Larry Ness' Terrific Tuesday Total (won 12 of L18 weeks in MLB!)
My Terrific Tuesday Total is on Arz/SF Over at 10:15 ET. Barry Zito struggled in '07, his first year after signing his HUGE contract with the Giants. Zito went 11-13 with a 4.53 ERA in 33 starts (team was 14-19). However, those troubles were nothing compared to the way he opened '08, as Zito lost his first eight decisions of '08 (team went 0-9 in his starts)! Zito has turned things around since that horrendous start though, as he's been a .500 pitcher since, going 9-8 in his last 19 starts (team is 10-9). However, he continues to struggle at home, where he's 3-10 on the year with a 6.57 ERA. Doug Davis will start for the D'backs, who have fallen below .500 for the first time since July 23, with last night's 6-2 loss to the Giants. After dominating NL West foes for most of the year (34-16 against division opponents through August 24), the D'backs have now lost NINE of their last 10 games against division opponents. Arizona has lost 11 of its last 14 overall and seven straight to division foes. Doug Davis (6-8, 4.58 ERA) gets the start for Arizona and the D'backs have lost six of his 10 starts since the break, with SEVEN of those 10 going 'over.' He's 3-5 with a 5.10 ERA in 11 starts and one relief appearance against the Giants, including allowing six runs over five innings of an 11-3 home loss to San Francisco on May 28 of this year (lone '08 start vs SF). As for Zito, he's 0-3 with a 7.40 ERA in four starts vs against Arizona in '08. Terrific Tuesday Total Arz/SF Over.

Good Luck...Larry

Larry Ness' Las Vegas Insider-MLB (50-29 with MLB Insiders since May 26)
My Las Vegas Insider is on the Sea Mariners at 10:10 ET. What a difference a year makes. The Mariners won 88 games last year and were MLB's second-biggest "money-makers," going plus-$1,924 vs the moneyline. As they open a two-game series with the Rangers on Tuesday, the Mariners are 56-86 and at minus-$2,649 vs the moneyline, rank 28th of 30 MLB teams. The Rangers finished last in the AL West last year (75-87) but enter this game at 70-74, which is good enough for second-place this season. In an odd quirk, the Rangers finished 19 back of the first-place Angels last year and even though they are in second place this year, are still 17 1/2 games back. Vicente Padilla (12-7, 4.98 ERA) is scheduled to return from the DL tonight and get the start for the Rangers. The Rangers are 17-8 (plus-$1,253) in his starts this year (that's 5th-best in MLB) but most observers think he's wearing down. He's winless in his last five outings (6.75 ERA) and the team has lost his last three starts, with Padilla allowing 21 hits and 14 ERs over 15 innings (8.40 ERA). After a five-inning start at home vs Cleveland on August 24, Padilla was placed on the DL with a strained left hamstring as well as inflammation between his right shoulder and neck. Supposedly, both injuries have healed enough for the Rangers to activate him. Seattle will start Felix Hernandez. Hernandez was terrific in '07, going 14-7 with a 3.92 ERA, as the Mariners made him MLB's fourth-biggest "money-maker" last year, going 21-9 (plus-$1,020) in his starts. Hernandez has pitched well in '08 allowing 165 hits in 175.1 innings, posting a 3.18 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 157-68. However, he's just 9-9 because he's gotten only 3.95 RPG of support, the second-lowest average among AL starters. He's had no luck at all vs the Rangers in '08, as he's 0-3 in five starts (team is 1-4), despite a 2.87 ERA. The culprit has been the eight total runs he's received in support over those five outings. Isn't it about time Hernandez received some 'love' from his teammates? After going 21-9 in his starts last year, the Rangers are just 12-9 (plus-$106) in his '08 starts but a closer look reveals just how good that is. Remember, the Mariners are just 56-86 in '08, meaning that with Hernandez on the mound they've played .556 baseball (15-12), while with any other starting pitcher, they've gone just 41-74, or .357. Let's say the "SIXTH time is the charm" for Hernandez tonight, as the Mariners enter playing their best baseball of the year (have won NINE of 13). Las Vegas Insider on the Sea Mariners.

Good Luck...Larry