Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star Cash Money Play of the Day* The Padres continue to be underrated by the books. I have cashed on the Padres numerous times, and I am going to go back to the well again in this one. The Cubs haven't even been very good at home, and the Padres have proven they are a very good road team. Correia is starting to pitch much better in the last few games and the Cubs are just 3-7 in Gorzelanny's last 10 home starts. The Cubs are just 1-6 in their last 7 home games overall. I think the Padres win a close game here.

*3 Star Smash the Books Total* I'm really liking taking the over anytime Chris Volstad is pitching, especially on the road. Volstad has a road ERA of 6.19 on the year. McDonald is a young starter for the Pirates who started out hot, but doesn't have terrific stuff. The wind will be blowing out a little bit in this one. Florida's bats are hot, and the over is 14-6-1 in their last 21 games. The over is 5-1 in Pittsburgh's last 6 home games. With these two pithcers on the mound I think this is a nice value on the over.

*3 Star Mile High Moneymaker* Ubaldo Jimenez seemed to hit a bit of a rough patch for a bit where he was hittable, but in the last three games he has been back in form. Jimenez has allowed just one earned run in each of his last three starts. Jimenez is 8-0 in his home starts this year and the Rockies are 22-7 in his last 29 home starts. On the other side, Manny Parra has an ERA over 6 on the road. The Brewers are 1-5 in Parra's last 6 starts overall. The Rockies have owned this series over the last couple years as they are 10-3 in the last 13 meetings. This is a big pitching mismatch and the Rockies are extremely tough to beat at Coors Field. Take the Rockies -1.5.

*3 Star Trash the Books Special* The Minnesota Twins are playing as well as anyone in all of baseball right now. Kevin Slowey is on the hill and the Twins simply win when he is pitching at home. The Twins are 23-8 in his last 31 home starts. Vin Mazzaro is on the hill for the A's, and he has struggled on the road this year. The A's are just 2-8 in Mazzaro's last 10 road games against a team with a winning record. The Oakland offense just isn't hitting the baseball at all right now, and the Twins have proven that they have the potential to bust out on offense, even without Morneau. I like the Twins -1.5 here.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Vicente Padilla has had a very solid year for the Dodgers, and Jair Jurrjens appears to be getting good and healthy for the Braves. If there is a perfect umpire for an under it is Mike Estabrook. The under is 23-9-2 in his last 34 games behind home plate. The first couple games in this series have been very low scoring, and I expect this will be the same. The slight breeze from center will help keep the ball in the park as well. The under is 6-0 in Jurrjens last 6 home starts and 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these two in Atlanta. I think the value here is on the under.

*3 Star Bookie Crusher Special* Trevor Cahill has not given up an earned run in his last 3 starts. Brian Duensing has an ERA of 1.99 at home this year. The under is 13-3-1 in the A's last 17 games. The under is 5-0-1 in the Twins last 6 home games. The under is 5-0 in Duensing's last 5 home starts and the under is 20-7-2 in Cahill's last 29 starts overall. All of this adds up to a nice looking bet on the under in this one. Neither team is hitting particularly well and both pitcher's are dealing right now. Take the under here.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Jason Marquis and Ian Kennedy is a great pitching matchup to take the over here. Kennedy has struggled mightily on the road of late and Marquis has been on the DL and isn't showing good form. Kennedy has an ERA of 7.31 in his last 3 starts, which means we'll probably see a lot of the worst bullpen in the major leagues. The Nationals should be able to score several on the DBacks here and I fully expect Marquis to get hit around some by Arizona as well. The over looks like a great value here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Cardinals and Cubs do not like each other one bit, but this year the Cardinals are just a much better team. Carlos Zambrano's control is terrible right now, and the Cardinals bats are getting hot in the August warmth. Pujols is on fire and so is the team overall. Oh by the way, Chris Carpenter is on the hill for the Cardinals, and that usually means they are money in the bank. The Cardinals are 47-12 in Carpenter's last 59 home games. They are also 5-0 in his last 5 starts against the Cubs. I think the Cardinals win this one by a decent margin. Take the Cardinals -1.5.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Rockies are a very good home team. The Rockies are 78-37 in their last 115 home games. De La Rosa is particularly good at home, and the Rockies are 15-3 in his last 18 starts at home. Gallardo is a very good young pitcher, but he has struggled mightily in two starts at Coors Field. Gallardo has an ERA around 12 in two starts in Colorado. The Brewers are much worse against left handers. All the factors point to the Rockies being favored here, but they aren't. I think we are getting a great value on the Rockies moneyline in this game.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* The Twins have to be thrilled with how well Carl Pavano has been pitching this year. Pavano looks like the dominant pitcher of old. Gio Gonzalez is having a breakout year with the Athletics as well. Gonzalez has an ERA of just 3.51 on the season. The Twins struggle against left handers, and Oakland's offense has been very quiet of late. The under is 12-3-1 in Oakland's last 16 games. I think this will be a well-pitched game on both sides. I think the under is the play here.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Livan Hernandez has been an absolute under machine this year. The under is 19-3 in his 22 starts this season. At home his ERA is just 2.77 this year. Ricky Nolasco has struggled overall this year, but his numbers are actually much better on the road. Nolasco's ERA on the road sits at 3.86. The wind is expected to be blowing in from center at about 10 mph and we have a bit of an under umpire here as well. Both of these teams have been scoring quite a bit recently, but the pitching match up makes me think the value is on the under here. Take under 8.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The oddsmakers have given us a gift in the first two games of the series and I've taken advantage, and I have to give it a try in this one as well. The Padres are a MUCH better team than the Pirates. The Pirates are 19-73 in their last 92 road games. The Padres are 11-3 in their last 14 home games. Jon Garland has been good this year, especially at home. Garland has an ERA of 2.69 at home. Zach Duke is on the hill for the Pirates. Duke has an ERA around 6 on the road and the Pirates are a miserable 15-48 in his last 63 road starts. All this adds up to the value once again being on the Padres run line in this one. Take San Diego -1.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Play of the Day* Angel Campos is behind the dish here, and that is great news for the over. Campos has the smallest strike zone in the big leagues so far this year. It doesn't hurt that both teams are hitting the baseball well right now either. The DBacks are a much better team against left handers, so they should get to Randy Wolf some in this one. Rodrigo Lopez has been struggling quite a bit of late, so I expect the Brewers to put several runs on the board. The match ups and the umpire make this one a strong play on the over.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Once again the oddsmakers are giving us plus money on the run line for a team like San Diego over a horrific team like the Pirates. It worked well last night for me, and I'm going to take it again on Wednesday. The Pirates are 19-72 in their last 91 road games and the Padres are 10-3 in their last 13 home games. I see this as a major mismatch and I think it is wise to take the Padres again here on the run line.

*3 Star Tasty Total Play of the Day* The game time temperature is expected to be in the mid 90's with moderate humidity, which will help the ball fly out. Chris Volstad has been horrendous on the road this year, with an ERA of 6.08. Scott Olsen has been pretty good at home, but the Marlins hit left handers very well. Both teams are swinging hot bats right now. The over is 4-0 in Florida's last 4 and 3-1-1 in Washington's last 5 games. The value in this one appears to be on the over. Take over 9 here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Tigers have been falling apart over the last couple of months, but Justin Verlander is on the hill on Wednesday afternoon. Verlander is their ace, and he has been great at home. Verlander has an ERA of just 2.88 in his home starts this year. Matt Garza threw a no hitter against these Tigers just a couple of weeks ago, so he knows how to get through this lineup. The under is 5-0 in Verlander's last 5 starts. I believe Verlander will quiet the Rays offense and Garza will shine once again. This has the looks of a game that will be decided by a run or two in a low scoring affair. Take the under here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The San Diego Padres continue to defy the critics and lead the NL West. The Pirates are absolutely terrible this year, especially on the road. The Pirates are actually 19-71 in their last 90 road games. The Padres are 33-22 at home this year and 9-3 in their last 12 at home. LeBlanc has an ERA under 3 at home this year and the Padres roughed up Karstens pretty bad just a few weeks ago. Given the amount of disparity between these two teams, I think getting the Padres -1.5 at +120 is a terrific value!

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* The Phillies have continued to produce on offense even without Howard, Utley, and Victorino. The weather is expected to be hot, with fairly low humidity, which should help the ball fly out of Citizens Bank Park in Philly on Tuesday. The over is 41-20 in Kyle Kendrick's last 61 starts overall and 9-4-1 in Padilla's last 14 starts. Padilla isn't nearly as good on the road, and Kendrick has struggled at home. I think the value is on the over in this one. Take over 8.5.

*Fantastic Five Star Total* The Brewers bats are on fire right now and Arizona's pitching staff is the worst in the big leagues. Ian Kennedy is on the hill for Arizona in this one and his ERA in his last three games is 7.02. Chris Narveson is pitching for the Brewers and his ERA at home sits at 6.20 on the year. Arizona is actually a much better team against left handers, so they should have that as an added advantage over Narveson as well. This really looks like a game that could light up the scoreboard. I expect both starting to pitchers to struggle, and then when the bullpen's come in they will provide very little relief. I really like the over in this one!

*3 Star Total Knockout Play* Joe Saunders has been settling in very nicely in Arizona, and he appears to be much improved from earlier this year. Mat Latos has been amazing all year long. The under is 8-3 in Latos' last 11 starts. I expect Latos to keep the DBacks bats at bay, and Saunders to pitch well again in front of his new home crowd. The Padres struggle against left handers, which should make Saunders even more effective. The value is on the under in this one.

*3 Star Total Value Play* Trevor Cahill is quietly having a very impressive season. Cahill has an ERA of just 1.88 at home this year and his daytime ERA is just 1.60 as well. Colby Lewis is on the hill for the Rangers and he has been very solid all year long. The under is 20-7 in Lewis' last 27 road starts and 18-7-2 in the Rangers last 27 overall. The under is 8-0-1 in Cahill's last 9 home starts and 5-0-1 in the Athletics last 6 games overall. Expect a pitcher's duel here and take the value on the under.

*3 Star Trash the Books Total* Rick Porcello has been in terrible form this year and Trevor Bell has been no better for the Angels. These two starters are both liable to be gone by the fifth inning if they continue their recent trends. Bell has an ERA of 6.23 in his last three starts and Porcello's is 7.13. I think both offenses should have enough in them to make this a high scoring affair with these two starters on the mound. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Padres are a much better team than the Diamondbacks right now, and that is the primary reason for this pick. Clayton Richard is a solid pitcher and the Padres have proven they are good on the road this year. The DBacks are just 2-6 in their last 8 home games and they are 0-4 in Lopez's last 4 starts overall. The Padres have won six straight in this series and I think there is very good chance they'll make it seven straight. Take the Padres with the small amount of juice.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* It would be tough to find two pitchers in either league who have been pitching better than Matt Cain and Tim Hudson in the last three starts. Cain has an ERA of 1.19 in his last 3 starts and Hudson has a ridiculously low ERA of 0.87. The under is 13-5-2 in Cain's last 20 starts and 8-2 in Hudson's last 10 starts. These teams are only half a game apart in the standings, and this game could mean a lot down the road. I think both pitchers bring their A game and this one stays very low scoring. Take the under here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Yankees lost on Friday night to the Red Sox, which makes me feel even stronger about this pick. Sabathia will face off against Lackey, and given how inconsistent Lackey has been, I give the major edge to the Yankees in the pitching matchup. The Red Sox are missing both Youk and Pedroia right now, and the Yankees lineup is absolutely stacked. The Yankees are 76-28 in their last 104 home games, so they haven't lost two in a row very often. I like the Yankees to bounce back and win this one handily.

*3 Star TGIF Late Night Bailout* I don't normally like to eat this kind of juice on totals, but this is an important number and I really think these two pitchers are worth this price. The under is 16-5-1 in the Rangers last 22 games overall and the under is 23-9 in Dallas Braden's last 32 home starts. Cliff Lee is pitching brilliantly and the under is 5-0 in his last 5 starts. This is the type of game that I see staying close the whole way and ending in a 2-1 or 3-2 type of score. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Baltimore Orioles have won three games in a row, which I believe means it is time to fade them. This team is terrible and the Chicago White Sox are playing better baseball than just about anyone right now. The Orioles struggle against left handers and Danks is a high quality one. Brad Bergesen is on the hill for the Orioles and they are a miserable 1-10 in his last 11 starts. Bergesen has been having big trouble keeping the ball down, and these White Sox will take it deep if he continues that streak. I like the White Sox -1.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Reds are playing solid baseball right now and they are 10-1-1 in their last 12 series. This is another series they have a solid chance of winning, as the Cubs seem to have packed it in for the year. Arroyo tends to get better later in the year, and the Reds are 11-5 in his last 16 starts. They are also 5-2 in his last 7 starts at Wrigley Field. I think getting the better team and the better pitcher at even money is too good of a value to pass up. Take the Reds here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* I am really liking this run line play. Billingsley hasn't given up a run in the last 21 innings he has pitched, including one start at San Diego. Correia has been poor on the road this year, and Billingsley is great in Dodger Stadium. Billingsley also has a tremendous track record against San Diego. The Dodgers are 7-1 in his last 8 starts against the Padres. I think Billingsley will shut down the Padres again and the Dodgers will win by a few in this one. Take the Dodgers -1.5.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Phillies are 10-2 in their last 12 games, and they are doing this without the meat of their lineup. Chase Utley and Victorino have been gone for a while and now Ryan Howard is gone. How can they still win? This team still has quite a bit of pop with Jimmy Rollins, Ibanez, Werth, Polanco, and others. I'm looking for Roy Oswalt to come back after a poor first start with the Phillies and impress in this one. Chris Volstad is on the hill for the Marlins and he has been pretty bad this year. The Marlins are just 3-10 in his last 13 starts. I think the Phillies go ahead and sweep this series on Thursday evening. Take the Phillies moneyline.

*3 Star Late Night Total* Fister has been a different pitcher at home this year with an ERA just above 2.5 at home. Wilson has been good everywhere, and the Mariners struggle to hit left handers. The under is 19-7-1 in the Mariners last 27 home games. Jim Wolf is behind the dish here and the under is 20-7 in his last 27 behind home plate. The numbers and data point to the under as the play here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* David Price has been nearly unhittable at home all year long. Scott Baker has an ERA over 6 on the road this year. The Rays are 21-6 in their last 27 games and they are 16-5 in Price's last 21 home starts. The Twins are just 2-6 in Baker's last 8 road starts. The Twins have struggled against left handers this year, and against a tough one like Price that is a big problem. I like Tampa Bay -1.5 in this one.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Johnny Cueto has been great for the Reds this year, and the Reds will want to win this series badly against the lowly Pirates. After splitting the first two, the Reds have the big upper hand when it comes to the pitching match up here. Cueto is 10-2 on the year and he has an ERA of under 3 on the road. Karstens has not fared well against the Reds in the past and Cueto pitched a 1 hit shutout at PNC park last time he was in Pittsburgh. The Reds should win this one handily. Take Cincinnati -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Phillies have Doc Halladay on the mound and the Marlins have youngster Sean West on the hill in this one. West wasn't very successful with an ERA up around 5 in his stint in the majors last year. In the minor leagues he has been extremely inconsistent. The Phillies are starting to play better baseball of late and I feel like they will be tough on the young left hander from Florida. Halladay seems to have gotten back into a groove the last few games, so I think he'll shut down this Marlins offense. The Phillies are 14-3 in their last 17 games in Florida. Take Philly -1.5.

*3 Star NL Total Play* R.A. Dickey has been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this year. He has an ERA of just 2.32 for the year and 1.29 in his last three starts. The under is 10-4 in Dickey's starts this year. These two teams have a history of playing low scoring games when they get together. The under is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings. John Hirschbeck is behind the plate and that is great news for the under. I think this will be a tight game to the very end and I think the under is a nice value play here.

*3 Star East Coast Total Play* The Yankees can really hit the ball, especially when they are in Yankee Stadium. Ricky Romero is a quality left handed pitcher, but he tends to struggle a bit on the road. The Yankees are averaging over 6 runs per game off of lefties so far this year, and I think they'll get to Romero in this one. Dustin Moseley is pitching for the Yanks and though he has fared well, I think he is due for a poor outing. The umpire here is a solid over umpire and the wind will be blowing out to left field as well. This looks like a solid over play.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Cahill is excellent at home and Bannister is horrible on the road. The Athletics have outperformed most people's expectations of late, and they have done extremely well when Cahill is on the mound. The Athletics are 9-3 in Cahill's last 12 home starts and and 19-7 in his last 26 starts overall. The Royals are 4-11 in Bannister's last 15 road starts. The Royals are also 0-4 in Bannister's last four starts against Oakland. The better team at home, with the better pitcher... it all sounds like a nice play on the run line here. Take Oakland -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play* The Marlins are playing excellent baseball right now, and I truly believe that Josh Johnson is the NL's Cy Young so far this year. Johnson has been as consistently good as you will ever see. Jon Garland has pitched well this year, but he can struggle with consistency, and this Marlins team is really streaking right now. I'll take the team with the big pitching advantage in this one. Florida -1.5 is the play.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* To say that Bruce Chen and Kevin Millwood have struggled recently is a huge understatement. In their last three starts the two have respective ERA's of 7.94 and 10.66. Both started the season actually pitching pretty decent, but have absolutely been torched of late. A nice hot and low humidity day should be good for the ball to fly well in this game. The over is 7-1 in Chen's last 8 home games. The over is 7-1-1 in Millwood's last 9 starts overall. Both offenses have looked good in this series. I think the value is on the over in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play* The White Sox finally lost at home last night, but I don't think they will lose this one. Gavin Floyd has been remarkable of late, and the White Sox are 31-12 in his last 43 home starts. Gio Gonzalez is putting together a solid year for the Athletics, but he is much better at home and the White Sox are good against left handers. I think the White Sox will bounce back and win this one in convincing fashion. Take the White Sox -1.5.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Ryan Detwiler is starting for the Nationals, and he has never really proved himself in the majors. The Phillies offense has been improving quite a bit of late. Joe Blanton has been an over machine, with 10 of his last 13 road starts going over the posted total. It will be a hot day in Washington, which won't hurt things a bit. I think both starters will get run out of this one pretty early on. Take the over here.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* Wandy Rodriguez is a completely different pitcher at home. The Astros are 19-8 in his last 27 home starts. Rodriguez didn't have his form earlier this year, but of late he has been looking very good. David Bush has had a lot of trouble recently, and the Brewers are just 7-15 in his last 22 starts overall. The Astros are a bad team and I hate betting on bad teams, but with the huge pitching advantage and a short price I'll take Houston.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Tigers are a completely different team on the road, and I mean that in a bad way. They were able to take the first game in Boston, which makes me like this pick even more. Dice K has been looking good of late and the Red Sox are 44-20 in his last 64 starts overall, so they tend to win when he is on the hill. The Tigers are 0-8 in Scherzer's last 8 road starts and they are just 3-13 in their last 16 games overall. I think the chances are good that the Red Sox win this one fairly easily. Take the Red Sox -1.5.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Padres continue to get dissed by the oddsmakers and it continues to provide opportunities for bettors. LeBlanc has been great at home, with an ERA of 2.36 on the year. Volstad has been bad all year, and his road ERA is 6.38. The Padres are 8-1 in their last 9 home games. The Marlins are 5-17 in Volstad's last 22 starts. I figure LeBlanc will pitch a quality game and the Padres will get to Volstad in this one. Take the Padres moneyline.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Mike Pelfrey has been horrendous of late, with a 10.45 ERA in his last three starts. The Diamondbacks aren't a good team, but they can hit the ball. Ian Kennedy is much worse on the road, with an ERA of 4.70 for the year. Given the fact that these two starters have been struggling so badly I think the total is set too low in this one. The value play is on the over in this one. Take over 8.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Justin Masterson has been terrible on the road. His ERA is 6.48 on the road and the Indians are 3-13 in his last 16 games started on the road. On the other hand, Shawn Marcum is terrific at home for the Blue Jays. Marcum has an ERA of 2.41 at home this year and the Jays are 10-4 in his last 14 starts. Masterson will probably make several mistake pitches in this one and the Jays can hit home runs with the best of them. Expect the Jays to win this one by a decent margin. Take Toronto -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The White Sox have been playing as well as anyone in baseball the last month or two. The Mariners are just 15-34 on the road this year and their starter in this game, David Pauley, has yet to start a game on the road this year. Freddy Garcia got beat up last time out, but he has been much better at home this season. The White Sox are 8-2 in Garcia's last 10 starts overall and 4-0 in his last 4 starts against Seattle. The Mariners are 7-25 in their last 32 in Chicago. The Sox should win this one going away.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Doug Eddings is the umpire here and he has the biggest strike zone in baseball. C.J. Wilson is having a breakout year, posting an ERA of just 3.03 for the year. The under is 5-1 in Wilson's last 6 starts. The Rangers bats have cooled off in a big way of late, with the under going 6-0-1 in their last 7 games overall. Mazzaro has pitched extremely well of late, and the under is 10-3-2 in his last 15 road starts. The signs all point to the under in this one, so go with under 8.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Rays are beating up on the Tigers pretty good in this series and I think they will do the same in this series finale on Thursday afternoon. David Price is on the hill and he has been amazing at home this year. Price is 6-1 with an ERA of 2.04 at home. The Rays are 8-2 in Price's last 10 home starts and 17-6 in his last 23 starts overall. On the other hand, Rick Porcello is pitching for Detroit. Porcello's form just isn't on right now and the Tigers are 1-6 in his last 7 road starts. I think the Rays will get to Porcello early on and then Price will effectively hold onto the lead in this one. Take the Rays -1.5 here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Rays could finish off a sweep of the Tigers if they win this one and I think they will do it. Niemann is one of the most underrated pitchers in the game. The Rays are 17-5 in his last 22 starts. Bonine will start for the Tigers and he is typically a reliever. This sounds like a formula for a big Tampa Bay win to me. Take the Rays -1.5.

*3 Star Under Play of the Day* Bill Miller is behind the dish and if you are looking for an under, he is the umpire you want to see. The under is 47-17-4 in his last 68 games behind the dish. Livan Hernandez has been an under machine all year as the oddsmakers continue to doubt him and Tim Hudson has fared great in the past against the Nationals. I like this one to be a tight game and a low scoring contest. Take the under.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Beckett just got off the DL and isn't in form yet, and Joel Piniero has struggled against Boston in his career. The wind will be pushing the ball out to center in this afternoon game in LA. I think the total should be set a little higher in this one and I like the over here.

*3 Star Run Line Play* Who would have thought that Carl Pavano would turn things around the way he has? Pavano has been dominating of late, and the Twins have absolutely owned the Royals in the past. Bruce Chen had a nice start to his season, but teams are catching on in a big way of late. The Twins crushed the Royals on Monday and I think they have a good shot of beating them up again on Tuesday. Take the Twins -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play* The Blue Jays are a strong hitting team and Kevin Millwood is reeling in a big way right now. Millwood's ERA is 10.95 in the last three starts. The Orioles are 1-8 in Millwood's lat 9 road starts and 14-45 in their last 59 road games overall. Romero is on the hill for the Blue Jays here and he is very solid at home and the Orioles can't hit left handers well at all. This looks like a major mismatch. Take the Blue Jays here.

*3 Star Run Line Play* The Phillies are definitely getting their act together right now. They are 8-0 in their last 8 home games and the DBacks are terrible on the road at 13-33. Cole Hamels is really pitching well of late, with an ERA of just 0.40 in his last 3 starts. Hamels is much better at home and the DBacks have struggled mightily with left handers all year. I think the Phillies continue their hot streak and win this one easily.

*Dog of the Day Play* Bronson Arroyo has been consistently very good this year and the Reds are 10-4 in his last 14 starts. Randy Wolf has been very inconsistent as have the Brewers in general. The Reds are 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams. I think the Reds should be favored. Take the underdog in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Tigers are a bad team on the road and the Rays are playing some good baseball right now. The Tigers are 0-7 in Scherzer's last 7 road starts. The Rays lineup is definitely stronger and the home field advantage will mean a lot here. Take Tampa Bay -1.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Phillies are getting their act together in their last few games. The Rockies are just 2-7 in Hammel's last 9 road starts and the Phillies are 7-0 in their last 7 home games. I think the Phillies are starting to get their swagger back. I like them to finish off the sweep here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* You knew Tim Lincecum would start rounding into form at some point, and it appears that is happening right now. The Giants are playing excellent baseball right now and have won 13 of their last 16 games. They have a huge pitching advantage in this game and have won 5 straight games against the Diamondbacks. I like the Giants to sweep the DBacks and win this one handily. Take San Francisco -1.5.

*3 Star Under Play of the Day* The biggest under umpire in today's game is John Hirschbeck and he's behind the plate in Oakland Sunday. The under is 16-6-1 in his last 23 behind home plate. The under is also 23-8 in Dallas Braden's last 31 home games. The under is 34-16-2 in the last 52 games between these two teams. The data all points to the under. I like under 8 here.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* The biggest over umpire in the league in Jim Reynolds is behind the plate here. The Padres have been crushing the ball of late, with the over going 10-3 in their last 13 games overall. Lincoln has an ERA of over 10 in his last 3 starts, so the Padres will have a chance to keep their hot hitting going Sunday. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 10 mph, so that will help the ball fly out easier as well. Take the over.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Giants bats are starting to heat up, and their pitching is tremendous. The Giants are 13-3 in their last 16 games. Madison Bumgarner is the real deal, and his ERA is 1.49 on the road this year. Ian Kennedy started the season well for Arizona, but his ERA is near 6 in his last three outings. The Giants have the better pitcher and the better overall team. I'll take them at this price.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Here we have a huge pitching mismatch. Latos is absolutely on his game this year, and in his last 3 starts his ERA is below 0.60. Karstens has struggled all year and the Pirates are just not a strong hitting team. I think the books continue to underrate the Padres and we continue to have solid chances to make money on them. Take the Padres -1.5.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Rick Porcello is back, but he isn't form. Shawn Marcum has an ERA of over 7 in his last three games. Porcello doesn't have a good initial matchup in the Blue Jays, who hit home runs like crazy. The wind will be pushing the ball out toward left field and I think the value is on the over here. Take the over.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Normally I don't like to play an over on such a ridiculously high number, but I think it is justified. The Yankees are crushing the ball at home of late. The over is 8-1 in thier last 9 home games. Davies' ERA is 5.71 on the road and Mitre isn't overpowering either. The wind will be blowing out at 10 mph or so and the home plate umpire is one of the bigger over umpires in the game. Take the over here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* In the last three years Joe Saunders has pitched in Arlington four times. He is 0-4 and his ERA is 10.23. C.J. Wilson is quietly becoming one of the better pitchers on the Rangers roster. The Rangers are 8-2 in Wilson's last 10 home starts and the Angels are 0-5 in Saunders last 5 starts in Texas. This looks like a big Texas victory to me.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* Paul Maholm is not a bad pitcher and the Pirates have been playing decent at home of late, but I can't ignore this attractive line. The Padres are tiny favorites against a team as inferior as the Pittsburgh Pirates? There is a possibility that this is a fishy line that shouldn't be touched, but I have to take the team that is much better here. The Padres are a very good road team and tend to pull out the close victories. Take the Padres in this one.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Matt Cain hasn't been himself at all of late and he has fared poorly in Arizona in the past. Rodrigo Lopez is not a very good pitcher and the Giants have been hitting better of late. The over is 30-18 in Arizona's 48 home games this year. I think this has the potential to be a game where both teams have to use the bullpen a long time, and Arizona's bullpen is the worst in baseball. Take the over here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* It hasn't gotten a ton of attention in the national media, but Josh Johnson's season has been nothing short of amazing. In his last 20 innings he has allowed one run and for the year his ERA at home is 1.41. The Marlins are 23-8 in his last 31 home games. The Rockies won't have an answer for Johnson and the Marlins should put up enough to win comfortably. Take the Marlins -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* I believe the Padres are a very good team, but I don't think Jon Garland is a great pitcher. Garland has been less than average on the road and Tommy Hanson is getting his act together for Atlanta. The Braves are 11-4 in Hanson's last 15 starts and they are also 19-7 in their last 26 meetings with San Diego. I think the Braves get to Garland here and take this one by at least a couple runs. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Ricky Nolasco has been an over machine at home of late with a 6-1 record to the over. The Rockies are hitting the ball extremely well, as evidenced by 14 of their last 19 games going over the posted total. Hammel is a good pitcher, but he isn't the same on the road. The over is 7-2 in his last 9 road starts. Jim Reynolds behind the dish is a huge plus for the over as well. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star Under Play of the Day* Colby Lewis has been an under machine on the road (16-5 in his last 21 road starts) and Jim Wolf has been an under machine behind the plate (16-5 in his last 21). The under is also 4-1 in Max Scherzer's last 5 games overall. Both pitchers are getting their act together of late and I think this could be a pitcher's duel. I think the value is on the under here.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Tim Wakefield has been getting beat around of late and I think it could certainly happen again in this one. Angel Campos is the biggest over umpire in the game in the last couple of years and he is behind the dish here. The over is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings between these two teams. The wind is expected to be blowing out to center at 14 mph during this one. I like the value on the over.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Cleveland Indians beat the Twins on Monday, but they are absolutely horrible on the road. They are even worse when Justin Masterson is pitching on the road. The Indians are 2-13 in Masterson's last 15 road starts. The Twins are 22-7 in Slowey's last 29 home starts. The Twins are also 4-0 in Slowey's last 4 starts against the Tribe. The Twins should win this one handily. Take Minnesota -1.5.

*3 Star Under Play of the Day* The wind is expected to be blowing in toward home plate at about 12 mph during this one and the home plate umpire has a nice and wide strike zone as well. Galarraga is much better at home, where the under is 7-3 in his last 10 starts. The under is 5-1 in the Rangers last 6 games overall as well. I think this one is set a little too high. Take the under here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Reds fell behind the Cardinals by 1/2 game on Sunday, so they should be good and fired up to win this one. Cueto has an ERA under 1 in his last three starts and the Reds are 10-4 in his last 14 starts. Martin has pitched pretty well for the Nationals, but he struggles a bit on the road. Washington is just 1-6 in his last 7 starts. The Reds have the better pitcher and the better lineup here. Take the Reds -1.5.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* The Brewers have started crushing the baseball of late. A lineup with Braun, Fielder, Hart, and company should score a lot of runs, and they are finally doing just that. Karstens is a below average pitcher and he is the type of pitcher Milwaukee should be able to get to in a big way right now. Capuano is not in good form at all and I expect the Pirates will put quite a few on the board as well. This has all the makings of a high scoring game. I like the over.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* Edwin Jackson seems to be getting a little too much love from the oddsmakers since his no hitter. The Padres are still the top team in the NL West and they have won their last four at home. Correia is definitely better in San Diego than on the road, and I feel this is a pretty short price for the team with the best record in the National League. Take the Padres.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Johan Santana has been on his game of late, with an ERA well under 1 in the last three games. Sanchez is also a much better pitcher at home, so the Mets should have trouble getting too much going. I think this match up of left handers will stay low scoring all the way though. This has the potential to be a 2-1 type of game. Take the under.

*Saturday MLB Top Play of the Day* The Orioles and the Blue Jays are both hitting the ball well right now. Jim Reynolds is the umpire you want if you are looking for an over, and he'll be behind the dish in this one. Guthrie and Morrow both have an ERA of 6 in their last three starts. All the data and trends lead me to think this one could be a very high scoring affair. I love the over here!

*3 Star TGIF Moneyline Play of the Day* The Reds lost their last four before the break. I think they'll be out to get the second half off to a strong start. The Rockies have been playing well, but Jason Hammel has been terrible on the road this year. Tulowitzki is still out of the lineup, so I think the Reds have the better lineup here. Arroyo has been solid this year, and his track record is good at GABP. I like the Reds to get a win in this one.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* It's Strasburg time again and so far that has generally meant a low scoring game. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 15 mph and Ricky Nolasco has been pitching much bettero of late as well. I think this has the makings of a tight game that goes down to the wire and stays low scoring. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Doug Fister is on the mound for the Mariners and he has an ERA of 4.91 on the road. In his last three starts his ERA is over 6. On the other side, Joel Piniero is pitching extremely well for the Angels right now. Piniero has a 2.22 ERA at home this year and the Angels are 7-0 in his last 7 home starts. The Mariners are just 10-25 in their last 35 in Anaheim and I think the Angels will start off the second half with a nice win on Thursday evening. Take the Angels -1.5.

*3 Star Under Play of the Day* Wandy Rodriguez is rounding into form beautifully of late, and the St. Louis Cardinals are struggling offensively. The Cardinals are hitting just .255 against left handers this year and the Astros are hitting a miserable .236 against right handers. The under is 27-11-1 in the last 39 meetings and the under is 7-3-1 in Wandy's last 11 starts against the Cards. With a nice under umpire behind the plate in Andy Fletcher, I'm taking the under here.

*5 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The stats and the trends say Tampa Bay should win this one convincingly. Niemann is definitely one of the most underrated pitchers in the game today. With a 2.65 ERA on the year and a 13-4 record for the Rays in his starts, Niemann has done a brilliant job. On the other hand, Masterson has been horrible on the road. The Indians are just 2-12 in his last 14 road starts. I think Tampa Bay wins this one and heads into the All Star Break with momentum.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Rays dropped the first game of the series to the Indians, but I don't think they'll lose this one. Aaron Laffey has struggled all year and Matt Garza has a strong history at home over the last few years. The Indians are 16-45 in their last 61 road games and the Rays are 5-1 in Garza's last 6 home starts. I think the Rays get revenge here.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* The over has been the play of late when Johnathan Sanchez and Craig Stammen are on the hill and I think it is again this Saturday. Both the Nationals and the Giants hit much better off of left handers than righties, and both pitchers can struggle with control. The home plate umpire is known to have a pretty small zone, so I expect to see plenty of walks. Take the over here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Mets and the Braves are in a heated battle at the top of the NL East right now. Pelfrey and Hudson both have great numbers against the opponent in this one. Pelfrey is a much better pitcher at home. The home plate umpire is Bill Hohn, and he is known as a strong under umpire. I think this one is a tight low scoring game. Take the under.

*TGIF Moneyline Play of the Day* The New York Yankees are a much better team than the Mariners, but Cliff Lee is in a real zone right now. Lee beat the Yankees at Yankee Stadium recently and I think he'll beat a recently struggling Phillip Hughes and the Yanks on Friday night. Expect Lee to stay in the game a long time and pitch his Mariners to a win.

*3 Star Under Play of the Day* Dan Haren and Ricky Nolasco both were supposed to have terrific years and started out slow, but they are both putting it together of late. Nolasco has been much better on the road than at home. The under is 11-5-5 in the last 21 meetings between these two. I like the value on the under here.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* If you are looking for an over, Jim Reynolds is the umpire you want to see. Reynolds is behind the dish in this one and both pitchers have been struggling quite a bit of late. Shields has pitched much worse at home and the Indians have a nice history against him. I think both teams put up a few runs in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Padres have lost the first two in the series by a run, but I think they'll bounce back in this one. Latos is having an amazing year and his ERA is under 0.50 in his last 3 starts. He has been great away from home all year. Atilano has actually been worse at home this year. I think the Padres will want this one pretty badly, as they don't want to get swept here by the Nationals. Take the Padres -1.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Bill Miller is the umpire behind the plate here and that makes the under worth a look. The under is 44-17-4 in his last 65 games behind the plate. The under is also 26-10-1 in the last 37 meetings between these two teams. On a get away day game the lineups may be a little weaker as well. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star Moneyline Bookie Smasher* The White Sox have been playing pretty good baseball of late, especially when Freddy Garcia is on the mound. The White Sox are 42-20 in his last 62 starts and 5-1 in his last 6 home starts. In Garcia's last 6 against the Angels the White Sox are 6-0. I like the White Sox to take this one.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Trust me when I say I'm typically not a fan of taking overs with Tim Lincecum on the hill, but I think this is a good spot. Lincecum has struggled of late, and in his career his ERA is 5.67 against the Brewers. At the same time, the Giants hit lefties well so I think they'll put up several runs against Narveson. This total appears set too low. Take the over.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Rays have taken the division lead and I think they'll extend it in this one. The Red Sox are 5-16 in Wakefield's last 21 starts and the Rays are 15-5 in Price's last 20 starts. The Red Sox are just 1-5 in Wakefield's last 6 starts against Tampa Bay. It doesn't hurt that the home team is 15-1 in the umpire's last 16 games behind the dish. Take Tampa Bay -1.5.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* The Dodgers and the Marlins are both hitting the baseball quite well right now. Volstad has struggled mightily on the road and Padilla is quite inconsistent. These two teams have a history of high scoring affairs. The over is 16-5 in their last 21 meetings, including 10-2 at Los Angeles. A breeze toward center and a nice over umpire doesn't hurt either. Take the over.

*3 Star Under Play of the Day* These two teams have both had some great pitching and light hitting all year long. Hernandez has really surprised people with how well he has pitched for the Nationals. The under is 13-2 in his 15 starts this season. The under is 6-0-2 in Richard's last 8 road starts. This has the makings of a low scoring and tight game. Take the under.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Orioles are a horrific road team and the Tigers are amazing at home. Both pitchers have pitched poorly of late, but Galarraga has a stunning 2.22 ERA at home this year. I expect the Tigers to pound out quite a few runs and the Orioles bats to be silenced in this one. Take the Tigers -1.5.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* The two starting pitchers in this one aren't going to scare either of the lineups. The wind tunnel that pushes balls out of the park is working in our favor tonight. The over is 12-3-2 in the last 17 meetings in Texas between these two teams. I think this one has all the makings of a very high scoring game. Take the over.