MLB Fri. June 4

Thursday results:  1-1,  +.19 U

MLB Thur June 3

Wed results:  1-0,  +1.46 U

MLB Wed June 2

Tuesday results: 2-1,  +1.84 U

MLB Tue June 1

Monday results: 1-1,  +.65 U
Kansas City -105,  -1 UAtlanta/LA Dodgers parlay -150/-170, +1.65 U
Got to think the Angels are in for a letdown sometime soon but I'm not going against them again until it happens. Won my parlay on a walkoff balk, too funny. Braves game pretty much as expected.
Season: 23-23-1,  +4.01 U
Tuesday
Atlanta/Florida parlay  -140/-160
Both of these teams smell blood with the Phils struggling right now and know they need to take advantage while they can. Hudson and Hamels both pitching well but Atlanta bats are much hotter. Continue to fade Bush, a strong 5 inning outing against Houston is not going to change that strategy for me.
Cincinnati +105
Hoping the Reds get going again after a two game slide and Cueto is just the pitcher to do it. He has won his last 4 starts and the Reds have won his last 6 starts. Still, Cards are a very good home team but with 1st place on the line I want the better pitcher.
Minnesota +100
Very nice value here with the far superior team. Blackburn has been great, he has not walked more than two in a game since his first outing of the season and he has not went less than 7 innings in 5 consecutive starts now winning them all. Twins have won 8 of his 9 starts this year. Vargas is pitching well but in my opinion he's not going to get this one.... [More]

MLB Mon May 31

Sunday results:  1-2,  -1 U
Cincinnati RL (-1.5) +110,  -1USan Francisco -110,  +1 UOakland +115,  -1 U
Season:  22-22-1,  +3.36 U
Monday
Kansas City  -105
Both pitchers are in excellent form, but I think Hochevar is the playhere.  Anaheim on the road has not been good and I have to think the devastating injury to Morales is going to weigh them down. Royals hit the ball well in day games for what it's worth.
Atlanta/LA Dodgers parlay  -150/-170
Although Hanson has not pitched well against the Phils the matchup is good. Braves have won 5 of Hanson's last 6 starts and Phillies are still not scoring, 7 total runs in their last 8 games. Braves have won 20 of last 28 and are averaging nearly 6 runs per game over that span. They will also be motivated with first place on the line in the NL East. Billingsley is in great form having won his last 4 starts and Dodgers weathered a very tough road trip finishing with 2 out of 3 from rival Colorado. They get back home where they are always very good. Zona comes in on a 7 game losing streak and don't think they have enough to turn it around against Billingsley and Dodgers. Ethier returns tomorrow as well.
Best of luck everyone!  
Happy Memorial Day, God Bless all those that have fought and died for our freedom.   ... [More]

MLB Sun May 30

Saturday results:  2-2,  +.2 U

MLB Sat May 29

Friday results:  2-1,  +1.2 U
Cincinnati -125,  +1 UNY Mets +105,  -1 UToronto RL (-1.5) +120  +1.2 U
Starting pitchers ML debut angle was right on with LeCure and Stros made it easy for him, Wandy continues to be a great fade. Gallardo was up to the challenge tonight vs Johan, still a tough loss as Mets could not push a run across. Marcum and the Jays had little trouble with Baltimore tonight shutting them down completely.
Season:  19-18-1,  +4.16 U
Saturday
St Louis  +120
Another pitcher makes his major league debut tomorrow, Adam Ottavino, and have to try him against the Cubs. I was hoping for a better dog price especially with 6-0 Silva as the opponent. 
Cincinnati RL (-1.5) +120
Brian Moehler back in the rotation, let the fades begin. Harang is pitching better of late and the Reds continue to pound it offensively.
Minnesota -125
CJ Wilson has been hit pretty hard his last two starts and Twins continue to roll at home, surprising that this line is not higher as Rangers are not a good road team. Twins have good numbers vs lefties as well as in day games and I like their chances in this one.
Chicago WS  +130
Rays are very beatable right now, averaging only slightly over 2 runs a game in their last 5. Danks is in very good form and has excellent numbers vs Tampa especially at the Trop. He draws the rookie Wade Davis who has dropped 3 of his last 4 decisions.
Best of luck tomorrow everyon... [More]

MLB Fri. May 28

Thursday results:  -2.1 U
Houston +125,  -1 ULA Dodgers +115,  -1 UArizona -120,  -1.2 UAtlanta -105,   +1 UNY Mets +110, +1.1 UCincinnati/Boston parlay -180/-180,  -1 U
I overlooked a fundamental rule of baseball in that Houston game today: if good pitching trumps good hitting, then bad pitching must also trump bad hitting. Even Dave Bush had little trouble with the Stros lineup today. If not for a couple key errors Houston would have been shut out and we wouldn't be cursing the closer who actually had the longest current consecutive save streak at 22 in a row before blowing it today.
What can you say about Ely, the kid is good! This game played out the way I thought it would for the most part. Cubs didn't support Lilly and the rookie mowed them down. He just couldn't get any support as well. Tough loss.
Haren could not keep his team in the game like I though he would and Hammel was strong after being posted to a 3-0 lead in the first.
Atlanta continues to play very well and cruised tonight despite only getting 4 innings from Hudson due to the tropical deluge. And what an effort by Hudson in that last of the 4th before they finally called the delay. Bases loaded, only one out, clinging to a one run lead, and every inch of his body/uniform just soaked. 3 straight pitches slipped and he fell behind Coghlan 3-0 and then rebounded to strike him out and get Sanchez to line out to center and preserve the lead.
Phillies shut out again... [More]

MLB Thur May 27

Wed results:  +1 U
Kansas City -105, +1 U
Really needed that one, stopped a 0-6 slide and played out like I thought it would. Hochevar on his game and held Texas nicely.
Season:  15-13-1, +5.06 U
Thursday
Houston +125
B. Myers has went 6 or more innings in all 9 of his starts so far this year and has looked very good. His last outing was an impressive 2-1 victory of the Rays. Bush is an automatic fade and hard to believe he's favored at all let alone -130s.
LA Dodgers +115
Ely is off to a great start and any rookie exhibiting excellent control, only 1 walk in his last 30 innings, deserves a close look. Dodgers are still hot winning 13 of last 16 including 7 of last 8 on the road. Lilly has gotten very little support so far this year and think this is a good price and spot for the Dodgers.
Arizona -120
After seeing Chacin and Jimenez Dbacks have to be looking forward to facing the back end of this rotation. Their bats were hot before these last two games and no reason to think they won't give Haren some support here who is off a decent outing vs slugging Toronto.
Atlanta -105
Hudson is rolling and he is one of the best when he is on. Braves are playing well and Nolasco has been very inconsistent with poor numbers at home so far this season. 
NY Mets +110
The Philly funk defies logic: 37 scoreless innings in their last 38, even the mightiest bats take a night off, but this is inexplicable. If not for 3 runs in the bottom ... [More]

MLB Wed May 26

Tuesday results: -4.25 U

MLB Tue May 25

Monday results:  -1 U

MLB Sun May 23

Saturday results:  +3.9 U
Cincinnati -105, +1 UMinnesota -120, +1 UAtlanta/LAD parlay -145/-140, +1.9 U
A clean sweep inspite of Ron Gardenhire falling down on the job late in the game, I had much to say about it earlier on my blog. Reds continue to roll even as their bullpen tried to give it away again. Braves and Dodgers continue to roll as well.
Sunday
Tampa/Minnesota parlay -170/ - ?
David Price would have to be considered the early Cy Young leader, he has been just awesome. Houston woes continue, it must be miserable in that clubhouse. I think Tampa has a much easier time of it on get away day. I sure hope Gardenhire gets a good nights rest tonight, that was as irresponsible of a 9th inning I can remember a manager having in a long time. The Brewers slide continues, the frustration was very evident on Prince's face today. They start another reliever, Estrada tomorrow so their already stressed bullpen will probably be pressed into action early and that bids very well for the Twins.
Only playing one tomorrow. I consider myself lucky to be ahead in interleague, it's usually my worst time of the season.
Best of luck everyone!
      

... [More]

What was Ron Gardenhire thinking today?

As a long time MLB handicapper I keep a ranked list of the managers and Ron Gardenhire has been near the the top for several years now. But I lost a lot of respect for him as a manager today. Not only did he fail to bring in his closer against the Brewers today, he made a very poor decision in the bottom of the 9th as well.

First lets look at the obvious mistake. With a 4 run lead going into the 9th nearly every manager in the league calls for their closer. Sometimes if the closer was used the previous day they may let another reliever try to get the job done. But if a runner reaches base, creating a save opportunity, the closer is usually summoned. Gardenhire did neither today, instead waiting till the sub-closer filled the bases. Now Jon Rauch, the Twins closer, has been money so far this year; 1-0, 10 saves, 1.69 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, with 1 blown save. He was last used Thursday, May 20 for an inning against Boston to presumably get some work in as they trailed 6-2 when he finished up the home 8th needing only 10 pitchers to retire the side in order.

Not only did Gardenhire not have him warming up to be ready for the 9th, he brought in Ron Mayhay who in his last two appearances gave up 4 hits, 2 of which were dingers, resulting in 4 earned runs. After Mayhay gave up two singles today to the number 7 and 8 hitters in the Milwaukee lineup Rauch had to hurry to get warmed up. Mayhay proceeded to walk the number 9 hitter and Rauch was brought in, ready or not. Well, Ra... [More]

MLB Sat May 22

Friday results:  1-1,  +.56 U
Anaheim +140  -1 U
Minn/LAD parlay -155/-180  +1.56 U
Cards sure were ready for Pineiro, wow, what a shellacking!  At least my other play went as expected.  Bush only managed to get 1 out and Willis started unraveling in the middle innings.
Season:  11-7-1,  +6.41 U
Saturday
Cincinnati -105
I know Carmona is pitching well but so is Johnny Cueto. Tribe have dropped 5 in a row and lost arguably their 2 best position players this week.  Except for that meltdown in the 9th against the Braves, Reds are rolling, winning 10 of their last 13. Cleveland is AL's worst interleague rep. and I look for the Reds to make it 2 straight against their in state rival.
Minn. -120
Twins sure were happy to get out of the AL East and back home to Target. I think the Brewers are in for more of the same with an already poor bullpen depleted by tonights massacre and I don't think Yovani is going to take them deep into this one.
Atlanta/LA Ddodgers parlay -145/-140
Very similar situation as tonight, love Braves against C. Morton but not comfortable with RL and price too high for my liking. Dodgers continue to streak: 13 of last 15, and the rookie Ely looks great. Galarraga did impress in his first start back from minors but I think he is in trouble here. 
BOL everyone      ... [More]

MLB Fri. May 21

Thur results:  0-0-1  

MLB Thur May 20

Wed. results:  1-0,  +1.15 U

MLB Wed May 19

Tuesday results:  1-2,  -1.1 U

MLB Tue May 18

Monday results: 0-2, -2 U

MLB Mon May 17

Sunday results:  2-0, +2.25 U

MLB Sun. May 16

Saturday results: +1.55 U

Astros Clubhouse

What do you think it's like for the youngsters in the Houston clubhouse so far this season?

Baseball used to be much more of a team sport, on and off the field.  Consider rookies Wilton Lopez, Tommy Manzella, and Bud Norris (technically not a rookie, over by 5.2 innings pitched last year).  Add youngsters Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn, and Felipe Paulino, all 27 years or younger.  So far this season they have herd from Lance Berkman: the team would be better off trading me for future talent.  Carlos Lee: probably going to retire when his contract expires in 2012.  And now today Roy Oswalt: willing to wave no trade clause if he can get to a contender.  

It's May 15!  35 games into the season, thats about 21% of the schedule or 127 games to go.  Throwing in the towel in May is probably not the best message to be spreading through the organization. Now I don't pretend to know what goes on behind the scenes and after the games are played, but don't you think the veterans should be setting a better example?  Berkman and Oswalt were there just a few short years ago (2004) when they were 56-60 on August 14 and still managed to get the wild card by finishing an astounding 36-10 over the last month and a half of the season.  Veterans on that team included: Jeff Bagwell, Jeff Kent, Craig Biggio, Andy Pettitte, and Roger Clemens.  Something tells me they were not throwing in the towel when it looked like they were out of... [More]

MLB Sat May 15

Fridays results: