*3 Star MLB Moneyline Mania* The Houston Astros are quietly playing some solid baseball over the last month or two. The Astros are only six games under .500 after a horrific start to the season. Bud Norris is on the hill in this one, and the Astros are 8-1 in his last 8 starts overall. They are actually 5-0 in his last 5 home starts. Chris Capuano pitches for the Brewers and they are just 6-20 in his last 26 starts. He has pitched better of late, but not well enough to justify being even money in this one. I think the Astros are the value play with a pitching advantage and the momentum going into this game.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Play of the Day* The Phillies are playing terrific baseball right now. They have finally gotten healthy and they are getting great efforts from their pitchers of late as well. Cole Hamels has been the hottest starting pitcher in all of baseball of late. Hamels has not allowed a run in his last three starts. The Marlins are starting Adalberto Mendez, who has never started in the major leagues. Mendez's numbers were only fair in Triple A and I suspect he'll find it tough sledding when he faces the best offense in the National League on Tuesday night. I like the Phillies run line in this one.

*3 Star Total Domination* Shawn Hill looked decent in his first start as a Blue Jay last week, but I am very skeptical that he will be able to stick around in the major leagues for too long. Jacob Arrieta has an ERA of 5.40 at home and I think the Blue Jays bats will get to him quite a bit in this one. The wind will be blowing out slightly throughout the game. The over is 4-1 in Toronto's last 5 road games and it is also 4-1-2 in Arrieta's last 7 home starts. I'm not overly impressed with either pitcher and I think the scoreboard will light up quite frequently in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star MLB Guaranteed Cash* The Rockies have now won ten straight. No doubt this team someone finds another gear in the month of September and gets on these amazing streaks. I have backed this team frequently in recent days, and I'm not stopping just yet. Jeff Francis is just off the DL to start for Colorado in this one. He hasn't pitched well against San Diego in the past, but he generally fares well at home. The Padres are starting young left hander Cory Luebke. Luebke looks like a very good pitcher, but he has yet to go on the road, and making your first start at Coors Field can be extremely difficult. The Padres are 4-13 in their last 17 games, while the Rockies are 17-4 in their last 21. I'm taking the hot team who knows how to win in September. The run line has great value here.

*3 Star MLB Run Line Play of the Day* The Rockies are absolutely the hottest team in baseball right now. Chacin has been a very solid pitcher for this team, and his ERA is just 1.96 in his last 3 starts. Ian Kennedy has pitched very well of late, but he has struggled on the road this year. I think the Rockies will get to him in this one. The Rockies have won nine straight games and they are nearly unbeatable at home. I like the value at plus money on this run line play. Take the Rockies -1.5 in this matchup!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Reds are getting closer and closer to putting themselves back into the playoffs once again for the first time since 1995. The Pirates are horrible on the road, as evidenced by their ridiculous 8-44 record in their last 52 games on the road. Brian Burres is starting, and he has never lasted long as a starting pitcher in the major leagues because his stuff just isn't that great. Johnny Cueto has had the Pirates number in the past, and he pitches for the Reds on Sunday. The Reds are 7-1 in his last 8 starts against the Pirates. The Reds are 8-3 in Cueto's last 11 starts at home. I think the Reds get to Burres and Cueto pitches well here. Take the Reds -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Total Domination Play* The Blue Jays are not a team that you want to face if you are struggling with your control and keeping the ball in the ballpark. Jeff Niemann has a 20.70 ERA in his last three starts, which is almost unheard of. The over is 6-2 in the Jays last 8 games and the over is 6-0 in the Rays last 6 games. As you might expect with his troubles, the over is 5-0 in Niemann's last 5 starts as well. Mike Reilly is behind the dish, and his small strike zone makes him the friend of an over bettor. The over is the value play in this game between two teams with strong lineups! Take over 9.

*3 Star Bookie Crusher Deluxe* I must admit it scares me a little bit to bet on an under that is set so low, but I still think this play has a lot of value. If you take a close look at the numbers of the two starters, this has a very solid chance of staying under 6.5. Trevor Cahill has been unhittable at home this year, with an ERA of 1.71. The under is 13-2-1 in his last 16 home starts. Clay Buchholz has been amazing all year for the Red Sox. The under is 4-0 in his last four starts overall. Both of these teams have some very key hitters down with injuries right now, so the pitchers should have even more of an edge than normal in this one. Take the under 6.5 here.

*3 Star Guaranteed Moneyline Winner* Don't look now, but the Houston Astros are playing some very good baseball of late. The Astros are 16-5 in their last 21 home games and they have climbed their way back pretty close to .500 on the season. J.A. Happ has been a very nice acquisition for this team. Happ has had six quality starts in a row now for Houston. The Dodgers struggle mightily against left handers, so Happ should fare well against LA. The Astros have won it with pitching and defense over the last few weeks and I fully expect them to do that again on Friday evening. Take the Astros moneyline in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Cincinnati Reds have lost five straight games. The lead over the Cardinals has fallen to five games. No doubt the Reds are fading in September, but going home to face the Pittsburgh Pirates should be just what the doctor ordered for this team. Paul Maholm is on the mound for Pittsburgh and he has a 5.43 ERA on the year. Homer Bailey is pitching for the Reds. Bailey has shutout the Pirates in his last two starts against them, so he definitely feels comfortable against Pittsburgh. How bad is Pittsburgh on the road? The Pirates are actually 9-45 in their last 54 road games. This is a team that has a terrible rotation, bad defense, and a very weak lineup. The Reds should bounce back nicely in this one. Take the Reds -1.5.

*3 Star Thursday Total Domination Play* The Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays are both hitting the baseball very well right now. The over is 5-0 in Toronto's last 5 games overall and 4-0 in Texas' last 4 games overall. Colby Lewis starts for the Rangers and his ERA is over 9 in his last three starts. The Rangers have lost eight of his last nine starts. On the mound for the Blue Jays is Shawn Hill. Hill hasn't been able to stay in the majors in his earlier stints with other teams and he has an 8-16 lifetime record with an ERA above 5. I think both teams will be hitting the ball hard again on Thursday night. The trends say over and so does the pitching matchup. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Gio Gonzalez has quietly been absolutely amazing in the last few months. Gonzalez has given up a grand total of five earned runs in his last six starts. On the year he has a 2.59 ERA at home. The Athletics are 13-1 in Gonzalez's last 14 starts when they are favored and they are 4-0 in their last 4 home games when he starts. Lucas French has been pitching well for Seattle, but that has been at home. On the road French has an ERA over 5 and the Mariners are 1-5 in his last 6 road starts. The Mariners are just 22-49 in their last 71 road games and I think Gonzalez will shut them down on Wednesday night. Take the Athletics -1.5.

*3 Star Underdog of the Day* The Houston Astros have been playing very good baseball of late. Brett Myers has been one of the most underrated pitchers all year long. The Astros are 8-3 in his last 11 starts and 5-2 in his last 7 road starts. The Cubs have played better of late, but they are just 2-6 in Randy Wells' last 8 starts overall and 1-4 in his last 5 home starts. The Astros are 6-2 in their last 8 games at Wrigley Field, so they don't have any problems winning in Chicago. I think the Astros are a great value here and they are my underdog play of the day!

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Yankees have lost three straight games and they have let their AL East lead dwindle down over that time period. Losing two straight at home to the Orioles is not something you would expect from the Yankees. Ivan Nova is on the hill for Game Three in this series and he is a bit an unkown for New York, but he has pitched fairly well. Brad Bergesen is pitching for the Orioles and he has been terrible on the road this year. Bergesen has a road ERA of 5.31 and the Orioles are just 4-14 in the last 18 games he has started on the road. The Yankees are still light years ahead of this Orioles team in talent and they know they need to win this game. I think they'll win it handily. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star Late Night Bailout* The Seattle Mariners are 21-49 in their last 70 road games. On Monday, Brett Anderson shut them down. Tuesday they'll face another very good left hander in Dallas Braden. The Athletics are 4-0 in Braden's last 4 starts as a favorite and 4-0 in his last 4 starts against the Mariners. This Seattle team is lacking offensive firepower in a big way and Doug Fister is just not very good on the road. Fister has a road ERA of 5.10. The Mariners are 0-5 in Fister's last 5 starts. The Mariners are 0-6 in their last 6 games at Oakland. I think the Athletics will take this one again by a comfortable margin. Take the Oakland run line here.

*3 Star Crush the Books Play* The Marlins and Phillies will meet on Tuesday evening in a key game for the Phillies. The Phillies have gotten healthy and this lineup is as tough as you'll find in the National League. Chris Volstad is pitching for the Marlins and his road ERA this year is 5.79. The over is 4-1-1 in his last 6 starts overall. Joe Blanton is starting for the Phillies and the over is 19-7-2 in his last 28 starts overall. The umpire here is a solid over umpire and the wind is expected to be blowing straight out to center at about 15 mph. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star Total Dominator* The Nationals have started absolutely crushing the baseball of late. In their last five games they have scored: 10,5,9,8, and 13 runs! Both teams have a starting pitcher making their MLB debut in this game. The bad news for these pitchers is Jim Reynolds is the umpire behind the dish for this one. Reynolds is the top over umpire in all of baseball over the last few years, and he'll definitely pinch the strike zone. A total set this low with two first-time MLB starting pitchers and an umpire that pinches the zone is a great formula for an over. Take the over 8.5 here.

*3 Star Moneyline Guaranteed Winner* The San Francisco Giants are right in the thick of the playoff race right now. They were able to take two out of three from their rivals, the LA Dodgers, over the weekend. Madison Bumgarner is on the hill for San Fran in this one and he is likely their future ace. Bumgarner has been great away from home this year and the Giants are 5-1 in his last 6 road starts. The Diamondbacks have been playing better of late, but I think the odds have moved too much in their favor because of their temporary increase in production. Kennedy was beaten up in his last home start against the Giants and I think the Giants are the value play in this game. Take the Giants moneyline.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Seattle Mariners have played their last ten games at home, but now they must go to the road to face the Athletics. Brett Anderson is a solid left handed pitcher that should be tough on the Mariners in this initial game of their road trip. Oakland has been great home this year, with an impressive record of 40-28. On the other hand, the Mariners are just 21-45 away from home. Jason Vargas has pitched very poorly of late. I think the A's have the edge in all aspects of this game. Take the Oakland run line in this one.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Kansas City Royals are 5-17 in their last 22 road games. The Minnesota Twins are 55-25 in their last 80 home games. The Royals will start youngster Sean O'Sullivan, who has a 5.50 ERA on the year. The Twins have Kevin Slowey on the hill, and the Twins have a great 24-9 record in his last 33 home starts. The Twins are one of the hottest teams in all of baseball and they just swept the first place Rangers this past weekend. The Royals lineup is quite weak right now and they are at a clear disadvantage in the pitching department in this game. Take the Twins -1.5 here.

*Sink the Books Play of the Day* Both of these teams are hitting the baseball well right now. Detroit has scored at least 6 runs in each of their last three games and Kansas City is averaging more than 5 runs per game in their last four games. Armando Galarraga has been pitching well of late, but he has struggled mightily on the road this year. The over is 6-1-1 in his last 8 road starts and his road ERA is 5.86. Kyle Davies is pitching for the Royals and he hasn't been very good all year long. Davies has an ERA of 5.23 for the year and the Tigers torched him for 7 runs less than two weeks ago. The over is 9-2-1 in the last 12 meetings. How about the weather forecast for Sunday? The wind is forecast to be blowing out at 20 mph, with gusts of 25 mph. The pitching matchups and the data point the over being a great value here. Take over 9 in this one.

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Winner* Carl Pavano has been a very pleasant surprise for the Minnesota Twins this year. The Twins are 11-5 in his last 16 starts. On the other hand, the Rangers are just 1-7 in Colby Lewis' last 8 starts overall. The Rangers are also 0-4 in their last 4 meetings. Marquez is the umpire here and the home team has fared extremely well when he has been behind the dish in the past couple of years. The Twins are 52-25 in their last 77 home games. I like the Twins in this one.

*3 Star MLB Total Dominator* The under has been a masterful play when Trevor Cahill is on the mound of late, especially at home. The under is 12-3-1 in his last 16 home games. The under is 21-8-1 in the Athletics last 30 games overall. The Angels will have Jered Weaver on the hill. The under is 5-0-1 in his last 6 road starts and 9-2-1 in his last 12 starts against Oakland. The under is also 5-1 in the Angels last 6 games overall. Both offenses are struggling and both pitchers have great numbers against the opposing team. The umpire is favorable for an under as well. The under is the play in this afternoon game.

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Yankees are really on a roll right now. This Yankees team has won seven straight games and they are really crushing the baseball right now. The Blue Jays have Mark Rzepczynski on the hill in this one, and the Yankees teed off on him in their last meeting. He has had serious control issues of late, walking 12 batters in his last 3 starts. With an umpire behind home plate with a small strike zone on Saturday, I suspect he'll have trouble once again. The Yankees offense is in the zone right now and I fully expect them to light up the scoreboard in this one. I like the Yankees runline in this early game.

*3 Star Big Play* The Philadelphia Phillies have gotten healthy and that is bad news for the rest of the National League. The Phillies are now 6-1 in the last 7 games and sit just two games back of the Braves in the NL East. A lineup with Utley, Howard, Victorino, Worth, Polanco, Rollins, Ibanez and company is definitely the best lineup in the National League. Cole Hamels is on the hill and he has been solid all year. Hamels has a 3.09 ERA at home this year. Chris Capuano starts for the Brewers and he has struggled mightily this year. Capuano has an ERA of 7.71 in his last three outings. The Brewers are a horrific 7-19 in his last 26 starts overall and 6-22 in his last 28 road starts. The Brewers don't have anything to play for right now, but the Phillies do, and they are the better team too. Take the Phillies -1.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The New York Yankees had a little bit of a slump early in August, but they sure have been waking up nicely in the last few games. They have been taking it to Oakland in this series. CC Sabathia is on the mound in this series finale and he is 10-0 at home so far this year. The Yankees are 21-5 in their last 26 home games that Sabathia starts. Braden has pitched well for the A's, but the Yankees really can put a hurting on left handers. This year the Yankees are averaging over 6 runs per game against left handed pitchers. Also, the Athletics are just 1-10 in their last 11 games in New York. Braden is good, but Sabathia is extremely hard to beat at home and the Yankees lineup is much stronger than Oakland's. Take the Yankees -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Reds are really on a roll right now and Chris Narveson just hasn't impressed me at all this year. The Reds took it to the Brewers 10-2 in Narveson's only start against them earlier this year. Johnny Cueto has been solid all year long, so I think the Reds have the large upper hand in the pitching matchup. The Brewers have a strong middle of the lineup, but the Reds are better from the top to bottom. The Reds are 10-1 in the last 11 meetings between these two teams and they are 7-3 in Cueto's last 10 home starts. I like the value on the run line here. Take Cincinnati -1.5.

*3 Star MLB Totals Terrorizer* Mat Latos has quietly had an absolutely terrific year. He really is worthy of Cy Young consideration. In Latos' last 10 starts he has allowed a total of 11 runs! He has been the ultimate picture of consistency this year for the Padres. On the other side, Barry Enright has been brilliant in his short stint with Arizona thus far in 2010. Enright has an ERA of just 2.44 for the year and has been good in every start this season. The under is 4-1 in his last 5 home games. The under is 4-1-1 in Latos' last 6 games overall. This appears to be a very nice spot for the under with two pitchers who really have their act together right now! Take under 8 here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Freddy Garcia has gotten amazing run support from the White Sox this year, which is the only reason he is 11-5 on the season. If you take a look at Garcia's numbers, they aren't impressive. Garcia has a WHIP of 1.44 and his strikeout to walk ratio is just 1.93 after being 3.08 last year. Simply put, he doesn't appear to have the strikeout pitch going. Carrasco is a prospect for Cleveland that has struggled in AAA this year, and had an ERA of 9 last year in his short time in the major leagues. He hasn't been in good form of late. The over is 10-4 in the White Sox last 14 overall and 8-0 in Garcia's last 8 starts. It doesn't hurt that the wind is expected to be blowing out at 10-15 mph. The over is the play here.

*3 Star Dog of the Day Play* The Houston Astros are always worth a look when Wandy Rodriguez is pitching at home. The Cardinals are currently on a terrible slide and Wandy might just be getting them at the right time. The Astros have hit Carpenter some in the past, and with Wandy on the mound at home it might not take many runs to win this one. This is one of those games that seems like a toss up, but the oddsmakers have given us Houston at +145. Take the live dog here and go with the value!

*3 Star Total Domination Play!* Hurricane Earl is spinning slightly closer to south Florida and while it isn't expected to make a direct hit, it will cause some weather changes. What does this have to do with this game? The weather forecast is calling for steady wind of 15 mph with gusts of 20-25 mph in from center in this one. We have a great under umpire behind the dish in Jim Wolf as well. These two factors combined with the fact that Anibal Sanchez has been brilliant at home this year make the under look very enticing. Sanchez has an ERA of just 2.69 at home this year and he has allowed just 6 runs in his last four starts. The under is the play in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Yankees are a much better team than Oakland. New York had cooled off a bit in recent weeks, but it seems their bats have gotten going again in the last couple days. Mazzaro has lost his last two starts against New York and I don't think he will fare well here on the road. If you look down the lineup at both teams, there is just no way Oakland should be able to keep up with this Yankees lineup. I like the Yankees to run away with this one. Take the Yankees runline here.

*3 Star SMASH the Books winner* Pat Misch is on the hill for the Mets and he has been solid this year, but his track record against Atlanta is terrible. In 12 and 1/3 innings pitched against the Braves in his career he has allowed 22 hits and 14 runs. On the other side the Braves will start right hander Jair Jurrjens. Jurrjens has been amazing at home this year. On the year Jurrjens has an ERA of 1.81 at home. The Braves are a perfect 7-0 in his last 7 home starts. The Braves are also 4-1 in last 5 starts against the Mets. The Mets are a horrific 24-52 in their last 76 meetings in Atlanta. The Braves are the better team and they have a nice home field advantage here. I like the Braves -1.5 in this one.

*3 Star Total Dominator* Clayton Richard is great at home and Cole Hamels has been solid all year long. The two left handers should have a good old fashioned pitchers duel in San Diego. The wind is expected to be blowing in at about 10 mph here and the home plate umpire is very favorable for the under. The under is 16-5 in Hamels last 21 starts. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams. This game means a ton to both teams and I fully expect both pitchers to bring their best stuff in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* To say that Matt Cain has had an amazing amount of success against the Diamondbacks this year is a HUGE understatement. Cain has faced Arizona twice this year and in total he has pitched 17 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just four hits. The Giants have lost three straight and they'll turn to the man who has been their ace this year to stop the bleeding. On the other side, Arizona has Rodrigo Lopez on the mound. The Diamondbacks are just 1-7 in Lopez's last 8 starts and his ERA is 9.42 in his last three starts. I think the Giants salvage one game out of this series behind the arm of Matt Cain as well as some solid run support against a struggling pitcher. This looks like a mismatch. Take the Giants -1.5.

*3 Star Guaranteed Moneyline Winner* Rick Porcello had a good start last time out, but overall he has been very poor this year. Porcello has an ERA of 6.79 on the road this year. The Blue Jays have plenty of people on their team who can make you pay if you make a mistake pitch, and Porcello has struggled to strikeout too many people this year. Brian O'Nora is behind the dish and the home team is 30-12 in his last 42 games. The Blue Jays offense should be enough to help them win this one over a pitcher who is out of form like Porcello. Take the Blue Jays moneyline in this one.

*3 Star Total Domination* Tim Hudson has been great this year, especially at home. Hudson has a 2.28 ERA overall for the year and a 1.87 ERA at home. The under is 4-0 in his last four starts at home. Ricky Nolasco started the seasn slowly, but he has come on nicely of late for the Marlins. The under is 6-2-1 in Nolasco's last 9 games. Nolasco is 10-2 on the road this year with an ERA of just 3.35. The Braves lineup has cooled off of late without Chipper Jones in the middle of the order. The wind is expected to be blowing in about 10 mph. The under looks like a solid play in this one!

*3 Star Late Night Fast Cash* Trevor Bell is naturally a reliever who the Angels are trying to get some starts out of, and the results haven't been good. Bell struggles with control and doesn't have a strikeout pitch. Brad Bergesen is pitching for the Orioles and he has an ERA of 5.98 on the road this year. The wind is expected to be blowing out on a nice warm night in LA, so the ball should carry. The over is 6-2-2 in the last 10 meetings between these two teams. I think both starters are below par here and the scoreboard should light up on Friday night in LA. Take the over!

*3 Star TGIF Totals Terrorizer* The Brewers can really hit the ball, especially at home. James McDonald is not a starter by nature, and he is young. The Brewers are the type of offense that can really feast on a youngster like this. Starting for Milwaukee will be Chris Narveson. Narveson is terrible at home, with a 6.18 ERA. THe over is 5-0 in Narveson's last 5 home games. The Pirates should be able to push across a few runs and I think the Brewers could score a bunch here. The over definitely looks like the value play. Take the over.

*3 Star TGIF Bookie Smasher* Justin Verlander is a very good pitcher, but in his career against the Blue Jays he has been bad. Verlander has an 8.22 ERA in his four starts against Toronto. Shawn Marcum is solid, but his ERA is over 5 in the last three starts. The Tigers bats have been heating up quite a bit in the last week or so. Jerry Crawford, who has the smallest strike zone in the league, is behind the dish. Given the pitcher splits and the great umpire for the over, I think this low number makes the over a great play.

*Thursday's HUGE MLB Play of the Day* As I have stated many times now, the Padres continue to be undervalued by the oddsmakers. Kevin Correia has pitched much better of late, and the Padres are extremely tough at home. The Diamondbacks are just 19-42 on the road this year, and Ian Kennedy has struggled on the road this year. The Padres are 9-0 in their last 9 meetings with the Diamondbacks in San Diego. The fact that San Diego continues to be undervalued just gives us more chances to cash in! Take the Padres -1.5 Thursday!

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The White Sox are far from out of the AL Central race, and they are now at home playing against an inferior opponent. This team knows they need to win now and Mark Buerhle is a good guy to have on the mound in this spot. The White Sox are 36-16 in his last 52 starts and 5-1 in his last 6 starts overall. Brian Matusz has pitched well of late for Baltimore, but he has struggled mightily on the road all year. The Sox have the better pitcher and the better lineup here. I'm taking the White Sox -1.5 in this one.

*3 Star Totals Terrorizer* Randy Wolf has really been in good form of late, and the Dodgers really aren't hitting the ball very well right now. Kuroda has pitched quite well most of the year for the Dodgers, but hasn't received very good run support. Andy Fletcher is behind the plate, and he has one of the top three or four under umpires in the league today. Corey Hart is also injured and may miss this game. I think both pitchers will fare well. The under is a solid value.

*3 Star Guaranteed Moneyline Winner* The Cubs have played well in their first two games under Mike Quade and I think they are in a good spot for a win on Wednesday as well. Jason Marquis is pitching for the Nationals, and I like to fade him. In three starts at home this year Marquis has an ERA of 20.25. He has not made it past the fourth inning in any home start this season. Ryan Dempster has been solid all year long for the Cubs, as evidenced by his 3.56 ERA. The Cubs have the big pitching advantage here and I think at virtually even money this is a nice play.

*3 Star Late Night Bailout* If you have followed my plays this year you know that I've made a lot of cash on the Padres. The books continue to undervalue this team and think they are going to fall apart. Clayton Richard is a good left hander and he is very good at home. The Padres are 11-3 in their last 14 and 4-1 in Richard's last 5 starts. On the other side, the Dbacks are just 27-61 in their last 88 road games and 1-6 in Rodrigo Lopez's last 7 starts overall. The last seven meetings in San Diego have all gone to the Padres. I think the Padres will get to Lopez and get into the horrific DBacks bullpen. Take San Diego -1.5 here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The White Sox have cooled off a bit of late, but they get to come home and face the Baltimore Orioles now. The Orioles have been playing better of late, but they are still not a good team at all. Gavin Floyd has had two rough starts in a row, both against Minnesota, but he has been superb at home most of the year. On the other hand, the Orioles are 3-12 in Jeremy Guthrie's last 15 road starts. The White Sox are 32-13 in Floyd's last 45 home starts. The White Sox are also 22-6 in their last 28 home games overall. The White Sox have the better lineup and Floyd is great at home. Take the White Sox -1.5 here.

*3 Star Totals Terrorizer* Rick Porcello simply has not had his best stuff in the last couple of months. The over is 4-1 in his last 5 home starts and he has been giving up way too many hits in his last few starts. Kyle Davies has a 5.30 ERA on the road this year. The best news may be that the home plate umpire is Jim Reynolds. Reynolds is known for having one of the smallest strike zones and being one of the biggest over umpires in the game today. Two pitchers that aren't pitching very well and a small strike zone equals a nice value on the over here!

*3 Star Total Domination* Scott Kazmir has been terrible this year and James Shields has been bad on the road. Both of these teams have shown they can put runs in the board in bunches when given opportunities. Kazmir has a WHIP of 1.60 and Shields has a WHIP of 1.39, so they are both allowing a ton of base runners this year. Kazmir is facing his old club, so he will be fired up, but that could mean he will be wild. Kazmir has allowed 19 home runs already this year and Tampa Bay can definitely hit the ball out of the park. The wind will be blowing out at game time as well. Shields has an ERA of almost 8 in his two starts in LA. I think both of these pitchers will allow too many base runners and the hitters will cash in. Take the over 9 in this game!

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* The Diamondbacks are my favorite team in the majors to play an "over" with. This is a team that plays in a hitter friendly ballpark and has the worst bullpen in the majors by a huge margin. Hudson has been good in his first few starts with the DBacks, but I feel like he is due for a bad game, and he isn't likely to be around past the sixth inning or so. Chacin has good stuff, but is inconsistent at this point. These two teams haven't scored much in the first two of the series, but I think that changes here. Take the over.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* I have always liked to fade the Brewers when Manny Parra is on the mound, and I think this is a good spot to do so. Jon Garland has an ERA of under 1 in his last three starts. The Padres have lost two straight to the Brewers, and I think they'll badly want to get one win from this weekend series. The Padres are 5-2 in Garland's last 7 starts and the Brewers are 0-4 in Parra's last four starts. The Padres like to hit against left handers, so I'll think they put up enough runs to salvage a game in this series. Take the Padres ML.

*3 Star Sunday Spectacular* The Phillies are starting to get healthy, which is bad news for the best of the National League. A team with Rollins, Utley, Howard, Victorino, etc. is going to be quite successful. Roy Oswalt has improved in his last three starts for the Phillies and should do well against this Washington lineup. Scott Olsen has an ERA of 10.95 in his last three starts and I just don't think the Phillies are a good team for him to be facing right now. The Phillies may have struggled with their offense the last couple days, but I think they'll light up the scorebard Sunday. Take Philly -1.5.

*3 Star Saturday Sizzler* The Padres continue to be undervalued by the books, so we continue to get opportunities. Kevin Correia is pitching much better of late and the Padres are 16-5 in his last 21 road starts. Chris Narveson is on the mound for the Brewers and his ERA is over 6 at home. The Padres have won 10 of their last 11 games and are proving they are definitely a force to be reckoned with in the post season. They are a much better hitting team against a left hander starter. The play here is on the Padres because of the great value we are getting.

*3 Star Total Dominator* Max Scherzer has been excellent of late and the Indians lineup shouldn't be able to do much with his amazing stuff. In his last 10 starts Scherzer has allowed just 15 runs total, and in his last 3 starts he has an ERA of 1.35. The under is 8-3 in his last 11 starts overall. Joel Tomlin has started out his career with the Indians very nicely, and the under is 4-0 in his first four starts. Tomlin has very good stuff and can keep the batters guessing. The Tigers bats have gone much colder of late. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams as well. The under looks like the play here. Take under 8.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Minnesota Twins are playing some amazing baseball right now. The Angels are playing terribly on the road, winning only 6 of their last 24 road games. Trevor Bell has pitched very badly for the Angels. In fact, the Angels have lost all three of his starts this year and his ERA is 6.43 during that time. On the other side, Kevin Slowey is coming off his 7 inning no hitter. The Twins are 24-8 in his last 32 starts at home. The Twins have the better lineup and a much better pitcher in this one. I like the value on the run line here. Take the Twins -1.5.

*3 Star TGIF Bookie Smasher* Andy Fletcher is behind home plate in this one, and that is great news for the under. The under is 11-5 in his last 16 games behind home plate and he is historically one of the best under umpires in the game. The Orioles have played much better of late since Buck Showalter took over, and the main reason is they are pitching much better. The under is 12-5-1 in their last 18 games. C.J. Wilson is pitching for the Rangers and the Orioles have had serious trouble hitting left handers this year. Baltimore is averaging just 3.01 runs per game against left handers. This looks like a great spot for the under in this one.

*3 Star Break the Books Play* The Cincinnati Reds have won the first two in this series, and I think they have a very good chance of sweeping the Diamondbacks. Joe Saunders started well with Arizona, but he is extremely inconsistent. The Reds offense is on a roll right now, and if Saunders isn't around long, then the Reds get to batter the horrific DBack bullpen once again. Travis Wood is on the hill for the Reds and I think he is a heck of a young pitcher. The lefty has great control and is a real battler out on the mound. The Reds are 4-0 in Wood's last 4 starts. The Reds are also 7-0 in their last 7 games at Arizona. Take the Reds to finish off the sweep here.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Carl Pavano has been very good all year for the Twins, which is one of the main reasons they are at the top of the AL Central Standings. Mark Buerhle has pitched very well on the road this year, and the Twins aren't nearly as good offensively against left handers. The under is 7-3 in Buerhle's last 10 starts against Minnesota. This game is extremely important to both teams, and I think these pitchers will bring their best stuff and the defenses will be solid. I like the under here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* I have decided that based on what I have seen from Rick Porcello this year that he should be faded. The Yankees are not a team you want to be facing when you are struggling and trying to fight your way out of innings. Porcello is giving up hits at the rate of 1.25 per inning, which is terribly high. His ERA on the road is also up around 6. The Yankees may be without ARod, but they still have plenty of thunder in the lineup with Tex,Cano,Granderson and company. Hughes has been pitching well of late and the Yankees are 17-5 in his last 22 home starts. Take the team with the better pitcher and the better lineup on the run line here. The Yankees -1.5. is the play.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Cardinals have been in a bit of tailspin of late and they have let the Reds get back out to a two game lead in the NL Central. Adam Wainwright should be the right person to stop this streak in its tracks. Wainwright has Cy Young quality numbers so far this year and his ERA at home is a ridiculous 1.22. He is 11-0 at home on the year and the Cardinals are 36-15 in his last 51 home starts. Randy Wolf isn't particularly strong on the road, with an ERA of 5.18. The Cardinals hit left handers well and I think they'll be amped up for this one. Take the team with the much better pitcher and more motivation. The Cardinals run line is the play here.

*3 Star Late Night Bailout* The Reds are a much better team than the Diamondbacks, so anytime I can get them at this short of a price I will be interested. Bronson Arroyo tends to get better and better as the year goes along, and he has done just that this season. The Reds are 5-1 in his last 6 road starts and the Reds have also won their last 5 games in Arizona. Hudson has looked good so far in Arizona, but I still give the Reds the edge on the mound. The Reds definitely have a better lineup and defense, so the Reds are the value play here. Take the Cincinnati moneyline.

*3 Star East Coast Special* Jered Weaver has had a terrific season and the Boston Red Sox lineup is severely hurting right now. Without Youk, Ellsbury, and Pedroia they lose a lot of their pop. Clay Buchholz has been outstanding all year long for the Red Sox, and in his last 3 starts his ERA is just 1.54. The under is 21-8-4 in Weaver's last 33 games overall. Weaver and Buchholz are both pitching their best baseball of the season right now, and I think this has a good chance of becoming a pitcher's duel. Take under 8 here.

*3 Star Bookie Basher* The Yankees look like they will be a little short handed as Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher both left with injuries on Monday. The under is 6-0 in Justin Verlander's last 6 starts, and in his career against the Yankees he has pitched well. Sabathia has been great, especially at home. Bill Miller is behind the plate in this one and he has the highest percentage of called strikes in the major leagues, so that will definitely help the under. These two offenses struggled Monday, and I think they will once again on Tuesday. Take under 7.5.

*3 Star Cash Money Play of the Day* The Padres continue to be underrated by the books. I have cashed on the Padres numerous times, and I am going to go back to the well again in this one. The Cubs haven't even been very good at home, and the Padres have proven they are a very good road team. Correia is starting to pitch much better in the last few games and the Cubs are just 3-7 in Gorzelanny's last 10 home starts. The Cubs are just 1-6 in their last 7 home games overall. I think the Padres win a close game here.

*3 Star Smash the Books Total* I'm really liking taking the over anytime Chris Volstad is pitching, especially on the road. Volstad has a road ERA of 6.19 on the year. McDonald is a young starter for the Pirates who started out hot, but doesn't have terrific stuff. The wind will be blowing out a little bit in this one. Florida's bats are hot, and the over is 14-6-1 in their last 21 games. The over is 5-1 in Pittsburgh's last 6 home games. With these two pithcers on the mound I think this is a nice value on the over.

*3 Star Mile High Moneymaker* Ubaldo Jimenez seemed to hit a bit of a rough patch for a bit where he was hittable, but in the last three games he has been back in form. Jimenez has allowed just one earned run in each of his last three starts. Jimenez is 8-0 in his home starts this year and the Rockies are 22-7 in his last 29 home starts. On the other side, Manny Parra has an ERA over 6 on the road. The Brewers are 1-5 in Parra's last 6 starts overall. The Rockies have owned this series over the last couple years as they are 10-3 in the last 13 meetings. This is a big pitching mismatch and the Rockies are extremely tough to beat at Coors Field. Take the Rockies -1.5.

*3 Star Trash the Books Special* The Minnesota Twins are playing as well as anyone in all of baseball right now. Kevin Slowey is on the hill and the Twins simply win when he is pitching at home. The Twins are 23-8 in his last 31 home starts. Vin Mazzaro is on the hill for the A's, and he has struggled on the road this year. The A's are just 2-8 in Mazzaro's last 10 road games against a team with a winning record. The Oakland offense just isn't hitting the baseball at all right now, and the Twins have proven that they have the potential to bust out on offense, even without Morneau. I like the Twins -1.5 here.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Vicente Padilla has had a very solid year for the Dodgers, and Jair Jurrjens appears to be getting good and healthy for the Braves. If there is a perfect umpire for an under it is Mike Estabrook. The under is 23-9-2 in his last 34 games behind home plate. The first couple games in this series have been very low scoring, and I expect this will be the same. The slight breeze from center will help keep the ball in the park as well. The under is 6-0 in Jurrjens last 6 home starts and 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these two in Atlanta. I think the value here is on the under.

*3 Star Bookie Crusher Special* Trevor Cahill has not given up an earned run in his last 3 starts. Brian Duensing has an ERA of 1.99 at home this year. The under is 13-3-1 in the A's last 17 games. The under is 5-0-1 in the Twins last 6 home games. The under is 5-0 in Duensing's last 5 home starts and the under is 20-7-2 in Cahill's last 29 starts overall. All of this adds up to a nice looking bet on the under in this one. Neither team is hitting particularly well and both pitcher's are dealing right now. Take the under here.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Jason Marquis and Ian Kennedy is a great pitching matchup to take the over here. Kennedy has struggled mightily on the road of late and Marquis has been on the DL and isn't showing good form. Kennedy has an ERA of 7.31 in his last 3 starts, which means we'll probably see a lot of the worst bullpen in the major leagues. The Nationals should be able to score several on the DBacks here and I fully expect Marquis to get hit around some by Arizona as well. The over looks like a great value here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Cardinals and Cubs do not like each other one bit, but this year the Cardinals are just a much better team. Carlos Zambrano's control is terrible right now, and the Cardinals bats are getting hot in the August warmth. Pujols is on fire and so is the team overall. Oh by the way, Chris Carpenter is on the hill for the Cardinals, and that usually means they are money in the bank. The Cardinals are 47-12 in Carpenter's last 59 home games. They are also 5-0 in his last 5 starts against the Cubs. I think the Cardinals win this one by a decent margin. Take the Cardinals -1.5.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Rockies are a very good home team. The Rockies are 78-37 in their last 115 home games. De La Rosa is particularly good at home, and the Rockies are 15-3 in his last 18 starts at home. Gallardo is a very good young pitcher, but he has struggled mightily in two starts at Coors Field. Gallardo has an ERA around 12 in two starts in Colorado. The Brewers are much worse against left handers. All the factors point to the Rockies being favored here, but they aren't. I think we are getting a great value on the Rockies moneyline in this game.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* The Twins have to be thrilled with how well Carl Pavano has been pitching this year. Pavano looks like the dominant pitcher of old. Gio Gonzalez is having a breakout year with the Athletics as well. Gonzalez has an ERA of just 3.51 on the season. The Twins struggle against left handers, and Oakland's offense has been very quiet of late. The under is 12-3-1 in Oakland's last 16 games. I think this will be a well-pitched game on both sides. I think the under is the play here.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* Livan Hernandez has been an absolute under machine this year. The under is 19-3 in his 22 starts this season. At home his ERA is just 2.77 this year. Ricky Nolasco has struggled overall this year, but his numbers are actually much better on the road. Nolasco's ERA on the road sits at 3.86. The wind is expected to be blowing in from center at about 10 mph and we have a bit of an under umpire here as well. Both of these teams have been scoring quite a bit recently, but the pitching match up makes me think the value is on the under here. Take under 8.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The oddsmakers have given us a gift in the first two games of the series and I've taken advantage, and I have to give it a try in this one as well. The Padres are a MUCH better team than the Pirates. The Pirates are 19-73 in their last 92 road games. The Padres are 11-3 in their last 14 home games. Jon Garland has been good this year, especially at home. Garland has an ERA of 2.69 at home. Zach Duke is on the hill for the Pirates. Duke has an ERA around 6 on the road and the Pirates are a miserable 15-48 in his last 63 road starts. All this adds up to the value once again being on the Padres run line in this one. Take San Diego -1.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Play of the Day* Angel Campos is behind the dish here, and that is great news for the over. Campos has the smallest strike zone in the big leagues so far this year. It doesn't hurt that both teams are hitting the baseball well right now either. The DBacks are a much better team against left handers, so they should get to Randy Wolf some in this one. Rodrigo Lopez has been struggling quite a bit of late, so I expect the Brewers to put several runs on the board. The match ups and the umpire make this one a strong play on the over.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Once again the oddsmakers are giving us plus money on the run line for a team like San Diego over a horrific team like the Pirates. It worked well last night for me, and I'm going to take it again on Wednesday. The Pirates are 19-72 in their last 91 road games and the Padres are 10-3 in their last 13 home games. I see this as a major mismatch and I think it is wise to take the Padres again here on the run line.

*3 Star Tasty Total Play of the Day* The game time temperature is expected to be in the mid 90's with moderate humidity, which will help the ball fly out. Chris Volstad has been horrendous on the road this year, with an ERA of 6.08. Scott Olsen has been pretty good at home, but the Marlins hit left handers very well. Both teams are swinging hot bats right now. The over is 4-0 in Florida's last 4 and 3-1-1 in Washington's last 5 games. The value in this one appears to be on the over. Take over 9 here.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Tigers have been falling apart over the last couple of months, but Justin Verlander is on the hill on Wednesday afternoon. Verlander is their ace, and he has been great at home. Verlander has an ERA of just 2.88 in his home starts this year. Matt Garza threw a no hitter against these Tigers just a couple of weeks ago, so he knows how to get through this lineup. The under is 5-0 in Verlander's last 5 starts. I believe Verlander will quiet the Rays offense and Garza will shine once again. This has the looks of a game that will be decided by a run or two in a low scoring affair. Take the under here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The San Diego Padres continue to defy the critics and lead the NL West. The Pirates are absolutely terrible this year, especially on the road. The Pirates are actually 19-71 in their last 90 road games. The Padres are 33-22 at home this year and 9-3 in their last 12 at home. LeBlanc has an ERA under 3 at home this year and the Padres roughed up Karstens pretty bad just a few weeks ago. Given the amount of disparity between these two teams, I think getting the Padres -1.5 at +120 is a terrific value!

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* The Phillies have continued to produce on offense even without Howard, Utley, and Victorino. The weather is expected to be hot, with fairly low humidity, which should help the ball fly out of Citizens Bank Park in Philly on Tuesday. The over is 41-20 in Kyle Kendrick's last 61 starts overall and 9-4-1 in Padilla's last 14 starts. Padilla isn't nearly as good on the road, and Kendrick has struggled at home. I think the value is on the over in this one. Take over 8.5.

*Fantastic Five Star Total* The Brewers bats are on fire right now and Arizona's pitching staff is the worst in the big leagues. Ian Kennedy is on the hill for Arizona in this one and his ERA in his last three games is 7.02. Chris Narveson is pitching for the Brewers and his ERA at home sits at 6.20 on the year. Arizona is actually a much better team against left handers, so they should have that as an added advantage over Narveson as well. This really looks like a game that could light up the scoreboard. I expect both starting to pitchers to struggle, and then when the bullpen's come in they will provide very little relief. I really like the over in this one!

*3 Star Total Knockout Play* Joe Saunders has been settling in very nicely in Arizona, and he appears to be much improved from earlier this year. Mat Latos has been amazing all year long. The under is 8-3 in Latos' last 11 starts. I expect Latos to keep the DBacks bats at bay, and Saunders to pitch well again in front of his new home crowd. The Padres struggle against left handers, which should make Saunders even more effective. The value is on the under in this one.

*3 Star Total Value Play* Trevor Cahill is quietly having a very impressive season. Cahill has an ERA of just 1.88 at home this year and his daytime ERA is just 1.60 as well. Colby Lewis is on the hill for the Rangers and he has been very solid all year long. The under is 20-7 in Lewis' last 27 road starts and 18-7-2 in the Rangers last 27 overall. The under is 8-0-1 in Cahill's last 9 home starts and 5-0-1 in the Athletics last 6 games overall. Expect a pitcher's duel here and take the value on the under.

*3 Star Trash the Books Total* Rick Porcello has been in terrible form this year and Trevor Bell has been no better for the Angels. These two starters are both liable to be gone by the fifth inning if they continue their recent trends. Bell has an ERA of 6.23 in his last three starts and Porcello's is 7.13. I think both offenses should have enough in them to make this a high scoring affair with these two starters on the mound. I like the over in this one.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Padres are a much better team than the Diamondbacks right now, and that is the primary reason for this pick. Clayton Richard is a solid pitcher and the Padres have proven they are good on the road this year. The DBacks are just 2-6 in their last 8 home games and they are 0-4 in Lopez's last 4 starts overall. The Padres have won six straight in this series and I think there is very good chance they'll make it seven straight. Take the Padres with the small amount of juice.

*3 Star Total Play of the Day* It would be tough to find two pitchers in either league who have been pitching better than Matt Cain and Tim Hudson in the last three starts. Cain has an ERA of 1.19 in his last 3 starts and Hudson has a ridiculously low ERA of 0.87. The under is 13-5-2 in Cain's last 20 starts and 8-2 in Hudson's last 10 starts. These teams are only half a game apart in the standings, and this game could mean a lot down the road. I think both pitchers bring their A game and this one stays very low scoring. Take the under here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Yankees lost on Friday night to the Red Sox, which makes me feel even stronger about this pick. Sabathia will face off against Lackey, and given how inconsistent Lackey has been, I give the major edge to the Yankees in the pitching matchup. The Red Sox are missing both Youk and Pedroia right now, and the Yankees lineup is absolutely stacked. The Yankees are 76-28 in their last 104 home games, so they haven't lost two in a row very often. I like the Yankees to bounce back and win this one handily.

*3 Star TGIF Late Night Bailout* I don't normally like to eat this kind of juice on totals, but this is an important number and I really think these two pitchers are worth this price. The under is 16-5-1 in the Rangers last 22 games overall and the under is 23-9 in Dallas Braden's last 32 home starts. Cliff Lee is pitching brilliantly and the under is 5-0 in his last 5 starts. This is the type of game that I see staying close the whole way and ending in a 2-1 or 3-2 type of score. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Baltimore Orioles have won three games in a row, which I believe means it is time to fade them. This team is terrible and the Chicago White Sox are playing better baseball than just about anyone right now. The Orioles struggle against left handers and Danks is a high quality one. Brad Bergesen is on the hill for the Orioles and they are a miserable 1-10 in his last 11 starts. Bergesen has been having big trouble keeping the ball down, and these White Sox will take it deep if he continues that streak. I like the White Sox -1.5.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* The Reds are playing solid baseball right now and they are 10-1-1 in their last 12 series. This is another series they have a solid chance of winning, as the Cubs seem to have packed it in for the year. Arroyo tends to get better later in the year, and the Reds are 11-5 in his last 16 starts. They are also 5-2 in his last 7 starts at Wrigley Field. I think getting the better team and the better pitcher at even money is too good of a value to pass up. Take the Reds here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* I am really liking this run line play. Billingsley hasn't given up a run in the last 21 innings he has pitched, including one start at San Diego. Correia has been poor on the road this year, and Billingsley is great in Dodger Stadium. Billingsley also has a tremendous track record against San Diego. The Dodgers are 7-1 in his last 8 starts against the Padres. I think Billingsley will shut down the Padres again and the Dodgers will win by a few in this one. Take the Dodgers -1.5.

*3 Star Moneyline Play of the Day* The Phillies are 10-2 in their last 12 games, and they are doing this without the meat of their lineup. Chase Utley and Victorino have been gone for a while and now Ryan Howard is gone. How can they still win? This team still has quite a bit of pop with Jimmy Rollins, Ibanez, Werth, Polanco, and others. I'm looking for Roy Oswalt to come back after a poor first start with the Phillies and impress in this one. Chris Volstad is on the hill for the Marlins and he has been pretty bad this year. The Marlins are just 3-10 in his last 13 starts. I think the Phillies go ahead and sweep this series on Thursday evening. Take the Phillies moneyline.

*3 Star Late Night Total* Fister has been a different pitcher at home this year with an ERA just above 2.5 at home. Wilson has been good everywhere, and the Mariners struggle to hit left handers. The under is 19-7-1 in the Mariners last 27 home games. Jim Wolf is behind the dish here and the under is 20-7 in his last 27 behind home plate. The numbers and data point to the under as the play here.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* David Price has been nearly unhittable at home all year long. Scott Baker has an ERA over 6 on the road this year. The Rays are 21-6 in their last 27 games and they are 16-5 in Price's last 21 home starts. The Twins are just 2-6 in Baker's last 8 road starts. The Twins have struggled against left handers this year, and against a tough one like Price that is a big problem. I like Tampa Bay -1.5 in this one.

*3 Star Early Bird Special* Johnny Cueto has been great for the Reds this year, and the Reds will want to win this series badly against the lowly Pirates. After splitting the first two, the Reds have the big upper hand when it comes to the pitching match up here. Cueto is 10-2 on the year and he has an ERA of under 3 on the road. Karstens has not fared well against the Reds in the past and Cueto pitched a 1 hit shutout at PNC park last time he was in Pittsburgh. The Reds should win this one handily. Take Cincinnati -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* The Phillies have Doc Halladay on the mound and the Marlins have youngster Sean West on the hill in this one. West wasn't very successful with an ERA up around 5 in his stint in the majors last year. In the minor leagues he has been extremely inconsistent. The Phillies are starting to play better baseball of late and I feel like they will be tough on the young left hander from Florida. Halladay seems to have gotten back into a groove the last few games, so I think he'll shut down this Marlins offense. The Phillies are 14-3 in their last 17 games in Florida. Take Philly -1.5.

*3 Star NL Total Play* R.A. Dickey has been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this year. He has an ERA of just 2.32 for the year and 1.29 in his last three starts. The under is 10-4 in Dickey's starts this year. These two teams have a history of playing low scoring games when they get together. The under is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings. John Hirschbeck is behind the plate and that is great news for the under. I think this will be a tight game to the very end and I think the under is a nice value play here.

*3 Star East Coast Total Play* The Yankees can really hit the ball, especially when they are in Yankee Stadium. Ricky Romero is a quality left handed pitcher, but he tends to struggle a bit on the road. The Yankees are averaging over 6 runs per game off of lefties so far this year, and I think they'll get to Romero in this one. Dustin Moseley is pitching for the Yanks and though he has fared well, I think he is due for a poor outing. The umpire here is a solid over umpire and the wind will be blowing out to left field as well. This looks like a solid over play.

*3 Star Run Line Play of the Day* Cahill is excellent at home and Bannister is horrible on the road. The Athletics have outperformed most people's expectations of late, and they have done extremely well when Cahill is on the mound. The Athletics are 9-3 in Cahill's last 12 home starts and and 19-7 in his last 26 starts overall. The Royals are 4-11 in Bannister's last 15 road starts. The Royals are also 0-4 in Bannister's last four starts against Oakland. The better team at home, with the better pitcher... it all sounds like a nice play on the run line here. Take Oakland -1.5.

*3 Star Run Line Play* The Marlins are playing excellent baseball right now, and I truly believe that Josh Johnson is the NL's Cy Young so far this year. Johnson has been as consistently good as you will ever see. Jon Garland has pitched well this year, but he can struggle with consistency, and this Marlins team is really streaking right now. I'll take the team with the big pitching advantage in this one. Florida -1.5 is the play.