MLB Picks: August 7th 2011
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Pick: Oakland Athletics +162
The Oakland Athletics needed to do something different with a dismal road record and four straight losses, so they used their legs Saturday. The Athletics, who came into the game 17th in the majors in stolen bases, swiped seven to set up a big offensive night. The 8-0 victory gives Oakland a chance to win its first road series since May 24-26. Trevor Cahill takes the mound Sunday afternoon to face David Price and the Tampa Bay Rays. The victory also clinched the season series against the Rays 4-2. TAKE OAKLAND PLUS -Bob Wingerter

Pick: Los Angeles Angels -120
Hard pressed going against King Felix Hernandez (10-9, 3.36), but like our overall situation on Sunday with the Angels. Life time Hernandez has not had much luck versus Los Angeles as documented by a 4-8 record (4.11). In his last four starts the hurler has given up 13 earned runs. Against Los Angeles the Mariners are 0-5 with Felix Hernandez on the road. LA hurler Ervin Santana (7-8, 3.32) has been super in his last three outings allowing just 2 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings of work. With the Angels 8-2 in the last ten home outings with Santana versus Seattle, I’ll take a ticket with the improved club from Los Angeles. -Brad Diamond (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Picks: August 2nd 2011
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Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -145
The Rays get the call as our free play with ace David Price set to take the mound. Tampa Bay is an impressive 25-8 in Price’s starts against AL East foes the last 3 seasons, and much of that damage has been done against Toronto. Price is 8-0 (9-0 on the ML) with an ERA of 1.99 in 9 career starts against the Blue Jays. He’s allowed 1 or no runs in 7 of those outings. Price should be very fresh tonight having not pitched since last Tuesday. The extended rest bodes well for us as the Rays are 5-0 in his last 5 starts coming on 6 days’ rest. Toronto’s struggles in Tampa Bay are also worth noting. The Jays are only 7-25 in their last 32 road games in this series. We’ll take the Rays tonight. -Jimmy Boyd

Pick: Philadelphia Phillies -117
Philadelphia is 68-39 overall this year while Colorado comes in with a 51-57 overall record this season. Philadelphia is 38-20 the past 3 years on the road when the money line is -100 to -125. Philadelphia has won 4 in a row heading into tonight. Philadelphia bullpen has a 3.39 ERA overall this year and a 3.45 ERA on the road this season. Kyle Kendrick has a 3.32 ERA his last 3 starts. Aaron Cook is 2-5 with a 5.05 ERA overall this year and 0-3 at home this season. Philadelphia has won 15 of 20 meetings vs Colorado the past 3 years including 7-2 at Colorado. Cook is 2-6 with a 6.13 ERA overall vs Philadelphia since 1997. We’ll recommend a small play on Philadelphia tonight! Thanks and good luck, Rocky Atkinson (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Baseball Picks: July 26th 2011
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Pick: Cincinnati Reds -142
I’ll back the Cincinnati RedS Tuesday behind Ace Johnny Cueto to beat the New York Mets in Game 2 of this series. Cincinnati has been an excellent home team all season, hitting .268 and scoring 5.0 RPG there. The Reds have also thrived against left-handed starters, batting .283 and putting up 5.5 RPG versus southpaws. They’ll be up against lefty Jon Niese, who sports a 3.63 ERA on the season and a 4.07 ERA on the road. Niese is no match for Cueto, who is 6-3 with a 1.98 ERA and 1.003 WHIP in 14 starts this year, including 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 0.921 WHIP in five home outings. Niese has never beaten Cincinnati, going 0-1 with a 4.61 ERA and 1.390 WHIP in two career starts against the Reds. While Cueto has never beaten the Mets either, his last start against them came on 5/5/2010 in a game the Reds won 5-4 after he gave up just 3 earned runs in 6 innings. Cueto is perhaps the most improved starter in the league this season as he’s finally learned how to pitch. The Mets are 1-5 in their last 6 games following a win. The Reds are 5-1 in their last 6 games following a loss. Cincinnati is 30-11 in their last 41 home games vs. a left-handed starter. The Reds are 4-0 in Cueto’s last 4 starts as a favorite. Take Cincinnati Tuesday.

Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -126
Play on Tampa Bay at 10:05 ET. Oakland got the suddenly slumping Rays last night, but tonight I like Tampa to bounce back with David Price on the mound. The big lefty has a 12-2 TSR in road night games and 14-3 as road chalk of -125 or greater. The team is 8-1 this season as a road fave of -125 to -150. I don’t see the A’s weak hitting lineup doing much against Price and Brandon McCarthy has a 2-8 TSR in night games this season. 10* on Tampa Bay. -Tom Freese (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Picks: June 28th 2011
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Pick: Philadelphia Phillies -122
Phillies starter Cliff Lee is in one of those zones where opposing hitters have no chance against him. He has thrown back-to-back complete game shutouts. Most pitchers would be due for a bad start, but he had nine starts in a row where he threw 8 or more innings in 2010. He does draw a tough challenge in the Red Sox, but Boston has struggled to score runs of late, averaging just 2.8 over their last 5 games. The Red Sox also lose DH David Ortiz playing at Philadelphia. The Phillies are 30-13 at home this season, and want nothing more than to send the Red Sox a message. -Info Plays

Pick: Colorado Rockies -135
The Rockies are an outstanding 52-20 in their last 72 interleague home games, 26-7 in their last 33 interleague home games vs. a team with a losing record and 7-1 in their last 8 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record. The Rockies are also 15-5 in Hammel’s last 20 starts as a home favorite of -110 to -150. The White Sox are 12-26 in Floyd’s last 38 road starts and 4-10 in his last 14 starts as a road underdog of +110 to +150. Take the Rockies. -Dave Price

Pick: Cincinnati Reds +133
Tampa Bay ace David Price hasn’t been as sharp as we are used to seeing lately. He has an ERA of 4.26 and a WHIP of 1.316 over his last 3 starts. That’s likely not good news for the Rays as they go up against one of the best hitting teams in baseball against left-handed pitching. The Reds are batting .295 and scoring 6.2 runs per game against southpaw starters this season. Plus, Cincy is in excellent hands with Johnny Cueto, who has an ERA of 1.63 and a WHIP of 0.972 through 9 starts this season. He’s been nearly flawless lately, going 3-0 with an ERA of 0.43 and a WHIP of 0.810 over his last 3 starts. Lastly, the Reds are 7-0 in their last 7 meetings with the Rays and 4-0 in their last 4 meetings in Tampa Bay. Take the Reds. -Jeff Alexander (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Picks: June 16th 2011
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Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -116
After scoring 83 runs in a nine-game winning streak, the Boston Red Sox bats have gone quiet in Florida. Boston was blanked by James Shields on Tuesday night and then struggled again before Kevin Youkilis cracked a three-run homer to end a 16-inning scoreless string. But that was more than enough support for Josh Beckett, who one-hit the Rays as Boston beat Tampa Bay for the first time in four meetings this season. The two teams wrap up their three-game set Thursday night as Clay Buchholz opposes Rays’ ace David Price. Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (5-3, 3.59 ERA) vs. Rays LH David Price (7-5, 3.51 ERA). After not earning a decision in his previous four starts, Buchholz got the win in his last outing. Price beat Boston 3-2 earlier in the season when he limited the Red Sox to five hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings. He has beaten Boston in three of his past four starts with the only setback being a 3-1 loss at St. Petersburg last season when Jon Lester stymied the Rays. Price was a solid Cy Young candidate last season with a 19-6 record, and is poised for an All-Star berth again this season. TAKE TAMPA BAY MINUS -Bob Wingerter

Pick: Milwaukee Brewers -133
We’ll side with the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers Thursday to continue their success on the bases against the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers are 23-9 in their last 32 games overall, including 21-6 in their last 27 vs. a right-handed starter. This team is getting hits from everywhere, especially Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder who are having MVP-caliber seasons. The Cubs are 4-12 in their last 16 games overall. This team has not been good in the role of the home dog, either. Chicago is 18-43 in their last 61 games as a home underdog. The Brewers have the advantage on the bump with Zach Greinke over Matt Garza. Greinke is 6-1 on the season in eight starts and his 4.69 ERA is clearly inflated because he has just a 1.167 WHIP on the year. Milwaukee is a perfect 7-0 in Greinke’s last 7 starts. Matt Garza is 2-6 through 11 starts this year for Chicago, and he has been lucky to have only a 3.84 ERA considering he sports a huge 1.416 WHIP. The Cubs are 1-5 in Garza’s last 6 starts as an underdog. Garza gave up 5 earned runs and 11 base runners in 5 2/3 innings in his lone start against Milwaukee this season, a 0-6 loss on 4/9/2011. Take the Brewers on the Money Line. -Black Widow (Handicapperspicks.com)

Our Tuesday night All Star Game predictions take us to Angels Stadium where the American and National League will go at it once again in the Midsummer Classic for the rights of snagging home field advantage in the upcoming World Series.
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There have been 80 All Star Games played to date; the National League has won 40 overall and there have been two ties. The latest draw came back in 2002 when both leagues ran out of position players, so Commissioner Bud Selig pronounced the game a stalemate.

Since then, this former exhibition has turned into one of the most important games of the season with the victor holding home field advantage in the World Series. Since then, the AL has dominated winning six in a row; that mark includes last year’s 4-3 tally in St. Louis.

The American League will carry its 12-game winning streak heading into the 81st overall All Star Game; the National League last came out victorious in the Midsummer Classic back in 1996 when it extended its winning streak over the American League to three straight.

National League vs. American League
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, July 13th, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Angels Stadium, Anaheim, CA
TV/Radio Broadcast: FOX, XM

MLB Odds: National League Even (Ubaldo Jimenez – R) vs. American League -120 (David Price – L): Total Over/Under 8.5

Ubaldo Jimenez gets the starting nod from manager Charlie Manuel to be the NL’s starter this evening. The righty’s very much so deserving considering he stands a phenomenal 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA & 1.05 WHIP throughout his 18 overall first half starts. He became one of just 13 pitchers to earn 15 victories in his team’s first 85 games of a season, and threw a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves back in April. The Colorado Rockies have won 16 of his 18 overall outings, and they went a phenomenal 9-1 the ten times he led their charge on the road.

Opposing the potential NL Cy Young Award winner will be Tampa Bay Rays southpaw David Price. The youngster exploded onto the MLB scene in the Rays memorable 2007 season that saw them fall short against the Philadelphia Phillies in the world Series. He leads the league in victories with 12 and ERA (2.42), he’s led the Rays to victories in 12 of his 17 overall MLB betting starts. When he throws out the first pitch Tuesday night, he will become the youngest pitcher (24) since Brett Saberhagen did in ’87 to get the starting nod for the American League in All Star Game betting. Other starting pitchers to be thrown into the mix will be Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay, Florida’s Josh Johnson, St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright, San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum, New York’s Philip Hughes, Boston’s Jon Lester, Texas’ Cliff lee, and Detroit’s Justin Verlander.

MLB Insider Tip: I’ve seen a limited return with my All Star bets each of the L/2 seasons by backing the NL larger on the run-line and playing smaller on the $$$-line. However, my 2010 All Star Game predictions finally have the National League putting an end to their 12 year drought! I simply can’t ignore the pitching the NL will be throwing at the AL with Jimenez leading off, followed by the trio of Halladay, Lincecum, and Johnson. The AL’s starting pitching staff is still rock solid, but it just doesn’t do it for me the way the NL’s does this season.

Having not won this exhibition since it turned into one of the most important games of the year has got to be driving the NL’ers crazy! I expect them to come out the hungrier team and finally get the best of the AL. With the Yanks running so well in defense of their World Series Title, why not make it a bit tougher for them to pull off the repeat? I expect manager Charlie Manuel’s side to do just that this evening!

My MLB Prediction: National League (Jimenez)
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