*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* I continue to believe that the Seattle Mariners are much worse than their record shows. The Mariners are 14-17, but I think they could end up the season with the worst record in the American League. This Mariners lineup is not a good one at all. The Mariners are 0-7 in Vargas' last 7 home starts and 2-12 in his last 14 starts overall. The Rangers start Colby Lewis, who isn't a great pitcher, but he actually pitches better on the road. Getting almost even money on a team with a much better lineup seems like a good value. Take the Rangers ML.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Brandon Beachy is a very good young pitcher for the Braves, and he has pitched well in three straight games. The Brewers offense has been scuffling a bit of late. Marcum is pitching for the Brewers, and I think he is one of the most underrates pitchers in baseball today. Marcum has allowed 0 earned runs in three of his last four starts. Marcum allowed just one run earlier this year against the Braves. I think this one has the makings of a 3-2 type game. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB MISMATCH Special* Roy Halladay is the best pitcher in the majors right now. Halladay has amazing control of the strike zone. Halladay is 9-1 in his career against the Nationals. On the other side, John Lannan will be starting for the Nationals. How about this for an amazing statistic? The Nationals are 0-11 in Lannan's last 11 starts against the Phillies. The Phillies hit .271 as a team against lefties, and they score about five runs per game. Getting plus money on the runline seems like a terrific value in this mismatch special. Take the Phillies -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* Josh Johnson has been the best pitcher in the majors thus far this year. In his last four starts he has allowed one earned run! Jake Westbrook has been erratic this year, and this Marlins continues to hit the ball pretty well. I like the Cardinals team pretty well, but I think the pitching matchup goes so strongly to the Marlins here that this short price on the moneyline is well worth it. I expect Johnson to pitch another very good game. Take the Marlins moneyline here.

*3 Star Runline ROUT* The Los Angeles Angels and the Boston Red Sox played late into the night last night, now they must turnaround and play less than 12 hours later in this afternoon series finale. John Lackey has pitched well at home of late, and he has pitched extremely well in matchups against his former team (the Angels). Last time against the Angels Lackey pitched a shutout in Los Angeles. Joel Piniero is pitching for the Angels, and he has been hit hard by most of the Red Sox regulars. The Angels are just 3-7 in Piniero's last 10 road starts. The Red Sox are 4-0 in Lackey's last 4 starts against the Angels. I think Boston finishes off this series with a big win. Take Boston -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* A.J. Burnett has an ERA of over 9 in his starts at Comerica. The Tigers offense got a much needed boost when Victor Martinez returned to the lineup on Wednesday night. The Yankees were shutout by Scherzer on Wednesday, but they should have much better luck against Rick Porcello. The Yankees have hit Porcello hard in the past. The over is 6-2-1 in Burnett's last 9 starts. The over is 6-1 in Porcello's last 7 home starts. The over is 6-1-1 in the last 8 meetings. Tschida is behind the dish here, and he is a solid over umpire. I like the over in this Thursday afternoon game.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Homer Bailey will make his first start of the season on Thursday afternoon. In his three rehab starts he was tremendous. Bailey had an ERA of 0.54 in his three starts in AAA. Brett Myers has historically pithched well on the road and he has pitched well against the Reds as well. In his last two starts against the Reds he has allowed a total of two runs. Tom Hallion is behind the dish here and I consider him a bit of an under umpire. The cool temperatures in Cincinnati should keep the ball from flying out of GABP too often. I like the under.

*3 Star Late Night Totals Winner* Josh Tomlin has been very good so far this year, and the Oakland offense is not very impressive. Trevor Cahill has been absolutely dominant at home over the last couple years. The under is 16-5-1 in his last 22 home starts. While the Indians do have the best record in baseball, I don't think this Cleveland offense is all that terrific either. Ron Kulpa is behind the dish here and he is a solid under umpire. I think both pitchers will pitch well here, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a 2-1 type of game. Take the under.

*3 Star Totals Terrorizer* The Colorado Rockies are a very good offensive team and Carlos Gonzalez is getting it going now. The Diamondbacks are solid offensively as well. Chase Field is expected to be open tonight and the temperature will be around 94 degrees. The humidity level is expected to be extremely low, which should mean the ball will be jumping off the bats tonight. Enright is pitching for the DBacks and the over is 5-0-1 in his last 6 home starts. I expect a high scoring affair. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Cardinals are 50-17 in Chris Carpenter's last 67 starts at home. Javier Vazquez has just one quality start so far this year. Remember when everyone was saying the Cardinals couldn't hit? St. Louis now has the highest team batting average, .293, in all of baseball. They have been able to do that without Pujols contributing much at all. The Cardinals have a huge advantage here in the pitching matchup, and they also have the better lineup. No pitcher wants to see Pujols, Holliday, and Berkman in the middle of the opponent's order. Take the Cardinals -1.5.

*5 Star Top Play Total* Kyle Davies is one of my favorite pitchers to fade or play an 'over' with, and Jake Arrieta hasn't been good on the road either. Arrieta has some hip pain that could give him some trouble during this game. The weather conditions should help a lot in this one. The wind is expected to be blowing out to center at about 20 mph during this game. Davies has given up five runs in three of his six starts, and he gave up eight earned runs in his last outing. The Orioles bats are slowly coming to life of late. The over is 4-1 in Arrieta's last 5 starts. The over is 4-1 in Davies' last 5 home starts. The over is 31-13 in the last 44 meetings in Kansas City between these two. I'm making this my first five star top play of the MLB season. Take the over in a big way.

*3 Star Under the Radar Total* I don't normally like to bet the 'under' with the Yankees, but I think this is a good spot. Freddy Garcia has been surprisingly good this year, and the Tigers offense isn't that great. Max Scherzer is terrific at Comerica in his career. Scherzer has an ERA of 2.7 in Detroit. Garcia also has a solid 3.7 ERA in his starts at Detroit. The under is 5-0-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams at Detroit. I think the line gives us a solid value on the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Travis Wood has an ERA of 6.00 at home. Rodriguez will be making the first start of his career for Houston in this game. Both teams have been hitting the ball very well of late. The wind is expected to be pushing out at about 10 to 15 mph in this game. The over is 3-0-1 in the Reds last 4 home games. The over is 9-4 in the Astros last 13 road games. The pitching matchup points to an over and I think this number is a solid value on the over. Expect both starting pitchers to get knocked out fairly early in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Texas Rangers have been absolutely tremendous this year against left-handed pitchers. As a team they are hitting .292 against lefties, and they are averaging 6.51 runs per game. Erik Bedard is a lefty who has been struggling most of the year. The Rangers knocked him out of the game pretty early in their first meeting against him this year, and I expect that again. Ogando is a legitimate solid young pitcher with good stuff. The Mariners are hitting .211 against right-handed pitchers this year. Texas has a much better lineup than Seattle, and they also have the pitching advantage here. Take the Rangers.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* I'm no fan of taking an 'over' at PetCo Park in San Diego, but this number is definitely set too low based on the trends and data. Mat Latos was terrific last year, but he has been bad this year. Latos has an ERA of 4.98 this year, and he has allowed at least three runs in every outing this year. Jeff Karstens is pitching for the Pirates, and the over is 5-1 in his last 6 starts. Karstens doesn't have overpowering stuff, and I think the Padres will be able to score some runs off him. With a number set this low, a 3-3 game will result in a win. I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Terrific Total* I've written about it before, and I've not changed my mind about Chase Field when the roof is open. Chase Field with the roof open is a hitters paradise, especially when the weather is hot and dry like it is expected to be today. A temperature of around 90 with almost no humidity should mean the ball will be coming off the bat extremely quickly tonight. Joe Saunders has struggled in the past with the roof open, and De La Rosa gives up too many fly balls to be good in these conditions. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATIION* The Florida Marlins have Anibal Sanchez on the hill in this one. Sanchez has been brilliant of late, and historically he has been very good on the road. The under is 27-11-2 in Sanchez's last 40 starts on the road. Kyle McClellan has been solid this year for the Cardinals, and I think he'll fare well in this one. Jerry Layne is the home plate umpire, and the under is 17-8-1 in his last 26 games behind the plate. I think this total is set a little too high. I like the value on the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The San Francisco Giants are pretty short-handed offensively right now. Without Sandoval in the middle of the lineup they lose quite a bit of their pop. The New York Mets are playing much better baseball right now, and they certainly have a better lineup than the Giants at this point. Beltran, Wright, Bay, and Reyes give them four very solid hitters. R.A. Dickey has historically been very good at home, and I don't see the Giants scoring many runs here. Ryan Vogelsong is pitching for the Giants, and I don't he has the stuff to shut down the Mets. Take the Mets -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* John Hirschbeck is the umpire in this game, and he is one of the best 'under' umpires in the business. Hirschbeck has a wide strike zone, and that should be perfect for both Dan Haren and Jon Lester. Dan Haren has allowed a total of six earned runs in his seven starts this year. Jon Lester allowed five earned runs in his first start of the year, but he has allowed just six earned runs in his last five starts overall. I think both starting pitchers will pitch deep into the game here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Sides Special* The Baltimore Orioles have taken the first three games in this four-game series from the White Sox. Chicago is struggling mightily right now, and the Orioles are a much better team this year than they were in 2010. Jeremy Guthrie is on the mound for the Orioles here, and he is better on the road than he is at home. Guthrie has had four quality starts this year and just one poor outing. Buerhle is pitching for the Sox, and he has two quality starts and four bad ones. Markakis, Lee, Guerrero, and Wieters all hit .350 or higher against Buerhle in their career. The Orioles are 5-2 in their last 7 against the White Sox when Buerhle is on the hill. I'll take the Orioles to finish off the sweep here.

*3 Star MLB Totals TAKEDOWN* The San Diego Padres may have the worst offense in all of baseball. They managed to score five runs last night, but I don't think they'll be able to repeat that against a solid sinker-ball pitcher in Jon Garland. On the other side, Dustin Mosely has been terrific for the Padres. The Dodgers are short-handed without Furcal and Blake right now. The under is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings between these two. I expect both starters to pitch well in this one. Take under 7.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Doug Eddings is the home plate umpire in this one and he is probably the single biggest 'under' umpire in all of baseball. Eddings has a big strike zone, and historically he has been an under bettors dream. The under is 12-4-2 in Eddings last 18 games. The under is also 38-16-5 in his last 59 Sunday games. Gio Gonzalez is a very good lefty who can work the corners, and I think the Rangers will have a difficult time against him. Matt Harrison has been much improved this year, and this Oakland offense is very bad. Take the under.

*3 Star Sunday Sweep* The Baltimore Orioles are an improving team. The offense has been holding them back most of the year, but they have lots of talent offensively. The offense has finally started to get it going the last few days, and I think they are a better team than the White Sox right now. Britton is a terrific young pitcher, and the White Sox are struggling in a big way at the plate. The White Sox are averaging just 3.2 runs per game against a left-hander. Chicago is 3-14 in their last 17 games. The Orioles are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Chris Narveson hasn't looked good in his last couple outings, and the Houston Astros are scoring about 5 runs per game on lefties this year. Bud Norris is solid at home, but this Brewers lineup is very good now with Weeks, Braun, Fielder, McGhee, and Hart back and healthy. The wind is projected to be blowing out at about 15 mph. The home plate umpire is Adrian Johnson who tends to have a small strike zone. This one sets up nicely for an 'over' play. Take over 8.5 in this matchup.

*3 Star Surprise Streak* The Cleveland Indians weren't supposed to be good this year, but they have now won 12 straight games at home. Justin Masterson is pitching on Sunday, and Masterson has an ERA of 3.06 at home in his career. The Indians are 7-0 in his last 7 home starts. Phil Coke starts for the Tigers. Coke has been wild in his last couple starts, and the Indians have teed off on lefties so far this year. I think the Indians keep the streak going. I think this is a fair price for the Indians moneyline. Take Cleveland.

*3 Star Runline ROUT* The Yankees are a much better hitting team than the Blue Jays. Toronto has thrown a couple very good young pitchers in the first two games of this series, which has held the Yankees offense down a bit. Litsch will be pitching in this one, and I think the Yankees can get to him. Ivan Nova isn't great for the Yankees, but he holds his own at home. Don't forget these Yankees rarely lose at home. The Yankees are 106-47 in their last 153 home games. The Yankees are 5-1 in their last 6 against the Blue Jays with Litsch pitching. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Tasty Total* Chase Field is a hitter's paradise when the roof is open, and the roof should be open for this one. Last night I lost on the 'over' play, but there were still four home runs. In two games in this series there have been eight home runs. I expect several more in this game. Matt Garza hasn't pitched in Arizona before, and Ian Kennedy has a 5.24 ERA in April in his career. The line has been adjusted slightly lower than yesterday's total, which is plenty for me to jump on the over again here. The over is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings between these two in Arizona. Take the over.

*3 Star Bounceback Big Bet* The Colorado Rockies were shutout by the Pirates on Friday night. I'm going to bet that won't happen again on Saturday night. The numbers are backing the Rockies in a strong way in this game. The Rockies are 23-8 in Hammel's last 31 home starts. The Pirates are 16-56 in their last 72 road games. Paul Maholm has been terrible at Coors Field, and against the Rockies in general in his career. Maholm has an ERA of 6.84 against Colorado overall, and in Coors Field his ERA is 7.53. Not surprisingly, the Pirates are 0-7 in Maholm's last 7 starts against Colorado. I think the Rockies bounce back here. Colorado -1.5 is the play.

*3 Star MLB MISMATCH Special* The Seattle Mariners have won four straight games on the road, and the books are getting a little higher on them. I think this is a good chance to fade Seattle. The Mariners offense is terrible. John Lackey has looked pretty good this year, and I think he matches up pretty well here. The Red Sox lineup is tremendous, and I think they will have no trouble putting up several runs against Doug Fister. The Mariners are 3-14 in Fister's last 17 road starts. Boston is 13-4 in Lackey's last 17 home starts. Take Boston -1.5.

*3 Star Dog of the Day* Wandy Rodriguez hasn't started the season out quite as well as some expected, but I think the books are too down on him right now. This is a pitcher who has dominated at home for several straight years, and I don't think that domination is over just yet. On the other side, Randy Wolf has pitched well of late, but he has been extremely inconsistent in the past couple years and I think he is due for a poor outing. Wandy getting this kind of money is worth a play. I'll take the Astros in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Oakland Athletics have one of the worst offenses in all of baseball, and Colby Lewis is a much better pitcher on the road. The under is 21-6 in Lewis' last 27 road starts. Brett Anderson is one of my favorite pitchers in the American League. He has tremendous stuff and he is absolutely dominant at home. Anderson has a tremendous ERA of 0.64 in two starts at home so far this year. Paul Nauert is behind the dish here and he is a solid under umpire. The under is 5-1 in Lewis' last 6 road starts against Oakland. I expect a well pitched game on both sides. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Roy Halladay is the best pitcher in the National League right now, primarily because of his consistent dominance. The New York Mets are getting a little bit too much credit from the books right now because of their recent six game winning streak. Earlier this year Jon Niese and Roy Halladay squared off against each other. The Phillies won the game 11-0. I don't expect Philadelphia to win that easily in this one, but I do think the runline is a very good value here. Take the Phillies -1.5.

*3 Star Late Night BAILOUT* The Los Angeles Dodgers will be a little short-handed tonight, but I still think they have a much better lineup than the San Diego Padres. Casey Blake is expected to miss the game and Juan Uribe is questionable. Still, the Dodgers have Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, who are better than anyone in the Padres lineup. Ted Lilly is a pretty good left-hander, and his splits have shown he can pitch quite well in Dodger Stadium. Clayton Richard is a pretty good pitcher as well, but he has been better at home. I think this is a very good value on the Dodgers moneyline.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Chase Field is a completely different park when the roof is open, and it is expected to be open tonight. The ball carries in a huge way, especially when it is hot with low humidity. Today's weather report shows a lot of heat and almost no humidity. Carlos Zambrano certainly allows plenty of home runs, and I think Arizona will get to him tonight. The Cubs should have no problem scoring quite a few on Armando Galarraga, who is a fly ball pitcher in what will be a hitter's paradise. The over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings in Arizona. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Pittsburgh Pirates may have started the season with some decent wins on the road, but don't let that fool you. This is still the same Pirates team that is terrible on the road. Pittsburgh is 15-56 in their last 71 road games. They are 10-41 in their last 51 road games against a team with a winning record. The Rockies are 16-6 in their last 22 games overall. They are also 7-3 in Chacin's last 10 home starts. The Pirates are just 3-10 in their last 13 games at Coors Field. I like the Rockies to win this one easily.

*3 Star Totals Takedown* It would be easy to look at the pitching matchup in this one and think the 'under' should be an automatic play. A longer look at the statistics tells me that the 'over' is the better way to go. Chris Carpenter and Tim Hudson are both very good pitchers, but their opponent in this game have hit them very well in the past. The over is 7-0 in Carpenter's last 7 starts against the Braves. The over is 5-1-2 in Hudson's last 8 starts against the Cardinals. Both teams have seen their offense come to life over the last few days. I think the over is a solid play here.

*3 Star Selection* The Tampa Bay Rays took it to the Twins twice yesterday in Minnesota. Tampa Bay is playing some very good baseball right now. Los Angeles is a team that I believe is a little bit overrated right now. I don't see the Angels lineup as very good at all. David Price is a dominant left-handed starter, and the Angels are 3-12 in their last 15 road games against a lefty. Ervin Santana has a terrible 7.36 ERA in seven starts at Tampa Bay. The Angels are 0-5 in Santana's last 5 starts in Tampa Bay. The Rays are 20-9 in Price's last 29 home games. I like the value on the runline here.

*3 Star Doubleheader Delight* The Tampa Bay Rays took it to the Twins in the first game of the Doubleheader on Thursday, and I expect them to win the second game as well. The Twins lineup is severely short-handed right now. They don't have Joe Mauer, Delmon Young, Jim Thome, or Jason Repko. The Rays are hitting the ball well right now, and Jeff Niemann has pitched well against Minnesota in his career. In fact, Tampa Bay is 4-0 in Niemann's last 4 starts against the Twins. Minnesota will start Anthony Swarzak, and the Twins are 0-5 in his last 5 home starts. I like the Rays to finish off the sweep on Thursday.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Houston Astros aren't a very good team this year. Earlier this year some people were talking about how bad the Cardinals lineup was, but now with a healthy Pujols, Holliday, and Berkman in the middle of the order, they look much better. Nelson Figueroa had an 8.55 ERA this year, and I really don't think he will stay in the Astros rotation much longer. On the other hand, Kyle McClellan hasn't given up more than two runs in any start this year. I think the Cardinals have the edge in every category here. I like the Cardinals -1.5 here.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Cash* The New York Mets benefited from a Washington Nationals bullpen meltdown yesterday night. The Mets have now won six straight games overall. While the Mets are cetainly better now, I'm not convinced they are any better than a decent team. Livan Hernandez has been very good at home the last couple years, and Chris Capuano is not a very good pitcher at this point in his career. The Nationals hit Capuano well the first time they saw him earlier this year. Hernandez has four straight quality starts against the Mets. I think the Mets recent success has the line skewed in their favor. I think Washington will end their streak in this one. Take Washington.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Seattle Mariners have scored 17 runs in the last two days. I have played against Seattle in both of those games, and they have definitely hurt me. I still am going to stick with the fact that this Seattle offense is absolutely terrible. Ichiro is very good, but after that no one on this team is scary. Miguel Olivo is hitting cleanup for them right now. Pineda is a great young pitcher for the Mariners, and the Tigers lineup is struggling quite a bit without Victor Martinez. I think the best way to play this one is the under. This is an instance where I believe recent trends (the Mariners hitting very well) give us a very generous line on the under. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Toronto Blue Jays have been smashing the baseball in a big way in this series so far, and I expect them to keep it going on Wednesday. At the same time, Texas should be able to put up several runs with JoJo Reyes on the hill for the Blue Jays. Reyes is a not dominant pitcher, and I don't think he'll fare well in a hitter's park like Texas. Derek Holland is on the mound for Texas, and his career ERA at home is 5.68. Holland gives up too many fly balls, and I think the Blue Jays will take him deep a couple times. The over is 6-2 in Holland's last 8 home starts. The over is 4-1 in Toronto's last five games. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline ROUT* The Seattle Mariners might have gotten the best of the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night, but I don't think it will happen on Wednesday. Erik Bedard just hasn't looked good at all this year, and the Detroit Tigers have a decent lineup with Ordonez and Cabrera in the middle of the order. Justin Verlander is great at home, and the Mariners have a terrible lineup. The Tigers are 43-18 in Verlander's last 61 home starts. I think Detroit will take this one comfortable. Take the Tigers -1.5.

*3 Star MLB MISMATCH* The Oakland Athletics have a pretty good pitching staff, but at this point Tyson Ross is the weak link in their rotation. Dan Haren is absolutely dominant in the first half of the year, and Oakland's offense is not good at all. I honestly think Haren could completely shut down this Oakland offense. The Angels are 5-2 in Haren's last 7 starts. Los Angeles is 8-0 in their last 8 home meetings with the Oakland A's. Oakland is just 1-5 in their last 6 against a right-handed starter. I like the Angels to win this one easily. Take the Angels -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The New York Mets offense has been much better since Jason Bay came back into the lineup. The Washington Nationals are a decent hitting team now with Jayson Werth in the middle of the lineup. R.A. Dickey and Tom Gorzelanny are two pitchers that I fade fairly often. The wind is expected to be blowing out at about 15 mph during the game tonight. The over is 4-1 in the Mets last 5. The over is 5-2 in the Nationals last 7. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. I think the 'over' is a good value here.

*3 Star Revenge Special* The Phillies have dropped the first two of this series, but I think this is a great revenge spot for the Phillies. Cole Hamels has been absolutely dealing of late. While many pitchers have struggled at Chase Field, Hamels has a 3.66 ERA in his career there. Joe Saunders does not have dominating pitches like Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson. I think this will be a nice chance for the Phillies hitters to get back in a groove against a hittable lefty. The Phillies are 23-9 in their last 32 games against a lefty. The DBacks are just 3-7 in their last 10 against a lefty. I think the Phillies win easily here. Take Philadelphia -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Braves and Padres will square off Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of this three-game set. I think the Padres offense that was pretty bad last year has turned into the worst in the National League. Mat Latos is on the hill for San Diego, and he just doesn't seem to have his confidence or control right now. Tommy Hanson has been pitching well, and in his career he has a 2.45 ERA against San Diego. The Padres are 1-10 in Latos' last 11 starts overall. The Braves are 13-5 in their last 18 games in San Diego. Take Atlanta.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Oakland A's have a very good pitching staff, but they don't have a good lineup at all this year. The Angels lineup has been scuffling badly of late, and I think that is likely to continue against Brandon McCarthy. McCarthy was a top prospect a few years ago, and he is finally realizing his potential after years of arm problems. Chatwood has a solid start to his career as well. Chatwood sometimes has trouble with walks, but Carlson is the umpire behind the dish here and he has a large strike zone. Two bad offenses and a nice 'under' umpire equals a play on the under for me.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Mike Leake has struggled in his short major league career on the road, and I think the Brewers are the type of team that can make him pay for his mistakes. The Brewers are hungry to payback the Reds for Cincinnati's 4-0 record against them already this year. At the same time, the Reds have a solid lineup and Estrada is not a proven pitcher at this point. Tim Tschida is behind the dish and he has typically been a decent 'over' umpire. I think the total is set too low here. Take the over!

*3 Star Dog of the Day* Bud Norris has been terrific in his career against the St. Louis Cardinals. He has pitched six times against the Cardinals and he has an ERA of just 2.27 in those six starts. The Astros are 5-1 in those six games. Garcia is a solid starter as well, but the Cardinals will likely be without their star hitter in this one. Albert Pujols was injured in Sunday's game and he will likely be out of the lineup. The Astros are 12-5 in Norris' last 17 starts. They are also 7-2 in his last 9 home starts. Take the healthy underdog here.

*3 Star Hidden Gem* I don't like betting against King Felix, but Seattle is a terrible baseball team. They have one of the worst lineups in baseball, and they are miserable on the road. Hernandez is excellent, but not quite as dominant on the road. The Mariners are only 6-13 in his last 19 starts on the road. The Tigers are a very good home team. Detroit is 21-8 in their last 29 home games. The Mariners are just 5-11 in their last 16 games in Detroit. Phil Coke has allowed just four earned runs in three starts. I'll take the Tigers at plus money on their home field.

*3 Star Runline ROUT* I think the Kansas City Royals are due for a bit of a correction in the coming weeks. Justin Masterson has always had very good stuff, and this year it seems like he has figured out how to locate his pitches. Masterson has fared well against the Royals in the past, and he is a much better pitcher at home. Masterson has an ERA of about 3.6 at home in his career, and it is around 5 on the road. Luke Hochevar isn't a good pitcher on the road, and the Royals aren't a good road team. The Indians are 14-3 in their last 17 home games. The Royals are 17-38 in their last 55 road games. Cleveland -1.5 is the play.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* It might seem strange to play an 'over' with Cliff Lee on the mound, but I feel this is a strong play. Chase Field is a hitter's paradise with the roof open, and the roof is expected to be open tonight. Hot weather with low humidity makes the ball fly much farther, and multiple home runs are likely tonight. Ian Kennedy is a solid pitcher, but he has struggled mightily when the roof is open in Arizona. In his last outing with the roof open in Arizona he allowed nine runs in three innings against St. Louis. Both of these offenses are good, and I think this is a great value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Texas Rangers are without Josh Hamilton, but they can definitely still hit the baseball. Kyle Drabek has solid numbers this year, but Texas is no pitchers ballpark, and I think he'll struggle there. The weather conditions are good for an 'over' tonight, with a wind tunnel effect pushing the ball out. The over is 46-22-3 in Toronto's last 71 opening games of a series. The over is 5-2-2 in Colby Lewis' last 9 home starts. I expect both teams to put up several runs in this one. I like the value on the over.

*3 Star MLB Total KNOCKOUT* The New York Yankees come home to host an ice cold White Sox team. Humber is the starter for Chicago, and though his numbers look decent this year, I'm not convinced it will stay that way. Humber has three starts this year, two against the Rays and one against the Angels. Obviously the Rays and the Angels don't have the lineup that the Yankees have. I think New York will hit him hard in this one. Burnett is on the hill for New York, and in his last two games against the White Sox, Chicago has teed off on him. The over is 6-1 in Burnett's last 7 home games. Take the over here.

*3 Star Moneyline CASH* Brett Anderson is quickly becoming one of the best left-handed pithers in baseball. The Seattle Mariners do not have a good offense, and Anderson has pitched very well against them in the past. Anderson has a career ERA of 1.97 against Seattle, which is extremely impressive since that is in 68 and 2/3 innings. Doug Fister is not a bad a pitcher at home, but the Mariners don't often give him much run support. The Mariners are 8-21 in Fister's last 29 starts overall. The A's are 6-2 in their last 8 games at Seattle. I'll take the team with the better pitcher and the slightly better lineup. Take Oakland.

*3 Star MLB Hidden GEM* The Minnesota Twins had a long road trip, and it didn't go well at all. Justin Morneau missed a lot of action, but now he is back in the middle of the order. The Twins are a much better team at home, and I expect them to show that again on Sunday. Carl Pavano had a poor outing in Baltimore last time out, but I think he bounces back against a subpar Indians lineup in this one. Carlos Carrasco is on the hill for Cleveland. Carrasco has talent, but he still struggles with control, especially on the road. The Indians are just 5-11 in his lats 16 starts. The Indians are 0-6 in their last 6 games at Minnesota. Take the Twins.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Freddy Garcia has pitched well so far this year, but I still don't think he can be trusted too much. Jake Arrieta has the potential to be very good in the future, but right now he is definitely hittable. Angel Campos is the home plate umpire in this one, and he is one of the biggest 'over' umpires in the league. The over is 8-3-1 in his last 12 games behind the plate. The wind is expected to be blowing out to center at about 10 miles per hour in this one. The over is 7-3 in the Orioles last 10. The over is 20-9-1 in the Yankees last 30. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Knockout* I think John Danks is an underrated pitcher. Danks is one of those rare pitchers who actually has a better ERA (3.64) on the road in his career. On the other side, Max Scherzer has been tremendous in Detroit. At home, Scherzer has an ERA of just 2.92 as a Tiger. The under is 9-3 in Scherzer's last 12 home starts. The under is 7-3 in Danks' last 10 starts against Detroit. Detroit's lineup isn't nearly as good without Victor Martinez in the middle of the lineup. I think both pitchers will fare well in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star Runline ROUT* I successfully won with the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday, but that was a completely different pitching matchup. James Shields has a career ERA over 5 on the road, and Ricky Romero is a very good young pitcher. Shields' ERA in Toronto is 5.87, while Romero has an ERA of just 3.62 at home, and 3.37 during the daytime. The Rays are just 10-25 when Shields starts and they are the underdog. While Tampa Bay has been much better of late, they still don't have that great of a lineup, and I think Romero will shut them down nicely. I think the Blue Jays have enough pop to get to Shields. Take the Blue Jays -1.5 here.

*3 Star Dog of the Day* I understand that DiceK isn't really completely trustworthy right now, but I think getting the Boston Red Sox as an underdog to this Angels team is a great value. Boston has a huge advantage in the lineup category, and they have played extremely well at Los Angeles in the past. The Red Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 at Los Angeles. They are also 13-1 in their last 14 meetings with the Angels. The Sox are 4-1 in DiceK's last five starts against the Angels. I think this is too good of a value to pass up. Take Boston.

*3 Star MLB Top Total* Anytime I see a game that Joe Blanton is pitching in lined at seven runs for the over/under, I'm going to take a long look at the over. I know the Padres are terrible offensively, but Blanton is a much different pitcher than Oswalt or Hamels. The Phillies are very good offensively, and I expect them to get to Tim Stauffer some as well. We've got the best 'over' umpire in the business behind the plate here. The over is 11-5-1 in Jim Reynolds' last 17 behind the dish, and he has a nice track record of overs in past years. The over is 21-6 in Blanton's last 27 starts. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Runline Rout* Kyle Davies is a pitcher I look to fade whenever possible, and I think this is a really good opportunity. Ogandi is a very solid young pitcher, and the Royals have struggled quite a bit against right-handed pitchers this year. The Rangers are 8-2 in their last ten home games, and they have been very good at home over the last couple years. The Royals are 0-6 in their last 6 games at Texas. The Royals are also 0-6 in Davies' last 6 starts against the Rangers. I think this has the makings of a big win for Texas. Texas -1.5 is the play here.

*3 Star Bounceback Big Bet* The Colorado Rockies picked up one hit on Friday night against Anibal Sanchez. I expect them to bounce back in a big way against Javier Vazquez and the Marlins on Saturday night. The Rockies are 7-2 on the road this year, and they have one of the best lineups in all of baseball. Vazquez has struggled mightily so far this year, and this Rockies lineup isn't a team you want to be facing when you are having control problems. I expect a focused Rockies team to take it to the Marlins on Saturday.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* Jason Hammel has an ERA of above 6 in Florida, and Javier Vazquez has an ERA above 8 this year. The Rockies should be fired up to get back on track offensively after getting one hit by Sanchez on Friday. At the same time, Hammel doesn't have the kind of stuff to shut down the Marlins on the road. This is the type of game where I think both bullpens will be used for quite a while. I expect this one to be a high scoring affair. Take the over in this game.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* David Price has not lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in his career. In fact, the Tampa Bay Rays are 7-0 in his last 7 starts against the Blue Jays. Tampa Bay lost to the Blue Jays yesterday, but the Rays are playing much better baseball of late. Brandon Morrow is a pitcher with plenty of ability, but he is making his first start coming off the DL and I think he'll be a little rusty here. The Rays are 21-5 in Price's last 26 starts against an AL East foe. The Blue Jays struggle against lefties, and I think Price will quiet this Toronto lineup. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* Jon Lester vs. Dan Haren is a terrific pitching matchup. I think both pitchers will pitch extremely well on Friday night. Lester has shut down the Angels in the past. Vernon Wells is just 5 for 28 against Lester, and Bobby Abreu is just 4 for 17. Dan Haren has consistently been one of the best pitchers in the league before the All-Star break. Haren rarely gets run support from the Angels, but he generally eats up innings and shuts down the opposition. How about some impressive 100% winning angles here? The under is 5-0 in Lester's last 5 starts against the Angels. The under is 7-0 in Haren's last 7 games with a total set between 7 and 8.5. Overall, the under is 13-2-2 in Haren's last 17 outings. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Bookie BASHER* I believe the Brewers are a much better team than the Houston Astros. Yovani Gallardo is the ace for Milwaukee, and Nelson Figueroa is the weakest starter for the Astros. I believe this is a pitching mismatch. Additionally, the Brewers have Braun, Fielder, Weeks, and others offensively. The Astros have one of the worst lineups in the National League. The Brewers are 4-0 in Gallardo's last 4 starts against the Astros overall. The Brewers are 5-0 in Gallardo's last 5 home starts against the Astros. Houston is 5-13 in their last 18 road games. I expect Milwaukee to win comfortably here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Mike Pelfrey has gotten off to a very rocky start this year. I don't think it will help him to pitch against the Diamondbacks. Pelfrey has an ERA of 7.09 in his career against Arizona. Last year in Pelfrey's two starts against Arizona, the Mets lost 9-6 and 13-2. Joe Saunders is the type of pitcher who pitches to contact, and I think this Mets lineup can get to him. With Wright, Beltran, and now Bay in the middle of the lineup, the Mets should improve offensively. Both teams have a bad bullpen, so if it gets to the pen early that is a great sign for the over. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star Moneyline Cash Play* It is Roy Oswalt vs. Matt Latos in this one. Latos was terrific last year, but he hasn't had his "A" Game so far this year. Latos lost both meetings against the Phillies last year, including one against Oswalt. Roy Oswalt has been great this year, and I think he'll fare well against a below average lineup in San Diego. What about the trends? The Phillies are 14-3 in Oswalt's last 17 starts. The Phillies are 20-6 in their last 26 in San Diego. The Padres are 0-7 in Latos' last 7 starts overall. The Phillies have the better pitcher here and they have a much better lineup. The Phillies are the play here.

*3 Star MLB Runline Rout* The Florida Marlins have spanked the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first two games of this series, and I think it will happen again in the final game of the series. James McDonald is pitching for Pittsburgh, and his ERA on the road in his career is 4.82. He also has an ERA of 5.68 in the first half of the season. Chris Volstad has improved as a pitcher this year, and the Marlins are a pretty good team at home. Don't forget, these are the same Pirates that are horrible on the road. Pittsburgh is 15-55 in their last 70 road games. Getting huge plus money on the run line is a great value here. Take Florida -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The New York Mets just aren't a very good baseball team right now. Jason Bay will probably be back in the lineup on Thursday, but he will likely be rusty. The Mets aren't getting any production out of the bottom of their order right now. Chris Capuano has an ERA of 8.53 and he simply doesn't have a dominant pitch at this point in his career. J.A. Happ is a bit inconsistent, but he is fully capable of being dominating. The Astros have a heavy right-handed lineup, and they are hitting .313 against lefties so far this year. The Mets are hitting just .197 against left-handers. I really like the underdog in this one. Take the Astros.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Minnesota Twins offense has been terrible this year. Minnesota has yet to put up more than 5 runs in a single game all year. It looks as if they'll be without Morneau and Young again on Thursday and Mauer is still on the DL. Jeremy Guthrie is a solid pitcher, especially at home. Scott Baker has been great against the Orioles in his career. Baker is 5-0 with an ERA under 3 against Baltimore. The under is 10-3 in the Twins last 13 games. The under is 7-3 in Guthrie's last 10 home starts. I expect a good performance from both pitchers here. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Clayton Kershaw had a bad outing last time out, but I don't expect two bad outings in a row from him. Kershaw is one of the best pitchers in the National League, and he is terrific at home. Jair Jurrjens made his first start of the year last week against the Mets, and he pitched a shutout. The Mets are terrible right now, and I think he may be getting a little too much credit for that shutout. The Dodgers are 5-2 in Kershaw's last 7 home starts. I think this is a very fair price for Kershaw and the Dodgers at home against a Braves team that is bad on the road. Take the Dodgers.

*3 Star Late Night BAILOUT* It's no secret that Dodger Stadium isn't exactly a hitter's park, especially at night. Derek Lowe is a solid sinker ball pitcher, and he should keep the ball in the park against an ordinary Dodgers lineup. Jon Garland was poor in his first start this year, but I think he should have a pretty good year in a pitcher's ballpark like Dodger Stadium. John Hirschbeck is the umpire behind the dish in this one, and he is one of the best 'under' umpires in the game today. The under 18-7-1 in Lowe's last 26 starts. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* R.A. Dickey hasn't been pitching very well so far this year. Knuckleballers tend to run in streaks, and I think he is having trouble locating his pitches right now. On the other side, Bud Norris has been terrible on the road over his career. Norris has an ERA of 5.42 on the road in his career. Norris also usually doesn't get very deep into the game and this Astros bullpen is bad. The Mets bullpen is equally bad. If the bullpens are in this game much at all, I like the chances for the over here. Take the over.

*3 Star Dog of the Day* Brett Cecil was 5-0 last year against the New York Yankees. While the Yankees do have a better lineup, it will be the Blue Jays with the better pitcher on the mound Wednesday night. Bartolo Colon is on the hill for the Yankees, and I'm not convinced that he can be effective as a starter anymore. The Yankees haven't been that good on the road, and I don't understand why they are favored in this game. The Yankees are 1-3 on the road so far this year, and the Blue Jays are 5-2 at home. ARod is questionable and he may well miss this game. Take the underdog. Toronto is the play.

*3 Star Moneyline Cash Play* Gio Gonzalez is quietly becoming a dominant pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. At the same time, Clay Buchholz is struggling mightily this year. Buchholz has an ERA of 18 in his career at Oakland, and he also pitches poorly in day games. The Athletics are 7-2 in Gonzalez's last 9 home starts. The Red Sox are now 1-11 in their last 12 road games overall. Oakland is an improved team and I believe this is a very fair value on a pitcher like Gonzalez at home against a scuffling lineup. Take Oakland.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The San Francisco Giants have taken the first two games in this series. They will look to sweep the series with Matt Cain on the hill. You could make a good argument that Cain is one of the top three or four pitchers in the National League right now. I think we are getting some value because the public will think the Rockies will avoid the sweep. Normally I might buy that, but Matt Cain is a much better pitcher than De La Rosa and I love getting the Giants at plus money. Cain has pitched well in Colorado before. The Giants are 17-4 in Cain's last 21 road starts (81%). Take the Giants.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Seattle Mariners are not a good baseball team at all. The Mariners are just 5-12 so far this year, and I have a feeling they will have one of the worst records in all of baseball this year. The Tigers are a decent team, and the lineup is starting to come around. Phil Coke is on the mound for Detroit in this one, and he has been extremely good in his first two starts. Coke has pitched 13 and 2/3 and allowed just 6 hits and two runs. Doug Fister is pitching for Seattle. The Mariners are just 7-21 in Fister's last 28 starts. The Tigers have the much better lineup. I'll take Detroit in this one.

*3 Star Runline Rout* Colby Lewis has developed into a very solid major league starter. The Rangers are 4-0 in his last 4 home starts. Matt Palmer is pitching for the Angels, and he has never been proven to be a consistent starting pitcher. Palmer doesn't have any dominant strikeout pitch, and the Rangers lineup should be able to hit him pretty well. The Angels have hit the ball fairly well this year, but I think they'll come back down to earth. I consider their lineup one of the weakest in the American League. I like the Rangers to win this game by a comfortable margin.

*3 Star MLB Mismatch BEATDOWN* Josh Johnson has an ERA of 2.89 in his career at home. The Pittsburgh Pirates have started the year by winning some games on the road, but I don't expect it to continue. In fact, I think the Pirates recent success on the road gives us a good value on the runline here. Paul Maholm has been pretty good at home in his career, but his road ERA is 5.12. The Pirates are 1-10 in Maholm's last 11 road starts. The Pirates are 1-6 in their last 7 games against the Marlins. Josh Johnson is one of the best pitchers in the game. I think the Pirates come back down to earth in this one. Take the Marlins -1.5.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The New York Mets have been one of the worst teams in the majors so far this year, but I think this is a good spot to play them. Wandy Rodriguez has been bad on the road in his career, and the Mets have hit him extremely well. Wandy has a 3.48 ERA at home in his career and 5.12 ERA on the road. The Astros are just 1-4 in his last 5 starts against the Mets. Houston has been hitting the ball pretty well of late, but I don't expect that to continue. I think Houston may well have the worst lineup in the National League. I think Niese is a battler on the mound, and I expect the Mets to win this one.

*3 Star Totals Takedown* Neither of these team's is hitting the baseball well at all right now, and I think the value is on the under in this game once again. The under is 16-5 in the Twins last 21 games. The under is 7-3 in the Orioles last 10 home games. Carl Pavano has been solid in his last couple outings, and Jake Arrieta is a solid young pitcher. Justin Morneau is questionable for this game with the flu, and Mauer is still out of the lineup. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 15 mph, which should help. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Tampa Bay Rays don't have a good lineup at all this year, and their key hitter, Johnny Damon, is out right now. John Danks is a pretty good pitcher, and I don't expect the Rays to be able to put up many runs against Danks. James Shields is on the hill for the Rays, and he is a much better pitcher at home. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 home starts. The under is 4-0-1 in Danks' last 5 road starts. The under is 4-0 in Vic Carapazza's last 4 games as the umpire as well, so that doesn't hurt. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Los Angeles Dodgers got a big win over the Cardinals thanks to Matt Kemp's home run on Sunday. The Braves lost at home to the Mets, and they traveled across the country late Sunday. The last couple years the Braves have had a good record overall, but they haven't been good on the road. This Dodgers team is a little better than most give them credit for, and Ted Lilly is a decent starting pitcher. The Braves are just 1-6 in their last 7 against an NL West team. I think this is a tough spot for the Braves. I'll take the Dodgers as a healthy underdog here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals will actually be battling for first place in the AL Central in this series. Both teams are certainly exceeding expectations by a huge margin. I expect both to come down to earth over the season, but they do seem to be improving. Kyle Davies is one of my favorite pitchers to fade, but Carlos Carrasco hasn't been good on the road either. I think this total is too low. Davies has an ERA of 5.80 against Cleveland in his career, and his ERA at home as a Royal is 5.87. Carrasco and Davies squared off last year and the final was 11-4. While I'm not sure the total will reach 15 this time, I do think the over is the play here.

*3 Star MLB Runline Play of the Day* The Pirates beat the Reds 7-6 yesterday thanks to a poor performance from Edinson Volquez. In Game One of this series the Pirates beat the Reds 6-1, only to see the Reds bounce back with an 11-2 win in game two. I expect the Reds to bounce back with a big win again on Monday night. Travis Wood is on the hill for Cincinnati, and I think he is a very good young pitcher. Wood pitched once against the Pirates last year and allowed just 2 hits and no runs. Kevin Correia starts for the Padres, and his ERA at Great American Ballpark is above 6. Keep in mind, the Pirates are just 14-53 in their last 67 road games, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them get blown out here. I like the Reds -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals Takedown* Francisco Lirano actually pitched well most of the game in his last outing. He had one bad inning where the Royals strung together a bunch of bloop hits, but overall he looked better. The Orioles aren't hitting well right now, but they are definitely playing some very good defense. Justin Morneau missed Sunday's game with the flu, and he may well miss Monday's game as well. The Twins lineup is already without Joe Mauer. The under is 14-3 in the Twins last 17 games overall. The under is 34-16-1 in the Orioles last 51 against a left-handed pitcher. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star MLB Dog of the Day* The White Sox haven't been playing well of late, but I think this is a good spot for them. Edwin Jackson is facing his old team, and the last time he showed up in Tampa Bay against the Rays he threw a no hitter for the Diamondbacks last June. No one on this Tampa Bay team has had success against Jackson in the past, and the Rays may be without Johnny Damon in this one. Damon injured a finger on Sunday and said it was "very sore" later in the day. This Tampa Bay lineup isn't strong to start with, and without him they would be very weak. David Price is a very good pitcher, but he hasn't fared well against the White Sox. The Rays are just 1-4 in his last 5 starts against the White Sox. I think the White Sox win this one because of their strong lineup.

*3 Star Over Play of the Day* Chase Field is a hitters paradise when the roof is open, especially when the weather is hot with low humidity. The roof is expected to be open tomorrow with 90 degree heat and almost no humidity. Expect the ball to travel extremely well in this game. Bumgarner is struggling badly with his control this year and he can give up the long ball. Enright has struggled at home, especially with the roof open. While Saturday's game stayed under the total, I think this game will be a very high scoring game. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Play of the Day* The Oakland Athletics have Trevor Cahill on the mound Sunday. Cahill has been terrific at home the last couple years. The A's are 20-8 in his last 28 home starts overall. Brad Penny has been poor on the road in his career, especially in the last couple years. The Tigers aren't hitting the ball well at all now, and I don't think they'll do much against Cahill. I think this is a solid value on the A's to win by at least two. I'll take the better starting pitcher. Take Oakland -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination* The Seattle Mariners are a terrible hitting team. Other than Ichiro, they really don't have anyone on their team who scares the opposition much at all. Kansas City isn't better than average at the plate, and Michael Pineda has shown to be a very good young pitcher for the Mariners. Pineda should have the upper hand facing the Mariners for the first time. Jeff Francis has his command working very well so far this year, and the Royals may have gotten a good value when they picked him up. The under is 35-17-5 in Brian Runge's last 47 games behind the plate, and he is the umpire in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Twins lineup simply isn't the same without Mauer in the middle of it. Jeremy Hellickson is a very good young pitcher for the Rays. Hellickson has an ERA of just 3.00 at home in his young career. Brian Duensing is a decent pitcher, and we all know the Rays offense has been terrible this year without Longoria. The under is 22-4 in the Rays last 26 games overall. Both teams are missing their best hitter, and I think this is the type of game where both starter's take control early. Take the under here.

*3 Star MLB Totals Early Bird* Doug Eddings is behind the dish in this one, and there isn't a better umpire to have behind the plate if you want an 'under'. The Red Sox are still struggling to hit the ball well, and Eddings will have a wide strike zone. The under is 15-5-1 in Eddings last 21 games behind the plate. Jon Lester is pitching the Sox, and he has looked much better in his last couple outings. Lester is great at home, and the under is 4-1 in his last 5 starts against Toronto. I expect this one to stay under the total.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Blowout* The Cincinnati Reds are a much better team than the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates took game one in this series, but the Reds won game two 11-2. Edinson Volquez settled down nicely in his performance against San Diego earlier this week. Jeff Karstens has never proven to be an effctive starting pitcher in the majors. The Pirates are 1-9 in Karstens last 10 road starts. The Pirates are 0-4 in Karstens last 4 starts against the Reds. The Reds are 6-1 in Volquez's last 7 home starts. I expect a comfortable win for the Reds here.

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Chase Field becomes a hitter's paradise with the roof open. The Chase Field website says the roof is expected to be open in this one. We have two pitchers who are extremely capable of getting hit around in this matchup as well. Barry Zito is struggling in a big way with his control right now, and I think he'll get punished by this DBack offense if that continues on Saturday. Joe Saunders was lit up by the Cincinnati Reds in his last start with the roof open at home, and I think that is likely again here. The over is 4-1-1 in Zito's last 6 starts against Arizona. I expect a high scoring affair here. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Mound Mistmatch* Nelson Figueroa is a journeyman who has never settled in at any particular spot in his career. Figueroa has given up 6 runs and 5 runs in his first two starts this year for the Astros. He doesn't have great stuff, and he often struggles with his control. Mat Latos is a very good young pitcher, and he has great numbers against Houston. Latos has pitched 16 innings in his short career against Houston and he has yet to allow a run. In his one start at Houston he allowed just 2 hits in 8 innings. I don't see the Astros getting many runs here, and I think San Diego can get to Figueroa. Take the Padres -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Boston Red Sox are slumping in a big way right now, but JoJo Reyes is the type of pitcher that they should be able to hit. Reyes is a youngster who doesn't have any overpowering pitch to put away hitters. Josh Beckett has pitched well so far this year, but the Jays have been a thorn in his side in the past. Beckett's ERA against the Jays in his career is 7.03. This is a day game and Reyes has a terribly 7.07 ERA in his day starts. These Boston bats are too good to stay silenced forever, and I think they'll bust out here. At the same time, the Jays should score quite a few as well. I like the over.

*3 Star TGIF Bookie SMASHER* Zach Britton is the top pitching prospect in the Orioles organization, and he is one of the best in the majors. In his first two starts in the major leagues he has given up a total of just one run. He shut down the mighty Texas Rangers lineup in his last start. Justin Masterson has been very good at home over the years. His ERA at home is 3.83 in his career. The Indians don't have a very good lineup, but they are playing great defense. The Orioles defense has been tremendous this year. The under is 13-5 in the Orioles last 18 games overall. The under is 6-1 in Masterson's last 7 starts overall. The under is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings between these two. I like this one to stay under the posted total.