MLB Weekend Top 10
This week’s Top 10 bonanza is dedicated to the man who wears No. 10 for the Baltimore Orioles, Adam Jones. He drove in Curtis Granderson with a sac fly in the eighth inning as the American League (+100) beat the National League 4-3 at Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Jones barely got any mention for his game-winning RBI; Carl Crawford made the signature play of the day in the seventh with a leaping catch to take a home run away from Brad Hawpe and win the MVP honors. The real games start again on Thursday.
To get you ready, we present out latest betting preview in what is proving to be a very interesting and profitable 2009 campaign.
All stats are at press time; for the freshest betting lines, visit sports.bodog.com.
Top 10 paying teams
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (56-32, 19.37 units)
2. Los Angeles Angels (49-37, 12.24 units)
3. Texas Rangers (48-39, 11.11 units)
4. San Francisco Giants (49-39, 10.68 units)
5. Boston Red Sox (54-34, 9.84 units)
6. Colorado Rockies (47-41, 7.07 units)
7. Detroit Tigers (48-39, 6.86 units)
8. Seattle Mariners (46-42, 6.49 units)
9. Philadelphia Phillies (48-38, 3.72 units)
10. Chicago White Sox (45-43, 3.19 units)
Top 10 paying pitchers
1. Matt Palmer, L.A. Angels (9-2 team record, 10.64 units)
2. Tim Wakefield, Boston (13-4, 9.22 units)
3. Jeff Niemann, Tampa Bay (12-4, 8.99 units)
4. Josh Johnson, Florida (14-5, 8.60 units)
5. Josh Beckett, Boston (14-4, 8.41 units)
6. Jason Marquis, Colorado (12-6, 7.86 units)
7. Scott Feldman, Texas (11-4, 7.43 units)
8. Matt Cain, San Francisco (13-5, 7.19 units)
9. Felix Hernandez, Seattle (13-5, 6.80 units)
10. Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox (13-5, 6.60 units)
This weekend’s top 10 storylines
1. Nationals fire manager Manny Acta, name Jim Riggleman interim skipper
2. Pedro Martinez reportedly signs one-year contract to pitch for Phillies
3. Rays 3B Evan Longoria (finger) likely to return to action after missing All-Star Game
4. Diamondbacks release veteran 1B Tony Clark
5. MRI comes up negative on Reds OF Jay Bruce (wrist); out 6-8 weeks
6. Matt Cain (elbow) expects to start Sunday for Giants
7. Dodgers lefty Eric Milton likely out for season after successful microdiskectomy
8. Rays put reliever Grant Balfour on bereavement list following death of grandfather
9. Royals starter Gil Meche (back spasms) not expected to miss any action
10. Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton (toe) could require ongoing treatment, says manager Joe Torre
This weekend’s top 10 games to bet on
1. Sunday: N.Y. Mets at Atlanta (6:00 p.m. Eastern, ESPN)
It’s an early start for Sunday Night Baseball. The Mets have lost Fernando Nieve’s last three starts after winning his first three. All-Star snub Javier Vazquez (2.95 ERA) has an 8-10 team record for 5.66 units of debt.
2. Saturday: L.A. Angels at Oakland (4:10 p.m., FOX)
The A’s are 4-10 in their last 14 games on grass; Los Angeles is 20-8 in its last 28 on grass.
3. Sunday: Detroit at N.Y. Yankees (2:05 p.m., TBS)
Joba Chamberlain (11-6 team record, +1.92 units) is slated to start for the Yankees; the New York press is calling for him to be put back in the bullpen.
4. Saturday: Baltimore at Chicago White Sox (4:10 p.m., FOX)
The White Sox are 36-16 in their last 52 home games against losing teams. Jeremy Guthrie (7-11, -3.26 units) is scheduled to start for Baltimore.
5. Friday: Houston at L.A. Dodgers (10:10 p.m.)
This should be a killer pitching duel between Roy Oswalt (9-10, -3.41 units) and Chad Billingsley (13-6, +4.53 units). Houston has won Oswalt’s last three starts.
6. Friday: San Francisco at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m.)
Tim Lincecum (12-6, +3.01 units) makes his first start for the Giants since pitching two innings at the All-Star Game.
7. Sunday: Boston at Toronto (1:07 p.m.)
Boston has won eight of the last 11 against the Blue Jays, who have lost 12 of 15 overall and are actively shopping AL All-Star Game starter Roy Halladay.
8. Friday: Chicago Cubs at Washington (7:05 p.m.)
The Nationals are last in the majors at 26-61 and 29.69 units in the hole. Scott Olsen (3-8, -3.95 units) plays the sacrificial lamb to Carlos Zambrano (10-6, +3.17 units)
9. Saturday: Philadelphia at Florida (7:10 p.m.)
Pedro Martinez will make some warm-up starts in the minors, so Joe Blanton (9-8, -0.07 units) is still on tap for Philly versus Josh Johnson, the No. 4 pitcher on our money list.
10. Sunday: Minnesota at Texas (8:05 p.m.)
ESPN doesn’t like this matchup enough, but handicappers will be curious to see whether Tommy Hunter’s 4-0 under streak (6-0 dating back to last year) will continue for the Rangers.
