Sunday Baseball Info

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HOT

Orlando Hernandez (New York Mets) - El Duque doesn't rank in the top 20 when it comes to money starters, but the Mets know how to win when he takes the mound. New York has won in each of his last seven starts and have an impressive 9-1 record in his last 10 appearances. Hernandez and the Mets face the Nationals as -131 favorites.

Joe Saunders (Los Angeles Angels) - The left-hander has started 10 games this season and most of them have finished with a Disney-like fairytale ending for Angels backers. He has allowed no more than four runs in all of his outings and the Halos' record in those contests is 8-2. Los Angeles wraps up their series with the BoSox at +111 and the total is set at 11 runs.

COLD

Ian Snell (Pittsburgh Pirates) - The righty finished last season with three more wins than losses (14-11), while playing for one of the worst teams in baseball. This year, the Bucs are still a lackluster club, but Snell seems to fit in better because he's currently three games under .500 in the win/loss column (7-10). Pittsburgh has lost each of his seven starts after the All-Star break and they have been unable to score more than four runs in any of those contests. The Pirates are listed as slim -109 home favorites against their state rivals from Philadelphia. The Phillies will counter with Kyle Lohse who has yet to lose a game with his new team.

Chris Capuano (Milwaukee Brewers) - The southpaw hasn't tasted victory since the Brewers had a 5 ½-game lead in the NL Central division (May 7). The Brew Crew opened the season by winning each of his first seven starts, but since then, have gone winless in his past 15 outings and are no longer leading their division. His overall ERA during the slump is above 6.00 and hovering close to 9.00 in the month of August. Milwaukee hosts the Reds priced at -105.

Carlos Zambrano (Chicago Cubs) - The Cubs ace signed a five-year $91.5 million extension on Friday, but he certainly hasn't been worth that money recently. The Cubbies are 0-3 during his starts this month and he hasn't even been worth $3.25 per hour that Al Bundy used to make at Gary's Shoes & Accessories in the same city. Chicago is listed at a hefty -158 against St. Louis on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.



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Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates (-106, 9 ½)

This is a classic look-ahead situation for the Phillies. They begin a 10-game homestand on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets – all teams involved in the either the Wild Card or NL East title race.

If Philadelphia overlooks the Pirates, it could be a long day. Ian Snell is a solid starter who’d have a much better record if his bullpen could hold a lead. Offense hasn’t been a problem for the Bucs; they've scored more runs in August (121) than any other club in the majors. They’ve also clubbed out 27 homers in 17 games this month.

“Another excellent offensive game,” Pirates manager Jim Tracy told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after an 11-6 win on Saturday. “We are swinging the bats extremely well.”

Pick: Pirates -106

Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers (-102, 9)

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Looks like the pressure is finally starting to get to the young Brewers. They've lost 14 of their last 20 and lost the lead in a division the Little League champs could probably win.

“I’m tired of making excuses for it, I really am,” manager Ned Yost told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “But, realistically, we have played .500 baseball once in 15 years and now we’re focusing on winning a championship.

“That’s a big jump, with a lot of expectations. These kids are in uncharted territory for them, this time of year.”

It won’t get any easier today as the Reds send their ace Aaron Harang to the mound. Cincinnati is 19-6 in Harang's starts and 34-63 with everyone else.

Pick: Reds -106

Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners (-158, 8 ½)

With all the signings going on in Chicago, you’d think the White Sox were running away with their division instead of bringing up the rear, a game behind the Kansas City Royals.

General manager Ken Williams signed veteran right fielder Jermaine Dye to a two-year extension on Saturday after securing Mark Buehrle a month and a half ago.

“On the heels of a six-game losing streak, it’s awkward for me to answer the question in this fashion, but I believe we’re close,” Williams told reporters when asked if his club could make a quick turnaround next season. “Our starting rotation has been consistent, solid for the entire season, with the obvious exception of Jose (Contreras). But I expect that to improve and get better.”

Pick: Mariners –158

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National League

Arizona at Atlanta, 1:05 EST TBS
Yusmeiro Petit (R) vs. John Smoltz (R)
Petit: Arizona 24-8 SU vs. NL East opponents
Smoltz: Atlanta 20-11 Over in day games

San Francisco at Florida, 1:05 EST
Noah Lowry (L) vs. Dontrelle Willis (L)
Lowry: 13-3 TSR pitching off BB team wins
Willis: Florida 7-17 SU at home off an Under

NY Mets at Washington, 1:35 EST
Orlando Hernandez (R) vs. Shawn Hill (R)
Hernandez: 17-6 TSR pitching off BB team wins
Hill: Washington 3-19 SU at home with a total of 8 to 8.5 runs

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 1:35 EST
Kyle Lohse (R) vs. Ian Snell (R)
Lohse: Philadelphia 12-2 SU after allowing 9+ runs
Snell: Pittsburgh 26-46 SU at home in day games

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 2:05 EST
Aaron Harang (R) vs. Chris Capuano (L)
Harang: 8-1 TSR in day games
Capuano: 0-9 TSR in the second half of the season

Houston at San Diego, 4:05 EST
Matt Albers (R) vs. Greg Maddux (R)
Albers: Houston 5-14 SU off 6+ road games
Maddux: San Diego 9-2 Under as a home favorite of -150 to -200

Colorado at LA Dodgers, 4:10 EST
Jeff Francis (L) vs. Brad Penny (R)
Francis: 6-1 Over in the second half of the season
Penny: 19-6 TSR this season

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 EST ESPN
Kip Wells (R) vs. Carlos Zambrano (R)
Wells: 8-22 TSR after allowing 2+ home runs last start
Zambrano: 8-2 Over as a home favorite of -150 or higher


American League

Baltimore at Toronto, 1:05 EST
Jeremy Guthrie (R) vs. Roy Halladay (R)
Guthrie: Baltimore 26-57 SU as an underdog of +125 to +175
Halladay: 29-6 TSR pitching on artificial turf

Detroit at NY Yankees, 1:05 EST
Jeremy Bonderman (R) vs. Chien-Ming Wang (R)
Bonderman: Detroit 10-1 SU away after scoring 2 runs or less
Wang: 14-4 Under as a home favorite of -150 to -200

Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 1:40 EST
CC Sabathia (L) vs. James Shields (R)
Sabathia: 12-5 TSR as a road favorite of -125 or higher
Shields: Tampa Bay 3-16 SU off BB games scoring 3 runs or less

LA Angels at Boston, 2:05 EST
Joe Saunders (L) vs. Julian Tavarez (R)
Saunders: 8-0 TSR pitching off a team loss
Tavarez: Boston 14-1 Over as a home favorite of -125 or less

Texas at Minnesota, 2:10 EST
Kevin Millwood (R) vs. Johan Santana (L)
Millwood: Texas 0-8 SU with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs
Santana: 22-4 TSR after allowing 0 walks last start

Chicago White Sox at Seattle, 4:05 EST
Jon Garland (R) vs. Felix Hernandez (R)
Garland: White Sox 19-8 Under away vs. AL West opponents
Hernandez: Seattle 21-5 SU as a home favorite of -125 to -175

Kansas City at Oakland, 4:05 EST
Kyle Davies (R) vs. Lenny DiNardo (L)
Davies: Kansas City 14-4 Under as a road underdog of +125 to +150
DiNardo: Oakland 31-13 SU in August

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