Game Time: 03/31/2008 01:05 PM -
By: LT Profits Sports Group | who2beton.com
This looks like an even pitching matchup, but the reality is that Halladay has allowed two earned runs in his last four starts at Yankee Stadium, while the Jays hit Wang well.
It is not too often that you can get Roy Halladay at this price, so the Toronto Blue Jays simply ooze value vs. the New York Yankees today.
Not only is Halladay a perennial Cy Young candidate, but he has always fared well vs. the Yankees, allowing three earned runs or less in nine of his last 10 starts against them. He also loves pitching in Yankee Stadium, and he has allowed a grand total of two earned runs in his last four starts in the House that Ruth Built, covering 30 innings. Do not forget about the Toronto bullpen either as that unit finished second in the American League in bullpen ERA last season and should be even better this year once B.J. Ryan is back and healthy.
Now granted, Chien-Ming Wang has been downright dominant at home during his brief Yankee career. However, the Yankees have lost his last three starts vs. the Blue Jays, and he allowed 12 earned runs in just 17 innings over those outings, making him vulnerable as a big favorite here. Also, we still do not have much faith in the Yankees long relievers, so if this becomes a battle of the pens, we think the Blue Jays would have the advantage.
The bottom line here is that Toronto has the better starting pitcher and the better bullpen, while the Yankees obviously have a big edge offensively. However, given Halladay’s history against them, look for the Yankee bats to be kept relatively quiet here as the Blue Jays spring the upset.
The Rockies open defense of their 2007 NL Pennant on the road against the Cardinals who were the 2006 NL winners. Cash in on Colorado behind Jeff Francis in St. Louis on Monday.
St Louis went from a World Series title to a 78-84 record last year. The drop off in '08 might be just as significant, if not more so, as the Cardinals look very much like one of the worst teams in the NL heading into the regular season.
Let’s not forget how the Cards started off 2007, getting outscored 20-2 in a three-game sweep at home at the hands of the New York Mets, part of a 1-7 start to the season at Busch Stadium. There’s little reason to expect this season to start any differently.
The Cardinals' offseason was nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. Among the departed are many of the key cogs in their 2006 World Series run: shortstop David Eckstein, third baseman Scott Rolen and center fielder Jim Edmonds among others, without acquiring adequate replacements. Make no mistake about it – this isn’t a mediocre team, it’s a bad team, not yet priced correctly by the betting marketplace.
Jeff Francis was the Rockies' undisputed ace last year, carrying the starting rotation for a good portion of the season before other guys stepped up in September to allow Colorado to go on their record-setting late season push into the playoffs. Francis won a career high 17 games last year, going 9-4 after the All-Star break and 2-1 in the playoffs.
Francis has completely shut down the Cardinals in six previous career starts against them: 4-1 with a 2.28 ERA. And with Luis Vizcaino signed to set up for closer Manny Corpas, six strong innings from Francis should be more than enough to earn the Rockies their first victory of the 2008 campaign. Take Colorado.
Toronto is the only choice here. How could someone pass up this juicy money line with Halladay on the mound? The Jays hitters are healthy and I believe very underrated.
I like our chances.
Game Time: 03/31/2008 02:20 PM -
By: Al McMordie | bigal.com
Wrigleyville is the site of today's season opener between the Cubs and Brewers, two teams expected to contend for the NLC Title. Chalk this one up to Carlos Zambrano and Chicago.
Our MLB Opening Day selection is on the Chicago Cubs at home in Wrigley over the Milwaukee Brewers. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the last time the Cubs won a championship. It's hard to imagine that back in those days, this often-ridiculed team was actually quite a dynasty, having appeared in three straight World Series' (losing in 1906 before winning in 1907 and '08).
Now there is quite a lot of optimism that a dynasty might soon return to the Windy City, as this young Cubs team has many pieces in place to begin another run. This afternoon's starter, right-hander Carlos Zambrano is ready to assume his place among today's dominant aces and join the ranks of guys like Johan Santana and Jake Peavy. Zambrano came into this spring leaner and happier than in years past, having signed a huge contract extension with the Cubs back in August, something that had weighed on him (no pun intended) heavily last summer.
Now with the opening day assignment, Zambrano appears ready to pick up right were he left off at the end of last year, when he pitched consecutive shutouts to close the regular season and then pitched very well in defeat in the playoff game against Brandon Webb and the D-Backs (the game in which he was pulled after only six innings of four-hit, one-run ball).
For the Brewers, this year will be all about trying to live up to the hype that has surrounded them since their surprising run in 2007 when they almost beat out this Cubs team for the division title. But oft-injured right-handed starter Ben Sheets had a very rough spring (9.56 ERA in five starts) and is a notoriously slow starter, particularly ineffective in the month of April the last three seasons (3-7 combined record during the first month).
The Dodgers have owned this West Coast series of late, going 19-9 in the last 28 meetings. Make your play on Brady Penny and Los Angeles at home vs. Barry Zito and the Giants.
The Giants' Barry Zito had a subpar performance in his first season in the NL, going 11-13 along with a slightly bloated 4.53 ERA. Things may not get much better for this notoriously slow starter here today. This will be the southpaw's fourth Opening Day assignment, with the other three going badly as is evident by an 0-3 record and a hefty 9.49 ERA in those tilts.
His pitching opponent Brad Penny from the Los Angele Dodgers was at the proverbial opposite end of the performance spectrum last season, accumulating a 16-4 record along with a stable 3.03 ERA. Look for Penny and the Dodgers' newly acquired slugger, Andruw Jones, to help trigger LA's first win of the season here at Chavez Ravine this afternoon.
Final Notes & Key Trends: The Dodgers are 36-15 in Penny's last 51 starts as a favorite. LA is 19-9 in the last 28 meetings in this series.
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