Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star Tigers/Giants CA$H* The San Francisco Giants were a big underdog in Game One, but they got the job done behind Pablo Sandoval and Barry Zito. Madison Bumgarner hasn't pitched well of late, but I think people are jumping ship too quickly. Bumgarner has a 3.00 ERA and a 10-5 record at home this year. The Tigers hit just .250 against lefties, and Bumgarner is an above average left-handed pitcher. Doug Fister has been very good this year, but he was 4-7 on the road this season. The Giants offense is much better than most people realize. Posey is a beast and with Sandoval and Pence around him, this offense is actually quite good. The Tigers bullpen is a major weakness, while the Giants have one of the best bullpens in baseball. The Giants are 5-0 in their last 5 World Series home games. The Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 World Series road games. Take San Francisco.

*3 Star Cardinals/Nationals Game 5 Total* It all comes to down to this game for the Cardinals and Nationals. The Nationals had the best record in the National League this year largely due to having the best pitching staff in the league. Gio Gonzalez won 21 games, and he has been a rock for this team all year. Gonzalez has a spectacular 2.38 ERA at home this year. Adam Wainwright pitches for the Cardinals. Wainwright has CY Young type stuff, as he has shown before. Wainwright has rounded into form as he got healthier later in the year. He has allowed 2 runs or fewer in 7 of his last 10 starts. Wainwright has pitched in two straight games (both in the last two weeks) against the Nationals and allowed 2 runs total. In a deciding game like this, the best relievers will be used. Both offenses have been struggling of late, and this is a pitcher's ballpark. Look for a low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star Giants/Reds Game 5 Winner* The Cincinnati Reds took the first two games in San Francisco easily, but the Giants have bounced back to win two straight in Cincinnati. It all comes to a deciding Game Five in Cincinnati Thursday afternoon. Mat Latos will be on the hill for the Reds against Matt Cain for the Giants. Cain is definitely one of the best pitchers in baseball, and I don't normally like going against him. However, this is a price that I believe is a solid value. Several Reds hitters have had success against Cain in the past. Ludwick, Bruce, and Votto have all hit Cain well. Mat Latos has a stellar 2.19 ERA in his career against the Giants. Latos has an ERA under 1 in his last three starts. The Reds have the better lineup from top to bottom, and they have the best bullpen in baseball. The Giants are 2-7 in Cain's last 9 against the Reds. The Reds are 15-3 in Latos' last 18 home starts. Take the Reds.

*3 Star Orioles/Yankees CASH* Miguel Gonzalez has been a huge pleasant surprise since coming up from the minors. Gonzalez has only had one really bad start in 15 starts this year. He beat the Yankees twice at Yankee Stadium in the past three months. The Orioles have something really special going on right now. I don't expect Showalter's team to be scared going into Yankee Stadium. Granderson, Teixeira, Cano, and Swisher haven't gotten a hit thus far against Gonzalez. In what I think is pretty likely to be a low scoring game, it's very hard to lay 1.5 runs on the Yankees. Baltimore is 7-2 in Gonzalez's last 9 road starts. I like the value on the Orioles +1.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Chase Field becomes a completely different park when the roof is open. Arizona's hot dry weather really helps the baseball fly well. At gametime tonight, the temperature is expected to be 97 degrees with 10% humidity. The roof is scheduled to be open. We also have two pitchers who have struggled of late. Chacin has a 4.78 ERA this year and Corbin has a 4.77 ERA this year. Corbin has a terrible 8.36 ERA in his last 3 starts. Both of these teams have the ability to put up a bunch of runs. The over is 6-0 in the Rockies last 6 against a lefty. The over is 6-0 in the DBacks last 6 following a loss. The over is 6-0 in Jerry Meals (umpire) last 6 games behind home plate. The over is 5-0-1 in Corbin's last 6 starts. In all, a 23-0 angle backing the over. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Tampa Bay Rays have won eight straight games. They are still two games behind in the AL Wild Card race, but they absolutely have a shot if they just keep winning. Chicago has lost 8 of their last 9, and they have now fallen two games behind Detroit in the AL Central. The White Sox aren't doing the little things well right now. Gavin Floyd is just a mediocre pitcher who almost always ends with an ERA around 4.5. Jeremy Hellickson has top of the rotation stuff, and he has been rolling of late. Hellickson has a 1.84 ERA in his last 3 starts. The Rays are 8-0 in their last 8 games. The White Sox are 0-6 in Floyd's last 6 as an underdog. Take Tampa Bay.

*5 Star MLB Top Play SMASHER* The Milwaukee Brewers are still mathematically alive in the NL Wild Card race, and after last year's craziness they will definitely fight to the end. Milwaukee is much better at home, and here they get by far the worst team in baseball. Houston is a dreadful 16-59 on the road this year. Edgar Gonzalez pitches here for Houston, and he has never been able to stay in the majors for long. The Brewers have a very good lineup with Weeks, Braun, Hart, Lucroy, and others. Yovani Gallardo gets the start for Milwaukee, and he has been awesome against Houston in his career. Here's a very interesting statistic for you. In Gallardo's 15 career starts against Houston, the Brewers have outscored the Astros 114 runs to 40. The Brewers runline is 13-2 in his starts against Houston. This Houston team is as bad as ever and the Brewers need this game in a big way. Look for a beatdown in this one. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox are headed in different directions right now. Chicago is 1-7 in their last 8, and they have now lost first place in the AL Central. The Rays have won seven straight games, and they are still in the AL Wild Card race. The Rays closed hard last year, and they are doing the same this season. James Shields started the year slowly, but he has been pitching great of late. Shields has 9 quality starts in his last 10 starts overall, and he has an ERA under 2 in his last five starts. Jake Peavy has been inconsistent of late, and the White Sox bullpen isn't good. Tampa Bay is 7-0 in their last 7 games. They are 6-0 in Shields' last 6 as a favorite. The White Sox are 0-6 in Peavy's last 6 starts as an underdog. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Baltimore Orioles loss yesterday gave the Los Angeles Angels even more reason to be hopeful in their AL Wild Card chase. The Angels trail the Orioles by 2.5 and the A's by 2 games. There isn't a team in baseball playing better right now than the Angels, and last year showed that this kind of deficit can easily be made up in the last few days. King Felix hasn't looked sharp of late. Hernandez has a 7.02 ERA in his last 3 starts. The Angels have hit him well in the past, with guys such as Hunter and Trout having a lot of success. C.J. Wilson has been rounding into form of late, and the Mariners lineup simply isn't very good. The Angels need this win badly, and I think they'll get it. The Angels are 6-0 in their last 6 home games against a team with a losing record. The Mariners are 0-4 in Hernandez's last 4 starts. Take Los Angeles.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Boston Red Sox lineup certainly isn't what it was at the beginning of the season. Dustin Pedroia is the only real star left in the Red Sox batting order. David Price is a AL CY Young candidate this year. Price has a 2.27 ERA in six starts at Fenway Park. On the other side, Clay Buchholz has been pitching very well of late. Buchholz has a 1.99 ERA in his last three starts. His career ERA against the Rays is 2.52 in 13 starts. The under is 6-1 in the Red Sox last 7 home games. Look for a pitcher's duel here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Detroit Tigers have closed to within half a game of the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central standings. The White Sox have lost four in a row, and Detroit is 7-3 in their last 10. Who better to have on the mound in a pressure situation like this than Justin Verlander? Last year's American League MVP should come up big for his team in such a huge game. Verlander has thrown two straight shutouts before this contest. Luke Hochevar pitches for the Royals, and he has an ERA over 6 in his career against Detroit. The pitching mismatch here is huge, and the Tigers need this game in a big way. The Tigers are 41-11 in Verlander's last 52 home starts. Look for Detroit to come up with a big win here. Take Detroit -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Cleveland Indians seem to have given up on the season. Cleveland is 12-40 in their last 52 games. The Indians have struggled in a big way all year against left-handed pitchers. Cleveland has a team batting average of just .220 against lefties. Will Smith is a solid young lefty for Kansas City. Unlike the Indians, the Royals are actually playing well late in the season. Ubaldo Jimenez has a 6.95 ERA on the road this season. The Royals hit right-handed pitchers well, and I don't think Jimenez will get very deep into this game. The Indians are 0-9 in Jimenez's last 9 road starts. The Indians are 0-6 in their last 6 meetings with Kansas City. Take the Royals.

*3 Star TGIF MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* The San Diego Padres have played surprisingly good baseball over the last couple months. The Padres are 38-25 in their last 63 games. The Padres offense has been manufacturing runs and hitting well with runners in scoring position. Ryan Vogelsong has completely fallen apart over his last few starts. Vogelsong has a 12.34 ERA in his last three starts. He has only one quality start in his last seven starts. Casey Kelly is a good prospect for the Padres, but he has been inconsistent so far. The Giants have scored 5 or more runs in 7 of their last 10 games. The over is 8-0-1 in Vogelsong's last 9 starts as a favorite. The over is 7-0 in Vogelsong's last 7 against a team with a losing record. The over is 6-0-1 in Vogelsong's last 7 starts on 4 days rest. The over is 5-0 in Vogelsong's last 5 against the NL West. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Los Angeles Dodgers have been surprisingly bad of late. The offense is extremely inconsistent, and the bullpen has fallen apart over the last month or so. Washington is one game away from clinching a spot in the postseason, and I think they are itching to do it as soon as possible. Ryan Detwiler has been amazing at home this year with a 2.67 ERA. Chris Capuano has been good this year, but he has struggled a bit on the road (4.30 ERA). The Nationals are 6-0 in Detwiler's last 6 starts following a team loss. The Nationals are 5-0 in Detwiler's last 5 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. The Dodgers are 0-4 in their last 4 Thursday games. The Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 Thursday games. Look for the Nationals to clinch a postseason berth in this one. Take Washington.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins lineup is hitting well right now. Minnesota is actually as healthy as they have been all year. With Mauer, Morneau, and Willingham in the middle of the order this lineup is solid. The Minnesota pitching staff has been horrible all year, and that hasn't changed of late. Liam Hendriks starts in this one for Minnesota, and he is 0-7 with a 6.1 ERA this season. The Indians have heated up a bit over the last few days. Zach McAllister starts for Cleveland. McAllister has been struggling of late, and he has given up 11 runs in just 4 and 2/3 innings against the Twins so far this year. Sam Holbrook is the best 'over' umpire in the business because of his small strike zone, and he is behind the dish here. The over is 7-1 in Hendriks' last 8 road starts. The over is 6-1 in McAllister's last 7 as a home favorite. The over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these two in Cleveland. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Pittsburgh Pirates are in a very difficult spot here. Their game last night with the Chicago Cubs didn't end until 2:30 AM Eastern time because of a long rain delay. While the Pirates will be traveling back to Pittsburgh very late, the Brewers had all day Monday in Pittsburgh to relax. A couple months ago it would have seemed strange to say this, but Milwaukee and Pittsburgh now have an identical 74-72 record. Both teams are only 2.5 games back in the NL Wild Card race. The Brewers have been hot of late, while the Pirates have been scuffling. Yovani Gallardo has had tons of success against Pittsburgh in the past. A.J. Burnett has been good this year, but slightly shaky of late. The Pirates are 0-5 in their last 5 as a +110 to +150 dog. The Pirates are 0-5 in Burnett's last 5 starts. The Brewers are 12-1 in Gallardo's last 13 starts against Pittsburgh. The Brewers are 7-0 in Gallardo's last 7 against the NL Central. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Baltimore Orioles are fighting hard to keep pace with the New York Yankees in the American League East. Losing Nick Markakis to an injury definitely hurt this offense, but I expect Baltimore to continue winning close games. Buck Showalter has done an amazing job with this team. Chris Tillman is 7-2 with a 3.39 ERA this year, and he has beaten the Mariners twice already this year. Hector Noesi hasn't been good as a starter for Seattle. The Mariners are 0-5 in his last 5 starts. The Mariners are 0-6 in their last 6 games as a home underdog of +110 to +150. The Orioles are 4-0 in Tillman's last 4 road starts. They are 5-0 in their last 5 against Seattle. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Seattle Mariners hit the ball much better away from home. Texas is one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the majors. Scott Feldman has an ERA of about 5 this year, and he is very inconsistent. On the other side, Jason Vargas starts for the Mariners. Vargas is good at home, but struggles on the road. The Rangers hit .282 as a team against lefties. Paul Schreiber is the home plate umpire, and he has one of the smallest strike zones in the majors. Look for both teams to put up quite a few runs here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* The New York Mets have lost 7 of their last 8 games. Only two of those losses came by a single run. The Brewers have won 6 of their last 8 games, and only one of those games was decided by a single run. The Mets seemed to have packed it in for the year, while the Brewers have gotten red hot at the right time. Milwaukee has a legitimate chance to pick up a Wild Card berth if they keep playing this well. Michael Fiers is one of the best young pitchers in the majors, and his ERA is 2.6 at home this year. Jon Niese is solid, but the Brewers have been crushing lefties of late. Milwaukee is 8-1 in their last 9 against a lefty. The Mets are 3-8 in Niese's last 11 starts. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Kansas City Royals offense is firing on all cylinders right now. Kansas City has scored 6 runs or more in 6 of their last 10 games overall. They'll be facing Liam Hendriks in this one. Hendriks is 0-7 with a 6.20 ERA. I like Kansas City's chances of putting up a big number again. Luis Mendoza has a 7.63 ERA in his last 3 starts. He seems to have hit a wall of late. Look for the Twins to be able to score several here as well. The over is 5-0 in KC's last 5 games following a win. The over is 4-0 in Ramirez's last 4 starts. The over is 3-0-1 in the Twins last 4 games. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Ricky Romero has been awful this season, and he has been even worse of late. Romero has given up at least 6 earned runs in 3 of his last 4 home starts. On the year, he has a home ERA of 6.42. Seattle certainly doesn't have a terrific lineup, but they hit the ball much better on the road than at home. The Mariners have a good history against Romero as well. Kevin Millwood is a pretty consistent pitcher. Generally he is good for 5 or 6 innings of about 3 earned runs allowed. The Blue Jays are 1-12 in Romero's last 13 starts. They are 1-5 in Romero's last 6 against Seattle. At plus money I like the Mariners here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Doug Fister and Jake Peavy have both pitched very well this year. Fister has a 3.54 ERA on the season and Peavy has a 3.22 ERA. The wind is expected to be blowing in from right field with cooler than usual temperatures on Tuesday night. Detroit's bats have been cold of late. Brian Gorman is behind the plate, and he has one of the biggest strike zones of any umpire in the majors. The under is 8-0 in Fister's last 8 road starts with a total of 8.5 or less. The under is 8-1 in Peavy's last 9 starts on 5 days of rest. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Cleveland Indians have mailed it in for this season, and Ubaldo Jimenez has been awful on the road all year (road ERA over 7 this year). There is no reason to think he'll start pitching well in a hitter's ballpark against the best lineup in baseball. Matt Harrison has been consistently very good for the Rangers this season. Texas is 23-4 in Harrison's last 27 games against a team with a losing record, so he takes care of business against teams he should beat. The Indians are 0-8 in Jimenez's last 8 road starts. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star Yankees/Red Sox Total* Both of these offenses aren't even close to what they were earlier this year. The Yankees are without Mark Teixeira. The Red Sox are left with only two stars in the lineup (Ellsbury and Pedroia) after most of their team got hurt or got traded. Hiroki Kuroda doesn't get enough credit from the oddsmakers. Kuroda has a great 3.14 ERA this year. Jon Lester has been bad this year overall, but he has been much better of late. Lester has a quality start in 3 of his last 4 outings. The under is 23-5-2 in Lester's last 30 as an underdog. The under is 6-0 in Kuroda's last 6 as a road favorite. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Detroit Tigers were swept out of Los Angeles this weekend. Detroit continually has been beating the White Sox in their head-to-head matchups, but then losing the AL Central lead by blowing it against other teams. Here is another chance for the Tigers to catch up in a head-to-head meeting with Chicago. Rick Porcello has owned the White Sox in the past, and I think he can keep that going here. Both Adam Dunn and Kevin Youkilis are expected to miss this game, which hurts the White Sox lineup quite a bit. Jose Quintana seems to have hit a wall of late. The Tigers are 6-0 in Porcello's last 6 against the White Sox. Detroit is 29-9 in their last 38 against the White Sox. Take Detroit.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Cleveland Indians seemed to have mailed it in for the season. Asdrubal Cabrera will probably miss this game, and he is arguably the Indians best hitter. The Twins are the healthier team, and they have been playing well at home. Sam Deduno had one terrible start in Texas, but otherwise he has been very good this year. Justin Masterson has an ERA above 6 on the road this year. The Indians are 5-21 in their last 26 games against a right-handed pitcher. Cleveland is 0-6 in their last 6 with umpire D.J. Reyburn behind the plate. The Twins are 4-0 in Deduno's last 4 home starts. Take Minnesota.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Houston Astros have been absolutely horrible on the road this year. They won the first game of this three-game set with the Reds, but the Reds won yesterday. I fully expect the Reds to take care of business in this matchup Sunday. Cincinnati has Ace Johnny Cueto on the hill here. Cueto has been dominating during the daytime this year. Cueto is 17-7 wuth a 2.58 ERA overall. During the day, he is 11-1 with a 1.87 ERA. Edgar Gonzalez pitches for the Astros. Gonzalez has bounced around the minors for years, and he doesn't have overpowering stuff. The Reds lineup is solid, and they are a good defensive team. Houston is 9-42 in their last 51 road games. The Reds are 8-0 in Cueto's last 8 Sunday starts. This is a mismatch. Take the Reds -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Atlanta Braves have thrown three straight shutouts. It really is amazing to think that a team could go 27 innings in a row without giving up a single run. On Saturday, they'll have Kris Medlen on the hill. Medlen has started seven games for the Braves this year. He has allowed just four runs in seven starts. The Mets offense isn't hitting very well right now. In fact, the Mets as a team are 1-11 in their last 12 home games against teams with a winning record. Amazingly, the Braves are 20-1 in Medlen's last 21 starts. This one shouldn't be close. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* Josh Beckett appears to be far more motivated now that he has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. There is little doubt that Beckett has some of the best stuff of any pitcher in the majors. When he is focused, he can dominate as well as anyone. Tim Lincecum has struggled all year. He has been slightly better of late, but he still isn't up to par. The Dodgers clearly have the better lineup with Victorino, Kemp, Ethier, Ramirez, and Gonzalez all in the middle of the order. The Dodgers are 11-5 in their last 16 road games. Take the Dodgers.

*3 Star Yankees/Orioles Guaranteed Cash* The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles sit tied atop the AL East standings on September 7th. It's really hard to believe, but it is absolutely the truth. Wei-Yin Chen has pitched well twice this season against the Yankees. Baltimore is playing with an amazing amount of confidence right now. Mark Reynolds is on fire, and Chris Davis continues to hit for power. The Orioles have hit Phil Hughes very well in the past, and with the team on a roll right now I think that continues here. The Yankees are 3-13 in Hughes' last 16 road starts against a team with a winning record. They are 0-5 in his last 5 road starts overall. The Orioles are 6-1 in their last 7 home games. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Washington Nationals are really on a roll right now. Washington is 13-3 in their last 16 home games. I played the run line with them the last two days against the Cubs and won, and I believe this is another solid value. Justin Turner hasn't proven he is ready for the big leagues. The Tigers brought him up to the majors too soon, and he struggles with his command still now that he is in Miami. Stephen Strasburg will be pitching in his last home start this year. Strasburg is 15-6 with a 2.94 ERA this year. The Nationals lineup is healthy and hitting better than ever right now, while the Marlins are very banged up. Washington is 6-0 in their last 6 as a favorite of at least -201. The Nationals are 5-0 in Strasburg's last 5 starts on 4 days rest. The Marlins are 0-4 in their last 4 against the NL East. Take Washington -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Washington Nationals won 9-1 as my 5 Star Top Play yesterday. The Nationals are just a much better team all around than the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs have been decent at home, but awful on the road. Chicago is 17-51 away from home this year. The Cubs are 8-27 in their last 35 games. Jordan Zimmerman is one of the most underrated pitchers in the game right now. He has been a little shaky the last few starts, but this Cubs offense should be the perfect team to get on track against. Justin Germano hasn't proven to be a starter in the majors for long before, and I expect the red hot Nationals to get to him early. The Nationals are 7-0 in their last 7 against teams with a winning percentage below 40%. They are also 4-0 in their last 4 home games. Take the Nationals -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Texas Rangers have the best record in the American League. Texas has the deepest lineup in baseball, and they are great against lefties. On the year, Texas is hitting .283 with a .344 on-base-percentage against lefties. Everett Teaford doesn't normally start, and he is being thrown into a very difficult starting spot here against Texas. Ryan Dempster has been dealing of late. Dempster has a 1.35 ERA in his last 3 starts. The Rangers are 26-12 in their last 38 meetings with Kansas City. Take Texas -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Top Play SMASHER* The Chicago Cubs have been dreadful on the road this year. The Cubs are 17-50 away from the friendly confined this season. Washington has the best record in baseball right now, and I think this matchup is a great one for them. Gio Gonzalez has been awesome all year, and the Cubs are terrible against lefties. On the other hand, Chris Volstad has an ERA over 6 this season. He has been slightly better in his last three starts, but those lineups weren't as good as the Nationals. This one looks like a major mismatch all the way around. The Cubs are 0-6 in Volstad's last 6 road starts. The Nationals are 8-0 in Gonzalez's last 8 starts against the NL Central. Take Washington -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals have both been struggling offensively of late. R.A. Dickey is 17-4 with a 2.63 ERA this year for a bad Mets team. He has a sparkling 0.83 ERA in his last 3 starts. Adam Wainwright has been much better of late. Wainwright is starting to look like himself once again. He has allowed 2 runs or less in 7 of his last 8 games. On get away day, we may see some stars sitting here. The under is 6-0 in the Mets last 6 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in Dickey's last 4 starts. The under is 3-0-1 in Wainwright's last 4 home starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Play of the Day* The New York Yankees lead the Baltimore Orioles by only one game and the Tampa Bay Rays by two games in the AL East. I still believe the Yankees are the best team in the division, and they are likely to turn this around sooner rather than later. Alex Cobb isn't a dominant pitcher, and he has been lit up on multiple occasions this year. The Yankees offense is clearly capable of breaking out at any moment, and I think this is a good opportunity. Freddy Garcia has great career numbers against the Rays lineup. I like the Yankees as a value play here at some solid plus money. Take New York.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Boston Red Sox absolutely look like a team that has given up on the season. Boston has had terrible team chemistry all year, and now they don't have a healthy lineup either. Who would have guessed that the Seattle Mariners would have a better record than the Red Sox this late in the year? Seattle is doing it with solid pitching and timely hitting. Jason Vargas has a 2.63 ERA at home this year. Clay Buchholz has been inconsistent all year. The Red Sox are 0-7 in their last 7 road games. The Mariners are 11-0 in their last 11 home games against a team with a losing record. Take Seattle.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Milwaukee Brewers took a long time do it, but they are finally playing some very good baseball of late. Michael Fiers is one of the best young pitchers in the game. His deceptive delivery makes him tough to pick up on, especially for teams who haven't seen much of him. Miami is playing bad baseball right now, and their lineup has been hit hard by injuries. Ricky Nolasco is a very inconsistent pitcher, and this Brewers team has been hitting it very well. The Brewers are 9-1 in their last 10 games as a favorite. Milwaukee is 5-0 in their last 5 against a right-handed pitcher. They are 4-0 in their last 4 against Miami. The Marlins are 0-5 in their last 5 against the NL Central. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Detroit Tigers pulled into a tie with the Chicago White Sox last night in the AL Central. While conventional wisdom may be that this is a letdown spot for Detroit, I don't think it is against a poor Cleveland team. The Indians are in free fall right now. Cleveland is 13-39 in their last 52 games. Detroit is 25-6 in their last 31 home games. Anibal Sanchez is a solid number three starter for the Tigers. Kluber has struggled on the road in his young MLB career. The Tigers have a great opportunity here. Expect them to win comfortably. Take Detroit -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Boston Red Sox are a complete mess right now. They lost 20-2 to Oakland Friday, and still didn't put up a fight in yesterday's game. Brett Anderson is a very good pitcher when healthy. He has allowed one run in 14 innings pitched this season. I don't expect a depleted Red Sox lineup to score many against Anderson. Dice-K had a good start last time out, but I still don't think he can be trusted. He struggles too much with his control and doesn't pitch deep into games. Take Oakland -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special. This is a classic pitching mismatch. Ricky Romero has a 5.50 ERA this year, and his control has been awful. David Price has been one of the most consistent starts in all of baseball. Tampa Bay's lineup is much improved with a health Evan Mongoria. The Blue Jays' lineup has been hit hard by injuries. The Rays are 6-0 in Price's last 6 starts at Toronto. They are 12-2 in his last 14 overall against Toronto. The Jays are 1-11 in Romero's last 12 starts. Take Tampa Bay -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Cleveland Indians have absolutely tanked in the last couple months. Cleveland was in contention in the AL Central, and now they are nearly in the cellar. The Indians have been awful against left-handed pitching this year, and Derek Holland has great career numbers against them. Texas has the deepest lineup in baseball, and the Rangers should be able to put up several runs against Zach McAllister. Cleveland is hitting .222 this year against lefties. The Indians are 0-5 in their last 5 against lefties. The Indians are 1-6 in their last 7 home games. The Rangers are 4-0 in Holland's last 4 starts against Cleveland. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Pittsburgh Pirates are on their way down in the playoff chase right now. Pittsburgh has played above their heads much of the year. They are certainly a much improved team, but they aren't as good as many of the teams in the playoff race. Milwaukee is only 5 games below .500 right now, and the Brewers absolutely have the Pirates number of late. A.J. Burnett is a very streaky pitcher and he has been bad of late. Marco Estrada has come into his own in his last couple starts. The Brewers are 47-9 in their last 56 home games against the Pirates. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Detroit Tigers have a great chance to get back to the top of the AL Central in this series with the White Sox. Detroit has been great at home this year, and Max Scherzer has been awesome of late. He has allowed just one run in his last three starts combined. Francisco Liriano is a very inconsistent pitcher at this point in his career. The Tigers have been hitting left-handed pitching well of late. The Tigers are 6-0 in Scherzer's last 6 starts as a favorite. The White Sox are 1-7 in their last 8 road games. Take Detroit -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Kyle Lohse has been remarkably consistent this year. Lohse has allowed 3 runs or less in 15 of his last 16 starts. The one bad start was at Coors Field. In 14 of those 16 games he has allowed 2 runs or less. Jordan Zimmerman is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. He has been right around the top of the charts in the ERA column all year. The Cardinals have scored one run in the past 3 games combined. The under is 8-0 in Lohse's last 8 starts with a total of 7-8.5. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Tampa Bay Rays are right in the thick of a playoff race, while Toronto has nothing to play for at this point. Jeremy Hellickson has been very good this year. Brandon Morrow doesn't look completely healthy just yet. The Rays have some very good history against Morrow. Toronto is just 7-22 in their last 29 games. The Blue Jays lineup is very weak without Lawrie or Bautista. Tampa Bay's lineup is the best it has been all season now that they have Longoria healthy and they added a solid player in Ryan Roberts. The Blue Jays are 0-4 in Morrow's last 4 starts against the Rays. They are 1-10 in their last 11 in game two of a series. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jaime Garcia isn't nearly as good of a pitcher away from home, and he'll have an extra problem to work with on Thursday. Yadier Molina isn't expected to play in this one, and Garcia has an ERA above 5 when Tony Cruz is the Cardinals catcher. He also has an ERA above 5 on the road this season. The Nationals are better against left-handed pitchers. The St. Louis offense has been blanked two days in a row, but the Cardinals have a stacked lineup and I expect them to bust out very soon. The over is 8-1 in Garcia's last 9 road starts against a team with a winning record. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Seattle Mariners have really surprised me this season. I thought the Mariners would be one of the worst teams in the league. They have gotten close to .500 thanks to a solid pitching staff and improved hitting from several youngsters. The Twins have been a mess all year. Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau may sit out this day game after a night game, and that hurts the lineup a lot. Denard Span is questionable as well. Brian Duensing has been terrible this year. The Twins are 4-14 in Duensing's last 18 starts. Take the Mariners here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The New York Mets are a bad baseball team right now. New York seems to have packed it in. The Phillies have gotten a little more healthy, and their lineup actually looks decent now. Kyle Kendrick has been amazing of late. Kendrick has two shutouts in his last three outings. The Mets are 9-21 in their last 30 games against right-handed pitching. The Phillies are 12-5 in their last 17 as a home favorite. The Phillies look like a nice value at what is basically even money. I like the Phillies in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* This early afternoon tilt features two young talented left-handed pitchers. Both of these guys have been pitching well of late. Zach Britton has been hot and cold all throughout his career, but he has looked good in his last couple starts. Jose Quintana just keeps putting together quality starts for the White Sox. Brian Runge is one of the best 'under' umpires in baseball, so he'll help here. The under is 3-0-1 in Quinatana's last 4 starts. The under is 6-0 in the Orioles last 6 games when scoring 2 or less runs in their previous contest. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians both have subpar offenses. Cleveland seems to have completely given up for the year, and they are headed toward the bottom of the AL Central standings. Oakland is in the thick of the playoff race, and that is thanks to a great pitching staff. Jarrod Parker is a very good young pitcher, and Justin Masterson has been very good at home in his career. Both pitchers have pitched well during the daytime. The under is 7-1 in the Indians last 8. The under is 6-1 in the A's last 7 road games against teams with a losing record. The under is 5-1 in Masterson's last 6 home starts. The under is 4-0 in the Indians last 4 against righties. Take the under in this early game.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Seattle Mariners have gone on a very surprising run of late. Seattle has one of the worst offenses in baseball, but they've been winning games with tremendous pitching of late. Jason Vargas is a solid pitcher who has thrown a lot of very high quality games this year. Sam Deduno is a guy who nibbles at the corners a lot for the Twins. Both pitchers will have a friend in umpire Doug Eddings behind home plate. Eddings has the biggest strike zone in baseball. The under is 3-0-1 in the Mariners last 4 road games. The under is 6-0 in the Twins last 6 against a lefty. The under is 4-0 in the Twins last 4 Wednesday games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Pittsburgh Pirates handed it to the St. Louis Cardinals last night, which actually makes me like this game a little bit more. St. Louis is in the thick of the playoff race and Pittsburgh is on the edge of it right now. St. Louis clearly has the much better lineup here, and I think that really sets them apart from Pittsburgh in the long run. Wandy Rodriguez has been shaky in his last few starts, and the Cardinals torch left-handed pitching. The Cardinals are 17-4 in their last 21 against lefties. The Pirates are 0-4 in Rodriguez's last 4 starts. Take the Cardinals.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Colorado Rockies offense is piling up the runs against the Dodgers pitching staff this series. Colorado scored 10 in the first game and 8 last night. The Rockies can pile up the runs in a hurry at Coors Field, and this day game is a perfect spot for lots of runs. The wind will be blowing out and temperatures of 90 to 92 degrees are expected. Joe Blanton isn't a very good pitcher to start with, and I fully expect him to struggle in the thin air. Drew Pomeranz has struggled this year, and the Dodgers lineup is very good now with the newly acquired players. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Johnny Cueto has the NL's best ERA at 2.47. Cueto has been lights out against Arizona in the past. In his career, he is 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA against the DBacks. Wade Miley is a very good pitcher as well, but the Reds are much better against lefties than righties. Based on previous history, Cueto should shut down the Arizona offense well. The Reds should scratch across enough runs to win this one. The Reds are 4-0 in their last 4 against the NL West. They are 5-0 in Cueto's last 5 starts against Arizona. Arizona is 0-4 in their last 4 games. Take the Reds.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Johnny Cueto and Wade Miley have both been very consistent this year. Cueto has the best ERA in the NL at 2.47. Cueto is also 4-0 with an ERA under 2 in his career against Arizona. Miley has an amazingly good 2.80 ERA for the year. The oddsmakers continue to doubt Miley, but he continues to pitch well. Both of these teams have good bullpens. The Reds lineup isn't as strong without Votto in the middle. The under is 8-1-1 in Cueto's last 10 road starts. The under is 41-16-3 in the last 60 meetings between these two teams. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* The New York Yankees really need to get it back in gear after a recent slump. I think a Toronto Blue Jays team without Lawrie and Bautista is just the right fit for a Yankees bounce back. Phil Hughes was blasted by Toronto a couple weeks ago, but he has been very good of late otherwise. Ricky Romero has been horrible all year. Romero has a 5.63 ERA, and he walked 8 batters in his last start. The Yankees hit lefties very well. The Yankees are 38-13 in Hughes' last 51 home starts. The Blue Jays are 0-5 in Romero's last 5 against the Yankees. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Los Angeles Dodgers have quickly gotten one of the best lineups in baseball. Kemp, Gonzalez, Ramirez, and Ethier is an extremely tough stretch for pitchers to go through. Jeff Francis is a guy I like to fade, and I think the Dodgers will get to him early and often. Josh Beckett has been terrible all year, and now he must start in Coors Field. I don't see him turning it around here. The Rockies can still score runs at home. The over is 12-3-1 in Francis' last 16 home starts. The over is 9-1 in Francis' last 10 starts against the NL West. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Kyle Lohse has quietly been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. Lohse has been amazingly consistent. He has a stellar 2.61 ERA on the season. A.J. Burnett was terrific for a long period of time, but he has a 6.75 ERA in his last 3 starts. He was absolutely blitzed for 12 runs by the Cardinals earlier this year. This Cardinals offense is firing on all cylinders right now. St. Louis is making a move toward the playoffs once again this year. The Pirates are 3-8 in their last 11 home games. The Cardinals are 6-1 in Lohse's last 7 starts on 4 days of rest. Take St. Louis.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians have two of the weaker offenses in the majors right now. Oakland has been winning thanks to a great pitching staff. Brett Anderson is back after Tommy John surgery, and he looked great in his first start back. Anderson has the potential to be one of the best starters in the AL. Roberto Hernandez looked good in his last start against Seattle, and he has a great history against Oakland. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 against Oakland. The under is 8-0-1 in the Indians last 9 against teams with a winning record. The under is 5-0 in the A's last 5 games as a road favorite. Take the under.

*3 Star Sunday Night Baseball CASH* Tim Lincecum has been inconsistent all year. He did look much better in his last start against the Dodgers, but he has had a game here or there where he pitched well earlier in the year. Atlanta's lineup is one of the best in the NL, and I think this is a very tough test for him. Tim Hudson has been great away from home this year, and the Giants lineup is struggling a bit now with Hunter Pence in a major swoon and Melky Cabrera out of the lineup. The Braves are 6-0 in Hudson's last 6 starts against the NL West. They are 4-1 in Hudson's last 5 starts against the Giants. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins have been playing some terrible baseball again of late. Minnesota's pitching staff is brutally bad. Texas went through a minor offensive slump for a while, but they are back to crushing the baseball now. Texas has scored 8 runs or more in 6 of their last 10 games (including their last 4 straight). Cole DeVries has been shelled in his last 3 starts, and I don't think that changes here. Scott Feldman will likely give up several as well to a decent Twins lineup. This one should be high scoring. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Cliff Lee continues to be hit by terrible luck this year. It's amazing to think he has only two wins this year. He probably deserves to have 10 or 11 by now, but the bullpen has blown game after game for him. Lee has looked more sharp of late, and I expect him to pitch deep into the game here. Morse and Desmond are both banged up for the Nationals. Jordan Zimmerman is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. He has been a quality start machine for much of the season. Look for a low scoring pitcher's duel here.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The New York Yankees simply aren't playing very good baseball right now. They won with Sabathia on the hill Friday night, but Freddy Garcia is far from Sabathia's level. In fact, at this point in his career Garcia really isn't a very good pitcher. Ubaldo Jimenez is extremely inconsistent, but he's typically good at home. The Indians aren't much more than even money when getting +1.5 in this one, and that is tough to overlook. I think Cleveland has a good chance to win the game, but I like the insurance here. Take Cleveland +1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Angels and Tigers have played two low scoring games in this series so far, but I think this one sets up well for a high scoring contest. Ervin Santana and Max Scherzer are both extremely inconsistent pitchers who are more than capable of giving up 7 or 8 runs by themselves. Both of these lineups are very tough, and the temperature has heated back up in Detroit. Paul Emmel is the umpire here, and the over is 22-2 in his 24 games behind the dish this year. The over is 7-0 in Santana's last 7 starts on 4 days' rest. The over is 7-1 in his last 8 road starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Diego Padres have a very weak lineup. San Diego is the worst offense in the National League right now other than the Astros. Ian Kennedy hasn't had his amazing form that he had in 2011, but I expect him to pitch well against the Padres here. Clayton Richard has been dealing of late. Richard has an ERA under 2 in his last 3 starts. The Padres are 4-0 in his last 4 starts against Arizona, so he has had success against them in the past. The under is 5-0 in the Padres last 5 road games. The under is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The St. Louis Cardinals are playing great baseball now that they are healthy. The lineup may be the best in the National League now. Jaime Garcia is one of the team's best pitchers, and he pitched a shutout in his first game back from the DL earlier this week. Mike Leake has been getting hard around pretty hard of late. Garcia has had a lot of success in his career against Cincinnati. Joey Votto out of the middle of the lineup certainly makes the Reds offense much weaker. The Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 games. They are 7-2 in Garcia's last 9 starts against the Reds. Take the Cardinals.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Minnesota Twins start Brian Duensing in this one. Duensing has struggled all season, and he must go up against a red hot Texas offense that crushes left-handers. Duensing is a guy who gives up a ton of hits and pitches to contact, and I don't think that will work well against Texas. Ryan Dempster has been inconsistent since coming to Texas, but I think this is a good spot. Josh Willingham will probably miss this one again, which certainly hurts the Twins middle of the order. The Rangers have a big pitching advantage and an even bigger lineup edge. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jarrod Parker and Matt Moore are two terrific young pitchers. Parker nearly no-hit the Rangers earlier this year, and Moore has been brilliant of late. Neither of these offenses are particularly strong. Parker has a 3.48 ERA on the year while Moore has a 3.57 ERA. Moore's ERA in his last 3 starts is 1.86. The under is 4-0 in Athletics last 4 road games. The under is 4-0 in Parker's last 4 starts. The under is 5-0 in the Rays last 5 home games against teams with a winning record. I expect a pitching duel here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Milwaukee Brewers are playing decent baseball right now. The Brewers have a solid lineup with Braun, Weeks, Hart, and Ramirez in the middle of the order all healthy right now. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been slumping in a big way of late. You had to wonder when it would happen to this team, and it seems to have finally hit. Pittsburgh simply isn't as good as they have played to this point this year. Milwaukee is more well-rounded team, and they have a very good starter on the hill here. Michael Fiers is a great young righty who has deceptively great stuff. The Brewers are 49-16 in their last 65 games against Pittsburgh. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* The Los Angeles Angels offense is firing on all cylinders right now (see their stats at Boston during this past series), and I don't think Rick Porcello is the type of pitcher to slow them down. In 6 career starts against the Angels, Porcello has a 6.29 ERA. Zack Greinke has been terrible of late. He has allowed at least 4 runs in each of his last 4 starts. Greinke has been bad on the road all year. Detroit has several guys with good numbers against him. The over is 6-0 in Porcello's last 6 starts against the Angels. The over is 6-0 in the Angels last 6 games as an underdog. The over is 4-0 in Greinke's last 4 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Atlanta Braves have been one of my favorite teams to back so far this year. Atlanta has a very deep lineup and a very good bullpen. Tommy Hanson appears to be healthy once again, and he is a solid pitcher. Barry Zito is a streaky pitcher, and he has been pitching poorly of late. Zito shut down the Braves offense earlier this year, but I don't think he'll do it twice. Without Melky Cabrera, the Giants certainly don't have as deep of a lineup as Atlanta. The pitching edge and lineup edge both go to the Braves. Atlanta is 4-0 in their last 4 as a road favorite of -110 to -150. They are 6-0 in Hanson's last 6 as a -110 to -150 favorite. Atlanta is 4-0 in their last 4 games at San Francisco. Take the Braves.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Roy Oswalt has looked like he is out there throwing batting practice so far this year. Oswalt simply doesn't have good stuff, and even when he has won it has been because of the Rangers offense rather than him. Scott Diamond is 10-5 with a 2.95 ERA. Diamond is a tough lefty, and the Rangers haven't seen him at all yet. Minnesota's offense has been much better of late since they are healthy. I like Texas a lot, but they shouldn't be laying nearly -200 with Roy Oswalt on the mound. This is a major value play. Take Minnesota.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Bartolo Colon would have been in this spot, but he has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for prohibited supplements. Tyson Ross will start here instead. Ross is a guy who has poor control. He walks a lot of people and pitches out of the stretch often. Tampa Bay's offense has been much better of late. Alex Cobb is inconsistent and he has an ERA in the high 4's. A total set this low with inconsistent pitchers looks like a nice over play. This should be higher scoring than expected. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Clay Buchholz was one of the worst pitchers in the majors through the first couple months of the season, but he has turned it around in a big way. Buchholz has a 1.50 ERA in his last three starts. He is throwing strikes and getting ahead in the count. Jeff Weaver was lit up last game for the first time this year. Weaver is a candidate for AL CY Young and I expect him to bounce back strong here. Neither of these offenses are clicking particularly well right now. Brian Runge is a great under umpire behind the dish. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Cleveland Indians are in a ridiculous tailspin right now. The Indians have quite a bit of talent, but it almost looks like the team has quit of late. On the other side, Seattle's lineup is very weak but this team has tons of confidence right now. King Felix got it all started with his perfect game, and now this Mariners team is only five games below .500. Iwakuma has been great for Seattle at home this season. He has a 2.53 ERA at Safeco this year. The Indians are 0-11 in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a losing record. The Indians are 0-7 in their last 7 against the AL West. The Mariners are 7-0 in their last 7 games. Take Seattle.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Tom Milone was virtually unhittable at home through most of the season, but it seems he has hit a wall of late. In his last four starts he has allowed 21 runs. The Twins offense is healthy now, and they are fully capable of putting up several runs here. Liam Hendriks pitches for the Twins, and he has struggled badly on the road. He has a 9.00 ERA away from home this year. The over is 6-0 in his last 6 road starts. The over is 4-0 in Milone's last 4 starts. The over is 6-1-1 in the last 8 between these two teams in Oakland. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Tim Lincecum has struggled all season against quality lineups. The Dodgers lineup is much better now with Victorino, Kemp, Ethier, and Hanley Ramirez all very dangerous in the lineup. The Giants lineup is pretty good as well, and Joe Blanton simply isn't any better than a mediocre pitcher. Blanton has a horrible 8.22 ERA in his last 3 starts. The over is 7-0 in Lincecum's last 7 as a road underdog. The over is 5-0 in the Giants last 5 following a win. The over is 4-0 in the Giants last 4 against a righty. Take the over here.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Houston Astros are easily the worst team in baseball. Lucas Harrell has been pitching well for them of late, but he hasn't been facing lineups like the Cardinals. St. Louis has a terrific lineup now that virtually everyone is healthy. Adam Wainwright wasn't himself at the beginning of the season, but he has been superb of late. Wainwright has five straight quality starts, and I don't see that ending against the Astros. Houston is 10-43 in their last 53 road games. The Cardinals are 12-1 in Wainwright's last 13 against the Astros. Take St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The New York Yankees may have the best lineup in baseball right now. Ichiro Suzuki gives the team another great hitter at the bottom of the order. Everyone in the lineup is capable of going deep. Francisco Liriano is an inconsistent pitcher, and I don't see him shutting down the Yankees. Ivan Nova has pitched very poorly of late. Nova has 6.38 ERA in his last 3 starts. The White Sox offense has been clicking of late. The over is 6-0 in Nova's last 6 as an underdog. Look for a high scoring game here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Brian Duensing really shouldn't be starting in the major leagues, but the Twins just don't have many options right now. Duensing has allowed 5 runs or more in 3 of his last 4 starts. One of those starts was against Oakland, who put up 6 runs in two innings against him in July. Brandon McCarthy is pitching great for the A's. McCarthy has an amazing 1.57 ERA at home this year. The Twins are 0-5 in their last 5 games. They are 0-6 in Duensing's last 6 starts as an underdog of +110 to +150. The A's are 4-0 in their last 4. Take Oakland -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Tim Hudson and Jordan Zimmerman are two very good pitchers. In fact, you could make a good argument that Zimmerman is one of the best pitchers in the majors right now. Zimmerman simply doesn't get the attention he deserves, but that gives us great value on the under in his games. Zimmerman has a great 2.38 ERA this year. Hudson has a spectacular 3.06 ERA on the road this season. The under is 14-3 in the Braves last 17 against a righty. The under is 5-0 in the Braves last 5 in the first game of a series. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jeremy Hellickson was on the other side when King Felix threw his perfect game last week. Hellickson was the tough luck loser after giving up just one run in the game. Hellickson has a great history of pitching well in Tampa Bay. The Rays piled up the runs this past weekend, which I believe has given us some extra value on the under here. Tampa Bay's offense is certainly better now that they are healthy, but this still isn't a particularly potent offensive team. The under is 22-5-2 in Hellickson's last 29 home starts. The under is 106-49-8 in the Rays last 163 home games. Take the under.

3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* Josh Johnson is one of the best pitchers in the National League. Johnson hasn't been terrific this year, but he seems to be getting healthy now. Colorado will be without Carlos Gonzalez which is a huge hit to their lineup. Drew Pomeranz has had a chest injury and he may be limited in this game. The Rockies bullpen inn't good, and if Pomeranz can't stay in the game long, that should help the Marlins. Miami has the better pitcher and the better lineup in this one. With the Marlins as a short favorite, I like the value. Take Miami.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Kyle Kendrick and Randy Wolf are two pitchers I like to play the 'over' with. Both of these guys are very inconsistent, and they allow a lot of base runners. The Brewers offense has been very good of late, especially at home. The Phillies offense isn't great, but it is better than most realize. The over is 21-5 in Kendrick's last 26 road starts vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 6-0 in the Brewers last 6 games following a loss. Look for both starting pitchers to struggle. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Baltimore Orioles took Game Two last night in Detroit, and this one will be the rubber match. This series has a bit of a playoff atmosphere to it. Both teams are fighting for the wild card spots right now to get into the playoffs. Chen has been the Orioles best pitcher all year. Fister has been excellent of late. Detroit has struggled against lefties this season. The under is 9-0 in Baltimore's last 9 Sunday games. The under is 5-0 in Chen's last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Seattle Mariners can't hit much at all at home. Seattle has the worst batting average in the majors at home this year. Scott Diamond is the Twins best pitcher by quite a bit right now. Diamond has an ERA under 3 in his rookie season. On the other side, Jason Vargas is terrific at home. He has an ERA just about 2.5 at home this season. This is a pitchers ballpark and neither team seems likely to get much going here. The under is 7-0 in Vargas' last 7 home starts vs. a team with a losing record. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Francisco Giants have been red hot at the plate of late. Eric Stults has been solid so far this year, but I don't expect him to have the stuff to shut down the Giants. With Panda, Posey, and Pence in the middle of the order the Giants are a real threat on offense now. Barry Zito is pitching poorly of late, and when it goes bad for him it often goes very bad. He has an ERA above 7 in his last 3 starts. The over is 6-0 in the Giants last 6. The over is 7-0 in the Giants last 7 road games against a lefty. The over is 4-0 in Zito's last 4 starts on 5 days rest. The over is 11-1 in the last 12 meetings between these teams in San Diego. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* The Philadelphia Phillies don't have much of anything to play for right now. This is a team that had very high expectations that are now a distant memory. Michael Fiers is a terrific young pitcher for Milwaukee. Fiers was blasted at Coors Field in his last outing, but I fully expect a huge bounce back effort here. Fiers has allowed 2 runs or fewer in 9 of his last 10 games. Cole Hamels is very good, but some of the Brewers have decent numbers against him. Milwaukee is 8-0 in their last 8 home games. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle Total Winner* Don't look now, but the Washington Nationals now have a pretty good offense. The Nationals have won with pitching all year, but now that they are healthy they are scoring runs in bunches. Washington has scored more runs than any other team in the majors since the All-Star break. Edwin Jackson is a streaky pitcher who has been struggling of late, and I expect the Mets to put up some runs here. The over is 7-0 in the Nationals last 7 games overall. The over is 7-0 in the Nationals last 7 against a lefty. The over is 4-0-1 in the Mets last 5 Saturday games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Erik Bedard has some ridiculous home/away splits this year. Bedard has a sparkling 2.63 ERA at home and a horrible 6.75 ERA on the road. He'll face a Cardinals lineup that is very good against lefties in this one. St. Louis averages 5.36 runs per game against lefties this year. Lance Lynn has allowed 4 earned runs or more in 6 of his last 10 starts. He seems to have lost control of his fastball of late. Both of these teams have been hitting the ball well of late, and we get a solid over umpire here too. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* James McDonald was terrific earlier this year, but the wheels have fallen off for him of late. The Cardinals arguably have the best lineup in the National League now that they are healthy. St. Louis lost in a heartbreaker last night, and I expect the offense to be ready for this one. Jake Westbrook has been good this year, but the Pirates have hit him hard in the past. Neither pitcher seems destined to have a very good game here. I think this total is set too low. I like the value on the over in this contest.

*3 Star Red Sox/Yankees MLB Total* The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees may be going in different directions, but they are still major rivals. Both offenses are patient and can score runs in bunches. Phil Hughes has been shaky again of late, and the Red Sox have hit him very well in the past. Morales has pitched well this year, but the Yankees are great against lefties. The over is 4-0 in Hughes' last 4 against the Red Sox. The over is 4-0 in Hughes' last 4 starts overall. The total is set relatively low for a Red Sox/Yankees game. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Top Play Crusher* The Texas Rangers lost 3 of 4 to the Yankees. They did pound out 10 runs on 16 hits to win the final game of the series yesterday though. Texas is a team that can get hot in a hurry and stay red hot. J.A. Happ is the perfect pitcher for this patient Texas offense to put up runs against. Happ allows tons of base runners thanks to poor control. He shouldn't be able to get out of all those jams against this amazing offense. Yu Darvish hasn't been great of late, but the Blue Jays lineup looks like a Triple A lineup at this point. This is a great chance for Darvish to get back his form. The Blue Jays are 3-10 in their last 13 against a righty. I expect this to get ugly. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Cliff Lee has been one of the worst luck pitchers in baseball this year. It's hard to imagine Lee being 2-7 this year, but that is the case. Lee has a solid 1.18 WHIP and a 3.85 ERA. He has pitched even better of late. On the other side, Marco Estrada pitches for the Brewers. Estrada isn't really a starting pitcher, but the Brewers need him to fill in since they have injuries. Estrada is 0-5 this year with a 4.36 ERA. The Phillies have played a little better of late, and they have a huge pitching advantage here. The Phillies are 4-0 in their last 4 following a loss. They are 4-0 in their last 4 against a righty. The Brewers are 0-7 in Estrada's last 7 starts as an underdog. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* A.J. Burnett has been terrific all year. Still, Burnett is an inconsistent pitcher who is capable of getting lit up at any point. The Dodgers lineup has quickly become one of the best in the NL. With Kemp, Ethier, Victorino, and Ramirez this team can pile up the runs. On the other side, Joe Blanton starts for the Dodgers and he certainly isn't a guy you can trust. Blanton is a guy who typically ends with an ERA of about 5 every year. Angel Campos is an over umpire, and this one is set too low. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Derek Holland simply hasn't had any luck against the Yankees in his career. He has an 0-5 record and a 9.26 ERA in 34 innings against the Yankees. The Yankees lineup is even deeper now with Ichiro Suzuki on the team. The Rangers have had serious trouble at Yankee Stadium, and I don't see Holland ending that trend. The Rangers are 0-8 in their last 8 games at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are 5-0 in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. The Yankees are 5-0 in their last 5 as a favorite of -110 to -150. Take the Yankees.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Adam Wainwright is one of the best pitchers in the majors when healthy. It appears he is healthy once again. At the beginning of the season he wasn't himself, but he has been great of late. Wainwright has allowed 2 earned runs or less in each of his last four starts. Joe Saunders has been solid this year, but the Cardinals offense is healthy now, and they crush lefties. The Cardinals have the much better lineup and the much better starting pitcher here. Look for St. Louis to take care of business. Take St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Tim Lincecum hasn't been himself this year. He has been better in his last three starts, but those starts were against weak lineups. Lincecum has been worse during the daytime in his career, and the Nationals have scored more runs than anyone else in the majors since the All-Star break. Stephen Strasburg had one bad start against Philly, but he has been great on the road this year. Strasburg is 8-2 with a 2.41 ERA on the road this season. The Nationals are 11-0 in Strasburg's last 11 starts during Game 3 of a series. They are also 13-3 in his last 16 road starts. Take the Nationals.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Roy Halladay didn't look healthy when he first came back from the disabled list, but he has allowed just one run in his last 15 innings pitched. The Miami Marlins have been shutout in three straight games. It's hard to imagine them getting too many against Halladay. Mark Buehrle has been great at home all year. Buehrle has a 2.94 ERA at home this year. He also has a 2.50 ERA in day games this year. The Phillies are likely to sit some of their stars here since this is a get away day. The under is 5-0 in the Phillies last 5 as a road favorite. The under is 4-0-2 in Buehrle's last 6 home starts. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. Take the under.