Chopping Lines: Beware of the Bedard Trap
READ MORE: Baltimore Orioles, Chopping Lines, MLB Betting, Oakland Athletics
3:05 p.m.
Oakland Athletics (73-56, K. Saarloos)
at
Baltimore Orioles (61-68, E. Bedard)
What the frig is this line about? Has Oakland fallen this quickly that they are now dogs against the lowly Orioles and pitcher Erik Bedard? This is what happens when you win five straight games, lead the AL West, and trot out a pitcher in Kirk Saarloos who’s won his last five decisions? Smell the trap game, kiddies. We’re taking the Oakland plus the money just because we’re suckers, but won’t be surprised at all if Bedard goes nuts and pitches a gem. Can you spell waffle? Fine, we won’t be pussies. Steal your sister’s dowry and throw it on the A’s. Make Monday interesting.
PICK!: OAK +110
Chopping Lines: We’re All Athletics’ Supporters
READ MORE: Baltimore Orioles, Chopping Lines, MLB Betting, Oakland A's
Baltimore Orioles(59-60, D. Cabrera)
at
Oakland Athletics(67-52, D. Haren)
Best Line: Orioles +168, A’s -169
Yes, we can smell the rotting corpse of the Oakland Athletics right now too. It took only a week from first place to be two back in the AL West and losing some of that mighty wind in their sails. However, the match-up today between mangey looking starter Dan Haren against the Orioles combustible chunkster Daniel Cabrera is where the freefall ends. Haren has been unhittable in his last 10 starts going 9-1—the one loss coming on a complete game 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins and Johan Santana. Cabrera is very inconsistent and with the A’s looking to avoid a sweep, he’s probably the perfect cure for an A’s losing skid. That and a visit toGreen Massage in NYC.
PICK!: A’s -169
(YTD 4-6)
Chopping Lines: Wild O’s Cut Loose in the Chen Pen
READ MORE: A.J. Benza, Baltimore Orioles, Benza Pick, Chopping Lines, Oakland A's
10:05 p.m.
Baltimore Orioles (58-60, B. Chen)
at
Oakland A’s (67-51, J. Blanton)
Best Line: Orioles +160, A’s -158
The newest steroid development in Baltimore has the owners of Smarty Jones accusing Rafael Palmeiro of stealing the race horse’s Winstrol and, thereby, costing the colt the Triple Crown. Tell me you don’t see the signs? The Oakland A’s couldn’t possibly keep up their second-half winning ways and, suddenly, they’ve dropped three of four, scored just eight runs in four games and great, big McAfee Coliseum is showing them no love. Even with $5 admission specials, the ballpark isn’t filling up. The O’s Bruce Chen was masterful in his last outing - 2 runs on 75 pitches. Meanwhile, the A’s Joe Blanton has never faced Baltimore before, and the O’s have more lumber than The Home Depot. (RIMSHOT!)
BENZAPICK!: Orioles(!) +200
(YTD Baseball 0-1)
Chopping Lines: He’s Not Your Bitch, He’s Your Lackey
READ MORE: Baltimore Orioles, Chopping Lines, Los Angeles Angels, MLB Betting
Baltimore Orioles (51-55, E. Bedard)
at
Los Angeles Angels (61-45, J. Lackey)
Best Line: LA Angels -140
Mired in the rut of a seven-game losing streak, the Baltimore Orioles can ill afford to lose Rafael Palmeiro to a 10-game suspension for steroid use. It is hard to believe that only a few months ago the Orioles were atop the AL East and 14 games over .500 on June 21. Now, Baltimore has lost 13 of 14 games and find themselves a whopping 9.5 games out of first place. Last night the O’s woes continued as they Sidney Ponson got bombarded for eight earned runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings at L.A. Angels to drop to 7-10 on the season. Bartolo Colon’s 10-1 win propelled the portly pitcher to 13-6 on the season. Vladimir Guerrero might be heating up from this year’s awful start. He homered twice and drove in five runs for the Angels, who opened a six-game homestand after going 1-5 on a road trip to Toronto and New York.
Charged with stopping the seven game slide for the O’s is Eric Bedard (5-3, 2.32 ERA). Bedard will try to overcome another poor start last week. Bedard allowed four runs and five hits over five innings in his last start against the ChiSox as the Orioles lost 7-2. The 26-year-old southpaw is now 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA in three starts since returning from the DL for a sprained know. Bedard earned a no-decision in his only game against the Angels in his career.
John Lackey (8-4, 3.70 ERA) will be on the mound for the Angels as he tries for his ninth win of the season. His last time he was part of a marathon 18 inning game against the Blue Jays. Lackey allowed only four hits in eight innings of shutout ball. The Angels eventually lost that game in the 18-inning, 2-1. The righty is 2-0 in his last three starts and has allowed just two earned runs in 20 1-3 innings. In three starts against the O’s Lackey is 2-1 with an enormous 6.06 ERA.
PICK! LA ANGELS -140
|
|
Chopping Lines: Damn it Feels Good to Be a Chi-sock…
READ MORE: Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Chopping Lines
12:35 pm
Chicago White Sox (Buehrle, 11-4, 2.96)
at
Baltimore Orioles (Cabrera 8-8, 4.44)
Best Line: Chicago White Sox -138
What has happened to the Baltimore Orioles? With yesterday’s home loss to the Chicago White Sox, the Baltimore Orioles fell to fourth place in the American League East and eight games behind the first place Red Sox. The Orioles are mired in a five game losing streak and have lost eight of their last nine games. This afternoon the White Sox will try to conclude their visit to Camden Yards with a sweep of the four game series. The Baltimore Orioles attempted to improve their stagnant offense Friday night, acquiring Eric Byrnes from the Colorado Rockies for Larry Bigbie in an exchange of outfielders. Oriole SS Miguel Tejada is 5-for 32 with only one extra-base hit (a double) for a .156 career average against Buehrle.
Baltimore has replaced today’s listed starting pitcher Bruce Chen (7-6, 4.31 ERA) for Daniel Cabrera (8-8, 4.68 ERA) in hopes that the righty can stem the tide of losses for the Orioles. On Jul 30 Cabrera left in the second inning of Baltimore’s loss to the Chicago White Sox after being hit on the back of his right hand by a line drive off the bat of Joe Crede. X-rays were negative and the injury is being described as a bruise. Cabrera was tagged for two runs before he was injured. If you bet the overnight line chances are your play has been ‘no actioned” so check your sports investment parlor for updated lines and to renew your wager.
Mark Buehrle (11-4, 2.96 ERA) will get the ball for the White Sox. The left-hander has a 3-1 record and 2.54 ERA in six career starts against the Orioles. In his last outing Buehrle looked tired. Buerhle went six innings against the Kansas City Royals, who tagged the All-Star for eight hits and seven runs to beat the White Sox for the first time since October 2 last year, ending an 11-game losing streak. This poor showing raised Buehrle’s ERA to 2.96, still third best in the league, but over his last five starts, he’s gone 1-3 with a 5.01 mark.
PICK! White Sox -133
MLB Futures Betting: Time to Clean Your Bloody Sock?
READ MORE: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Futures Betting, MLB, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays
Since last year’s remarkable World Series victory, public bettors prove that the Boston Red Sox are still the fair-haired boys in the crowded American League East. The Bloody Sox are -165 favorites followed by the always lurking, always dangerous, New York Yankees at -105. Typical.
However, Covers points out that with the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays still hanging on in the division—and with their respective prices currently at +500 and +2000 to win it all—there may be some great value in taking one of those teams. But let’s not get batshit crazy about this—let’s wait until the trade deadline before taking out third mortgages to bet on the Blue Jays.
Chopping Lines: Make the O’s Face
READ MORE: Baltimore Orioles, Chopping Lines, Major League Baseball, Sports Betting, Texas Rangers
7:05 p.m.
Texas Rangers (48-49, J.Benoit)
at
Baltimore Orioles(50-47, D.Cabrera)
Best Line: Orioles, -140
News that Baltimore catcher Javy Lopez will be activated before tonight’s four game series with the Texas Rangers comes at a time when Baltimore is in danger of permanently slipping out of playoff contention in the ultra-competitive AL East. The Orioles have lost seven of their last eight games and are now 3.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox for first place. After dropping another decision to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday 6-2, the Orioles return home to host the Rangers. The Texas Rangers record is below .500 and stands at 2-9 SU since the Mid-summer classic.
The Rangers hope that Joaquin Benoit (1-1, 2.32 ERA) can end their five game slide. Benoit got shellacked for six runs and six hits, including four home runs, over five innings in an 8-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday. The righty will make his second consecutive start since being called to active duty from bullpen. Benoit is 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA in five career appearances, including two starts, against Baltimore. The Orioles have offered corpulent pitcher Sidney Ponson to San Diego for first baseman Phil Nevin, but Nevin has until Tuesday to decide to accept or reject the trade. In either case he won’t play tonight. The Orioles have one of their better pitching hurlers in Daniel Cabrera (8-7, 4.64 ERA). Cabrera sports a 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA over his last four starts. The right-hander got a no decision after 5 1-3 innings work in Baltimore’s 4-3 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. Total players should know that Cabrera has held the opposition to three runs or less in seven straight starts.
Pick!: Orioles -140
One day, everything will be a wager, from a hand of poker to the likelihood you'll be struck down by a bioterror attack before the next brain backup. One day. For now, there's Oddjack. It's a sneak peek at the future of gambling.
