Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Milwaukee Brewers will be without Ryan Braun in this one and Aramis Ramirez is liable to miss the game as well. Rickie Weeks isn't hitting at all and the Brewers offense isn't lethal at all without Braun in the middle. James McDonald hasn't allowed more than 3 runs in a game all season. The Pirates average just 2.89 runs per game against righties. Michael Fiers is making just his second start in this one, but I think he can fare well against this Pirates lineup. Phil Cuzzi is a solid under umpire. The under is 5-0-1 in McDonald's last 6 starts against the NL Central. The under is 5-0-2 in his last 7 starts against teams with a losing record. Take the under.

*3 Star Rangers/Angels Play* The Los Angeles Angels are finally above .500 and they are playing good baseball right now. Mike Trout is a tremendous youngster (who I rate higher than Bryce Harper right now). Trout sets the table at the top of the order, and now Pujols is hitting the ball well too. C.J. Wilson is an elite pitcher in the majors now. Yu Darvish is struggling with some minor injuries and he has had control problems in his last two outings. The Angels are extremely motivated to win this series and gain some ground. I like the Angels at home.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The New York Yankees definitely have a better lineup top to bottom than the Detroit Tigers right now. The Tigers are hurting without Austin Jackson in the lineup, and the only the 3-5 spots in the lineup are very scary right now. New York has a very solid 1 through 6. Kuroda has been pretty good this year, and Porcello has historically been very bad at home. The Yankees are 6-0 in their last 6 as a favorite. The Tigers are 1-9 in their last 10 as a home underdog. Take the Yankees.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Colorado Rockies are absolutely crushing the baseball right now. Colorado has scored 13, 11, and 13 runs in their last three games. In fact, the Rockies have scored 6 or more runs in 8 of their last 10 games. Aaron Harang is a fly ball pitcher and that is bad news for him at Coors. He has a 6.5 ERA in his career at Coors Field. Juan Nicasio has a 7.04 ERA at home this year. The Dodgers continue to outperform expectations offensively. The over is 6-0-1 in the Rockies last 7 as a home favorite. The over is 4-0 in the Dodgers last 10 as an underdog. The over is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings between these two at Colorado. The over is 20-5-2 in the Rockies last 27 Saturday games. A 40-7 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The Orioles offense took a major hit when Nick Markakis went down with an injury. Without Markakis, Adam Jones doesn't have much support in the middle of the order. Matt Wieters is slumping terribly right now. Jeremy Hellickson has been amazing, especially at home. Hellickson is one of the best young pitchers in baseball. He has an ERA below 2 at home in his career. Brian Matusz has pretty good stuff, and the Rays offense is averaging less than 3 runs per game over the last 6 games. The under is 4-0 in the Orioles last 4 against a righty. The under is 4-0 in Matusz's last 4 games. The under is 18-3-2 in Hellickson's last 21 home starts. The under is 5-0-2 in Hellickson's last 7 overall. The under is 20-5-2 in the last 27 meetings in Tampa Bay between these two teams. A huge 51-8 angle backs this play. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Toronto Blue Jays bats are struggling right now. Felix Doubront has quietly been the Red Sox best pitcher so far this year. Doubront has a 3.86 ERA in 2012. The Red Sox are 7-3 in his 10 starts. Kyle Drabek has been bad against the Red Sox in the past. The Red Sox offense is locked in right now, and Drabek hasn't shown that he is capable of shutting offenses down consistently. The Blue Jays are 0-5 in their last 5 as an underdog. The Red Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 against a righty. Take Boston.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Texas Rangers have the best offense in all of baseball. Texas has scored 8 runs or more in 4 of their last 6 games. The Rangers average 6 runs per game against right-handed pitching. Jerome Williams has had a nice year, but he doesn't have dominating stuff. Colby Lewis strikes out a lot of people, but he also gives up a lot of long balls. Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo, and Albert Pujols are really hitting the ball well now for the Angels. The Angels have scored 5 runs or more in 4 of their last 6 games. The over is 6-1 in Texas' last 7 games. The over is 6-2-1 in the last 9 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Miami Marlins finished the month of May with a sparkling 21-8 record. Miami's lineup still hasn't been firing on all cylinders, and I expect Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez to improve over the course of the season. Giancarlo Stanton is locked in right now. The Phillies have struggled badly against lefties this year, and Mark Buehrle is still a solid pitcher. The common theme around Kyle Kendrick's career has been his inconsistency. Kendrick pitched a complete game shutout in his last start, but I'm not confident he can keep that up. The Marlins have the better lineup and bullpen as well. The Marlins are 5-0 in Buehrle's last 5 games. The Marlins are 4-0 in their last 4 Friday games. The Phillies are 1-5 in Kendrick's last 6 home games. Take Miami.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Clay Buchholz has been terrible all season. Buchholz has a ridiculous 1.83 WHIP on the season. He also has a 7.19 ERA. Henderson Alvarez has a solid 1.28 WHIP and a 3.56 ERA. The Blue Jays are a solid team, and the Red Sox are very short-handed offensively right now. Without Ellsbury, Crawford, Pedroia, and Ross this simply isn't the same offense. Alvarez has pitched twice against the Red Sox. He has allowed just one run in those two starts. I like the value on the Blue Jays.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* 14 of the last 18 games played at Coors Field have gone over this posted total. Bud Norris has had a nice season, but he isn't nearly as good on the road. Norris has a 5.40 ERA on the road, and he wasn't sharp at all in Los Angeles last time out. Jeremy Guthrie has a miserable 9.92 ERA in his home starts this year. Guthrie is clearly struggling with the conditions at Coors Field. There are some amazing trends on this game. The over is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings between these two teams. The over is 6-0 in Norris' last 6 starts on 4 days of rest. The over is 7-0-1 in the Rockies last 8 games when allowing 5 or more runs in the previous game. Also, the over is 4-0-1 in the Rockies last 5 as a home favorite. A 24-0 angle backs this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Los Angeles Angels have won eight straight games. They are certainly playing much better right now, but I'm still not convinced they have solved all their problems. Ervin Santana walked 7 batters in his start against Seattle last time around. The Yankees have hit Santana very well in the past. The Angels are 1-6 in Santana's last 7 starts against the Yankees. The Angels are just 3-11 in Santana's last 14 starts overall. Nova has been better on the road, and the Yankees definitely have the deeper lineup. Take New York here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jason Hammel has pitched pretty well this year, but I'm not at all convinced that he is a good pitcher. Hammel has been wildly inconsistent in the past, and I think he is due to get hit around. The Blue Jays offense is one of the best in baseball. Baltimore's offense is very formidable as well. Brandon Morrow has pitched much worse at home over the last couple years. Morrow only lasted 2/3 of an inning in his last start. This total is set too low. The over is 4-0 in Hammel's last 4 starts. The over is 6-1-1 in the Blue Jays last 8 games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Chicago White Sox have won 10 of their last 11 games. Paul Konerko is smashing the ball in the middle of the order, and the White Sox pitching staff has been surprisingly good. Adam Dunn and Alex Rios are having big bounce back seasons. Tampa Bay is severely short-handed offensively right now. Without Longoria and Jennings the Rays have struggled to score runs. Quintana is a solid young pitcher for the White Sox. The Rays are 2-6 in their last 8 against a lefty. Take the White Sox here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Oakland A's should have won last night's game against the Twins, but they didn't and now they have dropped 7 straight. I lost on the A's last night and it was a very tough loss. Still, I don't see why the Twins are getting so much love from the oddsmakers here. Francisco Liriano is back in the rotation, and he has been dreadful all year. Liriano has an 8.47 ERA. The Twins have the worst record in baseball, and I don't see why they would be favored in this spot. Take the value with the A's.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cleveland Indians have struggled all year against left-handed pitching. Cleveland is hitting just .209 against lefties in 2012. Right now the Indians are without Asdrubal Cabrera, Travis Hafner, and Carlos Santana. Those are their #3, #4, and #5 hitters. Kansas City's offense has been disappointing this year. Jeanmar Gomez isn't a great pitcher, but he is underrated and he has pitched well at home. The under is 14-2 in Dan Bellino's (home plate umpire) last 16 games overall. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Cincinnati Reds have won 8 of their last 10 games. They were beaten by the Pirates yesterday in the series opener, but the Reds are playing good baseball right now. The Reds have a much higher upside than the Pirates. Homer Bailey starts for Cincinnati in this one. Bailey has an ERA under 2 in his career against the Pirates. He has 2.00 ERA at PNC Park. The Reds offense is much better than the Pirates offense. Cincinnati is 7-0 in Bailey's last 7 starts against Pittsburgh. The Reds are 4-0 in their last 4 after scoring 2 runs or less in the previous game. Look for the Reds to bounce back. Take Cincinnati.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Oakland Athletics have lost six straight games, so it isn't a huge surprise that the oddsmakers aren't too high on them here. Still, when you consider who they are up against and the pitching matchup I think this is a very good value. Jarrod Parker has only had one bad start in his time in the majors (7 starts). Parker had terrific minor league numbers over the years. Cole DeVries isn't major league starter material based on his minor league stats. He couldn't keep his Double A ERA under 4. He gives up more hits than innings pitched. The Twins are 14-41 in their last 55 home games. Take the Athletics.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Philadelphia Phillies offense hasn't been that great this year, but the public perception that the Phillies have a terrible offense isn't true. The Phillies average 4.16 runs per game, and they average 4.70 runs per game against righties, which is in the top 10 in the majors. The Mets average 4.24 runs per game. Joe Blanton has been an 'over' machine on the road over the past couple years. Jeremy Hefner was lit up by the Padres in his last start, and the Padres are the worst offense in the NL. Some huge winning angles back this one. The over is 15-3 in the Phillies last 18 road games. The over is 7-0 in the Mets last 7 against the NL East. The over is 7-0 in the Phillies last 7 as a road favorite. It is 7-0 in the Phillies last 7 road games vs. a right-handed pitcher. The over is 20-4-2 in the last 26 meetings between these teams. A combined 56-7 winning angle backs this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Mismatch* Kevin Millwood has been pitching pretty well lately, but he is very inconsistent at this stage in his career. The Rangers punish pitchers who make mistakes, and I don't see Millwood faring well against them. Matt Harrison has absolutely shut down the Mariners in his short career. The Mariners are hitting less than .200 against him overall. The Rangers are 6-0 in Harrison's last 6 starts against Seattle. The Mariners simply don't have the bats that the Rangers do. I don't expect this to be close. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Kansas City Royals are now 14-10 on the road this year. The Royals have a decent lineup. Cleveland's lineup was pretty good, but they are short-handed right now. Carlos Santana, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Travis Hafner are all out. Those three bat #3, #4, and #5 in the order. Josh Tomlin has been out with an injury and this is his first start back. It really doesn't make sense for the Indians to be big favorites in this game with so many question marks. Take the value with Kansas City.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Chris Sale and Matt Moore are both two very talented left-handed pitchers. The White Sox have struggled all year against lefties. Tampa Bay's offense simply isn't very good without Evan Longoria and Desmond Jennings. Carlos Pena and Ben Zobrist are in horrible slumps. The under is an amazing 82-38-8 in the Rays last 128 home games. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams. Look for both starters to have the upper hand in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Oakland Athletics have been drilled in the first two games of this series, but I think the A's have shown quite a bit of fight this year. Tom Milone has been superb at home, and he has made bettors a lot of money this season. In 30 innings at home, he has allowed just 3 runs (2 earned). The Yankees have been very inconsistent this year, and I don't think they should be laying this price. Kuroda has a 6.23 ERA on the road in 2012. Look for Oakland to salvage a game from this series. Take Oakland.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Clay Buchholz has allowed at least 5 runs in all but two of his starts this year. He is amazingly still 4-2 on the year, because the Red Sox have piled up the runs in support of him. Buchholz has a dreadful 7.84 ERA. Jeremy Hellickson is one of the best young pitchers in the game. Hellickson has an ERA of 2.71 in 2012. The Red Sox offense is still very good right now, but without Crawford, Ellsbury, and Ross I think he'll tame them enough to win here. I like the value on the much more consistent pitcher. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Baltimore Orioles are just one game ahead in the AL East, and I think this game means a lot to them. Brian Matusz has looked much better of late. Matusz has the stuff to be an Ace in the majors. He is a streaky pitcher, and he seems to be on a good run right now. Luke Hochevar has struggled against the Orioles in the past. The Royals are just 2-5 in his last 7 starts against Baltimore. The Orioles are 8-1 in Matusz's last 9 starts following a quality start. The Royals are 1-5 in their last 6 at Baltimore. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Jamie Moyer has allowed at least 6 hits in eight straight starts. He simply doesn't have the stuff to fool people enough, and he has to really work the corners. The Reds have typically been good the last couple years against lefties, and their bats have really woke up of late. Mat Latos started the season slowly, but he has been much better over his last 4 or 5 starts. The Rockies are 5-25 in their last 30 Sunday games. The Reds are 17-5 in their last 22 Sunday games. This one looks like a mismatch all around. Take the Reds -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Tim Tschida is one of the best 'over' umpires in the business. Tschida has a tiny strike zone, and I expect that to hurt both of these pitchers in a big way Sunday. Edinson Volquez has struggled with walks in his entire career, and this year has been no different. Tschida won't give him the borderline pitches. R.A. Dickey is a knuckle baller who would be hurt far more than the average pitcher by a small strike zone. Dickey has an ERA above 5 during day games in his career. The over is 3-0-1 in the Padres last 4. The over is 5-0-1 in the Mets last 6 home games. The over is 4-0 in Tschida's last 4 Sunday games behind the plate. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Bud Norris has been money in the bank this year. How good has he been? The Astros are 8-1 in his 9 starts. Moneyline bettors who have wagered $100 on the Astros every time he has started are up a cool $872 on the year. Chad Billingsley has been struggling with his command of late, and the Dodgers offense is severely short-handed right now. The Astros are much better than most people realize. I think a fair price here would be Houston +100 or so. I love the value on Houston here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The heat is here across the country and that generally means higher scoring games. The expected game time temperature here is 95 degrees, and the wind is forecasted to be blowing out at 10 mph. Kyle Kendrick is one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the majors, and he gives up a lot of long balls. St. Louis has scored more runs than any other NL team. The Cardinals are very capable of getting the 9 runs by themselves here. Jaime Garcia has been good at home, but he hasn't been dominant this year. Sam Holbrook is the best over umpire in the business. The over is 6-0 in Kendrick's last 6 starts as a road underdog. The over is 18-4 in the Cardinals last 22 as a favorite. The over is 13-3 in the Phillies last 16 road games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Jaime Garcia has been lights out this year, but he has been terrific at home in the past couple years. He has an ERA under 2.75 in his last two years at home. Kyle Kendrick is fully capable of giving up 6 or 8 runs in a small amount of time, and the Cardinals offense is the best in the National League. The Cardinals offense should love the hot weather and wind blowing out in this game. The Phillies are 1-9 in their last 10 games against a lefty, and Garcia is far better than an average left-hander. The Cardinals have a big advantage in pitching and hitting here. Take St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Texas Rangers have the best offense in all of baseball. Alvarez is a decent young pitcher for Toronto, but this is a very tough spot for him. In an afternoon game in Arlington, the ball should fly very well on this hot day. Colby Lewis struggles at home, and the Blue Jays have an offense capable of taking advantage. Lewis has an ERA of over 6 with home plate umpire Marty Foster in his career. The over is 7-0 in the Rangers last 7 against the AL East. The over is 4-0-1 in the Blue Jays' last 5. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Max Scherzer has been awful this season. He also has a career ERA 6.45 in 6 starts against the Minnesota Twins. Carl Pavano has a 4.91 ERA on the season. The Twins have been hitting the ball much better as of late. Justin Morneau is healthy and hitting the ball well. The Tigers' offense hasn't been what it should be yet, but I expect them to put up several runs against Pavano. With two hot offenses and two poor pitchers, I think it is very possible that we see at least ten runs scored here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Los Angeles Angels have been the most disappointing team in the majors. The offense is averaging just 3.59 runs per game. Safeco is certainly a pitchers park. Ervin Santana has been burning money this year, but it isn't because he has been bad. In fact, he has been great in his last five starts. Five straight quality starts from Santana. He has a 1.71 ERA in his last three starts. The Seattle lineup is one of the worst in baseball. The under is 8-0-1 in Santana's last 9 starts as a road favorite. The under is 4-0-1 in Santana's last 5 starts against the Mariners. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Atlanta Braves were just swept out of Cincinnati last night. It was definitely a disappointing series for the Braves, but the Reds are a quality team and I fully expect the Braves to bounce back . Tim Hudson has been under the radar since coming back from an injury of late. Hudson has thrown 21 and 2/3 innings and only allowed three runs in his last three starts. Washington's offense isn't good, and Ross Detwiler has been very shaky of late. The Braves are very good against lefties. The Braves are 8-2 in Hudson's last 10 starts against the Nationals. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error Total* Bruce Chen and Jason Hammel have both pitched a little better than most expected, but I still don't consider them high quality pitchers. Both Kansas City and Baltimore are pretty good hitting teams, and I was surprised to see a total this low. The Orioles are averaging 5.04 runs per game against lefties. The Royals average 4.22 runs per game this season. The wind is expected to be blowing out at about 10 mph. Everything here adds up to value on the over. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The St. Louis Cardinals have scored more runs than any other team in the National League. They also have the second best team batting average in the majors. Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran are having massive bounce back years for the Cardinals. The Phillies offense isn't good, but they are improving slowly. Many of the current Phillies players have great numbers against Jake Westbrook in their career. Joe Blanton is very inconsistent, and I don't think the line should be this low with two mediocre pitchers. The over is 6-0 in Westbrook's last 6 home starts. The over is 5-0 in the Phillies last 5 road games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chase Field is a completely different park when the roof is open, especially when it is very hot. The expected temperature at gametime is 100 degrees and the roof is scheduled to be open. The ball travels very well with the heat and low humidity. Ted Lilly gives up too many fly balls for this to be a good situation for him. Joe Saunders has pitched twice with the roof open in the past two weeks and has given up 6 and 7 earned runs respectively. The over is 4-0 in Saunders last 4 starts. The over is 4-0 in Lilly's last 4 starts. The over is 5-1 in Saunders last 6 starts against the Dodgers. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Houston Astros are playing much better baseball than many expected them to in 2012. Houston is 15-10 at home this year. Wandy Rodriguez has been brilliant at Minute Maid Park throughout his career. The Cubs struggle in a big way against lefties, and the Cubs look lost at the plate right now. I don't see them getting it going against a lefty as tough as Rodriguez. Houston is 7-0 in its last 7 as a -110 to -150 favorite. The Cubs are 0-8 in their last 8 games. The Cubs are 0-4 in their last 4 games against a lefty. The Cubs are 0-4 in their last 4 games at Houston. In all, we have a combined perfect 23-0 winning angle on Houston. Take the Astros.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Atlanta Braves have lost the first two games of this four-game series with the Reds, but I think Wednesday sets up nicely for them. Tommy Hanson has a stellar 2.57 ERA on the road this year. Bronson Arroyo started the season very well, but he has labored in each of his last two games. Arroyo doesn't pitch as well at home because he gives up the home run ball too often in Great American Ballpark. The Braves have the best lineup in the National League. Atlanta is 12-3 in Hanson's last 15 road starts. The Reds are 0-6 in Arroyo's last 6 starts as a home underdog. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Matt Cain is one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball. Despite a poor offense, the Giants are above .500 on the year. Shaun Marcum is better away from home than he is at home. The Brewers are just 1-8 in Marcum's last 9 home starts. They are 0-7 in his last 7 home starts vs. a team with a winning record. The Giants are 4-0 in Cain's last 4 as a road underdog. Ryan Braun might miss this game after leaving with a groin injury in extra innings on Monday. The Giants have a lot of value in this one. Take San Francisco.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Minnesota Twins have the worst record in baseball, but they are playing much better of late. They have gotten healthy of late and the lineup is piling up the runs. The White Sox took advantage of the Cubs over the weekend, but Chicago's lineup has a ton of .200 hitters. Gavin Floyd is a pretty good pitcher, but he has a horrendous record against the Twins. Minnesota is 7-0 in their last 7 games against Floyd. In 15 starts against the Twins Floyd has a miserably 5.67 ERA. Minnesota is 17-5 in their last 22 games at Chicago. Take the Twins.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* You could make a good argument that Brandon Beachy has been the best pitcher in the National League so far this year. Beachy has a stellar 1.33 ERA. He is just now starting to get some respect from the books. Mat Latos is struggling of late. He isn't getting past the fifth inning because he is laboring and struggling with his command. The Braves have the best offense in the NL right now. Atlanta is 7-0 in their last 7 games following a loss. They are 4-0 in Beachy's last 4 road starts. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Ricky Nolasco is a strange pitcher in that he generally pitches better on the road than he does at home. He has a 6.60 ERA at home this year. The Rockies offense is capable of doing damage with Tulo and CarGo in the middle of the order. The Marlins offense has struggled all year, but I think they are starting to turn the corner. Miami should be able to score runs against Juan Nicasio, who has a better ERA than he probably should. Nicasio has faced tons of weak hitting teams this season. The over is 6-0 in Nolasco's last 6 home starts. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error* The Toronto Blue Jays have a much better lineup than the Tampa Bay Rays to start with, and the Rays are without Longoria and Jennings right now. Drew Hutchison has been solid in his rookie season with Toronto, and I think he can slow down this struggling Rays offense. Matt Moore has a ton of potential, but he hasn't been in good form of late. The Blue Jays hit lefties well. I don't think the Blue Jays should be underdogs in this game. Tampa Bay has lost 4 of their last 5, and all those were at home. Take Toronto.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline TOP Play* Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers will take on Felix Hernandez and the Mariners here. King Felix is a tough guy to wager against, but I think there are very solid reasons behind this one. The Rangers are arguably the best team in baseball right now. Texas has the best lineup from top to bottom of any team in the majors. Darvish is really rounding into form of late. Seattle's offense is one of the worst in baseball. Hernandez has struggled in the past with the Rangers. The Rangers are 4-0 in their last 4 games against Felix Hernandez. The Rangers are 6-1 in their last 7 games at Seattle. The Rangers are 5-0 in Darvish's last 5 starts on 4 days of rest. Take Texas big.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Los Angeles Angles have been burning money all year long. Vernon Wells is now out with an injury and Torii Hunter is out. All of the sudden the Angels offense doesn't even look that good on paper right now. Tom Milone has pitched 23 innings at home this year and given up just two runs (only one earned). Jerome Williams has pitched well of late, but he generally struggles on the road. The Angels are 6-15 in their last 21 games against left-handed pitchers. The Angels are just 1-4 in their last 5 games at Oakland. Take the Athletics here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Chicago Cubs are in a major funk right now. They just got swept at home by their hated rivals from the south side (White Sox). While many expected the Astros to be terrible, they haven't been that bad so far this year. They are 13-10 at home this year. Bud Norris is pitching as well as anyone in baseball of late. He has allowed just one earned run in his last three starts. Matt Garza doesn't get much run support from the Cubs offense. The Cubs have scored just one run in their last 20 innings. Take the home team here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Doug Eddings has been the best 'under' umpire in baseball for the last few years. Eddings calls more strikes than any other umpire in baseball. Ervin Santana and Anthony Bass have both improved as the season has gone along, and I expect both of them to use PetCo's dimensions as well as Eddings' strike zone to their advantage. The under is a stunning 21-4-4 in Santana's last 29 games overall. The under is 7-0-1 in his last 8 as a road favorite. The under is 16-4-1 in Eddings' last 21 interleague games behind the dish. Look for a very low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Stephen Strasburg struggled through his last start, and I fully expect him to bounce back in a big way here. Strasburg is an extremely talented pitcher who hasn't had a bad outing twice in a row before. Chen is a very good pitcher for the Orioles as well, and the Nationals struggle badly against lefties. Chen shut down the Rangers and the Yankees in his last two starts, so I expect him to fare well against a Nationals team that averages less than 3 runs per game against lefties. Both pitchers should be locked in on Sunday. Take the under.

*3 Star Red Sox/Phillies Moneyline CASH* Jon Lester hasn't been terrific this year, but he has been better in his last couple outings. The Phillies are batting just .240 against lefties this year. Joe Blanton has been very solid of late, but I expect him to struggle against one of the better lineups in baseball. There hasn't been a better team in interleague play than Boston over the last few years. The Red Sox are 86-37 in their last 123 interleague games. Boston's offense should be the difference here. Take the Red Sox.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Atlanta Braves have the best offense in the National League right now. They are a team with depth that can fit right into the American League DH rule in interleague play. Tampa Bay's offense is short-handed and they simply don't have the offensive firepower that Atlanta has. Jason Heyward has been batting 7th for the Braves, and that should tell you how good their offense is. Alex Cobb had a 4.09 ERA in the minors and I think he'll struggle against Atlanta. Randall Delgado has been pitching great of late. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Anibal Sanchez flies under the radar pretty well, but he is a very good starting pitcher. Sanchez is remarkably consistent and he can really rack up the strikeouts. Cleveland's lineup is pretty good, but Sanchez has been great on the road in the past. Jeanmar Gomez is a decent pitcher, but he doesn't have the stuff Sanchez does. The Marlins lineup is finally heating up a bit. The Marlins are 5-0 in their last 5 as a favorite of -150 or less. The Indians are 0-8 in their last 8 against the NL East. Take the Marlins here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the worst offenses in the majors. Pittsburgh averages 2.85 runs per game which is worst in the majors. Drew Smyly has been very good in his rookie year for the Tigers. A.J. Burnett has had four great starts and one awful start. The Tigers offense has been disappointing this year and they'll be without Austin Jackson here. Bill Miller is the umpire here and he is one of my favorite 'under' umpires. The under is 6-0-1 in the last 7 meetings at Detroit. The under is 11-1-1 in the Pirates last 13 Saturday games. The under is 5-0 in Pittsburgh's last 5 against the AL Central. Take the under.

*5 Star MLB Early Bird Top Play* Toronto smashed New York 14-5 last night. Miguel Batista is 41 years old and he'll be on the mound for the Mets in this one. Batista had an ERA of over 6 in his last year starting regularly, and the Mets are attempting to start him when he has worse stuff several years later. This seems like a recipe for disaster. The Blue Jays can hit the baseball extremely well, and they should be very confident now. Brandon Morrow is a very talented pitcher who has terrific stuff. David Wright is expected to be given the day off, and with him out of the lineup the Mets offense isn't very good. The Blue Jays have big advantages all over in this one. Toronto is 6-0 in Morrow's last 6 interleague starts. The home team is 40-14 in Mike Muchlinski (home plate umpire) last 54 games. Take Toronto -1.5 big.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline Top Play* The St. Louis Cardinals haven't been playing quite as well lately, but they are still one of the best teams in the National League. The Dodgers have a great record, but without Matt Kemp in the middle of the order they aren't the same team. St. Louis has a very good lineup with Beltran, Holliday, Berkman, and Freese. The Dodgers are left with just Ethier right now. Lance Lynn has a quality start in all seven of his starts this year. Ted Lilly has been good this year, but the Cardinals hit lefties well. The Cardinals are 6-0 in their last 6 road games vs. a lefty. The Cardinals are 5-0 in Lynn's last 5 road starts. The Dodgers are 1-7 in Lilly's last 8 home starts against a team with a winning record. This 18-1 angle backs this play. Take St. Louis big.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Joe Saunders is a very streaky pitcher. He looked great at the beginning of the year, but he has been shelled in his last two outings. He is a fly ball pitcher, and the wind is expected to be blowing out at 15 mph in this game. Luis Mendoza doesn't have great stuff, and I don't expect him to be able to shut down Arizona. Both of these guys put too many people on base, and I expect that to bite them in this game. The over is 10-1 in the Royals last 11 home games vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 8-3-2 in the last 13 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Scott Diamond was terrific in AAA this year, and the Twins called him up a couple weeks ago. Diamond is 2-0 and has yet to allow a run at all in his two starts. Marco Estrada starts for the Brewers, and he has never had much success at all as a starting pitcher. Estrada has a 4.20 ERA this year. The Twins have won two straight, and they are healthier than they have been all year. With Willingham, Mauer, and Morneau in the middle of the order they can do some damage. At this price, I like the Twins.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Houston Astros aren't a good team, and the Texas Rangers are a very good team. It might seem strange that I am siding with the Astros here, but that shows just how much I think of Wandy Rodriguez. Rodriguez is dominating at home, and Neftali Feliz is still unproven as a starter. The Astros are 12-8 at home this season. Texas is a big favorite here, so we don't have to pay much juice at all to get Houston +1.5. Rodriguez has a 1.99 ERA this year, so I expect this game to stay close. Take Houston +1.5.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Justin Verlander is the best pitcher in baseball right now. Verlander should mow down this Pirates offense that struggles against ordinary pitchers on a nightly basis. Charlie Morton is a mediocre pitcher and I think the Tigers offense is due for a breakout. Look for them to get to him in this game. The Pirates are 0-12 in their last 12 Interleague games when they are +200 or greater on the moneyline. The Tigers are 4-0 in Verlander's last 4 Interleague starts. This one is a mismatch. Take the Tigers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Shaun Marcum hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a game all year. J.A. Happ hasn't allowed less than three earned runs all year. Happ puts far too many runners on base, and that gets him into a lot of trouble. Happ has a miserable 6.25 ERA against the Brewers in more than 30 innings in his career. Shaun Marcum has pitched 14 scoreless innings in his career at Minute Maid Park. The Brewers have the much better lineup and the better pitcher here. Milwaukee is 11-2 in their last 13 at Houston. Take the Brewers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Orioles have shocked the baseball world so far this year, and they have done it with their very impressive lineup. The Royals are much better than they started the season, and they have lots of young talent in their lineup. Brian Matusz and Luke Hochevar have both been extremely inconsistent on the mound this year. Both have an ERA of about 6 in day games in their career. The total is set pretty high, but that shouldn't be a problem. The over is 17-5-5 in Hochevar's last 27 starts with a total of 9-10.5. The over is 5-1 in the Orioles last 6 games with a total of 9-10.5. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Cincinnati Reds came back to win 6-3 last night over the Mets. The Mets bullpen may well be the worst in baseball this year, and they have an ERA well over 5. The Reds have one of the best bullpens in the majors. R.A. Dickey has been good this year, but he has pitched quite a bit worse during the daytime in his career. Mat Latos has pitched quite a bit better in his last few starts. The Reds have the better lineup and the better bullpen. The Reds are 4-1 in their last 5 at New York. The Mets are 2-8 in Dickey's last 10 starts against the NL Central. Take the Reds.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Texas Rangers were swept in a two-game home series by the Kansas City Royals. Texas can't be very happy about that, and I think that sets this spot up perfectly. Tom Milone has an ERA of 7.84 on the road this year. Milone doesn't have dominant stuff and I think the Rangers will knock him out of the game early. Yu Darvish will pitch for the Rangers. Darvish has amazing stuff and the Athletics offense is one of the worst in the American League. This one looks like a real mismatch. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Many expected Johan Santana to struggle this year, but he has been terrific. Santana has allowed more than three earned runs just once this year. He has been dealing of late. Mike Leake has an ERA over 7 this year. The Mets have the 6th best team batting average in the majors, and I think they'll take advantage of his command issues. The Mets are 5-0 in Santana's last 5 starts against the Reds. The Reds are 0-4 in Leake's last 4 starts. The Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 against a right-handed pitcher. This 13-0 winning angle backs the Mets here. Take New York.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Two of the worst offenses in the National League get together in this one. Washington is without Werth and Morse. The Pirates offense has scored more than 5 runs just three times in 35 games. Gio Gonzalez has been dominant this year. Gonzalez has a 1.94 ERA. Erik Bedard hasn't gotten any run support, but he has a terrific 2.57 ERA as well. The Nationals average a miserable 2.53 runs per game against lefties. The Pirates average just 3.14 runs per game against lefties. The under is 22-7-3 in the Pirates last 32 games. The under is 6-1 in Bedard's last 7 starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Vin Mazzaro had an ERA over 8 last year, and he is a pitcher who relies heavily on hitting the corners. Paul Schrieber is the home plate umpire here and he has the smallest strike zone of any umpire in the majors. I expect Texas to bounce back from last night's subpar offensive performance with a huge showing here. Colby Lewis isn't dominating, but he has much more potential than Mazzaro. The Rangers have the best offense in baseball right now. Look for the Rangers to win this one big. Take Texas -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Top Play Total* The Kansas City Royals are sending Vin Mazzaro to the hill in this one. Mazzaro had an ERA over 8 last year! He hasn't pitched yet this year, and the team is really throwing him to the wolves by pitching him against the Rangers in Arlington. Colby Lewis struggles at home, and the Royals have a solid offense. Paul Schrieber is the umpire here, and he is a terrific over umpire. He has the lowest called percentage of strikes of any umpire in baseball this year by a large margin. The over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. The over is 6-1 in Lewis' last 7 Tuesday Starts. The over is 6-1 in the Rangers last 7 games. Take the over big!

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Tim Hudson looked much better in his last start, and I think he is a guy who will round into form nicely this year. Johnny Cueto has arguably been the most consistently very good pitcher in the majors so far this year. Cueto has a dazzling 1.12 ERA. The under is 5-0 in Hudson's last 5 home games. The under is 5-0-1 in Cueto's last 6 starts with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs. The under is 4-0-1 in Cueto's last 5 starts on 5 days of rest. All signs point to this being a very low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Tampa Bay Rays offense has been better the last two days, but without Longoria they typically struggle to score. David Price has been terrific in his history against the Blue Jays. He has handled almost everyone in the lineup expect Jose Bautista. Bill Miller is one of my favorite 'under' umpires, and he'll be behind the dish in this one. Henderson Alvarez has a 0.82 ERA in his last three starts. Look for both pitchers to take advantage of a big strike zone. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* A game with these two pitchers going with a total of 7.5 got my attention pretty quickly. The Tigers offense has been heating up a bit of late, and I think Peavy is due for some regression. Max Scherzer has a WHIP of 1.62 and an ERA of 5.73 on the season. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 15 to 20 mph, so the ball should really be traveling (especially in the heat of the day in this afternoon game). I really like the value on the over in this matchup.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Indians were trashed in Boston this past weekend, but I still believe this is a solid baseball team. Jeanmar Gomez isn't a great pitcher, but he is underrated by the oddsmakers. The Indians are 8-3 in his last 11 starts. Minnesota's offense is very short-handed right now. Carl Pavano has a 5.02 ERA on the season, and the Indians have hit the ball very well on the road this year. Cleveland is 7-0 in their last 7 as a road favorite of -110 to -150. They are 4-0 in Gomez's last 4 road starts against a team with a losing record. The Indians are also 8-1 in their last 9 meetings with the Twins. Take Cleveland.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Drew Smyly has been very good in his rookie season in the majors. Smyly has a 1.59 ERA in 34 innings this season. The White Sox have been awful against lefties this year. Chicago is hitting .193 as a team and scoring just 2.51 runs per game against lefties. The Tigers have hit John Danks extremely well in the past. Danks has an ERA over 5 against Detroit in his career. The White Sox are 1-5 in Danks' last 6 starts against the Tigers. The White Sox are 0-6 in their last 6 against a lefty. Detroit is 12-5 in their last 17 games at Chicago. Take Detroit.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Joey Votto went off for 3 HR's and 6 RBI's to rally the Reds to a big 9-6 walkoff win yesterday against Washington. The Reds offense should finish as one of the best in the National League, and this might be the thing to get them going. Atlanta has the best offense in the National League right now. The Braves average 5.40 runs per game. Homer Bailey hasn't pitched well this year, and he has a 5.40 ERA on the road. The Braves should put up 5 or 6 runs here. Randall Delgado doesn't have dominating stuff, and I think the Reds offense could do some damage. The over is 21-9 in Bailey's last 30 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star Sunday Night Baseball Total Domination* Jeff Weaver has been the best pitcher in baseball so far this year. Texas has been the best offense in baseball. Neftali Feliz has been extremely good in his time as a starter this year, and the Angels offense is struggling in a big way. Dan Bellino is a solid under umpire. The under is 11-1 in his last 12 games behind the dish. Both of these pitchers are guys who will take advantage of his wide strike zone. The under is 6-0 in Texas' last 6 Sunday games. The under is 4-1 in Weaver's last 5 starts against Texas. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Boston Red Sox have taken the last two games of this series from the Cleveland Indians. I'm still not convinced that Boston's team chemistry is what it needs to be right now. The Red Sox lineup is very short-handed right now as well. Many backups are playing and Justin Masterson has been great at Fenway. Masterson is 10-3 with a 2.04 ERA at Fenway Park. The Indians are 4-0 in Masterson's last 4 starts against Boston. The Red Sox are 1-4 in Bard's last 5 starts. The Indians lineup is underrated. I like the value. Take Cleveland.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Cole Hamels has been consistently very good this year. He has a 2.45 ERA overall this year. He shut down the Padres in his first outing against them this year. Jeff Suppan has been a nice story in his first two games back in the majors, but I don't expect it to continue. Suppan had a 4.78 ERA in AAA last season, and he won't be pitching at PetCo Park here. The Phillies offense isn't good right now, but they are much better than the Padres. A huge pitching advantage and a big hitting advantage equals a mismatch here. Take Philadelphia -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Chase Field is a hitters paradise when the roof is open, especially when it is very hot. The expected temperature at game time is 98 degrees here. The heat with low humidity really makes the ball fly. Matt Cain has struggled here in the past. Trevor Cahill didn't fare well in two games at home earlier this year when the roof was open. Both offenses have struggled a bit of late, but a total set at 8 with the roof open here is tough to pass up. I expect several home run balls in this one. Look for this to go over the posted total.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* These are the top two offenses in the National League right now. Atlanta has scored at least 9 runs in 4 of their last 9 games. The Braves offense is really clicking with Freddie Freeman having a breakout season and Michael Bourn getting on base with consistency. The Cardinals have a great lineup as well, and they actually lead the National League in runs. Carlos Beltran looks like the Beltran of old. Adam Wainwright hasn't been just right so far this year. Brandon Beachy has been awesome, but I think he'll struggle some against this great Cardinals lineup. The over is 8-0 in the Cards last 8 games as a favorite of -110 to -150. The over is 3-0-1 in Wainwright's last 4 starts against Atlanta. The over is 4-0 in Beachy's last 4 against the NL Central. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The San Diego Padres simply don't have much of an offense. They are almost always overmatched by the opposing pitcher, and that is especially true against Roy Halladay. Edinson Volquez is pitching well right now, but he has only started one game away from PetCo Park all year (that was in Dodger Stadium). This will be his first test in a hitters ballpark. The Phillies lineup is showing signs of improvement of late, and they are far better than the Padres lineup. Halladay should dominate the Padres hitters, and I think the Phillies will make Volquez pay for some mistakes. Take the Phillies -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* It was just a matter of time before the Detroit lineup had a huge game, and they did it last night against Bartolo Colon. The Tigers scored 10 runs and Miguel Cabrera had a huge game. Milone has pitched well twice at home this year, but I don't think he has the stuff to shut down Detroit. Rick Porcello is a very inconsistent pitcher, and he has fared poorly on the West Coast. The over is 17-4-1 in Porcello's last 22 against the AL West. The over is 4-1 in Porcello's last 5 against Oakland. This one is set too low. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Boston Red Sox are a complete mess right now. The offense is still pretty good, but the pitching staff is in shambles and team chemistry is awful. Ubaldo Jimenez has shown some positive signs of late. Clay Buchholz has a WHIP of 2.30 this year. He is walking people and getting beat around as well. The Indians offense is much better than people realize right now. Cleveland has an advantage all around here. I think the Indians should be favored. Cleveland is 10-1 in their last 11 Friday games. The Red Sox are 0-6 in their last 6 games as a home favorite. They are also 2-14 in their last 16 against a right-handed pitcher. Take the Indians.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Seattle Mariners aren't a very good baseball team, but they have clearly taken some positive steps compared to last year. Felix Hernandez is still one of the best pitchers in the league, and he has dominated the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the past. He has an ERA under 1 in his last three starts at New York. The Yankees offense has been scuffling a bit of late anyways. Seattle is 6-1 in Hernandez's last 7 against the Yankees. At a sizable amount of plus money, the Mariners are the play.

*3 Star MLB Top Total* The Washington Nationals are terrible offensively right now. They are winning because they have the best team ERA in the majors. The Pittsburgh Pirates offense is one of the worst in baseball. Washington is without Werth and Morse right now. Erik Bedard has a 2.65 ERA this year, and Ross Detwiler has a sparkling 1.65 ERA. Detwiler is a major breakout candidate this year. The under is 12-3-1 in the Pirates last 16 home games. The under is 12-3-1 in Detwiler's last 16 road starts. The under is 5-0-1 in Detwiler's last 6 as a road underdog. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Milwaukee Brewers haven't been hitting the ball well at all lately. They did take advantage of Homer Bailey's wildness last night, but Johnny Cueto is a much better pitcher. Zack Greinke is awesome at home, and with this being a get away day I expect some key Reds to be sitting out. Cueto has an amazing 0.81 ERA in his last three starts, while Grienke's is a respectable 3.12. Look for both pitchers to have a lot of success and go deep into the game here. I like the value on the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The San Francisco Giants offense is hurting in a big way right now. With Sandoval going down with an injury, it really left a void in an already weak lineup. Ryan Vogelsong was great last year, but he hasn't looked the same this year. The Dodgers hit .333 as a team against Vogelsong. Clayton Kershaw is a dominating pitcher, and he has had the Giants number over the last few years. The Dodgers are 6-1 in Kershaw's last 7 starts against the Giants. The Dodgers are 22-6 in Kershaw's last 28 starts. Take the Dodgers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chase Field is a whole different ballpark when the roof is open. The roof is expected to be open for this game. The low humidity and high temperatures make the ball carry extremely well here. Last night's game saw 6 home run balls leave the yard. The Cardinals hit five of those homers. Ian Kennedy has started twice in his career against the Cardinals and he hasn't fared well in either start. He has a 12.00 ERA against the Cards. Jake Westbrook is a streaky pitcher, and he was shaky in his last start. The over is 7-0 in the Cardinals last 7 games. The over is 4-0 in Kennedy's last 4 home starts. The over is 4-0-1 in the last 5 meetings at Arizona. The over is 6-0-1 in Tim Welke (umpire) last 7 games with Arizona. In all, a 21-0 angle backs this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error Total* The Boston Red Sox have been pounding left-handed pitching this year. Boston piled up 11 runs last night. Danny Duffy has started twice against Boston, and he has struggled badly in both outings. Daniel Bard still hasn't put it all together in the starting rotation just yet. The total here is set awfully low for two solid offenses and two pitchers who have a lot to prove. The over is 12-2 in the Red Sox last 14 against a lefty. The over is 17-6 in Chris Guccione (umpire) last 23 games behind home plate. Look for this one to go over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Boston Red Sox played a 17 inning game and lost to the Orioles yesterday. The Red Sox pen was spent after the game. Felix Doubront may have to go ahead and labor through more innings in this one, and I think that will give the Royals more chances to score. Boston averages 6.54 runs against left-handed pitchers so far this year. Both of these pitchers allow a ton of base runners, and in the end that usually comes back to bite you. The over is 4-0 in the Red Sox last 4 overall in Game One of a series. The over is 8-0 in the Royals last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing record. This 12-0 winning angle backs the over, and I like both offenses to put up several here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Houston Astros have been much better than most people expected so far this year. Houston is 13-15 overall and 9-6 at home. Wandy Rodriguez has been terrific in his career at Minute Maid Park. Rodriguez has a 3.35 ERA at home and has a solid winning record despite playing for a bad team. Carlos Zambrano has been good so far this year, but he isn't reliable or consistent. The Marlins offense has been underachieving all year, and they are hitting .199 as a team against lefties. The Astros are 6-1 in their last 7 home games. They are 4-0 in Rodriguez's last 4 Monday games. Take the Astros.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Baltimore Orioles swept away the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park this past weekend. Baltimore has been excellent against left-handed pitching this year. The over is 8-2 in their last 10 games against a lefty. Texas has a major league leading .296 batting average as a team against left-handed pitchers. With plenty of powerful right-handed hitters in the lineup, the Rangers should be able to score several against Matusz. Harrison has had two terrible games in a row, and this Orioles offense is good. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Atlanta Braves came back from behind 6-0 after two innings to win 13-9 last night in Colorado. I played the Braves in that game, and I'm going to play them again here. The Braves may well have the best offense in the National League, and that equals lots of runs at Coors Field. Brandon Beachy is a much improved pitcher. Beachy has an ERA of 1.38 so far this year. The Rockies have a good middle of the order, but the rest of the lineup isn't nearly as strong as the Braves lineup. Atlanta is 9-0 in their last 9 as road favorites. The Braves are also 5-0 in Beachy's last 5 as a favorite of -110 to -150. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Phil Hughes and Luke Hochevar both have an ERA over 7 so far this year. Both of these guys make far too many mistakes and are capable of giving up a huge inning. The Yankees offense hasn't been very good of late, but they are definitely still very dangerous. Kansas City is a much better offensive team than they have shown so far this year. Past history is giving us a solid value here. Both teams are hitting poorly right now, but this pitching matchup should equal plenty of runs. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Astros offense has been surprisingly good this year. Houston is averaging 4.85 runs per game this season. They have been particularly good at home. Adam Wainwright is a very good pitcher, but he still isn't completely healthy right now. He hasn't been dominant in any game this year, and his ERA is over 6. JA Happ is a great pitcher for overs because he allows so many base runners. The Cardinals have one of the best offenses in the National League. The over is 5-0 in the Cardinals last 5 games. The over is 24-7 in the Astros last 31 games. The over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings overall. A 35-7 winning angle backs this play. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Atlanta Braves offense has been the best in the National League so far this year. Putting the best offense in the league up against Jamie Moyer makes me like this game very much. Moyer is a nice story, but I just can't see him having success against good offenses at Coors Field. Look for the Braves to knock him out of this game very early. Mike Minor is an impressive prospect for the Braves, and I like backing him. The Braves are 8-0 in Minor's last 8 starts on 4 days rest. The Rockies are 2-10 in their last 12 against a lefty. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Bartolo Colon has been terrific this year. Colon has been commanding his pitches better than he has in years. Colon has a 2.5 ERA on the year. Jeremy Hellickson also has a 2.5 ERA this year. The Rays are without Evan Longoria right now, and the Athletics offense is very weak. Paul Nauert is a bit of an under umpire, which should help some as well. The under is 17-3 in Hellickson's last 20 home starts. The under is 4-0 in Colon's last 4 starts. The under is 5-0 in Hellickson's last 5 starts against the AL West. A 26-3 winning angle backs the under here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Bud Norris has been spectacular against the St. Louis Cardinals in his career. In fact, the Astros are 8-2 in his last 10 starts against the Cardinals. Houston isn't a good team, but they are scrappy, and they are playing quite well at home so far this year. Jaime Garcia isn't even close to the same pitcher on the road that he is at home. The Astros are 5-0 in their last 5 meetings with Garcia. This value is too much for me to pass up based on previous matchups. Take Houston.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Cincinnati Reds offense has been a major disappointment this year. The Pirates have been dreadful offensively. Andrew McCutcheon is ill and is questionable for this game. He is clearly the Pirates best hitter. Mike Leake has been bad this year, but he has a nice history against the Pirates. James McDonald has been very good this season, and he has handled the Reds well in the past. Ron Kulpa is the umpire in this one and he is a very solid under umpire thanks to his large strike zone. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Max Scherzer has struggled in a big way this season. He sports a WHIP that is above 2. Clearly, he is allowing far too many base runners. He has managed to limit the damage at times, but allowing so many runners will come back to bite him in the long run. Gavin Floyd has been pretty good this year, but he hasn't been good against the Tigers in the past. The over is 5-1 in his last 6 road starts in Detroit. The over is 5-1 in Scherzer's last 6 home starts. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Wade Miley was a first round draft pick in 2008, so people in the league knew he had tons of potential. He seems to be realizing that potential right now. He hasn't allowed an earned run so far this year in two starts. He flirted with a no-hitter in his last start. The Mets are hitting just .247 as a team against left-handers. Dillon Gee is extremely inconsistent, and he has actually been worse at home in his career. The Mets are 0-8 in Gee's last 8 games following a quality start. The Diamondbacks are 5-0 in his last 5 starts following a quality start. Take Arizona.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error* I expected the Tigers to be -125 or -130 here. Jake Peavy has pitched brilliantly so far this year, but I still don't think he is back to his old self. Peavy doesn't have the same velocity he used to, and he has been very inconsistent over the past two years. The Tigers offense hasn't been very good so far this year, but I'm confident they'll pick it up and be very good this year. Drew Smyly isn't getting enough credit, and the White Sox hit .196 as a team against left-handed pitching. I like the Tigers here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Johnny Cueto has been one of the best pitchers in the National League in the past year. Cueto has an ERA of 1.3 so far this year. He had a breakout season in 2011, and it seems he is just continuing to get better. The Pirates aren't a good offensive team, and the Reds are 7-1 in Cueto's last 8 starts at Pittsburgh. Kevin Correia is struggling with a minor injury, and he couldn't locate his pitches last game. He walked five Braves in that game. The Reds are a patient offense. The Pirates are just 1-5 in Correia's last 6 home starts. Take the Reds.