Tweet
Chuck O'Brien
Detroit
Detroit
-
WUNDERDOG (MLB)
MLB 61-59 last 120 picks ($470)
1 OF 6
Game: San Francisco at Philadelphia (7:05 PM Eastern)
Pick: San Francisco -115 (moneyline)
This is exactly the type of game that brings out the best in a great pitcher, so I expect to see Tim Lincecum deliver a gem against the Phillies. He has pitched great of late, allowing 1 run or less in five of his last six starts. Kyle Kendrick is not one of the Phillies "A” level pitchers, but he certainly is above average. Lincecum has proven that he is a big-game pitcher, even on the road where the Giants boast an 8-1 record in his last nine road starts vs. a winning team. Kendrick hasn't been as good on regular four days rest where the Phillies are now 1-4 in his last five. The Giants are also 45-21 with Lincecum on the mound if he is off a quality start in his last appearance. San Francisco gets the call.Comment
-
Comment
-
Dave Essler
911 PIT (+150) Bookmaker.com vs 912 ATL Dave Essler
Analysis: Absolutely the best play on the board tonight without laying chalk or playing RL's, which I actually considered for this bet. However, after looking even deeper, the Pirates SHOULD win this game. Let's work backwards for a minute. People are infatuated with the Braves bullpen, and quite frankly the are very good. However, recently it's been the PIRATES bullpen that's posted a 1.34 ERA over the last week, and that includes games against both the Reds and the Cardinals. Add to that the fact that as I type Jurrjens has thrown 100 pitches through six innings, so the Atlanta pen is going to get used again tonight. Possible advantage Pirates.
Now I do know that Derek Lowe CAN be a stud pitcher. Two things. First, even if his sinker is "decent" the Pirates are exactly the type of team that can cause him problems, because they are NOT the teams that are going to swing for the fences and WILL go to the opposite field and/or be quite happy with singles and doubles. Secondly, I love to fade him at home, which many of you already know. At home, his ERA is 5.04 which is a run more than on the road, and that's AFTER the last three games on the road where he gave up four in each game.
McCutcheon, Jones, Tabata, and Walker all have hits off of Lowe, and Overbay has two walks in three at bats. This all tells me that the Pirates will score, and add to that the fact that McCann is out and you not only lose the bat, but the presence behind the plate that Ross simply doesn't bring, especially handling pitchers.
Now Corriea. He has been a beast on the ROAD, winning nine and losing two, posting a 2.85 ERA and onlyä allowing opponents to hit ..218 against him. He's actually a LITTLE tougher on lefties, which should help him with Freeman, who hasn't faced him yet.
The Braves are the ones pressing to stay ahead for the Wild Card, and obviously we know what the Pirates are doing, and it doesn't appear they are all the fazed by it. I also think that getting AWAY from Pittsburgh and the sellout crowds might have taken some of the pressure of. So, in the end, if you want to give me a more-or-less first place team with solid starters and a great bullpen at this number against an aging pitcher in the heat and humidity, I will take it every single time.Comment
-
Bob Balfe
Texas Rangers -152
The Rangers have lost two straight and I can't remember the last time they dropped three in a row. Both pitchers are about dead even in stats this year and I think this game comes down to who hits the ball better. Texas is such an explosive team and should put up a good amount of runs tonight at home to get the win. Take the Rangers.Comment
-
O.C.Dooley
“1 UNIT” PRIMETIME TOTAL (Pirates at Braves OVER 7’ 7:10 eastern start Correia vs Lowe):
Of course the big news in this series was a couple of nights ago when one of the worst calls by an umpire in history robbed the visiting Pirates in inning #19. The bottom line is that surprising Pittsburgh who remains near the top of the National League Central division standings desperately need a confidence boosting game on offense especially since they will be spending the weekend in Philadelphia against the game’s most vaunted pitching rotation. The Pirates have lost five times in the past week due to an offense that collectively has batted only .214 and averaged a mere 2.4 runs per contest. Odds are strong that the lineup will wake up tonight against Atlanta veteran hurler Derek Lowe who has yielded 4+ runs in each of his most recent three mound assignments where his ERA (6.23) has skyrocketed. It seems like an eternity but Kevin Correia was actually one of Pittsburgh’s representatives at the All Star game. In three starts since the mid-summer classic Correia (9.42 ERA) has shown extreme fatigue and last time on the mound permitted 7 runs. That is good news for an injury-laden Braves lineup that is without top hitter Brian McCann who was just placed on the disabled list. Tonight is Chipper Jones bobblehead night in Atlanta but he may be unable to play due to a quad injury. Since these two teams have extended into extra innings each of the past couple of nights, I expect both starting pitchers to be given “extended” innings even if they struggle. Kevin Correia this season is 12-4 OVER the total when his Pirates have been cast as an underdog. Pittsburgh’s starting pitcher is also a stunning 11-2 OVER the past couple of campaigns versus opposition from the National League EastComment
Comment