*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins lineup is hitting well right now. Minnesota is actually as healthy as they have been all year. With Mauer, Morneau, and Willingham in the middle of the order this lineup is solid. The Minnesota pitching staff has been horrible all year, and that hasn't changed of late. Liam Hendriks starts in this one for Minnesota, and he is 0-7 with a 6.1 ERA this season. The Indians have heated up a bit over the last few days. Zach McAllister starts for Cleveland. McAllister has been struggling of late, and he has given up 11 runs in just 4 and 2/3 innings against the Twins so far this year. Sam Holbrook is the best 'over' umpire in the business because of his small strike zone, and he is behind the dish here. The over is 7-1 in Hendriks' last 8 road starts. The over is 6-1 in McAllister's last 7 as a home favorite. The over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these two in Cleveland. Take the over.

*5 Star NFL Play of the Week* The New Orleans Saints defense was absolutely chewed up by RG3 and the Redskins last week. Griffin was great, but I can't help but think part of the reason for his amazing day was a poor Saints defense. New Orleans still put up 32 points, and they should be able to score points in bunches against a less than mediocre Carolina defense. Cam Newton and the Panthers put up 27 points in a 30-27 loss to the Saints at home last year. I think Carolina can get a lot from the tape of last week's Redskins game and use that against New Orleans in this one. The two meetings between these two last year finished at 57 and 62 points. Both offenses have a significant edge on the defenses here. The over is 6-0 in the Saints last 6 games. 5 Star Play of the Week on the over in this game!

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* Andrew Luck threw for more than 300 yards in his NFL debut, but he threw three interceptions. The Bears secondary is very good, so that was a tough matchup for Luck. The Vikings secondary will likely start three rookies in this one, and I think Luck will have a much easier time in this one. On the other side, the Colts will be without Dwight Freeney so the pass rush won't get to Ponder as much. In addition, the Colts are terrible against the run. Adrian Peterson should be able to gash the Colts for quite a few yards in this one. Both offenses should have the edge in this game. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA FB Late Night BAILOUT* BYU/Utah is known as "The Holy War" rivalry game. It might not be well known all across the country, but this is a very strong rivalry game. BYU was beaten 54-10 by Utah at home last season, and you know that didn't sit well. BYU is a much better team than last year. Utah just lost their starting quarterback. Hays will start for Utah here, and he has never thrown for more than 200 yards in a game. Utah's defensive front is terrific led by Star Lotulelei. BYU ranks in the top 10 in the nation in total defense. The under is 6-1 in Utah's last 7 home games. The under is 8-1 in BYU's last 9 September games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Seattle Mariners hit the ball much better away from home. Texas is one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the majors. Scott Feldman has an ERA of about 5 this year, and he is very inconsistent. On the other side, Jason Vargas starts for the Mariners. Vargas is good at home, but struggles on the road. The Rangers hit .282 as a team against lefties. Paul Schreiber is the home plate umpire, and he has one of the smallest strike zones in the majors. Look for both teams to put up quite a few runs here. Take the over.

*3 Star Notre Dame/MSU Total* The Notre Dame Fighting Irish appear to be a much better team this year under Brian Kelly. Kelly has had some time to get his type of players into the system, and it is working out very well for the defense. Notre Dame allowed just 10 points against Navy and 17 against a solid Purdue offense. Michigan State is one-dimensional on offense right now with Maxwell struggling at quarterback. On the other side, Michigan State's defense is excellent. I think the Spartans have one of the top five defenses in the nation. The Spartans don't have any real weakness on defense. Boise State couldn't get anything going against the Spartans. Opponents are averaging only 225.5 total yards per game against Michigan State. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA FB Top Play Total* The Lousiana Tech Bulldogs beat Houston 56-49 last week. Houston moved the ball at will against the Bulldogs defense, which was a bit of a surprise to me. Louisiana Tech's offense is clicking from the get go this year, but their defense is a mess. Rice's defense has given up at least 35 points per game for the last three seasons, and this will be one of the best offenses they face this year. Rice has a well-balanced offense that should move the ball very well here. Both teams like to play at a fast pace, and I expect both defenses to be worn out by the end of this one. I think this total should have been set at about 70 points. The over is 62-28 in Rice's last 90 games overall. Take the over big here!

*3 Star NCAA FB Hidden GEM Total* The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers program has come a very long ways in the past few years. The primary reason this team is so much better is because of the strength of their defense. Even the best teams in the nation don't put up ridiculous numbers on Western Kentucky. Alabama scored 35 points on them last week, but the Crimson Tide had only 328 total yards of offense. Western Kentucky's offense is poor this year without Rainey at tailback. Kentucky's offense isn't very good either, but they do have an athletic defense. It would surprise me to see either team get above 24 points here. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA Football Under Radar Total* The Northern Illinois Huskies smacked around Army 49-26 last year. Army struggled last week at San Diego State, but I expect Army to be able to run it against the Huskies here. Northern Illinois doesn't have as good of a defensive front as they did a year ago. In addition, Army's defense hasn't shown the ability over the past couple years to stop the run. Northern Illinois has another very good running quarterback this year in Jordan Lynch. Both teams should be able to move the ball well here. The over is 8-0 in Army's last 8 games against the MAC. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA FB Totals TKO* Arkansas State is a mid-major team that can put up points in bunches. They scored 34 points in a season-opening loss to Oregon. Ryan Aplin is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Gus Malzahn is the team's new coach, so you know this is an uptempo attack. Nebraska's new offense is all built around going uptempo as well. The Cornhuskers offense has been much improved so far this year, but the defense has been terrible. Both offenses should have their way in this one. I think this line could have easily been above 70. Take the over.

*3 Star Bears/Packers Total Domination* The Chicago Bears clearly have a much better offense than they did a year ago. The Green Bay Packers obviously have one of the best offenses in the NFL. Why do I like the under in this one? It is all about value. Getting a number like 51.5 isn't something I expected here. The public has pushed the number up enough to where this fits in as a solid play. The Bears secondary is one of the best in the NFL, and Green Bay simply can't run the football. Green Bay's defense is good at pressuring the quarterback. The highest total set for meetings between these teams in the past four years is 45.5. I think both teams have to settle for field goals enough here. The under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Kansas City Royals offense is firing on all cylinders right now. Kansas City has scored 6 runs or more in 6 of their last 10 games overall. They'll be facing Liam Hendriks in this one. Hendriks is 0-7 with a 6.20 ERA. I like Kansas City's chances of putting up a big number again. Luis Mendoza has a 7.63 ERA in his last 3 starts. He seems to have hit a wall of late. Look for the Twins to be able to score several here as well. The over is 5-0 in KC's last 5 games following a win. The over is 4-0 in Ramirez's last 4 starts. The over is 3-0-1 in the Twins last 4 games. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Doug Fister and Jake Peavy have both pitched very well this year. Fister has a 3.54 ERA on the season and Peavy has a 3.22 ERA. The wind is expected to be blowing in from right field with cooler than usual temperatures on Tuesday night. Detroit's bats have been cold of late. Brian Gorman is behind the plate, and he has one of the biggest strike zones of any umpire in the majors. The under is 8-0 in Fister's last 8 road starts with a total of 8.5 or less. The under is 8-1 in Peavy's last 9 starts on 5 days of rest. Take the under here.

*3 Star Yankees/Red Sox Total* Both of these offenses aren't even close to what they were earlier this year. The Yankees are without Mark Teixeira. The Red Sox are left with only two stars in the lineup (Ellsbury and Pedroia) after most of their team got hurt or got traded. Hiroki Kuroda doesn't get enough credit from the oddsmakers. Kuroda has a great 3.14 ERA this year. Jon Lester has been bad this year overall, but he has been much better of late. Lester has a quality start in 3 of his last 4 outings. The under is 23-5-2 in Lester's last 30 as an underdog. The under is 6-0 in Kuroda's last 6 as a road favorite. Take the under.

*3 Star MNF Totals SMASHER* The San Diego Chargers defense took a big step backward last year. This team doesn't have a good secondary, and Carson Palmer will air it out against them in this one. The Raiders have lost key pieces in their secondary for two straight seasons, and they now have a real weakness at the cornerback spot. Phillip Rivers is healthier now, and I expect him to lead the Chargers offense to quite a few yards against this mediocre Raiders defense. Neither team has a strong pass rush and both secondaries are susceptible. I think the offenses will have the upper hand here. The over is 5-0 in the Raiders last 5 season openers. The over is 4-0 in the Raiders last 4 home games. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Oakland between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* These two teams met twice last year and the final scores were 38-19 and 48-16. Carolina has a very balanced offense with Cam Newton under center. The Panthers have two very good running backs in Stewart and Williams and Newton can run as well as any QB in the NFL. On the other side though, Carolina's defense just isn't very good at all. Tampa Bay should be able to move the ball with ease through the air. Josh Freeman should have a solid season and Doug Martin is a good addition to the offense. Tampa Bay's defense gave up at least 31 points in their final four games last year. The over is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings at Tampa Bay between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The New Orleans Saints have heard about Bountygate all through the offseason, and I'm guessing they are ready to take out their frustration on the Redskins. Washington's defense allowed 33 points or more in 4 of their last 5 games last year. New Orleans is quite likely to get into the 30's here. Drew Brees has weapons all over the field. Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston are great pass catchers, and the backfield is stacked with talent. New Orleans does give up points. The Redskins should have an improved offense with RG3 at the helm this season. Washington will have more balance and that should help them put up several points here. The over is 5-0 in the Saints last 5. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA FB Total Domination* The Rice Owls and Kansas Jayhawks will battle in a game where defense will likely be optional. Kansas allowed a ridiculous 43.8 points per game in 2011. Rice allowed just over 33 points per game. The Owls defense has been atrocious the last few years, and they show no signs of getting better. Kansas should be better offensively with Crist and Charlie Weis running the show. Still, Kansas is a bad team and Rice should be able to run up the points as well. Rice has more offensive weapons than you might think, and it won't surprise me a bit if they get into the 30's in this one. The over is 21-5 in Rice's last 26 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The over is 4-0 in the Jayhawks last 4 September games. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA FB Early Bird Special* The Penn State Nittany Lions showed their offensive issues last week against Ohio. Still, I do believe the Penn State front seven on defense is pretty good. Virginia is a team that likes to run the ball a lot, and I'm not sure they'll be able to just line up and run on the Nittany Lions. On the other side, Virginia's defense is much improved. Penn State really misses Silas Redd and the passing game is way too inconsistent to be trusted at this point. The under is 7-0 in Virginia's last 7 home games. The under is 12-3-1 in the Nittany Lions last 16. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals have both been struggling offensively of late. R.A. Dickey is 17-4 with a 2.63 ERA this year for a bad Mets team. He has a sparkling 0.83 ERA in his last 3 starts. Adam Wainwright has been much better of late. Wainwright is starting to look like himself once again. He has allowed 2 runs or less in 7 of his last 8 games. On get away day, we may see some stars sitting here. The under is 6-0 in the Mets last 6 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in Dickey's last 4 starts. The under is 3-0-1 in Wainwright's last 4 home starts. Take the under.

*3 Star New Era Total* Both of these teams have new coaches this season. Tim Beckman left for Illinois and Mike Stoops was fired. The new big name coach at Arizona is Rich Rodriguez. Even though he didn't succeed at Michigan, I still think he can do a solid job at Arizona, especially on offense. He has a great quarterback for his offense in Scott. Arizona should pile up the points against a Toledo defense that gave up more than 60 points twice last year. Arizona's defense was awful in the secondary as well, and the Rockets can score points in bunches. This one should be a track meet. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA FB Totals TKO* The San Diego State Aztecs have an experienced quarterback in Ryan Katz. Katz has had trouble in the past with interceptions, and it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't get picked a couple times here (which could easily lead to Washington scores). Washington's defense is atrocious, and the Aztecs should find the end zone several times. Washignton's offense is led by Keith Price, who is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. The Huskies will score a ton of points on nearly everyone this year. I think this total is set quite a bit too low. Take the over.

*3 Star Clemson/Auburn Total Domination* The Clemson Tigers were last seen giving up 70 points to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl. That is one of the main reasons we get such a good value on the total here. Auburn's offense is horrendous right now. It will likely be worse than last year after losing Michael Dyer and suspending their star center. Clemson's offense is good, but Auburn should slow them down enough to hold them to field goals a few times. This kind of number simply isn't justified when Auburn is so much stronger defensively than on offense. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Kyle Lohse has been remarkably consistent this year. Lohse has allowed 3 runs or less in 15 of his last 16 starts. The one bad start was at Coors Field. In 14 of those 16 games he has allowed 2 runs or less. Jordan Zimmerman is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. He has been right around the top of the charts in the ERA column all year. The Cardinals have scored one run in the past 3 games combined. The under is 8-0 in Lohse's last 8 starts with a total of 7-8.5. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA FB Play of the Week* The Nevada Wolfpack have a unique Pistol offense that is very tough to stop. Chris Ault has a very good talent base to work with on offense this year. Fajardo will be one of the most improved quarterbacks in the nation. In addition, Nevada has a couple great weapons on the outside. Cal had a good defense last year, but they lost most of their leaders. Nevada scored 52 points last time they met with Cal. On the other side, Nevada's defense is terrible. Cal should be able to move the ball however they want to in this one. This absolutely seems like a game where both teams should get into the 30's. The over is 4-0 in Nevada's last 4 against the PAC 10. The over is 5-1-1 in Cal's last 7 against the MWC. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jaime Garcia isn't nearly as good of a pitcher away from home, and he'll have an extra problem to work with on Thursday. Yadier Molina isn't expected to play in this one, and Garcia has an ERA above 5 when Tony Cruz is the Cardinals catcher. He also has an ERA above 5 on the road this season. The Nationals are better against left-handed pitchers. The St. Louis offense has been blanked two days in a row, but the Cardinals have a stacked lineup and I expect them to bust out very soon. The over is 8-1 in Garcia's last 9 road starts against a team with a winning record. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* This early afternoon tilt features two young talented left-handed pitchers. Both of these guys have been pitching well of late. Zach Britton has been hot and cold all throughout his career, but he has looked good in his last couple starts. Jose Quintana just keeps putting together quality starts for the White Sox. Brian Runge is one of the best 'under' umpires in baseball, so he'll help here. The under is 3-0-1 in Quinatana's last 4 starts. The under is 6-0 in the Orioles last 6 games when scoring 2 or less runs in their previous contest. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians both have subpar offenses. Cleveland seems to have completely given up for the year, and they are headed toward the bottom of the AL Central standings. Oakland is in the thick of the playoff race, and that is thanks to a great pitching staff. Jarrod Parker is a very good young pitcher, and Justin Masterson has been very good at home in his career. Both pitchers have pitched well during the daytime. The under is 7-1 in the Indians last 8. The under is 6-1 in the A's last 7 road games against teams with a losing record. The under is 5-1 in Masterson's last 6 home starts. The under is 4-0 in the Indians last 4 against righties. Take the under in this early game.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Seattle Mariners have gone on a very surprising run of late. Seattle has one of the worst offenses in baseball, but they've been winning games with tremendous pitching of late. Jason Vargas is a solid pitcher who has thrown a lot of very high quality games this year. Sam Deduno is a guy who nibbles at the corners a lot for the Twins. Both pitchers will have a friend in umpire Doug Eddings behind home plate. Eddings has the biggest strike zone in baseball. The under is 3-0-1 in the Mariners last 4 road games. The under is 6-0 in the Twins last 6 against a lefty. The under is 4-0 in the Twins last 4 Wednesday games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Colorado Rockies offense is piling up the runs against the Dodgers pitching staff this series. Colorado scored 10 in the first game and 8 last night. The Rockies can pile up the runs in a hurry at Coors Field, and this day game is a perfect spot for lots of runs. The wind will be blowing out and temperatures of 90 to 92 degrees are expected. Joe Blanton isn't a very good pitcher to start with, and I fully expect him to struggle in the thin air. Drew Pomeranz has struggled this year, and the Dodgers lineup is very good now with the newly acquired players. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Johnny Cueto and Wade Miley have both been very consistent this year. Cueto has the best ERA in the NL at 2.47. Cueto is also 4-0 with an ERA under 2 in his career against Arizona. Miley has an amazingly good 2.80 ERA for the year. The oddsmakers continue to doubt Miley, but he continues to pitch well. Both of these teams have good bullpens. The Reds lineup isn't as strong without Votto in the middle. The under is 8-1-1 in Cueto's last 10 road starts. The under is 41-16-3 in the last 60 meetings between these two teams. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Los Angeles Dodgers have quickly gotten one of the best lineups in baseball. Kemp, Gonzalez, Ramirez, and Ethier is an extremely tough stretch for pitchers to go through. Jeff Francis is a guy I like to fade, and I think the Dodgers will get to him early and often. Josh Beckett has been terrible all year, and now he must start in Coors Field. I don't see him turning it around here. The Rockies can still score runs at home. The over is 12-3-1 in Francis' last 16 home starts. The over is 9-1 in Francis' last 10 starts against the NL West. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians have two of the weaker offenses in the majors right now. Oakland has been winning thanks to a great pitching staff. Brett Anderson is back after Tommy John surgery, and he looked great in his first start back. Anderson has the potential to be one of the best starters in the AL. Roberto Hernandez looked good in his last start against Seattle, and he has a great history against Oakland. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 against Oakland. The under is 8-0-1 in the Indians last 9 against teams with a winning record. The under is 5-0 in the A's last 5 games as a road favorite. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins have been playing some terrible baseball again of late. Minnesota's pitching staff is brutally bad. Texas went through a minor offensive slump for a while, but they are back to crushing the baseball now. Texas has scored 8 runs or more in 6 of their last 10 games (including their last 4 straight). Cole DeVries has been shelled in his last 3 starts, and I don't think that changes here. Scott Feldman will likely give up several as well to a decent Twins lineup. This one should be high scoring. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Cliff Lee continues to be hit by terrible luck this year. It's amazing to think he has only two wins this year. He probably deserves to have 10 or 11 by now, but the bullpen has blown game after game for him. Lee has looked more sharp of late, and I expect him to pitch deep into the game here. Morse and Desmond are both banged up for the Nationals. Jordan Zimmerman is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. He has been a quality start machine for much of the season. Look for a low scoring pitcher's duel here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Angels and Tigers have played two low scoring games in this series so far, but I think this one sets up well for a high scoring contest. Ervin Santana and Max Scherzer are both extremely inconsistent pitchers who are more than capable of giving up 7 or 8 runs by themselves. Both of these lineups are very tough, and the temperature has heated back up in Detroit. Paul Emmel is the umpire here, and the over is 22-2 in his 24 games behind the dish this year. The over is 7-0 in Santana's last 7 starts on 4 days' rest. The over is 7-1 in his last 8 road starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Diego Padres have a very weak lineup. San Diego is the worst offense in the National League right now other than the Astros. Ian Kennedy hasn't had his amazing form that he had in 2011, but I expect him to pitch well against the Padres here. Clayton Richard has been dealing of late. Richard has an ERA under 2 in his last 3 starts. The Padres are 4-0 in his last 4 starts against Arizona, so he has had success against them in the past. The under is 5-0 in the Padres last 5 road games. The under is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jarrod Parker and Matt Moore are two terrific young pitchers. Parker nearly no-hit the Rangers earlier this year, and Moore has been brilliant of late. Neither of these offenses are particularly strong. Parker has a 3.48 ERA on the year while Moore has a 3.57 ERA. Moore's ERA in his last 3 starts is 1.86. The under is 4-0 in Athletics last 4 road games. The under is 4-0 in Parker's last 4 starts. The under is 5-0 in the Rays last 5 home games against teams with a winning record. I expect a pitching duel here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* The Los Angeles Angels offense is firing on all cylinders right now (see their stats at Boston during this past series), and I don't think Rick Porcello is the type of pitcher to slow them down. In 6 career starts against the Angels, Porcello has a 6.29 ERA. Zack Greinke has been terrible of late. He has allowed at least 4 runs in each of his last 4 starts. Greinke has been bad on the road all year. Detroit has several guys with good numbers against him. The over is 6-0 in Porcello's last 6 starts against the Angels. The over is 6-0 in the Angels last 6 games as an underdog. The over is 4-0 in Greinke's last 4 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Bartolo Colon would have been in this spot, but he has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for prohibited supplements. Tyson Ross will start here instead. Ross is a guy who has poor control. He walks a lot of people and pitches out of the stretch often. Tampa Bay's offense has been much better of late. Alex Cobb is inconsistent and he has an ERA in the high 4's. A total set this low with inconsistent pitchers looks like a nice over play. This should be higher scoring than expected. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Clay Buchholz was one of the worst pitchers in the majors through the first couple months of the season, but he has turned it around in a big way. Buchholz has a 1.50 ERA in his last three starts. He is throwing strikes and getting ahead in the count. Jeff Weaver was lit up last game for the first time this year. Weaver is a candidate for AL CY Young and I expect him to bounce back strong here. Neither of these offenses are clicking particularly well right now. Brian Runge is a great under umpire behind the dish. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Tom Milone was virtually unhittable at home through most of the season, but it seems he has hit a wall of late. In his last four starts he has allowed 21 runs. The Twins offense is healthy now, and they are fully capable of putting up several runs here. Liam Hendriks pitches for the Twins, and he has struggled badly on the road. He has a 9.00 ERA away from home this year. The over is 6-0 in his last 6 road starts. The over is 4-0 in Milone's last 4 starts. The over is 6-1-1 in the last 8 between these two teams in Oakland. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Tim Lincecum has struggled all season against quality lineups. The Dodgers lineup is much better now with Victorino, Kemp, Ethier, and Hanley Ramirez all very dangerous in the lineup. The Giants lineup is pretty good as well, and Joe Blanton simply isn't any better than a mediocre pitcher. Blanton has a horrible 8.22 ERA in his last 3 starts. The over is 7-0 in Lincecum's last 7 as a road underdog. The over is 5-0 in the Giants last 5 following a win. The over is 4-0 in the Giants last 4 against a righty. Take the over here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The New York Yankees may have the best lineup in baseball right now. Ichiro Suzuki gives the team another great hitter at the bottom of the order. Everyone in the lineup is capable of going deep. Francisco Liriano is an inconsistent pitcher, and I don't see him shutting down the Yankees. Ivan Nova has pitched very poorly of late. Nova has 6.38 ERA in his last 3 starts. The White Sox offense has been clicking of late. The over is 6-0 in Nova's last 6 as an underdog. Look for a high scoring game here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Tim Hudson and Jordan Zimmerman are two very good pitchers. In fact, you could make a good argument that Zimmerman is one of the best pitchers in the majors right now. Zimmerman simply doesn't get the attention he deserves, but that gives us great value on the under in his games. Zimmerman has a great 2.38 ERA this year. Hudson has a spectacular 3.06 ERA on the road this season. The under is 14-3 in the Braves last 17 against a righty. The under is 5-0 in the Braves last 5 in the first game of a series. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jeremy Hellickson was on the other side when King Felix threw his perfect game last week. Hellickson was the tough luck loser after giving up just one run in the game. Hellickson has a great history of pitching well in Tampa Bay. The Rays piled up the runs this past weekend, which I believe has given us some extra value on the under here. Tampa Bay's offense is certainly better now that they are healthy, but this still isn't a particularly potent offensive team. The under is 22-5-2 in Hellickson's last 29 home starts. The under is 106-49-8 in the Rays last 163 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Kyle Kendrick and Randy Wolf are two pitchers I like to play the 'over' with. Both of these guys are very inconsistent, and they allow a lot of base runners. The Brewers offense has been very good of late, especially at home. The Phillies offense isn't great, but it is better than most realize. The over is 21-5 in Kendrick's last 26 road starts vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 6-0 in the Brewers last 6 games following a loss. Look for both starting pitchers to struggle. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Baltimore Orioles took Game Two last night in Detroit, and this one will be the rubber match. This series has a bit of a playoff atmosphere to it. Both teams are fighting for the wild card spots right now to get into the playoffs. Chen has been the Orioles best pitcher all year. Fister has been excellent of late. Detroit has struggled against lefties this season. The under is 9-0 in Baltimore's last 9 Sunday games. The under is 5-0 in Chen's last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Seattle Mariners can't hit much at all at home. Seattle has the worst batting average in the majors at home this year. Scott Diamond is the Twins best pitcher by quite a bit right now. Diamond has an ERA under 3 in his rookie season. On the other side, Jason Vargas is terrific at home. He has an ERA just about 2.5 at home this season. This is a pitchers ballpark and neither team seems likely to get much going here. The under is 7-0 in Vargas' last 7 home starts vs. a team with a losing record. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Francisco Giants have been red hot at the plate of late. Eric Stults has been solid so far this year, but I don't expect him to have the stuff to shut down the Giants. With Panda, Posey, and Pence in the middle of the order the Giants are a real threat on offense now. Barry Zito is pitching poorly of late, and when it goes bad for him it often goes very bad. He has an ERA above 7 in his last 3 starts. The over is 6-0 in the Giants last 6. The over is 7-0 in the Giants last 7 road games against a lefty. The over is 4-0 in Zito's last 4 starts on 5 days rest. The over is 11-1 in the last 12 meetings between these teams in San Diego. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle Total Winner* Don't look now, but the Washington Nationals now have a pretty good offense. The Nationals have won with pitching all year, but now that they are healthy they are scoring runs in bunches. Washington has scored more runs than any other team in the majors since the All-Star break. Edwin Jackson is a streaky pitcher who has been struggling of late, and I expect the Mets to put up some runs here. The over is 7-0 in the Nationals last 7 games overall. The over is 7-0 in the Nationals last 7 against a lefty. The over is 4-0-1 in the Mets last 5 Saturday games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Erik Bedard has some ridiculous home/away splits this year. Bedard has a sparkling 2.63 ERA at home and a horrible 6.75 ERA on the road. He'll face a Cardinals lineup that is very good against lefties in this one. St. Louis averages 5.36 runs per game against lefties this year. Lance Lynn has allowed 4 earned runs or more in 6 of his last 10 starts. He seems to have lost control of his fastball of late. Both of these teams have been hitting the ball well of late, and we get a solid over umpire here too. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* James McDonald was terrific earlier this year, but the wheels have fallen off for him of late. The Cardinals arguably have the best lineup in the National League now that they are healthy. St. Louis lost in a heartbreaker last night, and I expect the offense to be ready for this one. Jake Westbrook has been good this year, but the Pirates have hit him hard in the past. Neither pitcher seems destined to have a very good game here. I think this total is set too low. I like the value on the over in this contest.

*3 Star Red Sox/Yankees MLB Total* The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees may be going in different directions, but they are still major rivals. Both offenses are patient and can score runs in bunches. Phil Hughes has been shaky again of late, and the Red Sox have hit him very well in the past. Morales has pitched well this year, but the Yankees are great against lefties. The over is 4-0 in Hughes' last 4 against the Red Sox. The over is 4-0 in Hughes' last 4 starts overall. The total is set relatively low for a Red Sox/Yankees game. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* A.J. Burnett has been terrific all year. Still, Burnett is an inconsistent pitcher who is capable of getting lit up at any point. The Dodgers lineup has quickly become one of the best in the NL. With Kemp, Ethier, Victorino, and Ramirez this team can pile up the runs. On the other side, Joe Blanton starts for the Dodgers and he certainly isn't a guy you can trust. Blanton is a guy who typically ends with an ERA of about 5 every year. Angel Campos is an over umpire, and this one is set too low. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Roy Halladay didn't look healthy when he first came back from the disabled list, but he has allowed just one run in his last 15 innings pitched. The Miami Marlins have been shutout in three straight games. It's hard to imagine them getting too many against Halladay. Mark Buehrle has been great at home all year. Buehrle has a 2.94 ERA at home this year. He also has a 2.50 ERA in day games this year. The Phillies are likely to sit some of their stars here since this is a get away day. The under is 5-0 in the Phillies last 5 as a road favorite. The under is 4-0-2 in Buehrle's last 6 home starts. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

*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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

*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 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 Total Domination* The Los Angeles Angels offense has woken up in a big way over the last few weeks. Mike Trout may be the best leadoff man in baseball already, and he makes a huge difference for this offense. Albert Pujols is hitting like everyone expected him to, and Mark Trumbo is having a breakout season. Jake Arrieta has been blown up on multiple occasions already this year. Arrieta has a 5.81 ERA on the season. Garrett Richards has been good this year, but his 1.50 WHIP tells me he is playing with fire. The Orioles have a pretty good offense, and this total is set low. The over is 7-0 in the Angels last 7 against the AL East. The over is 8-1-1 in the Angels last 10. The over is 8-1 in the Orioles last 9 vs. the AL West. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The St. Louis Cardinals have the best offense in the National League. Freidrich may end up being a good pitcher, but it seems he isn't quite ready just yet. He has a 1.59 WHIP and I think the Cardinals will take advantage of their scoring chances here. Lance Lynn was great earlier this year, but he has a brutal 9.98 ERA in his last 3 starts. Lynn was pitching over his head earlier this year, and the Rockies offense is pretty good. The weather (97 degrees and a slight wind out to center) should help quite a bit. Look for a high scoring game here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jeremy Guthrie has been terrible as a starter this year. Guthrie has an ERA of 13.50 in his last three starts. The Cardinals have the best offense in the National League. Adam Wainwright has a 5.40 ERA at home this year, and he seems to be struggling to recover from his elbow surgery last year. The Rockies have an offense that is fully capable of piling up the runs in bunches. The weather here will be very favorable to the over. A game time temperature of 100 degrees with low humidity should be great for the ball to be flying well. The over is 8-1 in the Rockies last 9 against the NL Central. The over is 5-1-1 in Guthrie's last 7 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The St. Louis Cardinals offense is on fire right now. With Jon Jay back in the lineup and a healthy Matt Holiday smashing the ball, the Cardinals are piling up the runs on a consistent basis. In 5 of their last 10 games, the Cardinals have scored at least 8 runs. Jeff Francis is a guy I like to fade or play the over with. He has been bad in the past, and no team even wanted him at the beginning of the year. The Cardinals score more than 5 runs per game against lefties. On the other side, the Rockies can put up the runs as well. Joe Kelly doesn't go deep into the game, and Colorado should be able to get to him some. The over is 8-0 in the Rockies last 8 against the NL Central. The over is 7-0-1 in the Cardinals last 7 with a total set at 9-10.5. Take the over.