SJ is locked and loaded for Saturday MLB
Season Record:
2012 MLB: 29-12-1 (+58.40 units)
2011 NFL: 48-33-7 (+34.75 units)
2011 NBA: 4-4-1
(-1.8 units)
2011 NCAA: 18-15-1
(-6.8 units)
*All
bets are weighted between 1 and 5 units.
Last Week (4-0, + 11.90 units)
You know the
patented response by teenagers (and those who are mentally frozen in adolescence)
when you tell them something that they find hard to believe - shut up! Well, post-pubescents, I am here to tell you I
went 4-0 last week with 3 of the 4 getting plus money and now you can all tell
me to...shut up! I hope you didn't miss
our little bookie-busting bonanza because it was bonkers baby (I'm a sucker for
alliteration, what can I tell you?).
How did I do
it, you may ask? Well, we started the day
off by grabbing some cold ones, Brewers +105 as they dispatched Minnesota quite
handily 6-2 for 2 units. Next on our hit
parade, the Tigers - 1 ½ (+130) were easy winners over the Rockies as they
covered the 1 ½ run encumbrance without breaking a sweat in a 4-1 victory for 3
units.
Ironically,
it was our lone favorite of the day that gave us the greatest cause for
pause. The Red Sox -145 had the game
clearly in control until they surrendered three runs in the bottom of the 7th
but it was not enough for the Cubs as Boston hung on for a 4-3 victory, and we
added our third lock-line winner of the day for 3 units.
And finally,
adding to our embarrassment of riches was a +145 underdog in the form of the
Baltimore Orioles, who had no problem blanking the home town Braves 5-0 for a 2
unit play.
So, there you
have it kids, 4-0 good for +11.90 units, adding to our season total in Major
League Baseball. As of June 23rd
we stand at +58.40 units and, if you have any reason to disbelieve, you may be
one of those conspiracy theorist kind of guys, simply go back over each
podcast/article and it's all there in black and white. In short, we are kicking ass and taking
C-Notes. Let's do so again, shall we?
3:05 PM ET Colorado Rockies
at Texas Rangers * (MAX PLAY)
The best team versus the worst team
once again in interleague play lock horns this afternoon in Texas. The Rangers have been simply destroying their
National League counterparts and last night was more of the same as they
cruised to a 4-1 victory over the stumblin', bumblin' Rockies. Why stumblin' and bumblin' you say? Well, the Rocks are just 1-13 against the
American League and it won't get any easier today.
Josh Outman has been a mess for the
Rockies, getting blasted in his last three outings and earning (or should I say
deserving) every bit of a 8.05 ERA to accompany an 0-2 record. His team is a mess too, going 2-13 over
their last 15 games. Why will this
magically stop today against a hard charging Texas team that is trotting out a
premier pitcher in Colby Lewis who has allowed the fewest walks per nine
innings in the majors and sports a nifty 3.00 ERA? Answer: it won't.
The Rangers are prohibitive favorites at -260 but don't you think that if they do win the game, don't they win by
more than a run? Is this a nail-biter in
the making? I think not; it's a
destruction of epic proportions when the Rangers use their bats on Outman like
a scene right out of Goodfellas. Fuhgetttaboutit...Play Texas -1 ½ (-130) for 5 units.
4:05 PM ET Cleveland
Indians at Houston Astros
The Indians have a nice four game
winning streak going, but their pitcher today will see to it that all good
things must come to an end. Jeanmar
Gomez has a 4-6 record with an ERA above five this season; however, that looks
downright proper when compared to his 1-4 record and his 7.92 ERA over his last
five games.
The Astros send young southpaw Dallas
Keuchel to the hill, who pitched nicely in his first start against Texas on June
17th when he allowed one run and scattered four hits over five
innings of work. Yes, the Astros are
3-21 against the AL this season and, yes, they are hitting the ball with about as
much ferocity as a three year old hits his birthday piñata but that's about to
change, my friends. The Astros are losers
of five of their last six and...look, I'm starting to talk myself out of this
bet but, know this, Houston is 19-17 at home this season and it's not that
they're not hitting, it's that they can't drive any runs home (feel better now,
yeah me neither). But they are going
against a lousy pitcher and let's face it, the Indians are no great shakes
kids. Perhaps this is more a fade on
Cleveland's pitcher than an endorsement of the Astros but I will advise a play
on Houston but let's not over do it. Play
the Astros +100 for 2 units.
4:10 PM ET Minnesota
Twins at Cincinnati Reds
Why do I like the Reds here? Do you have a few hours? Let's start with the pitching matchup, Johnny
Cueto, he of the 8-3 record and the 2.38 ERA along with the 1.15 WHIP. Conversely, the Twins will be trotting out
Brian Duensing, who has been a reliever this season but last year was a starter
with a 5.24 ERA in 28 starts.
Look, the Reds are good, the Twins bad despite
their 5-4 victory last night. The Reds
are big home chalk this afternoon, which they should be but is this going to be
another one run game? It could be and
maybe we bang our heads against the sharpest corner of the nearest desk if the
Reds ultimately win a one run game and we tear up a ticket. But I am willing to take that chance and play
them on the run line in case this four game skid continues and we can save ourselves
a whole lotta juice. Maybe throw the
Reds in a parlay using that big money line (-210) but on a straight play we
will take the Cincinnati - 1 ½ (+115) for 2 units.
7:15 PM ET San Francisco
Giants at Oakland Athletics
Let's not overanalyze this one. The Giants derailed the A's 3 game-win streak
with a 5-4 victory last night, and I believe in the old adage that what goes up
must come down, and that is exactly what will happen with Oakland. They have been playing over their heads
recently, winning 8 of 9 before last night, but this is not a good team; they're
mediocre at best as their 34-37 record attests.
Madison Bumgarner has been on a tear
recently, going 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA which enhances his season record of 8-4
with a 2.92. On the flip side of this
coin is Tyson Ross, who has an ERA above 7 in his last three with a 2-6 record
and a 6.11 ERA.
Bottom line here is, good team versus mediocre team,
top tier pitcher versus lousy pitcher, decent run producing team against a team
that's rather indecent in that department.
All categories favoring the Giants with the lone advantage of home field
advantage going to the A's. But, San
Francisco is 18-18 on the road and lo and behold, the A's are 18-18 at
home. Any advantage to the Athletics
today? I think not. Play San Francisco -140 for 4 units.