L.A. Angels Season on the Brink

Coming into the year, one of the changes that were expected to take place was manager Mike Scioscia’s Los Angeles club no longer to be the dominant force in the AL West. Heavy personnel defections weakened the Angels roster at several positions and other teams in the division were showing improvement. Prognosticators looked to be accurate when the squad from Anaheim started 3-7, thanks to a lack of hitting and unstable bullpen.

The Angels (51-46, +2.2 units) at least started to hit as the season wore, but on May 30, their best hitter Kendry Morales broke a bone in his leg on a walk-off grand slam against Seattle and immediately television pundits declared the Scioscia’s squad DOA.

However, you don’t manage in big leagues as long as Scioscia has without being smart and the troops rallied and fought their way into second place in the division behind Texas (55-40, +1.1), who has played outstanding all year.

Since the baseball season is only in the latter stages of July, it sounds preposterous to call a series “extremely important”, yet that is exactly the case as the Angels travel to Arlington. Tonight opens a huge four-game series and both clubs have one aspect in mind - find a way to win three games.

For Los Angeles, they trail the Rangers by six games in the loss column (this is more important than games back, since everyone is scheduled to play 162-game season) and a series victory brings them within manageable four games, with over two months to play. Losing three of four creates an enormous burden for the Halos, being eight games back in the standings. To put this into perspective, if Texas would have 58-41 record come next Monday and they continued to play at the same pace the rest of the season, that would mean L.A. would have to close the regular season 44-17 to overtake Texas, a very unlikely scenario.

Game 1 of this battle has a distinguished pitching matchup with Jered Weaver (9-5, 3.16 ERA) facing Cliff Lee (8-4, 2.59, 0.937 WHIP). “It’s huge,” Weaver told the Angels’ official website. “We’ve been sitting four, five games back for a while now. … When you’re playing those guys, you pick up a game or lose one. Simple as that.”

Los Angeles is 10-4 in series openers most recently and will need Weaver to pitch superior baseball, which has been problematic against Texas. The 6’7 right-hander is 5-3 with 3.62 ERA vs. the Rangers, however pitching at Rangers Park has been a different story. In Weaver’s last six outings in Arlington he is 0-3, with a 6.17 ERA and his team has failed to win each contest. The Halos have lost five of six against winning teams when Weaver toes the rubber.

Cliff Lee will see the Angels for a second time this campaign, but for the first time wearing a Rangers uniform. The lefty is 6-3 (3.18) lifetime against Los Angeles and 21-7 when pitching on Thursday’s, (Team’s Record) which means he is supplying his team with a series clincher or opening game victory 75 percent of the time.

Betting on sports participants will find Texas as -169 money line favorites. Lee is remarkable 15-2 as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last three seasons. (Team's Record) Nearly all online sports betting outlets have the total Un8 and the much-traveled Lee is 43-17 when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the same time span.

The veteran port-sider will be taking on Angels lineup that is hitting .329 while averaging 5.8 runs over its last six tries and is 7-1 vs. starting pitchers with a WHIP less than 1.15.

Weaver and other Los Angeles hurlers will have to confront Josh Hamilton, who has hit .394 in 18 July ballgames to raise his average to a Major League-leading .353. Hamilton is a serious Triple Crown threat being third in home runs (24) and fourth in runs batted in with 70. Since the All-Star break, the left-fielder is molten 13 for 30, a .433 average.

The Angels trail in the season series to the Rangers 3-2 and have dropped eight of past 11 at Texas.

Baseball Series Wagering - Halos at Dodgers

In Southern California, it is simply known as the I-5 Freeway Series when these two teams meet annually in interleague action. The interstate is known for its sprawling expanse and both teams play has resembled this roadway. Early in the season both Los Angeles’ teams played like they were stuck in neutral playing very ordinary baseball. However recently, both are like a car that just cleared an accident area, where the road opens up and you can punch the accelerator and take out off.

The Dodgers (36-24, +5.8 units) have been the best team in baseball since May 9, posting a 23-7 record to storm back and recapture first place in the NL West. The Dodgers offense has been relatively steady most of the season and ranks fifth in the National League; however it has been its pitching that has been the difference-maker. They have held opposing teams to three runs or less in 18 of last 30 games and moved from 14th to 8th in ERA in the senior circuit, now at 3.95. Joe Torre’s club doesn’t exactly have a collection of Golden Glover’s; nevertheless they are 15-3 after two straight games where they committed zero errors this season.

The Angels (33-30, +2.3) lost key members in the offseason via free agency and were expected to contend, not control the AL West in 2010. They met the lower expectations set for them playing below .500 since the third game of the season and even their most thrilling moment of the campaign turned into calamity, when their best hitter Kendry Morales fractured his fibula jumping on home plate after smacking walk-off grand slam home run. Baseball experts on ESPN and MLB immediately wrote off the Halos, but they forgot about the manager, Mike Scioscia. Instead of folding, the Angels have persevered; winning 10 of last 13, to move into second place, 1.5 games behind Texas. They will start this series 15-3 in road games after six consecutive starts versus division rivals.

The Blue Crew will have a decided pitching edge in the opener, with Chad Billingsley (6-3, 3.80 ERA) meeting Joel Pineiro (4-6, 5.23). Billingsley is 4-1 with a 2.77 ERA in his last six starts and versus the Angels disharmonious bullpen (4.88, 1.664 WHIP), the home team is 10-1 against a horrible pen whose WHIP is 1.650 or worse over the last two seasons.

Pineiro snapped a personal three-game losing streak, but was far from impressive in permitting nine hits and four runs over six innings at Seattle in 9-4 triumph and is a disheveled 0-8 in interleague action the last two years. (Team's Record) It stands to reason for the Dodgers to be -164 money line favorite in the opener for online sports betting activists.

Game 1 Edge: Dodgers

If the term “opposites attract”, these teams are a perfect match. Like all cities that support two baseball organizations, when one team is home the other is on the road. That is the case here as the Dodgers are 8-2 on their longest homestand of the season with three games left. This in turn has the Angels away from the Big A for 14 road contests and they’ve held up well with 8-3 record thus far.

Interleague baseball seems to bring out the best and worst of each squad, as the team from Anaheim has one of the best records since 2007 with 39-18 (+17.6) mark. The team playing in Chavez Ravine is among the weakest in baseball at 21-30 (-11.75).

Scott Kazmir (5-5, 5.40) will take the ball for the Halos, having won three of his last four starts. He’s spotted his pitches better of late, but command is his worst enemy. After having a better than 2-to-1 ratio of strikes and walks for his career, he has 39 punch-outs and handed out 27 free passes this year. He’ll be relying on his club’s history that shows 19-7 interleague road record coming into the series.

John Ely (3-2, 3.00) might not throw in the high 90’s, however has displayed pitching acumen by throwing strikes and staying out of trouble. His pinpoint location has kept his team in games and the Dodgers are 6-2 when Ely starts.

Game 2 Edge: Dodgers

Jered Weaver (5-3, 3.20) seldom has two poor outings in a row and he was rocked for 12 hits and six runs his last time out in Oakland. Weaver is tied for the AL lead in K’s with 89 and is 3-2 with a 2.94 ERA in six career starts against the Dodgers. He’s been especially fond of Dodger Stadium with a 0.55 ERA in three outings and the Angels are 14-9 in day games this season.

Rookie Carlos Monasterios (3-0, 2.27) was forced into duty when Vicente Padilla went on disabled list and the Dodgers were really hurting for a fifth starter. Despite almost no experience at this level, Monasterious has thrown better than anyone could have imagined and his .215 batting average allowed is the lowest among first year pitchers with two or more starts in a season full of rookie pitchers making big introductions. The Dodgers began this series 23-10 at home.

Game 3 Edge: Angels

This should be an entertaining series with anything possible. The teams have split 12 encounters the last two seasons with the road club taking the series each time. The Dodgers are playing better baseball, have the better bullpen (Closer Jonathan Broxton has converted 15 straight save opportunities) and have been exceptional at home. If the games are tight, the team in the white uniforms is 15-6 in one run affairs, including 9-1 at home. Give the edge to the team from L.A., the one closer to Hollywood.

Series odds: Angels +140, Dodgers -180

3Daily Winners Pick: Dodgers

2010 Record – 3-6

L.A. teams in strife on Monday

While the state of California battles with budget cuts and other issues mostly due to the recession, both Los Angeles baseball squads have built a deficit and have to win today or the field for the World Series is virtually set. The Angels will go first, playing at home and they can look at five errors and lack of clutch hitting as the culprit for their 0-2 predicament. The Dodgers should be down 3-0 except for a Phillies bullpen failure and Chase Utley being wilder to first base on double play turn than Ricky Vaughn before glasses.

The Angels are batting .154 as a team and were 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position in Game 2. The Halos bullpen failures arose again when supposed closer Brian Fuentes served up a belt high 0-2 pitch that got WAY too much of the plate that Alex Rodriguez drilled to right-center bleachers for tying run in the bottom of the 11th. Maybe it was wearing baseball hats with ear flaps, but a normally sound Angels’ defense was making both mental and physical errors in the field reminiscent of a grade school team, literally costing them at least one game.

Jered Weaver has the assignment of attempting to bring the Angels back in the series. The lanky right-hander is 9-3 with 2.90 ERA at the Big A, for a club that is 21-7 after batting .225 or worse over a five game span. He’ll be up against veteran Andy Pettitte, who was far more effective on the road with 9-4 record and 3.56 ERA. In the last dozen years, the left-hander is 8-9 against the Halos and the Yankees are 50-21 after two or more consecutive wins this season.

DiamondSportsbook.com has the Anaheim-based club as -130 money line favorites with total of 8.5. The Halos are 14-2 after a game where their bullpen blew a save this season and 38-18 against lefties. This Los Angeles squad is 11-4 at home versus New York and truly are in must win scenario on FOX at 4:13 Eastern today.

The other Los Angeles team has at least won a game in their league championship series, however has looked anemic. The Dodgers offense has not been especially effective since the middle of August and this problem has manifested itself at the most inopportune time. The Dodgers have scored more than five runs just once in last 13 games (8-6 loss in Game 1) and were completely stifled last night in 11-0 rocking chair win for Philadelphia.

Teams that are victorious in the postseason execute and the Dodgers are 9 for 48 with runners in scoring position six games into the playoffs. The 1927 Yankees might not have done much success with Cliff Lee Sunday night, but that doesn’t explain why they were held scoreless by Pedro Martinez in Game 2. The Dodgers are 3-11 after allowing 10 runs or more and hope starter Randy Wolf can give them an argosy of compelling innings in Game 4. Wolf and the Dodgers are 12-4 against teams with winning records this season and he has 2.90 ERA on the road.

Manager Joe Torre hopes a pressing Matt Kemp (.192 BA and 12 K’s in 26 at bats in the playoffs) will find his batting eye against Joe Blanton. Kemp doesn’t sound particularly encouraged he will turn things around. "I'm not hitting the ball that well," Kemp said. "I'm just going out there playing hard, and when I get hits, I get hits."

The Phillies are now 16-5 in the postseason the last two years and are -120 money line favorites with total Un8.5. Philadelphia is 44-25 when the money line is +125 to -125 this season and Blanton is 15-5 against teams with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last two years. (Team's Record)

The Dodgers have to start hitting and hope the Phillies are worn out after yesterday’s offensive display (Phils 12-18 at home after six or more extra base hits). TBS picks up Game 4 at 8:07 Eastern.

Two Monday Tilts Highlight MLB Schedule

With only nine wagering opportunities on the baseball beat this Monday, some games take on greater importance than others. Two games in particular standout for today, Detroit at Los Angeles Angels and the final game between San Francisco and Colorado. Here is a betting outlook at each conflict.

Tigers at Angels

With football programming taking over the mother-ship on Monday’s, baseball gets moved to the side slightly, over to ESPN2 (remember when they tried to make it sound cool by calling it “The Deuce”). For real baseball and sports fans, that should not detract from the fact that two American League division leaders matchup, with a superb pitching matchup.

Detroit (65-58, -1.2 units) is three games clear in the loss column of Chicago, thanks to its efforts at home, not on the road. The Tigers have had nothing to roar about with 25-38 road record, scoring just four runs per game, which is 25th in baseball. Detroit just lost series to appalling Oakland club and will take on team from Anaheim that loves to scoot. The Tigers are 3-14 in road games vs. good base-running teams averaging 0.85 or more stolen bases a game over the last three seasons.

Justin Verlander (13-7, 3.29 ERA) will be entrusted with limiting the Angels, having 2.70 ERA in his last eight starts and has pitched at least eight innings in four of his last six outings. The only knock on Verlander is 0-2 record with a 4.55 ERA in five starts (Tigers 1-4) against the Angels.

The Halos (74-48, +24.1 units) are six games ahead of Texas in the loss column in the AL West and will send their best pitcher to the mound in Jered Weaver (13-4, 3.89). Weaver’s been a little spotty in the second half of the season, but is off complete game road shutout at Cleveland. Weaver is 5-1 in his last nine starts, with an ERA of 5.43, however that has gone somewhat unnoticed with the Angels batters scoring 8.2 runs in that stretch. Weaver is 8-1 at the Big A this season (Halos 11-2) and his ERA is more than a full run lower at home.

DiamondSportsbook.com has the Angels as -125 money line favorites with total Un8.5, in part because how effective they have been at home against Detroit. L.A. has won eight of 10 and 27 of last 35 at home against the Tigers and are 15-5 having lost three of their last four games this season. The Angels are 10-2 OVER after seven or more consecutive road games and Verlander and the Tigers are 10-1 OVER playing on Monday’s.

The opening pitch is set for 7:05 Pacific with Detroit 17-36 in road games when playing against a team with a winning record.

San Francisco at Colorado

The Rockies (70-54, +13 units) turned a deficit into an advantage with one swing of the bat yesterday and is positioned to win three of four against their closest wild card competitor. Colorado’s Seth Smith homered a hanging changeup from Tim Lincecum, giving the Rockies the lead and they went on to win 4-2. Colorado is now three games ahead of San Francisco (67-57, +10.1 units) and would like to build on that lead before traveling to the Bay Area next week to play three at San Fran.

Colorado is 20-9 after a win by two runs or less and will send Jason Marquis (14-8, 3.58) to the mound trying to become the National League’s first 15-game winner. The Rocks will face a rejuvenated Barry Zito (8-11, 4.26), who has allowed three or less runs in his last seven starts. The left-hander has been victimized by offense that has produced a league-low 2.9 runs for a regular starting pitcher.

The Rockies are -165 money line favorites with total Un9.5. Colorado is 16-4 (+14.6 Units) against the ML playing against a good team (Win Pct. 54% to 62%) this season and 21-12 OVER as a home favorite of -125 to -175. San Francisco is looking for the split and is 12-6 vs. a starting pitcher who throws more than 6.5 innings per start and Zito and the Giants are 13-3 UNDER in August games since 2007.

This NL West confrontation is 5:40 Pacific start.

These Angels make Heavenly Profits

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim quietly moved ahead of more well-known teams like Boston and the New York Yankees, to be the best team in the American League with 63-40 record and would be ahead for the best overall record with their city brethren, the Dodgers, if they had played two more games and won both. The Angels may not have made a lot of noise in climbing to be the best team in the AL, but they have excruciatingly loud with how they swing the bat.

The Angels lead the Major Leagues in hitting with a .290 average. With the high batting average, they are also the No.1 scoring offense at 5.7 runs per game, helped dramatically by hitting .308 with runners in scoring position. Just how good is the Los Angeles offense, start considering these numbers.

Manager Mike Scioscia’s team plays its own version of merry-go-round, with 94 more total hits than the average AL team to this point of the season. The Halos are second in baseball in all important on-base percentage to the Yankees and are third in slugging percentage, despite hitting 40 less home runs than the Bronx Bombers (154 homers) and 45 less than second place Texas (159 homers).

To understand just how good Los Angeles has been playing, consider on June 12, they were 29-29 on the season. Since then, L.A. is 34-11, having picked up +21.65 units of profit in just over seven weeks. Over what is a quarter of the season during this stretch, the Angels are AVERAGING over seven runs per game. That includes not having two of their biggest sluggers, Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero in the lineup since before the All-Star break when they swept the Yankees at the Big A.

Just this part weekend, L.A. traveled to Minnesota, who was just off a sweep of the Chicago White Sox and feeling pretty spry. All the Angels did was outscore the Twins 35-15, collecting at least 15 hits in each game, becoming just the second American League team since the 1938 Red Sox (Sept. 4-5) to score more than ten runs with at least 15 base hits in each of three straight games. The Cleveland Indians did so in the interim with 15-4, 13-5 and 17-9 victories over the Brewers at County Stadium (Sept. 4-6 1986) according to Elias Sports Bureau.

The Angels remarkable offense plays in the Windy City starting Tuesday against the White Sox. The domination of this newer Big Red Machine shows up in several other key areas. A test of a team’s strength is how they preside over other opponents. Scioscia’s squad leads the major’s in running from first to third and this dizzying pace has them at 27-12 in games decided by four or more runs. They are 14-7 (+14.6) as underdogs and one game behind Philadelphia for the best road record (31-20) in baseball, having won 15 of last 18 as visitors.

Are the Angels than true World Series contenders? Probably not, unless the offense can continue at near the same pace, this is unlikely to occur in the postseason. The Los Angeles pitching staff does not strike fear into opposing hitters with ERA of almost five. John Lackey’s pitching has improved as the season has won on, but he is no longer the hard thrower he was when the Halos won the World Series in 2002. Jered Weaver has started to pitch like a No. 4 starter again, after throwing like an ace early in the season. Joe Saunders is hitting a lot of bats and Ervin Santana is a shell of former self since coming back from injury.

The bullpen has gotten better after carrying ERA of 5.5 or worse into June, but could hardly be described as reliable. The Angels front office acted like a salesperson working without leads in this recession and did nothing to help out current team, despite many working parts in the minor leagues.

That is something to concern with later; right now the Angels are stuffing bankrolls. Parlay wagers on them with the OVER mean serious return on investment, with Los Angeles 61-37-5 OVER (No.1). Totals players can’t believe their great fortune with L.A. on 13-0 OVER run. Since July 1, the Angels and OVER has won on parlays 18 times.

It’s not always fun to follow the crowd and do what everyone else is doing, nevertheless, when money is ripe to be taken, playing these Angels and the total is heavenly.

Happy Father's Day to All

As a father, we too often get wrapped in our own little worlds and don’t give our children time enough to express what this day means to them, more than what it might mean to us. It’s a wonderful day to tell you kids and your dad what you are really thinking about them. Happy Father’s Day to you.

An unbecoming 1-2 Saturday record has us 110-74-3. Found an 81.2 percent system this is ready to fire in Boston. Today’s Top Trend looks in on the overpaid and underperforming Barry Zito. Mark goes for another Free Winner and has sharp angle to back it up. Good Luck.

What I saw yesterday – Jared and Jeff Weaver were the opposing starting pitchers in Los Angeles. It was the 21st time in major-league history that siblings started against each other in a game but only the second in which neither brother pitched at least six innings. The only other such occurrence came back on June 26, 1924, when Jesse Barnes pitched only 3 2/3 innings for the Boston Braves while Virgil Barnes lasted just 1/3 of an inning for the New York Giants.

Now on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/3Dailywinners

Free Baseball System-1) PLAY AGAINST road underdogs like Atlanta with a money line of +100 to +150, who average less than a homer run per game against a starting pitcher who allows one or less long balls per every two starts, with a NL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.250 to 1.350 on the season. Over the last three years this system is 26-6, 81.2 percent.

Free Baseball Trend -2) Barry Zito and the Giants are 1-12 vs teams who strand 6.9 or less runners on base per game over the last three seasons.

Free Baseball Selection -3) Mark of the LCC goes for three in a row in the I-5 Freeway series taking the Halos, with John Lackey and mates 11-0 at the Big A in interleague games.

MLB Series Wagering- Dodgers at Angels

The I-5 series moves south, down to Orange County, with the Dodgers taking on the Angels. Without question this is the best series of the weekend with a lot of reasons to follow the action. The team actually from Los Angeles has the best record in the Major Leagues at 44-23 and has garnered +17.3 units of profit for backers. The L.A. area club who plays in Anaheim has gotten hot, winning six in a row and seven of nine, to crawl within 1.5 games of Texas for the AL West lead.

The Dodgers are averaging five runs per game and that numbers figures only to rise once Manny Ramirez returns to the lineup. Manager Joe Torre has been fortunate that Juan Pierre had step up his game so well and they have won 11 of last 15 road games, thanks to better than expected starting pitching.

The Halos (35-29, +7.8 units) have been tearing the cover off the ball during this win streak, batting .350 as a team, giving them highest batting average in baseball at .282. (Though 10th in runs scored) They have accomplished this in spite of not having all their big sluggers in the lineup like Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero and Bobby Abreu, who have missed time with various ailments. The Angels are 8-1 interleague action and 32-13 against the National League the last three seasons.

The Dodgers will send their ace Chad Billingsley (9-3, 2.72 ERA) to the mound in the opener. Billingsley has exceeded expectations tossing at least six innings in 13 of 14 starts and lasting at least seven innings in eight of those starts. The right-hander has allowed more than four runs just once this season and the Dodgers are 11-3 when he’s been given the starting assignment. The visitor has opened as -107 money line favorite with total of Un8 at DiamondSportsbook.com and they are 47-19 in that role.

Joe Saunders (7-4, 3.66 ERA) might have something to say about that for the Angels. Saunders went through a rugged stretch recently where he allowed 13 runs in 18 innings, but he was back on his game against San Diego, pitching 8 1/3 innings surrendering one run in 9-1 wipeout. Saunders and the Halos are 16-3 versus team averaging less than a home run per game and 10-3 as underdogs of +150 or less.

The difference could turn on the Dodgers ability to hit lefties, with 15-6 record this season.

Game 1 Edge: Dodgers

Game 2 of the series will have a very unusual flavor, as brothers will meet for the first time in their lives. Jered Weaver (7-2, 2.08) will face his older brother Jeff (3-1, 3.72), who is expected to make first start since May 20, filling in for other Dodger starters on the DL. “That'll be weird," Jered Weaver said. "I just wish we could face each other in the batter's box. That would be fun."

Jered has matured into the type of pitcher many in the Angels organization had expected. He’s been brutal on right-hand hitters, with them batting .155 and loves pitching at the Big A, with microscopic 1.01 ERA. Manager Mike Scioscia has enjoyed sending the younger Weaver to the mound, since they have won his last five outings and they are 21-8 at home when Jered is the starter. Look for the Angels to be decided favorite with Jered Weaver 3-1 in five career outings against the Dodgers with a 1.59 ERA.

Game 2 Edge: Angels

The series finale is the ESPN Sunday night game and Torre has seen plenty of the team from Anaheim to know what to expect. "They are getting it together. They are intimidating; they can beat you in a lot of different ways. We don't have the speed they have. We bite and scratch, but [Mike Scioscia's] club is pretty much bred to do that. They keep plugging in another fast guy. I really respect what Mike has done in the years he's been there. You knew from the get-go what kind of club he wanted to have. You know as a catcher the kind of club that makes you uncomfortable, and that's the kind of club that makes you uncomfortable."

Torre of course has plenty of faith in his own club and will send Clayton Kershaw (3-5, 4.13) to the mound. Kershaw bounced bad from his worst outing of the year, shutting out Oakland for 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight. Coming into this series, the Dodgers are 32-16 in night games and 13-7 as underdogs. If the game is close, the team from northern L.A. has superior bullpen and is 16-6 in one run games.

The Angels will use veteran John Lackey (2-2, 6.10) who might being rounding into form after starting the season on the DL. Lackey hurled seven strong innings against San Francisco, ringing up 10 K’s and not walking a batter. He had his best fastball of the season and curveball really had downward motion. If the Halos bats stay hot, Lackey could improve on 5-1 record with a 1.50 ERA against the other Angelinos.

Game 3 Edge: Angels

Though the Dodgers are the better team, they have played with a mental block in this Los Angeles turf war. Since 2001, those in Dodger blue have won only six times in 24 tries near Disneyland. Based on how this series has played out over the years and the Angels playing best baseball of the season right now, will back them this weekend, looking for a second straight winner and working back towards .500.

DiamondSportsbook.com series odds: Dodgers +125, Angels -155

3DW Pick: Los Angeles (The Angels)

2009 Record – 3-6

Hot Sox bats could cool against hot Halos hurler

The Chicago White Sox have found their hitting shoes in Anaheim, totaling 35 hits the last two days against Los Angeles, beating the Angels twice. Though the White Sox are showing strong signs of coming out of slump, this has not been the case recently.

The team from the south side of Chicago prior to leaving for the West Coast, went thru a period where they went 12 consecutive games without registering double digit base hits (longest streak in baseball this season) and 16 of 17 overall. Take away the 17 runs Chicago scored on Monday night and they had totaled a drought-like 3.3 runs per game in 19 of last 20 games.

Chicago will try to become the first team since Kansas City on June 24-27, 2007, to sweep Los Angeles at the Big A in a three-game series. Their task won’t be easy, going up against Jered Weaver (3-2, 2.52 ERA, 1.071 WHIP), who is winless in last three starts.

That is not entirely Weaver’s fault, since he has 2.25 ERA in last three outings and has allowed just 10 runs in last 35 innings of work. In home games, the right-hander has been almost impossible to score on, with 3-0 record and miniscule 1.23 ERA in five starts.

The Angels are -200 money line favorites according to DiamondSportsbook.com, with the total Un9. The Halos are sensational 24-6 after two or more consecutive losses over the last two seasons, playing the White Sox, who are up against a super system.

Play Against road underdogs with a money line of +150 or more, who are batting .250 or worse over their last 20 games, against opponent with a hot starting pitcher, with a WHIP of 1.000 or less over his last five starts.

Since 2004, this is a money-making baseball system with 72-13 record, at 84.7 percent. In recent seasons, this system has performed even better, with 31 wins in 35 tries. Despite winning the first two games of the series, the Pale Hose are 18-33 (-17.2 Units) against the money line after winning three of their last four games and the Angels are 30-10 revenging a loss vs opponent as a home favorite.

Chicago has been unable to solve Weaver’s assortment of pitches, as he is 3-0 with microscopic 0.34 ERA in four starts, all Angels’ wins. Consider this system for money line or run line action.

MLB Series Wagering- Red Sox at Angels

Under normal circumstances the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would be really fired up, having been eliminated from the playoffs three times by this weekend’s opponent in the last five years, including the last two. However, the tragic event that occurred Thursday morning changes everything.

Nick Adenhart was the Angels best minor league pitching prospect and due to injuries to other starting pitchers, was forced into action to start 2009 season. Adenhart gave a very good opening performance against Oakland, with six shutout innings and at 22-years old, the world was all ahead of him. A senseless tragedy took the life of Adenhart and how the Angels will react is anyone’s guess.

The Angels will turn to Jered Weaver to stem the tide of consecutive losses suffered against Oakland. This is an important season for the 26-year right-hander. Believed at one time to have No.1 starter ability, the last two years have not shown such progression and his stuff is now considered just above average. This spring after shoulder stiffness, his velocity returned according to scouts, throwing in frequently in the mid-90’s. When he’s on, he throws sinking off-speed pitches. At 6’7, his mechanics are prone to be unreliable and can walk two batters at the drop of a hat. Manager Mike Scioscia needs a stellar effort, as the early returns of bullpen have been disastrous, with 9.72 ERA.

Boston will understand the somber tone of the opener at the Big A, and starts Tim Wakefield, now in his 15th year. The knuckle-baller will try to end the Red Sox own two-game losing streak as Boston plays first road game. Wakefield is second in the major leagues in continuous service with one team (Mariano Rivera first) and lifetime is 9-12 against the Halos.

Betjamaica.com has the Angels -108 money line favorites with the total at nine. Weaver and L.A. won five of his last six home starts in 2008; however he has not been a great opening starter with team just 4-9 in Game One’s. Including the season opener, Boston is 14-3 in series openers, but just 3-9 in Wakefield’s road starts. Going to lean with Los Angeles, having 18-4 record after two or more consecutive losses. Watch the total as well, with Weaver and L.A. 21-8 UNDER after a loss over the last two-plus seasons.

Game 1 Edge: Angels

Saturday’s contest will be afternoon affair, with Brad Penny making his Boston debut. Penny hopes to find the form that made him an All-Star in 2006-07 and not the injury-plagued year that left him at 6-9, with an ERA over six. Penny would appreciate if Kevin Youkilis brought his hot bat to La-La Land, with eight base-knocks in first dozen at bats. Because of turmoil with starting staff, Shane Loux will start in Game 2. Loux was one-time prospect in Detroit organization, who throws strikes and depend on ground-ball outs. After being out of baseball in 2007, the 29-year old was the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year with Salt Lake last season. The BoSox will be the favorite and best choice, even though the Angels have won seven of last eight as underdog.

Game 2 Edge: Boston

The series finale should be a fine pitching matchup with Josh Beckett (1-0, 1.29 ERA) facing Joe Saunders (1-0, 0.00). Beckett was in top form on Opening Day, chucking seven strong innings, with 10 strike-outs and one run and two hits allowed. Last season, Beckett was very solid on the road with 7-5 and 2.85 ERA, though he is being watched closely after velocity dip late in the season. If Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson is known as Mr. October, than Saunders is emerging as Mr. April, based on his early season efforts the last few years. He limited Oakland to just three hits this past Monday, raising his record to 8-0 in April starts. He’s kept the Boston batting order in check with 4-0 record in six starts, with 2.89 ERA. The Halos are 25-8 against the money line when the lefty starts since the beginning of last season.

Game 3 Edge: Angels

A lot of this series depends on the mental state of the Angels. Skipper Scioscia not only has to be manager, but father figure as well, since each player will react differently about what happened. Because of the unknown, have to stick strictly with facts. Seeing the Angels do have revenge motive and have won nine of last 10 regular season meetings, and five of last six at Angel Stadium, have to play the underdog for this series wager.

Series odds: Boston -145, L.A. Angels +115

3Daily Winners Pick: L.A. Angels