Pick: St. Louis Cardinals -130
St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter is 21-9 in his 30 team starts this year. The Cardinals are 27-9 their last 36 Friday games. Carpenter is 113-48 in his last 161 starts. St. Louis is 5-1 in the last 6 starts made by Carpenter vs. the Braves and the Redbirds are 7-2 their last 9 games in Atlanta. Braves starter Mike Minor has allowed 11 runs in his last 15 innings of work. The Braves are 11-23 their last 34 games as underdogs and they are 3-7 vs. a team with a winning record. Atlanta is 1-4 their last 5 games and they are 2-5 as home underdogs. PLAY ON ST. LOUIS (Carpenter vs. Minor)
Pick: Colorado Rockies -1.5 +113
*TGIF MLB Free Play* The Colorado Rockies are on one of their patented September rolls once again. The Rockies have won seven straight games and they are now 39-15 in their last 54 home games. The Diamondbacks are 30-64 in their last 94 road games and they are short handed because of an injury to Justin Upton. Jorge De La Rosa is on the hill for Colorado and that is good news for Colorado backers. De La Rosa has a 3.88 ERA at home this year and the Rockies are 17-4 in his last 21 home starts. Joe Saunders starts for Arizona and he has been shaky of late. The Diamondbacks are just 1-5 in his last 6 starts. The Rockies are 4-0 in De La Rosa’s last 4 home starts against Arizona as well. The stats all point to a big win from the Rockies. Take the Rockies run line here.
Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -125
Tampa Bay is 4-17 this year when playing on Friday while Toronto is 15-6 this year when playing on Friday. Toronto is 37-24 this year when the total is 9 to 9 1/2. Tampa Bay comes in losers of 4 of their last 5 games overall. James Shields is 13-12 with a 4.92 ERA overall this year, 7-6 with a 5.32 ERA on the road and has a 5.82 ERA his last 3 starts. Brett Cecil is 12-7 with a 3.76 ERA overall this year, 5-3 at home this season and 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA his last 3 starts. Toronto has won 4 of 6 meetings at home vs Tampa Bay this year. Cecil is 4-2 with a 3.34 ERA overall vs Tampa Bay since 1997. We’ll recommend a small play on Toronto tonight! Thanks and good luck, Rocky
Pick: Chicago Cubs +105
Off back-to-back defeats, look for the Cubs, which are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a loss, to get back in the win column tonight. The Cubs have won 7 of their last 10 in Milwaukee, and they are a perfect 5-0 in Zambranos last 5 road starts vs. the Brewers. Meanwhile, the Brewers are just 3-11 in Bush’s last 14 starts vs. the Cubs. Big Z has been on fire with an ERA of 1.37 over his last 3 starts, while Bush enters with an ERA of 5.21 over his last 3. I’m backing the Cubbies at a nice price tonight.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -125 odds
Tonight’s series opener features Brett Cecil taking on Scott Shields. Its true that the Rays have been tough against left-handed starters. That said, the Jays’ starter is currently in much better form.
Despite facing a trio of tough teams, (the Yankees, Rays and Yankees again) Cecil is 2-1 with an impressive 2.95 ERA and 1.219 WHIP over his last three starts. For the season, he’s now 12-7 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.219 WHIP. The Jays are a profitable 15-9 (+8.7) in his starts.
Shields hasn’t been as good lately. Last time out, he gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings. He’s got a 5.82 ERA and 1.529 WHIP his last three starts. For the season, he’s just 12-12 as a starter, posting a 4.95 ERA and 1.409 WHIP.
Shields’ only start vs. the Jays this season was here at Toronto, on 8/7. He lasted only four innings and he gave up six home runs! The Jays won 17-11. The previous day, in his most recent home start vs. the Rays, Cecil tossed seven innings, outpitching Garza, and earning a 2-1 victory.
Interestingly, the Rays are an awful 4-17 (-24.6) on Fridays. The Jays, on the other hand, are 15-6 (+12.4) in their Friday games. Consider Toronto
Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics
Pick: Boston Red Sox -105 odds
Clay Buchholz is having a borderline Cy Young season right now. The Red Sox righty is 15-6 with a 2.31 ERA in 24 starts. On the road, Buchholz is 8-2 with a 2.13 ERA. The righty has given up just four runs and 15 hits in his last 18.3 innings pitched. Buchholz did take a loss in Oakland back in July, but that was his first start against them after coming off the DL. Oakland hitters are just 8 for 33 (.242) against Buchholz in his career.
Trevor Cahill gets the start for the Athletics. He’s 15-6 with a 2.72 ERA in 25 starts this season. The righty faced the Red Sox twice last season and got roughed-up in both. Overall, in 10.3 innings pitched, he gave up 10 runs and 14 hits against Boston. David Ortiz (2-6), JD Drew (2-6), and Bill Hall (1-3) hit Cahill well in limited at-bats. Boston has scored 33 runs in their last four games, and they’ve won two straight road games where they are now 36-32. Boston is hitting .270 as a team in their last seven games, and with Buchholz pitching tremendously on the road, we’ll recommend playing the Red Sox in this game tonight.
St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter is 21-9 in his 30 team starts this year. The Cardinals are 27-9 their last 36 Friday games. Carpenter is 113-48 in his last 161 starts. St. Louis is 5-1 in the last 6 starts made by Carpenter vs. the Braves and the Redbirds are 7-2 their last 9 games in Atlanta. Braves starter Mike Minor has allowed 11 runs in his last 15 innings of work. The Braves are 11-23 their last 34 games as underdogs and they are 3-7 vs. a team with a winning record. Atlanta is 1-4 their last 5 games and they are 2-5 as home underdogs. PLAY ON ST. LOUIS (Carpenter vs. Minor)
Pick: Colorado Rockies -1.5 +113
*TGIF MLB Free Play* The Colorado Rockies are on one of their patented September rolls once again. The Rockies have won seven straight games and they are now 39-15 in their last 54 home games. The Diamondbacks are 30-64 in their last 94 road games and they are short handed because of an injury to Justin Upton. Jorge De La Rosa is on the hill for Colorado and that is good news for Colorado backers. De La Rosa has a 3.88 ERA at home this year and the Rockies are 17-4 in his last 21 home starts. Joe Saunders starts for Arizona and he has been shaky of late. The Diamondbacks are just 1-5 in his last 6 starts. The Rockies are 4-0 in De La Rosa’s last 4 home starts against Arizona as well. The stats all point to a big win from the Rockies. Take the Rockies run line here.
Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -125
Tampa Bay is 4-17 this year when playing on Friday while Toronto is 15-6 this year when playing on Friday. Toronto is 37-24 this year when the total is 9 to 9 1/2. Tampa Bay comes in losers of 4 of their last 5 games overall. James Shields is 13-12 with a 4.92 ERA overall this year, 7-6 with a 5.32 ERA on the road and has a 5.82 ERA his last 3 starts. Brett Cecil is 12-7 with a 3.76 ERA overall this year, 5-3 at home this season and 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA his last 3 starts. Toronto has won 4 of 6 meetings at home vs Tampa Bay this year. Cecil is 4-2 with a 3.34 ERA overall vs Tampa Bay since 1997. We’ll recommend a small play on Toronto tonight! Thanks and good luck, Rocky
Pick: Chicago Cubs +105
Off back-to-back defeats, look for the Cubs, which are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a loss, to get back in the win column tonight. The Cubs have won 7 of their last 10 in Milwaukee, and they are a perfect 5-0 in Zambranos last 5 road starts vs. the Brewers. Meanwhile, the Brewers are just 3-11 in Bush’s last 14 starts vs. the Cubs. Big Z has been on fire with an ERA of 1.37 over his last 3 starts, while Bush enters with an ERA of 5.21 over his last 3. I’m backing the Cubbies at a nice price tonight.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -125 odds
Tonight’s series opener features Brett Cecil taking on Scott Shields. Its true that the Rays have been tough against left-handed starters. That said, the Jays’ starter is currently in much better form.
Despite facing a trio of tough teams, (the Yankees, Rays and Yankees again) Cecil is 2-1 with an impressive 2.95 ERA and 1.219 WHIP over his last three starts. For the season, he’s now 12-7 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.219 WHIP. The Jays are a profitable 15-9 (+8.7) in his starts.
Shields hasn’t been as good lately. Last time out, he gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings. He’s got a 5.82 ERA and 1.529 WHIP his last three starts. For the season, he’s just 12-12 as a starter, posting a 4.95 ERA and 1.409 WHIP.
Shields’ only start vs. the Jays this season was here at Toronto, on 8/7. He lasted only four innings and he gave up six home runs! The Jays won 17-11. The previous day, in his most recent home start vs. the Rays, Cecil tossed seven innings, outpitching Garza, and earning a 2-1 victory.
Interestingly, the Rays are an awful 4-17 (-24.6) on Fridays. The Jays, on the other hand, are 15-6 (+12.4) in their Friday games. Consider Toronto
Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics
Pick: Boston Red Sox -105 odds
Clay Buchholz is having a borderline Cy Young season right now. The Red Sox righty is 15-6 with a 2.31 ERA in 24 starts. On the road, Buchholz is 8-2 with a 2.13 ERA. The righty has given up just four runs and 15 hits in his last 18.3 innings pitched. Buchholz did take a loss in Oakland back in July, but that was his first start against them after coming off the DL. Oakland hitters are just 8 for 33 (.242) against Buchholz in his career.
Trevor Cahill gets the start for the Athletics. He’s 15-6 with a 2.72 ERA in 25 starts this season. The righty faced the Red Sox twice last season and got roughed-up in both. Overall, in 10.3 innings pitched, he gave up 10 runs and 14 hits against Boston. David Ortiz (2-6), JD Drew (2-6), and Bill Hall (1-3) hit Cahill well in limited at-bats. Boston has scored 33 runs in their last four games, and they’ve won two straight road games where they are now 36-32. Boston is hitting .270 as a team in their last seven games, and with Buchholz pitching tremendously on the road, we’ll recommend playing the Red Sox in this game tonight.