Pretty small board today in Major League Baseball, but there are a couple pretty lopsided pitching matchups that may be prime for making a little Monday jack.
STL -140 (Carpenter) @ CIN +120 (Leake):
Carpenter (18-6, 2.91) goes today for the Cards and gets the chalk, and that is absolutely not a surprise. But, in this huge road division series beginning today in Cincinnati, the money line is more than play-able. Carpenter has been great all season, and of late nothing has changed. St Louis has won Carpenter’s last five starts and in those five, Carpenter has gone at least 7 innings each time, and given up 3 runs once, 2 runs once and 1 run twice, and throw in a zero. Carpenter has walked 3 in each of his last two outings and that never helps, but the Cardinals have been giving him some support and he usually does enough to help himself.
Mike Leake (11-9, 3.86) has his hands full today for the Reds, but has usually been up to the task. The Reds really struggled to get Leake support for quite some time. It looks like today is going to be more of the same and Leake’s numbers have started to decline. In his last 2 starts, both losses, Leake allowed 11 runs (10 earned) both on the road versus the lowly Pirates and Astros. Mike won’t get much more help today besides his home crowd as he faces Holliday and Pujols and friends.
Cards and o7.5.
TAM -155 (Price) @ DET +135 (Galarraga):
David Price (14-6, 2.82) did take the loss in his last outing, but pitched great again in a 2-1 contest at home against the Twins. In his last 3 starts, Price has gone 20.1 innings and only allowed 6 earned while striking out 21 and walking 8. He always gives the Rays a chance to win and should do the same today as the Rays are coming off another bout against no-hit danger. I expect them to explode a little bit today, getting Price some much needed support.
The Rays get another guy with no-hit ability (at least once he had it) in Armando Galarraga (8-6, 4.32). Galarraga does get the ball at home, and always could put together something impressive, but I just don’t see him outpitching Price today. With the speed and contact-able lineup he will face today, the powerless Galarraga should struggle. Fortunately he doesn’t walk many, but doesn’t strike out any either. He does pitch to contact and rely on his defense and if that is to work will certainly need some help out there.
Here the play is TB -1.5 +105 as Price is 13-1 versus the run line in his 14 wins. Confident hammer.
CWS -145 (E Jackson) @ BAL +125 (Matusz):
Showalter has been pretty lovely for O’s fans, and maybe he can get rook Brian Matusz (6-15, 5.26) back to his short 09 form. He has been less than awful in 2010 and was the preseason favorite to win AL rookie of the year, but has clearly fallen short of those lofty hopes. The Orioles have won his last two starts and he even got the win versus the Angels going 7 strong and allowing only 1 run. Maybe this kid can get it together with the change of management. He gets no easy task today, facing the White Sox and their new young pitcher Edwin Jackson.
Jackson (1-0, 1.00) struggled in AZ before getting the move back to the American League and did not disappoint in his first outing as a member of the White Sox, going 7 and allowing only 1 run, striking out 6. But he clearly has some issues with control and has struggled enough to make one approach with caution.
I gotta go with Jackson today against the lowly O’s, but they have been very good of late. This may turn into an impressive pitchers’ duel unexpectedly. u9 seems to be the clear play from here, but this one is a little iffy.
I’m sorry that it’s Monday again, but there is plenty going on today to make it a good one. Good luck today, get some exercise, eat well and win some money!
STL -140 (Carpenter) @ CIN +120 (Leake):
Carpenter (18-6, 2.91) goes today for the Cards and gets the chalk, and that is absolutely not a surprise. But, in this huge road division series beginning today in Cincinnati, the money line is more than play-able. Carpenter has been great all season, and of late nothing has changed. St Louis has won Carpenter’s last five starts and in those five, Carpenter has gone at least 7 innings each time, and given up 3 runs once, 2 runs once and 1 run twice, and throw in a zero. Carpenter has walked 3 in each of his last two outings and that never helps, but the Cardinals have been giving him some support and he usually does enough to help himself.
Mike Leake (11-9, 3.86) has his hands full today for the Reds, but has usually been up to the task. The Reds really struggled to get Leake support for quite some time. It looks like today is going to be more of the same and Leake’s numbers have started to decline. In his last 2 starts, both losses, Leake allowed 11 runs (10 earned) both on the road versus the lowly Pirates and Astros. Mike won’t get much more help today besides his home crowd as he faces Holliday and Pujols and friends.
Cards and o7.5.
TAM -155 (Price) @ DET +135 (Galarraga):
David Price (14-6, 2.82) did take the loss in his last outing, but pitched great again in a 2-1 contest at home against the Twins. In his last 3 starts, Price has gone 20.1 innings and only allowed 6 earned while striking out 21 and walking 8. He always gives the Rays a chance to win and should do the same today as the Rays are coming off another bout against no-hit danger. I expect them to explode a little bit today, getting Price some much needed support.
The Rays get another guy with no-hit ability (at least once he had it) in Armando Galarraga (8-6, 4.32). Galarraga does get the ball at home, and always could put together something impressive, but I just don’t see him outpitching Price today. With the speed and contact-able lineup he will face today, the powerless Galarraga should struggle. Fortunately he doesn’t walk many, but doesn’t strike out any either. He does pitch to contact and rely on his defense and if that is to work will certainly need some help out there.
Here the play is TB -1.5 +105 as Price is 13-1 versus the run line in his 14 wins. Confident hammer.
CWS -145 (E Jackson) @ BAL +125 (Matusz):
Showalter has been pretty lovely for O’s fans, and maybe he can get rook Brian Matusz (6-15, 5.26) back to his short 09 form. He has been less than awful in 2010 and was the preseason favorite to win AL rookie of the year, but has clearly fallen short of those lofty hopes. The Orioles have won his last two starts and he even got the win versus the Angels going 7 strong and allowing only 1 run. Maybe this kid can get it together with the change of management. He gets no easy task today, facing the White Sox and their new young pitcher Edwin Jackson.
Jackson (1-0, 1.00) struggled in AZ before getting the move back to the American League and did not disappoint in his first outing as a member of the White Sox, going 7 and allowing only 1 run, striking out 6. But he clearly has some issues with control and has struggled enough to make one approach with caution.
I gotta go with Jackson today against the lowly O’s, but they have been very good of late. This may turn into an impressive pitchers’ duel unexpectedly. u9 seems to be the clear play from here, but this one is a little iffy.
I’m sorry that it’s Monday again, but there is plenty going on today to make it a good one. Good luck today, get some exercise, eat well and win some money!
