Sports Picks & Predictions

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

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Cleveland Indians had a game late Sunday night in San Francisco and must travel to Arizona, while the DBacks finished up earlier Sunday afternoon and came back from Detroit. The Indians are reeling right now, while the DBacks are in a fight for the top spot in the NL West. Mitch Talbot has been inconsistent this year, and the DBacks have the bats to make him pay for his mistakes. The Indians bats have been silent of late and Ian Kennedy is a very underrated pitcher at this point in his career. Kennedy should probably make the All-Star team and I think he'll pitch well here. Cleveland is 5-22 in their last 27 as an underdog. Take Arizona -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Twins have lost five straight after going 12-2 for a 14 game span. The reason for the Twins failure of late? The offense has been terrible. It should be noted that all five of those losses came on the road, and the Twins have generally played much better at home over the last few years. Nick Blackburn starts in this one, and Blackburn has a 3.46 career ERA at home. Blackburn has a 1.89 ERA in his last three starts. Chad Billingsley has been terrible on the road (6.49 ERA this year on the road). The Dodgers lineup isn't very impressive either. I like the Twins to get it done at home.

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

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

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds are a streaky team, and I believe they are starting to play better baseball. Joey Votto is starting to swing the bat very well once again and the Reds pitchers are starting to get healthy. Homer Bailey will start in this one and Bailey has been good this year in limited action. Jeremy Guthrie is on the mound for the Orioles, and the Orioles are just 5-10 in his 15 starts this year. The Reds are 20-7 in Bailey's last 27 starts. The Orioles have a serious long-term trend that is amazing on Sunday. Baltimore is just 36-76 in their last 112 Sunday games. Take Cincinnati.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Jair Jurrjens has been the best pitcher in the National League so far this year, but he continues to be undervalued by the books. Jurrjens has the best ERA in the league, and the Braves are 8-3 in his last 11 starts. Dustin Mosely has been good this year, but the Padres offense isn't good at all. The Padres are 1-4 in Mosely's last 5 home starts. The Braves are 4-1 in their last 5 games at San Diego. The Braves have gotten healthier of late, and they clearly have a better offense than the Padres. I'll take the team with the better pitching staff and lineup. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Alexi Ogando has been terrific in every start this year except for two, and both of those were against the Yankees. The Mets don't have even close to as much offensive firepower, and the Mets have Jon Niese starting in this game. Niese is a decent pitcher, but he is a lefty, and the Rangers feast on left-handed starters. The Rangers 6-2 in their last 8 against a left-handed starter, and they average 5.5 runs per game against lefties. The Rangers are 4-0 in Ogando's last 4 home starts. I like the Rangers to win this one easily. Rangers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Colorado Rockies took the first game of the series last night from the New York Yankees, but I think this is a good spot for the Yankees. Aaron Cook recently came off the disabled list, and he hasn't looked very sharp in limited action so far this year. C.C. Sabathia is always tough to beat at home, and the Yankees average 8 runs per game when Sabathia is on the hill. The Yankees are 11-2 in Sabathia's last 13 Saturday starts. The Yankees are 27-8 in Sabathia's last 35 starts at home. I think the Yankees win this comfortably. Yankees -1.5.

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

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

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Guillermo Moscoso is on the hill for Oakland. Moscoso has a solid 3.4 ERA in the majors this year, but I don't think that will continue. Moscoso had an ERA above 4 in AAA and he doesn't have dominating stuff. He hasn't faced very good lineups thus far, but that will change when he faces Philly on Friday night. Vance Worley has started five games for the Phillies and four of those starts have been good ones. Oakland's offense is poor and they have committed more errors than anyone in baseball. I think there is a lot of value on Philadelphia -1.5.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Arizona has taken the first two games in this three game set. Kansas City is usually decent at home, and it would be easy to think they'll likely salvage a game at home. I like the spot for the Diamondbacks in this one. Arizona moved to 7 games above .500 last night and they now lead the NL West by half a game. Daniel Hudson has won five straight starts and he has an ERA of 1.23 in his last three starts. Paulino has been good so far this year, but his past history tells me he is due for regression. The Diamondbacks have a better lineup and a big edge on the mound here. Take Arizona.

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

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Minnesota Twins have managed to win 15 of their last 17 games despite missing some very key contributors on offense. Even without Thome, Kubel, Morneau, etc. I believe the Twins have a better lineup than the Giants. The Twins still have Mauer, Young, and some able youngsters in the lineup. Vogelsong has been terrific this year, but this hot Twins team can probably scratch across a few runs. I don't expect the Giants to get too many off Blackburn. I was very surprised at the value on this game, which I put at about pick'em. Take the Twins.

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

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Kansas City Royals have come back to earth in a big way over the last month, while the Diamondbacks continue to outperform expectations. One of the main reasons Arizona has been successful is their young talent at starting pitcher. Ian Kennedy is a very good young starter, and I think he gives Arizona the distinct pitching advantage in this one. In addition, the Diamondbacks lineup has more pop than the Royals. The DBacks are 5-1 in Kennedy's last 6 road starts. The Royals are 2-7 in their last 9 home games. Take Arizona.

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

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

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

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Rick Porcello had a terrible start at Coors Field in his last outing, but before that start he had been pitching very well. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he'll bounce back against a weak Dodgers lineup. The Tigers have a far better lineup, and Detroit is looking to avoid the sweep in this one. Ted Lilly has a 6.03 ERA when pitching during the day this year. The Dodgers are just 5-13 in their last 18 Interleague games. The Tigers are 5-2 in Porcello's last 7 road starts. Take Detroit.

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

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

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Florida Marlins have lost 18 of their last 19, and they have dropped 11 straight games. The streak obviously has to come to an end at some point, but I don't like their matchup in this one. Javier Vazquez has been terrible this year. Vazquez has an ERA of 8.2 at home, and the Marlins are 0-5 in his last 5 starts. Ervin Santana has been pretty solid this year, and the Angels have been awesome in Interleague play in the past few years. The Angels are 55-25 in their last 80 Interleague Games. Take the Angels ML.

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

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

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

*3 Star MLB Value Play* The Seattle Mariners have surprised me quite a bit this year. They have split the first two games with the Phillies, and I think they'll put a lot into trying to win this series against Philadelphia. This should be a low scoring affair with two solid lefties pitching. Jason Vargas has been terrific at home in his career, and Cole Hamels is coming off a start where he tweaked his lower back. Seattle is 11-5 in their last 16 home games. I think the Mariners will either win this one or at least keep it very close. Seattle +1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Justin Verlander is one of the top two pitchers in the majors right now (Halladay being the other). Verlander just isn't letting anyone get on base this year. He has an amazing WHIP of 0.888. Verlander has dominating stuff and he gets better as the game goes on. I unsuccessfully played the Tigers on Saturday as a big underdog. The Tigers lost 5-4 despite outhitting the Rockies 12 to 6. I think the Tigers have the better offense and the much better pitcher. Aaron Cook has four apperances with Cederstrom behind home plate and his ERA is 6.11 in those games. The Tigers are 21-5 in Verlander's last 26 Sunday Starts! Take Detroit.

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

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Florida Marlins will have to turn things around at some point, but I don't think this is the game they'll do it. I have successfully played against Florida a couple times in the past week, and I think this pitching mismatch is a good opportunity to do so once again. James Shields has been terrific this year, especially at home (1.99 ERA at home). Chris Volstad has been awful this year (8.51 ERA on the road in 2011). The Rays are 10-3 in Shields' last 13 starts. The Marlins are 0-11 in their last 11 games against a right-handed pitcher. Tampa Bay -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* Jair Jurrjens is one of the best pitchers in the National League, and it is rare to be able to get him at just about even money at home. The Braves haven't been playing well of late, but I still think they have a good team. Atlanta has the deepest bullpen in baseball, and they have a great starting staff. Alexi Ogando has been great this year, but he was hit hard by the Yankees last time out. The Braves are 12-3 in Jurrjens last 15 home starts. The Braves are 12-2 in their last 14 during game three of a series. Take Atlanta.

*5 Star Top Play Blowout* The Washington Nationals are red hot right now. Washington has won eight straight games. Baltimore is going the opposite direction. The Orioles have lost six of their last seven games. Baltimore will be without Brian Roberts, Vlad Guerrero, and possibly Luke Scott as well on Sunday. The biggest reason for this pick is I simply don't believe Chris Jakubauskas is a major league starting pitcher. Jakubauskas pitched well against Oakland in his first start this year, but he was very shaky against Toronto last time out. The Nationals bats are hot now, and I don't see him cooling them off. The Orioles struggle badly against lefties and Gorzelanny appears to be healthy now. Take Washington in this one.

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

*3 Star Big Dog* The Detroit Tigers are a pretty solid team right now. With Jackson, Martinez, Boesch, Cabrera, etc. they have an impressive lineup. Phil Coke is a decent starter and Ubaldo Jimenez continues to be overrated by the books this year. Jimenez hasn't been even close to as good as he was last year, but they continue to line him as if it is 2010. I think at this point the game deserves to be close to a pick'em and instead the Rockies are big favorites. I like the value on the Tigers moneyline here.

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

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Florida Marlins are now 1-16 in their last 17 games overall. Ricky Nolasco takes the hill in this one, but I don't think that is a good thing for the Marlins. Nolasco has started four games in his career against Tampa Bay and his ERA is 8.38. Alex Cobb has a solid 3.57 ERA so far this year and I think he can tame this limited Marlins offense pretty well. Tim McClelland is behind the dish in this one and the home team is 36-15 in his last 51 games. I like Tampa Bay in this game.

*3 Star Hidden GEM* The Minnesota Twins are starting to get healthy, and they have now won 12 of their last 14 games. Joe Mauer makes a huge difference in the middle of the lineup, and some of the young guys like Revere and Casilla are starting to hit much more consistently. I think Scott Baker is an underrated pitcher for the Twins. Baker has an impressive 3.55 ERA for the season, and he is consistently very good. San Diego's offense simply isn't very good at all. The Padres are just 16-35 in their last 51 Interleague Games. Take the Twins.

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

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Atlanta Braves are typically a very good home team, but they are just 2-5 in their last 7 home games. The Rangers took the first game of the series on Friday, but I look for Atlanta to even the series on Saturday. Matt Harrison is pitching for Texas and he is struggling with kidney stones, which has made it difficult on him to pitch effectively in his last couple starts. Derek Lowe has been solid at home, and the Braves are 5-0 in his last 5 starts at home. Take Atlanta in this one.

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

*3 Star Late Night BAILOUT* Tim Lincecum hasn't been very good in his last couple starts, but he loves pitching against the Oakland Athletics. Oakland's lineup is one of the weakest in all of baseball. Lincecum is 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his six career starts against Oakland. Graham Godfrey will start for Oakland in this one. Godfrey was hit hard in his first outing against the White Sox. I think he has decent stuff, but I don't think he is quite ready for a duel with Lincecum. The Giants offense has received a significant boost with a healthy Pablo Sandoval in it. The Giants have the much better pitching staff and they are at least equal on offense with Oakland. I like the Giants to win easily here. Giants -1.5.

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

*3 Star Hidden GEM* The Detroit Tigers have been playing solid baseball of late. With Victor Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, Brennan Boesch, Austin Jackson, and Alex Avila they have several guys who are contributing well offensively. Rick Porcello has been pitching extremely well of late. Jason Hammel has lost five straight starts for the Rockies, and the Rockies have only beaten the bottom-feeders in the National League of late. I think the Tigers have the better pitching staff and the better lineup. I like the Tigers here.

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

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

*3 Star Dog of the Day* Shaun Marcum has an ERA of less than 2 on the road this year. John Lackey has an ERA of 7 this year, and his ERA at home is over 8. The Brewers have been red hot of late as well, and Milwaukee's offense is very good. Lackey has been pitching terribly, and I just don't think he'll be able to handle this tough lineup of the Brewers. Marcum generally does a good job staying out of the big inning, and that should help Milwaukee win this one. Take the Brewers ML.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Yankees have a far superior lineup compared to the Chicago Cubs. Darwin Barney is out of the lineup for the Cubs right now, and they are still without Marlon Byrd. Freddy Garcia isn't terrific at this stage in his career, but he still battles. Doug Davis is a soft-tossing left-hander that doesn't have any overpowering pitches. The Yankees crush lefties and I think they'll hit Davis hard in this one. The Cubs are 0-6 in Davis' last 6 starts. I expect the Yankees offense to carry them to victory here.

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

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

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

*3 Star Moneyline CASH* The Milwaukee Brewers are the National League Central Division leader, but they have dropped two of the first three with the Cubs. It will be Zack Grienke against Matt Garza in this one. Garza was hit hard by the Brewers earlier this year, while the Cubs haven't seen Greinke. Fielder and Braun are a combined 5 for 5 in their career against Garza. Darwin Barney has just gone on the DL, and Soriano, and Byrd aren't healthy. This Cubs offense is short-handed right now, while the Brewers have one of the best offenses in baseball. I think the Brewers will win this one. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Javier Vazquez has been terrible all year long, and I just don't see things getting better for him against this Phillies team. Philadelphia has gotten healthy of late. With Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Polanco, and others the Phillies may have the best offense in the National League. Vazquez has an ERA of 7.09 for the year and 11.09 in his last three starts. Cliff Lee has pitched two solid games in a row, and it's hard to see the Marlins being able to keep up. Take the Phillies -1.5.

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

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

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Charlie Morton is 6-3 with a 3.08 ERA this year. The Houston Astros have Hunter Pence and Brett Wallace in the middle of the order, but overall this is a very weak offense. J.A. Happ has been extremely inconsistent and you could argue the Astros have the worst bullpen in baseball. The Pirates sit at 33-33 and they have been a big surprise this year. Pittsburgh should relish its chance to get above .500 against the team with the worst record in baseball. The Pirates are 5-1 in their last 6 against Houston. Take the Pirates.

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

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

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

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Roy Halladay has been solid as always this year. Halladay has a 2.39 ERA in 2011. Anibal Sanchez has been pitching well this year also, but he struggles badly in Philadelphia. In his career, Sanchez has an ERA of 7.85 at Citizens Bank Ballpark. The Marlins offense is not very good, and there is a solid chance that Hanley Ramirez will only play one of the two doubleheader games on Wednesday. The Phillies have a big edge offensively as well as on the mound. Take the Phillies -1.5 in this one.

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

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

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

*3 Star Dog of the Day* The Boston Red Sox probably shouldn't be an underdog to anyone right now. Tampa Bay is a decent team, but the odds appear to be stacked against them in this one. Tampa Bay played an extra innings game in Detroit late last night so they will arrive early Tuesday morning in Tampa. Boston is well-rested and ready to keep hitting. The Red Sox have scored a stunning 54 runs in their last 5 games. Tim Wakefield isn't spectacular, but he keeps the team in the game and with an offense like this, that should do the job. Take the Red Sox.

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

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Toronto Blue Jays were just waxed by the Boston Red Sox this past weekend, but I think this is a great spot for them to bounce back in a big way. Chris Jaukabauskas starts for the Orioles and I like to fade him. He has no business being a starter in this league, and even in pitcher-friendly SafeCo Field in Seattle he had an ERA well over 5 as a starter in 2009. He had one good start against a terrible Oakland offense, but Toronto's offense is very good. Expect Bautista and crew to score a bunch in this one. The Orioles are 12-39 in their last 51 in Toronto. Take Toronto -1.5.

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

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The tremendous pitching advantage for the Cardinals in this one is enough to make this a big play for me. Jaime Garcia has had one bad outing this year and that was at Coors Field. The Washington Nationals lineup is weak, and the Nationals are hitting just .240 against lefties this year. The Cardinals are short-handed offensively, but they still have Pujols, Berkman, Jay, Rasmus, and others. St. Louis has a definite offensive edge and a huge pitching mismatch in this one. Maya has proven incapable of shutting anyone down in the last year or so, and the Cardinals should put up quite a few runs. Take St. Louis here.

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

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

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

*3 Star Sunday Night Baseball Winner* The San Francisco Giants are short-handed in a big way offensively right now. Freddy Sanchez went down on Friday night, adding to their pain. The lineup is now missing Sanchez, Posey, Sandoval, and others. Johnathan Sanchez is a solid pitcher, but the Reds absolutely crush lefties, and they have fared well against him in the past. Edinson Volquez hasn't been good this year, but I think he stands a solid chance of holding down this weak Giants offense. I like the Reds here.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Minnesota Twins managed to beat the Texas Rangers last night, but I don't think it will happen two days in a row. The Twins will be without Mauer, Morneau, Thome, Kubel, and Span. You could argue they are without their five best offensive players right now. Francisco Liriano has been inconsistent this year, and the Rangers crush left-handed pitchers. The Twins are 0-6 in Liriano's last 6 home starts. The Rangers have a huge lineup advantage in this one, and I think they'll win the rubber match of this series. Take the Rangers.

*3 Star MLB Runline Rout* The Oakland Athletics have lost 10 of their last 11 games overall. Guillermo Moscoso will pitch for them on Sunday, and I don't think he is the guy to stop the streak. Moscoso has just two starts in the majors, and both were against the fairly light-hitting Orioles. The White Sox are hitting the ball very well right now, and I think they'll get to him early and often. On the other side, Phillip Humber has been good all year and the books continue to underrate him. I think the Sox win this comfortably. White Sox -1.5.

*3 Star MLB MISMATCH* The Cleveland Indians are starting to fall apart. This was a team that was cruising along for the first 50 games of the season or so, but their weaknesses are showing up in a big way right now. Cleveland isn't a team that is likely to win many slugfests, and the Yankees will likely put up several runs against a struggling Josh Tomlin in this game. Freddy Garcia has been decent this year, and I think he can tame this weak Indians lineup. The Yankees have crushed the Tribe in the first two games of this series, and I think they'll do it again here. Yankees -1.5.

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

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Milwaukee Brewers are 20-6 in their last 26 home games. Chris Carpenter is on the mound for the Cardinals. Carpenter hasn't quite been himself this year, and he has actually been poor on the road. The Cardinals are 2-10 in his last 12 road starts. Zack Grienke is starting to get comfortable in the Brewers rotation. The Brewers are 4-0 in his last 4 home starts. I like Milwaukee's lineup a lot and I think the Brewers as a short favorite at home is a good value here. Take the Brewers.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* John Danks picked up his first win of the season in his last outing. Danks has been a streaky pitcher in the past, and it wouldn't surprise me if he went on a nice hot streak now. Gio Gonzalez is a solid pitcher, but his numbers on the road are mediocre. The Athletics finally broke their nine-game losing streak with a comeback win last night over the Sox. I don't expect them to make it back-to-back wins. The White Sox have a much better lineup and Chicago is playing very well right now. Take the White Sox.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Bill Miller is the umpire behind the plate in this one, and that means the 'under' is certainly worth a long look. The stats that Miller has put up toward the under are quite amazing. No umpire has called a higher percentage of strikes than Miller in 2011. The under is 61-27-6 in his last 94 games behind home plate. Ian Kennedy has an ERA of less than two on the road, and the DBacks offense has been slumping a bit of late. The wind is expected to be blowing in at gametime. Take the under.

*3 Star Moneyline CASH* Ian Kennedy is an underrated pitcher at this point in his career. Kennedy has been great on the road this year. He has an ERA of 1.62 on the road, and he is 3-0. The DBacks are 4-1 in his last 5 road starts. Javier Vazquez has been terrible all year for Florida. Vazquez has an ERA of 6.50 and the Marlins are 1-5 in his last 6 starts overall. The Marlins started the year hot, but with their weak lineup they have come back to earth in a big way. Florida is 1-8 in their last 9 games. Take Arizona here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Yankees were swept by the Boston Red Sox, but they took out their frustration on the Indians last night. Cleveland had the best record in baseball for most of the year, but the Tribe is starting to fall apart. Cleveland's lineup simply doesn't have the pop necessary to continue to win all year long. Mitch Talbot isn't a very good pitcher, and the Yankees have the bats to make him pay for his mistakes. I think this one could get ugly. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Brian Runge will be the home plate umpire in this one, and that is usually good news for 'under' bettors. Runge has called more than 65% of pitches a strike this year. The under is 9-3 in his 12 games behind the plate this season. In fact, the under is 35-16-4 in his last 55 games behind home plate. Chacin is very good at home and against the Dodgers. Billingsley is facing a Rockies offense that is without their leadoff hitter in Dexter Fowler. Both lineups have been quite inconsistent this year. The under is 6-1 in Chacin's last 7 home games. The under is 6-1 in the Rockies last 7 games. The Dodgers are missing Furcal at the top of their lineup as well. I like this one to stay low scoring. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Trevor Cahill is a very good young pitcher, and I don't like going against him too often, but I think this is a great spot for the White Sox. Chicago has been playing solid baseball of late, and the Oakland Athletics have lost nine straight games! The White Sox have already beaten Cahill twice this year, and Cahill isn't nearly as good on the road. Mark Buerhle has been pitching very well of late, and it is rare to see the White Sox at essentially even money at home with him on the mound. The White Sox have the better lineup by a bunch. The A's are just 1-4 in Cahill's last 5 against Chicago. The White Sox are 37-17 in Buerhle's last 54 home starts. Take the White Sox.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Lance Lynn will make his second start in his young MLB career. Lynn has good, but not terrific stuff. I think we'll continue to see some jitters from him in this one. JA Happ has struggled against the Cardinals this year. St. Louis was nearly no hit last night, but I think this top rated offense in the majors will bounce back in this game. The over is 20-8-1 in the Cardinals last 29 road games. The over is 11-5 in Happ's last 16 starts overall. I think this one will be a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* There is little doubt in my mind that the Toronto Blue Jays are a better team than the Kansas City Royals. The Royals started fast, but they have come back down to earth. Toronto has a very good lineup anchored by Jose Bautista. Ricky Romero will start for Toronto here and he is a very talented young lefty. Romero has quality starts in six of his last eight outings. Luke Hochevar has three straight poor starts, and he is very inconsistent. The Jays have the advantage all around in this one. Take Toronto.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Mike Pelfrey is an extremely inconsistent pitcher. Pelfrey has been terrible on the road in his career, and this Brewers offense is extremely good. Pelfrey has an ERA over 5 in his career away from home, and after a quiet night last night, I expect Milwaukee to hit the ball hard in this one. Randy Wolf is pitching for the Brewers, and he doesn't have dominating stuff. The over is 12-3-1 in the Mets last 16. The over is 18-6-2 in the last 26 meetings between these two in Milwaukee. Take the over in this game.

*3 Star MLB Revenge Special* The Texas Rangers have been blasted two nights in a row by the Detroit Tigers. I think Texas will be amped up to get some revenge, and they have a good matchup to do so. Phil Coke is coming off the DL to pitch for the Tigers. The Rangers average 5 runs per game against left-handeers and I think they'll get to Coke early. Alexi Ogando has been amazing all year, and he shutdown the Tigers in Detroit earlier this year. The Rangers have the better pitcher and the better lineup. I think they'll get revenge. Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* Both of these teams are short-handed offensively right now. The Braves are missing Heyward and McLouth and the Marlins are missing Hanley Ramirez. The Marlins have dropped six games in a row. Florida is coming back to earth after a terrific start. The Braves have an edge in the bullpen and they have a slightly better offense than the Marlins. Ricky Nolasco isn't good at home, and the Marlins are 0-4 in his last 4 home starts. The Braves are 5-1 in Lowe's last 6 starts against Florida. Take the Braves.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Oakland Athletics are in a serious tailspin right now. They turn to Josh Outman to try to get going in the right direction Wednesday night, but I don't think they'll pick up a win here. Zach Britton is a very talented young pitcher for the Orioles. Britton has had two bad starts in a row, but the youngster has a 2.60 ERA at home this year, and I think he'll pitch well against a poor Oakland offense. Baltimore's offense is slowly coming around a bit. Derrek Lee is back and healthy and Josh Outman is not a dominating left-hander. He struggles with control and I think the Orioles will get to him some. Take the Orioles -1.5.

*3 Star Red Sox/Yankees Guaranteed Winner* The Boston Red Sox took the first game of the series last night and I think they'll win the second game of the set as well. Mark Teixeira will likely miss this game and without Tex in the middle of the order I think the Red Sox have a slightly better lineup than the Yankees. Burnett and Wakefield have both struggled against their rivals of late, but getting plus money with this Boston team seems like a great deal to me at this point. Boston is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings with the Yankees. Take the Red Sox.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Johnathan Sanchez started the season a little slowly, but he has been solid overall this year. He has given up three earned runs or less in 9 of his last 10 starts. The Nationals hit just .210 against left-handers and I think they'll struggle against Sanchez. Jordan Zimmerman is much better than most people give him credit for. Zimmerman has six straight quality starts and four of those starts have come on the road. The Giants lineup is extremely weak right now without Posey or Sandoval. The under is 12-3 in the Giants last 15 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Rick Porcello has faced the Texas Rangers just one time in his career, but it didn't go well for Porcello. The Rangers bounced him after four innings and he allowed six runs. Matt Harrison is scheduled to start, but he is dealing with multiple injury issues and he won't be 100% if he does start. The temperature won't be far from 100 degrees when this game starts and I expect the ball to be traveling well as it did last night. There were six home runs last night. The over is 6-0-2 in the last 8 meetings in Texas between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB MISMATCH* Edinson Volquez is back in the Reds rotation. Volquez started twice in AAA and he was very good (1.88 ERA). Volquez has all the tools to be a very good starter in the majors, but he has had mechanics problems this year. Volquez is coming back against a Cubs team that he has dominated in the past, and they are certainly short-handed offensively right now. Doug Davis is a soft-throwing left-hander that the Reds should be able to hit hard. Davis walks almost one batter per inning and I don't think that will work against the Reds, who average more than 7 runs per game against lefties. I think this one could get ugly. Take the Reds -1.5!

*3 Star Hidden GEM Total* The Cincinnati Reds have been hitting the ball very well of late, but their bullpen is absolutely exhausted. Edinson Volquez has a history of being done after five innings or so because of his high pitch count, and that means we'll see a lot of an overworked bullpen. At the same time, the Reds will be facing Doug Davis. Davis is a soft tossing left-hander who doesn't have any overpowering pitches. The Reds are hitting .294 against left-handers this year, and Davis will be one of the worst lefties they have faced. It will be a hot day at GABP, and the ball should fly well. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Minnesota Twins have won five straight and the Cleveland Indians have lost five straight games. Minnesota isn't as bad as their record and the Indians aren't as good as their record. The Indians have lost five straight against left-handed pitching. In fact, they haven't scored a run in their last 18 innings against left-handed pitching! Carlos Carrasco has been terrible at home, and the Twins lineup has been heating up of late. The Indians are 2-8 in Carrasco's last 10 home starts. The Twins are 7-0 in the last 7 meetings between these teams. I'll take the Twins ML here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* When I see a pitching matchup of Moscosco vs. Jakubauskas it is hard for me to not like the 'over'. Jakubauskas hasn't made a start this year, but he has been getting tagged out of the bullpen. He has an ERA of 6.39 and a WHIP of 1.89 this year. Moscoso wasn't very good in AAA and now they've brought him up to start in the majors, and I don't think it will work for long. The Orioles scored four runs in five innings off him a couple weeks ago, and I think they'll do at least that well here. Take the over!

*3 Star Moneyline Cash* Brandon Morrow was beaten up last time out by the Cleveland Indians, but I expect him to bounce back in this one. Morrow has electric stuff and I think he could overpower this scuffling Kansas City team. The Royals started the year hot, but they have come back to earth of late. The Royals have lost four straight, and they simply don't have the lineup that Toronto has. With Lind hitting well and Bautista absolutely crushing the ball again this year, Toronto has a solid middle of the order. I like the Jays in this ones. Blue Jays ML.

*3 Star Hidden Gem Total* Colby Lewis has been pitching well of late, but that was on the road. Lewis has struggled quite a bit at the Ballpark in Arlington over his career. He has an ERA of 5.18 at his home park in his career. Detroit has a pretty good lineup with Cabrera and Martinez at the heart of the order. The Rangers have been scoring runs in bunches of late, and they have one of the best offenses in baseball. Max Scherzer is a streaky pitcher, and he has given up seven earned runs in each of his last two starts. The over is 5-0 in Scherzer's last 10 road starts. The over is 5-0 in Lewis' last 10 home starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Cliff Lee hasn't been terrific this year, but I expect him to be good enough against the Dodgers on Monday night. The Dodgers don't have a very strong lineup, and I suspect they'll have a hard time keeping up with the Phillies lineup. Victorino is back and healthy and this Phillies offense is hitting the ball now. The Dodgers are 11-28 in their last 39 games at Philadelphia. Ted Lilly has an ERA of 7.16 at Citizens Bank Ballpark. I think the Phillies win handily here. Phillies -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Gio Gonzalez and Brian Matusz are two very good young left-handed pitchers. The Orioles have a decent lineup, but they average less than 3.5 runs per game against lefties so far this year. The Athletics have one of the weaker lineups in baseball. The books have never really caught up with how good Matusz is. The under is 20-8 in his last 28 starts overall. He looked great in his first start of the year last week and I expect him to fare well again. The under is also 9-4-1 in Gonzalez's last 14 road starts. Take the under.