Wunderdog
Baltimore Orioles @ Detroit Tigers
Pick: Baltimore Orioles +134
The Baltimore Orioles have excellent balance on offense at #10 in home runs, off a 13-11 win last night. Baltimore's 2-5 hitters (Adam Jones, Manny Machado, Mark Trumbo and Davis) each had at least three hits and went a combined 13-for-26 with three homers, seven RBI and eight runs scored. The Orioles are 13-3 against a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15, plus 12-3 when their opponent scores five runs or more in their previous game. The Detroit Tigers are scuffling, on a 3-6 run because the pitching staff is awful at #29 in team ERA (4.82). Starter Mike Fulmer has struggled against the Orioles, with a 4.76 ERA against them. Baltimore has also won six of the last eight meetings between the teams, including five of six at Detroit.
Bruce Marshall
A's vs. Mariners
Play: A's +105
The A's rallied smartly on Tuesday night and look to continue that momentum into Wednesday at Safeco Filed. The pitching matchup appeaqrs promising for Oakland, with starter Jesse Hahn posting quality starts in 6 of 7 outings this season and a 2.74 overall ERA.. Slumping Seattle is hoping that Christian Bergman (5.70 career ERA), making only his third appearance this season, can provide some stability for a beleaguered rotation.
Brandon Lee
Red Sox vs. Cardinals
Play: Cardinals +104
St. Louis has to feel like they gave away the series opener last night. The Cardinals lost the game 6-3, but handed the Red Sox extra chances on three errors, which resulted in three unearned runs. I expect this team to bounce back with a much better showing in tonight's prime time matchup on ESPN. Keep in mind the Cardinals had been playing very well and are still 8-2 over their last 10. Boston will send out reigning AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello, but I'm just not sold on him being able to stay at that elite level and he's 2-5 with a 4.01 ERA in 8 starts. While Porcello is struggling, St. Louis starter, Mike Leake, is having an epic start to the 2017 season. Leake is 4-2 with an incredible 1.94 ERA and 0.993 WHIP in 7 starts. I just don't feel Boston should be favored on the road against a playoff contender like St. Louis.
Jimmy Boyd
Cincinnati at Chicago
Play: Chicago -1½
It's not been the start many expected for the Cubs, but I'm confident it's only a matter of time before they start dominating. They got the offense going in a 9-5 win in the series opener last night and I look for another big offensive outburst here. The Reds are sending out Scott Feldman, who comes in off two strong starts, but both were against the Giants. Prior to that Feldman had allowed 11 runs on 11 hits and 7 walks in his previous two starts. He's got a 5.14 ERA and 1.393 WHIP in 5 road starts (all 5 losses for the Reds) and owns a 5.85 ERA and 1.600 WHIP in 4 starts against division opponents this year.
Cubs will counter with Kyle Hendricks, who has been throwing much better after a rough start. Hendricks gave up 11 runs on 14 hits and 4 HRs in his first 3 starts. Since he's allowed 4 earned runs on 17 hits and 1 HR in his last 4 starts. I think he's just getting warmed up and will be able to keep this Reds offense in check.
Reds are 1-9 in Feldman's last 10 starts at night and have lost these by an average of 2.7 runs/game. Cubs are 20-5 in Hendricks' last 25 starts as a favorite of -125 to -175 and have won these by an average of 2.2 runs/game.
Will Rogers
Dodgers vs. Giants
Pick: Dodgers
The set-up: Have the Giants finally woke up? First baseman Brandon Belt just may have. Belt collected two hits in Tuesday’s 2-1 victory and could be on the verge of breaking out of his season-long slump with four HRs in his last six games. Catcher Buster Posey has also provided some much-needed power with five HRs in his last eight games, as the Giants have climbed out of the NL West cellar with five straight wins. The Giants now go for a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, who have lost three in a row and four of their last six to fall 2 1/2 games back of the Rockies in the division.
The pitching matchup: Clayton Kershaw (6-2 & 2.43 ERA) gets the ball for LA and Johnny Cueto (4-2 & 4.15 ERA) for SF. Kershaw won his second straight start last Friday at Colorado, allowing two runs over seven innings while throwing 85 pitches. The three-time Cy Young winner has struck out 57 batters against eight walks in eight outings covering 55 2/3 innings. Kershaw owns an impressive 1.63 ERA over 37 career starts against the Giants, going 19-9 (Dodgers are 23-14). Cueto received a no-decision last Friday against Cincinnati, despite holding his former team to two runs over eight innings on a season-high 119 pitches. Cueto is 6-6 with a 2.94 ERA in 15 career starts against the Dodgers (teams are 7-8 ).
The pick: No one could have predicted the Giants' awful start but they are coming around. Also note that while they are a dreadful 6-15 on the road, they are 11-9 at home. That mirrors Cueto, whose ERA is 3.00 ERA in three starts at home, compared to a 4.94 ERA in five road outings. The Dodgers are 9-12 on the road but Kershaw is the great equalizer. No sweep here, Take LA.
Larry Ness
Boston vs. St. Louis
Pick: Boston
Mookie Betts was the AL Player of the Week last week and opened the new week by homering and driving in two runs in Boston's 6-3 victory on Tuesday at St. Louis. Betts batted .375 with three HRs and 11 RBI in six games last week and looks to lead the Red Sox to a two-sweep of their IL series with the Cardinals on Wednesday. Boston is just 20-18 on the season overall (four games back in the AL East), while the Cards fell to 2-2 on their eight-game homestand, leaving them at 21-16 but a half-game ahead of the Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central.
Tonight's pitching matchup features Rick Porcello (2-5, 4.01 ERA) for Boston and Mike Leake (4-2, 1.94 ERA) for St Louis. Porcello has lost five of his last six starts, including an outing against Tampa Bay on Friday in which he yielded five runs (three earned) on nine hits over six innings. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner is surely not having the kind of seson Boston had expected but I'll note that he has given up three earned runs or less in four of his five losses this season. Porcello has made only two career starts against St Louis, going 1-1 with a solid 2.13 ERA.
Leake suffered his first loss in five decisions on Friday, despite allowing only two runs in six innings, although he matched a season high with three walks. Leake has only faced Boston twice in his career and is 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA (teams are 0-2).
Bottom line is, Leake is no more than a journeyman pitcher who has so far in 2017, pitched over his head. Porcello is less than one-year removed from winning the Cy Young award and has pitched better in 2017 than his record shows.
Chris Jordan
Tonight I'm rolling with the No. 2 seed, against the No. 1 seed. I'm not getting too much into this with an analysis, but I like the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Boston Celtics. Anyone who thinks the long layoff will disrupt the defending champions and the world's greatest basketball player is out of their minds.
Cleveland is going to destroy the Celtics, in their building, making a statement to the Golden State Warriors that their 10-0 postseason mark means nothing, just like last night's blowout win means nothing to the Cavs.
Cleveland is not about to let the Oaktown boys steal the thunder, and will be well prepared. They've played simulated games in practice, they haven't necessarily had time off, as they've been going through rigorous practices, and they certainly will be able to showcase their ability to jump right back into the postseason.
The Celtics will show the affects of a seven-game series tonight, and will be a little hungover from Monday night's win over Washington.
Take the road team.
5* CAVALIERS
Brad Wilton
Wednesday comp play is the same as last night's comp play winner, and that is the Brewers and Padres to land Over the total.
With last night's Over, the Brewers have played 5 straight and 7 of their last 8 games Over the total. That makes it 26-14 Over the total for the season for Milwaukee.
The Padres are also playing them high of late, as they are now 4-0-1 Over the posted price their last 5 games.
San Diego starter Jhoulys Chacin has seen each of his last 3 starts land Over the total, and for the season 5 of his 8 starts have played High.
Milwaukee starter Matt Garza has seen 3 of his last 5 starts land Over the total, so why not look for another game that slips Over the total tonight at Petco Park?
Brewers-Padres Over for Wednesday night.
2* MILWAUKEE-SAN DIEGO OVER
Jeff Benton
Last night's free play was the Yankees and Royals to land Over the total, and they didn't miss by much.
Tonight, I will go the other way in this series and play the Under, as Michael Pineda and Jason Vargas take to the mound.
New York has played 4 of their last 6 Under the total, while Kansas City has been Under the posted price in 4 of their last 5.
Pineda comes into this Wednesday assignment sporting a 2.50 ERA for his last 3 starts, and 2 of those 3 have played Under the total.
Vargas has been unreal this spring, as he totes in a 5-1 mark with an ERA of 1.01! Each of his last 3 starts have ended up in the Under column, and 6 of his 7 season starts have also ended up having held Under the total.
Anyone up for a pitcher's duel?
That's what you are going to get tonight in KC.
Yankees-Royals Under the total for Wednesday.
4* N.Y. YANKEES-KANSAS CITY UNDER
Jack Brayman
My paid play was the Texas Rangers on the Run Line against the Philadelphia Phillies. Tonight I'm back on the Rangers, thinking they'll keep their hot streak going tonight against the Phillies.
Texas has now won a season-high seven straight, the longest active streak in the majors, and has ascended to second place in the American League West.
And what's most impressive about the win streak is Texas' five of its past six wins have been come-from-behind victories. The Rangers have shown tremendous resiliency, as their last four of their last five victores came during the latter part of games.
I don't care who the listed pitchers are, as the Rangers are going to use their momentum to keep this streak going against a Philly team that has lost 13 of 16.
4* RANGERS
SCOTT RICKENBACH
White Sox vs. Angels
Play:White Sox +158
If the handicapper you follow is just giving you the biggest favorites on the board every day you have to start to wonder, don't you? That's not hard, right? Just go pick up a big money line favorite and then brag about winning percentage even though the units eat you up when those big faves go down and they always eventually do. You can get hot for a while on money line favorites because they are supposed to win, of course, as that's why they're favored in the first place. However, long-term, you will rarely (if ever) see a capper make a sizable profit in a money line sport by playing big favorites over the course of a full season. In any event, that is why plays like this are the ones that are worth an investment. Here is a big dog that we can grab and fade a very over-priced favorite. Yes, the Angels have won the first two games of this series but let's not forget they previously lost 8 of 12 games heading into this ChiSox series. Getting the start for the Halos tonight is Matt Shoemaker. Though he's off of a good home start, he previously was hit hard in ALL 3 home starts this season! He'll be opposed by the White Sox Miguel Gonzalez and he is off of a rough outing but previously allowed 2 earned runs or less in 3 of his last 4 starts. Those 3 outings saw Gonzalez allow a combined 3 earned runs on just 12 hits over 23 very sharp innings! In other words Gonzalez is fully capable of a dominating outing and I like my chances here against an Angels lineup that, more often than not, has struggled at the plate this season. Look for an upset here as the ChiSox avoid the sweep!
JOHN MARTIN
Phillies vs. Rangers
Play: Rangers -124
The Texas Rangers have now won seven straight to get to .500 on the season. I think this is a very generous price with them at home again here tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies, who are 3-13 in their last 16 games overall. Andrew Cashner has a 2.43 ERA in six starts this season and a 1.69 ERA in three home starts. Cashner is 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA in six starts against the Phillies, where his teams have gone 5-1 in those games.
DAVE PRICE
Chicago Cubs -1.5 +105
The Key: The Chicago Cubs are just 19-19 on the season and will turn the corner soon. They scored 9 runs on the Reds last night and should stay hot at the plate tonight to win by multiple runs. Scott Feldman has overachieved to this point with a 3.59 ERA in 8 starts. Kyle Hendricks is 2-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 7 starts for the Cubs, and 0-1 with a 2.04 ERA in his last 3 starts. He won the Cy Young last year and is off to another terrific start in 2017. Felman is 1-9 in night games over the last 2 seasons. His teams are losing by 2.7 runs per game. Hendricks is 20-5 as a favorite of -125 to -175 over the last 3 seasons. The Cubs are winning these starts by 2.2 runs per game.
TONY KARPINSKI
Blue Jays vs. Braves
Play:Blue Jays +102
Toronto now is rumbling along with a .236 avg. on the year with 43 homers. The most glaring blemish on Toronto's performance from a baseball perspective is their lack of great skill on stolen base attempts.
Freddie Freeman has been the only catalyst for the Atlanta offense, with a great .344 avg and 12 HRs but he doesn't have much help. The Braves are hurting much more with their recent play than any specific loss. Atlanta has had some real problems putting runs on the board over the last several weeks.
The Prez
Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners
Play: Oakland Athletics +100
The Oakland A's at Seattle M's take their one letter nicknames to the Safeco diamond on Wednesday night when Athletics RH Jesse Hahn (1-2, 2.74 ERA) tangles with Mariners RH Christian Bergman (0-1, 4.15). First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET.
Oakland hasn't been a profitable venture when playing on the road. The A's sport the worst record as a visitor on the Junior Circuit, 6-14, but earned a win on Tuesday night when Matt Joyce hit a go-ahead, two-run homer and Mark Canha knocked a three-run dinger in the top of the ninth inning assisting in an Oakland 9-6 victory over the Mariners.
The Mariners are without the middle of the order bat Robinson Cano (quadriceps). The second baseman was placed on the 10-day disabled list. How serious is Cano's quad injury? The team is being fairly quiet about the severity of the ailment but note that Cano has not been on the disabled list since 2006.
The A's send Hahn to the hill tonight. The Oakland right-hander is off a no-decision against Texas in which he surrendered one run and four hits over seven innings of work. Hahn has been the A's best starter this season. He has held the opposition to a mere.214 batting average against and is inducing more than 50 percent ground balls. Evidence of such comes via his slashline that shows just one homer in 42 2/3 innings. The righty has had success against the Mariners in his career -- with a 1-1 mark and 2.50 ERA -- in three career starts.
The Mariners send inexperienced American Leaguer Christian Bergman to the mound. He and Chase De Jong will continue to fill holes in the Mariners rotation because of injuries but both Seattle arms are difficult to back as an investment and for those daily fantasy cash contest participants neither are recommended buys.
Bergman is making his second start for the Mariners after giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings. The first start came against a depleted Toronto Blue Jays lineup that was without four of the regular starters. Bergman has been a member of the National League Colorado Rockies over the last three seasons. His 2016 statline: 8.39 ERA and 1.82 WHIP in just under 25 innings speaks to his credentials. The heavy right-handed lineup of the A's have an edge tonight. Righties are hitting a large .354 and slugging .603 lifetime against Bergman.
The Athletics are 6-2 in the last 8 meetings between the two American League West foes.