*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Seattle has won four straight games on the road against very good teams. I don't expect that to continue. The Mariners aren't a good team offensively at all, and they'll be outclassed in the pitching department here as well. Kevin Millwood has been knocked around in a big way of late. Brandon Morrow has very good stuff, and he has pitched well against Seattle in the past. Toronto's offense is capable of putting up big numbers. Look for Toronto to score early and often here. Take Toronto -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Yovani Gallardo has an ERA over 6 in his career against the Cardinals. He is also 1-8 overall against St. Louis. The Brewers are 0-5 in his last 5 starts against the Cardinals. Jake Westbrook is a streaky pitcher, and when he is on he can be great. Westbrook has his sinker working extremely well right now. The Brewers aren't playing that well right now, and I don't think this is a good spot for them. The Brewers are 5-21 in Gallardo's last as an underdog. Look for the Cardinals to take care of business here.

*3 Star MLB Under Radar Play* The Baltimore Orioles are playing very good baseball right now. The Orioles have a much better offense than most people realize. Jake Arrieta is a young pitcher who seems to be coming into his own a bit of late. Brandon McCarthy isn't very consistent on the road. Baltimore has a much better offense than Oakland. The Atheltics are 1-6 in McCarthy's last 7 road starts. I think the books are giving us a nice value on the Orioles, who seem to have a ton of confidence right now. Take Baltimore.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline TOP Play* The Los Angeles Angels should be one of the best teams in baseball, but they have a 6-13 record right now. I fully expect them to turn it around at some point, and I think this is a good chance to start a winning streak. Jered Weaver is a very consistent pitcher, and he has dominated the Indians in the past. Justin Masterson has been bad in all three of his starts this year. The Indians are 0-4 in Masterson's last 4 starts as an underdog. The Angels are 4-0 in Weaver's last 4 starts on 5 days rest. They are also 5-1 in Weaver's last 6 against the Indians. This is a mismatch. I like the Angels big.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Edinson Volquez is a pitcher I look to fade, and the San Diego Padres are a team I fade very often as well. The Padres have been horrible all season, mainly because they have a pathetic offense. Volquez has very good stuff, but he doesn't have good command. He is prone to giving up one big inning every game, and that will likely be too much against the Nationals. Edwin Jackson is a streaky pitcher, but I think he can pitch well against the Padres. The Nationals are 5-0 in the last 5 meetings at San Diego. The Padres are 0-4 in Volquez's last 4 starts. Take the Nationals.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The White Sox are off to a decent start to the year, but I don't think they are a complete team. Boston has won three straight, and I have little doubt that the Red Sox are the better team here. Phillip Humber is a good starter, but I think he'll struggle against the Red Sox. Boston knocked him around last year and I think they can do the same here. Felix Doubront keeps his team in the game, and the Red Sox have a big advantage offensively here. The White Sox are just 1-7 in Humber's last 8 home starts. Take Boston.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Boston has scored 33 runs in their last 4 games. The Red Sox offense is hotter than any other offense in the majors. Humber is a solid pitcher, but we often see a pitcher coming off perfection struggle in the next game. Against a tough lineup like the Red Sox, I don't expect Humber to be too good here. Doubront isn't dominating at all, and the White Sox should put up a few runs as well. The over is 33-16-3 in the Red Sox last 52. The over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Rick Porcello is an inconsistent pitcher. He was lit up in a big way last time. I expect better from him here, but Seattle should score a few. Detroit's offense has slumped a bit of late, but I think this is the perfect chance for them to wake up. Noesi doesn't have dominating stuff, and this will feel like a cake walk vs. going against King Felix like they did yesterday. We have a nice 'over' umpire in Jim Reynolds as well. The over is 6-1 in Reynolds last 7 games behind the plate. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Seattle has taken the first two games of this series. The Mariners simply aren't a very good team, and I think they'll run into a very motivated Detroit team in this one. Noesi should struggle to put away the Tigers hitters, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Detroit put up a big number offensively here. Porcello has been good against poor teams. The Tigers are 17-4 in his last 21 starts against teams with a losing record. Seattle is 15-38 in their last 53 as a road underdog. Look for Detroit to roll here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jeremy Hellickson has been tremendous in his young career. Hellickson has terrific numbers at home, where his ERA is under 3. The Angels aren't hitting the ball very well at all right now. C.J. Wilson was the prize pitching acquisition of the offseason and he has been very good. I think this one has all the makings of a pitcher's duel. The under is 15-3 in Hellickson's last 18 home starts. The under is 5-1 in the Angels last 6 games overall. Look for a very low scoring game here.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Barry Zito has been pretty good so far this year, but past history tells us Zito could implode at any point. The Reds have a strong lineup against left-handed pitchers. Zito has struggled in the past against the Reds. The over is 5-2 in Zito's last 7 starts against the Reds. Cincinnati's offense has been in a slump, but they put up 9 runs last night. Don't be surprised if this team gets hot offensively now. Bronson Arroyo gives up more home runs than anyone, and GABP is a hitter's dream. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Baltimore has outperformed expectations to this point. The Orioles offense is pretty good, but their pitching staff isn't very good at all. Toronto is a very good team who I expect to finish with a solid record this year. Kyle Drabek seems to be coming into his own as a major league pitcher. He has terrific stuff and needs to avoid that big inning. Jason Hammel isn't a dominant pitcher, and the Blue Jays offense is very dangerous. Toronto is 28-12 in their last 40 against the Orioles. Take the Blue Jays.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The San Diego Padres have been my favorite team to fade so far this year. Washington has a great pitching staff, but not many people realize how great Jordan Zimmerman is. When he is healthy he is one of the best pitchers in the game right now. Zimmerman has allowed one run in each of his three games this year. I don't expect to see the Padres weak offense get to him much in this one. Washington is 12-3 in their last 15 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 as a favorite of -110 to -150. The Nationals are 4-0 in their last 4 games in San Diego. Take Washington.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Chris Sale is a guy who I think can have a lot of success this year. Sale has pitched well in all three of his starts this year. He has the stuff to be a very good starter, and his command is improving. The Oakland offense isn't very impressive. Jarrod Parker will start in this one for the Athletics. He is a very talented pitcher, but I feel like he is taking a big step up here. I don't expect him to have much offense backing him here either. The White Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. a right-handed starter. The Athletics are 3-14 in their last 17 as a home underdog. Take Chicago.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Mike Minor is a very talented pitcher and I expect big things from him this year. He has been brilliant so far this year. Aaron Harang is a a mediocre pitcher, but he has horrible splits against the Braves. Almost everyone in this lineup has hit him extremely well in their career. The Dodgers have Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, but the Braves have a better lineup from top to bottom. The Braves are 9-0 in Minor's last 9 starts following a quality start. Atlanta is 8-0 in their last 8 as a favorite of -110 to -150. The 17-0 winning angle makes this a strong play for me. Take the Braves.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The Washington Nationals are a much better team this year. San Diego is headed in the opposite direction. The Padres don't even have an impressive pitching staff anymore. San Diego's lineup may be the worst in baseball. Gio Gonzalez is a very good left-hander who should use the ballparks dimensions to his advantage. The Nationals are 14-3 in their last 17 road games. They are 5-0 in their last 5 against lefties. The Padres are 0-7 in Clayton Richard's last 7 starts against the NL East. Take the Nationals.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* I absolutely love playing the 'over' at Chase Field with the roof open. The ball falls out of this stadium in a big way when there is heat and low humidity. Game time temperature is expected to be in the low 90's with low humidity here. Josh Collmenter has been getting blasted all through Spring Training and then into the regular season. It seems hitters are onto his odd delivery. Vance Worley is a pretty good pitcher, but the DBacks should put up some runs here, especially with Upton back in the lineup. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* The Milwaukee Brewers are 19-0 in Zack Greinke's last 19 home starts. Clearly they have won several of those games by only one run, but this is a real mismatch. The Astros have one of the worst lineups in baseball, and Harrell is an inexperienced pitcher. Milwaukee's lineup is still very good even without Fielder. Weeks, Hart, Braun, and the rest of the Brewers should put plenty on the board in this one. Look for the Brewers to win by a comfortable margin. It's a mismatch all the way around. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Toronto Blue Jays are a very good team, but they just happen to play in the best division in baseball. Brandon Morrow has been a better pitcher on the road than at home over the last couple years. Bruce Chen is a decent pitcher, but Toronto has the lineup to crush left-handed pitchers. The Royals are 0-9 at home this year. Toronto is 5-0 in their last 5 games against a team with a 40% or lower winning percentage. In addition, the Royals are 0-4 in Chen's last 4 starts. In all, an 18-0 winning angle backs this one. Take Toronto.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value Play* In April there are times where it is wise to bet on a game largely because of a price that is simply off what it should be. That is exactly what I am doing here. The Red Sox have some serious issues right now and Jon Lester has an ERA over 5 at Minnesota in his career. The Twins should be decent at home this year. I see no reason for the Red Sox to be favored by much at all, but they are big favorites here. The Red Sox are 0-4 in Lester's last 4 starts in Minnesota. Take the underdog and the value.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Seattle Mariners were on the losing end of a Perfect Game thrown by Phillip Humber yesterday. Seattle's offense really is terrible, and John Danks is a solid left-handed pitcher. Kevin Millwood is not a guy who can be trusted at this point in his career. He allowed 7 runs in a single inning in his last outing. The White Sox offense is certainly better than the Mariners, and I give the White Sox a significant pitching advantage here too. The White Sox are 7-0 in their last 7 games at Seattle. The White Sox are 5-0 in Danks' last 5 starts against Seattle. The White Sox are also 4-0 in their last 4 road starts. This 16-0 winning angle is a strong one. Take the White Sox.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Both of these teams have better offenses than they do defenses or pitching staffs at this point. Chen has been solid in his first couple starts, but the Angels offense is much better than they have shown this year and I think they'll get to him here. Haren hasn't been particularly sharp this year and the Orioles have several guys hitting the ball very well right now. Angel Campos is a solid 'over' umpire and the wind is blowing out in this one. Take the over here.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error* The Toronto Blue Jays play in the toughest division in baseball, but they are a very solid team. Ricky Romero is a very good young pitcher. The Blue Jays are 14-2 in Romero's last 16 starts. The Royals have started the season 0-8 at home. The Royals are better than they used to be, but they still have quite a bit of room for improvement. The Jays have the stronger lineup, and Romero gives them a pitching advantage as well. Look for Toronto to win this one. The oddsmakers have this line too low. Take Toronto.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 last night. St. Louis is the far superior team here, and they need this game to win the series. Kyle Lohse is in great form right now. He has allowed only 10 hits in more than 20 innings pitched this year. The Pirates are hitting juts .193 against right-handed pitching this year. The Cardinals are batting .314 against lefties. The Cardinals are 4-0 in Lohse's last 4 starts. I think this is a solid value on the Cardinals ML.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Francisco Liriano has been a disaster so far this year. He has a WHIP well over 2, and everyone who has seen him has been teeing off on his pitches. Tampa Bay is hitting the ball well so far this year. Jeff Niemann is a solid pitcher, but the Twins should be able to score some here. Mark Wegner is a favorable umpire for the over because of his small strike zone. The over is 6-0 in Liriano's last 6 road starts. The over is 4-0 in Tampa Bay's last 4 games. The over is 4-0 in the Twins last 4 games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Arizona Diamondbacks are missing their three best offensive players right now. Stephen Drew has been on the DL all year, but now Chris Young and Justin Upton are injured. Take these three away and this offense just isn't very good. They have been blasted two games in a row by the Braves to start this series. Atlanta has scored 9, 14, 10, and 9 runs in their last 4 games. I think it is safe to say the Atlanta offense has come alive. The Braves are 8-0 in their last 8 games as a -110 to -150 favorite. Atlanta is 4-0 in their last 4 against a left-hander. They are 7-0 in Tommy Hanson's last 7 starts against the NL West. The Braves are 5-0 in their last 5 games against Arizona. In all, this is a 24-0 winning angle. Take the Braves here.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Error* The St. Louis Cardinals took game one of this series in Pittsburgh. The Cardinals have several injuries on offense, but they still have a much better offense than the Pirates. Jake Westbrook is a streaky pitcher, and he has his sinker working very well right now. Kevin Correia is worse when pitching at home, and the Pirates are 0-5 in his last 5 home starts. The Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 games at Pittsburgh. The Cardinals aren't getting enough respect from the oddsmakers. Take the Cardinals.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The San Francisco Giants do not have a strong offense. This team will likely struggle to score all year. In the Giants last 8 games, none of them have gone above 7 runs in total. San Francisco's pitching staff is very good. Ryan Vogelsong is still underrated by the oddsmakers. The under is 20-7 in his last 27 starts. Mike Pelfrey is tough to get a read on, but I expect him to be helped in a big way by Doug Eddings. Eddings is the single best 'under' umpire in baseball because of his huge strike zone. The under is 4-1-1 in Pelfrey's last 6 starts against the Giants. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* I rate Cole Hamels as a better pitcher than Edinson Volquez by a large amount. Hamels is a much more consistent pitcher, and Volquez almost always has a bad inning or two. Hamels has been absolutely spectacular at PetCo Park in his career. In 5 starts he has allowed just 5 runs. He has a sparkling ERA of 1.23. The Padres lineup is terrible and while the Phillies lineup isn't good at this point, they are still better than the Padres by a solid amount. The Phillies are 25-4 in their last 29 games at San Diego. The Phillies are 7-1 in Cole Hamels' last 8 starts against the NL West. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker Line Error* The Arizona Diamondbacks are a completely different team without Chris Young and Justin Upton in the lineup. This offense simply can't afford to be missing its best two hitters. Atlanta started the season slowly on offense, but the Braves are smashing the baseball right now. Brandon Beachy and Trevor Cahill are fairly equal pitchers in my book, but the Braves have the huge offensive advantage here. The Braves are 7-0 in their last 7 as a favorite of -110 to -150. They are also 4-0 in their last 4 meetings with Arizona. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Lance Lynn is a talented young pitcher who is really coming into his own right now. Lynn is throwing the ball well and he seems to have good control of all of his pitches. The Pirates are 19-40 in Charlie Morton's last 49 starts. Even without Lance Berkman in the lineup, the Cardinals have two or three hitters who are better than anyone in the Pirates lineup. The Cardinals are being underrated by the oddsmakers right now. St. Louis is 6-2 in their last 8 against the Pirates. Take the Cardinals here.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Moneyline Play* The San Diego Padres may well have the worst offense in baseball this year. San Diego struggles to put up 2 or 3 runs, especially in their home ballpark where pitcher's can get away with mistakes. The Phillies don't have a great offense now, but they still have a big edge on the Padres. The Phillies are a stunning 24-4 in their last 28 games at San Diego. Vance Worley is a solid pitcher who I believe is underrated by many. The Phillies are 4-0 in his last 4 starts against the NL West. Take Philadelphia.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Atlanta Braves have found their hitting stroke of late. Atlanta started the season struggling in a big way, but this team has a pretty solid offense overall. Mike Minor should have a nice season on the mound for Atlanta. The Diamondbacks are without Chris Young and Justin Upton right now. Arizona's lineup certainly takes a big hit without their two most powerful hitters in the lineup. Josh Collmenter looked terrible all Spring and his ERA is above 12 this season so far. Atlanta should be favored by more here. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Bronson Arroyo is definitely a fly ball pitcher. Arroyo gave up a ridiculous 46 home runs last year. The wind will be blowing out nicely at Saint Louis Thursday afternoon. The Cardinals have plenty of guys who are capable of going deep. Adam Wainwright doesn't look right on the mount just yet. The Reds offense has struggled this year, but they have too much talent to put up nothing offensively every single game. Look for them to get going a bit against Wainwright here. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline Top Play* The St. Louis Cardinals took down the Reds in 10 innings last night. The Cardinals are playing as well as any team in the majors right now. Beltran, Berkman, Holliday, and Freese is a tremendous middle of the lineup. The Reds offense is scuffling in a big way right now. Jaime Garcia is ridiculously tough at home, and he has an ERA of less than 1.90 in April in his career. The Reds are 0-4 in their last 4 as a road underdog. The Cardinals are 5-0 in their last 5 as a favorite of -110 to -150. The Cardinals are 5-0 in Garcia's last 5 starts as a home favorite. In addition, the Cardinals are 4-0 in Garcia's last 4 home starts against the Reds. In total, a 18-0 winning angle backs this play. Take the Cardinals big.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Baltimore Orioles have taken the first two games from the Chicago White Sox. I have been on the Orioles in the first two games because I thought the oddsmakers had shaded the line too far in the White Sox favor. I am playing on the Orioles again in this one. Jake Peavy was great in his season opener against Detroit, but Peavy has been wildly inconsistent the last couple years. Baltimore's offense is hitting the ball very well right now. Tommy Hunter may not be a star, but he is a decent pitcher. The Orioles are 5-0 in his last 5 starts. Take Baltimore here.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* I played successfully on the Brewers last night. Last night's play was primarily a fade of the Dodgers because of their ridiculously easy schedule early this year. Oddsmakers are giving the Dodgers too much credit for a red hot start. Before last night they had played San Diego 7 times and Pittsburgh 3 times. Zack Greinke is a different pitcher at home. The Brewers are a perfect 18-0 in Greinke's last 18 home starts. That's no small sample size, and outside Kemp and Ethier this Dodgers lineup isn't good. Chris Capuano isn't reliable and I like the Brewers to win comfortably. Take Milwaukee -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* To say that the Red Sox were blasted last night is a major understatement. Unfortunately I was on Boston in that game. It was easily my worst pick of an otherwise good night. Texas has the best lineup top to bottom in the majors. Boston has no team chemistry right now. Derek Holland is a rising star for the Rangers. The Red Sox hitters have combined for an average of just under .200 against Holland in their careers. The Rangers are 16-5 in Holland's last 21 starts. Texas is the better team right now. Take the Rangers.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Chase Field becomes a hitters paradise when the roof is open. It is even better for hitters during the day time. This game will be played in temperatures above 90 degrees with low humidity, so the ball should carry extremely well. The over is 12-2 in the last 14 day games at Arizona with the roof open. The over is 6-0 in the Diamondbacks last 6 games with the total set at 7-8.5 runs. Both teams should be able to put up runs in this environment. Look for this one to get over the posted total.

*3 Star MLB Runline CRUSHER* Ian Kennedy wasn't far from winning the NL Cy Young award last year. Kennedy has a stellar 2.84 ERA through his first two starts of this season as well. The Pittsburgh Pirates lineup isn't going to strike fear in anyone this year. Arizona has plenty of guys who can hit the long ball, and that should be key with Chase Field's roof being open for this game. The Pirates are 1-5 in Karstens last 6 starts. The Diamondbacks are 10-1 in Kennedy's last 11 home starts. Look for a comfortable win here. Take Arizona.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* Wei-Yen Chen had a solid first start of his major league career against the Yankees last week. The Baltimore Orioles are absolutely crushing left-handed pitching so far this year. Baltimore is averaging 6.38 runs per 9 innings against lefties. John Danks is not a dominating pitcher, and he has struggled against the Orioles in the past. Gary Darling is behind the plate here and Danks has a career ERA of about 10 with him as the umpire. I like the Orioles lineup right now. Take Baltimore.

*5 Star MLB Moneyline Top Play* The Los Angeles Dodgers have started the season 9-1. I was very high on the Dodgers before the season, and I still like them, but I think they are getting overvalued by the oddsmakers right now. The Brewers are another team I like. If this game was played on opening day with these pitchers the Brewers would likely have been -150. The Dodgers have played the Padres seven games and the Pirates in three. That is the easiest schedule in baseball thus far. Milwaukee has lost 5 of their 6 games this year to Atlanta and St. Louis, two solid teams. The Brewers are 16-4 in Gallardo's last 20 home starts. Milwaukee is 2-0 in the last 2 years against Chad Billingsley. Take Milwaukee big here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* Texas is a very good team, but I like the Red Sox in this spot. Jon Lester is 0-1 this year while Colby Lewis is 1-0, but Lester is the better pitcher. Lewis has a career ERA over 6 at Fenway Park in three starts. The Red Sox are 46-19 in Lester's last 65 home starts. The Red Sox are 5-2 in Lester's last 7 starts against the Rangers. Adrian Gonzalez is 6 for 7 with 3 HR's in his career against Colby Lewis. Boston hasn't been playing well of late, but this value is too much to pass up. Take Boston.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Francisco Liriano isn't right so far this season. There might not be a pitcher in the majors who can be hot then cold more than Liriano. In bad form, he is extremely bad. The Yankees lineup is tough on lefties, and I think they'll knock him out of this game early. C.C. Sabathia has an ERA over 6 so far this season. The over is 5-0 in Liriano's last 5 road starts. The over is 4-0 in Sabathia's last 4 starts overall. The over is 10-2 in Sabathia's last 12 against the AL Central. The over is 4-1 in Sabathia's last 5 against the Twins. Backed by a 23-3 winning angle, I like the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* It is Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum Monday night in San Francisco. This is a major pitcher's dual, but these two pitchers come into this game with very different backgrounds this year. Lincecum has been awful in his first two starts. He has a 2.22 WHIP and 12.91 ERA. Roy Halladay has allowed just one run in 15 innings of work this year. The Phillies offense isn't great right now, but they are still better than the Giants offense. Halladay gives them a nice pitching edge and the lineup is better than the Giants. The Phillies are 13-3 in Halladay's last 16 after he gave up 2 runs or less in his previous start. They are also 40-11 in his last 51 starts as the favorite. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Late Mover* The line on the Arizona Diamondbacks has dropped to a point where I can't pass this one up. Joe Saunders isn't a great pitcher, but he is in good form right now and he'll face a terrible Pirates lineup tonight. Erik Bedard isn't great, and the Diamondbacks have plenty of guys who hit left-handers well. The roof will be open tonight at Chase Field, which favors the team with more home run hitters. Arizona is 13-3 in their last 16 games against a team with a winning % below 40%. Look for the Diamondbacks to take care of business here.

*3 Star MLB Bookie BEATDOWN* Jake Arrieta improved as the season went on last year, and he looked great in the season opener this year. Phillip Humber will be starting his first game of the season for the White Sox here. Baltimore beat Humber twice last year. The Orioles have a pretty good lineup, and the White Sox are a team on the decline. The Orioles are 6-1 in Arrieta's last 7 against the AL Central. The White Sox are 2-9 in Humber's last 11 starts. Baltimore is playing solid baseball right now. I like the value on the Orioles in this game.

*3 Star MLB Value Play* There are times early in the season where it is wise to simply play a line based on value. That is exactly what this play is based on. Dillon Gee has been great on the road, and he has fared well in Atlanta. The Mets have beaten Tommy Hansen several times in the last couple years. David Wright is back in the lineup and healthy. The Mets are 11-5 in Gee's last 16 road starts. They are 4-0 in their last 4 against the Braves. Take the Mets here.

*3 Star MLB Sunday Night Baseball Total* Los Angeles and New York have two of the best lineups in all of baseball. Albert Pujols hasn't had a breakout game yet, but he will soon. The Angels should be able to get to Ivan Nova, especially with the wind blowing out at gametime. Jerome Williams isn't really a starting pitcher in the majors, and I think he'll struggle badly against this loaded Yankees lineup. The over is 7-3-1 in Nova's last 11 home games. The over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in New York. Look for a high scoring game. Take the over.

*5 Star MLB Runline Top Play* Edinson Volquez is a guy I will fade until he proves me wrong. Volquez has tons of talent and great stuff, but he is far too inconsistent. Almost every game he has a bad inning because of his control issues. Clayton Kershaw is as consistent as they come. The Dodgers have Kemp and Ethier in the middle of the lineup, while the Padres have one of the three worst offenses in all of baseball. It's a pitching mismatch and a lineup mismatch in advantage of the Dodgers. The Dodgers are 7-0 in their last 7 home games against the Padres. Take the Dodgers -1.5 big.

*5 Star MLB Total Domination* The total is set very low in this one. I understand why the books set the total low because both offenses aren't very good, but there are several factors working for the over in this one. The wind is blowing out 10 mph. Tim McClelland is the home plate umpire, and he has one of the smallest strike zones of any umpire. Both pitches rely heavily on getting the corners, and I don't they will here. Ryan Vogelsong has a career ERA of almost 6 against the Pirates. The over is 9-3 in Correia's last 12 starts. I think this one is a run or two too low. Take the over!

*5 Star MLB Top Total* The Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals game was my 5 Star Top Total play of the day yesterday. That one worked out well as the final was 11-9. I don't expect anything silly high like that again, but there are tons of factors pointing toward another over. Ubaldo Jimenez has not been good on the road in his time with Cleveland. Mendoza has looked solid for KC, but he is untested. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 25-30 mph in this game. Both teams can put up the runs. The over is 8-0 in the Royals last 8 home games. The over is 6-0 in Jimenez's last 6 road starts. The over is 4-0 in the Indians last 4 road games against a team with a losing home record. Take the over big here!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Total* The Atlanta Braves have a solid lineup. Through the first few games of the year they weren't showing their potential much at all, but the last couple games they are bashing the baseball. They put up 8 runs last night, and I think they could put up a big number here again. Chris Narveson has been poor on the road in the past, and I see no reason to believe that changes here. Milwaukee has one of the better lineups in the National League, and they should be able to score some against a mediocre pitcher like Beachy. The over is 5-0 in Beachy's last 5 home starts. The over is 5-0 in the Braves last 5 games. The over is 7-0 in Narveson's last 7 road games with a total between 7 and 8.5. The over is 5-0-1 in the Brewers last 6 Sunday games. A combined 22-0 winning angle here! Take the over here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Cincinnati Reds have been one of the most disappointing teams in Major League Baseball so far this year. The Reds lineup has been terrible of late. They have scored more than 4 runs just once all season. Mike Leake is a solid young pitcher who does a good job keeping the ball down. He should fare well in Washington. Ross Detwiler is an improving pitcher who I believe will bring some good value to the under this season. The under is 18-7-4 in the teams last 29 meetings. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird* J.A. Happ has been one of the wildest pitchers in baseball the last couple years. He struggles to locate inside the strike zone, and he also walks a ton of guys. The Marlins blew a 3 run lead when Houston scored four in the ninth inning yesterday to upset Miami at home. This Miami team should be highly motivated in this one. Anibal Sanchez is a pretty good pitcher who is fairly consistent. The Marlins have the much better lineup, and I think they can get to Happ here. Take Miami -1.5.

*5 Star MLB Top Total* The Cleveland Indians took it to Luke Hochevar early yesterday. Johnathan Sanchez toes the hill in this one for the Royals. Sanchez is capable of melting down too, especially with his control problems. Jeanmar Gomez has never had much success on the road in his career. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 20 mph here. Both lineups are improved this year. The trends here are amazing, and they can't be overlooked. The over is 5-0 in Gomez's last 5 road starts. The over is 7-0 in the Royals last 7 home games. The over is 5-0 in the Indians last 5 Saturday games. The over is 3-0 in Gary Darling's last 3 games behind home plate. A PERFECT 20-0 angle backs this one. Take the over big here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Adam Wilk makes his Major League debut in this game for the Tigers. Wilk is a solid prospect, but I'm not sure he's ready for the big leagues just yet. Starting in Chicago against a White Sox lineup that is actually hitting pretty well right now isn't a particularly easy spot for the kid. At the same time, Gavin Floyd is capable of getting roughed up. The Tigers have one of the best lineups in all of baseball. The over is 9-3-1 in Floyd's last 13 home starts. The over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The first two games between these teams were very low scoring, but I think this sets us up with a very nice value here. Homer Bailey has never been consistent enough to be considered a good pitcher in the majors. Bailey has an ERA of nearly 7 in April during his career. Edwin Jackson has been hit hard early in the season as well. Both bullpens were used a lot the last couple days, and that could get us an extra run or two in this game. The wind is blowing out and we have a favorable umpire. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cubs smashed the Cardinals in St. Louis' home opener yesterday afternoon. Expect the Cardinals to be more than a little salty about that loss. Lance Lynn is a very good young pitcher who could be very good this year. Chris Volstad never really put it together for the Marlins, and he has an ERA above 5 against the Cardinals in his career. The Cubs are just 2-7 in their last 9 at St. Louis. The Cardinals are 41-19 in their last 60 against a right-handed pitcher. Look for St. Louis to cruise here.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Yu Darvish is a very talented pitcher, but he showed in his first start in the majors that he is definitely not unhittable. Seattle may have the worst lineup in baseball, and they touched him up for four runs. Minnesota has Mauer and Morneau in the middle of the order, and Josh Willingham is as hot as anyone in the league right now. Nick Blackburn is a serviceable starter who fares well at home normally. I think the public loves Darvish too much. I like getting the +1.5 with the home team here. Take the Twins +1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Derek Lowe had a terrific first start for the Indians last week. Lowe was terrible last year though, and I don't think he can be trusted at this point in his career. Luke Hochevar improved at the end of last year, and he was great against the Angels in the season opener. Hochevar has always been much better at home. This is the Royals home opener, and expectations are high for this team this season. The Indians are 0-6 in their last 6 against an AL Central foe. The Royals are 6-1 in Hochevar's last 7 home starts. Take the Royals.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Detroit Tigers will be one of the best teams in the American League this year. Max Scherzer isn't a consistent pitcher, but neither is Jake Peavy at this point in his career. Detroit has a huge edge in hitting in this game. The Tigers lineup is terrific, while the White Sox have a below average lineup at this point. The White Sox are 1-6 in Peavy's last 7 home starts. The Tigers are 21-6 in their last 27 games against the White. Detroit is also 10-1 in their last 11 Friday games. The Tigers are undervalued here. Take Detroit.

*3 Star MLB Rays/Sox ML Play* David Price gets the start here for the Rays. Josh Beckett will be on the mound for the Marlins. Price is an extremely consistent left-handed pitcher. He has thrown a quality start in 9 of his last 10 starts overall. Tampa Bay is 8-1 in their last 9 against Boston. The Rays are 4-0 in Price's last 4 road starts against Boston. The Red Sox chemistry appears to be bad once again this year. I think the Rays have the better pitcher here, and I like them as the underdog. Take the Rays.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Ian Kennedy wasn't sharp in his first start of the season, but that was at Chase Field with the roof open. Petco Park is a pitchers dream, and Kennedy is 5-0 with a 2.01 ERA in 44 innings of work at San Diego. Anthony Bass is a solid young pitcher, but I'm not impressed by this San Diego offense. Bass may have to completely shut down the DBacks to win this game. The DBacks are 6-0 in Kennedy's last 6 starts as a favorite between -110 and -150. Arizona is also 5-0 in Kennedy's last 5 starts against San Diego. San Diego is 0-4 in their last 4 games following a win. Take Arizona.

*5 Star MLB Top Total* The 17-8 run scoring fest in Coors Field shows just what this ballpark can do to pitchers who aren't on their game. Lincecum and Guthrie seems like a great pitching matchup compared to Bumgarner and Moyer. Jamie Moyer is 49 years old and I find it hard to believe he can shut down anyone right now. Moyer has an ERA above 10 at Coors Field, and now he has to call it home. Bumgarner is a pretty good pitcher, but his ERA is over 6 in April in his young career. The over is 8-0 in Bumgarner's last 8 road starts. The over is 13-3 in the Rockies last 16 as a home underdog. Take the over big in this one!

*3 Star MLB Total Value Play* Doug Eddings has been the most consistent 'under' umpire in baseball over the past few years. No one has a bigger strike zone than Eddings, and that should help both of these pitchers a lot. Vargas improved a ton at the end of last year, and he has had success against Texas. Derek Holland can be lights out when he is on, and Seattle's lineup isn't very good at all. The under is 7-1 in the Rangers last 8 home games. The under is 4-1 in Vargas' last 5 starts in Texas. I like the value on the under here.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Francisco Liriano is one of those pitchers that can either be on or off, and there usually isn't much in between. Liriano did have a poor first start, but his Spring Training was extremely encouraging. Liriano walked just five in 27 innings. He finished the Spring with a 2.33 ERA. Dan Haren has an ERA above 5 in two starts at Minnesota. The Twins are generally a tough team to beat at home. The posted total here is 7.5, and the wind is blowing in. I think the Twins have a solid shot of winning, but I really like the +1.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Value Play* The Detroit Tigers dominated the game yesterday, but the Rays managed to get to Justin Verlander and the Tigers bullpen in the ninth to sneak out with a 4-2 win. Detroit's Drew Smyly makes his first career start in this one. Smyly is one of the highest rated prospects in the Tigers farm system. I think he'll use the park's dimensions to his advantage nicely. Jeff Niemann isn't a great road pitcher. There won't be many times this year we'll be able to get the Tigers ML at nearly even at home. Detroit is 20-6 in their last 26 home games. Take Detroit.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Tim Lincecum is coming off a rare disappointing Opening Day start. He isn't a guy who stays in a funk very long normally. In addition, he has been very good at Coors Field in the past. Linecum has a career ERA of 3.6 at Coors Field, which is quite impressive. Jeremy Guthrie isn't a very impressive ace for the Rockies. San Francisco has a major advantage in the bullpen as well. The Giants are 5-0 in their last 5 meetings in Colorado. Colorado is 0-8 in their last 8 home games. This 13-0 winning angle should hold true again. Take the Giants.

*3 Star MLB Runline Value* Jered Weaver is one of the most consistent pitchers in the game today. Weaver rarely has a bad start, and I don't expect it against a weak Twins lineup. Mauer and Morneau are very good in the middle of the order, but at the top and bottom of the lineup the Twins are very weak. Carl Pavano has an ERA over 10 in his career with Chad Fairchild as the home plate umpire. Pavano is likely to get hit around pretty good by a great Angels lineup. I don't expect this one to be close. Take the Angels -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Sam Holbrook is a huge 'over' umpire. Holbrook has one of the smallest strike zones in the major leagues, and that will hurt both of these pitchers who work the edges of the strike zone. Wandy Rodriguez is a very good pitcher, but several of the current Braves players have had nice success against him. Randall Delgado isn't consistent enough to be a solid MLB starter just yet. The Braves offense seems to be waking up after a terrible start. I like the value on the over in this game.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Kevin Millwood will start for the Seattle Mariners. Millwood was out of baseball for quite a while, but he has come back and landed a spot at the back of the Mariners rotation. Seattle is a light-hitting team, so Millwood will have to be great here. I don't think he has enough left in the tanks. The Rangers are 5-0 in Colby Lewis' last 5 home starts against the Mariners. The Rangers have a deep lineup that should pile up the runs in this one. I think this is a major mismatch all around. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird* Johan Santana had a very nice first start of the year against the Atlanta Braves. Having said that, I don't think one start should give everyone a false sense of security that he will be fine this year. Santana was erratic in Spring Training and the Mets aren't that great of a team. Stephen Strasburg is farther along in the healing process, and he has a better defensive team behind him. The Nationals are 6-0 in Strasburg's last 6 starts as a road favorite. I think the Nationals moneyline is a great value here. Take Washington.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The St. Louis Cardinals appear to be on a real mission so far this year. Albert Pujols is a terrific player, but those who thought the Cardinals would simply fall apart without him were mistaken. This is still a very good lineup. Most importantly here, Jaime Garcia is on the mound. Garcia has a 1.7 ERA in his career in April. The Cardinals are 6-1 in his last 7 starts against the Reds. Cueto is very good, but the Cardinals have hit him well. In fact, Cueto's ERA against the Cardinals is above 4 in 13 starts. Take the Cardinals.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Bill Miller is one of my favorite 'under' umpires in all of baseball. Miller has a huge strike zone and the under has cashed in bigtime over the last few years in his games behind home plate. We have two very good pitchers who pitch best in the first half of the year in this game. The cool weather in Cincinnati will help the ball stay in the ballpark more than normal. This is a get away day for both teams, and we'll likely see some regulars sit in this game. Lance Berkman and Brandon Phillips are likely to miss the game due to injury. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* The Arizona Diamondbacks started the year at 3-0 with three impressive wins over the Giants. San Diego lost 3 out of 4 at home against the Dodgers. Edinson Volquez showed how inconsistent he is in his first start as a Padre. Volquez has very good stuff, but his control problems make it tough for him to get through the game without a bad inning or two. I like Trevor Cahill, and I think he'll pitch very well against this light-hitting Padres team. The Diamondbacks aren't getting much respect from the oddsmakers here. Arizona has the better lineup and the more consistent pitcher. Take Arizona.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* There are two winless teams left in Major League Baseball. The Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves. The Braves might not be a great team, but they certainly aren't a bad team. Houston is a bad team, and I fully expect them to finish in the cellar of the NL Central. Tommy Hanson is improving a great deal as a pitcher, and he should take care of this weak Astros lineup. Atlanta has the much better lineup here. The value is much better than we would have seen a few days ago, and I like Atlanta to bust out with a big win here.

*3 Star MLB Total Value* Dana DeMuth was behind the plate 34 times last year. The over was 26-8 in those 34 games. He has a tight strike zone, and he'll make it difficult on young Blake Beavan and Neftali Feliz. Feliz is making his first start here, and I suspect he'll be a bit out of rhythm. Beavan hasn't pitched in Texas, and I don't think he'll like this hitters ballpark. The over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings between these teams at Texas. Texas is capable of getting to this number by themselves, and I think Seattle will score some off Feliz. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Daniel Bard is making his first career start in this one. Bard has very good stuff, but he sometimes has issues with his control. Toronto is a very good hitting team. Bard is 1-10 in his career on the road, and his ERA is 5.40 at Toronto. Kyle Drabek has a horrible 12.00 ERA in two starts against the Red Sox. It doesn't hurt at all that we have Tim McClelland as the home plate umpire here. He is one of the best 'over' umpires in the business, because of the extremely low percentage of strikes he calls. The over is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings in Toronto. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Clayton Kershaw only pitched 3 innings in the Dodgers first game of the season because of the stomach flu. He'll start this one which is the Dodgers home opener. The Dodgers took 3 of 4 from San Diego this past weekend. Los Angeles is a team that I believe can make some noise in the NL West this year. Kevin Correia is a mediocre pitcher, and I don't think he'll be able to match Kershaw here. The Dodgers are 12-6 in their last 18 home openers. They are also 8-0 in Kershaw's last 8 starts on 4 days rest. Take the Dodgers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Bailout* Kansas City stunned the baseball world by taking two out of three from the mighty Los Angeles Angels. Kansas City's offense is pretty impressive. Alex Gordon has come into his own at this point, and the Royals youngsters like Hosmer and Moustakas are going to be tremendous. Luis Mendoza had an ERA under 1 in Spring Training this year. Tom Milone has never been a starter in the majors, and I don't expect him to be successful here. Kansas City has the better offense. Take the Royals.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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