Our Thursday night MLB predictions take us to Target Field in the Twin Cities where the Minnesota Twins will look to get out of their funk against the division rival Chicago White Sox.
CLICK HERE TO OPEN A BETTING ACCOUNT AT BETUS

Only time will tell if the All Star Break messed with manager Ozzie Guillen’s clubs mojo. Regardless, the Palehose are a scorching hot ball club that closed the first half of the season out on an insane 25-5 mark to snag a half-game lead in the AL Central. They enter tonight’s series opener winners of eight in a row and have won 22 of their 41 road games on the year ($710).

The Twins have not been able to hold their ground throughout the month of July having registered wins in just three of their 10 (-$656) overall ballgames. Manager Ron Gardenhire’s club went from leading the division by 1.5-games on July 1st to trailing tonight’s opponent by 3.5-games entering the break. Minnesota’s done a decent job protecting its house on the year by winning 26 of its 43 overall match-ups($63).

Chicago White Sox (49-38, $948) vs. Minnesota Twins (46-42, -$309)
Game Date/Time: Thursday, July 15th, 8:10 ET
Game Location: Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
TV/Radio Broadcast: Comcast (Chicago), FOX – North, XM

MLB Odds: Chicago White Sox -110 (John Danks – L) vs. Minnesota Twins -110 (Kevin Slowey – R): Total 8.5 O -115 8.5 U -105

John Danks snapped his personal two-game losing streak his last time out against the Angels by tossing a complete game two-hit shutout; he took a no-hitter into the 6th inning. He’s 8-7 on the year with a 3.29 ERA & 1.13 WHIP having allowed 90 hits and 41 ER’s with a K/BB ratio of 86/37. Chicago’s won four of his seven overall road starts where he carries a 4.29 ERA & 1.38 WHIP giving up just 37 hits through 42 total IP. He’s been real tough on the opposition of late serving up just 13 hits and eight ER’s over his L/20 total innings of work. He’s come up on the short end of both his 2010 MLB betting starts against the Twins this season giving up 15 hits but just three ER’s through 13 combined innings of work.

Opposing the crafty lefty will be Minnesota’s Kevin Slowey who’s been one of the many Twins starters to struggle recently. He’s 8-5 on the year with a 4.64 ERA but has tallied just one victory in his L/5 outings. The Twins carry a winning mark with him leading their charge this season (10-8, $214). He’s been at his best pitching in front of the home faithful going 5-3 with a 3.54 ERA & 1.20 WHIP; Minny’s 6-3 in his nine overall home starts. He was pounded in his lone appearance against the White Sox this season giving up eight hits and five ER’s through just 4.2 IP.

MLB Insider Tip: The Twins have dominated the White Sox winning 12 of the L/15 overall meetings and 20 of the L/26 times they hooked up in Minnesota; they hold a 3-2 season series advantage against them in 2010. Having said that, the Twins are battling way too many injuries right now, mainly to major contributors Mauer and Morneau, and I just don’t see them continuing their domination of the Palehose in this series and beyond. The Twinkie Dome used to terrorize the White Sox in their sleep. With it now a thing of the past, the Palehose will look to improve upon their wretched record against the Twins away from “The Cell”.

My MLB predictions for this series opener have the visitors improving upon their impressive 11-1 record against the L/12 +.500 opponents they faced; look for the White Sox to add to the Twins current frustration level!

My MLB Prediction: Chicago White Sox (Danks)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

The brooms could potentially be busted out at PNC Park on Thursday night, as the Chicago White Sox look to secure the clubs first road sweep of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

After pulling away in the later innings of the series opener to secure a 6-4 win, Chicago busted out the lumber early and crushed the Pirates in Game 2 en route to securing the dominating 7-2 road victory. John Danks climbed above the .500 mark with his sixth win of the season, and the White Sox won for the sixth time in their L/7 games played (+$541).
CLICK HERE TO OPEN A BETTING ACCOUNT AT BETUS

Manager Ozzie Guillen’s men come into tonight’s finale winners in 15 of their 31 overall road games (+$133).The defeat only added to the Buccos miserable 2010 baseball betting campaign that’s seen them manage only 23 wins on the year; the loss was manager John Russell’s clubs 10th in a row and dropped them to 14-17 in their own house (+$116).

Chicago White Sox (33-27, +$1,025) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (39-20, +$932)
Game Date/Time: Thursday, June 17th, 7:05 ET
Game Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
TV/Radio Broadcast: WGN, FOX-Pittsburgh, XM

MLB Odds: Chicago White Sox -1.5 +130 -130 (Mark Buehrle – L) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 -150 +110(Ross Ohlendorf – R): Total 8.5 O -105 8.5 U -115

If only Mark Buehrle could pitch against the Chicago Cubs for all of his remaining 2010 starts. After getting throttled by both the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers in his previous two starts, the lefty dominated the Cubs en route to throwing 6.2 innings of shutout ball to win for just the fourth time this season. He struck out a season high seven batters and issued not a walk. The victory improved him to 4-6 on the year and lowered his ERA to 4.93 and WHIP to 1.46. Chicago is 6-7 in his 13 starts overall, but they’ve managed to win only two of his six road starts where he’s 1-4 with a 4.68 ERA and a has allowed 42 hits and 21 runs (17 ER) through 32.2 total innings of work. He’s fared very well against the Pirates throughout his career, and it was only until last season that Pittsburgh managed to win a game he started against them. He’s 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA & 1.20 WHIP in four career starts vs. the Buccos, and Chicago’s won each of his L/4 starts against NL Central opposition.

RHP Ross Ohlendorf is yet to pick up a victory in eight 2010 MLB betting outings. After earning a pair of no decisions in his previous two starts, the righty took the loss against Detroit his last time out after allowing 10 hits and six ER’s through six innings of work. Pittsburgh is 2-6 with him leading their charge and opponents are batting .278 against him on the year. He’s been somewhat better at PNC Park where his ERA drops to 4.56 allowing 25 hits through 25.2 total IP. His lone appearance against the White Sox came last season where he held Chicago in check to the tune of six hits (2 HR) and three ER’s through 7.2 innings of work. The Pirates have dropped each of his L/3 Game 3 starts of a series, but they’re a $$$-making 6-1 the L/7 times he was installed a home underdog up to +150.

MLB Insider Tip: Chicago’s been a major disappointment throughout the early stages of the 2010 baseball betting season, but they’re currently playing some decent ball of late. Granted, it’s against less than stellar opposition, but why look to fade them now; especially against a team that hasn’t won a game since June 5th.

The Palehose have dominated this Interleague betting rivalry winning seven of the L/8 meetings dating back to the 2008 season. They missed out on their chance of sweeping the Cubs at Wrigley Field in the series before this, and my MLB predictions for the finale don’t foresee them letting the opportunity slip through their fingers once again.

My MLB Prediction: Chicago White Sox (Buehrle)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago White Sox
Free Pick: Chicago White Sox -170 (Danks)
Courtesy of Mike Rose (Handicapperspicks.com)
Click here for expert MLB baseball picks

The Blue Jays continued to be one of the best road teams in baseball yesterday afternoon at Progressive Field rallying for three runs in the top of the 9th to steal the series finale and pull off the sweep of the Cleveland Indians; the victory improved manager Cito Gaston’s club to 9-3 (+$924) as a visitor on the year.

The White Sox clawed over the .500 mark at home last night after it jumped on Royals starter Brian Bannister early with four runs in the 1st inning and cruised to the 9-2 home victory. They’re 8-7 (-$65) at “The Cell” to date.

Lefty Dana Eveland made a solid impression on his new teammates throughout his first three starts of the season. Each was a dominating effort where he allowed two ER’s or less. However, in his L/2 outings, the burly lefty has labored.

Toronto has dropped both after he allowed seven ER’s through three IP vs. the Red Sox and four ER’s through 6.2 IP vs. the A’s. All in all, Eveland stands 2-1 on the year with a 4.76 ERA & 1.59 WHIP. He’s allowed 32 hits and 15 earned runs through 28.1 IP and owns an unimpressive K/BB ratio of 13/13.

John Danks has been the one consistent hurler on manager Ozzie Guillen’s staff this season. The lefty enters his fifth start a perfect 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA & 1.00 WHIP. He’s allowed just 25 hits and seven ER’s through 34 total innings of work and boasts a rock solid K/BB ratio of 27/9.

This will be his first career start against the Blue Jays at home. In four outings at Rogers Centre, the lefty stands 1-2 with a 5.03 ERA & 1.53 WHIP. He toyed with the BJ’s offense back in mid April of this season allowing just two hits and an ER through seven IP of Chicago’s dominating 11-1 road victory.

Not a big fan of laying this type of chalk at all, but it looks to be well warranted in this spot.

Though Toronto is one of the best road teams in the game, I believe the baseball gods will punish them for pulling that win out of their behinds yesterday afternoon; the Tribe had them dead to rights and blew it.

I’m also of the belief that Eveland will continue his downward trend and get rocked by a Palehose outfit he made look foolish last month. Danks will continue to be Danks against Toronto who’s allowed two ER’s or less in 3/4 career stars vs. the BJ’s.

After getting off to a slow start, Chicago’s snagged victories in five of its L/6 home games, and its 7-1 in Danks’ L/8 outings vs. the AL East. As for Toronto, it may have taken six of its L/8 games played in Chicago, but it’s also failed to tally a “W” against each of the L/5 southpaws it’s faced.