Yanks starter Nova does not pitch well against the A's over his lifetime as he has a 4.24 ERA lifetime against the Athletics. Plus, Graveman is 1-0 with 3 ERA against the Yankees

The Athletics bats are red hot and they have now won 4 straight contests including 3 straight against the Rangers winning by scores of 7-6, 3-1, 8-5 and 8-1.
The Yankees are 3-7 in their last 10 games following a win, 3-7 in Nova's last 10 starts when facing a team with a losing record and the Yankees are 2-12 in their last 14 games in Oakland as well.
 5*

Astros starter tonight Dallas Keuchel is looking for his first win since April 15. He’s gone 0-4 with a 7.98 ERA in his last four starts, allowing 44 hits in 29 1/3 innings. He has struggled on the road going 6-12 with a 4.52 ERA in 20 starts on the road since the start of last season. Carlos Rodon takes the mound for the series and homestand opener, working on six days' rest with two team off-days in between. Rodon is well rested and so are the White Sox and I expect them to come out strong here at home on Tuesday night.  10* AL GAME OF THE WEEK

The visitors hand the ball to Drew Smyly (1-4, 3.63 ERA) who gave up ten hits and six earned runs over five innings in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to Seattle, striking out five. Smyly has only been able to reach the fifth inning in each of his last two starts and the six runs he gave up were the most he’s served up all season. The BlueJays go with JA Happ who owns the second-best ERA (1.68) in the Major Leagues since Aug. 14 of last year. He has surrendered three runs or fewer in 17 consecutive outings, the second-longest streak in baseball. Happ has also been dominant in Canada, going 2-0 with a tiny 1.91 ERA in front of the home town crowd thus far. I'm on the BlueJays here on Monday night.  5*

The Detroit Tigers are really struggling right now.  They  were shutout last night.

Manny Machado continues to make contact at a very high clip and he also got his walk rate back up. He is a very real, very legit player in the game today, who does everything right on the field.

It looks like legendary 1B Miguel Cabrera is set to deliver another mediocre campaign in the same form of last year's -- bringing a solid average with aging minimal power, he just isn't looking the part at the 1st baseman position for the Tigers heading into the future for Detroit.

Tigers are 1-10 in their last 11 overall and I like my chances with the Orioles here at home on Saturday night.  5*

Wacha is winless in his last three starts and has been stung by the long ball in each. The four homers he allowed in those outings accounted for six of the eight runs scored off him in that span. Stripling is undervalued here as the 6'3 pitcher from Pennsylvania who went to Texas A&M starts at home for the Dodgers. Note, he had a no hitter going in his last start before giving up 1 hit and 1 run to Toronto in a 4-2 win for his ballclub. Holding that potent offense was pretty impressive on 85 pitches. Note, this is the same guy that held the Giants to no runs on 7 innings of work in his first start of the season before regressing and now picking it back up of late. Stripling has yet to pick up a win this year as well and he likely has the motivation to get it done here against a quality team at home. Plus, the Cardinals are just 1-4 in their last 5 games when they face a winning team on the road, the Cardinals are 1-5 in Wacha's last 6 road starts and we'll take the LA DODGERS here on Friday night!  5*

Yordano Ventura has been struggling with his control. Ventura is coming off two shaky starts in which he has walked 11 hitters. The hard-throwing right-hander gave up six hits and five runs in his last outing against Cleveland on Friday. The Royals have now dropped 10 of Ventura's last 11 May starts. The KC righty wasn't too hot on the road last season, finishing with a 4.30 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 14 road starts. His road numbers are even worse in 2016, saddled with an ERA north of 7.00 and a 1.93 WHIP in three trips to the bump. Yankee hurler Michael Pineda has pitched better in four of his last five starts, allowing just eight earned runs in 23 innings, for a 3.13 ERA.Lastly, the Royals have won just two of their last 13 road games, the Yankees are on a 13-4 run at home against teams playing .400 or worse, road baseball.  5*

Indians starter Danny Salazar owns a 1.91 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and .142 BAA in six starts this season, while allowing just one long-ball in 37 2/3 IP. The right-hander is red-hot, posting a 17:3 K:BB ratio in his last two starts. The Tribe are on a 9-3 road run against teams with a losing record when Salazar starts, and they have won 17 of their last 22 against Houston. The Astros will counter with Doug Fister, who has just 13 Ks with 12 walks in his last five starts. Take the Cleveland Indians here on Wednesday afternoon.  5*

Cole Hamels is coming off one of his best starts this season, tossing seven shutout innings of one-hit ball vs. the Tigers on Friday. He's 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and a 15-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in two career starts (16 innings) against the White Sox. The lefty has won 11 straight decisions and his team is 15-1 in his last 16 starts. The White Sox have won just 24 of their last 77 road games against teams playing better than .600 home baseball and Matt Latos is struggling as of late allowing eight earned runs, 21 base runners, and three homers in his last two starts, lasting a total of just 10 IP. I'm on Texas here at home.  5*

JA Happ has made 8 consecutive quality starts dating back to last season. He also has surrendered three runs or fewer in 16 straight outings dating back to Aug. 14, 2015. He's the team leader in run support this year at 6.3 runs per game. THe offense always steps up for him and the BLue Jays face Matt Cain who has looked old.
Cain did not make it out of the fifth in his last start, giving up eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits in a loss to the Rockies. He's off to the worst start in his career.  5*

I think the talent discrepancy on the mound today is a lot bigger than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. I expect Corey Kluber to outduel his struggling counterpart today. Kluber (2-3, 3.35 ERA) has gotten progressively better as the season has worn on, most recently he tossed a complete game shutout vs. the Tigers on Wednesday, scattering five hits with two walks while striking out seven. The big right-hander generated 16 outs via the ground ball, including a pair of double plays. Kluber is on track for a big season and owns a spectacular 42:7 K:BB ratio through his first six starts. The home side counters with the volatile Mike Fiers (2-1, 5.35) who gave up four runs off nine hits and a walk over 4.2 innings in his last outing. Fiers has been bad giving up 43 hits so far, including eight homers over 33.2 innings of work. Look for the visiting Cleveland Indians to get us the win here on Monday night.  10* AL GAME OF THE WEEK!

Mike Foltynewicz possesses great upside, but in Monday's season debut he allowed his emotions to get the best of him as he allowed three first-inning homers. Inconsistent command has routinely plagued the former top prospect. We had ATL last night and they fell short and I'm backing the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday as they aim for a three-game sweep in Atlanta. Patrick Corbin pitched well last season following a year off while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Braves have hit just seven home runs in 29 games on the season and they're 1-14 in 15 home contests. The Arizona lefty has two career starts against the Braves, holding them scoreless, while allowing just 14 base runners and a .136 BAA in 13 2/3 IP. Corbin has been at his best on the road this season, sporting a 2.50 ERA & 1.22 WHIP in three starts. The Braves also struggle with leftys and I like the DBacks to get us the cash here on Sunday afternoon.  10*

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I think the home side finds a way to get the job done this evening. The visitors hand the ball to Shelby Miller (0-3, 8.49 ERA) who owns the second-worst ERA for pitchers who have logged more than 21 innings. So far Miller has failed to last four innings in three of his last four starts. The home side counters with Julio Teheran (0-3, 3.72 ERA) who is coming off consecutive strong outings, scattering eight hits and giving up one run over 14 innings while walking four and striking out 17.
Teheran has aggressively attacked both sides of the plate and maintained consistent velocity in his past two starts. Improved location of his two-seam fastball has helped him better handle left-handed hitters.

 Look for Atlanta to notch the win here at home on Saturday night. 5*

Walker is 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts, including a win over the Astros on April 25 when he allowed one run with 11 strikeouts in seven innings. The 23-year-old has 29 strikeouts and 3 walks in 30 innings with a 1.03 WHIP. Astros starter Doug Fister 0-4 with 6.42 ERA last four overall home team starts and 1-3 team starts at night this season. PLay Seattle here on the road.  5*

Derek Holland is not a good pitcher on the road and usually gives up plenty of walks.

The Bluejays have the bats to explode at any time.  THe Toronto lineup is very good at home.

Rangers are 1-4 in Hollands last 5 road starts.

Toronto wins here on Thursday night.

We are passing in the NBA tonight and the Iceman will have his NHL Playoff selection available later this afternoon. 5*

I think the talent discrepancy on the mound is a lot larger than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe and look for “King Felix” and the visitors to find a way to get the job done at the end of the day. The Mariners hand the ball to Felix Hernandez (2-2, 1.38 ERA) who gave up zero runs off five hits and three walks while striking out four over seven innings to earn a win vs. Kansas City on Friday. The M’s veteran has now allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his first five starts and is well on his way to becoming another strong Cy Young candidate. Look for Seattle to jump out early and win this one going away.   5*

Washington Nationals starter Steven Strasburg 6-0 with 0.65 ERA last six overall away team starts. Strasburg has started the year with four consecutive wins for the first time in his career and has been the Nationals' most dominant pitcher. He enters the game with a 40-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 2.25 ERA Royals Kris Medlen 0-4 with 10.42 ERA last four overall home team starts. and I like Washington to get another win here this afternoon.   5*

Brandon Finnegan has an ERA close to 5 in his last 3 starts. He is also 1-3 last four home team starts and has issues 14 BB’s in last four starts.
SF starter Johnny Cueto will be fired up and emotional since he spent most of his previous eight Major League seasons with the Reds before they traded him to Kansas City.
 Johnny is 11-7 last eighteen team starts during May; and 4-1 with 3.65 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, to go along with 33 K’s and 5 BB’s this season.

Take the SF Giants as they are 6-4 their last 10 while the Reds are cold going 2-8 their last 10. 5*

Look for the SF Giants to take advantage of Syndergaard who struggled to do so in April, notably allowing five steals to the Reds his last time out; a Giants club that stole 93 bases last season has surely taken notice.
 Giants starter Madison Bumgarner 3-0 with a 0.78 ERA career team starts in this park; and 9-3 last twelve team starts in May, including 5-1 away.  While the Mets  Noah Syndergaard 0-2 with 6.00 ERA career team start in this series. 5*

Texas is in a good spot here on Saturday night.
 The Rangers will have a big edge on the mound in this one, as they sound out Derek Holland against LA's Matt Shoemaker. Holland comes into this game with a strong 3.13 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 4 starts. Holland has been especially good when starting at night. He has a 2.70 ERA in 3 starts at night, compared to a 4.26 ERA in day games. I really like his chances of out performing Shoemaker, who has a 6.87 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 4 starts. Look for the Rangers to get the win at home.  5*

The rookie his making first Major League start after appearing in six games in relief and allowing 11 hits, one run and one walk while striking out 12 batters in 13 2/3 innings. He’s replacing Scott Feldman, who’s being moved to bullpen. Devenski is able to give the rest of the bullpen a rest by breaking into his opponents. He doesn't get a ton of pitches in, but he has been keeping batters to just a .234 avg this season, and that isn't a fluke. The A's have struggled to embrace defensive shifts and Khris Davis is still struggling to hit off speed stuff, as his .231 batting avg indicates. Athletics are 2-6 in their last 7 overall and I like the Astros here as the Houston batters should tee-off on Jesse Hahn.

I Like the Tigers here at home to get the cash on Thursday afternoon. Sanchez is searching for answers after his last start tied the shortest outing of his Tigers tenure, just seven outs against Cleveland last Saturday at Comerica Park. He will most certainly bounce back in a big way on Thursday. He has held Oakland to a .203 career average off him and the Tiger bats should have a big day against Bassitt.  5*

Chris Sale has been beyond ace-like over his past two starts, allowing four hits and one unearned run in 16-plus innings, with no walks and 12 strikeouts. Sale has worked 30-plus innings, and the opposition has scored in just four of them. The White Sox are a perfect 4-0 in his four starts this season. He's guided the Sox to two victories in three career outings against Toronto. The White Sox continue to quietly roll along and they're worth the price of admission on Tuesday. R.A. Dickey hasgotten off to a predictably disastrous start, essentially picking up where he left off last postseason. Dickey did hold up reasonably well in his last outing in Baltimore, but those sort of starts have been few and far between and even in that game, the Jays ended up losing by a 4-3 score.   10* AL GAME OF THE MONTH

Right hander Danny Salazar will take the mound for the Indians to start this game. Salazar is 2-1 this season with a 1.47 ERA. In their last action, Cleveland was a 6-3 winner on the road against the Tigers and also took the series. The Twins will counter Salazar with Tommy Milone. Left hander Milone has a 5.87 ERA to go along with a 0-1 record this season. Last time out for Minnesota, they were a 6-5 loser as they battled the Nationals on the road in a game which lasted 17 innings. I like the Indians here in this spot tonight!  5*

Happ has become a reliable pitcher for the Jays this season, with a very strong 1.89 ERA, he's quickly rounding into midseason form after going through his oddball season last year, since joining the Jays this year he has looked very good. Reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson is 3 for 18 over the last five games and Russell Martin is hitting .146 with 22 strikeouts in 48 at-bats. Martin exited Friday's game after five innings with neck spasms and Troy Tulowitzki - off to a 9 for 60 start - was held out of the lineup. They'll have their full lineup here on Saturday afternoon. Toronto has received its money's worth from J.A. Happ (2-0, 1.89 ERA), who's delivered three solid starts in his return to the Blue Jays. Happ earned his second straight win by limiting Boston to a run and four hits over seven-plus innings on Monday. Happ is 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA in five starts and defeated the A's twice with Seattle last season. Oakland's problems are owed to some shaky hitting, as well as the fact that Bassitt has had some good stuff on the mound and some not-so-good stuff. Who shows up? Marcus Semien has been in a bad swinging funk since mid April, there is a reason for that, and Happ will make sure it continues. Blue Jays are 4-0 in Happs last 4 home starts vs. a team with a winning record. Toronto wins  10* AL GAME OF THE WEEK!

SF Giants starter Johnny Cueto 7-1 career team starts versus Arizona, including 3-0 with 0.47 ERA at home. One more victory will give Cueto 100 for his career. He racked up 92 wins with Cincinnati and four with Kansas City down the stretch last year. Diamondbacks: Shelby Miller 4-21 last 25 overall team starts, including 0-10 on the road. With Cueto 19 K’s and 4 W’s this season along with 10 K’s and 2 W’s this spring, we are backing the SF Giants here at home on Thursday afternoon.  5*

The Milwaukee Brewers are gunning for a third consecutive win against the Minnesota Twins. The Brew Crew's bats are heating up and they homered three times in Wednesday's 10-5 home victory against the Twins. I like their chances of scoring plenty of runs today as well coming up against Ricky Nolasco (0-0, 3.21 ERA) who has an atrocious 7.20 ERA and .328 BAA through nine career starts versus the Brewers. He's also struggled mightily in three previous starts at Miller Park, doing 0-2 with a 12.66 ERA. I like the Brewers here at home on Thursday afternoon.  5*

5*

Angels starter Shoemaker is not a good pitcher on the road.
This is the second straight road start for the righty, who didn't fare well away from home last season, posting a 5.04 ERA in 15 outings.

Make it two straight high-quality starts from Latos to begin his White Sox career. He beat the Twins Thursday and he has allowed one run on four hits and two walks over 12 innings, striking out six. Latos is healthy and his slider has been effective.
Look for the WhiteSox to snap their 3-game slide and get us the cash here tonight!

Kenta Maeda 0.00 ERA with 8 K’s and 1 W this season. Maeda gets his first real taste of the Dodgers-Giants rivalry, but after two scoreless starts, nothing seems to faze him. He pitched out of repeated jams in the home opener and should do well at home tonight.. Giants starter Jeff Samardzija 0-2 with 6.36 ERA career team starts versus Los Angeles; and 5-12 last 17 April team starts, including 4-9 away. Look for the Dodgers to bounce back with the win tonight!  5*

The O's will continue to knock around the ball all year long, I fully expect them to be playing top notch baseball all year, this is just an early season warm up. Easy win. Baltimore only scored 3 runs last night and I expect more offense tonight! The Rangers have only one real ace pitcher in Cole Hamels, and an infield that is barely doing anything worth mentioning. Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland have been hitting the ball with much less effectiveness than would be expected, hitting vs Worley will be difficult. Rangers are 2-6 in their last 8 home games vs. a right-handed starter. Baltimore wins  5*

The Jays didn't enjoy a great series against the Red Sox last weekend, but the truth is, they just as easily could have taken two of three games in that set, blowing a big lead in Friday's home opener. They've bounced back nicely over the last couple of nights, securing a series win over the Yankees, and I expect them to keep it rolling as they head to Fenway Park on Friday. The Red Sox have suddenly lost three of four games, but did rebound with a 4-2 win over the Orioles two nights ago - handing Baltimore it's first loss of the season. The Jays will hand the ball to R.A. Dickey and despite getting shelled by the Sox last weekend, I look for him to pitch well here. Note that the Jays are 4-1 in Dickey's last four outings at Fenway Park. Boston simply isn't hitting all that well right now, and could be held off balance by the knuckle-baller. Rick Porcello will counter for the Red Sox. He needed 105 pitches to get through six innings, allowing four earned runs in a win over the Jays last weekend. He's given up nine earned runs in his last 12 innings of work against Toronto.  5*

The Mets have gotten off to a slow start. I think that will continue here on Friday in Cleveland. The Indians have had several rainouts and haven't been able to get into a groove here. But it also means that their bullpen is rested. That will be a big edge in what will be a low-scoring series. The Mets are leading with Bartolo Colon, who was once a dominant pitcher here for the Tribe. But he is not that guy any more. I think Colon is going to struggle this season and I think Cleveland will give him a rude welcome back. The Indians are going with Cody Anderson. Going back to last year the Indians have gone 5-1 in Anderson's last six starts. They are 6-2 in his last eight starts and he hasn't given up more than two runs in any of those starts. I think he will shut down a Mets lineup that is hitting .185 and scoring just 2.8 runs per game.  5*

The Twins are currently  0-8 and one of two winless teams in all of baseball (Braves), they've been outscored by 20 runs so far, which is bad, but not as bad as the Braves -27 differential.
After being shut out yesterday, they try again for the first win of the season today behind Ervin Santana. Keep in mind that no team in baseball had started a season 0-8 since the Astros did it in 2010 at the nadir of their rebuild.

Santana managed seven strikeouts and threw a first pitch strike to 16 of the 26 hitters he faced. The odds of him pitching well today seem pretty good considering a 0.88 WHIP his L4 starts vs. the White Sox, which includes a 6-2 road win last season.

Minnesota hitters have had their chances; they've just failed to cover with RISP.  Look for the Twins to be more aggressive and get the hits in this day game on Thursday afternoon.  Also, Latos is coming over from the National League and theoretically should have a tougher time w/ lineups that feature the DH.   10* AL GAME OF THE WEEK

10*

The Astros look to get revenge on the Royals, who would bounce them from the playoffs last year. Houston has history on its side, it’s won four straight home openers. Colin McHugh gets the call for the home side and I think he’ll bounce back fine here after getting torched by the Yanks on Wednesday, recording just one out while allowing six runs off three hits with two walks in the 16-6 setback. KC starts Chris Young, who gave up two runs over five innings in Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Mets. Young has a poor 4.67 ERA  pitching against the Astros.  5*

The big bats of the BlueJays combined to go 1-12 last night. Look for Toronto to bounce back here at home. RA Dickey was very good at home last season while Rick Porcello was 4-7 with a 5.29 ERA lifetime against the Blue Jays. Porcello was awful last season and inconsistent first season in Boston, when he allowed a career-high 25 home runs. The Blue Jays bats should be teeing off this afternoon.   5*

10* COLORADO ROCKIES.

Jordan Lyles has had promising outings over two seasons and his arm looks healthy. He gets a lot of ground balls forcing double-plays.
Trevor Story has been quite the story for the Rockies after just one series in 2016. I look for the rookie and his team to write another exciting chapter in their season opening surge and to find a way to get the job done vs. the weak SD Padres.

Padres starter Colin Rea threw one inning on Monday in the Padres’ 15-0 loss to the Dodgers, his team has so far combined to hit .120 with just one extra base hit. Rea was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in his day starts last year. Colorado has the better offense and playing at home I really like them minus the short price.

 Clay Buchholz suffered a flexor strain nine months ago and is set to make his debut in Cleveland on Wednesday.  I’m not expecting things to go very well for the veteran. Carlos Carrasco finished last season very strong and he was 4-4 with a tiny 2.48 ERA and .163 opponent batting average, including three nine-inning efforts over his last ten. Carrasco finished 14-12 overall with a 3.63 ERA and his 10.58 K’s per nine innings ranked him fifth in the majors bhind Cy Young contenders, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Chris Sale and Chris Archer (also note that Carasco’s 1.07 WHIP was 11th in the majors and he was also one of just 16 hurlers with an opponent OPS (.646) under .650). Look for the INDIANS to get us the cash tonight!  10*

 The weather is COLD - not good for someone like Keuchel I wouldn't think. The Yankees have the better bullpen - and are tough at home and used to playing in cold weather in April.
Dallas Keuchel was 15-0 at home (in a dome) but 5-8 on the road last year.  Lets back the NY Yankees at home in their season opener behind Tanaka. 5*

I think the long layoff might make the Mets rusty here in game 1.
 The Royals know what this is all about and the Mets are likely in for a rude awakening early in the World Series similar to the Royals who then caught their footing as the World Series progressed last year. It is by no accident that this team is here once again. For this team to get back to the World Series in back to back seasons is nothing short of remarkable to their credit. KC closed out a very potent Toronto team 4-2 which is a harder task than we believe than beating the Mets. The Mets have over achieved. These Royals are not going to face a set of pitchers that they have not faced in the American League of elite status.
Remember, teams like the Nationals and Dodgers have had great success hitting against Harvey. Plus, Volquez lost in his last effort giving up 5 earned runs in 5 innings and will be more than motivated to bounce-back in this contest as he has done throughout the year after having a non-quality effort. Take the KC Royals here in game 1 and also for the series. 5*

Look for the BJays to bounce back at home here on game 5. This is a team that came back down from 0-2 in a big way against Texas and with this team facing elimination here, coming off a 2-14 loss why not take a shot on them here. If this is a team of destiny and this team is going somewhere we will find out today and we feel good taking a shot on this offense which did not get a run on Volquez and has a lot of revenge coming into today. Let's hope the bats wake up in the powerful Toronto lineup and grab the cash here on Wednesday.  5*

Look for Toronto to win again here at home. The Blue Jays will counter Young with R.A. Dickey. Right hander Dickey has a 3.86 ERA to go along with a 11-11 record this season. He has been much better at home and I like him in this spot this afternoon. Toronto won last night by a 11-8 score result against the Royals on October 19. Dickey threw seven shutout innings against the Royals in August and I expect him to help the BlueJays even up the series at home today.  5*

The Houston Astros has a ton power on offense, a great home run hitting team. Starter Collin McHugh has been a solid pitcher for them and everyone is available for relief. I do not trust Royals pitcher Johnny Cueto. He has been an enigma since coming to the AL, not knowing the league or the hitters and it has thrown him off his game. Cueto gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five over six innings against the Astros on Friday in Game 2 of the ALDS. He did not factor in the decision in the Royals' 5-4 win. Cueto dug the Royals an early hole, allowing Houston to score in each of the first three innings. He has allowed 4, 1, 3, 3, 2, 7, 5, 4, 6 and 6 runs his last 10 starts. Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters his team is ready and they had a very good workout on Tuesday in KC.  5*

Jake Arrieta led the MLB with 22 wins. The Cubs nearly caught the Pirates in the N.L. Wild Card top spot as they closed with eight straight wins but a Pittsburgh win on Sunday kept hold of the top spot and with it, home field. Chicago finished 15 games over .500 on the road so advancing to the NLDS from the road is not an issue. Especially as the Cubs trot out Jake Arrieta in this one. Arrieta has been nearly unhittable of late and of late means going back to June. He has posted 20 straight quality outings going back to June 16th which is remarkable run and he has gotten even better of late. He has a 1.50 ERA over those 20 games but over his last nine starts, he has a minute 0.27 ERA which includes his no hitter against the Dodgers. He has dominated the Pirates this season, posting a 0.75 ERA and .064 WHIP in five starts and the Cubs won all three and it doesn't stop there on the road with Arrieta as Chicago is a perfect 14-0 in his 14 road starts when he is favored. The Cubs also have a much better defense and I like them to get by the Pirates tonight. 5*

So throw out all the previous numbers here as the Yankees bats get rolling in this one a bit earlier than people realize facing Keuchel for the 3rd time. He has absolutey dominated the Yankees the last two times he has faced them. So why are we going against him now? Beacuse after getting beat twice the Yankees will undoubtedly look at the tape for this 1 game winner takes all. In 16 innings he has given up 0 earned runs and 9 hits in the process. Look for the Yankees to possibly get 9 hits alone in this contest. It is very difficult for a pitcher to keep dominating a team. For example take a look at Texas. Keuchel gave up 3 earned runs in 15 innings the first two times he pitched against them and dominated. The third time out he gave up 9 runs, on 11 hits in less than 5 innings. Tanaka pitched poorly in his last time out and is on a bounce-back after 3 straight quality starts and he has put together 9 of 10 quality starts to his credit and their #1 pitcher. Look for Yankee stadium to be rocking and the Yanks to get the win at home on Tuesday night.  5*

We come back with San Diego here against San Francisco as the Padres fell short for us yesterday and look to bounce-back today with Cashner.
There is quite a bit of revenge here for Cashner who immediately bounced back from the Giants loss as he gave up 3 earned runs in 7 innings of work. SF starter Peavy has not shown that he can produce 3 straight quality starts in quite some time. Let's roll with Cashner here in a pick'em situation tonight! 5*

Houston is too good of a hitting team to get swept by Texas here. We roll with Houston here behind Lance McCullers who has produced 4 straight quality starts as he helps his team who has lost now 3 straight to the Rangers. They are off a terrible 14-3 loss which has to irk a team that is very proud and has been successful for most of the year. Plus, McCullers acutely remembers the fact he did not last more than 0.1 innings in his last start against the Rangers giving up 6 earned runs on August 3rd so this is a huge revenge game. Plus, as the Ranger pitcher comes off a complete game shutout, look for him to have a let down here and look for McCullers to get some revenge, and Houston to get us the win and the cash on Thursday night!  10*

5*

RedSox Wade Miley is coming off his 1st ever complete game in his last outing.  That was against the Phillies.
I expect TB to hit him here on Friday and they have their ace on the hill who is coming off a rare loss.
Chris Archer is very good if you haven't noticed.
The Rays’ ace allowed home runs on consecutive pitches to the Yankees last Sunday and I look for him to bounce back with a win tonight! 5*

 St. Louis hosts Chicago on Tuesday knowing that they're 6-1 at home against these Cubs. St. Louis starts Wacha on the mound and he's 8-0 against Division opponents this season.
Wacha was a late scratch from his scheduled Sept. 2 start after the Cards opted to build in some extra rest as a way to control innings. Wacha has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last six starts.

Cubs starter Jason Hammel has struggled lately as he has a 5.63 ERA in his last eight starts, and he has not thrown at least six innings in nine of his last 10 outings. With the Playoffs just around the corner, we're backing St. Louis to notch another home win to get us the cash on Tuesday night!  10* GOW

Sale set a personal single-season high with 229 strikeouts thanks to his seven K's against the Red Sox over seven scoreless innings on Wednesday. He is 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA over his last four starts and has made 19 quality starts. I look for the WhiteSox to crush the Twins here on Tuesday night. 10*

The Rangers have won nine of 11 overall and 12 of 14 in Texas. The left-hander Holland goes tonight and made a triumphant return from a four-month absence caused by a shoulder strain by holding Seattle to two runs over 6 1/3 innings in a 7-2 win on Wednesday. Holland is 3-1 with a 3.06 ERA over his last five starts against the Blue Jays but hasn't faced them since 2013. The BlueJays put up 36 runs over the weekend vs the Angels but I look for the Rangers to slow them down here on Tuesday night. Texas is also 19-9 vs the AL East so far this season.  5*

The St Louis Cardinals own MLB’s best overall record (77-43) and are coming off 2 bad losses. The Cards’ lead over the Pirates is now down to 3 1/2 games in the NL Central, as they look to avoid a three-game sweep by the Padres at Petco. STL Michael Wacha gets the nod on Sunday and he is 14-4 with a 2.85 ERA over 23 starts. The Cards are 18-5 in those starts, giving him MLB’s best moneyline mark at plus-$1,088. Wacha’s allowed just three ERs over his last four starts, lasting 27 innings (1.00 ERA) while striking out 26 batters. The Cards are 10-2 in his 12 road starts this year. STL got shutout on Saturday and the top of their lineup combined to go 2-21 at the plate. I like the Cards to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon and the bats to wake up and get us the win. 10*

With a six-inning, one-run effort against the White Sox in his last start, Andrew Heaney continues to impress for the Angels. The rookie left-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his 10 starts this season, and has a 2.43 ERA. Andrew Heaney 3-0 team starts versus A.L. East, and 5-1 team starts at night this season. BlueJays starter Marco Estrada is 0-3 versus A.L. West opponents this season and he has been giving up HR's as of late. The Angels hitters also have a very good average against him. I am backing the LA Angels here on Saturday night especially since Pujols and Trout combined to go 0-7 last night.  5*

Mets starter deGrom admitted he didn't have his best stuff in his last start and seems to be getting tired.  He's not quite as dominant on the road as he is at home, pitching to a 3.19 ERA in 22 career starts away from Citi Field.

The Baltimore Orioles are very good at home with a 36-20 mark while the NY Mets really struggle on the road with a 21-34 mark and 5 games under .500 playing at night.
Gausman was on the wrong end of a no-hitter on Wednesday against the Mariners. He took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings.
Baltimore has a clear edge at home and we'll back them on Tuesday night! 5*

Cole Hamels missed his last start with a sore groin muscle. His last start was against the Mariners on Aug. 7 when he allowed four runs in six innings in a 4-3 loss. The Rangers have lost both games he has pitched since being acquired from the Phillies but he always does well with extra rest. Seattle pitching got pounded in Boston this weekend and their bullpen is shot. The Texas Rangers have won 4 straight and only 4 games back in the AL West. Play Texas tonight as our 10* AL Game of the Week. 10*

The Angels are just a few games back of first place Houston in the AL West. However, it may be Texas that both clubs have to worry about. The Rangers are closing the gap fast and trail LA by just 1 1/2 games. The Angels have lost five of their last six after dropping the first two games of this series with the Royals. They will turn to Hector Santiago tonight. Santiago has been consistent, allowing three runs or less in four of his last five starts. The problem has been run support, with Santiago getting just four total runs of support in his last two starts. Yordano Ventura is coming off a very good start for the Royals, allowing 0 runs over six innings to the Tigers. Ventura also struck out eight. The one knock has been control, with Ventura walking nine batters over his last 11 innings. Still, the Royals are 7-2 in their last nine games and I look for a sweep here with a win this afternoon.  5*

The Pirates are heating up winning 2 straight and looking good for Saturday night. Pittsburgh has done very well against the NL East going 19-8 this season while the Mets have struggled against the NL central division going 9-18. Morton takes a second stab at win No. 8, which would be a career second-best (he went 10-10 in 2011). He tends to struggle in the 1st inning but after that he has been lights out. The Pirates have hit Jon Neise well the past 5 years with 5 players hitting .300 or better against him. Take the Pirates here as our oddsmaker mistake play on Saturday night!  10*

Pittsburgh sends ace Gerrit Cole to the mound in search of his league-leading 15th win. Cole has had five quality starts in his last six outings, adding to that total a lackluster six-inning, three-run showing against the Dodgers on Friday. Cole walked three hitters for the first time since June 24th and his control was off. Look for him to be focused versus the Cards tonight. For STL Wacha allowed two earned runs over 12 2/3 total innings in back-to-back outings against Pittsburgh in May. Look for the Pirates bats to get the best of him seeing him for the 3rd time this season. Pitt has been hitting the ball averaging 6.8 runs/game their last 5 games. Play the Pittsburgh Pirates here on Wednesday night.  10*

In this matchup I am going against the Seattle Mariners. The Texas Rangers have quietly played some decent baseball this season and are 7-3 their last 10 games and actually a better team on the road then at home.

 The Rangers showed their serious about winning this year with the big addition of tonight's starter Cole Hamels at last weeks trade deadline. Hamels is a proven top-notch starter who carries the big edge here of facing a Mariners offense for the first time this season. This is a huge advantage for any left-handed pitcher and especially a veteran one as crafty as Hamels and I'll back him and the Rangers here on Friday night as Texas is only 2 games back in the Wild Card.  5*

The Angels were shutout last night 2-0. LA only had 2 hits and the first 4 guys in their lineup went a combined 0-18.
Hector Santiago has a 2.70 ERA and coming off his worst outing of the season.

He faces a Cleveland lineup averaging just 2.7 rpg in their last 26.. They're also on a 40-16, second half of the season run, against teams with a losing record over the last two seasons, while averaging 5.6 rpg. The Halos have taken care of business down the stretch against teams they're supposed to handle and I expect more of the same here at home on Wednesday afternoon.
Take the LA Angels as our 10* AL Game of the Week.

I'm backing the SD Padres on Tuesday night here as the Brewers have been struggling going 1-9 their last 10 and playing very poorly. Andrew Cashner has been up-and-down, but I like him against a Milwaukee squad that has not only lost six straight games, but has averaged just over 2 rpg along the way. Cashner took a no-decision in his last start, on July 30 against the Mets, pitching through five 1/3 innings while allowing six hits and seven runs (five earned). The Brewers are also on a 0-6 slide against righties at Miller Park. The Padres are red-hot, cashing 8 of their last 10 averaging over 7 rpg in their last six contests. This is basically a pickem game and we'll take the Padres to get us the win and the cash!  5*

San Francisco has a top 5 offense and they pick up the DH for this series and I like them to grab the win here on Sunday afternoon. The Giants are on a 14-4 run, 35-16 in their last 51 interleague games as a favorite and the Texas Rangers are bad at home this season. This will be Leake's first start for the Giants since they acquired him less than 24 hours before last Friday's Trade Deadline. Look for Leake to excel with his new team. The Rangers are 5-12 in their last 17 home games. The Giants face Martin Perez, who is 0-2 with a 10.50 ERA. Perez got pounded by the Yankees in his last start, as he allowed eight runs on seven hits. I like the SF Giants to get the win on Sunday. 5*

The Washington Nationals have really struggled in the month of July offensively as their still dealing with a lot of injuries. The Nats have hit around .220 as a team for the month, which ranks them toward the very bottom of the league.
Since May 16, NY Mets starter Jacob deGrom is 7-2 with a 1.37 ERA, 91 strikeouts and 11 walks. He?s also throwing the ball harder than ever, hitting 99 mph in his last start. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 3.63 ERA this year in three starts against the Nationals and I look for them to get the win here on home on Saturday night.
Take the NY METS as a 5* selection.

Houston has one of the best records in the league at home this year. C.J. Wilson takes the mound for Mike Scioscia's squad and while some of his numbers look pretty good over recent season, I'm not ready to back a starting pitcher who can't lead his team as a road underdog. The Angels have won just 2 of their last 17. He's struggled badly in his last six against Houston, getting rocked for a tune of 9.59 ERA. Colin McHugh has had no such trouble with the Angel lineup. The Houston righty has a 2.08 ERA in a 6 starts against his AL West rivals and he's held Erick Aybar, Chris Iannetta, and Mike Trout to a combined 4-for-34 at the plate keeping them in check. He'll lead a Houston team that's on a 6-0 run at home against southpaws. The Astros are also 13-3 in their last 16 home games with McHugh on the mound and I'll back Houston here at home tonight.  10*

The Cincinnati Reds are in Coors Field, a great hitter's park. You don't want to put the ball in play in this park if you can help it and the Reds have Johnny Cueto (2.79 ERA) going, with opponents hitting .199 off him. The Reds are 18-6 in Cueto's last 24 starts vs. the National League West. Colorado goes with Chris Rusin, with the team 3-5 his last eight starts. Opponents are hitting .289 off him and the last four years he's 7-12, including a losing home record with opponents hitting .302 off him in Coors Field. And the Rockies are 39-85 in their last 124 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15. Look for the Reds bats to take advantage and get a win on Saturday night.  5*

The Yankees are 8-2 their last 10 and playing some great baseball right now. They are now 5.5 games behind the Bjays in the AL East. Masahiro Tanaka is 12-5 MLB in his home career team starts, including 3-0 during July. The Orioles Ubaldo Jimenez 3-5 career team starts versus the Yanks, including 1-3 last four here. I'm backing the Yankees here this afternoon to get the win and series sweep! 5*

The Rangers just shutout the Rockies 9-0 last night and had 17 hits. But Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa is one of the few who can pitch well at Coors Field. The southpaw isn't bothered by Coors. The Rockies are 53-13 during De La Rosa's last 66 home starts. They also have won nine of his past 11 starts. Colorado should be fired-up after Tuesday night's embarrassment to Texas. Before that defeat, though, the Rockies had won five in a row at Coors. The Rangers have lost 19 of their past 27 and are 14-21 versus lefties on the season. Over his last 11 starts, De La Rose the left-hander is 6-2 with a 3.02 ERA. Colorado has good hitters and they usually perform much better at home. I can see them doing plenty of damage against Martin Perez, who is making only his second start of the year coming back from Tommy John surgery. Go big on the Colorado Rockies here this afternoon. 10*

Oakland has been terrible at home while burning money. 24-year old Kendall Graveman has been up and down all year and is 2-3 at home with a 4.67 ERA. Graveman allowed four runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out six over 5.2 innings of a 5-1 loss to Cleveland. He has to face the best offense in baseball here with Toronto in town. The Athletics are 5-15 in their last 20 home games vs. a left-handed starter and face veteran southpaw Mark Buehrle (10-5, 3.34 ERA), with the team 6-3 his last nine starts. He wrapped up an impressive first half with a 3.34 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and an active streak of eight straight quality starts. We are backing the BJays here on Tuesday night. 5*

The Oakland A’s have won their past five road games when Sonny Gray takes to the mound.

Gray has been showing up in a big way in those starts, only allowing 26 hits and seven runs through 33.2 innings pitched. During that span, Gray has also held two teams scoreless.
Look for Oakland to win the game on Sunday afternoon and also get the series over the Indians.

5*
Our next update after the All-Star Break will not be until Monday July 20th.

Thank you and enjoy the break!

The Braves have lost 3 straight while the Rockies have won 2 in a row. I beleive Braves starter Matt Wisler is going to struggle here in Colorado. His 0.90 ground-ball/fly-ball ratio will not play well at Coors Field. Jorge De La Rosa won his sixth game of the season last Sunday against the Diamondbacks, allowing just two runs while striking out six and walking two in six innings. He is pitching on 1 extra day of rest. The lefty has been very good lately bringing his ERA down to 4.46 by allowing three earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts. Look for his resurgence to continue against the Braves here on Saturday afternoon his final start before the allstar break.  10*

 The TB Rays are really scuffling right now. This is a team that has to get good pitching to survive and they’ve seen a bit of a fade inn that department the last couple weeks. I’m prepared to play against them tonight with the Astros arriving for the weekend set at the Trop. Collin McHugh has some reasonable stuff tonight against a lineup that can certainly be neutralized. The Astros here in a pickem situation get the call with the better bats and much better pitching staff.  5*

The visitors hand the ball to Jesse Chavez (4-8, 3.20 ERA) who was shelled for four runs off nine hits over 6 1/3's innings vs. the Mariners on Friday. Chavez continues to struggle since returning from the DL and unfortunately a "day" game is not what the doctor ordered to get untracked as he's just 1-5 with a 3.89 ERA in all such instances this year. The A's are also a terrible day team.
I am going to back the Yankees behind Mashario Tanaka who will find his grove this afternoon in his 4th start back from the DL.
Take the NY YANKEES!  10*

This is a battle of 2 teams heading in opposite directions.
The red-hot Yovani Gallardo has not allowed a run in his past 291/3 innings, the fourth-longest consecutive scoreless innings streak in club history. Gallardo is 4-2 with a 2.23 in seven starts at home. He is 7-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 11 career starts against the D-backs.
 The veteran righty has been on fire and he's going to have some extra motivation after getting the all-star snub last night.

Texas enters this one ranked in the top-10 in MLB in home team batting average and home OBP.

The Rangers face a struggling Robbie Ray who has lost his last three games with an ERA of 4.58.

The D-backs have lost five of his last six starts, overall. Lastly note that Texas is on a 6-0 run at home in Interleague action and they're on a 5-0 run when Gallardo throws on four days rest.
Lets take Texas here at home for a HUGE 5* BEST BET WINNER!

10* The Cubs play host to the Cardinals on Monday night which is the opener of a four-game set. The Cards, John Lackey picked up a loss in his only outing at Wrigley Field last year. The Cubs have won 2 in a row and playing some very good ball at home. We want to play ON MLB home favorites when their starter threw at least six innings and allowed no more than six hits his last time out. The system record is 1524-1007 SU (60.2%) for +3057 Units including a perfect 15-0 SU the last 15 qualifying contests. Take the CUBS here on Monday night.

Kansas City hosts the Twins Sunday for the final game of this 3 game home series with the series tied 1-1. Kansas City is 23-14 at home this season and expect them to get out of this series with a victory. KC starts Dan Duffy on the mound and they're 7-1 against the Twins behind his arm (2.60 ERA vs Twins), including a 12-3 victory in April when he allowed just 3 Earned Runs in 6.3 Innings Pitched. I like backing KC starting a lefty at home.  The Twins are also 1-5 the last 6 games Santana started on the road and he is coming off his big suspension and wont last long on Sunday.

Take the KC ROYALS. 10*

Not only has Price been the most profitable "bet-on" pitcher in baseball this season, winning 13 out of 16 starts, but he has also dominated the Jays throughout his career, going 15-2 with a 2.47 ERA. We'll gladly back those kind of stats, especially when you toss in the fact that Toronto starter RA Dickey has a robust 5.79 ERA on the road this season. Dickey, meanwhile, hasn't won but one game since May 22. He has a 3.98 ERA in seven starts since then, and this one might jump his ERA over the 4-mark, as the Tigers will come to bat this afternoon on the 4th of July, with Price toeing the slab. Take the Detroit Tigers 5*

The former first-round pick, Fernandez has not played baseball in 13 months, after Tommy John surgery but now today he comes back to the hill to face the SF Giants. The young man is perfect 12-0 with a 1.09 ERA in 20 career starts at home. (In five rehab starts, he struck out 33 in 24 2/3 innings.)Meanwhile, the Giants starter this afternoon Matt Cain returns to the mound, after elbow surgery and has not pitched at the MLB level since last May.

Right now with the Giants struggling and blowing a 3 run lead yesterday while losing 6-5, their flow seems off and they look like legitimate fade material.
The Marlins are expecting more than 30,000 fans for the contest they have tabbed as #JoseDay so the place will be rocking this afternoon.
Giants are 0-5 in Cains last 5 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.Giants are 2-8 in Cains last 10 road starts.Marlins are 8-1 in their last 9 games as a home favorite.Marlins are 9-0 in Fernandezs last 9 starts as a home favorite of -110 to -150.
PLAY THE FISH! 5*

BRaves starter Shelby Miller 1.59 ERA with 1.03 WHIP a theme this season. Miller continues to pitch well. He's allowed just six earned runs over his last four starts combined. His last outing was a seven-inning, one-run performance against Washington. Jordan Zimmerman 5.40 away ERA as opposed to 2.39 home ERA this season. With ZImmerman struggling on the road we'll back the home underdog Atl Braves here on Tuesday night.  5*

Graveman allowed two runs in seven innings in his last start, an 8-2 win over the Rangers on Wednesday. The right-hander has pitched at least seven innings and surrendered two runs or fewer in each of his last four starts. Colorado is 1-13 on the road against Inter-League opponents since last season. Doubt that Colorado will turn things around on Monday as they start Dave Hale on the mound. The Rockies are just 2-5 during Hale's last 7 trips to the mound, including 3 straight losses where he was shelled for 22 Hits for 14 Earned Runs in only 15.7 Innings Pitched. On the other hand, the A's start Kendall Graveman, who's held 4 straight opponents to 2 Runs or less. With the A's averaging 4.7 at night at home versus right handers. Take the OAKLAND A's here as our MLB 10* Game of the Month! 

At the time of this writing, the White Sox are -135 to -140 road favorites against a team they know they're capable of beating especially when their best pitcher is on the mound.

Chris Sale is making history and quietly becoming the most dominant pitcher in the American League. He's seeking his 6th straight game with 12 strikeouts or more.

He joined Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez as the only pitchers in baseball to strikeout 12 or more batters in five straight games and he's going to set that record today.

Meanwhile, Phil Hughes is pitching like Phil Hughes... 5 wins vs. 6 losses and an ERA near 5.00. He failed in New York and he's failing in Minnesota despite a hot start to last season. Since then Hughes has been a below .500 pitcher with a low strikeout total and high ERA.

WhiteSox roll this afternoon. 5*

Braves starter Shelby Miller has had good stuff lately. The right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 of 13 starts and has a 1.59 ERA in five home starts. The Braves bats are coming alive and they are 16-14 at home while the lowly RedSox are just 12-21 on the road. Inconsistency remains the trend for Clay Buchholz. Since firing eight shutout innings against the Twins on June 2nd, he has given up 8 runs and 18 hits in a pair of subpar outings. I am backing the Braves here at home on Thursday night. 10*

The A's hand the ball to Scott Kazmir (3-4, 2.79 ERA) who is coming off a gem vs. the Rangers on Thursday, giving up one hit over eight frames, while striking out six in the 7-0 victory. Kazmir has excelled in this spot as well this season, posting a 1.99 ERA in all "day" games thus far. SD throws Andrew Cashner (2-8, 4.16 ERA) who is trending in the opposite direction, he gave up four runs on seven hits in a setback to the Braves on Thursday. And unfortunately for Cashner fans, this is a spot in which he's struggled in all season, 0-5 with a 3.52 ERA at home and just 1-2 with a 4.18 ERA in all "day" games. Lets back the Oakland A's over the Padres who have the edge this afternoon. 5*

The Dodgers have won four straight heading into Game 2 of this series in San Diego tonight. The Padres have lost four of their last six, and this looks like a tough match-up for them. Zack Greinke will be on the mound for the Dodgers, and he's been dominant all season long. Greinke (5-1, 1.92 ERA) gave up just one run on six hits while racking up 8 Ks in 6.2 innings in a no-decision versus St. Louis in his last start. He's 3-0 with a 1.63 ERA on the road so far, and he's 4-0 with a 1.59 ERA in his last seven starts versus San Diego. The Padres counter with Ian Kennedy, who has an ERA of 8.23 at home this season. Kennedy is also 0-7 with a 5.48 ERA in his last 11 starts versus the Dodgers.  5*

Carrasco has allowed four runs over his last 21 innings and has won three straight starts. He enters the game on a seven-game streak of six or more innings with six strikeouts and three or fewer walks. The Indians left 10 runners on base in Saturdays game. Bud Norris visiting team 0-4 in his team starts this season. With Carrasco in fine KW form with 39 strikeouts and 5 walks in his last five starts, we are backing the Indians here at home on Sunday.  5*

The Tigers catch a break with David Price (4-2, 3.15 ERA) going. Detroit has a winning road record and Price is 3-1 with a 2.34 ERA on the road. The Tigers are 10-1 in Price's last 11 starts vs. the American League Central. They face a Chicago team that is second worst in baseball in runs scored. Lefty John Danks (4.81 ERA) hasn't had a good season and is worse at home at 8-14 with a 4.82 ERA at home the last four years. He is 2-3 against Detroit during that time with a 5.27 ERA. Play the Tigers here on Saturday night. 10*

Baltimore starter Chris Tillman is 0-6 with a 6.10 ERA over his last seven starts as the O's Opening Day starter has been in a big funk. The Indians ranked 8th and 1st in batting average and OBP in the just completed month of May. The Cleveland offense spells trouble for Chris Tillman, who has not been able to deliver the goods in 2015. Tillman has walked nine batters in his last 14 2/3 IP, spanning three starts. The Orioles have struggled at the plate, ranked 28th and 30th in May batting average and OBP, and they're in the bottom four in both categories so far in June. Cleveland enters on a 12-4 run, overall, and they're on a 61-23 run at home against teams with a losing record. Meanwhile, the Orioles are 1-6 in their last seven with Tillman on the mound and 2-12 in their last 14 on the road against right-handers. I like the Indians here at home on Friday night.  5*

Cole Hamels will start June hoping he can replicate his May success. He has lasted seven innings or more in each of his last five starts and has surrendered just seven runs over that period, dropping his ERA from 4.14 to 2.91. He is also 13-0 with 1.35 ERA in his career with his team starts versus Cincinnati. Reds starter Mike Leake 1-5 career team starts in this series, including 0-5 the last five, and 5-10 last fifteen away team starts. With Hamels in super KW form with 30 strikeouts and 4 walks his last four starts, and Leake struggling lately with 9 walks and 7 strikeouts his last 4 starts, we are jumping all over the Phillies here on Wednesday night!  10*

In game 1 of the DH today at 105pm EST.
Homers continue to haunt Dickey, who has allowed a homer in each of his last four starts and has surrendered at least one in seven of his 10 starts this year. In his last outing vs. the White Sox, Dickey gave up five runs over five innings. R. A. Dickey 0-4 with 7.43 ERA and 1.57 WHIP away team starts this season. With the Nats 6-1 the last seven games in this series, look for more of the same this evening and the BJays also lose their DH playing in the National League. Jordan Zimmerman 15-5 last twenty team starts during June, and 4-1 with 2.51 ERA and 1.11 WHIP home team starts this season. I am backing the Nationals tonight at home.

Tampa Bay starters have not allowed a run in the last 25 1/3 innings and it looks like their bats are starting to come alive. TB outfielder Brandon Guyer collected a season-high three hits with two doubles and a run scored on Saturday. He's working on a career-best hitting streak of 8 games. The Rays Jake Odorizzi has a 2.31 ERA and 0.97 WHIP this season. Orioles Chris Tillman is 1-5 last six home team starts and 1-4 last five home team start during May. With Odorizzi in great form and command with 31 strikeouts and 6 walks his last six starts, and Tillman just 2-4 home in his last six starts versus the Rays, we are going to jump all over TB on Sunday afternoon.  10* MLB GAME OF THE MONTH

Twins starter Kyle Gibson has been on a roll, going 3-1 with a 1.32 ERA in May after giving up one run over eight innings against the White Sox on Sunday. He has a 1.88 ERA over his last seven outings. He has been very tough at home. Blue Jays thrower Aaron Sanchez 1-3 w/5.75 ERA and 1.82 WHIP away this season and he has really struggled with his control. With Gibson in strong KW form with 16 strikeouts and 2 walks his last three starts, and Sanchez in wobbly KW form with 20 walk and 18 strikeouts his last five efforts, we are all over the TWINS here on Saturday afternoon.  10*

Capuano hasn't made it through five innings in either of his two starts since replacing the injured Chase Whitley in the rotation. Capuano 6-14 last twenty team starts during May, and 7.37 ERA with 1.91 WHIP this season.  He gave up three runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings on Sunday against the Rangers. He is way past his prime and I look for the A's to hit him early.

Athletics ace Sonny Gray has a 1.77 ERA with 1.00 WHIP this season, and 17 strikeouts with 3 walks last three starts.  With NY having lost 9 of their last 10  games in this park, we are backing the Oakland A's.  5*

I'll back the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night as they open a four-game series at home against the Indians. Cleveland is coming off a blowout win over the Rangers yesterday afternoon where they scored 8 runs in the 3rd inning and finished with a season high 17 hits. Corey Kluber has been hot of late, allowing just two runs while striking out 37 over his last three starts, spanning 25 innings of work but that was all at home. The Indians are 0-4 when Kluber takes the ball on the road and Seattle is 3-2 in Paxton's five home starts this season, . This is a big game for the Mariners as they try to move over the .500 mark after making major gains during their most recent road trip. Seattle as a small home dog is the play tonight!  5*

The resilient Astros have not yet lost a series this season and are in position to claim another set this afternoon in Baltimore. Houston is now 15-7 on the road after Tuesday's 4-1 win at Camden Yards, and expect starter Collin McHugh to get a bit more run support than he has in his last four outings when backed by a total of 7 runs. He has 6 straight quality starts and I like the Astros to get to Baltimore this afternoon.

 O's starter Ubaldo Jimenez off of one of his worst efforts when he was pulled after four innings Friday against Miami, allowing three runs and seven hits against the Marlins. Play the RED HOT Astros.

On Tuesday I am backing the Minnesota Twins with Mike Pelfrey on the hill over the Boston Red Sox and Clay Bucholz.

The Red Sox are actually favored on the road despite the fact that Minnesota has a better record and they're playing at home.

In fact, the Twins are one of the best teams when playing at home, having lost just one series there all year long (April 27-29 vs. Detroit). Minny improved to 16-6 in the month of May after yesterday's 7-2 win over Boston.

Bucholz, Boston's supposed ace, is only 2-5 on the season with a 4.58 ERA and hasn't won back to back starts all year.

He's opposed by Mike Pelfrey, who checks in at 3-1 on the season with a 3.00 ERA and hasn't gotten much run support in four of his starts. But considering Bucholz has been far from their ACE for the Red Sox, I don't doubt for a minute the Twins will be able to score runs.

Take the Twins here on Tuesday as they are 15-6 at home and they are 7-3 their last 10 games and playing some very good ball.

5*

When the A's win, they usually do so by multi-run margins, as was the case the past two days in St. Pete vs. the Rays, when the A's offense finally stirred by scoring a combined 12 runs in a pair of dominant wins. It was also the first time Oakland has won back-to-back games since April, but we ride the momentum for this afternoon's tile vs. the visiting Tigers in what will be Yoenis Cespedes' first appearance at the Coliseum since being traded by the A's last summer. The A's are a very solid team and just had a poor defensive run with a lot of errors but it looks like they straighten the ship out and I like them at home on Monday.  10*

The top of the Blue Jays lineup went 2-14 last night so I look for them to respond today against a much weaker pitcher. Mark Buehrle is 10-0 at home versus Seattle and 17-4 his last 21 team starts during May. The Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton has 10 walks and 11 strikeouts last three starts. With Seattle 0-3 away behind Paxton this season let play the BlueJays on Saturday afternoon.  5*

The Angels are heating up with their 7-2 run in the right direction. Plus, they'll face R.A. Dickey, whose best days look to be behind him. Dickey has been struggling with his signature knuckleball and he's allowed four home runs in his last two starts with just seven strikeouts in his last five outings, spanning more than 30 innings of work. Matt Shoemaker owns a strong 1.17 WHIP and he's put up excellent road marks so far this season. And while the Blue Jays have dropped seven of eight, the Angels are on a 45-19 run against pitchers with a WHIP north of 1.30. They're also on a 9-0 run when Shoemaker starts against a team with a losing record. Take the LA Angels tonight!  5*

The Marlins just fired their manager after getting swept by Atlanta and almost No-Hit on Sunday. I look for Miami to bounce back on Monday behind Dan Haren who is 5-2 career team starts versus Arizona, including 4-0 the last three at home; and Haren 7-1 last eight home team starts. Rockies: Rubby De La Rosa 3-12 last fifteen away team starts. Marlins get us the cash on monday. GO FISH!

The Cardinals are 7-2 in their last 9 road games vs. a right-handed starter and 20-6 in their last 26 games overall. In Wednesdays game they were 1-hit and had 18 strikeouts. Look for STL to get back on track here on Thursday afternoon. The Cardinals are also 10-1 in Wacha’s last 11 starts. The Cardinals haven’t lost with Wacha on the mound this season and Bauer doesn’t beat winning teams, of which the Cardinals are the best in Major League Baseball. Take St. Louis here in the early start on Thursday afternoon. 10*