The Rays enter this evening’s tussle just two games back on the Bronx Bombers in the AL East. New York holds a comfortable lead on the other division leaders for the best record in baseball, while Tampa Bay, who has the second best record in the bigs, is a whopping 5.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox for the AL Wild Card race.

New York Yankees (65-36, +$848) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (63-38, +$741)
Game Date/Time: Friday, July 30th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: YES, Sun Sports, XM

MLB Wagering Odds: New York Yankees -1.5 +150 -110 (Phil Hughes – R) vs. Tampa Bay Rays +1.5 -170 -110 (Wade Davis – R): Total 9 O -105 9 U -115

Things have certainly not gone well for RHP Phil Hughes to say the least of late. Even though he is 12-3 with a 4.04 ERA and was a deserving All-Star, his performances over the last two months haven’t been up to stuff. Hughes has watched his ERA balloon from 2.54 up to where it is now since in just eight starts, and in the L/6, it has risen from 3.11 up almost a full run. The righty “only” allowed three runs in 5.1 innings of work, but thanks to the fact that the bats really came to play on that night, Hughes escaped with a win over the Kansas City Royals. It was just his second victory since June 19th. Hughes has allowed at least three earned runs in four of his L/5 starts and at least five runs in three of his L/5.

Though RHP Wade Davis isn’t going to be the Rookie of the Year in the American League, he is certainly one of the most feared fifth starters in baseball. He is 8-9 on the season with a 4.32 ERA. Davis has won three straight starts and is pitching quite well, as he has only allowed a total of five runs to cross the plate over 21.1 innings of work in that stretch. Davis has faced the Bronx Bombers three times in his career, going just 1-2 with a 4.86 ERA.

MLB Insider Tip: The Rays are suddenly 10-1 in their L/11 games at Tropicana Field to improve to 30-20 there on the season. This series is just too important for Tampa Bay to lose. A sweep would be devastating for a club that is just trying its best to stick around in the race for the playoffs in spite of the fact that it has the second best record in baseball. The road team might have captured five of the eight meetings this season, but that all ends tonight. Bank on the Rays to go bananas on the slumping Hughes in this MLB betting affair.

My MLB Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays (Davis)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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Dallas Cowboys (+125 odds) – The Cowboys made real headlines last week by becoming the first team in the NFL to sign their first round draft pick, WR Dez Bryant. Bryant could bring a whole other dimension to the passing game, which was one of the best in the league last year. Between the play of QB Tony Romo and his weapons, including Bryant, WR Miles Austin, WR Roy Williams, and TE Jason Witten, Dallas is sure to be back in the playoff mix once again this year.
My NFL Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC East

New York Giants (+270 odds) – The Giants failed to make the playoffs last year, but it wasn’t the offense’s fault. QB Eli Manning did the best he could with an entirely new set of receivers and tight ends. The play of WR Steve Smith was outstanding last year, and if either Hakeem Nicks or Mario Manningham can step up and do the same thing this season, the New York offense is going to be fantastic. Rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul and the addition of SS Antrel Rolle from Arizona should help out a pass defense which was the worst in the division last year. The playoffs aren’t out of the question for HC Tom Coughlin’s crew.
My NFL Predictions: 10-6, 2nd place in NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (+270 odds) – Now that QB Donovan McNabb has moved on, the Eagles have a lot of work to do. QB Kevin Kolb looked sharp in limited action last season, and he is going to be the man tabbed with the duty of making the fans in the City of Brotherly Love forget about #5. It is the defense that concerns us though, especially in the secondary. Philadelphia didn’t have a fantastic secondary last season, and though S Marlin Jackson was signed to help fill the void, his Achilles rupture is going to take him out of the lineup for the entire season.
My NFL Predictions: 8-8, 3rd place in NFC East

Washington Redskins (+550 odds) – Speaking of Donovan McNabb… He’s the new man under center in our nation’s capitol, and along with him comes new HC Mike Shanahan. If owner Dan Snyder is right that the play of QB Jason Campbell and coaching abilities of former HC Jim Zorn really were inadequate, the Redskins could challenge for the NFC East title this year. Though both Shanahan and McNabb are upgrades on their predecessors, it won’t be enough to get the Skins into the playoffs or out of the NFC East gutter. There is still far too much work to be done here for success.
My NFL Predictions: 7-9, 4th place in NFC East

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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Last night’s 3-1 extra innings Rangers win saw Texas snag its third win in a row in the 2010 series; they hold a 4-3 advantage in the AL West rivals seven meetings heading into Game 2 of the teams current three-game series; three of the L/4 overall meetings were decided in extras.

Once Nelson Cruz launched the walk-off bomb last night, the Rangers had greatly improved upon their positioning in the division. With the Angels once again falling to the Red Sox at home, manager Ron Washington’s club now enjoys a healthy 8.5-game lead in the AL West. That said; while they sit 15-games over .500 at home, the Rangers have cost MLB bettors some coin as a host losing $62 on the year.

The A’s now sit a game over .500 on the year (50-49) and have made their MLB betting backers upwards of $200 overall. They sit seven-games under .500 as a visitor (20-27, -$455), but have won seven of their L/10 road games capturing series wins at Baltimore, Cleveland, and Kansas City; not the stiffest of competition.

Oakland A’s (50-49, $205) vs. Texas Rangers (59-41, $475)
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, July 28th, 8:05 ET
Game Location: Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington, TX
TV/Radio Broadcast: Comcast (California), FOX – Southwest, XM

MLB Odds: Oakland A’s +135 (Trevor Cahill – R) vs. Texas Rangers -155 (Colby Lewis – R) Total: Over/Under 8.5

The A’s have been very successful with Trevor Cahill leading their charge having won 12 of his 17 overall starts on the year. He enters his 18th test of the season off a loss however after getting outdueled by Chicago’s Mark Buehrle in the A’s 5-1 defeat last Friday night. He’s been at his best in the comfy confines of Oakland-Alameda County Stadium where he stands 5-2 with a 2.19 ERA, but the A’s have won seven of his nine road outings where he’s 4-2 with a 4.07 ERA & 1.07 WHIP. The A’s have won each of his L/6 road starts, and he’s been exceptional against the Rangers throughout his career going 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA & 1.10 WHIP in six overall starts.

Getting his 20th overall call to the bump will be Rangers righty Colby Lewis. He’s 9-6 on the year with a 3.52 ERA & 1.14 WHIP having allowed 99 hits and 48 ER’s with a K/BB ratio of 117/41 through 122.2 total IP. Texas has been around a .500 team behind him winning 10 of his 19 overall starts. Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers got the best of him his last time out. Lewis has been at his best at home where he sports a 5-1 mark with a 3.40 ERA. He’s been matched up against Cahill twice already this season and has a loss and no decision to show for his efforts. In six career starts vs. Oakland, he’s 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA & 1.68 WHIP.

MLB Insider Tip: I’m expecting runs to continue to be hard to come by in tonight’s battle after Game 1 of this series fell comfortably ‘under’ the closing number. Both Trevor Cahill and Colby Lewis are in very fine form. Cahill has had nothing but success against the Rangers throughout his career, and I firmly expect Lewis to come out real fired up so as not to get defeated by Trevor for the third straight time this season.

‘Under’ bettors have made mad bank with both of these starting hurlers this season as its 11-4-2 in Cahill’s outings and 12-6-1 in Lewis’. Pitching and defense have reigned supreme when these division rivals have hooked up in Texas with it cashing in 9 of the L/13 overall meetings. My MLB predictions have that trend holding suit this evening!

My MLB Prediction: Colorado/Texas Under (Cahill/Lewis)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Related posts:

1. MLB Betting: Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics Odds & Prediction: July 20th 2010
2. MLB Betting: Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers Prediction: April 22nd 2010
3. Cincinnati Reds vs. Oakland Athletics Odds & Prediction: June 21st 2010

San Diego Chargers (-325 odds) – The Bolts are in command of the AFC West this year, and there is no reason to get challenged by any other of these other contenders. San Diego has the best passing attack in this division by far, as QB Philip Rivers is head and shoulders above his competitionEven though RB LaDainian Tomlinson and DB Antonio Cromartie are both gone, this team shouldn’t be taking a step back.yo Look for rookie RB Ryan Mathews to have a big, big season.
My NFL Betting Predictions: 13-3, 1st place in AFC West

Oakland Raiders (+750 odds) – The biggest underdog of the bunch in the AFC West is the most intriguing team. The Raiders have a new look with QB Jason Campbell under center now in place of the bust known as JaMarcus Russell. Many forget that Campbell threw for 3,500+ yards and 20+ TD passes last year. He can totally change the face of this offense, which has been simply miserable in years past. The defense has a new captain as well, as rookie LB Rolando McLain could be the Defensive Rookie of the Year. The silver and black might be a year away from being back, but to challenge the .500 mark is a distinct possibility.
My NFL Predictions: 7-9, 2nd place in AFC West

Denver Broncos (+650 odds) – HC Josh McDaniels put his career on the line when he traded up into the middle of the first round to pick Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow to be his future quarterback. QB Kyle Orton wasn’t terrible last season in spite of the fact that there weren’t many expectations, but he will be crippled this year after the rift between McDaniels and WR Brandon Marshall finally sent the wide out to MiamiLast season’s collapse from 6-0 to miss the playoffs was embarrassing to say the least, and it’s hard to think that this year will be anything different. McDaniels could be on his way out after a second bad season.
My NFL Predictions: 6-10, 3rd place in AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs (+700 odds) – With DC Romeo Crennel now in the fold, many think the Chiefs could be a big difference maker this season. However, we tend to disagree. Having SS Eric Berry to work with is going to be great in KC, but he is still only one of 11 players on that defense. There aren’t enough pieces to the puzzle for this unit to be much improved. The addition of RB Thomas Jones as a free agent from the New York Jets is going to be a great pick up, but the problem at hand is that it may stunt the growth of RB Jamaal Charles, who led all rushers in the second half of the season in terms of yardage.
My NFL Predictions: 6-10, 4th place in AFC West

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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Baltimore Ravens (-115 odds) – Bottom line: No one is stopping Baltimore this year in the AFC North. The Ravens have a loaded defense, and even though some players like LB Ray Lewis and SS Ed Reed are aging, it feels like the team is constantly stockpiling talent through the draft. This year is no exception, as LB Sergio Kindle and DT Terrence Cody should have huge impacts. Look for the acquisition of WR Anquan Boldin to pay major dividends. Baltimore should have over 5,500 yards of offense this year as a team, and that could make it a dangerous team, not just to win the AFC North, but the Super Bowl as well.
My NFL Predictions: 13-3, 1st place in AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (+210 odds) – The Steelers could be in for a very long season. It is already well advertised that QB Ben Roethlisberger is sitting for the first month of the season thanks to his off the field issues. Missing the traded WR Santonio Holmes won’t help matters either. Neither will the loss of OT Willie Colon, who will miss the season due to injury. The defense should get SS Troy Polamalu back healthy, but there are still too many questions to buy what Pittsburgh is selling. Expect the ’08 champs to miss the playoffs once again.
My NFL Predictions: 7-9, 2nd place in AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals (+300 odds) – If anything comes from these drug allegations linked to RB Cedric Benson, the Bengals are going to be in a ton of trouble. The Comeback Player of the Year last season could be facing a suspension, which would put a ton of pressure on the shoulders of QB Carson Palmer. Whether it was because his receivers just weren’t great or that he has lost his touch, Palmer struggled all season last year, barely throwing for 3,000 yards. He’ll need to come a lot closer to 4,000 this year for Cincy to make any noise in division.
My NFL Predictions: 6-10, 3rd place in AFC North

Cleveland Browns (+1500 odds) – In another year’s time, the Browns might be a team to contend with. Even though this team has the longest winning streak in the NFL going right now at four games, Cleveland still knows that there is plenty of work to be done. We love the prospects of watching RB James Harrison run this year, but there isn’t a lot of talent on the rest of the team quite yet. That will change soon though, as GM Mike Holmgren is clearly changing the philosophy at the Dawg Pound. Some combination of Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, and Colt McCoy should find a way to make this team respectable in 2010 by its own standards.
My NFL Predictions: 6-10, 4th place in AFC North

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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Indianapolis Colts (-150 odds) – The Colts are the bona fide favorites once again in the AFC South, and for good reason. QB Peyton Manning is still probably good for 4,000 yards and at least 25 touchdown passes, and when this offense is clicking, no one can stop it. There are still plenty of defensive question marks, but these are all the same question marks that the Colts have had for years. Indy still has a solid squad, but at Manning’s age, some rust is going to show at some point. Still, this is a division that is there for the taking.
My NFL Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in AFC South

Houston Texans (+350 odds) – Is this finally the year the Texans make the playoffs? HC Gary Kubiak had better hope so, or he is likely to be handed a pink slip. Red zone offense is going to be key for Houston, as it statistically ranked dead last in the league in that category last season. Several games were lost inside the opponents’ five yard line. If RB Ben Tate can punch some of those close calls into the end zone, the Texans will be playoff bound, as they already have the top passing offense in the league under QB Matt Schaub.
My NFL Predictions: 10-6, 2nd place in AFC South

Tennessee Titans (+350 odds) – The Titans finished up with eight wins in their L/10 games last season after starting off at a woeful 0-6. This year, QB Vince Young is going to be under center every step of the way, which could make all the difference in the world. The key is going to be keeping defenses guessing about how RB Chris Johnson is going to get the football. Another 2,000+ yard season is unlikely, but asking for 1,500 yards and at least a dozen scores isn’t out of the question. Tennessee will challenge for a playoff spot yet again.
My NFL Predictions: 9-7, 3rd place in AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars (+1000 odds) – In almost any other division in football, the Jags would be considered a potential sleeper team. They have plenty of talent to work with, particularly on defense, but the pieces to the puzzle just haven’t come together in recent years in Jacksonville. HC Jack Del Rio has to be running out of time, but the man that really needs to prove himself is QB David Garrard. Another year right around the same number of TD passes as INTs is going to see Del Rio get fired and Garrard limited to backup duty… most likely on another team in 2011.
My NFL Predictions: 5-11, 4th place in AFC South

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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A traditional run line bet allows MLB bettors to either reduce the juice on a favorite or pay extra for that half run with the underdog. For example, your average -200 favorite is normally reduced to a price of -1.5 (-110) on the run line. For you to cash this run line ticket, the favorite backed must win by at least two runs. If you backed the dog at say +1.5 (+120) in that scenario, and it won, or lost by just one run, you would also cash that ticket.

Now, that’s a very conservative way to go about run line betting. If you’re in search for a bigger taste of glory, then alternate run line betting is for you!

Let’s go back to that original -200 favorite. BetUS actually has two alternate run lines for you to choose from! Using the second alternate run line and betting on large favorites, you have the option of laying 2.5-runs at a nice return. You’ll often find a -200 favorite at -2 (+190) to +220 in alternate run line betting. What this does is turn the heavy favorite into an underdog. Provided it takes care of business as expected, you cash big.

For you to cash this ticket, the heavy favorite that is now dogged must win by three runs. So, instead of just laying -200 on the moneyline or -110 on a -1.5 run line bet and collecting your $100, you could reap the rewards and collect anywhere from $190 to $220 provided the triumph is by three runs or more.

This type of alternate run line betting can be used whenever a team you feel has the overwhelming advantage when matched up against a team littered with injuries, has played numerous games in a row, or had its bullpen roasted the previous game with a poor starting pitcher going the next day.

Another type of alternate run line betting deals with flipping the actual run line around. Say for example you believe a +145 underdog has the advantage over the designated favorite in a selected game. Instead of taking the pup on the traditional money or run line, you can reverse it on the alternate run line and turn the MLB underdog into the favorite.

The aforementioned underdog of that size would in turn have a return of +210 at -1.5. So, if you grab a piece of the underdog on the traditional moneyline for $100, and also throw down $50 on the alternate run line, you would come away with a $250 return on a $150 investment provided the underdog wins by two or more runs.

This form of alternate run line betting is best used when dealing with teams grossly overlooked by oddsmakers in the match-up. The San Diego Padres have been fantastic alternate run line wagers on the road this season, while any team that’s gone into Camden Yards to take on the Baltimore Orioles has also been great alternate run line bets.

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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New England Patriots (+130 odds) – Once upon a time, the Patriots felt like the prohibitive favorites to win the AFC East every single season. That just doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, as the Jets are hot on their tails. However, the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. WR Randy Moss is still one of the most feared receivers in the league and QB Tom Brady is going to throw for just as many yards and touchdowns as any other signal caller in the game, provided he stays healthy. How could we really pick against this team with all of that in consideration?
My NFL Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in AFC East

New York Jets (+140 odds) – Objects in your rear view mirror might be closer than they appear. The Jets didn’t exactly sneak up on anyone last season, as first year HC Rex Ryan told everyone exactly what he was going to do. He was going to run the heck out of the football, blitz your quarterback regardless of the situation, and try to smack you in the mouth. Mission accomplished. New York nearly missed the playoffs, but ultimately ended up one bad half of football away from the Super Bowl. The bad news now is that everyone has a year of tape on the Jets to watch. The good news is that WR Santonio Holmes, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, and DB Antonio Cromartie are now in the fold. The better news is that QB Mark Sanchez has a year of experience under his belt. Worst news of all – The Jets don’t possess the pansy schedule they struggled with a year ago.
My NFL Predictions: 9-7, 2nd place in AFC East

Miami Dolphins (+325 odds) – The Fins were the subject of some bad luck last year, as they ultimately ended up losing both QB Chad Pennington and RB Ronnie Brown for the season before they really had a chance to make a push at the playoffs. Still, with two games left in the season, they knew they controlled their own destiny, and though they failed, the Dolphins should still hold their heads high. We don’t believe that QB Chad Henne is ready to lead a team to the Promised Land, though.
My NFL Predictions: 7-9, 3rd place in AFC East

Buffalo Bills (+2500 odds) – Could the Bills be the worst team in football this year? New HC Chan Gailey really doesn’t have a heck of a lot to work with, especially at the quarterback position. Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Brian Brohm together probably don’t even equal Henne, let alone Brady. Yes, drafting RB CJ Spiller was nice, but it’s certainly not nice enough to salvage a team that probably plays the hardest last place schedule in football.
My NFL Predictions: 3-13, 4th place in AFC East

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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The victory was much needed for manager Terry Francona’s club who most recently dropped three of four-games at home to the AL West leading Texas Rangers right out of the break. Boston’s played second fiddle to the Rays and Yankees all season long, but only finds itself six-games out of first in the division and 3.5-games out in the AL Wild Card chase.

Oakland has battled injuries all season long, but nonetheless, it still finds itself around the .500 mark coming into tonight’s baseball betting battle going 46-47 ($48) on the year. They trail the aforementioned Rangers by eight-games in the division and trail the Rays by 10.5-games for the Wild Card. The A’s have played five-games over .500 at home (26-21); good for a $400+ return on the season.

Boston Red Sox (53-40, $235) vs. Oakland A’s (46-47, $48)
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, July 20th, 10:05 ET
Game Location: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
TV/Radio Broadcast: NESN, Comcast (CA), XM

MLB Odds: Boston Red Sox Even (Tim Wakefield – R) vs. Oakland A’s -120 (Dallas Braden – L): Total 8 O -120 8 U Even

Knuckler Timmy Wakefield enters his 16th start of the year off his most humiliating effort of the season last time out against Texas. The Rangers lit him up for eight hits (1 HR) and seven runs through just two innings of work; six of the runs were tallied in the 1st inning. The defeat dropped him to 3-8 on the year and raised his ERA to 5.65. He has however been better away from Fenway where he stands 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA & 1.29 WHIP through 45 innings of work. Boston had won his previous three starts against the A’s up until June 3rd of this season when he got roughed up for eight hits and six ER’s in the Red Sox 9-8 home loss. He’s 8-7 with a 4.81 ERA & 1.38 WHIP lifetime vs. Oakland.

Dallas Braden will be making his first start for the A’s since getting raked for 10 hits and four runs at home by the Cincinnati Reds back on June 22nd. He’s been saddled with an elbow injury since, but most recently made an appearance in the Minors to get him ready for tonight’s start. Oakland’s 4-5 with him leading its charge at home this season. He’s 4-7 overall with a 3.83 ERA, and that number falls to 3.15 at home. He led the A’s to a carefree 8-2 win in his only career home start vs. the BoSox last April. He’s 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in his career vs. the Red Sox.

MLB Insider Tip: These teams split their 2009 season series at five games apiece, but the BoSox hold a 3-1 advantage after scoring the solid win last night. Both of these clubs look to be in disarray with the plethora of injuries incurred on both sides. That said, I still have to go with the Red Sox line-up in this one as I just don’t trust the A’s to get to Wakefield even though he enters this outing in very poor form. Boston’s 17-13 ($120) vs. southpaws and has gone 6-3 ($360) when installed road underdogs in the +100 to +125 range to date. Oakland’s just 19-30 (-$910) vs. +.500 opposition on the year, and my MLB predictions have them falling into an 0-2 hole in this series tonight.

My MLB Prediction: Boston Red Sox (Wakefield)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Related posts:

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Season Standings
1: Arizona Diamondbacks (56-34-3) – We’re glad to see that the D’Backs really haven’t changed their ways to start the second half of the season. Allowing 26 runs to the Padres over the course of three days is just unacceptable, and it raised their team ERA up to 5.40. The squad as a whole has a tremendous 1.53 WHIP, which is worst in the bigs. The offense hasn’t held up its end of the bargain yet in the second half, but eventually, the average of 4.50 runs per game will once again become what we see from Arizona on a weekly basis.

2: Milwaukee Brewers (49-38-6) – The signs are there that the Brewers are starting to lose some of their ‘over’ steam. They went three straight games to start the second half of the year by allowing a total of eight runs in three days in Atlanta only to give up 11 on Sunday. The rumors are starting to fly around that 1B Prince Fielder could be traded by the middle of next week as well.

3: Los Angeles Dodgers (50-40-2) – The Dodgers have some major pitching issues right now, which is going to prompt manager Joe Torre to look for some arms right before the trade deadline. LA has conceded at least seven runs four times since July 9th, raising its team ERA up to 4.16 on the season. In a ballpark that is notoriously known for its ‘under’ prowess, that’s a miserable number to have.

Who’s Hot?
1: San Diego Padres (3-0) – The Pads came out of the blocks in the second half with their bats blazing, as they bounced around Arizona’s miserable pitching staff for 26 runs in three days. In spite of the fact that San Diego ranks 23rd in home runs on the season with just 75, the team blasted off eight times over the first three days of the second half.

2: Tampa Bay Rays (3-0) – Perhaps it was a bit foreboding for the Rays that they were absolutely pounded by the Bronx Bombers’ bats over the weekend at Yankee Stadium. They conceded 19 runs and had all three of their starting pitchers bounced around, including All-Star Game starter LHP David Price. Giving up that many runs has to concern manager Joe Maddon, but at least Tampa Bay can rest assured about one thing…

3: New York Yankees (3-0) – … The Yankees’ pitching was just as bad. New York allowed the exact same 19 runs to the Rays over the three game series in the Big Apple. The biggest concern has to be the right arm of AJ Burnett. He was blasted for four runs in just two innings of work before getting lifted from the game to a chorus of boos… and for good reason. Burnett’s ERA has skyrocketed to 4.99.

The second half of the season has started off with a bevy of ‘over’ games. The MLB odds aren’t stacked against all of the teams in the bigs this week, though.
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Season Standings
1: St. Louis Cardinals (53-36-3) - In spite of the fact that the Cards are in the hole almost five units for the season for their MLB betting fans, they are back in first place in the NL Central and could be poised to run away from the field. They swept a four game series at home against the Dodgers over the weekend to start the second half of the year, and they ran their string of consecutive games of holding teams to four runs or less to eight straight games.

2: Washington Nationals (51-38-3) – The offense for the Nats has simply been awful since July 8th. The ‘O’ has only averaged 2.86 runs per game since that point, and now that Washington is most certainly out of the race in the NL East, it is probably going to be inclined to clean house. If it’s the bats that end up on the move, the ‘under’ train could continue. However, closer Matt Capps is one of the names being talked about, which could kill some ‘unders’ late in games should the roles in the bullpen change.

3: Chicago Cubs (48-37-8) – The Cubbies have been playing a number of ‘over’ contests of late, but help could be on the way. RHP Carlos Zambrano could be rejoining the club as soon as the end of the week, though there is a chance that he could be traded before then as well. It’s probably best to stay away from Chicago, as it is poised to fall off of this list.

Who’s Hot?
1: Washington Nationals (3-0) – When you get shutout twice and only score four runs in a span of three days, you aren’t going to cash in many ‘over’ tickets. The Nats got a heck of a start out of RHP Stephen Strasburg as well the first day out of the All-Star Break. He tossed six shutout innings and struck out seven against the Marlins to improve to 4-2 on the campaign.

2: Florida Marlins (3-0) – The pitching staff for the Marlins had a fantastic weekend against the boys from DC. The bullpen didn’t allow a single run in three days, extending its scoreless innings streak to three games and 1.1 innings. The road is about to get significantly tougher though, as trips to Cincinnati and Milwaukee and their respective powerful offenses are on deck.

3: Boston Red Sox (3-1) – It’s amazing that the Red Sox are even remotely staying in the chase for the AL East and AL Wild Card distinctions with as many injuries as they are dealing with right now. It’s no wonder that the team lost three out of four at home to the Rangers over the weekend, and it’s certainly no wonder why Boston hasn’t scored more than four runs in a game since July 10th.

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Related posts:

1. MLB Baseball Picks: The Best Over and Under MLB Teams: July 12th 2010
2. MLB Baseball Betting: MLB Umpire Over-Under Report: July 4th 2010
3. MLB Baseball Betting: Best Teams To Bet The “Over”: May 31st 2010

Season Standings
1: San Diego Padres (24-18, +$1,225) – The Pads took a bit of a step backwards over the L/2 weeks on the road, but things are still going quite well for them. San Diego still owns a four game lead in the NL West standings as we enter the first full week of the second half of the season, but the road will certainly be tough this week in Atlanta, a place where the Braves have one of the best home marks in the bigs.

2: Tampa Bay Rays (29-16, +$1,207) – The only series the Rays have played on the road since the last time we checked up on them was this past weekend in Yankee Stadium. Losing two out of three wasn’t great, but the fact that Tampa Bay scored the same number of runs as the Yankees (19) has to be encouraging to manager Joe Maddon.

3: Kansas City Royals (21-28, +$562) – Let’s hear it for the Royals! KC has had a very respectable year this season on the road, and thanks to the fact that home teams have been dominant of late, KC can slip onto this list just for being relatively average. Keep a very close eye on this squad, as it has basically played .500 baseball since the firing of manager Trey Hillman.

Who’s Hot?
1: Baltimore Orioles (4-1, +$955) – The good news for the O’s is that they just wrapped up a four game sweep in Texas right before the All-Star Break to do a ton of damage to the books. The bad news is that they still have a miserable road record for the year at just 13-34 and out over nine more units. There’s still plenty of work to do for whomever takes over this franchise as the next permanent manager.

2: Oakland Athletics (4-1, +$359) – Does anyone realize that the A’s are back to .500 yet again? It isn’t totally inconceivable that they could claw their way back into contention in the AL West, as they are just seven games out of it with plenty of time to spare. Busting out the brooms in KC helped over the weekend, as the team is now on a five game winning streak.

3: Atlanta Braves (4-1, +$324) – When you’ve got one of the best home records in baseball and are hot on the road, everything is working for you. That’s exactly what is happening to the Braves right now, as they sit five games ahead of the New York Mets for the top spot in the NL East. Picking up SS Alex Gonzalez was a questionable move right before the All-Star Break, and perhaps as a result, Atlanta is just 2-3 in those five.

For every home team that is red hot, there has to be a visiting team that just can’t figure out how to put it together quite yet. Some of the worst squads in baseball are on this MLB betting list to stay away
CLICK HERE TO OPEN A BETTING ACCOUNT AT BETUS

Season Standings
1: Pittsburgh Pirates (11-38, -$1,638) – Some of the stats on the road for the Pirates are just downright embarrassing. They’ve only won two road games since May 25th, and both of those came against the Cubs. In fact, they are only 7-36 on the season away from home against all other teams outside of Chicago. The last time the Bucs put more than five runs on the board in a road game? May 14th at… yep, you guessed it… Wrigley Field.

2: Arizona Diamondbacks (13-33, -$1,555) – It’s not like the Diamondbacks can do much more bragging than the Pirates can. Their only road series victories of the season came at Tampa Bay and at Houston. Aside from that, they have been absolutely atrocious all season long, including in a three-game sweep at the hands of the Padres this past weekend.

3: Seattle Mariners (15-32, -$1,436) – Lately, it’s been rough to be a Seattle Mariner. Coming into play on Sunday, the team had lost four straight, nine out of ten, and 13 of 15. They had lost six out of seven on the road and hadn’t won a game not pitched by LHP Cliff Lee on the road since June 30th. Now, Lee is gone, but at least the streaks are over with him. LHP Jason Vargas helped pitch the team to a 2-1 win on Sunday over the Halos.

Who’s Not?
1: Detroit Tigers (0-5, -$648) – This isn’t going to cut it if the Tigers are going to win the AL Central this year. Chicago’s ascent to the top of the division wasn’t just by accident or good fortune. Detroit is playing despicable ball on the road right now, as it has lost six straight on the road. The first two defeats at Target Field against the Twins weren’t so embarrassing. Dropping four at Progressive Field in Cleveland is a totally different story, particularly starting the second half of the year.

2: Pittsburgh Pirates (0-5, -$500) – Why are we not surprised? After all, the Cubs haven’t showed up on the road schedule in quite some time for the Pirates.

3: Philadelphia Phillies (1-4, -$405) – The two time defending National League champs are on the ropes and are on the verge of becoming sellers and not buyers at the MLB trade deadline. Picking up 5.5 games in a span of approximately 70 isn’t impossible, but there is just no headway being made right now on the Braves, who are still as hot as could be. A bad series in St. Louis this week could be the beginning of the end for the 2010 MLB betting campaign in the City of Brotherly Love.

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Related posts:

1. MLB Baseball Betting Picks: The Best And Worst Road Teams: July 5th 2010
2. MLB Betting: Worst Road Teams To Wager On: June 8th 2010
3. MLB Baseball Picks: The Best And Worst MLB Teams To Bet On The Road: June 22nd 2010

Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies (16-2, +$1,252) – At 16-2 for his team for the season, there is a real argument that Jimenez is the MVP in the National League. Without a doubt, he has had the best stuff amongst pitchers in baseball. Jimenez finished up his first half of the season with his 15th win, as he pitched eight strong innings and allowed just one earned run against the Cardinals at Coors Field. With 113 strikeouts, Jimenez is on a clip for 200 for the season, and his 15-1 record is self-explanatory.

Freddy Garcia, Chicago White Sox (12-4, +$1,099) – Coming into Friday night, Garcia is the only other man in baseball that can say that he has made over $1,000 for MLB wagering fans. The righty has cashed in eight straight games, and for good measure, he has led the team to four straight ‘unders’ as well. Garcia hasn’t pitched more than seven innings during this winning streak, but just like the rest of the White Sox, he is getting a ton of help and is picking up victories to show for it.

Kris Medlen, Atlanta Braves (10-1, +$970) – For those of you who didn’t know the name Kris Medlen before, perhaps you should take note. This righty for the Braves led the team to ten wins in his first 11 starts of the season. He pitched an inning in relief on the final day before the All-Star Break, but should be back and ready to go in the Atlanta rotation in the second half of the year. Medlen is going to be crucial for manager Bobby Cox to lead his team into the playoffs once again, and he is definitely someone to keep a close eye on with a 6-1 record and a 3.16 ERA.

Andy Pettitte, New York Yankees (14-3, +$966) – In the American League, only Tampa Bay’s Jeff Niemann and Pettitte have led their respective teams to 14 wins this year. Pettitte really has been the picture of consistency once again for the Bronx Bombers. He is 11-2 with a 2.70 ERA. The southpaw has only won 20+ games in his career one time, and that came way back in 2003. It would be truly remarkable to see his pick up 20 for the second time this year at the age of 38.

Mat Latos, San Diego Padres (12-5, +$882) – Latos is currently sitting on the disabled list after sneezing too hard, but he will be eligible to come off of the DL by the end of next week. A snub from the All-Star Game, Latos is 10-4 with a 2.45 ERA. He is just one strikeout away from 100 for the season and has only allowed one earned run in his L/4 starts.

Pitchers that burn holes in our pockets is just another day in the life of trying to beat the MLB odds. Here at BetUS Sportsbook, we’ve got the five worst money burning pitchers in the bigs listed for you to steer clear of in the future. Take a look at the toughest luck pitchers against the MLB odds this year.
CLICK HERE TO OPEN A BETTING ACCOUNT AT BETUS

Ryan Rowland-Smith, Seattle Mariners (3-13, -$997) – Rowland-Smith has had no luck this year with the Mariners, but then again, who really has had much luck in Seattle this year? His time in the rotation probably would have been getting cut short if not for the trade that sent LHP Cliff Lee out of town right before the All-Star Break. Rowland-Smith is just 1-9 on the season, and his 5.89 ERA leaves plenty to be desired. Allowing 36 walks against 32 strikeouts in 84 frames isn’t helping either.

Zack Greinke, Kansas City Royals (6-12, -$811) – On top of everything else that has gone wrong for Greinke this year, he now has a sore shoulder and has been pushed back in the rotation from his most recent start on July 6th. Greinke still has to want to sue for a lack of support from his club, as the ’09 Cy Young Award winner in the American League has just a 3.71 ERA but a 5-8 record to show for it. He has picked up three straight wins though, which could be a sign of improvement for a man that used to be over 11 units in the hole in his starts just four weeks ago.

Dan Haren, Arizona Diamondbacks (7-12, -$810) – Having 125 strikeouts against just 26 walks for the year should be yielding a lot better than a 7-7 record for Haren. The right hander does have an uncharacteristically high ERA of 4.36, which is his highest such number since he was pitching as a youngster just coming out of the minors with the St. Louis Cardinals. The D’Backs have lost five straight starts of Haren’s in spite of the fact that he hasn’t allowed more than four earned in any of those games.

Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs (8-11, -$705) – If Dempster was on almost any other team in baseball, he probably wouldn’t be anywhere near this list right now. He did kick off the second half of the season with a victory on Thursday night, but with an 8-7 record and a 3.57 ERA, no pitcher should still be on a list like this one. The bullpen has yet to pick up a ‘W’ for Dempster this year, and it has conceded a whopping 14 runs in his L/4 starts.

Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants (7-11, -$704) – Again, this is a product of a team just not picking up their man. Cain has a 6-8 record and just a 3.34 ERA. He is issuing more walks this season (42) than most would prefer to see, but Cain also has 88 strikeouts and is well on his way to his fourth straight season with at least 200 innings under his belt.

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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1. MLB Betting: The Best And Worst MLB Pitchers To Wager On: June 25th 2010
2. MLB Betting: Worst Pitchers To Put Your Money On: June 5th 2010
3. MLB Betting: Worst Road Teams To Wager On: June 8th 2010

Though they dropped their final game before the All Star Break, the Rockies rattled off victories in eight of their previous 10 games ($463) to tie the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL Wild Card lead. Manager Jim Tracy’s club currently sits just two-games in back of the NL West leading San Diego Padres. The Rockies have reeled in upwards of $345 on the year, but sit five-games under .500 as a visitor (18-23) where they’re in the red for $444.

Cincinnati ended up going into the break with a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central Division race, but it finished up their final series before the Midsummer Classic on a major downer having gotten swept in their four-game series at Philadelphia. Still, the Reds are $760+ in the green for MLB bettors to date, and they’ve been a better host (27-19, $501) than visitor (22-22, $266) overall.

Colorado Rockies (49-39, $347) vs. Cincinnati Reds (49-41, $767)
Game Date/Time: Friday, July 16th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: The Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
TV/Radio Broadcast: FOX – Rocky Mountain & Ohio, XM

MLB Odds: Colorado Rockies +1.5 -190 +110 (Jason Hammel – R) vs. Cincinnati Reds -1.5 +160 -130 (Bronson Arroyo – R): Total 8.5 O -105 8.5 U -115

Jason Hammel enters his 16 th start of the season having not been defeated since getting blitzed by the Kansas City Royals way back on May 21 st. Since then, the righty has rattled off wins in six of his L/9 starts to go along with three no decisions; Colorado’s gone an impressive 8-1 during that stretch. However, only one of his L/7 starts has come on the road where his numbers have dramatically tapered off this season. He’s 1-2 with a 6.11 ERA & 1.50 WHIP having allowed 36 hits and 19 ER’s through 28 overall IP. He fared well in his lone career start against the Reds last season lasting 7.1 innings and allowing just three hits and a pair of ER’s.

Opposing the recently red hot Hammel will be Cincy’s Bronson Arroyo who enters his 19 th start of the 2010 MLB betting season 9-4 with a 4.04 ERA & 1.23 WHIP. He earned victories in his final two starts before the break having last tossed a gem in Citi Field limiting the Mets to just one run through eight innings of work. Cincinnati is 12-6 with him leading its charge this season, but stands an even 4-4 in his eight home starts. He has however been at his best under the lights going 6-1 overall while serving up just 62 hits through 67 total innings of work. In six lifetime starts vs. the Rockies, the righty is 1-2 with a 3.89 ERA & 1.41 WHIP.

MLB Insider Tip : Even though the Reds sit atop the NL Central standings, they aren’t being taken seriously. Oddsmakers are disrespecting them as well installing them very manageable chalk at the open before JQP came in and lowered the vig even more. Granted the Rockies went into the break red hot, the ASB was more than enough time to cool them off. On top of that, Cincy’s got to be stark raving mad after getting swept by the Phillies their last time out. It should also be taken into account that Colorado currently holds a nine-game winning streak in the series and a six-game winning streak at the “GAB”.

With the Rockies a bankroll depleting 3-10 (-$680) as road underdogs up to +125 and all the reasons already mentioned for the Reds to make a statement, my MLB predictions for tonight have Cincy humbling the Rox in a big way!

My MLB Prediction: Cincinnati Reds (Arroyo)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Related posts:

1. MLB Prediction: Cincinnati Reds vs. Washington Nationals: June 6th 2010
2. Cincinnati Reds vs. Oakland Athletics Odds & Prediction: June 21st 2010
3. MLB Prediction: San Diego Padres vs. Cincinnati Reds: April 24th 2010

1: Is Romo really ready to become an elite NFL quarterback? It feels like we ask this question every single season. Though Romo threw for just short of 4,500 yards a year ago and could be in for more this year, we just don’t buy that he is anywhere near the level of Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Philip Rivers. Win some playoff games, kid. The truly elite quarterbacks don’t throw for just 198 yards and a pick in a 34-3 loss to crash out of the playoffs like Romo did last year against the Minnesota Vikings.

2: Will trading up for WR Dez Bryant pay dividends? Many think that Romo’s problem in “Big D” has been a lack of big play receivers. That’s why the squad went out and traded for Roy Williams two years ago, and that’s why it was a shock to see WR Miles Austin look phenomenal last year. Dallas decided that it needed to go back to the well once again in search for that elusive elite receiver, and it did so by trading up in the draft to snare Bryant. It isn’t a numbers game for Bryant, as he was suspended for the majority of his final season at Oklahoma State. However, no receiver in the land was bigger, more imposing, and showed more ability to go get the ball than Bryant did when he was on the field. This should be a real asset for Tony Romo if Bryant can stay out of trouble.

3: Will Dallas duplicate its #2 ranked defense? Probably not. The Cowboys are a decent defensive team, but they were in over their head last year by holding teams to just 15.6 PPG. This is also a unit that allowed 225.4 YPG through the air, and that’s saying something considering the fact that LB DeMarcus Ware had 11 sacks and the team was known for crushing opposing passers.

4: Is Wade Phillips a sitting duck yet? In all likelihood, regardless of whether the team wins the Super Bowl or not, Phillips is bound to go eventually. OC Jason Garrett is waiting in the wings, and should Dallas slip just one bit, chaos in the locker room could ensue.

5: Bottom Line: How many games will the Dallas Cowboys win in 2010? This is the most important question that we will ask for all of the teams in the league. The Cowboys have an NFL betting line of 10 wins to beat at BetUS Sportsbook, and we think that they will top that number. Romo and the offense are going to be lethal this year, and a dozen wins isn’t out of the question. Bryant makes a huge difference, as Dallas could have four 1,000-yard caliber receivers at its disposal. The defense should be good enough, even if it allows closer to 20 PPG to win 12 games in the rough and tumble NFC East.

Source: BetUS Locker Room 2010 Dallas Cowboys Predictions Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Related posts:

1. Free Pick: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys: January 3rd 2010
2. NFL Betting: 2010 Odds To Win The NFC East
3. 2010 Washington Redskins Odds & Predictions

1: Was last season a fluke for these young wide receivers? Many thought that trying to replace the trio of TE Jeremy Shockey, WR Plaxico Burress, and WR Amani Toomer was going to be too tough to do for New York. Little did we know that the Giants were going to have the second highest scoring offense in the division thanks to a combined 211 receptions, 2,832 yards, and 18 TDs by Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks. Things shouldn’t change this year either, as QB Eli Manning has built a real rapport with these wide outs.

2: Eli Manning: The real deal yet? We tend to believe that the man known as “Peyton’s little brother” has built an identity of his own to keep now. The younger Manning threw for 4,021 yards and 27 scores, and he did so with a completely rebuilt offense. If that isn’t good enough to be considered the real deal, we aren’t so sure what is. We are absolutely buying Manning as the top QB in this division and one of the best in the conference.

3: Will the New Meadowlands help the G-Men? For a team that went just 2-5-1 ATS at home last season, we sure hope so. Teams tend to perform well within their new digs, if for no other reason that there isn’t a team in the league that’s been on the field yet; save for the Jets. Once the New York Giants take the field, they will have a real home field advantage against even the wiliest of veterans who won’t know exactly what that field looks and feels like.

4: Will the addition of Jason Pierre-Paul help out the D-Line which badly struggled in ’09? In the NFC East, you need pass rushers. This is what won the Giants the Super Bowl three years ago. The likes of Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka… none of them are playing up to their own standards (and of course, Strahan is retired now). That’s why HC Tom Coughlin felt the need to go out and spend a mid-first round pick on Pierre-Paul out of South Florida. Look for the rookie to step in and immediately teach the vets a thing or two and get New York back to its sacking ways. His athleticism should really flourish along the Giants D-Line!

5: Bottom Line: How many games will the New York Giants win in 2010? Asking the Giants to win nine games in the NFC East isn’t unreasonable this year considering the fact that the Eagles have probably taken at least one or two steps backwards after running QB Donovan McNabb out of town. A third place schedule is about as favorable as one could ask for. Look for New York to get to at least nine, and most likely ten wins and possibly get back into the playoffs.

Source: BetUS Locker Room 2010 New York Giants Predictions Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Related posts:

1. Free Pick: Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants: December 21st 2009
2. 2010 Dallas Cowboys Odds & Predictions
3. 2010 Washington Redskins Odds & Predictions