Friday's Front Page Picks (Jun 8)

[Willie Bee]

Pick Rockies with Francis at Baltimore

Game Time: 06/08/2007 07:05 PM -
By: Marc Lawrence | playbook.com

Jeff Francis has turned things around nicely after a bit of a slow start, and with Steve Trachsel struggling for Baltimore, look for the Rockies to get a win on the road.

The Colorado Rockies send steady Jeff Francis to the hill tonight against the rocky Steve Trachsel and the Baltimore Orioles.

Francis gives the Rockies an opportunity to pick up a rare road win here in the opener of this three-game interleague set, as he is 5-1 with a 1.45 ERA and just five walks vs. 24 strikeouts in his last six team starts.

Conversely, Trachsel has an alarming 18 walks and only five strikeouts in his last five outings, we will back the better arm in Francis here tonight.

Free Pick: Rockies -110

[Willie Bee]

Danks, White Sox to top Astros

Game Time: 06/08/2007 08:10 PM -
By: Tony George | 10starpicks.com

Houston is bad on the road and starting a pitcher who is one of the reasons they're bad on the road. Back the Chicago White Sox tonight at home against the Astros.

More of a play against Houston here than anything. They are a deplorable road team at 5-18 their last 23 games, and start a pitcher tonight that is 2-4 on the road in Chris Sampson. Adding to the Astros' woes is a weak bullpen that is not in good form rigt now.

The White Sox come off three brutal series against the Yanks, Blue Jays and Twins and are looking for some recovery. John Danks is on the hill for Chicago, and while he is not having a great year he is 2-2 at home with a respectable ERA of 3.70. With some run support tonight against a weak pitcher, I look for him to have a decent outing and for the hometown White Sox to get back on track after dropping three of four to the Yankees.

Free Pick: White Sox -122

[Willie Bee]

Dog the Diamondbacks vs Red Sox

Game Time: 06/08/2007 09:40 PM -
By: Brad Diamond | playbook.com

Interleague action cranks back up this weekend and the best underdogs to grab on Friday night are the Arizona Diamondbacks who host the slumping Boston Red Sox.

Okay, interleague action is back on the diamond with some outstanding value found between the lines. The most glaring underdog for this handicapper is the Diamondbacks who will battle the visiting Red Sox.

From the pitching perspective we're catching a hot hurler in lefty Doug Davis of Arizona. The improving pitcher is 2-1 in his last three games on the hill with a solid 1.59 ERA. Also, we find Davis with a 3-1 lifetime mark (2.76) versus Boston.

Oppposing hurler Josh Beckett is on an 8-0 run this season, but the Red Sox ace is 0-3 lifetime (6.97 ERA) against the D-Backs. With the Sox on a four game losing streak before Thursday's win and the Sox playing their first game ever in Chase Field, this Diamond is backing the pesky Snakes!

Free Pick: Diamondbacks +145

[Willie Bee]

St. Louis Cardinals +120 to Upset Angels & Colon

Game Time: 06/08/2007 08:10 PM -
By: L.T. Profit Sports Group | who2beton.com

Bartolo Colon was dreadful in his last two starts, and he may be feeling the effects of the same injury that kept him on the Disabled List to start the year, so play the Cards.

While we concede that Los Angeles Angels starter Bartolo Colon is far superior to Kip Wells when both pitchers are healthy, we still feel that the St. Louis Cardinals hold some value as a home underdog in this spot.

Remember that Colon started this season late because of an injury, and after a very hot start, he has been simply awful in his last two outings. He was pummeled for nine runs and 11 hits in 6.1 innings in his last start at home vs. Seattle, and that came on the heels of another poor effort in Detroit where he was lit up for six runs on 10 hits in just 4.1 frames. Colon simply does not look to be 100 percent right now, and we will gladly fade him as a road favorite until he proves otherwise.

Now Wells is obviously nothing special, but he did have his best game of the year the last time he pitched here at home, allowing just two runs and five hits in seven innings. While he may not be that good again, all we ask is that is put forth a serviceable effort before the fine St. Louis bullpen takes over.

Free Pick: Cardinals +120

[Willie Bee]

Win with White Sox vs Astros

Game Time: 06/08/2007 08:10 PM -
By: Dennis Macklin | procappers.com

This rematch of the 2005 World Series finds both teams in poor form. But with the Houston Astros horrible on the road, it's easy to pick the Chicago White Sox in this one.

Houston's Chris Sampson has been doing his part with a 5-5, 3.43 year-to-date resume, but hasn't fared all that well on the road going 2-4 with a 4.41 ERA. The Astros have been notoriously bad small road dogs (14-36 at less than a quarter) for years and that's held true in 2007 at 2-6.

Pale Hose left-hander John Danks is a solid #5 guy that generally keeps you in it for six innings. He's 2-2 at home with respectable 3.70 ERA. Despite dropping two of three to the Cubs in their opening interleague series, the White Sox are an amazing 31-12 over the last three years in interleague play, including 6-1 against Houston. Chicago gets a confident nod here.

Free Pick: White Sox -118

[Willie Bee]

Back the Braves vs the Cubs

Game Time: 06/08/2007 07:35 PM -
By: Jimmy the Moose | sportspic.com

The Cubbies have been on a bad run down in Georgia where they are 3-8 in their last 11 games. Take the Atlanta Braves at home tonight when they open a 3-game set with Chicago.

The Cubs have been a major disappointment so far this season and have a 26-31 record to prove it. Chicago is 8-11 vs. NL East opponents. Lefty Sean Marshall takes the mound tonight and although he beat the Braves in his last start, expect a different ending tonight.

The Braves send Lance Cormier to the mound and look for the right-hander to adjust from his last game vs. the Cubs. The Braves are 15-5 in the last 20 meetings between the clubs. Chicago has dropped eight of their last 11 trips to Atlanta. Play on the Braves.

Free Pick: Braves +108

[Willie Bee]

Brewers & Rangers to Stay Under 10

Game Time: 06/08/2007 08:35 PM -
By: L.T. Profit Sports Group | who2beton.com

The Brewers and Rangers are both struggling to score runs, and with Milwaukee All-Star pitcher Chris Capuano regaining his fine form as of late, runs should be scarce.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers are both struggling offensively as of late, and we feel that these clubs will be hard-pressed to reach double-digits in runs here.

The Brewers are averaging an anemic 3.70 runs per game over the last 10 contests, while the Rangers have not been much better, averaging 4.30 runs over that same span despite playing in the American League with the Designated Hitter. Milwaukee starter Chris Capuano has regained his fine form in his last two starts, allowing exactly two runs in seven innings on each occasion after getting knocked around a bit in his previous three outings. This fine southpaw should be tough on a Texas lineup that has never faced him.

Now granted, the Rangers are starting a gas can in Robinson Tejada. However, the struggling Milwaukee lineup may be just what he needs to turn things around, and he too is facing them for the very first time. Besides, he could always get a quick hook if he struggles again, and the Texas bullpen has been the strongest part of the team, as the Rangers have a pen ERA of 3.51 on the year and a remarkable 2.08 over the last 10 games! In fact, the Milwaukee bullpen is also in the top 10 in the Major Leagues with a 3.78 ERA, so late tack-on runs should be kept at a minimum here.

Finally, trend-lovers are liking the fact that Milwaukee had a day off yesterday, as the Under is now 107-66, 61.9 percent over the last three years when the Brewers are playing with rest.

Free Pick: Brewers, Rangers Under 10 (-105)