Cappers Sports Picks - The Experts

7* Cal/Ole Miss ESPNU *HEAVY HITTER* on Ole Miss -2.5 

The Key: Ole Miss wants revenge from a 16-27 upset loss at Cal 2 years ago.  Now they get Cal at home this time around in an early start game that will be a 9:00 AM body clock game for the Golden Bears.  I think Cal players will still feel sleepy by the time this game starts, and they won’t be ready for the men among boys on the other sideline.  I’ll almost always side with SEC over Pac-12, especially when it’s two middle of the road teams here like Cal and Ole Miss.  The Rebels are one of the most improved teams in the country defensively this season, holding Memphis to just 15 points on the road in the opener.  And the Rebels are clearly the better team offensively.  Take Ole Miss. 

7* Utah/USC NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Utah -3.5 

The Key: The Utah Utes are a legit Pac-12 title contender this season.  This is a huge game for them to go on the road and handle their business against USC.  These teams already have a common opponent in BYU.  Utah won at BYU 30-12, while USC lost at BYU 27-30.  Clay Helton just has not been able to deliver in this underdog role.  Helton is 1-12 SU & 2-11 ATS as an underdog at USC with 11 losses by double-digits.  The 12 losses have come by an average of 18.8 PPG.  Take Utah. 

7* Titans/Jaguars AFC South *HEAVY HITTER* on Jacksonville +2 

The Key: Gardner Minshew has been playing as well as any quarterback in the NFL thus far.  He has completed 77.6% of his passes and is averaging 8.4 YPA this season.  The Jaguars finally get a break on the schedule here with the Titans coming to town after facing the Chiefs at home and Texans on the road.  This is a game they must win to stay in the playoff hunt as they cannot afford to fall to 0-3.  Take Jacksonville. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-150) 

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are now 16-1 against the Detroit Tigers this season.  They have won 15 straight over the Tigers with all 15 wins coming by at least 2 runs.  The Indians have a huge advantage on the rubber over the Tigers today.  Aaron Civale is 3-3 with a 1.93 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 8 starts this year, including 2-1 with a 1.06 ERA in 3 home starts.  Civale is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in 2 starts against the Tigers this year.  Spencer Turnbull is 3-15 with a 4.77 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 27 starts for the Tigers, including 0-2 with an 11.11 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Turnbull has never beaten the Indians, going 0-5 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against them.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line. 

7* Browns/Jets AFC *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 45.5 

The Key: The Jets are going to try to shorten this game by giving the ball to Le’Veon Bell as much as possible.  They brought him in to be their workhorse, and now with Sam Darnold out, they will ride him.  Trevor Siemian will be making short throws and just trying not to turn the ball over.  They will have a conservative game plan, just as they did last week in their 16-17 home loss to the Bills that saw only 33 combined points.  The Jets also have a nice advantage defensively as defensive coordinator Greg Williams held the same position with the Browns last year and knows Freddie Kitchens’ offense.  The Browns have a terrible offensive line, and the Jets should be able to exploit it by bringing pressure all game long.  All of these factors favor a low scoring game.  Not to mention UNDERS are 12-3 this week as offenses just aren’t clicking this early in the season.  Cleveland is 10-2 UNDER after going over the total in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.  Bets on the UNDER on any team against the total off an upset loss as a favorite against an opponent that is off an upset loss by 10 points or more as a favorite are 30-9 over the last 10 seasons.  The UNDER is 9-1 in Browns last 10 games off a double-digit home loss.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Eagles/Falcons NFC *BAILOUT* on Atlanta +2 

The Key: The Atlanta Falcons did themselves in last week by committing 3 turnovers against the Vikings.  They just couldn’t get out of their own way.  The final stats outside the turnovers were actually in their favor.  They had 345 total yards and held the Vikings to just 269 total yards.  Now back home, look for the Falcons to play with a sense of urgency to avoid falling to 0-2.  They will be much sharper, and you’ll see their offense live up to their potential, which is massive with all the weapons they have.  The Eagles gave up 27 points and 398 total yards to a bad Redskins offense last week.  Matt Ryan is 10-1 SU & 10-1 ATS in home openers since coming into the league.  Take Atlanta. 

7* Iowa/Iowa State Rivalry Game of the Year on Iowa State +1.5 

The Key: The Iowa State Cyclones had a bye week to get ready for Iowa.  It’s exactly what they needed as they were humbled in needing OT to beat UNI, so it should have been a productive two weeks of practice.  I think this line is an overreaction to that UNI win.  Iowa State outgained Northern Iowa by 201 yards as that was a misleading final.  Iowa has played Miami Ohio and Rutgers, two terrible teams and is getting too much credit for blowing out both.  Iowa State is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games as a home dog.  Take Iowa State. 

7* Washington State/Houston NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Houston +9.5 

The Key: No team has played an easier schedule than Washington State.  The Cougars are getting too much respect from oddsmakers for their blowout wins over New Mexico State and Northern Colorado.  This team lost a lot of talent from last year and now they step up in class here against Houston.  This is a Houston team that is battle tested with their 31-49 loss to Oklahoma in the opener.  They’ll be ready for Washington State, and this is basically a home game for them played at the Texans’ stadium in Houston.  D’Eriq King is one of the best quarterbacks in the country and will be ready to match Mike Leach and company score for score.  Take Houston. 

7* Bucs/Panthers NFC South *HEAVY HITTER* on Carolina -6.5

The Key: Jameis Winston has now lost 9 straight road starts as the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Winston was awful in his first start under Bruce Arians, who was supposed to be his savior.  He threw 3 interceptions and 2 of them were returned for touchdowns in their 17-31 home loss to the 49ers.  Cam Newton has been great at home as they had won 10 straight home games with him under center before getting injured last year with his shoulder.  He is back healthy this year and coming off a decent start against the Rams in a tough 27-30 loss.  I trust Newton and the Panthers to bounce back at home tonight.  The Panthers beat the Bucs 42-28 at home last year.  They outgained the Bucs by 106 yards in that game and outgained them by 129 yards in a fluky losing effort in Tampa Bay last year.  Ron Rivera is 11-3 ATS in home games after allowing 30 points or more as the coach of the Panthers.  Take Carolina. 

7* AL Game of the Month on Cleveland Indians -130 

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are fighting for a wild card in the American League.  There is only 2 games separating 3 teams fighting for 2 spots with the Rays and A’s also in the mix.  The Indians have handled their business against the Angels winning 6-2 and 8-0 in the first two games of this series, and they should sweep it tonight.  The Angels are 4-14 in their last 18 games overall, and they’ve been playing with Mike Trout of late due to injury.  Cleveland starter Adam Plutko is 6-4 with a 4.16 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 16 starts this year.  Los Angeles starter Dillon Peters is 2-2 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 8 starts.  The Indians are 7-1 in Plutko’s last 8 starts against a team with a losing record.  The Indians are 23-4 in the last 27 meetings.  Take Cleveland. 

7* Interleague Game of the Week on Minnesota Twins -144 

The Key: The Minnesota Twins are hungry to win the AL Central.  The Washington Nationals are kind of stuck in no man’s land right now as they are likely to get the 1st wild card, but they can’t win the division.  The Nationals have lost 4 of their last 5 games coming in.  Jose Berrios is the better starter in this matchup with a 3.78 ERA in 28 starts this year, and a 3.62 ERA in 12 home starts.  Anibal Sanchez has a 4.11 ERA in 26 starts for the Nationals.  He gave up 7 runs and 3 homers in 5 innings of a 4-8 loss to the Mets in his last turn.  The Twins are 51-17 in their last 68 games against a starter with a WHIP of greater than 1.30.  The Twins are 40-16 in their last 56 games off a loss.  Take Minnesota. 

7* Broncos/Raiders ESPN *BAILOUT* on Oakland +2.5 

The Key: This line indicates that the Broncos would be roughly 5.5-point favorites on a neutral field.  I’m not buying it, and I think these are two evenly matched teams this year.  The Broncos have the better defense, but the Raiders clearly have the better offense, and it’s not really even close.  Oakland should have beaten Denver in each of the last 3 meetings.  They won at home 21-14 in 2017 and 27-14 in 2018, including an upset win as a home dog last year.  And they only lost 19-20 in Denver as 5.5-point underdogs last year.  They have had the Broncos’ number.  Now the Raiders should be much improved in Year 2 under Gruden, while the Broncos are breaking in a new head coach in Vic Fangio.  The Broncos are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 division games.  The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Oakland. 

7* Steelers/Patriots NBC *BAILOUT* on Pittsburgh +6 

The Key: The Pittsburgh Steelers have played the Patriots tough in their 2 meetings over the last 2 seasons.  They only lost 24-27 in fluky fashion in 2017.  They came back with a 17-10 home win over the Patriots last year.  I think this game is likely to be decided by a field goal, so the price is right to pull the trigger on the Steelers.  Their offense is loaded and their defense is as good as it has been in years.  The Patriots always seem to start slow out of the gate.  They won’t be a juggernaut offensively early as they try and figure out how to make due without Rob Gronkowski.  Mike Tomlin is 30-19 ATS as a dog as the coach of the Steelers.  Take Pittsburgh. 

7* NCAAF Non-Conference Game of the Year on Texas State +7.5 

The Key: The Texas State Bobcats should be one of the most improved teams in the country this season.  They brought back 19 starters and nabbed an offensive-minded head coach in Jake Spavital and he brought some great coordinators with him.  It didn’t show against Texas A&M in the opener as they lost 7-41 as 34-point dogs, but that’s expected against a team the caliber of the Aggies.  Wyoming is coming off a misleading 37-31 upset of Missouri, setting the Cowboys up for a big letdown spot.  They gave up 537 yards and were outgained by 148 yards in that game.  Missouri twice turned it over going into the end zone, and also gave up another turnover for a score.  Their 3 turnovers were essentially a 24-point swing.  Bets on home dogs of 3.5 to 10 points who allowed 6.25 or more yards per play in their previous game, with 8 or more offensive starters and the QB returning in the first month of the season are 22-3 ATS since 1992.  Take Texas State. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-136) 

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers are 4-0 in their last 4 games overall and have scored a total of 28 runs in their last 3 games.  They are now 55-18 at home this season and winning by 2.1 RPG on average.  The Giants are 2-8 in their last 10 games overall and have fallen out of playoff contention.  Clayton Kershaw is 9-1 with a 2.62 ERA in 14 home starts this year.  Kershaw is 23-11 with a 1.66 ERA in 46 lifetime starts against the Giants.  The Dodgers are 45-11 in Kershaw’s last 56 home starts.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* Packers/Bears NBC *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 46.5 

The Key: The Bears will once again have one of the best defenses in the NFL.  They didn’t lose much from a unit that gave up just 17.6 PPG last year.  The Packers should be improved defensively this season as they finally spent some money in free agency and loaded up in the early rounds of the draft.  But the Packers could struggle early offensively as they have put in a new system under Matt LeFleur.  Aaron Rodgers didn’t play at all in the preseason and should be rusty.  The Bears were improved offensively last year, but they are still no juggernaut on that side of the ball.  They play to their strengths, which is their defense.  The UNDER is 7-3 in Packers last 10 games overall.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Bears last 5 games overall.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NL West Game of the Week on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-144) 

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers have scored 21 runs in the first 2 games of this series with the Rockies while covering the Run Line both times.  Expect more of the same tonight thanks to their advantage on the mound once again in this contest.  Hyun-Jin Ryu is the favorite to win the Cy Young as he’s 12-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 25 starts, including 9-1 with a 1.54 ERA in 12 home starts.  Antonio Senzatela is 8-9 with a 6.95 ERA in 20 starts for the Rockies, including 0-3 with a 20.25 ERA in his last 3 starts while yielding 18 earned runs in 8 innings.  The Dodgers are 54-18 at home this season and winning by 2.1 RPG.  Ryu is 21-3 as a home favorite of -150 or more over the last 3 years with the Dodgers winning by 2.8 RPG.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-146) 

The Key: The Dodgers just hung 16 runs on the Rockies yesterday as Colorado had to throw a position player to the mound at the end of the game.  Now the Dodgers have another big advantage over the Rockies on the rubber tonight.  Julio Urias is 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 6 starts this year, including 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Chi Chi Gonzalez is 0-5 with a 7.57 ERA and 1.77 WHIP in 8 starts this year, including 0-2 with an 11.45 ERA and 1.91 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Colorado is 2-15 in road games off a loss by 4 runs or more while losing by 3.6 RPG.  The Dodgers are 53-18 at home this season.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-150) 

The Key: Big advantage for the Dodgers on the rubber tonight over the Rockies.  Walker Buehler is 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 25 starts this year.  He is 5-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 12 home starts as well.  Buehler is 3-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 9 lifetime starts against the Rockies.  Peter Lambert is 2-5 with a 6.63 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in 15 starts for the Rockies this year.  Lambert sports a 7.45 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts against the Dodgers, both of which have come this season.  The Dodgers are 52-18 at home this year while winning by 2.1 RPG on average.  Colorado is 2-14 in road games off a loss by 4 runs or more this year, losing by 3.4 RPG.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-138) 

The Key: The Washington Nationals are the hottest team in baseball.  They’ve been playing well for months, but in particular of late as they are 15-3 in their last 18 games overall with 12 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Expect more of the same today with Pat Corbin getting the ball.  Corbin is 6-2 with a 1.83 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 13 home starts this year.  Corbin is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA in 9 lifetime starts against Miami, including 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA in 3 starts against the Marlins in 2019, yielding only 2 earned runs in 23 innings.  Caleb Smith is coming off 2 terrible starts in a row where he yielded 10 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings.  Smith is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against the Nationals.  Take Washington on the Run Line. 

7* Fresno State/USC ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on USC -13.5 

The Key: The USC Trojans come into the 2019 season flying under the radar for the first time in a long time.  That’s because they didn’t even make a bowl game last year with a 5-7 record.  But with the talent they recruit, the Trojans won’t be down for long.  They had won double-digit games in the previous two seasons under Clay Helton.  Fresno State has been a good story the last few years, but they lose a ton of talent from those teams.  They only have 9 starters back and are the 2nd-least experienced team in the country this year. USC comes in hungry to get their season off on solid footing and won’t be taking the Bulldogs lightly.  Take USC. 

7* Wisconsin/USF ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Wisconsin -10 

The Key: The Wisconsin Badgers are coming off a down year, which for them is 8-5.  They had won 10 or more games in 4 straight years prior.  And they should get back to being their dominant selves this year.  It starts with Week 1 against South Florida, which went 7-6 last year.  The Bulls won their first 7 games against weak competition, then lost their final 6 when they took a step up in class.  This is a step up in class for them as well.  Bets on road favorites of 10 to 21 points who were an excellent rushing team last season averaging 5.25 YPC or more are 26-6 ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Take Wisconsin. 

7* UCLA/Cincinnati ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Cincinnati -2 

The Key: The Cincinnati Bearcats went on the road and beat UCLA 26-17 last year as 14-point underdogs.  Now they get them at home in the rematch and it should be more of the same.  This is a Cincinnati team that won 11 games last year and has 14 starters back from that squad, including QB Desmond Ridder and RB Michael Warren, who rushed for 1,329 yards and 19 touchdowns last year.  The Bearcats went 6-0 at home last season and outscored opponents by 30.0 PPG.  Take Cincinnati. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-117) 

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are 3.5 games of the Twins in the AL Central.  They need to continue their dominance of the Tigers to close the gap.  They did just that yesterday with a 10-1 victory.  They are now 53-17 in the last 70 meetings, including 13-1 in 14 meetings with the Tigers this season.  This should be a blood bath considering the advantage the Indians have on the rubber.  Aaron Civale sports a 1.82 ERA in 5 starts this year.  Jordan Zimmerman sports an 8.18 ERA in 7 home stats.  Zimmerman has never beaten the Indians, going 0-6 with a 10.68 ERA in 8 lifetime starts against them.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line. 

7* AL Central Game of the Month on Cleveland Indians -148 

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are 3.5 games back of the Twins in the AL Central.  They need to continue their dominance of the Tigers to close the gap.  The Indians are 52-17 in the last 69 meetings, including 12-1 in 13 meetings with the Tigers this season.  Adam Plutko is 5-3 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 13 starts this year.  Spencer Turnbull is 3-12 with a 4.05 ERA in 23 starts, 0-7 with a 4.19 ERA in 12 home starts, and 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Detroit is 1-14 in home games against a starter with a. WHIP of 1.20 or better this year.  Cleveland is 17-1 against an AL team that scored 3.9 RPG or fewer this season.  Take Cleveland. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Philadelphia Phillies -125 

The Key: The Philadelphia Phillies are battling for a wild card spot in the National League.  The Pittsburgh Pirates are 11-30 in their last 41 games overall.  These are two teams headed in opposite directions.  Jason Vargas is 3-2 with a 2.43 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 11 home starts this year.  Joe Musgrove is 8-12 with a 4.94 ERA in 26 starts for the Pirates, including 0-2 with a 5.10 ERA in his last 3 outings.  The Phillies are 12-5 in their last 17 games off a loss.  The Pirates are 16-40 in their last 56 road games against a left-handed starter.  The Phillies are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.  Take Philadelphia. 

7* Nationals/Cubs NL *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago +119 

The Key: The Chicago Cubs do not want swept at home by the Nationals.  This is their chance to salvage the series and I like the price we are getting on them as home underdogs.  The Cubs are 44-21 at home this season and are rarely home dogs.  Cole Hamels is 17-9 with a 2.69 ERA in 38 lifetime starts against the Nationals.  Hamels is 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA in 10 home starts this year.  Take Chicago. 

7* NFLX Game of the Year on New Orleans Saints -3 

7* Florida/Miami ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Florida -7 

The Key: Dan Mullen turned Mississippi State into an SEC power, which is hard to do.  Then he took a 4-7 Florida team before arriving into a 10-3 team last year that beat Michigan 41-15 in the Peach Bowl.  Mullen is easily a Top 5 coach in the country, and he doesn’t get the respect he deserves.  Now the Gators have 13 returning starters this year with a loaded defense that has 8 starters back.  Having a proven QB in Feleipe Franks and all of his top receivers back from last year plus their leading rusher will help ease the pain of only having 5 returning starters on offense.  I just don’t trust Miami.  They went 7-6 last year and are going through a coaching change with Manny Diaz taking over after accepting the Temple job.  They only have 12 returning starters and will be starting a redshirt freshman quarterback.  Their offense was poor last year and will be again to start, especially facing a defense that caliber of Florida.  Remember last year Miami was dominated 17-33 by LSU in the opener, and they will get a similar fate here against another SEC power in the Gators.  The Hurricanes are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.  The Gators are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.  Take Florida. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-125) 

The Key: The Astros are cheap on the run line tonight considering the advantage they have on the rubber over the Angels tonight.  Zack Greinke is 13-4 with a 3.00 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 26 starts this year.  He’ll be opposed by Jose Suarez, who is 2-4 with a 6.57 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 11 starts this year, and 0-3 with a 10.22 ERA and 2.03 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  The Angels are 0-4 in Suarez’s last 4 starts.  The Astros are 40-13 in their last 53 Game 1’s.  The Astros are 44-21 in the last 65 meetings, and 7-1 in the last 8 home meetings.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-130) 

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays have actually been a lot better on the road than at home this year.  They are 40-23 on the highway in 2019.  They should win by multiple runs tonight over the Baltimore Orioles thanks to their advantage on the rubber.  Ryan Yarbrough is 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in 7 starts this year, and 3-0 with a 1.14 ERA and 0.51 WHIP in 3 road starts.  Asher Wojciechowski is 2-6 with a 4.84 ERA in 9 starts, and 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in his last 3 outings.  He yielded 4 runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 3-6 loss to the Rays in his only lifetime start against them back on July 2nd.  Baltimore is 1-21 after allowing 3 runs or less in 2 straight games over the last 2 seasons.  It is losing by 4.0 RPG in this situation.  Take Tampa Bay on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague Game of the Week on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-170) 

The Key: Instead of laying -350 plus to back the Dodgers on the money line we’ll take them -170 on the run line and save nearly 200 points of juice.  They exploded for 16 runs on the Blue Jays yesterday and not face an opener in Wilmer Font who has a 5.61 ERA in 4 road starts this year.  Walker Buehler is 10-3 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 23 starts this year for the Dodgers, and 5-0 with a 2.33 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in 11 home starts.  The Blue Jays are 0-7 in their last 7 interleague games against a right-handed starter.  The Dodgers are 44-12 in their last 56 home games.  There’s better than a -170 chance of the Dodgers winning this game by 2 runs or more.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+100) 

The Key: The Chicago Cubs have a big advantage on the rubber tonight over the San Francisco Giants.  Cole Hamels is 6-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 20 starts this year, and 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 9 home starts.  Tyler Beede is 3-6 with a 5.74 ERA in 15 starts, including 3-3 with a 6.11 ERA in 9 road starts.  Beede faced the Cubs on July 24th and yielded 4 runs, 3 homers and 11 base runners in 5 2/3 innings of a 1-4 loss.  Beede is 0-4 with a 6.32 ERA in his last 6 starts overall having yielded 8 homers in 31 1/3 innings with opponents hitting .321 against him.  Chicago is 21-3 in home games after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 over the last 2 seasons and winning by 2.9 RPG.  The Giants are 0-5 in Beede’s last 5 starts.  The Cubs are 6-0 in Hamels’ last 6 home starts against a team with a winning record.  Take Chicago on the Run Line. 

7* NL Central Game of the Month on St. Louis Cardinals -112 

The Key: The Cardinals are cheap at home tonight.  Dakota Hudson is 11-6 with a 3.84 ERA in 24 starts, 4-2 with a 3.60 ERA in 11 home starts, and 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Zach Davies is 8-5 with a 3.74 ERA in 23 starts this year, but 0-3 with an 11.77 ERA in his last 3 outings, which required a trip to the DL.  Now he makes his first start back off the DL and will be on a pitch count.  Davies is 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA in his last 4 starts against the Cardinals, yielding 17 earned runs in 20 1/3 innings.  Hudson is 10-0 when the money line is -100 to -150 this season.  Take St. Louis. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-120) 

The Key: The Houston Astros have lost 5 straight and are hungry for a win Sunday.  They don’t want to get swept by the Oakland A’s and want to salvage this series with a Game 4 victory.  They should do just that thanks to their advantage on the rubber.  Zack Greinke is 12-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 25 starts this year, including 7-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 14 road starts.  Greinke is 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 lifetime starts against the A’s.  Brett Anderson is 4-5 with a 4.65 ERA in 11 home starts this year.  Anderson is 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA in 5 lifetime starts against the Astros.  Anderson is 1-9 in home games against a team that outscores their opponent by one or more runs per game in his career.  His teams are losing by 3.6 RPG on average in this situation.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-166) 

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have won 3 straight and have outscored their last 2 opponents 14-2.  The Red Sox will win this game over the hapless Orioles by multiple runs again tonight.  Eduardo Rodriquez is 13-5 with a 4.33 ERA in 24 starts and 6-1 with a 3.96 ERA in 10 home starts.  Rodriquez is 8-5 with a 3.60 ERA in 15 lifetime starts against the Orioles, including 5-0 with a 1.74 ERA in his last 5 starts against them with all 5 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Asher Wojciechowski is 2-5 with a 4.91 ERA in 8 starts for the Orioles this year.  Take Boston on the Run Line. 

7* NL Central Game of the Month on Cincinnati Reds -138 

The Key: Luis Castillo is having a Cy Young worthy season and will shut down the Cardinals tonight.  Castillo is 11-4 with a 2.76 ERA in 24 starts this year, and 7-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 15 home starts.  Castillo sports a 3.11 ERA in 8 lifetime starts against the Cardinals, and he’s 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA in his last 3 starts against them while yielding 2 earned runs in 18 2/3 innings.  Adam Wainwright is 2-6 with a 6.79 ERA in 11 road starts this year.  Wainwright has a 5.42 ERA in 26 lifetime starts against the Reds, and he yielded 7 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in his last start at Cincinnati on July 19th.  Take Cincinnati. 

7* Astros/A’s AL West *BAILOUT* on Oakland +111 

The Key: The Oakland A’s should not be home dogs to the Houston Astros today.  The Astros have gone 1-3 in their last 4 games overall while losing as -450, -355 and -350 favorites.  The A’s have the clear advantage on the rubber tonight with Mike Fiers, who is 11-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 24 starts, including 7-1 with a 1.92 ERA in 3 home starts.  Fiers has limited the Astros to only 4 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings in his last 2 starts against them this season.  Aaron Sanchez is 5-14 with a 5.60 ERA in 25 starts this year, including 2-8 with a 6.41 ERA in 13 road starts.  Sanchez is also 1-2 with a 5.71 ERA in 4 lifetime starts against the A’s.  Take Oakland. 

7* Interleague *MOUND MISMATCH* on San Diego Padres -105 

The Key: The Padres will be hungry to avoid the sweep after losing the first 2 games of this series to the Tampa Bay Rays.  And now they have the advantage on the rubber in Game 3 today.  Cal Quantrill is 3-3 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 11 starts this year, including 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA in 7 home starts.  Quantrill is 2-1 with a 1.56 ERA in his last 3 outings as well.  Tampa Bay starter Jalen Beeks is 0-1 with an 11.04 ERA in his 2 starts this year.  Take San Diego. 

7* Interleague Game of the Month on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (-144) 

The Key: The Cardinals have won 3 straight and have scored 20 runs in the 3 wins.  They take on a Royals team that is 4-12 in their last 16 games overall.  The Cardinals have a big advantage on the rubber tonight with Jack Flaherty, who is 5-6 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 23 starts this year.  Flaherty is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in his last 3 starts while yielding just 2 earned runs in 20 innings with 28 strikeouts.  Glenn Sparkman is 3-6 with a 5.96 ERA in 13 starts this year, including 0-2 with a 10.56 ERA in his last 3 starts, yielding 18 earned runs and 6 homers in 15 1/3 innings.  The Cardinals are 37-15 in their last 52 against a team that wins less than 40% of their games.  The Royals are 2-12 in their last 14 interleague home games.  Kansas City is 1-5 in Sparkman’s last 6 starts.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line. 

7* Red Sox/Indians ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland +106 

The Key: Two teams headed in opposite directions square off in Cleveland Monday night on ESPN.  The Indians are 36-15 in their last 51 games overall and have moved into a tie for first place with the Twins in the AL Central.  The Red Sox are 3-11 in their last 14 games overall to fall 7.5 games back in the wild card and are almost assuredly missing out on the playoffs now.  Zach Plesac isn’t getting the respect he deserves as a home dog to the Red Sox here.  Plesac is 6-3 with a 3.25 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 13 starts this year, including 4-1 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 7 home starts.  Eduardo Rodriquez has a 4.38 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 13 road starts for the Red Sox this season.  Plesac held the Red Sox to one run in 5 1/3 innings at Fenway Park back on May 28th in his only lifetime start against them.  The Red Sox are 0-5 in their last 5 road games.  Boston is 0-8 in its last 8 against a team with a winning record.  The Indians are 13-3 in their last 16 home games against a left-handed starter.  The Indians are 6-0 in Plesac’s last 6 starts overall and 5-0 in his last 5 home starts.  Take Cleveland. 

7* Phillies/Giants ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on San Francisco -103 

The Key: The Phillies are just 1-4 in their last five games overall and have scored only 6 runs in the 4 losses.  Talented rookie Conner Menez should shut them down today as well.  Jake Arrieta has been below average this season at 8-8 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 23 starts.  He is pitching through injury and just hasn’t been right of late.  He hasn’t made it out of the 6th inning in any of his last 6 starts.  The Phillies are 6-14 in their last 20 road games against a left-handed starter.  Philadelphia is 1-5 in its last 6 road meetings with the Giants.  Take San Francisco. 

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Red Sox -144 

The Key: The Red Sox aren’t dead yet.  They’ve rebounded nicely by winning the last two days and outscoring the Angels 19-4 in the process.  The Angels have basically given up at this point as they are currently in the midst of an 8-game losing streak.  Andrew Heaney is 1-3 with a 5.09 ERA in 9 starts this year and will get lit up by the Red Sox today.  Heaney has a 6.97 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against the Red Sox as well.  Take Boston. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-155) 

The Key: The Astros have won 9 of their last 10 all by 2 runs or more.  They now face the Orioles, who were just swept by the Yankees and outscored 12-32 in the process.  Wade Miley has a 3.05 ERA on the season and a 1.89 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He is a much better starter than Dylan Bundy, who has a 5.15 ERA on the season and a 5.89 ERA at home.  Bundy is 1-18 against teams that score 4.9 RPG or more over the last 2 years.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* AL East Game of the Month on New York Yankees -1.5 (-125) 

The Key: The New York Yankees are riding an 8-game winning streak after their 14-2 beat down of the Orioles Wednesday night.  They have hit at least 5 home runs in 3 straight games and are playing with all kinds of confidence.  Domingo German is 10-0 against teams that steal 0.5 or fewer bases per game this season.  The Yankees are winning by 4.9 RPG in this situation.  German is 9-0 against division opponents this season with the Yankees winning by 4.6 RPG.  German is 13-2 with a 4.06 ERA in 18 starts, while Thomas Pannone is 0-3 with a 9.28 ERA in 5 starts for the Blue Jays.  Take New York on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-175) 

The Key: We’ll lay the Astros on the Run Line today.  They’re playing too well and have too big of an advantage on the rubber tonight to not win by at least 2 runs.  Gerrit Cole is the Cy Young winner if the season ended today.  He is 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 24 starts with 216 strikeouts in 150 2/3 innings.  Cole is 4-1 with a 2.39 ERA in 6 lifetime starts against the Rockies.  Peter Lambert is 2-2 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  Lambert is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in one lifetime start against the Astros, which came on July 3rd.  The Rockies are 8-22 in their last 30 games overall.  The Rockies are 3-11 in their last 14 road games.  Colorado is 1-7 in Lambert’s last 8 starts.  The Astros are 23-5 in Cole’s last 28 home starts.  The Astros are 8-1 in their last 9 games overall with all 8 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cincinnati Reds -140 

The Key: The Reds come in playing well at 7-3 in their last 10 games overall.  The Angels appear to have given up after losing 5 of 7 recently to the Tigers and Orioles of all teams.  The Angles are now 2-9 in their last 11 games overall.  Big advantage goes to the Reds on the rubber tonight . Anthony Desclafini is 4-3 with a 2.94 ERA in 9 home starts this year.  Jose Suarez is 2-2 with a 5.66 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 9 starts for the Angels, and he has a 5.70 ERA in 5 road starts.  The Reds are 5-1 in their last 6 home games.  Take Cincinnati.