Friday's Front Page Picks (Jun 22)

[Willie Bee]

Bet the Phillies on the road in St. Louis

Game Time: 06/22/2007 08:10 PM -
By: Marc Lawrence | playbook.com

With Anthony Reyes struggling this season for the Cardinals, it's an easy play to fade the defending world champs tonight and back the Philadelphia Phillies in St. Louis.

The Phillies take on the defending World Champions in St. Louis knowing they have won seven of their last nine games against the Cardinals in this park.

Philadelphia left-hander Jamie Moyer is 6-5 overall with the Phils 9-5 in his 14 starts this season. He's coming off an excellent outing against a fine Detroit Tigers club in which he surrendered just four hits and a par if runs, along with no walks, in seven innings of work. He's had some pretty good success against most hitters in the Cardinals lineup, holding Scott Spiezio to a .139 average (5-for-36) over his career with Albert Pujols still hitless with a strikeout in five career plate appearances against the southpaw.

Look for the Redbirds to dip to 1-10 in games behind terribly out-of-form Anthony Reyes here tonight.

Free Pick: Phillies -110

[Willie Bee]

Back Bonds & Giants vs. Yankees

Game Time: 06/22/2007 10:15 PM -
By: Bob Harvey | bobharveysports.com

Barry and his Bay City Boys are the best play this evening when the San Francisco Giants host A-Rod, Derek and the rest of the New York Yankees at AT&T Park.

The Yankees are coming off being swept in Colorado and are now at .500 and 10½ games behind first place Boston. The Giants have dropped seven straight and eight of 10 but have the better pitching going tonight in Matt Cain who has to be the best 2-7 pitcher on the planet.

Cain has watched his teammates get shut out in his last two starts. Naturally, he lost both of them despite allowing only one run in each. The Giants have scored two runs or fewer in nine of Cain's 14 starts, explaining his lopsided record.

Lefty Kei Igawa was a dissapointment in his first go round with the pinstripers and was sent to the minors then recalled because of the rash of injuries to the Yankees staff. He's 2-1, with an ERA well over 7. The advantage tonight is with Cain and the Giants.

Free Pick: Giants +106

[Willie Bee]

Webb, D-Backs to bust reeling O's

Game Time: 06/22/2007 09:40 PM -
By: Larry Cook | procappers.com

With last year's NL Cy Young winner Brandon Webb on the mound for Arizona and the Diamondbacks playing at home, the right play is to lay the chalk against the Baltimore Orioles.

It is never a bad idea to bet with last year’s NL Cy Young winner in Brandon Webb. The Diamondbacks are having a hell of a year and so is Webb as expected.

Arizona is 11-4 in Webb’s 15 starts as he has just a 3.14 ERA on the year. The D-Backs are 27-9 in their last 36 games as a favorite. Baltimore is just 2-9 in their last 11 interleague games and 4-14 in their last 18 overall. The Orioles are 0-8 in Daniel Cabrera's last eight interleague starts. The Diamondbacks are 7-1 in Webb's last eight home starts vs. a team with a losing record. Bet the Diamondbacks Friday.

Free Pick: Diamondbacks -175

[Willie Bee]

Play Moyer & Phillies at Cards

Game Time: 06/22/2007 08:10 PM -
By: Dennis Macklin | procappers.com

Veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer leads the Phillies tonight against the Cardinals in St. Louis. Play Philadelphia in this one with a huge advantage on the mound.

The Phillies' Jamie Moyer is an old veteran warhorse that generally keeps you in a game and grinds out innings. He's 6-5 this year in 14 starts with 4.40 ERA, 4-3 with 3.86 ERA on the road. Philly is 9-5 in his starts, 8-3 when they give him 4+ runs.

The Cardinals finally won an Anthony Reyes (0-8, 6.34) start his last time out although he wasn't around for the decision after giving up five runs in five innings of 10-6 win at Oakland. Reyes' numbers slightly better at home (5.56), but he's still 0-2 with 9.36 in his last three.

Philly is hammering righties at 27-17, and fit a 9-1 win angle after allowing 10+ runs in their prior contest, plus are 5-1 i their last six in St Louis. Take Philadelphia.

Free Pick: Phillies -110

[Willie Bee]

Bet Blue Jays to fly past Rockies

Game Time: 06/22/2007 07:07 PM -
By: Bill Young | procappers.com

Coming off a sweep over the Yankees at home, expect a little letdown from the Rockies when they travel to Toronto for the weekend. Back the Blue Jays over Colorado.

This is a big letdown spot for the Rockies. They have thrown their three best starters at the Yankees, earning big wins in each contest. Now they travel to Toronto to play the Blue Jays with one of their worst starters on the mound.

Jason Hirsh will start tonight for the Rockies and is only 3-6 with a high 4.78 ERA. Toronto is playing great in interleague play with a 9-3 record in their last 12 contests versus National League clubs. The Rockies are 12-33 in their last 45 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.

The Blue Jays are 10-2 in their last 12 interleague games as a favorite and 6-1 in their last seven interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter. Take Toronto as a small home favorite.

Free Pick: Blue Jays -114

[Willie Bee]

Diamondbacks, Orioles Over 8

Game Time: 06/22/2007 09:40 PM -
By: Jimmy the Moose | sportspic.com

In five of the previous six meetings between the Orioles and Diamondbacks, the Over has cashed. Play it that way again this evening when Baltimore visits Arizona in interleague action.

The Orioles have played the Over in six straight and in eight of their last nine games. The Over is a profitable 10-5 for Baltimore when Daniel Cabrera is on the mound. Baltimore has played the over in eight of his last 10 starts.

Arizona has played the Over in two of Brandon Webb's last three home starts. The Over is 10-3 in Arizona's last 13 interleague home games. The team have played over the total in five of their last six meetings. Expect another high scoring game tonight; play the Over.

Free Pick: Orioles-Diamondbacks Over 8

[Razz]

Bet Blue Jays to fly past Rockies

Game Time: 06/22/2007 07:07 PM -
By: Bill Young | procappers.com

Coming off a sweep over the Yankees at home, expect a little letdown from the Rockies when they travel to Toronto for the weekend. Back the Blue Jays over Colorado.

This is a big letdown spot for the Rockies. They have thrown their three best starters at the Yankees, earning big wins in each contest. Now they travel to Toronto to play the Blue Jays with one of their worst starters on the mound.

Jason Hirsh will start tonight for the Rockies and is only 3-6 with a high 4.78 ERA. Toronto is playing great in interleague play with a 9-3 record in their last 12 contests versus National League clubs. The Rockies are 12-33 in their last 45 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.

The Blue Jays are 10-2 in their last 12 interleague games as a favorite and 6-1 in their last seven interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter. Take Toronto as a small home favorite.

Free Pick: Blue Jays -114

I don't really know who Bill Young is, but this is an excellent write up and is basically my thoughts exactly on this game.

[onlooker]

I agree with Bob Harvey on the Giants. I think the Yankees offense will sputter again today. I just hope the Giants can produce some runs.

[LT Profits]

Yankees & Giants to stay Under 9 (-120)

Game Time: 06/22/2007 10:15 PM -
By: L.T. Profit Sports Group | who2beton.com


The Yankees manages just five runs in three games in Colorado while the Giants have struggled with southpaws all year, so go Under.

The New York Yankees offense went AWOL in their three-game series in Colorado, and the San Francisco Giants have been struggling to score runs all year, so we are looking for a low scoring contest tonight.

The Yankees managed just five runs in three games while getting swept by the Rockies, despite playing in the altitude of Coors Field. Things do hot figure to get any easier tonight vs. San Francisco’s Matt Cain. That is because with all sincerity, Cain may be the best 2-7 pitcher in baseball! Cain has an excellent 3.15 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, which only illuminates further the struggles of the Giant offense, which is giving him a putrid 3.21 runs of support per game. Cain should be tough on a Yankee lineup that has never faced him.

Now granted Yankee starter Kei Igawa did not do much when he was with the big club in April, but he is left-handed and he too is facing the Giants for the first time. San Francisco has had a tough enough time hitting pitchers they have seen, as the Giants are hitting a hideous .213 as a team while losing eight of their last 10 games. Moreover, they have struggled with southpaws all year, especially here at home where they are batting only .232 against them.

Giants home games are averaging a combined 8.24 runs per game this season, and we do not see this contest surpassing that average.

Free Pick: Yankees, Giants Under 9 (-120)

[Razz]

LT, my first inclination was to make this play as well, but I'm hearing the wind is blowing out at 21 mph, which is keeping me off it. GL though, even with the wind, that is the only way to play this total IMO.