Larry Ness
15* AL Game of the Week (15-1 since Aug 7 and 98-31 since Opening Day!)
My 15* play is on the Tor Blue Jays at 7:05 ET. The Blue Jays are seven games behind the Mariners in the AL wild card race but haven't "given up," as they have won 18 of their last 24 at home to improve to 39-24 in '07 at home. Blue Jay starters have gone at least six innings in 11 straight games, including seven at home. The starting staff is 7-3 with a 3.36 ERA in 12 home starts in August. Shaun Marcum (10-4, 3.31 ERA) will try to extend that streak. After opening the season in the bullpen, he's made 18 straight starts, going 9-2 with a 2.91 ERA (team is 12-6). The young right-hander has won five straight starts, with a 1.30 ERA over his last four. The A's are 17-20 since the break, including 7-11 on the road. Joe Blanton, tonight's starter, has been very good in Oakland but just terrible on the road. He's made 13 starts each, both home and away in '07. At home, he's allowed 83 hits in 96.1 innings with a 2,62 ERA but on the road, he's allowed 99 hits in 82 innings with a 5.49 ERA!
AL Game of the Week
15* Toronto Blue Jays
Oddsmaker's Error (9-3 or 75% winners since July 18!)
My Oddsmaker's Error is on the Az D'backs at 9:40 ET. The Brewers are fading fast, having lost SIX of seven and going just 16-28 since July 1. On the other hand, the D'backs have won 21 of 27 and just may be the NL's best team. In tonight's opener of a three-game set, Milwaukee starts a rookie pitcher in Yovani Gallardo, who has been rocked for 18 runs and 21 hits in just 8.1 innings, while losing his last two starts. Meanwhile, Arizona sends ex-Brewer Doug Davis to the mound, who is 5-0 with a 3.13 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break (team is 7-0!) and has won his last three outings, limiting opponents to six runs in 20.1 innings (2.66 ERA). The Brewers come in losers of 17 of their last 24 road games, while the D'backs have won 10 of their last 13 at home. All this, and Arizona opens a small favorite (minus-$1.20)???
Oddsmaker's Error
Arizona Diamondbacks