Cajun Sports
Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros
Play: Chicago Cubs
Minute Maid Park will be the site of this two-game mini-series between the host Houston Astros and the visiting Chicago Cubs with the first game set for Wednesday night at 8:05PM EST. The Cubs will send right-hander Rich Harden to the bump with his 2-1 W/L record and ERA of 5.11. In his last outing he struggled against the Fish but the Cubs managed to get the win last Friday 8 to 6 at home. Harden lasted only 3 2/3 innings giving up a season-high five runs, six hits, four walks and only two strikeouts. He has faced the Astros only once in his career giving up five runs over 5 2/3 innings of work and was not involved in the decision even though his team won 11 to 7 back on August 5th. The Cubs will be seeking their fifth win in their last six games after having its four-game win streak snapped by San Francisco on Tuesday. Cub’s manager Lou Piniella decided to rest several of his key players for the day game on Tuesday since they had just played the night before and they are in a stretch of twenty straight games without having a single day off. We expect them to return to the lineup for tonight’s game in Houston. Houston is hoping Wednesday’s starter Mike Hampton can give them several innings of work because their bullpen has been forced into too many innings with the Astros starters failing to pitch past the fifth inning in five straight games. Both groups are struggling, Houston’s starters have a combined ERA of 5.31 while their bullpen checks in with a 5.63 ERA as a group. Mike Hampton is 1-2 W/L with an ERA of 4.88 and is 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in his last three outings. His last trip to the bump saw him give up six runs in just 4 1/3 innings of work in a 7 to 2 loss on Friday in Atlanta. Houston is returning home after an eleven inning battle at Washington on Tuesday that game is suspended with the teams tied at 10 apiece and will be completed on July 9th. In that contest the Astros bullpen contributed 5 1/3 innings, if the Cubs can get to Hampton early it may be a long evening for this Astros bullpen. The Cubs are 5-0 W/L their last five facing a pitcher whose WHIP is 1.30 or higher and 16-7 W/L when facing a left-handed starter. Chicago is 21-7 W/L as a road favorite, 4-0 W/L their last four as a favorite overall and 4-1 W/L their last five as a road favorite of -110 to -150. The Cubs are 11-3 W/L when Harden takes the bump installed as a favorite, 7-1 W/L when Harden starts against the NL Central and 6-1 W/L when Harden is working on four days rest. The Astros are 7-16 W/L their last twenty-three when installed as an underdog, 3-7 W/L as a home underdog, 2-11 W/L as an underdog of +110 to +150 and 0-4 W/L their last four at home when installed as an underdog in that same price range. With strong technical and fundamental support for the visitor we will lay the chalk with the Cubs as they get the win in Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night.
Graded Selection: 2* Chicago Cubs 6 Houston Astros 2
Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros
Play: Chicago Cubs
Minute Maid Park will be the site of this two-game mini-series between the host Houston Astros and the visiting Chicago Cubs with the first game set for Wednesday night at 8:05PM EST. The Cubs will send right-hander Rich Harden to the bump with his 2-1 W/L record and ERA of 5.11. In his last outing he struggled against the Fish but the Cubs managed to get the win last Friday 8 to 6 at home. Harden lasted only 3 2/3 innings giving up a season-high five runs, six hits, four walks and only two strikeouts. He has faced the Astros only once in his career giving up five runs over 5 2/3 innings of work and was not involved in the decision even though his team won 11 to 7 back on August 5th. The Cubs will be seeking their fifth win in their last six games after having its four-game win streak snapped by San Francisco on Tuesday. Cub’s manager Lou Piniella decided to rest several of his key players for the day game on Tuesday since they had just played the night before and they are in a stretch of twenty straight games without having a single day off. We expect them to return to the lineup for tonight’s game in Houston. Houston is hoping Wednesday’s starter Mike Hampton can give them several innings of work because their bullpen has been forced into too many innings with the Astros starters failing to pitch past the fifth inning in five straight games. Both groups are struggling, Houston’s starters have a combined ERA of 5.31 while their bullpen checks in with a 5.63 ERA as a group. Mike Hampton is 1-2 W/L with an ERA of 4.88 and is 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in his last three outings. His last trip to the bump saw him give up six runs in just 4 1/3 innings of work in a 7 to 2 loss on Friday in Atlanta. Houston is returning home after an eleven inning battle at Washington on Tuesday that game is suspended with the teams tied at 10 apiece and will be completed on July 9th. In that contest the Astros bullpen contributed 5 1/3 innings, if the Cubs can get to Hampton early it may be a long evening for this Astros bullpen. The Cubs are 5-0 W/L their last five facing a pitcher whose WHIP is 1.30 or higher and 16-7 W/L when facing a left-handed starter. Chicago is 21-7 W/L as a road favorite, 4-0 W/L their last four as a favorite overall and 4-1 W/L their last five as a road favorite of -110 to -150. The Cubs are 11-3 W/L when Harden takes the bump installed as a favorite, 7-1 W/L when Harden starts against the NL Central and 6-1 W/L when Harden is working on four days rest. The Astros are 7-16 W/L their last twenty-three when installed as an underdog, 3-7 W/L as a home underdog, 2-11 W/L as an underdog of +110 to +150 and 0-4 W/L their last four at home when installed as an underdog in that same price range. With strong technical and fundamental support for the visitor we will lay the chalk with the Cubs as they get the win in Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night.
Graded Selection: 2* Chicago Cubs 6 Houston Astros 2
Craig Trapp
Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees
Play: Over 10
Craig's Totals have been hot the last 10 days going 3-0!! Yesterday Craig's Total of the week won with the Reds shutting out the Florida Marlins!! Lets look at Craig's Wed Total of the day as he tries to keep his hot totals streak alive!! Todays total is in the TAM and NYY game in the new Yankee stadium!!
Total Betting Trends
Over is 35-16 in Rays last 51 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 5-2 in Sonnanstines last 7 starts as an underdog.
Over is 4-0-1 in Yankees last 5 home games.
Over is 4-1 in Burnetts last 5 starts overall.
Over is 20-8-1 in Yankees last 29 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
These two pitchers both have been very average this year (Burnett 5.40 ERA, Sonnanstine 6.75 ERA). Sonnanstine has a very poor start and even worse now he faces the NYY that beat him up in his career for more than one run per inning pitched!! Burnett on the other hand is comming off 2 starts where he did not go past the 7th inning and has given up more than 4 runs in both games. New Yankee Stadium is averaging well over 11 runs per game with only one game under double digits this year. Yankee Stadium over is 7-2 thus far this year. All trends and breakdown points to an easy over total today. SCORE NYY 9 - TB 4
Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees
Play: Over 10
Craig's Totals have been hot the last 10 days going 3-0!! Yesterday Craig's Total of the week won with the Reds shutting out the Florida Marlins!! Lets look at Craig's Wed Total of the day as he tries to keep his hot totals streak alive!! Todays total is in the TAM and NYY game in the new Yankee stadium!!
Total Betting Trends
Over is 35-16 in Rays last 51 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 5-2 in Sonnanstines last 7 starts as an underdog.
Over is 4-0-1 in Yankees last 5 home games.
Over is 4-1 in Burnetts last 5 starts overall.
Over is 20-8-1 in Yankees last 29 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
These two pitchers both have been very average this year (Burnett 5.40 ERA, Sonnanstine 6.75 ERA). Sonnanstine has a very poor start and even worse now he faces the NYY that beat him up in his career for more than one run per inning pitched!! Burnett on the other hand is comming off 2 starts where he did not go past the 7th inning and has given up more than 4 runs in both games. New Yankee Stadium is averaging well over 11 runs per game with only one game under double digits this year. Yankee Stadium over is 7-2 thus far this year. All trends and breakdown points to an easy over total today. SCORE NYY 9 - TB 4
Marc Lawrence
Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles
Prediction: Minnesota Twins
The Twins take on the Orioles in Baltimore in Game Two of this three-game set when they send Kevin Slowey to the mound against Mark Hendrickson. SLowey enters tonight's fray in commanding KW form with one walk and sixteen strikeouts in his last three starts. He's also 3-0 in his last three starts in the month of May. With Hendrickson just 2-9 in his last 11 team starts, look for Minny to turn mighty here tonight.
Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles
Prediction: Minnesota Twins
The Twins take on the Orioles in Baltimore in Game Two of this three-game set when they send Kevin Slowey to the mound against Mark Hendrickson. SLowey enters tonight's fray in commanding KW form with one walk and sixteen strikeouts in his last three starts. He's also 3-0 in his last three starts in the month of May. With Hendrickson just 2-9 in his last 11 team starts, look for Minny to turn mighty here tonight.
