*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* I'll be the first to admit that I don't like betting on the Chicago Cubs at this point. They aren't a good team at all, but they are still much better than the Houston Astros. This is a major value play. Houston is 9-42 in their last 51 road games. The Cubs are 27-25 at home this year. Chris Volstad isn't a good pitcher, but he has looked somewhat better of late and this Astros lineup can make pitchers look great. Harrell has been great at home, but not on the road. The Astros are 0-6 in his last 6 road starts vs. a team with a losing record. The Astros are 0-4 in their last 4 at Wrigley. The Cubs are 7-0 in their last 7 home games against a team with a winning % below 40%. Take the Cubs.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Kyle Kendrick isn't a reliable pitcher. The Marlins offense hasn't been good of late, but they should be able to get to Kendrick some in this one. Josh Johnson is still getting huge respect from the oddsmakers, but he is 7-8 with a 3.88 ERA this year. Johnson is still a pretty good pitcher, but he doesn't have the dominating form of the last couple years. The Phillies offense is better than most realize right now, and the Marlins now have Stanton back in the lineup. Look for a higher scoring game here. Take the over.

*3 Star Rangers/Yankees Guaranteed Cash* The Yankees and Rangers are duking it out right now for the best record in the American League. With last night's win the Yankees took back the overall top spot. Matt Harrison has been struggling a bit of late, and his career ERA against the Yankees is 4.76. Harrison has been sick and still isn't 100% right now. The Yankees lineup is extremely strong right now, and Ichiro gives them extra depth. Hiroki Kuroda has been lights out at home this season. The Yankees are 5-0 in his last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. The Rangers are 0-6 in their last 6 games at New York. Take the Yankees.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The Washington Nationals have the best record in baseball, but I believe there's a lot of value on the Giants here. People keep underrating Ryan Vogelsong. Vogelsong was amazing last year, and his numbers are even better in 2012. He leads the National League in ERA. The Giants lineup is pretty good now with Cabrera, Posey, and Pence in the middle of the order. Gio Gonzalez has been very good this year, but he has thrown a lot of pitches in his last couple starts. The Giants are 9-0 in Vogelsong's last 9 starts as a favorite. They are also 8-1 in his last 9 home starts. Take the Giants.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Jeff Francis had a few solid starts in his first several outings with Colorado, but he has a 10.80 ERA in his last 3 starts. Francis simply doesn't have good enough stuff to consistently shut down good lineups. Milwaukee has been hitting the ball much better of late, and I expect them to do some major damage against Francis. Michael Fiers has been a brilliant rookie pitcher for the Brewers this year. Fiers has a 1.80 ERA, and he hasn't given up more than 2 runs in any of his last 10 starts. The Rockies are 17-41 in their last 58 games. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Atlanta Braves haven't lost consecutive games in three weeks. Atlanta dropped a 6-5 decision against the Mets last night. I think a matchup against a poor San Diego team is a good chance for Atlanta to get back on track. Eric Stults doesn't have much experience as a starter, and I expect the Braves offense to get to him early. Mike Minor had a horrible stretch earlier this year, but he has been pitching well of late. The Braves are 24-9 in their last 33 games. Look for Atlanta to take care of business. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*3 Star Sunday Night Baseball CASH* The Atlanta Braves are playing about as well as anyone in baseball right now. This is a team I think is very capable of making noise in the postseason. Atlanta has great depth in the lineup, and they are pretty healthy right now. Ben Sheets continues to get very little respect from the oddsmakers. Sheets used to be an Ace for the Brewers, and he has 4 great starts and one mediocre start for Atlanta this year. Jon Niese has struggled against the Braves in the past. Atlanta is 5-0 in their last 5 as a -110 to -150 favorite. The Braves are 7-0 in the last 7 meetings with New York. The Mets are 0-8 in their last 8 as a home underdog. A 20-0 winning angle backs this one. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Washington Nationals are playing some amazing baseball right now. There weren't many who expected them to have the best record in baseball at this point. Washington has done it with tremendous pitching. Ross Detwiler has a 2.99 ERA on the season. He has been very sharp of late. Patrick Corbin is a highly touted prospect for the Diamondbacks, and he has been good in his last three starts. D.J. Reyburn is the umpire here, and he has a wide strike zone. Look for a low scoring contest here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Bruce Chen has some ridiculous splits this season. Chen has been decent at home, but he has a horrible 6.29 ERA on the road this year. Tommy Hunter has a 5.55 ERA overall this year, and he just doesn't have the kind of stuff to put away good hitters on a consistent basis. Hunter has a 6.53 ERA during the daytime this year. Chen has an awful 8.10 ERA during the day this year. The over is 7-1-1 in Chen's last 9 starts. Angel Campos is one of the best over umpires in the business and he is behind the dish here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The New York Yankees may well be the best team in baseball right now. The Yankees pitching staff has gotten much better over the year, which has made them a complete team. Ivan Nova has been great on the road this year, and the Yankees lineup has given him some terrific run support. Nova is 7-2 with a 3.87 ERA on the road. Aaron Laffey is a lefty with only ordinary stuff, and the Yankees hit the ball well against lefties. Toronto is without Lawrie, Arencibia, Bautista, and Lind. The Yankees just have way more firepower than the Blue Jays at this point. The Yankees are 14-3 in Nova's last 17 starts against a team with a losing record. Take New York -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Clay Buchholz was one of baseball's worst pitchers through the first two months of the year, but he has been pretty good of late. Buchholz has good stuff, and when he is in a groove he is tough to hit. Cleveland is in a major slump right now, and their lineup is short-handed. On the other side, Chris Seddon starts for Cleveland. It appears Seddon simply isn't a big league pitcher at this stage, but the team doesn't have many other options. The Red Sox have made a habit of crushing lefties this year, and I think they should get to him early and often in this one. Boston in 25-10 in Buchholz's last 35 road starts. They are 11-5 in their last 16 against lefties. Look for this one to get ugly. Take the Red Sox -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 15-0 last night. The Cardinals have Adam Wainwright on the hill for this one, and he has been rounding into form of late. Wainwright has a 2.01 ERA in his last three starts. Madison Bumgarner has been very good all year for the Giants. Bumgarner is 12-6 with a 3.03 ERA in 2012. This is a day game on get away day, and that usually means that lineups may be a bit weaker than normal. Brian Runge is the umpire here, and he has a huge strike zone. The under is 4-0-1 in his last 5 games behind home plate. Look for a well-pitched game from both sides in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Cincinnati Reds have the best record in the National League, but they have lost their first two games in Milwaukee. The matchups look good for them to avoid the sweep here. Mat Latos has been great after starting slowly this year. Latos has allowed 2 runs or less in 6 of his last 7 starts. Randy Wolf isn't a very good pitcher at this point in his career. Wolf has a 5.57 ERA this year. The Reds are great against lefties. The two lineups here may be about equal, but the Reds have the huge starting pitching and bullpen advantage. The Brewers are 0-8 in Wolf's last 8 starts as an underdog of +110 to +150. The Reds are 6-0 in their last 6 against a lefty. They are also 7-0 in Latos' last 7 against the NL Central. Take the Reds.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Michael Fiers is flying under the radar so far, but that is fine with me. Fiers is a very good young pitcher who has a deceptive delivery. In 11 starts he has a 1.88 ERA. The Reds lineup has slumped a bit in the last few days and they might be starting to miss Votto. Johnny Cueto has a 2.52 ERA for the year, and he has been consistently very good all season. These two pitchers squared off a few weeks ago in Cincinnati and the final was 2-1 Reds. Look for another low scoring tight contest. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Texas Rangers are arguably the best team in baseball despite a recent bad streak. Texas has the deepest lineup in baseball and a pretty reliable pitching staff. Ryan Dempster has been great this year as a Cub, and you have to think he'll bounce back from his horrible first start with Texas. Jon Lester has been blasted all year and the Rangers are great against lefties. The Red Sox are a .500 team, and getting the Rangers at plus money seems like a great value. Take Texas in this one.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Samuel Deduno has been doubted for too long. Deduno has a 2.48 ERA this year, and he has a sparkling 0.93 ERA in his last 3 starts. One of those starts was against the Indians, where he gave up only one run in seven innings. The Twins are actually above .500 since the beginning of May. The Indians have been awful of late. Kluber doesn't look ready for the majors yet for Cleveland, and the Twins lineup is smashing the baseball right now. Minnesota is a dangerous offense when healthy. The Twins are 4-0 in Deduno's last 4 starts. They are also 6-0 in their last 6 games against Cleveland. The Indians are 0-6 in their last 6 vs. a righty. Take the Twins here.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Cincinnati Reds have won 14 of their last 16 games. The offense has many guys contributing right now, and the bullpen is the best in all of baseball. Yovani Gallardo is a good pitcher, but he struggles badly against the Reds. He is 4-5 with a 5.06 ERA in his 14 starts against the Reds in his career. Bronson Arroyo is better on the road than at home. Arroyo has a 3.39 ERA on the road this season. The Reds have the best record in baseball right now, and they are a much more complete team than the Brewers. Cincinnati is 9-0 in their last 9 road games. The Brewers are 2-8 in Gallardo's last 10 starts against the Reds. The Reds are 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these teams. Take the Reds.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Dan Haren had a down year by his standards, and he doesn't seem to be completely healthy. The White Sox are seventh in the majors in runs scored, so they definitely can put up some runs. Francisco Liriano has been extremely inconsistent this year. The Angels have scored ten runs on him in his two starts against them this season. The Angels' offense is producing as well as anyone in baseball right now. The over is 6-0 in the Angels last 6 as an underdog. The over is 6-0 in the White Sox last 6 home games. The over is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Freddie Garcia starts here for the Yankees. Garcia has an ERA over 6 at home this year and over 7 in day games this year. Seattle's offense has been decent on the road, and I suspect they should be able to put up several runs against Garcia. The Yankees lineup was shut out yesterday by Felix Hernandez. Expect the Yankees the get back on track against a much less talented pitcher Sunday afternoon. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 15-20 mph, and we have an umpire with a small strike zone here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Max Scherzer has a good record this year, but that is primarily because he gets great run support. Scherzer has been inconsistent, and he is fully capable of giving up a bunch of runs in a single inning. Cleveland has several guys who have hit him extremely well in the past. Chris Seddon starts for the Indians. Seddon hasn't pitched in the major leagues in two years. In his short career in the majors, he had an ERA above 7. He has pitched decent in AAA this year, but I don't think he'll fare well against a strong Tigers lineup. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jeremy Hellickson has been great at home through his first few years in the majors. Baltimore's offense has struggled a bit of late. Wei-Yin Chen has pitched extremely well of late. He is a left-hander with good command of all his pitches. Tampa Bay's offense is short-handed right now, and the Rays struggle mightily against lefties. The under is 21-5-2 in Hellickson's last 28 home starts. The under is also 101-48-8 in the Rays last 157 home games. Look for a low scoring contest. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Texas Rangers' offense has struggled through the last few weeks, but I'm confident this team will start scoring runs in bunches again soon. This lineup is simply too deep and too good to keep down. Will Smith has had a couple nice starts for the Royals, but I don't think he is ready for a team who hits left-handers as well as Texas does. Scott Feldman is an extremely inconsistent pitcher, and I expect the Royals to score several. Tim McClelland is the home umpire here, and he pinches the strike zone as much as any umpire does in the league. The over is 18-7-1 in Feldman's last 26 starts vs a team with a losing record. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Hiroki Kuroda has started 4 games during the daytime this season. He has pitched 30 innings in those games, and he has yet to give up an earned run. A 0.0 ERA through 30 innings is something that really catches my eye. Felix Hernandez is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he seems to rise to the occasion when he plays against the Yankees. Both of these pitchers are fully capable of shutting down the opposing offense. The under is 4-0 in Seattle's last 4 road games. The under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. The under is 6-0 in the Yankees last 6 home games vs a team with a losing record. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Jonathan Sanchez has been arguably the worst pitcher in all of baseball this year. He has an ERA of nearly 8 on the season. Sanchez walks far too many batters and seems to constantly work out of trouble. The Giants have a much improved lineup this year. Ryan Vogelsong has been one of baseball's most underrated pitchers for the past two years. This is a guy who consistently goes out and gives his team a quality start and a good chance to win. The Giants are 5-0 in Vogelsong's last 5 against Colorado. They are also 8-0 in his last 8 starts as a favorite. Take the Giants -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Major Mismatch* Other than a couple horrible starts early in the season, Matt Harrison has been great in 2012. He comes into this game with a 12-6 record and an ERA slightly above 3. Kansas City has struggled against left-handed pitching all season. Jeremy Guthrie starts for the Royals, and he has been hit hard by everyone this season. Guthrie has an overall ERA near 7 in 2012. The Rangers still have the deepest lineup in all of baseball, and I expect them to pour it on in this one.
This on should get ugly. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* It's extremely rare for me to want to play such a huge favorite, but in this case I feel it is warranted. Armando Galarraga hasn't been in the majors much this season. He has poor control over his pitches, and I think the Braves lineup has plenty of firepower to put up a bunch of runs on him. Tim Hudson starts for the Braves, and he is a very consistent quality starting pitcher. The Braves are making a serious playoff push right now. The Braves are 4-0 in Hudson's last 4 starts against Houston. Houston is 0-5 in their last 5 against Atlanta. The Astros are 9-43 in their last 52 road games. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Minnesota Twins offense has gotten healthy over the last few weeks. Minnesota has been piling up the runs of late, especially against left-handed pitching. Jon Lester has been awful this year, and he has been even worse of late. Lester has a 13.50 ERA in his last three starts. Samuel Deduno has been solid this year, but he should struggle against this great Boston lineup. Boston is really swinging it well now that they are healthy. Look for the Red Sox to put up the runs in bunches down the stretch this season. The over is 5-0 in the Twins last 5 road games. The over is 4-0 in Lester's last 4 starts. A nice 9-0 angle backs this one, and I like both teams to put up a big number here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Miami Marlins are really in trouble right now. They have unloaded some key pieces over the last couple weeks, and Stanton is still out of the lineup. Atlanta is playing some terrific baseball, and the Braves have one of the deepest lineups in all of baseball. Ben Sheets has allowed just one run in his first three starts with the Braves. Sheets has great stuff, and the Marlins offense is struggling in a big way right now. The Braves are 7-0 in their last 7 as a favorite. The Marlins are 5-16 in their last 21 road games. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Milwaukee Brewers offense has finally gotten red hot of late. Guys like Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart are really starting to hit the ball. Houston is by far the worst team in all of baseball. The Astros are a ridiculous 9-42 in their last 51 road games. Jordan Lyles starts for Houston, and the Astros are 1-15 in his last 16 road starts. They are 4-24 in his last 28 starts overall. Mike Fiers is really flying under the radar right now. Fiers has a stellar 1.77 ERA in 10 starts this season. Houston's offense is the worst in baseball, and he should shut them down. This one should get ugly early. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Minnesota Twins are playing much better baseball of late. In fact, since the beginning of May the Twins have played .500 baseball. They have gotten healthy and guys like Mauer, Willingham, and Morneau are very tough in the middle of the order. Scott Diamond is the Twins best pitcher right now. Diamond is 9-4 with a 2.88 ERA this season. Jake Peavy has a 4.95 ERA in his last 3 starts, and he has been showing some signs of slowing down of late. The Twins are 7-1 in Diamond's last 8 home starts. Take the Twins here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* Tom Milone has flown under the radar much of this season. It's hard to believe that a guy with an ERA of 0.91 at home could be such a small favorite here. Tampa Bay have struggled against lefties all season, and I expect them to struggle mightily against Milone. James Shields haven't been able to find his 2011 form. Shields is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his last 3 starts. The Rays are 1-4 in Shields' last 5 against Oakland. The A's are 23-5 in their last 28 against a right-handed pitcher. Oakland is 7-1 in Milone's last 8 home starts. Take Oakland.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Derrick Lowe and Luke Hochevar are both guys who allow a ton of base runners and try to work out of jams. Lowe got away with it earlier in the year, but he has been blasted of late. Lowe has an ERA over 9 in his last 3 starts. Hochevar has an ERA of 5.7 in his home starts this season. The Indians have several guys with great career numbers against Hochevar. The over is 8-1 in Hochevar's last 9 starts against the Indians. The over is 20-5-2 in the last 27 meetings between these two in Kansas City. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Kris Medlen hasn't started a game in a couple years, and he isn't expected to throw more than 75 pitches in this one. The Marlins offense isn't great, but I expect them to put up a few runs here. Ricky Nolasco is a streaky pitcher, and he is pitching terrible of late. The Braves have several guys who have hit him extremely well in the past. Nolasco gave up 6 earned runs in his last start against Atlanta. The Braves offense seems to be coming together right now. I like this play largely because I believe 8 is too low of a number considering the circumstances. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Oakland Athletics have been playing very good baseball of late, but this is a tough spot for them. They are coming off a long East Coast trip and must come back and face one of the best pitchers in the AL. David Price is really dealing right now. Price is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA in his last 3 starts. Overall, he has six straight quality starts. A.J. Griffin has been terrific so far this year, but I don't value him quite as highly as Price just yet. Oakland is hitting only .225 this year against left-handed pitchers. Tampa Bay just took 2 of 3 from the Angels in LA. The Rays are 17-4 in Price's last starts as a road favorite of -110 to -150. Take Tampa Bay here.

*5 Star MLB Top Play Total* Several key factors come together to make this one a 5 Star Top Play. Gavin Floyd and Scott Feldman have both be extremely inconsistent this season. Both of these guys are fully capable of giving up 7 or 8 runs in one game. The Rangers have the deepest line up in baseball, and the White Sox have been great against right handed pitching all season. A temperature of 102 degrees at game time should really help the ball fly well. Sam Holbrook is the home plate umpire here, and he is one of my favorite over umpires. The over is 34-16-6 in Holbrook's last 56 games behind home plate. Take the over big.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error* Johnathan Sanchez has been one of the worst pitchers in all of baseball this year. He had an ERA of 7.76 in his stint with the Royals earlier this year. The Rockies recently traded for him, and he disappointed in his first outing with Colorado. It's hard to imagine a move to Coors Field helping a pitcher like Sanchez. The Reds have won 9 straight games, and the main reason has been their tremendous offense. Everyone has been contributing of late, and I think they can put up a big number here. Take Cincinnati -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Roy Halladay has been the best pitcher in baseball past few years, but he isn't healthy right now. Halladay has an ERA over 8 in his last three starts. Atlanta has actually hit Halladay fairly well in the past. Chipper Jones, Dan Uggla, and others have very good numbers against Halladay. The Braves have a lot to play for right now, while the Phillies can just pack it in. Tim Hudson is still a solid starter, and the Braves have a much better bullpen. The Braves are 4-0 in their last 4 games. The Phillies are 0-5 in their last five versus Atlanta. Take the Braves.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Chicago White Sox haven't done well against left-handed pitching this year. Matt Harrison has quietly put together an amazing season for the Rangers. Harrison had two terrible starts in the first month of the season, but he hasn't given up more than 4 runs in a single game the rest of the year. Phillip Humber notched a no-hitter this year, but he has a horrible 6.25 ERA overall. Humber has allowed 5 runs or more in 5 of his last 10 starts. Texas still has the best lineup in baseball, and they are bound to break out soon. Don't be surprised if it is in this game. This is a mismatch all the way around. Texas is 23-6 in Harrison's last 29 starts as a favorite. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Atlanta Braves are playing very good baseball right now. They have been a very streaky team this year, but I think they are capable of making a big run. Atlanta's lineup is very deep, and they have one of the best bullpens in all of baseball. Philadelphia has been a major disappointment, and they really don't have much to play for right now. Mike Minor was awful for a long stretch earlier this year, but he has been great in his last 3 starts. The Phillies aren't good against lefties, and I think this is a good matchup for Minor. Joe Blanton has an ERA over 5 in his career against Atlanta. The Phillies are 8-22 in their last 30 against teams with a winning record. Take the Braves here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Jordan Zimmerman is one of the best pitchers in the majors, but he rarely gets talked about. That's ok with me, because he tends to have better value because of his underrated qualities. This is a guy who hasn't allowed more than 4 runs in a game all season. He absolutely gives his team a chance to win every single time out. Randy Wolf is far past his prime, and he allows far too many base runners. Wolf has a 5.46 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. The Brewers got rid of Zack Greinke yesterday, and it appears this team has given up on the 2012 season. Washington is tied for the best record in the National League. Washington is 6-0 in Zimmerman's last 6 road starts against a team with a losing record. They are 4-0 in their last 4 as a favorite. The Brewers are 0-4 in Wolf's last 4 against the NL East. Take Washington.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Cleveland Indians just came off an impressive win over Justin Verlander last night. This is a let down spot like we often see in basketball. Cleveland has been awful against lefties all year. In fact, the team is hitting just .220 against lefties in 2012. Scott Diamond is the best pitcher on the Twins staff right now. He is 8-4 with a 3.16 ERA in his rookie season thus far. The Twins are 6-1 in his last 7 home starts. Josh Tomlin has an ERA above 6 on the road this year. Look for Minnesota to win this one.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline TOP Play* The Houston Astros have lost ten straight games. Obviously there losing streak has to end somewhere, but the Astros are going to do a lot of losing the rest of this season. Houston has gotten rid of some decent pieces in their firesale of late, and this lineup has virtually nothing left. The bullpen is awful, and the starting pitching isn't much better. At this point, Houston is by far the worst team in the majors. I fully expect opposing teams to be laying -200 or more against Houston very often in the coming months. Pittsburgh still isn't getting enough credit from the oddsmakers. Jeff Karstens is pitching for his spot in the rotation here, and he already shut out the Astros once this month. The Pirates are 4-0 in his last 4 against Houston. They are 4-0 in their last 4 as a road favorite. Houston is 4-23 in Lyles' last 27 starts. They are 0-10 in their last 10 games. Take Pittsburgh big!

*3 Star Red Sox/Yankees CASH* Aaron Cook has been a nice little success story for the Red Sox, but I expect him to regress very soon. The Yankees lineup is stacked and I just can't see Cook getting through this lineup without a bunch of damage. Phil Hughes has thrown 4 quality starts in his last 5 starts. Boston misses David Ortiz in a big way. It will be Ichiro's first home game as a member of the Yankees, and I think he'll be a great fit for the team. The Yankees are the better team in every aspect of the game here. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Oakland A's are on an amazing run right now. It's hard to imagine this team going on the run they have with such a poor lineup, but they have done it. Oakland has been dead last in team batting average almost all year. The Athletics do it with terrific starting pitching, relief pitching, and defense. Toronto had one of the best offenses in the game at the beginning of the year, but that has changed. Jose Bautista is out and the lineup isn't the same without him. Escobar may miss this game as well, and J.P. Arencibia fractured his hand in last night's game. The A's won last night 16-0. Oakland doesn't have an explosive offense at all, and I think a day game after a night game is a perfect time to expect them to come back down to earth. Look for some regulars to sit in this one on a get away day. Both Tom Milone and Aaron Laffey have been far better than experts predicted. The under is 5-1 in Milone's last 6 games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Jeff Francis is a guy I like to fade when the opportunity presents itself. The Arizona Diamondbacks have been absolutely crushing left-handed pitching this year. Arizona is hitting .274 and average 5.58 runs per game against lefties. Francis isn't an average lefty, he is much worse. Francis didn't even have a major league spot at the beginning of the year, and his ERA consistently ends above 5 every year. The Rockies lineup is severely short-handed right now. Look for Arizona to jump on Francis here. This one should get ugly. Take Arizona -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error* The Los Angeles Angels have really hit their stride of late. This is a playoff team and I expect them to continue to play well the rest of the season. Mike Trout makes a tremendous difference at the top of the lineup. Jered Weaver is arguably the best pitcher in baseball right now. Weaver is 12-1 with a 2.20 ERA. At home, he is 7-0 with a 0.67 ERA. The Royals start Luke Hochevar, who is wildly inconsistent. He has a a brutal 8.68 ERA during the daytime this year. Don't expect the Royals to get more than a run or two off Weaver, and the Angels should get to Hochevar. Take the Angels -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Stephen Strasburg is an amazing young pitcher, and the Mets are playing some terrible baseball right now. The Mets are 1-11 in their last 12, and they are basically out of the playoff race after starting the season so well. Washington just keeps on ticking at the top of the NL East. Jeremy Hefner hasn't been successful in the bigs, and the pitching mismatch here is huge. The Nationals are 8-1 in their last 9 at New York. The Mets are 0-8 in their last 8 games against a right-handed pitcher. Look for Strasburg and the Nationals to dominate. Take Washington -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Los Angeles Angels offense is really clicking right now. You can't say enough about what Mike Trout has done for this lineup. Trout is a hitting machine, and he does major damage on the bases as well. With Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo both hitting well in the middle of the order, this lineup can pile up the runs quickly. Will Smith doesn't appear to be ready for the majors yet, and the Angels have been very good against lefties. Garrett Richards has been wildly inconsistent this season. The over is 7-1 in the Royals last 8 following a loss. The over is 3-0-1 in Richards' last 4. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* I feel like the Atlanta Braves have the ability to make a run at the NL East. Atlanta has a deep lineup and a very good bullpen. Tim Hudson is 8-4 with a 3.7 ERA in 2012. He has an ERA under 2 on the road this season. The Marlins offense has underperformed all season. Hanley Ramirez is questionable for this game, and the Marlins definitely miss Stanton in the middle of the lineup. The starting pitchers are even in my opinion, but the Braves have the better lineup and the better bullpen. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* The Detroit Tigers are finally playing the way everyone expected them to this season. The trade to bring in Omar Infante should help the offense even more. Ubaldo Jimenez has been awful of late. He has a 9.64 ERA in his last 3 starts. On the other side, Doug Fister has a 2.57 ERA in his last 3 starts. Cleveland's lineup hasn't been hitting the ball very well lately, and I expect them to struggle against Fister. The Tigers' offense is rolling and I don't see that stopping here. Tigers are 10-2 in their last 12 as a favorite. The Indians are 1-4 in Jimenez's last 5 starts. Take Detroit.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* C.J. Wilson had a poor outing in his last game. He allowed 7 runs in Detroit. That really was his only very bad start of the year. Wilson has been a tremendous pitcher the last 3 seasons, and I fully expect him to bounce back big in this one. The Royals have struggled against lefties all season. Kansas City is 1-5 in their last 6 against a lefty. The Agnels are 13-3 in their last 16 against a lefty. Bruce Chen has a 7.11 ERA on the road this year. This is a major pitching mismatch. Look for the Angels offense to keep on rolling. Take the Angels -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Jordan Zimmerman is one of the best pitchers in the majors right now, but he doesn't get the same publicity as many of the other top pitchers in baseball. Zimmerman has nine straight quality starts. He also has allowed only one run in his last 19 innings pitched. Chris Young is 2-4 with a 4.11 ERA this year. The Nationals have a terrific bullpen, while the Mets have the worst bullpen in the majors. The Mets are in a free fall right now, and I don't see it stopping in this one. The Mets are 0-7 in their last 7 against a right-handed pitcher. The Mets are 0-4 in Young's last 4 home starts. Take the Nationals.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Tommy Hunter and Justin Masterson have both struggled this season. Hunter has a 5.71 ERA and Masterson has a 4.29 ERA this year. The weather forecast in Cleveland calls for upper 80's and the wind blowing out at 15 to 20 mph on Monday night. Both of these offenses are good against right-handed pitching. The over is 16-7-1 in Hunter's last 24 starts overall. The over is 4-1 in Masterson's last 5 starts against the Orioles. Look for a higher scoring than most expect in this one. I like the value on the over.

3 Star Sunday Night Baseball Beatdown* The Texas Rangers have the best offense in baseball. Dan Haren has struggled badly in his last few starts. He is making his first start since coming off the disabled list with a back injury. Texas isn't the type of team you want to go up against when you aren't 100 percent. Matt Harrison had two bad games earlier in the season, but he has quietly been dominating throughout the rest of the season. The Rangers are 17-5 in their last 22 against right handed pitching. The Rangers are 14-2 in Harrison's last 16 Sunday starts. The Angels are 2-8 in Haren's last 10 home starts. Take Texas.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* The oddsmakers continue to believe that Pittsburgh isn't very good, but the Pirates just keep winning. Jeff Karstens has been solid all season, and the Marlins lineup has been a major disappointment. Without Stanton in the middle of the order, the Marlins don't have a lot of power. Andrew McCutchen is the hottest hitter in all of baseball right now. The Pirates are 22-5 in their last 27 as a favorite. They are 4-0 in their last 4 games. The Marlins are 0-4 in their last 4 road games. I like the value on the Pirates at home. Take Pittsburgh.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Jacob Turner doesn't appear to be ready for the majors just yet. He has an ERA over 10 so far this season. Turner should end up being a good pitcher over time, but it seems the Tigers are rushing him. The White Sox lineup is very good against right handed pitchers. Phillip Humber pitched a no-hitter earlier this year, but he has been horrible since then. Humber's ERA is 5.77 for the season. The over is 7-0 in Humber's last 7 starts against teams with a winning record. The over is also 7-0 in Humber's last 7 against the AL Central. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Jason Vargas is a solid young pitcher for the Mariners. Vargas has had a couple horrible outings this year, but for the most part he's been very good. Tampa Bay's offense is still short handed and the Rays have struggled against lefties all year. Alex Cobb has an ERA of almost 5 this season. He struggles to pitch deep into the game. Both bullpens were used heavily in last night's 14 inning game. I expect Tampa Bay to have to go to a tired bullpen early in this one. The Mariners have been hitting well on the road. I like the value on the underdog. Take Seattle.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error* Chris Sale has been amazing in the starting rotation this year. He is 11-2 with a 2.01 ERA. Sale is one of the big reasons the White Sox have lead the AL Central all season. Detroit is making a big push right now, but I think the White Sox have the perfect starter on the hill to win this one. Rick Porcello has been inconsistent all year. Look for the White Sox offense to get to Porcello early in this one. This is too big of a pitching mismatch to overlook. I like the White Sox in a close game. Take Chicago.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Yu Darvish has struggled a bit of late, but his struggles have been nothing compared to those of Ervin Santana. Santana has been blasted in his last few starts, and it's hard to imagine him turning it around against the best offense in baseball. Darvish is still a confident pitcher, and I think he has the stuff to strike out a lot of Angels batters. The Angels are making a strong run at the Rangers in the AL West, but I think Darvish will get Texas back on track here. Look for the Rangers to jump on Santana early. Take Texas.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Matt Cain is one of baseball's best pitchers. It's hard to find a pitcher who is more consistent than Cain. The Giants' offense isn't great, but it is much better than last season. Cole Hamels has been solid this season, but the Phillies offense will likely struggle against Cain. There are a couple very interesting angles on this game. The Giants are 6-0 in Cain's last 6 starts as an underdog. The Phillies are 0-6 in their last 6 games against right handed pitchers. The Phillies are 0-4 in their last 4 games as a home favorite. Take the Giants.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Ben Sheets pitched brilliantly in his Braves debut. Sheets was an elite pitcher for the Brewers for several years, and I think he still has very good stuff. Edwin Jackson has an ERA above 10 in his last three starts. Jackson has been a streaky pitcher all throughout his career. When he gets on a bad streak, he is a great pitcher to fade. The Braves offense is definitely more dynamic than the Nationals. This season is a good chance for Atlanta to gain ground on the Nationals in the NL East. The Braves are 12-2 in their last 14 against the NL East. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Total Bailout* Tom Milone has been spectacular at home this season. He has really flown under the radar out in Oakland, but his 1.03 ERA at home is extremely impressive. He pitched well early this year at home against the Yankees. Ivan Nova is 7-0 with an ERA below 3.5 on the road this year. Oakland has the worst team batting average in the majors. Bill Miller is the umpire behind the plate in this one. Miller is one of my favorite under umpires because of his large strike zone. The under is 4-0 in the Yankees last 4. The under is 6-0 in Oakland's last 6 as a home underdog. The under is 4-0 in Milone's last 4 home starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* It would be hard to find a match up of pitchers who have struggled more this season than these two. Nick Blackburn has an ERA over 8 this season. He simply hasn't been able to get anyone out. Kansas City's offense has improved of late, and the hot temperatures help the ball carry here. Luke Hochevar has an ERA over 6 at home this year. He is an extremely inconsistent pitcher. He'll be facing a Twins lineup that is healthy and hitting well right now. The over is 5-0 in the Royals last 5 following a loss. The over is 5-0 in the Royals last 5 as a home favorite. The over is 4-1 in Blackburn's last 5 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Seattle Mariners are an interesting team in that they can't seem to hit the ball at all at home, but they hit extremely well on the road. James Shields was excellent last year, but he has struggled in 2012. He has allowed at least ten hits in each of his last three starts. He has an ERA over six during that three game period. Tampa Bay's offense is slowly heating up. A healthy Matt Joyce helps in the middle of the order. I believe this total is set like it should have been last year when Shields was dominating. Both of these pitchers have been struggling recently. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Baltimore Orioles haven't gotten much respect all year. Wei-Yin Chen has been solid all season long. Cole De Vries was never very good in the minors. He had a couple nice starts in the majors, but I'm not a believer in him yet. He was rocked in his last outing, and I think the Orioles could get to him quite a bit here as well. The Orioles have one of the best bullpens in the majors, while the Twins may well have the worst bullpen in baseball. I think the oddsmakers are giving us a good value on Baltimore. Take the Orioles.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Washington Nationals are playing terrific baseball right now. Gio Gonzalez and R.A. Dickey lead the majors with 12 wins each. It's a great pitching duel here. Gonzalez has been great at home this year. Dickey has been terrific, but his last two starts have been very shaky. Knuckleballers are notoriously streaky, which makes him tough to back right now. In addition, Dickey has an ERA about one whole run higher during day games in his career. The Mets average only 4.03 runs per game against lefties. The Mets are 0-6 in their last 6 road games. The Nationals are 7-0 in their last 7 home games against a team with a winning record. They are also 4-0 in Gonzalez's last 4 starts on 4 days rest. Take the Nationals.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Giants and Braves played 11 innings Wednesday. There was also a rain delay before the game. The game didn't end until well after midnight. Now, they must come back and play again less than 12 hours later. This situation is a good one for the under since I expect several regulars to rest here. In addition, the Braves have struggled against lefties all year and Madison Bumgarner is a very good one. Tim Hudson was hit hard in his last outing, but I think he bounces back here. We get a solid under umpire here in DJ Reyburn. Look for this to be a low scoring affair. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Tampa Bay Rays' offense isn't the same without Evan Longoria. Tampa Bay has been an 'under' machine at home the past couple years. The under is 97-47-6 in the Rays' last 150 home games. Jeremy Hellickson has been great at home his entire time in the majors. He has an impressive 3.12 ERA at home this season. Justin Masterson was lit up in his last start against the Rays, but I expect him to bounce back in this one. Dan Iassogna is the home-plate umpire here. He has a wide strike zone and I believe both pitchers will take advantage of that in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Los Angeles Angels have been playing as well as anyone after a slow start to the season. C.J. Wilson is one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the majors. Wilson has allowed more than 3 earned runs only once this year. The Tigers have struggled against lefties all season, and Wilson is one of the league's best lefties. The Angels' offense is a completely different animal with Mike Trout leading off and Albert Pujols hitting the ball like most expected he would. The Angels are 7-0 in Wilson's last 7 starts as a road favorite. The Tigers are 0-6 in Fister's last 6 starts following a quality start. Fister has been inconsistent all season. Take the Angels.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to defy the odds this season. The oddsmakers are still lining this team as if they are a below .500 team even though they are just one game back of the Reds in the NL Central. James McDonald has been one of the best under the radar starters all year. McDonald has a 9-3 record and a 2.59 ERA. Colorado starts Jeremy Guthrie, who has been horrible at Coors Field. Guthrie has a 9.23 ERA in 39 innings at home this season. The Rockies are 35-55 and have little to play for right now. The Pirates are 5-0 in McDonald's last 5 as a favorite. The Rockies are 0-5 in their last 5 Wednesday games. Take the Pirates.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Play of the Day* John Axford blew last night's game for the Milwaukee Brewers, which also cost me my wager on the Brewers ML. Tuesday, I believe the value is on the St. Louis Cardinals. Joe Kelly is a talented young starter who has the stuff to shut opposing offenses down. Kelly's one issue is walks, but Brian Gorman (home plate umpire) has a big strike zone and that should help. Kelly hasn't allowed more than 3 runs in any of his major league starts thus far. Randy Wolf has never been a dominant pitcher, and he is nearing the end of his career at this point. Wolf doesn't have the velocity to put hitters away, and he has been getting smashed around of late. Wolf has a 9.01 ERA in his last three starts. The Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 as a road favorite. They are 5-1 in their last 6 games at Milwaukee. The Brewers are 1-6 in Wolf's last 7 home starts against a team with a winning record. Take the Cardinals.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The times have changed quickly for the Los Angeles Angels offense. Earlier this year the offense was a major disappointment, but now they are one of the hottest in the majors. Mike Trout is an amazing spark for this team at the leadoff spot. Jacob Turner is just 21 years old, and he has struggled in the majors so far in his career. The Angels lineup will likely make things tough on him tonight. Garrett Richards has an 8.80 ERA in his last 3 starts. Richards has a 5.79 ERA on the road this year. Detroit's lineup is a tough one to navigate through too. The over is 11-2 in the Angels last 13 road games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Jose Bautista was put on the disabled list earlier today. Bautista is the rock in the middle of the order for the Blue Jays, and without him I think this lineup will struggle. C.C. Sabathia hits his stride this time of the year. Sabathia could easily dominate this free swinging Jays lineup. Brett Cecil isn't pitching well at all right now. Cecil has a 6.75 ERA this year. He has a WHIP of 1.77 in his last three starts. The Yankees lineup is one of the best in baseball, and I expect them to hit him hard in this one. The Blue Jays are 0-6 in their last 6 at New York. The Jays are also 0-7 in Cecil's last 7 against the AL East. This should get ugly. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Pittsburgh Pirates are a completely different team than they have been in past years. Andrew McCutchen is baseball's best hitter right now, and he is absolutely carrying this offense on his back. Because McCutchen is so hot, the players around him are getting better pitches to hit. Jeff Francis starts for Colorado here. Francis has had an ERA around 5 in his previous years in the majors, and no team even signed him to start the year. I think he is due for regression. Colorado is 20 games under .500 and they have nothing to play for. I think the Pirates are undervalued here. Take Pittsburgh.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The St. Louis Cardinals were swept out of Cincinnati late last night on Sunday Night Baseball. The Cardinals are scuffling right now. St. Louis still has a very good offense, but their pitching staff isn't what it needs to be. Lance Lynn has great numbers for the season, but he has been blasted in 3 of his last 4 starts. Michael Fiers is a rookie with a deceptive delivery that is really working. Fiers has allowed 2 runs or less in four straight starts. The Brewers aren't the home team they were last year, but getting them at such a short price here is a nice value. The Cardinals are 0-4 in their last 4 road games. The Brewers are 70-34 in their last 104 as a home favorite. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Cleveland Indians are right in the thick of the AL Central race. Cleveland has a solid lineup from top to bottom. Tampa Bay is hurting in a big way right now. They don't have Evan Longoria or Matt Joyce in the middle of the order. Tampa Bay's offense really lacks a punch right now. Zach McAllister has been pretty good for the Indians. They are 4-1 in his last 5 starts. Alex Cobb has struggled for Tampa Bay this year. Interestingly, the Rays are 0-4 in Cobb's last 4 starts as a favorite. Overall, Tampa Bay is 2-9 in their last 11 games as a favorite. Take the underdog here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Stephen Strasburg had a couple of slightly subpar starts right before the break, but he is absolutely an elite pitcher in the majors. Ricky Nolasco is one of the most streaky pitchers in all of baseball, and he is red hot of late. Nolasco has a 0.92 ERA in his last 3 starts. Strasburg has a 2.82 ERA for the season overall. Both of these offenses are missing key players right now. The under is 5-0-1 in the Marlins last 6. The under is 5-0 in the Nationals last 5. The under is 6-1 in Nolasco's last 7 starts against the Nationals. The under is 4-1 in Strasburg's last 5 starts against the Marlins. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Los Angeles Angels have been one of the best teams in baseball since Mike Trout was called up. The Angels have dropped the first two games in this series, but they'll have the pitching advantage on Sunday. Jered Weaver is 10-1 with a 1.96 ERA this year. He has been the best pitcher in baseball so far this year. Ivan Nova has 10 wins for the Yankees this year, but his ERA is almost 4. I don't expect him to get as much run support when the Yankees lineup faces a guy like Weaver. The Angels are 4-0 in Weaver's last 4 starts against the Yankees. The Angels are 9-0 in their last 9 when the opposition scores at least 5 runs in the previous game. Look for the Angels to bounce back with Weaver on the mound. Take the Angels.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Derek Lowe has allowed far too many base runners all year. Lowe has a terrible WHIP of 1.58 on the season. Toronto's offense is clicking right now with Lawrie at the leadoff spot. The Rogers Center has been great for overs, especially during the daytime this year. Carlos Villanueva isn't a dominating pitcher, and the Indians offense is as healthy as they have been all year. The first game of this series was a 1-0 final. The second game of the series was an 11-9 Blue Jays win. Look for this finale to be like yesterday's high scoring contest. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Diego Padres have the worst offense in the NL. The Dodgers have Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier back now, but this still isn't a great lineup. Edison Volquez has been absolutely dealing of late. He has a 0.92 ERA in his last 3 starts. Aaron Harang has been solid this year for the Dodgers, especially at home. Harang has a nice 2.80 ERA at home this year. Greg Gibson is the umpire here, and the under is 49-24-6 in his last 79 games behind the dish. The under is 4-1 in the Padres last 5. The under is 6-1 in the Dodgers last 7. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Boston Red Sox hit left-handed pitching extremely well. Boston is 7-0 in their last 7 games against lefties. David Price is a very good lefty, but the Red Sox have had some success against him in the past. Clay Buchholz has looked like a whole new pitcher in his last few outings. Tampa Bay's offense is severely short-handed without Longoria or Joyce. The Red Sox lineup got a major boost when Ellsbury came back on Friday night. I see no reason for Boston to be dogged by this much. I really like the value on this one. Take Boston.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals played late into the night last night. Both teams used up the bullpens in the 14 inning marathon game. This tends to lead to higher scoring games the following day since fewer bullpen pitchers are well-rested and ready for this one. Luke Hochevar has a 6.57 ERA at home this year, and he is coming off an injury. Jake Peavy has been great this year, but he has been slightly more hittable of late. Tim Tschida is one of the best over umps in the business. With a hot temperature and wind blowing out, the conditions are great. The over is 6-0 in the last 6 games between these two teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Both of these pitchers are on their game right now. Gio Gonzalez has been one of the best pitchers in baseball so far this year. He is 12-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 2012. Mark Buehrle has a 0.83 ERA in his last 3 games. Buehrle has been dealing at home this season. Both of these offenses have been struggling of late, and both are without a couple key players. These pitchers are good at minimizing big innings, and that should be enough to keep this under the total. The under is 6-1-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two teams. Take the under here.

*5 Star MLB Top Play Total* The Los Angeles Angels offense started the year slowly, but they are crushing the ball of late. Mike Trout has made a massive difference for this lineup. The Yankees have had one of the best offenses all season. This pitching matchup of Jerome Williams and Freddy Garcia led me to look at the over in this one to start with. Neither guy has overpowering stuff at all. Paul Schrieber is the home plate umpire here, and he is a great over umpire. His tiny strike zone should hurt both of these pitchers. The over is 9-1 in the Angels last 10 road games. The over is 4-1 in the Yankees last 5. Take the over big!

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Madison Bumgarner has been brilliant this year. Bumgarner is coming off his worst outing of the year. He allowed 7 earned runs against Washington last time out. I feel like this is a perfect bounce back spot for him. The Astros may have the worst lineup in the NL right now. Bumgarner has a 1.88 ERA at home. The Giants offense is better than most realize right now. Jordan Lyles has been dreadful on the road. The Astros are 0-13 in his last 13 road starts. Lyles has a 6.67 ERA on the road this year. The Astros are 18-63 in their last 81 road games. This one should get ugly. Take the Giants -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals both struggle against left-handed pitchers. Bruce Chen has an ERA over 7 on the road, but he has a solid 3.21 ERA at home this year. The White Sox have a poor history against Chen. Jose Quintana has been great since coming to the majors earlier this year. Quintana has only allowed more than 2 earned runs once, and that was against the Yankees. The under is 6-1 in Quintana's last 7 starts. The under is 5-1 in the White Sox last 6 road games against a lefty. Look for a low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* I really like the pitching matchup here. Josh Johnson didn't start the season very well, but he has rounded into form very nicely of late. Jordan Zimmerman is one of the more underrated pitchers in all of baseball right now. Both of these guys have been hurt by poor run production by their team's offense when they are pitching. Both of these offenses are short-handed right now, and I don't think these teams can put up too many against such a good opposing pitcher. The under is 3-1-1 in Johnson's last 5 home starts. The under is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings. Take the under.

*3 Star Yankees/Red Sox Winner* The Boston Red Sox salvaged the second game of the double header yesterday, but the Red Sox aren't playing good baseball at all right now. New York has jumped on Boston pitching in the first inning of each of the first three games in this series. Jon Lester has an ERA above 5.5 at home this season. The Yankees hit left-handed pitching very well. The Yankees are 8-1 in Ivan Nova's last nine Sunday starts. They are also 19-5 in his last 24 road starts. New York is 5-1 in their last 6 at Boston. Take the Yankees.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The Los Angeles Dodgers offense has been dreadful of late. The Dodgers have scored more than 4 runs just once in the past two weeks. Trevor Bauer is a highly ranked pitching prospect, and I think he can tame this very weak Dodgers lineup. Chris Capuano has been pitching extremely well all year. Capuano has a 2.68 ERA this season. The Diamondbacks offense isn't nearly as explosive when Chase Field has the roof closed. The roof is set to be closed for this one. The under is 5-0 in Capuano's last 5 starts. The under is 19-7 in the DBacks last 26 Sunday games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Total Error* I really don't understand how the oddsmakers came up with this number. Brett Cecil is an inconsistent lefty, but the White Sox are hitting just .234 against lefties this year. Axelrod is a good looking young pitcher for the White Sox. The weather is expected to be more moderate as far as the temperature here. I expected a total of 9.5 or so, so seeing 11 really shocked me. D.J. Reyburn is the home plate umpire here, and he is one of the better under umpires in the league. The under is 4-0 in the White Sox last 4. The under is 4-0 in the Jays last 4 road games against a righty. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Jeremy Guthrie starts for the Rockies in this one. Guthrie has been absolutely awful so far this year. He has an ERA over 6 on the season. Guthrie really shouldn't have a spot in the rotation at this point, but the Rockies just don't have another option. Jordan Zimmerman is an extremely consistent pitcher for the Washington Nationals. Zimmerman has an ERA under 3 on the season. Colorado is 8-22 in their last 30 games. The Rockies' normally strong offense has been struggling of late. The Nationals have a huge pitching advantage. This one should get ugly. Take Washington -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Top Play Total* Ryan Dempster hasn't allowed a run in his last 3 starts. Dempster was on the disabled list with a minor injury, but I don't expect his pitching form to be any different in this one. The Cubs' offense has struggled all season, especially with left handed pitchers. Jon Niese is a solid lefty who pitches well at home. Doug Eddings is the home plate umpire in this matchup. Eddings has consistently been the best under umpire in baseball in the last several years. The under is 6-0-1 in Dempster's last 7 against the NL East. The under is 36-13-3 in Eddings last 52 Sunday games. Take the under big.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The San Diego Padres have been playing much better of late, but this still is not a good baseball team. The Reds have had a little trouble on the West Coast, but they are a far more complete team than the Padres. Homer Bailey has an ERA under 3 on the road this year. Bailey has pitched well against the Padres in his career. Clayton Richard has been pretty good this season, but the Reds hit left-handers well. The Reds are 5-0 in Bailey's last 5 road starts. They are also in 4-0 in Bailey's last 4 starts against San Diego. The Padres are 0-4 in Richards last 4 Saturday starts. Take the Reds.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* The Philadelphia Phillies are in a major tailspin right now. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are back in the lineup, but that isn't going to fix this team's problems right away. Tommy Hanson has been a better pitcher on the road than at home. Hanson has been great in his career against the Phillies. Joe Blanton is no better than a mediocre pitcher, and the Braves have hit him well in the past. The Braves are 9-0 in Hanson's last 9 starts as an underdog. The Phillies are 0-4 in Blanton's last 4 against the National League East. The Braves are the more complete team. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* It seems a little strange to be wagering on Ricky Romero at this point, but he is clearly a better pitcher than he has shown of late. The Blue Jays are 22-8 in Romero's last 30 starts. Gavin Floyd has an ERA of almost 5 at home this year. The White Sox are a strange case in that they have a much better road record than home record. I wouldn't be surprised to see these two teams finish with nearly identical records at the end of the season. Toronto is 5-0 in Romero's last 5 starts against the White Sox. The White Sox are 0-4 in Floyd's last 4 against the Blue Jays. Take Toronto.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Ryan Vogelsong has been my favorite under pitcher this year. The oddsmakers continue to underrate Vogelsong. He was snubbed from the All-Star team, and I think that gives him extra motivation to pitch well in this one. James McDonald has been consistently good for the Pirates this season. Neither of these teams hit the ball very well, and with two highly underrated pitchers going, I see a lot of value on the under. The under is 14-3 in Vogelsong's last 17 starts on 5 days of rest. The under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Most of the nation is red hot right now with record temperatures. Washington D.C. is right in the middle of the heat. Game time temperature is expected to be 104 degrees in this one with the wind blowing out about 10 miles per hour. The weather here should help the ball fly extremely well Saturday afternoon. Jeff Francis was unsigned at the beginning of the season, and I think he is very hittable. Gio Gonzalez has been very good this year, but he has been a little shaky in his last two outings. Both offenses are hitting the ball extremely well right now. The total here is set at just 8.5, so I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Oakland Athletics have the worst team batting average in the majors at a miserable .225. Kevin Millwood has a solid 3.19 ERA on the road this year. Seattle's offense isn't much better. The Mariners have the second worst batting average in baseball at .229. Tom Milone has been absolutely amazing at home this year. Milone is 5-1 with a 0.99 ERA at home in 2012. In his last 3 starts, Milone has a 0.86 ERA. Milone shut out the Mariners two weeks ago in Seattle. The under is 6-0 in Milone's last 6 starts against the AL West. The under is 4-0 in the A's last 4 home games. The under is 7-0 in the A's last 7 games with a total of 7-8.5. The under is 5-0 in the Mariners last 5 against a team with a losing record. Expect a very low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Minnesota Twins offense has really come to life of late. Minnesota is averaging 5.02 runs per game against lefties. The Twins pounded out 15 hits and managed only 3 runs Thursday. Expect them to cash in more times in this one (it isn't often you see a team have 3 runners thrown out at home in one game as the Twins did Thursday). Texas has punished left-handers for the past couple years. Francisco Liriano isn't the same pitcher he used to be, and I think that will be extremely evident in Arlington Friday night. The heat and the tough lineup he will face should be too much. Look for both teams to score quite a few here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Philadelphia Phillies are coming off a heart breaking loss in New York last night. Ryan Howard is expected to return here, but I'm not sure he'll be in top form just yet. Tim Hudson may not be the dominant pitcher he used to be, but he is still a pretty good pitcher. Hudson is 6-4 with a 3.87 ERA this year, and he is 3-1 with a 2.34 ERA on the road. Kyle Kendrick is an extremely inconsistent pitcher. Kendrick is 2-8 with a 5.35 ERA this year. The Braves are 5-1 in Hudson's last 6 road starts. The Phillies are 5-11 in their last 16 home games. Take Atlanta.