*3 Star MLB Total Domination* In his career, Homer Bailey has seen a lot of the St. Louis Cardinals. Bailey has started nine games at St. Louis, but his ERA is 5.64. Jake Westbrook is on the mound for the Cardinals, and his worst month of the year historically has been April. The wind is expected to be howling out toward center in this one. Great American Ballpark is a major hitters park to start with, and with the aid of the wind the ball should be flying out a lot Monday night. The over is 19-7 in Bailey's last 26 starts. The over is 4-0 in Westbrook's last 4 starts. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline Top Play* Toronto should be geared up for their home opener in this one. There will be 50,000 or more fans packed into the dome Monday night. Boston is coming off a demoralizing extra innings loss at Detroit. The Red Sox were swept away from Detroit with three losses. Boston's bullpen has been awful this year. Toronto has a very good hitting team, and I expect the Blue Jays to pile up the runs this year. Henderson Alvarez was very good in limited time last year, and he looked great in Spring Training. I don't have confidence in Doubront for the Red Sox. The Jays have the pitching advantage here, and this isn't a good spot for the Red Sox. I like Toronto big here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Angels disappointed by losing two of three to the Kansas City Royals at home this past weekend. I still think this Angels team will be terrific this season. C.J. Wilson has the potential to be one of the best in the American League again this year, and he has great numbers against Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau in his career. On the other side, Nick Blackburn has a an ERA over 5.50 against the Angels in his career. Add Albert Pujols and Kendry Morales to the middle of the lineup and that makes them that much tougher. The Twins are in for a long season, and the Angels have the advantage in every facet of the game here. Angels -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* Matt Cain has had a lot of success against the Diamondbacks in the past. The Giants really need to salvage a win in this game, and I think they have a big pitching advantage here. Josh Collmenter had a good season last year, but he was never that good in the minors and I expect him to regress. The Giants are 7-2 in Cain's last 9 starts against Arizona. It isn't often that we'll see this good of a value on the Giants when Matt Cain is pitching. I like the Giants to take care of business here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chase Field is a hitter's paradise with the roof open. Aaron Hill bashed two home runs yesterday as I cashed on the over in that game on my 5 Star Top Play. Matt Cain is very solid, but he does give up the long ball a decent amount. Josh Collmenter has had some success in the majors, but I think hitters will catch on against his strange delivery this year. The over is 5-0-1 in Arizona's last 6 home games. The over is 13-4 in San Francisco's last 17 road games. I think this one gets over the posted total.

*3 Star MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* The line on this game is a bit strange. I suspect the line is this way because the books know the public doesn't think a team can complete a 4-0 sweep on the road. The Padres aren't a good team at all, and I expect a good year from the Dodgers. Aaron Harang had a lot of success in PetCo Park last year, and he should be anxious to show his old team his stuff in this one. The Padres are 1-11 in Clayton Richard's last 12 home starts, and they are still favored. I'll take the underdog here. Take the Dodgers.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value Play* Early in the season there are times it is wise to simply play a game based on line value alone. The Houston Astros aren't a good team at all. I don't consider the Rockies to be particularly good either. Juan Nicasio has an ERA over 7 on the road in his young career. Bud Norris is pretty good at home. I was surprised to see the Rockies as such big favorites in this one. I think this one should be close to pick'em. I'll take the team with the better pitcher at plus money here. Take Houston.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers have two of the best offenses in the American League. These teams can pile up the runs in bunches. Max Scherzer has been terrible against the Red Sox in the past. He has an ERA over 9 against them in his career. Clay Buchholz is a good pitcher, but he is coming off injuries and I don't think he'll dominate this terrific Tigers lineup. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 22 mph in this game. Both teams have plenty of big boppers to knock it out. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The New York Yankees have an amazing lineup, and anytime I see a total this low in one of their games I have to take a second look. David Price is a very good pitcher, but the 'over' is 7-3 in his last 10 starts against New York. Kuroda will be making his first start in a Yankees uniform here. He is a good pitcher, but I don't find him to be dominating. Sam Holbrook is one of the biggest over umpires in baseball, and he'll pinch the strike zone a lot here. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Major Mismatch* Luke Hochevar was a very high draft pick, but he has never fulfilled his promise in the majors. Hochevar has a career ERA of 5.29. Last time he went up against the Angels he gave 7 hits and 4 runs in just five innings. This Angels offense is much better now with Morales healthy and a huge bat in Albert Pujols in the middle of the lineup. Dan Haren is a terrific pitcher, and he is generally a very strong starter at the beginning of the season. The Angels are 8-1 in his last 9 home starts. The Royals are 0-4 in Hochevar's last 4 starts against the Angels. Take LA -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Top Total* Chase Field is a whole different stadium when the roof is open. The dry heat allows the ball to travel in a big way. Three home runs were hit yesterday and that was in a much lower temperature than is expected for this game. Daniel Hudson is a very good pitcher, but he struggled early in the year when the roof was open last season. Jim Reynolds is one of the best over umpires in the game. The over is 119-92 in the last six years when he is behind the dish. Even better, Madison Bumgarner struggles on the road. The over is a perfect 7-0 in his last 7 road starts. The over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between these teams. Take the over big here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Toronto Blue Jays play in a very tough division, but they are a pretty good team. Their overall record will suffer some because they are in the AL East, but expect them to fare quite well outside the division. Ubaldo Jimenez is working with his mechanics a lot, and I don't have a ton of faith in him right now. Brandon Morrow finished the season very strong last year, and I expect a good year out of him. The Blue Jays are 4-0 in their last 4 games at Cleveland. Toronto has the better lineup here. Take Toronto.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Bruce Chen isn't a bad pitcher, but he certainly isn't an ace by most teams standards. The Angels lineup gets a huge boost from Albert Pujols. The Angels have hit Chen very well in the past, and Pujols has 2 HR's in 8 AB's against Chen. Jered Weaver is one of the best pitchers in baseball. Weaver had an amazing 2.74 ERA last season. The Angels are 41-15 in Weaver's last 56 home starts. They are also 4-0 in his last 4 starts against the Royals. Kansas City is improving, but they are definitely not in the same league as the Angels. Take the Angels -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series last year despite getting into the playoffs on the last day of the season. They won as huge underdogs in Miami Wednesday night. St. Louis is listed as an underdog again here, and I don't think it makes much sense. Jaime Garcia is one of the best young pitchers in baseball and April has been his best month of the year in his career. Garcia has a solid 3.27 ERA against the Brewers. Yovani Gallardo is 1-7 with a 5.66 ERA against the Cardinals in 11 starts. The Brewers are 0-4 in Gallardo's last 4 starts against St. Louis. Take the Cardinals.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* This total is set extremely low, and I don't think it should be. Both starting pitchers have struggled in this situation. Garcia is a good pitcher, but he has an ERA above 6 at Miller Park. Gallardo has an ERA of 5.66 in 11 starts against the Cardinals. Both of these teams are much better than the average offense in the majors. The over is 12-3-1 in the last 16 meetings between these two in Milwaukee. I think this one has a good chance of getting to 9 or 10 runs. This one is likely an overreaction to so many games going 'under' yesterday. Take the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* I was waiting on this play to confirm the umpire and lineups. Now that both look solid, I am going to play the over here. Both pitching staffs are very poor. Carl Pavano and Jake Arrieta should not be an ace in any situation, but they are for these teams. Both of these offenses should be better than last year. The bullpens are both terrible in this one, and I expect them to get roughed up here. The over is 11-5-3 in Arrieta's last 19 home starts. The over is 5-2 in Pavano's last 7 road starts. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Opening Day Top Play* Clayton Kershaw is an absolutely dominating pitcher who is as consistent as you will find in the majors. The Dodgers struggled through most of the season last year, but they got hot at the end and finished 82-79. This team has a lot more to play for with new ownership and a clear picture this season. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier give them a very nice middle of the order. The Padres are one of the weakest hitting teams in the league. Edinson Volquez has plenty of ability, but he can't control his pitches well at all. Volquez struggles to find the strike zone, and I could see him walking several people here. The Dodgers are the better team, and they have the much more consistent pitcher. The Dodgers are 10-2 in their last 12 against San Diego. San Diego is 1-10 in their last 11 against a lefty. The Dodgers are 5-1 in Kershaw's last 6 starts against San Diego. Take Los Angeles big here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Johan Santana didn't pitch at all in 2011, and he was shaky in Spring Training. This isn't the game pitcher from two or three years ago. The Mets bullpen is a major problem area, while the Braves may have the best bullpen in the National League. Tommy Hanson is constantly improving as a starter. The Braves have one of the best defensive teams in the league, while the Mets are terrible on defense. The Braves are 8-1 in Hanson's last 9 road starts. I think oddsmakers are giving too much credit to Santana in his first start back. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Value* The Boston Red Sox had an epic collapse at the end of last year, while the Detroit Tigers were red hot at the end of the regular season. Justin Verlander won the AL Cy Young and MVP awards. He was 24-5 and had a dazzling 2.40 ERA. The Tigers are a stunning 40-11 in Verlander's last 51 home starts. I really like this Detroit lineup. Boesch is better than people realize, then you have Cabrera and Fielder. This middle of the order is downright nasty. Boston started slow last year, and I don't like their team chemistry. Detroit should prove a point here behind a dominant Verlander. Take Detroit -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Preseason TOP Play* I rarely play an MLB preseason game, and this is my first of the year. I wait for spots that I love, and this one fits perfectly. C.J. Wilson is on the hill for the Angels and he has been dealing this Spring. His ERA is under one. He clearly is out to prove he was a good free agent signing by the Angels. The Angels are the much deeper team compared to the DBacks. Most importantly, recently Angels skipper Mike Scioscia made it clear he is putting a major priority on this team winning in Spring Training. I think this line should be much higher. Take the Angels big.

*3 Star Rangers/Cardinals Guaranteed Cash* The St. Louis Cardinals took Game One of the World Series from the Texas Rangers. Jaime Garcia goes tonight for St. Louis. Garcia was great through the first half of the season, but he has been really shaky of late. The opponents have scored at least three runs in 4 of the last 5 outings Garcia has had. In his last outing, he gave up only one run despite allowing 7 hits in 4 and 2/3. I don't think he'll be so fortunate against this Texas offense. I expect guys like Hamilton, Young, Cruz, etc. to have a big night tonight. Texas is 6-1 in their last 7 against left-handers. Colby Lewis is a very good road pitcher. Texas is 36-16 in their last 52 games following a loss. I expect Texas to even the series here. Take the Rangers ML.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* This is a must win game for the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee is much better at home, but Shaun Marcum has been bad of late and his splits are much better on the road than they are at home. Marcum simply hasn't been locating his pitches of late, and I expect the Cardinals to make him pay if that continues on Sunday. Edwin Jackson has been good in the postseason, but he is much better at home as well. The trends point strongly toward the over in this one. The over is 8-2 in Milwaukee's last 10 home games. The over is 7-1 in the Cardinals last 8 road games. Take the over!

*3 Star Cardinals/Brewers Moneyline CASH* The St. Louis Cardinals have fought back from a deficit all year. The Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 games following a loss. They are 11-4 in their last 15 as an underdog, and 10-3 in their last 13 as a road underdog. Edwin Jackson has great stuff, its just his control that can get him in trouble, but he has been in a groove of late. The Cardinals are 5-0 in Jackson's last 5 starts. Shaun Marcum has struggled a lot of late to command his pitches. Marcum has allowed seven runs in both of his last two starts. The Brewers are 0-4 in Marcum's last 4 home starts. Take the Cardinals as a live underdog here.

*3 Star DBacks/Brewers Total DOMINATION* It's a matchup of two aces in the deciding Game Five Friday night in Milwaukee. Gallardo pitched brilliantly in Game One, while Kennedy didn't have his best stuff. Kennedy was 21-5 this year, and I expect him to put forth a good effort here. Both pitchers should be able to make it deep into the game. Gallardo has an impressive 2.87 ERA at home this year. The under is 8-3 in Kennedy's last 11 starts. The under is 6-2 in Gallardo's last 8 home starts. Expect a close hard fought game here. Take the under.

*3 Star Phillies/Cardinals Moneyline CASH* In my mind, the Phillies are quite clearly the most complete team in baseball right now. The Cardinls really let yesterday's game slip away from them after they stranded 14 runners. Philadelphia was outplayed in many ways, but they managed to win 3-2. I think the Phillies will finish this one off today with a solid veteran pitcher on the mound. Roy Oswalt was actually better on the road this year, and he pitched a shutout in two of his last three starts. Edwin Jackson is an inconsistent pitcher who has an ERA of 9 against the Phillies in his career. The Phillies are 61-29 in their last 90 games as a favorite. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Milwaukee Brewers will look to sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks, while Arizona will look to stay alive. Shaun Marcum has been good most of the year, but he struggled down the stretch. He has a 6.62 ERA in his last three starts. Josh Collmenter has also struggled of late. Collmenter has a 5.50 ERA in his last three starts. Both of these teams have plenty of power hitters, and the roof is expected to be open in this one. Chase Field is a hitter's paradise when the roof is open, and I expect the ball to be flying well here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Tampa Bay dominated game one of this series. The Rangers simply can't afford to let Tampa get ahead 2-0, especially since these first two games are being played in Texas. James Shields is a very good pitcher but the Rays are just 2-6 in his last 8 road starts. Derek Holland has improved as the season has gone along. The Rangers are 6-1 in his last 7 home starts. Texas is 46-16 in their last 62 as a favorite. The Rangers are 9-0 coming off a shutout this season. I think Texas is the better team here and this is a must win situation. Take Texas.

*3 Star Red Sox/Orioles GUARANTEED Cash* It all comes down to this game for the Boston Red Sox. After a terrible collapse in the month of September, the Red Sox are tied with Tampa Bay in the AL Wild Card race. Jon Lester will go to the mound tonight against Baltimore. Lester is an amazing 14-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his career against Baltimore. Lester has dominated just about everyone in this Orioles lineup. Despite having a ton of plate appearances, the Orioles have just two career home runs in their normal lineup against Lester. Alfredo Simon will start for Baltimore. Simon has an ERA of almost 5 this season. The Orioles are 3-7 in his last 10 starts. Boston's offense should breakout tonight and I expect a solid effort from Lester. Boston -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* The Kansas City Royals offense has really heated up in the last couple weeks. The over is 10-1 in the Royals last 11 games overall. Anthony Swarzak will pitch for the Twins here, and he has a poor 7.24 ERA in his last three starts. Sean O'Sullivan is on the hill for the Royals, and he has been terrible this year. Both of these teams have a poor bullpen and both offenses have been hot of late. The over is 11-1-1 in the Twins last 13 as well. Look for a high scoring game here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* After the start he had to the season, I honestly started wondering if Javier Vazquez's career was over, but he is absolutely dealing right now. He has an ERA of 0.00 in his last three starts. Three straight shutouts against quality teams, and now he'll face a weak Nationals lineup. John Lannan is a solid left-handed starter. The under is 11-4 in the Nationals last 15 road games. The under is 10-4 in the Marlins last 14 games. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Bronson Arroyo has pitched terribly all year. He pitched a complete game shutout last game, but I don't think he'll be great two games in a row. Marvin Hudson is behind the dish here, and he is a solid over umpire. Chris Capuano is a hittable lefty, and the Reds punish left-handed pitching. The over is 7-1 in the Mets last 8. The over is 4-0 in Capuano's last 4 starts. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. I like this one to be high scoring. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* I know the Yankees don't have as much to play for right now, but there is no way they should ever be this big of an underdog against Tampa Bay. James Shields is just 1-4 in his last 5 starts against New York. The Yankees lineup looks pretty good for tonight's game, and I don't expect them to just mail it in. At this price, I think a play on the Yankees is well worth the risk. Take New York here.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Texas Rangers have clinched the American League West. If yesterday's lineup is any indication, we should expect lots of days off for the team's best players in days to come. Hamilton, Cruz, Kinsler, and Andrus were all out of the lineup yesterday. I wouldn't be surprised if guys like Moreland, Young, and Andrus get the day off Sunday. Derek Holland has been absolutely dealing of late. He is 15-5, and he has an ERA of 2 in his last three starts. The Mariners lineup is extremely weak. Doug Eddings is the umpire here, and he is probably the biggest 'under' umpire in the majors. How about these trends? The under is 6-1 in Furbush's (Seattle's starter in this one) last 7 starts. The under is 40-17-5 in Eddings last 62 Sunday games behind the plate. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Pittsburgh Pirates picked up a win on Friday night, but I think the Reds will even the series on Saturday. Pittsburgh has been absolutely horrendous since July. The Pirates are 15-38 in their last 53 games. They are 6-22 in their last 28 games against a team with a losing record. They are 2-6 in their last 8 games against a lefty. The Reds are 18-6 in their last 24 as the favorite. Travis Wood is a solid young pitcher, and I think he'll fare well against the Pirates here. Lincoln has been roughed up in his last couple outings. The Reds have the pitching advantage as well as a better lineup. Take the Reds.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Drew Pomeranz is one of the highest rated prospects in baseball. He has had two great starts to begin his career despite pitching at Coors Field. He'll get to take on a weak Houston Astros lineup now in a little more pitcher-friendly ballpark. Brett Myers has thrown three straight quality starts and he has an ERA under 2 in those starts. The majority of the Rockies lineup is backups since they have so many injuries. Expect both pitchers to take advantage of weak lineups here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* David Price has absolutely dominated the Toronto Blue Jays in his career. The Rays are 10-1 in Price's last 11 starts against the Blue Jays. Toronto has nothing to play for at this point, while Tampa Bay has everything to play for with the Red Sox collapsing in the Wild Card race. Brandon Morrow has a 6.62 ERA in his last three starts. The Rays should be highly motivated here, and they have a big pitching advantage. I expect Price to be dominating in this one. Tampa Bay -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Detroit Tigers have clinched the AL Central, but Jim Leyland has been continuing to play Victor Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, and most of the starters on a daily basis. Alfredo Simon will pitch for the Orioles in this one. Simon has an ERA of 6.75 in his last three starts. Rick Porcello has been pretty good of late for the Tigers, but he has struggled at home all year. He has a 5.91 ERA at home this year. The Orioles offense has been putting up runs in bunches. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* Madison Bumgarner has been terrific of late. Bumgarner has allowed two runs or less in eight of his last nine starts. The lefty will face a short-handed Dodgers lineup on Thursday night. Hiroki Kuroda has been very solid this year. He has a 3.21 ERA on the season. The Giants offense is very short-handed right now as well. I think both pitchers will find Jim Wolf's strike zone beneficial. Expect both pitchers to last quite a while in this one. I expect a close and low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Ervin Santana has been great this year, but he hasn't been nearly as dominant of late. In 6 of his last 8 starts Santana has allowed at least 4 runs. The Blue Jays have a solid offense, and they can generally score some runs at home. Henderson Alvarez is a pretty good young pitcher, but the Angels are locked in on offense right now. Alvarez has a 4.40 ERA at home this year. Tim McClelland is the umpire in this one, and he is one of the best over umpires in the game because of his very small strike zone. The over is 15-6 in the Angels last 21 road games. The over is 15-6-2 in the Jays last 23. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Mets don't have much to play for at this point, and it seems that it making their games higher scoring. The over is 21-7-1 in their last 29 road games. The Cardinals have plenty to play for, and I think they'll be able to get to Chris Capuano. Capuano has a 5.29 ERA on the road this year. Jake Westbrook pitches for the Cardinals. He has a 5.59 ERA at home and a 5.15 ERA during the day. Jim Reynolds is a huge over umpire, and he is behind the dish for this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The New York Mets have nothing to play for at this point. They have been playing like a team that doesn't really care at all of late. The Mets are 2-8 in their last 10 games. The Cardinals are making a late charge at the NL Wild Card. St. Louis is just 2.5 games back of Atlanta. The Cardinals are 16-5 in their last 21 games. The Cardinals absolutely cannot afford to lose this game. Jaime Garcia went through a rough stretch, but he has gotten it back together of late. The Cardinals are 10-4 in his last 14 home starts. The Mets are 9-23 in their last 32 at St. Louis. I like the Cardinals to take care of business here. St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Could there be a better pitching matchup in the National League? Clayton Kershaw would have my vote as this year's CY Young winner in the National League, and Tim Lincecum has already won it twice. Lincecum and Kershaw have squared off three times already this year. The final scores were 2-1, 2-1, and 1-0. Quite honestly, I could easily see this one staying at 3 runs or below once again. I expect both of these pitchers to be in the game a long time. Both offenses are very weak. This is a very low number, but I really like the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Rick VandenHurk has pitched just six innings in the majors so far this season. He has looked very shaky. His minor league numbers really aren't very good. The Red Sox aren't the type of lineup you want to put a guy like VandenHurk up against. Erik Bedard hasn't pitched in quite a while, and he has struggled to find the zone all year long when he has been on the mound. The Orioles pounded out hits all day yesterday, and they should put up several runs here. I expect this one to easily surpass the posted total.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Fausto Carmona has been crushed by the Chicago White Sox throughout his career. Carmona has a 5.54 ERA against the White Sox. The Indians have really started hitting the ball much better themselves of late. The over is a stunning 14-2-1 in Cleveland's last 17 games. The middle of the order is much more formidable with Hafner and Sizemore back. Gavin Floyd has a 5.06 ERA in his last three starts. Carmona has an ERA of 10.66 in his last three starts. I expect some runs to be scored here. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Top Play CRUSHER* The Atlanta Braves have a whole lot to play for right now. St. Louis is just 3.5 games behind them and the Giants are 4 games behind them in the race for the NL Wild Card. Florida has absolutely nothing to play for right now. In a spot like this, getting basically even money on the much better team that has plenty of motivation is a good spot. Most people don't realize it, but Mike Minor is a pretty good pitcher for Atlanta. The Braves are 9-1 in his last 10 starts. They are also 6-0 in their last 6 at Florida. Brian McCann and Chipper Jones have both hit Ricky Nolasco very well in the past. I like the Braves ML a lot here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* The Minnesota Twins are extremely short-handed offensively right now. There is no Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, or Valencia in the lineup. The Indians are without Michael Brantley and Shin Soo-Choo. Justin Masterson has been solid all year, but he has been shaky in his last three starts. I think he'll pitch better again Sunday against this weak Twins lineup. Carl Pavano has a solid 3.42 ERA at home this season. The under is 4-0 in Pavano's last 4 starts against the Indians. The under is 7-0 in Masterson's last 7 against the Twins. The wind is expected to be blowing in as well. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Tim McClelland is one of baseball's biggest 'over' umpires. He has a very small strike zone, which will likely frustrate Dillon Gee and Brandon Beachy Sunday afternoon. Gee has an ERA over 5.5 on the road this year. The over is 5-1 in his last 6 road starts. Beachy has been pretty good this year, but the over is 5-1 in his last 6 starts overall as well. The over is 19-7-1 in the Mets last 27 road games. With the total sitting at just 8 for this one, I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Freddy Garcia will start for the Yankees, and he is definitely off schedule right now. The Blue Jays have a pretty good lineup, and I expect them to score some runs here. Brandon Morrow has been horrible at home and during the day this year. Morrow has a 6.91 ERA at home and a 6.5 ERA during the day. The Yankees lineup is arguably the best in baseball right now, and I think they'll make it very tough on him. The ball really flies in Toronto during the daytime when the roof is open, and I expect it to be open on Sunday. I think this one will be high scoring. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Zach Britton has been very good most of the year. He has a stellar 2.84 ERA at home this year. The Angels have never seen him, which should give him a leg up on the Angels hitters. Ervin Santana has been solid all year long. Santana has a 3.30 ERA this season. The under is 19-9 in Santana's 28 starts this year. The under is 4-0 in Britton's last 4 home starts. The wind will be blowing in from center at about 10 mph here, and that should help both pitchers quite a bit. Expect both pitchers to pitch well in this one. Take the under here.

*3 Star TGIF MLB Play of the Day* The Arizona Diamondbacks are running away with the NL West, but the oddsmakers still aren't too carried away with this team. Wade Miley has been a solid pitcher in the minor leagues the past couple years, and I think he matches up pretty well against the Padres. Tim Stauffer started the year well for the Padres, but he has really struggled of late. Stauffer is 0-2 with a 9.69 ERA in his last three starts. The Padres are 4-17 in their last 21 games overall. The Diamondbacks are 35-17 in their last 52. The Padres are 0-7 in their last 7 against a lefty. Arizona is 4-0 in Miley's last 4 starts. Getting Arizona at plus money seems like a very good value to me. Arizona ML.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Alexi Ogando was great through the first 2/3 of the season, but he has struggled mightily for the last month or so. Ogando has a 9.26 ERA in his last three starts. He has given up 5 runs or more in 3 of his last 4 home starts. Fausto Carmona has a career 5.16 ERA against the Texas Rangers. Texas has a lot on the line right now, and I expect their offense to continue to pound out hits. The Indians offense is a little better now that Sizemore and Hafner are back. Shin Soo-Choo is expected back in this one as well. The over is 4-0-1 in the Rangers last 5 home games. The over is 7-0 in the Indians last 7 games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Clayton Kershaw has been absolutely dominating this year. He proably won't win it because the Dodgers are bad, but he should win the NL CY Young award this year if he finishes well. How good has he been? Kershaw has a 2.36 ERA and an 18-5 record for a team that sits below .500 on the season. At home, he is even better. Kershaw has a 1.80 ERA at home this year. Daniel Hudson has been spectacular of late. Hudson has an ERA of 0.78 in his last three starts. The Dodgers offense isn't very good to start with, and they are without Ethier and Blake now. The under is 5-0 in Hudson's last 5 starts. The under is 6-1 in Kershaw's last 7 home starts. Take the under.

*5 Star MLB Top Play MISMATCH* The Colorado Rockies don't have anything to play for right now, and this team is short-handed. Troy Tulowitzki is expected to miss this game with an injury, and he has been the Rockies best player this year. Todd Helton and Carlos Gonzalez are having some back problems as well, and they are questionable for this game. Zack Greinke has been lights out at home. In fact, the Brewers are 12-0 in his last 12 home starts. The Rockies are 4-10 in their last 14 road games. They are 0-5 in their last five games at Milwaukee. This one looks like a mismatch. Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Justin Masterson hasn't been quite as good of late. Masterson may be wearing down a bit, and this Rangers team isn't the team you want to face when you are starting to struggle. The Indians are without Brantley and Choo offensively. Sizemore and Hafner aren't completely healthy, which really slows this offense down. Matt Harrison has pitched well for Texas this year. The Rangers are 6-1 in his last 7 home starts. The Indians struggle against lefties, and I don't Cleveland has the offense to keep up with Texas at this point. Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Tim Wakefield just can't seem to get that 200th win. The Red Sox have blown some leads for him, but he also hasn't been pitching very well. He has given up at least 4 runs in seven of his last ten starts overall. Toronto has a solid offense and they should be able to score. Brandon Morrow has an ERA of 9.70 in more than 34 career innings against the Red Sox. Boston realizes they need to win now that the Rays are closing in on the Wild Card spot. I expect both offenses to put up several runs here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Detroit Tigers have proven they are the class of the AL Central. The Tigers hold a 10.5 game lead over the White Sox, and the division title is all but wrapped up. The Tigers are 16-5 in their last 21 meetings with the White Sox. Detroit hits left-handers very well, and John Danks just allowed 8 runs to them on September 2. Rick Porcello has pitched much better of late, and he has been better away from home this year. Getting the Tigers at plus money seems like a very nice value here. Detroit ML.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jeff Niemann has been hith hard in his last two starts, but those starts were both against the heavy hitting Texas Rangers. Baltimore's lineup is a little short-handed right now, and Adam Jones will miss this game. Niemann has a 3.36 ERA on the road this year. Zach Britton has been great at home all year. Britton has a 2.54 ERA at home this season. Phil Cuzzi will be the umpire in this one, and he has one of the biggest strike zones in the majors. The under is 7-1-1 in Britton's last 9 home starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The San Diego Padres are 1-10 in their last 11 road games. The Arizona Diamondbacks have won 15 straight games at home! Josh Collmenter has been amazing this year. Collmenter has an ERA of 2.78 at home and 1.53 in his last 3 games. Wade LeBlanc has struggled for the Padres. He has an ERA of 5.76 on the road. He has a 7.20 ERA in his last three starts. The Padres are 34-80 in their last 114 games at Arizona. The Diamondbacks are playing for playoff seeding at this spot, and I expect them to win easily here. Arizona -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Dodgers and Giants are both very short-handed offensively right now. Andre Ethier, Juan Uribe, and Casey Blake are out for the Dodgers. Buster Posey, Freddy Sanchez, and others are out for the Giants. Madison Bumgarner has quietly been pitching great. Bumgarner has a 1.19 ERA in his last three starts. Hiroki Kuroda has an impressive 2.89 ERA on the road this season. Vic Carapazza is behind home plate in this one. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 games behind the dish. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Drew Pomeranz is making his major league debut for the Rockies in this one. Pomeranz has been dominating in the minors. He has an ERA under 2 in his entire minor league career. Pomeranz could very well be a star in the majors before long. Edinson Volquez has an ERA of about 6 this year, and I don't think he'll fare well at Coors Field. The Reds are just 1-5 in his last 6 road starts. The Reds are also 7-24 in their last 31 games in Colorado. At this price, I really like the value on the Rockies ML.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Texas Rangers are in a heated division battle with the Angels right now. Oakland doesn't really have anything to play for at this point. Josh Outman will start for Oakland, and Texas is very good against lefties. C.J. Wilson is a legitimate ace for Texas. The Rangers are 25-9 in Wilson's last 34 home starts. Oakland is 1-9 in their last 10 games against the Rangers. The Rangers have the better lineup and the better pitcher. I think the Rangers will win this one comfortably. Texas -1.5 is the play.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Henderson Alvarez is one of the Blue Jays best young pitchers. Alvarez was a little shaky in his first few outings, but he has looked great in his last two starts. In his last two starts he has pitched 14 innings and allowed zero runs. One of those games was against the Baltimore Orioles and the other was against the mighty Boston Red Sox lineup. Rick VandenHurk starts for the Orioles. He had a 4.4 ERA in AAA, and I don't expect him to fare very well in the majors at this point. The Orioles are 12-40 in their last 52 games at Toronto. The Blue Jays have a better lineup and a better starting pitcher here. Take Toronto -1.5.

*3 Star TGIF Bookie BEATDOWN* Brandon McCarthy has been pitching great of late, and I suspect that is why the posted total is set so low here. I think it is giving us a lot of value on the over. McCarthy has a 1.82 ERA in his last three starts, but he has a career 4.61 ERA against the Texas Rangers. Colby Lewis has a 9.39 ERA in his last three starts. He has been terrible at home all year. The Athletics have been hitting the ball much better over the last few weeks. The over is 34-12-5 in Oakland's last 51 games. The over is 6-0 in Lewis' last 6 starts against the Athletics. The over is 11-3 in Lewis' last 14 starts at home. The over is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings. All signs point to the over. I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Bookie CRUSHER* The San Diego Padres offense averages just 3.73 runs per game. The Padres are without Hawpe, Headley, and Forsythe right now. Ian Kennedy has been absolutely brilliant this year. Kennedy is 18-4 with a 2.96 ERA. He has a stunning 0.86 ERA in his last three starts. Cory Luebke is a talented young lefty for the Padres. Luebke has a 2.94 ERA on the road this year and a WHIP of just 0.96. The under is 5-1 in Luebke's last 6 road starts. The under is 5-0 in Kennedy's last 5 home starts. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star Dog of the Day* The Arizona Diamondbacks lost a game to the San Francisco Giants last night. Arizona held a 3-1 lead in the 8th when their bullpen blew up and allowed 7 runs in the 8th inning. Kevin Millwood will start for the Rockies in this one. Millwood is a major flyball pitcher, which is really not a good thing at Coors Field. He has struggled in his two home starts so far this year. I'm not a big fan of Joe Saunders, but he is a ground ball pitcher. I believe Millwood, at age 36, doesn't deserve to be a big favorite like this over a first place team. Take the DBacks.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Tim Wakefield is a streaky pitcher. If he has the knuckler working he can be very difficult to hit, but when he is struggling he can be very hittable. He has been very hittable of late (6.23 ERA last three starts). Brandon Morrow has a horrible 6.38 ERA at home over 79 innings this season. The over is 5-1 in his last 6 home starts. The over is 4-0 in his last 4 starts against the Red Sox. I expect both teams to put up several runs in this one. The scoreboard should light up here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Justin Verlander has probably been the most dominant pitcher in baseball this year. The Cleveland Indians are missing Hafner, Choo, Brantley, and others from their lineup right now. Justin Masterson has a terrific 2.92 ERA this season. The under is 8-1 in Masteron's last 9 home starts. The under is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings between these two in Cleveland. Brian Gorman is the umpire here and he has a wide strike zone that both pitchers will use to their advantage. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* Ervin Santana has been very good this season. He has an ERA of 3.27 on the year. Ironically, Felix Hernandez has an identical 3.27 ERA. Santana hasn't pitched quite as well the last three games, but I think he'll bounce back against a weak Seattle offense. King Felix has looked great in his last three starts. Hernandez has an ERA of 2.35 in his last three starts. The under is 7-1-2 in Santana's last 10 starts. The under is 5-1-1 in Hernandez's last 7 starts against the Angels. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Arizona Diamondbacks still aren't getting the respect they should be getting from the oddsmakers. Arizona is an amazing 81-60 on the year. This is a team that no one expected to even be contending for the playoffs, and they are pulling away from the Giants in the NL West. Josh Collmenter has an ERA of 1.47 in his last three starts. Jason Hammel has given up 6 runs in each of his last three starts at home. The Rockies are 6-14 in his last 20 starts. Arizona is 6-0 in their last 6 games against the Rockies. Take the Diamondbacks here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Miguel Batista is 41 years and he will be starting for the Mets in this one. Batista has never been very good as a starter, and his stuff isn't even as good as it used to be. Chris Volstad starts for the Marlins. Volstad has a 5.48 ERA this year. The Mets have been hitting the ball very well of late since Reyes has come back into the lineup. The over is 4-0-1 in Florida's last 5 games. The over is 4-0-1 in the Mets last 5 games. Dana DeMuth is the umpire here. The over is 23-5 in Demuth's last 28 games behind the plate. Take the over!

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Detroit Tigers pounded out 24 hits and 18 runs last night in a win over the Chicago White Sox. I like to look for a chance to pick the under after a team has put up so many runs the previous night. Rarely do you see big outputsd two days in a row, and in this case the Tigers will be facing Ubaldo Jimenez at Cleveland. Jimenez has a 1.71 ERA in 21 innings at home since being traded to Cleveland. Doug Fister starts for the Tigers, and he has been amazing. Fister has an ERA of 0.83 in his last three starts. The Indians offense is severely short-handed right now because of injuries, and I think Fister will fare well against them. The under is 11-5-1 in the Tigers last 17 road games. The under is 6-2 in the Indians last 8 games. I expect a low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* The San Diego Padres offense has been slumping badly again of late. Chase Headley and Cameron Maybin were the team's top two hitters, but they are both out of the lineup right now. Aaron Cook hasn't pitched well this year, but I think he'll fare better against this weak Padres lineup. Mat Latos has pitched very well in the last couple months. 8 of his last 10 starts have been quality starts. John Hirschbeck is the umpire behind the dish here, and that is great news for 'under' bettors. The under is 32-12 in Hirschbeck's last 44 Sunday games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Joel Piniero has been beaten up pretty badly of late. Piniero has an ERA of 7.71 in his last three appearances. He also has a 6.61 ERA during the day this season. The Twins put up 6 runs on Jered Weaver Saturday, and I think they'll get to Piniero. Kevin Slowey has struggled all year, and he hasn't been any better of late. The over is 18-6 in the Angels last 24, and the bats of guys like Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter have come alive of late. The over is 20-6-2 in their last 28 meetings. I think both pitchers are capable of giving up 6 or 7 runs. I really like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* John Lackey gets better run support than any starting pitcher in baseball. Lackey has an ERA of almost six and yet he has a winning record on the season. Lackey's ERA is actually a little above 6 at home. Lackey also has allowed 13 runs to Texas in just two starts this year. Matt Harrison started the year well, but he has been struggling of late. He gave up 7 runs to the Red Sox last time out, and this Boston lineup is starting to get healthy again. With Ellsbury, Pedroia, Gonzalez, Youkilis, and Ortiz the top five are very tough. I expect a slugfest here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The San Diego Padres are one of the worst offenses in the majors. Right now their lineup is short-handed, which has hurt their production even more. Cameron Maybin, Brad Hawpe, and Chase Headley are all out. Alex White hasn't been very good so far for the Rockies, but he was great in the minors and I think he'll do well against the Padres. Cory Luebke has been tremendous so far this year, and the Rockies bats have been cold on the road of late. The under is 10-3 in the Rockies last 13 road games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Jaime Garcia has not been the same pitcher he was earlier this year. Garcia seemes to have hit a wall. In 4 of his last 6 starts he has allowed five runs or more. He has allowed at least six hits in each of his last nine starts. Homer Bailey has thrown two quality starts in a row for the Reds. The Reds hit left-handers very well (5.6 runs per game). I consider these two teams about even, so the fact that I can get the Reds at this big of a plus number is a very good value. Take Cincinnati here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Bartolo Colon will be on the hill for the Yankees in this one. Colon has been superb when pitching during the day this year. He has a 2.36 ERA during the day in 2011. Ricky Romero will pitch for Toronto, and he has been excellent this season. Romero has a 2.87 ERA in 2011. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. The under is 5-1-2 in Romero's last 8 road starts. Phil Cuzzi is behind the plate here, and he is one of the biggest under umpires in the league. Take the under.

*3 Star TGIF Play of the Day* The Cleveland Indians are severely short-handed right now. Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore, Michael Brantley, and Shin-Soo Choo are all out of the lineup. The Indians are plugging in a lot of youngsters who really aren't ready for the majors quite yet. Bruce Chen has a solid 3.94 ERA this year, and his ERA is 3.63 at home. The Indians are terrible against lefties (3.79 runs per game). Justin Masterson has been very good all year for the Indians. Masterson has an impressive 2.83 this year, and he has been great on the road. He has a road ERA of 2.62. The under is 5-0 in the Indians last 5 games. The under is 3-0-1 in Chen's last 4 starts against Cleveland. Take the under here.

*3 Star Yankees/Red Sox Total Domination* The New York Yankees have put up some runs against Jon Lester this year, and I think they can again in this one. A.J. Burnett starts for New York in this one, and we all know how bad he has been of late. Burnett has a ridiculous 13.86 ERA in his last three starts. Earlier this year against Boston he allowed 8 runs in 5 and 2/3. It wouldn't shock me to see the Red Sox put up 10 runs by themselves in this one. The over is 5-0 in Burnett's last 5 starts against the Red Sox. The over is 5-2-1 in Lester's last 8 against the Yankees. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Jacob Turner is a very highly touted pitcher who I expect will have a successful career in the majors. Danny Duffy is a much better pitcher than he has been showing of late. Both of these guys have put together multiple very good years in the minor leagues. Bill Miller is the umpire in this one, and he is my single favorite 'under' umpire. Miller has a huge strike zone, and I think both of these pitchers will be able to use that to their advantage. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cleveland Indians beat the Oakland Athletics in 16 innings last night. I won on the 'under' in that one, and I'm going to take the under again in this one. A long game like that with a quick turnaround will likely mean that several regulars will be given the day off. Fausto Carmona is a much better pitcher at home. The under is 20-7 in Carmona's last 27 home games. Gio Gonzalez has struggled of late, but the Indians are missing Sizemore, Choo, and Hafner. I like this one to be a pitcher's duel. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Alexi Ogando seems to have hit a bit of a wall lately. Ogando has a 6.23 ERA in his last three starts. He has given up at least six hits in each of his last six starts overall. The Rays have been very good away from home this year. James Shields has a very impressive 2.96 ERA this season. Nelson Cruz is out of the lineup right now, which weakens the Rangers offense a bit. I think the Rays have a pitching advantage here. I like the value on the Tampa Bay moneyline.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Cleveland Indians are dinged up badly right now. Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, and Shin-Soo Choo are all out of the lineup with injuries. Rich Harden hasn't been great of late, but I think he'll fare well against this weakened Indians lineup. Ubaldo Jimenez has started twice in Cleveland since being traded and he has only allowed one earned run. Jimenez had impressive velocity and location in his last start. I wouldn't be surprised if he finishes the season well. The under is 19-6-1 in the last 26 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Ted Lilly has been a completely different pitcher during the daytime this year. Lilly has a terrible 6.02 ERA when pitching during the day this year. Wade LeBlanc has struggled on the road this season. He has an ERA of 5.70 away from home. The Padres have been hitting the ball pretty well on the road of late. Dodger Stadium is much more friendly to hitters during the daytime. The over is 7-3 in LeBlanc's last 10 road starts. The number here is set quite low. I like the over.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The Colorado Rockies offense has been on fire of late. The over is 10-2 in the Rockies last 12 games. Wade Miley is a decent young left-handed pitcher for Arizona, but his numbers in the minors tell me he will probably need some time to get accustomed to the majors. Aaron Cook has been horrible on the road, and the DBacks have ownwed him in the past. Cook has an ERA of 6.43 on the road this year. The over is 12-3-1 in Cook's last 16 games against the DBacks. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star Yankees/Red Sox Guaranteed Cash* The New York Yankees are 2-12 in their last 14 meetings with the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are 0-4 in C.C. Sabathia's last 4 starts against Boston. The Yankees will be without Alex Rodriguez in this one, and Derek Jeter might miss this game as well. I know John Lackey hasn't been very good this year, but I really don't think Boston should be +140 at home in this one. The Red Sox are 7-2 in Lackey's last 9 starts. The Red Sox have roughed up Sabathia in a big way this year. Boston has the edge offensively, and I think we are getting a great value here. Take the Red Sox.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jair Jurrjens has not been the same pitcher since after the All-Star break. Jurrjens had a minor injury and missed some time, and he hasn't been same since. Jurrjens has allowed 4 runs or more in 4 of his last 6 starts. Livan Hernandez hasn't been good on the road this year. Hernandez has an ERA above 5 on the road. The Braves offense fares pretty well against righties. The over is 10-0-1 in the last 11 meetings between these two. I think this one is set too low. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Diego Padres have one of the worst offenses in baseball. Cameron Maybin has been a nice surprise for them, but he is dinged up right now. The Dodgers have Kemp and Ethier in the middle of the order, but other than that this is a weak lineup. Clayton Kershaw has been absolutely dominating this year. Kershaw has a 0.41 ERA in his last three starts. Mat Latos started the year slowly, but he hasn't allowed more than 3 earned runs in his last 10 starts. With two bad offenses and a two great pitchers in a pitchers park, I'll take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* Luke Hochevar is a streaky pitcher, and he has an ERA of 6.00 in his last three starts. Hochevar has a bad habit of giving up a big inning or two each start. Max Scherzer has been very good for Detroit this year, especially at home. The Tigers are 6-2 in Scherzer's last 8 home games. The Royals are 3-7 in Hochevar's last 10 road starts. Detroit has a big advantage offensively, and they also have a pitching advantage here. The Royals are 0-7 in their last 7 games following a win. Detroit -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Tampa Bay pounded out 12 runs yesterday, but this offense is not very consistent. Ricky Romero is one of the best young pitchers in baseball, and he the Rays collectively have a .212 average against him. The Blue Jays are struggling quite a bit offensively right now. Bautista is great in the middle of the order, but the lineup depth isn't what it needs to be. Toronto's hitters have a .235 average against Davis. The under is 9-4-2 in Romero's last 15 starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Cory Luebke is a very talented young pitcher for the Padres. Luebke has allowed 2 earned runs or less in 8 of his last 10 starts overall. On the road, Leubke has an ERA of just 2.12. Ian Kennedy has been one of the more surprising pitching stories of the year. Kennedy is 16-4 with a 3.09 ERA this season. Eight of his last nine starts have been a quality start. The Padres lineup isn't very good, and they might be missing Cameron Maybin, who is nursing a wrist injury. The under is 6-0-1 in Arizona's last 7 games. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* There isn't a hotter team in baseball than the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers are 41-11 in their last 52 home games. Zack Greinke is on the mound for Milwaukee, and the Brewers are 11-0 in his last 11 home starts. Casey Coleman starts for the Cubs, and the Cubs are 0-4 in his last 4 starts. Coleman has a WHIP of 1.98, so he lets a ton of runners on base. The Cubs are 0-7 in their last 7 games at Milwaukee. Milwaukee has a big lineup advantage, and they also have a big pitching advantage in this one. Brewers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Tampa Bay Rays are playing some very good baseball right now. At 72-59, the Rays would at least be in the thick of the race in almost every division except the AL East. Tampa Bay is 37-28 on the road, while Toronto is just 32-33 at home. David Price is on the hill for the Rays. Tampa Bay is 9-1 in Price's last 10 starts against the Blue Jays. Brandon Morrow had a poor 6.23 ERA at home this year, and the Rays bats have woken up a bit of late. The Rays are 13-5 in Price's last 18 road starts. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Chicago White Sox are hanging by a thread in the AL Central race. This is a team that badly needs to go on a serious run if they hope to make a real run at the postseason. Seattle has been slumping horribly in the entire second half of the season. Michael Pineda is a very talented youngster, but he has allowed 5 runs or more in 4 of his last 7 starts. John Danks has gotten stronger as the season has gone along. The White Sox are 13-5 in their last 18 games against a righty. The Mariners are an awful 15-43 in their last 58 against a lefty. Take the White Sox.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Toronto Blue Jays are 32-32 at home this season. Tampa Bay is 36-28 on the road. The Rays are playing very good baseball of late. If Tampa Bay wasn't in the AL East, they'd be in the thick of the playoff race. Jeff Niemann has really turned it around of late for Tampa Bay. He started the season poorly, but 7 of his last 9 starts have been quality starts. Niemann has a 2.64 ERA on the road this year. Luis Perez pitched well in his first start of the year earlier this week, but his minor league stats make me think the Rays can get to him. Tampa Bay is 6-1 in Niemann's last 7 road starts. Take the Rays.

*3 Star High Noon Bookie Beatdown* This one will start early because of Hurricane Irene. Boston was smashed 15-5 by Oakland yesterday. I like this spot for Boston. They were crushed on Friday and now the Red Sox have their ace on the hill. The Red Sox are 40-15 in Lester's last 55 home games. The Athletics are just 5-15 in their last 20 games at Boston. Guillermo Moscoso has performed well this year, but I continue to believe he is due for regression based on his poor minor league stats. The Red Sox should take out their frustration here. Red Sox -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Best Bet* The Chicago Cubs really don't have anything to play for at this point. Rodrigo Lopez is on the mound for the Cubs on Friday night. Lopez gives up a lot of homers, and the Brewers can definitely hit the long ball. Lopez has a 6.31 ERA on the road this year. Randy Wolf has been very solid this season. Wolf has a 3.45 ERA overall, and he has a 2.42 ERA in his last three starts. The Brewers are 24-5 in their last 29 games. Milwaukee is 40-12 in their last 52 home games. The Brewers are 5-0 in their last 5 against the Cubs. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* The Los Angeles Angels have won six straight, which makes this series extremely important. Dan Haren is a good pitcher, but he can struggle on the road at times. Haren has a mediocre 4.17 ERA at Texas. Derek Holland will be on the mound for the Rangers. Holland has been bad at home all year. He has a poor ERA of 5.32 at home this season. The over is 7-2 in Haren's last 9 road starts. The over is 11-3 in Holland's last 14 home starts. I like the value on the over in this matchup.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* A.J. Burnett has been an absolute mess on the mound of late. Burnett has a 9.45 ERA in his last 3 starts. On the season Burnett has a terrible 6.07 ERA on the road. The Yankees should be able to put up several runs off Orioles starter Tommy Hunter. Hunter doesn't have the dominating stuff needed to put away these Yankees hitters. The Yankees burst out in a big way at the end of the game yesterday against Oakland. Expect both offenses to fare well in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Big Dog Play* The Boston Red Sox may well have the best team in all of baseball. Kevin Youkilis is out of the lineup right now, but the Red Sox still have a terrific offense. Andrew Miller is a bit shaky as the starting pitcher, but it really is amazing to see this team at +155 against anyone right now. The Red Sox are 40-19 in their last 59 road games. Th Red Sox are also 5-1 in Miller's last 6 road starts. The Rangers are a quality team, but they don't deserve to be big favorites in this one. Take the Red Sox ML.