AUGUST’s GOOD and BAD BASEBALL PITCHERS

By Marc Lawrence of PlayBook.com

With the MLB trade deadline at hand and the NFL pre-season whetting our pigskin appetite, the month of August sets the table for the stretch run of the baseball season. Which pitchers can we count on to satisfy our tastes, and which ones figure to turn our stomach? Take a look below.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of August. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in August team starts, winning 33% percent or less of their efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each August over the last three years. I’ll be back next month with September’s Good Month Pitchers. Until then, enjoy…

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS

Baker, Scott *12-6
The Minnesota starting pitching has been mediocre for a large part of the season and Scott Baker has been part of the problem, with ERA hovering around 5. This would be the right time for the right-hander to pitch up to expectations with the Twins looking for another AL Central crown.

Bush, Dave * 8-3
Milwaukee’s Dave Bush begins this month with below average career record of 53-64, however he has flourished in the dog days of summer. With fastball topping out at 90 MPH, he has to have his variety of breaking stuff working to be effective, which it is usually this month.

Hernandez, Felix * 13-5
Last season Hernandez was 19-5, with WHIP of 1.114 and hitters batting .227 against him. This year his WHIP to start this month is exactly the same, opponents are hitting ever so slightly better at .232, yet with an inferior team, he is 7-8. With run support, King Felix could have typical August.

Kazmir, Scott * 12-5
On the DL, expected to have rehab assignment the middle of August and could return if all goes well.

Lincecum, Tim * 12-6
Being a two-time Cy Young winner, there are not many bad months. Though still extremely effective, the ERA is up over three this season, with strikeouts down and opponents batting average up to .240 (compared to .221 career). Let’s see if Lincecum pitches to usual high standards with San Francisco back in pennant race.

Oswalt, Roy *13-3
Always a strong closer at the end of the year, Oswalt got the energy boost he needed being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pettitte, Andy *13-5
On the DL since July 19, Pettitte has been soft-tossing without discomfort and could well be back before projected 4-5 weeks initial outlook to continue August dominance.

Pineiro, Joel * 12-2
In the midst of solid 10-7 season and career innings pitched, the Angels right-hander is out six to eight weeks with oblique strain.

Sabathia, C.C. * 14-4
The big left-hander is 8-1 with 2.10 ERA in his last 10 starts, proving he is primed for another awesome August.

Santana, Ervin * 10-4
Always a quality No. 3 starter, Santana has often been an important cog in the Angels winning AL West titles. While this might not occur in 2010, this Dominican dandy is poised for another sharp month.

Shields, James *12-6
If Tampa Bay is to catch the Yankees, getting better pitching from James Shields would make a difference. His 9-9 record with 4.79 ERA is far cry from 2007-08 when he was 26-16, with ERA a full run lower. Time for Shields to find a way to avoid bats.

Wainwright, Adam *10-3
The Cardinals have a pair of aces with Chris Carpenter and Wainwright and the Georgia native could be on to 20-win campaign if he has usual stellar August. Opposing teams are batting a career low .219 against him.

Wolf, Randy * 10-3
The lefty has found the difference between Miller Park and Dodger Stadium to be severe this season. Two areas demonstrate the difference for Wolf this year compared to last. In 2009, opponents hit .227 against Wolf, presently they are at .269. His strikeout totals this season are more reflective of his poorer career years with 87 to begin August, compared to 160 last season. Will Wolf turn it around?

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Duke, Zach * 2-8
When opponents are batting over .300 against a starting pitcher for his career, the front office should look in the mirror and question themselves.

Guthrie, Mark * 5-13
His ERA is up nearly a run in last 10 starts, explaining 1-6 record. When Guthrie struggles, it’s because the fastball comes to the plate like it is on a string and breaking stuff lacks bite to keep hitters off balance. Pitching for Orioles doesn’t help.

Hernandez, Livan * 4-11
His ERA is creeping up, yet still highly respectable 3.22. For most of his later career, Hernandez has tended to wear down as the year progressed, making him play against pitcher as part of his M.O.

Olsen, Scott * 2-9
Has made one start since being placed on the DL in May and difficult to determine how the left-hander might do for Washington with only 20 total appearances the last two years.

Owings, Micah * 3-8
Optioned to Triple-A Louisville by Cincinnati on July 28.

Robertson, Nate * 3-8
Released by Florida on July 27.


Doug Upstone of 3dailywinners.net contributed to this article.

Thursday Plays and thoughts

Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad and yesterday we got whacked but good, though we are still 131-73, 64.2 percent in over 200 selections given out. The Best System involves two sorry teams, but which one should win? Sal is back and his Best Play and the Top Trend are from the same contest. Good Luck

What I letting you know today – I’m as puzzled as anyone why Philadelphia just didn’t sign Cliff Lee last season instead of having to pay Roy Oswalt now. Yes the Phillies lack overall starting pitching depth but who doesn’t. Does Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels sound any different than adding Lee and subtracting Oswalt? On top of that the Phillies signed Joe Blanton in the off-season to roughly 8M a year for three to now be No.4 starter!? Your thoughts welcome.

The GUARANTEED Plays are 4-0 the last two days with Winner on the Chicago White Sox last night and we’ll look to follow that up with an underdog in the right situation. This dog fits a 76.9 percent winning spot and the favorite only has won 33 percent of the time when in today’s exact situation.

On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/3Dailywinners

Free Baseball System -1) Play Against road underdogs with a money line of +100 to +150 like Baltimore, with a sickly bullpen that blows 38 percent or more of their save opportunities, with a ice-cold starting pitcher with WHIP of 2.250 or higher over his last three starts. This system is very profitable 36-7, 83.7 percent.

Free Baseball Trend -2) Seattle is 11-29 against the money line vs. an AL team with an on-base percentage .330 or worse this season.

Free Baseball Pick -3) Sal has hit a good stretch with 7-2 record and has the Chicago White Sox in the driver’s seat tonight.

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July’s Good and Bad Baseball Pitcher’s

By Marc Lawrence of Playbook.com

Firecrackers and the MLB All-Star game signal the month of July. It also signifies the start of the 2nd half of the MLB campaign. The key to each and every team’s fortune lies on the pitching staff. Can they sustain or will they fold like a deck of cards? Stay tuned. What we do know is certain pitchers love hurling this time of the season while others tend to get lit up like a roman candle.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of July. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in July team starts, winning 33% percent or less of their efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each July over the last three years. I’ll be back next month with August’s Good Month Pitchers. Until then, enjoy…

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Burnett, A.J. [9-2]
If there is one pitcher in baseball glad to see the calendar change it is Burnett (6-7, 5.25 ERA). For the month of June he was 0-5, with gargantuan 11.34 ERA. If you caught any of his pitched games, this is a hurler really struggling mentally. Of the 35 hits he allowed last month, 11 of them went over the wall. Burnett and the Yankees hope he turns around this month around quickly.

Cook, Aaron [12-6]
The Colorado pitcher is finding his groove after a rocky start (intentional play on words), lowering his ERA to 4.69. Cook (2-5) pitches to contact and his fastball has had more sink in the last several starts and if the Rockies are going to make run at NL West crown, they will need Cook to be cookin’.

De La Rosa, Jorge [11-5]
De La Rosa has been out since April 25 with torn tendon band in the middle finger of his throwing hand. He’s at Triple-A Colorado Springs working to get to big club.

Hamels, Cole [12-4]
He’s still only 26-years old, but the lefthander just hasn’t risen to the same level of excellence he achieved during the 2008 postseason. His 54-40 career record shows too many cement-mixer curve balls and change-ups left up in the zone. The Phillies bats have been quieter this season and Hamels (4.08) has to be better than 6-6 this season.

Haren, Dan [12-4]
Throwing for Arizona is not a comfortable position for starting pitcher. As a starter you fill like you have to throw a complete game since they have combustible bullpen. This has caused Haren (7-6, 4.56) to attempt to be too fine and he touched for 19 home runs and .282 batting average compared to career number of .253. Interesting to follow if he can retain July’s previous good fortune.

Johnson, Josh [8-2]
Johnson (8-3, 1.83) hasn’t given up three earned runs in a game since May 8, which covers nine starts. At 6’7, 250-pounds, he’s imposing figure and his mid-to-high 90’s heat jumps late, causing bad swings and misses. With the way the Marlins ace is throwing, he could be in for special month.

Lackey, John [14-3]
Lackey is a Texas native and heats up like the weather when it comes to wins and losses. He’s no longer the hard thrower that can go thru a line-up more than twice without making adjustments on the run. His 9-3 record is mixed with good fortune as his 4.46 ERA is run of the mill. In Lackey’s last seven starts, Boston has averaged 8.1 runs per game.

Lester, Jon [10-1]
The left-hander continues to quietly keep rising in the elite ranks of pitchers in baseball. His 51-19 career mark is among the best since 2006 and this season he been even more impressive with 9-3 record and 2.86 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting a mere .205 against him.

Lowe, Derek [10-5]
At 37, Lowe (9-6. 4.53) is no longer the pitcher worms used to fear, with opponents incessantly beating the ball into the ground for outs. The vast majority of outs Lowe still induces are still ground balls, but his command has been a little iffier in 2010, presently heading towards a career high in free passes. If he finds the groove, he and Atlanta should have another strong month.

Oswalt, Roy [10-2]
Oswalt (3.55) is heading towards his first losing season with 5-10 record playing for an inferior Houston club. Trade rumors abound for the 32-year pitcher, who would appreciate a change of scenery to recharge the competitive juices. If a team is interested in Oswalt, it should make a move now based on July figures.

Saunders, Joe [9-3]
Manager Mike Scioscia is known for his great patience in understanding the season is 162 games long and players are going to have ups and downs. Joe Saunders (6-8, 4.88) has been testing Scioscia’s resolve with a rollercoaster campaign. Saunders has been far more effective on the road (3.35 ERA vs. 6.18 at the Big A) and if he straightens out that part of game and pitches inside to RH hitters, he should have typical July.

Vazquez, Javier [10-5]
After a VERY choppy beginning, Vazquez (6-6, 5.16) is becoming the type of hurler GM Brian Cashman was hoping for. Vazquez has 3.78 ERA in last 10 starts and has better than 2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Duke, Zach [2-9]
It’s becoming more a mystery why Duke (3-8, 5.49) stays in the Pittsburgh rotation. Yes, the Pirates are brutal, but do you really need a starter that opposing batters are slugging .322 against? This Duke is a dog. (As in “Here Duke”)

Greinke, Zack [2-8]
Last year’s Cy Young winner has had a rough go of it this season, with a combination of Kansas City bullpen failings and Greinke (3-8, 3.72) trying to do too much. He’s been sharper of late and might improve on this month’s historical record with a little support.

Harden, Rich [4-9]
On the DL with gluteal strain and is scheduled for a few bullpen sessions to start the month.

Parra, Manny [3-7]
Strictly a back of the rotation guy, Parra (2-5, 4.12) was returned to the Milwaukee rotation after they had nowhere else to turn to. His 3.98 ERA as starter isn’t all that bad, however this southpaw is being crushed by lefty hitters, conceding .380 BA.

Wellemeyer, Todd [4-8]
The Giants fifth starter has been on the DL since June 11 and according to team reports is expected to return to club in mid-July.


Doug Upstone of 3Daily Winners contributed to this article.

3DW Baseball Betting Beat

The Houston Astros are not the worst team in baseball or the poorest wager, however do not worry, they have time to still get there. Houston is 14-26, -7.6 units, both good (and bad enough) to rank in the bottom six of Major League baseball.

The Astros could likely be the best play against team at the moment, but somehow they swept the Cardinals near The Arch in St. Louis starting back on May 11 and picked up +6.35 units.

Why is Houston so bad? This is a franchise full of neglect with owner Drayton McLane calling the shots. McLane would not have his millions if he ran his other businesses in the same manner as his baseball franchise.

McLane has always liked to overpay for his own stars, with B to C level talent he thought would help fill seats and maybe help his team win. Free agents like Carlos Lee, Jeff Kent, Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens (he of the part-time duty in his days in southeast Texas) all received big contracts, but never produced the type of numbers over the expanse of their deals.

Lance Berkman might be 34, but his deterioration has been in full view for a couple of years for those betting baseball.

The numbers tell the story about the ‘Stros. In the National League they are last in runs scored (3.0), batting average (.231), doubles (53), home runs (21), total bases (436) and on-base percentage (.277).

To understand their ineptitude, compare those numbers to league averages, please understand not the best, just what the average NL team profile looks like. (Thru May 19)

Runs scored (4.5)
Batting average (.257)
Doubles (77)
Home runs (37)
Total bases (552)
On-base percentage (.330)

These are mind-boggling numbers for sports betting aficionados. At the aforementioned date with these number compiled, Houston did not have above average player at ONE field position (excluding pitcher) when it came to adding up these shown figures in the senior circuit, not one.

The Astros play the old-school way like a Kirby Puckett, who went to the dish hacking. One problem they don’t have a player of his talent on the roster and rank 15th in pitches taken and dead last in walks with 77. (The Giants are 15th at 121 base on balls by comparison, a 36.4 percent differential)

About the only thing Houston batters don’t do a lot of is strikeout (lowest in the NL), but they have so little patience at the plate, they don’t give opposing pitchers a chance to send them back to the bench and instead flail away at whatever is pitched.

With the poorest farm system in the big leagues according to Baseball America, one top notch pitcher in Roy Oswalt and two average to slightly above hurlers in Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers, prospects are not good this season will improve. Take away a 9-6 record at present against NL Central partners and the 2010 Astros are 5-20 (-15.5) against the record of the league.

The best way to sum up Houston is compare them to baseball’s best team, Tampa Bay, in one category. The Rays are 16-3 in games determined by four or more runs and the Astros are 3-13. You would think Rachel Phelps was running the team. (The Cleveland Indians owner in the movie - Major League)

I wouldn’t read too much into the Pittsburgh Pirates hovering just below .500 thus far in 2010. The Bucs have been good underdog wager at 17-21, +7.8 units; however their run differential is -100. That number is higher than last place teams Kansas City and Baltimore combined (-96) and even if Pittsburgh was like a bank and could write off it’s bad debt, they would still be the worst in baseball tossing away 20-0 meltdown to Milwaukee.

I just love the so-called experts who have fallen in love with saying starting pitching doesn’t mean what it used to. They site pitch counts, the lack of complete games and greater dependence on bullpens.

While those points are mildly valid, their reference point is like that of politician selectively choosing quasi-numbers and facts to make a point.

The Los Angeles Dodgers started the year with one of the best offenses in the National League, yet on the morning of May 9 were 13-17 and being written off for their lack of pitching.

Joe Torre’s starting pitchers finally found a groove and in harmony with those in the bullpen, put together a streak in which they conceded 2.0 runs per game and the Dodgers won nine in a row, while a bit over average in runs scored at 5.5 compared to 5.2 for the season.

What changed was the starters began throwing strikes, which led to more innings of success with lower pitch counts. This helped setup the pen with pitchers in their normal roles of coming in the game in the seventh, eighth or ninth innings, which is their comfort zone and once success was achieved, the confidence swelled among the entire staff.

The days of complete games and high pitch counts are gone; nevertheless if the starting pitcher can take a tie game or lead into the final three innings, most baseball bettors are positioned to earn a victory.

Top Totals System in NL Central Matchup

After a 0-8 start to 2010, the Astros finally got off the launching pad and won eight of their next 10 to have a respectable record for April. Unfortunately the next opponent after the hot stretch was Cincinnati, their kryptonite when they start to play like Superman.

The Reds were off a .500 homestand but just the thought of those Houston uniforms gave the Astros a feeling of superiority. Cincinnati has won the first two games of this series taking their record to 11-1 against the Stros, with six wins in seven tries at Minute Maid Park.

Tonight’s situation doesn’t set up nearly as well for the Reds, facing their greatest nemesis.

Houston’s offense is laughable, ranked last in runs scored at 3.3 per game and on-base percentage of .285, but that hardly matters with Roy Oswalt (2-2, 2.42 ERA) pitching. The right-hander is 23-1 lifetime against Cincinnati with a 2.58 ERA. When dressed in the home whites, Oswalt is perfect 12-0 in 16 starts with even lower earned run average of 2.26.

Oswalt will be opposed by Bronson Arroyo (0-2, 7.43), who is like a Moen faucet, he runs hot and cold. Presently he is in the near frozen category, but his manager has seen this before.

“We’ve covered this before,” Dusty Baker said. “He’ll go through a few starts where he struggles, then he’ll reel off seven or eight in a row. I hope this is the end of the bad streak.”

Arroyo is 4-0 in last four starts against Houston, with razor-sharp 1.69 ERA and two complete games.

Houston is a -170 money line favorite; however the important number is the total which is 7.5 for this super situation.

Play Under on home teams when the total is 7 to 8.5, with a repugnant offensive scoring less than 4.1 runs per game, with an on-base percentage of .310 or worse over their last 20 games, facing a NL pitcher with ERA of 5.70 or higher.

Since the Dow Jones Industrial Average first climbed above 8,000 (1997), this totals system is 38-13. For additional reinforcement, Arroyo is 13-2 UNDER vs. teams averaging 2.75 or less extra base hits per game and Houston is 27-12 UNDER the first month of the season the last two years.

Take a long look at this highly profitable baseball system.

Totals System in Baseball Ready to Unload

No pennant race talk in this article, instead we’re on the hunt for a baseball betting winner and the potential is there to cash winning ticket. The Cincinnati Reds were spotted as frauds at the All-Star break hovering around .500, despite having the 14th rated runs scored and runs allowed figures in the National League. The baseball gods finally caught up with the Reds and they lost 14 out of 15 after the break.

Fortunately for Cincinnati (66-79, -2.9 units), they play in the same division as Pittsburgh, so finishing last is usually taken care of by the Pirates. The Reds have had their share of injuries, which might have contributed to better offensive numbers, yet the facts state what the Reds are, not very good offensively, ranked 28th in baseball.

It hasn’t been a marquee season in Houston (70-75, -0.9 units) either, trying to squeeze one more pennant chase out of the oldest team in the big leagues, with a pitching staff being held together with yarn and duct tape beyond Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez. The Astros don’t swing the bats a whole lot better than Cincinnati, ranked 25th in runs scored at 4.1 runs per game.

September baseball is a real challenge to wager on, with so many unexpected occurrences. Take this series, Houston had won seven out of ten and came to play on the banks of the Ohio River, having beaten the Reds 16 out of last 21 in their own ballpark. Cincinnati returned home after losing five of last six on extended road trip and they were set to be underdogs against the Astros best starters Rodriguez and Oswalt, in the first two meetings.

So what happens, Cincy wins the first two games as home underdogs and goes for the sweep today. The Reds are -120 money line favorites at DiamondSportsbook.com, with a total of Ov9 (remember that number).

Today’s pitching matchup won’t make this the game of the day, with Justin Lehr (4-2, 4.93 ERA) facing Yorman Bazardo (0-1, 9.00). What these pitchers lack in name brand recognition, they are expected to contribute to a top notch Totals system today.

Play Over on all teams when the total is 9 to 9.5, with a winning percentage between 38 and 46 percent, off two straight upset wins over division rivals as a home underdog.

Since 1997, this Total system is 35-11, 76.1 percent, with the average total score being 11.1 runs per game. This system is further aided by Cincinnati sporting a 9-1 OVER record off an upset win over a division rival as a home underdog (note the similarity) over the last two seasons and Houston is 29-15 OVER vs. an NL starting pitcher whose ERA is 4.70 to 5.20 since 2007. September baseball, the strangeness never stops, yet winners can still be uncovered.

The Day after Monday Action

Even though I thought the Top Trend was lame based on the spreads. the outcomes were certainly a surprise. I’m not actually going to count that in the record, just call the best I could find yesterday. I will count today’s Trend which has a winning margin of three runs! Today’s Best System is special and 12-0 this season. The Free Pick was a loser Monday, thus we turn to Ken who’s doing quite well the last few days. Good Luck

What I learned today: The Patriots' win over the Bills on Monday was the first in team history in which New England trailed by 11 or more points with less than 2 1/2 minutes to play. Ben Watson became the first player since 1999 to catch two touchdown passes in the final 2:06 of a game which his team won, after his team was trailing by at least 10 points at the time of the first TD catch. Shane Matthews and Curtis Conway combined on two TD passes in the final 1:48 of a Bears' comeback win over the Saints on October 3, 1999.

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Free Baseball System-1) PLAY AGAINST all underdogs with a money line of +175 to +250 like Pittsburgh, who can’t hit a lick batting .250 or worse over their last 20 games, against a hot starting pitcher with WHIP of 1.000 or less over his last five starts. This isn’t your everyday system at 70-5, 93.3 percent the last five years.

Free Baseball Trend -2) Roy Oswalt and the Astros are 44-7 vs. teams whose hitters strike out seven or more times a game in the second half of the season, winning by THREE runs per game.

Free Baseball Pick -3) Ken of the LCC is 14-4 in all sports since Saturday (6-0 in MLB) and views Tampa Bay trumping Baltimore.

Check out Guaranteed Football Picks for this next week. We were 3-0 in the NFL and Paul Buck was 7-4 for the entire week.

The Platinum Sheet doing big numbers in New York area with satisfied customers.

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NFL Opening Day and other News

Another great opening day of NFL action. Speaking of great that was yesterday’s 3-0 record. Today we have a terrific NFL system that is 82.8 percent against the number. The Top Trend follows the exploits of a great MLB pitcher on his home turf. Slick Rick attacks football, in a way seldom seen here with Free Play. Good Luck

What I thought today- I read where Brett Favre said he wouldn’t let his streak of consecutive games get in the way of Minnesota winning if he was hurt or not playing well. Brett, please, for the love of god just shut up. I used to think the world of you, but enough already. Your super-sized ego didn’t stop you from wanting to continue to play football. Besides wanting to play, you have to carry vendetta against Green Bay, but now all you care about is not being a problem as an almost 40-year old quarterback. Brett how stupid do you think we are? You can’t quit playing; only a broken leg or right arm will keep you out and EVERYONE including you knows it. Give it up; the act is way beyond tired.

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Free Football System-1) This is about as simple as gets. Play On NFL favorites when playing on a Thursday. This system is 24-5 ATS, 82.8 percent and believes the Steelers are the play.

Free Baseball Trend -2) Roy Oswalt and the Astros are is 19-3 in home games when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 54%) in his career.

Free Football Pick -3) Slick Rick picked up two more winners yesterday and has a two-teaser, Clemson +11 along with Titans +12.5.

Paul Buck has a Guaranteed Play in the NFL tonight.

StatFox Top Tips – The Platinum Sheet has terrific information

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MLB Series Wagering- Astros at Cardinals

Coming into the season, the Houston Astros were among the more interesting teams in baseball. They had a veteran cast of players who had been involved in several pennant races and because of budget restrictions, general manager Ed Wade had to assemble a starting pitching staff by using Linkedin, with the only other qualification being they were under 40 years old. Oddsmakers weren’t impressed and hung 73.5 for a win total on Houston, however with roughly two months to go in the season; the Astros (51-51, +0.9 units) are hovering around .500 and within striking distance like they have been in the five years in the NL Central.

Houston’s season has taken many twists and turns and presently they are in downward spiral, having lost five of six. They arrive in St. Louis (56-49, 0 units) to face a club that almost swept the best team in the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in four games. The Cardinals pitching was fantastic against L.A., allowing six runs in 36 regulation innings and two runs in seven extra frames. Last night’s 10-inning loss to the Dodgers dropped the Cards out of first place for the moment. St. Louis enters the weekend having played the most games in the big leagues and manager Tony LaRussa has to be thrilled his club will be off Monday and Thursday next week, for a well deserved break.

Houston will trot out one its elder statesmen Brian Moehler (7-6, 5.16 ERA) in the series opener. The 37-year old right-hander became a starter again last season in Houston and had found a groove in allowing three earned runs or less in eight straight starts, before being roughed up by the New York Mets for five runs in his last turn. Moehler’s skill has been his ability to keep his team in the game and the Astros are 20-11 in night games when he pitches the last two years.

The Cardinals will come from the opposite direction, recalling rookie Mitchell Boggs (1-0, 3.22) from Triple-A Memphis. Boggs was up with St. Louis in April and part of May and started to struggle. He’s earned this promotion according to manager Tony La Russa, conceding one run in last 21 innings over three starts. “I think he’s pitched effectively down there,” La Russa told the team’s official Web site. DiamondSportsbook.com has the St. Louis has -180 money line favorites in the opener, with the total Ov9. The Cards are 7-1 in recent Game 1’s and 12-3 as home favorites. Don’t give up completely on Houston, since they have won Moehler’s last five road starts and are 4-0 when he’s been listed as underdog.

Game 1 Edge: St. Louis

Both bullpens came into this series weary for different reasons. St. Louis had two extra inning games with the Dodgers and Houston’s was slapped around like the 3 Stooges by the Cubs. The middle conflict of this NL Central showdown is likely to see the pens get some rest with two strong pitchers. Wandy Rodriguez (10-6, 2.65) has to be sad to see the calendar flip to August, after sensational July. In five starts, the left-hander was 4-0 (Astros 5-0) with microscopic 0.75 ERA. He’s among the better values as starter at +6.45 units.

The Cardinals will counter with their ace Chris Carpenter (9-3, 2.19). The New Hampshire native hasn’t always had his best stuff like last Monday on ESPN, but he steers clear of trouble, being able to find one of his assortment of pitches to take care of hitters. St. Louis is 21-7 in Carpenter’s Game 2 starts and 39-12 if he pitches at Busch Stadium.

Game 2 Edge: St. Louis

The Cardinals role as favorite in the last game of the series will be determined by who pitches for the ‘Stros. Roy Oswalt (6-4, 3.61) left Tuesday's game with a lower back strain and received a pain-killing injection on Wednesday. If he feels well enough, Oswalt will give it a go. If not, Bud Norris will make his first Major League starting appearance. Norris allowed one run in three innings in his debut Wednesday against the Cubs. Baseball America has the 24-year old as the second best prospect in the Houston organization. He has 92-96 MPH fastball and a plus-curveball.

The only thing Adam Wainwright (12-6, 2.80) needs is a saddle. The Redbirds workhorse has pitched a minimum of six innings in last 20 starts (seven innings or more in seven of last nine trips to mound) and has surpassed the 110-pitch count 10 times in 2009. Wainwright and the Cards are 8-2 versus the NL Central, yet is surprisingly 6-6 at home. This will be the only day game of the series, with St. Louis 20-19 and Houston 17-15.

Game 3 Edge: St. Louis

Houston swept the Cards earlier in July during one of its hot spells. The Astros have also been swept in St. Louis this season and have lost nine of last 11 contests near The Arch. Our guest cappers are 3-0 and Hurricane Bill of Playbook.com will try to keep the streak alive.

“A big weekend match-up finds a pair of NL Central contenders heading in opposite directions as the struggling Houston Astros, losers of 5 of their last 6, travel to St. Louis to take on Cardinal squad that is coming off a series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. To make matters worse for the visitors is they arrive short-handed with main offensive weapon, Lance Berkman, on the DL and ace Roy Oswalt experiencing back stiffness and in danger of missing Sunday’s finale. The hosts, on the other hand, look to be firing on all cylinders as new additions Matt Holliday, Mark DeRosa and Julio Lugo are all making significant contributions. The Cards also have the luxury of having their big two, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, on the hill in this series and will be heavy favorites in all three games. Though we prefer to wager on dogs we cannot recommend a play on these bite-less ‘Stros. We’ll look for a St. Louie sweep, as they put another nail in Houston’s coffin.”

DiamondSportsbook.com series odds: Houston +220, St. Louis -300

3DWPick: St. Louis

2009 Record – 5-9

Pitching Matchups to ponder

In the National League, two games standout Tuesday, one because of its importance and who the starting pitcher’s are and the other strictly because the two hurlers have dominating potential. These two contests overshadow the rest the other six games in the senior circuit and should be entertaining for sports bettors and baseball fans alike.

Houston at Chicago

The Chicago Cubs (52-45, -1.9 units) played liked they preferred first place, as Alfonso Soriano hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 13th inning last night that allowed the Cubs to stay at the top of the division. Chicago has played fewer games to date than any NL Central team; however is three games clear of any competitor in the loss column.

Ryan Dempster (5-5, 4.09) comes off the DL today for Chicago, after missing just over three weeks with a fractured toe after jumping over the dugout railing to go on the field and celebrate a win over Milwaukee on July 5. Dempster has loved pitching at Wrigley Field and is 4-1 there this season. Bookmaker.com has established the Cubs as -110 money line home favorites, which suits Dempster, who is 32-12 at home when the money line is +125 to -125 during his big league career. (Team's Record)

He will go to battle against Roy Oswalt (6-4, 3.66) of Houston. Earlier this season, whispers were circulating maybe Oswalt was no longer a first-rate pitcher. In his last six starts, Oswalt has proven otherwise to his critics. The right-hander has 2.00 ERA in his last six outings, with the Astros having won the last five. He and his Astros teammates are 20-5 vs. a NL team with an on-base percentage .325 or worse.

The Cubs will be chasing a sixth straight win and are 47-24 as a favorite of -110 or higher this season. This division battle begins at 8:05 Eastern on WGN.

Philadelphia at Arizona

The Phillies (57-40, +10.2 units) are thankful Arizona has a retractable roof in downtown Phoenix, since tonight’s game time temperature is expected to be around 115 degrees again. Philadelphia hopes Cole Hamels (6-5, 4.66) can regain late season form from a year ago and put some heat on the Diamondbacks. With the Phillies having won 18 of last 21 games, they will be facing one of the hottest pitchers in baseball all season in Dan Haren (10-5, 2.14).

Many have speculated Hamels heavy workload from a season ago has taken a toll this season, with a number poor performances and missed starts. The lefthander has looked better lately, allowing four runs in 12 innings in his last two starts. This will be a good test for Hamels to see if he really has regained prior form, since he is 2-3, with hefty 5.81 ERA on the road. In the past, Hamels and the Phils have feasted on revolting teams like Arizona (43-57, -16.2 units), with 13-3 road record against losing teams.

The D-Backs play a whole lot better when Haren in on the mound, winning 13 of 20 games, with the strong possibility of emerging victorious five other times if they would have had any offensive production. Haren showed a human side in his last start, charged with four runs on eight hits in five innings against the Pittsburgh, as he struggled with command. That was only the second time all season Haren surrendered more than three runs, his first such outing since May 23 in Oakland.

Haren has been a shutdown starter, with 7-0 record after the opposing team scored five or more runs. (D-Backs Record) Arizona opened as a -135 money line favorite, but sports bettors quickly pounded that line and the Snakes are now -112. That doesn’t change the fact Haren and Arizona are 9-3 as -110 to -150 home favorites, with the Phillies 11-3 in road games after a win by four runs or more this season.

Haren will throw the first pitch in the desert at 9:40 Eastern and fans can watch in local markets or on MLB.TV.

3DW Baseball Betting Beat

Before the Los Angeles Dodgers are anointed a World Series slot out of the National League, a potential deadly flaw is emerging. There is still plenty of time for manager Joe Torre’s team to pull away from this nasty grouping, yet it certainly is water cooler fodder.

Coming into the season, the Dodgers pitching was the big question mark. No established ace was viewed, with Chad Billingsley (10-5, 3.72) expected to accept the role, before his 25th birthday. The rest of the rotation was up in the air and despite the team’s success, Los Angeles still has issues. Billingsley and Randy Wolf (5-4, 3.45) have 21 starts and young Clayton Kershaw (8-5, 2.95) has been given the ball 19 times. Beyond that, things become a little fuzzy, like many of the everyday inhabitants of Venice Beach.

Hiroki Kuroda has 10 starts wrapped around an injury. Eric Stults made nine before hitting the DL and Jeff Weaver and Eric Milton have five a piece. The Dodgers have even tried oft-injured Jason Schmidt recently, trying to extract innings for salary, since wins are 50-50 prop at best.

This leads to the Dodgers being 28th in baseball in quality starts (six or more innings, three or fewer earned runs) with 41. Only Washington and Baltimore have fewer quality starts. Since 2002, only three teams have finished with winning records if they finished in the bottom five of this category and none made the playoffs. While a winning record and postseason entry certainly appear in the Dodgers future, possibly playing at .642 clip might not. The Dodgers bullpen is second only to Oakland in innings used at 3.42 per game and they might have a few tired arms when August and September roll around. This could mean excellent underdog opportunities, especially if the offense hits a slump.

Bookmaker.com had projected Houston for 73.5 wins for the 2009 campaign. The Astros are well ahead of that pace with 49-46 (+4.5 units) record, yet don’t count that money as winnings just yet. Houston started the year 6-12, however recent 11-3 stretch have brought them back to respectability and into NL Central boat race. Houston has the oldest everyday starting lineup and starting pitching staff in the National League.

The ‘Stros numbers have this club opening up a can of commonplace. They are 10th in runs scored in the senior circuit, 12th in home runs, 14th in walks and 8th in on-base and slugging percentages. About the only aspect of Houston’s offense that stands out is they are second in baseball in fewest strikeouts.

Because owner Drayton McLane set limits on expenditures, while wanting to keep his aging assets, general manager Ed Wade made a trip to the junkyard to try to piece together starting pitching staff beyond Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriquez. Digging thru the scrapheap, he found 37-year Brian Moehler (7-5, 4.92 ERA), Russ Ortiz (2-3, 5.02), whose like a pesky rash that won’t go away and Mike Hampton (5-7, 4.63), who left New York Mets for Colorado in 2000, not because of money (wink-wink), but because he and his wife liked the school system in Denver area. (Oh that makes more sense now)

Houston will be depending on three golden oldies in the starting staff, a veteran lineup that has been through the baseball wars. They could be mentally tough and persevere or physically challenged by season’s end and fall apart. Let’s speculate the season total of 73.5 comes into play for the year is out.

All indications are Toronto will deal Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays front office better be prepared to make the right deal, or they will fall even further behind the three teams into front of them in the AL East, in the short and long term. For every Josh Beckett to Boston (along with Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota) for essentially Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez trade, is Tim Hudson to Atlanta for three baseball cards with the pictures of Dan Meyer, Juan Cruz and Charles Thomas.

If or when Halladay is dealt, that makes 24-year old Ricky Romero (8-4, 3.45) the ace of the Blue Jays staff. Toronto will play 29 of remaining 66 games starting Friday against Boston, Tampa Bay and the Yankees, along with eight other matchups versus AL Division leaders Detroit and Los Angeles. This could be a birdbath full of opportunities to play against the Jays.

Tuesday's Top Plays

Baltimore’s extra inning loss gave us 1-2 day and moved record to 114-78-3 over the last two and half months. The Top Trend was our lone winner and we have a perfect one going tonight down in Houston. Kendall makes a return visit on a nice run and offers his Best Bet. The Best System is one of the best all season at 39-2, however a word of caution does creep up. Good Luck.

What I learned yesterday – The Texas Rangers will eventually hit again, but check out some of the numbers below in article about them. I saw them last night and Texas hitters might be pressing, because the Arizona scouting report was obvious, with two strikes throw high heat, they will swing. The Rangers Matt Harrison looked very hittable and was, and Justin Upton needs to lose 15 pounds, take his fielding seriously and the guy could be one of the top outfielders in baseball.

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

Free Baseball System-1) PLAY AGAINST all underdogs like Texas with a money line of +150 or more, batting .200 or worse over their last three games, against opponent with a potent starting pitcher with WHIP of 1.000 or less over his last five starts. This system rocks at 39-2, 95.1 percent. (Note- Texas and Vicente Padilla are 10-0 when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the last two seasons)

Free Baseball Trend -2) Roy Oswalt and Houston are 10-0 when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38 to 46%) since last season.

Free Baseball Selection -3) Kendall crops up with +9 units the last three days of wagering and views Florida as top choice.

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Seeking Tuesday Triumphs

Two more official winners in what was a crazy day in baseball wagering with unfathomable comebacks (I should know, had D-Backs). Uncovered an 87.8 percent system in the American League and a prefect reverse trend that is 11-0, depending how you look at it. Greg has a quality weekend and has NL Free Play to hopefully keep us going. Good Luck.

What I learned yesterday- The Denver Nuggets scored 43 points in the fourth quarter of their Game 4 win over the Lakers on Monday night. In Phil Jackson's 293 playoff games as an NBA head coach, his team had never before allowed that many points in any one quarter.

Free Baseball System-1) PLAY AGAINST all underdogs with a money line of +125 to +175, averaging 4.5 or less runs per game, against a good AL starting pitcher with ERA 4.20 or less, with a starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.500 to 1.600 on the season. This system is imposing 36-5, 87.8 percent and is going against the White Sox.

Free Baseball Trend -2) The Cleveland Indians are 0-11 against the money line after scoring eight runs or more this season.

Free Baseball Selection -3) Greg of the LCC had an 8-2 holiday weekend and is backing Roy Oswalt over Reds this evening.

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The Winning Continues at 3Daily Winners

Another 2-1 delivery takes us to 25-17-2 over extended period of time and we have a HOT baseball system that is 34-4. Paul gave us a Free Winner yesterday and comes right back playing on the very team he went against yesterday. We have an article on Roy Oswalt today and it is almost impossible to play against him on principle for today’s Top Trend. Good Luck.

What I couldn’t figure out yesterday – Why the Orlando Magic doesn’t get the ball inside to Dwight Howard in the final four minutes of the game. They would certainly have better looks on kick-out passes and he can score inside.

Free Baseball System-1) PLAY ON all favorites with a money line of -150 or more like Milwaukee, who are below average NL hitting team (BA .255 or less), against a team with a very good bullpen that has 3.33 ERA or less, with a starting pitcher whose gives up 5.5 or less hits a start. Talk about a great system, the record is 34-4, 89.5 percent and for a touch more, the Brew Crew is 17-1 hosting the Bucs.

Free Baseball Trend -2) Roy Oswalt is 23-1 SU against Cincinnati.

Free Baseball Selection -3) Paul Buck has hit 10 of last 12 MLB plays and believes the Marlins will break out of slump.

Note- If you prefer to have this sent to you daily instead of having to visit the site, sign up for our FREE mailing list on the right. You will also receive all my personal plays for Free and your name will NEVER be given to anyone.

Oswalt looks to continue dominance over Cincy

Though Roy Oswalt has yet to win a game this season, there is no better team for him and Houston to face at this moment than Cincinnati. To say Oswalt has had success against the Reds is like saying the Cleveland Cavaliers had a pretty good home record this season.

Oswalt (0-2, 4.68 ERA, 1.440 WHIP) is 23-1 over 29 career games, including 27 starts. He has a 2.39 career ERA versus the Reds. He last faced them on April 17, taking a no-decision after throwing six shutout innings. Overall, Houston (7-12, -5.1 Units) has won 22 of his 27 times he has taken the ball to begin a game against Cincinnati (10-8, +3.4) and is 11-1 in 16 road starts.

The Astros have not been playing good baseball, losing six of last 10, including dropping three of four against the Reds earlier this month. Houston despite a veteran lineup is not hitting, tied for last in baseball in runs scored at 3.5 per game. The Astros are 19-6 against the money line revenging two straight home losses vs opponent over the last three seasons.

Cincinnati has been a little more consistent and avoided being swept at home against Atlanta yesterday with 8-2 triumph. The Reds offense has been nominally better at 3.9 runs scored per game, though its batting average is quite a bit lower than Houston’s (.233 vs .248). What has helped Cincinnati is better starting pitching, as in half their games the Reds have held opposition to three or less runs. The Cincy bullpen ERA is nothing special at 4.30, however when it has counted most, Francisco Cordero has led bullpen that is six for six in save opportunities.

The Reds are 31-50 (-26.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a win by six runs or more and give the ball to Johnny Cueto (1-1, 2.55, 1.188), who was brilliant in last outing. The 23-year old pitched seven scoreless innings against Chicago in 3-0 whitewashing for the win. Cueto allowed just four singles and didn’t walk a batter, following instructions from pitching coach to stop nibbling and be aggressive.

Cueto has not enjoyed much success against Houston with 0-3 record and 6.75 ERA in five starts. He has been a victim and another reason why the Reds have lost 14 of 15 at home to Houston. BetJamaica.com has the Reds as -114 money line favorites with total Un8.5. If the line holds, this will mark the first time Oswalt has been underdog to Cincinnati, with the Astros having won 12 of his last 17 starts. Houston is 10-2 UNDER as an underdog of +100 to +150 this season.

The Reds have not excelled as favorites at -150 or less, with 2-5 mark and are 7-2 UNDER if Cueto starts after scoring five or more runs.

The Central Division action starts at 7:10 Eastern in both local markets and on MLB.TV, with Oswalt and ‘Stros 2-6 on the road against teams with winning records.