MLB Picks: August 20th 2011
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Pick: Boston Red Sox -130
Expect the Red Sox, who have won their last 4 games in Kansas City, to continue their dominance over the Royals, who have lost 6 of their last 7 overall. KC has been a pure fade with Paulino on the hill. The Royals are 0-6 in his last 6 starts, 0-4 in his last 4 home starts and 0-6 in his last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record. The Red Sox are 6-2 in Wakefield’s last 8 starts and 6-1 in his last 7 starts as a favorite. We’ll take the Red Sox at a decent price.

Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates -105
The Cincinnati Reds are one of the more disappointing teams in baseball this season and when we see them hit like they did on Friday it makes them even more confusing, Joey Votto, Ryan Hanigan, and Brandon Phillips each homered as the Reds scored 11 runs off of 14 hits. On the mound Homer Bailey allowed six hits and three earned runs while striking out six over five innings of work to get a no decision as it was Travis Wood who got his sixth win of the year and Francisco Cordero got his 25th save. For Saturday afternoon’s game Cincinnati starts Dontrelle Willis who has yet to win a game this year. For the season Willis has allowed 41 hits and 18 earned runs while striking out 28 over 39.2 innings of work. Cincinnati is 3-5 in their lst eight road games, 1-6 in their last seven road games against a right handed starter, and 2-5 in Willis’ last seven starts. Cincinnati is 2-6 in the last eight meetings of these two. TAKE PITTSBURGH HERE -Bob Wingerter

Pick: Detroit Tigers -141
The Tigers have won 18 of their last 21 at home against the Tribe, and I look for them to extend the streak Saturday. The Indians are a lousy 3-13 in Huff’s last 16 starts, 2-10 in his last 12 road starts and 1-6 in his last 7 road starts vs. a team with a winning record. We’ll take the Tigers. -Dave Price (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Picks: August 8th 2011
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Pick: Boston Red Sox -110
I’ll gladly back the Boston Red Sox at this price Monday. Any time you can get the best team in the American League at nearly even money, you should pull the trigger. Boston just took two of three from the Yankees to move into first place in the AL East at 70-43, so they come into this series against Minnesota with a lot of momentum. The Twins had been gaining ground in the AL Central up until last week, but now it appears they have little to no hope to make the playoffs. Minnesota has lost seven of their last eight after getting swept by the Chicago White Sox last series. Tim Wakefield has done an excellent job of eating up innings for the Red Sox this year due to injuries to their starting rotation. Wakefield is 6-4 with a 4.99 ERA and 1.298 WHIP in 15 starts and nine relief appearances. The Red Sox are 10-5 in Wakefield’s 15 starts in 2011. The Twins are hitting .250 and scoring 3.9 RPG, while the Red Sox are batting .280 and scoring 5.5 RPG. The Twins are 1-15 vs. AL teams scoring 5.2 or more runs/game in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons. The Red Sox are 11-1 in their last 12 games as a road favorite of -110 to -150. Bet the Red Sox Monday. -Jack Jones

Pick: Florida Marlins +105
Braves RH Derek Lowe (6-10, 4.86 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Brad Hand (1-3, 2.86 ERA). Lowe has lost four of his last five decisions and was mauled for eight runs in four innings by the Nationals in his last start. Since the All-Star break, Lowe is 1-3 with a 7.97 ERA and has failed to pitch past the fifth inning in any of his last three starts. In 16 career starts against the Marlins, Lowe has a 7-4 record and 4.79 ERA. He received a no-decision in his only start against Florida on June 8, when he left after 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Hand has shown he can be effective when he limits the number of walks he allows. He’s walked 22 and struck out 21 in 34 2/3 innings this season. He walked only one in his last start, when he allowed two runs in five innings of a no-decision against the Mets. Hand made his big-league debut against the Braves on June 7 and lost a 1-0 decision, despite giving up only one hit (a homer by Alex Gonzalez) in six innings. TAKE FLORIDA HERE -Bob Wingerter (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Picks: July 29th 2011
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Pick: Cleveland Indians -134
I’ll side with the Cleveland Indians Friday in Game 1 of this series with the Kansas City Royals. The Indians come into this series rested after having Thursday off, while the Royals travel from Boston after finishing off their 4-game set with the Red Sox yesterday. I’ll back the Indians because of the rest factor, having the better starter on the mound, and the fact that they are actually playing for something as they are squarely in the middle of the AL Central race. Carlos Carrasco is 8-8 with a 4.25 ERA and 1.295 WHIP in 19 starts this season for Cleveland, while Jeff Francis is 3-11 with a 4.44 ERA and 1.371 WHIP in 21 starts this year for Kansas City. Francis is 1-6 with a 6.11 ERA and 1.572 WHIP in 10 road starts as well. The lefty is 1-2 with a 7.98 ERA and 1.704 WHIP in three career starts against Cleveland. In his lone start against the Indians this season, Francis gave up 5 earned runs in 3 innings of a 2-7 loss. The Royals are 1-9 in Francis’ 10 road starts in 2011. The Royals are 0-6 in their last 6 meetings in Cleveland. Bet the Indians Friday. -Jack Jones

Pick: Chicago White Sox +100
White Sox RH Gavin Floyd (8-9, 4.11 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Tim Wakefield (6-3, 5.15 ERA). Floyd has been sharp over his last two outings, allowing a total of one earned run in 15 2/3 innings while striking out 10 and issuing one walk. The former first-round draft pick earned a win at Boston on June 1 and has never lost to the Red Sox, owning a 5-0 record with a 3.83 ERA in seven games. Wakefield will be searching for his 200th career win on Friday. The ageless knuckleballer has been getting knocked around quite a bit of late but has been bailed out by the Boston offense, which is averaging 10 runs in Wakefield’s last four starts. He is 7-12 with a 4.97 ERA in his career against Chicago. TAKE THE WHITE SOX HERE -Bob Wingerter

Pick: Oakland Athletics -145
The A’s, who are 5-0 in their last 5 games following a loss, hold the edge tonight with Gio Gonzalez stepping to the mound. The southpaw is 7-2 at home with an ERA of 1.87. The Athletics are 19-7 in his last 26 home starts, 25-6 in his last 31 starts as a favorite and 20-6 in his last 26 starts as a home favorite. The A’s are 15-3 in his last 18 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. It is also worth noting that the Twins are 1-5 in their last 6 road games vs. a left-handed starter. Francisco Liriano is carrying an ERA of 4.82 on the season and is coming off a terrible start in which he gave up 4 runs in just 2 1-3 innings. The Twins are 3-7 in Lirianos last 10 starts when he takes the mound with just 4 days’ of rest. They are also 1-5 in his last 6 starts as a road underdog of +110 to +150. Also, the Athletics are 4-1 in their last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter. -Jimmy Boyd (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Picks: June 1st 2011
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Pick: Milwaukee Brewers +104
The Brewers have struggled on the road and the Reds have had their number, but yesterday’s 7-2 win gives them all the confidence they need to win this series. Milwaukee is playing its best ball of the season with 16 wins in its last 21 games. Cincy, meanwhile, is struggling with 11 losses in its last 14 games. It’s also worth noting that the Brewers are 4-0 in their last 4 in the 3rd game of a series while the Reds are 1-4 in their last 5 in the 3rd game of a series. The Brewers also have the edge with Marcum on the hill. They’ve won 7 of his last 10 starts overall and 4 of his last 5 away from home. He’s carrying an ERA of 2.80 for the season and that number decreases to 1.16 on the road. The Reds’ Leake is carrying a 5.13 ERA on the season and that number rises to 5.56 at home. He looked good in his first start back after a two-week stint in the minors but that’s not enough to gain my support here. The Reds are just 1-4 in his last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record. Bet the Brew Crew. -Jimmy Boyd

Pick: Chicago White Sox +134
Suggest going with the White Sox and Gavin Floyd (5-5, 3.69) as the right-hander has allowed just 2 earned runs in his last two starts (Toronto and Texas). In addition, Floyd has a super 4-0 record with a stingy 3.53 ERA in six appearances life time versus the BoSox, while Chicago is 10-4 against Boston in Tim Wakefield’s starts. Hurler Tim Wakefield is 7-12 with a 4.93 ERA life time versus Chicago. Finally, the White Sox have won six straight in Fenway, so I look for the streak to continue. Good Luck -Brad Diamond (Handicapperspicks.com)

MLB Picks: May 22nd 2011
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Pick: Cubs vs. Red Sox Over 10
Look for the bats to come out to play again tonight for a third straight game in the Red Sox/Cubs series. These teams combined for 20 runs in Game 1 with a 15-5 Boston victory, and 12 runs in Game 2 with a 9-3 Chicago win. Both bullpens are taxed right now and neither starter will go deep in this one. That’s why the runs should just keep coming all night. James Russell is 0-4 with a 10.04 ERA and 2.022 WHIP as a starter this season for Chicago, while Tim Wakefield is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA and 1.700 WHIP as a starter this year for Boston. The Red Sox are 7-0 OVER (+7.1 Units) in home games vs. a very good bullpen whose ERA is 3.33 or better this season. The OVER is 7-0 in Cubs last 7 vs. American League East. The OVER is 5-0 in Red Sox last 5 vs. a team with a losing record. Take the OVER 10 runs here. -Black Widow

Pick: San Francisco Giants -113
The A’s and Giants take the field on Sunday for their third and final game of the weekend series. San Francisco is looking for the sweep of Oakland having won Friday’s meeting 2 to 1 and Saturday’s contest 3 to 0. San Francisco is 12-1 in home games vs. an AL team with a team batting average of .265 or worse over the last 3 seasons. The Giants are 12-1 in home games vs. an AL team with an on base percentage .330 or worse over the last 3 seasons. Finally, we have a league-wide system that tells us to Play AGAINST all MLB Underdogs in this price range who are averaging 4.2 runs or less per game facing a team with a bullpen ERA of 3.33 or better with a starter who gives up 5.5 or fewer hits per start. This system has produced a record of 52-18 for 74 percent winners and 28.9 Units of profit. We will back the Giants in this situation as they get the three-game sweep of the A’s on Sunday afternoon. -Robbie Gainous (Handicapperspicks.com)

Our Tuesday night MLB predictions take us to Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum where the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s will continue their three-game set. Pitching stole the show in the series opener last night, but it was the Red Sox that ended up on top by a 2-1 final tally.
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The victory was much needed for manager Terry Francona’s club who most recently dropped three of four-games at home to the AL West leading Texas Rangers right out of the break. Boston’s played second fiddle to the Rays and Yankees all season long, but only finds itself six-games out of first in the division and 3.5-games out in the AL Wild Card chase.

Oakland has battled injuries all season long, but nonetheless, it still finds itself around the .500 mark coming into tonight’s baseball betting battle going 46-47 ($48) on the year. They trail the aforementioned Rangers by eight-games in the division and trail the Rays by 10.5-games for the Wild Card. The A’s have played five-games over .500 at home (26-21); good for a $400+ return on the season.

Boston Red Sox (53-40, $235) vs. Oakland A’s (46-47, $48)
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, July 20th, 10:05 ET
Game Location: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
TV/Radio Broadcast: NESN, Comcast (CA), XM

MLB Odds: Boston Red Sox Even (Tim Wakefield – R) vs. Oakland A’s -120 (Dallas Braden – L): Total 8 O -120 8 U Even

Knuckler Timmy Wakefield enters his 16th start of the year off his most humiliating effort of the season last time out against Texas. The Rangers lit him up for eight hits (1 HR) and seven runs through just two innings of work; six of the runs were tallied in the 1st inning. The defeat dropped him to 3-8 on the year and raised his ERA to 5.65. He has however been better away from Fenway where he stands 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA & 1.29 WHIP through 45 innings of work. Boston had won his previous three starts against the A’s up until June 3rd of this season when he got roughed up for eight hits and six ER’s in the Red Sox 9-8 home loss. He’s 8-7 with a 4.81 ERA & 1.38 WHIP lifetime vs. Oakland.

Dallas Braden will be making his first start for the A’s since getting raked for 10 hits and four runs at home by the Cincinnati Reds back on June 22nd. He’s been saddled with an elbow injury since, but most recently made an appearance in the Minors to get him ready for tonight’s start. Oakland’s 4-5 with him leading its charge at home this season. He’s 4-7 overall with a 3.83 ERA, and that number falls to 3.15 at home. He led the A’s to a carefree 8-2 win in his only career home start vs. the BoSox last April. He’s 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in his career vs. the Red Sox.

MLB Insider Tip: These teams split their 2009 season series at five games apiece, but the BoSox hold a 3-1 advantage after scoring the solid win last night. Both of these clubs look to be in disarray with the plethora of injuries incurred on both sides. That said, I still have to go with the Red Sox line-up in this one as I just don’t trust the A’s to get to Wakefield even though he enters this outing in very poor form. Boston’s 17-13 ($120) vs. southpaws and has gone 6-3 ($360) when installed road underdogs in the +100 to +125 range to date. Oakland’s just 19-30 (-$910) vs. +.500 opposition on the year, and my MLB predictions have them falling into an 0-2 hole in this series tonight.

My MLB Prediction: Boston Red Sox (Wakefield)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com