Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Florida Marlins 04/11

April 11th, 2010 admin

The Dodgers and Marlins had a close game on Saturday, but the Marlins were able to pull out a one run victory. Sunday provides an opportunity for the Dodgers to seek some revenge and come back with a win. The Dodgers starting pitching is a bit of an unkown on Sunday, with Charlie Haeger making the start. Haeger can prove tough for the Marlins, if only because most players have little to no experience facing him. The Marlins are starting Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez, at the surface, appears to be the better pitcher. Sanchez has certainly proven more in his MLB career, but Haeger is a wild card, and there is a legitimate chance that he will fare better than Sanchez on Sunday.

The Dodgers definitely have the better offensive squad. With Andre Eithier, Manny Ramirez, James Loney, and Russell Martin in one line up, you know that any team will be fighting for their life on defense. The Marlins have a few weapons of their own, however, with Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla holding the keys to Florida’s success. Nonetheless, the Dodgers have a very bid edge over the Marlins offensive firepower, there is no doubt about it. Both line ups are prone to explosive games, but the Dodgers have never ending weapons.

The Dodgers are a very good pick on the moneyline at +105. To say that the Dodgers are a dog in this game is just ridiculous. This bet should be taken every day of the week. If the Dodgers do end up losing, it will likely be due to their starting pitching, but Haeger should be able to hold his own.

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays 04/11

April 11th, 2010 admin

The Yankees are coming off a 10-0 thrashing of the Rays on Saturday. CC Sabathia took a no hitter all the way to the 8th, while the Yankees destroyed the Rays pitching. It wasn’t much of a contest on Saturday, but don’t expect that trend to continue in this battle. Both teams look poised to take the top spots in the AL East, and each game can be the difference at the end of the year. On Sunday, James Shields gets the nod for the Rays, while AJ Burnett takes the mound for the Yankees. Burnett surely has the advantage in this match up. Neither pitcher had impressive 2010 debuts, but Burnett’s history is enough to push him past Shields.

On the offensive end of the spectrum, there are few teams that the Yankees do not have a massive edge on. The Rays are no exception to this rule, and are going to be fighting an uphill battle on Sunday against the Yankees. The Yankees are the same threat as usual, with Teixeira, Rodriguez, and Cano being a triple threat that few teams can hold down. The Rays need Longoria and Crawford to step up with some big hits on Sunday if they want a shot at adding a win to their record. Upton would certainly help as well if he could strong together a double or two.

The Yankees are a good pick on the moneyline at -105. At almost even money, there is no way that the Yankees don’t take this game much more than 50% of the time. If the Rays had a better starter, this moneyline might still be a solid pick.

Seattle Mariners vs. Texas Rangers 04/11

April 10th, 2010 admin

The Rangers are coming off a Friday night win over the Mariners. The Rangers are holding steady at 2-2, while the Mariners are off to a rough start. 2010 was expected to be a big year for the Mariners, with their starting rotations set to be at the top of the league. Despite this, the Mariners are having a lot of trouble in the early days of the 2010 season. Cliff Lee and Erik Bedard are both hurt, and the offensive production has been lacking. Nonetheless, Saturday looks to be a good day for the Mariners. Seattle is sending their ace (or, co-ace), Felix Hernandez to the mound. Hernandez has been dominant over the last few years, and should give the Rangers a tough time on offense. Matt Harrison gets the start for Texas. Harrison, who held a 6+ ERA in 2009, should be an easy target for the Mariners. This is the game that Seattle needs to get back on pace.

With their best healthy pitcher starting, and an offense that is ready to implode against Harrison, Seattle should be able to secure their second win of the year on Saturday. Neither team is particularly dangerous on offense, with Guerrero and Ichiro being the two big names. The Rangers should be given the slight offensive edge in this match up, but the pitching cancels out the edge and then some.

The Mariners are a good pick on the money line at -142. This number might seem a bit high at first, but when you consider that the Mariners should be aiming for a win with a vengeance, and Hernandez starting, the line becomes that much better. If the Rangers had a better starting pitcher, this line would be fairly easy to pass up, even with Hernandez starting.

Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnatti Reds 04/11

April 10th, 2010 admin

The Cubs and Reds enter the second game of their series on Saturday. On Friday, the Reds managed to squeak out a 5-4 victory by posting four runs in the eighth. Today, the Cubs are starting Carlos Zambrano. For the Reds, pitcher Aaron Harang gets the start. The edge in starting pitching clearly goes to Zambrano, though Harang can certainly hold his own. Some merit has to be given to the fact that the Cubs realize how fragile their season is. They need to maintain a steady record throughout the year if they want to secure a spot in the playoffs. This should go without saying, but is even more important this year than in years prior.

Look for Soriano to have a breakout game today, as he has been struggling so far. Beyond Soriano, the Cubs will rely on Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and even Marlon Byrd. This game is a bit of a toss up when it comes to offense, because the Reds are not exactly a powerhouse. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce lead the offense for Cincinatti, but after that, the lineup is quite dry. Rolen is a perennial hitter, but he is not the force that he used to be.

With the pitching match up being what it is, and with the Cubs having a clear offensive edge, the Cubs are a relatively easy pick on the moneyline at -108.

Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets 04/11

April 10th, 2010 admin

The Washington Nationals are paying a visit to the Mets in Flushing, New York. The Nationals are sending John Lannan to the mound, while the Mets are starting Oliver Perez. Neither team is off to a particularly hot start, but the Nationals should have the edge when it comes to starting pitching. The problem for the Nationals is still their lackluster offense. Aside from Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, and Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals don’t have many options when it comes to their offense.

The Mets, however, should be a dominate offensive team in the NL. The Mets are in trouble because of their never ending injuries. Slugger Carlos Beltran is out, as is shortstop Jose Reyes. Both teams are really hurting when it comes to offense, despite an 8-2 win last night for the Mets.

Starting pitching should play a major role in this one, with the Nationals having a defined edge. The Nationals are already falling off the pace in the NL East, so look for them to battle back after a terrible Friday night performance. Lannan might not have impressive career numbers, but he hasn’t had a lot of starts. Perez has proved to be unreliable.

At +113 on the moneyline, we are going with the Nationals and consider is a solid pick.

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