*5 Star MLB TOP Play of the Week* The St. Louis Cardinals are 18-11 so far this year, and they have a very solid team. Adam Wainwright is back to pitching like the CY Young winner like he did a few years ago. Wainwright has an ERA of 2.02 so far this year. Yovani Gallardo starts in this one for Milwaukee and to say that he has struggled against the Cardinals is a huge understatement. Gallardo is 1-10 with a ridiculous 6.84 ERA against the Cardinals in his career. Everyone on this Cardinals roster has very good numbers against him. On the other side, Wainwright has a brilliant 1.93 ERA against the Brewers in 25 career appearances. The Cardinals are 5-0 in their last 5 road games. They are 6-1 in Wainwright's last 7 road starts. The Brewers are 3-13 in Gallardo's last 16 against St. Louis. They are 0-5 in his last 5 home starts against the Cardinals. Take St. Louis big!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Scott Kazmir is a nice a story as he tries to get back into the majors, but I can't back him. He pitched for the Sugarland Skeeters of the Independent Atlantic League last year. The worst part was he had an ERA of 5.2 there. He was terrible in his first start this year and decent in his second. Minnesota has hit him well in the past, and that was when he had much better form than he does now. The Twins are averaging 6 runs per game this year against lefties. Kevin Correia has yet to give up more than 3 runs in a game this year. Minnesota is 12-4 in the last 16 meetings between these teams. Take Minnesota.

*3 Star Dodgers/Giants Moneyline Cash* The Los Angeles Dodgers haven't been playing very well this year, but they have Clayton Kershaw on the mound in this one against the San Francisco Giants. Kershaw is arguably the most dominant pitcher in baseball now. He has been at his absolute best against the Giants in the past. How good has he been? Current Giants hitters have a career .183 batting average against him. Even more impressive is that they collectively have one home run against Kershaw in 265 career at bats! Barry Zito has been pretty good this year, but I'm taking Kershaw at a reasonable price here. Take the Dodgers.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Tampa Bay Rays haven't played particularly well so far this year, but I still think they will right the ship. Joe Maddon's teams have always finished as contenders in the AL East, and this team should get it going as well. Despite their poor play, Matt Moore has stepped up and dominated. Moore has probably been baseball's best pitcher so far this year. His stuff is absolutely brilliant. He has an ERA of 1.12 so far this season. Jeff Francis has a horrific 7.29 ERA this year. The pitching mismatch here is too much for me to ignore. The Rays are 7-0 in Moore's last 7 starts. The Rockies are 1-8 in Francis' last 9 as an underdog. Take the Rays.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Boston Red Sox have the best record in baseball, but they'll face a very tough test in Texas. The Rangers are still one of the best teams in baseball, and they have a tremendous pitching staff. Derek Holland has turned into a very high quality lefty for this team. No one in the Red Sox lineup has had that much success against him. The Rangers are 20-8 in Holland's last 28 starts overall. Felix Doubront has an ERA of above 10 in his career when pitching in Arlington. Texas' lineup is very deep and they'll make him work. The Rangers are 4-0 in Holland's last 4 starts against Boston. Boston is 3-9 in their last 12 road games against a lefty. Take Texas here.

*3 Star MLB Play of Day* Chris Tillman and Joe Blanton are both guys who are capable of giving up a lot of runs in a start. These guys put a lot of guys on base and they have both struggled this year. Blanton has an ERA above 7 and this Orioles offense is no longer a weakness. In fact, Baltimore is 5th in the majors in runs scored per game at more than 5 runs per contest. The Angels scored 19 runs in three games in Oakland, and their bats seem to be waking up. This lineup is too good to not hit at some point, and I like this matchup with Tillman. Two good offenses and two shaky starting pitchers here equals some nice value on the over.

The over is 5-0 in the Orioles last 5 games. The over is 6-0 in Baltimore's last 6 against a right-handed pitcher. The over is 4-0-1 in the Angels last 5 home games against a team with a winning road record. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB TOP Play CRUSHER* I backed the Boston Red Sox last night and lost as Toronto's bats really woke up in that one. I'll back Boston again as I like this matchup even more than last night's. Clay Buchholz has some of the best stuff in baseball, and his history against the Blue Jays is tremendous. Buchholz has a stellar 1.67 ERA in 9 starts at Rogers Center in Toronto. Buchholz has a 1.19 ERA this year. Mark Buehrle has never fared that well against Boston (4.56 ERA in his career) and I believe he is past the peak of his career. He has a WHIO of 1.52, which means he is allowing far too many base runners. The Red Sox have a huge edge on the mound here, and the Sox offense has been more consistent than Toronto's.

Boston is 4-0 in their last 4 against a lefty. They are 5-0 in Buchholz's last 5 starts. Boston is 7-0 in Buchholz's last 7 starts in Toronto. The Blue Jays are 0-5 in their last 5 games following a win. Take Boston big!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals have had two low scoring games already in this series (both 2-1 finals), and I think this will be a third straight. Homer Bailey has turned into the pitcher the Reds organization thought he would be years ago, and he is arguably the team's number two starter right now. Bailey has a 1.29 ERA in his last 3 starts. Lance Lynn has been great for the Cardinals, and he has been amazing at home. Lynn has a 1.38 ERA at home this year, and no one on the Reds roster has hit him very well. Doug Eddings is behind the plate here and you won't find a better 'under' umpire than him. The under is an amazing 25-4 in Eddings last 29 day games. The under is 5-1 in Bailey's last 6 road starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Minnesota Twins have been much worse offensively than expected this year, but their starting pitching staff has been much better than expected. Scott Diamond is arguably the team's best young pitcher. Diamond has 3 starts at Comerica Park in Detroit and he has a 2.25 ERA in those games. Anibal Sanchez is pitching extremely well for the Tigers right now. He struck out 17 in his last appearance, and he has a brilliant 1.34 ERA this year. The under is 4-0-1 in the Twins last 5 road games. The under is 4-0-1 in Diamond's last 5 starts. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Colorado Rockies romped to a huge win over the Dodgers last night, but I like the Dodgers chances of bouncing back with a win in this one. Colorado has struggled against lefties for quite some time, and they'll be facing a lefty they've never seen before in this one. Ryu looked very sharp in his last start. The Rockies counter with Jorge De La Rosa who has been good this year, but he has struggled badly against the Dodgers in the past. De La Rosa has a 6.22 ERA in 13 career appearances against the Dodgers. The Rockies are 0-9 in De La Rosa's last 9 starts against the Dodgers. They are 0-5 in his last 5 at Los Angeles. Take the Dodgers.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Roy Halladay isn't quite the same pitcher he was a couple years ago, but oddsmakers and a lot of bettors jumped ship on him a little too quickly this season. After a rough start to the season, Halladay has given up just 4 runs in his last 21 innings pitched. Even more impressive, in his last 3 starts he has a WHIP of just 0.62. No one is getting on base against him of late. Zach McAllister is a mediocre pitcher and this Phillies lineup got a lot better now with Carlos Ruiz back from his suspension. The middle of the order is now very good. Philadelphia is 22-8 in Halladay's last 30 as a road favorite. Take the Phillies.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Boston Red Sox have the bets record in baseball at 18-7. Boston has done it mainly because of a much improved pitching staff. Jon Lester is the Ace of the staff, and he has been brilliant this year. His control is so much better than it was last year at this time. The Red Sox are 5-0 in Lester's 5 starts this year and he has a stellar 2.27 ERA. No one on the Blue Jays roster has hit Lester well in the past, and he is at his best right now. Brandon Morrow has a 5.27 ERA this year, and he has allowed at least 4 runs in three of his last four starts.

The Red Sox are 5-0 in Lester's 5 starts this year. Boston is 8-0 in their last 8 in the opening game of the series. They are 6-0 in their last 6 road games against a righty. The Blue Jays are 0-8 in Morrow's last 8 Tuesday starts. They are 0-4 in their last 4 overall. Take Boston.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Arizona Diamondbacks are being overlooked by the oddsmakers of late. Arizona has one of the best pitching rotations in the league and they have been great of late. Ian Kennedy still flies under the radar quite a bit despite his great stuff and consistent performances. Kennedy has an amazing history against the Giants. Arizona is 8-0 in Kennedy's last 8 starts against the Giants. Matt Cain has an ERA over 6 so far this year, and he hasn't been that good at Chase Field. I like the value on the home team. Take Arizona.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Cincinnati Reds have the worst road record in the majors at 2-8 this year. The Reds are a pretty good team, but their offense has been struggling against top competition of late. Adam Wainwright looks like the CY Young winner from a few years ago again this year. Wainwright has an ERA of less than 2, and he has been even better at home. Wainwright has been excellent against the Reds top hitters (Votto, Bruce, and Frazier). The Cardinals have hit Mat Latos well in the past, and the Cardinals have dominated this series in St. Louis. The Reds are 0-6 in their last 6 road games vs. a right-handed pitcher. The Cardinals are 5-0 in their last during Game 1 of a series. The Cardinals are 4-0 in Wainwright's last 4 starts. Take St. Louis.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing good baseball of late, but to say that they have struggled in Milwaukee is a major understatement. Pittsburgh is 7-44 in their last 51 games in Milwaukee. Yovani Gallardo is the Brewers Ace and he has completely dominated the Pirates in his career. Gallardo has a 2.59 ERA in 14 starts against Pittsburgh. Wandy Rodriguez has a 5.88 ERA at Miller Park. Ryan Braun has amazing numbers against Rodriguez. The Brewers are 8-0 in Gallardo's last 8 starts against Pittsburgh. They are 13-1 in Gallardo's last 14 starts overall against Pittsburgh. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The New York Yankees rank ninth in the majors in runs scored and batting average. Though they don't have several stars, the Yankees are still putting up some solid offensive production. Houston's offense is one of the worst in baseball. The Astros were destroyed in four straight games at Fenway Park, and I won't be surprised if they get swept out of Yankee Stadium either. Andy Pettitte is extremely consistent at allowing only a couple runs each game. Lucas Harrell has been good at home, but he struggles on the road. The Yankees are 52-12 in their last 64 games as a home favorite of -201 or greater. This one looks like a mismatch. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* The Los Angeles Angels have a lot of talent, but they haven't put it together yet this season. Jason Vargas has been putting far too many runners on base this year. Vargas has a terrible WHIP of 2.03 so far this year. When you're letting that many runners on base each inning, bad things are bound to happen. On the other side, Hisashi Iwakuma has been brilliant this year. He hasn't allowed more than 3 runs in his last 8 starts dating back to last season. In 2013, he has a spectacular 1.99 ERA. We are getting the much better pitcher at a short price here. The Angels are 1-5 in their last 6 road games. The Angels are 1-7 in their last 8 games against a right-handed pitcher. Seattle is 4-0 in Iwakuma's last 4 home starts. The Mariners are also 4-0 in Iwakuma's last 4 starts against the Angels. Take Seattle.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Arizona Diamondbacks offense was one of the weaker offenses in the National League at the beginning of the year, and it is much weaker now that they are so short-handed. Arizona is without Kubel, Eaton, Hill, and Bloomquist. Jon Garland isn't a dominating pitcher for Colorado, but he should be able to hold this DBacks lineup down. Patrick Corbin is one of the most impressive young pitchers in the game. Corbin has a spectacular 1.71 ERA so far this year, and I expect big things from him moving forward. Chase Field isn't nearly as big of a hitters ballpark with the roof closed (and it will be closed on Sunday). The under is 7-0-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two teams. The under is 3-0-1 in Arizona's last 4 games. The under is 3-0-1 in Colorado's last 4 games. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds won their first road game of the year, but they have since dropped 8 in a row away from home. Washington started the season slowly, but the Nationals came into the year as a World Series favorite for a reason. Washington has a tremendous pitching staff and bullpen. The Nationals' lineup has also improved quite a bit in the past year. Ross Detwiler has an ERA under 2.5 in his career against the Reds. Anthony Cingrani will be his making his first Major League start on the road in this one. The Nationals aren't an easy lineup to face, and the Reds' hitters definitely haven't been giving their pitching staff much support as of late. The Nationals are 8-0 in their last 8 games in game 4 of a four game series. The Reds are 0-8 in their last 8 road games. Take Washington.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Tampa Bay Rays have a budding star in pitcher Matt Moore. Moore may have the best stuff on their pitching staff and this is a staff that includes David Price and Jeremy Hellickson. Moore has dominated so far this year. He comes into this one with a 1.04 ERA this season. The White Sox offense has been terrible this year, and I don't see them figuring out Moore here. Gavin Floyd is struggling with his control, and the Rays offense should scrape across a few runs. The Rays are 6-0 in Moore's last 6 starts. The White Sox are 0-4 in Floyd's last 4 starts. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds should finish the season with some of the best offensive numbers in the National League. Having said that, the Reds have totaled just one hit in each of their last two games in Washington. Dan Haren isn't the same pitcher he used to be, and I fully expect the Reds to be much better against him in this one. Mike Leake has a terrible history against Washington, and Leake lacks that dominating pitch to strike batters out. The over is 5-0-1 in Leake's last 6 starts against Washington. The over is 6-0 in the Reds last 6 against a team with a winning record. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* Jonathan Sanchez is one of the worst starting pitchers in the majors and as long as he is starting games in the majors I'll be looking for chances to fade him. Sanchez comes into this one with an ERA above 10. Sanchez walks a ton of hitters, and the Cardinals are a very patient team. Lance Lynn has been a big moneymaker for bettors over the past year or so. The Cardinals are 26-10 in Lynn's last 36 starts. They are 15-1 in Lynn's last 16 starts against the NL Central. St. Louis has a much better lineup and a much better pitcher here. It looks like a mismatch all around. Take St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Underdog Value* The New York Mets aren't as good as they have been playing of late, and the Philadelphia Phillies aren't as bad as they have played of late. Kyle Kendrick is a streaky pitcher, but he has pitched very well against the Mets in his career. At Citi Field, Kendrick has a stellar 2.6 ERA in his career. Dillon Gee has an ERA above 6 in his career against the Phillies. The Phillies are 6-2 in Kendrick's last 8 starts against the Mets. At plus money, I'll take the Phillies here. Take Philadelphia.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Atlanta Braves look to be the best team in baseball right now. Getting the Braves at plus money doesn't happen very often, and when I see them at this big of a number I have to consider them. The Braves actually have several guys with very good career numbers against Anibal Sanchez. Dan Uggla has 6 RBI's against him in just 10 at bats. Paul Maholm has completed dominated Prince Fielder (7 for 51 career against Maholm) and Austin Jackson (0 for 9 career). Atlanta is 7-0 in their last 7 in the first game of the series. The Braves are 5-0 in their last 5 as a road underdog. The Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 Interleague Games. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Ivan Nova and Josh Johnson have both been struggling in a big way this year. Both of them come into this one with an ERA above 6 and a WHIP higher than 1.8. That tells me that these guys are constantly working with runners on base. They are fighting hard to avoid the big inning. Both of these offenses are better than the average MLB offense and big innings in this one shouldn't be a surprise. The Blue Jays hitters have some great career numbers against Nova. Recent unders have given us line value on this play. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins may have the two worst offenses in the National League. Miami is averaging just 2.57 runs per game. The Cubs are averaging 3.25 runs per game. Kevin Slowey has been pitching well against quality competition of late, and Edwin Jackson has been good on the road in his career. The under is 4-1 in the Cubs last 5. The under is 12-4-1 in the Marlins last 17 home games. The under is 4-0 in Slowey's last 4 starts. Look for an ugly low scoring game. Take the under.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Houston Astros put a beat down on the Seattle Mariners yesterday, but I still believe they are one of the two worst teams in the majors (Miami being the other). Houston will start Phillip Humber, who pitched only 1/3 of an inning and gave up 8 runs in his last start. Humber is a streaky pitcher, and it won't surprise me a bit if he struggles badly again. Clay Buchholz has dominated opposing hitters all year, and this will be the worst lineup he has faced yet. Buchholz has Ace type stuff, and he is showing it this year. The Red Sox 22-8 in his last 30 as a home favorite. The Astros are 11-43 in their last 54 against a team with a winning record. Take Boston -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Mets are off to a great start to the season, but I count myself among the doubters who believe this team isn't nearly as good as they are playing right now. The Mets have too many weaknesses and not enough standouts to continue playing this well. On the other side, the Dodgers aren't playing as well as they should be, but I expect them to kick it in and win quite a few games this season. Ryu has dangerously good stuff, and when he puts it together he'll be very tough. Hefner isn't a good major league pitcher at this point in his career. Last night's grand slam walkoff gives us better value here on the better team. The Dodgers are 5-1 in their last 6 in New York. Take the Dodgers.

*4 Star MLB Total Domination* Edinson Volquez has been one of baseball's worst pitchers so far this year. Volquez has an ERA of 8.84 so far this year. The Brewers offense is really clicking right now and that is bad news for Volquez. Marco Estrada doesn't have overpowering stuff and he routinely gives up 3 or 4 runs in a game. Paul Emmel is the home plate umpire here, and the over was a stunning 27-6 in his 33 games behind home plate last season. It should be noted that PetCo Park has moved in the fences this year and Padres' home games will likely be quite a bit higher scoring this year than last. The over is already 5-2-1 their this season. The over is 9-0 in the Brewers last 9 road games against a team with a winning percentage less than 40%. The over is 4-0 in the Padres last 4 home games against a righty. The over is 6-0 in Estrada's last 6 starts on the road against a team with a losing record. Take the over here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros have two of the worst offenses in baseball. These two teams have a really tough time stringing together many hits, so they are reliant on home runs to score. The problem for both of them is they really don't have many home run hitters. Joe Saunders pitched a shutout against the Astros earlier this year. Lucas Harrell has been great at home since the beginning of last year. The under is 8-3 in Harrell's last 11 home starts. The under is 5-2 in the Mariners last 7 road games. Take the under in this one.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Milwaukee Brewers are really on a roll right now. While I'm not convinced that the Brewers are a terrific team, they are up against one of the worst teams in baseball in this one. San Diego's offense is very weak now, and their pitching staff isn't even close to what it used to be. The Padres start Clayton Richard in this one, and he has been under the weather with the flu of late. Yovani Gallardo is one of those pitchers who tends to mow down weak lineups. Gallardo has been better on the road than at home in the last year. Milwaukee has some real pop in the middle of the lineup, and the Padres have almost none. Milwaukee is 8-0 in their last 8 games. They are 5-0 in Gallardo's last 5 road starts as the favorite. The Padres are 0-6 in their last 6 home games. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Bookie CRUSHER* The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels have done battle plenty of times in the last few years, and Alexi Ogando has been brilliant against the Angels. He has an ERA below 3 in his career against the Angels. Jason Vargas has started the season slumping (6.95 ERA) for the Angels and he has a 4.48 ERA against the Rangers in his career. The difference between these two offenses isn't as much as most think. At the same time, the Rangers have a much better starting rotation and bullpen. Ogando pitched poorly last time out, but he has bounced back in a big way in his career many times before. Texas is 6-1 in Ogando's last 7 starts. Take Texas.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle Total* The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of the lightest hitting teams in baseball right now. The DBacks didn't have a good offense to start with, and now they are without three of their top hitters due to injuries. At the same time, Arizona's pitching staff is very good. Wade Miley has been great since he arrived in Arizona last year. Miley has been consistently very good. Ryan Vogelsong has been great at home over the past two years and I think he'll be good against this short-handed Arizona offense. The under is 7-0 in the DBacks last 7 games. The under is 8-0 in the DBacks last 8 games as an underdog. The under is 6-0 in Arizona's last 6 road games. Take the under.

*4 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Milwaukee Brewers started the season horribly, but they have won seven straight games since that bad start. Milwaukee is the hottest team in baseball right now. Kyle Lohse hasn't gotten enough credit for his consistency over the past couple years. He has started the year out just like he pitched all of last year. Lohse had a career low 2.86 ERA last season. The Padres may have the weakest offense in the majors right now. Grandal and Quentin are out due to a suspension, and Kyle Blanks may miss this game as well. Milwaukee's lineup has been red hot of late. Jason Marquis is well past his prime, and the Brewers should put up several on him. The Padres are 0-5 in their last 5 home games. The Brewers are 7-0 in their last 7 games. Milwaukee is 5-0 in their last 5 against a right-handed pitcher. Take Milwaukee.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Justin Masterson has been great so far this year for the Cleveland Indians. Masterson has pitched two brilliant games in three outings this year. One of those was a complete game shutout against the White Sox. Masterson has a brilliant 2.60 ERA in 7 career starts at US Cellular Field in Chicago. The White Sox offense has been ice cold of late. Dylan Axelrod has been steadily improving as a starter, and he has the stuff to be a quality pitcher for the Sox. The wind will be blowing in for this one. The under is 6-0-1 in the White Sox last 7 games. Take the under here.

*4 Star MLB Bookie CRUSHER* The Pittsburgh Pirates have has success in this series so far, but I expect that to end on Sunday. The Atlanta Braves came into this series with the best record in baseball for a good reason. Atlanta is extremely balanced. The Braves have a terrific rotation, bullpen, and offense. Kris Medlin has been dominate for the Braves in the past year. Medlin has an ERA well under 2 in more than 150 innings pitched in the past year. The Pirates will start left-hander Jonathan Sanchez who has been horrible during that same time period. Sanchez had an ERA over 8 last season, and his ERA is even higher so far this season. Sanchez struggles to throw strikes, and the Braves will make him work. Atlanta has the much better team overall. This one looks like a mismatch. Atlanta is 25-2 in Medlin's last 27 starts. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline TOP PLAY* The New York Mets have taken the first two games in this series. Washington is clearly the better team, but the Mets are playing with a decent amount of confidence right now. Dillon Gee is the weak link in the New York Mets rotation. Gee has always been very inconsistent on the mound. Most of the hitters in the Nationals lineup have had a lot of success against Gee.

Jordan Zimmerman will start for the Nationals. Zimmerman is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball today. Zimmerman's consistency on the mound makes him a top flight pitcher in this league. In 9 of his last 10 starts Zimmerman has a quality start. Washington will almost certainly finish the season with a better record than New York, and I think we are getting solid value here because the Mets have been so hot of late.

The Nationals are 6-0 in Zimmerman's last 6 starts as a road favorite. The Nationals are 8-0 in Zimmerman's last 8 after the team allowed 5 runs or more in the previous game. Washington is 5-0 in Zimmerman's last 5 starts against the Mets. The Mets are 0-5 in Gee's last 5 starts as an underdog. Take Washington big.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Colorado Rockies are a perfect 10-0 in their last 10 home games. Arizona has a good pitching staff, but their lineup just isn't suited for winning high scoring battles at Coors Field. Jorge De La Rosa is a much better pitcher than he is generally given credit for. He has been a money making machine over the last few years. The Rockies are 7-0 in De La Rosa's last 7 starts against Arizona. Colorado is 24-4 in their last 28 home games with De La Rosa on the mound. In all, a 41-4 angle backs this play. The much better offense and the underrated pitcher make the Rockies my play here. Take Colorado.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle Total* The Los Angeles Angels offense has been slumping all year, and everyone has been waiting for them to break out of it. The Angels piled on the runs late in last night's game to win 8-1 over Detroit. By scoring 5 runs late in the game, you have to wonder if this team didn't just open up the flood gates. This Angels offense is too good to struggle for too terribly long. The Tigers offense has the highest batting average in baseball. Umpire Paul Emmel saw the over go 27-6 in his 33 games behind the dish last year. Rick Porcello and Garrett Richards are both capable of giving up the big inning and these are two strong offenses. The over is 7-0 in the Tigers last 7 following a loss. The over is 4-0-1 in Porcello's last 5 starts. The over is 6-0 in the Angels last 6 against a team with a winning record. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The New York Mets are playing like a team with a lot of confidence right now. On paper, Washington may have the best team in baseball. The Mets won last night's big pitching showdown as Matt Harvey pitched a gem. Several New York Mets players have a decent history against Gio Gonzalez who will start Saturday's game for the Nationals. Jeremy Hefner has an ERA of almost 6 against Washington in his young career. The wind is expected to be blowing out at nearly 20 miles per hour during this game, and we have a solid over umpire in Gerry Davis. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Los Angeles Angels haven't done anything on the field all year, but the oddsmakers continue to give them a ton of credit. Detroit has a solid record despite playing a tough schedule, and the Tigers are absolutely contenders for the World Series this year. Anibal Sanchez is one of the best #3 or #4 pitchers in baseball. Sanchez does a good job locating pitches and keeping the ball in the ballpark. Tommy Hanson was lit up by Houston in his last start at home. Hanson's inconsistency over the last two years is striking. Detroit has the much better bullpen and defense, and I would argue that right now their lineup is better as well. The Angels are 2-7 in their last 9. Take the Tigers.

*5 Star MLB TOP Play* The Seattle Mariners improved a bit in the offseason, but it wasn't even close to enough to bring them to the level of the Texas Rangers. The pitching matchup here is a huge reason why I like this game so much. Joe Saunders is arguably the worst pitcher in the Mariners rotation, and he is a fly ball pitcher. Yu Darvish is the best pitcher in the Rangers rotation, and he has the potential to compete for a CY Young award very soon.

Saunders has a horrible history in Texas. How bad has he been in Texas? Saunders has a horrific 9.38 ERA in 6 starts in Texas. This isn't a high ERA because he hasn't pitched many innings (he has thrown 31 and 2/3 innings in Texas total). He simply gets shelled in Texas. The pitching mismatch here is huge, and the Rangers lineup is much better than Seattle's as well. Texas is 64-28 in their last 92 home games against Seattle. I really like Texas here. Take Texas -1.5 big.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Value* The Miami Marlins are probably the worst team in baseball right now. Miami can't hit, field, pitch, etc. There really isn't any area where the Marlins have a real strength. Giancarlo Stanton is the team's best hitter, but he is less than 100 percent now. The Reds have one of the most balanced teams in baseball. Cincinnati has a good rotation and good bullpen and one of the deepest lineups in baseball. The Reds are 13-3 in Latos' last 16 as a home favorite. The Reds won huge Thursday night and I think it happens again Friday. It's a mismatch. Take the Reds -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Patrick Corbin might not be a name that very many people know right now, but the young DBacks pitcher has a great future ahead of him. He was one of the top prospects for Arizona for several years, and he looks terrific early this season. The Yankees offense is obviously not the same without guys like ARod, Tex, Granderson, and Jeter. Arizona's lineup is one of the weakest in baseball, and I expect them to play a lot of low scoring games this year. Ron Kulpa is one of the better 'under' umpires in baseball. He has a wide strike zone and both Corbin and Phil Hughes should be able to take advantage of that. Both pitchers have pitched well with Kulpa behind the plate in the past. The under is 6-0 in the Yankees last 6 home games. The under is 5-0 in the Yankees last 5 games. The under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two in New York. Take the under.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Los Angeles Dodgers have lost the first two games of this series to the San Diego Padres. The Padres aren't a good team at all, and their lineup is extremely poor. Clayton Kershaw hasn't allowed a run at home so far this year, and he very well could pitch another shutout against the Padres. He has a 2.28 ERA against the Padres in his career, and the two Padres who have had some success against him (Quentin and Grandal) are both suspended for this game. Tyson Ross' wildness makes him prone to giving up a big inning here and there. The Dodgers lineup isn't tremendous right now, but it is leaps and bounds better than San Diego's.

Kershaw is the perfect guy to have the ball in a situation where the Dodgers are trying to avoid the sweep at home against an inferior team. I really like this spot. The Dodgers are 36-15 in Kershaw's last 51 home starts. They are 6-1 in his last 7 starts against the Padres. I'll never lay this big of a number on the moneyline, so we'll take the run line here. Take the Dodgers -1.5

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Arizona Diamondbacks have one of the weakest lineups in baseball right now. Jason Kubel, Adam Eaton, and Aaron Hill are all on the DL. The Yankees have tons of hitting stars on the DL. Wade Miley has continually defied the odds and pitched well in his first two years in the majors. He has an ERA of 1.60 in the month of April in his young career. C.C. Sabathia is in form early this year, and the DBacks have been struggling to score runs of late (3 or less in 3 of their last 4 games). It will be a cool night in the Bronx and the wind is expected to be blowing in. Phil Cuzzi is behind the dish and he has one of the biggest strike zones in the majors. The under is 5-0 in the Yankees last 5 home games. The under is 4-0 in the DBacks last 4 Interleague road games. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams in New York. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Tampa Bay Rays have been getting beat up of late, but I still think this team will find a way to get it turned around. History tells us that Joe Maddon's team will get on a nice run and contend in the AL East at some point this year. Tampa Bay is relatively healthy right now, and their bats should heat up soon. Matt Moore is one of the most talented young pitchers in the game, and I think this will be a breakout season for him. Chris Tillman is so unpredictable that I can't back him against a young phenom like Moore. Moore has had dominating stuff in his first two starts. Tampa Bay is 4-0 in Moore's last 4 starts. Take the Rays.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jason Vargas and Mike Pelfrey are both pitchers who are extremely inconsistent. Both of them are capable of giving up a very big inning at any time. Pelfrey should struggle to get through the Angels very strong lineup. At the same time, Vargas has always struggled on the road and in three starts in Minnesota his ERA is above 8. The over is 7-0-1 in the Twins last 8 games after giving up 2 runs or less in the previous game. Basically, the Twins pitching staff is terrible and it is tough for them to string together too many strong outings. The over is 6-0-1 in the Angels last 7 as a road favorite. The over is 4-0-1 in the Angels last 5 Tuesday games. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Texas Rangers are amazing at coming back from a loss. Texas is 64-24 in their last 88 games following a loss. They have a much better lineup than the Chicago Cubs, and they have an underrated starter on the hill here in Derek Holland. Holland has developed as a pitcher quite a bit in the past couple years. Travis Wood has started the year well, but this will be the first true offense he has faced. Texas will be much better than the Cubs this year, and I think this is a very nice value on the road team.

The Cubs are 0-7 in Wood's last 7 starts as a home underdog. Chicago is 0-6 in Wood's last 6 home starts against a team with a winning record. They are 0-5 in their last 5 games against a lefty. The Rangers are 4-0 in their last 4 Interleague road games. Take Texas here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Chicago White Sox have only won one game on the road so far this year (out of 6). Toronto isn't off to a very good start, but I expect the Blue Jays to be a good team before it's all said and done. Mark Buerhle has had two very bad starts to start off the season for Toronto, but history tells us he should bounce back here. Buerhle is a very competitive guy who responds well in big spots, and he'll face his old teammates here. I think that helps him a lot more than them. Chicago is 5-21 in their last 26 as a road underdog. Take the Blue Jays.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The St. Louis Cardinals have a much better lineup than the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have struggled to score runs most of the year, and they don't have a good history against Lance Lynn. Lynn has an ERA of just over 1 at PNC Park. James McDonald has been hit hard by Yadier Molina and overall St. Louis has fared well against him. At nearly even money, I can't pass up the much better team here. St. Louis is also coming off a tough loss, and I expect them to be focused and looking to bounce back right away. The Cardinals are 15-1 in Lynn's last 16 starts against the NL Central. They are 5-0 in Lynn's last 5 starts in game one of a series. The Pirates are 0-4 in McDonald's last 4 against the NL Central. Take St. Louis.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Colorado Rockies have a much better lineup than the San Diego Padres. De La Rosa will start for the Rockies, and he has a great history against San Diego. Clayton Richard has struggled against the Rockies. The Padres will be without Chase Headley and possibly without Carlos Quentin. The Rockies have several guys including Troy Tulowitzki, who have absolutely blasted Clayton Richard in the past. The price here isn't very steep at all. I have to take the team with the much better offense and a starting pitcher with great splits against the opponent. The Rockies are 7-0 in De La Rosa's last 7 starts against the Padres. The Rockies are 5-0 in their last 5 meetings with the Padres. San Diego is 0-4 in their last 4 home games. Take Colorado.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Texas Rangers lost 3-1 last night which creates some good value on the Rangers moneyline Saturday night. Texas is an amazing 63-24 in their last 87 games following a loss. Alexi Ogando will be a full time starter for the Rangers this year, and I expect big things from him. Ogando throws hard and he has some very good off speed stuff. Joe Saunders has a horrible 6.48 ERA against the Rangers in his career. Seattle's lineup was one of the worst in the American League to start with, and now they are without Michael Morse and Michael Saunders. Texas still has one of the deepest lineups in baseball. The Rangers are 5-0 in Ogando's last 5 starts. The Rangers are 5-0 in Ogando's last 5 starts as a favorite. Take Texas.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Yovani Gallardo is a pretty good pitcher, but his history against the Cardinals is horrible. Gallardo is 1-9 with a terrible 6.72 ERA in 14 starts against St. Louis. The Brewers still aren't healthy so their offense has been under performing. St. Louis has a deep lineup and I expect them to be among the National League leaders in runs scored this year. Adam Wainwright has a solid history against Milwaukee. The Cardinals seem to be that team that people underestimate every year. The Brewers are 1-6 in Gallardo's last 7 starts against the Cardinals. This one is a mismatch. Take St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* This is a matchup of two teams who are likely to be contenders all season long. They played twelve innings last night with Oakland winning 4-3. Both teams will be looking for a lot of innings from their starting pitcher, which shouldn't be a problem for Justin Verlander or Brett Anderson. Verlander has been baseball's most dominant pitcher over the last few years. Anderson has been injured a lot, but when he is healthy, he is an extremely good pitcher. Anderson has been especially dominant at home. Verlander has an ERA of right around 2 in his career against Oakland. The under is 5-0-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams in Oakland. The under is 6-1 in Verlander's last 7 starts in Oakland. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Colorado Rockies don't have a very good pitching staff, but they definitely have plenty of pop in their lineup. San Diego's lineup is very weak right now, and they'll likely be without Carlos Quentin in this one. Jon Garland has had quite a bit of success pitching in San Diego in the past, and I expect him to pitch well for Colorado here. Tyson Ross is extremely inconsistent, and his control problems are a major concern for the Padres. The Rockies have the better starter and the better lineup. Take Colorado.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Value* There becomes a point where the Los Angeles Angels are a good value play because everyone is jumping ship. I think that may start to happen right now, especially since they are matched up against the worst team in baseball. Bud Norris has a career 5.39 ERA on the road. Tommy Hanson is a solid starter, and the Angels offense will get going at some point. Don't be surprised if they take out their frustration on the Astros. Take LA -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Los Angeles Dodgers offense is better this year, but without Hanley Ramirez healthy they aren't what they will be later in the year. The bottom of the order for the Dodgers is among the worst in baseball, and that is holding them back right now. The Dodgers pitching staff has been the best in the majors so far this year. Clayton Kershaw hasn't given up a run this year, and the Arizona offense isn't going to scare anyone. Patrick Corbin is a budding star for the DBacks, and I expect a quality start from him. The under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Miami Marlins are probably the worst team in the National League. Miami has a terrible pitching staff, bullpen, and lineup. The Marlins are going to lose a lot of games this year. There won't be many chances to play against the Marlins with very little juice, but this is one and I can't pass it up. John Lannan is a pretty good pitcher and he should be able to do well against this weak Marlins lineup. The Phillies offense is better than most believe right now since Chase Utley looks like his old self. The Marlins are 0-4 in their last 4 home games. They are 0-4 in their last 4 following an off day. Miami is 0-5 in Nolasco's last 5 starts. They are 0-4 in Nolasco's last 4 against the NL East. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle Total Domination* The Oakland A's offense was one of the worst in baseball last year and the team still managed to get into the playoffs by winning the extremely difficult AL West. The offense has been much much better so far this year. How good have they been? Oakland is first in the majors in runs scored per game at 6.44 runs per game. They obviously won't keep up that pace, but this offense is better than last year. Chris Young and Jed Lowrie were very good additions for the lineup. The Angels arguably have the best lineup in baseball with Trout, Pujols, Hamilton, and others. Jason Vargas dominated at home in Seattle, but he struggled on the road. Vargas won't have quite as friendly of a home field now, and he hasn't been good against Oakland in the past. A.J. Griffin dominated last year, but I think he comes back to earth a bit this season.

The over is 8-0 in Oakland's last 8 games overall. The over is 5-0-1 in Griffin's last 6 starts. The over is 9-0-2 in the Angels last 11 games as a favorite. The over is 4-0-1 in the Angels last 5 home games. The over is 5-0-2 in the Angels last 7 games after scoring at least 5 runs in the previous game. In all, a perfect 31-0 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Total Domination* The Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels put a lot of runners on the bases last night, and I think they will again in this one. Tom Milone has been lights out at home in his young career, but he hasn't been very good at all on the road. The Angels offense hasn't clicked perfectly just yet, but they are mighty dangerous. Joe Blanton is absolutely capable of getting lit up by anyone at this point in his career, and the A's bats are looking better this year than they did last season. The over is 7-0 in Oakland's last 7 games. The over is 7-0 in their last 7 against the AL West. The over is 3-0-2 in the Angels last 5 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Here we have a combination of two things working in our favor. The Twins and Royals both have a much better offense than pitching staff and both of these teams are starting guys near the bottom of their rotation in this one. Liam Hendriks was beat around all season last year, and the Royals have several guys who have had lots of success against him. Wade Davis has never been very successful in his attempts to be a starting pitcher in the majors. I think both offenses should be able to quite a bit of damage in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The San Francisco Giants made a massive comeback yesterday after Tim Lincecum's poor outing against the Rockies. Colorado led 5-1 early, but the Giants rallied to win 9-6. Barry Zito takes the hill for the Giants in the finale of this series. Zito has been a big moneymaker of late. He has gotten his control back lately and it has made a world of difference. The oddmakers still aren't giving him much credit. The Giants are 8-0 in Zito's last 8 home starts. They are 6-0 in his last 6 as a favorite. San Francisco is 7-0 in Zito's last 7 following a quality start in the previous appearance. The Rockies are 0-4 in Jeff Francis' last 4 against the Giants. Take San Francisco.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Tampa Bay Rays lost on a brutal call by home plate umpire Marty Foster in last night's game. I expect Joe Maddon's team to be ready to play in this one. Nick Tepesch will be making his major league debut for the Rangers. Tepesch only had a 4.28 ERA in Double A last year, so I'm not convinced he can consistently get out big league hitters right now. Roberto Hernandez will be pitching for Tampa Bay, and he has an ERA over 5 in his career against Texas. The wind tunnel effect in Texas (wind in from right) has caused a lot of high scoring games in the past and the ball should be flying well in this one. The over is 6-0-1 in the Rangers last 7 home games against a righty. The over is 4-0 in the Rays last 4 as an underdog of +110 to +150. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value Play* Sometimes you can overanalyze a game. The Braves are 25-3 in Kris Medlin's last 28 starts. The Marlins will likely be the worst team in the National League this year, and their offense has been horrific this year. They have been shut out four times in the first week of the year. Atlanta's offense is very solid now with the Upton brothers hitting it well and Jason Heyward in the middle of the order. This one is just a total mismatch. The Braves have won five straight against Miami when Medlin starts, and the Marlins are much worse now than they were in those games. Take Atlanta -1.5.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The New York Yankees put up 11 runs yesterday. While the Yankees offense definitely misses guys like Tex and ARod, the current lineup they are putting out there every day is better than most believe. You could make a good argument that the Yankees have the better lineup between these two teams, and in this game they'll definitely have a pitching advantage. Andy Pettitte continues to win games by hitting his spots and keeping batters guessing. Carlos Carrasco will make his first start since 2011. He missed all of last year with an injury. He had an ERA of 6.00 in Spring Training. Pettitte has had a lot of success in his career against the Indians. Cleveland is 0-8 in Carrasco's last 8 starts as a home underdog. They are 0-6 in his last 6 starts overall. The Indians are 0-6 in their last 6 against a starter with a WHIP of less than 1.15. Take the Yankees.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Minnesota Twins have the worst pitching staff in the American League (and probably the majors overall as well). Kansas City has been expected to rise in the AL Central over the past couple years, but it has been their pitching that has held them back each season. Kansas City's offense exploded for 25 runs in their three-game series in Philadelphia, and I do expect the Royals to score a lot of runs this year.

Minnesota's offense isn't great, but when you have Mauer, Willingham, and Morneau in the middle of the order, you are going to put together some good innings. Ervin Santana hasn't been trustworthy over the last couple years, and he was very shaky in his debut for the Royals.

Kevin Correia doesn't have dominating stuff, and I expect the Royals to be able to get to him in this one. It doesn't hurt that the wind is expected to be blowing out on a Spring afternoon in Kansas City. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Brett Anderson has the stuff to be one of the best pitcher in the American League. When Anderson is healthy he can dominate almost any lineup. He only gave up two runs in this first start of the season and he looked completely healthy. Houston has arguably the worst offense in all of baseball, and it won't surprise me a bit if Anderson complete shuts down the Astros. Lucas Harrell has quietly put together a nice stretch against Houston over the past year. Harrell had a lot of success last year despite pitching on a terrible team. He had an ERA below 2.5 at home last year. Neither offense is strong and both pitchers are consistently good. Take the under.

*4 Star MLB Total Domination* The Arizona Diamondbacks got rid of a lot of offense in the offseason. The Diamondbacks are going to win quite a few games this year because of their pitching staff, but I suspect a lot of those games are going to stay under the total. Ian Kennedy has turned into one of the better pitchers in the National League the past couple years. He has consistently put up nice numbers against everyone. Yovani Gallardo is a solid pitcher, and his numbers against Arizona are nothing short of stellar. Gallardo owns a 1.02 ERA against the Diamondbacks in 6 career starts. Ryan Braun may miss this game again and Aramis Ramirez is definitely out, so the Brewers offense is short-handed. The under is 5-0 in Arizona's last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in the previous game. The under is 4-0 in Gallardo's last 4 starts against the DBacks. The under is 4-1 in Kennedy's last 5 starts against Milwaukee. The under is 7-1-1 in Paul Nauert's (a solid under umpire with a relatively large strike zone) last 9 games behind home plate.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cleveland Indians have been dominated so far in this series against Tampa Bay, and I don't see that changing on Sunday. David Price is absolutely dominant at home, and no one on this Indians roster has had much success at all against him. On the other side, Justin Masterson has been horrible when pitching in Tampa Bay. Masterson has an ERA of 8.44 ERA in six games at Tampa Bay. The Rays have had his number, and Price isn't likely to give up many runs in this game. Tampa Bay is almost -200 on the moneyline, and I'll never lay that kind of money in an MLB game, but the run line looks like a great value. This one has a lot of potential to get very ugly. The Rays are 5-0 in Price's last 5 against Cleveland. The Indians are 1-5 in Masterson's last 6 against Tampa Bay. Take Tampa Bay -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Clayton Kershaw has put together four straight seasons with an ERA less than three. At this point, you could make the argument that Kershaw is the most dominant pitcher in all of baseball. Pittsburgh has a star in Andrew McCutchen, but the rest of their lineup is very weak. The Pirates have not been able to score more than three runs in any of their games so far this season. It's hard to imagine them scoring than a couple against Kershaw. The Dodgers are a much better team than they were at this time last year. This is a lineup that could string together quite a few hits with their star power. A.J. Burnett is one of the most inconsistent starting pitchers you'll find, and I don't see him keeping up with Kershaw. The Pirates are just 23-63 in their last 86 games against the Dodgers. Take the Dodgers -1.5.

*3 Star TGIF MLB Play of Day* The Pittsburgh Pirates have decided to take a chance on Jonathan Sanchez this year. Sanchez was awful last year for both Kansas City and Colorado. Sanchez had a 9.53 ERA in Colorado and a 7.56 ERA in Kansas City. The problem with Sanchez is his control is horrible. He can't locate the zone in crucial parts of the game, and he misses his location inside the zone a lot as well. Zack Greinke had an ERA above 5.5 this Spring. Greinke was beat up pretty good by the Pirates in his only start against them last year. A total of 7 is usually indicative of a couple Aces against light hitting teams. In this one, we get a total of 7 with two pitchers with big question marks. I like the value here on the over. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* Those of you who have been following my plays over the first couple days of the MLB season know that I have backed the Washington Nationals successfully in each of the first two games in this series. I'm going back to the well with Washington -1.5 again for this series finale. Miami is a terrible team this year, and I don't think the oddsmakers have a good hold on how bad they are just yet. Washington has gotten even better than they were a year ago. The Nationals haven't hit the ball at all in the first two games in this series, and yet they still covered the runline. Jordan Zimmerman is a much better pitcher than people give him credit for being. Washington is 8-0 in their last 8 against teams with a winning percentage less than 40%. They should take care of business here. Take Washington -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Kansas City Royals had the best record of anyone in Spring Training this year. I'll be the first to say that record doesn't mean all that much, but the Royals are a team on the rise. They've lost the first two games in this series, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see the Royals finish the season with a better record than the White Sox. Jeremy Guthrie has absolutely shut down the White Sox in his career. Last year, Guthrie had a sparkling 0.30 ERA in his nearly 30 innings of work against the White Sox. Gavin Floyd is very inconsistent, and I think the Royals will be able to salvage a game from this series. The Royals are 10-1 in Guthrie's last 11 starts. They are 4-0 in his last 4 starts against the White Sox. Take Kansas City.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates both have weak lineups. Pittsburgh's PNC Park is a pitcher-friendly ballpark, especially at this time of the season. It should be in the upper 40's with the wind blowing in during this one according to current weather reports. James McDonald has been an underrated starter for Pittsburgh over the last few years. McDonald struggled down the stretch last year, but his history is that he pitches his best in April. Travis Wood is a decent lefty, and the Pirates have struggled against lefties the past few seasons. The under is 7-0 in Pittsburgh's last 7 games. The under is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings between these teams in Pittsburgh. The under is 4-0 in the Pirates lats 4 against the NL Central. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics are two of the lightest hitting teams in the majors. Doug Eddings has the single biggest strike zone of any umpire in the Majors, and he has been an 'under' bettors best friend for many years. Joe Saunders and Tommy Milone are two lefties who try to paint on the corners a lot. That should serve them well in this one with Eddings behind the dish. Milone was dominating at home last year, and the Mariners haven't hit him well at all in the past. Saunders is a fly ball pitcher, and it's very tough to hit it out in this ballpark (especially early in the season). The under is 5-0 in Milone's last 5 starts as a favorite. The under is 5-0 in Milone's last 5 starts against Seattle. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Colorado Rockies are a team that I expect to be playing a lot of overs with this year. A combination of an impressive offense and a horrendous pitching staff should lead to a lot of high scoring games for Colorado. The Rockies have Juan Nicasio on the hill tonight, and he has yet to prove anything in his short MLB career. Nicasio faces a talented Brewers lineup tonight. Peralta starts for Milwaukee and he is a talented young prospect, but I don't think he is polished just yet. The Rockies aren't an easy lineup to ease into the Majors against. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. The over is 5-0 in home plate umpire Tony Randazzo's last 5 games behind home plate. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Miami Marlins are going to be a terrible team in every aspect of the game this year. Miami had an extremely disappointing year last year, and this year they are going to be much much worse. Kevin Slowey missed all of last season and he was a borderline number four or five starter in 2011, but he is now the number two starter for Miami. He'll go up against Gio Gonzalez, who is arguably one of the top six or eight starters in the National League now. The Nationals bullpen got even better in the offseason, and the lineup is deeper now. Bryce Harper is quickly blossoming into an elite hitter. This is a mismatch in every sense. Washington is 8-0 in their last 8 games against a team with a winning percentage under 40%. Take Washington -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Seattle Mariners lineup is quite a bit better this year than it was last season. The addition of Michael Morse and Kendrys Morales makes the middle of the order much more dangerous. Seattle played surprisingly good baseball late in the year last year. The Athletics are a good team, but they are bound to come back to earth a bit compared to last year's amazing run. Jarrod Parker had an ERA over 7 in Spring Training. I like Parker, but I also like Iwakuma who will start for the Mariners here. Early in the season sometimes you just have to bet a price. The Mariners shouldn't be this big of a dog. Take Seattle.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jaime Garcia has been a very good pitcher at home, but his road numbers in his career aren't very good at all. In fact, he has a 4.47 ERA in his career on the road. Arizona's lineup isn't all that good this year, but Chase Field is a hitters paradise with the roof open and low humidity early in the year. The ball flies very well in this park with the roof open. Trevor Cahill struggled with the roof open last year, and the Cardinals have one of the best lineups in the National League. The over is 9-2 in Garcia's last 11 road starts against a team with a winning record. The over is 7-1 in the Cardinals last 8 as a road underdog. Take the over.

*4 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Colorado Rockies are going to be one of the worst teams in the National League this year, but it won't be because of a bad offense. With Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez in the middle of the lineup, this team is going to score runs. The problem is they have an awful starting rotation and very shaky bullpen. Marco Estrada pitched pretty well last year for the Brewers, but I think he comes back to earth a bit this year. At the same time, the Brewers have some a good lineup with Braun, Weeks, Ramirez, and others. Jorge De La Rosa has never been a dominating pitcher, and he doesn't have that put away pitch. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. The over is 4-0 in De La Rosa's last 4 starts. The over is 11-1 in Estrada's last 12 starts against a team with a losing record. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Opening Day Play of the Day* The Oakland Athletics never did get all that much respect from the oddsmakers last year despite a very impressive season in 2012. Oakland went 94-68 and won the AL West when most believed they would finish with somewhere around 70 wins. The Athletics have an amazing pitching staff. Offensively, they certainly aren't great, but they do come up with timely hits at home. King Felix will start for the Mariners here, but Brett Anderson is being overlooked by many right now. Anderson is healthy and he has been lights out at home in his career. The Mariners have one of the worst offenses in baseball, and at nearly even money I like the A's here. Seattle is 0-6 in Hernandez's last 6 starts. They are 0-5 in his last 5 against the AL West. The Mariners are 0-7 in their last 7 games against Oakland. They are 0-4 in their last 4 at Oakland. The Athletics are 5-0 in Anderson's last 5 starts as a favorite. In all, a 26-0 angle backs this play. Take Oakland.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Miami Marlins will likely be the worst team in the National League this year. It's hard to find any one area where the team won't be terrible. They have a terrible starting rotation and bullpen, and other than Giancarlo Stanton they don't have any consistent hitters. On the other side, Washington went into the 2012 playoffs with more wins than anyone in baseball. How will they be in 2013? On paper the team got a little better in the offseason. I'm not a big fan of playing the run line on the favorite, but this is a total mismatch in every sense. Strasburg should have a great year, and the Nationals absolutely have the ability to blow out a terrible Marlins team. The Marlins were 15-36 in their last 51 road games last year, and they are much worse this season. Take Washington -1.5.

*3 Star Giants/Tigers World Series CASH* The San Francisco Giants have stormed out to a 3-0 lead in this year's World Series. The Tigers have put up a grand total of 3 runs in three games so far this series. It won't get any easier on the Tigers lineup when Matt Cain starts Game 4 for the Giants. Cain is the ace of the staff, and he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last few years. Max Scherzer starts for the Tigers. Scherzer has been great of late, but he has been inconsistent in his career. The Giants have all the momentum right now. The odds are heavily in Detroit's favor because so many people think there is no way the Giants will sweep the series in Detroit. With the better pitcher and an underrated offense, I like these odds on the Giants. The Giants are 6-0 in their last 6 against a team with a winning record. They are 6-0 in their last 6 games against a right-handed pitcher. The Tigers are 0-6 in their last 6 World Series games. Take the Giants.

*3 Star Tigers/Giants CA$H* The San Francisco Giants were a big underdog in Game One, but they got the job done behind Pablo Sandoval and Barry Zito. Madison Bumgarner hasn't pitched well of late, but I think people are jumping ship too quickly. Bumgarner has a 3.00 ERA and a 10-5 record at home this year. The Tigers hit just .250 against lefties, and Bumgarner is an above average left-handed pitcher. Doug Fister has been very good this year, but he was 4-7 on the road this season. The Giants offense is much better than most people realize. Posey is a beast and with Sandoval and Pence around him, this offense is actually quite good. The Tigers bullpen is a major weakness, while the Giants have one of the best bullpens in baseball. The Giants are 5-0 in their last 5 World Series home games. The Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 World Series road games. Take San Francisco.

*3 Star Cardinals/Nationals Game 5 Total* It all comes to down to this game for the Cardinals and Nationals. The Nationals had the best record in the National League this year largely due to having the best pitching staff in the league. Gio Gonzalez won 21 games, and he has been a rock for this team all year. Gonzalez has a spectacular 2.38 ERA at home this year. Adam Wainwright pitches for the Cardinals. Wainwright has CY Young type stuff, as he has shown before. Wainwright has rounded into form as he got healthier later in the year. He has allowed 2 runs or fewer in 7 of his last 10 starts. Wainwright has pitched in two straight games (both in the last two weeks) against the Nationals and allowed 2 runs total. In a deciding game like this, the best relievers will be used. Both offenses have been struggling of late, and this is a pitcher's ballpark. Look for a low scoring game. Take the under.

*3 Star Giants/Reds Game 5 Winner* The Cincinnati Reds took the first two games in San Francisco easily, but the Giants have bounced back to win two straight in Cincinnati. It all comes to a deciding Game Five in Cincinnati Thursday afternoon. Mat Latos will be on the hill for the Reds against Matt Cain for the Giants. Cain is definitely one of the best pitchers in baseball, and I don't normally like going against him. However, this is a price that I believe is a solid value. Several Reds hitters have had success against Cain in the past. Ludwick, Bruce, and Votto have all hit Cain well. Mat Latos has a stellar 2.19 ERA in his career against the Giants. Latos has an ERA under 1 in his last three starts. The Reds have the better lineup from top to bottom, and they have the best bullpen in baseball. The Giants are 2-7 in Cain's last 9 against the Reds. The Reds are 15-3 in Latos' last 18 home starts. Take the Reds.

*3 Star Orioles/Yankees CASH* Miguel Gonzalez has been a huge pleasant surprise since coming up from the minors. Gonzalez has only had one really bad start in 15 starts this year. He beat the Yankees twice at Yankee Stadium in the past three months. The Orioles have something really special going on right now. I don't expect Showalter's team to be scared going into Yankee Stadium. Granderson, Teixeira, Cano, and Swisher haven't gotten a hit thus far against Gonzalez. In what I think is pretty likely to be a low scoring game, it's very hard to lay 1.5 runs on the Yankees. Baltimore is 7-2 in Gonzalez's last 9 road starts. I like the value on the Orioles +1.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* Chase Field becomes a completely different park when the roof is open. Arizona's hot dry weather really helps the baseball fly well. At gametime tonight, the temperature is expected to be 97 degrees with 10% humidity. The roof is scheduled to be open. We also have two pitchers who have struggled of late. Chacin has a 4.78 ERA this year and Corbin has a 4.77 ERA this year. Corbin has a terrible 8.36 ERA in his last 3 starts. Both of these teams have the ability to put up a bunch of runs. The over is 6-0 in the Rockies last 6 against a lefty. The over is 6-0 in the DBacks last 6 following a loss. The over is 6-0 in Jerry Meals (umpire) last 6 games behind home plate. The over is 5-0-1 in Corbin's last 6 starts. In all, a 23-0 angle backing the over. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Tampa Bay Rays have won eight straight games. They are still two games behind in the AL Wild Card race, but they absolutely have a shot if they just keep winning. Chicago has lost 8 of their last 9, and they have now fallen two games behind Detroit in the AL Central. The White Sox aren't doing the little things well right now. Gavin Floyd is just a mediocre pitcher who almost always ends with an ERA around 4.5. Jeremy Hellickson has top of the rotation stuff, and he has been rolling of late. Hellickson has a 1.84 ERA in his last 3 starts. The Rays are 8-0 in their last 8 games. The White Sox are 0-6 in Floyd's last 6 as an underdog. Take Tampa Bay.

*5 Star MLB Top Play SMASHER* The Milwaukee Brewers are still mathematically alive in the NL Wild Card race, and after last year's craziness they will definitely fight to the end. Milwaukee is much better at home, and here they get by far the worst team in baseball. Houston is a dreadful 16-59 on the road this year. Edgar Gonzalez pitches here for Houston, and he has never been able to stay in the majors for long. The Brewers have a very good lineup with Weeks, Braun, Hart, Lucroy, and others. Yovani Gallardo gets the start for Milwaukee, and he has been awesome against Houston in his career. Here's a very interesting statistic for you. In Gallardo's 15 career starts against Houston, the Brewers have outscored the Astros 114 runs to 40. The Brewers runline is 13-2 in his starts against Houston. This Houston team is as bad as ever and the Brewers need this game in a big way. Look for a beatdown in this one. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox are headed in different directions right now. Chicago is 1-7 in their last 8, and they have now lost first place in the AL Central. The Rays have won seven straight games, and they are still in the AL Wild Card race. The Rays closed hard last year, and they are doing the same this season. James Shields started the year slowly, but he has been pitching great of late. Shields has 9 quality starts in his last 10 starts overall, and he has an ERA under 2 in his last five starts. Jake Peavy has been inconsistent of late, and the White Sox bullpen isn't good. Tampa Bay is 7-0 in their last 7 games. They are 6-0 in Shields' last 6 as a favorite. The White Sox are 0-6 in Peavy's last 6 starts as an underdog. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Baltimore Orioles loss yesterday gave the Los Angeles Angels even more reason to be hopeful in their AL Wild Card chase. The Angels trail the Orioles by 2.5 and the A's by 2 games. There isn't a team in baseball playing better right now than the Angels, and last year showed that this kind of deficit can easily be made up in the last few days. King Felix hasn't looked sharp of late. Hernandez has a 7.02 ERA in his last 3 starts. The Angels have hit him well in the past, with guys such as Hunter and Trout having a lot of success. C.J. Wilson has been rounding into form of late, and the Mariners lineup simply isn't very good. The Angels need this win badly, and I think they'll get it. The Angels are 6-0 in their last 6 home games against a team with a losing record. The Mariners are 0-4 in Hernandez's last 4 starts. Take Los Angeles.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Boston Red Sox lineup certainly isn't what it was at the beginning of the season. Dustin Pedroia is the only real star left in the Red Sox batting order. David Price is a AL CY Young candidate this year. Price has a 2.27 ERA in six starts at Fenway Park. On the other side, Clay Buchholz has been pitching very well of late. Buchholz has a 1.99 ERA in his last three starts. His career ERA against the Rays is 2.52 in 13 starts. The under is 6-1 in the Red Sox last 7 home games. Look for a pitcher's duel here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Detroit Tigers have closed to within half a game of the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central standings. The White Sox have lost four in a row, and Detroit is 7-3 in their last 10. Who better to have on the mound in a pressure situation like this than Justin Verlander? Last year's American League MVP should come up big for his team in such a huge game. Verlander has thrown two straight shutouts before this contest. Luke Hochevar pitches for the Royals, and he has an ERA over 6 in his career against Detroit. The pitching mismatch here is huge, and the Tigers need this game in a big way. The Tigers are 41-11 in Verlander's last 52 home starts. Look for Detroit to come up with a big win here. Take Detroit -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Cleveland Indians seem to have given up on the season. Cleveland is 12-40 in their last 52 games. The Indians have struggled in a big way all year against left-handed pitchers. Cleveland has a team batting average of just .220 against lefties. Will Smith is a solid young lefty for Kansas City. Unlike the Indians, the Royals are actually playing well late in the season. Ubaldo Jimenez has a 6.95 ERA on the road this season. The Royals hit right-handed pitchers well, and I don't think Jimenez will get very deep into this game. The Indians are 0-9 in Jimenez's last 9 road starts. The Indians are 0-6 in their last 6 meetings with Kansas City. Take the Royals.

*3 Star TGIF MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* The San Diego Padres have played surprisingly good baseball over the last couple months. The Padres are 38-25 in their last 63 games. The Padres offense has been manufacturing runs and hitting well with runners in scoring position. Ryan Vogelsong has completely fallen apart over his last few starts. Vogelsong has a 12.34 ERA in his last three starts. He has only one quality start in his last seven starts. Casey Kelly is a good prospect for the Padres, but he has been inconsistent so far. The Giants have scored 5 or more runs in 7 of their last 10 games. The over is 8-0-1 in Vogelsong's last 9 starts as a favorite. The over is 7-0 in Vogelsong's last 7 against a team with a losing record. The over is 6-0-1 in Vogelsong's last 7 starts on 4 days rest. The over is 5-0 in Vogelsong's last 5 against the NL West. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Los Angeles Dodgers have been surprisingly bad of late. The offense is extremely inconsistent, and the bullpen has fallen apart over the last month or so. Washington is one game away from clinching a spot in the postseason, and I think they are itching to do it as soon as possible. Ryan Detwiler has been amazing at home this year with a 2.67 ERA. Chris Capuano has been good this year, but he has struggled a bit on the road (4.30 ERA). The Nationals are 6-0 in Detwiler's last 6 starts following a team loss. The Nationals are 5-0 in Detwiler's last 5 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. The Dodgers are 0-4 in their last 4 Thursday games. The Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 Thursday games. Look for the Nationals to clinch a postseason berth in this one. Take Washington.

*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.

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Pittsburgh Pirates are in a very difficult spot here. Their game last night with the Chicago Cubs didn't end until 2:30 AM Eastern time because of a long rain delay. While the Pirates will be traveling back to Pittsburgh very late, the Brewers had all day Monday in Pittsburgh to relax. A couple months ago it would have seemed strange to say this, but Milwaukee and Pittsburgh now have an identical 74-72 record. Both teams are only 2.5 games back in the NL Wild Card race. The Brewers have been hot of late, while the Pirates have been scuffling. Yovani Gallardo has had tons of success against Pittsburgh in the past. A.J. Burnett has been good this year, but slightly shaky of late. The Pirates are 0-5 in their last 5 as a +110 to +150 dog. The Pirates are 0-5 in Burnett's last 5 starts. The Brewers are 12-1 in Gallardo's last 13 starts against Pittsburgh. The Brewers are 7-0 in Gallardo's last 7 against the NL Central. Take Milwaukee.