*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins are still without Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel. How have the Twins been winning? They have been winning largely because their pitching staff has been great. The under is 5-0-1 in the Twins last 6 games. Carl Pavano started slowly, but he has pitching very well lately. Justin Verlander had a poor outing last time out, but he has been amazing this year. I don't see the beat up Twins scoring many on him. The under is 8-2 in his last 10 starts. I think this one will stay low scoring. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* The Texas Rangers winning streak was snapped last night by the Angels. Both teams will send their ace to the mound on Thursday afternoon. C.J. Wilson has been great all year, especially on the road. Wilson has an impressive 2.59 ERA on the road in 2011. Jered Weaver has been superb everywhere this season. Weaver leads the majors with a stunning 1.90 ERA. The under is 40-14-8 in Weaver's last 62 starts. The under is 13-5-1 in Weaver's last 19 starts against Texas. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Seattle Mariners have finally fallen apart. Seattle was overachieving for a long time, but they have now dropped 11 straight games. Doug Fister takes the mound in this one, and the Mariners are 5-19 in his last 24 road starts. Ricky Romero is one of the better young pitchers in the majors, and he'll be on the hill for Toronto in this one. I think Romero has a good shot of shutting down this Seattle offense. Toronto's offense has been dynamic at home this year, and I think they'll win this one comfortably again. Toronto -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Jake Westbrook has been extremely inconsistent all year. The Mets have actually hitting the ball pretty well of late. With Reyes and Beltran both healthy they have a couple very nice center pieces in the lineup. Jon Niese has been good overall, but the 'over' has been a great play when he is on the mound. The over is 19-6-1 in his last 26 starts. The over is 6-2-1 in Westbrook's last 9. Gerry Davis is behind the plate, and the over is 18-7-1 in his last 26 games as the home plate umpire. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Javier Vazquez was horrendous for the first couple months of the year, but he has been very good of late. I still consider Vazquez an extremely inconsistent pitcher at this point in his career. Dustin Moseley has quietly put up a nice year for the Padres. Moseley has 3.36 ERA (2.83 ERA on the road) this year. Vazquez has a 5.87 ERA at home this season. The Padres are 7-0 in their last 7 games at Florida. The oddsmakers seem to be much higher on Vazquez than I am right now. Take the Padres ML.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Milwaukee Brewers took it to the DBacks last night. Milwaukee has struggled badly all year on the road, and I think the value here is on the DBacks. Joe Saunders has pitched quite well over the last couple months. Saunders has six straight quality starts. Chris Narveson has an ERA over 6 in his last three starts, and he has proven extremely inconsistent. The Brewers are 4-10 in Narveson's last 14 road starts. The DBacks are a solid team and I think the oddsmakers have undervalued them here. Arizona ML.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The San Diego Padres have the worst offense in all of baseball by many offensive statistics. Florida is struggling pretty badly on offense right now as well. Aaron Harang and Ricky Nolasco have both been dealing of late. Harang has a 0.95 ERA in his last three starts and Nolasco has a 0.78 ERA in his last three starts. The under is 5-0 in Nolasco's last 5 starts. Mark Carlson is a solid under umpire behind the plate as well, which should help both pitchers on the corners of the zone. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* All year long I've been waiting for the Seattle Mariners to show their true colors. Admittedly, it took a little longer than I expected, but they are finally showing that they simply cannot contend with this terrible offense. Toronto has a very good lineup that can pile up the runs. The Jays crush lefties (5.3 runs per game against lefties) and the Mariners only score 3.1 runs per game against righties. The Blue Jays are 6-0 in Morrow's last 6 starts. Take Toronto -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Boston Red Sox bats were quieted on Tuesday night, but I don't think that will last long. Boston put up 15 runs on Monday, and I think they'll score several in this one. Jake Arrieta and Andrew Miller have both struggled with control this year and I expect several free passes. The temperature is expected to be about 96 degrees, whcih should help the ball really carry in Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon. The over is 4-1 in Miller's last 5 starts. The over is 20-7 in the Orioles last 27. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken the first two games of this key series from the Reds. The Pirates are now stunningly in first place in the NL Central. Both teams send their most consistent pitchers to the hill on Wednesday. Johnny Cueto has an ERA of 2.01 this year and Jeff Karstens has a 2.34 ERA. How about a great stat for this one? Cueto has thrown ten straight quality starts, and Karstens has thrown eight straight quality starts. The under is 8-1 in Karstens last 9 starts. The under is 4-1 in the Reds last 5. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Rubby De La Rosa has surprised quite a few people with his impressive pitching since being called up a couple months ago. De La Rosa has a solid 3.74 ERA, and he has thrown three straight quality starts. Madison Bumgarner has a 4-9 record, but his ERA is a respectable 3.74. The under is 13-6 in Bumgarner's last 19 home starts. The under is 6-1 in the Dodgers last 7 games. The under is 25-9-1 in the Giants last 35 home games. Bill Miller is behind the dish here, and he is my single favorite 'under' umpire in baseball. The under has cashed in 67% of the time in his last 106 games behind the plate. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The San Diego Padres offense ranks last in the majors in many major categories. Anibal Sanchez has been pretty inconsistent of late, but I think the Padres are just what the doctor ordered to get him back on track. Sancehez has a very good ERA of 3.3 at home this year. Tim Stauffer has quietly pitched very well this year for San Diego. Stauffer has an ERA of 2.97 this season. The under is 22-8-1 in Stauffer's last 31 starts. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Florida. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Rick Porcello has been extremely inconsistent this year, and he has been bad at home. Porcello has an ERA over 6 at home this year. The over is 6-0 in his last 6 starts overall. Guillermo Moscoso has been terrific so far this year, but I'm skeptical about his chances of keeping it going. He didn't fare that well in Triple A and I think he is bound to have some regression soon. The Tigers can hit the ball pretty well and it's nice and warm in Detroit right now. I think the total is set pretty low here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The San Francisco Giants just keep winning despite having a weak offense. San Francisco is the perfect example of just how important it is to have a very good rotation and a great bullpen. Ryan Vogelsong has been one of the biggest surprises of the year. Vogelsong has a stellar 1.2 ERA at home this year. Billingsley will pitch for LA and he has an ERA above 5 on the road. The Dodgers are 1-4 in their last 5 at San Francisco. The Giants are 4-1 in their last 5 home games. Take the Giants.

*5 Star Top Play CRUSHER* Kyle Davies has been terrible all year long for the Royals. The Royals are 0-8 in his last 8 starts. Davies has a 7.74 ERA this year, and his ERA is 10.61 in his last three starts. The White Sox took two of three from Detroit, and they are still in the thick of the AL Central battle. Mark Buerhle has a nice 3.42 ERA this year. The White Sox are 17-6 in his last 23 road games as the favorite. The White Sox are also 23-7 in Buerhle's last 30 games against the Royals. I really like the White Sox ML at this price!

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* Brad Bergesen has never proben to be an effective starting pitcher in the majors. This Boston lineup is absolutely stacked and if Bergesen leaves the ball up as he often does, I think they'll make him pay. Tim Wakefield has a 3.8 career ERA in games pitched at Baltimore. The Red Sox have owned the Orioles at Baltimore for several years. Boston is 72-34 in their last 106 games at Baltimore. The Red Sox bats should come out in a big way in this game. Take Boston -1.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Ted Lilly hasn't been very good of late. He pitched decent last game, but that was against the Padres, who have the worst offense in baseball. Arizona has been a nice surprise this year, and Daniel Hudson is a quality starting pitcher. Hudson has a 3.05 ERA at home this year. The Diamondbacks are 7-0 in Hudson's last 7 home starts. The Dodgers lineup isn't very good outside of Kemp and Ethier. The DBacks have a solid lineup from top to bottom. I think Arizona wins this one comfortably. Arizona -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Shaun Marcum was cruising along and pitching great earlier this year, but ever since he was injured last month he hasn't been the same. Marcum has pitched just once at Coors Field, and he allowed two runs in one inning. The ball is really flying at Coors right now with 90 degree plus temperatures and the wind blowing out. Aaron Cook has been extremely inconsistent this year. The over is 4-1 in Marcum's last 5 starts. The over is 4-0 in Cook's last 4 starts. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Minnesota Twins really should have won the series opener against the Royals, but Eric Hosmer stole one for the Royals with a two run homer with two outs in the ninth. The Twins bounced back to win last night. Minnesota badly needs to keep winning to avoid getting further behind in the AL Central. Brian Duensing has quietly been pitching very well of late. The Twins are an impressive 13-3 in his last 16 home starts. They are also 5-1 in his last 6 starts against the Royals. The Royals are 4-13 in their last 17 in Minnesota. Twins ML.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Houston Astros are a terrible team, and I very rarely bet on them, but I see this as a good opportunity. Wandy Rodriguez has a terrific history of being dominant at home. In fact, the Astros are 6-0 in Wandy's last 6 starts at home against Pittsburgh. Kevin Correia was pretty good at the start of the season, but he has been shaky of late. He has allowed at least four runs in 5 of his last 7 outings. I like Rodriguez to outpitch Correia and I think the Astros will pick up another win at home. Astros ML.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Jair Jurrjens has been spectacular all year long. The Nationals lineup isn't very good, and no one in the Washington lineup has been particularly successful in their career against Jurrjens. Tom Gorzelanny is a decent lefty, and the Braves have been horrible against lefties this year. Atlanta is averaging just 2.99 runs per game against lefties. Without Chipper Jones in the lineup, they lose one of their best hitters. The under is 7-2-3 in Jurrjens last 12 starts. The under is 4-1 in Gorzelanny's last 5 road starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Zack Greinke has been very inconsistent this year. It is going to be a hot day with the wind blowing out at Coors Field on Saturday. I think the conditions will be difficult for the pitchers. Greinke has four appearances against Colorado in his career, and he has a terrible 7.56 ERA in those four games. Chacin is a solid pitcher, but he is young and he has been getting hit by good teams of late. The Brewers offense was shut out yesterday, but with guys like Braun, Fielder, Hart, Weeks, etc. I don't think they'll be silent for a second straight game. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* I took the Minnesota Twins yesterday, and they led the entire way until Eric Hosmer hit a two run bomb with two outs in the top of the ninth. The Twins realize they must continue making their run right now. The Royals are a terrible road team. The Royals are 1-8 in Francis' last 9 road starts. The Royals are 22-55 in their last 77 road games. The Twins are 16-6 in their last 22 home games. The Twins are 4-1 in Pavano's last 5 starts against the Royals. I like the Twins to bounce back with a win here. Take Minnesota.

*3 Star MLB Hidden Gem Total* The Reds came back and beat the Cardinals in dramatic fashion last night. These two NL Central rivals badly want to win this game, and both teams have shown they can hit the opposing starter. Chris Carpenter is a very good pitcher, but the over is 6-0 in his last 6 starts in Cincinnati. Bronson Arroyo hasn't been pitching that well of late, and this Cardinals team can really make a pitcher pay for leaving the ball up in the zone as he sometimes does. I think this one is set a little too low. Take the over.

*3 Star Totals TKO* Carlos Carrasco is a streaky pitcher, and he hasn't been pitching well at all lately. Carrasco has an ERA of 8.36 in his last three starts. Baltimore has dropped nine straight games, but it hasn't been because of their offense. The Orioles have scored four runs or more in six of those nine losses. Alfredo Simon starts for the Orioles. He is a former reliever and the Orioles are so short-handed in their rotation that they are trying him as a starter. I expect both starter's to get hit hard. The over is 5-1 in the Indians last 6. The over is 6-1 in the Orioles last 7. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Cole Hamels is pitching just as well as anyone in baseball over the last month or two. Hamels hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his last nine starts. Jon Niese has been good at home this year. Both these teams have a much weaker lineup than normal. The Phillies are without Victorino and Polanco. The Mets are without Reyes and Wright. The under is 14-5-1 in Hamels' last 20 starts. The under is 9-3 in the Mets last 12 games. I expect a pitcher's duel in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Colby Lewis has a good history against the Seattle Mariners, and this year's Mariners lineup is extremely weak. Derek Holland shut them out last night, and I think Lewis will continue his impressive starts against Seattle. Doug Fister is pitching for Seattle and he has quietly been very good all year. Fister has a great ERA of 1.96 in his last three starts. Bill Miller is the umpire here, and he is my single favorite 'under' umpire. The under is an amazing 65-30-6 in his last 101 games behind the plate. The under is 5-0 in Lewis' last 5 in Seattle. Take the under.

*3 Star Moneyline CASH* It's rare to be able to get Tim Lincecum at -133, especially against a light-hitting team like the Padres. Dustin Moseley is a pretty good pitcher, but I like Lincecum's chances of shutting down the Padres. The Giants are 9-4 in Lincecum's last 13 starts against San Diego, including 6-2 in his last 8 road starts against the Padres. The Padres are 0-5 in Moseley's last 5 starts, and 2-12 in his last 14 starts as an underdog. The Giants offense is much better with Pablo Sandoval in the middle of the order, and it appears Aubrey Huff is starting to swing the bat better again. The Giants are 19-9 in their last 28 road games that Lincecum starts. They are also 10-3 coming off a win. I like the Giants ML here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Colorado Rockies bats are starting to heat up of late. The Rockies are a second half team, and they pounded out 12 runs last night. Chris Narveson has been shaky at Coors in the past (5.4 ERA), and the Rockies hit left-handers pretty well. Juan Nicasio is an inconsistent youngster at this point, and the Brewers lineup is very good. Ed Rapuano is behind the plate here. The 'over' is 15-4-2 in Rapuano's last 21 behind the plate. The over is also 18-7-1 in the Brewers last 26 games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Minnesota Twins looked like they were way out of the race a month or so ago, but some great play of late has the Twins back in the AL Central race. The Twins have been particularly tough at home (16-5 in their last 21 home games). Nick Blackburn starts in this one, and the Twins are 5-1 in his last 6 starts against the Royals. Luke Hochevar is on the hill for the Royals. The Royals are just 2-5 in his last 7 starts against Minnesota. Hochevar has an ERA above six on the road this year. Blackburn has a career ERA at Target Field of less than four. I like the Twins ML here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Luke Hochevar and Nick Blackburn are both struggling mightily right now. Hochevar has an ERA of 9.22 in his last three starts, and Blackburn has a ridiculous 12.15 ERA in his last three starts. Sam Holbrook is the umpire behind the plate in this one, and he is one of the best 'over' umpires in the league. The over is 12-5 in his 17 games behind the dish this year. The over is 20-5-2 in Hochevar's last 27 road starts. The over is a stunning 26-9-1 in their last 36 meetings between these two. The over is 4-1-1 in Hochevar's last 6 against the Twins. The over is 4-0-1 in Blackburn's last 5 starts against the Royals. Expect both pitchers to fair poorly in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star Late Night BAILOUT* The Texas Rangers make a habit out of crushing left-handed pitching. The Rangers average 5.37 runs per game against lefties. The Rangers have won seven straight games, and they are really trying to take full control of the AL West. Seattle was a nice story in the first half as they hung in the race, but I just don't think a team with this weak of a lineup can stay in it for the long haul. Seattle is just 2-5 in Vargas' last 7 starts against Texas. The Mariners are 6-22 in their last 28 games against a left-hander. Take the Rangers.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Madison Bumgarner hasn't been nearly as bad as his record would indicate so far this year. Despite his 4-9 record, Bumgarner has a respectable 3.87 ERA. If it weren't for one terrible outing (1/3 inning and 8 runs) he would have a very impressive ERA. The Padres simply can't hit, and they have been even worse at home. The Giants have gotten a little healthier offensively, and they have a slight edge on the Padres in that area. The Giants are a decent road team (24-24), and the Padres are just 19-27 at home. I'll take the Giants here.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* A pitching matchup of Yovani Gallardo and Ubaldo Jimenez sounds like a pitcher's duel, but a closer look at the numbers tells you that is unlikely in this case. Gallardo has started three times in Colorado, and he has an ERA of 9.19 in those three starts. Jimenez has an ERA over 6 at home this year. The over is 6-2-1 in his last 9 home starts. The over is 11-4-1 in Gallardo's last 15 road starts. The over is also 4-0-1 in Gallardo's last 5 starts against the Rockies. The wind will be blowing out, and Coors Field is still a great hitters park. Take the over.

*3 Star Sunday Night Baseball Totals TKO* Matt Cain has been pitching very well of late, and the Giants struggle badly on offense. Mike Pelfrey is very inconsistent, but I think he'll be able to hold down this San Francisco offense. The under is 3-1-1 in Pelfrey's last 5 against the Giants. The under is 23-9-1 in the Giants last 33 home games. Bill Miller is the umpire here, and he may well be the best 'under' umpire in the game. The under is 12-2 in Miller's last 14 Sunday games behind the dish. I expect a pitcher's duel. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Ted Lilly has been getting hit around pretty hard of late. Tim Stauffer has quietly been putting together a very solid season for the Padres. Stauffer has thrown six straight quality starts. Lilly is 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA pitching in the daytime this year. He has just one quality start in his last five outings. The Dodgers are 1-4 in Lilly's last 5 home starts. The Padres are 7-3 in Stauffer's last 10 road starts. The Padres are 5-0 in Stauffer's last 5 starts against the Dodgers. Padres ML is the play.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* Jaime Garcia has been absolutely dominating at home this year. Garcia has an ERA of just 0.94 in 57 innings at home this season. Zach Duke is very inconsistent, and I think a team with a lineup like the Cardinals can make him pay for his mistakes. The Cardinals are 7-1 in Garcia's last 8 home starts. The Cardinals are 23-11 in their last 34 home games against Arizona. St. Louis has a huge pitching advantage, and I think they have the better lineup as well. Take the Cardinals -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Justin Verlander is pitching better than anyone else in the game right now. In his last eight starts, Verlander has given up just six earned runs. Jeff Francis is a streaky pitcher and he hasn't been pitching well of late. Francis has a 5.15 ERA in day games so far this year. The Tigers have been very successful in Verlander's recent starts against KC. They are 6-1 in his last 7 against the Royals. This is a huge pitching mismatch, and the Tigers have the better lineup too. Take Tigers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Dontrelle Willis makes his return to the big leagues as the Cincinnati Reds starter here. Willis has been good in the minors this year, but I have to think he'll be pretty nervous for this one. The Brewers have some very good bats and they should score plenty. Randy Wolf has an ERA of 6.00 in his last 3 starts. The Reds have a good history against Wolf, and Cincinnati absolutely crushes left-handed pitching. Both pitchers are capable of giving up a lot, so I'll take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Paul Maholm is much better than his record indicates. The Pirates haven't given him much run support this year, but I think they will with a matchup against Ramon Ortiz on Sunday. Ortiz has bounced around in the minors and is finally back in the majors, but he doesn't have even close to dominating stuff at this point in his career. The Pirates are 4-0 in Maholm's last 4 starts. The Pirates are 11-4 in Maholm's last 15 starts against the Cubs. Take the Pirates ML here.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Michael Pineda is just 22 years old, but he is already one of the best power arms in the majors. Pineda has a terrific fastball, and I just don't see this Angels team getting to him much. Piniero is a pretty good pitcher, and this Seattle team is very weak offensively. The under is 18-7-2 in Seattle's last 27 road games. The under is 38-16-10 in the Angels last 64 home games. The total is set low here, but it is set low for a very good reason. A 2-1 type of final score wouldn't surprise me. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Luke Hochevar is not a consistent pitcher, and the Detroit Tigers have a powerful offensive lineup. With Martinez, Cabrera, Ordonez, Avila, and Boesch, the Tigers can make a pitcher pay for mistakes. The Royals are just 4-11 in their last 15 home games. The Tigers are 37-16 in their last 53 against the AL Central. Furbush starts for the Tigers, and he is a quality young lefty. The Royals are 31-70 in their last 101 games against a lefty. Detroit has the much better offense, and I think they should be favored. Take the Tigers.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Johnny Cueto has been the most consistent pitcher in the majors so far this year. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a single game this year. Shaun Marcum is getting healthy once again, and he is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball right now. The under is 4-0-1 in Cueto's last 5 road starts. Ryan Braun is expected to miss this game, and the Brewers offense isn't nearly as strong without him. I think both pitchers will bring their best stuff. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Rick Porcello has been hit very hard of late. Porcello has an ERA of 8.80 in his last three starts. Kyle Davies missed a couple months with an injury, but in his first start back he picked up right where he left off earlier this year. Davies allowed 7 runs (4 earned) in three innings in Colorado last week. For the year, Davies has a 7.77 ERA. The over is 5-2 in Davies' last 7 home starts. The over is 5-0 in Porcello's last 5 starts. I expect both offenses to put up several runs here. Take the over.

*3 Star Dog of the Day* The Minnesota Twins have been playing much better baseball of late. They have been getting solid starting pitching and timely hitting from quite a few different guys. Nick Blackburn has owned the White Sox in his career, and Gavin Floyd has been awful against the Twins in his career. To be quite honest, the line on this game makes almost no sense. The Twins are 7-1 in Blackburn's last 8 starts against Chicago. The White Sox are 0-6 in Floyd's last 6 starts against Minnesota. The Twins are 14-2 in their last 16 meetings at Chicago. Twins ML.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Boston Red Sox are playing very good baseball right now, and Josh Beckett appears to be healthy once again. Beckett has a stellar 1.17 ERA at home this year. Zach Britton is going through some growing pains, and this is a Boston lineup that crushes lefties. The Orioles are 12-39 in their last 51 games at Boston. The Red Sox are 11-0 in Beckett's last 11 starts as a favorite of -200 or more. I think this game has a real chance to get ugly. Take the Red Sox -1.5.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Chicago Cubs burned me yesterday with their miracle comeback from down 8-0, but I'm going to go against them again in this one. The Pirates are in the NL Central division race in the final week before the All-Star break, which is quite amazing. James McDonald has an impressive 2.98 ERA at home and I think he'll silence the Cubs bats. Rodrigo Lopez strikes me as a very inconsistent pitcher, and I think the Pirates can get to him. The Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 games that McDonald has started. They are also 4-0 in their last 4 coming off a day off. Take the Pirates ML.

*3 Star Dog of the Day* Barry Zito has made two solid starts since coming off the DL, but I don't think he can be trusted just yet. The Giants are 4-10 in Zito's last 14 starts, and he has been bad at home in the last couple years. Cory Luebke hasn't allowed a run since moving into the Padres starting rotation, and I think he is a very good young pitcher. The Giants lineup isn't very good at all, and I think the Padres have the edge in starting pitching in this one. San Diego is 14-3 in their last 17 games at San Francisco. Take the Padres.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Rich Harden just came back from the DL, and I think this is a bad matchup for him. Harden has a career 5.48 ERA at Texas, and the ball is flying extremely well right now in Texdas because of the 100 degree heat without too much humidity. Derek Holland is starting for Texas, and he has a 6.8 ERA at home this year. The over is 5-0 in Holland's last 5 starts. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Expect a high scoring affair in the heat Thursday night. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Boston Red Sox are hitting the cover off the ball of late, and the Baltimore Orioles pitching staff hasn't been getting anyone out. I think this is a bad combination for the Orioles, who will be getting to Boston very late Wednesday night. Andrew Miller is starting to show that he can be a successful starting pitcher in the majors, and the Orioles only average 3.66 runs per game agaisnt lefties. The Red Sox have the advantage in all areas of this game. Take Boston -1.5 here.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* The Chicago Cubs are 5-16 in their last 21 road games. The Washington Nationals are 14-3 in their last 17 home games. Livan Hernandez may not be young anymore, but he continues to be a pretty good starting pitcher. Hernandez is especially good at home, where he pitches to the ballpark's dimensions very well. The Nationals are 4-1 in Hernandez's last 5 home starts against the Cubs. The Cubs are 0-4 in Garza's last 4 road starts. At just a little more than even money, I like the Nationals ML here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Livan Hernandez has a 2.49 ERA at home this year. Matt Garza has pitched much better than his record indicates. Mike Muchlinkski is the umpire in this one and he is a solid 'under' umpire. The under is 6-1 in his last 7 games behind the dish, and he has a wide strike zone. The under is 6-1-1 in the Cubs last 8 games. The under is 19-8-1 in Hernandez's last 28 home starts. The wind is expected to be blowing in during this game. I expect a low scoring pitcher's duel in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Madison Bumgarner has had one bad start all year. Unfortunately for me it was the game I chose to take the under on a couple weeks ago. Bumgarner went one third of an inning and gave up eight runs. In the rest of his starts this year he has been stellar. In fact, he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs since May other than that one meltdown a couple weeks ago. I'm guessing he'll be good against a poor Padres lineup here. Moseley is underrated for San Diego, and the Giants lineup is very weak. The temperature is expected to be in the upper 50's, so the ball won't be carrying. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Baltimore Orioles aren't a very good road team at all. Jeremy Guthrie is on the hill for the Orioles, and the Orioles are 7-20 in his last 27 road starts. Alexi Ogando is on the hill for the Rangers and the Rangers are 5-1 in his last 6 home starts. Ogando has electric stuff and I think he can tame this Orioles lineup. The Rangers have a very good lineup and the ball should be flying in the 100 degree heat on Wednesday night. The Orioles are 0-4 in their last 4 at Texas. Take Texas -1.5.

*3 Star Dog of the Play* The Phillies are the much better team here and past history leads me to think we are getting a very nice price on this one. Kyle Kendrick isn't the most consistent pitcher out there, but he isn't too bad. The Phillies are also 4-0 in his last 4 starts against Florida. Anibal Sanchez is a very good pitcher, but the Marlins have lost four straight times when he starts against the Phillies. The Phillies have a much better lineup, and I like them as an underdog in this one. Phillies Moneyline.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* You could make a solid argument that Justin Verlander is the best pitcher in baseball today. Verlander at just a little more than even money is tough to overlook. I also consider the Detroit Tigers a better team overall than the Los Angeles Angels. The Tigers have more hitting stars and a pretty good bullpen. The Angels often struggle to score runs, which should make it tough for them to get to Verlander. The Tigers are 10-1 in Verlander's last 11 starts. Verlander is in top form right now and I like the Tigers here. Detroit ML.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Zach Duke hasn't been very good so far this year, and he has been even worse at Miller Park in his career. Duke has a career ERA of 8.13 in his 11 starts at Miller Park. Randy Wolf doesn't have dominating stuff, and he relies on getting the corners. Tony Randazzo is the umpire here, and he is one of the better 'over' umpires in the league. Randazzo will likely squeeze the zone on both of these soft tossing lefties. Wolf has a career ERA of 6.49 when Randazzo is behind the plate. The over is 4-0 in the Brewers last 4 games. The over is 6-2 in Arizona's last 8. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Boston Red Sox have the best lineup in baseball right now, and on this particular occasion they also have one of the best pitchers in baseball on the hill. Jon Lester has been great of late, and he has a solid history against Toronto. Brian Knight is behind the plate, and Lester has yet to allow a run with Knight as the umpire in 16 innings pitched. Brett Cecil is struggling with his mechanics, and this Red Sox lineup should be able to make him pay. The Red Sox are 38-13 in Lester's last 51 home starts. Expect a comfortable win here. Boston -1.5.

*5 Star Top Play Total* Chris Jakubauskas is slated to start for the Baltimore Orioles. I continue to believe that he won't last much longer in the Orioles rotation. He has never proven capable of keeping a starting role, and this is a terrible matchup for him. It is expected to be 95 degrees in this game and the wind will be pushing the ball out toward center and left field. Colby Lewis has been erratic this year and Jakubauskas is liable to get hit around pretty hard by this strong Rangers lineup. The over is 6-1 in Lewis' last 7 home starts. The over is 9-4 in the Orioles last 13. Expect a high scoring game. Take the over big here!

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Anytime I can get a team like the Phillies at even money I will be pretty interested, especially when the other team is a team below .500. Ricky Nolasco hasn't been very good this year and Vance Worley continues to surprise people with his quality pitching. The Phillies lineup is very good now that the team has gotten healthy, and they have a huge edge in that department. The Phillies have dominated Florida on the road in the past. Philadelphia is 21-7 in their last 28 games at Florida. Take the Phillies.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Tim Lincecum is back on his game and the San Diego Padres are a team he has dominated in the past. Lincecum also has a 1.35 ERA in his last three starts overall. Clayton Richard started the season poorly, but he has been pitching well of late. San Francisco's offense isn't very good at all now with all the injury problems they have had. The under is a stunning 21-5-1 in the Giants last 27 home games. The under is 4-1-1 in Richard's last 6 starts against the Giants. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Texas Rangers haven't been playing great baseball of late, but C.J. Wilson has proved he is more than capable of being the stopper for this team. Wilson has been exactly what they need in an ace. Wilson has a great 3.14 ERA despite pitching in a hitters ballpark. The Rangers are an amazing 22-5 in Wilson's last 27 home games. While Javier Vazquez has pitched much better in the last three games, I still don't trust him to pitch well here. Texas has plenty of guys who can punish him for his mistakes, and Vazquez still has a 5.83 ERA this year. The Marlins are 1-6 in his last 7 starts. I think Texas wins comfortably. Texas -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* This is a matchup between two of the best young starting pitchers in all of baseball. Ian Kennedy has a stellar 2.28 ERA on the road this year. The under is 5-1 in his last 6 road starts. Gio Gonzalez has a 2.17 ERA at home this year, and he has a 1.29 ERA in his last three starts. The under is 5-1 in his last 6 starts overall. D.J. Reyburn is behind home plate, and that is a good thing for under bettors. The under is 11-1 in Reyburn's last 12 Sunday games behind the dish. It is also 9-2 in his last 11 overall. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Coors Field is one of those parks where you absolutely have to know the weather forecast. On Sunday the conditions will be favorable for the ball to be flying out of this park in a big way. The temperature is expected to be about 93 or 94 degrees during this game, and with humidity levels expected to be at just 13% the ball will carry very well. Hochevar has been terrible on the road. The over is 19-5-2 in his last 26 road starts. The over is also 11-4 in Hammel's last 15 home starts. Jim Reynolds is behind the dish and he is known as one of the biggest over umpires in the game. The over is 37-17-2 in his last 56 Sunday games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Cory Luebke is a very good young pitcher who I believe has a solid future as a starting pitcher. Seattle and San Diego have two of the worst offenses in the majors. Doug Fister has pitched well all year, but he never gets much run support at all. The under is 12-3 in Seattle's last 15 games. The under is 6-1-1 in Fister's last 8 starts. Phil Cuzzi is the umpire behind the plate in this one, and he is a very solid under umpire. The under is 19-7-6 in his last 32 games behind home plate. I expect a pitcher's duel here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* You will rarely ever see a total set as low as 6, but this one is deservedly set extremely low. Here we have two poor offenses and two of the very best pitchers in the league. Jered Weaver has the AL's best ERA this year at 1.97, and Clayton Kershaw has a 2.93 ERA. Kershaw has gotten much more efficient with his pitches, which has allowed him to throw back to back complete games. These two faced off last week in a 3-2 Dodgers win, and I think this one will be just as low if not lower scoring. The under is 40-13-6 in Weaver's last 59 starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Doug Eddings will be behind the dish in this one, and many consider him to be the best 'under' umpire in baseball. Eddings has a very wide strike zone, and I expect both pitchers to take advantage of this. Niemann has been inconsistent, but in his only outing with Eddings in his career he threw a 7 inning shutout. McClellan continues to be underrated and he has a 3.53 ERA on the road this year. Tampa Bay has been an under machine at home. The under is 40-11-2 in the Rays last 53 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* Tim Hudson has been very good of late, but Interleague Play hasn't been kind to Hudson at all in the past. The Braves are 3-16 in Hudson's last 19 Interleague starts. In that 19 game span, Hudson has an ERA of 6.24. Jake Arrieta was removed from his last start with elbow issues, and I wonder if there won't be some residual problems on Saturday. Tim McClelland is the umpire here and he is a huge 'over' umpire. The over is 12-3 in his 15 games behind the plate this year, and he has called the lowest percentage of strikes of any umpire in the league. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Both of these pitchers are throwing the ball well of late, and neither offense is particularly good. John Lannan has a stellar 1.81 ERA at home this year. The under is 6-1 in Lannan's last 7 home starts. The under is 6-1 in the Pirates last 7 road games. This is the first game of a doubleheader, which means some regulars might be missing from the lineup here. With two weak lineups and two very capable starters, I think the under is a good value in this one. Take the under here.

*3 Star TGIF Bookie CRUSHER* The San Francisco Giants dropped the last two games of their series with the Cubs. The way they lost those games was pretty surprising. The Giants have been a team that capitalizes on their chances and wins close games the last year or two. They lost both games on walkoff hits by the Cubs, and they have to be a bit deflated. Detroit is a good team at home (26-17), while the Giants are just 22-23 on the road. Brad Penny isn't great, but he does a good job keeping the ball in the yard at Detroit. Penny has a 3.28 ERA at home this year. Madison Bumgarner has been pretty good this year, but he doesn't much run support at all. The Tigers average 5.18 runs per game against lefties, while the Giants average only 3.40 against right-handers. How about this huge stat? The Tigers are 41-11 in their last 52 Interleague home games. The Giants are just 5-11 in Bumgarner's last 16 starts. I think this is a good value on the Tigers. Tigers ML is the play here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The White Sox and Rockies have played to two 3-2 final scores in the first two games of the series. I expect a much higher scoring affair on Thursday afternoon. Jake Peavy has been inconsistent of late and his 4.59 career ERA at Coors Field is nothing to write home about. Aaron Cook has yet to put together a quality start this year. The other major factor here is the weather. The wind is expected to be blowing out at 15 to 20 mph, which is a big help at Coors Field. The low humidity and hot temperatures will also help the ball fly well. Expect a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Boston Red Sox definitely have a very strong lineup, but that lineup isn't as strong in this series as it normally is. I don't expect both Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez to start in this one, which means the Red Sox will be without one of their best bats. With Carl Crawford out the Sox are also without another big bat. The Phillies have struggled against top lefties this year. Jon Lester has a 2.45 ERA in his last three starts, while Cole Hamels has a 2.11 ERA in his last three. These two lefties should make life very difficult on the hitters. How about this stat? The under is 11-0 in the Phillies last 11 interleague games. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Yankees are an amazing 22-4 in day games this year. The Brewers are just 15-26 on the road this year. Randy Wolf has been pitching well of late for the Brewers, but I don't think he matches up well against this Yankees lineup that hits lefties very well. C.C. Sabathia gets the best run support in baseball, and he has a 2.25 ERA in day games this year. The Yankees have been absolutely dominating with Sabathia on the hill. The Yankees are 53-18 in his last 71 starts. They are 28-8 in his last 36 home starts. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Mark Buerhle has been tremendous of late. In fact, he had a string of nine straight quality starts broken in his last outing because of a rain delay. Buerhle has been exceptional in Interleague play. How good has he been? Buerhle has a 10-0 record and a 1.88 ERA in his last 14 Interleague starts. Ubaldo Jimenez has an ERA of 6.86 at home this year, and the oddsmakers continue to line his games as if it were last year. The Rockies are 2-7 in his last 9 home games. I think this is a very healthy big underdog. Take the White Sox.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chris Jakubauskas hasn't had a terrible game yet since getting moved into the Orioles starting rotation, but I believe he is capable of getting torched in any given start. Opponents are hitting .369 against him, and the Cardinals have a very good offense even without Pujols. Chris Carpenter hasn't been that good this year, especially on the road. Carpenter had a 5.57 ERA on the road this year. The over is 9-2-1 in the Cardinals last 12. The over is 6-1 in the Orioles last 7. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Chris Jakubauskas hasn't had a terrible game yet since getting moved into the Orioles starting rotation, but I believe he is capable of getting torched in any given start. Opponents are hitting .369 against him, and the Cardinals have a very good offense even without Pujols. Chris Carpenter has shown signs of coming around lately, and I think he is a much better pitcher than Jakubauskas. Don't be surprised if the Cardinals chase Jakubauskas early in this one. Take St. Louis -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* Both Dan Haren and Jordan Zimmerman have the ability to completely shutdown the opposition. Haren hasn't had his best stuff lately, but the Nationals lineup simply isn't very good. Zimmerman has been tremendous of late. Zimmerman has ten straight quality starts and he has an 0.89 ERA in his last three starts. Both pitchers are betting during the day, and this is a day game in LA. Zimmerman has a 2.51 ERA during the day. Haren has a 1.82 ERA during the day. The under is 6-1 in Zimmerman's last 7. The under is 7-1-2 in Haren's last 10 home starts. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Padres and the Royals are two of the weaker offenses in the majors. Tim Stauffer is one of the more underrated pitchers in the National League right now. Stauffer has been tremendous in San Diego. He has a 2.96 ERA at home this year, and the under is 11-4-1 in his last 16 home starts. Bruce Chen has pitched well for the Royals this year, and San Diego has struggled mightily to score runs at home this year. The under is 16-4-1 in the Padres last 21 home games against a lefty. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* Jason Marquis has quietly put together a solid season in 2011. Marquis has a career 4.24 ERA on the road, which is half a run better than his career ERA at home. The Nationals lost a tough one Monday night at Los Angeles, and I think they'll be fighting hard to get the series tied back up. The Nationals are an impressive 16-5 in Marquis' last 21 starts overall. The Angels are just 2-7 in their last 9 home games. Washington has been the hottest team in baseball of late, and I think this is another good spot for them. Washington ML.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Kansas City Royals are 10-22 on the road so far this year. San Diego isn't a great home team either, but they have been playing well of late. Felipe Paulino is a streaky pitcher and his inconsistency can catch up to him on the road at times. Clayton Richard is 0-5 at home this year, but he has a stellar 2.25 ERA in his home starts. The Royals are 13-38 in their last 51 road games against a left-handed starter. The Royals are 0-4 in their last 4 at San Diego. Take the Padres here.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost three straight and they have slipped back a couple games in the NL West Standings. Daniel Hudson has been the stopper for them multiple times this year and I think he will be once again on Tuesday. Hudson has a quality start in 8 of his last 10 starts, and the DBacks are 6-0 in his last 6 home games. Josh Tomlin has a career 5.06 ERA on the road, and he has allowed six earned runs in each of his last two road starts. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a better lineup and they have the better pitcher here. Arizona -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Coors Field can be the best hitters ballpark in the majors when the conditions are right. Low humidity on a summer day is great for an over, and that is what is expected on Tuesday. Gavin Floyd and Jason Hammel have both been getting hit hard of late. Floyd has an ERA of 6.16 in his last three starts and Hammel has a 6.23 ERA in that span. The over is 5-2 in Floyd's last 7 starts. The over is 11-3 in Hammel's last 14 home starts. I expect both teams to put up quite a few runs here. Take the over.

*3 Star Red Sox/Phillies CASH* The Boston Red Sox have been red hot of late, but don't overlook the Philadelphia Phillies at all. The Phillies have a better pitching staff, and once they get completely healthy their lineup is one of the best in the majors as well. Josh Beckett has been good this year, but he is coming off a viral illness that has weakened him for several days. Cliff Lee has been pitching as well as ever of late. Lee has allowed just one run in his last 33 innings pitched! He has thrown two straight complete game shutouts. The Sox will be without Crawford and Ortiz in this one. The Phillies are 30-13 at home. Take the Phillies ML.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Jeff Francis hasn't been pitching well of late, especially on the road. Francis has a 5.94 ERA in his last three starts, and he has a 6.93 ERA on the road this year. Mat Latos hasn't had his 2010 form this year. Latos hasn't been bad, but he has been mediocre. The Royals actually hit for a decent average, and I think they'll loop in several hits in this big park. The over is 3-0-1 in the Royals last 4 road games. The over is 5-1 in the Padres last 6 games. The over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Cleveland Indians had a game late Sunday night in San Francisco and must travel to Arizona, while the DBacks finished up earlier Sunday afternoon and came back from Detroit. The Indians are reeling right now, while the DBacks are in a fight for the top spot in the NL West. Mitch Talbot has been inconsistent this year, and the DBacks have the bats to make him pay for his mistakes. The Indians bats have been silent of late and Ian Kennedy is a very underrated pitcher at this point in his career. Kennedy should probably make the All-Star team and I think he'll pitch well here. Cleveland is 5-22 in their last 27 as an underdog. Take Arizona -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Twins have lost five straight after going 12-2 for a 14 game span. The reason for the Twins failure of late? The offense has been terrible. It should be noted that all five of those losses came on the road, and the Twins have generally played much better at home over the last few years. Nick Blackburn starts in this one, and Blackburn has a 3.46 career ERA at home. Blackburn has a 1.89 ERA in his last three starts. Chad Billingsley has been terrible on the road (6.49 ERA this year on the road). The Dodgers lineup isn't very impressive either. I like the Twins to get it done at home.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Ballpark at Arlington is a great hitters park when the "wind tunnel effect" is on, and tomorrow should be perfect conditions for that effect. A wind in from right center actually pushes fly balls out toward center and left, resulting in quite a few long balls. The same effect was there on Saturday and the finals was 14-5. Derek Holland has struggled at home (6.03 ERA) and Dillon Gee has never pitched in Texas. The 98 degree temperature with low humidity should help the ball fly. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Washington Nationals offense is not very good at all, but their pitching staff has been brilliant of late. Livan Hernandez has been underrated by the books for quite some time now. The under is 17-7-2 in his last 26 road games. Phillip Humber is another underrated pitcher by the books, and the under is 9-4 in his last 13 starts overall. Marty Foster is a nice under umpire behind the plate for this one as well. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 10 to 15 mph. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Reds are a streaky team, and I believe they are starting to play better baseball. Joey Votto is starting to swing the bat very well once again and the Reds pitchers are starting to get healthy. Homer Bailey will start in this one and Bailey has been good this year in limited action. Jeremy Guthrie is on the mound for the Orioles, and the Orioles are just 5-10 in his 15 starts this year. The Reds are 20-7 in Bailey's last 27 starts. The Orioles have a serious long-term trend that is amazing on Sunday. Baltimore is just 36-76 in their last 112 Sunday games. Take Cincinnati.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Jair Jurrjens has been the best pitcher in the National League so far this year, but he continues to be undervalued by the books. Jurrjens has the best ERA in the league, and the Braves are 8-3 in his last 11 starts. Dustin Mosely has been good this year, but the Padres offense isn't good at all. The Padres are 1-4 in Mosely's last 5 home starts. The Braves are 4-1 in their last 5 games at San Diego. The Braves have gotten healthier of late, and they clearly have a better offense than the Padres. I'll take the team with the better pitching staff and lineup. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Alexi Ogando has been terrific in every start this year except for two, and both of those were against the Yankees. The Mets don't have even close to as much offensive firepower, and the Mets have Jon Niese starting in this game. Niese is a decent pitcher, but he is a lefty, and the Rangers feast on left-handed starters. The Rangers 6-2 in their last 8 against a left-handed starter, and they average 5.5 runs per game against lefties. The Rangers are 4-0 in Ogando's last 4 home starts. I like the Rangers to win this one easily. Rangers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Colorado Rockies took the first game of the series last night from the New York Yankees, but I think this is a good spot for the Yankees. Aaron Cook recently came off the disabled list, and he hasn't looked very sharp in limited action so far this year. C.C. Sabathia is always tough to beat at home, and the Yankees average 8 runs per game when Sabathia is on the hill. The Yankees are 11-2 in Sabathia's last 13 Saturday starts. The Yankees are 27-8 in Sabathia's last 35 starts at home. I think the Yankees win this comfortably. Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Cleveland Indians don't hit left-handers very well, and Johnathan Sanchez has been pitching fairly well this year. Sanchez has a 3.23 ERA at home this year. Carlos Carrasco is pitching brilliantly of late for the Indians. San Francisco's offense is severely short-handed right now, and the Giants simply don't have that much firepower. Carrasco has a stunning 0.42 ERA in his last three starts. The under is 19-7 in the Giants last 26 home games. The forecast calls for 55 degrees in this one, which means the ball shouldn't travel well at all. I like the under.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Wandy Rodriguez is one of the best pitchers in the National League, but he doesn't quite get the publicity he deserved. Rodriguez has thrown a quality start in seven straight games. In his last three starts he has an ERA of 1.00. The under is 7-1-1 in his last 9 starts. James Shields has an ERA of 2.40 in 2011, and at this point he is a leading contender for the Cy Young Award in the American League. The Astros offense isn't that great, and both of these pitchers often pitch deep into the game. The under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* Guillermo Moscoso is on the hill for Oakland. Moscoso has a solid 3.4 ERA in the majors this year, but I don't think that will continue. Moscoso had an ERA above 4 in AAA and he doesn't have dominating stuff. He hasn't faced very good lineups thus far, but that will change when he faces Philly on Friday night. Vance Worley has started five games for the Phillies and four of those starts have been good ones. Oakland's offense is poor and they have committed more errors than anyone in baseball. I think there is a lot of value on Philadelphia -1.5.

*3 Star MLB BEST Bet* Arizona has taken the first two games in this three game set. Kansas City is usually decent at home, and it would be easy to think they'll likely salvage a game at home. I like the spot for the Diamondbacks in this one. Arizona moved to 7 games above .500 last night and they now lead the NL West by half a game. Daniel Hudson has won five straight starts and he has an ERA of 1.23 in his last three starts. Paulino has been good so far this year, but his past history tells me he is due for regression. The Diamondbacks have a better lineup and a big edge on the mound here. Take Arizona.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Both of these teams are 37-37, but neither team has an impressive offense. It has been the pitching of both the Mariners and Nationals that have helped them surprise many people. Michael Pineda is as good as any young pitcher in the big leagues. He has thrown a quality start in 10 of his 13 starts in the majors. Jason Marquis is a sinker ball pitcher, and when he is on he can be tough to hit. The under is 6-1 in the Mariners last 7 games. This is a getaway day and that usually means some top players getting a day of rest, which should help as well. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The Minnesota Twins have managed to win 15 of their last 17 games despite missing some very key contributors on offense. Even without Thome, Kubel, Morneau, etc. I believe the Twins have a better lineup than the Giants. The Twins still have Mauer, Young, and some able youngsters in the lineup. Vogelsong has been terrific this year, but this hot Twins team can probably scratch across a few runs. I don't expect the Giants to get too many off Blackburn. I was very surprised at the value on this game, which I put at about pick'em. Take the Twins.

*3 Star MLB Late Night Total* Nick Blackburn and Ryan Vogelsong are both on a terrific run right now. Blackburn has only allowed more than two earned runs on one occasion in his last nine starts. Vogelsong has an ERA of 0.96 at home this year. Neither of these offenses are very good to start with, and both are dealing with a ton of injuries right now. The under is 25-12-3 in Blackburn's last 40 road starts. The under is 8-0 in Vogelsong's last 8 starts overall. Look for a pitcher's duel in San Francisco on Tuesday. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Kansas City Royals have come back to earth in a big way over the last month, while the Diamondbacks continue to outperform expectations. One of the main reasons Arizona has been successful is their young talent at starting pitcher. Ian Kennedy is a very good young starter, and I think he gives Arizona the distinct pitching advantage in this one. In addition, the Diamondbacks lineup has more pop than the Royals. The DBacks are 5-1 in Kennedy's last 6 road starts. The Royals are 2-7 in their last 9 home games. Take Arizona.