cincinnati has the better lineup by a mile and they certainly have the better bullpen. If Harvey doesn't finish what he started, the Mets are liable to blow it. Take the Reds here.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* Wandy Rodriguez has had some amazing home/road splits all throughout his career. At home, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. On the road, he is usually pretty mediocre. Rodriguez is at home in this one against a poor Cubs offense. Pittsburgh is quietly putting together a great season. The Pirates have a lot of young talent and they are hitting the ball much better of late. Matt Garza makes his first start since July of last year in this one for the Cubs. Garza has struggled against the Pirates in the past. Pittsburgh is 6-0 in Rodriguez's last 6 starts against a team with a losing record. Pittsburgh is 5-0 in their last 5 games following a day off. The Cubs are 1-8 in Garza's last 9 road starts. Take Pittsburgh.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Tampa Bay Rays are really rolling of late. R.A. Dickey slowed them down with his knuckeball yesterday, but they won't face nearly as tough of a test here. Ramon Ortiz, who turns 40 years old in two days, will start for the Blue Jays. Ortiz had an ERA above 5 every year for his past several years in the majors, and now the Blue Jays want to give him another chance after he hasn't been in the majors since 2011. I just can't see it working out in the long run this season. Alex Cobb has matured into a nice pitcher, and the Rays bats are on fire. Tampa is 50-24 in their last 74 meetings with Toronto. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The New York Yankees offense has held it together pretty well this year while many of their key hitters are hurt. Granderson is now back and Gardner is looking better in his last few at bats. The Orioles bullpen has imploded of late, and Baltimore's pitching staff has been giving up some big numbers. Phil Hughes has been absolutely demolished in his last two starts. He was knocked out of the game after just 2/3 of an inning pitched in his last outing. Hughes has a career ERA of 6.58 at Baltimore. The weather should help as it will be hot with the wind blowing out. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Washington Nationals will start Zach Duke in this one. Duke hasn't started a game since 2011, and he has an 8.40 ERA out of the bullpen this year. San Francisco's lineup is much better this year than it was in 2012. Ryan Vogelsong was great in 2011 and 2012, but he has been awful of late. Vogelsong has given up at least 6 runs in each of his last 4 starts. Washington's lineup is much better than it has shown of late, and I think they could break out in this game. The over is 6-0 in Vogelsong's last 6 home games. The over is 5-0 in Vogelsong's last 6 Monday starts. The over is 10-1-1 in Vogelsong's last 12 as a home favorite. The over is 6-0 in the last 6 games between these two teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Kansas City Royals continue to prove they are a completely different team than they were a year ago. Kansas City has a strong lineup and a much improved pitching staff. Jeremy Guthrie has been excellent for the Royals. The Royals are 16-5 in Guthrie's last 21 starts. I believe Houston is the worst team in baseball. The Astros have a horrific starting rotation and a terrible bullpen. The lineup doesn't have any premier hitters. Kansas City hits lefties well and the Astros start Keuchel in this one. Big mismatch here. Take the Royals -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Early Bird TOP Play* The Seattle Mariners are once again a very poor offense last year. They struggled all year last year against lefties, and they have been bad against south paws again this year. Scott Kazmir is a remarkable comeback story this year. Kazmir has upped his velocity again, and his control seems to be improving. Hisashi Iwakuma has been one of baseball's best pitchers this year. Iwakuma is 5-1 with a 1.84 ERA so far this year. Iwakuma hasn't given up more than 3 runs in any of his last 13 starts. That's some amazing consistency. It's get away day for these teams, and that should mean some key guys are out of the lineup in this contest. The under is 7-0 in the Mariners last 7 as a road favorite of -110 to -150. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 against a lefty. The under is 4-0 in Iwakuma's last 4 against the AL Central. The under is 4-0 in the Indians last 4 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in the previous game. The under is 4-0-1 in the Indians last 5 against a righty. Take the under big!

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Washington Nationals are probably one of the top three teams in the National League. Washington hasn't played great so far this year, but I'm confident they'll end up just fine in 2013. The San Diego Padres are one of the worst teams in the National League. I'm really not a big fan of Dan Haren, and Cashner is a pretty good young pitcher, but the Nationals being underdogs in this one is too much value for me to pass up. Washington has the far superior lineup and the better bullpen. The Nationals are 8-3 in the last 11 meetings between these teams. Take Washington.

*5 Star MLB TOP Play Total Domination* The Milwaukee Brewers don't have a very good pitching staff, but with most of their guys healthy they definitely do have a good lineup now. Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez, Corey Hart, Carlos Gomez, etc make it difficult on the opposing pitcher. Milwaukee is better against lefties. John Gast will make his 2nd career major league start for the Cardinals here. Gast gave up 4 runs in 6 innings against the Mets in his first start, and this is a much better lineup than the Mets lineup.

Kyle Lohse is a pretty good pitcher, but he has been awful against the Cardinals in his career. Carlos Beltran is 23 for 45 against him. Yadier Molina is 6 for 10. Matt Holliday is 8 for 15. Clearly the Cardinals see the ball well against Lohse.

The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. The over is 4-0 in the Cardinals last 4 Sunday games. The over is 4-0 in the Cardinals last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more in the previous game. Take the over big!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds have the second best record in the National League, and they haven't really been that good offensively so far this year. Finally, the offense is starting to come around of late. Jay Bruce is hitting the ball much better, and Joey Votto is absolutely locked in. The Phillies offense continues to rank in the bottom five in the majors. Pettibone has been pretty good this year, but this is the best offense he has faced yet. Homer Bailey has come into his own and he is now a reliable quality starter for the Reds. The Reds are 7-0 in their last 7 road games against a righty. The Reds are 7-1 in their last 8 games overall. The Phillies are 0-4 in their last 4 home games against a righty. Take the Reds.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Washington Nationals are a good team, but they can't hit left-handed pitching. Washington is hitting .192 as a team against lefties this year. They are averaging less than 3 runs per game against left-handed starters. Eric Stults certainly isn't a great pitcher, but he pitches pretty well in Petco Park. Jordan Zimmerman is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and people are finally starting to see that. Zimmerman gives the Nationals a very good start every single time out there. Expect a low scoring game here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers have two of the best offenses in all of baseball. Both of these teams are going to score a ton of runs this year. Detroit is averaging 5.30 runs per game and Texas is averaging 4.62 runs per game. This is the time of the year when the Rangers park starts playing like a hitter friendly park. The wind is blowing out here and it will be nice and warm. Expect the ball to be flying well. Sanchez is a good pitcher, but he has a 7.45 ERA against Texas in his career. Grimm is still a youngster with lots left to prove. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* What have the Los Angeles Angels done to be such a big favorite here? After all, the Angels have one of the worst records in baseball. The Angels are also starting Joe Blanton, who has been an absolute disaster this year. The Angels are 0-8 in Blanton's 8 starts this year. The White Sox aren't a great team right now, but it's hard to imagine Blanton laying this kind of number against any team right now. The White Sox are 4-0 in their last 5 games. Take the underdog here. Take the White Sox.

*3 Star TGIF Play of Day* The Toronto Blue Jays come into this game as winners of four straight games, but Hiroki Kuroda will be the best pitcher they have seen in quite some time. Kuroda hasn't given up more than 3 runs in any game this year. He has a 1.9 ERA at home this year. Mark Buehrle has an ERA above 6 this year, and in his career he has a 4.76 ERA at Yankee Stadium. Several Yankees have torched him in his career (Vernon Wells is at the top of the list). Buehrle has allowed at least 5 runs in 5 of his 8 starts this year. Big pitching mismatch here, and the Yankees lineup is better than most believe right now. The Yankees are 6-1 against the Blue Jays so far this year. Take the Yankees.

*3 Star MLB Play of Day* The San Francisco Giants are coming off a disappointing trip to Toronto. The Blue Jays scored 21 runs on San Francisco in the brief two game series. The Giants have one of the better pitching staffs in baseball, and this kind of thing doesn't happen to them very often. Matt Cain has served as the stopper for the Giants for the past few years. Cain is consistently very good no matter where he pitches. Coors Field has been bad to a lot of pitchers, but Cain has success there. The Giants are 5-0 in Cain's last 5 starts at Coors. San Francisco is the more complete team here and they have a major edge at starting pitcher here. Take the Giants.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Wade Davis and Barry Enright aren't guys that I would ever trust. Enright had an ERA over 7 in Arizona a couple years ago and he has been a disaster ever since a decent rookie season in 2010. Davis has a 5.86 ERA this year, and he gives up runs in bunches. The Angels offense is starting to look better of late, and they should feast on his mistakes. The Royals offense is very good as well, and Enright hasn't given me any reason to believe he'll slow them down. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Boston Red Sox are hitting the skids a bit of late, while the Tampa Bay Rays are flying high after a terrible start. History tells us that Joe Maddon's Tampa Bay Rays will be in contention at the end of the season, and they have always been great at home. David Price has been subpar this year, but he has a 2.99 career ERA against Boston. The Red Sox have been terrible against lefties all year. On the other side, Tampa Bay excels against lefties. Tampa Bay is 6-0 in their last 6 games. Boston is 0-5 in their last 5 against a lefty. They are 0-4 in their last 4 road games. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* It's get away day for these two teams and both of these managers often take starters out of the lineup in these situations. Ian Kennedy and Tim Hudson have proven over the years to be very high quality pitchers who give you a very good effort each time out to the hill. John Hirschbeck is one of the better under umpires in the game because of his large strike zone. The roof will be closed here which definitely helps the under. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Big Dog* The Philadelphia Phillies are 1-7 in Cole Hamels' last 8 starts. Hamels struggles during the daytime at home because Citizens Bank ballpark doesn't hold many fly balls when it's warm during the day. Cleveland hits left-handers very well and the Indians are above .500 on the road this year. While Kluber hasn't proven himself in the majors just yet, there is no way the Indians should be this big of an underdog. The value is on the underdog. Take the Indians.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Houston Astros have the worst team ERA in all of baseball. This entire pitching staff is a disaster. Dallas Keuchel gets the start in this one and to say he has been horrible in the road in his young career is a major understatement. Keuchel has given up more than 5 runs in almost every road start he has made in his career. Detroit averages 6 runs per game against lefties. The Houston bullpen is the worst in baseball, so if he gets chased early it won't help the Astros at all either. Detroit could put up a big number here. The over is 7-1 in Detroit's last 8 home games when Scherzer starts. The over is 6-0 in Keuchel's last 6 road starts. The over is 9-1-1 in the Astros last 11 games in game three of the series. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Kansas City Royals are a much improved team from a year ago. The Los Angeles Angels just can't get things going in the right direction. One of the main reasons KC is so much better this year is their starting pitching. Jeremy Guthrie has been their best starter. Guthrie's has been a huge moneymaker for bettors from the end of 2012 to early 2013. The Royals are 10-2 in Guthrie's last 12 starts as an underdog. Kansas City is 9-0 in Guthrie's last 9 starts on 4 days of rest. The Royals are batting .291 against lefties this year and Jason Vargas has been disappointing for the Angels. The wrong team is favored here. Take the Royals.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The San Diego Padres are 6-13 on the road this year, and they are one of the worst teams in baseball this season. Baltimore continues to be undervalued by the oddsmakers. The Orioles have what it takes to contend all year. Baltimore's great bullpen helps them win a lot of close games. Andrew Cashner has pitched pretty well of late, but this is a very good Orioles lineup. The Padres lineup is weak, and Chris Tillman has a solid 3.79 ERA this year. Too short of a price on a good home team here. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Seattle Mariners aren't a good offensive team. Seattle does have one of the best pitchers in baseball in King Felix though. Felix Hernandez will start in this one, and he has an ERA of less than 2 in his last 5 starts at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees lineup isn't nearly as strong as normal right now, and Hernandez is really on a roll of late. CC Sabathia has pitched very well this year and the Mariners struggle against lefties. The under is 4-0 in the Yankees last 4 games. The under is 9-1-1 in the last 11 meetings between these teams. The under is 6-1-1 in Hernandez's last 8 starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of Day* Jordan Zimmerman is one of baseball's best pitchers. Zimmerman doesn't get the publicity that a Stephen Strasburg gets, but he has been a much better pitcher especially when you consider how consistent he is. Zimmerman gives the Nationals a quality start almost every time out. The Dodgers lineup isn't particularly scary right now. To say the Dodgers have been scuffling would be a major understatement. Josh Beckett has an ERA over 5 this year, and he just isn't locating his pitches well at all. Washington has the better lineup and the much better starter here. We're getting too nice of a price to pass up. The Nationals are 10-1 in Zimmerman's last 11 road starts against a team with a losing record. The Dodgers are 1-6 in Beckett's last 7 starts. They are 0-7 in their last 7 games against a team with a winning record. Take Washington.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Oakland Athletics offense looked amazing at the start of the year, but it was too good to be true. If you look at the A's lineup it doesn't take long to figure out that this team can't lead the majors in runs scored as they did for almost the entire first month. Oakland's offense has started coming back down to earth fast of late. The A's are now 21st in the majors in team batting average at just .243. Joe Saunders has a career 1.75 ERA in 12 starts at Safeco, so he's a tough matchup for the A's. Tom Milone has been very good against the Mariners in the past as well. Dan Bellino is one of baseball's best 'under' umpires. The under is 33-15-3 in Bellino's last 51 games behind the dish. The under is 22-4-1 in Seattle's last 27 Sunday games. Take the under.