June 30

Betting Corner (5-2 last night to go to 24-9 overall)

Will continue with comments on all games with picks on as many as possible....
Phi vs Atl : Road team is 15-5 in last 20 in this series. Blanton has 5 qs in last 6 turns but has been hammered twice by Atl this year already. Lowe generally has been able to keep his team in most games but has been roughed up in 2 of last 3. Philly with modest two game win streak.
No bias here.
Sea vs NYY : Home team won 8 of 9 last year and although yanks in new stadium it might have a little to do with east and west coast. Both teams going well with M's winning 7 of 10 and NY 5 in a row. Brandon Morrow continues to up his pitch count and innings after moving to the starting rotation. Joba has generally keeps the yanks in the games he pitches (9-5) although he still needs to be more economical with his pitch count. Don't usually like teams off extended road trips but NY has won 4 straight in their first game home. Pick NYY
Bos vs Balt : Bos have now won all 5 this year and 16 of last 20 against Balt. I look for Smoltz to start a little better than last outing his first of the year. Boston are a patient team at the plate and that is not a good matchup for the control challenged Rich Hill. Pick Bos
CHC vs Pit : Lilly has had a couple of rough road starts this year but has pitched well and the cubbies are 10-5 in games he has started. Ohlendorf has a number of good turns but also a number of bad ones. He has been better at home and the Bucs are 6-2 in his starts there. Neither team going great. No Bias
CWS vs Cle : Really don't like the tribe and honestly not the biggest Cliff Lee fan. That said it is hard to argue with what he has done ( 9 of 10 quality starts). Lee has also allowed only 1 run in last 24 innings vs the White Sox. Richard has not been good. The price is steep for a team that might be starting to look to the years ahead, but they will still win some games and I think this will be one. Terrible price could scare me off , but do think they will win the game. Pick Cle.
Arz vs Cin : Watched Arroyo pitch in his last game in Toronto, and he was absolutely brutal. Clearly the pitching matchup favors Arizona but the d-backs can't hit. Cincy won last two but I can't get beyond Arroyo's last start. No Bias
TB vs Tor : Garza started 5 times v the Jays last year and over 38 innings and gave up just 2 earned runs. That said the Rays were just 3-2 in those games. Garza has also been on the wrong side of four-one run games this season. Richmond has been a surprise but I watched a bit of game one in this series and the Rays were trying to run all night and they are the hotter team. Hate to do it but have to like the Rays tonight.
Was vs Fla : Fla got it done last night behind a solid start from Nolasco but I don't have the same confidence in Shane West. Actually on a hunch I like the Nats. Their starter just faced TB, NYY, and Bos so the Marlins should feel like a bit of a break. His 3 road starts have been alright.
Pick Nats ???
LAA vs Tex : LAA winners of 6 in a row. Tex have lost last 3. Saunders has not fared well in Tex giving up 7 earned runs 3 different times. Back to same story of the hotter team, hitting better without the edge in the pitching matchup. Don't have much feel for Feldman but Saunders has been brutal too many times to trust him in Arlington. If this game were anywhere in America I would side with the Angels. It is in Arlington so I am not on board.
NYM vs Mil : Santana has followed two bad starts with two good ones. Like Lincecum last night I am happy to give him support tonight at not an outrageous price. Pick NYM
Min vs KC : Baker vs Bannister ?? Have no edge in this one. Maybe Minny bouncing back???
SF vs Stl : Like Carpenter tonight. Even though SF is going better of late, I don't think the Cards will need much on the board in this one. I think Carp will have a good effort vs the free swinging Giants. Steep price but I am just trying to pick the winning side. Pick STL
Det vs Oak : Which gas can blows up bigger? Galarrago just brutal in night games and not particularly good on the road either against Gio Gonzalez he of the 9 runs in 1 2/3 the last time he faced the Tigers. If it were in any other park than Oakland it would look like a screaming over. I am guessing that although the Tigers are not playing great their pitcher burns a little less brightly and they pull this one out. Pick Det
Hou vs SD : Hampton back off groin strain, Banks pitching alright for Pads, learning SD's way here. Pick SD
Col vs LAD : Couple of nine game winners going here. The easy side is with Billingsley but this might be tight and come down to a big hit either way. Colorado have enough bats and have been hot enough lately to keep me off the better pitcher and team. No Bias

Picks : Big favs at bad money NYY, Cle , Stl.
Better price Bos, TB, NYM, Det, SD
Longshot Was

Sports
Pretty quiet, NHL free agency tomorrow will provide some interest. Won't get into a rundown of yesterdays ballgames. England got hammered in the U21 soccer final by Germany 4-0. England were missing a few guys but that is no excuse for that kind of thumping in a final.